srwug_alpha_rp | Phase Eleven: Keep Calm and Drink Tea

1. (the hangar)

[After the chaos of the fight, the hangar crew are working overtime on cleanup duty. Laura's pitching in, flying around in The Great Pretender, righting fallen mechs and clearing heavy objects.

For now, though, she's in the open cockpit of the Knightpolice she's been working on in her own time for the last while, and which came through the confusion blessedly unscathed. There's one last finishing touch to cap off her modifications to it, and this is just the time to make it. There are some odd whistling noises, a fan whirring, and what looks like - no, it's not smoke, it's steam rising...

Laura sinks back into the pilot's seat, out of armour and so with her leg propped up in a cast, and takes a deep, satisfied drink from the mug with the 501st's insignia emblazoned on it.]

Ahhh... got the kettle working at least.

2. (the Arboretum)

[Even using the Pretender for all her activity, Laura's under doctor's orders not to push herself too hard, so she's sitting untransformed under a tree trying not to scratch at her leg in its cast. She's not exactly relaxed, though - tapping away at a tablet, it looks like whatever she's reading or writing is giving her some grief.]

They probably won't even recognize me. Maybe they'll just think it's a sick prank.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay! Until then...mind if we hang out for a while? I haven't been here since I celebrated Lynne's birthday.

Of course! Did that go well, by the way? And the festival date?

Yes~! She enjoyed her present, and we had fun at the festival.

Glad to hear it. It's important to take opportunities like that.

What about you? Have you found someone special to be with?

Ah... eheh... I have, actually... it took me by surprise a bit, but I've been seeing both Dita and Lily for a while now.

...Ehhhh?! T-Two girls? Really?

Well like I said, it took me by surprise!

[She sounds defensive, but she can't keep herself from smiling.]

It's a little strange, but everyone seems to be happy with it so far. I know I am.

Well...i-if you're happy about it, I'm happy for you!

I want you to be happy Laura, 'cause you're my friend and you've helped me out so much with Lynne.

Thanks, Yoshika. I'm just glad I could be some help. Or - well, more relieved that my advice didn't turn out to be completely terrible, I guess!

But you're always helping me out, Laura; your advice is never terrible! I wish I could do more for you...but we rarely have missions together, and when you come back you've been brought to the infirmary before I can heal you...

[Laura smiles softly at the Witch.]

Don't worry about that. My armour lets me heal quickly; even if I get hurt on a mission, other people need your help more, I'm sure.

You do a lot for me already, Yoshika. Knowing you have confidence in me helps me have confidence in myself.

...! (Yoshika smiles back before pulling the older girl into a tight hug.)

Thanks, Laura! I'm so glad we became friends. Maybe one day you, me, Lynne, Dita and Lily can spend time together?

(Yoshika's way of asking for a double date, per say.)

[Laura hugs her back, less tightly, but tenderly.]

That'd be lovely. Or, well - er, I haven't actually spent time with Dita and Lily together... I'm not sure they wouldn't find that awkward... but something like that.

...Eh-heh, m-maybe just you, me, Lynne and Dita then? If that would be better for everyone.

That might be simpler. And we could make it a dinner date then, too.

[Why Dita, Laura wonders? Maybe Yoshika just knows her better...]

I wonder if I should talk to them both about that. I've been kind of... working around it.

Yeah! I wouldn't mind having a dinner date. Who could we get to cook for us if not me or Lynne?

If you need help talking to them, maybe I can help!

Well, Hoshi's a good cook, or Tsukasa of course if he's back by then... I was thinking of going out if we go somewhere with restaurants soon, though. It's nice to be... fancy.

[Indeed, the visit to Neo France showed Laura some quite definite benefits to splashing out on fancy restaurants.]

Eheh... that might be a bit awkward. I probably just need to ask them some time whether it would bother them... I might be worrying over nothing. This is all more normal for both of them than it is for me...

[Laura's talking, not about arranging a double date, but about how awkward Dita and Lily may find spending time all three together.]

A fancy restaurant? That would be great! But, could we afford a place like that...?

(Yoshika blinks in confusion, tilting her head a bit while making sense of what Laura was saying.)

Well...if they both really love you, it shouldn't matter if you're all spending time together. It should be about making each other happy, right?

I can probably cover it - I've got savings and... lines of credit that I'm not using for much else at the moment. Or is it that you want to cover Lynne on your own, hmmm?

[Tease tease. ...Because pretty much exactly that impulse was a large part of what drove Laura back in Neo France.]

Well... I don't know, maybe it's just me. But I'm seeing both of them, while they're both only seeing me. I don't know how I'd feel if either of them were seeing someone else too... and if they were being all lovey-dovey right in front of me...

I mean, I'd like to think I'd just be happy because they're happy, but what if I felt jealous? Or neglected? Or worried? I wouldn't want to do that to them... It's one thing to try to make sure I spend time with both of them and don't let myself take either of them for granted, but it's another to sort of... split my attention between them. You know?

[Laura sighs.]

Maybe I'm just overthinking it. That's probably what they'll say, actually. But this whole thing is, is like a dream. I don't want to end up hurting them by being thoughtless.

...! Aaah, we-well, I wouldn't mind if you paid our way but I've saved some money from my sorties. How about we split it in half?

Yeah, I kinda get what you're saying; I felt like that back when Arika was onboard. I fell for Lynne but they were both my best friends, and I had to split my time between them. It wasn't too hard when Arika's classes kept her away...

(Yoshika sighed worriedly. As far as she knew, Arika was still MIA.)

Maybe take it one day at a time, bring it up to them slowly? (Yoshika really did want to help Laura with her relationship, even though it seemed very surprising to her.)

That's probably it. Thanks, Yoshika. I've been kind of... putting it off. It's good to think of it properly.

And we'll see where we end up, hmmm? Maybe something less expensive will seem like a better opportunity, depending where we go next. It's more about the people than the place, after all.

You're welcome, Laura! I'm glad I was able to help out.

Yeah. It's not like we need to go right now or tomorrow, just so we can make Lynne and Dita happy. And you can also make Lily happy too on your next date~!

Phase Eleven: Keep Calm and Drink Tea

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