[closed] down memory lane

[journaler]

Who: Leia and IV
When: A day or two after Jude's disappearance. (probably 2/17)
Where: -eeeever you are [titanic voice] (entertainment district train station to start, most likely)
What: Loss.
Rating/Warning: Nada.


[When Jude didn't answer her calls or texts, she was a little annoyed, but not really surprised. It's soon forgotten, and she figures he's keeping busy with everyone recovering from the disaster that was Valentine's. That's good. When she decides to drop by his apartment the next day and there's no one there to answer the door, she skips feeling annoyed all together, and still isn't surprised. He spends more time at work than at home, and she figures she can catch him there another time. No problem.

...When she actually shows up later at the office where he works, with his lunch (as she tends to do, at least once or twice a week), she has to wonder how she keeps missing him. She sighs, and is forced to walk out with her hands full, which bothers her a bit more than it should. (Maybe he actually remembered to step out and get lunch for himself?)

It isn't until she's on the train bound for the entertainment district that she pulls out her CereVice again to give it another shot. She has to stare at the screen for a long time before she can actually read the words.]

User... not registered? What does that--

[But she knows what it means.

People start to shuffle off the train (when did it stop?), and Leia follows suit with a sigh. There's no time for it to really sink in, and no regard for what station she actually stopped at (but hopefully it's the right one). She just has to keep moving, expression distracted and blank as she bumps into a familiar figure.

The bag hanging from her hand swings. As distracted as she is, she too polite not to stop and look up.] Oh.

Comments

[rebelia]

– Leia?

[IV finds his attempt to board the metro for the shopping district thwarted by the unexpected collision. In hindsight, he should have recognized Leia long before she even reached him, and he justifies this by blaming the crowd for hiding her. Righting himself, he watches her strange expression with curiosity.]

What's the matter? You look far away.

1/2

[journaler]

[Leia finds her attempt to deboard similarly unsuccessful; though judging by the smile slowly forming on her lips, she doesn't seem to be complaining. Her face lights up with recognition, almost the opposite of a moment ago.]

Really, I do? [Maybe his eyes are playing tricks on him again, she thinks teasingly. But she knows what he's getting at.] ...Then that just means you have to catch up to me.

Come on!

[journaler]

[On the whole, her voice lacks her usual energy, but she wastes no time in making up for it. She'll tug at IV's sleeve, literally pulling him on board and to the side as the doors close behind him. She nearly falls into a pair of empty seats by the time she lets go, but instead, only the bag containing Jude's would-be lunch does.

The train starts to move. She grabs the bag without much thought and slides in closer to window to make room for him. She places her hand on the seat as an invitation.]

Better?

[rebelia]

[Caught by surprise, IV is tugged along rather easily, if awkwardly. He throws a look over his shoulder when the doors close behind him, and then stares down at the seat next to Leia's, which he takes just as the train starts moving. He exhales through his mouth.]

That felt more like you were the one doing the catching.

[He crosses his arms. With how out of place it is, IV's gaze soon falls on the bag.]

What's that?

[journaler]

[If there was a complaint in there from his end, she doesn't hear it. She seems content, even amused, until her gaze falls down to the bag at its mention. Her expression falters, remembering, and there's a pause, but she'll answer him all the same.]

Just a little something I threw together earlier. It was supposed to be his lunch, but...

[User not registered. Leia trails off, smiling again distantly.]

...Hey, have you eaten yet?

[rebelia]

[Although his curiosity piques at the change in Leia's expression, IV has enough sense not to pursue whom this male character is. Instead, he waits until Leia finishes speaking.]

I haven't. Why, are you giving it to me?

[The faint smirk tells it for him. He means that as a joke.]

[journaler]

[Ah... only Leia isn't joking at all. Truthfully, she sort of wants the weight off her metaphorical shoulders... so she quietly offers it out to him. Not that this would make her forget.]

Yeah. If you like it, I'll make it again sometime.

...But only when you least expect it.

[rebelia]

[The smirk slips off his lips and IV blinks. Rigidly unfolding his arms, he reaches out to accept the bag. Receiving something meant for another person doesn't bother him nearly as much as why Leia is doing it.]

Are you sure?

[journaler]

Surer than sure!

[...Leia notices the change in his expression. Her voice quiets to match, realizing she probably isn't hiding her loss all that well, but... what else can she do? Talking about it just doesn't seem like the natural option.

Thinking about Jude suspended in that awful place makes her sick.]

I mean, I could eat it myself, but... I'd rather know what you think. This would be the first time you've had my cooking, right?

[rebelia]

[Satisfied by that logic, IV examines the bag. He doesn't open it yet, though he does begin to wonder what's inside.]

I didn't know you cooked.

[After all, not everybody can cook.]

What is it?

[journaler]

[Leia brightens a bit with confidence, and puffs her chest lightly to match. Of course, she can hardly match Ludger, or even Milla, but...]

It's curry. Before I started working for the Daily Trigleph, I helped out a lot at my parents' inn, so I picked up a few things.

[...She pauses there, voice lowering again with an air of regret. There's a groan under her breath and her nails dig into her skirt as she grips it.]

I always made it too spicy, though. I was really careful this time, too.

[rebelia]

Your parents' inn, huh? You've worked in all kinds of fields, haven't you?

[A family owned business sounds nice. IV studies the bag for a little longer before he returns his visual attention to Leia. He wonders for whom she went through all this effort.]

Anyway, I don't mind spicy.

[journaler]

What can I say...? I guess I had a hard time deciding.

[Sheepishly, she adjusts her hat. She can't seem to stay still very well, even more so than usual.]

But hey, that's great news for me. I'll find us somewhere to sit once we get off so you can try it while it's still warm.

[Speaking... of which. Leia looks around. She has no idea where they're headed, though it's not like the choices are all that numerous.]

[rebelia]

[Speaking of "get off," IV isn't entirely sure what Leia's agenda is today. He's headed for the shopping district, himself, but her behavior earlier was a little odd.]

Where are you headed? It looked like you were getting off back there, but you boarded again.

[journaler]

[...Ah, that's right. She was planning to get off, but that didn't happen. She looks a little lost for a moment when she thinks about it, but is cheerful enough when she answers him back.]

Anywhere's fine, really. [She won't complain if she doesn't see the research district for a while, though. In the meantime, she glances up and is met with their destination in the form of a marquee overhead.]

The shopping district?

[rebelia]

[The train starts to slow to a stop. IV takes that opportunity to stand, careful not to lurch too much with the bag in his hands.]

That's my stop.

[The doors slide open nearby, and he slips through the exiting crowd in time to avoid the oncoming passengers. Now, there's an unexpected lunch in his possession, so he decides that it'd be best to get that out of the way first. With that in mind, IV makes a beeline for a bench in the near distance, close but still private enough.]

[journaler]

[Mine, too.

Leia doesn't feel the need to say it, though. She makes it obvious enough by following, tugging the strap on her purse so that it sits higher on her shoulders. Once they're clear of the crowd, his destination is clear enough.

She joins him on the bench, breathing a sigh of relief at the change in atmosphere. Inside the bag, should IV decide to open it, he'll find utensils wrapped in a handful of napkins, sitting atop a plastic box where the curry is.]

Sorry. I guess I'm kind of interrupting you.

[It's only then that it occurs to her IV probably had plans of his own.]

[rebelia]

[The packaging is neat and simple, typical of what a lunch from home must look like. IV realizes how hungry he actually is when he looks at it. He can feel the warmth on his lap through the plastic curve of the box.]

I needed to eat, anyway. So this is your homemade curry . . .

[Let's see what his verdict will be. Setting aside the napkins, IV pries the lid off of the plastic box and scoops a mouthful of curry. He chews while looking down thoughtfully.]

[journaler]

[She can hear the bag opening, and the subtle pop when the container's lid comes off. It's not until she can smell it though that it hits her (he's trying it!!), so she turns around, watching eagerly for his reaction.

It's spicy as promised; and while other cooks-to-be may have trouble making their dishes stand out with flavor, Leia goes the opposite way, frequently adding too much... of everything.

It's overwhelming to the taste buds, but not bad, and it definitely overflows with the effort she put into it.]

S... So...?

[rebelia]

[IV's first thought is that he might have eaten too much at once. The curry isn't bad, but he isn't sure where Leia was going with it. The spiciness, however, definitely stands out the most as he swallows.]

Not bad. [He sets the fork down.] It's good. You don't hold back on the flavors.

[journaler]

[She cracks a smile again when he puts the fork down. She wouldn't be offended if he couldn't finish it--at least this is a reaction that she can handle. She's so used to it.]

You said you didn't mind. [Famous last words.] ...But you're right, I don't.

I probably should have mentioned I was more of a waitress than a cook.

[She still learned a lot though, fight her.]

[rebelia]

[He was honest, though. It's good. So he takes another bite, chewing on the multitude of flavors while Leia goes on explaining herself. He can't quite picture Leia as a chef.]

That makes more sense. You don't seem like the type to hide out in the kitchen.

[journaler]

[She waves a hand as if to say "no way." IV hit the nail on the head there, and he can take his time with eating. Leia seems content to rest for a bit, and also to not mention anything about how clumsy she'd actually been, as a waitress.]

It was fun to watch what was going on back there, but the cooks were way too high strung, especially whenever we got busy. Honesty was important to them though, just like it is to me...

...So thanks. [chuckling:] Your reactions mean a lot.

[rebelia]

[IV shrugs, though not dismissively. He understands the importance of honesty, the satisfaction of being straightforward and sincere.]

You want to get better, don't you? That won't happen if we sugarcoat everything.

[As if to further emphasize the point that it's good – plus the fact that he's hungry – IV takes another bite. He can get used to Leia's cooking if it's like this. He could use a bit of drink, is all.]

You can stand to curb the flavors, but everything else is fine. I can finish this.

[journaler]

[She can already tell what he needs (because she's already been through this), and if he plans to finish it, it'll only get worse by the end.

Of course, she wants to get better at everything, she wants to be a better person... but those kind of big changes start with small steps.

Frustratingly small steps.]

If you do, I should probably get you something to drink. I... usually grab something from the vending machine for him, but I forgot.

[Actually, she never made it that far into the building, since she was turned away. She stands up from her comfy seat on the bench, but doesn't seem as hurried as she usually is. She looks back towards the train station though, since she knows there's a vending machine in there.]