#endfieldr

[yvronne]

╱╱╱ @endfieldr asked,     “ did you make this? it’s beautiful! ” 　　 　　・・・・・・ 　　　　 ๋ ࣭ ゛ᵃ ᶜ ᶜ ᵉ ᵖ ᵗ ᶦ ⁿ ᵍ ⸝⸝.ᐟ⋆

“ you really think so, endmin?? hehehe, thank yeeew!~ it's the first in a series, i'm thinking of doing four pieces altogether. something new i'm trying! ” palms together tucked against pink cheek, yvonne was REALLY excited about this one. it was obvi still early stages, but she loved sharing the progress!... whenever there was progress to show, anyway. fueled by passion, she usually worked SOOO fast! the vouivre had a tendency to immerse herself in her projects with little breaks in between, then suddenly it's like they're finished no sooner than she started!

[laevaforge]

maybe it's coincidence when the endministrator approaches in sheepish nature, with an arm raised to the back of their head &. another clutching at something suspiciously behind their back . it doesn't take a genius to figure it out of course, given the holiday recently, but perhaps the exact choice of gift will find her approval . 'tis no frivolous heart shaped, or hells forbid decorated, container, picked off the wall as the first thing in sight, but instead a surprisingly neutrally - colored package . only really celebrating valentines day in the slightly more red tone of the backdrop and a very clear, stark yellow triangle at the edge stating a ' valentines limited flavor ' .

they are, quite clearly, the chocolate wafer figures the endministrator ... so cruelly plucked from her dessert, shall we say. a pack— nope, make that two actually, trays of them . these particularly, while still mainly chocolate, have a layer of strawberry filling between an apparently bifuricated version of just the regular wafers . " ... uh . so ... sorry, about the other day . i got caught up listening to you . didn't even think before i acted . hope this pays for it laevatain— in full and some interest too, actually . "

With memories being unreliable by experience, and most of hers being shards and fragments from an old home no longer her own, Laevatain hasn't exactly bothered with what to her were, at least initially, the more menial things, slightly more urgent matters of her own to handle before bothering to commit to memory holidays and other local celebrations, let alone making it a habit of keeping track of the dates passing by in her stubborn search. To put it simply, she doesn't think about whatever date may have just passed, and doesn't bother to check by the time she's finally returning to the Dijiang once her most recent trip is concluded.

Laevatain is nearly bouncing on her steps as she makes her way through the ship's open spaces, returning greetings in kind, dropping off souvenirs at operators' desks and workspaces, waving off the unsurprising requests to test either her flames or her arts unit, already as busy as she can be— just what she wanted out of a home to call her own, huh? And it's when she's ready to turn towards the kitchen area to find her ice cream stash that she's stopped in her steps, curious look and fiery eyes just a little brighter now.

"Hey— missed me that much already?" Well, at least they've found her in a good mood, right? And it doesn't fade as she's presented with the box, blinking, a tilt of her head the only expression of her faint confusion, yet accepting it and studying it a little closer nonetheless. Valentine edition...? Ah, it was already that time of the year, wasn't it? She is certainly no stranger to finding herself on the receiving end of gifts, always more touched than she'd like to admit, smile on her lips now turning warmer, just a smidge, that little bit only those closer to her are allowed to see, but before she can offer her earnest thanks for the thought—

"The other day...?" Oh, right, the day her treat had been oh so cruelly stolen from her, and in the middle of her retelling, no less. Laevatain huffs, yet it hardly can mask the grin, more entertained than she should be. "I suppose I can forgive you for that offense. Don't worry, I'm not setting your precious piles of reports on fire." She certainly won't admit almost forgetting about the incident entirely until it was brought up now. Or how she had been actually pretty alright with letting it slide after cooling off enough and reminding herself there would be more treats to be had, the memory was more important. She still has an image to maintain!

"C'mon, it's time for you to take a break— and since I'm feeling generous today, I'll even let you have some of my ice cream. Consider it a late Valentine's gift, okay?" Well, it seems the Endmin will live to see another day, after all.

[laevaforge]

they find themselves in a section of the bridge a little less frequented— plenty enough privacy for laevatain to speak of her most recent travels unbidden . she speaks to freely it is easy to get distracted, her voice a distant anchor as they look out the nearest window, regard the stars &. near - but - far talos-ii . &., in the midst of their doubled focus they reach out— the audacity ! the little chocolate wafer of a bunny tucked into the ice cream cone of hers is plucked &. popped into their mouth with little decorum . ❝ mmmm — hmmmm ? ❞ it's hummed quietly, like they mean to urge her on and continue her latest story .

Laevatain discovered very quickly how fond she is of retelling her story. Maybe it's as simple as making her memories feel more real, anchoring them in her head, claiming them as her own without doubt or hesitation the moment words start spilling from her lips with that certainty of having lived them, retracing them like ink on the aged, well loved pages of a journal, the tales rarely embellished, true to those scattered fragments in her mind that are finally being mended, finally healing. The easier the words come to her, the brighter she becomes— and could anyone blame her, seeing her finally free to claim her life as her own, to burn with such radiance after fighting her way out of the shadows?

Maybe it comes to no surprise, Laevatain has come to really treasure these little moments, peacefully gazing at the vastness of space, Talos II in all of its brilliance, perfect stillness in the silence only broken by their conversation, a rare moment of rest for the Endministrator, the operators aboard knowing better than to intrude when Laevatain is there. There's an odd feeling of safety in confiding her newfound memories in the one other person in this world that truly understands, like entrusting them to someone else, knowing they will always ensure she knows who she is, were the worst to come.

"—and I really didn't think Wuling was going to be that humid, I mean, I run hot enough that water isn't usually an issue—" she is certainly busy talking, too, ice cream in her hand almost forgotten entirely as her tale devolves into ranting for just a moment. Almost. "You should've warned me about how wet everything in there is, those rice paddies were almost a casualty when I was trying to dry off..." and as she turns her attention back to her ice cream, her words trail off, sudden silence surrounding them as she keeps staring at the frozen treat in her hand. Something is amiss, she can tell, she knows it is, staring closer and closer... hey, wait a goddamn second—

"Aegir?" Uh oh, she's turned serious. "I hope you are on your way to the kitchen now. For no particular reason." Is the air warmer now? How curious—

[goldcerts]

@endfieldr said: the sensors ought to know it is the endministrator at the door— hard wired to recognize his authority and open . yet they do not, instead they remain shut to allow for the endmin to rap knuckles lightly upon the door— an intended edit on his end . still not wholly used to the very machine itself at his beck and call . ❝ operator alesh ? ❞ comes even cadence of his voice— quiet enough if the deepfin within is busy he will not disrupt and return at a later time . it is only a book, scarcely but hundred or so pages in length tucked beneath his arm . a secondhand gift, turned thirdhand if he can offer it . ❝ i have something for you. ❞ a pleasant enough read, certainly something more intellectual— a treatise on the origin mythos of the forge of the sky in wuling . / unprompted. | accepting.

Ah. Busted. Maybe it's about time he'd gone back to the Nexus to check up on unoccupied stations and perhaps admire Talos-II from lower orbit—OMV Dijiang was still a fascinating concept he'd yet to fully understand, but he couldn't be surprised, there. He wasn't a scientist like the staff that tended to busy themselves for most of the day, he was just an angler, and one that liked to slack off. No way could he have the personal drive for something as sophisticated as this.

All things considered, the cot in the dormitory really beat just about any cardboard mattress he'd snoozed on, possibly surpassing the comfort of white sands and a gentle breeze. It was just a little too easy to take a handful of breaks an hour, but... unfortunately, he could recognize the Endministrator's voice even from the crowded idle chatter in the common areas. Rarely anyone strolled by the dorms, his manner of speaking unquestionably his own. But, Alesh wills himself up, rolling out of bed and setting his current book aside, upside-down and open, adding to the creases along the spine.

"Yo, Endmin—caught me red-handed, eh? ...Oh?" It's perfect for carrying around, nothing too chunky to sacrifice a lure or three. Brows raise in intrigue, always one to add to the collection pile that's grown exponentially ever since he was recommended to work with Endfield. "I'm surprised you've got the time for this, still. Been considering what I wanna read about next—tell me more. Did you like it?"