2025-09-25: Strength Through Strife
- Log: Strength Through Strife
- Cast: Yua Ooshiro, Miho Ijuuin
- Where: Aoba - Penthouse
- OOC Date: 2025-09-25
- IC Date: Monday, July 16 2012
- Summary: Yua comes home to find Miho recovering from her egg extraction, and spends some time caring for her fiancee as she deals with feeling miserable. Including coaching her on how to vocalise that misery. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Yua has declined to open her studio, this afternoon, in favour of going straight home after work...
Because Miho is already there!
"I'm home!" Yua calls, and smiles, to Eiko, as she puts her handbag and shopping bag down and sits down to unlace her pointe shoes. "Thank you for taking care of her," she offers, to her, for of course neither her real employers nor her apparent ones would give her a day off for her friend going through a procedure.
Can they defeat those assumptions? She's put her faith in Takashi; she's sure he'll find some way for Miho to be recognised as her partner, law and society be damned.
"I brought the steaks you wanted," Yua calls, as she hands her shopping back to Eiko to safely secure in the fridge. "Filet mignon! Though, goodness... is it really all right for it to cost that much...?"
(Miho has to have that conversation every time Yua buys some fancy meat for dinner. She simply hasn't absorbed how much money the Ijuuins have in the slightest.)
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho is indeed already here! She is on the couch, with some ice packs and tea. She is sore and hormonal, and she isn't loving either.
...There are assumptions to be beaten, but give them time. There is much to do.
But Yua arrives, "Welcome home," Miho says, and laughs softly. "It's fine," she says, and she only laughs because she's pleased to see Yua.
"It is not a problem. The important thing is not to waste it."
"Come, come."
Eiko has taken good care of her. But now it's Yua's turn!
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"Thank you," Yua smiles, to Eiko, as their faithful maid escorts her shopping to the kitchen. She escorts herself, meanwhile, to... the lounge!
"Don't worry," Yua assures Miho, smiling to her, as she comes to the couch to tuck herself in beside her ailing fiancee. "I'll prepare you an absolute feast! I got this absolutely darling mushroom sauce while I was out, I just know you'll love it!"
But that's dinner, of course, and Yua has time before that to wrap her arms around Miho, giving her a welcoming smooch like no other. (They're all not like the others, because each is uniquely glad to be beside her again.) "How are you?" She asks, a hand rubbing her shoulder. "At least the hospital seemed nice this morning..."
Because of course Yua accompanied Miho off to her appointment, at least until she had to leave for work and abandon her there. That's the beauty of having reduced hours!
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Thank you," Miho echoes to Eiko, and she has been a perfectly decent patient all day; she doesn't believe in allowing herself to make Trouble just because she isn't feeling well. But Yua comes over, and Miho smiles. "Did you, now? I'm sure it will be delicious."
Welcoming smooch!! Miho leans into Yua until she pulls back, and then, "I am fine," Miho assures her. "Sore, and hot," she says. "And... emotional, today." She shakes her head. "I am glad I took the day off."
Which, was there a possibility she wouldn't???
"They were pleasant enough. Highly professional."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"You deserve my very best," Yua assures her, her smile glowing.
But Miho is sore, and Yua makes a thoughtful noise, as she presses her fingers to the ice packs to make sure they're still appropriately frozen. "Are these working well?" And there was certainly a possibility that Miho soldiered on, but Yua had done her level best to convince her to go a little easier on herself. Her lip may have even wibbled. Now, though, in the wake of it... "You made a good decision," Yua assures her.
She reaches up to undo the perfect bun keeping her long hair in check, before reaching over to fuss over Miho's, stroking her much shorter hair back across her head. "I'm glad they treated you well," Yua smiles, to her. "I was worried... but they assured us these feelings would only be for a day, right? So you won't be in this situation too long."
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Your very best is perfect," Miho answers.
They are... mostly frozen. They could probably do with a change. "They have been," Miho says, but they are starting to not. She doesn't like to complain. Yua's wibbling lip did convince her, at least. "Thank you," Miho answers. "...I do not like dealing with work when I am not at my most controlled."
She might hit someone. Or show emotions! Or hit someone while showing emotions!
Miho sighs at the touch through her shorter hair. "It's all right," she assures Yua. "It was not a difficult procedure to deal with."
"And indeed, they say within days I will be back to my usual self, if not sooner."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"Have been... haaaaveeee, beeeeeen... that's a past tense, Mimi!" Yua pouts, after sounding her reply out, because Yua will complain on Miho's behalf. Give her a minute. First, she has to sigh, and affirm: "I think if you had to work when you were this troubled, a lot more people would get what they deserved!"
Yua thinks Miho would be entirely in her rights to hit half of her coworkers while showing emotions, though, so she's not exactly an unbiased source.
Yua leans in, to kiss Miho again, sweetly. "But you did it for me," she says, love all caught up in her soft voice. "For us! And at a time like this, too... you're wonderful, Mimi. Mm, and don't worry! You'll be just as fierce as normal in no time!"
She gives her a little squeeze, before untangling herself, as she explains: "Let me get you some more ice packs, okay? No fiancee of mine is going to be sitting here uncomfortable if I can help it!" And, look, see? She can call her her fiancee now. Isn't that great?!
Yua hurries off the kitchen to exchange the icepacks, and of course brings some new, properly-frozen ones right back out... plus any requests.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho does not get into the grammar debate. Instead, she watches Yua pouting,and her expression softens. "I suppose," she says. And what she thinks of what would happen if she were working...
"Yes," Miho is obligated to agree.
But she accepts a kiss, and smiles, love all obvious in her gaze. "Of course," she says. "I will do my part. ...And I'm sure I will. Why should I worry, with your reassurance?"
A beat, before, "Very well." More ice packs. And fiancee is the word. "Though if my fiancee could also get me a drink, I would be appreciative..."
Requests! ...But it is pretty great.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"No one's fiercer than Memimi!" Yua chirps, brightly. And when Miho echoes that Yua is indeed her fiancee, she is rewarded with a lovely shade of warmth to Yua's cheeks. "Absolutely posi-toothy!"
She hums, cheerfully, as she snags one of Eiko's trays to arrange a bottle of wine, a bottle of pomegranate juice, a couple of glasses, and of course those ice packs; it's easier to cart it all back out to the loungeroom in one go if she's not trying to juggle them all. "Mimi's doing very well," she assures the shrine with its stones by the oven, because of course they must keep the Hinukan abreast of their lives.
(And while Miho is their matriarch, Miho is also presently laid low, so naturally Yua's here.)
Out she comes, a moment later, to place that tray on the glass table before the couch. "Let's get you all packed up!" Yua declares, as she hands an ice pack to Miho and places another where she remembered the first one being. Once Miho's properly cooled, she pours her a glass of wine, handing the rich red liquid over to her before she pours herself some juice instead.
"I have to get in the habit," she explains, as finally she makes sure to tuck herself in beside Miho properly too. She's as important as the icepacks, clearly. "Since I can't be having wine with the baby!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Memimi!!
Miho waits patiently for Yua, though Miho does emit the slightest sigh of relief at having the ice pack replaced with a fresh one. Apparently it did hurt. But that's fine. She hears the reassurance from the other room, recognizes it for what it is, but now Yua is here, of course, and Miho accepts her wine. She swirls it in the grace, scenting it. "Mm..."
"Oh, true," Miho says. "You won't be able to. You may as well start now..."
A smile. "You're so diligent. ...So how was your day?"
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"It's sore, right?" Yua notices that sigh, with a light rub of Miho's stomach, as if to cure her ills with her own touch. (Recognition, at least, can be healing.) "Aww, Mimi..."
But indeed, she has juice rather than wine, though pomegranate juice is still a lovely rich shade of red. "Since I'll be living for two, I need to be responsible!" She chirps, raising her own glass. "Anyway, pomegranates are romantic..." sip, "and tasty!"
Yua wraps an arm about Miho, so that she can properly fiddle affectionately with her hair while telling her tale. "Oh, I was thinking of you all day," she assures her, to start, "but I got a terrible fright when one of my students noticed I was distracted! I couldn't quite tell her why, of course, but it was kind of funny... the children asked whether us teachers had exams just like they do. Goodness, could you imagine? Having to sit exams as a teacher? My soul about left my body! Nigh fluttered away!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
It helps! Recognition, but also the pleasant sesnation of Yua recognizing in particular. "A bit," Miho allows.
Miho sips her wine, and appreciates it. She appreciates Yua more, though, leaning a little into her hand. "They are," Miho agrees of pomegranates.
But she leans into Yua as she is assured. "...Heh," Miho answers. "Did they, now?"
A beat, "I'm glad it came back. At least teachers don't have to do it too often. But I know I have certain certifications to renew..."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"You're so brave," Yua smiles, to Miho. "But it's okay, Mimi. Today can just be a bit miserable. Like, bwahhhhrrrrghhhhh..."
Her Demonstrative Miserable Noise makes far more sense to her, in the moment, than finding a proper word for it all.
(She once shows Miho a video of a whiny seal who was reluctant to dive into icy water. She may, in fact, have just made that exact kind of noise. ... as it happens, Yua shows Miho a lot of cute animal videos.)
She's as glad to feel Miho leaning into her as Miho surely is when she's doing it, though, and she keeps playing her fingers through her hair, keen to ease Miho's pain through the sheer force of her affection. "Oh, I'm sure you'd go catch it if it didn't!" Yua giggles, cheerfully. "Luckily, there's someone who tells me what they expect for those certifications, so I don't get caught out... sitting exams again is quite a frightful thought! Haa, maybe I ought to think of some way to make things easier for the children, coming up to it... but then, isn't dancing itself a boon? Were they to push themselves all day, they'd surely perish!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"...Bwaaaaawrgh," Miho tries experimentally after Yua's demonstrative noise. "Hmmm." She is not sure. But it does feel pretty good to do. Maybe it is apt.
Miho remembers that video. She remembers many cute anijmal videos!
The affection is helping. And a laugh, then. "I would," Miho assures Yua. But the certifications... yes, of course. "I think your dancing should do that already. They should literally jump at the chance to exercise their bodies instead of only their minds--exercise is the surest way to clear one's head."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Yua giggles. "Bwaaaaah!" She makes another Miserable Seal Noise, though this one is a little besmirched by her laughter.
She leans over, to peck Miho on the cheek, and adds: "Just like that!"
Miho got a good grade in expressing her malaise...
"They should," Yua agrees. "But you know, more and more of them are, these days! Now they're getting more comfortable with the program, they're really throwing themselves into it... and more of them are getting brave enough to suggest things to dance to, too. It's funny, as soon as we put on the latest hit, it's like everyone lights up! Like they don't realise how relevant it is to them until they give it a try!"
She smiles. "I've even been getting more children coming by after school... they're the ones who are interested in learning a style. Sometimes they're too shy to say it interests them in front of their friends... but it's like that, when you're young, isn't it? No one wants to be seen being bad at a hobby when they're just starting out."
Yua laughs, glancing over to one of the many manicured houseplants which has joined their decor. "If only they could see how angry the plants still get with me! Remember how I thought I'd killed that first one because I watered it too much? I was so close to throwing the poor thing out and declaring the whole experiment naught!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
A good grade!! Miho is very good at grades. And expression, apparently! Bwaaaah....
"Oh, that's good," Miho says of the students. "Hmmm, yes. That makes sense, though; they don't have the experience to realize how related fields of endeavor are..." Miho, of course, is much older than a teenager. Much! Years!
But she smiles back. "Is that so?" she asks of the styles. "Yes... It is important to be able and willing to fail, to begin. Only then can you triumph."
A look to the houseplants. "I remember," she says of Yua's nearly throwing it out. "But you did not." Miho doesn't have to say it was because of her influence. "And now, here they are."
"Still with us."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"They're still learning," Yua agrees, and of course she is long past that part of her life. There is her existence before she was shattered, and her existence after, and between them is an unfathomable gulf.
She's totally not just turning twenty-three in a few months.
"Failure is a lesson," Yua agrees, "though it can be hard to learn." Even she was almost thwarted by it! Luckily, Miho was there. "Everything was frustrating for me, back then... but you helped me stick with it!" Because of course Yua wants to say it, even if Miho doesn't have to. "And look at him now! A little nibbled, but quite hearty!"
(They have a cat. Yua's new gardening hobby was always going to be sharpened by his little chompers.)
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
They are still learning, and surely that gulf is as distant for both Miho and Yua.
Surely.
"It can," Miho agrees, "But it is foundational to so many others. Tolerance for failure is the foundation of incremental success. I did not begin an expert in the sabre." But Miho was there... and Yua names her help. Miho smiles. "Of course. You only needed the encouragement, really."
A little nibbled...
"Hmmm, I wonder where Tiger has gotten to," Miho reflects, and leans further on Yua, sipping her wine as she does.
"Still, a little nibbling is healthy. Hmm?"
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"I can just imagine it! A tiny youth besting adults three times her size, the moment the sword entered her grasp!" Yua giggles, and takes a sip of her juice. "Of course, you only see stories like that in the movies... why, I think some of my very first memories are of falling right upon my bottom, because I was still figuring out how balance worked at all."
(Let's be frank: dance class for toddlers is less about discipline and grace and more musically-inclined daycare.)
"I bet he's shedding all over our bed," Yua forsees Tiger's crimes, with great poise and wisdom. And... "Mm-hmm!" Yua agrees, leaning into Miho, in turn. "The trial of Tiger helps them to grow up strong!"
Her eye lids, as she tilts her head, to murmur quietly into Miho's ear: "... besides, it's fun."
Scandalous!
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho laughs, and only regrets it a small amount, at Yua's image. "Yes, of course," Miho says. "A sword her very height!" In the movies... Miho smiles. "Yes," she says. "I am sure. And look at you now! The very picture of grace..."
A smile.
"Probably," Miho allows of Tiger. "That could be so." And the trial helps them grow strong. So it does. Miho smiles--and Yua murmurs into her ear...
"Yes," Miho agrees softly. "...I think I have had enough of ice for now. Why don't we go reclaim our territory?"
Tiger can live with being moved.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"And you, the picture of elegance!" Yua remarks, delighting in their regard for each other.
As it happens, there are a lot of ways to allieviate soreness, and Yua can tell when Miho is receptive to distraction. "That sounds marvellous," Yua smiles, leaning forward to place her empty 'wine' glass back on the table... and if her neck arches out more than is strictly necessary, well, perhaps it's just a suggestion.
"For you are King of all that you survey..."
She is her King.