2026-01-27: Uncomfortable Heels
- Log: Uncomfortable Heels
- Cast: Yua Ijuuin, Miho Ijuuin
- Where: Aoba - Penthouse
- OOC Date: 2026-01-27
- IC Date: Sun Sep 16 2012
- Summary: Yua comes home after another party Kimitake asked her to attend, and can't quite name what's wrong with the clothes Kimitake had her wear or the way he inspected her phone while she was out. (Miho is sure she must be paranoid, being bothered by it.) But Miho had a date with Tomoki Hasegawa, while she was gone. But the next date will be Miho's third -- and there are expectations there, too. Yua's feelings are complicated, but she at least loves the popcorn Miho thought to make for her.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
Yua was stolen from Miho's side, again, Saturday afternoon; Kimitake's attending a dinner party, and simply cannot go without his arm candy. It is an evening -- and a morning -- written in sporadic text messages:
17:30
> Blehhhh gotta wear this weird dress high society suuuuuucks
18:57
> Boring party booooooo!! I miss you!!!
19:21
> My feets hurt :(
22:02
> Beddy-bye zzzz I love you!!
07:42
> On my way home!!!!! YAY!
And when Yua arrives home, not long after, her voice rises up with the unlocking of the door: "I'm home--!!"
It's Eiko's day off; Yua doesn't need her help to divest herself of her shoes or her coat, though. She's dressed in her usual leotard, though it's just because she brought a spare with her, when she left.
She looks... a little tired, but she's clearly glad to be back.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho didn't love it... but it wasn't too late to do something with her evening, and her sister had been nagging her. So she took Tomoki Hasegawa up on his offer for dinner, and went out that night. It was something of a social obligation, but it was also... not entirely unpleasant.
But still, she made time to respond to Yua's messages:
17:35
> Annoying, aren't they?
19:05
> I miss you, too.
19:35
> Will they let you sit down?
22:03
> Good night. I love you.
7:44
> I'll get something ready for you.
Miho is already home; she's dressed in morning attire; loose gray slacks and a button-down red blouse with a large collar. Before she comes out, Yua might hear the microwave start running.
"Welcome home," Miho says as she steps out, and smiles. "How are you feeling?"
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
17:36
> THE WORST!!!!
19:38
> No it's my shoes :( No salsa for meee
7:49
> Sorry I couldn't get you breakfast...
And -- whirrrrr goes the microwave, as Yua bounces over to leap into Miho's arms. "Mimiiii!" Yua warbles, rubbing her cheek against her chest cheerfully for a moment, before she reaches up to tug at her shoulders. "Kiss?" She implores her, looking up to her with one big, crimson eye.
Yua's very short, she needs Miho's help to actually get to kiss her.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
19:39
> I don't miss wearing heels.
7:50
>Don't worry.
Whiiirrr. Yua bounces over, and Miho leans down. "Kiss," she agrees, and kisses Yua, closing her eyes a brief moment and enjoying having Yua back. She lets herself linger there, and then pulls back with a smile.
"I'm making popcorn," she offers Yua. "Come. Tell me about your evening, if you like. How are your feet?"
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"Mm!" Yua hums, happily, melting into it as her head tilts obligingly. The way she sinks into her, it's quite clear where she'd rather be: right here with the woman she loves.
But sniff, sniff, Yua can smell what's in the microwave, and Miho helpfully explains. "Popcorn!" Yua chirps, happily, and keeps a hold of Miho's arm as they go to the lounge. "Yay! You're the best, Mimi! I tried to be good with breakfast, but it was really hard to eat dinner last night..." Because of course Yua was the one to cook breakfast, and ochazuke isn't hard on the stomach... but a fancy dinner was far more likely to be less than mild.
"They still hurt," Yua sighs, of her poor feets. "I guess since I was in flats so long... and it was a lot of standing around!" Her cheeks puff out, with a huff. "But when Kimi-san saw what you were suggesting, he found me a place to sit down... that was nice."
(But didn't she send that message to Yua's phone...?)
"Everyone thought I was very lucky to have a nice husband like Kimi-san," Yua pouts. "But all the women, they heard about me, and they want to know all the details about before... they say it like they feel bad for me, but they really just think it's entertaining!" She grumps, a stormcloud roiling over her head. "I just said I don't like talking about it... I'm not a salacious story, you know?"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho would rather that, too.
"You're welcome," Miho answers. "I know it's something you like." And it's easy for her to make; Miho is not a cook. But anyone can handle a microwave. "I imagine it must have been..." Though, a proper dinner could've potentially accommodated her needs... Maybe they didn't want to draw attention to Yua's condition. That would explain it.
"I'm sorry," Miho says. "Let's keep you off your feet as much as possible today, mm?"
She smiles. But Kimitake saw it... "Ah," she says. That registers to her. Her phone... "That's good," she says.
It's very... helpful.
"Ah, I see." 'Before'. "I see," she says. "Well, that's best. It's not really their business."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"It doesn't make me feel bad like a lot of the other stuff..." Yua wrinkles up her nose. "I can't handle anything fermented right now. And that's, like... everything!" Perhaps they didn't want to call attention to her condition...
(Perhaps they didn't know.)
"Okay," Yua nods, when Miho offers to help her stay off her feet. "That would be nice..."
But Kimitake did see it. Is that nice? Yua's trying to be positive about it, certainly. ... or maybe she just doesn't entirely register he shouldn't. A lot of norms around phone use were decided in the years she was missing; Yua doesn't even really realise what it means to turn location tracking on, though when she heard that it meant Miho could find her she of course wanted to use it.
"It's not!" Yua huffs, cheeks puffing out. But -- beep! -- the microwave declares it's done, and Yua perks up, looking to Miho. "Popcorn?" She asks, daring to actually want a food for once in her life. "And then you can tell me how it was like for you last night, too!!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Fermented foods are an acquired taste at the best of times," Miho says sympathetically. She does like pickles... but when do children like such things? It's something one learns over time.
But maybe they didn't know.
"I think we can find engaging ways to spend time together that don't involve your feet," Miho quips. ...It could mean watching movies while cuddling! It could also not mean that.
It is... not great, that Kimitake saw it, but Miho isn't sure how to express that that does't just sound paranoid. Isn't it reasonable, after all?
Beep beep. "Popcorn," Miho agrees, and walks to the microwave, pulling out the popcorn and transferring it to a nice bowl. Then...
"Well," she says, "Sister had been bothering me to go out with that man, and you said I shouldn't be lonely... so I accepted his invitation. It was pleasant enough. He's good company, if nothing else. We had dinner, talked a while, then I went home."
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"True," Miho agrees. But it still feels normal to have to Adjust givennn her condition.
But Miho smiles. "I am," she confirms, off work. When Yua giggles, she smiles a little more--it's even a little goofy. Yua makes Miho much happier.
Miho will sit with Yua, and inclines her head. "That's a good idea," Miho thinks. Deliciously, popcorn happens... Miho is very glad to have found something she can prepare for Yua that she can actually keep down.
"I did," she says, and perhaps it's complicated. It's definitely complicated. But--
"Aaah," Miho says first.
"Mmm," she'll say. "Popcorn is good. ...But yes, as it happens. It was... better, than stewing at home."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
Seeing the foolishness of Miho's smile just makes Yua smile even more! When she's with Miho, she's really happy...!
And Yua doesn't think she's being rude eating while Miho is talking, of course, because she knows Miho likes seeing Yua able to eat things without looking terribly ill. And Yua's even happier when it's Miho that made it!
(Even if, you know, microwave popcorn is really not all that complicated. Doesn't matter, Miho made it for her.)
Yua taps Miho's lip, playfully, before she pulls her hand back to nibble at more popcorn herself. "I'm glad!" She chirps, with more cheer. "I don't like it when you have to be all on your own and dwelling on everything... at least when I'm at these parties and stuff there's stuff happening, you know? I have to put my face on, I'm busy... I feel like it must be worse when you're just waiting all the time."
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho is indeed very happy about this. It's fine! But no, microwave popcorn isn't that hard to make, but even so.
Miho smiles. "I appreciate that," Miho says. "It does feel strange, but I suppose I should get used to it." it is just how things are, and she also has to keep up appearances... "But I understand, too. Parties are... like that. I used to have to go to more of them, myself. I still do for events and such, of course."
"...But it is," she admits. "I get alone with my thoughts and they always seem to turn worse."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"We both have to get used to it," Yua sighs, a touch downcast. It's not that Kimitake is unkind, or anything, it's just...
... she'd rather be here.
"Everyone says so much nothing," she huffs, pouting down at her popcorn. "An unbelievable amount of nothing! They say 'oh, how terrible', but their eyes aren't bothered at all... like there's nothing inside them."
She wraps an arm around Miho's arm, latching onto her, even as she doesn't quite give up on her popcorn either. (It's not salted or buttered; plain popcorn is exciting enough for her, right now.) "I know," she says, rubbing at her arm with the hand that's captured it. "Your thoughts can be really mean to you, Mimi. So... was it better, doing it this way? Or are you still bothered by them...?"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
They'd both rather Yua be here.
"True," Miho agrees. "These people are going through the motions," Miho agrees. "It's all just a social dance, meant to justify position and status. ...It makes me wonder, sometimes, if they're 'real'." Don't worry about that. That's fine.
But Miho is happy for Yua to latch onto her. Even with plain popcorn. She smiles, and rests a hand on Yua's. "They can," she agrees. "And it was better, but..."
"...It'll be our third date, next time. I don't think he wants to only be friends."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"There was some dancing," Yua says, and the shocking thing is that that wasn't such a highlight she didn't mention it first. If anything, she sounds kind of sad. "They felt real when I was holding their hands and stuff... but they weren't saying much when they did it. I mean, talking, sure, but... there wasn't any emotion in their movement, you know...? And, I..." She sighs, looking down. "I mean, I made Kimi-san look good? But I wish I'd been dancing with you."
She is glad to feel Miho's hand, though; Miho, at least, is very real.
Still... their third date. Yua's fingers twitch, a little, beneath Miho's. "I guess not..." She says, her gaze veiling beneath her lashes. "I guess... you don't need to get clean like I do after a man touches you, but... maybe it will help anyway?"
Yua always feels so dirty after she has Kimitake's arm around her; the only thing that puts her to rights, after something like that, is Miho's own embrace.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Yes," Miho says, "I understand." That it was that bad--that Yua didn't enjoy dancing--well, it's clearly more than just her feet hurting. "I see... I suppose they wouldn't." She shakes her head. "Their loss. The chance to dance with you is something anyone should relish. Or even to be near you."
"I wish that, too."
She doesn't specify what she means, but... there are things that start to be expected on the third, or the fourth, or the fifth date...
"I don't," Miho says, "That is true. I don't feel it makes me dirty. But..."
"I would need to tell him about us," she explains. "If I have to keep up appearances, that's one thing..."
"But it would be unfair to keep you secret. To you, and to him."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"Mimi... let's dance later, okay?" Yua asks, even though her feet are hurting.
She just... wants to actually enjoy something so important to her.
... even though there are all those expectations.
Yua finds -- for an instant -- that she doesn't much care to be fair to him; but all she has to show for it is a scowl, and she shakes her head to dismiss it. (It's not fair to not be fair.) "Mm..." She hums, holding Miho's arm a little more tightly, the shade of a pout still on her face. "He had better know. And... and if he gives you trouble, he's just no good! Right?"
But how likely is it that another man would be fine with an arrangement like this...?
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Yes," Miho agrees. "If you think your feet don't hurt too much... I'd be happy to."
She likes it when Yua can enjoy the things she likes. And well--Yua doesn't have to like being fair to him, but Miho's not willing to be as dishonest as she'd have to be to skip it. ...Not in this, anyway.
"Right," Miho agrees. "I'm willing to do a lot, for the sake of appearances... but you are the one I love most."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"Once they have a rest, I think they can do it!" Yua brightens, hearing Miho's own (albiet more quiet) enthusiasm. "The whole time, I was just thinking... I want to dance with Mimi!"
Well. The whole time, she was reminded of her dance 'partners', before, and performing as the means to an end which sickened her.
But Yua always wanted to dance with Miho, back then, too.
... even if Yua doesn't like being the other woman, though, she'd like being a secret even less.
"I love you, too, Mimi," Yua says, hugging her arm. "A whole whole whole whole whole lot." Exactly how much of a muchness does something have to be to be described in that many wholes? "More than anything! You're my Memimi!"
She hums, looking down at her popcorn bowl. (She hasn't nibbled in a little while.) "Do you think... he'll be okay with it...? Will he take it seriously...?"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Good," Miho says with another smile. "I'm glad."
Kimitake surely didn't realize, of course.
"I feel just the same," Miho says. "Yua..." A soft laugh. "Only you get to call me things like this. Only you make me happy to hear it."
But, hum...
"I hope so," Miho says. "It would be troublesome, otherwise. But I think I can make him understand. Something like this can be partly a business arrangement..."
"And he already knows you're very important to me."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
How could he know? Details like that are locked up in her Blacksite files; they're not exactly highly publicised, though a few people do have access.
But it's propietary research data. You know.
Yua giggles, when Miho points out that she has special nicknaming privileges. "Mmhm, mmhm!" She hums, cheerfully, and rubs her cheek against Miho's shoulder. "It's because I'm the cutest!"
SHE KNOWS?! Is that legal???
She tilts her head, when Miho suggests she can make him understand. "Business...?" She wonders, blinking her wide red eye. "Like... umm... since you're an Olympian and stuff, it's impressive if he's dating you...? But he's a movie star, so couldn't he get a girlfriend who wasn't seeing anyone already...? I don't really get it..."
Yua might be the cutest, but she is definitely not the most politically-minded.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"It is," Miho agrees, and leans down to nuzzle agaisnt Yua. "You're the very cutest."
She knows...
Of course she knows!
"Something like that," Miho says. "At least, that can be a factor. I'll figure it out, don't worry." She rests a hand on Yua's. "For us. For Hiroki."
Yua is not politically minded but... Miho has had to be, at least to a degree. Less than her sister would like, certainly.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"Hee hee!" Yua giggles, always delighted when Miho plays along.
But Miho promises to figure it out, and Yua smiles, to her. "I know," she says, gently. "You get it much more than I do, Mimi! You're really smart when it comes to this stuff... this is your world, right?" All these -- appearances and machinations and deals. "So of course you'd be great at it!!"
Yua thinks Miho has the knack, clearly. But then, Ritsuko... would definitely agree that Yua is very cute, wouldn't she?
(Definitely someone who needs someone who knows a thing or two looking out for her.)
"... I hope he's okay with it," Yua settles on, since it's Miho grasping her hand, right now. "Since he is making your brain eat itself less when I'm gone... it would be good if it worked out."
At least the day will work out nicely for Yua and Miho, beginning with this bowl of popcorn.