2026-10-03: Regulation And Suspicion
- Log: Regulation And Suspicion
- Cast: Yua Ijuuin, Shinobu Shimizu, Ayame Watanabe
- Where: Aoba - Main
- OOC Date: October 03, 2026
- IC Date: January 19, 2013
- Summary: Shinobu and Ayame come to visit Yua! Ayame can sympathize with some of what she's going through, given her own experience, and Shinobu is aware of Yua's husband being a dirty cop... But there's a lot that can't be said openly.
(|=============================== Aoba - Main ================================|)
-=================================================== Sumaru City/Aoba Ward ====-
To Sumaru's east is Aoba Ward, where fashion and commerce abound. The city's
fire department headquarters is based here too. Ample shopping can be found at
the stores that dot Aoba Way. Past it, Aoba Park is a popular place to walk
around and relax, especially since there's an outdoor concert hall located
deeper within where one might catch a live concert.
Various programs are filmed at Sumaru TV, where famous stars like veteran
actress Junko Kurosu, talk show host Hidehiko "Brown" Uesugi, and popular model
Eriko "Elly" Kirishima might be spotted. Along the way, one will pass Kismet
Publishing, where popular publications like hot teen magazine Coolest are made.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
It's been a full week since Yua was interred at Aoba General Hospital, now... and so many people have come to visit. There are flowers all around Yua's private room, a stuffed bunny and silver fox on her bedside table alongside her portable DVD player and Destiny DVDs, basket-weaving things tucked into a bag on a chair, a cheerful baby-blue weighted blanket over her knees and lap to make the dreary hospital linen a little livelier. She even has a pillow from home, one of the big triangular ones which helped when she was pregnant, and alongside it is a bag full of pillowcushions for the nursing staff because they tried just putting a pillowcase on each end and it really didn't work...
... it almost makes the way both Yua's bed and Hiroki's cot are surrounded by horrible beeping whatsits bearable.
They at least removed one of the drains today... now she just needs to lug her IV pole around. They even got her down to just the one port, though it's still wrapped tightly with bandages to stop her from yanking it out.
(Again.)
Amongst her visitors have been frequent check-ins with her family; of course, they close the door for their privacy. And most times, Yua is glad for it; she was warmed with pride when Father and papa came to visit, though it was admittedly hard to feel quite the same way when Nagaharu and his wife came by. Mother and Sister's advice has been invaluable -- and even Brother's wife, Saya, was able to switch her onto the magic of ice packs given her own experience with caesareans. Papa figured out how to make video calls so that she could show mama and Yuken her grandson, though Yurika and Hayu and Riyuko flew out to come visit, with Miho naturally putting her Grandmother and aunts in a fancy nearby hotel while they were staying. Even Yume's come to visit, in a cool teenagery sort of way...
... but there's one member of her family who's...
OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-_qCrxom9g FFX OST - Seymour's Theme
When Shinobu and Ayame arrive to the ward where they were told Yua is staying -- an intensive-care nursery -- the door is closed. "Ijuuin-san is just in with her husband right now," the nurse tells them, smiling. "Why don't you give them a moment...?"
... even if they peek in the window, the privacy curtain's drawn.
After a brief wait, at least, the door opens -- and out steps Kimitake, past that curtain which veils the woman of the hour. He is a tall man, though not quite as tall as Miho -- five foot ten -- with green hair and severe features, though they're gentled by his affable smile, giving him an aura of approachable nobility. "Ladies," he acknowledges them, with a softened voice. "Have you come to see my wife...?"
He offers them a light bow of gratitude, which he straightens up from by his own leave, as he says: "Thank you for helping her through this difficult time... I'm afraid she finds it quite difficult to stay in hospital, but the doctors say she needs to be monitored a while yet."
Behind the curtain, a baby fusses, unsettled and upset.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu had been wanting to go see Yua ever since she heard the news, but work has kept her busy. She didn't want to overwhelm her with visitors right away, either...
Waiting, though, has had an upside - her schedule and Ayame's ended up lining up, which means they're able to visit her together!
They arrive at the ward to find that Yua is already occupied. Her husband... Shinobu tenses, just slightly.
She's heard what both Hana's Shadow and Yua herself has had to say about him. She knows about the nature of their marriage now, too.
She also heard about his willingness to cover up inconvenient investigations, so it's not like she can say anything.
"Sure." Shinobu replies to the nurse with a nod. She takes a seat, after making sure there's one for Ayame too - and when the door opens, Shinobu stands up.
Kimitake... He looks the very picture of a proud husband and father.
That just makes it worse.
Outwardly, she keeps her cool. But if Shinobu seems a little strained, it's probably just because he's from a well-off family.
"Ijuuin-san." Shinobu greets with a nod as he acknowledges them. "...Yeah. How's she doin'?"
Kimitake bows, straightening up on his own, and Shinobu massages the back of her neck awkwardly.
"Uh, yeah, no problem." Shinobu replies, wondering internally just how genuine he's being. "Well, no one ever has fun bein' in the hospital... Here's hopin' we can make it just a little better."
She looks past him toward the curtain, and the sound of an upset baby behind it.
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
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<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Ayame Watanabe is here today! She also heard the news, and worried a lot about it. But she hasn't been in to see her yet. Isamu was sick; Ayame couldn't risk seeing Yua and her baby until both of them had a clean bill of health and waited a few more days to boot to be absolutely sure. But now...!
Now she can visit with Shinobu. Ayame did of course have flowers sent; she could do that much. But now...
Ayame shares a Look with Shinobu at that tension. She didn't hear what Shadow Hana had to say, of course, but she does know things aren't as rosy as the story goes.
Still, Ayame takes a seat to wait when the nurse indicates they must. "All right. Thank you."
Ayame is in blue today, and she has a bit of a glow about her; things are going well for her, and she's in month 6 of her own pregnancy, at over 23 weeks. Hiroki's premature birth certainly played on her own anxieties; she remembers her miscarriage some years ago...
But Kimitake comes. Ayame is not a tall woman; Kimitake towers over her quite easily, especially whens he's seated. "Yes," Ayame answers Kimitake. "I wish I'd been able to come sooner!" he bows...
"Pregnancy is uncomfortable enough without being in a hsopital," Ayame says with a smile, and nods to Shinobu. "I hope we can!"
But the baby...
Ayame manages not to frown openly, but she has instincts as regards fussing babies. "Yua-chan's a good friend," Ayame offers. "I'll do my best."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
Flowers! Yua loves flowers...
Kimitake's suit is well-kept, and his manner is steady; he must surely be a good provider, and isn't that what's asked of husbands, in this society? It's good of him to make the time to visit so much, really, when he's working so hard... or at least, that's how the surface impressions go.
It's so important to have a good image, especially if what it's covering up isn't so pretty.
The way he sees it, as he smiles to Shinobu -- the help is tense, and that's really the way things ought to go, because he's warned Yua about being too friendly with her staff. Oh, she says it's because she works with Ayame's husband, sure... but isn't she being a little too casual?
Even if they work together, Ikkaku and Yua live in different worlds, after all.
But that is a conversation for another day -- and darker ears. Now, he gestures, openly, palms spread to show that he holds no sword to test on their neck at this crossroad. "I'm afraid she's still quite stressed," he says, with regret, of how she's doing. "I wasn't able to calm her down as much as I would have liked... ah, but I'm sure she'll settle down when my cousin comes to visit." The ineffable Miho Ijuuin, he means, Olympian and eternal steadying force in Yua's life. ... the woman she'd actually call her wife, too. "Please excuse her if she's a little upset... I'm sure she'll be pleased to see you. Of course, you'd know that she's just come out of a difficult trial herself," and while he nods to Ayame, there, he's still implicitly including Shinobu.
As if he expects them both to have children at their age.
"Thank you for being such kind friends to her," he says, again. "We'll be counting on you. For now... please excuse me. I need to head back to the station, you understand..."
Overtime, you know. Men are slammed with work, even on the weekends. Not being all that emotionally involved is terribly normal.
He smiles, and leaves, and what he leaves behind is...
Well, Yua's smiling, should they peek behind the curtain, though it's a little put-on. "Shh, sh-sh-sh," she murmurs, holding Hiroki firmly, as he fusses at her breast -- a thing which is bare to the world, though she's able to achieve some modesty through the wrap which holds her baby to her chest in the right position, plus the towel draped over her shoulders. "You're okay, mama's okay..."
And then -- "oh!" -- there is the moment she realises people are coming in, and then... "hands!!"
Yua's a little too distracted to remember to explain that insistence right now, but, like, Ayame's had a bunch of kids, they surely both know how vulnerable newborns are to germs even if they've never had pre-terms before.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Ayame looks her way, and Shinobu meets her glance. Even if she doesn't know everything she does... she knows Ayame is sharp. She knows she's probably picked up on things.
Kimitake says Yua is still quite stressed, and that he wasn't able to calm her down as much as he would've liked.
...Yeah, he probably would want her to be calm, huh? She doesn't voice that thought aloud, though. His cousin, though... Yes, Shinobu's quite sure she'll be able to manage it.
"Of course." Shinobu assures, when he says to excuse Yua.
...And then she catches the implication. The way he includes her and applies certain understandings to her. She forces herself to keep a straight face with some effort.
"Well, I've heard how difficult it can be, yeah..." Shinobu says, a subtle push back. She probably shouldn't. It's probably easier to just let him assume what she wants...
...But if she doesn't do that much, she'll explode.
"No problem." She replies, as he thanks them. She glances toward Ayame, briefly, before looking back. He excuses himself, and she nods. "Take care out there."
And when he's finally gone... Shinobu exhales, letting her expression darken for a moment. She makes a face, though it's gone by the time she approaches the curtain.
"Hey, Yua-chan. It's Shinobu and Ayame. We're here to see you! You up for visitors right now?" Shinobu announces them both. And, indeed - she's visited Ayame in the hospital before for her kids, so she already seeing to the cleaning once she spots the bottle.
She enters, if allowed.
"How're you both doin'?" Shinobu asks, because she wants to hear what she has to say about that, too, and looks toward Hiroki. "Wow... He's so small."
She's briefly taken aback. She's always surprised by how tiny babies are...
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
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<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Kimitake of course is steady, with a well-kept suit. That's the kind of man he's supposed to be. ...But Ayame is a little spoiled on that front; Ikkaku is a more active father than most in her pregnancies, time permitting--unfortunately, time hasn't been that permitting lately. ...So in a vaccuum, she doesn't blame Kimitake for those things. She simply doesn't know how difficult the situation is...
But she's inclined to be a little suspicious because she knows about how he reacted to Yua's religion.
When Miho comes to visit. "Of course!" Ayame says warmly. "Don't worry. I don't require apologies for Yua-chan's feelings; I understand how it goes, even in the best of times."
But he has to go... "Take care!"
She looks to Shinobu then, and sspots her expression darken. Hmmm...
Yua is there, and smiling, and yame recognizes that it's put on. She intuits immediately what's happened; Kimitake seems to have upset her...
"Hello, Yua-chan!"
Ayame will clean her hands as well. It's even more important when the baby is so vulnerable.
"Yes, I'd like to know," ayame says, and then--
Her heart melts. "Oh, he's so precious," she says, and smiles at Shinobu. "Yes, he is, isn't he? That means he's working even harder..."
"What a fine boy you have, Yua-chan."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"Hmm," Kimitake wonders, when Shinobu insists she's heard how hard it is. "Of course." He rolls with it easily, but it still seems if it's a new fact... does he not ask Yua about her friends, often?
(Or does he just not listen?)
"You have our gratitude," he smiles, to Ayame, and speaks for Yua in the process. "... take care, ladies."
But Shinobu calls out, and Yua replies: "Please, come in...!" ... though she's trying not to raise her voice too much, evidently, which makes sense as they enter.
(Thank the Gods, they know about the hand cleaning stuff.)
"Hiro-tan just got a little spooked," Yua explains, still sounding as if she's trying not to be, "since I got upset about being stuck in hospital again... oh, you don't like it when mama gets upset, do you?" Her register slips higher, as she tries to reassure her son. "I'm sorry, chimbin," 'crepe,' in Okinawan, "mama didn't wanna scare you..."
Was it really Yua who's the frightening one, in that room? ... well, it must be hard for a tiny baby to know the difference between threats and stress, too.
Snif, Yua wrinkles her nose -- she's busy holding Hiroki, so if her face is a bit of a mess they'll just have to excuse that, she hasn't even been able to wear makeup or perfume or anything since she came here -- and tilts her arm down a little, so they can see him where he's grumbling his little 'uuuu, waaa' against her skin. "Look, look, he has Mimi's eyes... and her hair!" His fuzz is receding, but there's a few wisps of hair on his head, too. He has dark skin like Yua, though -- darker than hers, even, though not so much that it's unthinkable he'd be her son. "He would have been twenty-nine weeks and five days if he was still in my tummy, but he's also a week old being out of it... they said we'd need to adjust his age, but I don't really get it...? Oh, but they said if I do lots of 'kangaroo care', he'll grow up quicker, so he can go home and he'll be safe!"
She's probably not just teary because she wanted to go home, as she looks to Ayame. "He's so good... and so little...! I was so scared I'd messed it all up when I went on a walk and got in trouble... but some of my students found me, they helped me, and he was okay... he was okay... Ayawata, don't you go on any walks on your own either, okay? Even if you feel totally cooped up! At least coops are safe!"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
'Of course', he says. It seems like he didn't expect that, even if he doesn't react much. Maybe she'll pay for that later, but right now, the defiance feels good.
She nods, as Ayame speaks - and her expression turns briefly apologetic when she notices her spot the look on her face.
Thankfully, Yua welcomes them in. She explains that Hiroki got spooked, and Shinobu takes a moment to assess Yua herself at that, too.
"Sorry to hear that... But it's not your fault, okay?" Shinobu assures. Ayame compliments Hiroki and Shinobu smiles back at her before looking back toward Yua as she tilts her arm down.
She certainly isn't going to judge Yua if she's a bit of a mess right now...
"Oh, wow, I see it." Shinobu acknowledges, as Yua says he has Miho's eyes and hair. It's a little hard for her to tell, admittedly - but she takes her word for it. "He's adorable."
She listens as Yua explains further, how old he would've been... She nods.
"Yeah, that's a little over my head, too, but I guess that's just how it works..." She considers. "I hope that helps him, though."
Yua explains that she was afraid that she'd messed it all up. She went on a walk and got in trouble...
"Sh-" Shinobu starts - and stops herself, because the baby is right there and she can't bring herself to swear where his tiny ears can hear. "That... sounds like it was pretty hard on you. I'm glad they found you, though..."
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Of course. Ayame looks between Shinobu and Kimitake. Another curiosity.
But now it is Yua time, not Kimitake time, and Ayame smiles. But Hiro-tan was spooked...
"I'd think he would know how to avoid upsetting a baby," Ayame reflects with a small frown. After all, she knows he has other children. "But then, I suppose babies can start at the smallest things. It's all right, Yua-chan." A sympathetic look. "It's hard, isn't it? They pick up on even the smallest things..." She knows how overhwelming it can be to try to control her emotions for a child's sake.
Ayame does not owrry about face mess. instead, "I see that! He's going to be so handsome," Ayame enthuses. "Hmm... I think you can just go by when he was born, personally. That's simplest." Kangaroo care! "Ahhh. Yes, I understand. I also did a little research into preterm babies..."
For reasons.
Don't...
"Oh, Yua-chan," she says. "I'm so sorry. I'm very glad your students could help. Don't worry; I'll be very careful. Right now I have Shinobu-chan to look after me."
Coops are safe... Ayame is worried about the lesson Yua is taking from it, but...
"Yes. Ah--may we sit with you for a while?" Ayame asks.
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
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<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"No -- no, he didn't do anything, he was fine, really," Yua insists, quickly, shaking her head, when Ayame reflects on Kimitake's inadequacies, and Shinobu says it's not her fault. "Just -- I need to control myself," Yua sighs, crestfallen. "Mouuu, I... mm," even when she 'mouuus', Hiroki responds with his own plaintive 'muuuuu', and Yua's interrupted by shushing him for a moment again. "Shh, shh, it's okay, sweetie, you're okay... oh, it's like that, you see? Mm, he's so sensitive, just like mama," she looks to Ayame, a touch despairing. "I'm trying... but it all builds up inside me, and... they said I'd figure it out, but... maybe since I was early, I broke it...?" Her... momness???
... feeling like you're somehow not doing something which comes naturally to everyone else, though, isn't nearly as isolated an experience as Yua might think.
"Mm, mm, like how kangaroos have pouches... here's my pouch!" She explains, for Shinobu, who Yua at least knows is a full-time aunt. "They said when he's against my skin, he calms down and, um, what's the word... regulates better? I was worried he wouldn't really be able to do his temperature good, since I can't, either, but I guess how it feels isn't how I really am..."
Yua giggles, though, as Shinobu stops herself from swearing; it's the greatest sign yet of how labile she is, so easily moved to different emotions. "It's okay," she assures her, "he won't learn how to say words for a little while yet, and anyway... I don't want him to grow up thinking some words are just 'bad'. If he wants to swear, I'll still love him! I just want him to think about why they're swear words... some of them are swears because they're mean to women and stuff." Yua heaves a deep sigh, as she says, "I hope he doesn't pick those up..."
That is to say, she hopes he won't talk like his 'father' does when no one's listening.
"If Nobumizu's taking care of you, you'll be okay!" She decides, smiling to Ayame. "Mm, sit, sit!" There's a nice comfy lounging chair right next to the bed (no doubt both for Yua to practice sitting up in and for Miho to do her own kangaroo care when she visits), and a couple of visitor's chairs shoved by the wall, too. (One of them has some blue plastic sheets folded up on them... that's probably fine.) "For me... it was scary," she admits, a moment later. "But Kimi-san was good, he told them what I wanted... though I'm a little ashamed to admit it..." It may be clear, from how she looks to Hiroki, just why she'd be ashamed, particularly as she goes on to say: "But it's okay, they saved us both!" ... the question of who to save first in the event of a difficult birth -- the mother or the child -- is one which has been difficult over the centuries, so perhaps it's at least heartening to hear Yua describe what she wanted when she speaks of it. "Hiro-tan was okay, they had to cut him out, but he was okay... they say he's really quite healthy, considering everything...? Just... I lost a lot of blood, so I was in surgery a long time, I guess... and I keep getting sick in hospital, too... mouuuu, they said I'm not going tomorrow, either..."
Yua has about two seconds to be sad about that before she realises she's upsetting Hiroki, and hurries herself into hushing him, gently.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Seriously." Shinobu agrees, when Ayame reflects that Kimitake should know how to avoid upsetting a baby. But Yua insists that he didn't do anything, that he was fine.
She's sceptical about that, but she won't push the matter any further. He's sensitive...
"That makes sense..." Shinobu considers - but when Ayame sympathises that it's hard, and Yua says that she's trying and worries that she broke it, Shinobu looks Ayame's way.
...It's probably easier for the experienced mom to field that one, because Shinobu isn't sure what she could say.
Yua also offers a helpful explanation for her!
"Oh, yeah... That makes sense." Shinobu considers thoughtfully. She hasn't done the research, but thankfully Ayame is on top of it. "Figures that it'd be easier if he stays close to you."
Yua giggles, though, and that gets a small laugh out of Shinobu, too.
"Oh, good." She says with a sigh of relief. She nods as she explains. "Yeah, uh, I've kinda been watching those, too..."
Yua expresses her hope, and Shinobu offers a small smile.
"Well... between the two of you, he's gonna have some good role models. I'm sure you'll teach 'im right." She says. 'The two of you' being Miho and Yua, even if certain news is running through her head... She just hopes they'll be able to counter-balance whatever Kimitake brings to the table.
Ayame assures Yua that she'll be careful, and that she has her to look out for her, and Shinobu nods.
"Mm-hm. Nothin's happening to Nee-san on my watch." Shinobu assures. That seems to be good enough for Yua, who tells them to sit. Shinobu moves to grab one of the visitor's chairs shoved up against the wall, setting it with a good view of both Yua's bed and the lounge chair next to it before taking a seat.
Yua admits that it was scary, but Kimitake told them what she wanted... Shinobu nods quietly.
"Thank goodness it didn't come to that. I'm glad you're both still here." She offers quietly. She nods, too, when she says that he's healthy, considering everything. "Oh, good..."
She breathes a sigh of relief - and then offers a sympathetic smile.
"...Sorry you're still stuck here for a while, though."
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
He was fine? Of course he was fine. Ayame regrets having said what she did a moment later, as Yua has to insist on the matter. But clearly Yua and her baby are both upset, and the common factor is that Kimitake was here...
Well, it really could be just nothing...
"It's all right," Ayame says to Yua, trying to be soothing herself. He's sensitive, is it? "You can't just stock up your feelings and expect them never to come out--you're at a very emotional time. That doesn't mean you're broken. ...When we can talk alone, maybe I can give you some tips about how I managed it?"
So she doesn't have to stress about not upsetting Hiroki.
She even gives Yua another smile. "...I only managed as well as I did with Tohka-chan because I had my mother-in-law to help me. Even then, I felt that being tired so much and being upset about my own parents still was being ungrateful..."
She looks to Shinobu and nods encouragingly. "Still, the more people you have to support you, the better."
Pouches! Ayame ndos thoughtfully--and then she laughs a little at Shinobu's not swearing, even though Ayame herself certainly doesn't as a rule. "That's a fine approach," Ayame says, and hmms. "Maybe I should reconsider my thoughts on the matter... Well, I haven't had trouble with them picking up too much bad language, t least." But those swears... "Mm. I'm sure you and her," she says this part explicitly, "Will indeed be good role models there. If he picks up something wrong, you can teach him better."
Nothing will happen on Shinobu's watch! Ayame perhaps too easily accepts the role of being protected, as a rule--but it's true that if you're seeking a protector, Ayame's sister is ideal. "Thank you." Ayame takes the comfy chair, and gives that 'sigh' that Yua will know so well of relieved back and foot pain. It was scary, though...
"Did he?" Ayame asks. "That's important. At a time when you already feel your body isn't all yours... Knowing that what you want to be prioritized will be is so important."
He was okay, but they had to cut him out; Yua, however...
"Then I'll have to visit more often," Ayame assures Yua. She worries, too--but with Yua trying to self-soothe, Ayame wants to help.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
Yua always said that Kimitake and she were on the same team, with the same stressors plaguing them...
"I have so -- so many emotions," Yua sniffles, her voice cracking a little as she tries to communicate the sheer enormity of them. "Way too many... mm... maybe later?" She looks at his cot, as she says: "I didn't like it when they took Hiroki away... I kept thinking he'd disappear. They put us in a room where we could be together, so at least now I'll know if someone takes him..." ... but that surely can't be helping her much, because even if he's in his cot he can still hear her.
But Shinobu imagines the benefit of pouches, and Yua smiles. "Mm, mm! He's supposed to still be in my tummy... so he's happier when he's like this! Oh, but he doesn't like to be stroked... he likes being held firmly! Like if he was still in there!"
Yua sighs, though, as she looks down to Hiroki. "Mmm... that's a good way to put it," she says, thoughtfully, as she reflects on Ayame's own struggles. "I should be happy, right...? Even if I'm sick, it means I can be here for him even more... but it's a lot of demands, a lot of things to do, the things don't stop needing done..." ... hopefully, the doctors here are keeping postnatal depression in mind, alongside all her physical maladies.
"Good, good! Nobumizu's on the case!!" Yua chirps, to Shinobu's sisterly protection. She does pretty quickly intuit who the two of you really means, as it happens. "Mm, Mimi's much steadier... Mimi's a regulation champion! Did you know that when people are professional athletes, their hearts beat super slowly? It really seems to calm him down...! Mm, mm... and when he gets older, he can learn fencing, just like her...! Everyone's very respectful in fencing! They're happy to face each other!"
She takes a moment to stop talking about her very favourite subject slash person, though, to aside to Ayame once she's settled in the chair: "There's a remote in the side of the cushion, I think...? The side button's for the feets rest!" ... she does, in fact, know the eternal struggles of feets.
"Would you?" She asks, of Ayame, when she offers to visit. "I think Dr. Matsuhashi is okay, and Mimi says they won't hurt me, but... I'm still scared. When they made me disappear, I thought I was just getting a flu shot... it wasn't a flu shot." Yua was kidnapped when she thought she was going in for something like that...? Perhaps it's no wonder she's so scared of hospitals...
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
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<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
Shinobu looks between Ayame and Yua. Like she thought, Ayame is familiar with Yua's situation. She's glad one of them is - it's a good thing they decided to go together. When Ayame looks to her with an encouraging nod, Shinobu smiles back.
"Oh, yeah, I get it." Shinobu comments thoughtfully as Yua explains more. "I guess that makes him feel more at home..."
It sounds like there's a lot weighing on Yua, though. So much running through her mind...
"That's rough..." She sympathises.
She grins just slightly as Ayame laughs, and considers - and then agrees with her. Yua agrees, too.
"Huh! No, I didn't. Makes sense, I guess. The exercise probably does a lot of good for 'em..." Shinobu considers. And that slow and steady beat is probably more relaxing. She grins, when he says he can learn fencing. "I'm sure that'll make her happy."
She considers Ayame for a moment, when she expresses how important it is for her wants to be prioritised... and then back to Yua, when Ayame offers to visit more often.
...So that's how it happened, huh? She just thought she was getting a flu shot...
"...That's awful. I'm sorry." Shinobu offers. She can't blame her for being scared, if that's the case.
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
So many emotions... "Maybe later," Ayame agrees. But it's normal, she's sure--even if perhaps Yua in particular is especially emotionally labile, it is to Ayame's mind a matter of degree rather than kind. The baby, though... "Hmmm, I see. That makes sense. Perhaps when Miho-san is visiting and can stay with him, then."
Ppouches... "Yes, this makes sense," Ayame agrees. "...Oh, he's so precious..."
But she should be happy. "Yes. There are many demands on your time, your body, your mind... And people don't always want to hear about those. But with Miho-san to advocate for you, I hope it'll be all right."
Shinobu's definitely on the case. And Miho? "I didn't know that," Ayame agrees. "Hmmm. That's very interesting!" Thinking of Hiroki learning fencing reminds Ayame of Tohka learning softball... Does she really like it, or does Ayame want her to like it?
"Oh, thank you," she says of the remote. "And yes, fencing is exciting!"
"i'm sorry too," Ayame agrees with Shinobu. "I definitely will. As long as you're up to seeing me, I'll be happy to visit often."
Warning 'my-desc' for Ayame Watanabe(#524PenA):
player is missing description
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ijuuin has posed.
"Oh, yeah! Mimi can protect him...!" Yua lights up when Ayame suggests relying on her partner, because of course she's invoked the correct partner and not the one who left her all teary for some mysterious reason that's probably fine.
(IT'S NOT FINE)
"Mm, mm, he got kicked out early, poor baby! But I'll make things nice and comfy for him so he can get ready to go home... isn't comfy good, bubba? Comfy is so good!" Yua kind of descends from answering Shinobu to talking to Hiroki, but this, too, is normal.
"He's such a good boy," Yua coos, just like that, alongside Ayame.
But she's at least able to orient back on her feelings after she's boobooed at the baby. "It's super-duper rough," she sighs, because even when Yua is espousing the great weight of motherhood she's still very cute. She pouts, as she insists: "Mouuu, sometimes they scold me... but I really can't help it, you know! I'm doing my best...!" Hiroki goes 'auu??', though, and Yua takes a breath, her shoulders lifting and sagging back down. "No, no, it's okay, baby, it's okay... did you hear her, chimbin? Mimi will take care of us, we'll be okay..."
It's funny how 'advocate for' becomes 'take care of' so easily...
"Mm, mm! It's because of their peak physical performance!" Yua smiles, sparkly, when Shinobu reflects on that low heart rate. "Mine's not too fast, either... but it's still a lot faster. Oh, especially now... it feels like every day I'm in bed, getting out of it's harder!"
(That's not just Yua, as it happens. Deconditioning hits anyone who's been hit with bed rest, as Ayame in particular might know.)
"It's okay," she assures them, with a small smile. "I mean... it wasn't okay, but... Mimi saved me, so I'm okay! And... and I guess these doctors are different...? It's just hard to remember that... but I'm really happy when people come to visit me! Like, like Nenai from Tea Ceremony came over yesterday and told me all about what everyone was doing in the meeting I missed...! That was so much fun!"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Hey, there you go." Shinobu says, as Ayame suggests Miho can stay with Hiroki when she's visiting. Yua, of course, agrees with this.
Yua answers her - and then goes into babytalk, and Shinobu chuckles good-naturedly.
"He is." She agrees, on Hiroki being precious.
And she listens as Yua pouts. Her situation is pretty difficult...
"Sorry... I'm sure you are." She apologises. She looks between Ayame and Yua, and then smiles as Yua sparkles at her.
"Yeah, that figures." She replies - and nods sympathetically. Even if she doesn't know for the same reason Yua and Ayame do, that is a concept she's familair with. "Yeah, it's rough."
And Yua assures them - Miho saved her, so she's okay.
"I'm glad she did." Shinobu replies. "I guess that'd make it difficult..."
Trust isn't something easily repaired - not in a situation like that.
"Hey, I'm glad." She replies, smiling, as Yua recounts someone coming to visit. "I'll try to make time, too."
<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.
Miho can definitely protect him.
Comfy is very good. Ayame smiles at the babytalk, too. He is indeed a vry good boy...
She's doing her best. Ayame can see that. She has little to say for a bit, other than to nod along when Yua says she's doing her best. She does notice that, though--take care of.
Bedrest can be difficult. "I understand," Ayame says simply, rather than invoking how the doctors will help. And well... she was saved.
"Oh, how lovely," she says of Nanai. "...Yes. We both will," Ayame says, and smiles again. "Oh, I could watch him all day..."