[closed] ✨✨✨

[no_kyouken]

Who ⬤ Polycule people & friends
What ⬤ A picnic
When ⬤ Nowish
Where ⬤ A park
Content Warnings ⬤ Swearing, alcohol, etc


code

grasshopper picnic hydrangea on the menu beauty and the beast Majima had a lot of people to coordinate, so the calendar invites were sent to phones a few weeks ago. The festival was a working event for him, not something he could really relax for. As a compromise to those who wanted to spend more time with him, he's arranged the picnic. No, he didn't make any of the food, don't be ridiculous. He paid a caterer. He and the birds did, however, find a few thrift stores to rummage up blankets, baskets, and pillows. The flowers arranged around the area are an array of different colored hydrangeas chosen by Emily from Aerith's shop. There is also a corgi puppy lying on a blanket and watching with curious, baleful eyes. He is a visitor from Izo's shelter. Taro needs help with his socialization, be gentle with him! 🧺🌺🐶 The three of them are there ahead of everyone, playing with the puppy and drinking tea and snacking on fruit. But they're waiting for you; the river glittering at a distance. The weather is good and the company is fine. Say hello to your illustrious hosts: 🐍🕊️🦅

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[medicative]

[the harmony of Tanabata was ruined by the events in the end, so Emily checks and triple checks that things will be fine for this. actually wrangling people to take time for themselves was an event in itself - something unrelated to politics or needing to eavesdrop or whatever else the clans wanted. a picnic, then, was easy to work with.

and to her, it's mostly the chance to meet new people. when she's not doting on Taro, getting him used to people, she wants to talk to others, and take the opportunity to make new friends. at the same time, she is occasionally taking photos of this day. so if there are some candid shots in with the posed ones...well. that's just par for the course, right? though it's easy to catch her and demand to look.

mingling will be enough to keep her mind off the persistent itch in the back of her head that she needs to do something. look, she's as bad at taking time off as some of the other people are.]

[killtime]

[ It's not her typical kind of outing. Anyone who's spoken to Andy even once knows that socializing isn't one of her strong points — and sometimes that seems more intentional than not. But she's here. She's made the effort of an appearance, even if it looks like she's waiting for an opportune moment to slip away. In the meantime, she lingers in the shade a little ways off, puffing away at a cigarette and hiding behind her sunglasses.

It's only when she spots Emily snapping photos that she finally wanders over, draping one arm across the other woman's shoulders as she leans in to have a look. ]

Didn't know you liked taking pictures.

[medicative]

[she turns the camera so that Andy can see - there's photos of Dante playing with the dog, Izo passed out on a blanket, Azem laughing, and others of the day. she's happy Andy came at all, with everyone being so busy lately, and she pauses to look up at her.]

I'm no professional, but I think some reminders of today will serve us well. A little touch to look towards on the more difficult days. I'm already getting some of these printed for frames.

[killtime]

[ She’s always liked mementos. Photographs especially. The camera had been such a novelty when it was first invented. And it had meant something to her, having tangible evidence of what people in her life looked like in those transient moments. The long years had made her forget so much. Her own mother’s face, even. So there’s something that softens the natural harshness of her face as Emily shows her these pictures - something almost a little tender. ]

Haven’t really taken any since I got here. Always a fucking hassle, fiddling around with my damn phone. [ She should learn. There’s people here she cares for - people she’d want evidence of, if she ever had to be apart from them. ] But these are nice, Em. Really nice.

[medicative]

Thank you. I can always lend you this camera, if you like - it's simple enough that even I can use it, so it should be easy for you.

[she's bright, happy about it all, trying to hold onto the positivity of the day.]

And if you want any of the photos, let me know - I'll have them printed for you.

[killtime]

[ Andy makes a little noise of acknowledgement. Maybe she'll take Emily up on that offer sometime — she might regret not having a keepsake or two later, especially in a sentimental mood. She has those more often than she'd probably like to admit out loud.

Instead, with a twinge of wryness: ]

What about one of you and me?

[ Now there's a rare occasion. It's not often that Andy volunteers to have her picture taken. ]

[medicative]

Of course! Here, come a little closer.

[she busies herself with the buttons before tucking herself nearer to Andy, the light blinking in a steady red pulse. really, anything that Andy would have asked, she would have said yes to - she hasn't shed certain moments from her mind, and they manifest in an eagerness to please, a readiness to do anything that might bring a smile to those lips.]

Okay, when I press this, it will wait three seconds and then take a picture of us. Ready?

[three, two...]

[killtime]

[ She'd rather pretend it never happened. Since she can't take back the ugly shit that she said, that seems like the next best thing. And maybe it feels a little forced, this eagerness of Emily's to please, but Andy's playing along just the same — acting like they hadn't torn into each other, pulling open old wounds.

Andy doesn't smile. But as the timer counts down, just a split second before the shutter clicks — she tilts her head to press a stolen kiss against Emily's cheek. ]

[medicative]

[it's too quick for Emily to be terribly surprised by it, but there's a warmth that'll be in the photo, a delight that Andy will see when she turns to her, and then lowers the camera to kiss her on the mouth - chaste, sweet. for now, does that mean she's closer to forgiveness?

she'd like to think so, but this picnic is meant to be lighter. no sense prying into pain when everyone being relaxed was key to today.]

[killtime]

[ The truth is this: Andy's never been very good at holding a grudge against anyone but herself. She'd like to act like she is — and she probably seems like the type — but Majima had her pegged when he called her a soft-hearted bitch. Not that she's ever been above a little vengeance, but that soft fucking heart of hers wants to forgive. She'd rather feel the warm press of Emily's kiss against her lips than talk about the cruel and terrible things they said to each other before.

It's easy, almost thoughtless when she leans to chase Emily's mouth with her own, stealing another fleeting kiss before she finally pulls back to look at her, those dark eyes gleaming. With a twinge of wryness: ]

I'm not going to get told off for doing that in public?

[medicative]

Why would you? I think I started it, after all.

[right now, she's happy, it's written across her clear as day. happy to be out here, with people she cares for, away from responsibility. it feels like the summers one wants to remember, captured on film so that they might not lose the memory to time's slow decay. she's content, and she hasn't moved away from Andy - they have this, and it feels like the furthest thing from that painful, thorn edged moment.]

[killtime]

[ She's beautiful when she's happy, their Em. She's always beautiful, but especially now — practically radiant in the summer sunlight. A stark contrast to the Emily she'd seen that night in her office, all her jagged and broken pieces, all her despair. Looking at her like this, a person could almost imagine that the fight they'd had was nothing more than an evanescent nightmare. ]

I don't know. [ Her usual wryness is softened by something like affection. ] But I do kind of like it when you scold me.

[medicative]

I'm not going to scold you for no reason, Andromache. You have to earn it like anything else.

[her name is said softly, a secret between them both for the moment. teasing but fond - why should she be anything but kind right now?]

[killtime]

[ There's a strange, gentle sort of catharsis that catches her a little off guard when Emily says her name. Her real name. Emily hasn't called her that since they fought. Her name had felt like a curse then. Something painful. A weapon to be used against her. Now it feels warm and tender. Four familiar syllables that ground her to herself, making her more tangible, more present. ]

Okay. [ Simply: ] Then can I kiss you again?

[medicative]

Of course you can.

[here, her name is meant with all the fondness it can contain, all Emily can muster. and then, added on softly, with a smile.]

Please.

[killtime]

[ Maybe it's a bit unusual that Andy bothered to ask in the first place. But then again, maybe it felt like she needed permission this time. After all the things that they'd said to each other — all the ways they'd hurt each other — Emily's permission feels a little like forgiveness, even if it shouldn't. It's as if they have an unspoken agreement that both of them will pretend, at least for today.

Andy reaches out, catching Emily lightly by the chin, holding her face still so she can lean in to press a warm kiss against those familiar lips. And if Emily's permission felt like forgiveness, then Andy's kiss might be a quiet apology, her mouth soft and coaxing despite belonging to a woman who is made up of all hard lines and sharp edges.

Lowly, she murmurs into the small space between them: ]

I missed this.

[ I missed you. ]

[medicative]

So did I.

[this proximity, this ease, how it comes so naturally that Emily doesn't triple guess herself over it and simply exists in it. asking meaning Andy wanted to, and perhaps she understood she was forgiven for all of what occurred. kiss her, and have not even scars remaining from the incident, for it was over and dealt with and Emily bears no malice. things happen, words get spoken that perhaps she very much deserved to hear from Andy.

it's okay. it's okay now.]

[killtime]

[ It is okay. At least for now, in this brief moment. Or close enough to okay for them to get away with acting like it is. And they're both good at pretending in their own ways, aren't they? Even if they've seen the cracks show in each other's masks sometimes?

Even though they're outside, surrounded by people, looking into Emily's eyes right then, it feels as if there's no one else in the entire world. It's hard to look away from her when she glows like this. Andy already wants to kiss her again. ]

I almost didn't come. [ Fondness softens her usual wryness. ] "Picnics" aren't my usual fucking gig.