[open] I don't plan on breaking down

[pinwheels]

Who: Rinoa Heartilly + you?
What: catch-all for September!
Where: different places around the Void
When: during September, or the equivalent thereof
Content Warnings: n/a! will update if anything comes up


I ☆ Old Friends and New (Mortis Lake)

[ Whether it's because he's apparently part one of those Pokémon things or for some other reason entirely, Felix seems to be quite trainable. Scraps and barbecued meat from the cavern market and promises of affectionate pats and praise seem to be all he needs to keep him going. In that regard, he reminds her a lot of Angelo, even if he seems to be more cat than dog in a lot of ways. He's learned to fetch already, and today she's among the purple trees and foliage of the forest, teaching him to answer to her whistle. He likes to explore, after all, and Rinoa wants to make sure that he'll come back to her when she calls for him.

He's been gone for three minutes, so it's the perfect time to call him back, she thinks. The pointer finger and thumb of her right hand tuck between her lips, her left hand extended with a chunk of the meat. When she whistles though, there's not one shape but two - Felix's small form comes into view from behind the trees just before a dark brown blur overtakes him, crashing straight into Rinoa's solar plexus and sending her sprawling to the ground.

An alarmed, angry squawk from Felix is followed by... a bark.
The feel of a wet nose pressing against her skin.
A heavy, familiar weight against her.

Dazed as she is from the fall, Rinoa manages to sit up, looking at the dog now in her lap. ]

Angelo?

[ Another bark, and just like that she's laughing and crying at the same time, hugging the newcomer close to her, burying her face in her fur. It's not until Felix makes another sound, a gently confused chirp, that she looks up, smiling even as her tears stream down her face. ]

I'm sorry, Felix. We probably scared you, huh?

[ She reaches out to pull her newer friend in, too. Anyone who comes across her for however long will find her like this, both animals in her lap as they sniff each other out, greeting each other cautiously as she showers each of them with love and affection. ]

II ☆ Furniture Shopping (Takoba Beach)

[ She's not sure when it happened exactly, but for a little while now, any trips she's taken to the beach have resulted in her finding more and more stuff for the humble apartment she's taken to calling home in the extended absence of the real thing. So far, she's managed to find a nightstand and a lamp that doesn't do a whole lot more than sit on top of it and look pretty, along with a small coffee table that would pair incredibly well with the sofa sitting in front of her right now. It's a little dirty from the sand, and still waterlogged, but it's otherwise in great shape.

The main problem? By herself, she has almost no chance at all of lifting it. Angelo and Felix are both eager to help, but there's really nothing that they can do either, and so it's with a resigned sigh that the young woman decides to wait for someone to come along and give her a hand.

Anyone who comes across her here will find her sitting on the couch with two animals curled at her feet, a book in her hand as she tries to make sense of its entirely nonsensical text. She'll look up at the approach, a hopeful smile on her lips. ]

Hi! Do you think you could help me out?

III ☆ Relaxation (Bathhouse)

[ Rinoa's been meaning to visit the bathhouse since she first learned of its existence in the cavernous Wall Market, but... well, it's not that she hasn't had time - it feels like here she has nothing but, despite its strange lack of existence (or maybe because of its lack of existence) - it's more that it's been lower on the priority list than... well, than a lot of things, really.

But now that Angelo is here, it's like something has settled in her mind. Squall isn't here, but that doesn't mean he won't show up, the same way she has, the same way Angelo has, the same way all her new friends have from their own worlds. He's not here, but she's not alone, either.

She wasn't before; it just took this long for her to realize it. To accept that she's stronger than she's given herself credit for, before.

And if that's not the kind of thing that deserves a nice, hot, relaxing bath? Then nothing is!

It's with a contented sigh that the young woman slips into the water, eyes closing as she immediately feels her muscles relaxing under its warmth. ]

Mm, I should've done this sooner...

[ Perhaps you're someone coming along for a bath of your own, or perhaps the distortions in the air carry the sound of her voice directly to your ears as she contentedly hums a song to herself. Either way, she has no intention of leaving the area for quite a while! ]

IV ☆ Wildcard

( something else in mind? hit her with something random, or hit me up if you want to request something specific! ♥ )

Comments

i.

[bachagain]

[ because of course leo only walks in when rinoa's crying--

--but on a more serious note, this is something of a warm scene. leo can't help but pause over it a little bit, though ultimately he does choose to interrupt. it's half wanting to know who rinoa's new friend...s are, and half wanting to just speak to rinoa herself, honestly. he's gotten to know her surprisingly well? it's funny.

and, he's already fond. so excuse him as he makes his way over, rinoa, and crouches down right in front of this cuddly scene. ]

Those're happy tears, right, Rin? [ hello. surprise. here is leo, and she's rin now, ] You look comfy!

[ he can recognize felix as something she may have picked up here, in all his pidge-cat glory, but angelo... well! he's happy for her. ]

[pinwheels]

[ She's already halfway between tears and laughter when she hears Leo's voice, and when she half-sits to look at him through the blur of the water in her eyes, another peal of laughter bursts from her lips. Of course he would find her like this, covered in friends while tears stream down her cheeks.

(And of course he'd greet her so casually, too, a new nickname that warms her heart more than it already is.)

She untangles one hand from Angelo for long enough to dash the tears away from her eyes, trying in vain to see him properly before she gives up and just grabs a hold of him, fingers on what she hopes is his arm. ]

I don't think you met Felix yet, right? He's my friend from here. And this dog, she's Angelo. She's from home.

[ There's a catch in her voice at that, another swell of tears, and Rinoa laughs again. ]

They're really happy tears, I promise!

[bachagain]

[ her hand on his arm and the ever-present tears prompt him to shuffle on closer, patting his hand over hers. guess he's part of the warm pile now! having someone from home must be something of a comfort... he's glad, truly, that rinoa has that.

leo lets out a little laugh in response to her own, less of a cackle than usual. ]

Good, good. I wasn't sure how I was gonna get Felix and Angelo off of you if they were giving you a hard time...! I've got no arm strength!

[ he's kidding. kind of. not really, on the last part.

his focus'll go onto their two animal friends now, his gaze lowering from rinoa to angelo and felix. leo shifts the hand he has on rinoa's to offer it gently to the two of them instead. he won't pet, not yet... though the desire is there. ]

Nice to meet you guys! I'm Leo! [ ♪ ] Any friend of Rin's is a friend of mine, 'specially when they're so cute, so be nice to me too, mm'kay?

[pinwheels]

[ Rinoa's not about to complain about an extra body in the pile, especially not when it's someone whom she's quickly come to consider a friend. A lot of the others around the Void are the more serious, stoic, grumpy types like Squall, or the kind, motherly types like Edea. Leo's more like her, though, and while she prides herself on being able to get along with anyone, it was definitely easier with him from the start.

That's why she smiles so brightly when Angelo and Felix are quick to welcome him, the hand he moves from hers greeted by a headbutt from the bunny-eared creature and a happy, tail-wagging lick from the dog. ]

Looks like they're agreeing to be nice.

[ It's said with a laugh, a playful lift of her eyebrows, and Rinoa takes the freed hand as an opportunity to wipe her tears away, eyes seemingly determined on their own to be wet no matter how much she laughs and smiles. ]

They'll be okay, you know. If you wanna pat them.

[bachagain]

Wahahahaha! Yeah, looks like it! Where d'ya wanna get pet, you two? Show me your favo~wite spots!

[ oh, goodness, out comes the baby talk. with all their obvious approval, 'cause he's good enough with animals to, like, not shove himself in and spook 'em... he's gonna go ahead. he's got two hands, and there's two cute little companions. a match made in heaven.

his smile turns brighter now, more cheerful, and as he pets: ]

I'm glad you got someone you're extra familiar with, Rin! There's lots of people here to know, and they're nice, but sometimes you wanna get a little piece of home too.

[ and for a moment maybe he's-- a little jealous, but he'll pet pet pet that emotion away. at this core he is happy for rinoa. they're all just terribly homesick-- ]

[pinwheels]

[ Rinoa's smile only broadens as Leo's speech shifts into something babyish and playful. His words, though, make her wonder - they've talked a lot about where she's come from, but not so much about where Leo's from. She doesn't even know if there's anything from his home in the Void. But from the way he talks, she can't help but wonder if maybe there isn't. He sounds almost like she did, talking to Tifa about the bar, or Aerith about the church, or anyone before Angelo came along.

She reaches out, laying one hand over Leo's wrist, even as he continues to pet pet pet her friends. ]

I know it's not really the same, but you can come and hang out with us any time you want, you know?

[bachagain]

[ .... hm.

it’s an offer leo would’ve made, perhaps… though much less gently, more clumsily, and perhaps less directly… even then, he doesn’t quite expect it. his petting slows with the hand over his wrist, not bothering to hide the slight surprise that shows up on his face.

despite how openly he speaks, and how friendly he is, leo tsukinaga can get terribly lonely easily. and, maybe, he’s unused to finding open friendship like this in places where he looks for it, though that has improved recently.

… it’s still cause for a small lull, to indulge in the small bloom of warmth that the offer nets him. ]

Wahaha! Watch out! Making an invite like that will get me knocking on your door so much that you can make a song out of it…!

[ he’s kidding, he’s kidding. leo has to make fun, to push away attention from the fact that he paused over that for a little too long, ]

But, mm, I will. Thanks. I didn’t mean it in a bad way or anything -- ‘cause I’m grateful I met you guys, too. You outstretching your hand like that is proof enough that I’m lucky!

[pinwheels]

[ She catches the pause, of course, but doesn't read too much into it beyond it strengthening her initial thought. And if he's embarrassed by her sympathy, it doesn't show on her face for too long, replaced by a bright, warm laugh as she draws her hand back from his once more. ]

If I end up making a song out of it, even better. My mom would be proud!

[ But perhaps the simple truth of the matter is that Rinoa doesn't mind offering up her company largely because she herself hates to be alone. And for people like Leo and her, without any of their friends from home around, a place like this can get lonely quickly.

...Even with Angelo here, she misses Squall. ]

I know what you mean. I'm grateful I met you too. Of course I am. You, and Ren, and Tifa... I've made lots of great friends here, you know?

[ Her fingers curl around the rings hung at her neck, fiddling with them for a moment before she reaches out to ruffle Angelo's fur. ]

But I still miss the old ones, too.