The museum I was planning to take you to… it’s all about emerging technology and innovation, and there’s an entire exhibit with a bunch of functional robots.
[BABY NO DON'T BE EMBARRASSED...the good news is that whether or not the surprise was a little spoiled, Varian seems, uh.
Well.]
You're taking me to a technology exhibit?!
[It's a good thing they're alone in the elevator, inside voice Varian.]
Are you kidding? This is like- the best thing ever?? I've been trying to learn more about Japan's technology using the internet but that doesn't even come close to comparing to what you can glean from studying the real thing!
[ That gets her to… actually lower the board completely. ]
Really? You mean it?
[ But then how come she wasn’t able to help him that week they both d— nope, nope, not gonna think about it, We Don’t Have Time To Unpack All That trauma yet, just shove those thoughts right back down again. ]
[And yeah...even without her saying it, he knows there's still that looming constantly in the background. But...it's not her fault. It wasn't her fault then, and it still isn't now. Varian just had so much to deal with, not knowing exactly how to deal with it...]
[ She’s quiet for a moment before staring down at his hand (which she… let go again at some point probably when she absconded into the elevator). Gently she reaches out to hold it again, her own hand soft and warm as she laces her fingers with his. There’s a bit of a blush creeping into her face once more as she nods. ]
Mm. I can’t wait either.
[ Hearing him say all that and thinking about the things they could build together - automatons, inventions, their future… it makes her heart pound.
The elevator dings as they make it to their floor. ]
But first let’s start by getting a Gundam to build.
Oh, yeah! We can build that together too! Honestly I'll probably need your help anyway, since I imagine it's going to have a lot of more intricate parts...do you know if the models can move at all, or are they just statues too?
[He asks this as they exit the elevator onto the floor, already scanning their immediate vicinity for the store.]
[ Luckily for you Varian it is like. The only store on this floor and IMMEDIATELY visible what with the big entrance and big image of a different Gundam right next to the words “Gundam Base” ]
You can pose them any way you want. I think a lot of them even come with alternate hand parts for holding their weapons and stuff.
[ Hmmm… ]
You know, we might be able to ask my uncle for help too. I actually haven’t built many models before, but I know he really likes this kind of stuff.
Okay, I've decided. Whatever model we buy today, we do together. We can get another one for your uncle to help us with some other time. I'd still like to meet him, though.
She’ll lead him in the shop then, show him all the displays of all the various models and the customs all showcased in the front of the store before heading to where all the models and merchandise are actually sold. After a lot of looking over everything and hmming and hawwing, eventually they find one of the Unicorn Gundam out front for a reasonable price and decide to go with that.
As they’re heading for check out though, Rina spots something and runs up to grab it. ]
Oh— look! They have these too!
[ She holds up a little keychain that’s not of a Gundam but of a different round robot.
…
Wait wasn’t one of the SQUIPs that came to save them in one of these. ]
They are but… maybe they found a working life size replica? Or something like that. The haros aren’t very big, so it should be easy to make a real life version if you had the means to… the hardest part would probably be getting them to hover.
[ Of course that’s not what r2 did but whatever it’s deadland magic they don’t gotta worry about it. ]
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