leires | Ship Stuff

You...you'd really want to help me? Even if it's not, you know...really the same kind of tech you'd find here?

[He might be able to swing things that are a touch more advanced, but he can't be bringing too much modern stuff back home. That's just asking for trouble.]

Of course. Just because it's not the same tech I'm used to doesn't mean it won't be fun.

If anything, the challenge of working with stuff I'm not familiar with might make it even more fun.

[ She just... wanna tinker. ]

[OH.............

Varian's expression shifts, his confused smile turning into a softer, more genuinely grateful one.]

Then, whatever I make next, I want us to build it together. Maybe I can show you some of the automatons I've built back home? They're nothing as advanced as these mechs, but...they can do a lot more moving around, that's for sure.

Really?! I’d love that if we could! And I want to see all your automatons!!

[ BUILDING SOMETHING TOGETHER…… AAAAAAHHHH…… ]

Maybe you could even get some ideas from the robots at the museum.

[ ……

……

No she does not realize that she just let the cat out of the bag re: her other “surprise”. ]

[Varian had been about to say something- more nerding out about the automatons, no doubt- but something Rina said just then caught his attention...]

Wait-...at the museum?

[ …! ]

Awawawawa…

[ OH LOOK THERE’S THE ELEVATOR SHE’S JUST GETTING ON THAT AND AVOIDING ANSWERING. ]

Edited 2021-08-09 04:39 (UTC)

[HEY]

Wh- Rina!

[Varian hurries along after her, exhaling on a breathless laugh as she completely neglects to even answer his question.]

You said museum, right? And- and what robots?

M-Mmm…

[ Haaaaah she’s feeling pretty embarrassed now. CAT’S OUTTA THE BAG… ]

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.

I figured it’d be the kind of thing you’d like…

[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!

Edited 2021-08-09 05:29 (UTC)

[ His reaction seems to perk her back up at least, even if she’s still kicking herself a little for spilling the beans early. ]

M-Mmhm. Surprise~

I-I’m glad you’re excited. It was the first thing I thought of when you brought up museums…

Makes up for Unicorn Gundam being just an animatronic, huh?

You know it! Not...not that the Gundam wasn't really cool though, even if it was just an animatronic. Oh, I already have so many ideas.

[Ideas that he might very well just

ramble to her about the entire rest of the way there, I'm so sorry.]

[ You say that as if she won’t listen with rapt attention to every single one of those ideas and also maybe add her own suggestions to them. ]

Heehee, and I want to hear every one of them!

[ Bunch of fucking nerds. ]

It makes me really happy though… to help give you that many ideas and be able to be useful to you like that.

[ “Be useful”… ah. ]

Rina-chan...

[OH....................

]

You'll always be useful to me. You know that, right? No matter what it is.

[Even if they're not building something.]

Eh?

[ 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. ]

I do.

[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...]

And I can't wait to work with you.

[ 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.

Edited 2021-08-09 23:52 (UTC)

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.

[ A.k.a. nerd shit. ]

[Oh my god it's so big...how can one store be so big.]

That'd be great if you think he'd want to help out! I remember you mentioning him...he sounds like a kind of guy I'd want to meet.

[ She nods as she starts to walk towards the store and puts the board back up. ]

Mmhm. You’d probably really like him; he’s an engineer himself and the one who got me into computers and building my own stuff in the first place.

If he’s too busy though I’m sure we can do it ourselves. There’s instructions and all sorts of videos on the net showing you how to make them.

An engineer? No wonder you're so smart!

[He just. Casually drops that as they make their way over, still holding her hand between them.]

Not gonna lie though, I do kindof like the thought of us working on it ourselves too...it'd kinda be more special that way, don't you think?

[ ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE HER BLUSH AGAIN BECAUSE IT’S WORKING.

She nods again. ]

M-Mm… now that you’ve put it that way, I… I think it would be too.

It’d also be… a nice memory before you have to go home… a reminder of what we can do when we work together…

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.

[Sorry uncle.]

O-Okay!

[ That’s more than fine with her!!

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. ]

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