Welcome Home

    Miyako has been ... off, the past few weeks. Focused. Difficult to drag away from her project. She's spent more time in the seaside towns and fishing villages than she has in the home she shares with Kotono in Fort Ouph, or in any sort of quests or adventures. (She's shown up for a few, of course, and it's not like she hasn't seen Kotono at -all- during that time, but still.)

    Now, however, she finds herself approaching the doorway to the little townhouse she and her friend share. She looks tired, bags under her eyes, her usual confident stance drooping. But there's a different energy to her as she walks up to the door, a wistful smile on her face. She reaches up, opening the door, and steps inside. "Hey, Ko-chan. I'm home."

Everyone has their own personal things to deal with. Sometimes they take longer than others, but the fact still remains that they have to be taken care of. With Miyako, it's seemed to have taken a huge toll on her, and Kotono seems to have noticed it quite well. She didn't ask Miyako about it, though, since she respected her friend's wishes about privacy and all that.

When Miyako arrives, Kotono isn't doing much, just stretching in the center of the living room area of the townhouse. It's a healthy way to pass time, right?

When the door opens, Kotono's head shoots up and then she realizes who it is. Upon seeing the smile on Miyako's face, Kotono's face lights up as well. "Miyako!" The Spriggan says, running to hug her friend. "I'm so glad you're home."

    Miyako nods, and returns the embrace, both arms sliding around Kotono to hold her tight. "It's good to see you, too, Ko-chan," she answers, even though they'd just run into each other a few days ago, dealing with some zombies. "The project... it's all done." She grins and reaches up to ruffle Kotono's hair playfully. "How've you been?"

Giggling a little at the ruffling of her hair, Kotono says, "Oh, you know, the same old nonsense. A few things here, a bit of that there. You didn't miss too much." She grins. "But things are going to be a lot better now that you're home, Miyako." A pause. "Can I get you a drink or something? I can imagine you must be tired having just gotten in."

    he shorter of the two spriggans nods and smiles. "Yeah... and maybe a proper meal. I feel like I've been on the go for weeks." She has. "I love those little seaside towns... but I love our home here, and in Shibuya, too. And... you weren't with me."

"I'm sorry, but it seemed personal," Kotono says as she walks towards the kitchen to fetch Miyako a drink. "Make yourself comfortable and I'll fix us a meal. How does that sound?" She asks as she brings Miyako her drink. "You've been gone a long time and you deserve some peaceful time."

    Miyako hmms softly. "You pick up the [Cooking] skill while I was away?" She pulls Kotono close again, placing a quick kiss on her partner's cheek, and takes the drink. "Or do you mean 'run out and buy something'?" Okay, so there may be -some- things that one can cook for themselves without the Skill, but, well. "Damn good to see you, Ko-chan." She settles into a comfortable seat, sipping her drink, and lets Kotono get on with whatever she was going to do.

"Not quite yet," Kotono says, returning the kiss to Miyako's cheek before going into the kitchen to prepare a meal. "I've learned a few tips and tricks here and there, but nothing major." She sighs. "Still, I'm hoping it'll be better than nothing." A pause as she looks through the pantry. "What are you in the mood for? Anything special?"

    Miyako crosses her legs and sips her drink, sighing softly, glad to be home. "Whatever you can rustle up is fine by me," she answers. "Just glad to be home." She sets the drink aside, producing her guitar and settling it in her lap, running through a few chords and scales before settling into a bouncy little tune. She's quite clearly improved in her time away, there's something new to the sound, a brighter, clearly quality.

Nodding, Kotono goes into the pantry to ready up some food. She can be heard singing a song to herself as she gets to work preparing what appears to be a beef dish of some kind with a variety of dressings and spices. "Slicin' and dicin'," She says as she gets to work. "Unfortunately, they don't make French fries." (Kudos if you get the reference) She proceeds to whistle a few notes before starting to prepare the meal.

    "No french fries? Not even julienne fries? Dang, that's a bit of a waste." Miyako chuckles lightly and switches to a different tune. Cheerful and pleasantly light.

        Jubilee, wasn't it a jubilee?
        Jubilee, wasn't it a jubilee?
        Well they were singin' out together,
        They were shoutin' revelry-y-y
        Jubilee, Lord, wasn't it a jubilee!

Chuckling as well, Kotono keeps working. "Well, maybe next time perhaps?" Kotono says as she gets things going. She doesn't stray too far away, as her Cooking is nonexistent and she doesn't want to take any risks. She twirls around a little and taps her foot idly. "Soon, it'll all be ready."

        Well they were dancin' by the river,
        They were dancin' by the sea
        They were bouncin' all the babies, up and down upon their knee
        They were laughin' out happy, they were cryin' out free-e-e-e
        Jubilee, Lord, wasn't it a jubilee!

    Miyako smiles warmly as she plays, happy to be home, to be with someone she cares so much for. "Next time," she pauses her singing to call out. "Tomorrow I take you out to the fanciest place in town."

"I'd like that," Kotono says, giggling a little before looking at the meal that's cooking. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaims as she moves in to finish the cooking, and not a moment too soon. A moment later it would've been really well-done! "Whew, that was a close one!" The girl proceeds to get the meal set up on two plates. A nice steak dinner with some spices as well as some potatoes on the side. "Well, dinner's up," Kotono says as she brings Miyako her plate.

    Miyako sets her guitar aside, leaning it against her chair, and takes the plate. "It smells delicious," she says, and pulls Kotono closer and into her lap. Just slow enough that the taller spriggan could wriggle free, or settle in without spilling her plate.

Finding herself dragged into Miyako's lap, Kotono steadies herself quickly, finding herself in her friend's lap all of a sudden. "Oh, well this is unexpected," She says with a giggle. "But I don't mind the company." She kisses Miyako on the cheek again.

    Miyako chuckles lightly, and reaches down to pluck up a bit of steak with chopsticks. She lifts it, then pretends to head it towards Kotono's mouth before diverting it to her own, popping it in and chewing with relish. "Mmmmm."

Chuckling at the joke, Kotono plays the same trick on Miyako before doing it herself. "I think I did a good enough job, yeah." She smiles. "But I do think it's time to find a cooking teacher."

    Miyako nods and hmmms, eating and enjoying the meal. "Well," she muses between bites. "That does sound like a good idea. It's a useful skill to have. Especially if we're going to be out and about a lot."

"Yeah, I agree," Kotono says, making sure to only speak when her mouth isn't full. She has manners, you know. "Who knows what I'll learn to cook when we're out and about?"

    Miyako nods, grinning. "Exactly! Who knows what we might end up having to survive on! Stir-fried grasshoppers, maybe!" It's not like she has any intention of ever ending up having to eat such a thing, but wild speculation is part of the fun, isn't it?

"Well, maybe I can cook them enough to make them edible!" Kotono says with a laugh, as she and Miyako proceed to enjoy a lovely dinner and spend the night together having fun.