foulplayed | INBOX

Um...

[Her voice is quiet, because she's uncertain how loud she actually needs to be.]

This... This is Y-Yuri, right? Did I do this right, oh, Goddess...

This is Yuri.

( A light chuckle follows. )

And that's gotta be Bernadetta. The technology here is pretty crazy, right?

Oh!

[Without face-to-face exposure, there's actually a notable increase in her confidence, and she's not even hiding the little flash of triumph in her voice.

Success!!]

H-Hello! Um, yes, it really is. It helps that it's easy to look up things we don't know. ...how are you doing? There's, well, there's a lot of things to get used to, all at once.

You're checking up on me? And just when I thought you couldn't get more adorable ...

( And don't think he doesn't notice the triumph, Bernie — it suits you! )

I'd say I'm doing well so far. You know me, I'll always find a way to keep myself busy. How're things with you?

Oh, um, should... was that too pushy—

[Oh, wait, no. He called her adorable, which is... uh, well, doting enough to throw her for a loop, for sure, because she's still not convinced she deserves to have this back.]

I'm okay! I'm... I'm getting... getting used to things. S-Sort of. People here... um, they've been surprisingly nice, so far!

I'm glad to hear it, Bernadetta.

( And he really is — even if he has his own reservations about trusting people's kindness at face value. The fact that she's willing to believe people might actually want to be nice to her isn't something he wants to spoil. )

Are you and your roommate still getting along?

Yes! He's not always here; sometimes he stays out all night, and he doesn't mind me keeping weird hours either. Sometimes I go whole days without seeing him!

[Bernie, don't sound so pleased...]

Do you have roommates, Yuri?

( Pffft, but it's classic Bernie lines like that that make her so endearing! )

Not right now, but that's intentional. I have big plans for all this space, it's just going to take me a minute to realise them.

Big plans? Like what?

[He can probably imagine the thoughtful head tilt.]

Do you still like gardening?

Well, I know there's emergency housing and support for us offered by the Gems, but I think it might be good to have a place like that run by a non-native too. Somewhere for kids to go if they need help, or for people who're struggling with Synchrony. That sort of thing.

( A halfway house, essentially! )

I've got plenty experience, so. Why shouldn't that non-native be me?

( A light chuckle follows: )

Aa for gardening, I haven't really given it any thought since I worked for your father. Turns out it's not my calling in life.

( With the exception of keeping a few plants for poisons, but Bernie doesn't need to know that. )

Oh, wow...

[She sounds genuinely, sincerely impressed.]

That's such a great idea! The, um. It's. Synchrony i-is, um... i-it can be... a lot.

[She pauses, briefly. Awkwardly.

The double allusion to the end of their early time together might or might not be the cause.]

Is, um, is that what you've been doing, in the meantime? Looking after children? ...I think... that's something you're probably really, really good at, actually.

So I've heard.

( He's curious to experience ot for himsef, though, if only so he can figure out his own opinion on it. )

I've been lending a hand here and there, yeah. I actually might need you to write me a story or two for when they get bored of my company.

Wow...

[She sounds as dazzled as the first time he showed her new shoots coming up.]

How did you guess I write stories? I, um, I-I don't really... show them to people, but! If, um, if it's for you... a-and for kids who need it, th-then...

Let's just say I have a good memory and leave it at that.

( Read: he spent a lot of his time as a gardener snooping around Bernadetta's things, looking for weaknesses and information and other such things that would make his job easier. )

I'd really appreciate it. I can transfer you some Credits for your trouble, if you like, or if you have any odd jobs you need doing I'd be happy to sort them out for you. I don't like to ask for favours without repaying them.

No.

[She's... surprisingly firm, on this one.]

Nope, nuh-uh. I don't...

[Ignore the wobble in that voice.]

I-I don't think you know how much of a favor h-having you back is.

( Fortunately for Yuri, he's an old hand at keeping up appearances in the face of adversity. It also helps that they're doing this as an aural exchange as opposed to a visual one; sure, he can imagine Bernadetta's attempt at steel even as pink flushes into her cheeks, but the fact that he doesn't actually have to see it? It's a relief, to say the least. )

You might be giving me too much credit there, Bernadetta.

( He chuckles softly, disguising a little sigh. )

But then I guess you were always like that. Guess I'm just gonna have to do what I did back then, and find a way to make it up to you without you noticing.

I really don't think I am.

[Once upon a time, she looked at him like he hung the moon and all the stars in the sky. It's surprising, how easy it is to slip back into old habits.]

Um, speaking of Currents... if I wanted to donate some, for the kids and a-all that... would, um, would you be mad at me?

"Mad" isn't exactly the word, but ...

( And that's the thing: she did look at him like he hung the moon and all the starts, and it twists Yuri up inside to know the extent to which he didn't deserve it. Doesn't deserve it. )

I can't take your money. If you're willing to help me with the stories, that'll be way more than enough.

...oh.

[She sounds smaller than she should, at such a gentle refusal.]

Is it... is it bad, to offer that? Somebody else got upset that I did, too.

( This time, Yuri does sigh. )

Don't get the wrong idea. It's not bad that you offered, it's just unlikely that anyone's gonna accept your charity just yet.

( His tone gentles. )

... No-one has much to give right now, and people know it. You need to keep it for yourself.

( Sure, he's being a bit of a hypocrite right now, but he's less concerned with his own financial wellbeing than he is Bernadetta's. )

But. U-Um. If I... did have something to give. Maybe.

[You know that tone of voice where a small child hypothetically dropped your work gloves in a rose bush, right in the thorns?

...yeah.

Yeah, that's back too, apparently.]

If you did, then it'd be different.

( And because he wants to at least try to lift Bernie's spirits a little: )

Don't think I'll turn you down again when you've amassed your embroidery fortune. You just need to find the right kind of rich person to start selling to.

INBOX

un: bernie | audio

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Currents* not Credits, get a grip self

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