042 ♦ closed

[peacefulwinter]

Who: Winter and Lily
Where: Paris
When: 11/19 or so
What: The best way to unwind and recharge is to go on a vacation. It'll be a good excuse for a date. Winter feels like she hasn't had one of those in a while.
Status: Closed


A lot's happened in the last few weeks. Winter knows that. She knows that Lily's been hit hard by a lot of things, not that she hasn't herself, and really, they both just need a break. It's not coming in New LA while they fight off their fourth vampire reject for the day, and it's not coming in Locke City after the attack the other day. She needs distance, space... time, but they don't really have that. The other two, at least, she can make happen relatively easily. Which led her to ask Lily about a brief vacation. Not so long as to be neglecting the things happening across the city, but long enough to recharge.

Which results, a day or so later, with Winter standing on a well-kept, chilly sidewalk, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. She's dressed in a light, classy jacket, a lightly colored dress under it, and a black beret atop her head. Her looks scream tourist but she could care less. It's not important, really - she doesn't mind. And the strange looks, both because she stands out and because some people recognize her, are something she's learning to work though. It's much less of a concern than the hand she's holding as she walks, to be sure. The bustle of the crowds, the chill in the air, the scent of tasty pastries... the city invigorates her. Compared to where they'd been, this is a place of life, of vibrance. Now, she just hopes she can get Lily to be even half as cheery about it as she is. And even if not, this is a good spot for a proper date. She hasn't gone on nearly enough of those, and they're overdue.

As they walk down the street, Winter laughs softly, as she takes in a variety of signs she can't read and peers into windows. It's hard for her to believe sometimes, but... there really is a pure and simple happiness from just taking time out to go somewhere with her precious person. And she hopes it's the same for Lily. "It's a beautiful day. And there's a lot to do... or not do. Whichever you prefer. So... let's go for a walk, Lily. A long walk, in a fun and interesting place, with my favorite person in the whole world." It is really hard not to explode into a bubbly mess at the moment. She'll worry about everything else later. Today is for taking a break and having fun. And also not letting Lily spend the whole day in the bookstore, although she's morbidly curious if there's a French translation of Lily's book yet.

Comments

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Lily's high school French is rusty, so luckily Winter doesn't have terribly much to worry about on that last part. No, after the last month or so, after trying to deal with the creatures wandering around New LA and not being able to yet pinpoint a source, Lily was about at her wit's end. She felt bad about agreeing to this at first even, considering all of that...

But she's learned, letting herself wallow in things, focusing only on the bad. That only leads to yet more heartache. So, for today at least, she's letting herself relax. As much as she can, hand in hand. She's even resisted making a crack about the beret because at least this time, Winter's wearing it in the right country.

Still, there's something tingling in the back of her mind. Something distinct, something familiar. She honestly sort of expected it, and was a little fearful at first... but instead the echo that came from entering this country was more amusing than anything else. As such, while they walk along Winter may suddenly find Lily spacing out for a moment before... just kind of laughing to herself.

"Honestly, considering that, I'm just as happy doing things or not doing things," she murmurs, and then grins. Then, adding a bit absently: "I wonder, do they have any nice flowers around here...?"

[peacefulwinter]

The spacing out does catch Winter's attention, and for a moment she's worried something unpleasant came up... then the laugh comes, and relief shows on her face. "Well, we can just keep walking until we make a decision. If something fun comes along, we'll do it. If not... this is enough." The seemingly random insertion gets her to raise an eyebrow, though. "There might be a flower shop around somewhere we could pop into. Or were you thinking of a botanical garden?" The phone bill would throw a fit if she tried to search now, but between the two of them, they could probably figure something out. Or they could just transform and look from the rooftops... wait, no, that's probably not a good idea. They're popular enough as it is.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

She catches that raised eyebrow as she looks down, and grins just a little bit. "I'm sorry. I had a ... memory. Yuri was here once, right? It's where her team fought that giant dragon I mentioned once. And, well... Cure Blossom was the eccentric sort. Going on and on about flowers here, and..."

She tilts her head to the side a bit. "I don't know. I think it might be a sign we could use something a bit colorful. Which isn't too far off, I don't think?"

[peacefulwinter]

"It makes sense," Winter agrees, nodding sagely. "I get the sense eccentric isn't the right word, just kind of excitable, and with a single thing that influenced her entire life. Or maybe your whole team, to some extent. I mean..." She raises her free hand to the sky, vaguely mimicking one of Moonlight's poses as best she can with one hand occupied. "You have an attack that involves shooting a silver flower at things." She puts it back down, gesturing with it. "When you transform, your announcement is something about a flower blooming in the moonlight. It's a little too much to be a coincidence, don't you think?" Winter may spend too much time thinking about things that aren't her business and that she specifically will never get answers to.

The suggestion of what to do with it, though, seems simple enough. "You're probably right. Color is good. After New LA, I need more color in my life." That city felt like one of those shooter games, shades of brown and industrial concrete gray and the whole spectrum of things on fire. "Although we can get color just as readily from, say, a clothing shop. Which should be something in very, very ready supply in Paris."

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Lily's face flushes bright, and she can't help but laugh jsut a little bit nervously at all that. "Okay, so... maybe we've got a bit of a theme going there. Which I guess is sort of a thing... even if it seems a little more influencing. You've got the whole playing card motif going, but it doesn't seem to be behind everything."

She blinks a bit then, as she mentions the clothing shop. Oh, Harper would probably kill them if she knew about this kind of trip, now that she thinks about it. "...well. I suppose, it wouldn't be bad to have something to remember this by..."

[peacefulwinter]

Winter nods sagely. "It still feels very anime to me - Cure Diamond, Twinkle Diamond, Diamond Shower, Diamond Blizzard, Heart, Rosetta, Sword, Ace, I can probably stop - but I do feel like it's more... involved, in yours." She laughs lightly after a second. "Although flowers are pretty, so that part is definitely right. I don't know what being a diamond is supposed to say about me." Everything that immediately comes too mind is far too cheesy to come out of her own mouth.

The brief pause does get her attention, but she lets it pass - Lily will say what's on her mind, if it's important. "Mm! But I don't mind going out shopping with you, anyway. Spending time with you, seeing you in cute clothes... there are far worse ways to spend a day."

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Lily's blush doesn't fade, but her lips do curl into a mischievous looking grin. "Well! I'm sure there's quite a few things that I could say about diamonds." And Lily isn't really concerned about cheesiness. "I mean, they are rather beautiful and sought after, mm?"

She clicks her tongue then, laughing. "Well, I guess you've twisted my arm then. I can't exactly turn one down after that, can I?"

[peacefulwinter]

Winter lets her smile calm just a little bit. "They're also formed by extreme pressure. But they're very strong, and durable. And this particular one glistens just so in the light of the moon." She shares in Lily's laugh; it's a little too stupid even for her.

"But anyway," she adds after a second, "no, you can't turn me down. We're out for a date, which means fun things. I declare this to be a fun thing, so we're doing it." The tone is just slightly authoritative, enough to add some real finality, light enough that Lily should know there's no actual force behind it.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

"Hmmm!" Lily raises a hand to her chin, tapping it thoughtfully. That grin only widens, and she gives a sage nod. "Ah, but of course. I'd say that describes you quite thoroughly, so you were indeed well chosen, Cure Diamond."

She actually giggles then, though, now actually starting to pick up her pace and pull Winter along. "Fun things it is, then!" She looks a lot ... brighter than she has in recent weeks, if not months, honestly. Just taking their minds off things for a little bit is helpful, if nothing else. One hopes it'll recharge certain batteries. "After all, I'm not the only one who wants to see their wife in cute clothes, so I figure this is mutually beneficial."

[peacefulwinter]

"Now I just need to figure out if I can be something other than the light of wisdom," she adds. "I feel like it's not catchy anymore." And I feel like I'm not exactly the wisest person lately, she doesn't add aloud. "But! That's for later, and- eep!" She awkwardly hops forward as Lily tugs on her, and she barely manages to catch herself and start keeping up, laughing lightly. "Okay, okay! That does sound good. No complaining if I take pictures!"

She's already seeing a little bit of a difference; Lily does seem a bit cheerier already. Whether it's because she's made a special effort to be silly or because Lily genuinely does want to spend the day as proposed, she doesn't really care anymore. She'll figure it out on the fly and keep doing it.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

"Mmm, no, I refuse that part, at least," she says, still merrily dragging Winter along. "I'd say that's a perfectly fitting descriptor of you, in general. No need to refuse what's obvious, hm?" There's a beat and she gives a nervous laugh, hoping she hadn't pulled hard enough to throw off the other woman's balance, but prepared to catch her if she did.

"Only on the condition they don't get shown off to everyone."

Because after all, with any other folks, Lily's still just a bit socially inept as it is.

But she has plenty reason to be cheery, at least here, for now - if she can block out the other things, at least this can be fun. It might be nice if this was how life was all the time, but at the same time she's not naive enough to expect it. Take what you can, when you can.

Hence, quickly arriving at the doorstop of the first clothing store she set her eyes on. Lily's not exactly the person to ask where to find such a place in Paris, so it is literally just the first one she sees, for better or worse.