926/Love is something I don't even know...

Love is something I don't even know...
Date of Scene:	26 December 2023
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	Hinoiri plots a date with Dianora. One that is thoughtful, caring, loving and wonderful. Dianora says it's love. Hinoiri isn't convinced. And she has a long list of reasons to explain why she's not capable of love. Dianora doesn't care and loves her little drama-corn anyway.
Cast of Characters:	Hinoiri Kirara, Double Trouble

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Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara had a surprise for Dianora. A cutesy surprise. Why? Because... it was Christmas. They were in France. Her work had gone well, she'd confirmed her initial theory and now?

Now it was time for the payoff. She'd made Takashi help her with some light translating, then setup everything.

So that evening she'd tossed Dianora's jacket at her. "Come on, you little gremlin, we're going out. No, I won't tell you. It's a surprise."

And before long... they would arrive... At a theatre! A Christmas Carol?!

"So, I know you're all about the theatre and stuff, I figured something like this would be your jam." That's right. Balcony seats. There was dinner during the play. Live action and everything. "We had a story close to this back home. I mean, sure, we also had the windigos and the whole... 'All of our people would be cloaked in an eternal winter if the holiday was removed from space and time', but you know. Close enough."

Double Trouble has posed:
Dianora Lagorio was not about to complain about attention being lavished on her. She was more than happy to simply be shown a good time. It's exactly what she'd been trying to get Hinoiri to do, after all. Make *her* happy. This was exactly how it was supposed to be.

And despite her utter incompetence in matters of the heart, that magnificent unicorn had managed to find the perfect date. She did pay attention. To the absolutely loudest signal Dianora gave off. The one thing they communicated with every breath. They took her to the theatre because she is a thespian. It is where she belongs.

As soon as she realized what was up, Dianora squealed with delight. "ONEE-CHAN!!" She said, giving Hinoiri's arm atight hug. "You really do love me." Then she was dragging Hinoiri along into the theatre. Into their seats.

"It's so funny watching an English play in Paris," she said quietly, with a giggie.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara could pick up on signs now and again. Actually, she picked up on them quite regularly. It wasn't that she didn't see them, or anything. It was that she didn't care. There was a subtle difference.

However, when her 'love' was confirmed, she yelped. "W-what? No! This isn't, this doesn't mean I love you, this is just, I'm just, you can't, I mean, that's, not a, it doesn't, what? NO!"

Alas, her objections to 'love' were ignored as she was, less than dignantly, dragged off with the other girl.

"I-I guess. I mean, it felt... nice? I thought? I mean, it might be? Not that I... I mean, you're my future consort and stuff. B-but listen, this isn't a declaration of love or anything." She still really struggled with that notion, it seemed.

"And it's probably a french version of it. We had like... a Prance variant back home."

Double Trouble has posed:
There's dinner with the play, and they're seated at one of the romantic balcony tables for two. Hinoiri did well. Dianora is quite pleased. "It's a good thing French is one of the languages I've been learning," Dianora says, leaving open the notion that she's been learning other languages too. Of course she is, they all take English at the academy, after all.

She never did admit that she could speak English.

She looks down at the curtain as it drapes over the stage and bounces in her seat. She's very excited for the show to start, but first she needs to set her emotionally stunted unicorn straight. "Onee-chan, why is it you won't call this love? What's wrong with you loving me or me loving you?"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara nodded. "I uhhh... have also been working on a translation spell, but admittedly it's not very good yet and doesn't work for long periods, and it might be more frustrating. But if you know the language well enough to follow along, you'll be fine."

Her cheeks, however, were burning and when she was questioned on it... "Love.... Love implies that... I'd do anything for you. I wouldn't. There's a lot I wouldn't. There's a ton. I'd use you in a heartbeat. I'd even hurt you if you got in my way. Calling what I'm capable of love is insulting to the concept. It's insulting to you. I'm not... I don't have time for love right now. I'm not ready for that kind of commitment."

"... Though maybe love just means something different where I'm from. I don't know. It just feels... wrong to use it like that. When there are so many conditions to my lo... to my affection."

Double Trouble has posed:
Dianora Lagorio giggled. "Onee-chan, you beautiful idiot, love isn't a commitment, it's a feeling. It makes you care about another person. It makes you think about them. It makes you want to be around them. Whoever gave you the idea that love means somebody would do anything didn't have very healthy boundaries."

She leans over and reaches out a hand toward Hinoiri, palm up, inviting her to take it. Hold it. "There's plenty of things I wouldn't do for you, but I'm not afraid to admit that I love you, onee-chan," she says, sweetly.

"And I know you love me too. Just look how much you thought about me planning this date!" She beams at Hinoiri. The look of pure, unadulterated, kawaii joy was powerful.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave another soft sigh. "I... it... it just... I guess it means... different back home. It's... it is a commitment. It's... loving... someone is... it's powerful back home. It can, technically, lead to powerful magic. In a lot of ways there's... friendship... familial... romantic... all kinds of love but they're all supposed to be strong... About... feelings. Caring. And I just... don't. Do that..."

Hinoiri started to reach for that hand. But then, slowly, pulled back. If that wasn't just the most Hinoiri thing...

"Of course I put effort into this. I'd already hurt you once. But... that's not love. That's just me trying to not make you miserable. I'm not good at love, I just... know how to act like I care..."

"... Love's... different. I just... don't... know how to explain it. I'm not... I've never really... had any to... been... I... can we just watch the play? It's going to start soon."

And there she goes. Trying to run when she can't fight.

Double Trouble has posed:
Normally Dianora let Hinoiri's trauma logic slide. She loved her drama engine and the trauma was such a big part of what made that engine hum. But not this time. No, this time it was just too good. Dianora could not let it go. They were in Paris at Christmas to see A Christmas Carol. For a date she surely thought up on the plane ride here after Dianora's fit in Seattle, it was amazing.

And here this girl was denying herself love because she didn't think she could do it the way she was supposed to. Dianora was going to have none of that. But her onee-chan had a point, the show was about to start. So instead of the lecture she wanted to give, the smol, cute girl hopped down off her chair, dragged it around the table so she was situated right next to Hinoiri, pointed at the stage, and climbed back on. She then reached over and just took Hinoiri's hand, saying nothing, and holding on until the food came.

As the lights dimmed, but before the curtain rose, she quietly said, just loud enough for Hinoiri to hear, "Even you deserve to love and be loved, onee-chan, just as you are."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara likely had some llama in her descendency, as she was such a drama llama of a unicorn. But when Dianora moved her chair around she was confused and curious... and well... when the fancy (and varied) meal arrived, Dianora would likely only be more impressed by Hinoiri's love.

Because there was no entree. There was only a long, varied mix of appetizers. Because Dianora had been denied *so many foods* growing up in her world, so instead Hinoiri had dedicated her life, apparently, to ensuring that the shapeshifting lizard experienced EVERY food so she could find her favorites.

Her cheeks, however, went scarlet when she was told she deserved it. If... she deserved it... as she was... why wasn't she capable of it? Why hadn't anybody until she came here? She looked at Dianora with a confused, perplexed look.

... Was it possible that Double Trouble did love her? Truly? In the way she so desperately wanted? Or... was it... just a game...? Love was... just... something she didn't even know.

... Her fingers gently intertwined with Dianora's. Even though it was all fake, all a game... even though she knew it wasn't what she deserved, for this evening alone she could pretend she did. She leaned her head to rest on Dianora's shoulders and decided to, for now...

Pretend she deserved it.