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[ Now that the space mission had returned to Earth, Iris asks Ashley to come to her apartment for their usual Girls' Night In - cheesy Earth movies, good take-out, and even better company. This week, though, marks a celebration: one for Ashley returning to Earth alive, and another for Iris getting that fabled boyfriend.

When Ashley arrives, Iris rushes over to embrace her friend, wrapping her arms tight. ]

God, I'm so glad you're okay.

[ tbh between this tight bear hug, and the dozens of texts sent, it's hard to believe Iris wasn't worried... ]

Oof -

[Ashley hugs her back, though it's not with her usual energy. She wasn't hurt on Mars any more than the usual scrapes and bruises of her job, and she was lucky enough to not get the radiation poisoning that's struck down some of the Alke team, but the nanite sickness on the way there and back (Ashley having saved her boosters for the Phobos assault) took a lot out of her.]

Thanks. I hadn't guessed that from all your texts.

[But her voice is warm. She does genuinely appreciate the texts and he concern.]

It's good to be back - I'm just glad I didn't get radiation poisoning or anything. [Hastily:] Don't worry, I'm not a carrier or anything.

Oh, please. I would've hugged you anyway.

[ Though the thought clearly hadn't occurred to her, given how her face twists in displeasure - how does one even get radiation poisoning in outer space?

she lets go, if only so she can head towards their set up by the couches and TV: ]

So, what movie do we start with? Are we going old-school with the 80's, something more recent, or leave it up to chance?

[Ashley flops onto a couch, thinks about turning on the TV with her technopathy, and doesn't. Being back on Earth with her power back in full force and far more signals around is an adjustment in itself.]

I don't know, but something light? There were some really messed up experiments on Phobos. And I want to get in the mood for your good news.

[ she winces at the experiments, because boy. She sure isn't going to bring anything close to sci-fi up. ]

Hmm. If you trust my judgment, we've got this great mockumentary about vampires living in New Zealand, or a rom-com about two co-workers who meet each other while they're working at a cat cafe or....

[ she grins, flipping the TV on and scrolling through her feed, ]

We can just watch another few episodes of that sitcom we both like?

[Ashley eyes the scrolling screen, considering for a moment.]

Let's do the sitcom. Something familiar, and gives me a better chance of catching up on the episodes I missed when I was away.

Please. You think I'd keep on watching without you?

[ it's a valid worry, but Iris is a better person than one who commits Netflix adultery! ]

We're exactly where you left off. [ she clicks on the show, holding it right where they last watched - and as she promised, there's no tell-tale gray bar to betray her. ] See? I've been a patient, patient friend.

You're the best. My sisters wouldn't have waited.

[She watches the (sadly somewhat needed) recap in silence, waiting until the show theme to ask:] Sooooooo, tell me about the boyfriend?

[ Iris leans in, curling up with her knees beside her. ]

Soooo... his name is Adachi, and you've probably seen him on the news for all those campaigns he's run at some point or another. [ might as well put it all out on the table! ] That's how we met, actually.

He wanted a press release, I wanted a story, and we scheduled an interview together, and then some more interviews, and... I don't know, we became friends?

[Ashley thinks back.]

... Ohhhh, that guy.

[How many campaigns for ambassadorship has he tried now? It feels like a lot.

[She shoots Iris a grin.]

I didn't know dating your story was ethical.

Technically,, [ Iris grins right back, ] he had long ceased to be a story by the time we first kissed.

Which, by the way, makes me feel like I'm doing this whole dating thing backwards, but... he's been really stupid sweet?

[Delighted by the fact they've already kissed, Ashley beams, before scoffing at the idea of dating in order. Military at the end of the world problems: If one does fraternize (as Ashley has), one doesn't so much date before hooking up as go on missions together.]

Hey, he better be sweet to you, or else he'll have to answer to me.

Duly noted, thoooough, [ she grins wider, sitting up straighter, ] if he weren't sweet, he would've had to answer to me months ago.

Instead, he ended up being a total dork, and also amazingly attentive, and like... it's been nice. Having a boyfriend again.

[Ashley laughs, pleased that Iris would have stuck up for herself while Ashley had no idea, but quietens as she goes on. She's smiling when Iris finishes up.]

He sounds great for you, Iris. It's nice seeing you happy like this.

["Like this" as opposed to "again" because while Iris hasn't seemed overly unhappy, Ashley tends to notice a certain something in people who are happily coupled up compared to the same people when they're happily single.]

Thanks.

[ her expression softens, thinking back to the last time she had been paired up - when she was with Barry - and how different she feels. Of course it's different. Barry and Tohru are two different people, with two vastly different outlooks on life.

Tohru's done things Barry never would, and Barry has witnessed events Tohru could only imagine. Were it not for this Earth, their paths would've never crossed. ]

Honestly, if he hadn't been one of those people Woden turned into a god, I'm not sure I would've made the first move. That event - it made me realize how important he was, you know? Just because he was gone, and... I don't know. It made things click, and so when everything turned back to normal, I told him I loved him.

We've been dating ever since.

Yeah, I get it. [Not from personal experience, but she's seen it in front of her.] You lose someone, or think you might, and it puts things in perspective.

Although correct me if it's different for civilians or in this century or whatever, but seems to me like saying "I love you" before the first date is what you really got backwards here, not the kiss.

Oh, probably, but don't you tell your friends you love them?

[ Iris shoots Ashley an amused, yet sympathetic, look as she relaxes, ]

I thought it was one of those times, but... turns out, I loved him in a different way than I love you, or Jaime, or Lucina, or any of my other friends on this Earth.

Yeah, I save that different love for later.

[She says confidently, not having been in an actual relationship for years.]

Did he say he loves you too?

Yeah, of course. [ she laughs, ] Many more times since. I think he was just waiting for some "sign" it was okay.

[ which is both endearing and a little sad, given how affectionate Iris is, but. she'll take what she can get. ]

Can't blame the guy for waiting - would've been awkward if he said it romantically and you were saying it as a friend.

[With a smile, Ashley bumps her shoulder against Iris's.]

Let me know when you're ready to have him meet your friends.

Oh, I'm incredibly ready. [ Iris has no shame or sense of time when it comes to these things, though her expression softens - ] I'll check in with him, though. This kind of thing depends on how he's feeling.

I'll let you know ASAP, and hey, until then? We've always got our nights in.

Yeah, of course. I don't want to pressure the guy before he's ready.

[Ashley snuggles back into the couch cushions, already more comfortable than her bunk on the Alke.]

God, I missed this.

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action » backdated to late September / early October

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