text; un: romanoff | while we're waiting

[deaddrop]

So it seems like things are getting a little late and I haven't accomplished my personal task yet. Unfortunately it's the sort I'll need a volunteer to help me out with, and I'm not entirely sure who still has time.

I'm supposed to let someone else make my decisions for me for twenty-four (24) hours.

Honestly I don't expect this to be a roaring success but might as well give it a try. If anyone thinks they can manage to spend a day with me in the face of almost certain failure, I would be moderately grateful.

Comments

[deaddrop]

In Russian it's В чужой монастырь со своим уставом не ходят.

It means don't bring your own rules into someone else's monastery.

Same spirit, I suppose.

[blackfire]

（ he commits the text to memory — he may not yet be perfectly adept at reading cyrillic, but it is easy once one parses it down to its base components, like a cipher. ）

It would stand to reason such an idiom would resonate across cultures and worlds. Humans are... particular.

[deaddrop]

A good reminder for people in our position.

[Orbers? Spies? Crewmates? She does not specify.]

Skiing and hot chocolate. I'll hold you to that.

[blackfire]

If you happen visit the Aidihyron lodge, I am in room #389.

Mind the tripwire at the door if you care to let yourself in.

（ aka, she's free to make use of it even if he isn't there. he's spent very little time at the lodge that was not a deliberate gambit to garner support and curry favour among the locals, but.

#justspythings. ）

[deaddrop]

You don't really think I'd set off a tripwire, do you?

[#spythings. Natasha appreciates it, though, because she knows what it means.

It's not an invitation she intends to pass up on, either.]

[blackfire]

First time for everything, no?

（ no, he does not.

it's just, you know. professional courtesy. clear communication of the fact that she is welcome in his space.

friendship is complicated. ）

> action

[deaddrop]

[It is complicated. This is a language Natasha actually gets, though, and especially where Itachi is concerned it goes a long way toward communicating trust.

Trust which Natasha isn't entirely sure what she did to earn, but that she intends to deserve none the less in her own weird way.

In this case, it means that when she makes it to Nuhiri she does make a point of stopping in, and while she will knock before barging in—everyone deserves a little privacy—if he doesn't answer, she'll let herself in.

She might even put on a kettle.]

[blackfire]

（ the one downside to his cover story is that it requires an amount of socialization he is not naturally inclined to. he has spent much of his time associating with others, acting as if he enjoys their company, soliciting invitations to parties, dinners and the like. so he gets home a while after natasha does, coming through the door already peeling himself out of his winter coat.

he is not immediately aware of her presence, although he can tell something is off. the scent of tea in the air, the subtle displacement of his things. of the people he knows, only a small handful know where he is specifically staying — and none of them but natasha would be difficult to detect. mccoy would have been cooking dinner with some soft music playing in the background. wei wuxian would have taken over the small living room by now, sprawled over the furniture with inks and papers everywhere.

finn would have gotten tired of itachi not being present and left again. possibly the door would have been left unlocked.

yennefer would have told him beforehand, or texted to ask if he was busy first.

therefore, it can only be natasha.

so, as he takes his shoes off by the door: ）

Decided to take me up on the offer, I see?

[deaddrop]

[Natasha tends to be low impact on her environment, even when she's not intentionally trying to be. She doesn't mean to hide her presence from Itachi when he arrives—one reason for the tea, which someone else would be able to smell when they entered.

But she doesn't take over space in any particular way behind her actual physical presence in the kitchen, seated with her legs folded under her, a cup cradled in her hands.]

Who am I to pass up an invitation? [Blithely, as though this is normal for both of them.] The water is still warm, if you'd like some?

[blackfire]

Please.

（ his coat is hung as well by the door, and he drifts nearer to the kitchen. ）

Did you come straight here, or have you had a chance to take in the sights beforehand?

[deaddrop]

[She sets down her own cup and uncoils from her seat to steep the tea, glancing toward the window to take in the scenery—even from here, it's wildly different from Naephus.]

Not much so far. Mostly in town, which isn't the real attraction, is it? It's nice, though. I like actually being able to see the sky.

[blackfire]

It's one of the more peaceful worlds we've been on of late.

（ no roving bandits, no asteroid...

no one is a fish. ）

One of my acquaintances even got me out 'snowboarding'. Have you tried?

[deaddrop]

I don't have a tail. That's something.

[Though a part of her still wonders if she would have been able to choke someone out with the tail. She feels like she probably could have.]

Not here—I'm sorry, I have to ask, who got you to go snowboarding?

[blackfire]

（ as he fetches a cup from the cupboard — ）

A friend.

（ he trusts her with himself well enough, but he's still a private person. sorry, nat. ）

I did not enjoy it, if you're wondering. I don't care for the cold.

[deaddrop]

[That answer isn't a surprise, and it doesn't sting.

She probably would have answered the same way, but she doesn't regret the curiosity. Hard not to wonder who could get Itachi to try snowboarding.]

No? None of the winter sports? I bet you'd be fantastic at ice skating.

[blackfire]

（ he snorts. ）

None of them so far.

（ 'ice skating'. it wasn't a common pasttime in konoha, where temperatures rarely dipped or stayed below freezing, but he spent time in the land of snow. he very likely would be good at it, as per her assessment, but the issue therein is that it is difficult to envision himself doing a physical activity for no reason beyond aesthetic alone, unless it was somehow necessary for the sake of a mission.

perhaps that's why she suggested it.

does she skate, he wonders? ）

Is that an offer to instruct me?

（ mmmmmm, it's not sass yet... ）

[deaddrop]

It could be.

[Natasha smiles slightly, her answer considered. She's not entirely convinced she'd need to instruct him, but she wouldn't object to trying.]

It's fun, though I can't say I've done much lately. It's good exercise, though. A good excuse to be outside.

[And she does enjoy mixing up her workout and getting outside.]

But if you wouldn't enjoy it, I'm fine with hot chocolate company.

[blackfire]

（ y'all people need excuses to be outside? wild. itachi considers her a moment, his expression inscrutable — and then he nods once. ）

Very well. We can try it. There is an outdoor rink about two-thirds of a kilometer from this resort that has skate rentals.

（ he just knows that off the top of his head, like a fucking weirdo. as you do. ）

[deaddrop]

[Have to optimize that leisure time.

That's normal, right? On the other hand, Natasha also thinks Itachi knowing the layout by heart is normal.]

After we finish our tea.

[She agrees mildly, picturing Itachi on skates. Probably embarrassing everyone else on the rink.]

[blackfire]

I'd hardly waste it.

（ it's almost a joke. almost. said as he lifts his cup in something of a salute, a faint smile toying at one corner of his mouth. ）

Perhaps even hot chocolate afterwards. It seems popular enough.

[deaddrop]

[Natasha takes a sip herself, sure she's missing the nuance but the warmth is appreciated and there's something pleasant about the act of sharing something.]

Have you really not tried it yet?

[blackfire]

Not the version sold here. I've had it before, on the station.

（ you know, he's a sucker for anything sweet. it won't be supplanting his favourite beverage any time soon, but. acceptable, once in a while. ）

Over 'Christmas'.

[deaddrop]

Hm. We were just about drowning in hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps there for a bit, weren't we?

[Along with gingerbread and candy canes. A whole winter wonderland.]

Honestly, I wonder how they even decide it's winter when we're on a space station. But I suppose having seasons is good for our mental health.

[blackfire]

I managed to avoid the latter.

（ not one for public drinking, itachi. the only thing he's partaken of at all is shōchū, and even that only in trusted company. ）

Given that Viveca is from a future variant of Earth, and Christmas is as I understand it an Earthen holiday — not to mention the high concentration of those of us from that same planet — it makes sense she would wish for us to experience the, ah... 'holiday spirit'.

（ she cares so much more than most people could ever come to know, but he is all too aware of. he does not tell her nearly enough how grateful he is for her. ）

[deaddrop]

Don't tell anyone I admitted it, but you're not missing much.

[She may have made Aleksander drink it.]

I suppose so. There are certainly people like that.

[And she can appreciate it, but there's still something a little surreal about the whole thing.]

I can't say I know her all that well, but it does scan.