#FreedomFalls – January 7, 2017

Victoria waited outside of the Respite, waiting for Va'ynna to finish up for the day. She was wearing long black pants, boots, a blue shirt and a button up coat. She waited patiently outside, giving the snow at her feet a light kick while whistling a little tone..

Va'ynna exits the Miner's Respite, shivering a bit as the cold outside air hits her. "Hey," she says as she walks up to Victoria, spotting her almost immediately. She is dressed in her navy blue jacket that's getting too insufficient for the winter weather outside, and gray pants. She has a simple, albeit heavy, west ontop that provides kinetic barriers to protect most of her upper body and head.

Victoria looks at Va'ynna when she exits the Respite, she stops whistling and gives the asari a smile. "Hey sweetie, all good to go home now?" She decided to ask to make sure the asari has gotten everything done, before they go home. She stops leaning on the wall and stands up straight, waiting to hear the asari's response.

Va'ynna looks around the streets around her, tensing up when she sees an asari cross the next corner to the south, but she sighs. "Yeah, let's... go home," she says. "I'm freezing." She moves up to Victoria's side and grabs her hand with her right. The asari is wearing gloves, obviously.

Victoria is not wearing gloves, she puts her free hand in her coat's pocket. She gives Va'ynna's hand a little squeeze when she notices her tensing up. "Yeah, we probably should get home to the warmth." She began to lead the way home.

Va'ynna smiles slightly when the hand is squeezed, and it helps her anxiety somewhat. Even if Victoria doesn't wear a hardsuit, Va'ynna feels safe in her presence. She crosses the street along with Victoria. "Mhm," she hums her agreement. "Not to mention rest. It's been... a long day."

Victoria was glad to see the asari smile, "I bet it has been a long day. Well the sooner we get home, the sooner you get to sleep." She continued leading the way home, "Did you have rough day?" She asked wanting to know if it was a good day or not.

Va'ynna gave a slight shrug. "Just... long, not really rough," she says. "I didn't... really miss bartending, though." She was a bit confliced about it, as the asari enjoyed talking with people despite her anxiety, but kitchen work was much more to her liking. Less strangers there. "How... has your day been?"

Victoria was happy to hear that Va'ynna's day was not horrible, but when the asari asked about her day she gave a shrug. "In the middle, organising the next transport run. There was something else..." She stopped speaking for a moment thinking about her next words. "I should tell you about it, even though it is something I have celebrated for years." Continuing her walk to their home.

Va'ynna frowns at the mention of transport run. She knew Victoria was passionate about her ship, but she worried it meant she was leaving again. The asari didn't want to ask, as she was guily about being so attached to Victoria. And she doesn't have to, because Victoria changes the subject. Va'ynna tilts her head. "Hmm?" she asks. "What is it?"

Victoria gives a sigh and gives the asari's hand a squeeze again. "Probably not the best time to bring it up. But... my birthday is coming up." She pauses for a moment again "I have not celebrated my birthday since I was seventeen." She had not celebrated and told only few about her birth date.

Va'ynna nods, curiousity clear in her facial features as she relishes this momentary distraction from all her concerns. She realized she had not asked Victoria her age, but she is a bit worried that she had and just forgot. The number didn't mean much to her, anyway, just like Va'ynna's age to her. "How... many days?" she asks, "and how do... you celebrate it?"

Victoria continued walking. "The human or Earth date is the 28th of November. So it will be soon." The age difference between the two did not matter, they loved each other and that was all that mattered. "I don't really celebrate it. I just get drunk. See, my parents left me on my birthday." She stopped for a moment yet again. "Shitty birthday gift, right?" She tried to lighten the mood, but that was probably a failure.

Va'ynna frowns, and shifts closer to Victoria. "Oh," she says, Victoria's past family issues resonating with her very well. "Then... I'll make it the best birthday you've had," Va'ynna continues, a hint of resolve in her voice as she wraps Victoria up in a hug. "So that you forget... about getting drunk."

Victoria is taken by surprise from the hug and gives a slight smile and returns the hug. "Thanks Vay. I just thought I would tell you before it went by." She then gives a mock frown upon hearing that she could forget about getting drunk. "But I like getting drunk on occasion."

Va'ynna could hold the hug forever, but the cold weather outside disagreed vehemently, and she lets go after a while. Not without a quick kiss, however. "I... know you do," she says, which doesn't mean that Va'ynna liked it, "but not on your day, okay?"

Victoria gave her a quick kiss back and gave a defeated sigh at not being allowed to drink. "Alright, you win. Lucky I love you." Once they both realised the cold was not the best for standing around in, Vicky started to lead the way again. "Alright, I am starting to freeze. We better pick up the pace."

Va'ynna giggles and takes her hand, walking beside Victoria at an increased pace. "Your family," she begins, though it takes a few moments before she continues as she carefully picks her words, "have they... tried getting in touch with you since then?"

Victoria gives a shrug "I have heard nothing from them, Vay." She states in a plain tone. "I don't know where they are, or if my parents are alive. Sister is most likely alive somewhere." She gives a shrug. "Lets just change the subject, okay?" Did not really want to linger on the subject, it was subject she knew nothing about.

Va'ynna nods quickly, looking more than a little guilty about having brought it up. "Sorry," she murmurs, squeezing her hand. "What... do you want to talk about?"

Victoria gave a shrug and a shiver "Lets just make little talk until we get home. We would be less likely to freeze that way." She continued her pace. "Sorry, if I am being cold. Just don't want us to stop in the snow again and freeze."

Va'ynna smiles amused, and nods again. "Mhm, and... you might risk me falling asleep in your arms," she admits. Midnight was half an hour away and it was little more than six hours until she had to go to work again for another long day.

Victoria smiles "I think you could stay awake long enough to get home. Just gotta soldier through it." She mainly did not want to carry the asari home, if she did fall asleep in Vicky's arms. "I think you need to get a god damn raise and holiday, once everything is normal at the Respite again."

Va'ynna sighs. "That's... what Jason said too," she says, "I... I don't know if D'Inea agrees. She... doesn't often give me time off." And Va'ynna was not one to demand it. "I would like to be with you for a trip on the... Siren's Call once, though."

Victoria squeezes Va'ynna's hand "You need to get something, for doing your work. I mean, you are basically running the place when D'Inea is not there." Victoria believe that Va'ynna deserved more than what she got for working at the Respite. "Plus I would love it for you, to go on a trip on the Siren with me."

Va'ynna hums thoughtfully. "Things... are going to get better, I think," she says. "She hired... Tara to help in the kitchen, and... I might be able to get days off when that is over. I... just need to know what to do with them that... doesn't involve clinging to you all day." She giggles.

Victoria chuckles. "I have not got a problem with you clinging to me. I just have to make sure my work is done faster." She stops for another moment again. "But finally they have decided to hire somebody to help you. I know that is old news by now, but at least you can get days off, eventually."

Va'ynna squeezes her hand, and grins. "You... say that now," she says. "Yeah, I was so glad when she told me I was going to train Tara. That was the... first time I hugged D'Inea." She looks down for a moment. "I don't think she liked that."

Victoria grins. "Glad to hear you were that happy." She gives Va'ynna an inquisitive look when she heard that she hugged D'Inea. "She might not have expected it." She said trying to comfort the asari.

Va'ynna smiles. "Yeah, I... think that's why," she says before a yawn escapes her. "She's... weird."