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[She seems to have a habit of taking the worst message out of his responses (is he being too vague, he wonders). IV peels his hands from his hips, perhaps indicating that he's interested in his own way, although he's yet to reach for the flowers still.]

I didn't say I don't want them. Which ones are you keeping?

[Oh.

...She's getting whiplash! Is he just humoring her now...? Even if he is, she undeniably perks up again.]

It doesn't really matter to me. We can split them.

...Though I didn't even really pick that many.

[You big baby.]

Fine.

[She's so easy to please. IV scrutinizes the flowers, which all look fair to him: The gardens are surely kept in high quality. That leaves one slightly humorous option.]

. . . You experimented earlier. Which flower suits me best?

[...She tilts her head and experiments again, now that he seems more receptive. Indecisive as usual, this one, before she gives her final answer.]

They both do. Why not take one of each, and I'll put the rest in a vase?

[Nodding, IV plucks a white flower and a pink flower by the stem from Leia's hands. He's going to have to invest in a vase, too, if he doesn't want to just lay the flowers down on the kitchen counter. That'd be mistreatment of a gift from a . . . friend, is it. But not right now.]

It looks like that's taken care of. Now, the gym.

To the gym!

[Leia is enthusiastic to the point of pumping a fist in the air, as if rallying a crowd. It's her free hand she's not using to hold the flowers, thankfully--and speaking of that, she definitely thinks they'll be okay until later.

For now, she leads the way. It's not even that far a walk, so there's the convenience factor, too.

She wonders if Rock Lee is working today, and if Athena is feeling any better...?]

[The ice skating rink is not bound to be a lively place at this hour, but he doesn't doubt that there'll be noise with Leia around. Besides that, the cold industrial metal should be like splashing in water after all this nature.

Half a step behind her at Leia's side, IV follows, the flowers clutched by the stem in one hand.]

[She doesn't know what it is about the colony. Despite walking this exact path countless times before, it feels like there's always something new to see, and she finds herself silently observing everything: IV as he walks, passersby who are giggling together and the couple resting on the bench.

It's busy, which is what he was going for, so she'll hold the door open for him once they reach their destination.]

There's an information booth over there with a map. That should help.

[Compared to the gardens, it's so much livelier. Then they reach the gym, and IV strides past Leia to head inside. He turns his head left to right and back to the left, surveying the interior that's typical of CERES' design. He gives a dismissive wave of his hand.]

I don't need it. You know the way, don't you? Besides, it's only the rink.

[--She has a general idea. It's an area of the gym she doesn't frequently visit, though; plus it really is a neat reminder of just how big the gym really is.

With a huff, she follows IV this time, who's pulled ahead.]

Fine.

[The halls and paths are well-labeled anyway; so they follow the signs.]

We'll have to rent skates.

[With signs like those, who needs a brochure with a map?]

That's a given. Where do we go for that?

Umm......

[Leia doesn't see an immediate answer, but they do approach some metal doors that look promising. Through the window, she catches glimpse of the rink, but before they go in, she peers off down the hallway that extends to their right.

Just a food stall... but to the left, she spots what appears to be a counter, and behind it, a room. With "shoes," and a service-bot--

Bingo.]

There!

[Is it possible for a robot to look bored...? Because it does.]

[That's the most bored robot IV has ever seen; it doesn't get any better as they close in, either. He walks up to the counter. After stating their business – hey, we need skates – he kneels down to untie his boots on request. He slips them off and trades them in for a pair of skates, which he holds in his free hand.

Having gone up before Leia, he looks over his shoulder on his way over to the metal doors.]

I'll be getting ready at the rink. Grab your skates and meet me there.

[If he can have it his way, he'll be at one of the front bleachers near the entrance of the ice rink itself.]

Okay!

[Leia's already taking off her boots as well when IV receives his. She has a bit more trouble than him with this, but eventually, she's handing them off to the robot all the same.

After it determines what size she needs, she receives the pair of skates and trots off towards the doors, looking back at the robot with sympathy. Finally, she opens those metal doors and--

Unsurprisingly, she's greeted with a blast of cold air. Yet in surprise, she winces, having definitely not braced herself.]

F... Freezing...

[She mutters outloud to no one in particular. Soon, as she walks in further and her body adjusts a little more, she sits down near IV at the bleachers to tie on those skates.]

[It's been years since he skated, but some things are never forgotten by the body. Sliding on and tying the skates is a familiar task, if rather awkward at the start. By the time Leia arrives, he's finished securing one skate and has moved onto the other.

Being a generally warm person, the coldness of the rink doesn't bite into IV's skin as much as it does to Leia's. He regards her with a look before he finishes knotting the ribbon on the other skate. He pulls back, straightening on the bleacher.]

Are you ready?

Juuust about.

[Her hands move quickly without the flowers and her purse to weigh her down. They're set beside her on the bleachers for now, but on the far side of the wall, there are several rows of numbered lockers, labeled "occupied" and "vacant" accordingly.

She knows what to do.]

I'll meet you out there after I put away our stuff. [There's still a bit of shakiness to her voice.] Sound good?

[He hears the shakiness in her voice. Is she cold? Well, it's nothing working out on the ice won't fix.]

Sounds good.

[Balancing on the blades of his skates, IV ambles out onto the ice rink, where he circles around the opening in a 180 arc. The trip to the lockers can't be that long, so he waits there.]

[...Number four is vacant. Ha. Plus it'll be easy to remember, so she's definitely going to pick that one. She surprisingly doesn't hurt herself hobbling her way over on blades, but no promises for the rest of their time here.

Once her purse and all their flowers are safely locked away, she makes her way to the rink. It's a lot bigger than it looked at first--it's a good thing there are so many booths where you can stop and rest.

Not that she'll need it.........

When she approaches IV, she's got her hands out awkwardly, trying to keep balance as she tries to glide one foot at a time.]

It's so empty...

[No wonder the robot was bored. She totally plays it cool. She just needs to bide her time until she's used to this...]

[He backs away once Leia comes inside the rink, letting the skates carry him across the ice. It's been a while and he may be bigger now, but it's just as he remembers with slight accommodations to be made. And where Leia is looking around, he watches her in faint amusement.]

It's an odd hour. Why are you holding your hands out like that?

[That just looks awkward.]

[Like what? is her first thought. She doesn't exactly realize it, but when he points it out, she lets them fall to her sides. She slips, nearly falling, but catches herself.

She's... laughing it off, yeah.]

Guess I'm still learning.

[She told you.]

[And he lets her – laugh it off, that is. There was a time when he used to hobble around on the ice before he got the hang of balancing himself, so as funny as it is to see Leia struggling, he won't tease (much). He perches his hands on his hips.]

If you're afraid that you're going to fall, you should hold onto the wall.

[...

She watches him, stunned at first, but... then she starts to snicker some more.]

Hey, you rhymed.

......But you're probably right. [hm.]

[She's like a kid. Regardless of what she does, IV starts off near the wall, his hands dropping back to his sides and his speed slow to accommodate the pace Leia chooses.]

Now, for one round. You can manage that, can't you?

[When she sees IV approach the wall, she snaps out of whatever silliness had come over her and follows. She hadn't exactly expected private lessons, but can't find it in her to complain, either.

She almost feels bad for holding him back.]

You mean a whole lap? [Clinging to the wall with one hand, she scans the rink.] ...Of course I can!

[He nods, then pushes forward to a particularly long glide. So he won't go too fast for Leia, but going too slow, on the other hand, is just boring and awkward for his balanced body.]

Try not to fall, but don't rely on your hands too much, either – that's your task for this lap.

[That's all he says as he waits for her to catch up to his side; he isn't too far ahead.]

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