(ง'̀-'́)ง (hairbender) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-02-25 22:45:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, asami sato, h g wells |
Wings are holding!
Who: Asami and Helena
What: Test flight of her new powered glider suit
When: 2/24
Where: Out and about and above
Status: complete
Rating: PG
Asami had been building a new version of her airbender suit. Powered by the source that she and Helena had been working on and what they’d learned from her Christmas present. It wasn’t armored, instead it was a suit with wings attached, much like a flying squirrel or bat. The wings could be folded against the body for normal walking around. It was red and blue, with bronze fittings for most of the connections giving it a decidedly steampunk look. The goggles she was wearing only helped with that look. It was form fitting, and difficult to get into for this first version, but Asami had to admit she looked damn good in it. “I might as well be naked.”
She was in the airship. She’d done glide tests. In a simulator. This was the real world and while the full propulsion assembly was built into her gloves and backpack she wasn’t intending to test them today. Probably. She’d rely on her gut for that one, and if Helena egged her on over the comms or not.
If she landed right, she’d land right in front of Helena, and then they could do lunch. “Oscar, once I’m airborne, take the ship back to dock.”
Nervously, she looked down at the ground far below. This was different than an airplane, or a helicoptor. Was this how Airbenders felt? How Korra felt? Like her stomach was going to disappear into her throat, and she wasn’t even falling yet. She steeled herself, then ran down the plank and lept off into the sky.
It was exhilarating to work with someone on projects again. Of course, she hadn’t had that experience in this life, only in her dreams, but Helena always appreciated combining her intellect with someone else’s to achieve unimaginable results. The project with Asami was something that she took great pride in. The power source had come along swimmingly, and Helena had been making some adjustments to her Imperceptor Vest to compensate for the new power source. Though that wasn’t precisely ready for testing yet, Helena still had some work to do.
Today, however, it was time for Asami to test out her suit. It’s design was something that Helena liked the look of. It bore a resemblance to her own aesthetic with the steampunk type feel to it. Standing on the ground at the designated landing spot, if all went according to plan, Helena glanced up into the sky, using her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She had to chuckle at Asami’s first comment.
“Either way, you’re still gorgeous,” she commented with a smile. And then she thought she spotted Asami in the air, but it was difficult to tell. “Did you get off without a hitch?”
“Thanks.” Asami sounded a little breathless, the rush of air turning her hair into something wild as she fell. She deployed the wings, feeling an intense pressure as her fall turned into a glide. “I’m off! Wings are holding! That was a good suggestion on the material change, what I was using before would have ripped just now.”
Her words were followed by a joyful woop and laugh as she did a barrel roll.
“Thank you. It seemed like you’d need a stronger material for this sort of situation.” Helena said with a smile. This was definitely exciting. Testing out inventions was perhaps even more exciting than building them tended to be. At least when she’d next test her Imperceptor Vest, there wouldn’t be the fear that she could die in the process.
“I’m going to engage the engines,” Asami said. They were lightweight but very powerful, functioning a lot like a ramjet or scoop engine. She just wanted enough power right now to level her flight and even ascend a little bit. “Three, two, one, mark!”
She nearly lost control. There was more thrust than expected and she realized she’d need to come up with a way to brace her arms. Keeping them outstretched was tiring enough but the force from the thrust couldn’t be kept up forever.
Helena waited as Asami engaged the engines. That was something she wasn’t going to interfere with considering she knew how one needed to pay attention to the details when testing out new inventions. So she waited for some moments after the engines were engaged before she said anything.
“Is everything running smoothly?”
“Uh. Mostly. I underestimated the power. I cut them back, but I think I’m going to need some kind of bracing system, or to work on my stamina.” She wanted to still be able to walk around normally, but this would definitely tire most people out over extended use. Just holding arms in position and trying to not let the pressure of the air push them down. Or maybe she could arrange the wing in a different way….
“Or both?” Helena suggested. Staying in shape definitely helped when testing out certain inventions. “You’ll want to be careful with anything you add to the suit. It still needs to be aerodynamic and not too heavy lest you become a falling stone with no way to stop yourself.”
“Both is good.” Asami laughed. Helena was right. With training and practice this would be come second nature, but bats did have bones that helped with the wings, so she’d have to look into that. Become a real ‘bat’woman. “I’m coming in for a landing.”
This would be the hard part.
Helena was certain that Asami would figure things out for the suit. It was only a first run. Things weren’t exactly perfect on their first run, no matter how hard they tried to make it perfect. “Alright, I shall be ready. I’ll catch you if need be,” she added, keeping her eyes on the sky and Asami.
“If you need to catch me, we’re both in trouble!” Asami could make out the marker on the ground, and tilted the wings so slow her descent. A couple bursts from the engine and she was able to land almost delicately. Her legs felt weak and her arms felt like she’d swum a marathon, but she couldn’t be happier. Even as she kind of stumbled forward against Helena. “That was exhilarating!”
She chuckled a bit, but trusted Asami that she’d be able to land gracefully. Or at least gracefully enough that didn’t require Helena catching her while bracing for impact. Yet she did still need to catch Asami, quickly catching her as she stumbled forward to keep her from falling over. “It certainly sounded like it.” She’d keep holding onto Asami until she felt she could stand up on her own. “And other than the modifications that need to be made, it was successful!”
"Sorry." Asami straightened, and stretched her arms to limber them back up. "It was amazing. So much more real than being in a cockpit." Even her hair was, for the first time in history, tousled. But it gave her a sexy, dashing sort of look.
“It’s alright,” Helena said as she watched Asami stretch. She also noticed the tousled hair. That look was definitely sexy and dashing. “Considering you were able to experience the wind in your face and have a controlled fall to the ground, it would undoubtedly be far better than being in a cockpit.”
“Amazing,” Asami repeated. She grinned, putting her arm around Helena. “I’m still worried about my arm strength and the …. “ She twirled her other hand. “Thrust being a little too hard. But that can be tweaked and worked on.”
Helena grinned widely, giving Asami a squeeze with her arm. “I’m sure there’s some lightweight yet strong material that can be added to support your arms. And adjusting the thrust shouldn’t be much of an issue either. I rather think you’re almost there.”
“I think we are. Thank you so much!” She kissed Helena on the cheek. “What say I clean up and we get some lunch? I’ve worked up an appetite.”
“You are quite welcome,” Helena responded with a grin. “And I say that sounds wonderful to me. Dare I say that your hair might actually look a bit tousled at the moment?” She wondered just how anal Asami was about her hair that was far too perfect than it had any right to be.
“Take a picture, it’s the only time you’ll get to see it.” Asami winked. She wouldn’t mind sending a copy to Kit, just to see her reaction. But then she’d been thinking about Kit a whole lot lately.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Helena chuckled, then she did actually take a picture. “Let it be forever documented that Asami’s hair was not perfect for this one moment in time.”
Throwing her head back, Asami laughed. She took a few minutes to clean up and change, then met Helena at the car. “Light lunch, or heavy lunch?”
It was something worth documenting! Once Asami was back at the car, Helena pondered the question momentarily. “Heavy. We need to properly power our brains after all.”
“I know an Italian place.” Asami nodded, and then gestured for Helena to drive. It was her baby, her Cobra, but she trusted Helena. The only other person she’d let drive would be her.. Er, Kit.
“Perfect,” she responded. Helena enjoyed Italian food. About the only thing she wouldn’t eat was French food. She was very touchy when it came to the French or France in general. Getting in the driver’s seat, Helena took a moment to adjust the seat and mirror for her height and line of sight. Safety first, after all! “Where is it?” She asked as she started the engine.
“Three blocks down this road, hang a left, it’ll be in the right side. You can’t miss it!” Asami smiled, checking her hair in the mirror on the passenger sun visor as she did so, and trying to ignore her mental slip up about Kit.
Helena nodded and followed the directions. She eyed Asami out of the corner of her eye for a moment as she checked her hair, and she smirked. “Ensuring that your hair is still perfect?” She teased lightly.
“Uhm. Yes.” Asami winked at her. Her voice was airy, like she was mocking herself. “It looks effortless, I know.” But it too effort. Even if only Helena and the general public would see it today. “A...friend.. Is always baffled, which is always funny.”
She noted the way Asami said friend. Intriguing. So she was going to press the point. “A friend, you say?” Her tone was making it clear that this ‘friend’ sounded like it was more than a friend from the way Asami had mentioned it.
“Uh.” She glanced at Helena, knowing she wouldn’t be able to escape it, so she tried to buy herself some time. “Oh, we’re almost there!”
And that was quite the dodge of the question. Helena shook her head slightly, then noted an Italian restaurant just where Asami had said it would be. “That does not answer the question,” she pressed.
Asami exhaled slowly, then shrugged elegantly. “A friend...with… benefits. We’ve been seeing a lot of each other. Valentine’s was really nice.”
“I am happy to hear you had a lovely Valentine’s Day with this friends-with-benefits of yours.” Helena said with a smile as she pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. “Do you want it to be more than that?” Helena was deducing that Asami did want more than that just based on body language and how she spoke of it.
“I….” Asami shrugged again, seeming to draw into herself. “That’s not really an option. It’s just not how she works, you know? She’s funny and sweet and a little dangerous and she … doesn’t do relationships.” So Asami was taking what she could get.
Noting that response, Helena put a hand on Asami’s shoulder and gently squeezed it. “That doesn’t mean that she won’t change her mind about it. I know I was dead set against relationships, let alone marriage, for years. Harley changed my mind on that. Besides, you are definitely worth it.”
“I’m just afraid of scaring her off.” Asami had a vulnerable look on her face, worrying at her lower lip. She sighed. “We agreed it would be strictly friendly. No strings.”
But strings sometimes got all tangled up anyway.
“As someone on the outside, I’d say spending Valentine’s Day together might be a clue that maybe things are changing? Just because there were no strings to begin with doesn’t mean that none have found their way into it. She obviously enjoys being around you and you enjoy being around her. That is a good sign.” Helena hoped it was helping, or would help as Asami figured things out.
“I can’t think straight around her.” A double entendre of sorts and Asami laughed at her own joke. “We spend time together and I can’t help but forget how to word properly.”
Which wasn’t the best explanation. But it was the only one she had.
Helena smiled warmly. It was obvious to her that Asami was smitten. “How does she act around you?” Which was probably the more important question. Helena was going to advise, and perhaps even push, Asami towards talking with this woman about their relationship if she felt the other woman had a chance of reciprocating feelings.
“I...uhm. Easily distracted I think. She looks at me so...intently. Like I’d make a great meal.” Asami liked the attention, from Kit at least. She knew she was beautiful but the way Kit made her feel was somehow more special than hordes of admirers.
“You are quite edible,” Helena said, obviously referring to the sexual meaning of that. “Still, perhaps you should talk to her. Perhaps things have changed for both of you since you first entered into your friends with benefits relationship.”
Asami’s face turned her favorite color. She checked her hair as though Kit might see her somehow. “How do I even start that conversation?”
Helena smirked at seeing Asami’s face turn red. It was actually quite adorable, though she felt Asami would say otherwise. “Don’t start it off with something like ‘let’s talk about us,’ go for something more subtle. Talk about how your Valentine’s Day felt to you. Talk about how you enjoy spending time with her, see how she reacts to it.”
“Okay…” Asami nodded. That was probably the best way to go about it. “Okay I think I can do that.” She felt like Helena was way into this.
“Just remember to breathe, and you’ll be fine.” She gave Asami’s shoulder an encouraging squeeze. Helena was a fan of love and people being happy, and it was obvious that this woman made Asami happy, so she would do what she could to help that happiness grow.
“Think...think you could give me some advice? On what to say? This isn’t what I had in mind for our lunch though.” she laughed, but she really was glowing.
“Of course I will. I would not dream of suggesting you undertake such a conversation without giving you advice about it.” Helena liked to think she was a better friend than that! And she at least had gone through a similar conversation with Harley once upon a time, so she had first hand experience.
“Thank you.” Asami laughed. “I think I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
She led Helena into the cafe, holding the door open for her. “I appreciate this.”
“Luckily for you, I had a very similar conversation with my wife once upon a time. So I can speak from experience about the wanting more than friends with benefits talk.” Helena said with a smile as she stepped inside. “You are quite welcome. It’s what friends do, after all.”
Asami followed Helena and the waitress to their booth, and slid in. “It’s probably going to be a little different. I like her, but I don’t think I like her enough to share, if that makes sense.”
“It does, not everyone is able to share, and it’s perfectly fine. Simply make that clear to her if she is receptive to taking things to the next level.” Helena knew not everyone was wired that way. For all her flirting with Asami, she would tone it down now because she wasn’t one to throw a wrench into other people’s love lives. Even if she’d been used to being a mistress in Victorian England, but that was a bit different.
She realized she really did want to date Kit. Officially. As a couple. Monogamy and everything. While she enjoyed that aspect of her and Helena’s relationship, she valued the friendship part more. “I was afraid I was going to offend you.”
“Not at all. I am never offended in these situations. Well, hardly ever, but you’re not an asshole like an ex of mine was. Besides, it’s easy to tell you want to be with her, and I am never one to interfere with someone’s happiness. I’ve had too much pain and heartbreak to do that to anyone else.” In this aspect, Helena spoke of both her lives, though moreso her dream life. Which was something she hadn’t yet told Asami the darker details of. The inventions, her writings, even some experiences with Artifacts she’d told her. But everything related to Christina or her being bronzed, those were still details she hadn’t divulged.
Asami reached over to squeeze her hand. At the core of it, she was really a very lonely person. She always had been, and her dreams had only made that hole wider than it had been before. Having Kit, and Helena, really did help. And maybe Asami should try to get out more and make more friends again, too. It would be a good idea. “I’m glad. I’m honestly...more into the whole romance and fawning over one person thing, I kind of always knew I wouldn’t be able to keep this up forever without giving up or falling.”
Helena smiled softly, briefly donning her well-crafted mask while she pushed memories away that she didn’t want to think about right now. Nor was she going to go into details. This was a discussion to help Asami, not to wallow in her own grievances. Suddenly she thought a movie night with Harley, Christina and the babies would be a really good idea.
“Some people are that way. I am more of a romantic than I care to admit myself, so I certainly understand that.” Now the mask lifted again and her smile was far more genuine and happy. “But I am happy that you found someone who does make you happy. Now we simply need to give you the tools to hook her, as they say.”
“All right, where should I start?” Asami was the kind of person to take a lot of mental notes and then apply them, though she was tempted to text Kit right now.
Which also terrified her.
“Perhaps begin with Valentine’s Day, commenting on how you enjoyed it. If she reacts positively, then simply build on that. Unless she makes a statement that would be directly responded to with the state of your relationship, simply stay on the topic of enjoying the time you spend with her. The important thing is to let the conversation progress naturally. Don’t force it to turn to the state of your relationship.” Everything needed to happen naturally. Helena understood that, and sometimes being too upfront about things wasn’t a good thing.
Valentine’s Day had been amazing. The dinner on the airship, and then the special lingerie Asami had worn… Asami blushed just thinking about that night. “Uh. Yeah. Okay. Start with how good a day it was. That will be easy.”
That blush said everything to Helena and she just smiled at it. “Good, just keep the conversation easy and simple. Let it flow, but if you find it’s getting further away from you bringing up the question about your relationship, try subtly guiding it back in that direction.”
Asami pulled out her phone and took a breath before composing a message. Then it was a matter of waiting. “You should try the alfredo.”
“Should I? It must be rather excellent alfredo to have your recommendation for it.” Helena said with a smile, finally looking over the menu seriously.
“It is really good.” Asami smiled, blushing a little at Kit’s first response. She responded back, blushing more and trying not to giggle. Giggling was undignified.
“Perhaps I shall heed your advice then,” she responded, setting the menu aside in time to notice the blushing and the looking at her phone. “I take it the conversation thus far is going well?” Helena queried with quirked brows and a bit of a smirk.
“So far so good,” Asami said. She felt, in a phrase, all aflutter. She just hoped got through this without her heart breaking.