The dinner is a quiet thing, faint music still playing in the background and the food itself taking center stage. It tastes as good as it smells, and thankfully no lasting damage was done by the brief moment of distraction. Once the plates have been scraped clean, Halisi suggests relocating to the couch, where she's now leaned back in her seat, legs crossed and nursing a glass of wine as she studies Ilyna.
#Halisi'sApartment – September 9, 2025
Ilyna has enjoyed the food a great deal, as expected, and did her part scraping the plates clean. She had just sat back down the couch after mustering the energy to pour herself a glass. She had avoided any heavy topics during the dinner, but after a thoughtful look at the wine glass, she looks up at Halisi. "Jason stopped by my office too today," she says, her voice not giving away much about how it went. "To
introduce Justice, the animal they might adopt, but... he also wanted to talk about... what happened."
Halisi 's silver eyes are sharp and attentive despite the wine already imbibed, and she shifts forward a little to indicate that she's listening, one arm on the backrest of the sofa.
Ilyna considers her next words carefully as she takes the tiniest sip of the wine, looking back up at Halisi. "I can understand that he is in an unfortunate position, and that it's because of him that this didn't get any worse," she says, "but I felt we were just talking in circles without... really making myself understood."
Halisi frowns, taking a sip of her wine as she forms her response. "What is it that you feel you didn't manage to communicate to him?"
Ilyna ponders for a moment before sighing. "I told him how it made me feel, and... admitted that while I want to put this behind me, I'll still feel uncomfortable around her for a while," she says. "Even if I know that might be... unhelpful." She looks back at the wine glass as her emotions threaten her composure. "I was really scared when she locked me in her office, and when I was let go," she says, "I spent a
long time yesterday thinking about what I'd do if working at Redrock became impossible because of this."
Halisi 's arm leaves the back of the couch, hand reaching out to give Ilyna's a squeeze in an attempt at comforting her. "And... you don't feel like Jason understood that?" she asks with a hint of surprise, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
Ilyna gives a small nod, still looking at her glass. "Yes," she says. "I felt like he was arguing against how I feel, mixing things up,... when I've already said that I won't give up on Linda." She takes a deep breath. "I just had to tell him to let it rest after a while, because he kept pushing and... I was exhausted."
Halisi 's frown deepens, her hand lingering on Ilyna's, thumb stroking idly back and forth. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure it pains him to see people he cares about at odds, I can certainly relate to that, but you have every right to still feel upset, and rattled. You deserve time and space, and you don't owe Linda any forgiveness." She stresses the last point, and then looks down at her glass and takes a sip as she thinks.
"Perhaps it would do you good to take some time off work? To... process things a bit? And if you'd like me to speak with Jason..."
Ilyna leans forward to place the wine glass on the table for the moment, and she gently shifts closer to Halisi while she listens to her. The first few words draw a nod from her, but the last suggestion makes her raise her brows for a moment in worry. "I... don't think either would be necessary right now," she says. "We've been through too much together to not give her a chance, but... you are right, I don't owe
Halisi nods in understanding, taking another sip from her glass before setting it down and shuffling a little closer, clasping Ilyna's hand in both of her own. "Then... tell me what I can do to raise your spirits, hm? Please."
Ilyna smiles slightly as she moves even closer to lean against her, then looks a bit embarrassed as a tear makes it out and goes down her cheek. "You already have," she says. "This wonderful dinner, listening to me, and just... being you." She wipes the tear with her free hand, and seeks out Halisi's eyes. "It means so much to me after these two days."
Halisi mirrors the small smile, although it's made heavy by the tear that rolls down Ilyna's cheek. She shifts her left arm to wrap around the asari and hold her close, lips brushing lightly against the top of her crests. "I'm glad to hear it," she says quietly, seeming content to stay as they are, enjoying the warmt of each other, the faint buzz of the wine and the pleasant background noise of the music.
Ilyna gives a content sigh as she is embraced by Halisi, returning it with her arm shortly thereafter. The asari pushes back the guilt she feels at being treated like this tonight. "Please... shake me awak if I fall asleep," she murmurs, half-jokingly. "I promised Li I'll come pick her up."