Avalon Inbox

[fujimaru]

Ritsuka Fujimaru | 藤丸 立香
19(?) / F / Who knows!!

This is Ritsuka! Leave a message and I'll get back to you.

ACTION

MESSAGE

ETC

CODE MODIFIED FROM

Comments

[impostorsyndrome]

. . . I was never really into romance in stories. It kinda pissed me off when they'd shoehorn it in where it didn't really add anything. You know how movies and crap are. But . . . yeah. This time it's for me. I get that. I can like that.

[He can like it a lot. A whole lot! Because it's her! And apparently, against all reason, she feels the same way.]

[fujimaru]

This wasn't shoehorned in, either.

[ She's laughing a little as she says it, though not unkindly. Something about that is cute--the grumpy edge that still allows for these softer feelings they're stepping into, however carefully. ]

We worked for this. For getting along, and going from there.

[impostorsyndrome]

Yeah. You're right. I dunno about you, but I'm definitely not the kinda guy who falls for any girl I spend a little time with just 'cuz I'm a man and she's a woman. The way it goes in stupid subplots in action movies. You know the kind.

[The very modest and yet somehow awe-inspiring universe of being in a relationship with Ritsuka is slowly unfolding in front of Kadoc. They could . . . watch a movie . . . together?!]

[fujimaru]

I do! But it's been a while since I've just sat down and watched one.

[ But the thought is occurring to her at the same time as it is to him. Watching a movie together is mostly coded as a friend thing in her own head, but at the same time... She ducks her head a little, glancing at him sidelong. ]

Maybe we should find some really bad ones and marathon them.

[impostorsyndrome]

What, action movies? . . . Heh. Yeah, sure, I'm in.

[The thing about action movies is that even bad ones are fun to laugh at and rarely boring. It sounds like a good time, sitting around with her and poking fun at some. Maybe she can sit in his lap—

Don't think about that. The movies! The movies.]

[fujimaru]

Really?

[ She lights up at that, bright and--not hopeful, exactly, but anticipatory. There was a part of her that half expected him to dig in his heels about that, if only on the principle of the thing. But he said yes! She's excited! ]

Okay--my place? I'm not a great cook, but I can put some stuff together for a dinner.

[impostorsyndrome]

Yeah, sounds good. Tomorrow? I mean . . . whenever you want.

[Ohhhh god did he look desperate suggesting tomorrow? Is she going to think he doesn't have a life—no, that's stupid. He knows it's dumb shit, but he has the thoughts anyway, and he shakes them off to focus instead on how purely happy she looks that he said yes.]

[fujimaru]

Tomorrow is fine!

[ It is on the tip of her tongue to say what about tonight, but they're already having dinner. Which is surely delicious, but she's distracted by making plans in her head. One movie for sure, maybe two, depending, and also-- ]

You should tell me if there's anything you don't wanna eat.

[impostorsyndrome]

[She's so happy . . . and so is he. It occurs to him too to just suggest they do it right now, but the idea of her cooking for him is also appealing. And he wants to cook for her, too, and just share—life. The little parts of life they don't get much chance to appreciate at home, and which are better shared with someone you care about.]

I'm not picky. That's not just a line, either . . . I don't eat a lot to begin with, and I'm a survivalist. I know how to get by on anything I have to.

[fujimaru]

In that case, maybe curry.

[ She's being bubbly. She can tell. It's the kind of thing that makes her feel slightly obnoxious, but also, she can't really repress it. And to be fair, she doesn't particularly want to, either. She wants to be happy. She deserves that much, and so does he. ]

That's something I've got confidence in! Not as much as my chocolate, but that doesn't really make for a great dinner.

[impostorsyndrome]

I'm not much of a sweets person anyway . . . but if it's yours, I want it.

[It's hard not to feel his spirits lifted just by her happiness. There's a sense in him that maybe he's actually been wanting to feel that way for a long time now, and only now is he giving himself the permission.

But it's finally time to go. Kadoc pushes back from the table, lingering. Once they leave . . . it's not over yet, they still need to get home, but there's still a finality to it.]

[fujimaru]

I'll do my best!

[ She's also reluctant to get up, though there is a part of her that feels almost weightless, so full of fizzy, bubbling energy that she's not sure she could stay still for that much longer. Is this really what it's like, to hook up with someone? Maybe all of her trashy romances were onto something!!

On impulse and whim, she reaches to grab his hand once they're on the same side of the table, standing. ]

It's a nice night... we could walk?

[impostorsyndrome]

Yeah, I'd like that. I'm . . .

[He's about to say that he's not ready to go home. And it's true; he isn't. But it sounds a little pathetic, doesn't it? Even if it's the way he feels? Kadoc squeezes her hand, at a loss for a moment before he recovers, leading her to the door.]

. . . up for staying out a while longer.

[fujimaru]

Good.

[ She squeezes his hand in return, an answering gentle pressure, then lets their hands swing a little as they walk. Once outside, she gravitates a little closer to him, enough that their arms brush each other. Nothing obvious or obnoxious! But more deliberately PDA than she would have ever thought herself willing or capable of doing. ]

Let's just wander around.

[impostorsyndrome]

That sounds nice. It's a nice night. You know, as long as I've been here, I still haven't seen the whole city.

[The sun is down by now, and Kadoc holds out his other palm to summon a little twinkling ball of light resting in it; he lets it float up to hover between them and give off its soft, romantic light.

This isn't necessary in the slightest. The streets are well lit. But he wants to show off for her! Even if this is the very simplest thing Light magic can do!]

[fujimaru]

[ It might not have been necessary, but it works the way he intended: Ritsuka's eyes go wide before her lips curl into a little smile, her cheeks pink. It doesn't matter that she theoretically could do other small things to show off, if she wanted; it still looks cool to her. And the fact that he's doing it for their date continuation isn't lost on her.

On a whim, she shifts closer. If she tilts her head just a little more, she could rest it on his shoulder. ]

Neither have I... I've wandered around some, but that's not the same.

[impostorsyndrome]

[Maybe he could . . . put his arm around her? It's a little chilly! Maybe she'd appreciate it! God, he feels like a stupid kid going to prom or some shit, and it's both embarrassing and kind of exciting to be in that position right now, with her. He does it. He slips his arm loosely around her waist, tentative at first, willing to let it fall away again at a moment's notice if she doesn't seem to like it.]

We're just gonna be wandering around too. Unless you had any ideas in mind. Anywhere you wanna go?

[fujimaru]

[ When he does that, she startles, then melts into the contact. Her head finally dips enough to lean against his shoulder, and there's a small soft smile on her lips. Yeah, she could get used to this. She likes this. ]

Not really. I think it'd be nice to wander with company.

[impostorsyndrome]

Let's just walk.

[She's leaning on him . . . she's so soft. Kadoc feels deeply aware of her right now in every sensory fashion. Her scent, her warmth, the sound of her breath, it's all captivating. And he can't think about it too hard if he doesn't want to embarrass himself in front of her by getting turned on by it—just this? Seriously?! He squeezes his arm around her, heading out with her into the street.]

. . . I'm having a good time tonight.

[fujimaru]

Me too!

[ She says it brightly, the pleasure of it bubbling out of her. There's something that feels good in a simple, steady way to be held like this, and all she wants is to stay close. It might take a moment to figure out how they should walk together, but once they do, Ritsuka isn't sure she's ever felt happier. ]

It almost feels silly to say so, but I just feel good.

[impostorsyndrome]

I don't think there's anything silly about that. I mean . . . if you didn't, I'd be worried why you were agreeing to go out with me.

[Ahhh. It still feels nerve-wracking to say, in a good way—she's going out with him! They're going out! Not just on a date tonight! The girl on his arm right now is going out with him. Amazing.]

[fujimaru]

That goes both ways.

[ She ducks her head slightly to emphasize their height difference a little more as she peers up at him. There's still that smile playing on her lips, soft and fond, unable to hold it back. ]

I'd feel bad if you were unhappy about it. I guess this is what they'd call a feedback loop?

[impostorsyndrome]

Yeah. Gross.

[Of course he doesn't mean it. It's a stupid joke, and he smiles back at her—a smile that would be bright and playful if he were more confident, but instead it's more awkwardly playful. Joke? Joke??]

[fujimaru]

I haven't even begun to show you gross. Get ready.

[ It's a joke! She's just happy he's being silly, and she can make this "threat" as if it actually means something. He can make of it what he wants. ]

[impostorsyndrome]

Bring it on.

[He says that with more confidence than he says most anything. Maybe he even sounds cool for a second. He sounds a little cool to himself, even though what he's asking for here is for her to be embarrassing and sappy at him, and that's . . . no, that is cool, actually.]