[He nods, unsure of what he's nodding at, and in fact it takes longer than it should for his brain to even parse what she just said. He stops nodding then, instead swallowing. It feels as loud as if he'd just suddenly screamed into the tiny void of the dressing room.]
. . . Sorry if it's weird as hell to thank you for that, but I actually appreciate that a lot.
[ The fact that it feels like he's being honest means a lot. Regardless of the difficulties they've had in meeting each other in the middle, it doesn't feel like he's only trying to humor her--or worse, being mocking--and she's more grateful for that than she anticipated. She isn't hugely self-conscious about her body, other than the scars, but nor does she think very highly of it.
After a few seconds, though, she finally steps back. ]
I should probably--uh. Get redressed. Then we can pay for this and go.
[The spell, whatever it was, is at least partially broken, and Kadoc isn't sure if he's disappointed or relieved. But where else is there for it to go, anyway? That's something he needs time to think about not in this dressing room. He steps back to the door . . .
And, okay, he gives her one more look over in that outfit, ears pink, not the most subtle thing in the world, before he cracks the door open and slips out.]
[ It's the sort of thing that she might not have noticed, even if he was less than subtle, if not for being primed for the moment. Ritsuka's very good at blinding herself to this sort of thing.
But there had been a Moment--and it's not even the first one, is it? There'd been something during that party, too, and she can't deny it. A part of her would like to, because how ridiculous is that thought, even? But she can't, and so she does notice. It's a mixed feeling, somewhere between being flattered and deeply unsure. Should she talk to him about it? Would it be better to let it lie? What's the right choice?
Even though she mulls over it as she redresses--and boy is it a relief to be in her own proper clothes again--she has no conclusion by the time she opens the door again, peeking out again before she emerges, holding the costume to her chest in a crumpled ball. ]
[He's waiting not too far away, having paid already, bringing her the bag to put the costume in. She actually owns that thing now. And Kadoc knows, with absolute certainty, that he really doesn't want her to wear it for anyone else ever, and what the hell is he supposed to do with that knowledge? It's something he's going to need to unpack, he knows. Probably when he gets home and decides to obsess over it, as he loves to do. It's practically his hobby.]
[ Ritsuka gives him a quick, embarrassed smile before she stuffs the costume into the bag and takes it from him. She's blushing and she knows it, but hopefully no one thinks it's breaking character for a pair of--a pair, just barely dipping their toes into something more exciting in the bedroom. When she gets home, she's going to throw this bag into the back of her closet and do her very best to not think too hard about this. ]
Yeah. I think we've had enough scavenger hunt for the day. Four's better than I thought we'd do, anyway. Probably good enough for a prize.
[He gives her the bag and begins to head for the door. It feels like he should be holding her hand for this. That's the ruse, right? A couple experimenting for the first time? But no one's actually watching them anymore; the shop's gotten his money. The helpful employee is already assisting someone else, a young woman looking for a particular "massager." There's no reason to keep up the stupid façade that had gotten out of hand.
He almost takes her hand. He starts to reach for it. But then he aborts mission. Mission failed.]
[ She only notices after he's pulled his hand back, and it's not like she can actually tell what he'd been doing... but she does know what she would have liked it to be. It would have been nice to hold his hand, if only to provide some kind of united front against... what? Who? Nothing and no one, but she still wants it.
And then they're outside. Wild, how everything out here is entirely the same as it was when they went in. It's just that something inside of her is different, apparently. ]
I feel like you're the one who deserves the thanks after all that crap I just put you through. I can . . . buy you lunch or something sometime.
[It just kind of comes out. It's not a date. It's definitely not asking her on a date, it's just . . . an offer, that he lets slip and then immediately feels a certain way about. And he expects her to refuse. He genuinely does. Why would she agree? She obviously doesn't feel like he owes her, no matter what he says. It's just . . .
He has to hear the rejection with his own ears, and watches her, flustered and openly anxious. Just get it over with, Fujimaru.]
[ Unfortunately for him, she freezes for a moment, looking openly surprised at the offer. It's not a date--she knows it's not--but it could sound like one. If one were so inclined to think so.
After a few seconds, she takes a breath and nods. ]
I-- I'd like that. That sounds nice.
[ Now she's the one watching him closely. Is he going to take it back? He's not the sort of guy who comes out with pranks like this, but it's hard for her to believe he genuinely means the offer, just because she has a hard time believing anyone would go that for about her. ]
[She, she said yes. She said it sounds nice?! It definitely was not asking her out on a date, totally not, she's only saying yes because she knows it isn't, but right then Kadoc hears a little voice in the back of his traitor brain: now that she said yes, maybe it is a date after all. Stupid brain. It doesn't work that way. You can't trick her into making it a date after she agrees . . .
But does he want to?
Apparently.
He just looks at her, and then nods back, swallowing in a way that feels embarrassingly conspicuous.]
Me too. I mean, yeah. I think so. Obviously, 'cuz I asked you. So . . . I'll just text you or something to set a date.
[ Oh no. Oh no, now she's said it--it's his fault! He said it first, and she just responded in kind, and now it's, ahhhhhhhhhh?! Ahhhhhhhhh.
She has a second to just kind of stare at him in befuddled not-quite horror before she squeaks, in a rush to clarify: ]
I-I mean, it's, I'm not trying to be weird about it or anything, it's--haha, um, that's--you know, I'm not saying it's a date-date, it's just, y--you know!
Yeah. Yeah, I know, I'm not . . . I wasn't trying to trick you out on a date with me or whatever.
[Because he'd have to for her to agree, right?! He'd have to bait and switch her! That's the only way! His whole body feels hot right now, radiating off his face through his all of him. Ahhhhhh?!]
I-I know you weren't! You're not that kind of guy.
[ Given her very very narrow knowledge of what Kadoc's type is (Anastasia), she is pretty sure there's no way he would actually ever ask her in the first place. But also, she can't look him in the eye right now, her own face bright red. ]
So, uh, it's okay. I'd be happy to have lunch with you any time.
Yeah. Me too. Sounds good. I'll . . . I can text you sometime soon. . . . Thanks for doing this crazy quest with me.
[He tries to catch her eye. But what would he do if he did? Then he'd be looking her in the eye! That's impossible right now! Nothing more fucked up has ever happened to either of them! So in the end, he looks away too.]
[ The thing to do... is just look at him sidelong and nod, fast and jerky. It's not quite eye contact, but hopefully he's looking enough to see the gesture. ]
Thanks for having me. --Uh. And I'll look forward to lunch.
[And now the thing to do is flee, and feel fucking stupid for fleeing, because what more was that than two friends just making a normal lunch NOT date with one another? Nothing! Fucking nothing!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fujimaru
no subject
Date: 2022-07-22 06:17 am (UTC). . . Sorry if it's weird as hell to thank you for that, but I actually appreciate that a lot.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-22 06:27 am (UTC)[ The fact that it feels like he's being honest means a lot. Regardless of the difficulties they've had in meeting each other in the middle, it doesn't feel like he's only trying to humor her--or worse, being mocking--and she's more grateful for that than she anticipated. She isn't hugely self-conscious about her body, other than the scars, but nor does she think very highly of it.
After a few seconds, though, she finally steps back. ]
I should probably--uh. Get redressed. Then we can pay for this and go.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-24 03:14 am (UTC)[The spell, whatever it was, is at least partially broken, and Kadoc isn't sure if he's disappointed or relieved. But where else is there for it to go, anyway? That's something he needs time to think about not in this dressing room. He steps back to the door . . .
And, okay, he gives her one more look over in that outfit, ears pink, not the most subtle thing in the world, before he cracks the door open and slips out.]
See you outside.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-24 03:20 am (UTC)[ It's the sort of thing that she might not have noticed, even if he was less than subtle, if not for being primed for the moment. Ritsuka's very good at blinding herself to this sort of thing.
But there had been a Moment--and it's not even the first one, is it? There'd been something during that party, too, and she can't deny it. A part of her would like to, because how ridiculous is that thought, even? But she can't, and so she does notice. It's a mixed feeling, somewhere between being flattered and deeply unsure. Should she talk to him about it? Would it be better to let it lie? What's the right choice?
Even though she mulls over it as she redresses--and boy is it a relief to be in her own proper clothes again--she has no conclusion by the time she opens the door again, peeking out again before she emerges, holding the costume to her chest in a crumpled ball. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-24 06:05 am (UTC). . . It's all yours. Congratulations.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-24 06:11 am (UTC)[ Ritsuka gives him a quick, embarrassed smile before she stuffs the costume into the bag and takes it from him. She's blushing and she knows it, but hopefully no one thinks it's breaking character for a pair of--a pair, just barely dipping their toes into something more exciting in the bedroom. When she gets home, she's going to throw this bag into the back of her closet and do her very best to not think too hard about this. ]
C'mon, let's get out of here.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-26 03:34 am (UTC)[He gives her the bag and begins to head for the door. It feels like he should be holding her hand for this. That's the ruse, right? A couple experimenting for the first time? But no one's actually watching them anymore; the shop's gotten his money. The helpful employee is already assisting someone else, a young woman looking for a particular "massager." There's no reason to keep up the stupid façade that had gotten out of hand.
He almost takes her hand. He starts to reach for it. But then he aborts mission. Mission failed.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-26 03:44 am (UTC)And then they're outside. Wild, how everything out here is entirely the same as it was when they went in. It's just that something inside of her is different, apparently. ]
...Yeah. It's--um. Thanks for doing this for me.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-26 04:57 am (UTC)[It just kind of comes out. It's not a date. It's definitely not asking her on a date, it's just . . . an offer, that he lets slip and then immediately feels a certain way about. And he expects her to refuse. He genuinely does. Why would she agree? She obviously doesn't feel like he owes her, no matter what he says. It's just . . .
He has to hear the rejection with his own ears, and watches her, flustered and openly anxious. Just get it over with, Fujimaru.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-26 05:01 am (UTC)After a few seconds, she takes a breath and nods. ]
I-- I'd like that. That sounds nice.
[ Now she's the one watching him closely. Is he going to take it back? He's not the sort of guy who comes out with pranks like this, but it's hard for her to believe he genuinely means the offer, just because she has a hard time believing anyone would go that for about her. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 03:56 am (UTC)But does he want to?
Apparently.
He just looks at her, and then nods back, swallowing in a way that feels embarrassingly conspicuous.]
Me too. I mean, yeah. I think so. Obviously, 'cuz I asked you. So . . . I'll just text you or something to set a date.
[he said the word date
(in the other sense but still!)]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 04:09 am (UTC)[ Oh no. Oh no, now she's said it--it's his fault! He said it first, and she just responded in kind, and now it's, ahhhhhhhhhh?! Ahhhhhhhhh.
She has a second to just kind of stare at him in befuddled not-quite horror before she squeaks, in a rush to clarify: ]
I-I mean, it's, I'm not trying to be weird about it or anything, it's--haha, um, that's--you know, I'm not saying it's a date-date, it's just, y--you know!
[ Does he? Does she?! Ahhhhhhhhhhh?! ]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 05:02 am (UTC)[Because he'd have to for her to agree, right?! He'd have to bait and switch her! That's the only way! His whole body feels hot right now, radiating off his face through his all of him. Ahhhhhh?!]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 05:13 am (UTC)[ Given her very very narrow knowledge of what Kadoc's type is (Anastasia), she is pretty sure there's no way he would actually ever ask her in the first place. But also, she can't look him in the eye right now, her own face bright red. ]
So, uh, it's okay. I'd be happy to have lunch with you any time.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-07 06:16 am (UTC)[He tries to catch her eye. But what would he do if he did? Then he'd be looking her in the eye! That's impossible right now! Nothing more fucked up has ever happened to either of them! So in the end, he looks away too.]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-07 06:36 am (UTC)Thanks for having me. --Uh. And I'll look forward to lunch.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-08 05:14 am (UTC)[And now the thing to do is flee, and feel fucking stupid for fleeing, because what more was that than two friends just making a normal lunch NOT date with one another? Nothing! Fucking nothing!
And yet.]