bravenewworld | A Training Date

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A Training Date

Who: Mami and Yosuke
Where: Outside of Union
When: Week 76
What: Technically training, even though he wanted this for an excuse to see Mami again.

His failures with other girls so far haven't slowed him down, not one bit. Wanna know why? Because he somehow, by some miracle, managed to befriend Mami Tomoe. Thankfully, he's managed to calm himself down enough that he doesn't fanboy all over anymore, though there are times where he still can't believe he's getting to hang out with her.

And she was kind of a cool person. You'd think someone like that would be really high up on themselves, but Mami didn't ever talk down to him or treat him badly. He's honestly more excited about this than he was to go out with Yukiko to the theater. And hesitant to just ask her out, like out of everything, he really didn't want to screw it up with her. The timing had to be just right. He's not sure if she's even interested in him at all, but he's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. And he's not going to give up just because he isn't sure yet! Going to keep an eye out for the signs.

So he calls her up, anxiously waiting for her to pick up.

"Yo, Mami, it's Yosuke! You busy?"

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"Sorry," Mami replies with an awkward laugh. "Sometimes, my instincts get the better of me. You were doing quite well."

She walks over and extends a hand down to him, for him to help himself up to his feet if he wants it. "Nothing broken, I should think?" She didn't throw him that hard. But... Windblessed are also often built tougher than regular humans. She can't let herself forget that.

He takes the hand up, climbing back onto his feet. His side is a little sore and he might of scratched a limb or two up a little, but he takes a few steps forward to test to see. He doesn't feel like anything is broken, so he shakes his head. He'll be okay.

"You're wicked fast and strong; I can't believe I can even get up after that." He knows she was taking it pretty easy on him, but the words are encouraging. "I've been practicing a little bit, glad that it wasn't all for nothing." He laughs, making it lighthearted and not that big of a deal.

"Sorry about your hair. I..didn't meant to cut it like that..."

"I am a Valkyrie," she says, with another wink. "I have to be fast and strong." Once that moment of pride is put aside, though, her tone of voice becomes more conciliatory. "You did well, though. You'll improve quickly, I think."

Then she reaches a hand up. One of her curls is now a few inches shorter. Her expression briefly screws up -- her hair will look uneven! -- but doesn't stay that way long. She smiles back at him, then she shrugs. "It will grow back," she says. "Perhaps I should trim the other ringlet, though. I'll look ridiculous, otherwise."

"Yeah, it does look kinda lopsided now," he says without thinking. But her hair reminded him of something, the box that he'd grabbed earlier when she'd said yes to coming out here with him. He rummages through his cargo pants, trying to find the pocket he'd put the box in, one where he was sure it wouldn't get crushed while he was fighting her.

"So I noticed that you like to wear barrettes and stuff...so I got you this." He hands over the small box, produced from the large pocket on the side of his leg. Inside is a pair of barrettes, heavier and flashier than cheap plastic ones but not something that had real, expensive jewels in it or anything. He'd never be able to afford something like that.

"The gems aren't real but I thought they'd look cool in your hair, so I got them for you. Whaddya think?"

Edited 2015-06-28 21:50 (UTC)

"I'll have to fix it later," she answered, her fingers lingering over the shorn lock. She would have to contend with it later. It meant she was distracted at first, though, when he pulled the box out. She glanced at him, her mind sputtering. She didn't really expect a gift from him. He had always been nice, of course, and she had seen him glance at her a few times before. But she ultimately expected the same thing that most of her friendships -- most of her relationships, really -- had: ending in superficiality. People couldn't look past her being an ace.

Or, maybe, Mami wouldn't let them.

So she stared at first, before she took the small box. "Oh," she murmured, by rote at first, but then her words were more sincere: "You shouldn't have."

She opened the box and didn't gasp or anything, but the way the barrettes twinkled in her eyes -- and the small smile -- made it clear that she approved. She nodded, before she looked back up at him. The smile stayed and was, in truth, more revealing than she would have liked. She was touched. "Thank you, Yosuke," she said. "They're... they're lovely."

He can't help but grin back at her, noticing that she'd liked them. He knew he'd hit the jackpot when he found them, but fails to mention to her that he'd picked them up right at Junes, for a sweet discount too- the perks of working there. It was more than rewarding to see her smile like that, and he's almost sure he's never actually seen her smile like that before.

"They'll be even more lovely in your hair, why don't you put them in? I wanna see what they look like."

He doesn't move to offer to help her, because there's no way he could put that in someone's hair and not screw it up, and he also doesn't feel like pushing her would be a good decision. Maybe had it been Yukiko, or Rise, or one of the other girls he'd already tried his luck with, he'd offer- but for now, he'd let her put them in herself and admire her from right where he is.

"Of course!" she agrees, cheerfully enough. She does like hair ornaments, after all. His observations were quite correct. It takes Mami a second to get them in place -- a little longer than it might without a mirror, but she has done this enough times. She fiddles with them after she has them in, though.

It's for the best he didn't offer. She is mildly flustered, right now. That would fluster her considerably more -- and besides that, she is particular about her hair.

(It takes awhile to style.)

"How does that look?"

"It looks totally perfect....you look so awesome with them on! Oh man..."

He's not just saying it either, they looked awesome, probably better than even he imagined. His voice is sincere, and even he gets a little red in the face just looking at her. She was super cute, even more so now that she was flustered. He also may be a little more excited than he should be letting on too...

"Ah, you're going to make me blush," she says. This time, she lies. Her cheeks are already tinged with pink. She smiles, though, and clasps her hands behind her back. It will catch up to her in a moment that they're flirting.

"I'll definitely wear them," she says. "Ah, but I'm at a loss! I didn't get you anything. I'll have to rectify that some day soon."

This cannot be going as well as he thinks it is, he silently says to himself. It almost comes right out of his mouth, but thankfully he keeps it down, this time. He has to bite his tongue to keep from exploding about how amazing this moment is, and he mildly flips out at the mention of her getting him anything.

"N-No way, you don't have to get me anything! Let's just hang out more! I'd be totally cool with that!"

His eyes keep flicking from the gift in her hair back to her face, panicking slightly. He hadn't planned on her accepting it and not calling him a loser, which is what normally happens...

"Hmm."

That noise is strangely noncommittal, because she intends to get him something later even still. But maybe, she thinks, it would be better to wait. She could stand to think on what would be a suitable gift.

"I won't argue with that." She is aware, now, that this couldn't possibly be construed as entirely friendly. (Except for perhaps Yukiko Amagi.) She should flinch away from that, she knows. She doesn't have time for such a thing -- and she doesn't know where her feelings stand, either. But, the words are out before she thinks better of them, and she finds herself relieved that she was so hasty.

Life is complicated, sometimes.

She peers at him, her expression curious but measured. "I thought of investigating Refuge soon." She tilts her head. "You could come with me, if you'd like."

It's like music to his ears to hear her say that. That she'd want to spend time with him again. It's enough that he almost dances around and celebrates, but her question stops him from acting like a total idiot. He gives her a questioning look, about the topic of Refuge.

"Refuge? You mean that place out in the middle of the woods? Isn't that the place that's totally underground?"

He's not sure how comfortable he feels about that, though he'd heard there was an entire society there. A whole other place he's never seen, and that sounded exciting.

"Apparently," Mami says. She hasn't been there before, after all. "No one from Citadel has ever traveled there, that I know. I thought that an account for the Matriarch might be wise. It is, of course, for business. But..."

She smiles, then. "Some company would be nice."

And though she doesn't want to admit it, Mami Tomoe doesn't want to travel alone. She always finds it depressing. "We can get there in a day or so, I believe, if we fly," she adds. "We wouldn't be away from Union for long."

Edited (oops icon) 2015-06-29 01:52 (UTC)

"Going on totally official Valkyrie business? Hell yeah, count me in!" Even if he'll be underground, it'll be fun to see a new place. Especially if he gets to go with her, it's like the giant cherry on top. He thinks for a second. He'd have to take off from work, and pack, tapping his chin as he considers this.

"Though...you're the one who can fly here. Not me. I'm stuck walking, unless you're gunna carry me there..." It's frustrating, and he feels a twinge of resentment. Of course she can fly, he can't...though he doesn't let that cross his features, not when she's asking him to accompany her to Refuge.

She didn't think of that. She looks briefly awkward, but then she shakes her head. "I can help with the ribbons. We can cover long distances that way, it just takes... some focus," she concludes. She used it for the march to Sanctuary. She expects this to go better than that trip. "We'll practice that, before we do it in earnest."

She smiles, though, a moment later. He agreed, which is a relief. She had wondered if he would see it as getting him to do work for her.

"We could leave next week," she says. "Would that work for you?"

Edited 2015-06-29 02:37 (UTC)

"Is this like, something you gotta do right away? Because next week's already scheduled. I gotta ask off again, so I'll have to check." He suddenly wishes he wasn't so strapped down to this job- going out and exploring, seeing the world, that's what he really wanted to do. Not sit inside all day at a department store.

"Can I get back to you on that? I can let you know later tonight." He sighs. He really wants to just say yes.

"Hold up a second, practice like, we're gunna swing through the air again like we did back on the beach?"

"Oh, no, not right away. Let me know when you know," she says. "We can push it back as necessary."

Then she looks up and smiles, nodding her head once. "Yes. It's easy enough, but there's a rhythm you'll want to get for long distances, and it's best that you try it a little first." She pauses. "Before we do it for miles."

"M-Miles?"

His voice shakes at the suggestion. How would he make it for miles and miles when he can barely get through one session of surviving training with just his pokémon? He might die. He might. He's not all that confident, and it shows- his eyes widen and his jaw drops.

She sees the look that he gives her. She shakes her head, holding both hands up. "It won't be so bad. You'll just want to see what I'm doing," she says. "I carry you with the ribbons. I've done it before. I do most of the work, but it's best that you be used to how it feels -- and how to balance. It isn't so hard."

He doesn't know why, but he feels like he can trust her on that. She'd done it before with him, but it was only a short distance- but he knows that she wouldn't let him fall, or get hurt in the process.

"Okay, if you think I'm not gunna fall to my death on the way over." He calms down, and smiles.

"Well, we can do a little more, or call it a day. I dunno about you, but I'm totally getting hungry over here."

She is certainly confident of her ability with ribbons. Perhaps too confident.

"I'm positive," she says, with a wider smile. Then she nods, because she is also hungry; ordinarily, she would bring a picnic lunch or the like, but she had focused so much on how to train him that she neglected that. "I should have brought something to eat... oh well. Shall we return to the city? We can find food there."

"Yeah. I'm totally beat!" He exclaims as he stretches a little. He was going to feel those hits tomorrow and he knew it. Though, it's worth it to him. Now he gets to go out to dinner with her, and how sweet is that?

"I heard of this place in the business district that I wanna check out. You down for that?"

She is a little less exhausted, but only a little. It was certainly a good workout. She stretches nonetheless. Mami looks sideways, then she nods, with a smile.

"Let's," she agrees. "I'm curious now."

"C'mon, I'll lead the way. I heard it's this noodle place."

He scoops his weapons up, spinning them on his fingers into the holsters at his side and managing not to bungle it up. Smiling, he tries to be smooth and offers his arm to her.

"Shall we, milady?" In his corniest gentleman voice.

And he'll lead her to the restaurant whether she takes his arm or not!

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A Training Date

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