bravenewworld | sᴛᴀʀᴄʀᴏssᴇᴅ☆

Who: Honoka Kousaka and Right Suzuki! Open for bothering.
Where: Just outside Union.
When: Roughly a week after Salvation festivities end.
What: Honoka finally decides to have a Talk with Right.
Warnings: Dumb teenagers that are a little twitterpated.

[She'd asked after him early one afternoon, when the sun was high but the air was cold. It had been something like a week since Salvation, and she couldn't get a small handful of things out of her mind. Namely, Right and a few things he'd said. Specifically, that he'd mentioned her in particular when it came to missing things if he were away.]

[It had brought forth all sorts of other realizations. Things Hayato had teased her about, things she found herself noticing or enjoying more about Right's company moreso than other people. It was no secret that Honoka loved just about everyone-- but there was something special about Right. She had discussed it with Hayato once. Briefly. Frustratedly.]

[She hadn't been ready to talk about it then.]

[But now, with the crest of another Awakened evolution on her horizon, her strength and her resolve about life growing along with her... She thought maybe it was time to Talk About It.]

[So here she was, perched on a high, but visible branch of a tree just outside of Union, kicking her feet absently and giggling at Ariera's tutting. The Tropius eventually gave up telling her she'd fall and hurt herself and laid himself neatly beneath the tree to serve as a cushion if and when she inevitably did.]

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[Right ran towards the agreed-upon location as quick as he can, cursing the fact that Haruka gave him extra work at the last moment. These days, he keeps wanting to spend more and more time with Honoka than anyone else, or doing anything else other than talk to her and eat her cooking. He...well, he enjoys her food and opinions and laughter and just about everything else related to her. And it's really nice - leaves him all warm and fuzzy and full of smiles after each and every time they see each other.

And it's why he's unusually irritated with being dealt with extra stage-hand work. He really loves being part of the Divine Theater; he truly does. But for the first time in years, he's finding himself wanting to spend time doing something other than his dream jobs - both as an actor and as a member of the Divine Defense Force. If it was anyone else, he'd just do everything and get there with a smile and a valid excuse.

But with this growing yearning to be around Honoka more? It's starting to irk him that he can't do that every single waking moment. It's equally frustrating that he doesn't really know why he's thinking this way about his dream position, of all things. Which is why his face lights up like the move Sunny Day when he finally arrives.]

Honoka~!

[She had dropped over backward on the tree branch she'd claimed as her own, much to Ariera's shocked dismay, and was hanging by her knees when Right came running. It was a little funny to watch him run up to her upside-down as she was, even without all the blood rushing to her head. She waved, smiling, and tried to determine exactly how she was going to get back up onto the branch or drop to the ground without giving her paternally overprotective Tropius a heart attack.]

[She wore her hair long these days, instead of held up in its usual side-ponytail, and sometimes with braids that sat in front of the frilled, wing-like ears that now adorned the sides of her face. Today was no exception, the small braids tied off with slender yellow ribbons tied into tiny bows. She wasn't sure what it was about Right that made her want to take an extra moment on her appearance-- she just wanted to make sure she looked nice anytime she was around him.]

[His approach sent butterfrees into her stomach, and in the end she just swung her weight until she swung right on off the branch, landing in a crouch beside Ariera, who looked harried. She smoothed a hand over the top of his head and then stood to greet Right.]

Hey.

[She was getting taller. He would always be taller, that much she was sure of, but it was getting easier to look him in the eye when he stood close.]

Hey! Sorry for being late; Haruka's been such a slave driver now that Salvation's over with for another year.

[He sighs and grimaces a little. But that doesn't last long as he slows to a halt in front of Honoka. It only takes him a moment to realize something:]

...oh, wow. You're getting taller.

[Right grins and he measure her with his head for emphasis. Part of his mind does, however, notice just a few seconds later that she's looking rather pretty today. At least, prettier than usual. Definitely making him feel rather warm and fuzzy inside...]

[She chuckled at that, rolling her eyes fondly. She watched his hand as she digested his comment about her getting taller, and smiled impishly, rolling onto her toes to be taller still.]

Are you sure you weren't just slacking off? And of course I am. I'm not yet a beanpole like you!!

Of course, I wasn't!

[Yes, he was - just a little. But that's because his thoughts were on other things that morning - one of which is right in front of him.]

Well, who knows? Maybe you'll get to be taller than me someday. I mean, Dragon Types tend to be pretty big, right?

[He does drop his hand after a moment, though.]

So, what's going on? Must be good news since you're all pretty'd up.

[A slight huff.]

I don't wanna be that tall! That's Too Tall for a girl. Maybe? I dunno. I guess we'll see whenever I evolve.

[She fidgets a touch with one of her braids, pinking slightly at the compliment.]

Thanks. I, um. Wanted to talk to you.

Okay...about what?

[Now, his smile's starting to waver a little bit. Usually, when people say that to him, it's not good. But she's clearly not angry or upset about anything...yet. Maybe. Hopefully?]

[The hand not playing with her braid reaches out and doesn't-quite touch him, ghosting over his shoulder, down his arm, and eventually to his hand. She recoils about halfway and then reaches out and resolutely grabs the ends of his fingers.]

This is... Actually a lot harder to talk about than I thought it was, but I never was the romantic sort. Um. I-- [She looks up at him, biting her lip, but frowning in a determined sort of way around the gesture.] ...I think I like you. Like... A lot.

[Right takes her hand in his own, gently and...friendly-like? All the while, he blinks in surprise and...confusion]

Well...I kinda like you, too. But what do you mean by romantic sort?

[She blinks.]

[Oh, this was going to be harder than she thought. Shaking her head, she laughs.]

Because, when I say like, I mean like... like-like. Like romantic like.

[She sure is turning the color of her pinker scales.]

Ohhhh, like-like! That makes sense.

[Give it a few moments to sink in...]

[Aaaaand it finally starts to click.]

...Ohhhhhhh! So...you really...

[And as the final pieces click into place, his own face turns bright pink as he starts feeling like there's butterflies in his stomach.]

...ooohhhh...wow, um... Never thought of us like...this before.

[The good news is that his hand is starting to curl around hers, so...it's a start?]

[She transcends pink right on into scarlet and ducks her head, curling her fingers into his reflexively and bringing her other hand up to fidget with her braid once more.]

I--'ve given it some thought for a little while, now. Just wasn't sure how to bring it up.

No, no! It's okay. I mean, it's, well...

[Wow, he's actually rambling. He's just...gonna take a moment to just stop and take a deep breath. Or two. Or three.]

It...it does explain a few things, actually. Like...why I kept missing you so much when I was on all those trips.

sᴛᴀʀᴄʀᴏssᴇᴅ☆

After Haruka's questioning...

lord have mercy

Be brave~

👍

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