masanari | [Midlandia] Just One Note

I'm already surprised, so I'll just stay at this level until we see him.

[A picnic is such a nice idea!! It also relies on the idea that they can talk for long periods of time which will be met with some mixed results, right? It's kind of hard to be around two guys and not kiss them, even if it is in public. Also, how are the gifts supposed to work, here? Masaomi had seemed kind of serious about that.]

Do they have swings here?

[She totally wants to go on the swings.]

We didn't really plan the gifts either... [ He sighs at this, shaking his head at the lack of planning here. He grumbles something about hoping Masaomi actually managed to get their food picked out, and puts the hand not holding hers into his pocket, as if he meant to pull out of his cell phone. He doesn't, but only barely.

The young man blinks at the question and, ]

Maybe?

[ It's more one of this big bike park and dog walk and benches parks, but there's got to be a kids section over on the other side... there is, right? He was on the slide when he was younger... Oh. ]

Wait, no... yeah, there is.

Well, this was very sudden.

[She says it in such a way that implies she won't take it very seriously if there aren't any gifts at all. She did sort of get Mikado and Masaomi something but in a sense they were both hand me downs, there's more sentimental value than it being cool or whatever. She'd maybe feel guilty about that if she'd had more than, what, thirteen hours, to find something.]

It's such a nice day for this, too! I should have worn the green dress, though! I could have rolled down the grass!

[Ahh, well, it's not like the park is going anywhere, and this'll be a great place to drag her brother to.]

So you're gonna push me then, right? [On the swings.]

[ He is-- ]

Masaomi's stronger than me...

[ For pushing. But all the same he blushes and pictures it in his head. Other than being a little shorter and that's terrible, it's a romantic image, a pretty enticing one all things considered. As for the whole gifts thing, they were meant to get one for each other coordinating with each other if he heard Maaomi's babble right. So in theory he and Nariko should have teamed up for Masaomi and him and Masaomi for her. such a thing wasn't really how it's gone down now, but...

A green dress, huh... ]

You look nice, though, I -- I don't think you need to worry about it...

[That's probably what Masaomi said but all Nariko really took away from it was 'everyone gets a gift'. She will ardently bullshit her way around that truth for at least six months.]

I don't want to get stains on it, but this place looks so nice, too.

[Look, she wants to indulge in every single excuse to end up a mess. For once she's not overly concerned with looking out for her brother, so she just feels a little free. But this dress is white and she doesn't know how to get out grass stains, so swings it is! She'll roll down hills and probably get a concussion some other way.]

And I don't care if Masaomi is 'stronger', I want it to be you.

[She answered that out of order but whatevs.]

[ . . . That's- ]

R-really? --Why?

[ Was tat to the first part or the second part-- no, it was the second part, but he looks surprised, and that why is more ore less squeaked out, looking at her with no small bit of shock. He didn't think that-

This was all happening so fast that--

His hand does leave her hand, perhaps a little unintentionally ]

Because I want you to?

[Does she need a really convoluted explanation for a simple desire?]

When I think about it I see you and not him.

[That's not any more or less helpful, but she's trying. And for the record it isn't that Masaomi isn't in this mental picture, he's there and off to the side making a comment or being himself! But once her hand is freed she just lets it hang there.

Fine then .... Just let go of her .... rude ....]

[ Hey he was surprised. And...

And he's still surprised, but all the same, that's the sort of selfish My Pace comment that he's used to from a lot of his pack/family and especially from his best bud, so he can't help but laugh a little at it under his breath in a strained. awkward sort of way. The young man looks her over again and then adjusts his collar before nodding. ]

Okay, th-then I guess I have to do it. Right?

You don't have to do anything you don't want to.

[She becomes uncharacteristically serious about that.] No one should - That's not okay.

[ .... Her reaction doesn't fit the environment, but all she can do is pout at the ground.]

[ . . . Huh.

He reaches out now and then pulls the back of her head down, giving that expression and her demeanor he can't help but wonder if she's got something more serious on the mind? Like being abused or something to explain why she came to them in the first place. Still, pulling her down like that ]

I'm used to very "My Pace" people. I can keep up your pace, and I-- I want to.

[Mikado, you're not supposed to guess it so easily, yeesh.

But in the moment she stops, because that's a normal thing to do when someone is touching your head and pulling it down a little bit. If she looks a bit chastised it's only because she's struggling to understand what he's trying to say, but she's emotionally aware enough to know that what he means is different from what she's afraid of.

It's also just a weirdly important feeling moment, so Nariko doesn't want to fuck it up.]

As long as it's a 'want'.

[Then she doesn't have any reason to argue it.] ... Sorry.

[ ... ] I barely know what I want a lot of the time. S-so... don't worry about it.

[ But he did agree to this date. And he did just pull her in closer, and doesn't really remove his hand so she can continue to keep herself obscured there and feel his fluttering heart if she wants. But. ]

[She doesn't say anything for a bit because she's actually rather comfortable, but ... When she does pull away it's to kiss him, short and sweet.]

I'll try not to.

[And Nariko will likely fail once or twice but that's why the effort has to count for something.]

[ this is where he should say something cool or something sincere, right? To his credit he doesn't turn into a stammering mess like he really and truly could right now... but he also doesn't pull off a cool or even sweet line, just blinks to find his lips lingering there in the air, trying to kiss a girl back who has pulled away, reacting way too late.

He...

He... ]

W-well, let's fine Masaomi...

[... So cute ♥.]

Ah, I suppose that's a good idea!

[It is technically a three person date, and they're just two people!] He's not the kind of guy who should be left on his own for too long.

No, he's really not.

[ Mikado mutters that as much to himself as anyone else, and reaches out to take her hand again to lead her down the walking path to the planned spot. They probably have two more minutes which could either be quiet silence or her chiming in one last thing. But Mikado looks ahead, feeling...

Surprisingly confident. ]

[She laughs at that and takes his hand excitedly, even tries to ease her fingers between his!]

Oh, hey, do you think we'll be in the same classes? Do I need a uniform? I haven't looked at any of the stuff they gave me about school. I looked over Nathan's so he's all set - I'm so glad Vergil gave me his allergy sheet list. Mikado, can you remind me to pick up his inhaler, too? He's going to need one for school and then one more for home ... I might have to ask Mr. Basara for help with that I think his prescription is written for one, and he's not very good at keeping track of them ...

[... Clearly given the chance she will just go on and on.]

[ What was he fucking Mr. responsible over here??? He tries to keep track of that, surprised at this contrast from their comfortable silence until the park as compared to this, and within the time they talk (or well, she talks) he doesn't manage to answer anything before a party popper makes a loud bang to their left.

And then Masaomi leaps in front of them. ]

Miiiiiiiiikado! Nari-Nari-chaaan! So glad you could make it! But oh, oh, just look at those hands, that's scandalous if I'm not included!

[ And he grins, leaning in to take both of their free hands in both of his ]

[The trick here is that she doesn't actually need anyone to remember anything, she's literally just spouting out whatever crosses her mind. If he gave it enough time she'd circle around to wanting donuts or a new set of shoes, and oh what about tap dancing lessons?? Of course that's very (blessedly) rudely interrupted by a very sudden noise which - she freezes a little and grips Mikado's hand too hard until she figures out it's Masaomi.]

Oh my god. [Her heart is about to leap out of her chest! She tries to breathe deeply, but it becomes a laugh easily enough.]

Isn't a three-way date kind of scandalous, too?

Ahahaha! No, no way! Come on, if something's that naughty, it just loops around to being virtuous, the same way that all those catholic priests could get away with-

[ And Mikado cuts off the laughing idiot with, ] Masaomi... that's a bad joke.

[ and Masaomi, of course, responds ever so wittily with, ] But so's your face!

[ Masaomi, for his part, was dressed more casually than either of them, but not so casually so as to just be the slouch here. He's taken off whatever rings or the like he might normally wear in favor of just two decidedly not-flashy earrings. He's also got on a collared shirt, even if it's very business casual. But then he's also got on a pair of skinny jeans. ]

[ .... Thank you Mikado. Thank you so much, please feel Nariko's gratitude from her little corner of the world.]

Anyway.

[This feels like a joke cyclone or something, so she's quick to pull at Masaomi's shirt so that she can get a kiss to his cheek.] Hello, by the way. You left Mikado to pick me up, Masa-Masa, you'd better have a good reason for it.

[What sort of date doesn't at least pick up the girl?? He's lost a half point for that alone!]

[ Heeeee. ] Nice to see you too. Come on, don't worry! I've got more than everything picked out here, Nari-Nari!

[ With a wide grin, he breaks their contact a bit to hop back a step and motion for the two to follow him. After all, he had planned this, mostly. Still... ] This way!

[ And all three will quickly find themselves...! At a picnic. he's laid out a mat there on the ground for them and then has several take out bags of what looks like a nice burger place. It's not immediately recognizable to her most likely, but Mikado's eyes widen a little, because that place was on the other side of town, it's a place they'd gone to a lot back when they were a little bit younger and were running errands over there with some or another adult. It's nostalgic in that sense. ]

[Of course she has no idea what's up with the specific burger joint but, come on!! Burgers!!!!]

Did you ask Nathan what my favorite food is?!

[Because it is indeed delicious, clog-your-arteries, awful-for-you burgers. It's also chili cheese dogs and ice cream but that's beside the point, especially since (presumably) none of those other things are included in this set up.]

Man, this is actually really cute!

[Nice day, great food, two really cute guys all to herself! Alright, she won't doubt Masaomi's planning skills ever again.]

Nope! I was just banking on Nari-Nari being the All American Girl!

[ Even if she's now moved into a house still close to its somewhat older Japanese roots and she was out of the country for a while before this or something, right? He only listened in on the adults once, he's still not really clear on the details of her and Nathan's situation. Masaomi theatrically aims to pull both Nariko and Mikado down with him, holding both of their hands to get himself and them folded into a sitting position on the picnic blanket.

Mikado, for his part, makes to open the bags to check what all Masaomi got and how much of his pocket change is now gone. Which means he breaks the hand hold first, which Masaomi gives him a Look for ]

That's such an ironic choice of words.

[But she's going to leave it at that without any direct, vaguely persistent questioning, though it is true that she lived out of the country for a bit, just not directly before she was dropped into the pack. Anyway, for all of Masaomi's dramatics she follows along rather easily, though arguably does him one better by leaning into his side and lifting his arm so that it ends up around her shoulders.]

But you were right, so that's all that counts!

[She is nowhere near as upset at Mikado breaking the hand holding chain, in part because she kisses Masaomi's cheek before looking for some fries.] Good job, Masa-Masa. You should know that swings are also on the itinerary, though.

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okay drags self off to bed once and for all now

Oh haha good night!!

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