[She doesn't believe him and that's so rude. He can tell, no matter how cheerful her smile is. Is it strange that he can read her so well? Or maybe she's just always this open with others. She really seems like one of the most popular girls around here... kind of the opposite of Jean. Honestly, this whole experience is pretty much the opposite of when he first arrived at Xavier's Institute, where he and Jean got off on the wrong foot. They're close now, of course, but it was rough that first day. Didn't help that he was wearing a blindfold then.
Things really are different now.
Because not only he can see, but he might be hanging out with Kotone immediately. Something unexpectedly warm beats in his chest at the thought, similar to how he and Jean hung out at the mall, but maybe even stronger. He doesn't understand it, but that just means he has to put forth that 'super cool' demeanor up even more.]
Seriously? You actually go to clubs?
[He totally didn't expect that! Sure, cafes and arcades (although what the hell is karaoke), but a night club? Maybe he has to rethink his initial impression of her, because Scott just assumed that Kotone was one of those perky overachievers that didn't do anything wild. Hell, he's never been to a club before... but he can't admit that! In fact, he has to take her on that.]
Let's go, when it opens. [He half-demands, half-asks with a smirk, although the image is a little ruined because--] I want to see what a club is like-- I mean, a Japanese one.
[Her smile widens when he agrees, a bit of excitement thrumming through her chest. It's at this point she would normally check her planner and make sure there wasn't anyone else she was planning to spend time with today -- not only that, it sounds like Scott wants to take up not only her afternoon, but her evening. And yet, for some reason, she doesn't even think twice before agreeing,] Okay! I can probably get you in.
[The bartender is the lax sort; most people who are underage don't have her confidence to just walk right in like she belongs there. It's not like she's ordering any alcohol for herself, anyway!
More than just the place, though, it's the promise of spending more time with this funny American exchange student. Maybe that's why her smile turns impish in the perpetual urge to tease the people she likes.]
What are clubs in America like?
[Calling him on his bluff immediately, as much as she tries to project an air of innocent curiosity. As they're speaking, she leads him up the stairs and past the classrooms. Might as well finish the tour!]
[Wow, on top of everything else, are they not supposed to be at a club? That makes sense, since they're underage-- at least it'd definitely be underage back in America. He honestly has very little idea of the laws in Japan, other than maybe the drinking age being younger, but it's clear by her words that not just anyone can walk in the club and that makes it more exciting. It's like being in a place they're not technically supposed to be at.
It totally fits in with what he wants to do. Being cool and experiencing Japan at the same time. ...And maybe finding someone to hang out with so that he doesn't feel alone in a foreign country, but that's just a small thing. Really!!]
Oh, you know. [He starts and Scott's totally not just imagining what clubs are like or just remembering what they are like in movies he's seen before. Scott lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug, trying to look unaffected, even as he continues to follow her through the building.]
[Or at least, just like Club Escapade, though probably without the Shadow that had taken up residence in the cables underground. His description is vague enough that she still doesn't really think he's actually been to a club before, but she'll let him cling to whatever scraps of pride he has and only give him another playfully teasing smile.]
You're on your own if you want to buy any drinks, though.
[The classrooms are pretty generic, and at this point in her own tour, she'd kind of been leading Junpei as she wandered around. Scott seems content to follow her lead, though, so she keeps walking, heading up the stairs to the top floor of classrooms. There's no real reason to take him up here except for a vague sense that she wants to, something she feels more than consciously understands.]
...Want to see my favorite place in the school?
[Her voice and smile stay as light and playful as they've been this whole time, but there's a different set to her eyes, something almost wistful when she asks that question.]
You'd think they let me buy drinks without carding me?
[Scott asks, voice bordering on teasing as he thinks about trying alcohol for the first time. Yeah yeah, he's never had a drink, despite his totally well-known 'rebellious' reputation back at home. He just never had an opportunity to do something like that! Between just skipping class here and there and going to the mall, it just never happened.
...Although, honestly, he's really not going to try too hard to get a drink. It's not that important to him because he's a little bit of a boy scout and he doesn't want to be drunk or wasted in front of everyone.
He actually listens to Kotone as she guides him around, memorizing the different classrooms-- at least the ones that he'll need to remember. He honestly doesn't want to be the dumbass that gets lost on his first day. If he's going to skip class or be late, it's gonna be on purpose!!]
Wow, already like me that much? [He jokes, but something in his face softens, because he really wants to see this favorite place of hers. She's cute and nice and he's interested in hanging out with her more. Maybe learning more about the girl that somehow seems just a touch sad all the time.
Scott smiles, some of that confident streak disappearing, but replaced with something a little more genuine.] Yeah, sure.
[The sparkle in her eyes says, "no." No, they won't let him buy anything, and might even just kick him out on principle. But hey, if he wants to try, she won't stop him! Besides, she doesn't really like alcohol herself anyway.
...Has she ever tried it? She feels like she has, but she's only ever smelled Mutatsu's drinks, right? It's a puzzling thought, one that almost distracts her from Scott's teasing question. It means all he gets in response is a smile and a laugh of wordless agreement as she brushes past him, heading up the final flight of stairs.
The door to the roof creaks when opened, the wind carrying the scent of the cherry blossoms and a few lost petals from down below. It's easier to smell the sea air from up here and hear the gentle cries of distant seagulls. Aside from that, it's quiet and empty, and it almost feels like her footsteps echo in a way they shouldn't as she steps forward.]
...This is it.
[Something aches in her chest, and just like the earlier dumb thought about the booze, she can't quite figure out why it feels so familiar. Of course she's been up here a lot, but it feels like she's forgetting something important.]
As the wind passes by them, ruffling both hair and jacket, he can't help but take a deep breath and just let that ocean air settle in his lungs. It really is different standing on top of this rooftop in Japan, compared to Ohio or even Westchester. Scott for once even taking the time to appreciate the quiet atmosphere, ruby sunglasses looking around with no real intention other than to take in the empty rooftop. It's not a bad sort of feeling, maybe because she's up here with him and that makes it nice. She told him this is her favorite place after all.
...Although looking at her like this, something twists in his chest and he doesn't know why. Maybe it's too much of Japanese air!! But it feels something just a little deeper, almost like she's going to disappear.]
It's nice up here. [He compliments, taking a few steps in front of her before turning around to smile at her. Time to distract himself and her from feelings!!] Seems like a nice place to go to skip class. Or even hold a club. [...] Eat sandwiches.
[The air almost looks like its shimmering, like if she turns her head too fast, she'll see her friends out of the corner of her eye. She'll see Aigis up here. Imagine she'll hear Ryoji's or Shinjiro's voice. Isn't that funny...?
Once again Scott makes himself the center of her attention, and she smiles at him, feeling the world snap back into focus around him. It's easier to ignore that weird haze if he's with her, and she can't help but laugh at the idea.]
What, are you the Sandwich King or something? [she teases without really thinking about it, moving forward to join him.]
[Scott laughs, but somehow, the title feels really fitting. Strange, since he considered himself more of a hamburger kind of guy, not that he dislikes sandwiches at all. He just likes the thought of a burger, fries, and drink, a true American classic. However, it's far more amusing to just play along with this, especially since that smile is bright on her once more. He feels at ease seeing her like that.]
Yeah, that's right. [He then points at her, as if making a loud declaration for everyone to hear, despite them being the only two on this rooftop.] And you're the Sandwich... Peon.
[Not 'Sandwich Queen?!' Not yet, besides, he wants to tease her more, eyes shining in mirth behind his glasses.]
[Her laughter redoubles, hard enough that it scrunches up her nose with the force of it. Relegated to servant already? Some of her Personas would probably grumble about that, but she thinks it's funny. Besides, there's only one queen in her heart, and that's Mitsuru.]
Do you usually have American clubs on the roof? I've never been to one like that before, I think!
[...Right? She has a weird feeling like maybe at one of her old schools, they used to meet on the roof and talk about... something. Her brows knit together slightly, smile fading at the corners, but she keeps moving forward until she can take a seat on one of the benches, facing outward toward the water.
This bench feels familiar, too. Like she's forgetting something important.]
[She's cute when she laughs. Shit, why does he have it so bad--]
Definitely not. Usually, we're not even allowed to go on the roof. That's like a one way ticket to getting suspended.
[Not that he'd know or anything!!
But he knows for a fact that he never went to any club back in his old school and there's really no place to stand on the roof at Xaiver's... but something feels just a little odd. Like. Not only has he been to a rooftop club before, but he actually hosted one and isn't that a funny thought? Him, the freak and outcast, hosting a somewhat popular club for other teens?
Maybe he'd do something like that at Xavier's Institute one day, because he actually likes the other students there, but it still feels weird.
But shrugging off that feeling (maybe it was just a dream), he follows her to the bench and without waiting for any sort of invitation, he plops down right next to her, knees gently knocking. It's nice, being out here, really, seeing her smile. Honestly, he doesn't want this moment to end... he just wants to spend the early morning day with her. Spend these countless days like this together.
...Whoa, Summers, what are you even thinking?? You just met her--]
I can see why this is your favorite spot! [He instead blurts out, which is at least a little less embarrassing than his actual thoughts.]
[His knee knocks against hers, but she doesn't shift or move away. It feels right, sitting close to him like this, and not for the first time, she's seized by the urge to hold his hand. It feels like she's wanted to share this place with him for a long time.
She glances up at him, almost about to ask if somehow, impossibly, they've met before, but then he's talking again, and she just lets him, her own smile warming in response.]
It really is! It's like... it makes all the bad things feel so small.
[She leans closer to him, shoulders bumping as she points to draw his attention.]
You can see the monorail from here. My dorm is that way. You can't really see it well from here, but the mall is over there. [And she points again, still without drawing back into her own personal bubble.] The best beef bowls are at the strip mall in Iwatodai, though!
['All the bad things feel small.' He thinks he knows what she's talking about as they continue to sit on this bench together, the sky feeling just a little closer and the expansive sea spreading past the horizon. World's pretty big and all that, although, Scott still can't help but feel like there isn't any other place he'd rather be, especially with her.
It's nearly instinctive, the way he just leans in closer to Kotone while looking at the direction she's pointing. Of course, he's never been to the monorail or the dorm or any of these locations she's pointing out, but he listens, wanting to know the places important to her because it's already important to him. L-Look this will still help with him being the cool American exchange student, because he'll know all the cool spots, not to mention that he wants to go to the arcade and club still.]
Beef bowls? [There's a curious tilt in his voice as he repeats that.] I don't think I've had something like that before. [...] Normally I'd want my beef in a hamburger.
[He's definitely joking, mostly. His voice is teasing enough anyway.]
What?! [She giggles and shoves him good-naturedly, sticking her tongue out a bit. C'mon, there's being an American, and then there's definitely taking it too far, right? But it's funny nonetheless, and she can't help but smile at him, still not shifting away. She can see herself reflected in his glasses, and somehow, she can imagine blue eyes beneath them. The thought of taking his glasses off never crosses her mind, though, and as the giggles eventually subside, she finds she can't look away. It feels right to gaze at him like this, her smile softening a little in a strangely-familiar expression.
So she shoves him again and conjures up another laugh, springing lightly to her feet.]
Well then, I guess I'll have to take you to Wuck some other time. Beef bowls!! Beef bowls!! [She pumps her fist in the air and takes a few skipping steps back toward the stairs, bright smile firmly back in place.] Race you to the monorail!!
[Scott joins in her laughter, bumping their shoulders once more as he looks at her through his red lens. It's strange, but he can almost imagine what she actually looks like-- her actual hair color and eyes. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on his end, because he's never been able to seen anyone lately in the 'right' colors. Still, the image doesn't go away and with the way she's smiling at him now... the mutant can't help himself from slowly leaning closer to her--
Until she playfully pushes him away and oh, uh, right. They don't know each other at all!! What is he thinking??? Kotone is definitely nice, but she'd probably still slap him if he kissed her without warning. He almost feels embarrassed, an emotion that he covers up with a slightly forced cocky grin.]
Wait, seriously? [He chuckles again, eyebrows rising as she chants about beef bowls. Someone really is excited about them.] Also you're totally cheating, because I don't know how to get there!
[He's definitely going to race her still, Scott already up and following her back down the stairs.]
[she calls through laughter, even though if it's a race, shouldn't he be trying to get in front of her?? But she dashes through the doors, takes the steps two at a time, dodging easily around other students. It's weird that there aren't any teachers to stop them, but-! Even if there were, what would they be able to do? She uses her hand on the door to propel herself around the corner, heading toward the monorail station and still laughing with careless abandon.
Before she even realizes it, she's leading Scott by the hand into Umiushi. When had she decided to hold his hand...? She can't remember, but she doesn't want to let go, either, even as she picks their seats at the bar and waves to the chef with her other hand.] Two specials, please!
[Scott retorts with amusement clear in his voice. It'll probably end up with him paying for said meal, because he is following her through the halls and past open doors while somehow avoiding all collision with other students. He'll appreciate the school more later on, maybe talk to the other students, when he's not trying to keep pace with Kotone. Because it feels like that if he stops running, he'll never catch up to her, like he'll lose her, and he can't have that happen. He doesn't want to lose her.
...
He's not sure when or how they end near the restaurant, but Scott doesn't find himself minding or caring, just glad to be by her side because it's so natural. They're here together. His hand squeezes hers for a second, almost like in reassurance, even though they're just having fun and enjoying the moment. They are supposed to enjoy each day to its fullest, right?]
You come by often, huh?
[He teases her as they settle on the seats, the chef smiling at Kotone with a look of familiarity.] It's one of your favorite places and yet you took me here. Didn't know you liked me that much already.
[If Scott felt comfortable before, it pales in comparison to how he's feeling now. This feels like something he's always wanted, being in Japan with her, experiencing school-- regular life together. He doesn't want it to end.]
[Oh, she never pays for her own lunch when she goes out with someone. Ken is the only exception, and this is proving to be no different. Even if they'd stopped racing at some point, she makes a point of being the first one to step inside, so-! Scott's paying, like he always does.
...Like he always does?
She looks down at their joined hands when he squeezes it, but doesn't draw back still, only laughing again.]
I guess I do! Lucky you. I hope they don't start spreading rumors about you or anything...
[The other students, she means. She'd never really been the target of anything more than envious glares herself, but she'd seen how vicious bullies could be at Gekkoukan. At any school, really, but as a rule Kotone tried to keep herself out of their crosshairs -- at least, not let it affect her too much. She glances up to give him another smile, this one a little softer, almost like the one on the roof.]
[He shrugs, seemingly unbothered by the idea of other students talking crap about him. What else is new? Plus, he only really cares about what she thinks. Maybe he'll add a couple in that after he befriends more people, but they better not be the ones spreading shitty rumors in the first place.]
I don't really care what they say.
[He's used to being the biggest freak in school anyway. Although, he has some pretty tough competition back at Xavier's School, the thought of Jean and Kurt and the others actually making him smile. He still misses them, because he knows he won't see them for a while, but he wanted to come here. He doesn't regret any of it so far, hand resting warmly in hers.
He likes this very much, in fact.]
But it feels right being here, strangely enough. [He smiles back. He thought about making a joke of her just happy to have an American friend around, but that softer smile stopped him. A big part of Scott really wants to be genuine with her, seeing such an expression on her.]
[Her laugh is softer, a little more measured at the idea that he doesn't care. That seems so like him in a way -- maybe it's because he's so confident just wearing sunglasses around the school that not even the teachers seem to want to say anything! -- and her thumb strokes gently across his knuckles in a weirdly habitual gesture.
"It feels right," he said, and she can't disagree. Maybe not being here, but being with him, like this. Together. But saying that feels too fragile, too impossible, so instead she just huffs another quiet laugh.]
I bet you say that to all the girls, [she teases, tapping her thumb against his knuckles in a gentle bid to draw his attention to their joined hands, in case he wants to pull away.] You must have a lot of girlfriends in America, huh?
[Scott can count on one hand how many times he's held hands with another girl, especially like this. Not just tugging someone along or playing some game, but something verging on intimate. And yet, the way Kotone strokes her thumb across his knuckles feels oddly familiar-- maybe it's just that comforting. Like it's reinforcing that he belongs here in this foreign country without any real sign of mutants around. He should be getting on that, huh? Another time. The Professor probably knows if there are mutants around and he'd contact him if he wants him to seek them out.
So, he keeps their hands together, giving no inclination that he wants to pull away.]
Huh? Oh, yeah, I have a lot of girlfriends. [He is so convincing......] I'm really popular back home. Girls like the guy that's mysterious and cool and I always wear sunglasses.
[She giggles again. That's funny on its own, isn't it? She doesn't even remember the last time she's been able to just laugh so much alongside her friends, let alone with someone she's only barely met. He must have some kind of gift, huh? If he were better at lying, she might even believe the girlfriend joke, because any girl would be lucky to date someone who can make her laugh this much.]
"Mysterious and cool," huh? [again with a teasing lilt to her voice. She knows better than to just make a grab for his sunglasses somehow, but she does reach up with her free hand, hesitating halfway there.] Can I... see your sunglasses?
[She doesn't know why, but they feel important somehow. All of this feels important somehow.]
[She doesn't have to sound so disbelieving of the idea!!]
That's right.
[Nonetheless, Scott keeps on smiling, not even trying to sound or look offended. He's definitely ruining the cool and mysterious look anyway by how much he's grinning at her, a certain bright fondness hidden behind his sunglasses but still easily read somehow. Isn't he supposed to be harder to read because of them? More guarded? But the mutant is so expressive anyway.
But there's still a moment of hesitation when she asks about his glasses, his smile becoming a little more serious because this is the only thing that separates him from hurting everyone he cares about. More than that, really, hurting anyone that he might accidentally look at. If they're broken or lost here, he'd have to wait for the Professor or Hank to send a new pair to him and that's still walking around Japan with a blindfold for a day or two. It's kind of scary.
He wouldn't have Alex to guide him. He'd really be lost in a country far away from home. And--]
Yeah, just be careful, okay?
[He trusts her though.
Scott reaches up to his sunglasses, almost like he's about to pull them off, but he stops midway. His hand pauses by the frames before it drops down, leaning a little closer to her so that Kotone can be the one to pull them off.] Go ahead.
[Has anyone ever looked at her with as much fondness as Scott has? Ryoji, maybe. Aigis, maybe. But both of them had been different; both of them had been a part of her in a way that transcended everything else. So who is Scott, that he can look at her so tenderly and with such affection when they've only just met...?
Her chest aches in a way she can't really put into words, her breath catching in her throat at such an obvious symbol of his trust. It's a trust she doesn't intend to break. They're not normal glasses, she's certain of it, but he's still willing to allow her not only to hold them, but to literally take them off him. It feels like surrendering her Evoker.]
Okay, [she agrees softly, letting her hand close the distance between them. Her fingertips graze his skin, brush a bit of his hair out of the way as her other hand squeezes his own in a mirror of his earlier reassurance. When she does finally pull his glasses off, it's as carefully as if they might shatter with the movement, drawing them off his face and lifting them up so she can peer through the lenses herself.]
Your whole world is all red, huh...? [she murmurs, bringing his glasses closer to her so she can look at him through them. She knows he can't open his eyes, though she doesn't know how she knows. She knows his eyes are closed to keep her and everyone else safe. She knows he'd never want to hurt anybody.] ...Is it hard?
[Seeing everything in red, or not being able to open his eyes without hurting someone? She doesn't elaborate, trusting him to answer whatever question he thinks she's asking.]
[Scott can't stop himself from fully clenching his eyes shut as his glasses are pulled away, because the barrier that protects everyone from his powers is gone. Well, guess his eyelids technically count as a barrier, but that only makes the mutant scrunch his face harder, eyebrows furrowed and stuck in a look of near discomfort because there's that lingering fear. He really doesn't want to hurt her, he's not sure how he'd react if that happened.
...Hasn't he already hurt someone though?
A sharp pain travels through his chest at the thought, because it feels like he has. More than that, he killed them, but he... he couldn't have, right? He had that accident with that student back in his old school, but there's nothing else. Scott's pretty sure of that, but that ache doesn't go away and it's an ugly truth that he finds himself shying away from. Maybe this is a mistake-- maybe he shouldn't have let her take his glasses.
So focused on that, he can't help but think her question is referring to his fear of hurting others. His normal reaction would be to say he's okay and that he's handling it. Everything is fine. But as that upset feeling from earlier remains lodged in his chest, threatening to expand, he can't really lie.]
I... I don't want to hurt anyone. [His voice is low, partially afraid and weak, hand trembling in hers now.]
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expiationlogs2025-01-13 12:39 pm
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Things really are different now.
Because not only he can see, but he might be hanging out with Kotone immediately. Something unexpectedly warm beats in his chest at the thought, similar to how he and Jean hung out at the mall, but maybe even stronger. He doesn't understand it, but that just means he has to put forth that 'super cool' demeanor up even more.]
Seriously? You actually go to clubs?
[He totally didn't expect that! Sure, cafes and arcades (although what the hell is karaoke), but a night club? Maybe he has to rethink his initial impression of her, because Scott just assumed that Kotone was one of those perky overachievers that didn't do anything wild. Hell, he's never been to a club before... but he can't admit that! In fact, he has to take her on that.]
Let's go, when it opens. [He half-demands, half-asks with a smirk, although the image is a little ruined because--] I want to see what a club is like-- I mean, a Japanese one.
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[The bartender is the lax sort; most people who are underage don't have her confidence to just walk right in like she belongs there. It's not like she's ordering any alcohol for herself, anyway!
More than just the place, though, it's the promise of spending more time with this funny American exchange student. Maybe that's why her smile turns impish in the perpetual urge to tease the people she likes.]
What are clubs in America like?
[Calling him on his bluff immediately, as much as she tries to project an air of innocent curiosity. As they're speaking, she leads him up the stairs and past the classrooms. Might as well finish the tour!]
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It totally fits in with what he wants to do. Being cool and experiencing Japan at the same time. ...And maybe finding someone to hang out with so that he doesn't feel alone in a foreign country, but that's just a small thing. Really!!]
Oh, you know. [He starts and Scott's totally not just imagining what clubs are like or just remembering what they are like in movies he's seen before. Scott lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug, trying to look unaffected, even as he continues to follow her through the building.]
Loud music, dancing. Lots of alcohol.
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[Or at least, just like Club Escapade, though probably without the Shadow that had taken up residence in the cables underground. His description is vague enough that she still doesn't really think he's actually been to a club before, but she'll let him cling to whatever scraps of pride he has and only give him another playfully teasing smile.]
You're on your own if you want to buy any drinks, though.
[The classrooms are pretty generic, and at this point in her own tour, she'd kind of been leading Junpei as she wandered around. Scott seems content to follow her lead, though, so she keeps walking, heading up the stairs to the top floor of classrooms. There's no real reason to take him up here except for a vague sense that she wants to, something she feels more than consciously understands.]
...Want to see my favorite place in the school?
[Her voice and smile stay as light and playful as they've been this whole time, but there's a different set to her eyes, something almost wistful when she asks that question.]
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[Scott asks, voice bordering on teasing as he thinks about trying alcohol for the first time. Yeah yeah, he's never had a drink, despite his totally well-known 'rebellious' reputation back at home. He just never had an opportunity to do something like that! Between just skipping class here and there and going to the mall, it just never happened.
...Although, honestly, he's really not going to try too hard to get a drink. It's not that important to him
because he's a little bit of a boy scoutand he doesn't want to be drunk or wasted in front of everyone.He actually listens to Kotone as she guides him around, memorizing the different classrooms-- at least the ones that he'll need to remember. He honestly doesn't want to be the dumbass that gets lost on his first day. If he's going to skip class or be late, it's gonna be on purpose!!]
Wow, already like me that much? [He jokes, but something in his face softens, because he really wants to see this favorite place of hers. She's cute and nice and he's interested in hanging out with her more. Maybe learning more about the girl that somehow seems just a touch sad all the time.
Scott smiles, some of that confident streak disappearing, but replaced with something a little more genuine.] Yeah, sure.
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[The sparkle in her eyes says, "no." No, they won't let him buy anything, and might even just kick him out on principle. But hey, if he wants to try, she won't stop him! Besides, she doesn't really like alcohol herself anyway.
...Has she ever tried it? She feels like she has, but she's only ever smelled Mutatsu's drinks, right? It's a puzzling thought, one that almost distracts her from Scott's teasing question. It means all he gets in response is a smile and a laugh of wordless agreement as she brushes past him, heading up the final flight of stairs.
The door to the roof creaks when opened, the wind carrying the scent of the cherry blossoms and a few lost petals from down below. It's easier to smell the sea air from up here and hear the gentle cries of distant seagulls. Aside from that, it's quiet and empty, and it almost feels like her footsteps echo in a way they shouldn't as she steps forward.]
...This is it.
[Something aches in her chest, and just like the earlier dumb thought about the booze, she can't quite figure out why it feels so familiar. Of course she's been up here a lot, but it feels like she's forgetting something important.]
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As the wind passes by them, ruffling both hair and jacket, he can't help but take a deep breath and just let that ocean air settle in his lungs. It really is different standing on top of this rooftop in Japan, compared to Ohio or even Westchester. Scott for once even taking the time to appreciate the quiet atmosphere, ruby sunglasses looking around with no real intention other than to take in the empty rooftop. It's not a bad sort of feeling, maybe because she's up here with him and that makes it nice. She told him this is her favorite place after all.
...Although looking at her like this, something twists in his chest and he doesn't know why. Maybe it's too much of Japanese air!! But it feels something just a little deeper, almost like she's going to disappear.]
It's nice up here. [He compliments, taking a few steps in front of her before turning around to smile at her. Time to distract himself and her from feelings!!] Seems like a nice place to go to skip class. Or even hold a club. [...] Eat sandwiches.
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[The air almost looks like its shimmering, like if she turns her head too fast, she'll see her friends out of the corner of her eye. She'll see Aigis up here. Imagine she'll hear Ryoji's or Shinjiro's voice. Isn't that funny...?
Once again Scott makes himself the center of her attention, and she smiles at him, feeling the world snap back into focus around him. It's easier to ignore that weird haze if he's with her, and she can't help but laugh at the idea.]
What, are you the Sandwich King or something? [she teases without really thinking about it, moving forward to join him.]
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[Scott laughs, but somehow, the title feels really fitting. Strange, since he considered himself more of a hamburger kind of guy, not that he dislikes sandwiches at all. He just likes the thought of a burger, fries, and drink, a true American classic. However, it's far more amusing to just play along with this, especially since that smile is bright on her once more. He feels at ease seeing her like that.]
Yeah, that's right. [He then points at her, as if making a loud declaration for everyone to hear, despite them being the only two on this rooftop.] And you're the Sandwich... Peon.
[Not 'Sandwich Queen?!' Not yet, besides, he wants to tease her more, eyes shining in mirth behind his glasses.]
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Do you usually have American clubs on the roof? I've never been to one like that before, I think!
[...Right? She has a weird feeling like maybe at one of her old schools, they used to meet on the roof and talk about... something. Her brows knit together slightly, smile fading at the corners, but she keeps moving forward until she can take a seat on one of the benches, facing outward toward the water.
This bench feels familiar, too. Like she's forgetting something important.]
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Definitely not. Usually, we're not even allowed to go on the roof. That's like a one way ticket to getting suspended.
[Not that he'd know or anything!!
But he knows for a fact that he never went to any club back in his old school and there's really no place to stand on the roof at Xaiver's... but something feels just a little odd. Like. Not only has he been to a rooftop club before, but he actually hosted one and isn't that a funny thought? Him, the freak and outcast, hosting a somewhat popular club for other teens?
Maybe he'd do something like that at Xavier's Institute one day, because he actually likes the other students there, but it still feels weird.
But shrugging off that feeling (maybe it was just a dream), he follows her to the bench and without waiting for any sort of invitation, he plops down right next to her, knees gently knocking. It's nice, being out here, really, seeing her smile. Honestly, he doesn't want this moment to end... he just wants to spend the early morning day with her. Spend these countless days like this together.
...Whoa, Summers, what are you even thinking?? You just met her--]
I can see why this is your favorite spot! [He instead blurts out, which is at least a little less embarrassing than his actual thoughts.]
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She glances up at him, almost about to ask if somehow, impossibly, they've met before, but then he's talking again, and she just lets him, her own smile warming in response.]
It really is! It's like... it makes all the bad things feel so small.
[She leans closer to him, shoulders bumping as she points to draw his attention.]
You can see the monorail from here. My dorm is that way. You can't really see it well from here, but the mall is over there. [And she points again, still without drawing back into her own personal bubble.] The best beef bowls are at the strip mall in Iwatodai, though!
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It's nearly instinctive, the way he just leans in closer to Kotone while looking at the direction she's pointing. Of course, he's never been to the monorail or the dorm or any of these locations she's pointing out, but he listens, wanting to know the places important to her because it's already important to him. L-Look this will still help with him being the cool American exchange student, because he'll know all the cool spots, not to mention that he wants to go to the arcade and club still.]
Beef bowls? [There's a curious tilt in his voice as he repeats that.] I don't think I've had something like that before. [...] Normally I'd want my beef in a hamburger.
[He's definitely joking, mostly. His voice is teasing enough anyway.]
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So she shoves him again and conjures up another laugh, springing lightly to her feet.]
Well then, I guess I'll have to take you to Wuck some other time. Beef bowls!! Beef bowls!! [She pumps her fist in the air and takes a few skipping steps back toward the stairs, bright smile firmly back in place.] Race you to the monorail!!
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Until she playfully pushes him away and oh, uh, right. They don't know each other at all!! What is he thinking??? Kotone is definitely nice, but she'd probably still slap him if he kissed her without warning. He almost feels embarrassed, an emotion that he covers up with a slightly forced cocky grin.]
Wait, seriously? [He chuckles again, eyebrows rising as she chants about beef bowls. Someone really is excited about them.] Also you're totally cheating, because I don't know how to get there!
[He's definitely going to race her still, Scott already up and following her back down the stairs.]
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[she calls through laughter, even though if it's a race, shouldn't he be trying to get in front of her?? But she dashes through the doors, takes the steps two at a time, dodging easily around other students. It's weird that there aren't any teachers to stop them, but-! Even if there were, what would they be able to do? She uses her hand on the door to propel herself around the corner, heading toward the monorail station and still laughing with careless abandon.
Before she even realizes it, she's leading Scott by the hand into Umiushi. When had she decided to hold his hand...? She can't remember, but she doesn't want to let go, either, even as she picks their seats at the bar and waves to the chef with her other hand.] Two specials, please!
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[Scott retorts with amusement clear in his voice. It'll probably end up with him paying for said meal, because he is following her through the halls and past open doors while somehow avoiding all collision with other students. He'll appreciate the school more later on, maybe talk to the other students, when he's not trying to keep pace with Kotone. Because it feels like that if he stops running, he'll never catch up to her, like he'll lose her, and he can't have that happen. He doesn't want to lose her.
...
He's not sure when or how they end near the restaurant, but Scott doesn't find himself minding or caring, just glad to be by her side because it's so natural. They're here together. His hand squeezes hers for a second, almost like in reassurance, even though they're just having fun and enjoying the moment. They are supposed to enjoy each day to its fullest, right?]
You come by often, huh?
[He teases her as they settle on the seats, the chef smiling at Kotone with a look of familiarity.] It's one of your favorite places and yet you took me here. Didn't know you liked me that much already.
[If Scott felt comfortable before, it pales in comparison to how he's feeling now. This feels like something he's always wanted, being in Japan with her, experiencing school-- regular life together. He doesn't want it to end.]
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...Like he always does?
She looks down at their joined hands when he squeezes it, but doesn't draw back still, only laughing again.]
I guess I do! Lucky you. I hope they don't start spreading rumors about you or anything...
[The other students, she means. She'd never really been the target of anything more than envious glares herself, but she'd seen how vicious bullies could be at Gekkoukan. At any school, really, but as a rule Kotone tried to keep herself out of their crosshairs -- at least, not let it affect her too much. She glances up to give him another smile, this one a little softer, almost like the one on the roof.]
But I'm glad you're here.
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I don't really care what they say.
[He's used to being the biggest freak in school anyway. Although, he has some pretty tough competition back at Xavier's School, the thought of Jean and Kurt and the others actually making him smile. He still misses them, because he knows he won't see them for a while, but he wanted to come here. He doesn't regret any of it so far, hand resting warmly in hers.
He likes this very much, in fact.]
But it feels right being here, strangely enough. [He smiles back. He thought about making a joke of her just happy to have an American friend around, but that softer smile stopped him. A big part of Scott really wants to be genuine with her, seeing such an expression on her.]
With you.
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"It feels right," he said, and she can't disagree. Maybe not being here, but being with him, like this. Together. But saying that feels too fragile, too impossible, so instead she just huffs another quiet laugh.]
I bet you say that to all the girls, [she teases, tapping her thumb against his knuckles in a gentle bid to draw his attention to their joined hands, in case he wants to pull away.] You must have a lot of girlfriends in America, huh?
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So, he keeps their hands together, giving no inclination that he wants to pull away.]
Huh? Oh, yeah, I have a lot of girlfriends. [He is so convincing......] I'm really popular back home. Girls like the guy that's mysterious and cool and I always wear sunglasses.
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"Mysterious and cool," huh? [again with a teasing lilt to her voice. She knows better than to just make a grab for his sunglasses somehow, but she does reach up with her free hand, hesitating halfway there.] Can I... see your sunglasses?
[She doesn't know why, but they feel important somehow. All of this feels important somehow.]
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That's right.
[Nonetheless, Scott keeps on smiling, not even trying to sound or look offended. He's definitely ruining the cool and mysterious look anyway by how much he's grinning at her, a certain bright fondness hidden behind his sunglasses but still easily read somehow. Isn't he supposed to be harder to read because of them? More guarded? But the mutant is so expressive anyway.
But there's still a moment of hesitation when she asks about his glasses, his smile becoming a little more serious because this is the only thing that separates him from hurting everyone he cares about. More than that, really, hurting anyone that he might accidentally look at. If they're broken or lost here, he'd have to wait for the Professor or Hank to send a new pair to him and that's still walking around Japan with a blindfold for a day or two. It's kind of scary.
He wouldn't have Alex to guide him. He'd really be lost in a country far away from home. And--]
Yeah, just be careful, okay?
[He trusts her though.
Scott reaches up to his sunglasses, almost like he's about to pull them off, but he stops midway. His hand pauses by the frames before it drops down, leaning a little closer to her so that Kotone can be the one to pull them off.] Go ahead.
[His eyes are already closed.]
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Her chest aches in a way she can't really put into words, her breath catching in her throat at such an obvious symbol of his trust. It's a trust she doesn't intend to break. They're not normal glasses, she's certain of it, but he's still willing to allow her not only to hold them, but to literally take them off him. It feels like surrendering her Evoker.]
Okay, [she agrees softly, letting her hand close the distance between them. Her fingertips graze his skin, brush a bit of his hair out of the way as her other hand squeezes his own in a mirror of his earlier reassurance. When she does finally pull his glasses off, it's as carefully as if they might shatter with the movement, drawing them off his face and lifting them up so she can peer through the lenses herself.]
Your whole world is all red, huh...? [she murmurs, bringing his glasses closer to her so she can look at him through them. She knows he can't open his eyes, though she doesn't know how she knows. She knows his eyes are closed to keep her and everyone else safe. She knows he'd never want to hurt anybody.] ...Is it hard?
[Seeing everything in red, or not being able to open his eyes without hurting someone? She doesn't elaborate, trusting him to answer whatever question he thinks she's asking.]
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...Hasn't he already hurt someone though?
A sharp pain travels through his chest at the thought, because it feels like he has. More than that, he killed them, but he... he couldn't have, right? He had that accident with that student back in his old school, but there's nothing else. Scott's pretty sure of that, but that ache doesn't go away and it's an ugly truth that he finds himself shying away from. Maybe this is a mistake-- maybe he shouldn't have let her take his glasses.
So focused on that, he can't help but think her question is referring to his fear of hurting others. His normal reaction would be to say he's okay and that he's handling it. Everything is fine. But as that upset feeling from earlier remains lodged in his chest, threatening to expand, he can't really lie.]
I... I don't want to hurt anyone. [His voice is low, partially afraid and weak, hand trembling in hers now.]
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