[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.]
[She lowers his glasses, taking in the intensity with which he refuses to open his eyes. Even if she didn't somehow know that he was trying to keep everyone safe, it would be obvious from how he's acting. There's pain etched there, deep inside, and where before she'd thought he was like Ryoji or Aigis, now it's clear that he's not unlike Shinjiro. Something awful happened in his past. Maybe something he couldn't control?
She looks through his glasses one more time before squeezing his hand once more, tapping her thumb twice against the back of his hand in a wordless symbol that she intends to let go.]
Then don't, [she says, as if it's as easy as all that. Carefully, with both hands, she slips his glasses back onto his face, smoothing her fingertips against that furrowed brow.] You're strong enough that you won't anymore. I know.
[She doesn't know how, but she's never been more certain.]
[A part of Scott doesn't want to let go, finding a lot of strength and support from holding her hand. But he knows it's probably for a good reason and nothing like Kotone suddenly leaving him, so he releases her hand as he continues to sit with that pinched look on him.]
I can't control my powers.
[He admits, quietly, a flicker of red brightening behind his glasses as she fits them safely over his eyes once again. The furrow smooths out, but it's like the entire mood of their casual afternoon has changed, with Scott more serious and withdrawn compared to that cocky teenager from earlier.] I... I should've warned you about all that before you took me here.
[He's been kind of selfish, huh? Not even thinking about that sort of thing.]
[She hums, a quiet sound of disagreement, even as she takes in that flash of red.] You have your glasses, [she reminds him softly, letting her hand come to rest atop his again.] That sounds like control to me.
[It's funny how she doesn't question it, but then again, she never really had been one to ask too many questions. It's easier to just accept things as they come, and this cool, mysterious American transfer student is just another strange person added to a list of equally as strange people she's met here. And with all that on the table, it feels important to add,] Thanks for trusting me.
[With his glasses. With admitting this to her. By all rights, he doesn't know her and he shouldn't trust so easily, but... she's glad he could.]
Most people like me don't need an accessory to help control their powers.
[So moody!! Scott looks like he's about to pout more about his situation, maybe find a place to sulk and think about how things are just so unfair. Alex is definitely familiar when he gets like this, but he's not here, so who is gonna stop him now?! ...Well, maybe Kotone will, because as she slips her hand back against his, much of that irritation fades. The mutant suddenly doesn't want to go somewhere and grumble by himself.
He glances down at their hands, silently looking at them for a while, before he turns his palm so that he can gently hold hers once again. Scott can't explain why, but he really finds himself soothed, comforted when they're together like this. Is it because he's holding the hand of a cute girl?? ...Maybe. It feels like something more though and it's not the first time this feeling has cropped up. What makes Kotone Shiomi so special to him?
Then she's smiling at him, thanking him, and he can't help but nod, expression softening.]
...It just felt easy to trust you. [Is that too much to say? But it's how he feels.]
[Boy, there's a lot of heat on that word "accessory!" It's kind of funny, in a way, because isn't an Evoker an accessory, when it comes down to it? Besides, she used to find all kinds of accessories in Tartarus to help them, plus Officer Kurosawa would sell them, too.]
Most people I know do, [she says simply. They're not supposed to talk about their own powers, or at least, she's pretty sure they're not supposed to. Yukari had asked her not to tell anybody. But Scott clearly has powers of his own, and he's not a bad person, so...
His words make her smile again as she gently closes her fingers around his. There's a joke to be made, about how she gets people saying things like that lot to her, but it's different when Scott says it. His hand is warm in hers, like he's the most real thing she's ever felt. She should say something, shouldn't she? Again, for those long few moments, it feels like the whole world is closed around them, and if she says something, it'll all shatter around them like so much fragile glass. She opens her mouth-]
Two house specials!! [only to be interrupted by the arrival of their food. Kotone stares at him a moment longer, then laughs, turning in her seat and picking up her chopsticks.]
[Most people she knows...? Wait, does she know people with powers-- other mutants like him? Or is it something else entirely? He's honestly not sure if the Professor would've warned him or not, wanting to see how he'd adjust to a surprise like that, but either way, Scott's extremely tempted to ask Kotone more about this. This sort of thing is just really important to him, finding people that may be similar to him.
At least it sounds like someone is already helping them? If they already have something that helps with controlling their powers. It still doesn't douse his curiosity at all.
In fact, the only reason why he's not prodding her more about that is because he just sort of wants to be normal with her right now. Somehow, it feels really important. The two of them at her favorite restaurant and sitting together with their hands intertwined... he wouldn't say it's more important, but he wants this moment. He--
And then there's beef bowls placed right in front of him. Scott isn't sure if he wants to blast the guy or thank him. With the interruption, however, he can't do much of anything else but accept it, the teen shifting in his seat so that he can take his chopsticks. ...Yeah, he learned how to use them before coming here. He thought it would be a good idea.]
Sounds like a plan. [He finally smiles again, some of that earlier easygoing attitude returning.] And I have to admit, this looks pretty good.
[Guess beef can be in things other than a hamburger.]
[He's got more questions, which should be annoying -- she hates answering questions!! -- but if it's him, it's probably okay. Mitsuru and Akihiko aren't here anymore, so it's really up to her as a third-year, isn't it? Then again, it's not like there's much point to having her Evoker if the Dark Hour is finished.
It... is finished, isn't it? It feels like she's forgetting something really important, but it's easy to shove aside with the rich smell of beef right in front of her!]
It's not a hamburger, but it's really good!! [she reassures him with another laugh, trying to bring him back from that sadness she'd glimpsed before. He's afraid about controlling his powers, whatever they are, but he seems like he really enjoys this kind of normal stuff, so... best to focus on that, at least for now.] Pretty much all Japanese food is good, though! You're not gonna want to go back to America after being here.
[They might have only just met, but the thought of losing him like she'd lost Bebe and so many others... her hand tightens around his, just for a moment, before she lets go to full focus on her beef bowl. Using chopsticks with her offhand is way too difficult! And if her knee bumps against his as if to make up for it, well, no it doesn't.]
[Better than hamburgers?? HOT DOGS???? Okay, so it wasn't too long ago that he actually got to try out a NY style hot dog and..... it was okay. Maybe he didn't go to the right place?? It's such a big city and he spends most of his time in Westchester-- in a mansion no less. Maybe that can be his next adventure with the other mutants, finding the best hot dog place.
Maybe he can invite Kotone along. Let her be the exchange student and experience culture. Honestly, her visiting New York would be really fun. It's like something he's always wanted to do.
Still, he feels her hand tightening in his own, before she lets go. A subtle sort of implication, but one that Scott understands and he finds himself trying to reassure her with a soft smile. It's not like he wants to go back anytime soon-- he doesn't want to leave her. The perky Japanese girl that also seems so sad for some reason...]
You'll just have to convince me by showing me all kinds of Japanese food. And that will definitely take a while.
[Even as he tries the beef bowl and makes a pleased little face. And sounds. Okay, Japanese food is starting off strong, he'll admit it.]
Mmhm! [She laughs cheerfully and digs into her beef bowl, but eating doesn't at all stop her from talking. Very cute behavior on her part.] We walked by Wild Duck on the way here -- I worked there once for career experience week -- oh, and Octopia! They serve Weird Takoyaki. Maybe we can get some for dessert! And on this level there's also Wakatsu Kitchen, they serve more like, traditional food. Hagakure Ramen is like, the go-to place for ramen. I used to go there with my friends all the time.
[She hasn't been in a while, huh...? It's okay. Everyone was busy today, so that's why she didn't see them. She must have seen Yukari and Fuuka and Junpei this morning, right? In an attempt to keep from dwelling on that, she continues without more than a furrow to her brow,]
Oh, and when we go to the mall, I can show you Chagall Café. I worked there too sometimes! It's just a normal café, but it's really nice as somewhere to just sit and relax. [She taps her chopsticks lightly against the bowl, tossing him another smile once she's swallowed.] We have plenty of time.
[...Don't they? Something seizes her heart, the same feeling that she's forgetting something horribly important, but she smiles through it anyway.]
[Extremely cute... and yet, Scott actually thinks it's cute.]
I've never had takoyaki before.
[He really doesn't even know what takoyaki is, besides it being some sort of octopus dish?? Probably. It sounds really weird-- but hey, he's willing to try it! She's trying to impress him with Japanese cuisine and he has to give her a chance, so no refusal on eating stuff, no matter what it is! Besides, he's not gonna let himself be grossed out by food, he's a boy. And boys just eat whatever--
But she really knows her way around this place, huh? Well, obviously, duh, she's probably lived here for a long time.]
Okay, did you always go somewhere after school with someone? You really are Miss Popular. [He teases, even as he shoves a whole chunk of beef in his mouth. Very attractive indeed.] All about living each day to its fullest, huh?
[.....Why did he say that? It's not really wrong, but it felt nearly instinctual, like he had to say that. But something painful twitches in his chest as those words settle between them. Why would he be so used to saying that if it hurts so much?]
[If he's never had takoyaki before, maybe Octopia's Weird Takoyaki isn't the place to start, but Kotone just shrugs. They'll definitely have to try it, then! She laughs a little at being called "Miss Popular," because that definitely isn't true! Or well, it wasn't for a really long time. At first, it had just been about strengthening her Personas like Igor and Theo had said, but over time, they'd become true friends to her. Everybody in SEES, everyone in the whole world, has something going on in their own lives that they want to see through.
She opens her mouth still to rebuke the "Miss Popular" comment, but freezes at that last statement. Her free hand goes to her heart and squeezes gently, because that hurts. Why does it hurt so much? It's true. She lost so many people last year and had to keep existing for so long. Hiding in her room would have been easier, but how could she look any of those she'd lost in the eye knowing that she'd hidden away from it all?]
"Time waits for no man," [she says finally, picking up another piece of beef and popping it into her mouth as if she's just saying normal stuff. Like it isn't heart-wrenching to think about.] "It delivers us all to the same end." [She glances at Scott and just shrugs one shoulder, mustering up a smile for his sake.] So I guess so!
[He almost wants take back his comment, seeing how obviously hurt she was from it. He's an idiot-- why would he say such a thing?? But somehow, it feels important enough to not take it back, despite how painful it was. Like, they both have to accept it for some reason.
And maybe that makes it hurt even more.
Scott listens to her, unable to really taste the beef flavor of his food despite how good it was before. Everything outside of Kotone feels insubstantial right now, heart clenching painfully when she agrees with his words and adds to them. 'They're all delivered to the same end.' A part of him wants to ask why does it have to be that way, but it's like he already knows the answer to that.
Isn't she dead--
This is far more forward than he'd normally be, but Scott can no longer deny how closely connected he feels to Kotone. Even though they just met, even though he doesn't really know her, he just instinctively knows that she's the most important person to him and so he can't help but turn in his seat so he's facing her, chopsticks placed down so that he can reach for her hand, pulling it close until it rests against his heart.]
[It feels like it's something she's forgotten. There's no sudden spark of recognition or realization, no lightbulb moment. It's just like a quiet sigh, a resigned reminder that everything in her life is always temporary, and nothing lasts forever. How could she have forgotten something so important...?
She lets Scott take her hand, fingertips gently pressing against his chest until she imagines she can feel his heart beating beneath them. Is this how Aigis and Ryoji had felt around her? That there was a piece of them within her, even if they didn't know how or why. Somehow, she knows there's a place for her in Scott's heart.
She doesn't know him. But she knows him. Maybe that's why the words tumble from her lips before she can think better of them.]
Do you think... we met before in a previous life?
[While there's a smile on her lips, there's a vulnerability in her eyes hinting that it's meant as more than a silly pickup line.]
[The idea of reincarnation isn't something Scott really believes in, but he's never felt this way around anyone else, not even Jean. So, maybe, there is something to it? It's not like he just thinks of Kotone as a cute face, there's truly something deeper here and he wants to reach it, even if it also brings forth that same pain from earlier. That deep sense of loss that seems just as integral to their relationship as everything else.
He's not even sure what to do with that feeling. But beyond that, there's something so warm, a deep and intense sort of emotion that he never thought he'd have. It's somehow worth all the pain.
Scott continues to keep her hand against his chest, hand warm on top of hers. She's alive, sitting right in front of him, and that's almost enough for now. If they're getting stares or being weird inside a beef bowl restaurant, oh well.]
Maybe. [He eventually answers, voice soft, reflective.] I just know that I came here because of you.
[What a pickup line-- but he fully feels that way.]
[If they're getting stared at, Kotone doesn't notice. She didn't notice if there are even any other customers around, or if the chef is still close by. Right now, it feels like the only two people in the world right now are her and Scott. The heartbeat beneath her fingers is undeniably alive, and for a moment, she's struck with a sudden fear that if she put her hand to her heart again, she wouldn't feel it beating at all.]
Fate's funny like that, [she answers, voice equally as soft as she tilts her head and tries to catch his eye with another little smile. She'd come back here ten years after her parents had been killed, she'd wound up with SEES and met everyone, been pulled in this crazy journey set before her by Igor and Pharos. How had it ended...? She can't remember. Maybe she doesn't want to. Maybe she just wants to enjoy the time she has with him, time that's feeling ever more limited.
So she forces a wider smile, tries to pull her hand back from his grasp.] But don't think that gets you out of paying for me! [she tries in a transparent attempt to reclaim that earlier lighter atmosphere, shying away from whatever it is that she can't remember.]
[Fate...? Maybe it really is that. It's not just simple coincidence that he ended up attending this private school in Japan. It can't be that simple, right? Something drew him to Kotone Shiomi for one reason or another. Those feelings aren't false, he knows that for sure. Maybe some external force wanted them to meet. She's been fully reciprocal about the idea at least, so it's not just him feeling this way. It helps, making Scott feel less awkward. She really understands... and she's not making fun of him.
He looks at her through his ruby lens, something intense about his gaze even as he releases her hand from his hold. Something about all this feels familiar anyway, maybe it's the past life she brought up? But he swears he can remember sitting with her like this, eating sushi, enjoying each other's company. He wants to say that she should be wearing a blue butterfly hair clip he got her but--]
Huh? Wait, that's not fair! You totally cheated! [Being abruptly pulled from his thoughts for this!! Scott easily goes along with it, his protests playful as he looks at her with a half-offended look.] Aren't you supposed to be 'senpai?' Take care of the new students?
[She manages another laugh, but doesn't disagree. If she's the senpai, maybe she should pay for him, huh? Turn the tables on him for once!]
What, you don't think I'm taking care of you? [she teases, pushing those lingering thoughts from earlier out of her mind. Maybe if she shoves them back far enough, she can convince herself that all they were talking about was nothing but corny pickup lines and flirting, not something that feels all too real and serious. Maybe she can even manage to keep from looking at whatever it is that's lingering just out sight, something that she fears might break her whole world apart if only she looked at it.] Next thing, you'll make me pay for you at the arcade, too!
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expiationlogs2025-01-13 12:39 pm
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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.]
no subject
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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She looks through his glasses one more time before squeezing his hand once more, tapping her thumb twice against the back of his hand in a wordless symbol that she intends to let go.]
Then don't, [she says, as if it's as easy as all that. Carefully, with both hands, she slips his glasses back onto his face, smoothing her fingertips against that furrowed brow.] You're strong enough that you won't anymore. I know.
[She doesn't know how, but she's never been more certain.]
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I can't control my powers.
[He admits, quietly, a flicker of red brightening behind his glasses as she fits them safely over his eyes once again. The furrow smooths out, but it's like the entire mood of their casual afternoon has changed, with Scott more serious and withdrawn compared to that cocky teenager from earlier.] I... I should've warned you about all that before you took me here.
[He's been kind of selfish, huh? Not even thinking about that sort of thing.]
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[It's funny how she doesn't question it, but then again, she never really had been one to ask too many questions. It's easier to just accept things as they come, and this cool, mysterious American transfer student is just another strange person added to a list of equally as strange people she's met here. And with all that on the table, it feels important to add,] Thanks for trusting me.
[With his glasses. With admitting this to her. By all rights, he doesn't know her and he shouldn't trust so easily, but... she's glad he could.]
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[So moody!! Scott looks like he's about to pout more about his situation, maybe find a place to sulk and think about how things are just so unfair. Alex is definitely familiar when he gets like this, but he's not here, so who is gonna stop him now?! ...Well, maybe Kotone will, because as she slips her hand back against his, much of that irritation fades. The mutant suddenly doesn't want to go somewhere and grumble by himself.
He glances down at their hands, silently looking at them for a while, before he turns his palm so that he can gently hold hers once again. Scott can't explain why, but he really finds himself soothed, comforted when they're together like this. Is it because he's holding the hand of a cute girl?? ...Maybe. It feels like something more though and it's not the first time this feeling has cropped up. What makes Kotone Shiomi so special to him?
Then she's smiling at him, thanking him, and he can't help but nod, expression softening.]
...It just felt easy to trust you. [Is that too much to say? But it's how he feels.]
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Most people I know do, [she says simply. They're not supposed to talk about their own powers, or at least, she's pretty sure they're not supposed to. Yukari had asked her not to tell anybody. But Scott clearly has powers of his own, and he's not a bad person, so...
His words make her smile again as she gently closes her fingers around his. There's a joke to be made, about how she gets people saying things like that lot to her, but it's different when Scott says it. His hand is warm in hers, like he's the most real thing she's ever felt. She should say something, shouldn't she? Again, for those long few moments, it feels like the whole world is closed around them, and if she says something, it'll all shatter around them like so much fragile glass. She opens her mouth-]
Two house specials!! [only to be interrupted by the arrival of their food. Kotone stares at him a moment longer, then laughs, turning in her seat and picking up her chopsticks.]
Let's eat! Then we'll go to the mall.
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At least it sounds like someone is already helping them? If they already have something that helps with controlling their powers. It still doesn't douse his curiosity at all.
In fact, the only reason why he's not prodding her more about that is because he just sort of wants to be normal with her right now. Somehow, it feels really important. The two of them at her favorite restaurant and sitting together with their hands intertwined... he wouldn't say it's more important, but he wants this moment. He--
And then there's beef bowls placed right in front of him. Scott isn't sure if he wants to blast the guy or thank him. With the interruption, however, he can't do much of anything else but accept it, the teen shifting in his seat so that he can take his chopsticks. ...Yeah, he learned how to use them before coming here. He thought it would be a good idea.]
Sounds like a plan. [He finally smiles again, some of that earlier easygoing attitude returning.] And I have to admit, this looks pretty good.
[Guess beef can be in things other than a hamburger.]
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It... is finished, isn't it? It feels like she's forgetting something really important, but it's easy to shove aside with the rich smell of beef right in front of her!]
It's not a hamburger, but it's really good!! [she reassures him with another laugh, trying to bring him back from that sadness she'd glimpsed before. He's afraid about controlling his powers, whatever they are, but he seems like he really enjoys this kind of normal stuff, so... best to focus on that, at least for now.] Pretty much all Japanese food is good, though! You're not gonna want to go back to America after being here.
[They might have only just met, but the thought of losing him like she'd lost Bebe and so many others... her hand tightens around his, just for a moment, before she lets go to full focus on her beef bowl. Using chopsticks with her offhand is way too difficult! And if her knee bumps against his as if to make up for it, well, no it doesn't.]
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[Better than hamburgers?? HOT DOGS???? Okay, so it wasn't too long ago that he actually got to try out a NY style hot dog and..... it was okay. Maybe he didn't go to the right place?? It's such a big city and he spends most of his time in Westchester-- in a mansion no less. Maybe that can be his next adventure with the other mutants, finding the best hot dog place.
Maybe he can invite Kotone along. Let her be the exchange student and experience culture. Honestly, her visiting New York would be really fun. It's like something he's always wanted to do.
Still, he feels her hand tightening in his own, before she lets go. A subtle sort of implication, but one that Scott understands and he finds himself trying to reassure her with a soft smile. It's not like he wants to go back anytime soon-- he doesn't want to leave her. The perky Japanese girl that also seems so sad for some reason...]
You'll just have to convince me by showing me all kinds of Japanese food. And that will definitely take a while.
[Even as he tries the beef bowl and makes a pleased little face. And sounds. Okay, Japanese food is starting off strong, he'll admit it.]
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[She hasn't been in a while, huh...? It's okay. Everyone was busy today, so that's why she didn't see them. She must have seen Yukari and Fuuka and Junpei this morning, right? In an attempt to keep from dwelling on that, she continues without more than a furrow to her brow,]
Oh, and when we go to the mall, I can show you Chagall Café. I worked there too sometimes! It's just a normal café, but it's really nice as somewhere to just sit and relax. [She taps her chopsticks lightly against the bowl, tossing him another smile once she's swallowed.] We have plenty of time.
[...Don't they? Something seizes her heart, the same feeling that she's forgetting something horribly important, but she smiles through it anyway.]
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I've never had takoyaki before.
[He really doesn't even know what takoyaki is, besides it being some sort of octopus dish?? Probably. It sounds really weird-- but hey, he's willing to try it! She's trying to impress him with Japanese cuisine and he has to give her a chance, so no refusal on eating stuff, no matter what it is! Besides, he's not gonna let himself be grossed out by food, he's a boy. And boys just eat whatever--
But she really knows her way around this place, huh? Well, obviously, duh, she's probably lived here for a long time.]
Okay, did you always go somewhere after school with someone? You really are Miss Popular. [He teases, even as he shoves a whole chunk of beef in his mouth. Very attractive indeed.] All about living each day to its fullest, huh?
[.....Why did he say that? It's not really wrong, but it felt nearly instinctual, like he had to say that. But something painful twitches in his chest as those words settle between them. Why would he be so used to saying that if it hurts so much?]
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She opens her mouth still to rebuke the "Miss Popular" comment, but freezes at that last statement. Her free hand goes to her heart and squeezes gently, because that hurts. Why does it hurt so much? It's true. She lost so many people last year and had to keep existing for so long. Hiding in her room would have been easier, but how could she look any of those she'd lost in the eye knowing that she'd hidden away from it all?]
"Time waits for no man," [she says finally, picking up another piece of beef and popping it into her mouth as if she's just saying normal stuff. Like it isn't heart-wrenching to think about.] "It delivers us all to the same end." [She glances at Scott and just shrugs one shoulder, mustering up a smile for his sake.] So I guess so!
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And maybe that makes it hurt even more.
Scott listens to her, unable to really taste the beef flavor of his food despite how good it was before. Everything outside of Kotone feels insubstantial right now, heart clenching painfully when she agrees with his words and adds to them. 'They're all delivered to the same end.' A part of him wants to ask why does it have to be that way, but it's like he already knows the answer to that.
Isn't she dead--
This is far more forward than he'd normally be, but Scott can no longer deny how closely connected he feels to Kotone. Even though they just met, even though he doesn't really know her, he just instinctively knows that she's the most important person to him and so he can't help but turn in his seat so he's facing her, chopsticks placed down so that he can reach for her hand, pulling it close until it rests against his heart.]
...
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She lets Scott take her hand, fingertips gently pressing against his chest until she imagines she can feel his heart beating beneath them. Is this how Aigis and Ryoji had felt around her? That there was a piece of them within her, even if they didn't know how or why. Somehow, she knows there's a place for her in Scott's heart.
She doesn't know him. But she knows him. Maybe that's why the words tumble from her lips before she can think better of them.]
Do you think... we met before in a previous life?
[While there's a smile on her lips, there's a vulnerability in her eyes hinting that it's meant as more than a silly pickup line.]
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He's not even sure what to do with that feeling. But beyond that, there's something so warm, a deep and intense sort of emotion that he never thought he'd have. It's somehow worth all the pain.
Scott continues to keep her hand against his chest, hand warm on top of hers. She's alive, sitting right in front of him, and that's almost enough for now. If they're getting stares or being weird inside a beef bowl restaurant, oh well.]
Maybe. [He eventually answers, voice soft, reflective.] I just know that I came here because of you.
[What a pickup line-- but he fully feels that way.]
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Fate's funny like that, [she answers, voice equally as soft as she tilts her head and tries to catch his eye with another little smile. She'd come back here ten years after her parents had been killed, she'd wound up with SEES and met everyone, been pulled in this crazy journey set before her by Igor and Pharos. How had it ended...? She can't remember. Maybe she doesn't want to. Maybe she just wants to enjoy the time she has with him, time that's feeling ever more limited.
So she forces a wider smile, tries to pull her hand back from his grasp.] But don't think that gets you out of paying for me! [she tries in a transparent attempt to reclaim that earlier lighter atmosphere, shying away from whatever it is that she can't remember.]
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He looks at her through his ruby lens, something intense about his gaze even as he releases her hand from his hold. Something about all this feels familiar anyway, maybe it's the past life she brought up? But he swears he can remember sitting with her like this, eating sushi, enjoying each other's company. He wants to say that she should be wearing a blue butterfly hair clip he got her but--]
Huh? Wait, that's not fair! You totally cheated! [Being abruptly pulled from his thoughts for this!! Scott easily goes along with it, his protests playful as he looks at her with a half-offended look.] Aren't you supposed to be 'senpai?' Take care of the new students?
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What, you don't think I'm taking care of you? [she teases, pushing those lingering thoughts from earlier out of her mind. Maybe if she shoves them back far enough, she can convince herself that all they were talking about was nothing but corny pickup lines and flirting, not something that feels all too real and serious. Maybe she can even manage to keep from looking at whatever it is that's lingering just out sight, something that she fears might break her whole world apart if only she looked at it.] Next thing, you'll make me pay for you at the arcade, too!
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