We do. It's a little unfortunate, but I actually don't have many plans for the rest of the day at all. I have laundry drying, but that can wait since it never rains.
Laundry... [Rei can probably imagine the face she's making. Chores are a hassle, let's be real.] That's the beauty of the colony! We can go get tea if you'd like? I found another new place the other day. It's quieter than my usual cafe.
[It's okay, Rei, Rise's pretty dressed down today too...or what would be the dressed-down version of Rise Kujikawa so still a step above average. She smiles cheerfully as Rei approaches and she bounces up from the bench she'd been seated on outside of the tea shop, clapping her hands in delight.]
Much better now. It's great to see you, Rei-chan! [She's practically sparkling. This is probably dangerous.] Shall we? [And she's already moving, even holding the door open for Rei to go first. As promised, the shop itself seems quiet and peaceful and probably smells delicious. It's the perfect place for quiet conversation with friends and it seems as though Rise purposefully picked this place for that reason.] You're right on time, by the way. But we have a lot of time here huh?
[This is dangerous. This is very, very dangerous. What's going on..................]
Of course.
[Rei steps inside and looks around, picking out a booth off to one side. There's something up, judging by Rise's mannerisms, and a quiet conversation is definitely high on her priorities list. Just to figure this out.]
We do, yes. It's a lovely little place. I'm surprised I hadn't seen it before. Do you come often?
[She follows Rei to the booth, not at all surprised she's picked an out-of-the-way booth and sliding into her seat rather gracefully. There's a listing of teas at the table and she allows herself to scan over it even while answering Rei's question.
It also helps her get a feel on the other girl for the moment.]
Not that often! I found it when I was looking for new places to try. My favorite place is usually more crowded than this. I like coming here when I want to concentrate.
[Rei does the same, sitting and looking over the menu, her senses trained hard on Rise through the paper. It's funny, Rise's the only one of her group in the dark about Rei's talents, her other side, and a lot of other things. In some ways, she's glad for that, it makes this feel almost normal, despite the psy-off going on.]
Fair enough, that's a good reason.
[Rei's own sense, for someone as observant as Rise, is pretty much just one of curiosity, a lot of patience, and honest happiness to have been invited out. It's rare enough after all.]
Is there something you want to concentrate on, today?
[She pouts a little at the menu, unsure of how to tactfully approach the subject at hand. On the one hand, of course she wants to know about Naoto and Rei. On the other though, she does see Rei as a friend and doesn't want to solely interrogate her. This is nice, being out with a friend.]
Maybe just you and how you've been lately. We've had a lot of things happen in the colony lately huh? People were really starting to go crazy.
[Rise...it's not like she doesn't know you want something. But Rei smiles all the same, patiently reading over the menu.]
Things have been really wild lately, yes. With everyone acting funny, and the robots, and all of that. I didn't do too much, personally, but things around me did get pretty wild for a day or so there. Nothing bad though, some of it was kind of nice. Reconciliation, getting things out in the open, that sort of thing. I got to know Naoto-kun fairly well, as a result.
[She'll leave you an opening, Rise, because she isn't ashamed of it, and she'd like to make sure Naoto is well.]
[This is why she likes Rei. Rei at least doesn't make her jump too many hurdles to get the answers she wants and she's peering at her over the top of her menu. It's hard to hide that she's incredibly curious and interested in the topic, but she's still trying for casual.]
It was hard to keep up with everybody after a while, too. I didn't know where to start most of the time. [She shakes her head.] At least we're starting to get better at working together through these things. You got to spend more time with Naoto-kun? She told me you guys met in ViViD.
[And that she kissed Rei, confessed her love, and then went on a date. But you know. Details.]
[Rei's best friend is Usagi, her fated love is Minako, and she's close to Makoto and Chibiusa. The only one of her inner circle who isn't exactly like Rise when it comes to these things is Ami. She knows it's best to just lay it out, make it just difficult enough to get the information out that she'll require prompting, but not blurt it out.]
We did, yes. When she arrived we ran into one another and I recognized her name thanks to Yosuke telling me. We did some exploring in that asylum thing, and talked some. But when she kissed me and confessed to me the other week, I just had to talk to her and get to know her better.
[Rei frowns a bit, looking more at the menu and nodding.]
I felt bad for her, since that wasn't exactly how anyone's first kiss should go.
Yosuke-senpai told you a lot about all of us, didn't he? [Somehow that doesn't surprise her though. Yosuke's always been pretty friend-centric as far as she knows. Still, she follows along, nodding and looking interested in all of the right places even as she leans her elbows on the table to get a better look at Rei.]
...Naoto-kun can be hard to talk to sometimes, but she's really great! She just needs people to keep trying. [That's been Rise's experience anyway, even when they'd thought Naoto was a detective thwarting their efforts. She still went out of her way to try and befriend her after that.] She told you it was her first kiss and everything?
He put a lot of faith in me. And he was very lonely. I think talking about you all helped.
[Rei sets down her menu and writes her order down for the server, so she can focus on Rise.]
Naoto-kun's relatively easy to talk to, I've found. But I think that might be because I met her after you all did, and I had the advantage of catching her already off balance. [Rei nods at the other question, lips quirking up in amusement.]
She did. And I didn't feel right, having taken it. I suppose she told you that I took her to dinner as well?
Sounds like Yosuke-senpai...[She can't imagine what it'd be like to be alone here without the rest of them. She's glad they have each other now.
Still. This is about Naoto and she follows suit to write her order and shoo the server away gently when they come back to pick it up, folding her hands under her chin.]
That's pretty possible. Naoto-kun hasn't always been that way. But she eventually told me that, yeah. [A finger comes up to twirl a lock of her hair.] I didn't really tell her much about you since it's not my place, but...you know. You're both my friends. I wanted to make sure things were okay. [And grill the shit out of Rei but whatever.]
Naoto-kun reminds me a lot of how standoffish I was before I met Usagi and my other friends. [Rei lifts her shoulders in a half shrug, half sigh.] And I told her a good bit. She knows the important things, I feel.
[A little guiltily, Rei adds:]
I told her a few things I've generally kept private. Things I probably should tell you, when we get done here. [Because Rise's one person who doesn't know about Mars, and she probably should.]
I did my best to make her feel more comfortable. She's...actually kind of adorable, and we get along well, I didn't want to muck that up.
[She pauses then, lifting both eyebrows.] Are they bad things...? [That doesn't sound ominous or anything at all, Rei, what the hell.] I didn't think you guys were that close already.
[But then Rei calls her adorable and Rise smiles in agreement.] Naoto-kun can be really cute. She was so embarrassed to tell me everything. [And Rise took a lot of delight in further embarrassing her...] You think you'll want to see her again?
Oh. I think those things are important to know here if you're willing to tell me. [And even so, Rise's now going to slowly die of curiosity because that makes it sound like Rei's talking about powers. Is that true? Is that possible? But she leaves the topic for a brief moment as their tea arrives and she sits up to nod, pausing briefly to thank their server.]
[That'd been the intent. To keep Rise on her toes and make her curious. And hopefully deflect the conversation.
Nodding to the server, she takes her cup and sips before responding.]
It's not bad. It's a little nosy, perhaps, but friends do like to know what's going on in each other's lives.
[A pause.]
And the answer to that is, yes? Probably. I'm not completely certain, but she's fun to be around, and she is attractive. I've been avoiding bothering her so as not to remind her of what happened, and sorting out my own thoughts, but I'd certainly be willing to take her out.
[If she's embarrassed about being called nosy she doesn't show it.] I've never had a lot of friends to be nosy about before people like Yu-senpai, Yosuke-senpai and Naoto-kun. [She knows she doesn't need to explain herself, but there it is.]
I don't think it'd be bothering her. She's pretty embarrassed about what happened since it wasn't in her control but you two both seem to like each other's company. [A pause for a sip of her tea.] You're both way too serious sometimes anyway. It might be good to have each other to have fun with.
[Part of her wants to say "this isn't the first time" but let's not talk about Naoto's shadow. Naoto as a whole is usually very collected though so she nods in understanding. That's completely fair. The question, however, is a curious one.]
I don't think she's ever considered it. She's like me...we've both spent a lot of our lives being so busy and working on our careers it probably hasn't occurred to her. Plus sometimes Naoto has a hard time being friends with people because of her job. She's better now, but...[A shrug.] It wouldn't hurt to ask, y'know?
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Where should we meet?
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[Since she does...have some questions about Naoto, especially.]
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[An address follows shortly after that. Rise herself is already close to the area so it's hardly any trouble for her.]
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[And there she is, right on time as expected. She's not really dressed up, just her usual red and white sundress, a bag hanging under one arm.]
Hello, Rise-chan. How are you today? I hope I didn't keep you.
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Much better now. It's great to see you, Rei-chan! [She's practically sparkling. This is probably dangerous.] Shall we? [And she's already moving, even holding the door open for Rei to go first. As promised, the shop itself seems quiet and peaceful and probably smells delicious. It's the perfect place for quiet conversation with friends and it seems as though Rise purposefully picked this place for that reason.] You're right on time, by the way. But we have a lot of time here huh?
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Of course.
[Rei steps inside and looks around, picking out a booth off to one side. There's something up, judging by Rise's mannerisms, and a quiet conversation is definitely high on her priorities list. Just to figure this out.]
We do, yes. It's a lovely little place. I'm surprised I hadn't seen it before. Do you come often?
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It also helps her get a feel on the other girl for the moment.]
Not that often! I found it when I was looking for new places to try. My favorite place is usually more crowded than this. I like coming here when I want to concentrate.
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Fair enough, that's a good reason.
[Rei's own sense, for someone as observant as Rise, is pretty much just one of curiosity, a lot of patience, and honest happiness to have been invited out. It's rare enough after all.]
Is there something you want to concentrate on, today?
[Because that phrase stood out...]
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Maybe just you and how you've been lately. We've had a lot of things happen in the colony lately huh? People were really starting to go crazy.
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Things have been really wild lately, yes. With everyone acting funny, and the robots, and all of that. I didn't do too much, personally, but things around me did get pretty wild for a day or so there. Nothing bad though, some of it was kind of nice. Reconciliation, getting things out in the open, that sort of thing. I got to know Naoto-kun fairly well, as a result.
[She'll leave you an opening, Rise, because she isn't ashamed of it, and she'd like to make sure Naoto is well.]
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It was hard to keep up with everybody after a while, too. I didn't know where to start most of the time. [She shakes her head.] At least we're starting to get better at working together through these things. You got to spend more time with Naoto-kun? She told me you guys met in ViViD.
[And that she kissed Rei, confessed her love, and then went on a date. But you know. Details.]
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We did, yes. When she arrived we ran into one another and I recognized her name thanks to Yosuke telling me. We did some exploring in that asylum thing, and talked some. But when she kissed me and confessed to me the other week, I just had to talk to her and get to know her better.
[Rei frowns a bit, looking more at the menu and nodding.]
I felt bad for her, since that wasn't exactly how anyone's first kiss should go.
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...Naoto-kun can be hard to talk to sometimes, but she's really great! She just needs people to keep trying. [That's been Rise's experience anyway, even when they'd thought Naoto was a detective thwarting their efforts. She still went out of her way to try and befriend her after that.] She told you it was her first kiss and everything?
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[Rei sets down her menu and writes her order down for the server, so she can focus on Rise.]
Naoto-kun's relatively easy to talk to, I've found. But I think that might be because I met her after you all did, and I had the advantage of catching her already off balance. [Rei nods at the other question, lips quirking up in amusement.]
She did. And I didn't feel right, having taken it. I suppose she told you that I took her to dinner as well?
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Still. This is about Naoto and she follows suit to write her order and shoo the server away gently when they come back to pick it up, folding her hands under her chin.]
That's pretty possible. Naoto-kun hasn't always been that way. But she eventually told me that, yeah. [A finger comes up to twirl a lock of her hair.] I didn't really tell her much about you since it's not my place, but...you know. You're both my friends. I wanted to make sure things were okay. [And grill the shit out of Rei but whatever.]
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[A little guiltily, Rei adds:]
I told her a few things I've generally kept private. Things I probably should tell you, when we get done here. [Because Rise's one person who doesn't know about Mars, and she probably should.]
I did my best to make her feel more comfortable. She's...actually kind of adorable, and we get along well, I didn't want to muck that up.
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[But then Rei calls her adorable and Rise smiles in agreement.] Naoto-kun can be really cute. She was so embarrassed to tell me everything. [And Rise took a lot of delight in further embarrassing her...] You think you'll want to see her again?
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[You know, those little things that might be good to know. Signs of trust and all.
Of course, it's her own eyebrows turn to lift at Rise's question. Well...that is a fair one but, my my.]
Are you asking if I want to date Naoto-kun, Rise-chan?
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But that's what I'm asking, yeah. Is that bad?
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Nodding to the server, she takes her cup and sips before responding.]
It's not bad. It's a little nosy, perhaps, but friends do like to know what's going on in each other's lives.
[A pause.]
And the answer to that is, yes? Probably. I'm not completely certain, but she's fun to be around, and she is attractive. I've been avoiding bothering her so as not to remind her of what happened, and sorting out my own thoughts, but I'd certainly be willing to take her out.
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I don't think it'd be bothering her. She's pretty embarrassed about what happened since it wasn't in her control but you two both seem to like each other's company. [A pause for a sip of her tea.] You're both way too serious sometimes anyway. It might be good to have each other to have fun with.
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I meant, more, that I didn't want to remind her that she lost control of herself. The last thing I want to be is a reminder of that.
[But it's probably inevitable.]
Does...she even date, though?
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I don't think she's ever considered it. She's like me...we've both spent a lot of our lives being so busy and working on our careers it probably hasn't occurred to her. Plus sometimes Naoto has a hard time being friends with people because of her job. She's better now, but...[A shrug.] It wouldn't hurt to ask, y'know?
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I'll consider it. She's nice, but dating? I don't know if she'd even be interested in girls.
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