It's Christmas time...

[greatseal]

Who: Minako Arisato, Shinjiro Aragaki, and anyone who wants to run across them
Where: Libra district, then around Virgo and Scorpio districts
Summary: Despite the weird weather, Minako attempts to take Shinjiro out on a Christmas Eve date.
Warnings: Embarrassing lovey-dovey stuff. We'll see if Shinji's dignity survives.


Around 10 in the morning, Dec. 24th, a short text message appears on Shinjiro's COMP. Hopefully, it's not that unexpected.

Hey Senpai, merry Christmas Eve! ヾ(＾∇＾)*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Don't make any plans for this evening, okay?

Of course, he's actually free to make plans, as long as they involve her. This is the first Christmas they've gotten to spend together. She wants to monopolize his time, at least for a little while.

In the late afternoon, as the sun is just beginning to set, the two of them set out into the city, trying to avoid the worst of the Jack mess. It isn't the best conditions for a date but Minako isn't about to let a little fight between demons get in the way of enjoying the holiday. Minako's chosen a coat that is easy enough to unbutton in the warmer sections of the city, but still protect from the snow.

The goal is to view the Christmas decorations around the city, see some interesting venues, go somewhere nice for dinner and basically spend time together. That is... as long as nothing, or no one, gets in their way.

Comments

[greatseal]

If the gift were the key, she'd be just as happy. But as it is, her eyes go wide for a moment. Then she smiles, running her fingers over the bracelet charms.

"Senpai..." No, even if they are in public, this deserves a different kind of address. "Shinji, thank you. I'll treasure them."

She slips the key into her bag, but the bracelet goes on her wrist - the right wrist, because as should be clear as she fiddles with the clasp, she's already wearing the watch he'd given her before on her left.

[themortalhalf]

It's always strange, hearing her say his name without senpai attatched. It never fails to make him turn his head sharply, like maybe he's heard wrong, or maybe Aki's not too far away and he's somehow mistaken. He likes hearing it though, even if he'll never voice the thought out loud.

He smiles and folds up the wet coat he's been holding, putting it inside the box his jacket had come in. He can find a towel to line it with later, and it will look less strange this way, carrying a gift box around.

"If we're still here next year, we can find another one."

One for each year.

There's a big "if" in that, if they'll both be around long enough to add another charm to it, though he wishes there wasn't. He wouldn't ever choose to go home, not willingly, there are far too many people here that he'd miss; but if this place could bring him here unwillingly, he's sure it could be sent back the same way. And even barring that, there are plenty of other things that could make that possibility difficult.

[greatseal]

The small-but-big word is enough to turn her smile around. She latches on to his arm again, the new charms jingling as she moves.

"Don't say 'if.' We can make plans as far ahead as we want."

Maybe it's childish, and unrealistic, but wondering about what the future might hold isn't going to alter the chances of it happening. Better to set a goal and shoot for it. To promise impossible things and do your best to fulfill them. It's easier to forgive than to regret.

[themortalhalf]

Unrealistic? Not completely. Even a small probability does not equal impossibility. He's just not sure he can see all that far, though he'd like to. ...And it surprises him sometimes that he does.

"I know. The bracelet's mostly empty for a reason."

It would have been easy to complete it, leave no room for extra charms and call it done. And he almost did, but realized he didn't want that. Two charms are all he needed: one for this year, and one for the December he missed, with room enough for what few Decembers this world might end up giving him, though maybe he shouldn't even bother waiting for them.

He knows he can't view the future as optimistically as she can—plan for it as if everything good they imagine will definitely happen—but that doesn't change the fact he'd like to see the better future come to pass. He's wanted a lot of things. He doesn't want to leave, and he'd like her to stay. But the other side of reality has to be accounted for, too, so his mind accounts for it. Not in the best way, maybe, but it's been keeping tally of likelihoods for a long time. That's not going to change. And the truth is very few things have turned out even close to the way he planned it.

But he'll leave the bracelet open. It's as close as he can get to planning something far ahead, just because he wants to.

[greatseal]

She relents just as quickly as she was fired up, and starts to smile again. "Make sure you remember it, then."

But she doesn't let go of his arm. The length of her borrowed coat's sleeves swallow up the bracelet and her hand. It probably looks silly to onlookers, but that doesn't mean she's going to give it back.