aterat | January Catch-All; Open and Closed

Entry tags:

January Catch-All; Open and Closed

Who; Shinjiro and you
What; Various scenarios throughout the month
Where; Varies depending on scenario
When; Varies

Warnings: None so far, but will update as necessary.

Prompts are in comments. If you'd like a specific scene with Shinjiro, or something closed, shoot me a message on discord at vikael or just message this journal and I'll throw something up or we can hash something out.

Also, I'm totally down with people tagging multiple prompts, or with multiple characters :)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He wasn't even sure she'd want to spend the evening with him, but that didn't stop him from putting together a meal. He went with something traditionally shared on New Years, simple stir-fried buckwheat noodles in a light sauce and a few bags of groceries to make a New Year's bento for them to share.

He at least hoped she was home as he knocked gently at the door to her apartment.]

[ Mitsuru wasn't precisely expecting company, then again when was she ever? She wasn't precisely a social person and lately she'd poured all of her energy into her job. Which was so very Mitsuru of her. Change out one single minded focus for all her energy for another.

At least she was home.

She opened the door wearing a long oversized pink knit sweater. Yusuke had suggested she try to expand her wardrobe some and so she'd bought this. It looked more like a dress on her than anything and she hadn't gotten quite bold enough to wear it out. Inside it was warm and cozy though. She looked a bit surprised to see Shinjiro there but offered him a smile. A genuine one. ]

To what do I own the pleasure?

[He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he knocked on her door, but Mitsuru in a knit sweater wasn't it. He didn't know what to say at first, just looking her over.]

Uh...

[He cleared his throat.]

...It's New Year's Eve.

[ She shifted a bit awkwardly and then tugged at the sleeve of the sweater. ]

Oh, you're right, it is. I think I'd completely forgotten about that...[ she stepped to the side and gestured ]

Would you like to come in?

[ The place was fairly unremarkable, very clean save for a few items of clothing strangely thrown on the floor as well as an apron. They looked like what most of the serving staff at the Tavern wore. There was also a small tea set out in the living room on the coffee table that clearly got quite a bit of use. ]

[Shinjiro was a pretty observant guy most days, when it was in regards to his friends in particular.]

...is...that apron yours? [That didn't mean it was easy for him to think of her waiting tables at a tavern.]

[ She paused and moved a hand awkwardly to brush her hair out of her face. ]

Ah, yes...I had been meaning to tell you but...[ She'd been busy and she'd wanted to offer him something. Speaking of.... ] I have something for you, [ She went over to her table and picked up a pouch filled with coins. ]

This is for you.

[He didn't take the offered coin purse, instead frowning at his friend.}

What's that for?

[ She frowned right back at him. She'd worked hard and had originally intended for this to be a much more impressive ceremony but this should be fine, right? ]

Since we arrived here you've taken care of us for the most part. My skills were...shamefully lacking when it came to operating alone in a world like this. I thought it was only right that I attempt to gain employment and repay you.

Or we could've talked it out. [Not that either of them were any good at that. He sighed, shaking his head.]

Keep your money, Mitsuru. We're friends. Besides.

[He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly before making his way to her kitchen to busy himself and to avoid looking at her as he continued.]

I liked it.

Talked about what? [ The idea that there was even something to talk about was really not occurring to her at all. A frown touched the corners of her lips and she looked a bit confused as he walked off to her kitchen. Which looked as though the extent of it's use was making tea. ]

You liked what?

Helpin' each other out.

[He was used to making due with a limited selection of cookware, so the state of the place wasn't that big a deal. He did, though, make a mental note to make some ready to eat meals for her going forward.

He cleared his throat before adding.]

Helpin' you. I like it.

Oh. [ She paused, allowing a long awkward silence to stretch out between them. ]

Me specifically? Is that because you assume I'm the one that needs the most help here?

[ He didn't mind most silences, he preferred the solitude they offered, but this one was particularly weighted and he filled it by heating up their dinner.

He looked up at her question, though. ]

Yeah, you, but not because you need it. [ He cleared his throat awkwardly before returning to his duties, filling plates. ] 'Cause I want to.

[ She moved to start putting some tea on because this was a moment where she felt they needed tea. Or at the very least she most certainly did. Which meant awkwardly bumping into him as he filled up their plates. ]

You want to? Why?

[ She was MItsuru Kirijo, heir to the Kirijo Group, one of the most influential tech firms in the world. She was also the most intelligent, graceful, and beautiful girl he'd ever seen, let alone met. They'd been through Hell and back together. She'd opened his eyes to a world he'd never imagined and one that had nothing to do with Shadows. There was still a pretty big part of him convinced she deserved better, that he could never provide for Mitsuru the way she needed, but it couldn't define what that meant exactly.

He also knew he could tell her all that, but instead, keeping himself busy with arranging food, he only said- ]

I just do.

[ That makes sense, Shinjiro. Not confusing at all. ]

[ Her eyebrows scrunched up for a moment to reveal her confusion for just a moment. ]

You just do. [ Her voice was a bit terse, if only because she wasn't entirely fond of not understanding. Not understanding the issue with Tartarus or a problem at school was one thing, it was almost an enjoyable thing in all actuality. Not understanding people though? It was a common occurrence, but frustrating all the same. ]

[ The situation was exacerbated by the fact Shinjiro wasn't the best at expressing himself. He spoke with his actions. They made the best sense to him and spoke a lot louder than empty words ever could. He took care of her, he provided food, watched her back, protected her. He'd abandoned her, and Akihiko, back home, but he wasn't about to do that here. Didn't that explain where he stood well enough without him having to spell it out?

He guessed not. It wasn't exactly logical and Mitsuru thrived on logic.

He swallowed before placing a plate before each seat at her bar. ]

You matter to me...so I like to take care of you.

[ Better, but still not that great. ]

Thank you. [ She said it with a slight bow of her head as he placed the plate before her. Still clearly contemplating what he'd said with a thoughtful expression on her face. The problem with Mitsuru was that everyone took care of her and provided for her. She had an entire staff that solely answered to her that took care of so many things for her. The thing that came out as strange was to have it be someone that should, in essence, be her equal. But that brought another issue to her attention: the power imbalance she always felt between people.

Either way, it all came back to her still not getting that he meant something special with his confession. ]

I appreciate you saying that, Shinjiro.

Well, I ain't just sayin' it.

[ There she was again, responding in that carefully crafted, measured tone of hers that she reserved for moments when she didn't know what to say, so she said what she was taught to say. That wasn't his point here, and he wasn't going to stand for it. He'd put her through enough without leaving her to assume he'd meant something polite instead of something he felt. ]

I don't give a shit what most people think of me. I do my own thing, you know that. [ He took a breath before continuing. ] But I care about you. I care that you work your ass off when everybody else is slackin' off. I care you spend all your time workin' for somebody else's agenda and nobody notices, and I care you're always stuck cleanin' up somebody else's mess. Including mine.

[ He still wasn't being clear, he could tell, so he squared his jaw, meeting her eyes. ]

What I mean is I'm tired of you havin' to do it alone, and you won't anymore, not here anyway, if you'll let me. We're a team, and not just in combat.

I know you don't just say things. I just didn't know you...felt that way.

[ The words came out stilted and awkward. Mitsuru was never one to not know what to say, at least not when a situation required grand speeches or chastising. More personal matter however.... those she often found herself struggling with. She meets his eyes for a few seconds and then shook her head. ]

Those are things I've never minded doing. It's my duty as a Kirijo and as a Kirijo, your mess was also our mess. [ There was still no changing her mind that at least some of the fault in what happened with him lay with her. ]

We are a team. [ There was just a bit of confusion in her voice, as though she felt like she was missing something that she should have been clear to her. ] I didn't believe that was in question.

[ Because he just didn't say things, and this everything happened and he'd left, abandoning them both to whatever could have come for them.

He clenched his fists at her explanation, shaking his head. ]

No, damn it. You wanted to help because we're friends, and I walked out on that.

[ He'd done worse than that. ]

It was just us. You, me, Aki. Nobody else knew what we were goin' through and...I abandoned that. [ He met her eyes. ] You. You were alone 'til we came along, and I left you. [ He paused, taking a breath before finishing. ] I can't apologize for it, but I'm sorry either way.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

January Catch-All; Open and Closed

A New Year's Eve Visit | Closed to Mitsuru

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject