harmonize_rpg | (no subject)

Who: Mirai and Shizuru.
Where: A club and a bar.
When: Tuesday 25th April, evening.
What: Exploring.

It seemed fine to wait in such a place, Mirai thought. For here his attention was entirely occupied by the drinks on the table and the girls sitting on the opposite side, who were talking amongst themselves with the faintest of whispers. Behind the three, a trio of whisperers were clutching tightly to the rails while the people standing on the floor were dancing to where the music was taking them.

Mirai was quite glad that plenty was going on. The sound of nearby talking turned the side of his head. He could not find the voices anywhere. His sight, when it moved back across the floor, lingered for a while. The way people were dancing probably expressed the way he was feeling too. His senses came alive at the sight and sound of it.

It was very relaxing. He leaned back into the couch, sighed and turned over to Shizuru. "It's good to forget who you are sometimes, don't you think?"

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"Mm."

Shizuru's noncommittal response was half-hidden by a long sip of her drink--something fruity and mildly alcoholic, for which she had Taue's advice about the fake ID to thank. Her long legs, poorly hidden by a short skirt and stripey knee-highs, were crossed lazily, one foot tapping in the air along with the beat.

Her own eyes were on the dance floor. She was thinking about heading there, but not totally feeling it just yet. "Good way to forget about stress."

At this remark, Mirai refocused his attention and cast it at the dance floor beyond the edge of the alcove. It was filling with people now and actually, for a brief instant, he almost wanted to get up and dance. He was getting his shoes on and stepping up, when he collapsed back, half-closed his eyes lazily and went to take his own drink off the table.

"... Yeah."

And he knocked it back in one, having every faith that soon his concern about this mission would be alleviated and he would just be able to forget about it.

"What about you, Benten-chan? This," his arm encompassed the entire club, "really isn't your first time is it?"

"Nah. But it's harder here. Curfew sucks."

Shizuru took off her hat and fanned herself with it, hair spilling out of it and over her shoulders as she did. She normally looked sleepy, to be sure, but the look in her eyes was more unfocused, spacey--distant.

"Least we got something to make up for it."

In curiosity Mirai turned and waited for her to finish speaking. "Oh? Are you talking about our important secret?" he asked, shaking his opened bottle at her. "Or the pleasant sights and good drinks here?"

It was indeed pleasant. Volume had come up from the speakers and red, pink and purple lights had spread like a watercolour over the ceiling. He was staring ruminatively out at the dancers - he always did feel sad about dancing alone.

"Mn. Yeah."

A typically 'helpful' answer from Shizuru, who had sunk deeper into her chair, hat tossed to the side, looking out at nothing in particular--or maybe just taking it all in at once.

"Makes everything else seem boring."

At this time Mirai was slumping into the chair next to her. His grip on his bottle loosened and it almost fell out his fingers - it was a little weight, disproportionally heavy. Since it was still dangling at the end of his arm he heaved it up and grasped it close to his chest.

"Yeah, it does. But entertainment's the sort of thing you want to enjoy on your own terms, right?"

"Own terms... Yeah."

The way Shizuru said it was peculiar, as if the comment had held some sort of meaning, some resonance for her.

But she wasn't about to elaborate. Instead there simply came a faint sound that might have been a laugh, and she was up, hat returned to its perch on her head, almost before anyone might notice her moving.

"Hey." She stretched out a hand to Mirai. Her thin frame swayed like a stalk of grass in the wind, and the hat hid her eyes in faintly reddish shadows. "Wanna dance?"

The idea for tonight's entertainment was now a good deal nearer. He watched the dancing people in even greater fascination. There was too much movement and pleasure and he wasn't a part of either. That hurt. He dropped his bottle on the table and stood his way clear of the chair. He was about to start the real purpose of the night and of course have a good deal of fun with it.

"Sure."

He had been cradling his bottle for some time. He strode easily to the floor in what seemed like happiness - now his arms stretched out, as high as they could and jerked in their movements as his unsure hands parted the air.