synflux | [closed] we shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us

[ dress nice, she said. because the guidelines said to. we'll meet there, she also said, because

because it was easier that way, rather than just walking together. surely. she'd been hanging out with march shortly before leaving early to make sure they didn't bump into each other too, an utter surprise in the waiting. malkuth knows he's likely to just teleport over anyway, so she's leaned up outside the studio wearing a cute yellow dress, her long hair twisted and turned into a messy braid that wraps at the back into a bun.

they did their best!!! between one hand and another with no experience doing her hair up!!!

anyway, she's nervous for a few different reasons, but it can all be put to the class. yup. just that. the whole thing roots from this stupid class that she wants to try, every bit of it no matter how she picks it apart, kaito can easily spook her if he wants she is utterly focused on keeping her emotions calm as a lake. ]

... Actually, if he's smart, he'll remember we're not supposed to use our powers out and about anyway, so maybe he'll actually be walking for once in his life...

[ haha. ha. this will be fun. it'll be fine. nevermind she's found a new appreciation for physical touch. it's fine. it'll be fun. ]

[ The only surprise today is that Kaito shows up in a completely normal, well-adjusted manner. On a motorcycle. A black bike whose tires are adorned with glowing yellow lights comes rolling up to the curb. Its rider is decked out in thick black leathers and an equally obscuring helmet... But only the latter is actual clothing.

Kaito pops the helmet off, sets it on his dash, and swings over the bike. Mid-jump, the nanites projecting his leather garb fade out, revealing a much more formal and form fitting attire underneath, complete with a blue tie that vibrantly sticks out against the canvas of his white dress shirt. His hair's as cleanly unkempt as it always is... Though, as he approaches, the faint scent of cinnamon just barely carries across the air between them.

He's also opting to look absolutely everywhere else except at her. ]

Hey.

[ His greeting's a good ten seconds too late. And... it's not even like when they'd met and he was guarded for all of five lines.

He sounds distant. ]

[ ... he's distracted, maybe. it's not the speechlessness her and march hoped he'd be stunned into, and malkuth tries to catch his eye by leaning into his view with curiosity and confusion crowding out the nervousness she'd felt before. sorry. ]

Are you okay?

[ he didn't jumpscare her... he looks good, sure, but that's a footnote in her concern. the cinnamon is nice. why can't he look at her? he's never had a problem before, it was... one of the things she liked about him, even if it was embarrassing to be paid so much attention to too.

, oh, actually-- ]

Wait, no... it's because I look weird, right? [ that's definitely it. maybe should've just discarded the idea and went with that overly modest thing march claimed was for a weekend outing. ] You've never seen me in anything but pants and a sweater, so I bet this is a total shock! I had to get used to it too -- I spent so long in front of the mirror that I barely recognize myself anymore, haha...

[ ... haha....... ]

[ Well, it's good that they're going to be in sync on the dance floor. It's less good that he's seamlessly turning away as she tries to enter his periphery. There's a stiltedness to his evasion, too. It's all very, very, very un-Kaito-like. ]

I'm—[ He won't lie to her. Even in this awkward state, he won't just lie. ]—sorry. I'm getting there. Just give me a second.

[ One gloved hand lifts to rub over his eyes as he screws them shut. He slumps over, just a tad, though he's unable to ignore the words that follow her question. ]

Edited 2024-04-08 03:45 (UTC)

[ He wishes he could tell her everything, but that's not for anyone here to know. Not now. Maybe not ever. He's the pot to her kettle.

For now, Kaito finally musters the will to pry the rotting skeleton off Malkuth's form and opens his eyes, peeking between his fingers. She gets to see the briefest flash of his lips forming an 'o' before his hand claps over them. Suddenly, he's looking away again—but this time, for the reason she and March anticipated.

His ears and cheeks are ablaze. ]

...

[ C'mon, buddy. You can't just stare at the ground forever. He does eventually set his golds back on Malkuth—and now they're stuck. He's stuck. He might just be mesmerized. ]

Sorry, I was just... [ Mumble, mumble, mutter. ]

I was a little distracted.

Now I'm a little more distracted.

...You look beautiful.

[ ......................

oh, he is so cute.

malkuth is absolutely, very casually, brushing her hair behind her ear to capture a picture of this to send to march, relief flooding out every bit of nerves she ever had as she steps closer with her hands now clasping behind her back. ]

Sorry, can you repeat that? I didn't quite catch what you said, Kaito.

[ she's teasing him. she's teasing him, but her neck is warm and grin wide enough that she can feel it on her face, just like she can feel the uptick of her heart at the reaction she's caused. the worry lingers in the back of her mind, but... she can chase that another time. later, maybe. ]

[ Damn it, he knows she's taking a picture. She's lucky she's so... So...

'What are you even doing here?'

...Ugh. The mood's almost spoiled. Why is he like this?

Kaito shakes his head at her teasing, turning his nose up to give her his best pouty impression. It helps that it's genuine, this time. ]

Absolutely not! I can, but I won't! Tch!

[ He holds the pose, but a much softer, gentler tone filters through a voice message. ]

If I do, I won't be able to think about anything but you.
We've gotta focus for your first day of class.

[ Read: he has to focus. ]

[ her amusement turns into embarrassment lightning quick, pivoting on her heels to hide the way warmth creeps into her cheeks. it's still present on the back of her neck, obvious against the once-fair skin that's usually covered by her hair. ]

... As long as you keep your sweet nothings to yourself, I'll be able to focus just fine.

[ sweet nothings...... his teases....... she's such an easy target, no wonder he feels lighter when he gets a rise out of her. yuwon had called her fairly easy too in that way. malkuth's going in... they'll be watching a pair of instructors before being set off to manage basics themselves.

there's just like, a lot of obvious couples and then them. ]

[ They're a hell of a lot more than nothings, he retorts, but that only serves to ignite his skin brighter. Maybe the two of them will fit in with all the couples with how much they're blushing.

All he has to do is stop trying to deny himself this simple joy and maybe he can actually have fun today. Fortunately, it's easy to hyperfixate on the instructors and the basic steps they're walking through.

By the time it's all over and they're instructed to hit the floor, Kaito's skin finally returns back to its normal tan. Then he looks sidelong to Malkuth, and his ears are doomed again. Welp. Might as well just. Get on the floor and extend his hand. ]

...I'm ready to stumble when you are.

[ stupid. idiot. moron. jerk. these are the words she's replaying in her mind to keep her focus on the instructors and not the man beside her, so that when the hand extends to her she can more easily place hers in his without feeling too self-conscious of how much she likes the feel of it.

because she does. it reminds her of another hand, similarly scarred in ways she'll never know, and malkuth closes her eyes a moment to settle her heart and mind. please. please. just focus on learning the dance. ]

You're the one with experience, so don't say you're gonna stumble... sorry if I step on your feet.

[ malkuth'll step forward, placing her hand on... or more like against his shoulder as instructed, looking just past kaito's ear so she doesn't. have to look into his eyes. this is awkward enough as is without being drawn in by his familiar golden tones. they are keeping room for jesus here. ]

[ Familiarity bleeds its way back into his mind as he observes the emotions rolling off Malkuth's aura. He can almost perfectly picture the sequence of insults flitting across her thoughts. So when she takes his hand, that familiar, easy smile of his returns—tinged with just a hint of curiosity as he feels a wave of familiarity ebb from her emotions.

Whatever he reminds her of, he hopes it's good. A darker voice gets smothered as he rises to focus. One hand settles against his shoulder, but 'as the experienced one' he doesn't hesitate to settle his scarred palm over the swell of her hip. The music's going at a good clip in the background; a waltz, tempo in threes.

Before leading off, Kaito dips in to murmur near her ear—both in good faith and in search of a reaction. ]

Ignore the music, follow my voice. Don't worry about anything else.

I've got you.

[ Kaito waits for confirmation, then takes off. 'One, two, three. One, two, three...' His voice is smooth and right on time with the much slower tempo he's setting for her. And when he breaks off to communicate steps, it's always for her short choreography.

But perhaps most notable through the rush of trying something new is his patience. Whenever they have to stop, he flashes her a reassuring smile before resetting their posture. His foot occasionally bumps hers intentionally to keep her form and steps in line. And at the hardest parts, he does not hesitate to turn his back to her and outline her exact moves, throwing a few glances over his shoulder to make sure she's understanding.

He's a teacher, through and through, whether he notices it or not. ]

[ even just that simple, expected touch incites a quiet yearning for more, not unlike how she'd felt the phantom weight of his arms around her, face pressed to her shoulder, for days after the fact. it sweeps back around her now, enveloping her with a warmth that feels as full-body as the shiver that follows his murmur, hand tensing against his shoulder slightly.

but it's still comforting, in a way. malkuth puts herself easily into his guidance with a nod, jittery with worry at messing up -- she knows she will, she's warned him all the same -- and then at the sillier worry that she's enjoying this a tad too much. of course she's enjoying it; it's fun, she's with a friend, and...

... and she feels a little feverish in his hands, light but far too warm, growing more comfortable as he teaches what he can and malkuth's able to follow as she does, improving bit by bit 'til she's not being corrected so much, 'til the count becomes as natural as breathing. her gaze stops lingering on the walls just past him, meeting his with more sureness as she grows used to the steps and the weight of his hand on her hip, the distance between them a little aggravating now.

just a little, because she isn't going to change it. ]

You're really good at instructing others, Kaito. Ever thought about being a teacher over a chef?

[ Before he realizes it, he's entranced. All the focus he's putting into helping Malkuth through her first lesson bleeds into the same wonder that mesmerized him upon first glimpsing her in that stupid pretty dumb fetching yellow dress. She's improving, slowly but surely, and every subsequent iteration relieves pressure away from the empath so that he can concentrate more on her. On the moment.

More than once does he feel her irritation, and for once the cinderblock shoes were left at home, because he shares in the emotion. 'We have to get closer.' Closer, closer, and closer still.

By the time he trusts Malkuth can carry out the whole sequence of steps on her own, he's ready to sweep the brunette off her feet—and that's precisely when the music cuts and the instructors call them back to wrap up the first day.

Man.

Of course, he isn't going to let his disappointment show. When she compliments him, he just spins on his heel mid-step to wink. ]

In another life, I probably am.

If I become one here, who's going to feed you?

I can feed myself, you know!

[ but it's said with a laugh, messing with her hair for a moment before letting it come down with a short exhale. she has to fix it somehow... it'd come terribly loose in all the movement, but now malkuth pauses in trying to figure out what to do with it... soon enough just dropping her arms back down in quick defeat without a helper.

... well. she's going to slip her arm into his, play gentleman for your lady friend. don't mind that she seems to be using you for a kind of support. she is totally fine, yup. absolutely. ]

Wanna get a drink? We can go to that bar I talked about before before heading back.

[ Play gentleman, he can do. He notices the brief struggle with her hair (how could he not?), but he can address it in a moment. For now, enjoy the feeling of your friend leaning on you as you walk out of the building. ]

We can, but not before fixing your hair. I wouldn't want it to get in the way if we end up dancing again.

[ What is that, foreshadowing? ]

[ sounds like foreshadowing. he may also notice they aren't going to be walking as fast as they might normally match, but it's fine. she's surely just enjoying herself and perhaps is a little tired from lessons. which wouldn't be a lie if she spoke it. ]

So those magic hands of yours can do more than just blow up?

[ please ]

[ His gaze darkens, exaggerated-like. ]

You wanna find out the hard way?

[ SpoooooOooOOOOOOoooky. ]

[ brightly no fear this chick can withstand the glare of a color what does she have to be afraid of with her demigod dragonic friend: ]

Lay it on me!

Okay.

Time to go!

[ And so, without any further fanfare, Kaito proceeds to sweep the Librarian off her feet and march on over to one of the dressing rooms.

In full view of the rest of the class. This is normal. ]

[ wow

she's gonna kill him, actually, little yelp in surprise and tense otherwise. help. help. where is march. bestie come save her. ]

I thought you were just gonna fix my hair, jerk! You have to warn someone before doing that!

[ also they'll be mostly alone... she is trying not to think about that in conjuction with the satiated longing to be closer. ugh. maybe she can sit down at least, it'll be nice to get off her ankle for a moment... ]

[ Hey, she provoked (demi)god. Laughing all the way, Kaito doesn't stop until he's (carefully) deposited Malkuth down on one of the high-backed chairs. Another is dragged behind her so he can sit down. ]

Pass me a brush, will you? Hairbands and clips optional but appreciated.

[ She's just lucky that he isn't also thinking about the implications of being alone in a room with Malkuth. For now, he's purely in Mischievous Deity Mode. ]

Edited 2024-04-09 13:04 (UTC)

[ they've been alone before. it was fine. malkuth prefers one on one time anyway, compared to larger sorties... but it's still a little different, though she sighs as irritated as she might usually be and hands back a brush before throwing her long hair back for him. and a moment later, the clips she'd been using to try and keep it up. ]

March is gonna hate you for this. She's been sighing since we went out shopping that she couldn't play with my hair because of her busted arm.

[ it's been super cute... she loves her. very gently... and casually... stretching her foot. hooo. whooo. oooh. she really will be feeling that in the morning. ]

Were you okay after? Sorry I didn't check in sooner -- it was rough with the headache and all.

[ Kaito accepts both, though he quietly deposits all the clips into one of his pockets. He starts smoothing the brush through her hair, and Malkuth will probably notice warmth and dampness—because he's cheating and using his magic to make the process of straightening her hair out much more streamlined. ]

That's okay. She can be jealous. [ Kaito's practically preening at this point. But her question prompts a small frown that he hides behind her face so that the mirror across from them doesn't pick it up. Get to work.

The brunette's hair is split into three strands, and he sets about deftly braiding them together. He talks while he works—but by the kami, he's working fast. ]

Actually, I've been in a lot of pain since the mission. The electricity wasn't good for me. [ Oh. Terrible. He hasn't shown a single flash of discomfort or vulnerability all day, and it's been a good while since the kaiju fight. But he's smiling all the while, taking the lengthy braid he's woven and carefully arranging it into a large bun against the back of her head. ]

I wouldn't miss this for the world, though, [ he adds, smiling fondly as a flash of yellow pops up in the mirror. Where'd he get that yellow ribbon? Trade secret. It's being used to decorate the braid bun and distract from the dang size of it. Malkuth, you have so much hair. ] So I took some painkillers. I'll be okay for the rest of the day.

[ Beaming and absolutely not taking any criticism for his decisions, Kaito taps behind his ear and opens a video feed, sending it to the brunette so she can see the results of his handiwork. ]

Thoughts?

That you're a total idiot and I'm glad not to be the only one dosing on painkillers.

[ but she turns her head this way and that, pleased at the braid before turning to the side to lift her leg a little. don't be scandalized, she's showing the minor bruising at her ankle. ]

I'm recovering from a sprain, but I couldn't afford to miss this class. [ it's nonrefundable. sunk cost fallacy sank in. ] Thanks for the braid, Kaito. It looks good.

[ there. she's happy with it, and happy she won't be scolded for coming anyway. ☆ hypocrites that they are. ]

Thanks, Kettle. I'm glad you like it.

[ She makes it way too easy to smile, even as she shows off her bruise. Kaito moves his chair next to hers and plops down. His left hand extends, palm up. ]

Now give me your ankle. We're going to nip this in the bud before it gets in the way of our date.

[ She was only asking him out for drinks. When did it officially become a date? ...When he said so, of course. Either way, he's smiling expectantly at her. ]

kaito.

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