[ Mitsuru can still barely believe that this is happening ...
[ When Kotone had created an account for her on that dating app, Mitsuru had been certain that nothing would come of it but a mild headdache.
[ What else could have come of it? She simply wasn't looking for romantic partnership, and such an application would have been a completely inappropriate forum for her to do so even if she was. Between S.E.E.S., her studies, and her work within the Kirijo Group, something so ... so frankly unimportant wasn't a good use of her time.
[ And yet a pleasant conversation with a stranger had somehow turned into a date nonetheless ...
[ She ... she was strangely nervous as she sat in the restaurant that she'd selected, waiting for Yang to arrive. She'd felt the same sense of anxiousness when she realized that the invitation that she had accepted was indeed a date. She'd felt it as she fussed over what to wear, and even after Yukari had helped her select an appropriate outfit.
[ For the life of her, though, she couldn't understand why she felt this way. She enjoyed speaking to Yang, and would certainly enjoy getting to know her better ... but she hadn't come here with the intention of turning this first date into something more.
[ Yet she kept straightening her hair, turning her gaze towards the door whenever anyone entered, checking her phone for any new messages ...
[ She took in a deep breath and let it all out.
[ She's here to meet a new friend. That's all. There's nothing to be anxious about ... ]
[ nothing to be anxious about at all! yang is super composed and relaxed! it's fine!
it's...kind of fine? sure, yang freaked out for hours after mitsuru agreed to meet up. maybe she begged weiss and blake to help her pick out an outfit because she forgot how to put together an outfit. perhaps she spent the walk to the restaurant practicing ways to say hello to mitsuru, each potential greeting sounding more and more lame until she's tempted to back out completely.
mitsuru seems so...nice. reserved, polite, curious, major ass kicker. talking with her was just plain fun. yang didn't want the reason this date went poorly to be herself.
she stands outside of the restaurant and takes a deep breath, giving her hair one last good shake. thinking in terms of failure won't do anyone any good. confidence, xiao long, it's all about confidence. she can do this.
the place is a bit fancier than anticipated when she steps inside, but fancy is bare minimum in atlas. thankfully, it doesn't throw her off her game, voice steady as she asks the host for their table and gait steady as they lead the way. it's cool, mitsuru will be--
drop dead gorgeous. holy cow. yang's jaw almost drops at the sight of her. and suddenly the host is gone and they're here. together. alone. ]
Mitsuru, right? Uh, [ she chuckles nervously, ] at least I hope you're Mitsuru. Otherwise, this is gonna be really awkward.
[ Mitsuru had actually missed Yang's entrance. A text from Yukari had drawn her attention down to her scroll, and she was in the process of answering it as the host began to lead Yang towards their table. She was completely oblivious until she heard the approaching footsteps, and when she looked up ...
[ Yang had looked stunning in her picture, of course, but in truth it hadn't done her justice. Her eyes were brighter, her hair caught the light differently, she was taller than Mitsuru had expected ...
[ And the way that Yang was looking at her, as though she was in awe ... Mitsuru could feel her face starting to grow warm.
[ And then she realized that she had momentarily forgotten herself. Lost her composure.
[ She rises to her feet, attempting stifle her returning nervousness. ]
You're in the right place, Xiao Long-sa-- [ She stops. Yang hadn't liked that sort of formality when they were speaking through text, so she quickly corrects herself. ] Yang.
[ maybe it's not the best start, but seeing how they're both disasters maybe this should be expected. and the reddening of yang's ears when mitsuru says her name should also be expected. her name rolling off the other girl's tongue sounds...good. really good.
she swallows hard, takes a deep breath. it's all about confidence, remember? and if yang can pretend to be in control then maybe it'll put mitsuru at ease, too. she holds out a hand to shake and smiles, wide and genuine. ]
Nice to meetcha in person. You look [ way outta my league ] great.
[ At Yang's smile, Mitsuru begins to feel a small smile tugging at the corners of her own mouth. It's nowhere near as broad or bright as Yang's, but it's no less genuine.
[ She extends her hand, taking Yang's and giving it a firm shake. ]
A pleasure meeting you as well. [ A beat. ] And so do you.
[ Perhaps Yang's clothes were a touch informal for the establishment, but they suited her perfectly. ]
[ looking around at the other patrons, yang gets a sense that she may be a tad underdressed for this place. oh well. mitsuru thinks she looks good and that's all that matters. ]
Did my best, [ she answers with a wink, and releases her hand with no small amount of reluctance. ] No reason to keep standing up on my account, though!
[ with that, she makes a quick move to pull out mitsuru's chair for her. taiyang xiao long may have raised two feral children who kept raccoons as pets, but he didn't raise an uncouth boor who doesn't pull out a seat for a lady. especially not while you're on a date with said lady.
....oh gods this was a for real date oh gods oh fuck ]
[ The gesture brings a flush of red to Mitsuru's cheeks, as she too is reminded that this is, in fact, a date.
[ Still, she doesn't keep Yang waiting. She settles into her seat and looks up to Yang with a small smile - one that she hopes is simply appreciative and doesn't betray the flutter of nerves that she's feeling. ]
[ the blush on mitsuru's cheeks and (unfairly pretty) smile kicks off a Gay Feedback Loop, yang's own cheeks darkening to a bright shade of pink. ] You're--uh. You're welcome.
[ smooth. batting a thousand. she takes the other open seat at table, rubbing the back of her neck and avoiding her date's gaze. all she needs is a second to recuperate. then she can go back to be extremely charming and super cool and not embarrassing at all. it's a small mercy the waiter had left menus for them to peruse at their leisure. yang pulls one toward her and studies it for a long moment.
two long moments.
three. ]
...okay, [ she says while looking at mitsuru, lips quirked up in a self-depreciating smile. ] Total honesty, I'm not sure what most of these words mean. Or how to even pronounce them. You have any favorites you'd recommend?
[ The momentary pause doesn't bother Mitsuru in the slightest. It gives her an opportunity to find her own footing as she peruses her own menu. She's been here before and has some idea of what she wants of course, but--
[ Oh.
[ Flustered as she was in making the arrangements, Mitsuru hadn't considered that the menu might be foreign to Yang. It was an embarassing oversight, and Mitsuru feels herself blush a little for the third time this evening. ]
My apologies ... [ She says, offering a self-deprecating smile of her own. ] I should have asked for your preferences before making the reservation.
[ insecurity? from her date? because she thinks she was in the wrong? nope, yang won't stand for it. she leans in toward mitsuru, tone and expression sincere. ]
Hey, no need to apologize. I'm always game to try anything and even if preferences did matter, [ she ducks her head in embarrassment, ] I was way too excited about meeting you to think that far ahead.
Besides, trying new things on a date is half the fun, right? [ maybe saying what this actually is out loud will help ease the tension. brothers know if the pressure gets any higher, they both might crack. ]
[ Mitsuru is blushing again. She can feel the warmth in her cheeks, and knowing that Yang could more than likely see how flustered she is does nothing to help her recover her composure.
[ Nor does Yang's genuine concern, sweet smile, and endearingly sincere admission ...
[ Mitsuru's eyes fall away from the woman in front of her and down towards the table, hoping that giving herself a moment to breathe might allow her to find her voice again, but it doesn't happen.
[ She's ... she isn't in a situation that she understands how to navigate. She hasn't done this before, and despite the fact that she hadn't been looking for a romantic rendezvous, she finds herself increasingly worried about ruining the evening.
[ She ... enjoys speaking to Yang. She'd like to get to know her better, and doesn't wish to make things awkward between them due to her own nervousness and inexperience.
[ Perhaps it was best to just admit that? ]
Though I can't say that with any degree of certainty. I ... haven't been on many dates before.
[ yang fiddles with the hem of her shirt while mitsuru mulls over her question. the blushing is a good sign, yeah? and the fact that she wasn't laughed out of the restaurant as soon as she showed up underdressed and overconfident is also good, right? ugh, yang hasn't felt this nervous about anything...well. ever.
it's just that this feels. special. even if this turns into nothing more than friendship, she doesn't want to screw this up.
when mitsuru admits she isn't exactly familiar with dating herself, yang lets out a quiet sigh of relief. maybe now it'll be easier to talk to each other. ]
Honestly? Neither have I. Everything at home's really, [ a pause as she tries to come up with a suitable word that encapsulates the fall of beacon and its fallout that won't completely derail the conversation, ] complicated.
Turns out that saving the world doesn't leave a lot of time for dating. [ yang gets the sense that she knows plenty about that, unfortunately. ]
[ Mitsuru knows all too well, judging by the knowing, slightly morose chuckle that punctuates the sentence.
[ Still, Yang's plan seems to be working. The admission and the commiseration have drained a bit of the tension from Mitsuru's shoulders. She's still nervous, of course, but knowing that they're both unfamiliar with the expected ettiquette of a date removes some of the weight of expectation. ]
I must admit, I'm surprised. With how confidently you spoke during our online interactions, I wouldn't have guessed that you share my inexperience.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
For 'thepunshow'
Date: 2021-06-14 02:50 am (UTC)[ When Kotone had created an account for her on that dating app, Mitsuru had been certain that nothing would come of it but a mild headdache.
[ What else could have come of it? She simply wasn't looking for romantic partnership, and such an application would have been a completely inappropriate forum for her to do so even if she was. Between S.E.E.S., her studies, and her work within the Kirijo Group, something so ... so frankly unimportant wasn't a good use of her time.
[ And yet a pleasant conversation with a stranger had somehow turned into a date nonetheless ...
[ She ... she was strangely nervous as she sat in the restaurant that she'd selected, waiting for Yang to arrive. She'd felt the same sense of anxiousness when she realized that the invitation that she had accepted was indeed a date. She'd felt it as she fussed over what to wear, and even after Yukari had helped her select an appropriate outfit.
[ For the life of her, though, she couldn't understand why she felt this way. She enjoyed speaking to Yang, and would certainly enjoy getting to know her better ... but she hadn't come here with the intention of turning this first date into something more.
[ Yet she kept straightening her hair, turning her gaze towards the door whenever anyone entered, checking her phone for any new messages ...
[ She took in a deep breath and let it all out.
[ She's here to meet a new friend. That's all. There's nothing to be anxious about ... ]
no subject
Date: 2021-06-16 04:06 am (UTC)it's...kind of fine? sure, yang freaked out for hours after mitsuru agreed to meet up. maybe she begged weiss and blake to help her pick out an outfit because she forgot how to put together an outfit. perhaps she spent the walk to the restaurant practicing ways to say hello to mitsuru, each potential greeting sounding more and more lame until she's tempted to back out completely.
mitsuru seems so...nice. reserved, polite, curious, major ass kicker. talking with her was just plain fun. yang didn't want the reason this date went poorly to be herself.
she stands outside of the restaurant and takes a deep breath, giving her hair one last good shake. thinking in terms of failure won't do anyone any good. confidence, xiao long, it's all about confidence. she can do this.
the place is a bit fancier than anticipated when she steps inside, but fancy is bare minimum in atlas. thankfully, it doesn't throw her off her game, voice steady as she asks the host for their table and gait steady as they lead the way. it's cool, mitsuru will be--
drop dead gorgeous. holy cow. yang's jaw almost drops at the sight of her. and suddenly the host is gone and they're here. together. alone. ]
Mitsuru, right? Uh, [ she chuckles nervously, ] at least I hope you're Mitsuru. Otherwise, this is gonna be really awkward.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-16 04:46 am (UTC)[ Yang had looked stunning in her picture, of course, but in truth it hadn't done her justice. Her eyes were brighter, her hair caught the light differently, she was taller than Mitsuru had expected ...
[ And the way that Yang was looking at her, as though she was in awe ... Mitsuru could feel her face starting to grow warm.
[ And then she realized that she had momentarily forgotten herself. Lost her composure.
[ She rises to her feet, attempting stifle her returning nervousness. ]
You're in the right place, Xiao Long-sa-- [ She stops. Yang hadn't liked that sort of formality when they were speaking through text, so she quickly corrects herself. ] Yang.
[ Not the most auspicious start ... ]
no subject
Date: 2021-06-22 02:15 am (UTC)she swallows hard, takes a deep breath. it's all about confidence, remember? and if yang can pretend to be in control then maybe it'll put mitsuru at ease, too. she holds out a hand to shake and smiles, wide and genuine. ]
Nice to meetcha in person. You look [ way outta my league ] great.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-22 03:16 am (UTC)[ She extends her hand, taking Yang's and giving it a firm shake. ]
A pleasure meeting you as well. [ A beat. ] And so do you.
[ Perhaps Yang's clothes were a touch informal for the establishment, but they suited her perfectly. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-14 04:30 am (UTC)Did my best, [ she answers with a wink, and releases her hand with no small amount of reluctance. ] No reason to keep standing up on my account, though!
[ with that, she makes a quick move to pull out mitsuru's chair for her. taiyang xiao long may have raised two feral children who kept raccoons as pets, but he didn't raise an uncouth boor who doesn't pull out a seat for a lady. especially not while you're on a date with said lady.
....oh gods this was a for real date oh gods oh fuck ]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-14 06:16 am (UTC)[ Still, she doesn't keep Yang waiting. She settles into her seat and looks up to Yang with a small smile - one that she hopes is simply appreciative and doesn't betray the flutter of nerves that she's feeling. ]
Th-thank you.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-17 06:10 am (UTC)[ smooth. batting a thousand. she takes the other open seat at table, rubbing the back of her neck and avoiding her date's gaze. all she needs is a second to recuperate. then she can go back to be extremely charming and super cool and not embarrassing at all. it's a small mercy the waiter had left menus for them to peruse at their leisure. yang pulls one toward her and studies it for a long moment.
two long moments.
three. ]
...okay, [ she says while looking at mitsuru, lips quirked up in a self-depreciating smile. ] Total honesty, I'm not sure what most of these words mean. Or how to even pronounce them. You have any favorites you'd recommend?
no subject
Date: 2021-07-17 06:24 am (UTC)[ Oh.
[ Flustered as she was in making the arrangements, Mitsuru hadn't considered that the menu might be foreign to Yang. It was an embarassing oversight, and Mitsuru feels herself blush a little for the third time this evening. ]
My apologies ... [ She says, offering a self-deprecating smile of her own. ] I should have asked for your preferences before making the reservation.
no subject
Date: 2021-08-04 04:57 pm (UTC)Hey, no need to apologize. I'm always game to try anything and even if preferences did matter, [ she ducks her head in embarrassment, ] I was way too excited about meeting you to think that far ahead.
Besides, trying new things on a date is half the fun, right? [ maybe saying what this actually is out loud will help ease the tension. brothers know if the pressure gets any higher, they both might crack. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-08-08 07:39 am (UTC)[ Mitsuru is blushing again. She can feel the warmth in her cheeks, and knowing that Yang could more than likely see how flustered she is does nothing to help her recover her composure.
[ Nor does Yang's genuine concern, sweet smile, and endearingly sincere admission ...
[ Mitsuru's eyes fall away from the woman in front of her and down towards the table, hoping that giving herself a moment to breathe might allow her to find her voice again, but it doesn't happen.
[ She's ... she isn't in a situation that she understands how to navigate. She hasn't done this before, and despite the fact that she hadn't been looking for a romantic rendezvous, she finds herself increasingly worried about ruining the evening.
[ She ... enjoys speaking to Yang. She'd like to get to know her better, and doesn't wish to make things awkward between them due to her own nervousness and inexperience.
[ Perhaps it was best to just admit that? ]
Though I can't say that with any degree of certainty. I ... haven't been on many dates before.
no subject
Date: 2021-08-19 04:33 am (UTC)it's just that this feels. special. even if this turns into nothing more than friendship, she doesn't want to screw this up.
when mitsuru admits she isn't exactly familiar with dating herself, yang lets out a quiet sigh of relief. maybe now it'll be easier to talk to each other. ]
Honestly? Neither have I. Everything at home's really, [ a pause as she tries to come up with a suitable word that encapsulates the fall of beacon and its fallout that won't completely derail the conversation, ] complicated.
Turns out that saving the world doesn't leave a lot of time for dating. [ yang gets the sense that she knows plenty about that, unfortunately. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-08-31 03:10 am (UTC)[ Mitsuru knows all too well, judging by the knowing, slightly morose chuckle that punctuates the sentence.
[ Still, Yang's plan seems to be working. The admission and the commiseration have drained a bit of the tension from Mitsuru's shoulders. She's still nervous, of course, but knowing that they're both unfamiliar with the expected ettiquette of a date removes some of the weight of expectation. ]
I must admit, I'm surprised. With how confidently you spoke during our online interactions, I wouldn't have guessed that you share my inexperience.