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[He'll be alright. Besides, she's not just pretty, she's good for cleaning! And there's nothing in that sub that she doesn't know how to get out, so he's good.]
We'll never be able to share wings, then.
[Spicy all the way, man. But then she catches that pun and she has to cover her mouth to keep from laughing too loudly.]
We'll never be able to share wings, then.
[Spicy all the way, man. But then she catches that pun and she has to cover her mouth to keep from laughing too loudly.]
of course. Be there in twenty.
[Most of that twenty minutes is cleaning up her desk and putting things in order for tomorrow, the other part of it is calling in the order and dumping her body into her car. She's weirdly tired, maybe because despite her own brain weasels she's been really worried for him.
So a visit really is for the best because she can put eyes on him and feel better for it. Maybe she has a key, maybe she has to knock, but either way she's there.]
[Most of that twenty minutes is cleaning up her desk and putting things in order for tomorrow, the other part of it is calling in the order and dumping her body into her car. She's weirdly tired, maybe because despite her own brain weasels she's been really worried for him.
So a visit really is for the best because she can put eyes on him and feel better for it. Maybe she has a key, maybe she has to knock, but either way she's there.]
Can't wait. <3
[She has a keycard now! To get both into the building and into his apartment. She'll find Boxer sprawled out on the couch, wrapped in a few moisture-keeping blankets as he plays some retro video game, his only present company a bottle of spiced rum that he's made some progress on. Upon her entrance, he waves at her and sits up.]
Hey, Nariko.
[She has a keycard now! To get both into the building and into his apartment. She'll find Boxer sprawled out on the couch, wrapped in a few moisture-keeping blankets as he plays some retro video game, his only present company a bottle of spiced rum that he's made some progress on. Upon her entrance, he waves at her and sits up.]
Hey, Nariko.
Not wings. But I will share fries and most appetizers!
[This isn't because she's really that selfish about food, she's just not the type to go sharing it left and right, like how some families will just take stuff off of each other's plates. It's something of a personality quirk.]
Come on, let's order.
[She pushes him along, and doesn't go first just because she doesn't think too. In fact, she's already looking for a good place for them to sit.]
[This isn't because she's really that selfish about food, she's just not the type to go sharing it left and right, like how some families will just take stuff off of each other's plates. It's something of a personality quirk.]
Come on, let's order.
[She pushes him along, and doesn't go first just because she doesn't think too. In fact, she's already looking for a good place for them to sit.]
Hey, handsome.
[Her purse finds its way onto his counter and she slips out of her heels before just bringing the whole box over, because who the hell needs plates on a night like this? But before the box goes down she kisses him, kind of takes her time with it.]
Missed you.
[The whole thing has kept them apart for an understandable amount of time, and she's used to going on with her own life anyway but ... This was a little different.]
[Her purse finds its way onto his counter and she slips out of her heels before just bringing the whole box over, because who the hell needs plates on a night like this? But before the box goes down she kisses him, kind of takes her time with it.]
Missed you.
[The whole thing has kept them apart for an understandable amount of time, and she's used to going on with her own life anyway but ... This was a little different.]
I'll have to content myself on that, then.
[Or, you know, order his own...not-wings dinner. Or whatever recipe they have for wusses.
He orders for himself, then starts to order for Nariko once he realizes she's not paying attention.]
Tomato bisque and a--
[Oh, crap, she never told him what sandwich she wanted.]
Hey. [A gentle nudge.] What were you gonna get for your sandwich?
[Or, you know, order his own...not-wings dinner. Or whatever recipe they have for wusses.
He orders for himself, then starts to order for Nariko once he realizes she's not paying attention.]
Tomato bisque and a--
[Oh, crap, she never told him what sandwich she wanted.]
Hey. [A gentle nudge.] What were you gonna get for your sandwich?
Mmmh. [Kissy kissy.] Missed you too.
[Pretty much instantly after he says that, he pulls back and looks at her with a look that would be utterly bewildered if he wasn't reining it in. Instead, he just kind of...stares at her.
Sniff. Sniff.
Oh. Oh.
Oh boy.
He really doesn't want to get on her case, mostly because he's not in the mood to and she's not in the mood to get chewed on either.
So she'll have to deal with some staring while he tries to figure out the subtle way to tell her you should take a bath because you stink before she sits down and gets said stink on his couch.]
[Pretty much instantly after he says that, he pulls back and looks at her with a look that would be utterly bewildered if he wasn't reining it in. Instead, he just kind of...stares at her.
Sniff. Sniff.
Oh. Oh.
Oh boy.
He really doesn't want to get on her case, mostly because he's not in the mood to and she's not in the mood to get chewed on either.
So she'll have to deal with some staring while he tries to figure out the subtle way to tell her you should take a bath because you stink before she sits down and gets said stink on his couch.]
[They'll have a lot of time for making out, but she does like kissing up to the limit, it's both dizzying and fun.]
Alright, alright, if I absolutely must leave your embrace!
[He gets one more little peck before she gets herself up somewhat carefully and goes back to his travel bag to find the thing that looks like a hose.] You remember all of this and I'm pretty sure that I have to buy a new toothbrush once we got off the boat ...
Alright, alright, if I absolutely must leave your embrace!
[He gets one more little peck before she gets herself up somewhat carefully and goes back to his travel bag to find the thing that looks like a hose.] You remember all of this and I'm pretty sure that I have to buy a new toothbrush once we got off the boat ...
[This trip will be full of makeout sessions, that's for sure. She's not missing out on rare opportunities here.]
You might be able to find one on board! There's little shops in the main deck area.
[A pause, and he shrugs.]
I've never packed before, so I was pretty neurotic in making sure I brought everything I needed... [He looks over at his bags, one meant for toiletries, soap, skin care, and another for his personal effects, like ID, money, insurance cards, blah blah blah.
His "overpacking" looks like efficiency packing, on the grounds that he's brought exactly zero (0) clothes.]
You might be able to find one on board! There's little shops in the main deck area.
[A pause, and he shrugs.]
I've never packed before, so I was pretty neurotic in making sure I brought everything I needed... [He looks over at his bags, one meant for toiletries, soap, skin care, and another for his personal effects, like ID, money, insurance cards, blah blah blah.
His "overpacking" looks like efficiency packing, on the grounds that he's brought exactly zero (0) clothes.]
Edited 2016-03-13 03:41 (UTC)
[It's okay Boxer, you're allowed to not want to burn your mouth off! But Nariko will do it at nearly every single opportunity because she makes bad life decisions.
That corner looks nice. And ... Honestly she just kind of blanks out there for a good second until she hears his voice.]
Oh, sorry! Half a Turkey Club, with extra bacon and water, please!
[Augh it's gonna be so good with the soup, too.]
That corner looks nice. And ... Honestly she just kind of blanks out there for a good second until she hears his voice.]
Oh, sorry! Half a Turkey Club, with extra bacon and water, please!
[Augh it's gonna be so good with the soup, too.]
[That's not good staring, certainly not the kind she enjoys.]
What?
[Look, she practically downed half a bottle of mints and still didn't give him tongue, there's no way he could know that she was smoking! Her mouth has such an aggressive spearmint taste that it's actually bothering her. So he has no reason to stare at her like that! Of course she didn't change, and she did have a habit of keeping one behind her ear at work for the past few days so ... It's not as unlikely as she's thinking.
To his probable relief, though, she's so thrown by his reaction that she doesn't sit - just kind of hangs out awkwardly in front of his couch. ]
What?
[Look, she practically downed half a bottle of mints and still didn't give him tongue, there's no way he could know that she was smoking! Her mouth has such an aggressive spearmint taste that it's actually bothering her. So he has no reason to stare at her like that! Of course she didn't change, and she did have a habit of keeping one behind her ear at work for the past few days so ... It's not as unlikely as she's thinking.
To his probable relief, though, she's so thrown by his reaction that she doesn't sit - just kind of hangs out awkwardly in front of his couch. ]
Oh, don't let me forget! [Because while she'll remember almost immediately the next morning when her mouth feels gross and Boxer won't be able to kiss her at all, it's the kind of thing she habitually forgets for some cruel reason. She finds the hose while he's talking but ... She's not exactly understanding how it's supposed to be filled with water. Does it hook in there and basically filter it? These are things she has to know, since Nariko doesn't intend to make this their only vacation.]
Neurosis is only bad when it doesn't benefit you!
[Although ...] What'd you bring to wear?
[All of those things are pretty small and can therefore look small in bags, and they don't take the same shape as clothes. It's pretty much nothing compared to the gigantic suitcase she brought - it's a third of Boxer's size and it barely has everything she wanted to bring along.
Neurosis is only bad when it doesn't benefit you!
[Although ...] What'd you bring to wear?
[All of those things are pretty small and can therefore look small in bags, and they don't take the same shape as clothes. It's pretty much nothing compared to the gigantic suitcase she brought - it's a third of Boxer's size and it barely has everything she wanted to bring along.
Oh, yeah, and a water or me too.
[As long as she doesn't make fun of his sensitive tongue.
Now they have to wait, and Boxer picks at the armrests of his chair in the meantime. He doesn't know why, but a sudden curiosity comes to him.]
Were you born here, Nariko? In New Cloudbank.
[As long as she doesn't make fun of his sensitive tongue.
Now they have to wait, and Boxer picks at the armrests of his chair in the meantime. He doesn't know why, but a sudden curiosity comes to him.]
Were you born here, Nariko? In New Cloudbank.
I, uh...didn't know you smoked.
[Normally he'd give her the benefit of the doubt but he knows enough sailors with the habit that he can tell the difference between "i smoke" and "i just hung out with a smoker". Yes, even over the overwhelming plume of mint she's carrying with her. It's subtle enough for him to not be completely confident in his assumption, but he's not going to take an accusatory tone anyway.]
[Normally he'd give her the benefit of the doubt but he knows enough sailors with the habit that he can tell the difference between "i smoke" and "i just hung out with a smoker". Yes, even over the overwhelming plume of mint she's carrying with her. It's subtle enough for him to not be completely confident in his assumption, but he's not going to take an accusatory tone anyway.]
I'll try!
[Yeah, sure. It works on RP logic and whatever engineering involved that this writer doesn't feel like working out. But basically it's long enough to reach from the bathroom to where he placed his bed.]
Uh...nothing? I couldn't think of a situation in which I'd need one of my suits. Not badly enough to risk bringing it with me.
[Yeah, sure. It works on RP logic and whatever engineering involved that this writer doesn't feel like working out. But basically it's long enough to reach from the bathroom to where he placed his bed.]
Uh...nothing? I couldn't think of a situation in which I'd need one of my suits. Not badly enough to risk bringing it with me.
[She can drink Sriracha, everyone has a sensitive tongue compared to her and she's managed to not be an asshole about it, so they'll probably be fine.]
Ahh ... [This is one of those moments where she could lie or divert from the truth but ... She doesn't want to. She trusted the guy to take her home with him and not be a serial killer, so it'd be fucked up to not trust him with a perfectly valid question like that.]
Nope! I ended up moving here when I was pretty young, but I've never imagined leaving since. I don't think there's another city in the world like it.
[But that leads her to another fair question to ask him:] Have you ever left?
Ahh ... [This is one of those moments where she could lie or divert from the truth but ... She doesn't want to. She trusted the guy to take her home with him and not be a serial killer, so it'd be fucked up to not trust him with a perfectly valid question like that.]
Nope! I ended up moving here when I was pretty young, but I've never imagined leaving since. I don't think there's another city in the world like it.
[But that leads her to another fair question to ask him:] Have you ever left?
[Shit.]
I don't - [He could probably see her debating between an outright lie or the truth, and thankfully she falls onto the latter.] ... I used to when I was in college and then I quit.
[Since that's what's bothering him she runs her fingers through her hair and puts a little more space between them in the hopes that it might not bother him as much.] I just - y'know - it's a crutch. Happens when I'm stressed, I'm sorry.
[It's not good for her and if he could give her that look from one whiff then it's going to be too much for him.]
I don't - [He could probably see her debating between an outright lie or the truth, and thankfully she falls onto the latter.] ... I used to when I was in college and then I quit.
[Since that's what's bothering him she runs her fingers through her hair and puts a little more space between them in the hopes that it might not bother him as much.] I just - y'know - it's a crutch. Happens when I'm stressed, I'm sorry.
[It's not good for her and if he could give her that look from one whiff then it's going to be too much for him.]
[She blinks at him.]
So you're basically going to run around naked.
[...]
So you're basically going to run around naked.
[...]
[From his small smile, he seems pretty content with her answer.]
It's what your heart calls home that matters.
[He gives her question some long, thoughtful consideration. There's a lot of technicalities that make it surprisingly hard to answer. Eventually, he settles on what he think she's trying to get at.]
I've never been on any other land mass, no. I've been in a lot of different waters, though.
It's what your heart calls home that matters.
[He gives her question some long, thoughtful consideration. There's a lot of technicalities that make it surprisingly hard to answer. Eventually, he settles on what he think she's trying to get at.]
I've never been on any other land mass, no. I've been in a lot of different waters, though.
It's okay.
[He...doesn't really sound like it's okay? The truth is that he's not judging her--hell, his own "crutch" is sitting right next to him, but still...]
I'm not upset, [he decides to elaborate with.] It's just...it'll dry out my gills if I have to breathe it in, so...
[Boxer glances at the pizza box. He doesn't want to keep her from eating, but...well, she's seen for herself how fussy his respiratory system can be.]
Could you take a shower? I have some brand new shampoo and conditioner you might like.
[He...doesn't really sound like it's okay? The truth is that he's not judging her--hell, his own "crutch" is sitting right next to him, but still...]
I'm not upset, [he decides to elaborate with.] It's just...it'll dry out my gills if I have to breathe it in, so...
[Boxer glances at the pizza box. He doesn't want to keep her from eating, but...well, she's seen for herself how fussy his respiratory system can be.]
Could you take a shower? I have some brand new shampoo and conditioner you might like.
[ ... What her heart calls home? That's - Well, it's not New Cloudbank, her home in that sense can't be a place. But that's an overly complicated thing that he probably doesn't want to hear about, so she lets it go without a second thought.]
So it's sort of like visiting a different province?
[She's genuinely curious because different sea bodies have different temperatures, different live in them, and probably different kinds of monsterkind all inhabiting those various waters.]
Man, I bet you've seen a whole bunch of stuff that land people can't even imagine.
So it's sort of like visiting a different province?
[She's genuinely curious because different sea bodies have different temperatures, different live in them, and probably different kinds of monsterkind all inhabiting those various waters.]
Man, I bet you've seen a whole bunch of stuff that land people can't even imagine.
You know what I mean!
[She pokes both of his big cheeks with her fingers.]
I don't know whether to be incredibly proud or stupidly jealous.
[She pokes both of his big cheeks with her fingers.]
I don't know whether to be incredibly proud or stupidly jealous.
[It's pretty much not okay and she knows it, just like she knows it isn't personal but it feels like it is. There's something weirdly embarrassing about your boyfriend telling you to go take a shower because you smell like a bar to him.
But it's not his fault so she slaps on a smile, answers.]
Of course, just give me a bit.
[Soooo, off to his bathroom she goes. This really sucks, but not breathing is actually pretty horrid, too, way more so than the heavy sense of embarrassment she's carrying. And since she's there she'll really scrub at her hair, her scalp especially, and the rest of her body. It probably takes her a good half hour, and it's a blessing that she keeps pajamas at his place, now.]
But it's not his fault so she slaps on a smile, answers.]
Of course, just give me a bit.
[Soooo, off to his bathroom she goes. This really sucks, but not breathing is actually pretty horrid, too, way more so than the heavy sense of embarrassment she's carrying. And since she's there she'll really scrub at her hair, her scalp especially, and the rest of her body. It probably takes her a good half hour, and it's a blessing that she keeps pajamas at his place, now.]
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