[n_ll]

　
　
more krakenboxer shenanigans feat. nariko

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[n_ll]

[But the filthy little kinkster bit is the best part!]

Figured you had something to do.

[He'll make excuses for her without being asked. But she left her number behind, which made all of this happen, which is way more than he could say about some previous dalliances. Also, he might be leaning into her like he's gonna steal some of her ice cream.]

[gunslingerqueen]

[It is! But not to the people she works with.]

Yeah. [She didn't, but she won't ignore the way out, either.] You know, I was actually kind of worried you might not come. I'm not sure why, of course, excited nerves, I guess.

[For now he gets away with the leaning, or at the very least she does nothing to stop him.]

[n_ll]

Really?

[Instead of going for the prize, he looks up at her.]

Do I come off as that kind of guy? The kind that leaves women waiting out in the cold?

[He is the kind of guy to steal bites off of crepes, as he's going to do right...now!]

[gunslingerqueen]

Not at all, I'm just way more paranoid and nervous than I happen to look right now. This was my first date in over a year!

[She used to go out on couples dates with Chris all the time! It was a good way to keep such a long relationship going and for all that he turned out to be in the end he was fun to spend time with back then.

Her crepe leans down so that it's easier for him to take his bite! She's full, so he can have the whole thing if he wants, even if there's only one or two bites left.]

Logically speaking, the guy who split our dinner two ways without telling me wouldn't leave me high and dry.

[She looked at her bank account, and there's no way their barbecue extravaganza was that cheap.]

[n_ll]

Fair enough.

[He'll certainly help himself to the rest of it if she keeps it tilted in his direction.]

Hey, now--a kraken's diet is his responsibility only. I appreciated the sentiment but I wasn't going to make you pay for all of it, so I made us meet halfway.

[gunslingerqueen]

[Go for it, future boyfriend.]

You wouldn't have made me, but it's alright either way. It was nice of you.

[Her free hand comes up to poke his cheek.] But you're not always going to get away from being a little spoiled, Boxer. You have to let people take care of you sometimes.

[n_ll]

[Om nom nom. He licks his lips when she pokes his cheek. She's fond of those, isn't she?]

Now that we've been on a proper date, you're welcome to spoil at will.

[Because he knows he'll spoil her when he gets half the chance.]

[gunslingerqueen]

[He, in general, has a very nice face and she likes touching it.]

I'm glad I have your approval, especially since I was going to do it anyway.

[With both their crepes gone she shifts in place a little.] Ready to go?

[They've still got a destination!!]

[n_ll]

One sec.

[He licks the broad side of his thumb and he reaches up to apparently wipe some remnant crepe from the corner of her mouth.

Was there actually crepe remnant there? She'll never know.]

Now we're ready.

[gunslingerqueen]

[She won't! So she just goes ahead on trust and just reaches up to get his wrist really quickly so that she can kiss his palm.]

Thanks.

[After a little squeeze she lets go of him to get behind the wheelchair handles again. If he doesn't stop her they'll be heading off to the building, now! Apparently it's time for Boxer to face his fear in the name of a great view and a really hot woman.]

[n_ll]

[He doesn't know what they're headed to looks like, so there's a little anticipating building the longer it takes to get there. Might as well discuss something instead of building anxiety.]

Hey...what got you into architecture, anyway?

[He's always been fascinated by people, their careers, and the choices they made to end them up where the did.]

[gunslingerqueen]

I didn't think I could make it in fashion, I don't like things that are over the top or stupidly dramatic for their own sake.

[Which is not to say she doesn't like dramatic or over the top - she really, really does. But New Cloudbank really has a weird relationship with the idea of clothing and grandeur. It's kind of a mess.] So I went with my second love: Building things! It doesn't matter if it's a building or a tiny robot or something, putting pieces in to make a bigger thing is just fun.

[She shrugs, though he probably can't see it.] And I figured that if I was going to do that I'd rather go with something that could be useful to the city, and architecture just sort of fit just right!

[n_ll]

[Ah, he could listen to her talk about her passion for hours. Building things, huh? Why is he fantasizing about being locked in on a rainy day and doing one of those super complicated puzzles with her...?

...Wait. Hold on.]

You can make robots too?

[gunslingerqueen]

[Because that would be incredibly fun, and he could laugh at how much she over thinks littler things like that, and it'd be a great day overall. They could be a giant blanket burrito together and there'd be tea and snacks.]

I was learning how to! I always said I'd get back into it as a hobby but then work ate up most of my life, and I don't have room for that kind of stuff.

[She waves a hand.] They're not like full on androids or whatever, just little things you could maybe control with a phone or something.

[n_ll]

[Puzzles, tea, snacks, and blanket burritos sounds like a dream date if he's ever heard one. Maybe after taking a rain-soaked swim in the bay, where they can watch the twinkle of building lights in the blue-grey distance...courtesy of yours truly.]

That's still awesome. Do you have any projects from the past that you could show me? Even if they're not finished...

[Maybe--maybe he can even help her get back into it as a hobby?]

[gunslingerqueen]

[That really does sound perfect, the next time it rains they'll have to make it into a whole thing.]

Sure! I had to throw away a lot of the big stuff when I ended up sharing my apartment but there are some little projects left over!

[Hm. Come to think of it, Boxer's the first person to encourage a hobby that didn't have to do with work - well, Lena had too but she didn't exactly count.] My apartment isn't that far off from where we're going! If you don't mind dealing with my front door I could just show you tonight!

[It's amazing what a little support can do.]

[n_ll]

[Visit Nariko's apartment?] I'd love to. Ah--do you think I won't fit in your front door?

[Normally he can make it work in moments of desperation, but dressed like this, his tentacles are basically disabled...]

[gunslingerqueen]

Kind ... of? [She feels bad admitting it.] To be fair it's a weirdly narrow door to begin with, I got the corner place because it had the nicer view but it came with a weird price. [Weirdly vaulted ceilings and the slightly-too-small-door were a few of them. When she got the place at eighteen it seemed quirky and fun!!

Her feelings about the place have changed with time.]

I'm sort of worried you'd have to turn yourself to the side and then bring the chair in somehow.

[She's so fucking mad at her apartment right now.]

[n_ll]

[Tastes change! It's hubris.]

Hah! It's okay, Nariko. I don't take it personally that this city wasn't designed for kraken bodies in mind.

[But she's an architect, and she's got a kraken body on the mind all the time...he suspects that he'll be seeing changes to this city's doorframes.]

We'll figure it out when we get there. It'll be no big deal.

[gunslingerqueen]

[He's only being reasonable and yet she can't help pouting and being a tad hissy at the existing doors, and all the ones she's helped install that would still be too small for him. Yes, New Cloudbank will go through a miniature facelift in the very near future.]

You're right, I know.

[She points to a building with its exterior in place, the only signs of its construction were the tape that said as much, the signs, and the complete lack of landscaping around it.] Besides, we're here!

[So they should probably get through this before being worried about anything else!]

[n_ll]

Ah.

[He faces forward to look at what she's presenting. All seems fine until he looks...upward, towards the highest floor of the building.

He swallows hard.]

It's gorgeous.

[First things first--this is something she designed, and it really is a beautiful building. Lots of fit-minded people are going to look forward to giving their patronage here.]

[gunslingerqueen]

[It's arguably one of her better designs, though it was one that was influenced by a few people in her office - a bit of a group effort, which is maybe why she can't feel personally accomplished in any real sense. Maybe when it's finished, inside and out, but not now.]

Thank you. [Perfection aside, he's still being sweet despite how vaguely terrified he looks.] But don't look at the top.

[It's fifty-nine stories, just right to look at the city from a sort of level viewpoint, though not quite tall enough to loom over it. The easy part is getting inside since they've already finished and dried the ramp, though there isn't any railing just yet. If Boxer happens to notice that she's wheeling a little more slowly it's because she's trying to give him time to back out of this.]

[n_ll]

Believe me...I'm trying not to.

[He lets out a self-depreciatory chuckle and slouches a little. He's trying to be brave, for her, so he can enjoy something she worked hard on. And he makes it as far as the elevator, which--thanks to its newness--doesn't creak under his weight, before looking at Nariko and groping around for her hand.]

[gunslingerqueen]

[No, thankfully the elevator was very well made, and incredibly prepared to handle most weights that might be otherwise unheard of. But when he reaches for her hand she takes it, and only reaches over with her free one to press the shiny, clean 59 button before his hand goes in both of hers.]

Deep breathes. [She tilts her hand.] And communication.

[Because she doesn't exactly have bags on hand, so he's really gonna have to let her know if he starts to feel too sick.

But up they're going! Surprisingly quick, despite the lack of motion.]

[n_ll]

[Both of them know that panic doesn't come from the front on him, the bags would be useless anyway.]

I'll be fine as long as I can communicate.

[In other words, if he completely clams up and becomes unresponsive, it's time to bring him back down. It's helpful that he can't really feel the momentum of the elevator, but there's a gland in his head designed to detect elevation and it is not happy right now. Boxer squeezes her hands gently.]