doku | VISIONS I HAD BURIED UNDERGROUND / RETURNING TO ABUSE US

You haven't, but I'm more worried about being a fake, Krieg.

[What if what she's got is shallow or stupid or ultimately unsalvageable? And furthermore, it's not right to expect him to pull most of the weight.]

They pumped so much time and money into me that maybe I'm not any good without any of that.

[Because, in all honesty, that's kind of what the whole thing had felt like in hindsight. They plucked individuals who might fit a certain space that needed filling. That didn't mean she was good at what she wanted to do, just that the talent scouts had been talented in picking out a week link.]

You're not a fake.

[He says it with such confidence, too.]

You have talent, I've seen it. What is it I said to you when I asked you to join me?

[Just to prove he's not pulling it out of his ass.]

'You're awful at pre-planning' except much nicer.

[This is an awful joke, but in truth they had said a lot of things to one another, and most of the conversation had been flooded with relief. She'd been amazed that he was okay with pairing up with her at all!

But that's not the point and she knows it.]

[Did he? ...crap, he doesn't remember that. Memory's still not as good as it could be.]

I said I wanted your voice. I can't pick up anyone off the street and expect them to sing the way you do.

[Well, it's more like he expressed reasonable concern that she uprooted her entire life without any semblance of a plan.

But that has nothing to do with what he's telling her now, and she lets herself mull that over. Is it really okay if she can't do anything else but sing? It wouldn't be right to have Krieg pull all of the weight, she doesn't want to be a pretty songbird anymore.

Maybe if she just starts out with what she knows the rest will come by much easier. That seems like a grown up, very Krieg-like way to think. So clearly it's right.]

Okay. [DEEP BREATHE.] ... And thank you.

[He remembers exactly 0 of the conversation that lead up to "let's start a band together."]

In a way, it's good that you feel that. Because you'll be working your hardest, right? And that's more than I could ask for.

["Kiss already," says Izzy. Chroma balks.]

Right, like I'm not going to constantly put my heart into it as long as it's you and I -

[IZZY PLS.]

I feel like you guys weren't supposed to be listening to all of that.

[She's not embarrassed, but!!!!]

["Turns out Krieg's voice carries well even when he's whispering."

Oops. Well, he's still considering the suggestion, and figures: fuck it.

He leans in and gives her a quick peck behind the ear, in her hair.]

[She's very clearly surprised when he starts to lean in since she's initiated the last few kisses but - It's more like a friend kiss and that's much easier to relax into. Even if she does kind of worry if Izzy and Chroma will still get the wrong idea about them, and hopefully they both miss the way she shivers - the top part of her neck is sensitive, it's a good reaction.]

And to think I was totally thinking of singing for you two!

[Granted, that might have been more of a Chroma thing than Izzy, but still!]

["I didn't say anything!!" Chroma whips around to look at Nariko and protests far too quickly. Realizing that her eagerness to get on Nariko's good side is making itself terribly obvious, she turns around and fiddles with her fingers. Krieg is, uh, busy just looking at Nariko.]

[She can't help laughing, honestly. Chroma's so adorable and she and Izzy are so sweet ... If all it took to make one or both of them happy was a song or two then Nariko would find it in her to sing all night. She sure as shit needed the practice.]

You're absolutely right, and I can't really abandon one of my most loyal fans. I'll sing whatever you want when we get back from.

[With that settled she looks back at Krieg. His voice carries and it's a little difficult to ignore when he's staring, so she looks at him a bit inquisitively, but that's it. Is he okay? He didn't have to kiss her in any way if he didn't feel comfortable! Which would be an odd thing to say out of nowhere, so hopefully he gets it out of her expression.]

[Chroma lets out a relieved sigh, and Izzy chuckles.]

...What?

[He's okay. He's more than okay. Is he not allowed to look at a pretty lady?

...well, yes, but he's not allowed to stare, and the difference is lost on him.]

You're staring.

[Which, yeah, he's allowed to stare! But just not in public or in front of his sister! They've got to work on his situational awareness a bit.]

Is there something on my face?

[She pats at her cheeks and her hair a little self-consciously.]

[But Nariko!! They're not in front of his sister!

They're behind her.]

Oh--sorry.

[He pointedly looks away!]

No, just...lost in thought. [About her, about how her company never grates on him like other people do...]

We've got a lot of work ahead of us. I'm looking forward to it.

[This is one of those rare cases where 'in front' also means behind, okay.]

No, it's okay! You're allowed to look at me.

[Sometimes he's so unintentionally cute that it could appear utterly surreal.]

We do. [Nariko looks out the window briefly as if it might possibly tell her where they are, because:] You know, now that I've even barely mentioned I can't wait to sing again.

[Chroma might be lucky to make it out of the restaurant without being serenaded in some form.]

[Krieg looks at her again.]

So I'm not in trouble?

[He's got a small smile on his face because he knows that it'd take an awful lot to get him in 'trouble' with her in the first place.

Meanwhile, Chroma looks over her shoulder to grin at Nariko, then at Izzy. Her very own personal performance!! So cool!!]

No.

[He's pretty much on the dot there. The guy could outright feel up her ass and he wouldn't be in trouble - if only because she can't ever see Krieg doing that kind of thing. And if he did, then it just couldn't be as inherently perverted or gross as the usual instances.]

Just try to avoid doing it in front of anyone else or they'll really get the wrong idea.

[Said as she adjusts her arm so that when she leans on his side they can continue holding hands. He's comfy and they've done a lot of running around, and she's beginning to need the food in her system. So sue her.

So it's a real good thing that lunch goes without a hitch. It's animated, if only in part because Nariko finds a bunch of questions to ask Izzy and Chroma, and she gives the latter a healthy amount of playful teasing. The closer they get to heading back the more excited Nariko is - she's promised to sing and she's holding herself to that! Nariko all but hops out of the van when they get back into the garage.]

Just let me get what I need, I'll be right back!

[You know that saying, 'lit up like a kid at Christmas'? Nariko is so elated that she makes that proverbial kid look like a night light. She just has to get her guitar and her notebook from their trailer, first ...]

Edited (rewrite! lmk if you'd rather I change it back, I'm good either way) 2016-05-18 04:47 (UTC)

[So it turns out that Krieg is really, really quiet when he's in big groups.

He just listens in on most of their conversations with almost nothing to add, speaking only when spoken to. It's hard to tell if he's actually listening, because most of the time he's staring off into space. He's having a good time! Honest! He just...really, really likes to keep to himself, apparently.

When they get back home, Krieg practically disappears when no one is looking. If Nariko chooses to start looking around for him while Izzy and Chroma are busy preparing for their personal performance, she'll find him on the opposite side of the trailer, making the phone call for that appointment he said he'd make earlier.]

[Krieg is allowed to keep to himself! Especially since Nariko is such an animated little thing! They continue to make an incredibly odd pair together. But a good one, it seems.

Nariko isn't actually looking for Krieg, it's more like she catches the hint of his voice and wonders who he's talking to. Which is how she catches him on the phone, and parses the reason for it with minimal work. A lot of what happens next is thanks to the mix of excitement, burgeoning arousal, and her general inability to restrain herself.

She waits until he gets off of the phone:]

Hey. [Might as well skip the next step.] Is it okay if I kiss you?

[She goes unseen until she speaks up, distracting Krieg from staring thoughtfully at his phone. He looks up from it to look at her--and he gives her a worried look as if he's wondering just how much of that conversation she actually caught.]

...I think we're beyond the point of needing to ask for permission.

[In the way that it feels like answering it would feel awkward and stilted.]

I'll remember that for next time!

[Well, maybe. She can never get enough physical attention so asking has less to do with their current relationship status (whatever the fuck it may be) and more to do with the fact that she thinks he doesn't want someone constantly hanging on him or asking for affection.

But right now the light is green! She makes sure that her guitar is properly out of the way before she reaches up to hold his face in her hands and pull him right into it. The first two kisses had been tame and very safe for the public! This? Not so much. It was a full-bodied, tongue inclusive kiss, and one that she was very clearly leading.]

Mmn!?

[This...was not the kind of kiss he was expecting. In fact, he's pretty sure this is the kind of kiss thats supposed to happen right before sex?? And on top of that, what is he even supposed to do? His mouth is currently...uh...preoccupied by her tongue, and he figures that he's suppose to reciprocate somehow? But the only thing he can think to do is to put his hands on her waist and squeeze.]

[Judging by the grin that ends up half lost in all this lip locking, that's not a bad start! Of course, it's also that his inexperience doesn't bother her, it's actually sort of cute. She tilts her head and does the same to his, so it's a little easier to keep herself to one side, and he can experiment with the other - such are the natural logistics of tongue kissing, but the best way to go about it is to just give it a shot. He's got a teacher who gives honest, but gentle feedback so it'll be fine!

Except! She has to reach down and move one of his hands to her ass. Then they're perfect.]

[Ass! Yeah, ass sounds like a good idea. He gives it a firm, assertive squeeze while--in contrast, he's kind of...mouthing around experimentally with her face. Her lips? Yeah. Gonna try...sucking and nipping at them.

...wow, she's really short compared to him, huh? Her neck is probably craned just as much as his is at this angle. Maybe they should try this sitting down next time...]

[Well, she's usually in very tall heels, which tends to mitigate the problem a bit! But sitting down isn't a bad idea either and she's too used to being the super short one to really mind. And, hey, he's sort of finding his groove a little! Krieg earns an approving little groan with the nipping. There you go, experiment! The worst she'll do is hug you a lot.

It's maybe a little easier if she stands up on her tiptoes to take some of the strain off of him. It also does a fabulous job of pushing her boobs into his chest which, frankly, is for her benefit. It's a weird little detail that's especially pleasing.]

VISIONS I HAD BURIED UNDERGROUND / RETURNING TO ABUSE US

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