the_grid | Oh the weather outside is frightful...

...

[He stares at her, then the mistletoe. Then her. Then the mistletoe. Then her.]

B-BUT W-WHY?! [It's said a little too loudly, so he lowers his voice after.] Is this a Shadow thing? W-what does this have to do with anything?! [Why are you asking so many questions? Ahh shit, he's stuttering again, isn't he.]

[Oh no he's distressed oh no she messed it up uh uh uh how fix.

Apologetic wince-smile???]

I don't know? It's never happened to me... before... It might be? Doesn't seem like it? It's just... the legend... the western tradition...

[Shit the guilt is catching up to her]

I'm sorry I suggested it, I didn't realize it'd upset you.

[She blushes a little and looks away. She thought Eikichi liked her, at least a little? Maybe he thought she was gross...]

Edited (fuck html) 2014-01-23 12:08 (UTC)

[In his panic, he realizes he has gone too far. With Lisa, it's much easier to scream and threaten cause she'll just do the same thing right back. The natural pull of the universe, in a way, and that quickly turned into a bad habit. Still, it's barely an excuse.]

I...um.

[Of to an excellent start. He rubs the back of his neck, looking up at the mass of mistletoe above them.]

Y-you're right. It could have been a rumor someone started that just went out of control and...

[He coughs loudly.]

S-sorry about that outburst. A man shouldn't act like that! I'm just stressed out from being here and not able to move.

[Well if Minako knew he was expecting her to response with "OH FUCK NO" she would have? Maybe? Her person-reading skills have failed her! Oh, woe!

She's scuffing her boot into the ground.]

I understand! I'm sorry you've been trapped here so long! And that I got stuck with you instead of helping...

[Tests to see if she can walk out now. Nope.]

I tried bringing out Hades too, but it didn't do anything.

[Yes he was perfectly fine with bringing out his Persona right in the middle of daylight, he's very special. Then again, this is the guy who beat up people with his Persona and called it a death spirit...]

...s-so kissing huh...

Really?

[He summoned in broad daylight... Okay, Eikichi. But she's also impressed that his persona was ineffective in combating the mistletoe.

Oh, that again.]

Heh, uh, yeah. That's the tradition!

[He's not gonna yell again is he?]

[That mistletoe has to be a ploy by ~~fangirls~~ Nyarlathotep to cause cause and confusion, he's SURE OF IT!]

...I-i see.

[It's quite a drastic change to him. After the yelling, his voice is soft, and it's back to stuttering again. Idly, he scratches the back of his neck, eyes darting around at everything BUT Minako.

WOW. Look at that...pile of white snow!!!

So white!!

So...um...snowy?

--aww gods in hell, this isn't working. Eventually he does look at her again, thanking everything that his blush a bit more hidden due to that impressive amount of makeup covering his face.]

Just a...s-small peck in the cheek r-right?

[It's like he's a completely different person. Gone is all the confidence, replaced by whispers and a surprising amount of shyness. After all, why would someone like Minako want to kiss him of all people?]

[Huh that's a big change from his shouting.

Is that... nerves? Embarrassment.

Oooooooh, that explains a lot.

Minako's face changes to soft. She folds her hands behind her back.]

That might suffice, if you'd be so kind as to lean down.

[She'd give him a peck but he's... kinda tall.]

O-okay...

[It's pretty pathetic how he leans downwards, nearly almost falling over on her as he chooses between either bending down with just his back or kneeling...damn why does he have to be so tall.

In fact once he gets close enough, she can probably see his slight blush and the fact he's closing his eyes. Definitely nerves.]

[If by 'pathetic' you mean 'adorable'...

Minako hides a smirk behind her hand, waiting until he was in reach. He helpfully closes his eyes, so she can move her hand without fear of him seeing her completely amused look. That hand is going to gently settle on the opposite side of his face.

The blush registers for a moment as she considers exactly where to leave the kiss, and inspires her to be a little impish. Her lips land lightly just so that the edge of her mouth brushes against his.]

[Female human contact. It feels so new and she can probably notice that his hands are pathetically so tightly closed together that his knuckles are turning white and that his nails are digging into his flesh.

His area of kiss expectation was a circle just above his cheek. When Eikichi finally feels something, it's at a different area entirely, surprising him so much he can feel right down to his neck. Not just that, his entire body has become hot from confusion and blushing and thoughts swirling in his mind. All in the span of a few seconds, so fast that his eyes snap open.]

What---

[He attempts to stand straight up again, but goes too quickly feeling his feet slip on ice. Removing himself from Minako's touch as not to drag her with him, in a swift, single movement, he falls right down on the temple's floor.]

[Truly a majestic creature.]

[...Oops? She winces a little when he hits the ground.

Majestic indeed. Poor darling. She squats down near his side.]

You okay, Michel-kun? The ice got you good.

[She's trying really really hard not to laugh. Appreciate it.]

I-i'm fine!

[Eikichi is surprisingly resistant to physical damage thanks to his persona. That fall would have caused serious injuring to a normal person. For him, it's just like being on Japan's funniest home videos.

He doesn't even bother to move at first, groaning. The pain will eventually stop, but he is seeing a few stars right now.]

Minako-kun, why are there two of you? Did your Shadow finally show up?

[Her concerned face does not change. She leans over a bit to check his pupils. Hmm, seem normal.]

No, Michel-kun, you're seeing double. Sure you're ok?

[She'll stand up and offer him a hand. Can she help him up when she's so short?

Probably, let's be real.]

Yeah!

[He says to double Minako. Totally fine! See?]

Thanks.

[At her prompting, he uses her hand to push himself up. With his weight it's not too hard to do so...

At least, that's what the plan was. However, the momentum of the ice makes it hard to push up properly and the inevitable happens; they hit part of the invisible wall, making him slip off. This time, Minako gets dragged along for the ride with him. Thankfully, she has his entire body to use as a cushion as Eikichi falls on his back again. Unlucky, he doesn't have much fat to cushion that fall.]

S-sorry...

[Well this was certainly not what she was planning for. At all.]

I am so sorry are you ok?

[At least she doesn't weigh too much either? Ok let's be real girl is kinda dense from all that muscle. She might weigh more than him. She props herself up on her hands, using her knees as a pivot point so that she's mostly not on top of him, one knee between his legs and one knee outside.

Sheepish as hell look. And she's searching his face for a sign of damage or something.]

Guess the barrier's still there.

I-it's not your fault! [He replies, loud and way too quickly.] D-don't worry about it! I'm fine!

[He looks around the temple, worried that they've been spotted by someone, but no, it's just the snow, the cold, and a girl hovering over his body. He appreciates the fact that she's making an effort not to be completely on top of him.]

...guess so.

[He whacks his head backwards into the ice in frustration before groaning.]

Damn, why did this have to happen? If it's not that, then what is it?

[Despite his protests, she still feels pretty guilty about the whole thing.

His nervousness just keeps getting more and more obvious... it's pretty cute, in all honesty, especially considering the kind of face he put on to the world. As soon as he's in any kind of serious situation he's a stammering mess.

So she's gonna take the lead.]

Well, um, maybe cheeks don't... count?

[But before he can start being a huge mess about that suggestion, she makes a rapid-fire decision and drops her head down to press the lightest of kisses to his lips, her bangs flopping down to tickle his forehead.]

WAI--

[Oh gods oh gods he didn't have time to finish that, before his mouth is closed for lip to lip contact. Even if Minako's kiss is gentle, to him it is as if she has pressed a thousand tons to his face and he is trapped on the ground. He's pathetically inexperienced. Eikichi couldn't even move his body from the shock, and felt it flare up with embarrassment, with only his arms wobbling pathetically on the sides. But once the first wave of panic and fear was over, something else ran in his mind.

Her hair was pretty soft across his forehead, removing some of the tension he was having. And the...kiss....was nice too. Plus she is really pretty...thinking about it could have been a lot worse for a kiss. He was incredibly lucky she was here. All of this, in the span of two seconds.

The arm struggling stops and he uses his right to push away her hair away so he can see her eyes a little bit better.]

[Well he isn't pushing her off so that's a good start. He's not exactly doing much, though, sort of flopping mildly. She didn't mean to be so intimidating, really! He was relaxing a little by the time she lifted her head and their lips made slightest of sounds as they unstuck from each other.

She stays relatively close, though, giving him a smile. Her eyes sparkle with a little mischief, liking the way he's brushing her bangs aside. She's looking at his eyes as well, red like her's. A sudden excited energy returned to her and Eikichi's getting a swift kiss on the tip of his nose before she scrambles off him and carefully stands up.]

Let's see if that did it!

[Damn has the makeup gone bad. Both from the kiss, and the fact he is now sweating bullets as he's never done before. His eyes followed her as she went for the double kill, and he was pretty much gone after that. Did she...did she seriously like him enough do that? Or was just some sort of courtesy uh...nose kiss? (Did that even exist? He doesn't remember reading any manga with that...)

But thankfully, a distraction is at hand. He carefully pushes himself up, before tentatively poking at what was a wall before, amazed that his hand went through.]

THAT DID IT!

[He's so excited, he turns back to her, grinning, before softening up a little. His makeup has leaked, he's pretty certain, but it was totally worth it.]

You sure know your stuff, Minako! I don't know what that happened for but... [I'm very thankful for it!] ...thank you for your help! [Oh for the love of visual kei, Eikichi, say something!]....s-so...about what happened...

[He stands there, starring at his legs, before looking at her again, idly scratching the back of his neck.]

I-it was--

[Lightning may not strike thrice, but in Eikichi's case makes special exceptions. He feels his leg give way once more as he moves too fast over the ice, sliding down the rock steps before landing into a pile of snow near the temple's entrance.]

I'm. Alright.

[Ow ow ow ow ow...]

[She's testing the barrier at the same time he is, turning to see his success and to share in the celebration with a big smile. Success! No more being trapped!

The moment is definitely not over, though, she can see that in his face. He wants to talk about the implications of what happened. She's waving a dismissive hand and is about to tell him it was no problem when whoops there he goes again.

She covers her mouth with her hands. Poor thing. No luck for Eikichi, ever.]

Are you sure?

[She steps carefully after him to stand near the pile of snow and Eikichi, hovering and trying to find a way to help.]

Not so good with ice, huh?

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject