[closed]

[commandertoolbelt]

WHO: Leo, Futaba, and their merry band of stalkers
WHERE: Recolle Planetarium
WHEN: September 30, afternoon
WHAT: first date!
WARNINGS: n/a

The day is here. Saturday afternoon, and he has a date with Futaba Ishiki and if he doesn’t die before she even shows up, it’ll be a miracle. Leo is trying his best to look casual as he waits, focusing on scrolling on his phone to keep himself busy. Only the speed with which he switches apps and clearly doesn’t read anything on the screen betrays his nervousness.

Somehow, he managed to dig up some clothes without oil stain, even a collared button-up shirt he doesn’t remember tucking into his closet. Mom might deserve a thank you for that later - though maybe that’s canceled out by the constant teasing and cooing over his first date and all the prodding questions about her. God help them if she ever asks to meet Futaba…

There’s a train of thought no one needs to follow. Leo gives himself a mental shake and sweeps his gaze over the small plaza in front of the planetarium, looking for that distinctive red hair of hers. She didn’t forget, did she? Or change her mind…?

Nope. No. He’s not going to think like that. It’s better not to think at all - look how well that worked out when they spoke after school a few days ago! His eyes drop back to his phone. Patience has never been Leo’s strong suit, but she’ll show up. He just needs a distraction in while he waits.

Comments

[alitaba]

Futaba would be lying to herself if she wasn’t scared nervous terrified. A first date is a first after all and there is nothing but unknowns ahead of her. Fiction is her only guide here; mom’s too much like her to have given any concrete advice outside of ‘have fun and don’t get in trouble~!” which is…. not the worst advice but extremely unhelpful all the same.

But no matter, she’s here, she’s in clean clothes that isn’t a wrinkled disaster, and she’s ready to rumble. To party? To enjoy herself. Now all she has to do is survive. And perhaps not throw up. ………Who thought this was a good idea again??

Oh right. She did.

It’s far too late to for take backs now ( not that she actually wants to ), because she’s only steps away and chest bursting heart attacks aside, she’s excited. It’s Leo after all, and it’s not like they haven’t gone on adventures together before. This is just that, plus. Like a familiar quest just with harder monsters and higher xp. Yeah…! She’s totally got this.

“H-hey!!”

She doesn't have this at all.

[commandertoolbelt]

There’s a new game he’s found in the app store to take up his time because he is definitely not going to think about all the ways this could go wrong. Eleanor was right - all they can do was just give it a shot and see where it goes. So Leo doesn’t allow his eyes to flick up to check the time every few minutes and instead tries focus on this monster collecting thing instead of wondering if this is a bad idea and whether he should’ve just kept his mouth shut after all.

And then, suddenly, Futaba is here and he nearly leaps out of his own skin. Maybe the game wasn’t such a good idea after all, if the startled look he gives her is any indication. But she’s here, and that’s something, isn’t it? Without looking, he closes the app, and makes an attempt at a smile.

“Hey! Sorry, I was... playing a game,” he finishes, the explanation sounding lame even to his own ears. One consolation is that Futaba looks just as nervous as he does. This is a first for both of them, but at least they’re in this together. “S-So… You ready to head inside?”

[covenantal]

[ So, you know.

Futaba Isshiki has, like. Several older brothers. None of whom are related to her by blood, mind you.

But they are her older brothers nonetheless, and they have a brotherly duty to protect their precious and innocent little sis from ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.

Including boys.

Word spread among Team Older Bros of this date, and the day of, Futaba and Leo will find that ... you know, everything is normal and they're alone and all is cool! Which is because Team Older Bros is (at least currently) hanging far back enough not to be spotted.

Yu is in disguise because he knows his hair is pretty distinctive. And he brought hats, sunglasses, and fake mustaches for everyone! ]

If she sees us, we die. Best be careful.

[ Let's do this. ]

[crudest]

[Neat.

Baren is now proceeding to demonstrate that he's taking absolutely none of this seriously. Is he wearing the shades and the fake mustache? Absolutely. Is he also wearing a blonde shoulder-length wig and tasteful makeup? Would he make for a really convincing lady if he took off the fucking mustache?

God dammit, yes.]

Remember, 7 out of 10 people who get caught in heists are ruined only by their own hesitation to jump out windows.

[ . . . . uh-huh.]

[maskreant]

[ It seems like they have all parts of the drag spectrum here. Akira got some pointers and help from some model friend with a ~disguise~ so he's with Baren in looking pretty convincing for a lady—or a meek school girl. At least if it weren't for his choice in glasses and facial hair... someone picked those curly handlebar mustaches. ]

I'll jump out of any window for Futaba, even if it's away from her.

[ Leo got the wrong crew to pick a bone with. Sorry fam, he switched teams and broke up with Absinthe. ]

He looks nervous.

[covenantal]

[ Yu is definitely not bothered in any way by thinking Akira is ridiculously super cute.

Look.

It's fine.

They have bigger fish to fry than Akira's really successful cross-dressing. ]

Agreed.

[ Very seriously.

Anyway he's also got binoculars?

Why is he so shady. ]

They both seem nervous. Do either of you know her date? I can't say I do.

[alitaba]

It helps that Leo is as nervous as her. They can fumble together and laugh and knowing them, give each other shit about it later down the line. It’s certainly one of the reasons she'd written in the pro column.

“Is it any good?” She asks because if nothing else, she’ll always live and breathe games. It also gives her something to focus on instead of passing out right here before they can even get inside. Breathing for now still seems to remain steady but for how long is a vastly different question.

“B-but we can talk as we go!” Before they stand here nervously babbling at each other. ... Maybe they should stop nervously babbling at each other?! The rules to dating are Too Hard.

[crudest]

Do you think Facebook can use its creepy facial recognition technology to find him? Do you think Taba-chan's already hooked into the network enough that she'll find out if we risk it?

[ . . . . ]

Well, no risk, no reward.

Akicchan, let me borrow your phone.

[why must they all be this way.]

[maskreant]

[ There’s nothing wrong with thinking your friends are attractive. Akira has to live with that for the rest of his life. ]

He’s actually one of my teammates back in August—Leo Valdez. He’s a good kid, actually.

[ As he passing his phone to Baren, he plays that one speech Leo did to get them bear coins. Snoop as much as you want? It’s probably the least suspicious on Akira’s phone. They have each other’s contacts. ]

[covenantal]

[ It's a curse they both must suffer with, apparently.

Well, Baren is going to risk their lives, it seems, and Yu, like Akira, is fine with it. He simply listens as the speech plays.

Though his face is obscured, he's actually pretty impressed. ]

Actually, that was pretty impressive. Interesting improv skills... I guess that's at least one point in his favor.

[crudest]

One point he needs out of 70, and that's barely passing.

[He's probably not grading that harshly, but he has to say it.

There's a laugh at that though as he proceeds to open up Leo's contact information and adjusting his sunglasses for just a second, he grins.]

Looks like he needs something to chill him out. What should we send him? A knock knock joke? A relevant meme? Taba-chan might think it's cute.

[commandertoolbelt]

“It’s one of those monster games?” Shrugging, Leo pulls up the app again for her to check out as they head for the entrance. It’ll be easier if he takes Eleanor’s advice and looks at this as just… hanging out with a friend. One who could more than just a friend, maybe? But still a friend. And talking games with Futaba has always come naturally. “Like, you’re supposed to collect them all, I think.”

They reach the ticket counter too early, but he leaves the phone in Futaba’s capable hands and pays for both of them. When he returns, he gives her a little nudge with his elbow, silently offering her ticket in exchange for his phone.

“What do you think of it? I haven’t been playing for very long, but it’s something to do.”

[maskreant]

Futaba does enjoy dank memes...

[ i hate that i had to type that all out—but Akira is at a loss of which side he should be in. He has seen plenty of media where big brothers are domineering and hostile towards their sister's prospective lovers, but like...

Leo is a good boy. ]

We should give him a pun.

[ HE'S WELL AWARE THAT FUTABA DOES NOT LIKE PUNS ]

i hate this.

[covenantal]

... a pun about planets?

[ since, you know, planetarium.

dank memes... puns...

yu is quiet for a moment...

and then: ]

Tell him to let Futaba know he's got something important to say, which is: he's never gonna give her up, never gonna let her down, never gonna Saturn around and desert her.

[ ok so he had to change the lyrics slightly but

it's

the thought that counts? ]

[crudest]

[ . . . . .

Baren looks up, as if the sky will grant him answers as to why he's still here. How is this his life.

Back down to the phone and adding - ]

Aaaand a cat picture.

[maskreant]

[ Akira is also giving Yu a look before he silently golf claps. Bravo. You're amazing. Yosuke must be blessed to have you. ]

You're great at impersonating me, Mister Kaiyou.

[ Impressed. ]