[closed] when stars smile at moon

[compendiem]

WHO: Minato, Natalia & Porsche
WHERE: Recollé Planetarium and Observatory
WHEN: January 1st, 5PM
WHAT: New Year's not!date, viewing the full moon one last time before darkness swallows the world
WARNINGS: none

[ Minato makes sure to be there at the planetarium half an hour before five, pacing back and forth in front of the building in order to keep warm. He's not the one with the tickets, so that leaves him to look out for either a prosthetic arm, a cute dog, and/or what he told Zack were the most gorgeous eyes in the world if he hadn't spent most of that encounter staring up at the ceiling or down at the floor. Either way, the sun is setting and will soon take its warmth with it, so Minato huddles in on himself, clamping a paper shopping bag in between his arm and side, and prays Natalia remembered to bring Porsche. Also that she remembered to come. ]

Comments

[compendiem]

Mm. Humans sound fascinating.

[ There are times he doesn't feel so quite human, such as when he's reminded that they're social species and he's not quite that. Not saying anything about his grip on his sanity or his life. ]

Is it so unfortunate? Some use their capabilities to help other creatures, sometimes at a cost to themselves. Not all creatures have that sort of empathy.

[nachetanya]

That's true. That's definitely true, and it's part of what gives me hope, to coax that empathy out of people.

[ It's said with a smile. ]

[compendiem]

And how's that coming along?

[ Ha ha, what do you do when you meet somebody with no empathy to coax out? It's something of a challenge Minato feels he presents sometimes, but he's not feeling particularly cold-hearted today. Not with a dog around. ]

[nachetanya]

It's slow going. But I'll do my best! I always try to.

[ She tilts her head a little bit. ]

After all, I've already seen a lot of faces on you, Arisato.

[compendiem]

Ugh... I only have two faces.

[ Neutral, and this face he's pulling now.

No, he recognises that he can be two-faced, at least, but "a lot" is just blasphemy. ]

[nachetanya]

I wouldn't say that's true at all. Your eyes change, your mouth has slight differences... I don't know what they all mean yet, but you definitely have more than two. Everyone does.

[ . . . She works at a casino, she sort of analyzes for tells and such. Even if it's not anything she's had a great chance to parse out everything for. ]

[compendiem]

[ Minato knows his tells very well: rather than his expression changing, it's his breath that gets held, his voice slightly lower when he becomes uncomfortable. The same happens here, with him shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he shrugs it off. ]

That's called blinking and speaking. It'd probably be easier to just ask me what I mean, rather than infer it from my face.

[nachetanya]

There isn't a single human who can express everything that they mean with just their words.

[ Or at least, so she believes... but maybe that says a lot more about her than anything else, as she says that with a smile, petting her dog. humans are more complicated than that. Sure, they're animals, but... ]

[compendiem]

No. [ He agrees, nodding. People are complicated, and as much trouble he has understanding them and tries to work towards accomplishing that, he doesn't fool himself thinking he'll ever be able to get there completely. ]

I express what I can [ aka not much at all ] with my words, people interpret them as best they can. That's enough. It doesn't have to be everything.

[nachetanya]

It doesn't... but that also doesn't mean that people shouldn't make a good faith effort, even if they need to move beyond just guessing at the words. [ A beat and, ]

Particularly if we're technically on a date.

[compendiem]

Technically... [ they sure are on a date, but only technically. ] This is about my best faith effort. Don't think I've talked this much to one person at one time, either.

[nachetanya]

So I'm special to you?

[ she smirks, leaning in... a little...!! ]

[compendiem]

[ He refuses to move at all; there's a telescope behind him, he can't run anyways. ]

...Technically.

[nachetanya]

I'll take it.

[ Heeeeh ]

[compendiem]

[ Get that heeeeh out of here; he throws the question back at her ]

Am I special to you?

[nachetanya]

Of course! My first date of the new year.

[ She says with zero hesitation.

... Technically. ]

[compendiem]

[ He'll take that technically. ]

My first date ever. It was pretty fun.

[ Low standards for dates but also!!! he gets the opportunity to dodge Natalia, and take Porsche's paws in his hands. #blessed ]

[nachetanya]

[ . . . Holy shit that makes he start and ]

Seriously?

, Porsche is more than down to accept this, though! She doesn't know what's going on at the moment here!! ]

[compendiem]

[ Good dog, thank you for this moment. Minato doesn't even look up. ]

Yeah. I had fun.

[nachetanya]

[ No really she's shocked like??? ]

Aren't you my age...?

[ Like???? what??????? ]

[compendiem]

Twenty-one year olds can enjoy planetariums.

[ What is the problem??? ]

[nachetanya]

That's not what I meant...?

[ How can he never have had a date before....

How sad...

She makes to lift Porsche to his lap outright now... ]

[compendiem]

[ Heck yeah, Minato takes Porsche onto his lap and makes a little cage around her with his arms, not looking the least bit sad about this. ]

What did you mean? I can't read your face, so I'll need words. ...Was this not fun?

[nachetanya]

... No, it's been fun. [ . . . ]

I'm just wondering if I did enough to make an impression for a first date, period. That's all.

[compendiem]

[ He can't read expressions, but he knows pauses very well. ]

If both people had fun, that's enough of an impression, isn't it? Unless you want to try again on a second date.