closed || bridges of friendship

[complementing]

WHO: Minako, Ryoji, and Lucy
WHERE: Peach Beach and the boardwalk
WHEN: Arbitrarily backdated to April 8th
WHAT: Lucy makes good on the promise of meeting Ryoji just once.
WARNINGS: Lucy Takada, probably.

[Minako will admit that she thought Lucy would want to back out of this at the last minute. She'd been waiting for it the whole morning during breakfast, while they were getting ready, in the car, and maybe a little bit even now, as they're walking into the main boardwalk area towards where Ryoji is waiting for them. But Lucy hasn't mentioned anything yet! Which is very promising and gives Minako the best kind of feeling, knowing that Lucy is pushing past her comfort zones to do this.

Here's to hoping she won't be pushed too far out of her comfort zone.

No no, that's what Minako is for, to mediate between the two extreme personalities here today. Everything will be fine.

When she spots Ryoji through the crowd, she waves her arm and calls to him with a grin.]

Ryoji! Over here!

Comments

[appraiser]

[ The concession, however reluctantly it was given, is good enough for Ryoji who leads them to the showers, letting go of Minako's hand so that he can hold down two buttons to start the showers for them to rinse off first before dealing with Lucy's hand.

"It'll be alright", Ryoji murmurs, more to himself than to anyone, thinking of children screaming in the clinic's waiting room and refusing to let Ryoji mollify them, hating him for what he represents rather than who he is. But it doesn't matter, as long as he can help, and isn't afraid to ask for help, be it from a parent to hold and soothe their child while he takes temperatures or administers shots, or from Minako who he asks to hold Lucy's hand still as he runs cold water over it, or to turn Lucy's palm this way and that so he can check for debris caught under the skin without touching and hurting her any more than he already has. ]

[complementing]

[While Ryoji takes care of washing Lucy's hand, Minako digs through her sopping wet purse with one hand for something to cover the scrapes. Any band aids she might've had are useless now, so instead she washes and wrings out her handkerchief, a cheerful scrap of orange that she ties around Lucy's palm once Ryoji has cleaned her hand to his satisfaction. She gives both fabric and palm a pat once she's done.] There! All done. [And now what? They're too wet to continue on as they are, but the day has barely started. She doesn't want to give up on getting Ryoji and Lucy better acquainted, but both of their nerves are frayed and likely to stay that way. Hmm...here's an idea.] Why don't we head back to the apartment? We can get cleaned up and have a day in with video games and movies instead? [It'll be in the familiarity of home, so Lucy won't feel so exposed, and Ryoji might appreciate the comforts of a safe space after this ordeal too. And Minako? Minako can make a giant lunch to make up for their lost crepes.]

[long_live_the_queen]

[Lucy didn't mutter or complain at her hand being touched and prodded; the water was cool and didn't sting, Minako was close by enough to ensure her good behavior, and...trying that bit of cloth around her hand, which made Lucy feel oddly light inside. Ryoji being nearby didn't matter so much. Her shoulders were still tense, but not as much as they were.

The prospect of Ryoji in their apartment didn't seem quite as objectionable either; if all else failed she could always scuttle off to her room. She wasn't thrilled, but she wasn't spitting hostility either. She was calm. Everything was fine now. This was fine.]

Okay.

[appraiser]

Okay.

[ Ryoji's echo holds more cheer, him brightening up at the prospect of a lazy homebody afternoon, and even more so at the agreement on Lucy's part without a grumble.

He'll have to try again later, loving Minako for giving him a standard for how to be around Lucy to make her comfortable, but as much as he could follow Minako's lead like she asked, he suspects Lucy likes Minako for simply being Minako. He'll get through to Lucy some other way; his own way.

It'll be fine. ]

[complementing]

Okay!

[She says it just to be able to say it with them, her grin bright and happy. Minako takes up both their hands again and starts to lead the way out of the boardwalk area, renewed optimism in every bounce of her step.

Operation: Friendship Part Two, staaaart!]