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persona 5: goro akechi

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WHO: Goro and Haru
WHERE: The beach
WHEN: Evening of 9/2
WHAT: A picnic, some catching up, and fantastical storytelling.
WARNINGS: None!

[Shortly after her text to Retrospec, Haru set to work making dessert. It was not only in preparation for her picnic with Goro later, but also to keep herself busy. Sitting there with her thoughts only made her stew too much on what was happening, and working on something helped sort them together, focus on moving forward and what to do next.

It's like the wool was removed from her eyes, or noticing the elephant in the room. Monsters, the loss of color... and, as she eyed them with an unsure little smile, dancing fruit. More than once, she had to move to catch the orange that seemed to leap to freedom off the counter and bring it back to its companions. It's hard to believe that she never even noticed things like this. She has an entire garden, and she worked in a flower shop, yet she never even noticed any loss of color. It seems unbelievable, yet here she is now, in the middle of it with everyone else.

Before she knew it, the muffins she was making were done. Time sure seemed to pass by quick... Nevertheless, she gave Goro a quick text that she was on her way, before gathering everything up to go. She was excited to see him; realistically, she saw him just a few days ago, but now that she's... like this, it felt like seeing him after months of absence.

Soon enough, she's at the door to his place. Though she feels nervous about everything, about the way the world is and the monsters that were previously around the place, she's still all smiles as she knocks.]

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[He and Haru share that habit, idle hands lead to idle thoughts and preparing two boxes to bring to the beach was a relief; the easy cuts, the types of things he should make with his friend in mind, all of it consume his mind in place of the revelations he'd been forced to face since returning to Recolle. That person in the visions really being him, or being a clone of that person used for "reconstruction" of a dead world-- whatever it is, it means the life he's lived until now has been fake, that all of the relationships he has are nothing but--

When he answers the door, the bentos sitting pretty in a bag on his arm, there's a bandage wrapped around one of his fingers. Here, come in for a one-armed hug, he's all for physical contact these days.]

It's good to see you, Haru. [Really see her, and be seen back. While bearable, he always felt at odds with not being able to vent about things she'd only see as normal.] A breath of fresh air, really. The sea isn't too badly off despite its lack of color, by the way. A little odd. But it has its own charm still.

[Just so it's not too much when they get there; Goro quite likes the way the colors play on the grey surface, actually, and... at night, the moonlight turns it silver. It's nice.]

[One-armed hug, pah. You are like a little baby.

Haru goes in for a two-armed hug, as she left her bag of muffins on her moped. She still feels bad about not being able to remember everything, about perceiving all of this as normal, even though she knows it isn't her fault. That still doesn't stop her from feeling frustrated about it, and even somewhat relieved that she has the app now.]

We can see it as a new experience. [She pulls back, putting both hands on his shoulders now.] I've never seen a gray ocean before! Does the sunlight affect it at all when it sets?

[Oh-- Oh, okay, he's accepting that, squeezing her tightly for a moment before letting her draw away.]

It does! Like a painting, almost. The sky gets the same way... it's easy to forget that there's no blue to them when dusk and dawn come around, actually, since it fills everything with such color. I think you'll like it.

So the ocean is like one big canvas, and the sun is its brush...

[You know, she knows someone who might appreciate that kind of aesthetic. Maybe she'll hit him up later about it, but right now, this day is about Goro.]

It sounds gorgeous. [She says it in an excited tone, almost dreamily. The image in her mind is probably different from reality, but it's very pretty. With that in mind, she takes Goro's free hand in both of her own while pulling him back lightly.] Then let's go! We don't want to miss the sunset!

Don't worry, we have plenty of time.

[Even saying that, though, he doesn't mind her half-hurried steps down to her moped, trying hard not to beam so much. Her excitement's infectious, for one, and two-- well, it's not like he's been down there since it was returned to them after beating that big monster, so it'll be a nice treat too!

He'll settle the bag where he can, getting on behind her.]

I saw you and Miss Velveteen were bonding over the dancing fruits. She's a friend of mine as well, actually, and she's a charming young lady. Very... frank, at times, and odd at others, but incredibly passionate and good-natured.

Oh, you know her?

[Haru settles in, placing her own bag by Goro's. If he's curious, he's allowed to peek before they set off, as they already give off a strong, sweet scent. They're maple walnut muffins, if he's so inclined.

She herself goes ahead and takes the helmet off of one of the handles, straps it securely on, then grabs the helmet near her feet for Goro to put on as well. He doesn't necessarily have to, but Haru's big on safety first when she's not rushing away from monsters.]

That was such a fun conversation! I'd love to get to know her better!

[... He neglected to wear a helmet when speeding down to the beach with Akira in tow on his bike, but he will not neglect safety with Haru around. Those muffins also look so good? Oh, he is so excited for them, he kind of wants to swipe one to eat right now.]

Well, you'll have plenty of chances to. She's one of my roommates... or she will be, once we secure a new apartment. I'm certain she'd like to spend time with you as well. What do you think of a hot pepper parfait?

[Man, go ahead if you want one, Haru's not picky about when someone eats. But once he's got the helmet strapped on, she turns on the moped, grips the accelerator, and off they go!]

Oh, a new apartment? You'll have to tell me where your it'll be once you get it!

[Gosh, all her friends moving out and living with other people. It makes her think she should do it too, that and pressure from her mother to do it as well, but nngh... She'd be leaving her cats, and her garden, and her mom, and everything she grew up with... Well, better to think of that later.]

I've never tried it... but I do enjoy spicy foods!

[Hell yeah. Mmm, delicious.]

I certainly will, though it won't be so soon. [He's enjoying his time home with his mom!! After not having her for a month.]

Then you'll be a perfect match! She's very adorable as well, elegant and graceful... I have a picture of her, if you'd like to see. [... nothing about goro is subtle.] And I think she could do with someone like you in her life too! You're a very relaxing person to be around.

[Goro what you doin'... Haru is Suspicious, but you know what, it's a chance to meet a new person, Goro's roommate at that, and someone who seemed nice and funny!]

Thank you, and I'd love to see what she looks like! [They did only communicate by text after all. But, you know, since she's driving and all,] Maybe when we're at the beach?

[...... He should maybe see if Liz would be interested in being encouraged to have dates with his very cute friend Haru but he will encourage nonetheless.]

Of course, sorry. I wouldn't want to distract you while you're driving. Such things can lead to unfortunate accidents, like crashing onto the sand. Or worse.

And we wouldn't want Lavande to get damaged! [Yes... because her moped is important here.] That reminds me... She got some dents and scratches from the monsters a couple weeks ago, but I'd completely forgotten that until now. I just assumed it was a hit and run...

Did you just... run them over, Haru?

Well... Yes? A few times.

[Sweats, look, it was a spur of the moment decision and it was kind of fun okay.]

The only other thing I had was a broom, so... It was the only choice I had?

[Haru.......... Honey.]

That's dangerous, Haru. What if you'd gotten hurt? Not all of those creatures were big enough just to -- to run over. [Slight fussing.] You should've just stayed inside where it was safe, not been in the thick of it.

[Goro....... she can run over a blue eyes white dragon if she wants ok]

U-Um, well... [She does shuffle a bit, a little awkward about the fussing. She's usually the one doing that, not the other way around, so it always feels out of place when it happens.] I know, it was dangerous, but... They were asking people to help clean the damage, and I couldn't just ignore it! But while I was heading to one of the buildings that needed care... [She gives a helpless little shrug. There were monsters, and what could she do after that?]

[... Well. Haru's brave too, just like Ann. He'll prop his chin on her shoulder, squeezing her a little, and shakes his head. Whatever. The only thing that got banged up as her moped. He can take solace in that.]

I'm glad you're safe. [Quiet.] I admire your bravery, I won't deny that, I just...

[He doesn't know what he'd do if he lost one of his friends, much less Haru. She's been good to him. His mother considers her a family friend. Things like that.]

Well, we both had a rough month. We can enjoy the normalcy now.

[Are you kidding, the moped being banged up is the WORST THING. But whatever. She smiles beneath her helmet and reaches up the hand not on the accelerator to pat the side of his head... well, the side of his helmet.]

Or as normal as this is, right? [It's only been a few hours, and she's certainly not used to this sudden knowledge yet. Being with a friend helps, but there's still a lot she doesn't understand.] And thank you. I'm happy you're safe, too; I know I only saw you recently, but I'd... forgotten your situation before then.

[Bless you. He squeezes again, then loosens up.]

I'm kind of used to it, but I can't say I wasn't disappointed for you to be so lukewarm at the initial telling of my stories. Mermaids and pirates, not the mention the skeleton orchestra -- I have quite a lot to tell you about, Haru, to make no mention of our glorious return!

[She may have been lukewarm about those before, but now? She very nearly looks back at him, but keeps her eyes on the road at the last minute; they're getting nearer to their destination, so Haru's gotta focus more, but - the what orchestra?]

A skeleton orchestra?! Even the mermaids and pirates were hard to believe, but that?

I have a video of it I'll show you once we're sat down. They're actually quite good musicians! If sensitive about being seen practicing.

[do you know how good it feels to bitchslap a skeleton's head off with its own arm

because buddy, let me tell you.]

[UGH. She's gonna be so jealous of bitchslapping a skeleton's head off. That sounds so rad. She giggles in response, the sound airy and still a bit disbelieving, but she's really excited to see actual video of this.]

I never thought skeletons could have feelings like that!

Why not? It isn't as if they have thick skin, Haru.

[Or any at all.]

Goro!

[She says it during a laugh, because that's exactly what she's thinking.]

I'm sure they're very sensitive about that, too!

[He stifles his own laugh with his hand, shaking just a bit as he trembles out his next batch.]

I'd say they wouldn't have the guts to stand up for themselves, but they really had no bones about picking a fight with us for disturbing their rehearsal!

No, no, stop!

[OKAY

okay

She is just going to

Slow the moped to a stop while she covers her laughter. They're pretty much there anyway, but Haru doesn't want to accidentally veer off the road because she was laughing too much.]

I can't - They - They just couldn't stand to see you skullking around, not while they were playing their trombones! But I guess they didn't have any organs during their session, did they?

[Haru you so unabashedly adore making puns with him, he's hard pressed to keep from losing his breath from all the laughing he's doing.]

You-- You win this round, Haru! I give, I give, and ple-- pledge myself to the Princess of Puns in such honorable defeat.

[He used up all his humor on the trip honestly, and that?? a triple whammy??? Haru wins. Goro's wiping tears from his eyes, she wins.]

Pr-Praise be to the Princess of Puns!

[Now that they're stopped, Haru stands where she is with her arms spread, as if to lap up the praise. It's totally ruined by her own laughter, though, and soon enough, she curls back inward to try to contain it more. Still giggling, Haru turns in her seat to gently bump Goro's helmet with her own.]

You put up a good fight, young grasshopper!

Thank you, princess, but it was my pleasure to spare with you. We have to keep our wordplay sharp after all!

[Says who? Says him, obviously the royal guard to Haru-hime here. Since they're basically here, he'll gently take off her helmet and then his own, leaning against her with a sigh and smile.]

Well then. Shall we go down? The sky's already beginning to turn... rather, it's beginning to gain color.

[Not quite sunset, but getting there; a warm glow of orange spreading across the sky as the sun starts to dip.]

[When Goro leans up against her, Haru gives a quiet giggle while lightly wrapping both arms around his shoulders. But now that he mentions the sky... she looks up, and is both surprised and awed from how the sky looks. It's only just starting, but the gray is slowly starting to fade from one side to the other, clouds lighting up in light hues of orange and gold.

It looks pretty incredible, and entirely new.]

Yes, let's!

[She sets her hands on Goro's shoulders, and once he's leaned back, she shuts off the engine to her moped, grabs the bag of muffins (or what's left of it), and steps away - though she'll wait for Goro to join her. In the meantime, however, her gaze is on the sea, because that's also very new.]

[His smile grows fond at her wonder, taking his own bag and then her hand as he starts down the small slope towards the beach proper. Swing swing.]

Even if the sea looks the way it does, it still feels the same as always, and it looks no different than usual at night... a little more silver, maybe, because of the moon, but it's become a favorite sight of mine anyway. It's almost poetic. A perfect place for a date... I think I'll recommend it to my followers.

[She's pulled out of her awe when he takes her hand, and she smiles as she follows along, her eyes on the gray of the ocean. It shines silver and white from the sun that's inching down towards it, and it's already starting to bleed a red and orange color starting at the point where the sun sets. It's a fantastic sight, but she looks at him with raised eyebrows and a teasing grin once he finishes speaking.]

Here's an idea. Once it gets to be that time, we could take a selfie and post it for your followers. You can't recommend a date spot unless you took a date there!

Good idea. And who better to do it with than you?

[His Very Dear Friend Haru. No, definitely no one better, not a single bit. He'll take her to a nice spot to sit at and lay out a blanket from beneath his boxes, there we go, no sand here.]

Well...

[She says it in a drawn out way while glancing elsewhere. Haru's sure there's at least one person who Goro'd rather be on a date with, but she's not about to bring that up, no sir. But she will, at least, allude to it and know very well that that might be the case.

Once the blanket's been set, Haru sits at one end and takes out the pan of muffins, setting it by the boxes... which already smell so nice.]

What did you make? It smells delicious!

[He

is not dignifying her allusion with an answer! There's a light pink to his cheeks, but that's it.]

Nothing worthy of such compliments, Haru, they're just bentos.

[Just bentos. The one she's getting is essentially this, but with a cute pink tiger and a strawberry delicately cut to look like a rose at its ear. His own is a little simpler, no rice animal and more focused on the diet he has to get back into, but there's still the cute vegetable shapes and a matching rose.

... She will find a nice mound of tender chicken teriyaki inside the tiger, which is the source of the delicious smell, but!! That's inside. He's also taken pity on her and brought plastic utensils, since he's just going to use chopsticks.]

[But that's? So cute?? Once Haru opens the box and sees what's inside, she immediately give an enamored gasp and smile. It's a little tiger! With a strawberry rose!]

Oh, it's so cute! I almost don't want to eat it...!

[If only it didn't smell so nice, then maybe she wouldn't eat it. But it does, so she'll be going ahead and carefully digging in, not wanting to ruin the image right away. And thank god Goro brought plastic utensils; Haru's learned a small amount of Japanese from Yusuke, but she could never get the hang of chopsticks.]

Is this - This is chicken teriyaki. No wonder!

[He's so obviously pleased that she's happy with it!! Goro leans against her, shoulder to shoulder, and rests his head on hers. He will, in fact, take a selfie with her if she's open to it at the moment, just to get it out of the way.]

Do you want to eat first, and then catch up? Or shall I regale you with whatever you'd like during our meal?

[She is, in fact, open to a selfie. Once she sees that he's doing so, Haru sets the food down on the blanket, then wraps both arms around his waist while giving a big smile for the phone. She might take one too later, once she gets around to grabbing her phone.]

Well, I know you've been very eager to talk about your grand adventure, so go on! Tell me all of it!

[Meanwhile, she'll keep an arm around him, though also move the other to grab her food again. It'd be such a waste to let it go cold while he talks about what all happened!]

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