soul_logs | [Closed] Best Laid Plans

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[Closed] Best Laid Plans

Characters: Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane
Location: Loch Ness, Scotland
Rating: PG-13
Time: March 22nd, Morning
Description: Mission 131e. The Kishin egg of Loch Ness defeated them once, but it wasn't going to happen again.

Naoto's eyes trailed from the water as the Kishin egg emerged and proceeded to follow after Kanji. She ducked back, listening as she followed after them. The rigging was set; all they needed now was the Kishin egg to take its queue. Hopefully, this would be the last time she had to set a trap like this, but they would see. If they succeeded, it wasn't going back to the water.

Now, as long as Kanji remembered to jump, they shouldn't have any complications or need to make any abrupt alterations.

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"I don't know. You appeared to be anxious when you began eating as you were." She didn't say anything as he shifted, but he was probably in pain. He would have to get something to temporarily stop that until his injuries healed.

"Yes, that's right."

Naoto looked skeptical at his statement. "The desert is the nearest location to the city and far enough from the barrier."

She would have to take Minato to trailing. He hadn't performed so well when they were on the mission.

"I know, I know. 's necessary, right?" But Kanji sighed anyway. He had to figure out why it was that Tifa seemed either to shrug off Madness completely or be so good at suppressing her own fears. Even when they spent an evening drinking, she hadn't seemed phased while he turned into something completely embarrassing.

"Gotta wonder how we let three of those damn things get set up close to Shibusen. It'll be a huge load off a lotta minds once those go down," he remarked, finally setting his own box back on his good knee.

"...And if BREW's gonna bring in new people, we gotta keep on top of that in case some of our friends pop up. We're gonna get real busy, Naoto." Yet he looked a little pumped despite everything. Why was his heart jumping around just now, though...?

"It wouldn't be so necessary if we could handle ourselves..." Still, they were still teenagers. Technically, they weren't supposed to handle situations concerning strong emotions very well. Naoto could, but not when the Madness Wavelength weaseled into her.

"Perhaps they hid their presence. There is an ability capable of doing that." She nodded at his statement. "Yes. Hopefully, they can have a beneficial purpose to us."

Quietly, she resumed eating while Kanji spoke and again nodded. It was always busy; she would be ready.

"I know that one! They called it... uh..." He tapped the sticks to an unknown beat against the box, wrinkling his nose a little.

"Soul Protect, right? They kinda cloak their souls, make 'em out like they're human. Yeah... I can see 'em goin' with that. Couldn't the Meisters with Soul Perception, I dunno, train it to see through it?"

Kanji leaned back. "I-I mean, my Soul Descent's got a bigger punch than it was when I first figured it out, and I can kinda feel through the resonance that your shots are toughening up, too."

Naoto looked up at the beating and her expression quirked as he thought. There was something about the way his nose crinkled when he thought; she didn't know how to describe it exactly.

She was able to snap out of her own train of thought and nod. "Hm... I'm not sure. It might be possible, but that's a question better saved for a Meister capable of using it."

Her lips curled into a faint smile. "Yes. You've been improving tremendously since your arrival." She paused. "Does it really appear that way?"

Kanji nodded. "So I'll ask 'em. Worst that could happen is they say it's impossible, then I tell 'em that's bullshit. Everything can be pushed just a little bit further. You just gotta set a pace that won't bite back at you more than you can take."

A butterfly in his stomach. Right there. She needed to do that more. "Well yeah. You save those old target papers, don'tcha? Compare 'em sometime."

"S'hard to explain, but it feels like the wavelength's bigger somehow. Warmer, too... like it's..." He hesitated, was pink, looked away.

"I-I dunno, like it's a nice day out but there's no wind. Really calm."

"Indeed..." Naoto trailed, looking down, but then turned towards him again. "Do you believe we're failing to pace ourselves?"

Target pa- oh! "I suppose..." She shifted in her seat. Obviously, she needed to better monitor her improvements. Her face heated at Kanji's explanation. "A... unique way to describe it, but... I understand."

Her description would undoubtedly be no better.

"From what I see in the park, people're goin' both ways. Some push themselves too damn hard, then they're all stiff when shit goes down. Others are goin' too easy on themselves, then wonder what to do when that same shit goes down. I know my limits... but I also know how to push 'em a little when I need to." Though, perhaps a little more often than was needed, if one were to ask the people that tended to worry about him.

...Unique? Man, he couldn't tell if she was avoiding being blunt or not. Kanji fell quiet, kicking himself a little for the stupid description and jabbed at his food a little harder than was needed. Fortunately, he wasn't aiming to choke himself, finishing his lunch like a normal human being.

"Hm..." They had gone on a chain of missions which had been simple enough, but ended up derailed here. Maybe it wasn't a matter of them pushing themselves too hard, but just becoming cocky.

Naoto glanced over, but then stared at her own box. "I worded that oddly, didn't I?" She frowned. She needed to watch that.

"Unique means a lot, sometimes," he replied.

"B-but it ain't like you're mean-spirited about it! Maybe it was unique unique. That was just somethin' that popped into my head. I-I mean, that's... that's what it feels like, so..."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I-I got average grades in vocabulary shit, a'right? So don't worry about it!"

"I really wasn't being mean-spirited! I doubt I would have a better description when it comes to our resonance." She had extensive vocabulary; she definitely could have used something other than unique.

Naoto sighed. "If you're certain."

Though, she already made a note to watch it.

"I believe you! I meant what I said, s'all." As much as Kanji still bristled when others misspoke or outright slighted him, it was members of the Team - save for Yosuke on occasion - that he always gave a pass in good faith. They were good people. Naoto was a good person.

But he was quiet just a moment longer, stirring the pickled ginger in the middle of the box as if searching for the right words in it. When they were being unhelpful, he sneaked a glance her way. Speaking of vocabulary.

"You could... y-y'know, drop it, if you wanted to." And now he was just playing with the ginger at this point as he tried to regather his marbles. This had been something on his mind for a little while now.

"... Yes, I'll do that."

She continued to nibble at her food. Dropping the subject was simple enough; they should have done that sooner. Though, she had been insistent to pursue the topic. Mhm, it was a terrible habit of hers.

Quietly, she slipped the extra chara-giri of Yellow Owl she had been saving for last to Kanji's box.

"H-huh!?" Was it any wonder that, though they resonated rather well, they tended to speak on completely different wavelengths at times?

"No, I-I mean... shit-" What was he talking about again!? Vocabulary? No.

Words! Yeah, he'd meant to ask her something, since they were talking about how to word things and--

His stomach jumping around again, he looked down. Wha- how'd that Yellow Owl get there? His nerves had him stacking the ginger atop the poor tokusatsu rice ball's 'head'.

"-kun... the- the -kun." A mess. Kanji had turned this into a complete mess.

"If, y'know, you ever thought about skippin' it, I'd... I'd be okay with it!"

"-kun?"

They were going over honorifics now? Her chopsticks clicked surprisingly loud when he further explained himself and her face turned dark red. Drop the '-kun' from his name? But that was incredibly informal and the significance was... Her heart was pounding. They certainly were talking about two different subjects, but this, Naoto wasn't sure she could easily do.

"Ah...!" Her yes darted; she had to think quickly. "... I'll drop it if you will."

"If- if you want to!" He quickly replied.

"I mean, there ain't a rush to it or nothin'! It's just been on my mind lately, so... u-uh..." But was now the best time to bring it up? He didn't know.

"I-I don't hate it, though! I mean, 's nice that you're not callin' me by my family name or somethin', right!? I like... I like whatever you wanna call me." His heart was about to leap out of his throat and into this bento. Maybe he should have waited until they got back, or maybe a few more days, or...!

"Uhm..."

She was both very flustered and confused. He was talking around himself, unable to follow through with what he wanted. He really wanted her to call him by his name without the honorific, but was fine if she continued addressing him that way. But he liked being called by her either way?

"You're working yourself up again..."

Naoto began to nibble at her food again, unable to get her face to stop burning.

Anyone else would have him getting defensive. But with her? Kanji started, went silent, then ran his hand over his face. Sighed.

"Can I start over?" He grumbled, half-rhetorically.

"I know it's big... really big, but... I-I think I'm a'right with it. I'm good with Naoto, y'know? Y'wanna go Kanji or Kanji-kun, I leave it up to you. Switch it around if you feel like it. We're still keepin' it quiet, right?"

And he eased out a sigh. Nerves, nerves, nerves. Go away, nerves. He was a goddamn man.

"My, uh... my leg feels a lot better now, by the way. Thanks." They should probably see about getting ready to head back anyway. He didn't know how the hell he was gonna explain the bandages to Tifa. Did he have to?

Naoto stopped eating again when he wanted to start over in order to listen closely. Her head dropped when he said her name without the usual '-kun' and her face somehow darkened.

"... Yes. Or would you prefer to inform people? I... don't mind..."

Well, she did, but didn't. It was confusing. If Kanji wanted to tell people now, she didn't mind. What she didn't want was people bothering them about it.

She cleared her throat, "Ah. You're welcome... K-Kanji."

Naoto didn't know. It felt so weird; her heart was pounding.

"W-well, it ain't like I'm gonna shout it from the rooftops or somethin'! I kinda like keepin' it 'need-to-know'." He deserved every kick in the shins if he ever did said shouting, so help him. He had to admit that it is pretty nice not being bothered about it after near-constant teasing at their expense. It was a need-to-know basis, and that was what it would stay if he or she could help it.

This poor rice ball was being piled on with ginger enough. He picked it up with those chopsticks, and lifted it to his mouth.

...And then he heard his name. There was a tiny clack as the chopsticks slipped from his fingers, and that poor onigiri landed atop the katsu in the bento as he tried to catch the sticks but failed as they clattered against the box's sides.

'Yeah, like that,' he wanted to say, but as his brain blue-screened, all he could manage was the first syllable before mumbling the rest.

Was there a heat wave in Scotland today? Jesus it was hot out all of a sudden...

"Y-yes. Yes, that will be fine..." That way, they wouldn't have to sneak around certain people. Though, telling Minato, she just wasn't sure still.

Her head whipped in his direction at the sound of his chopsticks falling. The onigiri was down; she looked up at his face. What had he said?

"Kanji-kun? Kanji-kun, are you alright?" She really needed to be more careful...

The loss of an honorific seemed to be a powerful weapon, especially on the brain of awkward delinquents. It took him a moment to register that Naoto was speaking again, and he slowly turned his eyes back her way. If the red on his face lingered any longer than it currently was, it could very possibly become permanent.

"F-fine! I'm- I'm good!" He managed, coughed, and went for that cup again for a drink. Mouth was dry. Christ.

She was able to breathe a small sigh of relief at his words, but then shook her head. "Perhaps we should refrain from attempting conversation for now and simply enjoy each other's company..."

That sounded safe enough... and they wouldn't have to worry about red permanently staining their cheeks.

"Ye-" Oh. With a quiet clearing of his throat, he opted for nodding instead. Conversation was kind of difficult at the moment, and with his own breath of relief, he made sure the thermos sat between the two of them before he decided to actually finish the bento seated in his lap without choking or any of the other nonsense he'd tripped into during their conversation.

Despite his stomach's jitters, Kanji was feeling a lot better with that weight off of his shoulders and mind. As he resumed eating, enjoying the detective's company, he scooted a little closer before settling back against the tree.

He could worry about talking to Tifa later. He could worry about reporting to Shibusen later. Right now? There was absolutely no rush.

This was much better. They weren't stuttering over their words or fumbling in attempts to get them across. Instead, they were allowed to enjoy Kanji's cooking and the weather which was pretty decent.

Glancing from the corner of her eye, she realized he had moved closer and settled against the tree again. When she assumed he was occupied with eating, she took the opportunity to shift closer as well, leaning against the tree as well.

Absolutely no rush... she smiled and continued eating.

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[Closed] Best Laid Plans

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