(open) bullheaded burn out fled his own pedigree

[taketori]

Who: Miyuki Shirogane, You?
What: oh shit it's july. also, continuing his fun adventures with his mind.
When: July 17th, dumbass o'clock.
Where: Courtyard.
Warnings: Shouldn't be any, unless you count his half-awake ramblings.

[ It's 3am, and Miyuki Shirogane is in the courtyard.

With the deafening silence now a thing of the past, he feels like he can actually move around a lot easier late at night. He's finally gotten over the despair disease, and even though something's been pulling at the back of his head as if he had done or said something really stupid, he can't quite recall much of anything.

It just gives him time to ponder, again, about what he's doing.

So much has gone on in the last month, it feels like so much has changed, but he's still here. Still in purgatory...

Near the wisteria tree, he gazes up into the sky. It dawned on him... when was the last time he actually looked at the stars? The last time he was able to gaze at the moon? Those days seemed so far away suddenly, as if years and years had passed. Time was getting away from him...

...oh. When he thinks about it. It's July 17th now. He takes out his PDA, scrolling back to the day he spoke about cleaning... ah.

...

Honestly. What was he doing? ]

un: m.shirogane

I know it's late, but I just realized that Tanabata is typically being celebrated around this time.

I'm not sure how many students here are unaware of the story, but it's always nice to have a reminder. Tanabata comes from the legend of two lovers, a princess named Orihime and and a herder named Hikoboshi. The princess spent all of her time weaving clothes for her father, Tentei. However, once they had fallen in love, Orihime no longer weaved clothes for her father and Hikoboshi no longer kept track of the cows, so they wandered across Heaven.

Tentei was angry enough to separate the two across the Amano River, in hopes that neither of them would ever meet again. Orihime wept, begging her father to allow them to meet. Moved by her tears, he allowed them to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month, provided she worked hard. Unfortunately, they were unable to meet the first year they attempted... it turned out that there was no bridge over the river. Orihime wept, so much that a flock of magpies appeared and promised that on a clear day, if the river doesn't rise, they will come and make a bridge to allow the two to meet again. Since then, the two have come to represent Vega and Altair, and we wish for nice weather so the two can meet their one day per year.

Luckily... I think it was a clear day and night on the 7th.

It's a strange story though, isn't it? A princess and a commoner needing permission from the king of Heaven to meet in the first place. If it was love, then it really wouldn't matter what he said or thought or even did. One day out of an entire year, and it's not even guaranteed. And a bridge made from magpies? Did they even know how hollow the bones of a bird are? I guess I never thought of that until now.

Even if the conditions aren't right, if it relies on a lack of common sense and there's no way to gain a blessing... if Orihime and Hikoboshi shared the same feelings, they'd be together regardless, right?

Anyway. Sorry for the long post. There's still plenty of time to celebrate Tanabata, so we'll have to think of something. If you have any suggestions or want to learn more about Vega and Altair directly, come find me. I'll be here.

And if you want to give your opinion on this story... again, I'll be here.

[ And. Send.

...

And he immediately hangs his head. Seriously. What the hell was he doing?

...no. He knew what he was doing. Didn't he? ]

Comments

[taketori]

[ It was. It was reaffirming, more than anything. It felt right.

Getting over his past was no doubt more difficult than he'd like, but taking those steps, taking them with someone else in fact... it's a weight off of his shoulders.

...

And. He realizes one more thing. ]

...so, this makes us square for your birthday, Inaba? [ A brief pause... ] And... I'm okay to find you a better present for this year?

[dereban]

It does. But it isn't fair that you know my birthday but I don't know yours... I'd like to get you something, too.

[taketori]

Oh... oh, right.

[ He actually forgot. Mostly because he wasn't awake for his birthday last year... ]

It's September 9th. I'm a virgo, if that matters.

[ It didn't. ]

[dereban]

... Astrology crap doesn't really matter to me. It's usually a bunch of ridiculous stuff, anyway. Yui was into it because it was cute and romantic, but I've never really cared much for it.

[ She'd look at it every now and again for shits and giggles because she was bored, but other than that -- it didn't really matter much to her. ]

Although I will admit that you'd be hard pressed to get a present in a place like this, though. Honestly. Why couldn't we have been brought into an afterlife that was more than just a school? We're going to have to get creative with our dates.

[taketori]

I see. I mean... I do enjoy stargazing. I wasn't out here just to lead you out here, after all. Astrology though... well. I could take or leave it.

[ No, he'll absolutely take it. He really likes the stars, okay?? But superstitious stuff like that's kinda embarrassing to believe in. Right?? ]

I agree, it's really limiting. Not to mention, anything we could get from the school store might not be... well, good for either of us to have.

That said... I'm willing to take that creativity as a challenge. Sure, a lot of the ideas I had if I ever went on a date are out the window, but it's not like it's impossible to do something good here.

[dereban]

Oh, so you're the person who wants to point out where the meeting point for Orihime and Hikoboshi are.

[ Is she teasing him...? Who knows. ]

I mean, you're right that it isn't impossible to do something that normal couples do. After all, sometimes all couples need is a room and a bed and they're all set.

[ ...okay, now she's teasing him. ]

[taketori]

I mean, I could figure that out--

[ He didn't think she was teasing... until, naturally, she said that. And he sputters. ]

Th-that's a bit too advanced! I mean, technically, nothing needs to happen, but that's still...!

[ gsdglsdafjads??? ]

We don't even have a room or a bed to begin with!

[dereban]

[ Inaba finds herself chuckling, light and mischievous with clear amusement.

Oh, that's a good reaction. She wants to bully him more. ]

You don't remember? There's plenty of free rooms and beds in the dorms.

[taketori]

Free-- it's not like this is a l-l-love hotel or anything!

[ He's getting so easily gotten to like this...! ]

[dereban]

Pfft--ahaha, that reaction, it's too good. I feel immediately better. Easy serotonin.

[taketori]

[ Good grief, he's finally stopping to calm himself down. Sheesh, saying stuff like that right away--

And he transitions into a nervous chuckle. ]

We haven't been dating for more than ten minutes yet, and you're already picking on me a lot... you really do move fast, Inaba.

[dereban]

Huh? I could have done it when we weren't dating, too, if I wanted to.

[taketori]

Well yeah, but...

[ His mind's working for a second. Yeah, she would've said something like that and he'd have panicked. The implication of it is... a lot.

...but does that. Have to be the case? ]

...I wouldn't say no to that. Finding a room and a bed.

[dereban]

--wait, seriously?

[ She had said it as a joke, to mess with him. But did he really...? ]

[taketori]

Well-- I mean, hear me out. I don't mean it in... uh, that way.

[ ...granted, Obviously, not so goddamn soon. He's a guy after all-- and at this point in his life, still a "monster virgin". He can't just jump into that. ]

But... there's just something nice about being next to somebody for a while. Just existing together, somewhere that feels comfortable. Staying up with someone and talking for a while, or even falling asleep together... that kind of thing doesn't have to lead to sex.

[ Which makes it weird that talking about this felt just as embarrassing. Relatively speaking. ]

If the world doesn't have to be silent this late at night anymore... then that means it's more time I can spend with you, and learning more about you.

[dereban]

Well, I do get that. I used to host sleepovers for the club at my house every now and again since my place had the most space.

[ Not to mention that her room was large enough to basically house all five members of the Pentagon. ]

But - yeah, you're right. Since we don't have to deal with the silence anymore, we can actually make the most of it, right? Besides - if you're going to learn more about me, the reverse also applies. I'm gonna learn about you, too. It'll be a nice change of pace... from having to sleep alone at night, I guess.

[taketori]

Then... I guess that's our first date set.

[ He looks back at the dorms next to them. It was way too late at night, but given this group, there may still be someone awake.

...Well. Whatever happens, happens. ]

Let's go then. [ A pause. ] Same as last time should work.

[dereban]

I guess so.

[ To be honest, if they do wind up getting caught together in the same room there's probably a thousand excuses she could come up with--

...

But nah, let's probably not do that. ]

Then I'll allow you to lead the way, Hikoboshi-sama.

[ Yet another rib at him. ]

[taketori]

[ Pff... he can't keep from chuckling a bit. ]

What's with that...

[ Hikoboshi, huh? Well... he'd be lying if he didn't come up with talking about Tanabata with a certain person as Orihime... but, they weren't separated, were they? ]

Sorry. I can't think of anything that'd feel better than just calling you "Himeko".

[dereban]

Ah, wait-- it's really embarrassing to call me by first name, though!?

[taketori]

[ ... ]

So... I shouldn't, yet?

[ Come to think of it, he doesn't actually remember if Inaba's ever called him "Shirogane".

...Not that that's bad or anything. ]

[dereban]

W-Well, I mean...! My name doesn't suit me, right?

[taketori]

[ Hm. Well, there's something to be said about that... but.

This... might be interesting. ]

What makes you say that?

[dereban]

The meaning of it is 'princess child'. And, well... I never liked the idea of princesses, you know?

[taketori]

...yeah, when you mention it, you're not necessarily the princess type. [ Hmm. Thinking about it... ]

I mean... I guess I can't talk. I'm not very fond of my name either. 'Miyuki' is more of a girl's name, you know?