week two | dates

[marriagebroker]

Kiss the girl~!

Or guy.

Or person.

Or Messmer's snake.

Comments

[scooptimistic]

Doing what, breathing exercises?

[ Can breathing exercises maintain that sort of thing constantly, though?

It's hard to imagine him with stage fright, but she's aware. She's done interviews with performers before; this wouldn't be the first time she's heard it mentioned from seasoned professionals.

And for an alien race that raises kids solely to be idols... that kind of pressure must be immense. ]

[beatmatching]

Hmm... that's a question better saved for my interview, I think.

[ he doesn't mind answering it! but- ]

I want you to have a good time, today. And I don't want to give you any wrinkles.

[ he'll move her hand again, this time to his lips so he can drop a quick kiss on her knuckles. ]

[scooptimistic]

Appreciated on both counts!

[ And she has a moment where she thinks she should shrug it off, because Luka is just Like This, but.

Wei Wuxian's lightly admonishing words echo in her head and Maya pauses for a moment before tugging his hand a little closer to leave a kiss on his knuckles in return. ]

But this is for both of us, not just me.

[beatmatching]

[ luka is just like this—

luka is— frozen like a deer in headlights, honey colored eyes wide. she's seen this expression before when she made him laugh, but this time it isn't fleeting, and this time its paired with an unmistakable pink flush. ]

Really?

[scooptimistic]

[ Oh.

Wait, what? Did she actually fluster him?? Was he just not expecting it?? He's been suave nearly this whole time????

????????? ]

Really.

[ It's a little belated. ]

That's what a date is, isn't it? For two people to enjoy their time together?

[beatmatching]

Yeah, but—

[ also belated, so it's fine.

( . . . ) ]

I actually like you. Like-like. [ a schoolboy confessing a crush, not an infamous idol who never feels anything. ]

1/4

[scooptimistic]

Well, if you didn't like me, I'd--

[scooptimistic]

[ Wait. ]

[scooptimistic]

Like-like? Like?? Like-like-like??

[ Wow it's like it isn't even a word anymore. ]

[scooptimistic]

You--you know I'm like, Yingying's exact opposite, right?! Like--completely?? Not all fluttery and--

[ Help. ]

Also this isn't me putting myself down or anything but what?!

/2

[beatmatching]

I don't like-like Yingying.

[ sorry basic vocabulary will persist because we're here now. ]

[beatmatching]

And you don't need to be fluttery or anything like that.

[ if him and yingying are a match on anything it's in how they see each other...just not in the romantic way. despite everything that they put on in front of people last week. ]

I like-like-like you because you're you. And only you. [ he's grabbing her other hand to pull her closer, not too too close like she might expect, and squeezes their hands together.

his complexion is still fairly pink, but he's more just ??? because this part of it is extremely straightforward for him, despite everything. ]

[scooptimistic]

[ What is happening--

Is she dense (she's dense)

Help

Maya's face is also starting to turn pink, because it's not like she ever really took Luka's flirting seriously?? Because he did it a lot?? And not just with her???

But he's talking far more straightforwardly. She--

Her head is spinning. ]

I--

Could you let me think about my answer for a bit? I still want to get to know you and there's a lot you don't know about me yet and--!

[ She's so frazzled. Congratulations, Luka. ]

[beatmatching]

[ he nods without question, at least about that. ]

Tell me more about you. [ he doesn't say that he's willing to share more about himself because they've covered that in their interview talk before. which might seem like an eternity ago now. ]

We still have our date, right? [ squeezing their hands together with a smile that's peeking from the corners of his lips. the pink is cute on her, in all the ways. ]

[scooptimistic]

We do. Of course we do.

[ She may be Frazzled Beyond Belief, but let it not be said that Maya Amano would ever flee a date after being confessed to, a scenario that has never happened to her before.

Chin up, Maya Amano!!! ]

I asked a lot of questions about you, but was there something specific you wanted to know about me?

[beatmatching]

[ luka blinks once.

he could ask something important or he could ask the first thing that comes to mind. ]

What kind of music do you like?

[scooptimistic]

I don't have a favorite genre or anything. I feel like I've been able to find a song I like out of all the different kinds I've listened to.

But I guess if I had to pick something... the kind of music that's upbeat and energetic?

[ Unsurprising. ]

[beatmatching]

[ nodding. ]

I'll remember that. [ not surprising but it's good to know!

also, before the blush fades from her complexion completely, he'll just- lean down and kiss her forehead.

#justlukathings ]

[scooptimistic]

[ And there it goes again.

Maya kind of makes a noise, slightly strangled, and then tugs him along to actually look at the displays. ]

It's really interesting, isn't it? This octopus is huge!

[beatmatching]

[ hehe. if she gets a look at him through her fluster, she'll see he has a really dumb smile on his face. far from the ones she usually sees which are more practiced.

anyway.

octopus! he blinks at the octopus, looking up at it. ]

It reminds me of one of my fans. Do these talk?

[scooptimistic]

[ Today is truly a day of surprises. Is this what he's really like, beneath the veneer of his rehearsed everything else? ]

They don't, but they're said to be one of the most intelligent creatures. It does sort of feel like you can see that, if you watch them long enough.

[beatmatching]

[ he looks close at the octopus, leaning right up against the glass. ]

How long is "long enough"?

[scooptimistic]

I think that differs per person.

[ As the octopus slowly turns towards Luka, lifting a tentacle to press it lightly against the glass. ]

[beatmatching]

[ he's not giving up the hand that's in hers, but with his other one he meets the tentacle with an outstretched palm. then be begins humming the first bit of this melody. he's not sure if the octopus can hear it, but there is an Attempt being made regardless. ]

[scooptimistic]

[ It seems to recognize... something. Vibrations from the sound waves or the touch of his palm to the glass, because it does tap lightly at the glass once. ]

Look at that! I think it appreciates the greeting!