[D10, LA] A LOT Has Happened

[Kaiu Nagisa]

A good chunk of her work for the festival done, Nagisa continues to put together the fireworks carefully, placing each completed warimono into a series of crates inside her garage.

She really should finish the tezutsu-hanabi, however. So she starts by grabbing one of the already reinforced bamboo tubes and sitting down on the tarp in the parking lot, stuffing it with the iron shavings and fireworks powder.

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Time really had flown it'd been over a week since he had the chance to visit his friend. Today there were events as usual and he was planning to hang out with Ochiba when he got a chance but he had some free moments and decided to check in with Nagisa.

She would hear a familiar rumble of a luxury sports car roaring up to her business. It was one of the few indulgences he had. He stepped out and looked over pulling shades off his face as he leaned on the roof of the car.

"Branching out into fireworks Nagi-san?" He asked with a wide smile and a bright energy in his eyes. He seemed elated almost brimming with energy.

[Kaiu Nagisa]

“Ah! Ryosei-san!” Nagisa finishes stuffing the tube with the appropriate amount of powder before setting up against the wall of the garage. She’s obviously happy to see her kin with how quick she moved to greet him.

“Yeah, I am helping prep the fireworks for tomorrow. First time doing this, so I hope they look right.” She motions around at all of the materials around them. “It’s been a kind of fun day learning all this stuff. I even had an Agasha compliment my work.”

“I have a lot to tell you, but I really need to hear how you’ve been before I chat your ear off.”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

He chuckled "that's good of you! I can help with that if you need a hand. I've messed around with firework stuff before casually."

He closed the door and walked over to her "I've been doing alright, well actually better than alright. It's been some of the best time I've had in a long time."

He ticked off fingers "Won the city wide Fantasy Fight tourney, hunt master of the hunt event, started dating Ochiba..." He grinned a little "yeah been busy."

"But what about you?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

“Mmm… I think I’m pretty close to done at this point. I need to make six of the tezutsu. My warimono are almost all done. I should be done before sundown! Thanks for offering, though.” She takes another bamboo tube and starts to stuff it.

“Congrats on dating her. She’s pretty alright. Helped me out when… Umm. Well, she really helped me and a few others out.” A bit evasive, which is odd for Nagisa, but there’s likely a good reason for it.

“Ummm… I also started seeing someone. So it’s been great for me, too.”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

He looked at her for a bit "Was it the serial killer thing? She told me about that. Nasty business but seems to have ended alright." His tone was about more somber

He smiled a bit wider though when Nagisa mentioned seeing someone "Oh? And who is the lucky, man? Lady? I guess we never really talked about who you like to date." He said with a thoughtful tone.

[Kaiu Nagisa]

“Yeah… It was.” She responds to the first question, glad that Ochiba explained at least a little bit of the situation. At least the basics were explained and Nagisa wouldn’t have to explain the whole ordeal.

For the second question, Nagisa looks around before leaning in a little closer. “Have you met Kitsuki Ichitaiyo?”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

He chuckled a little "I have yes had a bit of a run in with her. Kind of took her out on a date maybe? A few days back. I'm not sure if it was one but it sort of felt like it."

He nodded "is that who you are seeing? She's good people I certainly approve. How did that happen?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

“Yeah, she can be flirty in a teasing way. That’s kind of a… Wall she puts up.” Nagisa glances up at Ryosei, a grin forming. “She let me see what’s behind that.”

With the tube now full, she leans it against the wall next to the other, moving onto the next. “Mmmm… Maybe four days ago? Yeah, that seems right. We had briefly met before then, but we ran into each other at the Tama Izakaya. I was drinking so… I may have made some suggestive claims without realizing it. Explaining my line of work can get a little.. You know.”

A pause as she starts to fill the tube proper. “Anyway, I ended inviting her to come to my shop after hours to see how an engine works and also to help her with a little mechpla project. Things got flirty kind of fast and eventually… I kind of flipped things back on her. After I invited her to drive with me in the yearly rally. She did really good for her first time.”

“She’s got a tough shell, but underneath it she really craves genuine intimacy and affection. And I have been providing that. I got a date with her later tonight.”

Nagisa, the entire yap fest, is absolutely the happiest Ryosei has seen. And the least stuck in her own head he has ever seen.

[Kaiu Ryosei]

snip

Ryosei smiles as he watches Nagisa yap about things. It was good to see his friend happy for once, not that she was unhappy before but now she was actively, brightly, happy. He leans against his car and crosses his arms while he listened.

"You? Be flirty? I didn't know you were capable of that." He chuckles teasingly "but I'm really happy for you Nagisa, you sound the happiest I've ever heard you since I arrived. I hope that date goes well tonight."

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Cool Ryo noises.

“Hey, I’m capable of flirting! I’m just not the best at it most of the time.” Nagisa made a mock gesture of being insulted, laughing right after.

“I really want her to be able to get stationed her for good. Give us more time to… Bond.”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Even cooler Nagisa noises

His grin was mischievous "oh yeah bonding? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" He needled her playfully.

"But I hope she stick around too. This place will be good for her. It was good for me when I started rebuilding. She's gonna be on a similar journey."

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Little did they know

“Hey, she told me she wanted to take things a bit on the slow side. So whatever she really feels comfortable with, y’know?” Another of the tezutsu is set against the wall as moves to work on the next.

“She would have a support network here. There’s a good few people here that enjoy having her around.”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Snips

"Fair enough, I told Ochiba-san something similar so I understand. Tmi perhaps but I have been through enough flings and casual things. If I'm investing time with someone now I want it to mean something, ya know?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

Snip

A slow blink as Nagisa looks up from her bamboo tube. “Huh. I guess we are related somewhere down the line, Ryosei-san.” A light jest, a smile curling at her lips.

“I feel exactly the same. I’m looking for something meaningful and not… Hollow.”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

"well it would explain why we get along so well. We are both pretty similar when you break it down." He let out a little chuckle.

"But do you know how her schemes to get here long term are going? I know she's dead set on it she made some mildly worrying claims last time we spoke."

[Kaiu Nagisa]

“Last I heard she was working with the local magistrate’s office. Hopefully that’s going well…” She turns her head towards Ryosei with a brow raises. “Worrying how, if I might ask?”

[Kaiu Ryosei]

He tilted his head side to side "just talks of becoming ronin if things didn't work and mentioning that these schemes might cost her a life if things went sideways."

He shrugged "but if she's half the investigator that I get the feeling she is and things seem to be going well I don't foresee any of it being an issue. Luckily our clans are allies, shouldn't take too much to get her here full time."

He glanced at Nagisa with a little mischief in his eyes "So you thinking about how you might look sitting on a roof in green or.....?"

[Kaiu Nagisa]

“Huh? I haven’t really thought about marrying into the Dragon. If that kind of thing happens, I want it to go the other way around but…” Nagisa pauses mid-scoop full of fireworks powder, “I don’t want to make any plans unless we have a serious talk about that kind of thing.”