teahoused | general texting meme

Nice catch!

[One of the things she'd heard from familiars before was that she was quick to criticize but decidedly less so when it came to praise. But considering most of them had been training since before Kazue was born, there were certain expectations she had of them. Maren she hadn't thought much of when they first met, but for someone who had just Awakened, she was pretty quick on her feet, didn't complain no matter what Kazue threw at her, and made her favorite foods.

That deserved some praise every now and then.

Especially since when Maren threw it back, not only did she throw it, she threw it with a good amount of force. Kazue caught it easily enough, grinning wickedly.]

Yeah! Keep it up.

[She tossed it back and was going to keep Maren jogging and pitching the whole way.]

[ It isn't that Maren is unaccustomed to praise. Her grandmother praised her. Her friends, few though they were, hadn't been shy about praising her when it was earned. Praise was, well, nice. It could be embarrassing, but in this particular instance, she couldn't quite help that tiny swell in her chest when Kazue said those words. As quick as she is, she couldn't have told anyone why, in that moment, she trusted more than doubted those words; though, her insecurity bubbled up with a tiny spike in anxiety when the ball came back to her.

She caught it, though, and concentrated on returning it the same way. Technique, technique -- ]

R-really?

[ If not for the heat and beads of sweat rolling down the back of her neck, she might have forgotten how quickly they were moving. ]

Would I have said it otherwise?

[Kazue wasn't going to repeat herself if Maren was just fishing for praise, and considering the pace she had set, it wasn't too long before they were at the baseball field. She stopped by the bleachers to watch the rest of the team stretch for a moment, before rounding to look at Maren, one hand on her hip.]

We're only playing five innings which isn't that long. If you manage to hit one of the other team's batters in the face or the nuts in that amount of time, I'll give you 10000 yen.

[Kazue why are you like this.]

[ A shake of her head after a brief moment of consideration is Kazue's answer. Maren isn't fishing so much as she is frankly that unsure of herself, but that's less here as they continue on their way. It's absolutely not 'here' upon arrival, whereupon Maren can't help blinking wide-eyed at Kazue's second statement. Is that -- ]

Is that how the game is played?

[ She glances briefly at the team, the majority of which are much larger than her and quite male. It just doesn't seem like the kind of game a person would want to play if that were the requirement?? ]

It doesn't sound like it'd be very much fun for them...

[If Maren doesn't know the rules this will be even better. Long years spent having to sit through boring clan meetings and functions without moving a muscle or changing her expression had trained her for this exact day where her expression never changed from being almost boredly matter of fact.]

Not official games, no, but this is a scrimmage game so we can focus on areas that need improvement and not the rules. They have to work on their reflexes.

[She nudged Maren forward with her knee, smirking.]

Let's just have fun, shall we?

[ Well, it sounds logical enough at a glance. Maren still isn't entirely sure, but Kazue hasn't really steered her wrong since they met, so. ]

Okay.

[ She takes a minute to dig in her bag for the glove she'd come by as she slowly makes her way onto the field. That she nearly jumps at the loud, enthusiastic greetings probably isn't a very good look and her eyes are pretty firmly focused on the ground with the occasional glance up spared. It doesn't take her long to reach the mound, though, and when the first batter comes to the plate, she spares Kazue a kind of questioning glance. ]

[There weren't many times that Kazue wished she could give something to other people. But seeing Maren with her head down, carefully avoiding most of the glances of their teammates and rivals, she wished that Maren could have just one ounce of the confidence Kazue possessed. It would do her a world of good.

When Maren glanced over at her, from her position at first base, Kazue drew a line across her throat.]

Murder them Maren!

[That's how it goes in a sports anime right? At least the rest of the team didn't seem surprised by Kazues words and were willing to let Maren pitch for a bit.]

[ Who would've thought sports ball would be so violent?

It's a grim thought as Maren not-quite grimaces in response to Kazue's enthusiastic, um... encouragement to pitch, that's definitely what that is. She's not going to murder anyone, she tells herself, just... pitch like Kazue taught her. She wouldn't steer her wrong, right?

Raising the glove in front of her mouth, the brunette closes her eyes and takes a deep as the batter approaches the box. It's only after he steps in and assumes the position that the umpire calls for them to play ball and the jeering from the boy's team mates begin. It only lasts two seconds before Maren winds up and lets the ball fly, aiming for the family jewels and -- well, she strikes gold if the sound the boy makes is any indication.

The whole field goes quiet save for the boy, who drops the bat and himself to the ground. Maren, still in pitching pose, opens both eyes now, having shut them when she released the ball. ]

Ah --

[Though Kazue had in fact encouraged Maren to be unnecessarily violent, she hadn't thought the demure little girl had it in her. It was all well and good that she was willing to point out spirits to her in the battlefield, but being someone on the sidelines was decidedly different than someone who actually had to physically harm, and in many cases, kill creatures that looked human. Kazue didn't see any problem in their arrangement right now, but if they were going to fight even stronger enemies, Maren was a glaring weakness. Kazue couldn't attack and defend all the time, no matter how talented she was.

So this was a small step in the right direction. Now if only Maren could do it with her eyes open and without Kazue goading her. That being said, the unnatural quiet that blanketed the field was broken up by Kazue's loud shrieks of laughter, and she almost dropped her mitt to clutch at her sides as she laughed so hard she cried.]

Anyone else have anything mean to say? You'll get the same treatment assholes!

[She turned back to Maren to give her a thumbs up.]

You can aim for the catcher's mitt now!

[Kaze why are you even playing this game...]

[ The only reason an apology didn't leave Maren's mouth immediately is that she isn't entirely sure how to apologize for striking someone in that, um. Rather sensitive area. Her brain has been frantically grasping for the appropriate wording, but every iteration it comes up with just makes her want to drop her head into her hands and expire on the spot with an increasingly red face and Kazue's laughter honestly hasn't made it any better. If she could have run blind from the field, she would have, but those words of Kaz's ground her enough to peek her eyes open enough to see that the boy had been helped up, at least.

He seems okay.

Maren, on the other hand, is shaking like a leaf in glancing back at Kazue. Her voice is just barely audible in that still echoing silence about the field. ]

Y-you mean I was supposed to from the start...? [ Kazue... lying to your aibou... ]

Edited 2019-09-06 00:53 (UTC)

[If the boy who had gotten hit or Maren had expected any apologies from Kazue, hopefully they weren't holding their breath. Between Maren's excellent aim and Kazue's ability to connect with the ball, their team slaughtered the other one. Well, a more tame and truthful version would be to say that they had did well, but Kazue happily hugged Maren as soon as the umpire called the game, grinning ear to ear.]

We won! The team wants to go celebrate! What do you say?

[ That Maren had even asked the question was something of a miracle. She hates confrontation. She hates conflict. She'd just as soon bite her tongue and turn her gaze down or away than breach something uncomfortable, but she does learn. She remembers, so the next time Kazue suggests violence in an activity that doesn't seem like it would be inherently so, she's likely to think twice before blindly trusting her on the subject.

That's less here, though, and more at some distant point in time, like tomorrow or something. Now, Maren's, well, blushing a bit at being hugged??? Also, what time is it? ]

Isn't it kind of late, though...?

[ She's a grandma, she goes to bed at six. Or she used to before Kazue entered her life, lbr here. ]

Is it past your bedtime?

[It was less a jab and more a tease, since Kazue was still riding off the high of winning and also because the looks of horror on the other team's faces had been priceless. Kazue should have had one of the servants filming from the stands, but next time. Though she would have liked to have all the boys on their team fawning over her great athletic abilities and Maren's cuteness, she could be a gracious overlord. She waved off the rest of the team calling for a rain check, arm still around Maren's shoulders as she started steering them off the field.]

I'll walk you home! Did you have fun?

[ Did she have fun? That's... a good question. After the, um, whole nailing a boy in his personals? ]

Y-yes, I think so. I don't think I was very good at it, though.

[ But they team did well? And Kazue seems happy, so she thinks that's good. Her nervous laughter might suggest as much. Also, as she has to lift a hand to cap a yawn, that she's very tired. ]

You did great! We won didn't we? Your pitches were very precise! Even the catcher guy said so!

[Kazue do you even know the positions...?

She grinned when Maren started yawning, snickering.]

If you're that tired, do you want to sleep over? My house is close by and I can get you what you need.

[It would be a reward in a way for today.]

[ Unexpected? Yes. Undesirable?? Not exactly. It's just that Maren hasn't had a sleepover in a very long time and it feels a little sudden that Kazue should pitch such a thing. ]

I-I wouldn't want to impose.

[ But also... that isn't entirely true, she realizes. Because Kazue is really very talented at fighting all sorts of monsters. Maybe she could sleep a little easier near her? But then, she'd find out about her night light... ]

You wouldn't be. You're so quiet I'll probably forget you're there.

[Considering the decision made, Kazue steered Maren towards the direction of her house, blase.]

Besides, it's getting dark and I don't think you'd be able to help me fight in your condition.

[Even though Kazue had only known Maren for a short amount of time, it was a bit disconcerting that she trusted her to be her eyes. To the point she was sure she was starting to become lax on her own senses. She should probably wake up early to train just to make up for that troublesome thought.]

[ Ah, that's right! The time -- Maren lifts her eyes briefly to the sky, pursing her lips at the purple hues streaming into orange now. She doesn't want to be outside when it gets dark. When twilight hits, everything changes. The feel of the air, the temperature, the scent -- she shudders in turn, unable to bring herself to protest, unwilling for all that it seems like Kazue's made the decision for her. ]

P-probably not.

[ She's still not sure she's much help at all, really, but Kazue seems to think so, so... ]

Good, it's settled. Should we order out for dinner? Or I guess I can see what we have in the fridge.

[Kazue took out her phone to send a text to her servants, easing up on her arm on Maren's shoulder since it seemed like she'd come around to her way of thinking.

It was weird to think that Maren was probably going to be the first person in her abode here in Tokyo who wasn't family or contracted to be there.]

[ Maren pauses at that, wondering. If Kazue is letting her stay over like this, it's only right that she do something nice for her, right? ]

I-I could cook if you'd like.

[ In most things, she isn't all that confident, but she has many, many, many memories of positive reception about her cooking. It should be okay, shouldn't it? ]

Are you going to be able to stay up long enough to complete the task, grandma?

[Kazue grinned teasingly, but she wouldn't turn down Maren's cooking. Though she'd been spoiled most of her life by more high brow food, she had to admit there was something charming about Maren's cooking. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly.]

[ Oh. She looks a little sad hearing that, turning her gaze to the ground to the side. It's some kind of miracle that she doesn't trip when she does so. ]

Y-yeah...

[If this was anyone else, Kazue would have let it go and not bother to pursue it. As far as she was concerned, other people's feelings were their own fucking business and she wanted nothing to do with them for the most part. Things got messy and complicated and unlike battles where she could see how the ebb and flow of it was going, conversations could take the weirdest turns.

But Maren was her friend, and her eyes to boot. If Kazue didn't keep her fine tuned, it would only hurt them in the long run.

So she turned to her with a small frown, a hand on her hip.]

What's with that response?

[ It isn't nothing and Maren can't bring herself to say that it is. Her grandmother isn't nothing. Not even her aversion to confrontation could cause her to fold on that, but it isn't an easy thing to explain, really, and Kazue had been in such a good mood... ]

C-can I tell you later? Maybe?

[The thing about Maren that was both admirable and annoying as hell was despite being a pushover when it came to almost everything, there were times she could be unreasonably stubborn. Like when it came to coming with Kazue onto a dangerous battlefield or insisting Kazue eat vegetables with her meals and not just sweets.

She eyed her partner critically for a few moments, before shrugging, letting it go for now.]

Fine. But you will tell me later.

[It basically bordered on an order, that tone.]

general texting meme

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