Maiko’s car hums mildly beneath her legs as she drives. She catches herself looking into the rearview mirror often, making sure her makeup is just right. The Tokyo night is as usual, busy, and after a moment, she spots a parking space just next to the curb of Itori’s bar. Uta is already waiting, and something deep in her chest burns like a fire, and she tries to write it off as heartburn.
If he’s still standing and smoking a cigarette, Maiko considers this a victory, and beams at him, waving as she pulls her keys from the ignition, a small pink rabbit’s foot dangling from her palm.
“Uta!” she calls, swinging the car door wide open in her wake and walking towards the wall that the other ghoul is leaning against. She rummages in her pink leather bag, pulling out a bottle of water and dropping her keys just at the other ghoul’s feet.
Great start Maiko, she thinks to herself, inwardly cringing, noting the scent of alcohol around the other ghoul, he’s not positively reeking so that can be victory number two.
“Oh, damn it. Here, no. You drink this. You’re probably dehydrated.” She says bossily, leaning down to pick up her keys and bumping the crown of her head on the other ghoul’s elbow.
I am terrible at everything.
“Ow, damn it.” She says again, taking a step back and rubbing her head sheepishly, her grin feels shy, and unfamiliar, like she is a teenager. After a moment, she straightens up, and notes the music still blaring from her car.
“Oh uh, I left my car door open um…we should probably, go…yeah.” Maiko mimes uselessly towards her garish vehicle and grins again, when they begin to walk to the sidewalk.
“I don’t know, I never really pictured my teenage self having a pink car…or driving…or having money to have a car. I always wanted a uh…moped though, in yellow, but my manager said that a car was a better investment. He hates the color a lot though, so that’s worth it.”
“Oh wait!” she says suddenly, running to the other side and opening the passenger door, pulling what looks like empty coffee cups and various napkins off of the seat. After a moment, she utilizes the street trash bin, emptying all of the cups from her arms.
“Sorry, I’m not the um..greatest at car maintenance ha..ha.”
She gazes into the other ghoul’s familiar eyes, and winces apologetically, before shifting inside, “Sorry. I uh. No one… calls me, or texts me just to like, do something semi-regular anymore, so I’m a little…out of practice.”
Within moments of Maiko’s arrival, she’s already dropping her things and CLUMSILY knocking into him. Eyebrows raise as quiet AMUSEMENT rushes to the surface––– although the feeling is LOST IN TRANSLATION as his lips remain unturned; there is no recognition of the FLEETING expression, even as she rubs her head. Instead, his gaze trails down to the water bottle in her hand.
❝ Nᴏ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ, ❞ Uta replies to her demand, his tone of voice QUIET in its nature. He flicks the used cigarette butt onto the pavement below, the ball of his foot pressing swiftly against the fading embers.
He’s never been very receptive to DEMANDS, especially Maiko’s; it had been hard ENOUGH for him to press his fingers against the touch screen of his phone, contacting her out of necessity... and a DRUNKEN frame of mind.
Before he’s able to say anything else, the pink haired female standing in front of him is looking towards her car, blushing and SHEEPISHLY retracting her footsteps. She begins her subtle progression back over towards the vehicle as she acknowledges the music blaring from her car’s stereo. Uta feels like ROLLING HIS EYES, and in his intoxicated state, cannot hold back from following through with the act.
Is she really THAT excited to see him? Uta tucks his hands into his pockets and attempts to straighten his posture, but her pace is MUCH too quick for him to keep up with. He trails behind, eyes SQUINTING as the headlights of oncoming cars attempts to blind him.
This is truly awful. He wonders what ELSE the night has in store for him, at the rate in which it is going. His ex-lover is talking up a storm, rambling about cars and... mopeds...? Luckily, Uta is no stranger to her NERVOUS antics. He remains silent, however, much too focused on his actual PURSUIT of the pink vehicle, as opposed to her ramblings. Tatted fingers latch onto the handle of the passenger-side door, and he watches as she begins cleaning up the TRASH that’s scattered across the floor and leather seats. He thinks about commenting on the overall mess, but the next few words out of her mouth force him to RECONSIDER.
❝ Nᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴀʟʟs ʏᴏᴜ..? I ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʟᴇɴᴛʏ ᴏғ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs, ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴀᴛᴜs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ, ❞ he speaks plainly, although there is a hint of SURPRISE in his words. An ever-active kakugan trails over her form, taking in the sight of her as she winces.
And that pathetic excuse for a HEART creates a dull sensation within his chest, thudding against his ribcage while he finally makes his way into the car. His hands remain idle in his lap as he LEANS his head back, swallowing thickly and wishing this nauseated feeling would LEAVE him, already. ❝ ...Tʜᴀɴᴋs ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, Mᴀɪᴋᴏ-sᴀɴ. I'ᴍ sᴏʀʀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴅʀᴀɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ᴇᴠᴇɴɪɴɢ. ❞
