yumemigaoka | October is Theater Kid Season (Catch-all!)

[Tomorrow, Matsuba World Market closes.

Today, Junna has to stock up. She is here with a cart and a shopping list -- a paper one, in a spiral notebook -- and she's checking it over. She's got her cart with a few items, as she shops. It's easy to approach her, though -- she's looking over vegetables and baked goods and a few other things.

And while she's focused... it's not to the point of being antisocial. Even if she's going to really miss this place. for the month it's closed.]

[One of the smaller events being put on at the Dreamer Union... is handing out candy on Halloween itself!

Junna is in her Dreamer Sage outfit, the same one used for the ice cream event. She has a station up, with her name -- "DREAMER SAGE" in big, stylized letters in English -- and a bucket of candy provided by DU. When kids come up, she's all smiles and does some quick chatting -- before handing over some candy.

But there's chances to chat; slow periods where no one's coming up, or times where she's taking a brief break.]

[Maki has gone the route of "I'm barely festive but they wanted me to do something," that is, she's wearing clip-on cat ears and a tail with a sparkly black sweater and normal pants. She smirks and shakes her head, refilling the candy bucket from a bulk box of candy.]

How many kids have we gotten so far? I don't know if we got enough candy... then again, the adults who work here are eating half of it.

D-Did they really?

[Junna scratches at her cheek, then she looks at Maki. She shakes her head.]

I'd say several dozen. It's still pretty early too...

Some of 'em. And hey, that sounds pretty good. I'll pop out to the store and get more if we gotta. The people here get really into this, don't they?

It is a lot of fun. Besides, it's a chance to connect with the community!

[A beat.] Plus it's nice to wear the outfit outside of the Dream Sphere.

Sounds like fun. Maybe I should have designed a Dreamer costume. Then again, what would I even call myself, Dreamer Paperwork? Dreamer Don't-Reply-To-The-Email-Scam-You-Morons?

[Junna laughs as she thinks about that.] I'm not sure either quite has the right ring, I admit... of course, they don't have to be obvious. I'm not all that sagacious, I don't think.

Hey, maybe it means it's part of your dream for the future. That makes as much sense as anything.

Hmm. That would make sense. Besides, there's not really one formula for Dreamer names...

Yeah, sometimes they make more sense than others. But who knows, maybe they all have meanings.

Hmm. I'm sure they all do... but it might not be very obvious?

Yeah, that's the thing. Nobody knows a person more than they do, right? So the answer might just be in their head.

Yeah. [Junna scratches at the back of her head.] I think that's smart. You...uh, you've worked with many Dreamers, right, Midorikawa-san?

Sure have, but it's nothing glamorous. Mostly just IT and office support. What's up?

Well... I realized you must be an expert on us! And you can see how Dreamers are, in a way we might not never notice.

Expert, huh? Didn't think of it that way. But you have a point, although it feels awkward to admit.

Nothing wrong with admitting it! You've worked hard for the Union. I think you earned that expertise!

[On October 1... Junna turned eighteen years old.

She spent the day going out with friends for lunch; then she took a nice walk, and there was some phone calls back home. Towards the end of the day, though, she found her way back to the Dreamer Union and took over one of the smaller lounges -- with a big screen TV, a couple of sofas, and a blu-ray player.

She has a stack of movies. They run the gamut -- a few horror movies, a couple of dramas, a couple of comedies, and even a couple of fantasy and science fiction films. She is looking them over, considering...]

Where to start...

[Amane hadn't planned to stay at the DU for very long today-- ideally, he had just wanted to drop off his portion of Hibiki's Disturbance report and head home. Even now, despite being more open about his Dreamer identity, he still felt a bit antsy by being in there. But then, old habits were hard to break, weren't they...?

Unfortunately, with his paperwork riddled with spelling errors galore, he had been kept much longer than he had necessarily wanted to to get it all ironed out. He hadn't seen why it mattered, though-- as long as they could get the general gist of the kanji, it was fine, right? The department certainly didn't think so, though, and now he had to go back home to correct it all. With that, on top of the schoolwork he was behind on, it wasn't looking like it was going to be a fun night for him...

As he passes one of the lounges (maybe he could just... sit and chill there for a minute before having to tackle the mountain of stuff ahead of him), he spots a familiar face within, sifting through a stack of... were those DVDs, maybe? He wanders over quietly, trying to get a better idea of what she was up to-- a movie marathon, possibly? Kind of a bold move on a school night, but...

Finally, he pipes up, casual as anything:]

Oh, a horror one, definitely. Gotta start things off strong, right?

[Amane, who needs horror films when you thrive to jumpscare people]

Gyaaah!

[She is still easy to spook. (At least, unlike with Zeke, she doesn't throw a punch.). She turns around, wide-eyed, and then blinks. Then she smiles.

Amane! It's always good to see the mentor. Junna adjusts her posture a little.]

H-Hi. I do like a good horror movie. Want to watch?

[He can only be so grateful that Junna's reactions to being startled are more tame compared to Zeke's, because... honestly, Amane definitely could not take a punch as well in the real world. It would just be a bad time for everyone involved!!

He returns her smile with a cheerful one of his own, looking rather unrepentant about spooking her ~~the little bastard~~, before shifting his gaze back to the DVDs in her hands. Honestly, the responsible thing for him to do would be to head back home and get his work done, but...]

Sure! I got time.

[Well, maybe not a TON of it, but... it's not very often he got to watch movies with friends, and just one couldn't hurt, right...? He makes his way over to the couch, plopping himself down as he studies the options alongside Junna.]

So... movie marathon on a school night, huh? What's the occasion?

[It'd be one thing if it were during break or on the weekend, but a Tuesday evening...?]

You did kind of surprise me. [She huffs, but she smiles and says it good-naturedly. Then she turns back to the TV and the stack of DVDs, and pulls off one of the horror movies. It's titled Dracula and the Ten Thousand Werewolves and it doesn't look like it has production values.

But Junna isn't above a bad horror movie. She ejects the disc tray and starts over.

But she stops to look over her shoulder and smiles.] Oh! Uh... it's my birthday. [She never really told people.]

And it sounded fun, so...

Well, you looked like you were focusing really hard on that stack there, so I didn't wanna interrupt...

[Said with an innocent enough expression on his face, but... he still could have given her SOME form of warning, the little jerk!!

He gives the DVD case of her chosen film a bit of a once-over-- it looked like the sort of schlocky flick that Tsukasa would make him watch when they were kids-- but before he can comment on it, her answer to his previous question draws him up short.]

... wait. What?

[He stares at her for a good moment or so, face dumbfounded as that bombshell finally sinks in, before he scrambles forward, nearly losing his balance on the couch in the process.]

Seriously?? Today's your birthday?? [A beat, and then, with a bit of a whine:] Why didn't you tell me earlier??

[He's your Mentor, okay!!! He should know about things!! ~~Never mind the hypocrisy that he's never told anyone about his own birthday himself--~~ At the very least, he could have had some sort of gift to pass along her for the occasion, as meager as it would be with his allowance...!!]

I do take my movies a little seriously. Maybe too seriously.

[There's a bit of a smile there. It comes from being a theater nerd.

Which doesn't explain the really bad horror movie she picked. Maybe birthday means cheating on a diet of good movies?

Speaking of, she gets flustered.] A-ah, I didn't want to put anyone out! And I wasn't sure how to bring it up!

And I don't know when yours is!

[That one isn't playing fair.]

[Look, sometimes bad movies are helpful in recognizing what works in a good film!! There's nothing wrong with that! Not that Amane's much of a film buff himself (although he CAN ramble at length about the practical effects genius that is the Teki Terra franchise), but he wouldn't turn up his nose at some brain numbing cheese, either.

... but that's besides the point at the moment, as he recoils a bit at her volleyed remark.]

Geh--

[SHE GOT HIM THERE-- his shoulders slump a little in defeat, before mumbling out:]

... O-Okay, point taken. It is kinda a weird thing to bring up out of the blue...

[It's why he's never really mentioned his himself, either. Though, now that he's on the other side of that argument... it felt like a silly thing to worry about, didn't it? He fidgets with his fingers for a moment or two, pouting a bit, mulling over what to say next.]

Still... as your Mentor, I oughta know about this stuff, right? That way I could've gotten you a gift or something...

[Not that he really knows what she likes, nor does he have a ton of cash to his name, but... a card still would have been nice, right? His pout takes on something of a mock indignant edge, however, as he adds:]

Though I guess it's not the first time you've kept things from me, huh?

[HE'S STILL A BIT MIFFED ABOUT BEING LATE TO THIS WHOLE LISA/JUNNA THING, OKAY]

...w-well... yes. I can't blame anyone for not mentioning it. [Junna laughs a little sheepishly, then she scratches at the back of her head. He does have a point. And in general, too -- if no one shares their birthday, then how does anyone get gifts?

So she nods.] Point taken. When is yours? I--

[Something else she kept from him?

Junna's eyebrows furrow. She has to think for a second. What--what on earth could... could she have kept from--

Her eyes go wide. Realization sets in.]

Wh-Whatever do you mean?

[Well, there were definitely the energetic types out there, who'd advertise their birthdays to the world (re: Tsukasa), but Amane wasn't one of those people. Maybe things would be easier for him if he was, but--

He gives Junna something of a pointed stare as her eyes go wide, knowing she had picked up what he was hinting at. Not that he was ACTUALLY mad at her about it or anything (if anything, he just hated being late to know), but he can't help but rib her about it, all the same.]

Oh, y'know... certain illicit relationships with a musical Dreamer, maybe?

[Amane, PLEASE, they went on a date to the aquarium, that hardly qualifies as scandalous!!]

[Well, that makes her turn bright red. She quickly looks to the side, trying to not sputter.]

I-illicit!? Careful, Amane-kun.

[Then, she laughs. It is a little funny... and she feels a little guilty too. Maybe she should have shared more.]

Sorry. I... wasn't sure how to bring it up.

[His pout takes on a mocking edge, sensing blood in the water as she blushes. Oh, he's definitely not gonna drop it now!]

I can't believe it. You guys probably held hands and wore matching accessories and stuff too. Scandalous.

[As if he wasn't always shamelessly holding Nene's hand whenever they happened to go out together.... smh!!

He sobers up a little at her apology, though, shrugging a shoulder in response. It's not like he'd outright told her his relationship with Nene, either, but... to be fair, that was a bit less cut and dry compared to what she had going on with Lisa.]

It's fine. I mean... I guess it is a weird thing to bring up out of nowhere, too. [Birthdays, relationships... why were mundane things like these the hardest to casually talk about?] I just was surprised, y'know? When Lisa-san brought it up to me, I thought I was missing something.

Wh--held hands, yes! Matching accessories would be cute, but... no. [She sighs, with a slightly loud 'huff.' And then... Junna smiles. Yeah, she knows he's kidding; she knows there's nothing for her to be angry at. Instead, she looks at hm.

And the smile is a bit more serious when he shrugs. And explains. She glances to the side, then, and shakes her head.]

It's all right. I can see why you did. I, ah...

[There's a moment of awkwardness. Her expression softens; her eyelids half-lower, even, as she looks thoughtful. Distant. It's not a pleasant thing to think about. And less pleasant to bring up.] ...I don't mention it much. My parents don't... know.

[About Lisa. But... more generally, too, about Junna.]

Edited 2024-12-17 23:52 (UTC)

[The urge to continue to tease her was strong-- especially about the matching accessories, he's sure Lisa could probably whip some up for the two of them if asked-- but the pensive look that crosses her face as she mentions her parents draws him up short. Come to think of it... he didn't really know much about Junna's background, did he? Perhaps that was his own fault-- he was more guarded than others when it came to his personal business, and therefore didn't feel all that comfortable prying other's pasts, either. Still... as her Mentor, he should know more about her, shouldn't he? In order to help her out? Not that he could do much about the big things, like school or jobs, but...

He leans forward a bit, propping his chin up with his hands, face cautiously curious.]

How come? Are they the anti-dating type?

[Granted, Junna seemed a bit too old for that sort of restriction, but some parents were super strict!! A more grim option passes his mind, however, and he pauses, trepidation in his voice as he adds:]

Or... the anti-dating-girls type, even...?

[Yumemigaoka was a fairly progressive city compared to some places in Japan (understandable, when the venn diagram of Being Queer and Being a Dreamer was almost one big circle), but even Amane knew that wasn't the case everywhere else. If that's the sort of thing Junna was dealing with...]

Well... I don't think they're excited about dating, but...

[But... but he figures it out.

Junna hesitates for a second, then she glances to the side. It's... complicated, suffice to say. She resists the urge to pull her knees up to her chin, like she does when she's worried. Then she looks back at Amane, and she nods.] They're... they've never said it outright. I don't think they would just... do or say something blatantly awful.

[There's a 'but' there.]

But there's little things. Jokes about when I bring home a boyfriend. About if their grandkids would have glasses, too. And...

[She exhales. But it doesn't really get the tension out of her. Because the tension is always there, it's been there since she figured herself out, and sometimes she thinks it will always still be there. Her expression is distant.]

...I don't know what would happen if I tell them.

[He looks at her, utterly speechless for a few moments, before he finally lets out a small:]

... oh.

[... well, shit. Here he was, being so careful beforehand not to pry into her business too much, and now he straight up stumbled into a sensitive subject by accident. And what was he even supposed to say to that...?? Amane hadn't given his own sexuality a ton of thought aside from "girls cute" and "boys also maybe cute", but his family hadn't seemed concerned one way or another about whom he might bring home someday. In fact... they seemed to be operating more under the assumption he wasn't going to bring home a partner in general, which was a whole other thing to unpack...

So to say he was a bit out of his depth here was an understatement, honestly. But... he doesn't really like seeing that look on Junna's face, either-- that tense, faraway expression is too painful, too familiar, and certainly not one she should be wearing on her birthday, of all days. Quietly, he reaches over to pat her gently on the head, hoping to ease that tension a little. To some, it could come off as a condescending gesture, but in reality... well. It was just what he was most familiar with when it came to cheering others up.]

It's fine. Nobody says you have to let them know. As long as you and Lisa-san are happy together, that's all that really matters, right? If they're gonna be weird about it, then that's on them, not you.

[LEAVE IT TO AMANE TO SUGGEST HIDING THINGS FROM OTHERS......... but then he adds, tone blithely casual:]

Besides, you really could do a lot worse than dating another girl. At least you're not seeing a washed up middle-aged divorcee or something!

[Junna has that brief feeling of guilt -- maybe she shouldn't have said anything or pushed her problems on someone else -- but it fades when he pats her on the head. And the tension eases a little, at least; she smiles,after a moment, and then she nods. Funny, he's still her Mentor, even given the age and other differences between them. It's comforting because of that.]

...Yeah. I want to let them know one day. But... even if they are weird about it... you're right. And it wouldn't be good for me or Lisa if I'm always worried about what they might say or do.

[Maybe hiding it for awhile isn't such a bad idea. Let her be happy, first -- and let her and Lisa get things figured out. The temptation to dive into every problem, right now, and tackle all of them at once is there. But... it's also not a very constructive temptation. It risks making everything go topsy-turvy.

Then, she blinks at his joke -- and that gets a laugh out of her.]

God, you're right. I could certainly do a lot worse. For me and for them. [She laughs, then she shakes her head.] ...Thanks. I'm, ah, I'm sorry if I made it awkward for a second there.

[He can't help but grin a little when she laughs, happy to see his dumb joke had lightened the mood just a bit. Even if he felt short as a Mentor in a lot of ways, at least he could cheer up his trainees up when they needed it! At her apology, however, he waves a hand, as if he was casually batting it away.]

Nah, that's alright. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for prying into things. Some things are harder to talk about than others, y'know?

[And... well. She was there for the heart of his Disturbance, so she should know better than some that he's speaking from experience.]

Besides, this sorta subject should be the last thing on your mind on your birthday of all things, don'tcha think? You should be watching a vampire getting literally dogpiled with werewolves, not worrying about what your parents would think about your dating life.

[Was he purposefully dodging an uncomfortable and sensitive line of conversation? Maybe. But it wasn't out of disinterest to Junna's problems-- if anything, it was good to know more about what was going on with her! But even he knew that discussing this sort of stuff during her birthday movie marathon was probably a bad idea.]

[She smiles again -- even if there's a little bit of an impulse to try to apologize again.]

Yeah. But... it did help to talk. I probably should try to do that more often.

[She shifts a little -- and when he brings up that it's her birthday, and she should maybe watching movies. She laughs, then, and she nods her head. Yeah... yeah, he's right about that. She shouldn't spend her birthday thinking about her problems.

There's every other day for that.]

You're right. Well, then! Shall we?

[Talking about it more probably would help her in long run-- but Amane was neither Zeke nor Nikki, and he'd be a hypocrite if he recommended it. Even now, months after his Disturbance, he still hasn't quite learned his lesson about opening up to others; he's improved at it, of course, but he has a way to go yet in that respect.

So instead, he grins brightly at her question, settling himself in more comfortably on the couch for Maximum Cheesy Movie Enjoyment.]

Yeah! Bring on the Dracula!

[He's quiet for a good few moments as he watches whatever she needs to do to get the movie going, mulling a little in his own thoughts. She had asked him something before, but he had gotten too wrapped up in teasing her about her dating life to properly answer. Normally, he would have been content to let it go, with none the wiser, but after she had opened up to him like this...

Finally, he clears his throat a little, face slightly flushed and eyes entirely too focused on the cushions beneath him.]

... um. It's November 25th, by the way. My birthday, I mean.

I meant to tell you earlier, but...

[Junna, too, isn't Zeke or Nikki. And knowing she should open up more and reach out more... it's different than actually doing it. It's hard to put her feelings out there like that. Sometimes, saying them out loud is hard. It makes them feel more real.

She looks sideways at him and grins, before she starts setting everything up. It's a DVD, so there's menus and whatnot to navigate. She's getting ready to hit play, when...

Oh. Oh, right. She almost forgot she asked. But, she's glad he said.]

November 25th? [Then she smiles.] I'll remember it.

October is Theater Kid Season (Catch-all!)

Last Minute Shopping, 10/6

Handing Out Candy at the Dreamer Union, 10/31

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Birthday Movie Night, 10/1

/slides in here like a month late, hi

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tw mentions of homophobia

ditto!

continued cws!

we'll ping when they're past the topic!

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