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[whenyouneedme]

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[daikonrose]

[ Kyoko nodded, and looked up, tentative but with a gentle earnestness. ]

And... I didn't think you meant any harm. [ Doubting his judgement didn't feel good, though. ] But, you know, even back home there are lots of adults who don't really think much about young kids drinking, as long as they don't make a ruckus. And I... just didn't know what was in your head at all. I guess we kinda... never talked about thing kind of thing before now.

[whenyouneedme]

Mmmhm.

[That was pretty true. For a lot of folks it wasn't their problem, so it was whatever, right? He looked over at her.]

Guess it never came up, huh. Haven't had a lot of reasons to get into trouble lately.

[daikonrose]

[ And even among those who did care in some capacity, there was often a kind of indulgent attitude about it all. Okami-san surely hadn't thought anything very bad would happen when she gave Kyoko that sake, on that night she couldn't stop crying after the LME audition. ]

You weren't trying to get into trouble this time either. [ She said it to be sure he knew that she knew. ] It's... kinda my fault, for not thinking to bring it up before now, if I was gonna have such a loud opinion about it.

[whenyouneedme]

[He gave her a small curve of a smile. He knew.]

Mmm, well, I never gave you a reason to think about it. [Was more what he had meant this time. It'd taken this long for them to even think about the sake, and Kai had never gone to the bar for the purposes of drinking anything. What a dry time it had been.]

Never liked it all that much, to be honest.

[daikonrose]

[ That little smile did a lot of heavy lifting to ease most of the remaining weight on her heart. Kyoko could finally let herself lean naturally against him, the tension in her shoulders easing. ]

I kinda didn't think you were interested at all. I don't think I even wondered if you'd ever had any... But now that I think about it, maybe it's one of the topics new couples are supposed to cover.

[whenyouneedme]

[That in turn let Kai settle in a bit more. They'd already been well past the point where things could have gone in a wildly different direction-- his bruised heart could forgive most stings-- but that extra ease of tension was relieving.]

Maybe?? [Did regular couples have... lists of things to cover??? Watch him transform from (mostly) confident rogue to Boy Who Knows Nothing right before her eyes.]

Um... I guess... Is there any other, uh, topic? You'd be worried about?

[daikonrose]

Ah. [ Boy Who Knows Nothing, meet Girl Who Knows Even Less. ] I've never dated anyone before you, so I don't know...

[ There was a tiny start, though, as something did occur to her--but then she wasn't sure how to ask. ]

Um... This is a little bit tangential, but actually... Have you told anyone besides Cliff about...

[ Pink staining her cheeks, she looked down towards where their shoulders met.]
... the situation?

[whenyouneedme]

[.......... The situation.

Kai looked down at their shoulders as well, as that would reveal to him the answer he was looking for. Because he suddenly did not know what they were talking about, and that was perhaps reason to panic. What had he told Cliff about? He'd told Cliff about? Something? Something. Something that was making her blush just thinking about it. Something that was a Situation.

The Situation... tangential... to couples... O...h??]

What, that we're dating?

[daikonrose]

[ Why did he have to think about it so long? Did he forget?? ]

Th-that you're dating not just Shinji, but also me.

[whenyouneedme]

[He just didn't think that was something that warranted being labeled as 'the situation'!]

No...? [Pause.] I don't think I've told anyone I'm dating Shinji either.

[Not explicitly by name anyway. There was another pause.]

I don't really talk to people.

[daikonrose]

Really? [ She'd thought he'd at least want to brag about Shinji a little--but come to think of it, it had been from Shinji himself that Kyoko first heard they were dating. ] I guess you fooled me a little, spreading your social butterfly wings a bit today.

[whenyouneedme]

Well, y'know. Gotta let 'im know when hot moms are taken.

[Both of them.]

[daikonrose]

[ Wow, just gonna murder her all over again, huh. ]

There are no moms here!

[whenyouneedme]

[That's his job. He grinned.]

Just attractive people.

But... would you have preferred I didn't say anything about it?

[daikonrose]

[ Merciless! Kyoko's cheeks flushed darker with the compliment.

The question made her pause though, looking down into her lap, where her folded hands were starting to fidget. ]

... If... Shinji's okay with people knowing, then I guess it's fine. But, if you happen to tell anyone after this, and I'm not there to witness it, could you maybe... just... let me know?

[whenyouneedme]

[That wasn't very convincing, Kyoko.]

Sure, but I could easily just... not say anything if its gonna make you uncomfortable for people to know. S'fine.

[daikonrose]

[ There was another pause, as Kyoko debated that, and considered her words. ]

I... don't think I want to be kept a secret or anything, though. [ That would surely feel worse than this tickle of anxious nerves. ] And I don't want to keep you--or you and Shinji--a secret either. But what we have, right now it's still... it feels kinda delicate. [ Like she could break it easily, or like she could break easily. ] If somebody asked me to explain it, I don't know if I'd be able to do it properly, so... I think, for now, I don't want to be surprised by outsiders knowing about us.

[whenyouneedme]

Delicate, huh...

[It wasn't a word that Kai would have thought to use, but maybe it was a good one. They were all still settling into things, figuring out what was actually overstepping and what they were just afraid was overstepping. He didn't miss those little, cautionary glances that would happen when he'd go in for something soft. Finding their footing was enough of an experience without outside whispers.

Kai sighed a little, dipping his head gently against hers. Saying they could mind their own business would not actually make the worries go away.]

Mmm. I'll let you know if I let something else slip.

I think Cliff would've figured it out anyway though, if he keeps popping up.

[daikonrose]

[ A small, soft breath eased out of her when Kaito tipped his head against hers. Kyoko leaned into it a bit--not enough to nudge, just settle in a bit closer, eager to soak up that comfort. ]

... That's true. You don't... think he'll avoid us after this, do you?

[whenyouneedme]

... Dunno. [Depended on what kind of stubborness that guy had.]

Told 'im he could just come in whenever so I guess... we just gotta wait and see.

[daikonrose]

[ There was a little "mm," and then Kyoko was quiet for another moment before she piped up softly again. ]

... I really am sorry. It was inconsiderate of me, acting that way.

[whenyouneedme]

[He frowned.]

You don't have to be sorry for caring, Kyoko.

[daikonrose]

Not... not that, but...

[ Her hands were fidgeting a bit in her lap again, fingers twisting lightly. ]

Scolding somebody I don't know well is... probably kind of a bad habit. And I should have found a way to just talk to you quietly, instead of making everything difficult. If Cliff doesn't like me now, that's one thing, but... I should have thought more about the effect on you, and Shinji too.

[whenyouneedme]

Pretty sure Shinji's on the same page as you. And...I mean... yeah, things could have gone better. We're talking about it though, I know where you're comin' from.

[And the parts that had hurt, well. There was still a part of him that couldn't honestly blame her for it.]

If anybody needs an apology, it's not me.

[daikonrose]

... Mm. [ Her head dipped in a little nod, but there was no hiding this time. ] I should properly apologize to Cliff too.