1224/Let's Step Outside

Let's Step Outside
Date of Scene:	19 March 2016
Location:	Pikarigaoka - Clover Street - South
Synopsis:	Emotions run high as Kukai gets jealous of Nagi over Amu.
Cast of Characters:	Amu Hinamori, Nadeshiko Fujisaki, Kukai Souma, Tadase Hotori, Homura Akemi

---

Amu Hinamori has posed:
"I've missed you--" too. Except Amu never quite reaches those words before Tadase-the-King has barged in and interrupted their dance with his snarling, hurtful, selfish words.

Amu's emotions are already high, and this is not making matters any easier. Tears well up in her eyes, and this time she can't fight them down. It's made all the worse because she knows what she did wrong.

And worse still when Nagihiko releases her so that he can chara change with Temari and shout hurtful words right back.

"Guys," Amu whispers. A small voice in the back of her mind is so excited that Temari spoke to Nagihiko again.

That small voice is being drowned by the hurt that her best friend and her boyfriend are putting her through.

"Guys," she tries again, this time managing a little bit of voice to it. "Please. Tadase-kun," she begs, clasping her hands together. "Nagihiko-chan," she implores, as the tears stream down her face, ruining her makeup and her prettiness.

"Tadase-kun, I'm sorry," she says softly. "I should have come and told you I was going to dance with Nagihiko. But ... but this is the first time since ... and I just ... I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at Nagihiko. I didn't mean to screw up. I didn't mean to upset you. But it's not Nagihiko's fault; he didn't know, and we needed to have this talk."

How has she gone in the span of an hour to sharing an incredibly passionate kiss with a man to begging him for forgiveness practically on her knees.

There's something inherently wrong with this relationship. Sadly, it's Kiseki.

"Please don't fight," she whispers again. "I love you both so, so much. And I need you both. Please. Please just listen. I'm so sorry."

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
As he glides toward Tadase, Amu's words (his name) halts him in his tracks.

As she speaks, he becomes even more angry. "This isn't you're fault, Amu-chan! You didn't screw up!"

He turns his glare at Tadase. "I asked her to dance! I missed my friend! Am I only supposed to have you Tadase? Are you the only one who is supposed to understand me?!"

He indicates his very pointy weapon between Kukai and Amu both. "They are my friends as well! Amu finally sees me, Tadase! Kukai's accepted me!"

Kukai Souma has posed:
Kukai Souma follows the two screaming, Chara Transformed people and the weeping Amu out onto the street a few minutes later, looking kinda tired and a little like he wished he'd left the party earlier. With Utau. And gone to Easter.

Somewhere from inside he found the spiked punchbowl before they dumped the last of it down the drain and has a cup full, which he takes a swig from. He looks around for - aha. There's a little bench. He nudges Amu on the shoulder and heads over towards the bench, sitting down on it.

For a moment he thinks about stopping and trying to explain what Tadase and Nagihiko are fighting over. Because he gets it, on some basic level. But this has been coming a long time and besides, they won't actually hurt each other. So he parks it on the bench and sits down.

Usually Kukai has a long-standing directive to defend everyone who is a part of Seiyou Public School, their loved ones, their friends, and the others important in their lives. It's a personal vow he took on and by this point it covers most of Tokyo. But this? He takes a long sip from the drink and leans back on the bench, crossing his legs. This is going to happen and keep happening until these three get the poison out of their system.

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Sadly, it's not /just/ Kiseki. There's no real way to not admit that, because Kiseki is a part of Tadase. He may be devoid of some of Tadase's self control, but he is voicing some of Tadase's feelings, and Tadase's hurt, and Tadase's wounded pride. Kiseki might be channeling them, but these feelings are truly Tadase's. He just lacks the patience to work through them in a healthy manner.

"Amu," Tadase says, looking at her. "I..."

And then here comes Nagihiko. Well, soon Yamato Maihime. "I don't have to assume ANYTHING. It's clear to me what's going on!" he says. "Everything was going just fine until she got all worked up about you!" he says, an angry finger pointing to show that Amu is the 'she'. "You were supposed to be my best friend and instead you ruined everything."

"And then it was going to be okay, and today was strange but I thought it was going to end alright, but no, the MOMENT I STOPPED STANDING NEXT TO HER THERE YOU ARE." he says, and in a bright flash of golden light, he's been Chara-Transformed as well, scepter in his hand. But everything seems a bit more dull than usual - instead of brilliant gold, it looks as though his scepter is made of a darker brass.

"And who trusted you first? Who has never betrayed your trust even though he knew it would hurt her down the line because you were too much of a coward to tell her yourself? That's right, Tadase. Holding in a secret that would hurt a girl he had fallen in love for you. And you repaid me by not even letting me have one dance with her? Cozying up to her the moment she walked over? No. I won't stand for that."

The bronze-tinted scepter makes a loud smack into his hand and Tadase looks at Amu. "I forgave him once. More than once. That's enough according to you, isn't it? Now it's time for me to make sure he stops HURTING ME."

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu looks between the pair, lost and confused. The words Tadase is using reach her, but they just don't make sense. Theyd on't match reality. They'd finished dancing.

But then Tadase uses her own words against her, in a twisted, deformed, and dirty fashion. And that gets straight through to the heart of the matter.

Amu takes a step back, then squints at Tadase. "But apparently it's not time for you to stop hurting me," she says to him quietly. She takes a step away, towards Kukai, then says, "Apparently my love and admiration is just a chance for you to swing your chauvanism in everyone else's face, and prove why you, obviously, are more worthy and more deserving than anyone else."

"But I'm a person," Amu reminds Tadase quietly. "Even if you apparently would just like me to be a trophy." Then she turns around and walks towards Kukai. "Kukai-kun," she begs him loud enough to be heard, "Would you please walk me home? I can't ... I can't be here, anymore. And the boy I thought I was in love with has decided he would rather hurt me than protect me."

Kukai Souma has posed:
Kukai Souma arches an eyebrow and stands up slowly, looking at Amu as she walks over towards him. What she's saying is harsh medicine, but it's got to be said.

He nods, after a moment, and stands up. "I'd like to bring my drink if you don't mind. But sure, I'll walk you home." He moves in besides her as she walks up to him, putting an arm around her shoulders, hugging her and supporting her in her time of need.

He doesn't even think to look back for now.

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Later, Nagihiko will think on this event with much shame. Not only are Amu and Kukai watching, two people he has mixed feelings for, but he's ignoring them both to fight his best friend.

Temari's rage is strong in him, a high he hasn't experienced in oh so long.

Temari, his most beloved companion, being used in such a horrible way.

But still, she clings to her, and inside he cries against her oh so small shoulder.

"I have always loved you! I've always put what you need before myself! You danced with her! And Kukai danced with that girl! But I was happy being the fifth wheel, I was content being the one none of you wanted! All I wanted was to dance with a friend who I was so sure hated me! AFTER I made sure she KNEW you weren't to be blamed for this! That it was my secret to share and not yours! I stood idly by, Tadase! For you! Even when I knew what I felt! For you! And then I dance with Amu-chan because she's one of my best friends and then you say what you say?! And you call yourself a KING?!"

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura isn't making herself seen. Not right away. She walks out of the observatory a minute after everyone else, and jumps to a rooftop the first chance she gets. She crouches on the edge of a building, silently watching.

    She can't stand infighting.

    She's engaged in it often enough, sure. Out of necessity. Out of a need to survive, to protect, or something similar. She still hated it. It was a waste of time, of resources, of life.

    So when she's so used to matters of life and death, why does this fight seem much worse?

    No, not worse. Just terrible in a completely different way.

    She pulls a flashbang out of her shield. She doesn't know what's going to happen between those two, but she knows what she's going to do the moment she sees actual blood.

Tadase Hotori has posed:
"I didn't tell Kukai not to dance with you! I had nothing to do with THAT." he says, looking at her. He wants to say something to Kukai and Amu, he wants to defend himself, or apologize... but there's been too much left unsaid to Nagihiko, too many conversations unhad, too much worry left to fester and rot. And this particular powder keg has already gone off.

And so, what else, but the blame falls to Nagihiko. "You didn't dance like friends." he challenges. "And you didn't slither your arms around her like a friend. You danced closer with her than you did me, you danced differently than you did with anyone else. Are you going to stand here and lie to my face too after all the secrets we've shared?"

"We've always supported each other. For years we've been each others closest to each other above anyone else. All the times we've fought alongside each other. You even pretended to help me with this when I didn't know what to do or say."

"So even I believed you that there was nothing going on, you knew how I felt, and you knew how she felt. So you're either callous for my emotions, or you're lying to me." he says, taking a step forward. "Which is it!?"

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu puts her hands around Kukai's arm, clinging to him for warmth, emotional support, and physical protection. "Yeah, you can bring it," she says quietly. "Hell, I might try to steal some," she admits quietly as she puts her head on his shoulder.

Amu, also, does not look back. She's still crying as she walks away. "I'm sorry I made this mess," she tells Kukai quietly. "But thank you. I really appreciate that you still care, despite all of this."

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
"That's not what I mean!" Her voice is a shriek. His voice is a shriek. Well, one of their voices is a shriek.

"I have loved you. I have loved her. I have loved him. I would gladly let all of you be happy without me. I would gladly watch you all be happy without me. But she chose me as her best friend. And no one, not you, not me, will take that away."

Nagihiko's face crumbles even further. "No one will tell her I'm not her best friend unless it's something she chooses. I am happy, I am content with that. I will continue being your Queen, your shadow, so long as you let me have that. My slice of happiness!"

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase grits his teeth. "Nobody has /ever/ asked you to be in the background or in the shadows!" he says, assuming a clumsy-looking batting-like stance. "Or at least, none of the Guardians have! I'd have helped you chase after anything you need. I'd have kept any secret. Protected anyone you cared for." he says, and somewhere in there he switches from past to present tense. "I don't need a shadow. I need an ally, a friend. I don't need a shadow. I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY." Tadase shouts so loudly that his throat is ragged.

"I just want to be happy too! I don't care if she's your friend! I'm HAPPY FOR YOU TWO TO BE FRIENDS!" he yells again, his shoulders shaking from the effort. "But you can be friends without TAKING HER AWAY FROM ME, OR CAN YOU?" he asks, and he's almost lost the will to hold himself. That clumsy stance looks worse now. He's probably not going to be winning any fights right now.

"Do you even know that? Do you even know that she didn't want to date because she was worried that you were in love with her?" he asks. "And everything was going right and she couldn't even keep a measly promise. She couldn't even wait for me to tell me she wanted a dance with you?!"

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
"So what if I did?" His contorts as he glowers at Tadase. "I felt the same way for you both and you just laughed it off. Shrugged it away, because 'Na-chan is being Na-chan.'"

His eyes glint and gleam, contort into a scowl. "And the only reason she didn't tell you is because I asked her to dance. I am so sorry I kept her away from you for two fucking seconds. I'm so sorry she wasn't around every single damn second you expected her to be. But I asked her and she said yes. I wanted to make sure before everything went to hell out there was still there. I wanted to make sure she still saw me as her best friend, and I am so sorry that upended your plans, your Grace." There is an exaggerated bow, a snarl and sneer.

More things to feel guilty for later.

Tadase Hotori has posed:
"I never asked you to shrug anything off. I thought you were telling me everything. I thought you were HAPPY! I guess I was wrong." he says, and it's like this revelation has hurt him some more. "It's not just the dance!" he shouts, and it's obvious the two are not communicating with words. Both trying to talk, but both speaking right past each other, like opposite lanes of traffic.

"I WANTED HER TO KEEP A PROMISE. AFTER THE CHAOS OF THIS NIGHT! JUST ONE THING I COULD COUNT ON. BUT THAT WAS TOO MUCH. IT WASN'T ENOUGH SHE KISSED KUKAI, I GUESS?!" Yeah, that guy who's walking her home, genius.

"You were my best friend first. But I guess that doesn't matter? You're more important to her than I am, and she's more important to you than I am. Just stop lying to me and say it!" he says, and then - well, he's running forwards, swinging that scepter like a club. "AM I YOUR FRIEND, OR YOUR RIVAL? I CAN'T TELL BUT I CAN'T BE BOTH."

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Nagihiko just...drops. To his knees.

Temari pops free, even as she rushes for Nagihiko and gives Tadase a very stinky eye.

"I don't know who you want me to be, Tadase-kun. I thought I did, but--"

He curls up into himself, face buried against his knees. Temari keeps a watch, glinting her eyes at both Kiseki and Tadase.

"I don't really care who you are outside. The same person has been my friend for years and now just because you've changed how you look it's supposed to make that different?" He makes a rude noise. "You haven't changed inside at all, have you?"

"KUKAI!" At the moment, it's the only name of the only person, now, who gets it.

Nagihiko rocks back and forth. "I don't know who you want me to be, Tadase-kun. I don't know who you want me to be!"

Homura Akemi has posed:
    Homura squats forward. Platinum is charging forward, doing something he'll surely regret later. The other one is... just sitting there?

    Her hand is on her shield, but... a part of her knows too. Whatever happens next... needs to happen.

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase, as Platinum (bronze?) Royale, is coming in with that weighty scepter, shouting out in anger as he swings it. And right before it would've impacted, it stops. Tadase, too, pops back to himself, and with it, that weapon disappears. Tadase sinks to his knees too, alongside Nagihiko. "I don't care what you are." he says, his tone low, like a last dam just moments from breaking, largely monotone except for the occasional vocal crack of someone dragged over emotional sandppaer.

"I don't care how you dress, I don't care what you look like, I don't care what name you go by." he says, quietly. "You can be anybody that you want to be, anything you choose to be. I just can't... fight you over her."

"I can't choose between my best friend, my first real friend, and the only girl I've ever been able to say that I love. And I can't let her go, either. I don't have any options, Na-chan." he says.

"But when I see her look at other people like she looks at me, I don't know what to do. And I can't even go to you because that's how she looks at you." Tadase says, slamming a fist into the ground. He's gonna regret that later. "Look at me, I can't even fight you here."

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Nagihiko looks up when Tadase commands him to. His face is far from dry, and it shows no sign of being so any time soon. "You want me to be her for Amu. You want me in a pretty package with a sweet purple bow for her."

Nagihiko swallows, and its thick and sticks and it hurts. "I never wanted you to fight me. I let you both go. All I want is for you both to be happy. But you're not, because I'm not your pretty little Geisha." He spits the last word. "I don't control how she looks at me. I don't control how I feel about her." He staggers to his feet, and when Temari comes close, Nagihiko hugs her. "You say you want me to be me?" He gives Tadase an incredulous once over as he backs away. "You hate me."

He turns to Temari. "Take me away? Please?"

Homura Akemi has posed:
    A pair of purple eyes shine in the starlight. A hand, hovering over a shield, hesitates, then releases.

    Homura stands up, watching the two. Well. At least it won't turn violent. As for the problems that actually remain, well... nothing she can do about that.

    At least one shadow vanishes from the night, without so much as a word.

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase almost reaches a hand out. He almost does, but instead it twitches and sits loosely at his side. "I just told you I don't care what you look like." he says, maybe a bit more harshlty than he means. "Can't you be him without... " he sighs. Trying to find his footing, to get up.

"I hate that you seem to love her." he says, quietly. "I hate that she seems to love you." Tadase's tears are hitting the ground beside Nagihiko, quietly. "I guess it's easy for it to seem the same, for you. But it's really not."

Tadase was, after all, never good at words. At speaking. At expressing himself. At inspiring others. It's why he leans so heavily on Kiseki, why he made that wish in the garden with the flower. And all he can think about is that crushed little flower. And to him, there are two. One is Amu and one is Na-chan. And he's tended to both of them as carefully as he can, and they're now both crushed.

"What did I do wrong? All I wanted to do was be a strong King. I've thrown myself into protecting others. I've tried to be a light to everyone I could. Why are we all so sad now?"

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Temari is a hugging support. One Nagihiko needs if he truly needs her.

His eyes are incredulous when he looks at Tadase. "I love you both." How many times has he said it? "I have loved you for...you accepted me, Tadase. It was okay to not be Nadeshiko with you. And now you--"

Nagihiko sniffs even as he stands tall. "Kukai knows. He gets it." No chan or kun, just Kukai. "I didn't even have to tell him. I didn't have to ask him. He found out in the worst possible way and he just..." For a moment, Nagihiko holds his breath, trying to get himself sorted. It doesn't work completely, but it helps. "It doesn't matter that he chooses her. I'll always love him for that."

But he shakes his head at Tadase. "We're sad because you don't trust us."

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase sits back a little. Just a little. He's too tense to even consider getting actually comfortable. But what Nagihiko is saying holds a little fleck of deep truth, and also, a bit of confusion. And now, Nagihiko is towering over him, because it's Tadase who can't stand.

"You keep talking about Kukai and I don't... I don't understand." he says from his spot on the ground, and now it's Tadase who scrunches up and looks on the ground. "I don't understand why you asked the question you asked when we danced, I don't why you kissed me in the way you did." he says.

"There's so much and I don't know and I just want to do the right thing and I keep feeling sad. And Amu makes me feel happy. And you make me feel happy. And I'm going to feel sad no matter what, aren't I?"

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Nagihiko is angry, Nagihiko is hurt.

He's beyond hurt.

He wants to shake Tadase so bad, wants to make him see.

"I am a boy, Tadase. I am raised as a female. I don't love people based on what..."

He sighs, frustrated, and gets in Tadase's face. "I kissed like that because I love you. I look at Amu-chan like that because I love her. I hurt when Kukai dances with Utau like that because I love him. You love Amu-chan? For fuck sake, Tadase, I love each and every one of you. And it hurts. And it tears. And my heart bleeds because its worth it. I love you all, Tadase-kun, because I wasn't raised male or female and I do not see these because they are not who people are. But I know that's what people see. And it's okay, because all of my life, people have seen her and not him so I am used to it."

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase sits quietly for a moment, letting all of that sink in, now that Nagihiko has seen fit to use the sledgehammer. And he looks up. "Na-chan. This doesn't bother me because you are a boy, or because you are a girl. It bothers me because you're my friend." he says, standing up slowly. "This has nothing to do with your gender." he says, taking a deep breath. "It's no more or less difficult for me because you're Nagihiko, or because you're Nadeshiko, or because you're Na-chan." he says, trying to sort out a lot of... to be honest, incredibly complicated feelings and moments.

And with Nagihiko in his face, Tadase's arms come up and they squeeze Nagi very tightly, hugging the boy. "You must have an incredibly big heart to love everyone the way you do." he says, quietly. "If you love all of us the way I love Amu then it must be very painful and I'm so sorry I didn't see it."

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
There's a moment when Nagihiko doesn't hug back, but then he does.

"It doesn't matter if none of you feel the same. All I want is for you all to be happy."

He pulls back, holding Tadase's face in his hands because this is important. "Loving somebody means their happiness is the most important thing."

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase looks down at this comment Nagihiko made. Because it's like a verbal suckerpunch, given his actions. Even if he blamed Kiseki, Kiseki's actions are born from his feelings, and with his face held in Nagihiko's hands, his tears are flowing more than they were. "So what does that make me now, then." he asks, and then after a moment he explains. "I haven't been acting like I love either of you." And that's about all it takes for the last few vestiges of stability Tadase had to shatter and he'll melt into Nagihiko's arms, or onto the ground if he's not held up.

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Of course Nagihiko holds him up.

"It means you're a dumbass." He wraps his arms tight around his friend, not ready to let him go. "But you're a dumbass who's willing to learn, and that's a far cry better than a lot of people."

Fingers sift through blonde hair as he sighs. "And it's okay you don't feel the same. It's okay that she's figuring things out. We're fourteen, Tadase. With whatever we're doing outside school, D-Points and X-eggs and the rest of the alphabet, we're still learning how to be people."

Tadase Hotori has posed:
Tadase looks at Nagihiko. He looks at Nagihiko for a really long time, sorting himself out, really. There's a period of time where he's looking -through- Nagihiko as much as anything else.

"I'm so sorry, Na-chan." he says, finally. "I'm so, so sorry. I don't know what else I can do but apologize." he says, a tinge of desperation in his voice.

And then he breaks free of Nagihiko. He looks like hell, from the sobbing and the chara change stress and the near fight, but.... "I have to apologize to Amu too." he says, sharply, quickly. Even though he looks wobbly on his feet. And he's turning and he's almost breaking into a run already, though it's more like a stumbling falling tripping ball of forward motion.

Nadeshiko Fujisaki has posed:
Nagihiko lets Tadase apologize, because sometimes a person needs to do it and not be comforted.

And then he's alone.

Temari floats beside him, her eyes close to glinting. "Should I bring him back?"

Nagihiko gives a soft snort. "No, let him be. He'll be okay, if we keep an eye on him." Nagihiko stands up and brushes off his pants. "We can follow him, make sure he doesn't make an ass of himself."

"More of an ass, you mean." It's clear the chara is still grumpy at Tadase.

Nagihiko laughs softly and snuggles the chara against his face. "I have missed you so much, my beautiful girl."

Temari just hugs his face back. "Yeah well, you suck without me. And that blue egg! Keh. Whatever."

Nagihiko smiles. "I'll always have room for you. Now lets go make sure the king doesn't do anything stupid."

Temari grins, and it's a devious, almost evil glint of the eye.

"Chin, Ton, Shan."