1669/Kiss(ing) of the Vampire

Kiss(ing) of the Vampire
Date of Scene:	28 June 2016
Location:	Seiyou Public School - Classrooms
Synopsis:	Natsumi Matsumoto promised Norie Okana a dance. She did not, however, promise the kissing. Wait, what!?
Cast of Characters:	Norie Okana, Natsumi Matsumoto

---

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana has had a miserable few weeks and sometimes she forgets that 'oh yeah, I have friends.' because that's kind of what the darkness does to you- it makes you feel super alone and forget those exist. Luckily, a few recent talks has gotten her out of the even darker than usual place she is and she's sent Natsumi a text.

Norie Okana: Um. Wanna Try Dancing? Um. Seiyou. Auditorium. After School.

She texts somewhere in the middle of her Science class.

It's after school, just a few hours later, and Norie Okana is sat on the edge of the auditorium. She's arguing with herself in her head--- not her voice or anything. Herself. Or rather.. Lacrima and Norie are having an argument in her head.

She won't come. Yes, she will! Pfffbt. Why would she waste time on you? ...because she's my friend... Wasn't Kukai, too? ...ngh...

She sort of hunches down as she bites her lip. Ugh. She's just. Waiting, looking nervously down at her phone at both the time- and to see if any texts come.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto rushes from clubroom she usually frequents towards the doors to the auditorium. She'd got too wrapped up in what she was doing, and was a few minutes later than she intended to be for her meet up with her friend.

The double-doors of the auditorium burst open, Natsumi's form highlighted in fluorescent light momentarily before she steps into the large space. She looks around until her eyes land on Norie and a smile bursts like a supernova across her face. "Norie-san!".

Natsumi rushes over, her arms thrown wide as she comes near her friend.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana has been wait for a few moments and belives she won't see Natsumi. See? Humans are pretty worthless..

"Nrg..." she mutters to herself. She actually hops off the stage and is moving toward's the door to leave when it bursts open and--- it's Natsumi.

Ha!

Nore sees arms thrown wide she guesses this is a hug, or- Natsumi is going in for a hug so she more or less prepares for that. Norie Okana isn't cold to the touch in disguise-- at least.. not 'cold as a corpse' cold.

Her hug isn't very strong. But it's a hug. It's more than most people get from her nowadays.

"Natsumi." she says with that short bemused smile that comes short of a smirk. "..I didn't think you were going to come, is everything okay?" she asks. She releases Natsumi and turns back around walking back toward's the stage. "Um. The stage..." she says.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto trails after Norie, nodding her head. "I just got too caught up in something, sorry I'm a little late.". She continues to smile brightly, looking around. "What about you? Have you been okay too?".

She adjusts the airy dress she'd slipped into for club activities. She'd actually had it at the back of her locker, in case of surprise picture days but she'd got it out this afternoon to dance in.

It was ruby red and the skirt was light and gauzy, catching the air with every movement. It contradicted heavily with the brown hiking boots on her feet.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana crawls up onto the stage and then turns around to offer a hand down to help Natsumi up. Setup on the stage is a smooth, wooden dance floor surface--- not Norie's idea-- rather- there is practicing going on for a school musical and this is part of that. Norie picked a day that there wasn't any rehersal to use it.

She didn't ask, but really- who's going to bother two dancing girls? There's MUCH worse things they could be doing- like being delinquents or anything else.

"Um. You were dressed up?" she finally asks-- the light is much brighter on the stage. She's able to see what Natsumi is wearing. She furrows her brow. "Um. You're gonna have a hard time dancing in those hiking boots... I think um...." she takes off her shoes. "So let's just.. go in socks..." she says. "That's fine." she says.

Then Natsumi asks her how she's been and she grows quiet and looks down. "I haven't been very well Natsumi-san. I'm sorry...." she says softly. "Things haven't been going well for me." she says.

"But...I've been looking forward to dancing." she says with a tinge of something like hope to the voice.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto kicks off her boots at Norie's suggestion, not even bothering with the laces. Despite the rugged boots, her socks are as white as innocence and frilled at the top as well. "Um... These are boot socks supposedly... I ordered them from America.". Her cheeks flushed red.

She stepped away from the clunky boots and did a little curtsey, smiling in face and eyes now. "May I have this dance, m'lady?". She'd actually been in the club room reading about dancing, but all she'd been able to find on short notice were some old-fashioned books that told it step by step and she was pretty sure they were written a few centuries before.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana head tilts at the odd socks. She doesn't seem to mind them at all. Norie herself, is wearing simple ankle socks. Nothing special about them. They're black in color. She looks back up. She head tilts. Why was Natsumi blushing about socks? She bites her lip. Was something wrong.

"Is everything okay with you?..." she asks.

She blinks a bit. "W-well yes, that's why we're here to dance." she says to the m'lady. A blink. "Oh, you mean. No. No one does that anymore." she says sheepishly, embarassed herself.

"Um. I figured. We'd just do a simple three step..." she says. "...general purpose...not flashy.. good for dances n' stuff. Um...."

She moves in and grabs Natsumi's hand- fingers clasping around her as she takes her hand and places it on her waist. She grabs her other hand, and holds it up and over a little to the right.

"First... hold your feet straight." she offers. "If you start skewed, one of us are gonna step on the other's feet. Don't worry if you step on mine. It's a thing you deal with you dance." she says softly.

"Besides, we are wearing socks! It'd hurt with those boots." she offers.

A pause. "Why boots, anyways?" she asks.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi shrugged. "I always wear them, they're good for trumping around looking for the best star-watching spots. Um.... Before we really really start, would you mind doing my hair back for me? There's a ribbon in my pocket.". She gently teases one hand from Norie's and reaches for it, holding it out to the other girl.

She doesn't seem intent on released the other hand until she has to though. On that wrist, her charm bracelet shimmers briefly, and nothing more. This magic had nothing to do with the coolness. It was aware of it, just as much as it was possible the dark energy of Lacrima was aware of the pulsing energy within the bracelet and Natsumi herself. Natsumi was oblivious to all of this though, because she was looking at Norie intently.

"This is going to be so awkward. I've never danced before.... Maybe you should wear the boots?". She giggles a little. "They're steel-toed...".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana mmmmphs. "No, I might step on your feet then I'd hurt you." she says softly... "I'm... kind of done. Hurting my friends. For a bit." she says a little grimly as she blinks a bit... a ribbon? Okay she wants her hair tied back. Norie can do this. She releases Natsumi and walks behind her and scoops her hair into a tail, and wraps the ribbon around, tying it into a single long pony tail.

"Is that fine?..." she asks.

She'll make an adjustsments, before sliding back forward and placing herself back where she was-- in the same posture, moving for Natsumi's hands again.

She pursed a bit, at the shimmering pulse and blinked once before looking back to Natsumi. Whatever it was didn't seem to hurt her.

"Okay, are you ready now...?" she asks softly.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto took Norie's hands, the bracelet doing nothing now. It had pondered and decided now, there was nothing more to concern itself with here. Natsumi on the other hand... There was a lot to concern herself with. Mostly she was making sure Norie didn't know all this stuff had been in her locker waiting for this day.

Well, except the boots. She'd never thought out the shoes. At least the socks really were boot socks but pretty too. She felt pretty was important for this sort of thing.

She beamed a smile at Norie, nodding her head. "It's perfect. I'm ready to dance.".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana nods a bit, that half-not really a smile forming. Norie didn't smile. It was hard for her to smile. Even this was forced because she knew it was expected. It made her feel bad for a few reasons. That she wishes she could smile and that maybe Natsumi would look back and go... 'why wasn't she smiling. was she happy?'.

Norie is some form of 'happy' right now. It's not the full on feeling she'd be used to months ago before all this, but just getting to dance... it was. Something.

"Okay...." a pause.

"I'm missing something." she says not moving yet. Her eyes scanned the ceiling-- the telltale sign of someone searching thier thoughts.

The point. You're missing the point. Shut up...

"Oh!.." she said. "Right.. M--music." she spouts.

She lets go, a final time before she walks over to a small radio she's brought and turns it on and begins scanning the channels until she lands on a classic station-- playing some sort of smhutlzy waltz. She leans back up and walks back and takes Natsumi's hands for what is hopefully the last time.

"Okay..." she says.

"Keep your feet opposite mine..."

"One..." she says moving to the right, and slowly moving Natsumi to the right. "Two..." she continues, the soft step.

"Three..." she pushes in-- extends hands upwards to a peak--- "Four..." then back out.

"Then.. back to one..." she says... another swing to the right. She does her best to not step on feet--- and she moves slow enough.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi was elated, and her cheeks burned red with the realisation that she was holding Norie's hands during the dance. She wasn't doing very well at the dancing part, but the fact that it was with someone she cared about (Norie) made the fact that she was struggling not matter much.

Now, it probably mattered quite a lot to Norie's feet. Several times her foot intruded upon Norie's on in a spot and she spluttered a swift apology. After the first time, her eyes were entirely focused on where she was placing her feet, and she still messed up a few times.

"I'm terrible at this.". She didn't beat around the bush about her opinion, at least. "You're so great at it too... I bet I look like a gangly Big Dipper trying to dance with the Ursa Major.".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana softly shakes her head. "I'm out of practice.... but. It isn't hard. I used to step on feet to." she asides softly. She still notices the blush and she head tilts a little at that. Oh, is something wrong? oh!

"....I'm sorry I didn't come to get my reading this month." she says a little sheepishly as she nods. "Just. things. happening." she mutters softly as she winces a bit as her feet are stepped on or tripped over and she stops and pauses when able without much annoyance to her candor. Natsumi doesn't know how to dance. She knows this.

"You're doing fine. Just match my beat." she says softly. "It's why I'm leading. Right. When dancing. One leads. the other follows." she says softly. "So just... follow." she murmurs.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi rests her head against Norie's shoulder now, hiding the blush on her face as well as getting a good vantage point to watch their feet. After a few steps the stepping and tripping lessens and she lets out a sigh of relief.

"It's okay, I know how things can be. I wish things weren't so hectic for you though, you don't deserve a life so busy.". Her voice was soft, almost muffled by her position yet it was audible from the closeness even against the backdrop of the piece.

With purpose, she gives Norie's hands a few reassuring squeezes.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana frowns a little and looks down... she can either be truthful, or she can keep it to herself... she nrg... she seems in conflict as she bites her teeth together, but keeps her lips closed--- trying not to make it obvious.

"I...." she says. "I... hurt.... someone... with my feeding.... very badly..." she says... still dancing. Still talking.

Maybe the dancing is the only thing keeping her stable right now. "Stupid... jerks got involved and ... messed everything up..." she says with a worried candor.

She looks down, and just watches her feet. "Look ahead..." she says as she looks back up. "If you watch your feet... you'll screw up more." she says softly.

A pause. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't. Had said that." she says softly. "Let's just continue.. dancing." she says.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto takes Norie's statement to not watch her feet to heart and instead she lifts green eyes to gaze into Norie's own blue ones. Her eyes are not judging, murderous, or any of the things that it's possibly expected she should have at this moment. There is only concern and something else.

"We all make mistakes, some of them horrible in the aftermath. I think it's what we take from the mistakes that decides what we do next though. It's just another type of dance, or like mapping out a star-map. You mess up sometimes, but you learn and go to the next step. Step by step you get better at it. Maybe one day you'll not need to feed anymore, because you'll be better at it. That probably doesn't make any sense.".

She moves close to Norie, one foot in the space between Norie's own and another outside the area as her body comes within an inch of Norie's own.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana shakes her head. "No it doesn't make sense because that's like saying if you get better at eating you'll never need another sandwhich ever again." she says softly with a sigh. She just softly keeps the beat up... she does notice the closness, but...

She seems to think nothing of it. Thoughts do race through her head suddenly, as she bites her lip a bit.

"I'm just so tired..." she sighs. "Someone wants to kill me now. Over that. I've fought him. He wants to end it 'once and for all' and all that." she says lowly.

"I just..." she just leans her head in against Natsumi's shoulder a moment as she sighs a bit. "I'm tired of trying not to be a monster when I can't help by be one..." she says. She's even stopped dancing for the moment, classic music just playing from the radio.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi takes her hands from Norie's own and lifts them to rest behind Norie as she holds the other girl against her shoulder. "Maybe if you can't be who you used to be, and being who you are now hurts, you should become someone else.". A stupid idea, but it came unbidden from her lips.

She'd read too many books about astrology, and believed too much in the spiritual depths of things perhaps. All she saw Norie as was a kind spirit, a beautiful girl. Not a monster, like others may see. She wasn't capable of seeing that.

"If we can't do that, you can come stay at my place. I live a little ways out in the country, I doubt anyone would bother you there. We've a spare room, and my mom is always encouraging me to bring someone that's actually Japanese home.". She rolls her eyes.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana still doesn't move, still doesn't dance, she just... sit there... with her head buried in Natsumi's shoulder. "...I wish it was so easy. Just to be someone else- but even if I could... 'give myself a new disguise'-- I'd still have the issues I have no, just all over again." she says softly.

She managed to pull her head out from Natsumi's shoulder long enough. She looked down at her shoulder- ugh. She was crying. Her tears were tinted with a purple- as they always were. She'd probably stained Natsumi's dress a little. She had to wipe her eyes. "Nrg.. sorry...! It.. comes out. In a wash." she says.

"At least it does for me..." she says softly.

She sort of wilts. "I guess.. it wouldn't hurt. To visit or something." she mutters. "Just afraid someone would come looking for me or something there." she says.

"...don't wanna drag you into my garbage..." she says with a sigh.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto eyes glint like fiery green beacons. "They'll have to deal with me if they do. Friends stand by friends, after all.". She watches as Norie pulls back and the violet-tinged tars fall. She takes a white handkerchief from somewhere and brushes at her friend's face with it. "Don't worry about it. It's not like I wear this dress much anyway.".

She envelopes Norie in her arms, hugging her tightly to see if she can loosen the stiffness that overcame the other girl. "I'll be here even when things do get a little rough, don't worry about that.".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana frowns. "Stupid... tears." she mutters. She relaxes a bit and just kind of sighs. The hug seems apprecaitve and-- she even tries to return this one. Her touch is still cool. A little colder than normal. Probably due to the effect of this sudden onslaught of sadness.

She releases the hug shortly after thought and says. "Right.. we're supposed to be dancing..." she says as she tries to take Natsumi's hands again. She tries to get back into the ryhtm....

one.. two.. three.. four..

She closes her eyes a moment. "Are you getting the hang of it a little at least...?" she asks almost silently.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto let Norie guide her back into the steps, doing marginally better than she had earlier. She only stepped on Norie's toes twice. She was still not doing it stylishly, but she wasn't doing it entirely painfully either.

She looked at Norie's face the entire time, her eyes brimming with mixed emotions in regards to her friends and lips quivering with unspoken words. What do you say to a girl without hope?

Norie Okana has posed:
Lots of people have been wondering that about Norie. No fix. No cure. But they don't want her feeding either. It's like the perfect Catch-22 and she hates it. She hates these people who don't understand.

It's easy for her to hate. She purses her lips and pauses a moment. "I'm sorry." she says as she dances. Even with this trouble- she dances well. Her movements are soft and fluid. She's done this many times and it's clear-- even dancing with Natsumi-- who's still stepping on toes. She only winces a bit- and never chides or get upset when her toes are stepped on. People make mistakes and she's teaching Natsumi!

"You'll get better with practice..." she says softly.

"If you'd like to do this more." she says softly.

"I think there's a dance coming up soon...." she says softly.

"Um. Did you plan on going...?" she asks.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
There they are again, those red blushing cheeks on Natsumi's face. Red as a deep sea crab. "Oh well... Um... I've been hoping someone would ask me. Nobody ever does, but a girl can hope about something like that right?". She offers a weak little smile to Norie as she dances along with the other girl.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana notices the blushing again, she blinks a bit and head tilts. "We can go together?" she asks softly. "I think.. I think I'm going to try to go. I mean. Do something... like in a crowd because. It'll probably be good for me. I haven't gone to anything like that since. Well."

"This..." she says softly. "Whole vampire thing." she says softly.

"I mean. I guess I'm still not sure about a lot of stuff. But I know I'm in more control than I was eight months ago." she says softly.

She head tilts. "It should be fun. Right?" she asks. She gives that short half-smirk-- the closest she gets to a smile right now. At least you can tell she's trying to be happy.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto possibly completely misread the situation, but she answered Norie's question with the sort of thing that can only ever be interpreted as a yes. She leaned forward and pressed her lps softly against Norie's own, eyes closed both as she enjoyed it and to potentially save her having to see the horror on Norie's face.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana had a laundry list of things she expects. She expects to be miserable. She expects people to ditch her. She doesn't expect to be greeted warmly nowadays and she doesn't expect to make many friends. She expects to go to school. Do her work. Go gome. Maybe do something for Riventon-san. Maybe play idle games on her phone to distract her head.

NOWHERE on that list is 'get kissed'.

The looks on Norie's face isn't so much horror as it is... confusion. She's being kissed...?

B--by Natsumi?

Wait. W-why!? Her mind races. Wait. Is Natsumi..

In love with her?

Something sinks in Norie and she can't quite figure it out. On one hand-- she's never felt that kind of love before. Positive emotions come to her as memory of how she should feel. Is that what this sinking feeling is? Is this what she should be feeling.

She's managed to not freak out at least. She didn't lash out or snap or become angry. She's still worried feeling. Still confused.

Dammit... dammit dammit she needs to text Ayana after this.

What does she do? All she can do is--- lean into it. Her lips are just slightly cool- expected given her touch-- and she presses her lips to Natsumi's and--- break away.

When all is said and done her eyes blink rapidly. She looks bewildered and confused. Not horrified or upset.

"....I...um..."

She can feel her face burning. It's obvious aginst her usual coolness-- she places her hands to one of her cheeks. Yes. She's blushing. "I...I'm blushing...." she swallows. "Right? Am I? It feels warm... um.." she asks with wide eyes.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto smiles softly, glad Norie hadn't run away. She lifted a hand to rest atop one of Norie's own, pressing it against the other girl's cheek. "Yes, you're blushing. You're cute when you do it.".

Natsumi sounded calm, but her mind was reeling from what she'd just done. She hadn't planned to do it, and she may have entertained the thought sometimes during class lately, and doodled in the margins of her starmaps about it, and even consulted the stars a few times, but she'd never actually thought she'd do it.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana continues to blush- though it starts to die down fairly quick. "W..what color is it!? Is it weird and black or purple.. or red...?" she asks. It's pink and red- like a blush should be-- or at least, her disguise is making it that color. Normal for all intents and purposes. "I--I haven't blushed for a long time even when I should had, Natsumi..." she says. The tone to her voice has a small hint of elation to it. Just a tiny bit of emotion in her voice that Natsumi hasn't heard before. Almost a hint of what maybe Norie sounded like before all this happened to her. But it lasts only so long as she comes down off the high fairly quick---

"Um." she says softly. He bites her lip a bit.

"I dunno what to say." she says meekly. "...do you really like me like that?" she asked. Less questioning Natsumi and more questioning herself and her own worth with the question. 'How could you like a monster like me?' perhaps.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto answered the question regarding the blush first. "It's a cute pink and red, like a normal blush.". She lowered her hand from Norie's own and rested it on the other girl's shoulder.

"I do. And Norie, please. I'm a girl that says the night sky talks to her, and turns into a crestacean themed magical person to fight things that could well be men in body-suits.".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana bites her lip and nods a bit. "I..." she says.

She sort of lowers herself down to the floor and slides her head between her knees. "I don't know how to feel." she says softly. "About this..." she says softly.

"I..." she says. "I've never been... in love before. Or had a crush. Before all this. Feelings like that..are hard for me to reach." she says softly. This is something she's told Natsumi before.

"I don't want to hurt you... I've hurt enough people this month... I just..."

"....will you please be patient with me?" she asks softly, looking up at Natsumi from her new sitting postion on the dance floor of the stage. "...and help me?..." she asks softly.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto crouched down in front of Norie and nodded her head, holding out her pinkie. "I promise I'll be so patient it'll make the stars seem impatient, and I'll help you as best I can.". Which probably wasn't much. Natsumi could barely help herself most of the time.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana softly peeks at Natsumi, as she raises her hand and gives that pinkie a little shake with her own--- but then reaches up-- and literarly tugs Natsumi in for a hug. It's the first she's 'given' since all this went down aswell- and she just... holds it. She holds it and she doesn't let go.

"Thank you..." she says softly as she just closes her eyes.

She takes a nice, hard breath, to calm herself. She manages it somehow. Then a pause.

"You really think I'm cute when I blush?" she asks suddenly and meekly. She head tilts. "I dunno if I'll blush again..." she admits. "...but I'm glad you got me too..." she admits.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto 's pinkie untwines from Norie's with a smile. Then as Norie hugs her she wraps her own arms around Norie, clutching the other girl to her. Her own cheeks were fading in red, but still flushed.

"Welcome, always.", she intones.

"Yes. Yes I do. And if I have my way, you'll blush many times more because you're cute when you do.".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana isn't sure how to respond to that, but she says the thing that makes the most sense. "Well you can always try kissing me again?" she asks as she head tilts. There's a pause. Because what she just said registers. She swallows. But there isn't any blush.

"I mean. Well that caused me to blush just now so maybe it'll do it again." she says with wide eyes.

"...yeah. I. stink. At this." she says glumly.

"Not trying to come off as creepy..." she says softly. "Am I?" she asks.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto hushes the girl by taking her very sensible suggestion. This time, the kiss is far more sure. Soft, strawberry chapstick coated lips press against Norie's own, subtly touching instead of with harshness. Her hands touched Norie's shoulders and her own eyes closed as she too tilted her head. It's incredibly likely if she were standing she'd suddenly lift a leg.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana gets kissed again! That's two things that most certainly wasn't on her list of things she expected to do today. She swallows-- expecting it this time she kind of experimentally leans into the kiss this time instead of acting shocked halfway through it all and catching up....

Strawberry?...

Huh...

She blinks and flutters her eyes again.

Yup. Sure enough. There's another blush. It's not as heavy as the first one. But it's there--- she touches her cheek. "Ahaha--hehehe...~" she giggles. That same softly half elated tone of voice.

"I forgot how warm my face could feel..." she admits. Still not major smile-- but... she seems so happy with something as simple as just 'a blush'.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto leans in real close, her nose against Norie's. "Did you really want to just see if it'd make you blush, or just see if I'll give you another kiss?". Her tone is teasing, and her broad smile testifies to the lack of seriousness in the question.

She hadn't expected this to turn out quite this way. She'd expected the opposite really.

"You know, I had all these clothes in my locker waiting for the day you asked me to dance. Well, except the boots. I always have the boots.".

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana comes down off the 'high' again. She purses her lips in thought as her usual 'normal' demeanor returns as she head tilts. "I--I dunno. I just asked. In thought." she admits sheepishly. Perhaps a little guiltily.

...at least Natsumi seems happy about it.

"Huh? Really?" she asks meekly. "It's a pretty dress..." she says softly. A pause. "...were you trying to dress up for me?" she asks meekly again. She softly begins to pull herself upwards as she leans her hands down to help Natsumi up off the ground.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto takes the offered hands and pulls herself up, giving a nod and a soft blush to Norie. "Yeah. I thought if I was going to suck, I might as well try to look pretty.". She didn't let go of Norie's hands, even though she probably should have by now. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to ever let go of them.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana pauses. "Um..." she tries to think of what to ask. "I think I'm done dancing for now." she admits. She does have to release Natsumi's hands because she has to walk over to the radio and turn it off. It isn't her radio- it's the reherasal group's so she doesn't pick it up. She walks back and puts her shoes back on as she motions to Natsumi's hiking boots.

"Um..." she says softly.

"Um. Can we go.. to your house then? If the invitation is still open?..." she asks.

"You said it's far out.. right?.. in the country?"

"I bet you see the stars better there..." she says thoughtfully.

Natsumi Matsumoto has posed:
Natsumi Matsumoto looked lost for a moment as Norie's hands left her own, but when motioned towards them she easily slips her lacey-boot-socked feet into her boots and stomps them a few times for good measure.

"Sure. We can take a cab, there's at least one service that goes that way that I like to use. I'll call and get one outside for us?". Her eyes were bright with excitement at the thought of Norie coming to her house. Sleepover!