591/Towel Talk

Towel Talk
Date of Scene:	18 November 2015
Location:	Plot Room #2
Synopsis:	Ikuto interrupts Amu's very private time to check in on her unhatched egg, and to bring her sweets.
Cast of Characters:	Ikuto Tsukiyomi, Amu Hinamori

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Amu Hinamori has posed:
It's evening on a schoolnight, and shortly after supper at the Hinamori residence. Downstairs, the television is set to Nobuko Saeki's show, but no one's really paying any attention. Her mother is busy doing dishes, her father is busy taking photos of Ami as the girl gets ready for bed, and Amu? Amu is finishing up a bath.

The girl sits quietly in the water, knees pulled up to her chest, staring off at the window thoughtfully. Meanwhile, there is a small squeak of surprise, and then a splash as Ran falls into the water. "Haha!" Miki declares, "I win!"

The two charas have been fighting over control of the Rubber Ducky in the water for the entirety of the bath, and only just now has one managed to oust the other.

The splash draws Amu's attention away from her deliberation, and she blinks and shakes her head. "Hnh?" she asks, the sighs. "C'mon, we're gonna turn all wrinkly if we stay in here much longer."

A few moments later, Amu wanders down the hallway to her room wrapped in a towel, followed by a pair of dripping wet charas. She heads into her bedroom and leans against the door as she closes it behind her. "Mmmmhn," she mumbles to herself, then bounds over to her desk to grab the latest issue of her favourite manga. Lying down on her stomach on the bed, Amu flips to the middle and picks up reading where she left off this morning.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Evening on a school night? When has Ikuto Tsukiyomi ever let things like curfews stop him? And given his last encounter with life smacking him over the head with the arduous task of keeping people out of his problems-- in the form of one Mikoto Nakajima and making both her and himself horribly sad-- he's decided he best get on that whole 'finding the Embryo' thing.

And there is one possibility he has to consider-- Amu's as-of-yet-unhatched egg may be it. The blue one wasn't, though it contained the most adorable little artist, but there is one egg left. So that leaves the choice of course of action obvious. Taking the rooftop route, he heads to Amu's house.

There's a balcony attached to her room, with a sliding glass door and a window on an adjacent wall. Yoru is actually the first one there, and he mashes his face to the window to check on things. Ikuto appears on the balcony a few moments later, without making a lot of noise. Since it's nighttime the curtains over the glass door have, understandably, been drawn.

A moment of thought and Ikuto reaches to scratch at the frame of the sliding door, smirking slightly. Yoru watches, to see when or if Amu hears it. When She does, the feline Character whispers, "Psst! She's heading for the door-nya!" And when ikuto hears that, he hops up onto the roof above the sliding door. Yes, he is trying to startle her. Because it's fun.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Ran and Miki have begun to settle in for the night. The pair of Charas have gone into their eggs and settled down, although each paused to put a hand on the green egg, just to say good night.

Amu kicks her feet lazily back and forth as she reads, clearly visible to Yoru's eyes. SHe's not quite ready for bed, even if her sleepy guardians are. Never in her wildest dreams would Amu have expected someone to come to her second floor balcony or windo w and peeped in on her reading. Never would she expect it.

So when the scratching noise comes at her door, she looks up, confused, then shakes her head and goes back to her reading. When it happens a second time she ignores it. It's the third time that she finally gets up with a grunt.

"What is it, Amu?" Miki asks curiously, peering out of her egg.

"I don't know," Amu replies as she wanders towards the door, cinching her towel a little closer shut. "Probably a branch from a tree, or maybe a cat. Go back to sleep," she intones.

Amu reaches the door and slides the curtains aside. She unlatches the slider, then slides it open and peeks out head and shoulders onto the balcony, searching for signs of what might have caused the noise.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Closer to the second guess, but not quite right. As Amu pokes her head out of the balcony door, Ikuto watches carefully for just the right moment. Then he shifts down, to hang unceremoniously off the edge of the roof over the balcony. His cat ears are well in place, so as not to fall, since his balance is much better.

"Yo."

WELL THERE'S A GOOD SIGN OF WHAT IT WAS!

And Yoru snickers, pulling away from the window and putting his hand-paws over his mouth to muffle the chuckling. He doesn't want to spoil the moment.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
The sound Amu makes would probably wake the dead six blocks over, if she didn't immediately clamp her hand over her own mouth. If her parents hear her screaming, they'll come looking, and that is only going to bring about questions she is so very not okay with answering!

"Amu-chan?!" Ran asks, jumping out of her egg and zipping towards the window. "Ack! It's that cat!"

"What are you doing here?!" Amu asks at a hiss behind her hands. Then she remembers she's not even dressed, and her cheeks turn furious shades of red. Hastily she dives back inside and grabs a bathrobe to climb into. "Why are you on my balcony you stupid pervert!" she accuses him as she draws the bathrobe on over the towel.

Miki yawns and flies over at a much more sedate pace than Ran. "Heyy, it's the catboy," she says, as if no one has noticed this, yet, then smiles at Yoru shyly as she flies towards him. "Hullo."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
At the sound Amu makes, Yoru immediately loses his fight with muffling his laughter, and quite literally begins to roll around in the air, kicking his feet as he laughs merrily. Yeah, he was totally waiting for that. And apparently was not disappointed.

For his part, Ikuto smirks, and pulls himself back up on the roof, then hops down to perch on the railing of the balcony. And since she did leave the door open, he rather rudely strolls right in as she's putting her robe on, a still-giggling Yoru following.

"It's not my fault you decided to walk out onto your balcony in just a towel," Ikuto points out. "Most normal people actually put clothes on after bathing." No, he hadn't been watching, he just guessed when he saw the towel, and smelled soap and shampoo. Still, it doesn't help her claim of him being a pervert, even if he didn't really do anything.

Yoru notes he's being spoken to and calms his laughing. "Hi there-nya!" he greets. And in the meantime, Ikuto's looking around. Where does Amu keep the Eggs?

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu finishes pulling her robe and ties it off, then reaches up and snatches Yoru out of the air with both hands.

"Hey!" Miki protests, but Amu shoots the blue-haired chara a withering glare.

"You put him up to this, didn't you," Amu accuses Yoru, before throwing him back out the open doorway. Then she turns on Ikuto and points her finger at him sternly, "Normal people don't appear on a girl's second story balcony at ten in the night!" she accuses him. "Go away, you can't be here," she says, reaching for the manga on her bed. This she rolls up just a little to try and use like a newspaper for scolding the cat(boy) with. "Out. Shoo! Go away!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Yoru emits a surprised "NYA!" as he suddenly finds himself grabbed, scolded, and tossed out a doorway. He tumbles in several cartwheels, looking dizzy with it all. Ikuto takes a look to make sure Yoru hasn't been hurt, and then looks at Amu again, just in time to see the manga swung at him. "Hey," he complains, ducking his head at the swat. He tries to grab the manga. Then he notices which one it is. And he asks an odd question.

"...Is this the latest issue?"

Amu Hinamori has posed:
"... Nani?"

Amu is so taken offguard by the catboy's response to her manga that she literally just stares at him for a long moment. Then she hits him one last time with her bare hand, since he's pulled the manga out of it. "That's mine, you jerk!" she says, reaching to try and pull it back. "Yes, it's the latest issue, I just got it yesterday. I haven't even finished it, yet! Why are you into girl's mangas, anyways!? You're such a pervert, Ikuto!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto just has the urge to be a jerk, just a little longer. So he holds the manga up, above her head, and tries to play keepaway for a little bit. though it will only be fore a few minutes, and Amu will be able to grab the manga with no problem.

Though her mention of him being a pervert for liking girl's manga gets a raise of an eyebrow. "Because a boy can't like mangas specifically for girls, right?" Ikuto counters. "Sort of like how girls can't like sports, because those are specifically for boys, hm?"

He points this out because... well, Ran is literally a sporty cheerleader. It doesn't take a huge intuitive leap to figure out what she stands for, knowing what Guardian Characters are.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu doesn't disappoint, reaching up over her head and literally hopping to try and get the magazine out of Ikuto's hands.

Ran and Miki just share looks of concern, then slowly make their way back tot heir eggs. This is too ridiculous a scene for even the guardian characters to stick around for.

"N...no!" Amu says as she finally gets her manga back and steps away. She glowers at Ikuto, then says, "Girls and boys can like all the same things, but when a girl plays sports she does so because she loves the sports! You're just reading girly mangas because you're hoping for fanservice!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto chuckles as Amu grabs the manga from him. But her pointing out why he might be reading them gets a tilted head. "That seems counterproductive," Ikuto counters again. "Any fanservice in there is going to be aimed at girls. That doesn't interest me. I just prefer the writing over five issues of some flying alien very loudly gathering his power only to miss in issue number six and have to start all over." He does seem to be serious about that, anyway.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
"... t.." Amu is struck utterly speechless by the honesty out of Ikuto. For a moment she stares at him in disbelief, then blinks and slowly goes to set the manga back down on her desk. "Yeah, w...well," she's got nothing else to throw at him. Except the part where he's on her balcony at ten at night!

"I mean," she starts to say, as she leans up against the desk and crosses her arms. "That's why I prefer them, too. Although sometimes I do read the shonen mangas, too. Some of them have good stories if you skip past the power-up sequences. And the art's really good." She frowns, then says, "Sometimes better than the shoujo. Ah. Why are you here, Ikuto?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"Un. Some are," Ikuto agrees. "The art styles do tend to be more solid." And there's the question from Amu. He smirks a little. "I came to see how that third egg is doing." He sets a glance on where the eggs are, and smiles a little. "It hasn't hatched yet, I see." Because there isn't a third Character running around.

And for a second reason, he steps back to the balcony door. "Yoru, is that bag still on roof?"

"Sure is! Want me to bring it down-nya?" Ikuto nods, and Yoru zips up to the roof, grabbing the small plastic bag. "I figured since you and your Characters like sweets so much, I'd bring you this. Consider it an apology for the hotel fiasco."

What's in the bag is just typical stuff, a handful of candybars that he probably picked up at a store on the way here. It's not very complicated, but it's all good stuff, and there's enough for Amu and her Characters.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu blinks in confusion when Yoru returns with a plastic bag larger than he is. "Wha..?!" she asks, raising her hands to accept the bag from Yoru. She opens it slowly and peers inside, almost as if expecting it to explode.

And indeed, something explodes, but it's not the chocolates! It's Amu herself, as she literally jumps in surprise at the contents of the bag. "W-w-w-w-w-what is this!" she says, except he's already explained, and Amu stares up at him utterly dumbfounded.

"Why did ... but you ..." Amu starts, then pulls a box of gummies out of the bag. "Ohmygosh you bought me gummies," she says excitedly, then literally turns half way in a circle before remembering she's supposed to be cool. She stops dead and turns to glower at him. "I mean ... uh." What? "You can't bribe me," she points out, waving the box of gummies at him threateningly. "I still know you're a pervert and a thief."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto smirks at Amu's reaction. in fact, the spinning over the gummies gets a chuckle. And Yoru gives a big grin; he'd been the one who'd thrown those in at the last moment. ikuto will have to remember that for later.

And then comes the talk of 'bribing' her. "I'm not trying to bribe you," he notes. "Like I said, it's an apology." He shrugs. "Besides, what would I be trying to bribe you to accomplish?"

He is, unfortunately, not very creative with gifts. He doesn't 'people' well, unfortunately. But being locked in closets and being made to prioritize evildoing over interpersonal contact tends to have that effect.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu tears the boxtop off and pops one of the gummies in her mouth, then glowers at him some more before turning aside. She hides her face behind her hand while she quietly enjoys the gummy. Once she's swallowed, Amu turns to glower at Ikuto once more.

"I don't know, bribe me not to try to stop you?" the girl points out with a scowl. "This isn't the first time I've caught you stealing what isn't yours! And you don't even want to do it! I know you don't! So why can't you just stop it and be the nice guy you really want to be?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"And it won't be the last," Ikuto states, unabashedly. As for being a 'nice guy'? He huffs a laugh. "I'm not a 'nice guy', even when I'm not stealing things. If you're hoping for that you're going to be sorely disappointed either way," he says dryly. "And I expect you to try to stop me." Smirk. "You're that type." There is an almost fond quality to the smirk, even thouhg it is indeed a smirk.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu squints at Ikuto, then turns aside for another gummy. She chomps it down behind her hand once again, then returns to the conversation once all evidecne of her eating has been removed. Nope, no candy-eating here!

The glower, however, is fading in favor of a face full of uncertain affection. "But if you want me to stop you," Amu asks gently, "why do you do it?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Here's a really tricky area. Ikuto could tell her. But he won't. He can't, really. So he does what he always does. Falls back on being a jerk. It's mild this time, though. "Maybe I just like causing trouble. Didn't Tadase tell you about the horrible things I've done? I'm surprised. I'd thought he'd take any opportunity to educate the world about how horrible I am."

Another huffed laugh, and Ikuto waves a hand dismissively, and turned back to the balcony doors. "Well, I don't want to keep you up all night. Your reputation would take a hit if everyone at school found out a boy was in your room all night." Smirk. Not to mild on the jerkishness that time!

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu scowls angrily as Ikuto falls back on the 'tough guy' routine. She can see right through it, and she's just about to tell him so when he reminds her that she's practically naked, and there is a boy in her bedroom!

Cue bright red flash of blushing. Amu throws the rest of the box of gummies at Ikuto angrily as he makes his way through the doors, aiming for the back of his head. "Stupid pervert!" she yells at him angrily. "If I catch you back here again I'm going to call the police! Stay off my balcony!" But she doesn't mean it. Because deep down, she can tell he's hurting. He needs a friend.

And all Amu ever wanted was to be everyone's friend.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
It's probably sheer luck that Ikuto manages to not get hit by the box of gummies. Or it could be the catlike reflexes, it's anyone's guess. But as if to add insult to injury, on top of the great tragedy of losing a box of gummies, Ikuto peeks back in and notes, "That was a waste. I'm not gonna buy you any more if you're just gonna waste them."

He's probably kidding, given the smirk. BUT STILL! WASTED GUMMIES! And no more in sight!

Yoru grins and zips out behind Ikuto, and the boy closes the sliding glass doors behind him. Then he hops up on the railing again, and then onto the roof, starting away over the roofs.

Amu Hinamori has posed:
Amu stomps her feet just a little as she storms towards the door to latch it, then draw the blinds, all with very angry motions. "I DIDN'T WANT THEM ANYWAYS!" she yells out after him.

"Amu-chan?" comes a voice through the door. "Who are you talking to?"

Caught red-handed, Amu turns, well, red! And then dithers, "Uhhhhhhhhh I was just reading a part of my manga aloud that I thought was funny!" she calls back through the door hesitantly.

"Well keep it down," her mother's voice replies. "Your little sister is trying to sleep!"

"Right ... sorry," Amu says despondently, then sighs and stares at the window. Reaching up, she draws those blinds, too, then makes her way to her dresser to pull out a pair of pajamas. "Stupid perverted cosplayer," Amu murmurs to herself, before finishing her nightly routines before bed.