Takashi Agera was discharged from the hospital last friday - and despite everything that happened, despite all of the black emotions that were running through him - there was still, in the back of his mind and growing louder and more insistent, a different feeling. It was actually his talk with his father that caused him to act on it. The talk about reaching out and getting what you want - and using your power to act on it.
This is why, on Monday afternoon after classes, he's gone to seek out one of those things - he wants to spend time with Madoka Kaname. And he also wants her to know about the fact that she truly is important to him. And that means he should show it.
And that's what's on his mind when he walks up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder. "Kaname-chan?" he says, with a smile. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"
Madoka was very relieved when she heard that Takashi had been released from the hospital. He hadn't seemed so injured to her that such a long stay should have been necessary, especially since she knew he had magic, so her worry had started to grow as he lingered there. She had told him how happy she was to see him up and looking so well when she saw him in class earlier in the day.
She wasn't expecting anything like this, however, and there's a hint of surprise on her face as she sees who it is who tapped her shoulder as she turns around. Surprise yes, but also a bit of delight sparkling in her eyes as well. "Takashi-kun! Yes! I have time." A short pause and she returns his smile, "I thought you would want to spend your after school time in your club."
That he wants to spend the first time he has after school since he was released from the hospital with her means a lot to her, even if it's just talking for a little bit.
Takashi smiles as he guides her to his locker. Once he's there, he pulls a not-small gift-wrapped box out. Then, he looks thoughtful. He keeps the box behind his back, but there's also no way she couldn't have seen it.
"Madoka-chan, would it be okay if we talked on the roof?" he asks. The Gossip Squad hasn't gathered around them yet, but if they stay here, it's probably inevitable. Plus, the sun will begin to set soon enough, with the days getting a little shorter as winter approaches.
Madoka follows along to his locker. Her eyes turn briefly to the box as it appears out of the locker and disappears behind his back, and suddenly she's a bit more giddy than she was a moment before. "Mmhm!" she sounds, "I like it up on the roof." She takes a step forward, smiling up at him as she passes by, "I don't have any of my fathers food to share this time, though!"
To her credit she does not peek at the box again as she starts walking towards the roof herself. In fact, the whole reason she decides to 'lead' him is so she can let him keep it held out of sight behind himself. As she climbs the stairs she even manages to forget that the last time she was up there something very scary happened.
When they reach the door she starts to open it herself only for it to jam almost as soon as she turns the handle. Cue several extended moments of the short girl struggling against it with her pigtails and ribbons bouncing around dramatically. After several tries she gets it, stepping out into the sunlight and holding the door for the tall boy behind her.
Rather than being embarrassed or annoyed at the door her sudden good mood has her laughing at the silliness of it instead.
Takashi does a VERY GOOD job of not giggling too much as Madoka tries to get the door open. She finally gets it and he has to duck back as the bright rooftop is opened to both of them. It's a very clear, crisp day, and the sun is going to set in a little bit.
Takashi walks by her, bringing the gift-wrapped box around to his front. The box is wrapped in blue, carefully, with a white rbbon and bow holding it together. It's professionally wrapped, but Takashi won't admit that directly.
"Kaname-chan, you remember I said you were special. Well, I meant it. You are very special to me. And I wanted you to know it. But I don't just want to say it. I want to show it, too." he says, looking into her eyes.
"So I got you a gift. I know Christmas is coming soon, but... patience is not one of my personal virtues." he says with one of his trademark grins. "I wanted you to have it now." he says, holding the box out to her.
She probably wouldn't have blamed him if he did but the lack of giggling does help her smile remain bright as he steps out into the crisp air. Madoka lets go of the door and steps further out onto the roof, eyes widening and her hands clapping together once as he reveals the gift wrapped box. Her eyes didn't deceive her!
Her cheeks flush a faint pink as she speaks to her and she keeps her eyes on his as he speaks to her. They remain on him as he finishes speaking and she smiles, "I like when you say it. And you show it to me by spending time with me, and the way you look when I'm close to you." She blushes just a tiny bit more.
Her words are not meant to deflect his generosity, however, and she reaches out and gently takes the box from him. Not one to take such things for granted she looks it over and admires the wrapping and the skillfully tied ribbon. Afterwards she looks up to him and asks with poorly hidden excitement, "May I open it?"
"No, you have to wait until Christmas." he breaks for a moment before continuing. "No, of course you can open it now. Please." he says, smiling.
Inside the box, there are two gifts. One is a ludicrously expensive three-gemmed necklace. Set into a golden charm are three gems - a circular one at the top, a LARGE teardrop shaped one in the middle, and a much smaller gem that dangles from the whole thing at the bottom. There is nothing cheap or fake about it, either - it sparkles in the sunlight.
The necklace itself, however, currently resides resting in the hands of a teddy bear. This bear, likely built at a specialty store in the mall, has some... interesting outfitting. In that it essentially looks like a teddy bear version of Takashi, school uniform and all. The bear itself even looks slightly more stern than your usual bear - but only slightly. In general, it's still very adorable.
Takashi doesn't say anything more, only watching Madoka and her reactions.
Madoka, as her mother would point out, is a very good girl! She doesn't want to presume things even if it means asking someone who just noted they were impatient if it's okay to open a gift they gave her. His light teasing gets a smile from her.
She opens the box carefully, pulling the ribbon off and then carefully unwrapping the paper while getting as few tears in it as possible- the box itself is probably going to end up a rewrapped memento. Her face lights up when she sees what's inside, "He's adorable!" Because of course she sees the teddy bear before the jewelry. She lifts it out of the box, giggling when she notices the uniform, only to be completely stunned when she sees what's in it's hands.
She does a double take, only to give Takashi an extremely surprised look. "Takashi-kun... It's beautiful, but are you sure this is okay?" She's almost afraid to look at it again, it's so wonderful. "Something like this isn't too nice to give to me?" Very delicately she reaches out to touch the surface of the gem with her fingertips as it sparkles in the sunlight.
"Well, I don't think it would look nearly as good on me as it would on you anyways, Madoka-chan." Takashi says with a smile. "It's also still not nearly as pretty as you are, but I don't think it'll drag you down too much to wear it." he adds. Takashi has been flattering people for a very long time, and it's almost something he now finds odd to mean it in a more genuine way.
"I just hope that means you like it?" he asks honestly, then reaches over to ruffle the bear like it was a small child (or a fox!). "And I hope you like Teddyashi, too." he adds, making his own little joke about it. It is a lame joke. He knows it, and does not care.
The joke gets a laugh from her and helps to lighten her mood back up, though that lightness is partially quelled by yet another blush as he compliments her. "You think I'm even prettier than something like this?" she asks, slightly skeptical. It isn't because she doubts him, however, as her next words might suggest. "Oh, yes! I like it very much. It's just so brilliant and flashy, it doesn't seem like something I should have." Even her hair ribbons she thought might be too flashy for herself a few months ago!
She nods happily then and properly hugs her new teddy bear close to herself, "I love Teddyashi! He's so warm and cuddly... just like you!" A girl has a right to an opinion.
Madoka releases her squeeze of the bear and steps a little closer to Takashi, "Thank you. I'll accept this," was that in doubt? "but if you're giving me something so wonderful and beautiful... that means we're more than just 'deciding if we're close', right?" She offers a slightly nervous smile, only to blush further. "Also... will you be upset with me if I only wear this on special occasions?" She's about to say 'or when I'm with you', but says instead, "Like when I'm with you?"
"It is DEFINANTLY something you should have." Takashi says with all true honesty. "It matches your ribbons, too!"
At the comment that he is warm and cuddly, Takashi himself is taken back for a moment, before he recovers quickly. Then Madoka asks the question about being close. And Takashi pauses.
"Well, I've thought a lot about it, Madoka-chan... and I know I'd be really... jealous? maybe even hurt? If you started dating somebody else. And you mean a lot to me." He is still nimbly dodging the Love question for now. "And I would like to be the one who is dating you, if anybnody is." This is not the most elegant or unawkward way to bring that point up, but he goes with it. Especially once Madoka asks about wearing it - Takashi smiles again, but this smile is not nearly as honest as his other ones. "Well, you can wear it whenever you want. It belongs to you, and I don't get to dictate when you wear it, after all." It is... maybe somewhat obvious he would like to, and he only knows this is the correct answer, rather than the one he'd like to give. But, it's still the answer he gave, so that counts, right?
The strength with which he responds to her first question goes a long way to convincing her it's true, and she smiles when he notes that it matches her ribbons. When he reacts to her compliment she giggles a little, finding the surprise it gives him amusing. He certainly feels very warm when she hugs him!
"I think I'd be jealous too, at least a little," she admits right back to him. "I don't think I could be so heartless as to hurt date someone else right now, Takashi-kun," she offers with a smile.
Then she is quiet for a moment as she hears his answer. Madoka picks up rather quickly that he's not being entirely honest about it, but she also places no malice or ill intent to what she considers a white lie. He is, after all, bold and prideful. There's no way people could miss what she was wearing, and every compliment and jealous insult she'd receive for it would be by his doing. When she thinks about it she imagines he'd rather enjoy that.
"Thank you, Takashi-kun!" she says with a smile, honest cheer in her voice. She turns Teddyashi around and hugs him again before extending him towards Takashi. "Would you like to put it on me?" she asks in a softer, sweet tone.
The fact that Madoka would be jealous of someone else dating HIM brings a probably larger-than-needed does of joy and self-confidence. Instead of acting on it immediately, though, he waits for a moment.
When Madoka thanks him for the gifts again, and offers to let him put it on her, he leans in and takes the necklace away from the bear.
It's when he moves in and starts to clasp it around her neck that he offers as he does so. "Well, if we're both going to not date anyone else, and we'd be jealous if the other person did - why don't we just call it what it is, and say we're dating each other." he says, a bit logically.
Madoka stands carefully as he retrieves the necklace and begins to place it around her neck. She smiles very brightly at his words and says immediately and happily, "Okay!" She is radiantly happy in a way that lights up her face and eyes so that they're nearly sparkly as the jewel she now wears.
Then when she's sure he has the necklace fastened she takes advantage of his leaning in, tilting forward and turning her head to press a quick kiss right onto the center of his cheek!
She's terribly self-conscious as she retreats, blushing brightly but also still effervescently happy.
Takashi smiles back at Madoka. "It looks beautiful on you. But I think that's just you making it look prettier." he adds with a grin. Then the kiss comes. Takashi... quite possibly blushes even deeper than Madoka does when she gives the kiss. It wasn't something he'd expected. And the smile on his face is probably the most honest once she's ever seen.
"I like seeing you happy, Madoka-chan." he says. He leans in and wraps an arm around her and squeezes her tightly.
Seeing him blush so much and the smile on his face brings a happy laugh to Madoka's lips. She leans into the hug when he gives it to her, her arms moving around him to hug tightly back. If he squeezes tightly enough he might even feel the pretty jewel he gave her! He'll definitely feel the teddy bear squeezed against his back, since she's still holding onto it.
"I'm very happy," she tells him with impossible to fake joyfulness as he squeezes her close. She'll squirm around a bit in his arms for a nice and comfy longer hug if he doesn't pull away, "I like seeing you happy too, Takashi-kun. I really hope I can keep making you happy, by being around me."
She closes her eyes and lets herself rest the side of her head against him, smiling to herself while letting her fingers spread a little across his back before hugging him as closely to her as her skinny arms can manage.
Takashi just rests in Madoka's hug for some time. It's a soft thing, a warm thing, and a good thing. But, unfortunantly for a lot of people, he takes the wrong lessons from this all. To Takashi, she hugs him even closer because he got her things. That's the sort of power, in a small way, that he has. He wouldn't have been able to get her that pretty gem, were he not so powerful as to command a salary well above his age. He wouldn't be so confident without all of his powers.
He squeezes her back tightly. It's a firm squeeze, too. "Madoka-chan, anytime I can be around you I feel so happy. It makes all of the things I'm doing - my job, my school, my work as a magical boy - it makes it all worth it."
Madoka is happy to just stand there hugging Takashi as the sun starts to set. Her excited happiness settles into a gentler but equally deep one and she lets out a happy sigh when he squeezes her again. As many times as he's said such nice things to her they never seem to get old, tired, or worn out. Being told she makes him happy and that being around her is special brings that same joyful feeling to her.
"Then you should be around me more often," she offers cheerfully. "You work so hard to be the best at everything you do, you deserve to be happy!" Then she adds, "And you deserve the 'best' happiness, too!" feeling a little self aggrandizing saying it, blushing as she looks up at him.
Takashi looks down. "Well, as long as I have you I think I've got the best happiness. I really cherish these little moments with you. It's hard to let you go." He looks at the sun as it's setting. "Will you be able to get home before it gets dark?"
Then, he gets an idea - and the telltale mischevious grin that he gets when he has a plan. "You know one of the other reasons I like it up here, though? Nobody can see me transform." he adds with a wink. "So if you think you won't get home before dark... I can help."
Madoka smiles brightly once more at his words. She follows his eyes to the setting sun she lets out a complaining sigh, "If it wasn't so late you wouldn't have to let me go at all." She then gives him a slightly curious look as he asks her one question and then another.
"I don't think it would be a problem getting home after dark," a small smile, "But I wouldn't turn down help anyway, Takashi-kun."
Takashi grins. He henshins into Frost Knight, scoops up Madoka, and carries her home, jumping across the skyline. He can't fly as the Knight yet, but he can glide, which is close enough (and allows them more time together).