My Fate is in Lunch's Hands [Mariko]

Tsubame sighed after he realized he had been waiting for at least an hour or so. Yep. I’m stupid for thinking she might actually come. What would a distinguished woman like her want with a guy like me…? He sighed while his hair fell over his eyes. The swathes of people forced him at one point to push himself further into the lamp post he had been resting against, the iron pole pressing against his back made him almost jerk away from it-if he could wow this place just got really packed, he commented. It was so bad he was accidentally or otherwise elbowed in the gut. Crap… I have to piss so bad… His silvery eye looked down at Kaname who was glaring at him seemingly already knowing what he was going to ask.

”Hey Kaname buddy-“ the man was cut off by the short pokemon’s scoff. ”Please…?” He felt like it could burst at any moment, but still the navy-blue bodied pokemon shook his head.

He froze in place. He saw the familiar brunette hair, and the fancy collared blouse and the sparkling sapphire eyes. Oh my god, she actually came. A mixture of disbelief and a small smile wrinkled his face oddly. Then he realized; he still had to go. I’ll just wait for her to come here…. His face washed over to almost paper-white pale as he casually crossed his legs.

When she finally arrived, he felt awful like his inners could burst at any moment. He waited near patiently for her to finish up, but as soon as she finished he quickly snatched her hand and lead on. It was a shortish walk to the restaurant, but it felt like an eternity. He didn’t even notice how fast he was walking, still clutching Mariko’s hand. He was even hasty with the host at the restaurant.

”Table for three-“ He paused and looked at Mariko’s pokeballs and Kaname pointing to the one with smoochum in it, ”Four? Four.” he finalized, and luckily the host agreed to his hasty demands. As soon as they got to the table, he immediately demanded for her to “wait here” and rushed away behind the wall. He hadn’t even noticed the lack of conversation.

Kaname sat across from the empty seat next to Mariko, gesturing for her to release a pokemon since Tsubame asked for four spots. Secretly, he hoped she would release smoochum and thanked Tsubame for the chance that she might even release her.

Man, I am a loser… Waited out there for four hours and then this… geeze. He washed his hands after finally somewhat relieving himself. Straightening his clothes, he inhaled and headed out the door. Upon his return to the table, he noticed she was incredibly uncomfortable.

”Sorry about that. I uh-forgot to go before I left the hotel.” He couldn’t lie very well, but didn’t want to make her feel bad for his waiting so long. ”Also, sorry about the restaurant… It’s one of my favorites here, but if you want we can go elsewheres.” He sighed, probably looking more depressed than anything… his dream of a perfect date already out the window.

”Oh it’s your pidgeyyyyotto…?” He wasn’t very familiar with bird pokemon. ”Err-What’s her name?” he quickly added trying to not seem entirely ignorant. He looked over to sneasel looking somewhat bored, or moody, the silver eyed man couldn’t tell.

Unknowingly to him, Tsubame’s face melted into a visible irritation at the influx of tweeting. Mariko quickly interrupted the bird however, and her soothing voice smoothed out the irritation wrinkles. After being corrected he apologized offhandedly to the fletching, but was more focused on her mention of having eaten here before and on a regular basis. But he thought he might try and smooth things over.

“So, you’ve eaten here before? Can you recommend something for me? I’m not used to the food here, and don’t know what’s good.” Furthering the thought process he proceeded to ask her, ”How long have you lived here? Since you started the clinic? Where are you from originally? I guess I should have asked you this earlier…” he chuckled.

Soup and sandwiches? She so modest… I really want to order sushi but it’s a little expensive… But I guess I’ll be going back to work soon though so it’ll be alright if I do splurge. It’s been so many years since I’ve let myself spend a little; especially on a woman. He held up the menu to her at a long list of sushi’s and expensive fish. ”You like sushi? It just… attributes a little more to the date-like atmosphere I’m going for here.” He smiled a little.

”Wow, that’s a pretty sizable amount of time. No wonder the clinic building’s still got that new feel to it. It’s a very nice building. Design it yourself?” his voice seemed a little cold, but he was curious about her, maybe a little too curious for his intentions. ”Wait, you lived in Ecruteak? Isn’t it unusual for people to move away from there? It’s well-known that the people who live there generally stay their entire life. Especially women, who, as I assume you have based on your traditional dress, trained there their whole lives. Yeah I hear lots of men around the uh-“ he was too smart to mention his low-class job to a date, ”workplace would kill for an Ecruteak wife.” He felt like that comment could go many ways, and hoped she wouldn’t get offended.

But then something dawned on him. Yes, usually the women of Ecruteak wouldn’t leave, unless they were expelled or banned for something severe. ”Wait… unless…” He leaned in real close to her, ”unless they are… umm.. you weren’t a… umm.. I mean… you’re too pretty to be… but maybe… you were having a rough time… but you-uh… weren’t a prostitute were you…? Be-because I’ve heard sometimes when women get caught they get expelled and uhh…” His voice slid higher at the end of his sentence, genuinely curious due to all the stereotypes he had heard, but not trying to be rude in the slightest, but he couldn’t help but make the question worse and more and more awkward, ”I mean, I wouldn’t mind if you were… a prostitute… I mean, you’re too respectable for that… aren’t you? I just mean…” he was tripping over his words now.

Idiot! Idiot! IDIOT! Shut up! SHUT UP! He could feel his cheeks heat up and feel like they would burst like a volcano he was so nervous now. Kaname had face-palmed so hard his claws almost broke the skin.

He was silent. He was swift. His hand shot out and grabbed Mariko’s to deter her from leaving. He didn’t pull her or push her, just anchored her to hear him out. He didn’t care that his cheek was red, he didn’t care about the burn, and all he wanted was to apologize. He practically growled at her,

”I’m sorry. I didn’t accuse you, I was simply asking!” He was so angry he was shaking, but his grip around her wrist was still gentle. He couldn’t shake his feelings out of his voice, but it lowered to a growl, ”I would never actually be able to imagine you as one. No one could.” He felt like her hand was water, like when a child tries to hold onto water and it flows through your fingers. ’I can’t just let her get away like this…

He broke, out of his left eye, a small puddle of tears barely clung to his eye. ”You are my closest friend, please let me formally apologize.” The tears were reabsorbed before they fell. Standing up from his chair, he set himself on one knee and bent low,

”Miss Yamada, I have upset you and I wish to apologize. Someone once told me anything and anyone can be forgiven, if the person’s heart is big enough. I see the way you care for pokemon, you’d rather be detrimental to your health before allowing the pokemon to fall. Well, I’ve already fallen to one knee,” still bent low, his silvery eyes flicked up to meet hers, but in passing, they noticed a woman in the back gasp and run to the hostess. ”now can you find it in your heart to forgive me, a lowly man?”

His pained expression was serene if anything, but his eyes were like steel daggers staring straight into Mariko’s. ”You are my best friend. Besides Kaname of course.” Not that her answer mattered; at least half the restaurant had gathered around them. They were screaming for Mariko to “say yes!” But the only thing Tsubame could think in response was ’Say yes to what?’ He mulled for a moment before he realized… Oh… He wasn’t proposing, but after looking at them, his hand still dead-locked onto hers, him down on one knee looking mistakenly as lovingly into her eyes, he froze in place like a portrait.