Flayn (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
seems_fishy) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synergetic2023-01-29 01:54 am
seems_fishy) wrote in synergetic2023-01-29 01:54 am
I could change my life to better suit your mood
At this point, Flayn was really just bored.
Chin in hand, elbow propped on the balcony railing, she gazed down at the early dusk creeping across the city. She looked carefully at every light in the distance, and mused to herself if that was where her friends were just then. The plans were to meet up, the boys' club and the girls', and start seeing who could be a good doubles pair and while Flayn was very excited by seeing who would be chosen, she really just wanted to spend more time with her new friends. Who got to play for the mixed double exhibition was really just another thing to talk about, but it didn't have to be the only thing. There would be clothes, and the food, and what someone did in class, and what someone else did after class...
She never noticed how often her father wasn't home weekend nights until she actively wanted to go out for them herself. He wasn't enjoying himself at all, of course. He tended to come home rather irritated by who needed him, which served him right, yes, but didn't solve her problem.
Honestly, she saw the logic of him not wanting her gallivanting about town while his availability was dubious, but she highly doubted he was seeing the impracticality of such a request. Or the mounting unfairness.
She was busy formulating a plan to redirect.
If she wasn't allowed to go out, could she invite someone in?
The details were unclear. The problem would be showing him that it was okay to say yes. She was still working on it, but had every hope of success.
She sighed, still looking out across the city. Perhaps if Father came home to find a friend already there, and nothing had gone wrong...?
Chin in hand, elbow propped on the balcony railing, she gazed down at the early dusk creeping across the city. She looked carefully at every light in the distance, and mused to herself if that was where her friends were just then. The plans were to meet up, the boys' club and the girls', and start seeing who could be a good doubles pair and while Flayn was very excited by seeing who would be chosen, she really just wanted to spend more time with her new friends. Who got to play for the mixed double exhibition was really just another thing to talk about, but it didn't have to be the only thing. There would be clothes, and the food, and what someone did in class, and what someone else did after class...
She never noticed how often her father wasn't home weekend nights until she actively wanted to go out for them herself. He wasn't enjoying himself at all, of course. He tended to come home rather irritated by who needed him, which served him right, yes, but didn't solve her problem.
Honestly, she saw the logic of him not wanting her gallivanting about town while his availability was dubious, but she highly doubted he was seeing the impracticality of such a request. Or the mounting unfairness.
She was busy formulating a plan to redirect.
If she wasn't allowed to go out, could she invite someone in?
The details were unclear. The problem would be showing him that it was okay to say yes. She was still working on it, but had every hope of success.
She sighed, still looking out across the city. Perhaps if Father came home to find a friend already there, and nothing had gone wrong...?
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Puri.
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Niou!
[He's on his feet and using all of his height.]
It's one thing to impersonate me and harass the first years, but this is beyond the pale!
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Either way, that's definitely his cue to exit stage left, and quickly. He springs to his feet, and by the time he's risen the disguise is fully dropped; no trace remains of the peppy vice captain of the women's tennis club.
He does steal a fond glance at Flayn though.]
Time for me to go. Good luck in your nomination; I'm cheering you on.
[And with that he sprints towards the sidewalk. Let's see how sensitive Sanada's prey drive is today.]
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[He sprints right off after, still yelling.]
What would Nami do if I told her right now?! Here you are using a girl's face to-to tease and what if someone else saw and started to thi--
[Mimi giggled helplessly.]
It's too bad they don't warm up like that before practice!
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Dear, dear... He really caused a stir this time. [Yukimura stands and offers the girls a graceful slight bow to excuse himself.] Apologies, von Aegir-san, Tachikawa-san. We've only just sat down. I had better smooth this out. Please enjoy the picnic.
[Unfortunate but necessary. He briefly looks down at Marui, who only gives him a thumbs up and a reassuring grin. Thank you, Marui. At least there's one thing he doesn't need to worry about.
He turns and moves swiftly after Niou and Sanada.]
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I'm... not sure I understand what just happened...
[Mimi tosses her head back and laughs.]
Nothing that doesn't happen normally, right, Marui-kun?
[She picks herself up, and gives Flayn a wink.]
Anyway, I think I should call the real Aya-chan and let her know we've got things settled, more or less? She can take it up with Nami-chan, and then it'll be done by the time we get back to school, I'm sure.
Use this time productively!!
[And she speeds off... though, considering she's pointing her phone in the direction the others ran, not talking into it, she might not be calling Aya immediately.]
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[Their picnic group sure shrunk quickly! From six to two in a matter of seconds. Oh well. He waves as their latest departure follows in what looks suspiciously like a bid for pictures of this fallout, then turns his attention back to Flayn.]
Well, it'd be a shame to let all this food go to waste, right?
[That's his signal that she doesn't have to worry about him jetting off and leaving her, too.]
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D-do you think they'r right about... me being the choice?
I rather want it to be so.
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Well, it's not really my decision either, so we'll just have to wait and see. It'll be fun if it's true.
[He plucks up a dumpling and pops it into his mouth next.]
But you can trust Yukimura-kun to know what he's talking about when it comes to team decisions. For him to place his bets on your candidacy, I'd be surprised if you aren't at least in the running.
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I was very touched by what Mimi-san said.
[And she reddens just a bit, trying to hide it behind a rice ball.]
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She has a good pulse on what's going on in the girls' club. I can believe what she says.
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[She takes a bite of her riceball before she can keep talking.]
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You don't think anyone could have done that, with a good teacher?
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[He knows, he's paired up with plenty of other people in practice matches in his years in the tennis club. He snatches up another bite from the spread, chewing for a moment before continuing.]
Doubles is different from singles. You can win in singles with skill, or stamina, or power. Combination is what makes or breaks a doubles match. The two best singles players in the world will get their asses kicked in doubles, if they don't have teamwork.
It's not something you can teach with a few minutes of instruction.
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I only did what I could... [Immensely happy, though, she adds:]
I want to do more, though! If I'm extrapolating what you said properly, then, having done so well blind, by actually developing a relationship, we should be nearly unstoppable!
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So let's become good friends, huh?
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[She gestures to the picnic.]
I was too surprised to say it before, but everyone rearranging things like this was especially kind. I am sorry to put you through so much trouble!
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Well, it worked out for a minute at least. Too bad everyone else left so quick-- but it's more food for us! Here, you tried these? [He reaches over to where Sanada had been sitting and picks up a tray of mochi, holding it out in offering.] These are good!
1/2
Maybe it is better this way? It allows us to focus on each other, particularly if there's any information you really need to impart, to help perfect my doubles performance?
For now, I've mostly focused on reacting... but I should be thinking ahead more, maybe...?
[She settles into their conversation, mostly trying to ask questions about tennis, but other things sneak in, the topic meanders, and that's no sad thing. Marui-san is a fascinating person who's accomplished so much, and--
Suddenly, she senses movement behind her, and turns to look.]
2/?
When Flayn doesn't offer an excuse, he raises his eyebrows.]
Marui-kun, do you need to call your parents?
[Flayn's eyes narrowed and she leapt to her feet. While she moved quickly, her voice remained low and measured.]
He does not. They know perfectly well where he is, I imagine, given that we've had these plans in place for some time.
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Seeing as he's sitting across from Flayn, it would be difficult for him to not notice her approaching father, but the reality is, however surely he can feel that displeasure emanating off of him, he simply doesn't feel nervous. They're not doing anything wrong. It's a lovely afternoon to sit outside and have a picnic and talk, and his body language reflects as much.
Interesting that he knows him by name, though. He doesn't remember meeting the new headmaster yet himself. He looks up from where he sits, perfectly unbothered and just innocently puzzled at the man's suggestion.]
Hm? Why?
[Flayn hops up before anything further can be said. Marui thinks at this point, he should probably stay out of the conversation and let them figure this out.]
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It was very rude of us to have to change everyone's plans at the last minute.
[Especially if the conjecture was correct, and Aya and Nami were mainly thinking of her as the candidate to begin with!
Seteth frowned.]
"I don't know at all what you mean. Things come up, it has nothing to do with anyone, and a little flexibility is something that even high school students need to learn."
"Please do not be disingenuous," Flayn said patiently. "Just because something came up for you, that doesn't mean it has to affect me so strongly. You're very quick to answer your cell phone, are you not? Everything would have been fine to begin with."
"You can't know that, Flayn," and he wanted to support that with evidence, he really did.
"No more than you knew something disastrous would happen," she said. "I know you had a very long day, and I'll be happy to join you in a moment, but as all of my friends were kind enough to modify their plans to accommodate us, this interruption is rather bad form."
She took a deep breath. Maintaining her composure was difficult, but paramount. She could see him having the same internal talk with himself about that. The audience was a little bit of a godsend, in that regard. The stakes were higher.
Seteth sighed. Something in the way he looked at her, she thought she saw a break in the clouds on his face, and his voice softened.
"Flayn, I'm not sure you understand where I'm coming from."
"I do, though," she said earnestly. "But now isn't the time to discuss it; you know as well as I do."
That was a dismissal, wasn't it? He wasn't used to that from students or his own child, but they'd already caused enough of a scene and-- he was tired. It was a long day.
The door closed behind him.
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He missed the content of the discussion through this self-distraction, but his ears still registered the tones and volumes and the conversation's flow. Flayn was leading it. It was kind of cool of her, being able to manage her father's unease so efficiently, even if it makes him a little sad for her at the same time.
He looks up and offers an understanding smile.] Time to clean up?
1/something will come back to this later
[She's a little distracted as she packs things back into the baskets, folds up the blankets, and hands them all back to Marui-san.
But it passes and she smiles apologetically.]
I shall see you in school and then we can really get to work!
[She can hear something like tea implements in the kitchen, and she goes straight to her room, not really wanting to go back into the fray. Plenty of homework to get through before she wants to deal with that again.
She's steadily working through it when the tap comes at the door. There's a patient silence while she discards a few more petulant ways to answer it.]
"Come in," she sighed.
There's an answering sigh before the door opens, and she can see Seteth placing his last few thoughts in order.
"I'm not angry with you," she says preemptively, hoping that puts a few more things into place for him.
"Well... you have a right," he said. "I would not be angry with you for being angry at me, right now. Or... any time recently, if I am being honest."