1104/Pulled Under

Pulled Under
Date of Scene:	07 February 2024
Location:	Club Building
Synopsis:	Coco checks in on Yuuto's progress with the statue and learns of his nightmare, before the pair speak further on it.
Cast of Characters:	Yuuto Shiraishi, Coco Kiumi

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Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
Classes had ended for the day and activities were under way. With it raining outside, track practice had been called off and it gave Yuuto a chance to come into the art room to work on his project some more. Set up in front of one of the windows, the steady drum of raindrops on the window allows for a sedate backdrop of white noise as he works.

Set up on the table already is the intricate and detailed work he had done on Coco's tail. Moulded as to be made that she was reclining on an underwater boulder, he's done an excellent job with the intricate parts of her fins and tails, as well as the subtlness of scaling, more like a dolphin's skin than a fish. A small stand sticks out of the 'hips' of the base of the mermaid.

At the moment, Yuuto is settled in, a few lumps of clay that are set out. He's currently working the largest part of it, carefully starting to sculpt out what will become Coco's torso and lower part of her to connect to the tail piece. It doesn't have definition outside of a rough feminine shape, having just gotten to work on it.

The drink he had brought with him is long since empty, and a small napkin with a few crumbs marks the remains of a snack. His blazer and vest are removed, a fabric apron worn over his front to protect him from getting any of the clay on his school clothes as he works.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
This morning Yuuto had confessed to have had a nightmare so bad that made him want not to sleep that entire night. At which point, Coco's reaction naturally was to check with him what scared him so much and the boy had promised to talk about it after school.

Unfortunately for the mermaid, Yuuto heads over to the Club Building right after classes, which is quite concerning considering it had started raining during the last class.

Coco isn't quite there during the last lesson as a result, absentmindedly staring out of the window as a result, frowning over the uninterrupted rain. 'Just my luck, precisely the day Yuuto is waiting for me', she sighs. 'And it's not like I can just transform with my pearl to move from here to there, I would be too conspicuous.'

Really, the only solution is to brave the weather with an umbrella and be extra careful along the way, assuming luck isn't on her side with allowing it to let up.

Sadly, that doesn't happen, so Coco carefully hides under her umbrella, staying away from its borders so she can reach the Club Building as dry as possible. When Coco reaches the art room, she is clearly tense and nervous, but she gives Yuuto a smile as she gets over to him, kissing his cheek while he is working. "Hello there, ray of sunshine", she greets him with the usual nickname.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
When the rain had started, Yuuto had considered sending a text to Coco. He could always meet her later. He knows that the rain -- while not fully dangers -- does have unintended consequences for the mermaid princess. Part of him had assumed she'd send the text. Meeting later would have been fine.

Even when he saw a girl carefully making her way to the building, huddled under an umbrella, he had assumed it was someone else. His attention wasn't on that lone figure, instead, he was back on his work, focused on moulding the clay into what he wanted it to be.

What he didn't realize is the love and determination that Coco Kiumi has for him. So when that little actual ray of sunshine - the bright blonde of Coco arrives at the Club's doorstep and calls out to him, there's an owlish blink before Yuuto rises from his seat. "Coco-chan!" he announces cheerfully, making his way over to greet her with a kiss and a snuggle, his arms around her waist in an affectionate hug.

When he pulls back though, she can see the bags in his eyes, the tiredness that is there despite the enthusiastice greeting. The cup that was on his desk? Coffee milk. Who knows how many of those he's had today. "You came out here?" he asks in surprise, his voice lowering to speak between just them, even if it doesn't mask his worry. "But it's raining." he murmurs, looking her over, making sure she didn't get wet.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
It doesn't matter that the rain could have been a death sentence for Coco: she is now here in the safety of the club room, and she is glad to be when she sees the terrible state that nightmare has reduced Yuuto to.

"Yes, it is, but at least I am here", she tells him after stopping the kiss. "I knew the risk and took the appropriate precautions, and I don't regret it at all", she comments taking in Yuuto's disorderly appearance.

She winces at the sight of him, making lots of conjectures about the kind of nightmare he could have had. Maybe it's his family getting attacked by his own enemies, maybe it was the thought of drowning when he was in her palace, maybe it was something happening to him and his family and friends never getting to know... Just because Yuuto's parents disapprove of his career choice, doesn't mean that they won't worry about each other.

"It's alright, I didn't dissolve or anything. Let's talk about you instead. Frankly, you look as if you were caught in the middle of an onrush of stingrays", Coco relays her poor impression of his appearance. "Could you please tell me about the nightmare?"

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"Is an onrush of stingrays a things? Is that dangerous? That sounds really dangerous." Yuuto comments with equal parts concern and curiosity as he pulls back from Coco to lead her back to the table that he was working at. He pulls over a chair for her. "It's good that you're here, actually, I mean, I remember what you look like, but this gives me a real reference."

For a moment, it seems that Yuuto is going to avoid the subject of his nightmare entirely. It was a thing that happened. Not the first time it did, he's a young man after all. But, something about that worried look in her golden eyes. The fact that she made all the effort to be here.

He picks up the clay to idly work at it. "...so I had a dream that I was with you in your palace. And I didn't have my tail yet." he starts off as he glances at her and then back to the clay. Yeah, it's a little harder to work on her torso while she's wearing clothes, he has ideas on what she looks like from her mermaid form.

"Instead, Tinker and I had come up with this... contraption that was supposed to mimic a tail. And it had worked great at first. But we were swimming over a trench or something, and playing chase. You were far ahead of me, I mean, just a little golden speck."

He pauses in his work, closing his emerald eyes in thought as he recalls the nightmare. "I felt something grab me. Like tendrils. And it started to pull me down, deeper and deeper. I couldn't move the tail, I couldn't escape. I couldn't breathe. I felt the metal crushing my legs and then my breath left my lungs and..." he lets out a shaky breath, opening his eyes and working on the clay again. "...it was like... a giant squid was pulling me deeper and deeper. Further and further away from you."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Yes, you really should try to distance yourself from them as much as you can if you see approaching stingrays", Coco warms him. "They have these stingers and being struck by just one of them is incredibly painful. I leave it to your imagination what would happen if one was the victim of a group of them." Not that she suggests actually imagining it.

She stares at Yuuto apprehensively as she waits for him to start speaking. They agreed on this, so she isn't worried about him keeping it away from her. Instead she focuses on reassuring him it's ok, that he doesn't have to worry about anything, standing next to him with only a hand on his shoulder, watching him work.

Coco isn't going to turn into a mermaid with the open view of the room, so Yuuto will have rely on his memory and his photos, but she listens while he finally makes up his mind and starts recounting his nightmare.

"Maybe I wasn't cautious enough", she murmurs when he mentions her palace being the location of his dream. "I should taken care not to awaken any fears. I am sorry, Yuuto, and if the ocean makes you afraid, we can take it slowly. You don't have to worry about becoming a merman, me dissolving, and squids catching and hurting you." She hugs him from behind and starts singing softly Beautiful Wish.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"It wasn't a matter of you being cautious." Yuuto corrects gently when Coco starts trying to find faults with herself. "It was a nightmare, I could have just as easily been imaging our wedding day as easily as this scenario was." he points out to his Princess as he feels the comfort of her hand on his shoulder and how amazing that this feeling has grown in the short time they were together.

"I think it was more, the idea of... me trying to imagine how to balance out my magic with your world." he states quietly to her. "My fears that I will have to give up being a Steam Sentinel to be your Prince." He pauses at that. "Not that I don't think there is an option of just one or the other. We will find some way to make it work." That is said with a note of optimism.

"It speaks more... of my want to be with you, Coco, and maybe my brain is just trying to find a way to make it work. I don't know."

Because her words are quickly starting to sound like a breakup speech. The clay is set on the table, his hands moving to cover hers. "We're together, Coco-chan. And nothing is going to change that my heart is yours. Please don't let a night of me working too hard with too much coffee milk with my own thoughts that I am good enough for you turn this into something it does need to be. I am not afraid of the ocean. I'm not afraid of changing. I am afraid of losing you." he admits to her quietly.

When he feels her press gently to him, he leans back into her touch, closing his eyes as she starts to sing to him. She's warm. Comfortable. Loving. He could just rest his eyes a little bit. Here in the moment. Sleep would be nice. But he wants the time with her. Every second he can get. And if he falls asleep, she may leave and tell him goodbye.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco listens carefully to the clarification Yuuto gives her. Maybe if she had done this differently it wouldn't have happened. Eventually, though, she focuses on the worries he has introduced, that she is here to tackle, rather than her own.

Because her speech certainly isn't meant to be a breakup sign, rather she wants to be sure he becomes used to things at his own pace, so they can in fact keep dating and eventually live together as a married couple.

"Becoming my Prince won't get in the way of you being a Steam Sentinel, I promise", she tells Yuuto, staring at him with those golden eyes full of affection for him as she reaches his forehead with a kiss. "I have no problem assuming a human form, so you too will be able to after you become a merman. Don't worry, I love you, and I will never let you sacrifice something dear to you."

And Coco understands the worry, because it is certainly a complicated matter, but she isn't one to quit, no matter what life may throw at her, she will power through anything, so she will always be there to help him, no matter what happens.

"I don't want to lose you either", she whispers to him. "But that's why I didn't let some stupid rain stop me from reaching you. Because I care about you and I don't want to imagine a world in which we aren't together. The rain didn't kill me, and neither won't anything else we will face, together", she declares with a tone full of love and fiery determination, interlacing her fingers with his.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
It is complicated. It all is. But in the end, Coco is here. And so is Yuuto. Those two facts are static. And as she tells him all of her feelings, his cheeks darken with affection and he pulls her around so that he can wrap his arms around her and hold her close to him, his head against her chest to listen to the sound of her heartsong for him.

And as she continues to speak and kisses him, his emerald eyes match her golden ones. "I love you, too, Coco." he admits quietly to the princess, eyes shining with his heart's thoughts on the matter. "We'll work through this. It was a nightmare. Not a premonition. Just a momentary fear brought on by a lack of sleep and poor nutrition." he promises.

And as she enters her passionate declaration for the pair of them and her heart for his, his fingers squeeze hers in response. "And nothing will stop me from getting to you, Coco-chan." he promises, his hand only leaving hers so he can reach up and cradle her face and pull her down for a loving, lingering kiss of renewed hopes, feelings and affection that lasts several moments longer than practical before he breaks away.

"It may be a while before the rain clears." he whispers against her. "Want to stay around for a while? We can talk about other things. Valentine's Day, things that we like... what's your favorite thing you've discovered since you've come to the surface?" he asks her curiously.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco lets Yuuto rest against her as he calms down, serenely embracing him as he listens to her beating heart, the rhythm of her heart singing of the joy she feels when he stays this close to her, an ardent desiring euphoria that cheers at their situation.

"Even if it was a premotion, I am not afraid", Coco confides in him. "Love can even change the constellations that decide fate, of this I am sure." With the warm presence of their connected hands, she adds "And next time, I will leave my phone on for the night. If you get anxious and have trouble sleeping again, I want to be there for you."

She beams a smile of pure joy at him. She just can't change the pure energy hearing him reciprocate her always gives him. Neither of them will let go, and they can confide in each other, and be joined for life. "Thank you, Yuuto", Coco says before pressing her lips against his.

"Of course, I don't mind staying here at all", she replies after breaking the kiss. "And this is the first time I see you work in your element. If I enjoy it in our room, I can't wait to admire you here." There is also the matter of the favourite thing she has discovered. "Besides you, you mean?", she chuckles with affection. "That would be cellphones. They are so convenient for staying into contact with friends and boyfriend. But if they don't count, I quite enjoy volleyball."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"We do talk a lot on the phone and via text. Not a complaint." Yuuto responds as he just takes in all of her hopes and feels his own welling within him at her total dedication to their relationship. "We did the movie thing together. But I have a feeling we may have had more fun if we had done that as a couple. Not that meeting new people was bad!"

"Have you been to the arcade yet?" he asks curiously. "I think we'd have fun with all the games and such. I can try to win you a stuffie for your room so when you go to bed at night, you have a little bit of me." he suggests with a small laugh.

"I'll reach out if I need to, Coco-chan." he promises to her. He closes his eyes, just basking in the moment, before gesturing to the chair so that she may join him again. Then he laughs. "I'm kinda nervous about this." comes his admission.

"I've done clay work on a girl before, I mean, that's pretty basic. But never a girl I am involved with. Want to make sure I get it right." A small blush as he continues to work to shape the torso.

"Oh! Did you like what I did with the tail? I'm still looking for inspiration for the base. I didn't really get enough time in the Palace to get ideas of what that would look like."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"We have all the time ahead of us", Coco smiles in response. "We can add a movie night between the two of us together to our date options. I am sure nobody would notice Yellow Pearl Voice and Steam Sentinel Propel sneak out of the dorms and then back in*, she smiles satisfied.

"Yes, I have been to the arcade, two times with friends", she explains, "but that doesn't mean we can't do it the two of us. That will be a totally different experience with my handsome boyfriend", she comments sneaking a peck at him.

Coco sits down at his invitation. "Please do, there is nothing wrong with relying on me, so don't be nervous, ok?" she stares at those emerald eyes in search of their dephts.

And the mermaid nods, squeezing Yuuto's hand. "Can the door be sealed shut? I don't mind becoming a mermaid here then", she suggests.

"You did a splendid work, and I am sure you will have no trouble finding those final touches", Coco expresses her full trust in him.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"Probably best you remain a human for now, Coco. While we can close the door, I wouldn't want someone to come in and find you." Yuuto admits quietly as he looks up at her for a moment and grins. "My darling..." he mentions when she starts getting affectionate and kisses his cheek. "You are quite distracting."

And he doesn't say that in the bad 'I want you to stop' way as he returns the squeeze to her hand. "I'll just have to rely on my very active imagination~" he teases her softly, an attempted little flirt towards the admitted Princess of the flirt.

"Are there things you have not tried yet that you would want to try with me?" he asks her curiously, then asks.

"Would it be safe to take you to Dream Kingdom?" he asks. "Considering that it's built over the ocean, it may not be the best idea, but I heard that the view from the ferris wheel is spectacular, and is a prime spot for confessions and such."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"I meant seal it shut, but sure, I will stay as I am", Coco boops affectionately at Yuuto's nose. "Can you blame me?" she winks. "We mermaids know what we want when our soulmate is near. Oh, sad fate it is that my beloved's presence is such a enticing trap", she smiles at Yuuto.

"Well, if your imagination is so good, then I expect you to get all the details right", Coco teases back, expecting him to blush after turning his flirt on him.

"Going at a cinema is actually new to me", the mermaid informs him. "Is it because you don't like the thought of sneaking out? We don't have to do it then."

Coco turns her gaze upwards, reflecting on the matter of the theme park. She has never been there, but she has heard a few things about it. "That's the park with the Dream Ride, that rollercoster that goes right over water, right? I believe things will be fine as long as we avoid that one. I doubt I would fall into the sea." That's ridiculous, she is not clumsy. "Even if something unlucky happened and I fell, I could just hide below the platform."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"I didn't say there was anything at all wrong with sneaking out with my soulmate for a romantic date that is totally breaking curfew." Yuuto points out in retaliation, though as she turns on the flirt and teasing, he does feel a little warmth in his cheeks before he leans up to mention for her ears only.

Once he says those words that are meant for her alone, Yuuto chuckles. "I do not mind seeing what adventures we can get into with and without our powers, Coco." he points out to her. "And exploring what our lives are going to be like together."

He nods at her feelings on the roller coaster, willing to accept that. Knowing their limits is part of dating, and their relationship. "No roller coaster, but the ferris wheel is a must." he points out to her.

"What is something you haven't tried yet that you want to do?" A small smile. "We've not even had just a plain dinner date yet." Even if they're probably shared lunch at school a few times by now. "I mean, just to add to all the dates we have planned."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"That's good, because I think we would both enjoy that date, and frankly I am not concerned about that curfew. I am managing the responsibilities of a kingdom, I can handle a little evening walk, and I am fully emancipated to do so under the law ever since I have been 13", she says.

And for the first time Yuuto's comment does make Coco blush a little as she smiles content. "Well, well, thank you, my Prince."

"I am actually looking forward to those moments too. When I think of them, I become so giddy that's like walking on clouds", she confides.

"On that I agree completely, in a slow cabin just the two of us as we enjoy the panorama with nothing else in the world, just the moment we are in", she blinks sincerely with her expressive eyes.

"Well, what about, going to the mall and suggesting what we would like each other to wear. It might be a challenge, but I am sure I can find something beautiful enough to compare to you", she proposes with a little flirt tacked on.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
While he's not emancipated from his family, Yuuto's parents have nearly washed their hands of him, which makes things much easier. But when she blushes. Oh, that brings about a change...

Yuuto smiles. A warm, affectionate, playful, satisfied smile. He rarely can catch his girlfriend off guard. She's a firecracker filled with flirtation and he never know when he'll catch one from her. To have made a roundabout? He's the cat that had the fish and drank the cream after.

But then, she's reminding him that she's the one that has the best flirting around and when she mentions them being alone, his cheeks warm anew as his green eyes meet her yellow ones. "...y-yes, that would be n-nice." he manages, a nervous chuckle raising from him. And just like that, she's in control again.

When there's the mention of the mall, he ohs. "That could be fun. I don't know much about fashion though." he admits. "But I promise I wouldn't pick something you would be embarassed in. Maybe pick something for the other, sight unseen, and then we have to wear it on a date together?" he asks her in suggestion, apparently approving of the challenge she presents as he continues to work on the clay.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"I don't think you not knowing much about fashion is a problem", Coco points out. "I am giving you a free opportunity to buy things that you think I would look good in." And also claiming that right for herself with regards to him, but of course she would have gone for that. It's a fair trade, in a fair world.

"That sounds good, we can totally do that", she accepts his terms. "Maybe even for the date at the Dream Kingdom, to give them a grand welcome. There could be no better occasion." She actually really likes the idea of going there.

"There are actually lots of games and food stands there, I think. It's like being in the middle of a festival the entire year. I wonder what I will win for you", she already starts imagining that day in an amazed reverie.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
Picking out her clothes? For a date to Dream Kingdom? And as close as it is, it could totally be their Valentine's Day date. All these things combine and Yuuto slips, fumbling the torso he was working on in his hands and he yelps, catching the clay, but too hard, his hands squishing into the clay.

And humorously, his fingers are right in the middle of the clay's 'bust'.

"Ack!" he yelps, realizing what he's done, the young man lifting his hands to look at the ruined lump of clay, his cheeks as warm as fresh cherries as he listens to her and he swallows hard, clearly caught off guard.

And there's no flirty retort this time. She's caught her boyfriend unaware and flatfoot and that satisified smile is just goofy and silly and just... so in love with her. Yep. She's still go it. Totally. And him.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Whoops", Coco says as she notices the disaster that befell the clay. "We totally murdered it. And that's certainly one way to reach my heart, even if it already was yours", she pokes a bit of fun at the situation, noticing the finger that went into the bust.

"Sorry for making you waste all that work though", she adds sincerely to Yuuto. "Now you have to redo everthing, and when you were almost there, to boot", she point out. "Want to take a pause and work on it again another time?" She proposes the situation ans at least the subject matter, but it would go well at least, she thinks.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
Yuuto sighs and leans back in the chair. But when Coco starts to apologize, he shakes his head and chuckles. "Not your fault!" he promises her, "I got distracted." he admits as he sets the clay down for now. When she suggests taking a break, he glances outside and notices that the rain has slowed to a stop.

"I've dropped clay and broken statues plenty of times. But yeah, probably a good time to take break, rethink my approach. And most importantly? Spend some time with my Princess." he offers as he moves to set the sheet over the project for now as he moves to his feet.

"So, what shall we do for the rest of the afternoon, Coco-chan?"