1341/Animal Instincts

Animal Instincts
Date of Scene:	25 March 2024
Location:	Penguin Park - Animal Kingdom
Synopsis:	Katsumi makes a special treat for Kaori.
Cast of Characters:	Katsumi Cora, Kaori Jira

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Katsumi Cora has posed:
"So, I bet you're wondering. But Katsumi, you can't see, why are we at the zoo." Katsumi is saying as he walks next to Kaori, his hand settled on her arm, his pole put away as he relies on her guidance - trusting her with it, actually. Kobo is still at his other side, the pup keeping the pace as Katsumi glances up at the taller girl and beams a smile at her.

"Because, if this is a date - I want to see what you see. So, I can feel the braille and translate it on the different displays, but I want you to tell me what you see it as. You know. I want to experience what it is through your eyes and voice." A little blush on his cheeks, wanting to scoot closer to her, but for now - keeping his proper distance. Dressed in a polo-style shirt with slacks and loafers, he's very business casual in his dress. Keeping with being on a date, perhaps?

Kaori Jira has posed:
"It did cross my mind," Kaori offered, a little agreement in her slightly confused tone. Arm offered for support, Kaori did herself look her usual -almost delinquent- self, jeans and a dark top. At least she'd gone without her beat-up leather jacket!

His words were sweet though, enough to make her flush a little despite herself and give a little cough. "As long as you don't get bored..."

Katsumi Cora has posed:
"Why would I get bored?" Katsumi asks, a glance up at the girl next to him. "I enjoy your company and the sound of your voice." he offers to her, his hand lightly caressing the skin of her lower arm, if she allows.

As they walk, he mimes looking around. "So. Which way will you lead me first, Kaori-chan?" he asks her, using a far more familiar version of her name. Trying it out. Seeing how she reacts to it before placing it in more permament use.

Kaori Jira has posed:
"If you say so..." Kaori offers, perhaps a little more reserved and greatful he couldn't see her flush at that caress. "We could...start with those tall spotted things over there."

Yep. Kaori didn't know what a griaffe was, but at least her name didn't seem to bring any negative response!

Katsumi Cora has posed:
"Tall spotted things?" Katsumi asks, a little amusement in his voice as he walks with Kaori. His tone is light, trying to encourage her as they walk. "Tell me more about them." Sure, he could brush the plaque and learn, but the touch-starved boy wants her closeness and for her to talk to him. He adores the attention she gives him, after all.

"I've heard that there's a Prom in a couple of weeks." he ventures. "I was asked to help make refreshments, which I will, but I probably won't go. It'd be kind of silly for a kid that can't see to stand around awkwardly and listen to the music, right?"

Kaori Jira has posed:
"They are yellow and...gangly. They do not look like predators," Kaori offers, even if she seems unsure of how to describe the citters. She was trying though, that had to count for something.

"Prom," Kaori repeats, tilting her head. "The 'dancing' thing that they are talking about in the academy, right? A celebration of sorts?"

Truly an alien monster, to be a teenage girl with no idea what a prom was.

Katsumi Cora has posed:
"Do they kind of look like a horse?" Katsumi asks curiously. "With a long neck?" She should know what a horse is, right? Right?

"Yes. It is an end of year celebration with music and dancing and food and... romance and all that." He sighs a little. Things he doesn't get to experience like this. "My mom told me about them, she's American."

Kaori Jira has posed:
"Kind of?" Kaori offers, although that could be a pure guess. -Did- she know what a horse was? Well... "It doesn't have wings or a horn though, so..." she trails off. After all, she'd only ever seen Swiftwind! Still she nods her head, a little squeeze of an affirmative before considering. "I do not know how to dance..."

Katsumi Cora has posed:
Katsumi looks perplexed for a moment, and lifts a brow. "Wings? Horn? Oookay." he says with a little laugh. "If it's yellow, that's a giraffe!" he offers to her in explanation. When she squeezes, he presses just a little closer to her. "I did." he admits. "But it's been a long time since I danced." he admits to her as they continue to walk.

"I could teach you? It would involve a lot of close contact though." he teases her. A small pause of thought. "...I mean. If you would be interested in me. Like that."

Kaori Jira has posed:
"There was no dancing where I am from...not in the way humans do it. No music really...well, not like you'd expect..." Kaori lists as they move, taking in the sight (or description) of the strange animals before they'd begin to drift to the next one.

His offer to teach her, that brings a blink, a pause in her step before she turns her gaze to look at him, the subtle shift likely felt. "Interested in you, like a dancing teacher?"

Katsumi Cora has posed:
When she comes to a halt, Katsumi does as well - she's his guide after all, he pauses as well. "How is dancing where you are from?" he asks her curiously, his attention on her words.

Right until she mistakes what he says and her words cause him pause. He turns to face her completely. "...I mean. If that's what you want. I..." he feels his cheeks color. "I enjoy your company." he admits to her. "And I didn't mean as your teacher. More..." he shrugs, not sure of his words.

Kaori Jira has posed:
She shouldn't be embarassed, and yet...something about her new form made it strange. "It's more like...roaring, stomping, all of that..." she begins. "Scaring off, claiming dominance, territory..."

She trails off, it didn't really make for a human logic. Still, she turns back towards Katsumi before his words has her considering. "I...enjoy your company to."

Katsumi Cora has posed:
He should tell her. He should tell her his secret. But Katsumi's not quite ready yet. But she is opening up a little. "Am I territory?" he asks her playfully, a small grin. And without a second thought, his hands move, feeling her shoulders, and then up to her face.

When he finally feels her cheeks, he raises up on his tiptoes and presses a light kiss against Kaori's cheek. "Good." he says to her quietly.

Kaori Jira has posed:
The kiss? The question? Kaori's brain stopped working right there, the sheer heat of her blush had her wondering if she was about to accidently transform. Giving a little blink, another blink, before she was able to find her words.

"Good."

Well...she tried.

Katsumi Cora has posed:
They both tried! Baby steps, apparently.

Turning back to be at Kaori's side, Katsumi is just a little bit closer to the girl as they resume their walk. "Where to next?" he asks her, a warm smile, still unable to hide the blush in his cheeks.

Even if his kiss missed.

Kaori Jira has posed:
What next? Well, Kaori had to work out how to think properly first. Still, they started walking, the girl considering for a moment. Right, more animals, she heads towards the directions of more creatures. "This one," she begins as they're closer together. "It has scales, teeth, crawls on its belly...I've seen things like this, but bigger."

Katsumi Cora has posed:
As she starts to explain the next animal to her, Katsumi's brows rise a little. The scales and teeth - well, that could almost be some of the dark energy he senses around her. But, then she says it crawls on it's belly, and he ohs. "A snake?" he asks, looking to her for confirmation.

And as they talk, his hand moves from being set on her arm, down to her hand, his fingers lightly curling into hers, hoping that she responds in kind as he attempts to take another step in conveying his feelings.

Kaori Jira has posed:
"No...it has legs," she speaks, guiding Katsumi over towards the display that would explain through those textured bumps that they were looking at a Crocodile. His hand shifting position to her hand? Well, it was a new gesture she was a little surprised for herself. Yet even she knew what it was, a moment of hesitation passing for a heartbeat before her fingers interlaced with his.

After all, this human thing wasn't quite so bad.

Katsumi Cora has posed:
As they reach the plaque, Katsumi feels the braille on the plaque and he giggles lightly, squeezing Kaori's hand. "Ah, legs! Yes, a crocodile!" he decides, once he translates the bumps. And after a moment, he reaches into the small messenger bag he has with him.

And from within, he pulls out a small wrapped package, offering it to Kaori. A chocolate brownie. "I made this for you." he admits quietly. "I thought, you know... you would like it." A way to a kaiju's heart is through her stomach, right?