1343/An Overdue Spa Day

An Overdue Spa Day
Date of Scene:	25 March 2024
Location:	Beach
Synopsis:	Ami and Zoisite deserve a spa day, so they have one.
Cast of Characters:	Zoisite, Ami Mizuno

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Zoisite has posed:
    When Zoisite had turned up at Ami's door, unannounced, it'd been with the results for his grade placement, from his assessment test.

    Watch out, Radiant Heart Academy, Zoisite is officially a member of your student body.

    He hadn't expected anything less, of course, and had spent all of Sunday either prepping for or enjoying the results of his sakura viewing party, which had gone off flawlessly. Thanks in no small part to the help of others, but of course if he hadn't been the one organizing it, it wouldn't have happened in the first place, would it?

    So he arrives not just with the good news of his placement, but with a container of food: sweet and savory sandos, homemade onigiri, hanami dango and sakura mochi, and several cherry blossom cookies, all saved for Ami. But leftovers are for later.

    Right now, they have somewhere to be.

    The beachside spa in Yumegahama is not the busiest this time of year, though there is an influx of students who are enjoying their break from school, so it's a good thing Zoisite had booked their appointments early (with the expectation of success on his placement test). They're greeted with several options for refreshing beverages, and then escorted into a private room with two reclining spa chairs. Apparently Zoisite had been very firm about wanting to book the "romantic couple" retreat without the implication of there being any romance, so instead of rose petals it's some other pink flower they've used to decorate things.

    Zoisite suspects they're peonies, which still have a romantic implication, but they're not roses so he'll refrain from making complaints.

    Seated and with a facial mask on, Zoi carefully sips from his infused water and then lets out a long, lingering sigh. "Finally. After all that stress, we deserve this."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno hadn't attended the sakura viewing with the others for one very good reason! She'd made plans to go to dinner with her mother during one of the few rare down time moments her mother had between her various tasks. Between the hospital, the lectures, the conventions and other things it was rare she was home at a time that matched up with Ami.

It was also rare she actualy made the planned events with Ami. Dinner had been alone after a quick phone call about an emergency that had come up, and so she'd missed out on relaxing in the day *and* on a family dinner. When Zoi greets her at the door with the good news she's ... actually really, really happy to see his success.

Enough so that she let herself be brought out to this beachside spa, with snacks, and is currently wearing the fuzziest bathrobe she can ever recall having worn while a facemask is stuck on.

The flowers were indeed peonies but they were nice.

"I still feel as if I ought to be doing something. Maybe with..." No, she had promised to take this seriously and try to relax. Her words cut off, a deep breath is taken, and she corrects, "This is nice. Thank you, Zoi." Her own drink is raised to take a sip enjoying the fizzy water with strawberry slices in it for a hint of flavor.

Zoisite has posed:
    Certainly Zoi had missed Ami at the sakura viewing, but his good mood from it has spilled over into the start of the week so he's choosing not to hold it against her. Especially knowing she had a very good reason to miss it. Family was important, which he knows and can appreciate, even if the family he has now is very different to the one he had when he was growing up.

    So she got leftovers, and no sass, which probably seems like a miracle when it comes to Zoisite.

    "You have nothing to do but be here in this moment," Zoisite says, in a coaching sort of tone. Not unlike the tone Ami would use when guiding him through studying! He can't properly look over at her, because of the mask and the cucumber slices on his eyes, but he'd definitely be peering at her if he could.

    Instead, he hands his drink back to the attendant at his side, who is currently working on his nails. They're in the "buffing until smooth" part of the manicure, at the moment.

    He adds, "Think of it as recharging a battery. That's what we're doing right now, so that we're at our top strength to help Mamoru and Usagi when they need us most."

    As much as Zoisite acts like he doesn't care, it's clearly just as much on his mind as it is on everyone else's.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"That's true," Ami agrees as she leans back to rest her head actually ON the pillow instead of hovering just off of it so that she could look up. She'd opted to not have the cucumbers over her eyes if only because it felt really weird to be that vulnerable in an unfamiliar place. Some leftover bit of wanting to be constantly on her guard perhaps.

"I *have* been pushing myself a bit much lately. At least I don't have to worry about a dress for the upcoming dance," she remarks with a long sigh that didn't seem as if she was upset about it. She HAD a dress and it was one she really liked. "Usagi and some of the other girls talked me into buying a formal dress a few months ago. It's really pretty, I think."

A long thoughtful pause comes while considering that, and other things, to get prepared for. Which may be a little confusing perhaps when she asks, "Tadase-kun asked me to go to the dance with him. I agreed. I guess I should probably get some accessories for the dress though."

Zoisite has posed:
    "Of course it is," Zoisite replies, haughtily. Because he's always right, isn't he? His lips purse just a little bit, the most he can move his face without truly upsetting the mask. His free hand adjusts the folds of his own fluffy robe, and then he peels off one cucumber to look at his nails when prompted by the nail tech to confirm that, yes, that is the length he prefers. Which is short but not too' short.

    You know, in case he needs to really get catty.

    Then he has some time to relax and try his best not to think. A difficult task, but one he is committed to, at least until Ami spills the beans about her dance date. "Is that so?" he asks, the grin audible in his voice even though it technically isn't showing on his face. "Well, I look forward to meeting him. And in the meantime..."

    Zoisite pauses for dramatic effect.

    "We could go shopping?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"We could," Ami agrees with a little grin as she's almost thankful that he suggested that. It's just what the girls would have done--Only with less forcibly dragging Ami away from her studies to do so. A nice suggestion as opposed to the ruthless enthusiasm that they sometimes had.

Of course they were still her friends and she would still go along either way, but it was nice having a more subdued offer as well.

"I'll show you the dress soon too. You know the theme of the dance is 'Prince and Princess' prom? Oh, just don't say 'Prince' around Tadase-kun it's a little bit of a trigger for him."

That goes unexplained, for now, due to the staff being there working on his fingernails. That would be an odd conversation.

"He's head of the student council and is a bit younger than me. That should be okay though, right?"

Zoisite has posed:
    Zoisite lets out the tiniest little gleeful laugh at the thought of shopping. He's been working hard too, after all, he deserves to treat himself... not that he isn't already doing that, with the facial and manicure he's literally having done right in this moment. But self care is an important responsibility, and shopping would just be a fun little treat.

    Yes, that's how he's going to justify it.

    "I should probably see the dress before we go shopping," he points out after a moment of consideration. So, a delayed treat, oh well. "Just so I know what we're working with, of course."

    Soon enough the tech is done with that hand and is moving around Zoisite to work on the other, and so he wiggles the fingers of his now-free hand, waiting for the clear polish to dry. "How appropriate," he says of the theme, and then says nothing at all about Tadase's triggers... though he makes a curious noise, fully intending to follow up on that when in private.

    His hair is carefully tied back with a headband to keep it out of his face, and he nearly ruins his manicure by reaching for it out of habit, though he thankfully stops the motion halfway through. "If anyone gives you trouble for dating someone younger, you just let me know." The threat lingers in his voice, as well as the potential glee at causing mischief.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
That made sense, showing him the dress first so they could find accessories that match. Ami makes a little sound of agreement while she considers her own nails. Should she also get a manicure? That was usually something she did herself though it was nice to change the color up on a whim.

The thought is forgotten as she drops her hand back down to her lap for now just enjoying laying there. "It's a really nice one. Blues and gold," she explains as if that might at least give a general idea of what color scheme they'd be working with. "I'll show you though. There's a photo Michiru-chan took of me while trying it on."

Then that word. That horrible word that causes a quick breath, and eyes fluttering open to stare up at the ceiling.

"Dating?" Were they DATING already? They'd spent time together. She'd tried to help find a way to help him overcome his 'Prince Issue' she'd vaguely mentioned. But were they DATING dating? "... He said he likes spending time with me and that he thinks I'm smart and..." Oh, a deep breath is taken, and she holds it a moment trying not to feel her cheeks flush hot under the thankfully cooling sheet mask. Maybe that would help her.

"Thanks. I'll have to think about that. About. I mean. He only asked me to the dance."

Zoisite has posed:
    Under his own mask, Zoisite is totally oblivious to Ami's oncoming panic. He's busy imagining the sort of accessories that might be appropriate for a blue-and-gold ensemble... though of course it would still be important to see the dress first. A necklace could be long and plunging or a choker, and what was appropriate depended entirely on the neckline of the dress. Sleeve length also impacted arm accessories like bracelets and bands.

    "Well at least he's accomplishing the bare minimum," Zoi says of this Tadase, after Ami says he likes spending time with her, and thinks she's smart.

    He crosses his legs underneath the flowy bottom of his robe. "I haven't decided if I'll let anyone take me to this dance or not. Coordinating outfits is always so troublesome, and half the people worthy of going on my arm are probably too stubborn to just let me dress them."

    A put-upon sigh echoes out from Zoisite at the thought. "Besides, it's more fun for me to go by myself. More people to dance with. But I'll make sure to reserve one for you at the very least, Ami-chan," he promises.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Huff. Huff. Huff. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Ami has sat up at this point, abruptly and possibly startling the poor woman working on Zoisite's manicure. Her hands clench in her robe as she stares wide-eyed straight ahead.

"Alone is good," she blurts out in apparent agreement with his remark of going alone. Her voice is just pitched up a *little* bit by the remark though, and as he continues to talk about saving her a dance she's hit by at least a vague memory of doing something similar a long, long time ago.

It was familiar. It was safe. *Zoi* was safe. He wasn't ever going to declare he was in love with her and ask to date or... Anything like that.

"... I'm not sure we're *dating* I just mean he asked me to the dance not..." Another deep berath and she gasps out quietly pleading.

"Is that what it means, Zoi?"

Zoisite has posed:
    "Darling," comes a long drawl, which is somehow both fond and condescending at the same time and also very, very Zoisite. He's not upsetting his face mask or his ongoing manicure, but without looking he has a sense of exactly what Ami is doing right now.

    AKA, she's probably freaking out. That little uptick in her voice confirms it.

    His head does shift, almost imperceptibly, to the side where the nail tech is working. "Could I bother you to give us a few minutes alone?" and the tech almost immediately is gone, apparently having sensed the awkward tension in the air.

    With a sigh, Zoi removes the cucumbers from his eyes and blinks a few times, adjusting to the light. "You don't have to date until you are absolutely, one hundred thousand percent ready. And if that never happens?"

    He reaches with his half-manicured hand to brush against Ami's arm, or at least her fluffy robe, to make sure she's listening to him. "Then that's totally fine. Go at your pace or none at all, that's the very least that you deserve," he explains, voice patient.

    Having said what he wanted to say, he leans back in his chair, pops the cucumbers back in place, and relaxes. "Now stop freaking out. I'm going to get you a manicure, they do a wonderful hand massage after, that will calm you down... besides, you probably need it after all the studying you've done."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno closes her eyes at the darling. Moreso when he shoos off the manicurist, but he does at least say the right things she needs to hear. He was right there. She didn't NEED to date. Right now she *wasn't* sure. Tadase was nice, and she didn't dislike spending time with him either.

A hand lifts to almost rub over her face. The mask was on though and that fact quickly stops her from simply rubbing her face and ruining it. Instead the hand drops back down to her lap so she can regard her fingers as if to confirm what he says. They *were* a bit dry from all the papers.

"... Thank you. You're right. I'm just over thinking it. Especially after what happened to us a few weeks ago." She was not about to get into the story of the magic clam fortune teller that a mermaid had read their fortune saying they were meant for each other. THAT had left her in hives for a whole night.

"A hand massage does sound nice."

Zoisite has posed:
    "Overthinking is something of your specialty," Zoisite points out, and it's not unkind. "Often to our benefit, and to your detriment." They settle back in to relax, and soon enough the nail tech returns to finish up Zoi's manicure.

    It takes the very briefest conversation to confirm that Ami can get one too. Almost as if Zoisite had planned for that to be the case all along.

    First hand's nails finally dry, Zoi does allow himself the relief of giving into habit and idly fussing with his hair. Admittedly the humidity in the room, thanks to the nearby sea as well as a humidifier filled with calming essential oils, is puffing it up a bit. Somehow for Zoisite though that just translates to even more volume, rather than frizziness.

    He's nearly fallen asleep when a thought occurs to him, and he mulls over it for a little while before saying, "It's nice to be able to do things like this, the two of us. Without having to be sneaky."

    Ami might not remember, but Zoisite has enough of his memories to recall what it was like, clandestine meetings just to be friends. Significantly less than the trouble Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity had to do, as the epitome of star-crossed lovers in secret. It makes a frown mar his features, which crinkles his face mask a little... though thankfully they're just about due to be removed.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno leans back into the reclined chair once more lifting her hands to rest on the armrests and not her stomach. A decision to try and put herself in a more open and relaxed posture, and not the 'curled in on herself unwilling to be approached' tense posture she had been in.

"Sneaking around is over-rated," she agrees even if her memories were fleeting at best. If she really tried to remember she likely could. It was just something she hadn't pursued much assuming that being forgetful was likely a blessing in disguise.

Talk of overthinking does also gain a small grin. "I do, don't I? I'll try to not think so much all the time. Mostly. At least in times like this," she adds before again rolling her head in his direction.

"This is nice. Thank you, Zoi."

Before they get into manicuring HER she reaches down to her phone to shoot off a copy of her photo in the dress. That little task taken care of she lays back as well just allowing herself to relax as much as he was.

Zoisite has posed:
    "At least in times like this," Zoisite agrees. His nails are finally done, and while he doesn't remove the cucumbers to look at them, he does lift them up to display them for a moment (nothing really exciting, just clear polish) before he lays them down to dry.

    And then it's Ami's turn! The nail tech rolls over and gets Ami's hands soaking in little dishes of warm water.

    The other workers knock on the door and let themselves in, ready to remove their masks and move on to the next step of the facial process. "You're welcome," Zoi says on a sigh, contentedly. "We'll have to make a habit of this. It's only what we deserve, after all."