2244/Catching Up!

Catching Up!
Date of Scene:	17 January 2025
Location:	Cafe BAKE Neko
Synopsis:	Bow and Makoto meet to catch up and Bow asks her out on a date.
Cast of Characters:	Bow, Makoto Kino

---

Bow has posed:
It's been... wow, a couple of months since Makoto was turned into the Rose Akuma, and a little over a month since Bow had gone through his own experience. With Usagi and Rashmi pushing at Bow to get out and about with socialize with people instead of moping in his room about everything that's happened recently. He was flipping through his phone when he came across a picture of Makoto from prom, of all things, and he did remember the last time they met. And was curious to see how she was doing. Scrolling to the messages - he taps his thumbs across the screen.

<TEXT> Bow texts Makoto Kino: Hey. :D Haven't seen you in a while. Wanted to see how you were.
<TEXT> Bow texts Makoto Kino: I heard Mamo has a >o.o< neko cafe, haven't visited yet. ...interested?

He was already getting dressed, slipping into a warmer shirt and jeans, and pulling a sweater into place - it is officially cold enough to cover his abs. A pair jeans and some warm boots as he glances at the phone, waiting to see if she responds.

Makoto Kino has posed:
A reply pops up after only a very brief wait.

<TEXT> Makoto Kino texts Bow: sure!
<TEXT> Makoto Kino texts Bow: the cafe is great, you should definitely come by.
<TEXT> Makoto Kino texts Bow: when would you like to meet up?

Plans are thus made, and when Bow arrives at Cafe BAKE Neko, Makoto is already there, settled into a comfortable seat at a table near the counter. A tabby cat has occupied her lap, complicating her efforts to re-tie her somewhat mussed ponytail.

Noticing the door opening, she gives up on her hair and just lets the straggling bits straggle. She lifts a hand to wave instead. "Hi! Come grab a seat, before the cats steal them all."

Bow has posed:
When Bow arrives, it becomes completely obvious that this is his first visit. His dark eyes widen with sparkles and he looks around. "Look at all the little Catras!" he says with a little 'squee' in his voice before he sees Makoto flagging him down, having beat him to the cafe by a few minutes. "Mamo should have dragged me here sooner!" he says with a chuckle as he makes his way over to the table and faces challenge one. Hug? Handshake? Fist bump? "It's great seeing you again. I'd brought a flower, but..." he teases her with a little wink. Finally, with a hint of bravery, he leans in to give her a quick one-armed hug.

Pulling away when that's done, he makes his way to the other side of the table. Pausing, Bow reaches down to lift a tabby out of the bench to set it aside as he moves aside to take a seat, "Sorry, I'll give it back after warming it up for you."

Settling in, he draws in a breath and grins. "So, been a while! How have things been? I've kinda been out of touch, and trying to... well, forge some new bonds." Non-Etherian bonds. That's the key here. "And I was like... I haven't talked to you since the Akuma thing with that whole thing and wanted to see how you're doing. Had my own Akuma experience. Actually trapped Tuxedo Mask."

Makoto Kino has posed:
If Makoto seems slightly surprised by the hug, she's not put off by it; rather, she quickly smiles and gets in a pat on Bow's back before he straightens. "Don't worry about it," she says with a smile as he sits; "things have been kind of busy all around, I think. Between Mamoru-san setting this place up, and everything else..."

Her eyes widen, and she winces slightly in sympathy when he mentions having his own run-in with akumatization. "Gosh, that had to have sucked. I'm glad you're okay... and that he is!"

A beat, then Makoto slides a small plate with a cream puff on it across toward him. "Here, it's one of today's limited specials." There's a subtle but undeniable undercurrent of pride in the way she says it. "I've been doing fine, really. I feel bad I worried everyone back then, but in the end, it might've helped me a little."

Bow has posed:
"Oh, I totally can understand the busy thing. I recently pulled in another Etherian on accident. And trying to help out with all of that. And school." Bow chuckles softly as he settles into place, as Makoto winces.

"It was so embarassing. I became a whole thing with puzzles and traps and overly-complicated machines. But yeah, everyone was okay after they purified me." Bow explains as she slides over the cream puff. "Is this one of your recipes?" he asks quietly. Because he knows the quality of her cooking, and something in her voice prompts him to ask.

"I'm glad it helped you." he responds, finally taking the cream puff and taking a bite off of it. His eyes squeeze close and he gives out a soft 'mmm' of pleasure. "OhmyBrightmoon." Wiggling in his seat he grins. "This is /great/!"

Another bite, because he totally can't resist, and finally, he returns to Earth from land of Puffs and Cream to speak again. "And there's nothing for you to feel bad about. Everyone has things that they have to work through. I'm glad you did. What have you been up to lately?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto almost immediately looks embarrassed; she laughs a little and flushes, bringing up a hand to rub at the back of her neck. "It is," she confirms, suddenly self-conscious. "That's part of what I've been up to, actually - Mamoru-san set it up so I can bake for the cafe whenever I have some time, and they use it for the daily special limited menu item. Which is crazy to think about, but it's amazing to have the chance to make things that are being sold at a place like this, you know?"

She settles back a little, looking at him curiously. "How about you? You said there's another Etherian here now...?"

Bow has posed:
"No, Mamo totally had the right idea. This is great!" Bow finishes off the cream puff while Makoto is talking with gusto and relish, before he sits back and asks, "Does that mean I'm going to have to visit every day to try everything you made?" He sounds completely serious about this idea, "Even if it means I have to do extra push-ups and laps to make up for it." A wink.

And then the subject switches over to him. "Yeah. Another one. Her name's Entrapta, she's a tinkerer and mechanic. In my time, she's also one of the greatest engineers ever. This Entrapta is about half that Entrapta's age. It seems that pulling from the timeline is like... using a crane machine at the arcade?"

"Other than that? A lot of time in my room. I do some travelling, make some blogs and such. But a good friend of mine suggested that while having an online presence is great and all, it's nothing like talking to friends in person. They're a pretty smart person, so, that's kind of the reason I contacted you. We haven't talked in a while, but I know when I talk to you? You make me feel comfortable. And I like that."

Makoto Kino has posed:
The tabby who's been snoozing in her lap startles awake as Makoto waves her hands, flustering. "It's not like I have time to do it every day! ...you should come by often, though. It'd be great if this place could be a success. I don't mean that just for my sake, either."

She reaches to gently scritch the cat behind its ears, as if in apology for disturbing it. "I'm glad to hear that you're comfortable around me," she says after a moment. "I know a thing or two about what it's like to feel isolated... your friend is right, sometimes you really need to spend time with friends. If you're ever feeling like you need some face to face time, you can definitely ask me."

Bow has posed:
That tabby wouldn't be Bonito, would it? Bow would recognize him, but his attention is drawn to Makoto's butterfly hands and he laughs. A moment later, he realizes... she could have possibly made that cream puff before he got there. His cheeks darken further at that thought, and he nods. "I'm sure it will be. Mamoru seems to have the charisma to make things happen in his favor."

Turning her words over in his mind, he glances down as a bombay rubs across his legs. A soft pat of the fabric and he scritches the edge of the bench to invite her up. "Spending some face to face time with you was the idea. I realize that there is only a small fraction of this world I know. And I'd like to know more about it. But... I wouldn't want to do it alone." He stops petting the cat and sets his hands on the table, pressing his fingers together.

"I'd like to ask for a little bit more than face to face time." he finally says.

"I mean, we can do this a few more times, but I was curious, if you would perhaps, like to maybe go on a date sometime?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto's scritching pauses as her eyes widen, and she goes rather still. "A date?" she echoes foolishly. She's turning pink again.

She catches herself a moment later, shaking off the deer-in-headlights surprise. "I mean - sorry, I'm making weird. I'm not used to guys asking me out. But... sure. I'd like that."

Another pause. She bites her lip. "There are... some things I still have to figure out," she adds hesitantly. "But a date would be nice, if you want to sometime."

Bow has posed:
Bow was totally preparing the 'you don't have to speech!' when Makoto goes into the deer in headlights look. It was right there on the tip of his tongue when she responds, "Well, who usually asks you out?" he asks her, looking for a smile or at least an ice breaker. So much so that he almost misses the fact that Makoto said 'yes'. "Yes? You said yes, right? Okay okay, that's cool!"

Then there's the other shoe, and Bow nods. "I get that. I'm still working through some things to. I just... not really sure I want to do it alone. And at least, would enjoy the time with you." Even if it doesn't work out.

"For the record - this isn't a date. This is a catch up." A firm nod of his head follows.

"What type of things do you like to do? We should figure out at least what we would do on said date." Another pet of the cat as he feels himself relax now that he's asked. And avoiding grabbing his phone to furiously text Usagi and Rashmi 'She said yes!'

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto seems to relax as well, only a little bit of the self-consciousness remaining in her demeanor. "I think you're actually the first," she admits with a laugh. "I'll try not to be too awkward."

A tilt of her head as she considers. "The arcade is always a good choice?" she offers. "How do you feel about video games? Or DDR?" Pause. "That's still a video game, isn't it. Um, let me think..."

Bow has posed:
Bow grins. "I'm glad that I am. But it makes no sense as to why noone else has." he admits with a shrug of his shoulders. "Also. Another rule. Youma hunting is not a date." Suggested with a grin, he considers. "Video games is good. So is DDR. I like the outdoors. But, I did have a thought, honestly." Sitting back up in the booth. "I didn't get a chance to ask you for a dance at Prom. We were both so busy."

"I was hoping to get a chance to do that sometime. I guess DDR would technically qualify, but." he bites the inside of his cheek in thought. "Could see about introducing each other to things we like? I'd like to make a recipe with you sometime, for instance."

Makoto Kino has posed:
The very specific removal of youma hunting as a date option gets a laugh out of Makoto. "That's fair," she agrees with an easy nod. "No patrolling or youma hunting. Check. Although, I don't know if anybody's warned you, but youma really seem to like crashing dates."

She blinks a couple times. "I do like dancing... although I don't really know where people go, to go dancing? Aside from someone throwing a fancy party." Her head tilts. "We could definitely try cooking sometime. I like gardening, too," she offers, "although I really only get the chance at Gardening Club, so."

Bow has posed:
There's a warm laugh that comes from Bow as Makoto points out that youma really like crashing dates and he leans forward on his elbows, because he can't help but to tease her a little. "Oh, you have experience on this?" he retorts with a playful smile. Sitting back up a couple of moments later. "Maybe we can find a dance class, or crash some other school's dance." he suggests with a bit of playful deviousness.

"Gardening? Back home, I knew a lot about wilderness survival. I tried to do a weekend camping with the boys when I first got here, but it was more like... they brought their own apartments out into the field instead of like, trying to rough it." There's a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "They looked at me funny when I started fishing by firing arrows into the water."

Though, he's thinking about it. "You're not allowed to have a garden in your room, right?" He'll have to come back to that. "And it's not like, if you want, you could wake up early one day and go on a run with me or exercise? All this good food, I'm going to have to work on this more." A light pat of his abs.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto makes a very wry face. "I've had to try to guard Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san's dates a few times," she says. A little defensively, in a way that suggests the 'had to' was fully something she took on herself without input from either of the two people actually going on the dates. "They've had so many dates crashed! It's ridiculous."

She listens with growing amusement as he mentions the camping trip. "Not gonna lie, I'd probably have looked at you a little funny too. Did you catch any fish that way?" She seems genuinely curious.

"--I have a few potted plants in my room. A whole garden would really need a greenhouse, or at least some outdoor space to dig up, but really that's a lot to take care of around school and youma and everything else." More relaxed again - this is a subject that clearly holds interest for her - she smiles. "Morning runs are good! I go with Saito-kun sometimes. Even with magic, it's best to stay in training, right?"

Bow has posed:
Bow oh-hos at Makoto pointing out that she had to watch Usagi and Mamoru's dates. An actual, "Oh-ho!" Then his own smile blossoms, and he leans in as if to share a secret with her, and suggests, "Does that mean we should ask them to guard our date sometime?" Completely innocent. Also not. He balances it out just right.

Then she asks about the fish, and he gasps, leaning back against the bench with his hand on his heart. "You wound me!" Eyes wide, head tilted. "Why, Makoto, what type of archer do you take me for? I never miss." A little puff of his chest, but the amusement in his eyes speaks to the truth.

"There's a lot of open lots around... huh." He has an idea, and pulling out his phone for a moment, looking at something. "There's that whole abandoned district? Or is that really off-limits?" He still does not know the story on that area.

But at the mention of running he nods. "I actually did not have magic until I came to Earth. So working out was already a regime before I got here. I just kept the habit, because I do some of my best thinking once I get the blood flowing."

"What about movies? Any types that you don't like?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Absolutely not," Makoto replies immediately, mock-stern. Mostly mock-stern. Her mouth twitches a little at the corner. "I'd never hear the end of it from Usagi-chan." Will Usagi do it anyway? MAYBE, but Mako has no intention of encouraging her.

Her expression shades into a bit of a frown. "The abandoned district has its own problems, I think. I know when we had to fight at Soryuu Shrine, it was a whole thing." A little shake of her head, and she leaves the subject alone to contemplate movies instead. "Hm... I don't like horror movies. Other than that, not really?"

Bow has posed:
Bow grins. "Your stern look is cute." he replies to Makoto's look. "But okay okay, no fair's fair on date guards. We'll deal with whatever youma interrupt us." He's pretty sure between the pair of them, they can handle almost anything thrown at them? That's the hope, at least!

Nodding again at Makoto's explanation. "Well, if we get there, I have plenty of room in my dorm for a few plants. I don't have a roommate." And he hasn't asked about Makoto's.

"Anyway... I'm really excited and looking forward to figuring out what we're going to do for our first date." He lifts his eyes to meet hers again. "I should get back to the dorm, I'm totally failing world geography. Seriously, the things that countries are named after. But you have my phone number. Let's talk against soon." And not like a month from now.

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto smiles. "I'll keep you in mind if I need room for any plants," she says lightly, and then she nods. And grimaces exaggeratedly at the mention of world geography. "Oh god, don't talk about grades. Ami-chan and Mamoru-san are fighting for their lives trying to get me through English without flunking." She laughs at herself a little. "Talk to you soon, definitely. And, thanks. Good luck with the geography, Bow-kun."

Bow has posed:
"Funnily enough? When Setsuna set me up as an American exchange student? She gave me English as a language." Bow explains. "If you ever want my help, I'll be more than happy to. After all, I'm from Montana." Winking, he moves, and the bombay steals his spot as he rises to his feet. "I'll text you when I get home. Have a good night, Makoto." Again. Awkward moment. Hug? Handshake?

Either way, once he's outside, Bow fist-pumps. "Yes!" He doesn't realize that Makoto can totally see him through the front glass of the cafe.