1078/Under the... Aquarium

Under the... Aquarium
Date of Scene:	03 February 2024
Location:	Yumegahama Aquarium and Marine Center
Synopsis:	Coco and Yuuto visit the Aquarium, and Yuuto gets Coco to start to slowly open up about her past.
Cast of Characters:	Coco Kiumi, Yuuto Shiraishi

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Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco had just finished to prepare for the day when her phone rang with a message. From Yuuto. She certainly can't fault him for wasting time, she giggles. He is offering her a date at the aquarium, and of course, she has no reason to decline a date from him. So, she will have to do a bit more preparations then.

She starts heading there with a certain haste, as Yuuto has even turned it into a race. First one to be there buys the ticket. When she reaches the place, she doesn't see her boyfriend anywhere, so Coco smiles while heading inside towards the cashier, content that she will be the one to present him with the tickets.

Once she has arrived there, she goes back outside, waiting for her love to show up with trepidatious wait.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
He would have won - if he had remembered his wallet. So caught up in texting Coco, Yuuto had left his wallet, with his all important bus pass on the dresser in his room. It was only when he had arrived at the bus stop and realized that he couldn't pay that he had to head back into the dorms to retrieve it.

Which is what gave Coco the time to reach the bus first. Stepping off the later bus, Yuuto has dressed nicely. A warmer color sweater than last time, this one reflects the light blue of the ocean and makes his eyes stand out more, and the darkness of his hair seem like a small island on top, coupled with blue jeans and comfortable shoes.

Noticing that Coco is already there, the smile for his girlfriend is fond as he approaches her. "Already got the tickets?" he asks her playfully.

But the real question is... well, how to greet her. And in a moment of affection, he wraps his arms around Coco's waist and pulls her in for a brief kiss. "Hi."

Now that's the best way for Yuuto to start off his day.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco smiles widely when she sees Yuuto approach and raises her arm to wave at him from afar. 'How is it possible for things to be so great?' she thinks as she waits for him to be closer.

When he is just about next to her, she winks at him, proudly stating "Looks like I won", moving to get the tickets out of the brown bag dangling from her shoulder, the belt passing over her lilac sweater.

The mermaid gets asked if she got the tickets before she can take them out however, and so Coco replies "You can bet I have", grinning while facetiously booping his nose before she is pulled into the hug and kissed briefly.

"Thanks for inviting me", she adds, bringing her arms around Yuuto and leaning into the hug.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
And Yuuto is left still to wonder how a beautiful young woman, much less a mermaid Princess wants him in her life, a chuckle rising from him as she booped his nose and it crinkles up cutely as he presses his nose to hers in a small display of affection.

"I'll get you next time." he says in a playful tease, remaining close to Coco until she's ready to break the hug. Once she does, he moves to stand next to her, his hand slipped into hers. "I've never been here." he admits quietly. "So we're both making new memories." Always optimistic.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Yuuto'd better be prepared for being told why both via flirting and compliments because the only time the brakes on that particular train are pulled is if the situation makes it a bad idea. For now, she undoes the hug and smiles happily at him when he takes her hand to hold it.

"I will be ready for it", she quips back, walking into the aquarium with him and showing the tickets she bought to the employee. Once they are way past their hearing range, she says "You know, this is a good place. The fish tell me they are treated very well, with frequent changes of water and all the food they could ever need." That had been a big relief to her the first time, despite the memories she associates with it.

When they pass past a colony of manta rays, she spends a second talking telepathically to them and then relays "these ones have eaten quite recently, for example." And then she asks the group mentally 'Is it ok if you show off for my boyfriend?' And not a second later, the group gives their assent showing off their creamy and dark colours as they slowly swim around in proximity of the glass.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
Coco may have to spend the rest of her life convincing Yuuto that he is worthy of her. Maybe he'll eventually catch on. For now, he is enjoying the moment of being in her presence. His fingers move, sliding between hers for a more affectionate hand-holding as the pair of them head into the aquarium.

As she starts to tell him about the fish, his brow raises in amusement. "That answers a question I was not sure how to ask, Coco-chan." he admits with a small chuckle, "I wasn't sure if you could communicate with aquatic animals. Now I know!" A fond smile is offered to her.

And then she's glancing at some fish, and while he cannot hear what she's saying, when the fish start to react and swim to her and around to give a show, which is drawing a few onlookers, the teen glances over towards the Princess, and his brow rises, a quietly mouthed, 'You did this?' he asks her gently, and she may tell that he's shifted a little, protecting the blonde princess from the sightseers. Just in case.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Thanks, but it's really nothing special", she smiles just as fondly at him. "It's something anyone can do under the sea. It's not an actual skill like your sculpting", she explains, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze. "But I can be your messenger if you want to ask them anything", she offers, staring at the pond of azure behind the tank. She releases a slow breath, leaning slightly into Yuuto's calming presence.

She nods when she reads his silently asked question, whispering a "I could say the manta rays are the ones doing this, but yes, this is a request they decides to accept from me", she playfully replies. "A beautiful show for a beautiful person", she smirks, turning her gaze away from the swirling spectacle to stare at his face illuminated by the lights of the aquarium. "I love you", she declares again, kissing his lips for a few seconds.

Once Yuuto is satisfied looking at the mantas, Coco thanks the fish and the couple starts walking again, heading over to another one of the marine creatures.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"Oh, does that mean I will be able to as well?" Yuuto asks curiously as he watches the fish on display and feels Coco's light press to him. His heart races for a moment as he is anything but calm when the princess turns on the flirting charm full force. But he does remain steady for her as she breathes out. She deserves that much at least.

As she explains what's going on, he watches in wonderment, only in the last moment does he realize that those expressive golden eyes of the mermaid are firmly upon him. His emerald eyes find hers as she confesses her heart in gentle declaration.

And her kiss is met. For a few seconds they are connected, warmly and whole. He can feel the soft press of her against him, and his heart leaps for joy until she pulls away and he swoons on his feet for a moment, his words in quiet honesty, "I love you too, Coco-chan." he responds and leans against her, before they finish looking at the rays and he starts to walk with her again.

"If you're going to do that at every display..." he teases. "I should invest in some lip balm." His smile is briefly playful, though she's way better at flirting than he is.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"If you became a merman, sure", Coco replies with a wink before adding "my handsome prince of the marine world. I wonder what kind of colour your tail will be then", she says quietly enough for it to stay between them, a whisper of sincere adoration. "Maybe something new, or maybe the same shade as your eyes. That would be lovely", she comments honestly. "Though I doubt it will be a bad pick whatever it ends up being."

After those few seconds, she slowly parts from Yuuto, the precious contact between them remaining as a warm presence in her heart, contently gazing at her boyfriend before they resume walking. "I will try not spoiling your lips too much", she laughs limpidly, squeezing his gently. "It is much more beautiful now anyway. The tanks were a bit scarier at first", she confides in an impulsive moment, before catching herself.

Looking at those glass surfaces, she adds "The other times we had to face those youma crab and jellyfish that were holding a coin each from the treasure of a pirate girl." Her memories are calmer as well when she is not walking these spaces alone.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
A blush alights anew on Yuuto's cheeks as he squeezes Coco's hand. "I will be pleased to show you whatever color it is that I may become." he offers to her affectionately as he considers something, though. "If I do become your Prince consort, though, does that mean I will need to remember the same rules you do?" he asks her in thought. "I would not want to..." become seafoam. That would suck, especially if it happened just after he had changed.

"I guess I better work on my abs if I'm gonna be shirtless a lot." he teases, completely aware that Coco spends a lot of time in her bikini top. And he has /no/ complaints about that.

"Tsk, now here I was hoping that encourage you to try to ruin me further." comes the playful retort as he feels the squeeze and comfort of the softness of her hand.

Though, she slips on the tanks comment and his hand pulls her closer. "I got you, Coco-chan." he whispers to her quietly, "We're together and much stronger for it." He glances aside, his emerald eyes making sure she's okay as ho ohhs. "So that's what you were talking about earlier. Did she get her treasure back? Is she a friend of yours?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco smiles at Yuuto's affectionate answer before pondering his question deeply. Would he actually be at risk? In the first place, Coco doesn't actually know how that phenomenon works. Is it magic? Something intrinsic to their bodies? Can it even be removed? When they explained it to her, they didn't really go into the 'how', only that it happened and why.

"I..." she starts commenting unsure, her heart beating quite a bit faster at the thought of being responsible for his... just because she mentioned him becoming a merman via the dreamseer stone. "I don't know that", she replies, her eyes slightly more open in shock."I don't know how it works, just that it does", she sighs. "There are merfolk out there that aren't at risk of becoming seafoam if they reveal themselves, so maybe you could become more like theirs instead of mine."

And then he tries to reassure her about the comment that slipped out. "Thank you", she says while she considers whether she should explain herself. It is an issue specific to her, after all. Rina wouldn't have the same problem for example. "This is not a common fear, though", she decides to talk, leaning even more into his reassuring presence. "I have just had bad experiences with tanks in the past. But I am alright now", she smiles at him.

Then he inquires about Erika. "We weren't on good terms at first", she comments, "but we did become friends later on, after sharing adventures together. She was even part of the incursion into Fairy Heaven. I don't think she still has all of them. Those youma are probably still hiding in the city."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
As she seems unsure, there is clearly a sign that there is more research to be done. Yuuto's hand leaves Coco's, only to settle around her waist and gives her a half-hug that bumps their sides together. "But for now, we'll treat it as if I should follow yours. To be safe." he offers to her as she comments about other merfolk, and his smile turns warm for a moment. "No matter what type I became, I would always be yours." he points out.

As she laying out more information, Yuuto is following the small trail of crumbs and he's realizing where it's leading to. "Won't bring it up again." he promises to her.

But while his hand may be on her waist, she is still the one guiding the tour as she explains her relationship with Erika. "It sounds like the pair of you had quite the adventure." he admits with a smile. Clearly, she can see him perhaps pondering the type of adventures that he and her will take together. They only may have a lifetime to experience them after all.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Thank you", Coco replies for Yuuto's consideration. "We will be careful", she also promises to him over the seafoam deal. "I won't let anything like that happen to you, ever." And Yuuto gets an affectionate smile when he half-hugs her, followed by Coco doing the same with her arm. "I look forward to seeing you shirtless", she winks at him, bringing up his earlier comment now that she has calmed down.

"I think I will take you up on that invitation", she wets her lips before reaching into one more kiss with Yuuto. "And now I know what to make sure you keep around. You never know when the temptation may strike either of us", the mermaid teases, half-hugging him slightly more tightly.

They next walk to a colony of penguins a group of them resting on the ice structure in the distance. "I think we will have many wonderful adventures", she beams at him. "And we will tell them to our kids as bedtime stories." She then looks at a penguin that has started sliding around, amused by the scene. "What do you think? Aren't penguins adorable?"

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"I trust you, Coco-chan." Yuuto offers to Coco as they walk, holding onto each other as she leads them down the meandering path. When she mentions her eagerness at seeing him shirtless, he barks a laugh, his cheeks turning dark. "M-maybe!" he manages in response, clearly caught flatfooted and was not expecting a response like that from his girlfriend.

And she follows that up with another kiss and returns that one a little more affectionately, before murmuring something quietly, and his attention swivels as she moves on from him and to the penguins.

He watches them daly about on the ice and listens to her as she talks, leaning over to kiss her temple. "I look forward to all of it." he admits to her quietly, a brush of his hand over her side before leaning forward on the rail to get a better look at the penguins. "They are." he agrees with the penguins being adorable, but apparently he's distracted enough that he missed the obvious set up chance to tell her she's more adorable.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"I am glad you think so, Yuuto. I trust you too", she confides back. That was something she knew fairly soon, since their encounters started with him knowing a pretty big secret of hers, but whereas her saying it back then would have taken a more straightforward meaning, Coco saying it now gathers all the affection the mermaid holds for Yuuto. "Yuuto, it's ok", she tries to calm him down after noticing his nervousness. "If it makes you self-conscious, just focus on my face instead." She was about to say "on me", but realised that would have made him more nervous, given her swimwear.

"You know", she comments as she watches the flightless birds, "back when I was in the sea, if I wanted to pet a penguin, I could just swim up to one in the antarctic and ask for permission. I generally got a yes, even. It's a shame I can do that now", she furrows her brow between her and the animals. "Human rules, I know, but I want to make you experience what's like one of these days", she offers.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
As Coco coaxes Yuuto to focus on her again, he draws in a breath. She has become a balm upon him, in all honesty. His green eyes settle on her golden ones and he draws in several breaths. So many others would have already bailed on him and his nervousness with her, but still, she remains.

"I am sure, my Princess, if I spend enough time in your company, I will get that chance." he admits to her quietly, a close of his eyes and a steadying breath, before he chuckles as his eyes open. "I better be glad that you love me if you're going to take me on the adventure of my lifetime." A small smile at her.

And then he turns his attention back to the aquarium. "Where to next? Anything else you wanted to see?" he asks, a small grin. "We couled stop by the gift shop as well, if you want."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco gives Yuuto a full frontal hug once he has calmed down, gently smiling as she observes his face distend as he relaxes. There is no way she would let something like nervousness push her away from her chosen partner. Unless Yuuto will one day have something else to say about it, here she is and here she will stay. "Everything good now?", she asks to be extra sure.

"What can I say, my Prince? You are probably right", she agrees with him. "And if you end up becoming a merman, you will find out that temperatures mean nothing for your merman form, so that trip to the antartic will be just like swimming in pleasant summer waters." It will be a comfortable adventure just for the two of them, as they frolic with the sea witness to their love.

All things sounds good to Coco, but his small grin and the mention of the gift shop made Coco think he had something special in mind. "The gift shop sounds good", she replies, giving his hand a playful squeeze.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
As she presses to him, Yuuto draws in a good whiff of her scent. She always smells like clean ocean. It's so nice and warm, like being on a beach, feeling the sun on his skin and a gorgeous woman next to him.

And she shares a little more on what it means to be a merman, laying out more of those crumbs of the benefits of being hers. As if he needs more coaxing, to be honest. Releasing her, he chuckles as she mentions heading to the gift shop. "Okay!" he replies.

His hand rests in hers again as they head towards the gift shop. As they are looking around, he's taking in all the tchotchkes and kistchy items, until he finds something.

Picking up a small plush penguin, he studies it and smiles. Clearly, his plan is to buy it for her so she has a memory in her room of their date.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
And clinging to Yuuto gives Coco a clear scent of chestnut, vanilla and jasmine, the refreshing fragrance evoking the image of a pleasant autumn day witn the warmth of a cabin full of intricate gizmos, an assured and reliable presence.

When they start heading towards that gift shop, Coco's eyes falls on a throw, decorated with the embroidered images of those manta rays that put on a show at Coco's request. Her eyes shine as she sees it. That's perfect: it's something he clearly will have a use for and that will remind him of that spectacle she made him see.

She picks a large one up, going to pay for it before making him see. And when Coco will see his gift, she will radiate joy, knowing he has taken to heart her comment about the penguins so much to gift her that adorable plushie.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
They both buy their presents seperatedly where the other can't see them.

And when Yuuto returns with the little penguin for her, he's suprised to see the manta ray throw and he gives a little laugh. "Okay, I'm totally going to lose the gift fight." he teases. "Unless I just offer to give myself to you."

That offered in a little flirt, as he exchanges gifts with her. "I just... you said you were going to bring me to a penguin someday, so I thought I'd give you one that would have been held by me for as long as you want?" he asks her, a bit lamely as he grins at the large plush. "That may be my new blanket. I'll just have to curl under it and dream of you." he teases, a little wink of one emerald eye.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"What makes you say that?" Coco chimes, shining with delight at seeing the gift he has taken for her. "I think it's a charming gift, Yuuto. Thank you so much." Then she holds out the throw for Yuuto to take while grabbing the penguin and immediately giving it a pet. "I will treasure it forever", she says with delight. Maybe she can try to recreate a mini Live Stage to keep it safe underwater.

And then she gets a double package of flirting and a romantic comment. "I see what you are doing, Romeo", she playfully replies before kissing his cheek. "I guess I know where your gifts get the charm from", she quips back. "Anything in particular you want to do now? The tour at the aquarium may be over, but the date can continue if you want", she proposes.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
They exchange the gifts and Yuuto for a moment wears the throw like a cape, posing dramatically in it with a grin. "What do you think? New fashion statement?" he asks playfully as he gives it a flutter.

Before he says more, she steals a kiss from his cheek and he smiles widely. "...I don't know if that applies, Coco." he admits quietly. "After all, they both die at the end, and I want to be around for a long, long time." he points out before he folds back up the throw to tuck under his arm.

"I'm up for whatever." he offers to her as he slips his hand back into hers. "We can drop these off and then go to the dining hall. Or... anything you want to do?" he asks her, happy to just be in her company.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco playfully pokes at Yuuto's cheek with the wing of her penguin when he dons the throw in that peculiar way. "Totally, you already look the part of a prince", is her amused reply. "Yuuto Shiraishi, prince of the aquarium and all its creatures."

His comment does leave her to shudder. "Yeah, I don't want at all", she murmurs to him. "I want us to be together forever, no matter what may happen. Not you tirning into seafoam, and especially not Gaito." She looks into his emerald eyes with serious golden ones. "The situation may not be the most calm right now, but we will win."

"Dropping these off sounds sensible", she ponders. "We can totally go grab a bite next, we walked around quite a bit."