1551/Nothing More Than Feelings

Nothing More Than Feelings
Date of Scene:	17 May 2024
Location:	Ice Cream Parlor
Synopsis:	Just some friends having ice cream after school and being variously moody, embarrassed, or fragile teenagers. Because teenagers.
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Jadeite, Makoto Kino, Chiyo Sakai

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
They got there suspiciously fast -- Mamoru and Tamaki -- they could even have skipped last class to do so! They did not. They just didn't go to any clubs, and Usagi's in detention for falling asleep in class (probably), and Kazuo's at kendo, and Zoisite and Nephrite are busy, so it's just Tamaki protecting the prince from Beryl at this fine ice cream parlor. Tamaki and his sketchbook. And his ice cream.

And Mamoru's ice cream.

Unsurprisingly, Mamoru's got a cup of Mocha Chunk Triple Threat with chocolate syrup and chocolate sprinkles. Probably also unsurprisingly, they've been there for ten minutes and Mamoru already wants to change where they're sitting. "Let's just go outside, the tables aren't full yet and it's so nice out," he says, pushing his chair back. "Besides, there's more room for me to be incorrigible."

Jadeite has posed:
It's just the two of them. Him and Endymion and their ice cream and a sketchbook. Alone. Together.

His heart is racing a little - because even if he and Endymion are kind of official, they still haven't really done anything, and he's - well -

He'd not dated in the last life or in this one. He's not sure where to even begin. Or does he even treat it as a date? Is that allowed?

At least the ice cream is good. Honeycomb with caramel sauce was a delight, and he could crunch and enjoy.

"Let's go outside! It really is a lovely day out," he says, holding his ice cream ine one hand and his sketchbook in the other. "What kind of incorrigibility are we planning today?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Outside they go! and Endym-- Mamoru is opening the door, reflexively holding it open for Tamaki with his back while he jams more mocha chip triple threat in his mouth and squints into the sun. His glasses are smudged.

After he swallows and Tamaki's out, he gestures vaguely at a table that doesn't look sticky and almost says something, but ends up running over and claiming a seat inb4 someone else, who looks faintly annoyed with him for it.

"Here, come sit next to me," he says, "so I can look over your shoulder. Unless you're drawing me, but then I can't nudge you and be a nuisance. An incorrigible nuisance."

Jadeite has posed:
Tamaki trots behind him, unbalanced just enough by trying to keep his ice cream stable that he's a few steps behind Mamoru. He slides into the seat next to him and props his sketchbook up against the table- fortunately, there's no sticky spots to threaten his nice clean paper.Yet.

"I think I've done enough art of you for the time being. I think I'll do some studies - unless you have any requests?"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto wasn't specifically heading for ice cream, necessarily, but the sound of familiar voices nearby catches her attention and she pauses momentarily on the sidewalk to look. When she catches sight of Mamoru and Tamaki at their table, she smiles and wanders over.

"Having fun?" Then a beat, as something occurs to her and she checks the time, her expression going more speculative. "You guys didn't leave class early, did you?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Oh dear, bad sign: Mamoru smirks at the 'enough art of you for the time being' comment. But he stays innocent for now. "Nope! Studies sound admirably scholarly," he says instead of anything involving sculptures.

He takes another bite of ice cream and then sets it down, licking his lips, to shade his eyes and look down the sidewalk. "You know... it's only ten months ago..." he starts, when Makoto comes up the other way! He doesn't jump, but he turns in his seat and then grins at her. "Hi! No. You know I wouldn't! Unless I had a really good reason, I mean. I just needed to get off campus."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
While the others are all meeting up, a very bright pink truck drives by to stop at the corner near the shop. It's really rather Obnoxiously Pink, but the fact that it's decorated with candy sprinkles over the side along with a familiar logo makes it all make sense: This was the Nounamu Sweets errand truck.

From the passenger seat Chiyo slips out, still in her RHA student uniform. "Thanks, Kenichi-san. I can head home on my own," she assures with a wave to the part-timer currently driving the vehicle as she heads away.

Sure she could have walked here, but catching a ride when it's available so she can avoid the crowds of other students rushing here? Bonus.

A good decision, she decides, as she spots a few familiar faces already with icecream in hand. Grinning she calls out, "Mako-chan! Mamoru-san, Tamaki-san! Hi! I see I'm not the only one craving something cool today."

Jadeite has posed:
His prince smirks, but, he smirks a lot. No alarm bells ring yet. "It's mostly getting loose drawings of people moving around - it's about trying to capture the energy and shape rather than the fine details."

He's going to take a bite of his ice cream, then set the bowl down to pick up his pencil and doodle a little - but then his hand goes up immediately to wave to Makoto and Chiyo.

"Hi!! We came here just after class since it's such a lovely day out - we should have chairs for everyone!"

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako grins at Mamoru's quick reply. "I should've guessed, yeah." Mamoru Chiba, skip out on classes? Never.

She looks over at Chiyo's greeting and lifts a hand with a friendly smile. "More of a coincidence on my part," she admits. "But if there's room for a couple more, then... save me a spot, okay? I'll be right back."

So saying, she heads into the ice cream parlor and towards the counter. She'll be just a minute ordering.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
To be fair usually Mamoru's smiling or grinning instead of smirking-- usually. It's possible Tamaki brings out his more trollish nature, though. He waves to Chiyo, now, too! "Hey! Yeah what Tamachan said, but you might want to-- yeah, what Makoto-san said! Get your ice cream quick before there's a line. We'll save you a spot if you're going in, too."

He already glances at Tamaki's still-blank page, interested but not impatient yet. Yet. And he leans to nudge Tamaki, too. "Since you're drawing sketches of movement it's okay if I bump you, right?"

And then he murmurs next to Tamaki's ear, ducking his head a little, "And make you blush? I bet I can make you blush without doing anything at all."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai was already veering toward the icecream shop intent on getting what she wanted, too. She does pause to keep the door open for Makoto though so that they can both duck inside as she flashes her a grin too. "Sounds like a plan. Be out in a couple."

Jadeite has posed:
The girls head in to get ice cream and Mamoru - leans in for a shoulder bump and a whisper, his breath hot against Tamaki's ear. His prince is correct - he really doesn't have to do anything else to make him blush.

"It's ok to bump into me. Is it - alright to do blushworthy things in front of them?"

Read: he's double checking Mamoru's boundaries before they begin. He is not! Doing! Statue! Stuff! Again!

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako bobs her head in thanks to Chiyo for getting the door. Once inside, she waves the other girl on ahead of her-- "You can go first, unless you need a second to decide?"

Mako already knows what she wants, it seems. Whether Chiyo takes her up on the chance to order ahead of her or not, once it's her turn, she orders two scoops of azuki, and she'll wait for Chiyo before she heads back out to rejoin the guys.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Depends," says Mamoru after swallowing another mouthful of cold, cold ice cream, "on whether you like cold kisses better than warm ones." And while the girls are still in the ice cream shop, before Tamaki has time to process the words of his horrible awful vile prince, he takes Tamaki's chin with his free hand again and leans to kiss him, brief and chilly.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai just smiles wider at the question of whether she knows what she wants. "Oh I know *exactly* what I'm getting. I've been waiting all year for this moment." What moment is that? It's the moment that her favorite flavor starts being made again because even with icecream it's considered a 'warm weather' flavor.

It's not long after when she emerges with Makoto carrying a mint chocolate chip sundae in a bowl. It was covered with crushed bits of crispy oreo cookies and a generous dollop of whipped cream. It's gazed at with the longing Tamaki might have gazed at Mamoru up until he opened his mouth.

"... Wow, they're already making out. New record?" she murmers looking aside to Makoto with a wry grin.

Jadeite has posed:
Tamaki does not get a chance to shriek in embarassment upon realizing Mamoru knew about The Incident because Mamoru is kissing him, lips cool and sweet, and Tamaki's brain is too busy boiling out of his ears to respond more than slumping down in his chair, his Jadeite cool melted in an instant.

"Did someone get the plate on that ice cream truck?" he mumbles, red up to the tips of his ears.

Makoto Kino has posed:
As Chiyo glances sidelong at her, Makoto is muffling a giggle with the hand that's holding her ice cream spoon. "Geez, you two," she laughs, making her way back over to their table to pull out a chair. "We weren't gone that long!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I was only making a point," Mamoru says serenely. "I tried to save it for when you weren't looking, to spare your delicate sensibilities, but you were too quick." He shoves a giant spoonful of mocha chunk in his mouth and smiles around it beatifically.

And he smirks sidelong at Tamaki. With his mouth full of ice cream.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai shakes her head a little bit as she moves to take one of the seats at the table. "I can't say I didn't expect it a bit at some point. I'm here for the icecream though. The company is just an additional treat."

Her spoon raises to dip into the mint-choco concoction. "I'd say 'save some boys for the rest of us' but I would probably be jinxing myself."

Jadeite has posed:
ooooh no he's gotta recover. Give him a moment. Dignity. Always dignity. Definitely not a wet kitten of some kind, no sir.

"We could use him as a magnet and you could try and pull some boys out of his orbit?" he offers, trying to be suave and teasing.

Makoto Kino has posed:
"Whose delicate sensibilities?" Setting her ice cream cup down for a moment, Makoto reaches to tug a paper napkin from the dispenser on the table for the sole purpose of wadding it up and tossing it at Mamoru across the table.

At Chiyo's remark, though, her expression turns distinctly rueful. "I think it's too late for us already," she says, in tones of commiseration, picking up her ice cream again and digging the spoon into it. And then pauses to eye Tamaki. "...I think that would not get us the right type of guys."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru's giving Makoto a shit-eating grin, and then he gets a napkin bounced off his head and he laughs, catching it on the rebound. He uses it to pat at his mouth primly. "Definitely the wrong kind of boys," he says, only a little apologetically. "Besides, what kind of magnet--?" This would be Mamoru looking at Tamaki skeptically. He eats some more ice cream. "Are you saying I have a magnetic personality?"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"You *do* draw in the boys," Chiyo quips as she takes a bite of her sundae with a little sigh of enjoyment. A glance is shared with Makoto as she nods knowingly along with her at the sentiment.

"If it wasn't before, it certainly is now that I'm known as 'the girl that threw a boy out the third floor window when he confessed to her'." For a moment she pauses, considering, only to shrug the thought off. "But yes, that would probably have about as much luck as my first crush."

Jadeite has posed:
"So what we do is get m- Mamoru to attract all the wrong sorts of boys, and we put him over here," and Tamaki gestures to one side, "and then we put all the other boys on this side," and he gestures to the right. "Like using a magnet to get iron filings out of sawdust! Yes, Mamoru, you do have a magnetic personality; you've always been charismatic."

That would work, right?

"I don't know what the boys are thinking, missing out on you two," Tamaki says frankly. "Logistics, power and strength? Any lord looking for a wife that would rule a kingdom with him would be lucky to have someone so competant as you two."

<- Man who just slipped back to the Golden Kingdom.

Makoto Kino has posed:
That's a very sympathetic look indeed that Makoto is giving Chiyo. She doesn't ask, though, just shakes her head and lifts her spoonful of ice cream to her mouth.

Which means that Tamaki's last remark catches her off-guard. Her head lifts, eyes widening a little in bemusement, mouth full of red bean ice cream and spoon still sticking out of it. Buh?

It's a comical look for her to say the least.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"The most epic tale of love and loss: the boy through the third floor window," agrees Mamoru, scraping at the bottom of his ice cream bowl to get the last of the chocolate. He tells Tamaki, "I, Mamoru, am not one hundred percent Endymion, buddy. I, Mamoru, have definitely not always been charismatic. I used to get in a lot of fights, and I was a pretty miserable little jerk."

Then he slow-turns to stare at Tamaki. He licks the last of his ice cream slowly off the spoon. "We're in high school," he finally says, delicately, "and nobody's looking to get married into nobility except Yuuto and Amy I guess."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai slow blinks at Tamaki's remarks as well looking a mixture of mystified, amused, and maybe just a little flattered? Even if it wasn't applicable she could at least understand he was trying to cheer them up a bit. Her spoon lowers to her sundae again, tapping against the side of the cup a single time.

"Um... Thank you, Tama-kun?" Thankfully Mamoru starts talking about how he was before which earns a deeper grin. She had KNOWN him then. "Ah yes, 'Darien Shields' of the green jacket, who enjoyed pulling Usagi's pigtails. I still can't believe she didn't realize you had a crush on her until I said so."

Grinning broadly she looks to Tamaki, and waggles her spoon in Mamoru's direction. "It was kind of mean of us, but Koji and I pretended to date so we could pull those two together. They would have eventually anyway, now that I know what I know, but at the time he was pretty hopeless."

Jadeite has posed:
Wh - what's with those looks? On their faces? He's trying to be helpful -

Oh. "Sorry. I still get thoughts from the old Jadeite floating through my head now and then and since he's me, I forget what time period it is for a second," he says sheepishly. "And - yes, you can be abrasive at times, but you still had a sort of - oily charm. Like American candies that are mostly corn syrup and sugar and citric acid."

People ate warheads all the time! And fruit gushers! Same concept!

And he grins at Chiyo's confession. "Good for you! The two of them are tied together with a red string, but they've got skulls harder than concrete."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Makoto manages to swallow her ice cream and get the spoon back out of her mouth before she starts laughing. Somehow.

"That sounds about right," she manages to say after a moment. "Made for each other. Good for you, Chiyo-chan, for giving them the push."

And, with an unapologetic look at Mamoru, she eats another bite of ice cream."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Oily charm? I thought you wanted to date me??" Mamoru retorts, clearly 9/10ths of the way to offended and maybe playing it up a little bit but really -- and Chiyo's talking about --

His chin sets, and he puts his napkin in his bowl with his spoon. "I was talking about before Obsidian. In the home I was living in with the other kids. I got in a lot of fights. I had no charm. When I was Hematite I was... I was just Endymion-me with no proper memory and a lot of dark energy. I wouldn't have called me oily, that was more you, Tamaki-kun."

He stands up. "I'm not leaving I'm just throwing this away," he clarifies, and goes and does so, then comes back and crosses his arms after dropping back into his chair. "And you and Koji maybe gave us a push of about two weeks. Congratulations," he says mulishly.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Oh." Chiyo looks properly chagrined when Mamoru makes that correction about which time frame he was speaking of. "... I'm sorry. That must have been a very difficult time for you."

Sheepishly she glances back down to her icecream only to nod a bit at the sort-of-praise from the others about her help. "Like I said, it would have happened anyway," she admits looking back up toward him apologetically.

"I still do feel bad about us ditching you like that. Though to be fair I think it would have taken longer just because Usagi really was *completely clueless* about it... She's gotten a lot more aware of things since then. And a lot more self-confident, too." Really, she had. She'd grown into being a magical girl, grown into being confident in herself, her feeligns, her friends. A fond little smile slips over her as she thinks on this for a moment.

Only to clear her throat again realizing she's letting her mind wander. "It's okay, Tamaki-san. I think if I had memories of another life I'd get them confused at times, too. I don't envy you all that. Even if I might be a little jealous that you all seem to have such close bonds with each other," she adds looking around at them all. At Mamoru, Tamaki, and Makoto. A little smile is offered at that. "I'm glad you all came back safely, by the way."

Jadeite has posed:
"...ah. I'm sorry. I had meant when you were Hematite," Tamaki says, his smile fading as Mamoru's ire makes itself known. "I - I don't think I remember any of that time before you were Hematite proper."

Oh nooo what did he say? What had he done?? His prince!! Please!!

He listens to Mako and Chiyo before nodding slowly, gravely. "It's - confusing, sometimes. I can mostly keep the two times seperated, but sometimes there's bleedover. Mamoru both is and isn't Endymion and I'm both Jadeite and Tamaki and it's... confusing. Endymion was my liege lord and Mamoru is my friend and sometimes I get my instincts flipped. Being a knight, not a person." Ahaha,,, "I'm lucky that Usagi and Mamoru have such reliable friends! I ended up being way less help than I thought I would be. "

Makoto Kino has posed:
Oh. Oh, he's actually kind of ruffled now. Makoto settles back in her chair a little, her expression turning faintly apologetic, and she doesn't try to tease Mamoru any more. Instead she nods a little at Chiyo's words and offers Tamaki a smile. "Seriously," she says. "If I remembered anything from that life, I'd probably be getting mixed up even worse than you guys do. It's got to be a lot to keep straight in your heads."

Glancing to Chiyo, she inclines her head a little in thanks, before she looks back to Tamaki. "I wasn't that much help either. If that experience proved anything," she adds, a little more quietly, "it's that it's probably best I don't remember." She's still smiling, but it's grown slightly more fragile somehow. "Anyway, thanks."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"It's fine, you're fine," Mamoru says kind of grumpily, slouching further down. The wind picks up his hair, settles it back down a little out of sorts, just like him, ruffled but settling. He takes off his glasses and polishes them on his untucked shirt tails, finally looking a little abashed.

"Sorry. And hey... it's fine, just don't ditch me again. Boy did I lose my temper at Koji over it later. Dark energy crawling through all the shadows in the grass at night..." Mamoru shakes his head. "Good times. He weathered it admirably. Did that whole glasses reflecting thing."

He puts his glasses back on and leans back, reaching to puuuush at the back of Tamaki's head like a slow-motion smack upside the head. Puuuuush. "I was occasionally smarmy, or more frequently just an asshole, when dealing with people I had no respect for. Most of the time I was just me or I was faking it. As Hematite. I was legitimately running around with the patchiest excuse for an implanted memory, doing things by the seat of my pants. As evidenced by the plethora of terrible youma. I was not, am not now, and have never been 'oily'. I know you didn't know me before I was Hematite."

And then he lets go and sits up and squints at Tamaki. "What do you mean, a knight not a person? Is that what you convinced yourself of back then? Because you weren't always so much... sculptures... ish. And you stopped letting me read you at all, that whole last year."

This time it's his turn to wad up a napkin and toss it at Makoto. "You definitely don't need to remember, buuuuut... there are these cookies that I remember that I'm wondering if you might be able to reproduce, that Usako really really loves? If I can describe them well enough, do you think we might be able to experiment?" he asks hopefully.

Jadeite has posed:
"It's definitely best you don't remember," Tamaki tells Makoto frankly. "There were good times back then, but - that last year is what I remember best and there weren't many good times. This is our new life now, and we should cherish it." A pause, and - "Wow, I sound old."

He's like the Crypt Keeper,,,,

"I thought you were charming as Hematite," he tells Mamoru almost apologetically. "And I got... a little weird during that last year." He grimaces. "I was resentful that I had to be your knight when i wanted more than that and it got...worse. I didn't want you to see all my ugly feelings before I could carve them into something palatable."

Jadeite was put together, handsome, dignified. That was what he should be. And in most cases,it was easy to BE dignified and put together and handsome - right up until some errant feeling wormed past his defenses and rotted him from the inside out.

And.Ah. Face in hands. "She told you about the sculptures...." He knew it would happen! H was waiting! This still sucks! "Yeah, I needed to get thrown out a four story window. I can't believe I did all that stuff..."

Makoto Kino has posed:
Mako goes, briefly, slightly cross-eyed when the balled-up napkin pafs lightly off her head. The distraction has the intended effect, knocking her out of the pensive mood that seemed to be settling over her - and the request that follows has her focusing on Mamoru with visible interest. "We can try," she agrees. A thoughtful look creeps over her face, wheels already starting to turn. "There might've been ingredients back then that we don't have now... but maybe we can at least get close."

It takes her a second to drag herself back out of contemplation and smile ruefully at Tamaki. "Like you said - that was another life. This one's the one that's important now, right?"

With that, she looks back to Mamoru. "Later I'll have to get you to describe those cookies for me the best you can. I can make some guesses and we'll trial and error it until I get close." Makoto's been given a Mission.

Also her ice cream is melting. Realizing this, she sets about hurriedly eating it. She'll probably give herself a brain freeze.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru nods! to Makoto, and he grins, and it's back to being easy and light. "I have a feeling that the ones at my grandparents' house were made with rosewater from Elysion, so we might have to get creative, but I'm sure we can figure something out. It'll be amazing."

Then he reaches over and lays a warm hand lightly on Jadeite's forearm, skin to skin, and the contact brings reassurance and acceptance and that connection, warm and gold and vast like the sun on a mountain meadow or endless coral beaches under a clear blue sky, like the electric nerves and underground rivers of cities, the world an enormous interconnected web of life and history stretching back into geological time--

--and Mamoru's voice over it, quiet, "It's all right. You're Tamaki, you're my Jadeite, you're Tamaki. I'll stop teasing you, too. Finish your ice cream."

And everyone can finish their ice cream, and then they can walk back to school together.