4967/A Taste of Normal

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A Taste of Normal
Date of Scene: 01 February 2021
Location: Cineplex Theaters
Synopsis: Katsumi asks Nessa out on a date. You know, like normal people.
Cast of Characters: Katsumi Oshiro, Nessa Donovan




Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
It's been an odd day. It's been an odd week, sure, but the day's been especially strange. Not the part about seeing Nessa in the morning. That was great. It was special. It helped alleviate some lingering concerns. But later that day, after Nessa had left for work, Katsumi had received a knock at the door; an invitation to something called the Hellfire Club. She attended a meeting, and was awkwardly wined and dined. She agreed to give a little blood. It might help in figuring out what's up with her, if she's even human anymore. But why they would want a ruffian like her in their fine establishment, she's still struggling to wrap her head around.

After returning to her room and considering her options, the only thing she finds herself wanting to do is see a certain someone. She doesn't want to push her. She doesn't want to scare her away. But she wants things to be... good. Not-tense. Where they felt like they were before. Maybe even a little better, now that feelings have been aired out.

So Nessa had received a phonecall during the day! Indeed, interrupting her work shift! The nerve of it! Ring ring! Or perhaps Nessa has applied a specific ringtone to Kat's contact info.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
The self-proclaimed hater of Frozen, it's almost a little embarrassing when Nessa hears the chime of 'For the First Time in Forever' from said movie playing on her phone. Thankfully, she has a minute to step away and snag the phone before anyone really notices. She slips out the back door to get some air and privacy.

The fact that she's being /called/ and it's mid-shift is more than enough for her to pick up the phone in a panic. "Kat? Are you okay? Is anything wrong?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Nono, oh my god, shut up," Katsumi giggles into the phone. "Hi. Sorry, were you busy? I'll keep it short. Do you have plans tonight?"

Katsumi has never, ever done this before. She isn't really sure why it's causing her to be so nervous. But as she sits on the edge of her bed, her legs worry against each other and she nibbles on her bottom lip as she waits for a response.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"What?"

Nessa is instantly calmed by the words /and/ the amusement from Katsumi. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure nothing bad happened... we've kinda had a bit of a bad streak of stuff, you know?" The question doesn't strike Nessa as particularly odd. It's a simple question. "I planned on going home from work and not cooking bacon, but that's about it. So tired of smelling like bacon all the time."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Well, um..." Even Katsumi, in this moment, realizes how weird it is that her insides are so knotted. They've kissed already! This shouldn't be a challenge! "...I like the smell of bacon. But no, forget those plans. Because I, um..."

Her knees bob anxiously.

"...do you wanna go out? Tonight? Movie'n dinner? Like a-, um, you know.."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Bacon's great but it does get a little tiring when that's pretty much your entire life," Nessa notes, but then pauses for a long moment. While it might be long enough to make Kat panic, it's pretty clear why she's paused after a moment. "That's not something I usually get asked. Or even something I say yes to. But yes, of course, I'd love to. That sounds really nice."

Her voice even lightens. "It'd be nice to do something /normal/."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"A date," Katsumi spits out. "A date. You. Me. Just, going out. Low pressure, just us. Like- I'm saying a lot of words right now," and she suddenly shifts in a long string of flustered Japanese. Abruptly, she cuts herself off and smiles. "You already agreed. Can't back out now! So do you wanna change first and meet? Or should I come get'cha in like an uber or something?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Oh, I'm aware of what you're asking, Katsumi," Nessa laughs. "Like I said, it's not something I say yes to a lot. Kind of used to giving the cold shoulder." She's really leaning into the ice jokes right now, it seems. "I don't plan on backing out. If I don't show up, I'm probably a bunny or something." A pause.

"Okay, that was probably a bad joke. Anyway, yeah, let me go home and change and I can meet you. As much as you like the smell of bacon, I'd like to at least be fresh and clean. For a /date/."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro giggles brightly. "Okay!," she chirps, happier than Nessa has likely heard her voice before. "Meet me at the Cineplex in Westchester! And you don't have to dress up too nice! My best clothes are still in Japan, and I can't have you looking prettier than me, can I?" The grin is practically audible.

"Okay, best get back to work, bye, Bunny-chan!"

She hangs up. Then falls back onto the bed with a happy squeal.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"As if I could look better. Math class, remember?"

Nessa laughs. "Alright, I'll see you later tonight. Don't get yourself into any trouble between now and then!" With the phone hung up, she heads back inside to finish her shift, spring in her step.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
It's all Katsumi could think about the rest of the day. And despite her words to Nessa, she's making an effort to look good. Hair properly teased, but not to '80s poof - just enough to have that coy level of grunge, freshly washed, and shimmery smooth. She always goes light on the makeup, save for making sure she isn't breaking out. But the eyeliner and shadow is given an extra level of care; just enough to accent the natural exotic nature of those big, expressive peepers. The fact that bright magentas are staring back at her in the mirror isn't even bothering her today.

The wardrobe selection is woefully lacking. But her nicest, most conservative attire is chosen - the red, functional dress she wore the day she was meant to board the plane back home is her choice, worn with a cut-off leather jacket overtop. She wants to forego the gloves, and it's an internal dilemma. But in the end, she would've worn mittens if it meant Nessa would feel more at ease. Sadly, she has none. She'll have to settle for the fingerless gloves. Typical choker is worn around her neck, and the look is finished with black boots.

Despite it all, she's pretty sure she's arrived at the cinema before her date. She patrols the exterior with an anxious energy, oddly worried she may miss her arrival.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa's pretty easy to spot.

Dressed in some dark blue jeans and a blouse in a lovely shade of lavender, she actually does look like she tried to pick out something that wasn't /entirely/ unfashionable. Her hair's in a tight braid--looks like she showered and rebraided her hair after work to give herself a less-diner-more-date look. As seems to be her usual, she hasn't bothered with makeup. Most notably, though, she seems to have foregone the gloves for once.

As she heads over in Kat's direction, she offers a small wave. "I'm not late, am I?" She asks as she hurries over.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro spies her quickly. That blonde hair, the braid, those eyes, that smile - she'd recognize it anywhere! And when she closes in, Katsumi greets her with a pair of hands on her upper-arms. "You're right on time," she says, voice softened in affection. There's a moment of simply taking her - and in fact, the moment itself - in, brushing a hand gently against an arm. "And forget what I said," she continues. "You look perfect."

Her hands drop, and that's when she notices her gloveless state. "Oh. Nice. Bare digits tonight?," she asks, turning a restrained smile back up to Nessa's face. There's some wild hope that she's managed to wrangle her powers, but she's leashing the enthusiasm to spare Nessa the pressure.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa laughs a bit. "So long as you think I look okay. I don't usually try to dress to impress anyone so my fashion sense might still be a bit too casual. Gotta step up my game, I think."

The bare fingers get wiggled 'menacingly' in Katsumi's direction. "Don't people hold hands in movies on dates? I thought I'd give that a shot. If you don't mind, that is."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is touched by the effort. Metaphorically, at first. Then literally, after she's unstrapped her gloves and stuffed them into pockets. She carefully grazes her fingertips along the edge of Nessa's hands before attempting to simply take them in hold. That hold is notably gentle, though. Katsumi still isn't sure what triggers her powers, and she's on high alert. But unless Nessa resists, one of those hands is making a quick trip forward to be given a whisper of a kiss to the knuckles before lowering it again.

"Had a guy do that to me earlier today. I think he was hitting on me."

She begins tugging her towards the counter. "Any movie you've been wanting to see in particular?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's certainly some awareness of the fact that Kat is being careful with everything, so Nessa does jump in to clarify. "I'm okay as long as you don't surprise me too much. If I'm not expecting it at all, that's when things are dangerous." And, while the touch of lips to her knuckles /does/ get a blush from the blonde, it doesn't seem to surprise her. There's a certain amount she expects, it seems.

"Well, I can't say I've been flirted with like /that/ before. But oh yeah, if someone's doing that I'd say he's either hitting on you or trying to appear very charming. Probably both. Or he's rich." She follows Katsumi towards the counter. "No idea, actually. I don't even know what's playing. I just wanted to hang out with you."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"All three, I think. Rich guy, owns a club. Wanted me to be a part of it. I have no idea why. But that's /so/ not important tonight." Katsumi stops in front of the ticket seller, a few people lining up behind them. But all Katsumi sees is the blonde for the moment. Her eyes practically shine. "Aw.."

It's almost unfair how unable she is to communicate how much something that simple means to her.

Katsumi glances aside to the line. People are trying to be patient. They're clearly having a moment, after all. The ticket clerk looks uncomfortable, however.

Katsumi finally pipes up. "Two for, uh." She skims the selection. "Monster Hunter." A sidelong glance is shot to Nessa with a small grin. An action movie. That's a safe choice, right? Her mind is very unlikely to be on the movie, to be fair. And she's immediately fishing out the money to pay for the tickets.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"You're telling me you have /no/ idea why a rich guy owning a club wanted you to be a part of it? I thought I was the oblivious one," Nessa comments with a grin. As Katsumi fishes out money, she takes a moment to glance over. "I can cover it, if you want. Or dinner." The suggestion's there simply because she doesn't know where the wrestler's funds even stand. Dinner and a movie is simple enough for a diner worker to cover at least.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Sh, no, I'm trying to charm someone really special. I'm not gonna have her picking up the tab," Katsumi protests, chin uptilting in a determinedly haughty manner.

Money is passed to the man, change is given, and Katsumi repockets it. Then it's nothing but bright smiles turned to Nessa again, ticket offered. "Popcorn? You're not one of those healthfreaks who refuses butter, are you? Popcorn without butter is basically fluffy corn, but without the flavor."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa can't help but grin at the suggestion of being charmed. "Fine, you can pick up the tab. But I get next time," she insists. Taking her ticket from Kat, she looks towards the concession stand. "Seriously? I work at a /diner/. I know the value of butter more than most people. And you can't work at a diner and be a 'healthfreak'. Kind of a little hard to do that."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro giggles airily. "Hell yeah. You get to try to charm me next time." She shoots her a playful wink and turns her attention to the concession stand as well upon entering the considerably warmer interior.

"That's my girl," she concurs. And then she pauses, glancing back at Nessa. It's on the tip of her tongue to doublecheck if that's okay for her to say. But then the thought occurs to her that asking might be making things more awkward, more difficult. So she looks ahead again and moves up to the stand. Large popcorn is ordered, buttered. Two sodas as well. Katsumi's going all out.

"Anything else?," she asks, looking back to Nessa.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's a broad grin. If Nessa's taken any offense to the wording, there's no visible sign of it. She turns back towards the stand, then back to Kat at the suggestion. "Nah, I think that covers it, really. Especially if we want to actually /eat/ afterwards." That is, after all, part of the plan.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro nods quickly. "Okay, few minutes before it starts. Let's go get seats."

Things are paid for, Katsumi takes it upon herself to carry the popcorn, and she ushers them along to the ticket-taker. "If you're one of those people who doesn't turn off her phone, you've gotta tell me now. I'll fight people for ya, but don't let it take me by surprise."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa's content to carry the drinks, tucking them into a cardboard holder so she'll have a free hand to offer her ticket up. She's taking care to make sure if her hands are anywhere they might be touched by someone other than Kat, she's prepared for it.

"What? Katsumi, I know we haven't known each other for that long but I'd think you'd know me better than that. I'm not the kind of asshole that ruins movie experiences. I turn my phone /entirely off/. Not even on silent."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"/All/ the way off?," asks Katsumi, looking back to her with eyebrows raised. "I mean, sure, I /guess/..."

She's being facetious. Right? Maybe. Probably.

Tickets are turned over, directions are given, and the two are sent on their way to the proper auditorium.

Once inside, Katsumi pauses beside the rows of seating. The lights are still on in the room, broadly illuminating their options. "Next important question," begins Katsumi. "All up close near the front? In the middle of everything? Or nice'n private in the back?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"... I mean, who's gonna call me? The diner?" Nessa sounds amused, her gaze sweeping over their seating options. "Somewhere probably in the back, or at the least somewhere with lots of space. I'd prefer not to have to sit next to anyone other than you, if that can be arranged."

She suddenly laughs. "You know, out of context that sounds /incredibly/ strange and clingy."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Perfect! The back!"

Katsumi is already bounding up the steps towards the back of the auditorium, and shuffles deep into the recesses of the seating. She pauses near the direct center, turns, and sits to wait expectantly for the blonde. "I'm okay with clingy," she says abruptly. "I- I mean with you. Being clingy. I-.. uh, it's fine. You're you." Plus, she reflects she might be a little clingy, herself.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"You know, it's funny to see you a little flustered. You always seem so confident and sure of yourself in public. I remember meeting you just how you seemed to know exactly what you were doing," Nessa makes her way to find a good chair to settle into, being certain to be away from any other clusters of people. For their sake.

Once she's settled, she sets the drinks into the cupholders and offers her hands to hold the popcorn while Kat gets settled. "I think I made you a bit soft. Pretty cute, though."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro adjusts her positioning if she needs to, in order to remain seated next to Nessa. That's the point, isn't it? But she balks at the accusation of going soft.

"I- I am so not soft! I'm tough! Like jerky!" She passes the popcorn to Nessa, then leans in to nudge her shoulder against hers. "It's just-.. you make me different somehow. I dunno. I think it was when you went bunny. I realized what it would've felt like for something to happen to you, and maybe that was when I started to think of you a little different."

"And, um, hey... I... I dunno. I'm so used to screwing things up with people, and I don't wanna do that with you. So I'm worried. What happened earlier..." She doesn't want to drive Nessa away again. Or whatever it was that caused that rift.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa seems more than comfortable with Katsumi settling in next to her, making sure the popcorn is somewhere easily reachable by both of them. "It's not your fault, Kat. It's really not. I know I've told you this before, but I'm going to really stress it," she shifts in the chair to face Katsumi a little more. "I'm bad at this. I don't let people close and now that I'm trying it's terrifying. You aren't going to be the one screwing anything up. If something upsets me, I'll tell you. And as long as you're careful to not entirely surprise me, holding hands and stuff should be alright."

She looks amused. "I'm not /fragile/, Katsumi. Might have sensitive feelings, but I'm not gonna break. And I promise I won't just..." She gestures in the air as if to indicate their past few experiences. "Conversations are good things."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Well," begins Katsumi as she twists in her own oversized chair to face Nessa more directly, "I'm terrified, too. Not of.. you hurting me. A little bit of me hurting you. But also of this. I've been on a couple dates before, but you're different. We didn't start out just asking for each other's number or whatever. This /feels/ different. It feels good. And that doesn't come around too often in my life. I don't wanna... mess it up. Or move too fast. Or too slow. Or-"

She buttons her lip for a moment and blinks owlishly at the blonde.

"See? I'm doing it again. It's 'cuz you matter a lot to me. This whole thing does. I know you're not fragile, and you've hung out with me when I've been more... myself, more relaxed, but..." She glances down at the armrest briefly, almost shyly. "...I'll get there again. I promise."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa's expression is serious, but warm. "Kind of funny for someone to be worried about hurting me for once." She rests her hand, palm up on the armrest, then offers Katsumi a smile. "Look at it this way. You care about me, I care about you. Nothing's gonna just change that at the drop of a hat. We can figure out the rest as we go along. Okay?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro spies the open hand. It's open. It's her hand. Katsumi doesn't hesitate to join her hand to it, fingers lacing with fingers.

"I guess. I'm just scared you're gonna get to know me and not like what you see, okay? That's.. basically it." And that has been her biggest hangup since she was a young teenager.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
With their fingers laced, Nessa almost seems a little more comfortable. She does, however, look a bit surprised at the words. "What? Why wouldn't I like you? Honestly, I feel like I've gotten a good idea what you're like so far and I certainly still like you. Pretty sure the both of us have had bad situations in our past with relating to each other, but I'm pretty damn stubborn. You'd have to be a serial killer murdering children or something for me to not like you right now."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro gasps at the potential deal-breaker. "If /that's/ the line, I've got bad news," she laments. Her bright gaze flits aside to the movie screen, currently showing trivia. When they return to Nessa, she leans in and her voice lowers to a conspiratorial whisper. "I love kids."

She leans a little closer. Her eyes narrow.

"So you're /stuck/ with me."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Good," Nessa says firmly, her expression turning back to one of amusement. "Because I'm really stubborn and giving up on you is something I'd hate to do. So... just keep those serial killing tendencies in check and I'm sure we'll be /just/ fine." She glances towards the trivia on the screen.

"I also really don't want to lose someone I'm this close with. I kind of like having someone to go to the movies with. And do /anything/ with, either. Maybe an excuse not to work all those extra shifts."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"You won't lose me," sighs Katsumi, her gaze lingering on Nessa a few seconds longer than Nessa's remains on her. Her thumb brushes her hand quietly for just a couple passes before she's glancing to the screen as well. "I don't remember the last time I've been to the movies with someone, either. My dates - the, like, two I've been on - were dinner and boredom. Or just a cheap excuse to screw."

Oh, there's that typical thoughtless Katsumi bluntness.

"Occupational hazard. /So many people/ wearing next to nothing in the ring. Sometimes people look really good, and you're like, y'know, y'wanna get a piece of that. So the dinner's like nothing but a pretext, and no one's really caring about that, and they don't even really /care/ if you're interesting or not, because the only thing on their mind is that lasting image of you, or them, lying on or beneath someone else's defeated form while a referee counts the pin."

Beat.

"I like you, though. You're way different." The hand is gently squeezed, if she's still holding it. "And I don't just mean 'cuz you're a girl. Because that's totally different, too."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa hasn't made any move to take her hand back. She's just happy to leave it there, it seems. "I guess that makes us pretty different, yeah. You're used to people just being close in general, it's a fact of life and I'm just... opposite of that. I think it's kind of hard for people to understand what it's like because it's hard to imagine life without touch."

She nods towards their hands. "Like this. This is nice. This is /meaningful/. Probably more to me than 90% of the entire world."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"I dunno. If I'm locking up with someone, or in a test of strength, my hands are really involved. But," Katsumi glances to the hands in question, "this means the world to me, too. It's special for a lot've reasons. I don't know if I could even explain why."

There's a pause as her breath catches, then she's suddenly, helplessly giggling.

"You've f***ing broke me, y'know that? Making me all sappy. And here you are just happy to be holding hands and not wanting to be clingy, while my heart feels like it's gonna pack its little heart bags and leap out've my throat. Gross."

Katsumi squirms into the chair a little, still holding her hand.

"Okay, lemme refocus. Since I was /just/ talking about it, you've gotta be honest." The magenta eyes cut aside to Nessa, jet-black eyebrow perked inquisitively. "When you saw me wrestle, what were you thinking?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa shifts a little in her chair, facing Katsumi a bit more. "Lots of things ran through my mind during all of that. First of all, I was worried you'd be hurt. Aside from that I was impressed because all that takes skill. Physical fitness, timing, a bit of showmanship, energy... in a way, I'm kind of jealous of that. You're comfortable being close to people and getting hurt physically and I've got no real concept of that from my own personal experience."

She squeezes Kat's hand. "And I was proud you were kicking ass. I was so excited for you."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro giggles softly. "That's not what I meant, and yoouu knooww iiit," she drawls, impishly sing-songish. Despite the accusation, Katsumi leans in closer to Katsumi and tilts her head, aiming to press a soft kiss to her cheek. She moved slow enough that in her mind, Nessa had enough time to prepare and brace. And the cheek, because that's less likely to shock her. Right?

"Thanks." Still lingering close to her cheek, Katsumi coyly adds, "I was supposed to lose that fight. Piledriver finish."

And with that, she leans back into her chair again, eyes still on Nessa.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa sticks out her tongue in response, but she smiles at the kiss on the cheek. It's more than enough for her to react to it, no real worry given there. "I don't think your fellow wrestlers wanted to tell me what the outcome was gonna be. Don't think they wanted to crush me because I was so excited for you to win."

She grins. "Wouldn't have changed my mind, knowing if you were gonna lose. You were still kickass. I'm still proud of you either way."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"I still think I look pretty hot gettin' pinned. And I mean, Sindie's an attractive girl. I can admit that. I didn't wanna kiss'er like I've been wanting to kiss /you/, but," Katsumi trails.

By this point, there's a natural, pleasant smile on her face. She's happy; authentically happy. The lights begin to dim in the theater as the time comes for proper, actual previews.

"I mean, I might be totally heart-eyed if I was watching /you/ in the ring," she murmurs aside.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I mean, I was jealous of the situation in that I wanted to be able to be confident and comfortable enough to just /be that close/ to someone. A lot of trust goes into that," Nessa laughs. "But I wasn't thinking about it being /hot/. I was just excited that you were doing what you love doing."

She glances over at Kat, then lowers her tone. "Pretty sure you'd want to be in the ring with me, just saying." With that, her attention goes to the previews... still holding hands, should Kat choose not to take it away.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro's hand is very solidly attached to Nessa's. It's exactly where she wants it to be, and after going through what they have, she doesn't dare break that precious contact. She does, however, quickly snap her gaze across to Nessa.

"Oh. Definitely. If I pinned you down in a ring? I'd demand a longer count. Ten seconds /minimum/."

She discreetly shifts a leg to bump against Nessa's.

"But if you were wrestling some /other/ girl? If you got pinned, I'd be taking you home and babying you so bad. Or swooping in and stealing you away, 'cuz you'd be too worn out to get away from me." Wink!

Oop, there's the 'please turn off cellphones' sign.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa can't help but grin, checking with her free hand to make sure that her cellphone's turned off. "Pretty sure if I was getting pinned I'd be in a hell of a lot more trouble. I'm doing it wrong if someone gets in that close," she comments. "But I don't mind the babying thing. I expect you to be the one to help me with any injuries in the future."

But she lowers her voice, mostly because she doesn't want to be that chatterbox in the back row annoying people.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
To her credit, Katsumi is also using her free hand to turn off her cellphone. No one will be calling her who needs her more than Nessa.

"I mean like if you were safe. If you had a suppressor or something. And if you chose to get in the ring," Katsumi continues, slowly becoming that chatterbox. "And I would totally take care of ya. Totally. I bet you're all cute'n pathetic when you're hurt."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Can't get more pathetic than a bunny texting," Nessa notes, her tone low, leaning in closer to Katsumi so she doesn't have to be loud during the movie. "But I'm pretty sure even with being able to control my magic I'd get the shit kicked out of me. Again... not used to people being all that close."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Still! You'd be so cute! Getting tossed around and stuff. Okay, nevermind, I insist I'm the one who gets to rough ya up," purrs Katsumi, scooting closer to her side in the chair. "You'd be safe! Just... y'know, a little beat up. But nothing bad! You'd be okay!" She glances to the hand again, the corner of her lips lifting in a wry smile. "..just flat on your back by the end of the night."

"Shh."

Katsumi giggles guiltily at the random admonishment from somewhere ahead.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa covers a bit of a laugh, nudging Katsumi a bit with an elbow. "I'm such a baby when it comes to pain, this would be an awful idea." She does shrink her head down a little bit at the shushing from nearby and leans in to Katsumi again.

"You're gonna get us kicked out." She doesn't sound mad, just amused.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Let's be baaad," whispers Katsumi back to Nessa. She tilts her head again, this time aiming a soft kiss for her lips. Soft, but brief. "You'd have fun. Because it'd be you'n me. And grapplin'. And stuff," she murmurs.

"Shhh!"

"What, buttwipe!?," barks Katsumi. "Your night gonna be ruined if you don't get to see the f***ing previews for Angry Birds Four or some sh**?"

The noise police grumbles.

Katsumi goes right back to focusing on Nessa.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa seems alright with this kiss as well, nothing unexpected about it. Seems she's pretty accurate with the whole 'as long as she knows it's coming' thing. "Just, y'know, don't beat the shit out of me," she murmurs. At Katsumi's retort, she covers a laugh with her free hand. "At least be quiet during the /movie/. I haven't gotten to go on a movie date since..."

The fact that she trails off and doesn't have an answer to that is pretty telling.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro smiles innocently at Nessa. "I'll be good. I promise." Her free hand slips forward to steals a few popcorn and pops it into her mouth. Suddenly, she leans in to bump her nose to Nessa's before leaning back again.

"And I won't beat you up. Just.. throw ya around a little. Grapple. Pin. Roll around on a mat. You know..."

Katsumi didn't originally intend for it to sound suggestive, but by this point, it's hitting her own ear that way.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa wrinkles her nose, giving a bit of a laugh before taking a few pieces of popcorn. She's keeping the popcorn balanced so that they can stay holding hands, even if it is a little logistically difficult. "Uh huh. That's what they call it, huh?"

Yeah, it certainly sounds suggestive. She glances towards the screen to check on the previews before looking back to Katsumi. "Wouldn't mind learning how to throw a good punch, though."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"I'll let what's-her-face from the gym know you're interested," Katsumi retorts, ending with a completely mature tongue-poking-out. "Cuz apparently I suck ass at it. I know I look good getting pinned, but being knocked out? Probably a little lamer."

She takes a few more bits of popcorn. "Those pink gloves /were/ cute, though." The popcorn is stuffed into her mouth.

At this point, the movie is finally starting. Katsumi turns in her seat to face forward a bit more directly, but her hand remains contently settled with Nessa's.

A thought occurs to her.

"Hey, if you're, like.. actively trying to suppress stuff for us to touch, is that gonna be a distraction the whole time for you? Do you want your hand back?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa shakes her head a bit. "No, it's not fully like that. I lot of it is a matter of being startled. If I'm comfortable and not surprised, I should be alright. Plus it might be good practice to do it for a prolonged period of time. Mostly it's the whole defensive reaction that causes me to freeze up, so to speak." She keeps her tone low to make sure the noise police don't shush them again.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
A softer smile touches Katsumi's lips, and she nods. "Okay. Good. Just let me know, okay?"

To her credit, Katsumi hushes when the movie actually starts. She, however, absolutely shovels popcorn. Junkfood might be a weakness of hers. Were it not for her excessively physical lifestyle and occupation, odds are she'd be somewhat spherical.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa does seem alright with the hand-holding, though occasionally she shifts her hand as if to just check and make sure that's /actually/ a thing going on. Occasionally her free hand dips into the popcorn, but she's mostly paying attention to the movie. Mostly.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is, alternatively, not paying attention to the movie so much as the girl beside her. When Nessa's hand shifts, Katsumi's does similar - but more to just brush a couple fingers along her palm affectionately. But once Nessa has resettled, those hands go right back to linking.

The movie itself goes uninterrupted otherwise!

Nessa Donovan has posed:
While the movie's not entirely Nessa's focus, she at least follows the plot and what's going on. It isn't until the credits are rolling and people are leaving that she looks back over to Katsumi and offers her a smile.

"I like to wait until the credits are over. Kind of seems respectful to everyone that worked on something, you know? ... plus then no one's in my way when I head out."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Oh yeah, I'm sure they're watching you and appreciating that you're sticking around. Just admit it, you're lingering to see if something's attached to the end of it," Katsumi teases. Softening the accusation, she leans towards her to nudge shoulder to shoulder with her. "But yeah, no, not having a herd of theater zombies to wade through is nice. Where do you wanna eat? Got anything you're in the mood for?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"It's the principle of the thing, Kat. They don't know but /I/ know," Nessa points out, then nudges Katsumi back. "Wading through people is dumb, even without ice issues." She shrugs, then stretches a bit again, eventually releasing Kat's hand so she can clean up her trash a bit. "Mm, dunno why lasagna sounds good, but that's the only thing off the top of my head. But /anything/ sounds great. Popcorn is good but not a full meal."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
The hand is withdrawn, and Katsumi raises to her full height. "Humans should come with bumpers, like cars. It'd fix the situation right up," posits Katsumi. "Lasagna. Okay." Her nose crinkles a little. Italian food. Food that can be quite messy. If this were her turf, she'd be able to take her to a nice beef bowl place, or sushi bar, or...

"Have you ever had sushi?" She offers to take the popcorn, arms held out. "We'll do lasagna tonight, but for reals, have you had sushi before?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Seriously, bumpers would be nice. Usually I just snap or glare at people and they keep their distance if I'm worried about that." Nessa shakes her head, offering the popcorn towards Kat as she gets up. "I mean, I've had grocery store sushi. Nothing good, though, I'm certain. Nothing /fresh/. I love it, though. We could find a sushi place instead if that's what you're feeling. We can find somewhere you think seems authentic enough."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro shakes her head. "No. American sushi sucks. I'm taking you to Japan one day, and we're getting proper sushi. Like, Tokyo sushi. Where they care." Katsumi hugs the popcorn to her chest and makes her way down towards the front of the theater. "But I'm not taking you to Italy for lasagna. You're cute, but not /that/ cute." She shoots a playful look over her shoulder.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa looks faux shocked. "What? Really? Not that cute? I'm surprised you think so." Amusement crosses her features as she follows Katsumi towards the exit. "Japan would be fun to visit. I could take you to Ireland if you ever wanted to go. Best pub food in the entire world, and certainly the best drinking songs."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro giggles on the way out the door, and right back into the cold.

"Sure I wouldn't get kicked out've Ireland? You're probably a national treasure to'em. I'm a dirty outsider who knows how to say 'worm' with one syllable. Or am I thinking of Scotland? Pfft, what's the difference!" She's pretty sure that's a big taboo, mixing up Ireland and Scotland. But that's how Katsumis do.

"Okay, need a cab." She spares a hand to raise, attempting to flag down a taxi. She doesn't see one yet, though.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Kicked out of Ireland? Kat, you clearly don't know /anything/ about Irish hospitality. You drink with the Irish and you're family. They'd love you," Nessa notes, then chuckles. "But I'm certainly no national treasure. Plus it's not like I've full on /lived/ there. I just have family there, spent a lot of summers watching people drink and fight."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro continues to stand there like an idiot with her arm in the air, waiting for a taxi to notice her. But at least she seems self-unaware enough to not notice or care.

"Is now a good time to admit I'm not much of a drinker? I don't think anyone who's Japanese really is. Not compared to some of you genetic freaks who can just down it and keep going. We get all red-faced and swaggery."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Oh, cute, so I'll drink you under the table like I do most everyone," Nessa jokes. "But I'm sure you look great when you're all red-faced and just want to fight everyone and everything that looks at you wrong." She doesn't comment on the taxi-hailing, mostly because she's busy enjoying the conversation.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro has decent stamina to be holding her arm aloft this long, though! And in fairness, Nessa is distracting her from an increasingly awkward moment.

"That's just me on a normal night, but with a red face," Katsumi counters. "What, you like girls with red faces? Do I need to go heavy on the blush? Is that what my baby likes?," she teases.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa laughs, her own cheeks coloring at the suggestion. "Honestly Kat? I have /no idea/ what I like. Or what I'm supposed to like. I do know I like you, so you've got that going for you. No extra effort needed. Besides, make-up's kind of hard, isn't it?"

Her fresh-faced look, while useful for trying not to make herself extra approachable, may partially be simply because she doesn't know /how/.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro lowers her arm at that, her smile losing its edge and softening. Moving in closer to Nessa, the punkette loops her free arm around her waist in a sudden clutch, intent on pulling her into herself. "Makeup's hard, yeah," she sympathizes. "So it's a good thing you're this pretty all on your own, hm?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's a sheepish smile, and Nessa's easily pulled in close. She wraps one of her arms around Katsumi in return. "I could get used to this sort of flattery. But I think it'd be nice to try some at some point. Real exercise of trust... you touching my face with makeup. That's skill." She gestures towards Kat's eyes. "You really make it look good."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
As Nessa indicates Katsumi's eyes and the dramatic liner she utilizes, Katsumi happily squints. She doesn't outwardly taut vanity, but she does take pride in how she looks. And there's actual effort behind it! So for Nessa to recognize and compliment it is nice.

"I can be really careful. And I'll make sure ya look good. I mean, good but different-good. Because you already look good."

There's a sidelong glance before her gaze returns to Nessa. She had to make sure that statement made sense. "You trust me that much, though..? Even with me kicking that girl out've the ring?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Kat, what happened with that fight wasn't your fault. Sure, you might have something going on you don't know how to control yet... but I'm not gonna just stop trusting you or treating you like /you/," Nessa shrugs. "So yeah, I trust you that much. Probably the only person I'd let put makeup on me, honestly. Might be kind of cool to see how I look with it. I wasn't quite hitting the makeup years when the whole ice thing fully happened, so I never really got anyone to help me."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro has very real worries about applying too much pressure or force on Nessa and hurting her, however. She isn't sure she quite gets it, but it's alright. She can be extra super delicate and cautious. She refuses to let herself hurt Nessa. It can't happen.

Katsumi leans forward and tilts her head to press a light kiss to her lips; the second one of the evening, but this time a little more lingering if Nessa allows. Her head tilts just enough to brush her nose affectionately into the blonde's cheek in the process, her eyes lidding shut.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa takes a moment to linger in the kiss, more than happy to stay close. She seems to have taken a blanket 'Kat will probably have some kind of contact' in her head, so nothing is quite too unexpected. Hopefully. When the kiss ends, she suddenly just hugs Katsumi tightly and buries her face in against her neck.

"This is really nice. I just want you to know that."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro simply drops the popcorn bag aside in favor of having two free arms to loop around Nessa. And with her suddenly clinging, she tilts her head to brush her cheek against her hair. "It really, really is," she murmurs back to her. But she doesn't know what else to say. She's just happy to be holding a clingy Nessa, sharing an embracing moment.

And just then, a taxi cab pulls up on the curb. The near window rolls down. "WERE YOU HAILIN', LADY!?," shouts a voice from within.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's a muffled laugh against Katsumi's neck as Nessa slowly pulls back. "Nice job with the cab, you're a real New York pro," she says with amusement before she grabs for Kat's hand. "Shall we go see about food, then? Much as I like just standing here."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro crinkles her nose at the epithet of being a real New York pro. "Probably just saw two hot chicks kissing and wanted a closer look," she teases.

But the cabbie is given a glance over her shoulder before Nessa seizes her hand and tugs her along to the car. They pile in, and Katsumi instructs, "Little Italy."

And so, the car takes off, with Katsumi having left litter on the front of the theater. Naughty.