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[topgun_textiles]

[He's too frazzled to keep it to voice. Seated at his desk, the feed begins with a very black-haired Kanji peering through his glasses at a small stack of papers in his hands. He had to go over them again, sweating visibly before he managed to swallow and get some moisture back into his mouth.]

Son of a bitch... I-I, ah, I gotta put out a warning to everybody!

S'about that Ware Wolf Shop that pops up around now. Dude sells a lotta good stuff, right? Well, he don't feel the need to tell ya about the fine fuckin' print!

[As he places the papers in a neat stack, the sharper eyes can spot the light going through the last flyer he held in his hands, staring at it in more than mild panic, bidding The Shirogane-Tatsumi couple a hearty congratulations and to please use these coupons to make their first anniversary just as memorable.]

Just... just don't buy the fancy rings, y'hear me!? Not unless you're real serious! D-don't make me explain it...!

[He rest the bottom half of his very red face in a palm, lost in thought for a moment. His adam's apple bobs with the next swallow. How the fuck was he gonna explain this to-

The feed cuts.]

Comments

[pishirogane]

Hm... it's almost the end of the month. If things continue as they have, they might be preoccupied soon.

[topgun_textiles]

[He took a long pull of his drink, grateful for the sweetness and the way it quenched. Yet his eyebrows shot up with her remark.]

Shit, you're right. I'm surprised they even sent the fliers; how the hell's anybody supposed to do anything when the Weirdness rears its head?

[pishirogane]

I'm sure they've grown used to it themselves... or perhaps, the oddities came when we started to appear. Does it not seem that way?

[topgun_textiles]

It's always somethin' hungry for chroma. It's definitely after we started showin' up.

[He blew out a sigh.]

S'why I had the idea of movin' in the first place. If we spread out then Lunatia gets somethin' of a break, and the prismals don't kick us to the curb when we should be helpin' each other.

As for gettin' used to it? S'been almost two years now, right? I can see 'em bein'... detoxed... unsensitive...?

[pishirogane]

Indeed.

[She took a sip of her coffee.]

A valid reason. I'm surprised the other cities welcome us though if trouble seems to follow.

I believe the word you want is desensitized.

[topgun_textiles]

Deeesensitized.

[Testing it out, and he nodded.]

I getcha, but I'm glad they're givin' us a chance. It ain't real optimistic to say it, but we're too valuable for 'em to ice us out.

[He sat back and nursed his drink.]

I'm... more than good to uphold the Shirogane name.

[pishirogane]

That's true. Leaving us on our own would've been detrimental to their recovery efforts.

[She could imagine a few among them taking matters into their own hands too.]

... But what about Tatsumi? Don't you want to keep that?

[topgun_textiles]

Naoto... my family's been in the textile business for generations, yeah? But let's be real- I'm still who I am, no matter what my last name is.

But 'Shirogane' perks ears. It's gotta instill fear in those assholes who constantly get up to no good and fuck around with the police.

It ain't right for somethin' like marriage to take away somethin' you're proud of.

[pishirogane]

But, Kanji-kun...

[Their names were both generational. To change either one of them wouldn't be changing who they were technically, but didn't he want to keep his last name? By tradition, she was supposed to take his name, but...]

... do you want to take my last name?

[topgun_textiles]

[He got up immediately, and moved to take a seat next to her instead.]

...Look, we've been pretty outside of tradition, yeah? Tradition says you gotta be a Tatsumi. But fuck that!

[He put an arm around her, his cheeks dusted pink.]

People would make fun of me and say I'd be the one in the bridal hikifurisode. So I'll embrace it, stick it to 'em... and I'll take the name of the moon n' stars in my sky.

[His mind was set, and he steeled his jaw in turn.]

S'what my heart says is right. I'll make my family understand, too.

[pishirogane]

[She was sitting up a little straighter, eyes growing at his outburst... and she turned red at his arm.]

Kanji-kun...

[It was true, they weren't for traditions like that... and if Tatsumi-san was here, Naoto felt like she would understand. Her Grandfather too.]

... I for one think you could pull off a bridal hikifurisode. And, as for the last name, my Grampa would be fine welcoming you into the family.

[topgun_textiles]

[He laughed at that, picturing himself in the many layers, all ending with a beautifully-colored wrap. Should he pin something pretty in his hair too, or would that be too much, like feathers or something...?]

Y'know what, I'll make the prismal brides jealous! I wonder what other moonblessed are thinkin' about stuff like this...?

[He smiled warmly. His arm gave her a squeeze as he pressed a kiss against her temple.]

You'd look so damn good in the hakama. Are... a-are we doin' this? Hell, I'd be fine with a dressed-up photo shoot...!

[pishirogane]

Who knows.

[But she smiled, closing her eyes and leaning against his arm.]

If you want to. I still believe it should be a small ceremony.

[topgun_textiles]

[He felt like he was floating. How...? How was he so fucking lucky?]

'Course! But who...?

[They'd be in Lunatia not too long from now, but hey. Now that he wasn't fearing the worst, he was curious as to who'd be on Naoto's list.]

[pishirogane]

Hm... well, our friends from Inaba, perhaps Amamiya-san and his friends... Konoha-san and her husband if he's comfortable with attending...

[She'd say Pidge and Red, but they weren't here anymore. Still, she looked up at Kanji; was there anyone he'd want to invite in particular?]

[topgun_textiles]

Heh... y'know, I was thinkin' of the same list! Konoha would burst if she wasn't invited. She's gotta come. I wonder what Gonta looks like dressed for an event, too...

[He rubbed his chin.]

I trust Ren to pick n' choose his times to misbehave. But if he tries to steal either of us, we gotta promise the other goes to kick his ass.

[pishirogane]

I doubt he'll misbehave during this... however, I can't say he'll find a way to tease us. What is it with everyone doing that?

[topgun_textiles]

[He shrugged and rubbed the back of his head.]

Ya know, they say people do it outta love, but I wish they'd love us a little less.

[He blinked and looked up. There was the announcement of the approach. They'd be in Lunatia in a few minutes.]

Maybe we can have a meeting or somethin' and lay down some rules...

[pishirogane]

Out of love? Yes, they could cut back...

[She shook her head.]

Yes, that should work. Or perhaps they can take care of their teasing then...

[topgun_textiles]

Blow that steam before the whole thing, huh...? Yeah, that sounds like the safer option.

[May as well get it over with. But here he was on the Comet with her, and before what may be an ass-kicking of a salesperson, he wanted to... to just...]

Uh... h-hey, so before we do this thing, y'mind if we jus' snuggle a bit? I'm still gettin' used to the stuff we went over, lettin' it sink in and I got mad butterflies.

[pishirogane]

[She nodded, glad he agreed. She doubts it would stop them outright, but minimizing it at the very least.]

If you want to... I suppose we can.

[topgun_textiles]

[Glad for it, he nestled a cheek atop her head. He already felt the shock and anxiety ebbing from him, enough that he wasn't going to sock Lumi for anything. A lecture? Oh boy was a lecture coming... some fine print would have been fantastic for the items.

He could remember that glint, too, that appeared in his eyes when he suggested offering it to her on one knee. Had he been savvier in western methods involving proposing marriage, he could have caught into it at the very beginning.]

...It figures I'd be one of the last to clue in on somethin' like this for myself.

[pishirogane]

[Naoto looked up as he rested his cheek upon her head and chuckled. She could feel his anxiety radiating off him and gradually ebbing off. As well, she could feel herself becoming calmer, thinking less about trapping the owner and just talking to him.]

... Which part?

[topgun_textiles]

I read tons of love stories but never really put together the 'down on one knee' thing Lumi told me to do until ya brought it up.

It never friggin' helped when I was bein' called 'Moronji' back in the day, neither. Man... I'm workin' on catchin' onto stuff faster, but I had this first big shock of, 'Aw, shit. It's old habits again.'

[pishirogane]

It's not your fault, Kanji-kun. Again, getting down on a knee is a common way to propose, no wed. It was no matter of being slow, but this place operating differently than what we're used to again.