psychedelica | NEW AND IMPROVED STEPH CATCHALL

[ hello. she is petting a baby elephant. when she looks up, there's a smile on her face, but whether it's because there is a baby elephant or if it's hikage is a mystery. ]

Not really. What's up?

[ the baby elephant is definitely cuter... he's also definitely staring at it for a second, because he's never seen an elephant in real life before, but it's fine. Stephanie is, as ever, more important. The smile encourages him, even if it's not intended for him, and he walks over. ]

Go on a date with me. [ glancing away... maybe bashfully, or maybe he's just awkward. Maybe both. ] ... You're the only one I want to ask.

[ they're stuck in stupid murder hell, still. This place is horrible. The last place was, too. But when he's with her, he might actually feel happy. That hasn't changed, and that makes it worth it. ]

[ oh

she blinks in surprise. somehow, steph wasn't actually expecting this, even though it makes sense that he wouldn't have gone to someone else. ]

You could pick anyone. [ ... ] I mean, yes, we can go on one. But it doesn't have to just be me.

Did you hear me? I said you're the only one I want to ask. I want you.

[ don't get it twisted! He offers her a hand to help her up. ]

[ stephanie is torn, because on one hand she desperately wants hikage to branch out and hang out with other people, especially now after seeing what happened to ogata. the last thing she wants is no one coming to hikage's defense if he's ever put in a position like that, especially when her word would be seen as a clearly biased one.

on the other hand, that was rather sweet.

... she'll take the offer, and get back up. ]

Okay. But you need to do the second task with someone other than Belph then.

[ dates are purely romantic, as far as he's concerned, so there was never a chance of him picking anyone else for this task. Frankly, it feels tacky to "date" in a place like this, but he's willing to play for the rewards - just in case.

Her comment makes him sigh, a little exasperated. ]

Stop trying to babysit me. I can decide what I want to do on my own. If I was as fragile as you think I am, I would have broken a long time ago. [ as he pulls her up to her feet, he keeps a firm grip on her hand, drawing her in a little closer. ] Stay still for a second.

[ just gonna... reach up and tuck that flower he's got behind her ear, casually. ]

[ she blinks. ]

Oh... smooth.

[ romantic? it's moments like these that she remembers that hikage really is a ye olde, with certain ideas of courtship. it's not a bad thing, but it does take her by surprise from time to time. ]

Where are we going?

[ he's still an otome boy! he has some moves! they're just obscured by all his fucking baggage. He steps back, then smiles a little, still holding onto her hand. ]

... Well, there's a shrine through the portal. We could take a walk there. [ he shrugs slightly. ] That might be too old-fashioned for a modern American girl, though.

[ it's the most romantic place he can think of around here. ]

You're really stuck on the American thing, huh...

[ it's funny.

but a shrine, huh... sounds neat. ]

Sure. Let's go to the shrine.

I'm not "stuck on it." Even I can be sensitive sometimes, you know. [ tugging her along by the hand! ] ... I don't want to bore you.

[ he is aware that he's very old-fashioned. Briefly, Hikage wonders at the fact that this is now what he's concerned about in their relationship - not that she'll reject him for who he is or was or might have been, or hate him for the things he's done. ]

You would have to be really bad to bore me.

[ she shakes her head. ]

Don't worry, I'm used to hanging out with people who aren't used to things like that.

[ not even like, just from murdergames, but back home too. ]

Are you?

[ maybe that's why she's good at dealing with him... ]

Pretty much. It's not like... super common enough that every other person is like that, but with my line of work, it comes up more often than you think.

... When I remember your world has aliens, that makes more sense.

[ the bar is so low...... but at least that means he won't be the most clueless person in Gotham. ]

We're used to dealing with uh, new move-ins, so there will be people willing to help out.

Heh. You are the type to take in strays. That's pretty lucky on my part.

[ he nods to himself. Between that and the wish, it might actually work -- if they get through this. But he's not going to bring that up now. ]

There are a lot of things I'm curious about - even the everyday, boring things. You'll have to show me around.

[ she can't say that she, specifically, is, but... thankfully a lot of people she knows are. ]

I will. I'll give you the whole tour!

[ ..... she will skips certain parts of the tour because there is no way she is taking him or belph to some parts of gotham. she will just mark them on a map with a note that says "DO NOT VISIT" ]

[ warning hikage like he's simba and she's mufasa, i see... ]

Hmph. My expectations are high.

[ It feels nice to think about that potential future, even if it's just a dream. Simple, easy things, like walking in the snow together, or waiting for a train - they're the stuff of his fantasies after being indoors for so long. Walking outside in the grass like this is nice, too, but he knows he's still trapped. When he's truly free, he's sure he'll feel the difference. ]

In return, I'll make you something good when we get back from exploring. [ a beat. ] Do you really like mashed potatoes that much?

It's not actually my favorite food or anything.

[ hm...

she thinks over how to say the rest. ]

It's more like, a comfort food? Whenever I'm feeling down about something, it's what I go for to help make me feel better.

... My guess was wrong.

[ if he'd known that, he wouldn't have made her so many sweets back in the castle! Then again, there are only so many ways to make mashed potatoes. He'd run out of ideas eventually. And she never seemed to complain about it. Still, it would be nice to make something different, specifically for her... Maybe the way to a girl's heart is through her stomach, too?

In any case, they're coming up on the weird portal tree. Hikage looks at her, then surreptitiously at their hands, then back to the hollow again. ]

Let's jump on three.

[ stop hikage, she doesn't dislike sweets it's fine!! and she can't say this because it's all bracket text, so instead she just tilts his head at the first comment.

but then he speaks again, and she nods. ]

Alrighty. One... two... three!

[ he's a perfectionist how is he gonna win her heart if he doesn't make her mashed potaters :(

anyway, this portal thing is still weird, but here they go. He's done it a few times already, so he lands on his feet this time. The area on the other side is actually a lot nicer than the camp; it's too bad they can't stay here, instead. ]

This way. I was here earlier.

Mm. These places were pretty big, huh...

[ she assumes these portals might have been a weekly thing instead of them receiving all of them at once, but even then it's still a lot of places to explore. amazing.

but she'll follow wherever he goes. ]

A lot bigger than the castle. [ huff. ] ... It's probably better that we didn't have this much space.

[ too many places to have to look for bodies and evidence, tbh. ]

Still... I prefer this area.

It's rather... quaint.

[ although honestly, she is pretty sure if she was stuck here for two months while murders happened, she wouldn't be the biggest fan of it. ]

What do you have planned?

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