infinite_reflection | Strawberry Short-hair (Seiya Hangout Thread) (RANK UP!)

Strawberry Short-hair (Seiya Hangout Thread) (RANK UP!)

((Open RP, I welcome multiple threads! <3)) It had been a few days since... the incident. Seiya and her friends were able to save Miho, however, there'd been some emotional side effects. Well, and physical. Seated behind the Yamada Mart counter, it was her first day back in the saddle after the whole ordeal. Mr. Yamada had somehow had a miraculous moment of compassion and let his daughter stay home for about four days. Now that her little mini vacation was up, the girl was expected to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for a while. Still, despite the expectations put on her, Seiya couldn't help but feel down. Self-consciously tugging at her now stubby pony tail, the girl reflected on what she'd told Greg about her hair. How important it was to her, and how it was the one thing in her life that she could control. Oh well. Win some and lose some. Propping her feet up on the counter, she opened a magazine, deciding to lose herself in the lives of celebrities for a while.

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Being sick sucked! Greg had been fast asleep while the group fought off a horrible shadowy death demonic version of Miho, and remained that way for most of the rest of the week after. Fortunately one of the other boys in his class lived in the same apartment complex, so his notes and work (as useless as the former were, given he'd already read far ahead) were delivered every afternoon. That meant he hadn't fallen too far behind in schoolwork! Socially, though... Well, he hadn't really talked to anyone who wasn't his mostly-absent father in a while.

That's why he was headed to Yamada Mart, now that the boy wasn't feeling absolutely sapped of all energy and sniffly as hell to boot. Gregory felt pretty good today actually, but not quiiite good enough to outwardly express anything more than his usual 'bluh'. That said, he /was/ hoping that Seiya would be working today... Not just so he could ask how that whole situation went, but also so that they could... Y'know. Hang out, or whatever. That wasn't weird, or anything!

After dismissing that thought, he pushed the door opened and accepted the jingling noise that came with it.

Flipping the page, she paused at the chime of the entry bell. "Welcome to Yamada Mart." she called half-heartedly, tossing the magazine into a pile of the others she'd been reading. Seeing Greg admittedly caused her to perk up. It was just nice to see a friendly face, or at least that's what she told herself. Seiya leaned up from her chair, fussing with her hair. It just didn't feel right. "Long time no see." Seiya added with a little smile. Sadly, it didn't last.

It was hard not to notice the change first thing. "You cut your hair!" Wait. Hadn't she said... "... You cut your hair?" Seiya got an odd look after he realized it, and the supposedly 'friendly face' stepped right up to the counter for a closer look. "Don't look too good, either. Something went bad, didn't it?" Yes, it was that obvious.

Tugging at the short strands, she shook her head. "No, /I/ didn't." Seiya felt horrible, dumping her other world issues on her friend like she always did. Reaching back under the counter, she produced his favourite soda from the employee cooler, sliding it across the space between them. "She's okay, Miho-chan, I mean." She couldn't really say things went wrong. They accomplished what they were supposed to, after all. "It looks awful, doesn't it?"

Greg caught the soda in one hand and cracked it open, then took a seat on one of the nearby coolers... It was no substitute for a real seat, but it'd have to do. "Awful? You kidding? Hmmm..." The boy leaned back, closing one eye like he was Picasso over here, and even set the soda down to form a little frame with his fingers. "Mmmnah. Think I like it a little better, actually. You look pretty good with short hair."

Seiya watched him take a seat on a cooler, amused by his makeshift seat. Hoisting herself up on the counter, she cracked open a soda for herself, taking a swig. She'd just mess around with the inventory numbers later. As Greg put on his artiste persona, she couldn't help but let a tiny smile creep up on her. Of course, that smile spread full force when he complimented her. Cheeks red, she hid her reaction by chugging her soda faster. Coming up for air, Seiya was still grinning stupidly. "You think so? Really?" She couldn't deny that his approval made little butterflies in her chest. "Thank you. I'm glad you like it."

Hah! She was blushing. ... Thinking about that made -his- cheeks get a little pink, though. Greg fixed that in much the same way, by picking his soda back up and sipping, then nodded when she needed confirmation. "Of course. I was the one who, uh... Asked you about cutting it, in the first place. Already knew it'd look nice, heh." After wiping at his nose a bit (he was still sniffly, admittedly), he took a look around the fairly empty store. "Not a busy shift today, then?" He felt bad when she left work early, but... After a week of laying in bed, he was eager to do -something-.

Her only response was a little giggle, which she quickly muffled by answering his next question. "No, not a single customer today." Adjusting her hat, Seiya gestured around her. "Dad said the sale would bring people in but, as you can see..." It wasn't so. Tilting her head, she frowned. "Are you alright? You were sick, weren't you?"

"We should go do something, if it's that dead." He sipped his soda with a slightly thoughtful expression... 'Sick' wasn't even a good word for it, his father had even said one more day and he'd probably get taken to the hospital. Greg hadn't done well over the last week! "I had the flu or something, uh, yeah. Fever and stuff... Pretty miserable, but I'm feeling okay now. I had a breakfast that wasn't, uh... Chicken soup, at least. Heh."

The flu, huh? Seiya hopped up off her perch, heading towards him. Placing the back of her hand on his forehead, she narrowed her gaze. "I'll be the judge of that!" Waiting, she put her free hand on her own forehead, measuring his temperature against hers. He seemed alright by her standards. "Okay, Guregori, you've earned a field trip." Nodding, she reached over the counter, grabbing her American Flag Bag (tm). "So, any place in mind?"

Greg raised an eyebrow at the temperature check, but he didn't raise his voice in protest so she was more or less allowed. The fever he'd been running had thankfully calmed down today, otherwise she might have sent him right back home. "You know, that kid at the ice cream shop said my name just fine, Seiya-chan." He snickered, sliding off of the cooler and standing up, then crushed the now empty soda can in his hand and chucked it into a nearby trash bin. Two points! "Anywhere I haven't been yet? Maybe somewhere I can stretch my legs... Get active, or something." Probably the only time she'd ever hear Gregory suggest anything close to /exercise/ for an outing. Staying cooped up in a house for a week would do that to anyone!

Pouting slightly, she dug out her massive keyring. "His mom's American, he's cheating." Seiya lied, flipping the open sign to closed just as a woman put her hand on the door. The lady glared through the glass, throwing her hands up. Seiya threw hers upwards as well, mimicking the housewife.

"Your father said you'd be open twenty-four hours!"
"WELL WE'RE NOT."

Flashing a toothy smile, she beckoned for Greg. "C'mon, we'll go take a walk!"

"Oh!" There was a lady there. No customers until now, that figured. He stepped aside so that Seiya could let the woman in... Only for the opposite to happen. The angry-looking housewife got something of an apology-wave from Gregory before she stormed off looking all sorts of upset. "Won't your dad be, uh... Well, all right."

With a small sniffle, he stepped out the door after the girl and adjusted his tie... It was a little crooked. Then again, most of his outfit was today. So he didn't have the energy to look perfect, what was anyone gonna say?

"Won't he be what?" She locked the door, kicking it into place. The building was old, but there were a few tricks to keeping her functional. Tucking her keys away, Seiya started down the street, assuming her friend would follow. "As for a place to work out your little sick legs..." she licked her finger, holding it up, waiting for the wind to guide her. "We could go to the park, or maybe a gym?"

"Annoyed, I guess, was the word I was looking for." Maybe this whole closing the shop early thing was her form of rebellion to begin with, huh? He'd never really thought about that. Deciding not to dwell on the subject, if only because he didn't want to see Seiya depressed like she had seemed when he first entered the shop, Greg stepped up to her side while she apparently tested the wind. "Maybe not the gym, uh... Well. Are they full of meatheads here, like they are in America?" Something told him probably.

Aha! That's what he wanted. It'd involve walking... And then eating, but hey. "Do you know like, uh..." Seiya had to know, she knew every little place around here. "A sweet shop? A candy shop, I mean... I could use something sugary."

"Meatheads?" Seiya walked alongside Greg, swinging her bag with each step. Maybe her dad would be a little peeved, that is if he bothered to check in. If history were to repeat itself, that probably wasn't happening any time soon.

"A sweet shop, huh?" Tapping her chin thoughtfully, the girl thought of her internal library of mom and pop shops. "There's a really cute candy shop on the other side of town. I've only been once, so we might get a little lost on the way." But adventures were always fun! With that, she aimed for the train station. "You have time, right?"

"Meatheads, like... Y'know, those muscly guys. Maybe you don't have them over here. They spend all day in the gym, uh... Grunting and making other weird noises while they lift weights." He made a disgusted face and then snorted, stepping in beside Seiya when she started walking. "The longer the walk the better, really. I got lost on my first walk to school... And to the bigger store near my apartment, so it wouldn't be much of a change for me."

Sickness had paid off a little bit, given he seemed a little more... Energetic today, than normal. Might've been an odd fit on Gregory, but hopefully not unwelcome! "I thought about texting you, but I figured you were probably busy." In other words, 'hey can I text you in the future'. Y'know, cleverly disguised.

"Oh, those guys." Seiya scrunched up her nose. A muscly japanese man wasn't exactly hunky or appealing. She definitely noted the change in his behavior. He was a lot more lively today, though she didn't mind at all!

"What? You should've! I'm never busy!" Seiya playfully whapped his arm, grinning like a doofus. Nothing like a good old dose of quality Greg time to get her mind off things. They were rapidly approaching the station, business men flooding in and out of it like clockwork. Hopefully they wouldn't get too squished.

That was just about the only problem with the train here... Everyone packed in like sardines. Sickness would've been a risk if people didn't wear those flu masks. ... Now that he thought about it, he should be in one of those, huh? Greg just felt inconsiderate! Oh well, no fever generally meant he wasn't contagious. "Well, I just..! I'll do it if I'm ever sick again, then. You asked for it."

Lucky for them, the train they needed had just pulled in when they got to the station. "Uh, with..." How to put it? Moreover, why was it making him /nervous/? "My dad and I usually hold hands. So we don't, like... Lose each other." Errrk, but now his palms were feeling a little sweaty. Maybe not a good idea. "But I mean, well."

Would it be weird to say she looked forward to him getting sick? Probably. Seiya decided to hold her tongue, the doors to their train swishing open.

She'd be lying if she didn't admit that the mental image of Greg and his dad holding hands on a train wasn't pretty cute. Glancing at him, she wondered if that was Greg's way of inviting her to link their palms. She'd done it before, so what made this time so special to her? The announcer started calling for the passengers to board, and with a good amount of people filtering in, she decided to just go for it, squeezing his hand before pulling her companion into the train.

Right! Probably a stupid idea anyway. Greg was about to take a step in when she took his hand, and a wave of slight relief washed over him. Okay! Not as weird now. Still a little weird, he had to admit, but not /as/ much. The two ended up pretty close together regardless, go figure in this sardine can that was a train, but there was still the risk of someone squeezing between them.

"This is really something you have to get used to, heh. It's, uh... Definitely never this crowded, in America. You've got room to stretch your legs on the subway in New York, usually."

Once inside, Seiya found herself squished up against a window and Greg. Still keeping her grip on his hand, she was jostled by the train lurching into motion. Close quarters was putting it lightly.

"Really?" Seiya didn't seem to believe that American transportation would be so, well, easy. "If your trains have so much room, that means not a lot of people are riding them, right? So how do they get around?" That was a silly question, but still, she asked! A very tall businessman bumped into the pair, hoping to inch his way closer to the door as his stop approached. Talk about rude.

"Cars, usually. It's not as crowded in the subway, but there's a whole lot more traffic... Hrrk!" Squishhh. Poor Greg got smooshed between a suitcase and the wall he was next to. Thankfully there was no pain, just mild discomfort. "I'm okay, uh, no big deal. Some people ride bikes, but not as much as here. Just a lot more cars, basically." The announcer came over the intercom with their next stop, likely not the one these two were getting off on, but at least it meant he'd get a moment of freedom.

"Wow." Seiya steadied herself with her free hand, pressing her palm firmly against the glass. One of these days a train was just going to shatter into bits, she was sure of it. "That sounds really fun. If I could drive I'd definitely get a car."

The brakes screeched and the train slowed to a stop before opening. Businessmen filed out, though not enough to allow them /too/ much room. Still, it was nice to get a little air. "Our stop's the next one, don't worry."

Oh, good! They wouldn't have to be on this thing for too long, then. He got scrunched up against the wall again when the next load of people came on, but thankfully not with a horrible hard suitcase. "Before we even get there, uh, how about I pay for the candy this time?" Greg snickered, the question was mostly in jest... He intended to pay of course, but it seemed like she was always the one quicker to draw her wallet.

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