when love comes calling, don't look back

[coronated]

Characters: Utena and Mami
Date: During the mistletoe event
Summary: The best way to make things between a friend less awkward is to make out with them! Oh wait.
Warnings: None

Comments

[headedforhope]

[Utena isn't alone in her wanderings or her confusion, comfortless as that likely is

[headedforhope]

[Mami glances up, looking surprised for a moment....and then the expression smooths out as her face softens. Mami smiles, obviously touched, and gives Utena's hands a gentle squeeze.]

....I'm glad that we're friends, too.

[A soft golden light envelops her, and when it fades Mami is once more in her winter outfit. She closes her eyes and let out a soft sigh of relief, feeling warmth return to her body.]

[coronated]

[Now that the moment of hurt feelings and misunderstandings has passed (at least for the moment), Utena feels awkward again. It had been easier to deal with anger than it had been to deal with the conflicting emotions she'd been feeling over the past several days, and being alone with Mami brings them back into steep focus. She manages a distracted smile in return, but she does at last pull her hands away to stuff them back in her pockets, rocks back and forth on the heels of her feet.]

Good. Um...sorry for causing you any trouble. I thought I'd be able to get the ribbon on my own, but...[She stretches an arm over her head, turns away and looks back up at the tree.] I guess it was too high! [She takes a step forward, then a second, and right as it seems she's about to say something else, she is quite suddenly falling onto the cold, hard ground.]

[headedforhope]

[It's only when Utena withdraws her hands that there's the faintest pang of....of what? Some faint emotion, immediately buried before it can be fully recognized.] Don't worry about it, I'm sure you only- [But the words are lost as Utena falls, her eyes widening with a puzzled concern.

Mami takes only one step, bending down on one knee.] -are you all right? ...did you slip?

[coronated]

[Utena winces and sits up laboriously, groaning under her breath. What had that been? She's certain she didn't slip.]

No, I didn't slip. [She turns her attention back toward the direction she'd been walking in. Nothing but empty, crisp air...] It felt like I hit a wall.

[headedforhope]

...a wall, huh? [Mami mulls that over, returning to a standing position. She takes a cautious step forward past Utena, her arms outstretched and hands carefully reaching out into the empty air.

It wouldn't surprise her in the slightest to find that what Utena is suggesting is true.....and there's only consternation on her face when her fingertips hit something invisible and unyielding.]

It seems as though you're right, Utena-san.

[coronated]

[She hops back up to her feet, looking over Mami's shoulder curiously. As unusual as it is, she isn't frightened or concerned yet.]

Where do you think it came from?

[headedforhope]

[There's a tiny jolt from having Utena so close, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck rising, but both sensations go unnoticed as Mami processes the situation.

Her smile turns somewhat wry, faintly annoyed.]

Where else?

[It must be the magic of the Gardens. Again.]

[coronated]

[Utena is not nearly as skilled as Mami when it comes to keeping her irritation under wraps, and frowns, giving the empty space in front of them a dark look.]

Some weird magic again, I bet. But what's the reason for it this time? [She glances up again, searching for the birds, but something else catches her eye -- that tiny, innocuous plant she'd overlooked before. She points to it, in order to get Mami's attention.]

Hey, do you see that?

[headedforhope]

Mm?

[She follows the aim of Utena's finger, squinting slightly, searching the branches.]

Ah- that plant? Well, perhaps it's a flower, it's hard for me to tell from here....

[coronated]

[She trots over to get a closer look at the little green plant, and frowns, rubbing her head.]

Mm, no, it's not a flower. I think it's mistletoe...

[Comprehension dawns. Utena reaches out a hand, and while there's nothing visible there, she hits the same solid wall as before.] Oh...

[headedforhope]

[Ignorant of the plant's significance, Mami merely turns to look at Utena with a curious bemusement.]

....I don't think I'm following, Utena-san.

[coronated]

[Ohtori has top-notch botany classes, okok

It's notable that Utena won't face Mami when she speaks, nor does she turn her attention away from the mistletoe hanging above.]

Mm, mistletoe. Himemiya told me about it. It's er...well, there's a tradition you have to follow when you get stuck under it with someone.

[headedforhope]

[A slow arching of one eyebrow.]

Yes...?

[coronated]

Kissing. [The word comes out surprisingly high-pitched, a choked, nervous sound.] You have to kiss under it.

[headedforhope]

[That shuts her up for the moment, the strength bleeding out of her knees. She realizes, now, the purpose of this magic - it fits in so perfectly with the Queen's schemes that it's infuriating.

Or it would be, if Mami could spare the emotion for anger. Instead there's only shock, and when that clears, the overwhelming rush of heat at the thought of such an intimate contact. Her mouth has suddenly gone very dry.]

.....ah....