concoursec | [Action] Dorms to garage: Merry Christmas, Snow

Entry tags:

[Action] Dorms to garage: Merry Christmas, Snow

Character(s): Snow and OPEN!

Location: Starts at the dorm, ends at the garage, and anywhere in between

Rating: PG?

Open/Closed/Finished: Open

Summary: Snow gets his mental and physical maturity back plus one more present!

Morning; time to get up.

Snow opened his eyes to three immediate realizations. One: He no longer had the mind of a child. Two: he no longer had the body of a child. Three: ....oh, man did he owe Mia an apology or ten. Or maybe not -- apology -- but explanations, oh yeah. Serious explanations. And then maybe apologies.

Awkward.

He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, then heaved a sigh, pushed himself to a seated position, and swung his legs out of the bed. His knee promptly smacked into something painfully hard. Through squinted, watering eyes Snow peered at whatever had intruded -- then went silent, in shock and memory half-blissful, half-torture.

So it was that several minutes and much maneuvering later, Snow at last managed to squeeze his old hoverbike out of the dormitory door, and with the power on just enough so that it didn't drag, begin directing it down the halls, towards, eventually, the garage.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Thank goodness she was back to her usual self. Mia wasn't sure how much longer of "older woman stuck in a teenage body" she could stand. (Nevermind that she missed that magatama - and her clothes were kinda cute - it was simply the principle of the matter!) As she walked from her dorm to the cafeteria, Mia'd assumed that today would be semi-normal.

Wait, was that... Snow and a hoverbike? Normal immediately flew out the window. "Snow! Wait!"

Once she was able to walk comfortably beside him, she offered a smile, "Hey. Is that your Christmas present?"

Snow stepped to one side the moment he heard that voice, hefting the bike out of the way of traffic. It wasn't quite as impressive as it looked, since the manadrive on the bike actively defied gravity anyway.

He didn't turn to greet Mia properly, because he was busy turning quite red. When she did catch up to him, and he couldn't hide any more, he returned the smile she offered quite sheepishly.

"Hi, Mia." No mention of the events of time compression? Was she just going to pretend it hadn't happened? Maybe that was best. "This -- I found it in my room when I woke up this morning. It's definitely mine, I recognize everything about it..."

Still, Mia was visibly impressed. Los Angeles didn't have this kind of technology! Already, the gears in her brain were clicking. The police could use this, no doubt, and capture criminals more easily...

"Oh, so that's what you got," She said, smiling as she inspected it carefully. "It's an impressive bike! Did you ride it all the time?"

... Really, it wasn't so much as Mia wasn't pretending it didn't happen as Mia knew Snow was a little kid. Judging from his expression, he obviously knew it'd happened, so she then added, "And about the last couple of weeks? Don't worry about it. The Time Compression's weird like that a lot."

"Uh... you sure? I mean, I didn't do anything on purpose, but... I didn't... not not do it on purpose..."

He stopped walking to shake his head. He'd only confused himself, and the memories this bike brought back weren't helping anything. "Yeah... I used to ride it a lot. Before... everything."

She nodded. "I think I was just about the only one affected who was aware the whole time. It was actually kinda fun, to be a kid again." After a moment, she added, "And besides, you should've told me about the 'Secret Place' earlier."

Tilting her head to the side, Mia carefully picked her words. Okay, so he probably didn't want to talk about the past - it kinda made sense - so she simply said, "... I see. For what it's worth, it looks great. I'm sure some of the other guys around here'll be jealous."

Her excluded, of course, because Mia and cars simply didn't co-exist. Changing the subject, she added, "... I got Charley as my present. I kinda missed the little guy, so it's nice having him around."

"I thought you knew about it," he said, still sheepish. "I guess I forgot not everyone just wanders around punching monsters like me. Sorry."

Still mortally embarrassed? Oh yes. But glad that it hadn't made things weird between then.

"I suppose I could take you for a ride someday," if he could get over the memories of the LAST time he rode the things. "Who's Charley?"

If she could punch monsters, Mia probably wouldn't be a lawyer! Still, she couldn't help smiling at him. "Miiiight wanna remember that. That's why you're teaching me martial arts, right?" (Well, Snow'd said that he'd be her hero, but Mia'd chalked that up to him being a little kid. Part of her was embarrassed at... actually, let's just forget the whole thing happened. Really.)

"My houseplant!" She beamed, not quite aware that she was sounding like a crazy plant lady. Which, by the way, was like a crazy cat lady, but worse since plants weren't living things like cats. "He used to be in my office, but he obviously didn't come with me to Garden. Still.. I'm glad to see he's still alive."

No, if she could punch monsters, she would be an even MORE awesome lawyer.

And yes. Let's pretend that whole thing never happened. Sure, he was the hero, but... Serah's hero. Oh man, awkward, stillllll.

"What kind of houseplant?" Snow nudged the hoverbike into slow motion again, slow enough for Mia to keep up easily. "That raises all sorts of questions, really."

"He's a Cordyline stricta," Mia cheerfully replied as she walked beside Snow. (Honestly, she was grateful he was walking slowly - any faster and her heels'd kill her.) "Its more common name's the Narrow-leaved Palm Lily. I think you'd really like him! He's a good plant."

Realizing her... eagerness, Mia shyly tucked some of her hair behind her ear, "Of course, plants aren't exactly like pets. ... Not that I'd know. It's been forever since I've had them in my house."

Heels are top of the list of things Snow does not understand. Then again, he hadn't known many girls over the course of his life who favored them. "Well, you know more about plants than I ever will already," he said with a grin. "But I guess plants were better for you than a pet, since your work must have kept you away from home a lot, right?"

"Kind of," She shrugged. Mia had spent a lot of time from home in Los Angeles - and even more so in this new world - but she still would've had time for a pet. (Maybe.) "I just hadn't ever considered owning a cat or a dog."

In retrospect, maybe it would've made more sense than a bunch of plants. Still smiling, she couldn't help adding, "Maybe I should've gotten one instead, huh?"

"Couldn't tell you, I never had a pet," Snow said, finally beginning to relax a bit. Nothing had turned awkward or uncomfortable after all! At least not for any long period of time. "Not even a goldfish. I never really had the chance."

"Your job kept you busy too?" Granted, Mia didn't know that much about Snow's past - not beyond Serah or that organization he worked with - but she suspected it was pretty dark and heavy. Keeping that in mind, she kept walking and trying to think of something light-hearted to say.

"Oh, right," She laughed, remembering belatedly. "I guess I should've just wished you Merry Christmas from the start. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Sort of. I grew up in a Sanctum orphanage, and when I finally got my own place, it seemed I was never in it. Out running with NORA or having fun with my friends, you know?"

He pushed the bike into the tunnel that led to the garage, ducking his head despite the fact that he was in no danger of hitting his head. Long-ingrained reflex. "Not a thing. You have something in mind?"

Mia couldn't help smiling as she nodded in agreement. "... Yeah. Once I left home, I spent more time at the firm than anything."

Following him inside, Mia glanced around at all the different vehicles. Garden'd never ceased to impress her with its supply, though part of her still felt guilty for willingly being a part of this madness. (She never did entirely feel comfortable working for an organization that was capable of killing people.)

"Mmm, not really," She admitted. "But I was thinking... maybe I could cook dinner and we could eat together?" Here, she paused. "I guess I could invite all the other Instructors like Nina and the new guy - Tommy - too."

"That sounds like a great idea!" Snow pushed the hoverbike into a random space in the garage that was most likely the entirely wrong way to put it, then turned to Mia with a grin that said he'd almost entirely forgotten about it already -- and with it the bittersweet memories the gift had brought with it. "I'll be there!"

Garden's faculty would most likely have something to say about the parking job later, but Mia didn't know any better; had she known? She might've actually mentioned it. Instead, she settled for a puzzled, "... Does that look okay?" before shrugging and moving on.

"Ah, you will?" She smiled widely at him. "Great! Meet me in my room later this evening. I'm sure I can find a store that's open somewhere in town..."

That'll be easier said than done, and Mia knew it, but if all else failed, she was pretty sure she could raid the kitchens if she asked politely.

He shrugged, assuming someone will tell him if he screwed up. It doesn't bother him, he just got better things to think about!

He matched her smile with his own. "I'll be there. Actually, I better get some breakfast or I'll get so hungry I'll go crazy just thinking about it, then."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Action] Dorms to garage: Merry Christmas, Snow

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject