Let's go eat!

[gunbladegrrl]

Characters: Maria, Mikuru, and Zak
Location: Off to a Balamb restaurant!
Rating: PG?
Open/Closed/Finished: Closed
Summary: Maria wants to spend time with her friends. If at the same time, Mikuru's and Zak's raging mutual attraction should happen to kick into high gear, there's a pleasant bonus.



"At this rate," Maria commented to her two friends as she led the way to the garage to get the car she'd been allowed to commandeer for the night, "we'll be lucky if we can even leave Garden by the time spring comes around. We ought to get out for a meal now before things get any weirder, or worse."

Despite her ominous predictions, Maria was nothing but cheerful at the prospect of dinner with her friends, casually tossing the keys up in the air, then catching them as they fell. She had her weapon ensemble -- gunblades and rifle -- in the case danging from her other hand. Just in case.

Comments

[justnotthesame]

"You, suddenly not worried about doing perfect? Are you feeling okay?" Sadly, Maria, he wasn't really joking...

"I don't know, I guess I want to worry about it. My exam. Not that I really want to worry, but...I guess I sort of built my plans for my life around it, and now that it's almost here, what do I do?"

Zak sighed. Not like he really wanted to go digging around in Deep Feelings or whatever, but who else was he going to vent to? At least he trusted these two.

"At least I know if I mess it up a few times, I have a chance for a do-over."

[bunnypassingby]

Mikuru giggled, looking back over at Zak. "She was okay! Maria was great. And you'll be great too, as long as you do your best."

She paused, considering them both. Becoming a SeeD had been such a big part of her friends' lives in a way it hadn't for her.

"What will you do afterwards?" she asked. "Go on missions with Maria, save the world?"

[gunbladegrrl]

"I understand that much... I mean, here I am, having achieved my life's dream at seventeen. But there's still a lot to do! More to learn, missions to go on, I'm still not anywhere near as strong as some of the best SeeDs..."

She flashed a bright smile over her shoulder. "The world'll need us. All of us."

[justnotthesame]

"I never really thought about it. Mostly because it seemed like a big hurdle, you know? I kind of also thought I'd probably fail out in Galbadia." Zak gave a dry little chuckle at that, full of bitterness.

"I mean, I'm not exactly their favorite person in the world. Not that I haven't tried to put it behind me, but...I haven't done a really good job, so far."

Which is a flat out admission that even though he's trying to be less of a jerk, it isn't always working for him.

"Though if I do graduate, I'll probably try seeing the world at least a little bit. Even if it's reconnaissance stuff on the quiet side. That might be nice to start."

[bunnypassingby]

Mikuru returned that smile, though it was a little distant: Maria's words had made her think of that other world that needed her. However, Zak soon distracted her from these thoughts. Unsure of what to say about his not being Garden's favorite person, she reached over the middle seat and awkwardly patted him on the shoulder.

"When you graduate," she corrected him firmly. "That sounds good. You should get to see your world: I think I've seen more of your world in my time here than I ever did of my world."

Time travel totally didn't count. That was the same place, just a different time.

[gunbladegrrl]

"Right. When you graduate. Because I know you will, Zak. And then maybe we can take some missions that get us out and about! Between the three of us we have enough skill to justify going on a lot of different jobs."

Luckily, Maria kept paying attention to the road, even as her enthusiasm started to mount.

[justnotthesame]

"Maybe in a couple more semesters," Zak said, and grunted. "I've been doing better, and passing classes, but still. I probably forgot something that I have to make up."

He'd never been very good at keeping track of his classes, anyway. Beyond actually attending them.