The dusty city air blew over Ahri's hair as she sat alone at a table in a roadside café. Reflexively,she ran her hand over her braid,her ears neatly folded above it. She couldn't help tugging at the waist of her jeans a bit,a brief flicker of worry that her magically-concealed tails would pop out. Wasn't like she'd done this quite a few times before. This was her first date in a good,long while. It'd been even longer since she'd had a date that didn't end with the tearing of flesh and the munching-on of organs,too. Not to mention it was one of those "we chatted online,this is the first time in person" kinda dates. So,no pressure.
(She hoped that her date wouldn't want to get dinner anywhere she was underdressed for too,but she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.)
Her contemplations were interrupted by the sudden movement of a woman dropping into the seat in front of her. Was she really that distracted? Or was this girl one of those "flashy displays of power" types? Well,it sure beat the "stammering,timid,yet ironically handsy guy" type.
With all this running through her head,it took a few seconds to notice that the girl opposite her had placed her hand upon hers,in less of a handshake,and more of what was either an awkward gesture of reassurance,or a show of affection. (Well,it's not like they were strangers.)
"Ahri?" She murmured,mostly because she didn't want to raise her voice.
"Sun-ju?" Ahri gasped,snapping back to alertness. "I-it's so good to see you!"
"Looks like someone needs her coffee." Sun-ju teased. Even leaning back in her seat,her fingertips still entwined gently with Ahri's.
"It's too late for that." Ahri pouted,before trying to change the topic. "They let you out early?" Under the circumstances, anyone else might be reluctant to talk,but Sun-ju had always been forthcoming,smug even,about the circumstances of her "containment".
"They may as well have." Sun-ju sneered,her hands moving to nurse her cup of rapidly-cooling tea. "Bunch of us get together and slip out every week or so. Well,not so much 'slip' as…you get the idea."
Ahri blinked. "And…you go back? Why would you? If…you could get out so easy."
Sun-ju shrugged. "It's a place to sleep. Besides,I moan and act depressed and say how sorry I am,I get a few 'additional incentives'. Every time. And it beats me staying out and having them level a city to get me back before mindwiping everyone who lives in it."
"Wow…" Ahri hissed. She probably shouldn't have asked. Good thing her date was a (marginally) better conversationalist,at least.
"So,enough about me,how's life treating you right now?"
She couldn't say she didn't know it was coming. Ahri inhaled. "Well,if you mean 'how's life after we last spoke',which was last night…I sat around at home,watched TV,cried over the fact that no one's called me back for a job,ate an entire pot of instant noodles,slept,and got up just in time to get dressed and come here…"
At the mention of getting dressed,it was only then she realised that Sun-ju was somehow able to put on a proper blouse and skirt between tearing out the livers of a bunch of security guards and running out of a smoking,"maximum security" facility. "This isn't a blind date" was the only thing keeping herself from being crushed under a wave of inadequacy.
"Sooooo…" She quickly raised her voice a bit too much. "Much as I'd love to sit here till the tea gets cold…I did promise you dinner…" Without waiting for a firm acceptance for that invitation,Ahri stood up and took Sun-ju's hand. Though it was still more like Sun-ju was gracefully waiting for her to take the lead. Hand in hand,they slipped away into the young night.
Three hours later,the two fox spirits sat atop a rooftop in their vulpine forms,looking over the city lights and nuzzling and pawing at each other.
"When you said 'eat out',I sure wasn't expecting that…" Sun-ju sighed.
"Oh! I didn't know you wanted to…" Ahri caught herself. "…you mean the dinner,right?" She turned her mouth away from Sun-ju,briefly,hoping the smell of (no longer so) fresh human liver wasn't still on her breath.
"I just…I figured that whatever they feed you in there probably isn't that good,felt like you might miss having fresh meat…"
Sun-ju sighed,smiling back at her. "Well,it's the thought that counts." Leaning against Ahri,she purred a bit.
"You know Ahri…I had a pretty good time tonight. Wouldn't mind doing it again…"
"M-me too!" Not that she wouldn't have expected anything else,but that appreciation from this girl who was totally out of her league…still made her feel so good every time.
"But…I gotta go now. Gotta turn myself in before they start busting out the amnestics they're so fond of." With a shrug,Sun-ju took a few quick steps before bounding off the rooftop,vanishing into the mass of people on the street. "Same time next week?"
Ahri nodded,barely aware of the wide grin forming on her face. "Same time,same place!"