Cold Spring & Warm Hearts [Social | R | Closed]

[Deleted]

It was weird just how nerve wracking this was. He had faced down monsters looking to make a meal out of him without flinching. He’d went against armed robbers with their guns aimed at him without slowing down. He had been cut, beat, stabbed, burnt and all over various assortments of physical punishment. He had even been hit by a car before. But this? This had to be the scariest thing he had ever done. It had taken him an hour of mental preparation for him to gather the will to do this. Thankfully, he still had the black card she had given him when he first met. The number written on the back was supposed to be a way for him to contact her. Well, hopefully, it was. If Luke called this number and got someone entirely different...he didn’t know. Luke put in the number and hit call.

”Hey, Shizuka? It’s Luke. I know doing this over the phone is lame, but I didn’t really get the chance last time since we were busy with...you know. But I was wondering if, if you were in town, you wanted to come with me to see the spring fireworks this Friday. They’re holding a festival downtown and I was...hoping you’d come with me. I think it’d be a lot of fun.”

Even after asking her out it still felt a bit like a dream. It didn’t feel like it really happened. But everytime Luke doubted the validity he’d look at his phone and see the number he had called. Everytime he thought about it he’d end up getting red cheeked, even while at work. It certainly put him a, noticeable, good mood. But while he certainly let is distract him during his day job, Luke pushed the coming date out of his mind when it came to what he did at night. He couldn’t let himself lose focus on his task whilst he patrolled the streets of Karakura and protected the sleeping citizens.

Friday, finally, rolled along. For someone who only needed an hour of sleep to get his full, recommended, eight hours it felt like it had taken a lot longer for Friday to finally get here. It was pretty chilly today though, which was unfortunate because Luke was hoping to experience some springtime warmth. He liked the colder months but there was a limit to how much cold Luke wanted to deal with. He dressed rather casually for his occasion, deciding against wearing something you’d wear to a “hello sir I’d like to date your daughter” occasion. He dressed casually and relaxed. A pair of blue jeans with a button down light grey shirt. But Luke was also wearing a jacket over that since the air was still biting at his skin.

A pair of kids rushed past him, laughing happily as they made their way towards the festivals location. Luke couldn’t help but softly smile. The energy in the air was getting to him a little bit. Every seemed excited and happy, so he couldn’t help but be that way as well. And, well, he was meeting someone who always made him smile. Luke was leaning up against one of the pillars for the train station. He had decided to take the train instead of his bike, knowing that the vehicle and human traffic would make driving for him near impossible. Resting his hands in his pockets to warm them up, he scanned the loose crowd of people leaving the train station in hopes that he’d see her.

”Relax. She’ll show up.” Windstarke calmly suggested, noticing that Luke was feeling a bit anxious about this. ”I still think you should’ve invited her for some Hulu and Woohoo but that’s just me.” Luke couldn’t keep himself from rolling his eyes at that for a moment. ”Anyways...just remember to be yourself and have fun.” ”Uh no. That’s awful advice. Don’t ‘be yourself’. Don’t be someone you’re not.” Luke blinked. Did Jäger just offer him good advice?

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Shizuka was so flattered that Luke decided to call. She felt him contemplating over it when he was looking at her business card since the Reiatsu signatures were linked, but she didn't expect him to ask her out on a date. How long had it been since she had a date, anyway? Well, actually, minor correction. How long had it been since she had a date with a guy? Her previous relationships had been a bit questionable for her obviously straight sexual orientation, but she did let a couple of peaks of curiosity happen from time to time. She chose not to think about it too hard, though. That was her past, not her present. Luke was her present. She wanted to think about Luke.

The Fullbringer decided to dress in something cute but casual. Since it was still a bit cold, she chose to put on some denim jeans that would definitely show off her butt. Luke's a man, after all. Her shirt looked almost exactly like her usual halter, but was a slightly large v-neck t-shirt jersey that flattered her chest very nicely. It just framed itself around the girls. The back of it had a large purple star, but the shirt was a pink and white sunset ombre. The pink was at the top while the white was at the bottom, and the two blended into each other well. She tucked just the front of her shirt into her jeans and wore no jacket. She was just going to make the air around herself warmer if she needed to since she liked her outfit. And, as always, her Fullbring heels accompanied the clothing.

She knew where they had to meet and was well on her way, but Shizuka was a little worried about how Luke was going to act. They ran into each other by accident when they sparred because she just wanted to have some fun, but she didn't expect it to go this far. Honestly, she kind of liked it. To speak frankly, Luke was very attractive. The attention from him was amazing and Shizuka enjoyed that. She wanted to give him an equal or greater amount back, but she didn't know if it would be received well. Luke didn't seem like the horn-dog type, and she didn't want to push him to be that way even if it would be fun. Actually, it may be more entertaining to watch him get embarrassed the more she touched him. She could live with that.

Seeing him in the distance, Shizuka carefully used her stealth to sneak up on him by hiding amongst the columns and train buildings. She'd follow behind other people and use them to shield her body until he got right behind Luke. As soon as she was close enough, she lightly blew on his neck. Hoping to get a reaction out of him, she stood behind him with her arms behind her back, hands folded together. Her smile was wide and welcoming since she was genuinely happy to see him, but she started to get a bit chilly from refusing to use any of her spiritual abilities. In a short moment, the air around her grew warm. Her shivering slowed until it stopped completely, as well. If Luke got any closer, he'd be able to feel the heat.

"Hey, handsome. It's good to see you again!" Shizuka gave him her best flirty smile. "Have you been okay? I didn't expect you to ask me out like this." Shizuka looked at him with a kind gaze and gently held his arm against her chest. It may have been gentle, but she wanted him to feel a couple of specific items. She wasn't going to mess with him like this the whole night, but he was so quiet and stoic. She wanted to watch him get worked up.

[Deleted]

Luke couldn’t keep from jumping a little when he suddenly felt warm air being blown on the back of his neck. It wasn’t like an air conditioner had just turned on either, it was a concise and pinpoint blow that could only be done by someone blowing air out of their mouth. He turned, sliding his phone into his pocket and smiling when he saw who it was standing behind him. Wearing a pink and white halter top and jeans, Luke was a little surprised she wasn’t wearing a jacket. But Shizuka was such a warm person that the cold probably didn’t bother her. It certainly warmed Luke up to see her, made obvious by the excited grin on his face when he faced her. The smile he gave back to her was just as warm and wide as her own, and probably being bolstered by his incredibly high Light Aura and slight Charisma.

Hearing her greeting him by calling him handsome was surprising. He didn’t expect to hear that and it only put him in a better mood to be complimented. ”It’s great seeing you again too. That shirt looks good on you.” he replied, genuinely meaning that. The last time they had seen each other they were, essentially, neck deep in Hollows and dragging around a crybaby Shinigami. It wasn’t the best place to try and get her number, with all the fighting that had been going on. And, since then, Luke had been doing a lot. No doubt Shizuka could tell that Luke was very different from when the two had spared and when they had been in the Berlin nightclub. It wasn’t his physical form that had changed, it was that his reiatsu had gotten much stronger. So strong that he was actively holding his power back so that the people around him wouldn’t be harmed or affected.

B..b..bre-

Luke’s face felt warm when Shizuka pressed his arm against her chest, the Bount very aware of what the woman was wanting him to feel. He knew that Shizuka was friendly and flirty, but he was still rather inexperienced with women like her. Regardless, he played it cool and didn’t let himself turn into a bubbly mess on the floor. Even if his face was rather red. But Luke noticed that, standing closer to Shizuka, the air was warmer. He could feel her reiatsu in motion, realizing that she wasn’t wearing a jacket because she could use her own spiritual might to keep herself warm. ”It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for awhile.” Luke replied, deciding to go ahead and confess that she had been on his mind for awhile. ”I didn’t really want to do it over the phone. I’d have preferred doing it in person but, y’know, we both have our schedules.” Luke explained, still not too happy with how he had asked her out. But he had used the only method available to him.

”And I’ve been okay. Just been busy.” that was putting it mildly. Doing his own investigations into the Hollow attacks. Looking for kidnapped people in a abandoned asylum. Fighting and getting a pipe shoved through his body by a serial rapist and murderer (who he killed afterwards). Training to overcome his weakened physical body and become a spiritual powerhouse. Protecting the people of Karakura from threats they couldn’t see and hose with powers that wanted to hurt them. Also handling his new responsibilities as a recently promoted Manager for Uzaki Enterprise. Busy. Busy was a good word for how Luke had been.

”But I’m glad you came. I was really wanting to see you again.” Luke confessed, trying to hold back the blush that was growing further. ”So, they’re going to be firing off the fireworks tonight once it gets dark. I thought it’d be fun if we killed time having fun with the festival, since it won’t get dark for, like, another two hours.” Luke explained, motioning towards where the crowd was heading and where the noise was coming from. Since Shizuka was here in person though, Luke settled his eyes on her left blue eye and her right green. ”So, you wanna spend the evening with me and have some fun?” while the fact that she was here was basically already a yes, Luke still wanted to basically “ask her out” in person.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

"Fireworks??!"

Of course she wanted to see those! She loved fireworks! Luke's offer certainly did not go unheard. Shizuka smiled brightly and nodded as she giggled a little bit. She loved things that exploded. It was great. She seriously enjoyed stuff like that so much, but it probably came from her affinity with firearms. Things like that excited her and she wasn't ashamed to show it. Luke might think she's a bit crazy for it, but it's not a terrible thing. The truth had to come out eventually. Maybe he'd actually like that about her. With a quick tug of the arm she was holding on to, the Fullbringer all but dragged her date away from the train station. She let him lead the way for the most part.

”So, you wanna spend the evening with me and have some fun?”

"Fun, huh? I can think of a couple of things we could do."

Shizuka placed her free hand on Luke's abdomen and gently slid it downwards towards the waist of his pants. She didn't allow herself to go further than that, but she wanted to. Luke was intriguing to her, but he was also attractive. She enjoyed stronger guys, both power-wise and overall. She could literally feel the muscles under his shirt and quietly savored the touch. She didn't know if Luke was going to actually act on any impulses, but she was going to do her level best to make it difficult for him to resist her. It wasn't necessarily her intention to get him to take this further, exactly, but she wanted to see how far she could go before he really started getting flustered.

The blonde had removed her hand and used it to wrap herself even closer to him as they walked, hoping Luke knew where he was going. She didn't mind the stroll at all, and she actually liked being like this with him. Shizuka looked at the world around her and took in some of the scenery, too, but was a bit distracted by the man walking with her. Perhaps she was coming off as too friendly, but this was just how she liked to be. It was her personality. He didn't run away from her yet like others seemed to after a while, so she figured she was in a good place with him for now. That, and they had two hours to kill. What were they going to do for that time?

"What all is going on at this festival, by the way? I never asked you that. Are there games or anything? I like to think I have pretty good aim." Confident words coming from one of the best shooters in the world.

[Deleted]

Suddenly feeling Shizuka’s hand placed against his abdomen and lightly gliding downwards towards his waistline was, uh, surprising to say the least. Added onto that was the little comment she said in response to Luke’s very open ended one. In fact, it made Luke twitch a little when he felt the intimate physical contact and caused the Bount’s ears to turn red. He had to wonder though, did Shizuka like him more than he initially thought? It hadn’t even been ten minutes and yet she was already all over him. Had their short experiences together left that much of an impression on the woman just as it had for him? Or was Shizuka just ”Easy?” No! That was not the word Luke was going to use. Confident and flirty was where that was going. But it wasn’t like Luke didn’t like it. Being given this much attention was enjoyable and something he wasn’t really used to. He just hoping that the tightening in his pants would die down before it became noticeable.

”Hmm? Have you never been to a festival?” Luke asked. ”Well, I don’t usually have the time to go to too many myself. But they have stalls selling food and merchandise. There’s usually cool little things you can buy at these things. And yeah, there’s always games with prizes you can win. We’ll play plenty if you want.” Luke smiled, making a mental note to keep a lookout for games that involved shooting things after hearing Shizuka’s confidence in her aim.

All around them were other people, families and couples, bumbling in excitement as the two entered the festival grounds. It was like a sea of people, but things had calmed down with how late it was in the afternoon. Seemed, to Luke, that a lot of people might have left already to watch the fireworks from the comfort of their homes. He thought he had heard that there were parades earlier in the day, so maybe that was why the road wasn’t a sea of people? Regardless, it was nice that it wasn’t terribly crowded. A laughing child with candy in his mouth dashed past the Bount, followed by his worried hen mother chasing after her hyper child. Luke snickered a little at the sight.

The road they walked on was still brimming with stalls though. The smell of food was strong in the air, and Luke knew that they’d be able to find just about any street food they wanted if they followed their noses. In fact, thanks to Luke’s animal like olfactory senses he could smell oysters, pastries, and lots of grease. His stomach rumbled a little. Homemade shirts were also being sold at a couple stalls, as well as video games, anime figurines, action figures, body pillow covers, trinkets of japanese culture, ballcaps of all things. It was like a mall but outside.

Walking by a fountain with a couple people resting on it, Luke looked at Shizuka before asking. ”So how’ve you been lately? Anything been going on lately?” it was a easy and simple question, but Luke chose not to ask too deep a question because of the nature of what both of them did. He asked out of genuine interest to know more about her, and a bit out of concern. After what they had gone through when they had last met, Luke was hoping that everything was going well for his Fullbringer friend.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

"Ever been? Well, no. Not really!"

Shizuka smiled a bright, gleaming smile. Games and prizes sounded like a total blast, and with Luke on her arm, this Fullbringer was definitely going to have a good time. Even as friends, they seemed to make a pretty awesome couple. Maybe if they got to know each other better... Well, a girl could dream. She was a bit curious about this boy. He was interesting, but so, so nice. Shizuka was mainly agreeing to the date to entertain herself anyway, but she felt blessed enough to be able to go on one with Luke. He was a good person. Maybe she could find out a bit more and get closer.

"Going on? With me?" Brief images of her assassination duties flashed through her mind. "Nah, not really! I'm not the most busy person. I mean, I can be, but it's like a commission kind of thing. My job isn't super demanding unless I have to deal with something particularly... difficult. But that doesn't happen too often. What about you? I can talk about myself all day but I need to learn how to stay quiet. Tell me about yourself!"

Shizuka took this opportunity to enjoy the scenery around her. There were bright lights everywhere and stalls with good-smelling food that lined each aisle. Japan was such a cool place. She had lived in America for a while and was born in Italy, and did frequently take global trips for her work, but Japan was a wonderful place. The culture was unique and everything seemed to have a soul about it. Well, everything did have a soul, but this was different. The atmosphere around the two of them was energizing. Shizuka was practically feeding off of it the more they walked and grew more confident with every passing minute. She felt like she could do anything.

The blonde was hoping Luke would share some information about himself, too. She didn't know anything about him aside from what little details he'd shared, but she was also worried about crossing a line. She knew as well as anyone that people came with their own baggage, and Luke somehow screamed "tragic hero" to her. She wasn't sure why she felt that way about him, but something was there that gave her that impression. Maybe it was his innocent nature? But he might not have been actually innocent. His past was a mystery and may remain that way unless he decides to tell her anything.

But until then, the two of them continued walking. She would stare at a game or two as they strolled, hoping she would find any kind of shooter game. She wanted to show off her skills and impress this boy, and shooting was just about the only thing she was good at. Actually, she was a master at using those kinds of weapons. Her skills were virtually unrivaled, but they were also more broad. She knew that an expert in any singular type of weapon would likely be able to overcome her own abilities, but as it was, she still had some incredibly talent. Places like these tended to have those sorts of things, anyway.

Finally, she was able to find a stand. It was cute! It was covered in prizes and there were eight guns lined up. They were water guns and shooting them into a bullseye would blow up a balloon. Whoever made it pop first would win. With a little nudge, Shizuka invited Luke to play. She grabbed one of the guns and gave him a second to get settled, then pulled the trigger as soon as the bell went off. To start, she held the toy pretty normally. It was straight up and aimed perfectly in the center of the bullseye. Her balloon was inflating steadily. But then she switched hands and turned around so that she wasn't even looking at the target anymore, yet she was still aimed perfectly. In that small amount of time, she was able to memorize and measure exactly where the target was.

Shizuka slowly stepped further and further away until she could feel the water pipe that was connected to the gun get a bit tighter. She reached her distance limit. After stepping barely closer to the stand one more time, she kept her hand steady as she bent her body backwards and flipped the gun upside down. She was now essentially shooting it while in a half back-bend. Giggling, she flipped herself over by somewhat rolling her upper body to the side and stood upright again. She must have looked like a contortionist, but she liked abusing her flexibility. She wouldn't be able to do any fun gun tricks since it was connected to the water supply, but this was also fun. And in no time, her balloon popped.

"What do you think of that??"

[Deleted]

"Nah, not really! I'm not the most busy person. I mean, I can be, but it's like a commission kind of thing. My job isn't super demanding unless I have to deal with something particularly... difficult. But that doesn't happen too often. What about you? I can talk about myself all day but I need to learn how to stay quiet. Tell me about yourself!"

”Don’t worry about it. You’re fine. I kinda like listening to you talk.” Luke replied quickly, before he would answer her question. Her voice was soft on his ears, and oddly enough listening to her was sort of relaxing. Still, learning her job was commision based was interesting. But Luke wasn’t going to focus on that right now. ”I recently got a promotion at work. I’m now officially one of the few Managers at Uzaki Enterprise. Surprises me since I’ve only been there for a few months.” Luke said with a grin, displaying he very proud of this achievement. He was the Manager of the Task Force. His role in the company was to respond to any and all threats that would pop up in the city as a first response. Like the firefighters showing up to fight a spreading fire. Cept, in his case, it was more like rushing off to fight big drooling monsters or some jackass who’d decided to use his powers for the wrong reasons. Or, recently, a serial killer who was kind enough to ram a pipe through Luke’s stomach.

”I’m running the companies response force right now. Basically, my job’s to rush out and tackle anything causing trouble for the city or its people. I’m kinda like a firefighter, or a police officer, but instead of fire or crooks I’m taking down monsters or bad guys with powers.” Luke explained, being completely open and truthful with Shizuka. While it, certainly, might have been much smarter to keep stuff like that hidden from her that wasn’t at all what Luke would do. He and Shizuka lived in the same spiritual world. They both knew what was really going on in the world. A world where ninety nine percent of the population couldn’t see the things they could. They were special.

Shizuka was a Fullbringer. A human able to communicate with the souls in all things and use them to empower her. He was a Bount. Something not quite human. A sub-human created entirely on accident by the Shinigami. Both were a little more than regular humans. Maybe that's why they got along so well? Maybe it was because, at least from Luke’s perspective, both were so different from everyone else that they felt like they belonged together? Like two puzzles pieces that fit together amongst millions. At least, that’s how it felt to Luke. With Shizuka he felt comfortable, relaxed, like he was walking with someone who could understand him.

The way he had been raised made it hard for him to connect with people. He was constantly moving from county to county, state to state. His mother and father had told him that it was because his father was the manager of a steel company, and that his job was constantly having him move. Well, for a growing boy that presented a problem. Luke could never connect with others his age as a result. Steadily, little by little, Luke had begun to distance himself from others instead of giving them a chance. What’s more, he never felt quite right around others. He never felt like he belonged. He never felt that he was the same. Now he understood why.

To make matters worse, after what happened to his parents things had gotten worse. His father dying in a car accident was one thing, but his mother simply leaving and abandoning him one day had broken the boy. He became spiteful, angry, vicious. He lashed out at anyone around him. He was constantly in trouble at school. He never made any friends. He was always getting into fights. Things weren’t like that anymore now. He had friends now. He had people to care about and who cared about him. Plus, he had much bigger things on his mind these days than his teenager years.

Shizuka tugging on him snapped him out of his mindset and brought him back to reality. She had found a game stall that she happened to be interested in. It was a balloon filling game, though you would use water guns to fill the balloon by shooting it into a target. ”This looks fun.” Luke replied with a half smile, going along with Shizuka and hoping it would help him forget unpleasant memories. Standing at the counter, Luke took a few moments to get in position. He wasn’t familiar with holding a gun, even a water gun. After fidgeting with his grip, Luke was ready. Needless to say, he wasn’t anything compared to his date.

He couldn’t really keep the stream straight, but he ended up getting completely distracted by what Shizuka was doing. Moving herself farther and farther away from the stand with her gun, she was able to keep the stream perfect with the target. ”Well now..” Windstarke said, moderately impressed with what he was seeing. ”Pfft. Show off. You can do better, can’t you Luke? Luke?” Jäger asked, but his words fell on deaf ears as he realized that Luke was preoccupied watching Shizuka work her skills.

She wasn’t even looking at the target at this point. Luke became wide eyed with surprise when he watched the girl bend herself backwards and flip the gun outside down. Luke just...stared. He was genuinely shocked by how skilled and, well, flexible she was. This entire time the stream of water never left the target, meaning that all this showing off wasn’t affected her progress of winning at all. Well, that wasn’t true. Luke was so distracted by his dates skills that it messed up his aim even more, making it no surprise at all that he’d lost when her balloon popped. ”C-congratulations!” the stall owner announced, just as shocked and surprised as Luke was.

”Good god in heaven the things you can do with a body that bends like that…”

”Don’t you start!”

”Too late. Already hard.”

Ignoring his Dolls crass comments, Luke put his own gun down and just chuckled. ”Well that was...something.” He didn’t really know what to say. ”Here ma’am. Feel free to pick anyone of these prizes!” the stall owner said as he offered her anything ranging from cheap jewelry to plushies to toys. ”That was impressive though, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think there’s anyone else that could do what you just did, y’know. Where’d you learn to do that?” Luke asked, not realizing he’d ended up wearing a goofy smile as he asked that now that the surprise had faded. It was a good opportunity too to ask Shizuka a bit about herself and maybe learn something about her past.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

”Well that was...something.”

"Mmm? Did you like it?" Shizuka asked with a slight suggestive tone.

Despite the fact that she was just trying to be a show-off and have fun, part of her did want to impress her friend. Her plan seemed to have succeeded, though she wasn't sure how much. Yeah, she had good aim and didn't miss her targets. Well, not usually. But that isn't enough to get someone's attention. Her skills, on the other hand, were virtually unrivaled. Hopefully that was noticeable. Shizuka glanced up in Luke's direction without moving her entire head towards him. Her eyes were giving him a bit of a 'come hither' look, but she broke that ice relatively quickly with a quiet giggle. She was serious, but she didn't want him to notice.

”Here ma’am. Feel free to pick anyone of these prizes!”

Shizuka smiled wide when she heard the congratulatory exclamation coming from the man behind the counter of the stall. She carefully browsed through the collection of prizes that she could choose from and ultimately went with a water gun. It was empty, but she could fill it up. She laughed at it a little bit since it matched her power and she saw it as an inside joke, but Luke would likely think it was a silly toy. That was fine. He didn't have to understand. She did show him her power before, but she wasn't sure how much of it he remembered. It was a while back. Chances were, though, that he would laugh if he did manage to bring back that memory.

”That was impressive though, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think there’s anyone else that could do what you just did, y’know. Where’d you learn to do that?”

"Oh, you know," The Fullbringer started as she juggled the gun a bit with one hand. She was twirling it and twisting it around like it was no big deal and led the man away from the stall. "Just picked it up here and there. I had a bit of training when I was younger and was able to develop this talent. I made quite a name for myself by the time I was invited into Xcution. Satsujun must have seen some potential in me or something. That, and the guy I was with at the time was a part of the organization. We're, uh... He's no longer around."

Meaning dead. Kento was dead. A slight cringe at the memory would make Shizuka drop her toy water gun, but she carefully bent down and picked it up again. What should have been a fairly innocent gesture turned into a display in Luke's direction because she genuinely wanted to get him to look at her butt. A hidden, coy smile appeared on her lips before she straightened back up. Playing around with him was pretty fun. She didn't want to do this just as a tease, and she would probably take him to bed if she ever got a chance. But she had to admit that it was super fun to mess around with him like this since he seemed like an adorable, gentle guy.

Shizuka began again. "Anyway, I guess it kind of came naturally, to an extent. I don't mind guns and I'm really good at shooting them, so over time I was able to develop that a bit. Now it's kind of like another limb and I use it just the same. The flexibility came from years of gymnastics, by the way. Something tells me you were wondering."

Her past was rather plain. He must have been trying to get some kind of weird story out of her, maybe something involving being taken away by strangers and trained in the assassination arts. Fortunately, that could not be farther from the truth. Shizuka was raised in a wealthy household as one of two children with very loving, somewhat spiritual parents. Her sister was the only one who couldn't see any of this stuff and Shizuka was the only Fullbringer. She didn't know how her dad got his ability to see everything, but her mom evidently came from a line of Shinigami. That made Shizuka less than happy. That meant her Aunt Momo also came from the same thing. That wasn't okay.

Aside from that, everything was normal. Normal life, normal school, normal friends. She had a normal job. Kind of. It seemed normal to her and it paid her well enough to afford a beautiful apartment and beach home. Then again, she was Xcution's number one girl. They relied on her talents and she needed to deliver. That was important to her. That, and she needed to come up with a way to recruit more newbies. They were running low on numbers lately and it was getting rather depressing. But those details aside, everything was pretty decent. Any story she shared would just end up being like any other regular kid. She wasn't any different.

"What about you? I don't know anything about your past. You don't have to share too many details if it's uncomfortable, though. I know some rugged types like you tend to get a bit weird when girls bring that up."

[Deleted]

So she picked the water gun, huh? Luke remembered rather well what Shizuka’s Fullbring, having had the barrel of it pointing at his back when they first met and again when they...dealt with what they dealt with in Berghain. It made sense for her to want to get the water gun though. When you had an affinity towards a specific weapon, especially your release weapon, it ended up making you have a liking towards that specific weapon. In some cases it made you want to collect them. While Luke didn’t have a sword for a release, he had a affinity for them because he had been trained to use them by a Shinigami.

He listened quietly as Shizuka answered his question, watching her twirl the toy in her hand as she did so. Luke did blink when she mentioned Xcution and Satsujun though. Maybe the Fullbringer didn’t realize this, but Luke wasn’t entirely ignorant about what Xcution was. Being a Manager in Uzaki’s meant you were privy to information that was kept from the eyes of the New Hires. Hell, what Luke knew was also readily available to Senior Employees which was where he had learned about it. He had looked into what UE knew about Xcution, and what he found had...given him mixed feelings.

Xcution was an assassin's organization. That was the simplest way of describing it. Discovering that was surprising, though what Jäger had to say about it was still true. ”Their name is literally “execution” done to try and sound edgy and cool.” This meant that Shizuka was also an assassin, and a top ranked one at that. Luke still had mixed feelings about that, but everything he’d seen of Shizuka had shown him that she was a good person regardless of her job. For all the knew Xcution might have only targeted actually bad people or threats to the world. He didn’t know.

Luke blinked, looking at Shizuka when she suddenly dropped the water gun when she mentioned the current fate of her ex. He blinked, watching her bend down to pick the gun up. He felt bad for her in that moment, having to drag up a bad memory like that. His eye’s ended up resting on her rear though, checking her out for a moment before he bashfully looked away with a slight warmth growing in his face. ”Pervert.” he heard Jäger say. I am not..

He listened to the rest of what she said and blinked when she wanted to know more about his past. ”I’ll take that as a compliment.” He replied with a joking smile when she referred to him as a rugged type. His eyes trailed off to the festival crowd around them as he thought over what he should say and how much he should explain. His gaze lowered for a moment before he scratched his cheek. ”Well...I guess you could say I didn’t have things too easy growing up.” Luke explained, with a bit of uncertainty in his voice as he said so.

”My family was always moving from state to state. We were never in one place for too long. I was told it was because my father's job constantly had him moving. I was a dumb kid and believed anything I was told.”

Images of different classrooms, kids, towns, homes, and places flashed through Luke’s memories as he said that.

Shizuka would probably notice that Luke got quiet for a few moments more than he should have. ”My...dad died when I was twelve. Then a year later my mom was just...gone. She just packed her things one night and was gone in the morning.” Luke confessed, his eyes cast downwards at the ground as he did so. The Bount wasn’t even aware that his left hand had ended up balling into a fist with such force that his knuckles had turned white. He quickly undid it. He surprised himself though. He hadn’t told anyone this before. It surprised him just how comfortable he was with Shizuka and how open he was willing to be with her.

”I came to Karakura to try and find her, or at least the person she mentioned in this letter she sent me years later. But...none of that’s paned out and I’ve stopped looking. More important things in my life now that I need to focus on.” Luke finished with, looking at Shizuka and smiling a little. Wanting to change the subject though, ”Wanna grab something to snack on? There’s usually a good selection of things to grab during festivals.” Luke offered. In truth, the subject of his family was a sore one but it wasn’t something he ever brooded or focused on anymore. Luke had much larger problems and concerns now.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Shizuka practically felt the discomfort that welled up inside of Luke as he explained his family's situation. A dad dying at twelve is a nightmare. Shizuka's grandfather on her dad's side passed away before she was ever even a thought. Her own dad was only fifteen, so not that much older than Luke. She knows how painful that can be just by hearing about it from people. There is a lot of death these days. A lot of sadness. The Fullbringer thought for a moment before questioning if she was the cause for some of it. Or any at all. But pushing that memory aside for now, Shizuka grabbed Luke's arm again, but more carefully this time. The gentle grip was meant to be comforting.

A smile grew upon her face at his mention of food. Shizuka loved food. The kind of dining she experienced in America during her time there was interesting, but her favorite had to be Japanese and other Asian cuisines. That wouldn't be too unusual for a tourist, and she looked enough like one. Despite being about half Japanese, her Italian heritage was much stronger. Aside from a few features here and there and slightly thicker hair, she looked European. Granted, the blonde in her hair was entirely fake, but she still looked more European. Her natural color was not dark. It was a medium-light brunette. Her eyes, though unusually bi-colored, were both light. Not a trace of brown to be seen. Her height was... average? Perhaps? She wasn't tall or short. She just felt that way depending on who she was standing next to. Since it was Luke, she felt short.

Food, on the other hand, since we can throw ourselves back to that topic, was great. And festival food was even better. Nothing rivaled the fattening joys of getting something fried, greasy, or some combination of the two while you were out walking with whomever your partner may be. Shizuka sniffed the air, using her superhuman (though less than impressive comparative to other spirituals) sense of smell to pick something out. It needed to be perfect. Or close to it. And Luke needed to like it! Right. She almost forgot Luke was with her, still attached to her via the gentle arm hug she gave earlier. She moved her hand down his forearm until it met with his own hand and linked the two.

"I pretty much eat anything, but I love things that were grilled or stuck on a stick. It tastes better for some reason, but I want to share with you. What is your preference?"

A genuine question. She wanted him to be included in the decision-making as much as possible so that he was never under the impression that he was forgotten. Shizuka had a strong feeling that a lot of his reserved nature came from his past, and she didn't know if she would ever be able to completely heal that. Well, help him heal it. She may hate it, but the true fact is that she can't control another's emotions. She can try to help them as much as possible, but she can't control them. It was really such a shame. She thought she could be fairly therapeutic, but that may not be the case with this man.

Speaking of man, Shizuka heavily wondered what his Fullbring was. She remembered something about a shadowy thing when she sparred with him that one time, but she never got around to asking him when they were together again in Berghain. She could never tell the difference between a Fullbringer and something else unless they told her or really flexed their spiritual energy, which was a pain, but Luke seemed utterly human. She saw that in his behavior, his mannerisms, his overall sense of self, all of that. She was just being nosey, and she wanted to see if he might explain something to her while they searched for food.

"So, Luke. What are your powers like? You're similar to me, aren't you? So... What are they?"

[Deleted]

Suddenly feeling her arm trail down the length of his and entwining her fingers with his own made him blush a little. It was a sweet gesture that he appreciated after her comforting hug, showing him that Shizuka felt sympathy for what Luke had told her about himself. Times like this made him wish he had more experience with women, or that he didn’t have such a weak heart, because he honestly felt a bit embarrassed at how just about any amount of flirting would make him a blushing mess. That embarrassment ended up just making him blush all the more too. Get a grip he told himself as he listened to what Shizuka said in response to his question about food.

”Grilled or stuck on a stick..” Luke repeated, to himself, now knowing what to look out for. It was sweet she wanted to share with him. ”Honestly I’ll eat just about anything so you don’t have to worry about a preference with me. But I think there might be a lot of crossover between what we like.” Luke replied with a smile, before he began the hunt for snacks. People like them, people with reiatsu in powers, had a much larger appetite than most. Because their bodies had to create the soul energy called reiatsu, it meant that they naturally needed to eat more than most people. Luke was no different than this. He was thankful he had a job that could support his grocery bills.

Shizuka was in luck though. If she wanted something grilled or on a stick then she’d have plenty of options. A good few stands were selling yakitori, which Luke explained was basically grilled chicken on a stick. There was also ikayaki, grilled squid also on a stick. He’d point out karaage, which was essentially fried chicken. There was also sea bream on sticks, which was called shioyaki. There was also corn on a stick. But more than that, there was cotton candy in bags they could buy. Takiyaki, fish shaped pastries with hot, paste, filling. Crepes, dango, karumeyaki, choco bananas, and okonomiyaki. There was a wide collection.

Luke paused in his food hunt when Shizuka asked him her next question though. He’d turn to look at her with a rather, oddly, blank expression. It was certainly a strange reaction to her question, almost as though Luke hadn’t heard her question correctly. But it was obvious by the look in his eyes that he understand what she asked. His expression softened to one that looked...uncomfortable? He looked away for a moment, before motioning to a stall selling yakitori. Simple and easy, everyone liked chicken right? If Shizuka didn’t want that then they’d get something else. No big deal.

Buying their meal, Luke still hadn’t answered her question. He seemed a bit spaced out too, until he found them a bench to sit at to enjoy their snack. Handing the stick over to her, Luke smiled. He was essentially trying to buy himself some time to mull over how to answer her question. ”You’re similar to me, aren’t you?” that line was still stuck in his head. Resting his arms on his knees, Luke mentally sighed as he knew he needed to tell her. If, well, if his hopes of them having a relationship was going to happen then he’d need to be upfront about this with her. It didn’t mean he’d enjoy this conversation. It was, in his eyes, the equivalent of a sex offender having to explain that they were on a government list.

”Did...you just compare yourself to a..” Windstarke immediately said, absolutely stunned by Luke’s comparison. ”Wow.” the Doll was genuinely shocked at how poorly Luke saw himself. ”Does that make us the kids he diddles? I’m feelin p-r-e-t-t-y abused right now.” Jager tried to joke.

”To answer your question, Shizuka..” Luke began. ”We’re not...exactly the same. We’re both human-“ Luke would not accept anyone not calling him human ”-but I guess you could say we’re different...breeds? What I mean is you’re a Fullbringer and I’m...not. I’m a...” Luke paused as a few people walked past them, making him scratch his head uncomfortably. ”I’m a Bount.” Luke finally confessed, looking at Shizuka sheepishly for a moment. It was obvious by how he was talking and his expression that this wasn’t easy for him to say. It might make her wonder if something bad had happened to him because of his race.

He didn’t really know how much she knew about Bount so he decided to give her a little 101. ”Bount are humans that were the inspiration for the vampire legend. They’re a race of people that can achieve immortality by feeding on human souls.” Luke’s explanation was very basic and simple, but his expression suddenly hardened. ”I don’t know everything but...Bount were accidental creations by the Shinigami. After they started popping up all across the human world, the Soul Society deemed them threats to the other humans and tried to wipe them out. A few still survived, but the Bount are throttling the line to being extinct.”

”My powers though are...they’re assholes.” Luke suddenly said, sitting back on the bench and crossing his arms across his chest. Wait, did he refer to his powers as “they” and “assholes”? Those were words you used for people not weapons. ”One’s a perverted little dumbass, the other is a lazy grouch, and the others a self righteous prick.” needless to say, two voices immediately began screaming their own insults back at him. He realized that Shizuka was probably confused, but at least Luke’s mood had perked back up. ”My powers are called Dolls. Unlike your Fullbring, my powers are alive and have their own personalities and abilities. I summon them when I need them and they fight alongside me.” he explained, motioning to the silver watch he was wearing on his left wrist.

She’d notice that the watch wasn’t moving, as if it were broken. That was the sealed form for Windstarke. ”Who’re you calling a self righteous prick you dumb fucking virgin?? I can’t believe you think that of me, I outta freeze your fucking blood and push you in front of a truck!”

”AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH LOOOUUUD NOISES!!”

”You’re not afraid of me though...are you? Knowing that I’m basically a vampire that’s supposed to be feeding on other humans, right?” Luke would suddenly ask.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Chicken. Chicken is good. Chicken is always good! Especially if it's fried! Shizuka put her hand over her growling stomach, hating what the calories might do to her fit figure. She was small and young and probably didn't have to worry about gaining weight just yet, but that didn't mean the food was good for her. Did she care, though? No. Not really. As long as she could afford to and her metabolism supported it, she was going to eat junk. She tried to slow down on how much of it she ate just for health reasons, but she was still going to eat junk. Especially if it's junk from a festival stand.

It was all she could think about to avoid realizing Luke had looked at her strangely after she asked her question about his powers. She'd met quite a few people in her day who were uncomfortable with what their powers did, and even hers were questionable from time to time. Being able to summon any fluid to use to her advantage truly meant any fluid. Like, seriously any fluid. This included those coming from living beings and not just the outer elements. She never used her powers like that, but she knew she could. It was also a popular joke at Xcution's Christmas parties. She loathed those parties for that reason.

But this was different. His eyes were obviously saying something that his mouth could not. They were saying that he didn't want to talk about his abilities or what happened in his life to get them. He didn't want to be involved in the spiritual world, maybe? Or perhaps that's farfetched. Even Shizuka, who had seen death and destruction and caused both herself, actually loved being a superiorly spiritual being compared to most humans. So why was Luke so afraid of talking about his abilities? He seemed perfectly okay. Although, judging from the brief story of his past that he shared with her, Shizuka assumed there was a bit more to it than that.

After Luke had paid for the food (which was super sweet, by the way, and Shizuka made sure to take note of it), the two of them sat on a bench and enjoyed the bustling noise. The Fullbringer gratefully took the sticked chicken and munched on it quickly, all-too-soon going back for another piece. It was particularly yummy, but she guessed that came with the atmosphere. Things were going to look, taste, and feel better because of the other positive emotions around them. It was, uh... what was it called? The placebo effect. And Shizuka was just soaking it all right up. Well, that is, of course, until Luke began to answer the question.

”We’re not...exactly the same. We’re both human, but I guess you could say we’re different...breeds? What I mean is you’re a Fullbringer and I’m...not. I’m a...“

Though it didn't take long to answer, Shizuka listened intently. What felt like an eternity had passed before Luke was able to finish his sentence, and the world around her paused for a brief moment. Despite being surrounded by all of these worlds and types of people for so long, she had a sudden realization of how clueless she truly was. She had to trust that she could recognize what or who someone was just by coming in contact with others like them, especially because sensing their energy was a no-go for her, but that didn't work if she hardly ever met anyone of a similar race or occupation. Shizuka's eyes got a bit wider when Luke uttered the words.

”I’m a Bount.”

The word hit her and vibrated off her own inner thoughts. It wasn't necessarily shocking, but she was surprised. He didn't come off as the type to be a Bount, and Shizuka had only ever met one before today. No wonder she had no idea what he was and couldn't tell. To her, he looks nothing more than human. He isn't any different from her, save for perhaps their height and gender differences, but that wasn't even the point she was trying to make. They were the same. He was no different from her. Their powers were activated similarly and they talked similarly and they were just similar. What did he have to worry about?

The history lesson was appreciated, though. She actually didn't know anything about the race. She never cared to go through those archives in Xcution's classified library because it didn't pertain to her. She didn't have to go on many missions that involved a Bount in some way, and the only time she ever encountered one was by accident. She was kidnapped and forced to play some game she didn't want to play just to escape, and he was pretending to be a little boy when he was truthfully a few hundred years old. So did that mean Luke was also older? Was he hiding his true age?

”My powers though are...they’re assholes.”

They?

”One’s a perverted little dumbass, the other is a lazy grouch, and the others a self righteous prick.”

"Aww, I'm sure that's not true. I bet they're angels." She had no idea what he was talking about.

”My powers are called Dolls. Unlike your Fullbring, my powers are alive and have their own personalities and abilities. I summon them when I need them and they fight alongside me.”

And now she did! "So you're telling me that your powers are sealed in small objects like these, and they're called Dolls, and when you activate them, they become... people?"

Shizuka seemed to recall Iian's extremely grotesque Doll stealing her Reiatsu. She had consented to it in order to help Iian, but it was still ridiculously gross. Shizuka had to stop herself from cringing at the memory of that disgusting leech-like creature crawling its way up her arm until it was on her shoulder. It was sharing her Reiatsu with Iian, which essentially meant her own pool was being depleted, but she wanted to help. They ended up being okay, so it didn't matter. She trusted him. Maybe she was entirely too trusting, but that was just a part of who she was. She gave everyone a chance until they proved her wrong. Well, everyone except for Shinigami. They didn't deserve it.

”You’re not afraid of me though...are you? Knowing that I’m basically a vampire that’s supposed to be feeding on other humans, right?”

Shizuka's eyes met Luke's and she smiled softly. "No, sweetie. I'm not. If I wasn't afraid of you before when I thought you were a Fullbringer, why should I be now that I know you're a Bount? Luke, I see great potential in you. That's why I gave you my card. I want you to be a part of my life in one way or another, but I'll take a solid friendship when I see one. What happened in your past and what you are do not determine the kind of person you can be. It just gives you an opportunity to learn and grow. Don't think of who you are as a bad thing." She pulled herself slightly closer to the Bount. "Besides. A little biting never hurt anyone."

Her voice, her posture, and everything else about this human would be inviting and calming to Luke. She wanted to come off that way. It was important that he knew he could trust her as much as she trusted him. But trust comes with a price. For every secret one person spills, the other must give something in return. Shizuka thought for a moment whether or not she should come clean about her work and what she does, wondering if it was even worth it to share. She didn't have to give out many details, but he knew who she worked for. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure the rest out. Xcution recently went back into the shadows, but they were a powerful force at their peak. They were known.

"But I suppose you've figured out by now what my profession is. Xcution is no secret anymore, but most of the world thought we were simply a superpower looking to control half of the global economy. We came close, but our numbers dwindled. We retreated back into hiding somewhat since then. As for me, I'm one of the Seven Guns. Actually, my number is 'one.' Hiring and terminating is done through me." She used that second word on purpose. "My targets always have a habit of getting into some criminal activity, and I'm sent to interrogate. If they don't follow through with my questioning, I take care of them."

A simple explanation for what she did. Shizuka peered down at her pretty, match-all, golden heels that she adored so much and had become the main source of her power. Some may say impractical, but nothing is impractical in the name of fashion. That, and she needed somewhere else to look to avoid Luke's gaze. She tried making herself sound like a good guy. She always thought she was a good guy. So why did she feel so ashamed to admit what she did? She tried not to explain absolutely every detail, especially since there were things only Xcution members were allowed to know. But everyone knew who she was once they fought her. What difference did it make to tell him?

[Deleted]

Granted, Luke had a gut feeling that Shizuka wouldn’t be too bothered by what he was. He simply had gotten that feeling from her that to her, it wasn’t what you were that mattered it was who you are as a person that was important. But, regardless, Luke knew he had to tell her. Time and time again Luke had been faced with hostility and suspicion from other humans and Shinigami when they had learned what he was. Only a select few never looked at him weird, except when they saw how nervous he was telling them what he was. He could still remember the feeling of Aevus’s, the Shinigami that had trained him, sword to his throat and could still hear the venom dripped question he had presented the Bount.

She answered with how she had seen great potential in him, how one way or another she wanted him to be a part of her life. The number of number of meanings that sentence had made his heart beat a bit faster. He couldn’t really deny it, at this point, that he had a thing for her. It was why he had asked her out in the first place. But what was important for him to hear was what she said after. ”What happened in your post and what you are do not determine the kind of person you can be.”

He simply looked at her, eyes widened and mouth partly opened, when she said that. For him, his past very much determined who he was. It made him think of that night, of that battle with the Quincy, where everything had gone wrong. Where all his guilt, sorrow, and anguish came from. The reason he had sworn himself to live his life for others, to fight and die for others, to fight for the justice he believed in. His expression softened, blushing uncomfortably even and getting a snicker out of him when Shizuka joked about biting, before he simply smiled.

Thank you, Shizuka.

Though he said it mentally, he said it with absolute sincerity. Jager and Windstarke were silent, both realizing the effect this girl had over their host and master. In fact, both realized that being with her would do insurmountable good for Luke. She might even be able to mend the wound in his heart left by the battle with the Sternritter. Everything about her charmed him. He found himself trusting her and being comfortable around her. This may have been their first date, but Luke had fought and bled with Shizuka already. They had a bond together that most other people wouldn’t ever have or could understand. They weren’t lovers, of course, but they were comrades. That was why he was quiet when Shizuka revealed her own truth to him.

It was true that Luke had learned through his own research what her profession was. An assassin. He knew what she said was correct about Xcution, remembering hearing briefly about them a year or so ago buying up every large company they could. At the time he didn’t realize her Xcution was the same as the one he’d heard about when she invited him. Luke was still surprised to hear that Shizuka was the number one Seven Guns. He knew enough about Xcution’s structure to know that the Seven Guns were essentially the equivalent of the Shinigami Captains. It explained why Shizuka was so powerful to him.

She handled hiring, it seemed, more so than actually killing. He stayed quiet, simply looking at her, as she explained how the people she killed were criminals and how she would interrogate them. It made Luke frown somewhat, and it put him into a funny situation. An ideal hero would take what Shizuka said as a confession. An ideal hero would apprehend her, turn her over to the authorities, and let the justice system deal with her. An ideal hero wouldn’t be dating a top ranked assassin. An ideal hero.. the image of that ideal crumbled away a bit as Luke looked at her.

He turned his gaze from Shizuka and out to the crowded festival. ”I don’t really trust Xcution. I don’t know enough about them to have a solid belief about them yet. But...something I do know-“ Luke answered before the Fullbringer would feel his hand gently close down on the top of hers. ”Is that I trust you. If you tell me that the people you deal with are bad, then I’ll believe you completely.” Luke replied, before lowering his gaze a bit. ”We’re really not so different. I think some of the others in UE might disagree, but I’m of the belief that there are those that the world would be a better place without. That sometimes there’s people that...the only way to do the right thing is to take them out. I’m guilty of killing as well...but I only turn my sword against those who are evil, who hurt others with their power.” Luke explained, rubbing his thumb on her hands skin a bit to try and comfort her.

”I guess what I’m saying is I don’t mind what you do. So...you don’t have to worry about that around me.” Luke said with a smile, before his attention was drawn to the crowd single-file like moving in one direction. ”Oh, it’s getting dark. They’ll be shooting the fireworks soon.” Luke said, guessing that everyone was heading to the designated watching spot.

[Shizuka Sanamizu ✮]

Not trusting the organization was likely smart for an outsider. People who didn't understand their cause probably saw Xcution as somewhat arbitrary or even evil. Shizuka never thought that of them. They were like a family to her, kind of, even though she had no qualms with her own. But the friendship she shared with current and former members was invaluable and wonderful, for the most part. Some she could live without. But regardless, it was a good place. That was how Shizuka felt. For Luke to say the opposite wasn't a surprise, but it hurt the Fullbringer's heart. She knew that he just didn't understand.

Yet he trusted her. He said so. She had no doubt in her mind that he was able to piece together what she was saying and he still accepted her. He was willing to talk to her even after finding out what her profession is. A lot of people didn't typically tend to judge her based on her job since quite a few of them had also taken someone's life, but the way she handled it was different from most. These people were bad, but that didn't mean ending them was easy. It hurt her, too. That's why she developed over the years into the type of person she is now whenever she's away on business. She has to ignore the fact that they are people.

Plus, it seemed like they shared the same outlook on certain parts of life. There were individuals who should not exist anymore and the best course of action for them would be simply removing them from this world. It was a solution, though not a popular one. Shizuka glanced away to the side when he mentioned that part because it made her think for a brief moment how many times she had been wrong about someone. She didn't like remembering those negatives, but sometimes it happened. Sometimes she made a mistake and severely hurt a person over absolutely nothing. She didn't ever want to admit that to him.

Either way, though, he seemed very genuine. He was kind and actually took Shizuka's "advances" rather well, whether they were half real or not. Inside and out, Luke was a good guy. She didn't know about everyone else inside his head, but he was okay. He deserved her respect and friendship, and she wanted his, as well. But before she knew it, Luke mentioned how the fireworks were going to start. That was the whole point of the night! She was so excited! She jumped up in a rushed frenzy and grinned like a hyper child in a candy store. She enjoyed explosives. Especially artistic ones.

"Well, if that's the case, let's go!"

She allowed Luke to lead her to the place where everyone was getting ready for the viewing. It was probably going to be a popular event, knowing how humans could be. How she could be. And she couldn't possibly have been more stoked to be there! It was so kind of Luke to let her come along, and she wanted to thank him for that. But finding the proper words was going to be difficult. She didn't always know what to say and was worried he may take it the wrong way if she said something strange. So in the end, rather than attempt to sound fancy with big words, she decided to keep it simple.

"Luke, thank you for inviting me. It's nice to get out and have a date with a guy like normal girls do. It's nice to be normal."

[Deleted]

Shizuka was exceptionally excited to go see the fireworks. Luke couldn’t deny his own excitement with seeing them, but he was enjoying his time with the human Fullbringer much more. Part of him regretted that the fireworks were going off soon, since it meant that their date would be coming to an end. But he didn’t dwell on that or let it get him down. He decided to look forward to it, seeing how it was the reason he asked her out right? The fact she’d enjoy them was enough for him to enjoy them.

Walking with the crowd, Luke’s attention was pulled back to Shizuka when she suddenly thanked him for inviting her out. What she said surprised him, prompting him to blink as he thought over what she said. She was thankful that she was getting to go out and do something that a normal girl would do. She was thankful she was normal. When she said that, something clicked in Luke’s head. He might have just figured out why he liked Shizuka as much as he did. It just might have been because, to him, she was normal. Yeah, her job and powers were definitely the opposite of normal but the way she acted, talked, it was all the sort of things a normal girl would do. Maybe that’s why Luke felt so attached to her?

”I’m glad your having fun. But don’t thank me just yet. The night’s not over yet.” Luke said with a smile, completely oblivious for a moment just how Shizuka could take the last part of that sentence. Knowing her though it probably wouldn’t bother her. ”Come on.” he urged, picking up the pace so that they would hopefully get a good spot to watch the fireworks. Following the crowd to a clearing in the festival, with the stall owners really pushing for people to buy from them with so many people around, Luke was surprised by how many people actually were here.

They were practically shoved in elbow to elbow. ”Is this what being a canned sardine feels like?” Jäger asked, though Luke was thinking the same thing. Offering Shizuka a “I’m sorry” smile, the Bount spotted something. An idea was born. ”Hey, follow me.” he said to Shizuka, pushing back the way they came to get out of the crowd. Where was he leading her? Well, he didn’t want them to be boxed in by a crowd. But he also wanted them to be able to get front row, perfect, view of the fireworks.

Near the clearing that the crowd was gathering was an apartment building. Leading her to it, Shizuka would more than likely realize what Luke was planning. Motionioning upwards with his head, Luke would use a reiatsu enhanced jump to soar upwards. Airground made the trip up easier when his jumps would slow down, but didn’t take long or much effort to reach the roof. As their feet touched the roof, which was empty due to being one of those buildings were roof access wasn’t allowed, the air would explode with color and sound as music began to play. ”They’re starting!” Luke exclaimed, rushing to the closest edge to the fireworks.

Being so high up, and not surrounded by people, gave them the best view of the fireworks that they could possible ask for. The night sky lit up with vibrant colors, the vibrations from the explosions reaching the two on the roof. Luke could feel the momentary force from the explosions in his bones with each one that went off. They had a pretty standard assortment of fireworks going off, but that wasn’t really a issue. They were still fun to watch. Luke particularly liked the ones that would explode even after the initial explosions. But what impressed him were the ones that created saturn looking spheres surrounded by a ring. Luke stood quietly, mesmerized by them, and didn’t even realize that his hand had taken ahold of Shizuka’s.

Realizing that he had, he looked down at his hand for a moment before looking at her. For him, the sky wasn’t the only place that fireworks were going off in. He wondered if he should or if it wasn’t a good time. It was only their first date after all. ”Do it.” Luke heard in his head, before he decided to go with his gut. ”Hey...Shizuka..” Luke said softly looking at her for a moment as he felt his cheeks flare red. He wasn’t good at this, having next to no experience after so many years but, he decided to give it a try anyways. He felt the mood was right and that, if he didn’t do this now, he might not get the opportunity again. So he leaned towards her, testing the waters, to see if Shizuka would accept a kiss.