capeandcowllogs | (no subject)

[while some people were lucky enough to get a job, kotetsu was out on the hunt for one. sadly for him, it brought him to the local mall where it meant that he would have to work retail... really, wasn't there a good bar around that he could work?

regardless, there he was, sitting in front of a store looking like a dejected puppy without his mask on. civilian identities need to be set up, after all.]

[And Nathan was humming away, losing himself in thought, and - Oh, is that Kotetsu?

It was. And what was he doing, just sitting there in front like that?

High heels clacked forwards, until finally, Nathan sat himself right next to his hero buddy.]

What are you doing, honey?

[he had been so immersed in his own thoughts that he actually jumped a foot in the air when he heard Nathan sit down next to him.]

You really shouldn't sneak up on people, you gave me a heart attack! [hand to his chest, trying not to actually be the old man that he was, he glanced back at the other person-]

I'm looking for a job.

And you should be able to hear your friends coming! Really, now. [He teased a bit, before shifting into serious mode.]

A job here? Kotetsu, sweetie, you can do so much better.

I was a little preoccupied. [he's been doing everything so half-assed because he's actually worried sick about Kaede. Even if time does stop - does it stop for good or ...?]

Not all of us can get the jobs they want.

Only if you don't think to use your connections.

I've been hyping you up to someone who looks to be my new business partner, you know.

How do you already have a business partner?! [that's louder than he wanted it to be, but HOW DO PEOPLE DO THIS STUFF???]

[Just waves him down, expression of 'keep your voice down' all over his face.]

I wrote a business plan for Hero TV and approached one of the city's biggest names in business directly with it.

Won't Agnes get a little more than upset? [even here, he's scared of her ...]

Money in Giselle's hand was like sneezing: it was gone super fast the second it came about. That typically watered down to very happy grocers or fabric store managers, but today was not about raw materials.

Today was about inspiration.

The fashion of the day was definitely different to what Giselle was used to, but then again...she only had storybooks and her Edward for a reference to Andalasian attire. How reliable was that, anyway? Sometimes she imagined villagers in some of the cute shoes or flowing coats she'd seen here and there...oh, and those darling costumes the street actors wore in the park. Of course, she wasn't aware those were costumes; she was just glad to see some gowns and puffed sleeves! Little slices of home...

As she walked, Giselle took note of the sightless mannequins and their wares. Apparently, earthy colors were in! A sign of fall. She thought that was rather clever, keeping clothes in tune with the season like that, but she was always a fan of bright, happy colors...Oooh, feathers! Her hands pressed against the glass of an accessory store sporting just that. She was smiling admiringly down at a line of feathered headbands, hungry for a hands-on look, and was hardly aware of her surroundings. So when she whirled around with intention to trot into the store--

--she slammed right into Nathan Seymour.

"Mnnh! Sorry, honey!" Said one tall, pink-covered (pink nails, pink eyeshadow, pink lipstick, pink high heel boots, pink pink PINK), fabulous man. "I guess I should be more careful!"

Thankfully, he didn't tumble ass over teakettle, just taking a moment to reassert his balance, rolling his shoulders and hips, getting back into position. Getting a good look at who slammed right into him.

Oh, what a cute girl she was! Like a perfect little princess!

"Are you alright, darling?" He asked, voice sweet as all get out.

"Oh-!" She gave a startled yelp and recoiled on impact. Fortunately, Giselle had a good spring in her step, and less skirt to tangle and topple her over. She teetered, saved by the glass she had been facing seconds ago, shaking her head. When she stopped, she was staring at shoes.

Very sharp shoes. Pink. She blinked, lifting her head up, pink, pink, pink...oh. Oh!

"Oh, my gosh!" she gasped, covering her mouth with a hand. "I'm so, so sorry! I wasn't paying attention at all, I--oh. Oh, yes, I'm fine." She gave a harried giggle, her eyes crinkling along with the smile hidden temporarily. "I hope you're alright, I was so clumsy..."

"Believe me, I'm just fine. Good to see you are too!" A little pat on the shoulder, just to reassure her. "No more need for apologies, I do believe we've both gotten them out of our system."

Head cocking to the side, looking to the inside of the store. "Saw something you liked in there?"

Giselle gave a smiling nod of agreement, glad to have been so lucky to bump into someone so friendly. Her mouth opened and almost immediately closed as topics shifted, turning her head to the window as well. "Oh? Oh, yes! I was!" One rapid motion flicked hair out of her face as she turned back to the window to peer and point out what it was she had been so fixated on moments before.

"I'd never seen feathers that color before, and they're so pretty! I never thought to put them on a little band like that before, either! They look so pretty..."

And Nathan leeeeaned forward, getting a good look at what she had her eyes on.

"Mmm. It is quite pretty... well. Shall we?" He asks, light and direct, one hand gesturing to the inside of the store. Quite the friendly, personable kind of guy, he was.

Giselle's mouth was puckered into an unsaid oh of surprise at the offer, but it quickly vanished as she realized what was intended. Then she beamed.

"Yes, let's!" she declared, hands clapping together and folding under her chin, excited and childlike. She did not wait long for much else, slipping by and darting into the store with an excited gasp at all the things she didn't see before. It was like a little treasure trove of sparkly necklaces and bracelets and all kinds of things she'd dreamed up in one of her more princess-y dreams.

And there were a lot of those, but never near enough to have had her image all of that.

"There's so many!"

"Mmm-hm." Good lord, she was adorable. Just losing herself in all the sparkle and glamor and pretty dresses, like she was about to hyperventilate, picturing herself in each one.

"Well, let's narrow it down, shall we? Fall is coming... you should get some clothes that will fit the season, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes," Giselle turned and straightened, nodding up at Nathan. "That's actually why I came! I wanted to see all the different dresses and things...I've never been that adventurous in my own sewing compared to all of this," her arm waved out beyond the window, "but I think it'll be awfully fun to try!"

She let her arm drop, sighing fondly as she gazed back down at the array of necklaces and things on the wall. "It really is like treasure..."

[Nathan...has quite some fabulous muscles. Hiromi happens to find that very beautiful. Without giving it much thought, Hiromi starts following the man from a few paces behind, as if there's a secret to his strength to be revealed.]

[It takes a little walking before Nathan notices, but when he does, he doesn't make it obvious. Just a smile, a big one, before taking a sharp left into a... sports store? Whatever, he had to get some gym clothes anyway. He decided to see if the boy would keep following him.]

[That doesn't deter Hiromi at all. Sports store is even better. Perhaps...this man also liked American football? The teen spares a quick glance on the equipment of his favorite sport before diligently following his target.]

[Nathan sways his way to a closed location, where he'll pretty much have to follow closer if he wants a good look - ducking into an aisle filled wall to wall with Under Armour equipment. And while he was waiting for his little fan to come after... might as well see if they had a shirt that came in purple...]

[He's shameless. Hiromi struts right up, raking his eyes on the selection and the choice his target had chosen.

Purple... Was that a hint to toning his muscles? Hiromi hadn't worn that color before. He was told already looked enough of a girl. He looks away, muttering to himself more than anything.]

Surely that color must be reserved for the most confident of men...

And not yet confident to just say hello? That's truly a shame!

[Finally, Nathan turns on his heel, smirking, one fingernail sitting just below his lower lip, the slightest bit of his teeth showing.]

So I suppose I'll bridge the gap. Hello!

Hello...

[Hiromi looks back, a little surprised to hear that. Usually he just went unnoticed. His body posture clams up self consciously.]

Your body was very distracting. A flimsy body like mine is embarrassing in comparison.

Shooting yourself down before I've even got your name? That's no way to treat yourself, darling.

[Nathan walks up a little more, trying to make the conversation a bit more... personal. Hopefully make himself less intimidating.]

Come on, chin up. Let's try that again.

I'm Nathan Seymour. Pleasure to meet you...

Oh, no. The pleasure is mine. My name is Hiromi Kisaragi.

[Hiromi bows politely, quickly sizing Nathan up. There's a sharpness to his smile. He doesn't waste time, okay.]

Excuse me, you're strong, aren't you?

[Well, going from quietly stalking him to asking such questions... strange. But flattering!]

Well, not as strong as some, but I do what I can to keep myself fit. It's a point of pride to look my best!

Who?

[The question is immediate. Somebody who looked strong and knew stronger yet, that was somebody he'd like to meet.

But he nods, shifting his attention back to Nathan.]

Yes... It's obvious that you're beautiful.

Well, a friend of mine Antonio, back home... the best word to describe him is just 'beef'. [And he accentuates that with a little wink!]

[But oh lord, this boy really was turning from shy to utterly blunt in a moment's notice!]

Oh? Flattering me already? I think I might be a bit old for you, though...

[He perks up at that. Beef sounds promising.]

Is he here?

[Well Hiromi doesn't mean it in the typical sense. Beautiful to him is bulky, bulging muscles. He doesn't see anything wrong with what he's saying, either.]

Age has nothing to do with beauty.

Unfortunately for the both of us, no. But let me see... lucky me, I still had my cellphone when that machine brought me here! I should have a picture of him somewhere..

[Boop as he pulls it out and starts flipping through the photo album, before landing on this fine slice of man. (http://safebooru.org//images/647/97a31a27229c9993f2025d23cd3d7e5e73508d4e.jpg?653109)]

See? Beef.

[Nathan thought on what the boy was saying a moment, before responding.]

I see. So, you're not just merely flirting with me? A show of admiration, then.

[He smiles at the photo. That smile may be curled in the most innocent of outward appearances but there is something desperate and needy about it.]

He's extremely beautiful...!

[Once more his focus changes to the stranger. He wasn't even thinking about flirting but his admiration was obvious.]

For me, strength is an unattainable dream. I deeply respect your beauty. It seems you are...truly powerful.

Indeed he is! He's definitely the strongest man I know...

[Well, at least the kid wasn't ashamed of his tastes. Maybe a little shy, maybe a little down on himself, but very confident on this point.]

Mm-mm! I'll have none of that! No 'unattainable dream', no putting yourself down! It just requires the right mindset! You aren't going to get that strength if you tell yourself you aren't! It's a self-fulfilling prophecy that way, darling.

[Nathan's tone is very bold, very confident. He doesn't sit well with people shooting themselves down so easily - very much the same way he looks out for Kotetsu and all his other friends.]

What I think you need, Hiromi... is just a little step forward in confidence. Then you can find your own strength.

[And he smiles wide, looking back towards the gear... and getting an idea.]

He's still no match for Gaou-kun.

[He sighs dreamily. In his mind, a beautiful montage of Gaou's muscles is playing, slowly crushing the man in the picture he'd just seen. They might be able to go head to head with Gaou. Yes, if he ever came to the City, Hiromi would want to meet him... Such a beautiful person...]

Even with this embarrassing body, a complete stranger believes in me... You're really amazing.

[He sparkles a little bit. Yes. Sparkles. It happens to be one of his (useless) powers but it's nothing out of the ordinary for him. He looks down at his hand with a twisted smile, clenching it.]

I'd like to believe that I can also show even an ounce of pure strength from this frail body...

I don't know this Gaou... but to be fair, you don't know Antonio either. I think it's a little early to be calling conclusions, don't you? [Ah, Antonio was all the more impressive when he was flexing that super strength. Anyway!]

And we're not complete strangers anymore, darling - not since a few minutes ago. I'm Nathan, you're Hiromi, and that's that.

First things first, Hiromi - confidence is strength. Walking around all day, looking the way I do, the way I want to - and no, I don't mean the muscle - takes just that. Confidence. Strength.

[...He'd ask about the sparkles, but to be honest, the Hero academy has far weirder powers.]

So it only makes sense that if we increase your confidence, we can also increase your strength. The two go hand in hand! Now...

[Nathan reaches up... and takes two of the purple work out shirts off the racks.]

What size are you, darling?

[And the biggest grin goes across his lips.]

[Hiromi would protest but ahh... It didn't seem like this person was the type to get it. Besides, he was going to be told a secret to strength!? He is all ears.]

Confidence is strength?

[Well that certainly makes him squint. He rubs up and down his arms self consciously. His body language might be shy but his words are spoken bluntly and shamelessly.]

Ah... Small.

Yes it is. Very simply - you'll never get the strength you want here... [And at that, Nathan flexes, just to emphasize the point.] ...if you don't first have strength in here. [And then moves his hand to point at his head.]

If you think weak, you'll stay weak, because you've considered the battle already lost. If you think strong, you can only get stronger. So confidence is the first step to getting muscle!

[And Nathan checks the size on one of the two he grabbed - yup. Small. He grabs a pair of workout shorts for himself before moving on.]

Follow me, please. [And then he sashays his way out of the aisle.]

So that is the secret to your strength...

[Hmm. It's different than with Gaou. But Hiromi follows obediently. It's not every day he's asked to be followed. Normally people don't want him around. He sets aside his difference in strength philosophy for now, happy just to be wanted.]

Um. Where...?

[The checkout line, that's where. Nathan simply purchases his new workout clothes... and promptly hands the small purple workout shirt to Hiromi.]

This is the start of you getting your own strength you want, honey. Wear this with confidence. Con-fi-dence!

Right now? I don't think the world would appreciate seeing this thin body of mine here.

[A big pouty sigh. Sets his hands on Hiromi's shoulders.]

I told you. None of that. For starters, I think you look fine. But it's not how you want to look, is it?

...No, for starters, not now. I mean put it on for when you're exercising. But getting back on track!

If you want to be bold, to be strong, to be the beauty you seek... you cannot hide from the world, and you must work hard for it.

[Nathan twisted his lips. How to get this message through to this kid? Didn't like seeing him be all down about his potential or how he looked.]

Maybe I could put together a diet and exercise routine that would help you bulk up...

[Oh, good. Hiromi stuffs the shirt back into the bag. He was going to do it despite what he said.]

That kind of diet will surely fail...

[He laughs a little weakly, quickly elaborating with ease.]

During the off season, the entire American football team is put on a strict diet to maintain our strength. Oh, but Gaou-kun ate more than he was allowed... Even though I tried to keep up with him, I was the only one who grew smaller during the break. You wouldn't think of me as a player, would you? Everybody said it was impossible for me to play sports.

You shouldn't be trying to keep up with the biggest player yet, darling. It could be tailored specifically to you.

Come on now, are we forgetting my lessons already? You aren't going to get strong if you accept defeat from the start!

Do you think I look like this naturally? When people tell you something's impossible, you work only that much harder to prove them wrong.

[Hands on his hips. Nathan is firm on this point.]

What I think is that you're a boy who doesn't give himself a chance, Hiromi. Which is a shame - you remind me of, well, me at your age.

Though I had a thing for the boy on the Rugby team...

As I thought, it's impossible to keep up with Gaou-kun...

[His smile and nod have an expected air of defeat but there's also a genuine crack of determination beneath it all.]

You're really wonderful. Everybody else just laughs at me when I say I seek strength. But you're not like that at all. You're even encouraging me. If you say that this will make me stronger, then I will trust you. Because that is the only thing absolute in this world.

Weren't you always like this...?

Not at all! This [And he points at his chest here] is the result of years of hard work!

When I was your age... I was a first class pretty boy! I rather liked it at the time, but the point is, I didn't have muscle in the least!

So when I say you remind me of me at your age, I quite mean it!

If it's possible for somebody like you...then it might not be impossible for me. [Decisive nod!]

Forget 'might' - it is. Here... I have to get going, but don't hesitate to give me a call. Or you can catch me when I post to the network...

[And out of a little pink and red wallet, Nathan hands over... a business card. Easy to exchange information was a necessity for a good businessman!]

We'll get to work on building your strength, alright?

[He takes the card, reads it, and flips it over in his hand. He gives a small bow for parting.]

Yes... Thank you, Nathan-san.

(no subject)

IS ACTIONSPAM OKAY o3o

IT SURE IS

WELP I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK ME SO LONG

S'OKAY BB

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