→ caaaaan you feel the looooove tonight

[hexuality]

When; ??? TODAY
Rating; G because really.
Characters; Ginny Weasley [hexuality] & Hikaru Sulu [excelsiors]
Summary; Flying bros going on a date.

Log;

[Ginny Weasley doesn't do the asking but she totally asked him to ask her to dinner and she is absurdly pleased that it didn't backfire on her. She doesn't know where they're going, of course, but given the past few weeks (months) in the City, hanging out with him has always been a highlight—and she's glad for this simple slice of normal. To just go out with someone she fancies without anything ridiculous like being set up on a blind date or as a favour to a friend or whatever.

No pressure, she'd said, and she meant it. She's not even really done up, a dress and boots and a coat and hat over it all, very casual. But nice. This is going to be nice. She's needed a bit of nice lately.

And totally answering the door with the broadest smile ever. And three cats swirling around her ankles and probably an owl hooting in the background. She is a witch, after all.]

Comments

[excelsiors]

<sub>( it’s a real shame that being part of the youngest, hottest crew in starfleet history doesn’t automatically make one less socially awkward. not that sulu is, exactly. he’s just never given the matter much thought before. and he likes ginny, which means he’s thought about this more than any previous encounter of the quasi-romantic kind. and with thinking comes overthinking. and with overthinking comes disaster.

his outfit’s simple, though he has dispensed with the yellow, for once. the color’s still present, however, in the form of the tiny bouquet of roses he’s holding. yellow flowers are totally safe, didn’t you know. he holds them out as soon as she opens the door. )</sub>

Hey. I mean, hi.

[hexuality]

Hi. Merlin's beard, Sulu—are these for me?

[Right, well, she didn't expect ~first date butterflies~ much less flowers, this is going splendidly. Her smile brightens at the sight of the roses and if one looks closely, she may be blushing but she is a Weasley and that's a part of her family as much as the ginger hair. Ginny accepts them with a quick peck to the cheek and draws her wand as she half steps back into her flat.]

These're actually my favourite roses, how'd you guess? I mean, I'll always love daffodils but they're never around for very long, so... [Summoning a vase and conjuring water as she talks, setting them up on the little end table.] There we are.

[Now buttoning up her coat, sliding her wand into it, grinning,]

You never called. I expect this is all a surprise.

[excelsiors]

I mean, they were, but if you don’t want them…

_{( his tone is light, teasing. he flashes her a grin, though his expression shifts from sly to bashful when she kisses his cheek. he follows her in, tilts his head to one side and shrugs. )}

I like flowers, remember? I can tell.

_{( he purses his lips for a moment, pausing. then he laughs. )}

Well, I couldn’t just keep waiting for instructions, could I?

[hexuality]

I should bloody well hope so. Of the two of us, you're the one with rank. The only time I'm a captain is on the pitch and even that didn't last very long.

[Here as well as at home. But the reasons for losing both are vastly different, one more horrifying than the other. But now's not the time to dwell on the war, she's let that wreck enough of her peace of mind, and it'll do some good to get out of a flat that's begun to remind her of that all over again. It's what happens, she supposes, when she loses another roommate to their home. (Loses, she shouldn't think of it in those terms. But she does lose Remus in the end.) People keep leaving. The gut reaction would be to draw away from making connections before they're severed again, but she's always been stubborn.

Ginny heaves a dramatic sigh, ushering the cats away with a glove before pulling it on.]

My kingdom for a proper Quidditch team. [Smirking,] But you already know that. You've already sussed out the flowers, I suppose I'm just that transparent, am I?

[excelsiors]

Was it longer than two hours? Because if so, you've got me beat.

_{( he's still not sure how to process that brief stint of time in the chair, the culmination of his childhood dreams and adult ambitions. he has no designs to leave the enterprise, right now, but command's always been the endgame. he just doesn't think he'll ever be ready, even if he does a good job of faking it. )}

You could always teach another five, six people how to fly. And if I could figure out anything other than the flowers, you might be. But I can't, so you're not.

[hexuality]

I've taught a handful of you lot but you keep leaving. [It's teasing, but there's truth there, too.] Makes it hard to get those numbers up. Besides, Quidditch takes a bit more time. You might manage it, though, you're quite good on a broomstick.

[She picks up her keys and steps out into the hallway, waiting for him to join her before shutting and locking the door. And if there's something of a brief shimmer in the air when she does so, pay no mind; it's just the wards settling back into place. Never forget that once upon a time, there were more of her kind here and they were all overprotective about where they lived.

Leaning in a bit to nudge him with her elbow.]

You never told me about the captain thing.

[excelsiors]

_{( he follows her out, hands tucked into his pockets. his gaze is set on his shoes, for a long moment. )}

It's a chain of command thing. I'm Third Officer. If the captain and the first two officers are off the ship, I'm in command. It just doesn't happen very often.

_{( it's not supposed to happen at all!! but jim had to be an idiot and chase of scotty and then take his second with him everywhere because reasons. )}

Anyways, let's get going.

[hexuality]

[She thinks of the vague sort of chain of command they set up with the DA, how she and Neville and Luna ran things and how Neville must have taken on so much when they both couldn't come back to the school. It's a lot of pressure. She eyes him for a moment as they walk to the lift and she punches the button and she wonders what sort of mission had Jim take everyone with him like that.]

Sounds like a story.

[Said with a quiet sort of smile, an echo of when she touched on her own stories from back home. Then he says the next thing as the lift lets out a ding and the doors slide open.]

Get going where? You're the one leading the way.

[excelsiors]

More like a page in one chapter. <sub>( he figures if he downplays it long enough he will no longer have to think about it. and think about how much he liked it. and how much he really wants to be a captain.

he starts walking, expecting her to follow, though he turns around so he's facing her and taking steps backwards. )</sub>

Sushi. _{( he says, by way of explanation. )}

[hexuality]

[She's familiar with that technique, but that doesn't mean she isn't curious. A page in a chapter is enough of a teaser and there's a whole book to discover, but given that she doesn't bring up the finer details of the war for just anyone, she understands the desire to downplay. Different reasons, but still, she hums in a knowing sort of way and glances off, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat.

For what it's worth, she'd listen.

When he turns to face her as they walk, she looks back and grins.]

Really taking advantage of that fresh food over a replicator thing, aren't you? I've only had sushi a few times. You'll have to explain some stuff.

[excelsiors]

I'm just seizing the day. Making good on every opportunity.

_{( he purses his lips to hide a laugh, but doesn't quite manage it. )}

I could just hand you really weird stuff, that means, and you wouldn't know.

[hexuality]

[Excuse her while she waggles her brows at him because making good on every opportunity, come now. Her jaw drops then she steps towards him, laughing as she knocks her shoulder into his.]

You're an arse. If it's still moving, I'm not eating it! The chopsticks'll be enough of a mess.

[excelsiors]

You can use a fork. I won't judge.

_{( pursed lips head held hide little shit grin in disguise )}

[hexuality]

If it's still moving, I'm not stabbing it with a fork, either.

[SHE SEES THAT. Prat. She crosses in front of him until she's in his way, walking backwards in turn even though she's not sure what direction the restaurant is. Where he's hiding his smirk, hers is broad and she's leaning forward a bit to catch his eye.]

What sort of barbarian d'you think I am?

[excelsiors]

The kind from England. _{( he says, immediately, like that's a thing. now he's smiling openly, and turning around so he walk while looking where he's going. it's almost like he's a normal person. )}

And just because it's raw doesn't mean it's alive.

[hexuality]

[Her laughter hitches louder, brighter, and she rights herself as he does so they're side-by-side instead.]

I'm sure there's a horrible joke about burning witches at the stake in there, but I can't make it work somehow. And that's hardly top first date conversation. [BUT SHE BROUGHT IT UP ANYWAY.] And oi, look, I said moving, I don't much mind raw! I mean, I don't know, do I? I'll give it a go.

[Bumping her shoulder to his,]

I'm trusting you, Sulu. I told you there wasn't a thing a Weasley wouldn't eat.

[excelsiors]

I really took it to heart, you know. But I figured we'd stop just short of the still-alive cuisine. Work our way up to it, maybe.

_{( he's chuckling, though, and definitely not serious. he turns a corner, and whatever the best sushi joint in the city is can be seen just down the street. )}

[hexuality]

[Not serious, but she still has to ask as they approach the doors, voice dropping like she might ~offend~ the chefs with large knives.]

But honestly, still-alive sushi. That doesn't really exist, does it.

[Ginny.]

[excelsiors]

I don't know. _{( utterly deadpan. )} Does it?

_{( he leads her over to the bar and pulls out one of the long-and-thin deco stools for her. the place is dark but with glowing neon lights all around, and looking over the bar you get a view of the sushi being prepared. it looks as though most ingredients are, in fact, dead. )}

[hexuality]

Sulu, if you're making me eat a wriggling octopus, you're doing it too.

[BECAUSE SHE WOULD DO IT. Don't think she won't. She shrugs out of her coat, waits for him to do the same, then suddenly her wand is in hand and oh, look at that, they're levitating over to the coat rack by the door. ~Fancy~.

Mildly, as she takes the offered seat and slides her wand back up her sleeve,]

How curious.

[Except she's smirking.]

[excelsiors]

_{( he still sort of stops and gapes every time she does magic, though it's in a very awed and appreciative way. after he gets over it, though, he takes his seat and starts rolling his sleeves up to the elbows. he gestures someone over to take their drink order, and then turns back to ginny to return the smirk. )}

Curioser and curioser, I'd say.

[hexuality]

[Most people are either used to it or don't believe in it, even when it happens. She actually rather likes that he appreciates it like that, like it really is magic in the storybook sense of the word. She thinks that's how it should be loved, anyway.

She orders tea because she's English and it's cold out. Then she gestures at him before resting her chin in hand.]

You're the expert here. I defer to your good judgement on the menu, lieutenant. [Grinning,] And it's a lovely place, thank you.

[excelsiors]

Well, of course. _{( he looks ruefully at her, as though she's suggesting that he'd ever bring her somewhere that wasn't lovely. but then he's busy talking to the chef behind the bar, ordering large rolls--california, because they're classic, spicy tuna and crunch, rainbow, and a slew of others. )}

You've got to try one of everything, okay? Expert's orders.

[hexuality]

[Look, she'd never suggest that. But she's still sort of pleasantly surprised and pleased that it's as nice as this. She's easy, she's good with pizza parlours or backalley coffee shops, she's never been one for fancy, not with how they grew up. It makes times like these a treat.

But she's had sushi at least twice before, enough to know that there are some things she does like, and she chimes in with,]

Softshell crab, don't forget that. [Because fried. Then Ginny brushes her hair back over her shoulders, picking up the hot tea, grinning against the lip of the cup.] Right, I promise, a bit of everything. Rainbow roll sounds exciting.

[excelsiors]

And tempura. <sub>( he adds, calling them both out to the waiter. how are they going to eat all of this? who even knows.

ginny's last words do have him grinning, however, and he can't help but bark out a laugh. )</sub>

You sound just like Scotty.