2026-04-24: A Lotus on a Pond
- Log: 2026-04-24 A Lotus on a Pond
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Makoto Niijima
- Where: Red Light District - Crossroads Bar
- OOC Date: April 24, 2026
- IC Date: October 29, 2012
- Summary: Taking their same-day conversation with Ann to heart, Ren reaches out to Makoto about their decision to start presenting femme more often. Makoto is supportive. VERY supportive.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Hey, Makoto... I decided I want to express my femme side more often, and I'm going to do that by dressing up as part of my part-time job with Crossroads Bar, over in Shinjuku. Does that bother you at all?"
So Ren had said by smartphone when she called Makoto earlier today, an hour or two after school. When her response is inevitably positive, she relaxes. "I'm glad to hear it. Do you want to talk about it more later? I can show you Bar Crossroads too, if it'd make you more comfortable. A trans woman runs the place, and she's really chill--and don't worry, she doesn't have me do anything illegal..."
It turns out that Makoto's best availability is that night, on Monday. It's a while yet until evening, when Bar Crossroads opens, so the two of them agree on a time, and Ren resumes what she was doing (make-up lessons with Ann--very valuable and part of why Ren brought it up all of a sudden).
Afterwards, she changes into street clothes and heads out to Shinjuku to meet up with Makoto. The season being what it is, that's a long-sleeved black jacket, a white V-neck, jeans, boots, and of course fashion glasses and a wristwatch. Morgana opts to stay home for this one--since Ren's having ~special time~ with their ~special lady~.
She meets Makoto outside and guides her inside. Lala nods to them both in greeting after serving drinks to a client, though her painted eyebrows rise.
"My, my, I wasn't expecting you by so soon," she comments. "Good evening to the both of you. So you know, I picked up something good this morning, but before we get into that..." Her eyes travel over to Makoto. "Who's this young lady?"
"Evening," Ren replies, nodding back in greeting. They step to one side to give Makoto more space and gesture to her. "This is Makoto, my girlfriend. She knows what's up, so you don't need to hold back."
"Oh! Then this is good timing," she says, approaching from behind the bar and waving to invite them both closer. She lowers her voice and murmurs, "That 'something good' is a cute little kimono from a friend of mine--it doesn't fit her anymore, but she couldn't bear to just throw it away. She's about as tall as you are though," meaningful look, "so it should still be your size."
Ren breaks into an excited grin. "Really? Already? Thank you so much, Lala-san!" they murmur back.
She smiles back. "It's no problem at all. It's hanging in the break room, so..." She turns that smile to Makoto. "Mako-chan, if you don't mind, why don't you follow your belle to the break room and help her try it on? Don't worry, I won't put her to work tonight, so the two of you can take your time."
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
If Ren was worried about Makoto's response, she had nothing to worry about. "Of course not! I'm really proud of you." The scheduling, as it works out, is for tonight, too. ...aaaaand she might be a little anxious about Ren, a minor, working in a bar at Shinjuku, so she might be a little eager to make sure Ren's safe, on top of everything else.
Fortunately, Crossroads isn't that far from Makoto's house, and she's wearing her usual cold weather get up- teal coat, black leggings, brown thigh-length boots, black turtleneck and hairband because... look. She doesn't actually have nice date clothes. Damnit. Tsubasa was right, how dare they be right.
Admittedly, the clothes Tsubasa picked were not exactly what Makoto would consider date clothes.
Still, she meets Ren outside Crossroads, assessing the place as she enters. Her father would have probably had a much less kind term for the owner of this place, she realizes.
When Ren introduces her, Makoto bows politely. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am." It's maybe not the usual sort of thing one sees in a bar like this, and she's a little wary about the client seeing her- especially once Ren introduces her as her girlfriend. Shinjuku IS close to the courts even if Crossroads is probably beneath Sae's radar. So it's a bit of a relief when Lala doesn't make a big deal of it.
On the upside, initial impressions- Ren seems to trust Lala, and Lala herself doesn't seem to be doing anything illegal. Beyond, you know, having a minor work the bar and letting another minor in but Makoto has very good reason to let that one slide. Even if she is caught a bit off guard by Lala jumping straight to 'Mako-chan' with her, and blushes a touch embarrassedly- still seeing Ren's excitement makes her smile. "Oh, yes, of course!" Lala does seem a touch of a force of nature here, and given how ready Ren is to go to the break room, she doesn't want to hold her back. "Thank you very much."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
In fairness, Ren doesn't have a lot of nice date clothes either. They've got one outfit, and they wore it for their first date with Minako, so it feels a little weird to wear it for Makoto still... Makoto isn't one to care very much about fashion as long as one's clean and neat, though, so they don't sweat about it.
Neither do they sweat Lala knowing about their X-gender or Makoto being their girlfriend/datemate. Lala's relaxed like that--and when Makoto bows and greets her formally, she bows back. "The pleasure's all mine," she replies, smile growing a bit when she sees her blush.
Then she gives her a considering look. "You seem like a straight-laced young lady, so let me reassure you right now, Ren-chan doesn't do anything illegal when she is on the job--no alcohol at all. She just cleans dishes, wipes down tables, and chats up the customers sometimes--that sort of thing. It makes it so I can focus on serving up the alcohol and entertaining, so it's honestly a lifesaver." She leans in to whisper behind one hand, "I didn't even want to hire a minor like them at first, but I'm sure you know how persuasive they can be."
She leans back. She might be a touch of a force of nature, but she's also an easygoing type--slow and steady, like the 'Escargot' of her name. "I'll be right out here if either of you need anything," she concludes, and lets the two of them back.
Ren nods and guides Makoto to the back room. It's just behind a door and down a short hallway. It's decorated in much the same style as the front with the bright lights and gauzy curtains and lots and lots of pink. They look around for the kimono and spot it almost right away, since it's hanging on a hanger deeper inside.
It is a cute number--honestly, more elegant and classy than cute. Ren can understand why Lala's friend was loathe to just get rid of it. It's a muted, earthy green that shades down into a darker green with white and green-shaded flowers decorating the sleeves; the obi is black but printed with plenty more flowers, tying together at the waist with a white string. Green is not usually Ren's color, but the darkness of it will suit them, they think. She picks it up carefully, then holds it up against herself as she turns to Makoto.
"What do you think? Would it suit me?" she asks with an unusually shy smile.
https://myjapanclothes.com/cdn/shop/files/traditional-green-kimono-for-women-tanigawa_1_1024x.jpg?v=1700579340
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Lala, it seems, is very good at reading people. Makoto is all those things, and it does set her at ease. "...I'm glad," Makoto says, after a few moments of considering Lala's response. "I was a little worried when I heard that Ren was working here. I know she doesn't always present that way, but the stories you hear about things happening to women late night in Shinjuku- or the types of bars who might... 'employ' a minor." She keeps her voice quiet, not to disturb the client. So far, though, Lala seems on the level and Makoto feels it's best to be frank. "...So I'm glad you're keeping it as above board as you can."
Persuasive, huh? "Yeah. She really is. If she weren't such a good person, I'd be more worried." Fortunately... Makoto trusts Ren's sense of justice, amongst other things. "Don't worry. I won't do anything to cause problems for you or Ren if I can help it." Discretion has been a big part of their dating life, but in general. Makoto's good at being discreet!
Mostly.
So as Ren guides her through the bar, she follows to the back room which is... extremely, extremely pink, huh. Lala certainly has a sense of her femininity, and how she wants her space. Makoto's a little jealous, in that way...
Still, seeing the Kimono, Makoto's initial response is quiet, waiting for Ren to form her own opinion. But when Ren turns to her...
...That really is a cute smile. "Yeah," Makoto manages, after a brief moment of her brain stalling. "I think it will. I mean. I'm not Ann or Tsubasa-kun, they'd know better than me, but I think so." Oh god why didn't she listen to Tsubasa. Why didn't she let Ann give her fashion advice. Why is she the one doing this.
"You've never worn a kimono before, right?" Makoto asks- she's pretty sure it's the answer, but the method is different for male kimonos. "It's usually a two person job, but I've helped Sis out enough times for shrine visits and stuff to know what to do." There's a pause. "I-if you're uh, comfortable with me helping you, that is."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Oh, don't I know it." Lala nods to Makoto in grim, sympathetic understanding. "Don't worry; I don't want anything bad happening to her either. And besides that, I'm very mindful of the law. There are certain individuals who'd love to take any excuse they could to shut my bar down."
Ren rubs the back of her neck, somewhere between flattered and embarrassed, when Makoto agrees with Lala that she's persuasive. She can tell it's a compliment, though, so she leaves it at that.
Why is Makoto the one doing this, though? Well... because she's here? Ren didn't expect the kimono to already be ready--she only talked to Lala about this last night--and Lala could have helped Ren into it, but surely her girlfriend would rather have the chance.
"I've worn a men's kimono before. I had one back home in Inaba," Ren replies. They also borrowed Yusuke's this past summer, but given that was to go on a date with Minako to a fireworks festival... they opt not to mention that. A women's kimono, though, she shakes her head. She does know it's a two-person job, and that was fine at first, but as Makoto stammers, pink rises in her cheeks too.
"Y-yeah," she murmurs. "But, uh--let me change into the main garment first, and then you can help me with the obi." She's not going to wear something like this over her current clothes, and even if the two of them are dating, he's not ready to have Makoto see them in their underwear.
That, fortunately, doesn't take too long. Once Makoto steps outside, Ren quickly strips down to their boxers and socks, then slips on the nagajuban undergarment and cinches it at the waist. From there, she slips on the dark green kimono and layers it in front, right under left...
"Okay, ready," they call, heart pounding a little.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
"I can imagine," Makoto says, after a moment. "Real estate in Shinjuku is always a premium, and every other host or hostess club scam wants a new place to operate..." It doesn't occur to her that, you know, it might be people on the side of the law who want to shut her down. Not ethical people, at least. If she's abiding by the rules (enough) it's fine!
...Look, Lala's not wrong. And it's not an opportunity Makoto is going to pass up, now that's it in her lap.
"Right," Makoto says, nodding. "I... can't say I've ever worn one to compare, but it might feel a bit different?" ...Makoto's a little... relieved that Ren does decide to change so she steps outside to give her girlfriend some privacy. Who can know if she's blushing a little more brightly after that thought. Not Ren, certainly!!
(What Lala may or may not catch out of the corner of her eye down the hall at an opportune time is hers to know.)
When Ren lets her in, Makoto's first response is a little stunned silence. "...Uh. The, um, the colour suits you." Makoto manages, after a few seconds. Huh. She is also still blushing.
"Let me just..." Makoto steps forward, worrying both about intruding on Ren's space and maybe damaging her first proper kimono. The first thing she does is adjust the kimono to make sure it's sitting just right. She'd probably tweak the nagajuban a bit too, but Makoto's precise and that's already secured. "Is this okay?" She asks, quietly, about the amount of touch. Makoto's careful, of course, but there's always an accidental chance.
Ren's a few inches taller than Makoto, but that's not a problem for Makoto in this. It's not that different from adjusting things for Sis when she was younger. It takes her a few seconds to finish fussing, but after a few moments she's happy with it. "Okay next, the koshihimo. Okay..." That is with the obi on the hanger, and Makoto goes to grab it... she's going to have to tie this from the front. "...Um, I'm going to have to reach around you, is that okay?" Assuming a positive response, Makoto steps in close to Ren, and reaches around her to grasp the other end of the koshihimo in her left hand before stepping back and pulling it taught. "Let me know if it's too tight, alright? It needs to be firm to hold everything in place, but it shouldn't hurt or anything."
She ties the knot carefully, and steps back. With everything in secure, it's definitely coming together.
It really does look good on her...
"Are you ready for the obi? Or do you need a second?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Lala opts to not say anything about lawmen who might have it out for a trans woman operating a business in Shinjuku. Teenagers should get to stay innocent a little while longer.
...Well. Innocent about some things, anyway. In between serving customers, Lala certainly peeks into the back, juuust to keep an ear out. Seeing Makoto waiting out in the hall for a moment red-faced gets a smile out of her before she returns to her work.
In the break room...
"It probably does. Men's kimonos aren't as restrictive--you can have more of an open chest, and the obi isn't as wide either," Ren points out. "Maybe you can borrow Yusuke's sometime, if you want to compare for yourself."
And after changing...
"You think so?" Ren grins, flattered and uplifted by how Makoto's blushing at the sight of her. (This is how she wanted Akechi to react--errr, how Akechi should have reacted. She didn't want a particular reaction from him, just not for him to laugh. It doesn't matter that he wasn't laughing at her.) "I'm not usually into green, but dark colors do usually tend to look good on me. I'll have to check myself out in the bathroom mirror later."
She brushes her face with her fingertips, painted black with a starry overcoat. "Ann was giving me make-up lessons earlier. Lala-san ought to have some cosmetics around--I'll have to ask if I can borrow those too." She won't be able to make good use of everything Ann taught her today, but at least she can give it a shot.
But first, she needs to actually finish getting dressed. As Makoto approaches, Ren's face colors again, but she lets her adjust the garment properly, and nods at her question. She holds still for the tying of the koshikimo too, raising her sleeves out of the way as needed; it's snug, but not painful. And when Makoto retreats a step and looks her over, Ren can see in her face that she likes what she sees--and that makes her feel good too.
I must be overthinking about Akechi after all, she thinks. I like the way she's looking at me...
But even in her own mind, she's not sure about that first part.
"Huh?" she utters. "Oh! Yes." She turns around, letting her back face Makoto so she can tie the obi properly. "Sorry--I spaced out for a second there," she adds, looking across the room.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Makoto blinks about the suggestion of trying on Yusuke's kimono. It's not something she ever really considered... "I don't know that's for me," she admits. Something about the idea feels uncomfortable, and... tonight's about making Ren feel good, rather than investigating uncomfortable feelings so now she has an excuse to bury it away for later.
"It works on you. Maybe you should try it more often, if you can." Oh gosh, that is... She has never really seen Ren or Joker smile like this before- and she looks really pretty with it. "Yes. You definitely should."
"Do you want me to ask her? She said she'd be willing to help if you needed anything. I only know the basics of makeup myself, so I don't know if I can do much there." To be fair, the basics of makeup for Makoto would be different to Ren- on the other hand, this is something Ann probably kicks ass at. "We should see if she maybe has some tabi and zori too. May as well go for the whole thing for your first time, if you can."
"You're okay? You're not too tired to keep going?" Makoto knows Ren has a very busy life, and that's the first reason she can think for Ren spacing out. Still, it would be a shame to stop there. As soon as Ren is sure, Makoto picks up the obi and steps behind Ren. "Okay, can you hold your arm out for?"
The first thing Makoto does is fold the obi in half lengthwise again, and then places one end to Ren's fingertips, then measures half again, before moving around to Ren's front, her measure point carefully held in her hand. She drapes it first over Ren's shoulder, very carefully, and presses her finger gently to a point lining up with the collar of the Kimono. "Normally we'd use a pin," Makoto says softly, "but since there's two of us can you press down there with your left hand?" Makoto glances away for a second- she's definitely blushing again.
Once that's done, Makoto moves down the obi down to reach the waist, and folds it at a sharp 45 degree angle to open it up. "This might be tricky but can you lift your elbow out of the way and hold your right arm up?" Makoto asks, before starting to walk around Ren to wrap the obi around twice. She takes it a little slowly, carefully. "You can move your hand now."
Satisfied that everything's in position right, she looks back up to Ren. "Okay, I'm going to tighten it now. Don't hold your breath in or it'll be too tight. Just stay relaxed." When Ren's ready, Makoto pulls it tight again- it's much firmer than the koshihimo, and it will have an impact on Ren's posture. It's a shame Makoto's the only one with experience with corsets in the room, and hers is leather and made for combat so it hardly counts.
"Would you like a taiko musubi, bunko musubi, or chocho musubi?" Makoto asks- which may be a question Ren isn't expecting.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Trying on someone else's clothes can feel weird. When Makoto expresses reluctance, Ren instead suggests, "Maybe you could try one on at a kimono store sometime. Or maybe that fashion boutique, Peacock Silk, might have some? I haven't had a chance to check them out, but Tsubasa's been, so I'm sure they'd know for sure." A beat. "Unless you're not interested in trying one on in the first place." Just because she brought it up doesn't mean she wants to do it, after all.
So green suits her too, huh...? Ren rakes fingers through her hair, confidence building. "I'll do that, then," she replies. "I usually stick to black and white, but I could stand to branch out and wear other colors too."
As for asking Ann to come by: "No, I want to give it a shot myself first," Ren tells her. "Besides, I was practicing with Ann all afternoon anyway, and she's a good teacher when it comes to this kind of thing." Her smile turns playful. "I don't want to beg my teacher to run to my rescue just yet."
She shakes her head. Ren is very busy, but: "It doesn't make any sense to stop halfway through. We're both already here, and besides, I still need to check myself in the mirror." Once that's established, she follows Makoto's directions, and mentally marks how she moves around her. It's not a perfect observation since Makoto by necessity is behind her, but... it's nice to pay close attention to the touch.
Even if Makoto blushing makes Ren a little flustered too. She looks away and presses with her left hand, but smiles a slight little smile. This really isn't bad at all.
(How would Akechi react if he saw her dressed like this...? Ren can't quite banish the treacherous thought.)
She takes a deep breath and follows Makoto's instructions--lifting her elbow, raising her arm, staying relaxed. It's hard to stay relaxed when Makoto tightens that final cord; Ren normally has terrible posture, so feeling the pressure on her back to stay straight feels weird.
Makoto gives her an option. Ren blinks at her. "Oh--whatever's easiest to tie. The taiko musubi, maybe?" she suggests. She assumes, based on looks, that's the easiest, anyway.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
"...I'm not sure," Makoto admits. "At least not right now, anyway? Tsubasa-kun kind of put me through my share of clothes experiments last week." And Tsubasa and Makoto have very different fashion senses. "But if you wanted to visit Peacock Silk, I'd be happy to go with you." ...Maybe she just wants to see her girlfriend in more pretty outfits. Who can say.
Makoto nods at Ren's outfit. "I don't have a lot of colours myself, so I get it." Makoto you don't have a lot of outfits. Clothes are hard and so many don't feel right.
"Oh, I meant Lala-chan," Makoto corrects, realizing the confusion. "That way you can get her opinion on the finished look, rather than her seeing you while you're still getting ready." It makes logical sense for Makoto. "Besdies, it might be a little weird if you invited yet another girl to her bar..." Still... she can understand that about Ren's approach to makeup. "I understand. You've got to see what you can do for yourself, otherwise you're not learning."
Makoto's touch is gentle, she's never been a particularly touchy person. The final knot is a relatively easy part, at least. "Sure. If you change your mind, or want to see how the others look, it's not that hard to change or retie with two of us, so. We can see, I guess."
Finally, Makoto steps back to look at her finished work. "Yeah... This looks really nice on you." It's not a fully filtered statement, but it's very true. "Um, do you want to take a look in the mirror, and I'll ask Lala-san about the makeup?"
Ren deserves a little time to herself to get used to her look. "Just... take small steps while you walk, okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Hmm. Maybe some other time, then," Ren replies. If Tsubasa's already put her through the wringer, especially after they and Ann gave Makoto shit for having a plain fashion sense, then it'd make sense that she might be fashioned out right now. She smiles when Makoto offers, though. "Definitely. We can make a date of it."
It's true that Makoto also sticks to mostly blacks and whites too, though. "I think you'd look good in red. It'd be a striking color for you," Ren muses, inspecting her face. "Blue might be good too; you've got a bit of that in your costume." You know--that costume.
Makoto clarifies who she meant to ask for the make-up, though. "Oh! Obviously," Ren utters, momentarily embarrassed by the confusion. That makes much more sense than calling Ann over all the way here. "I do still want to give it a try for myself first, though."
Makoto's touch is gentle; it's nice. But it wouldn't be unwelcome if her touch was rough...
ahem.
At last, the final knot is tied. Ren lifts up her sleeves to look down at herself. "The fit's pretty good too," she remarks, taking a slow twirl to feel it out. "Not perfect, but I don't feel like it's too tight." She smiles over her shoulder at Makoto. "Sounds good to me. I'll meet you in the bathroom. Lala-san can point you in the right direction."
It's a small, unisex bathroom in the back--just one toilet, though the sink is fancy and has a cabinet underneath. (Lala will inform Makoto that there is make-up in that very cabinet and give her and Ren permission to use it.) Still, that's good enough. Ren leaves the door open so Makoto can walk in as she inspects herself in the mirror. A full-length mirror would be better, but this is something. She tilts her head one way and the other as she lifts her sleeves and looks herself over.
When Makoto does return, though, she'll see Ren looking dissatisfied--maybe even sad--as she considers her reflection and thumbs a lock of her frizzy hair.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
"Sounds like fun," Makoto agrees. After all, if Ren's the target of fashion and a willing participant... that'll be way easier on both of them, won't it? "...You think so?" Makoto asks, a little curiously. Red is a colour she never even thought of, even if blue makes some sense. "Oh... That's true... It wouldn't be too different from this coat, either..." ...Speaking of the coat, it is getting a little warmer now she's inside. "No problem," Makoto says, of both Ren's confusion and the need to check on the makeup. The little twirl is... very, very elegant, actually. Makoto smiles a bit more. "You look more elegant, too." Kimonos tend to be for more formal occasions, even a relatively simple one like this.
When Makoto gets instructions from Lala, she thanks her politely (even if she'll be forced into using Lala-chan instead of Lala-san by the end of the night). She knocks on the bathroom door before entering- it's a pretty tight, small space for two people. But that's... not totally unpleasant right now. Still... Makoto makes sure that she knows where the door is and checks her handbag for her torch, just in case. She doesn't want to embarrass Ren at work in case of a power outage.
"Ren-chan?" Makoto asks- and the choice to use an additional honorific right now is a deliberate one, given Ren's looking a little off right now. "Everything okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Yeah. It'd match your eyes," Ren replies of red. "A nice bright blue might stand out well too." She chuckles. "Maybe that's personal bias, though. After black and red, I like brilliant blue. I've got a scarf that color for once winter sets in."
When wearing a kimono, there's no better compliment than being called 'elegant.' Ren's smile only broadens.
It's gone by the time Makoto meets up with her in the bathroom. The door is already open, but knocking means Ren looks up at her and can step to one side to give her space before she enters. She's a bit startled when Makoto asks if she's okay, but she soon gives her a rueful smile, if also grateful for her concern.
"Yeah... I was just wishing I had straighter hair." She looks back at her reflection, a little morose. "I can't grow it out the way I have it now. I've tried; much longer than this, and it gets hopelessly tangled and unmanageable. If it weren't so curly, then I could grow it out long." She sighs and shrugs. "It's not a big deal. But right now, I feel like I look like a cross-dressing boy rather than a girl. It's a little frustrating."
A scarf might help with that, admittedly, even if those don't usually go with kimonos. Still, the make-up's sure to make a big difference once it's applied--and while they wouldn't be available here, Ren could also get hair extensions, like the braids she wore during her brief time as a stand-in maid at Alice's Apron.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
"O-oh!" That's... an unexpected thing to make Makoto blush a bit- it may just be a surprise that Ren is paying attention to her eyes that much. And the fact that Ren likes the colour... "...Well, maybe I'll try something like that out, then."
Rem's smile being gone is sad. Tentatively, cautiously, Makoto reaches out her right hand to take Ren's and give it a firm squeeze. "...Give me a second, okay?" Makoto says, as she quickly reaches for her phone.
She did a lot of research after finding out about x-gender people from Tsubasa, to try and make sure she understood. And in the wild searching here and there, something sparked in the back of her mind. After a few moments looking, she finds the details. "Maybe Ann has a hair straightener you cold borrow sometime, but there's something I can try now, if you're okay with it? You might get a little damp, so..." Makoto looks around but... well. A small bar bathroom might have some paper towel in it, but that's not gonna be enough. She steps back out of her bathroom to remove her coat, revealing the black turtleneck underneath, and slips it over Ren's shoulders. How gallant. "We don't want to get your new kimono wet, right?"
holy shit does Makoto have rizz somewhere, deep down?
Then, she pulls out a comb from her hand bag, placing it on the sink. "Are you okay with me trying to smooth out your hair, just so you can get an idea of how it might look?"
With an affirmative response, Makoto gets to work, cupping her hands under the sink and letting it dribble over Ren's hair. "It's an outdoor coat, it'll be fine," Makoto assures, getting Ren's hair damp, not soaking wet, but not dry. "I figure your hair will be a little heavier wet, and apparently some people comb out their hair while it's a little wet to get rid of frizz." Research mode to the rescue. "It was one of the things I saw when I was trying to learn more about, well, the x-gender stuff."
Makoto with a comb is... deft, but thorough- if sometimes a little rougher due to the nature of curly hair. Taking the wider toothed edge of the comb, she starts at the ends of Ren's hair, working her way to the roots. It's not some sophisticated hairdresser job, but there's a focus on Ren, an attention, as Makoto starts her work, focused on little more than trying to get that smile back on Ren's face for now.
She takes her time, as long as Ren will let her, to get what length, what smoothness she can out of Ren's hair- careful and slow, not to pull any hairs. Achingly careful at parts, surprisingly forceful at others. Occasionally, she'll wet her hands again under the sink, and run her hands through Ren's hair to keep that general dampness. It won't be perfect- but it might help, and once they're done, Ren doing her makeup can finish the look.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren's smile warms when Makoto blushes. That smile might not last, but that look on her face is very cute.
When they reunite, Ren feels Makoto clasp her hand, and she looks over at her. "Okay," she replies quietly, silently wondering what she has in mind, but content to wait to find out.
Knowing Ann, Ren figures it's even odds she has a hair straightener; she would have a tool like that, but all considered, her hair probably naturally behaves all on its own. That's still something for later on, so Ren nods her consent, and bows her head to let Makoto drape her coat around her shoulders. It is gallant, and though Makoto speaks with sincerity, there's a definite charm there.
"Definitely not," she agrees with a small smile. It's a cotton kimono, but still. As for her hair: "Go for it."
Understanding what she's after, Ren bows her head to let Makoto dampen it, then comb it through. Since her hair is naturally frizzy, she usually towels it after a bath or shower, lets it air dry, and then combs it afterwards. Leave it to Makoto to rely on research to figure out how best to support her X-gender friends. "Let's see how it looks, then," she replies.
Comb when dry to reduce frizz, huh... Ren wonders what Akechi's hair routine looks like, to get it as silky smooth as he does...
...she really shouldn't be thinking about him while Makoto's pampering her like this. Can she help it, though? He really does have gorgeous hair. Ren shuts her eyes and lets Makoto do as she will, enjoying both the careful strokes and the forceful ones. Her hair being short means it won't take too long, at least, and when she stands up straight, she does have a different look compared to her usual. Perfect? No, but just different enough. With the coat hiding her Adam's apple too, it makes a considerable change.
"Hmmm..." A smile creeps back onto her lips. "That does look much better. Thank you, Makoto."
From there, Ren washes her face, dries it, and begins applying primer and foundation to smooth out her face. After that comes blush, then a black, smoky eyeshadow. Mascara follows, and then a dark red lipstick... It's a dramatic look. It takes her a while to complete, but it's clear she took Ann's lessons from earlier today to heart--she applied it all quite well for her first time. When she gives Makoto back her coat and studies her reflection, that smile is back in full.
"Let's go show Lala-san," she suggests, back straight and shoulders tall with confidence.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Makoto is more than a little relieved that Ren is willing to let her try something, even though it might not work. "There's probably more information you can find on that sort of thing too, if you've got time to look for it. Ann could be a good resource- Haru too, for that matter." Haru's hair is very curly, after all, and Ann is a fashion maestro.
Not that Makoto has spent a little too long looking at either of them. Of course not. Besides, she's with her girlfriend, and Ren's the focus of her attention right now.
The smile that returns to Ren's face gets one from Makoto in return. "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help."
Makoto steps back a bit to let Ren work- it's a cramped space, so she doesn't want to get in the way. She's certainly watching though- maybe one could say transfixed. Sometimes she's glancing at Ren's face in the mirror, sometimes at her hair, sometimes at the back of her neck, or the way her hands work. Ren's gotten very good with her hands, hasn't she?
Makoto blushes a bit more, and looks away from the mirror for a second at that thought. It means that when she looks back, she sees Ren's finished work and...
"...Wow." Makoto says, and for a long moment, that's all she says. "You look gorgeous!" It's time for Makoto's heartbeat to accelerate right now, and her face to grow ever redder. "I mean, you looked great before of course, it's just now you look..." Makoto rather, than let her mouth keep going and then get the familiar taste of her own foot, decides her initial response was correct. "Just... wow."
And with Ren's confidence reclaimed, Makoto extends her an arm for Ren to take, if she wants to- which may be a bit awkward walking down the hall but look sometimes you've got to treat a girl properly, don't you? It's what she would have wanted from a guy. ...right?
Never mind, for now she's happy that she's the one who gets to escort Ren to show her off.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren's hands are indeed quite deft. As befits a phantom thief, but also, very beneficial for any datemate of hers...
But surely that's not the sort of thing Makoto's thinking of, is it?
"Haru does have really curly hair. I'm sure she's used to dealing with it," Ren muses. Ann might or might not have any good tips, considering how she won the genetic lottery when it comes to her looks, but Haru's another story. She'll have to make sure to ask her about it sometime soon.
For now, she has make-up to apply. When she's done and looks at Makoto, she basks in that bashful reaction. An outright giggle escapes her lips as she twirls a lock of her hair again. "So eloquent, Miss President," she teases. "Is this all it takes to render you speechless?"
She'll definitely have to have Akechi see her like this at some point. Definitely not for romantic reasons. Just to see him rendered speechless too.
When Makoto offers her arm, Ren brushes that thought away and accepts it. It does leave her glowing to be escorted like a lady. There's a certain thrill there, and it reflects in the sureness of her steps as the two of them return to the front of Bar Crossroads.
The bar's more filled up now--it has gotten late at this point--but even so, when they emerge, Lala turns their way. "Welcome back, you two--oh my!" She approaches to take in the beaming couple. "You look radiant, darling! I'll have to hire you full-time when you turn twenty! And..." She takes in Makoto, and compares it mentally to earlier. "Your partner seems just as thrilled about your look!" She looks back at Ren. "How do you feel?"
"Amazing," she effuses quietly. "Thank you again for all your help, Lala-san."
She smiles and waves a hand. "I didn't do anything but support the next generation." She gives Makoto a considering look. "What's running through your mind, sweetheart?"
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Please don't ask that out unless you want your Makoto to overload and shut down.
...Asking Queen might get a different answer, and that could be just as thrilling.
"Yeah. She probably has to put a lot of thought into her appearance too..." She's under constant scrutiny as heir to her father's company after all, but she doubts that the same woman who calls herself the Beauty Thief wouldn't choose to make a statement with her looks. Though, it's hard to say, with how Makoto acted before her awakening.
Okay now it's Makoto's turn to turn even redder. Sure, Ren's teasing is embarrassing, but perhaps more embarrassing are the words that slip out. "You really haven't seen how the whole look comes together, have you?" She mumbles- but Makoto is, apparently, very weak to pretty girl in Kimono.
Makoto's eyes are mostly on Ren, not Lala or the clientele- the focus on Ren's look, her face, her lips...
She could think of way, way worse first kisses than those...
All that means is that Makoto says the first thought on her head the moment Lala asks what's running through her mind.
"I really want to kiss her right now," Makoto says, almost an automatic response to the question before she realizes what she said and good god Makoto do you have enough blood to keep blushing like that. "B-but that's way too forward, and I don't want to push Ren before she's ready I mean we only just started dating it's just she's really gorgeous and I'm going to shut up now."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Calling oneself a Beauty Thief is quite the statement. Maybe Joker will be the new Beauty Thief soon...
...what? Were you waiting for a 'just kidding'?
Ren chuckles at how Makoto attempts to play off her embarrassment, but essentially being told she's beautiful is a warm, fulfilling feeling. It's true she only can see what a bathroom mirror is able to show her, but Makoto implying she really is that gorgeous is itself quite the statement.
So naturally, Lala asks in time for Makoto to make the greatest statement of well.
"Oh my," she utters, resting a hand on her cheek.
Ren, too, is startled, and looks at Makoto with widened eyes. However, when she recovers, it's with a warm smile. Makoto might babble and end by saying she's going to shut up, but Ren is familiar with the art of letting her actions speak for her.
She leans in, stroking Makoto's jawline with the backs of her fingers, then slipping them down to tilt up her chin. She doesn't close the gap all the way, but the way she leans in with that affectionate smile invites Makoto to do precisely as she just said.
Lala graciously turns her head away behind a raised sleeve, but there is a thoughtful--maybe even a little concerned--look in her eye before she does so.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Makoto does not get a chance to brush it off as nothing to really worry about, or just an ill advised statement. She said it, out loud, and there are witnesses.
So when Ren looks startled, Makoto's really worried she's taken it too far, that she's put Ren in a terrible position, or said something she shouldn't have or any number of worries-
Only for Ren to lean in, and the way Ren runs her fingers down her jaw and the way she takes her chin... It's almost electric.
"...Are you sure? There's all these people..." Makoto whispers, giving Ren a chance to say no, to back out, to play it off as a tease. She doesn't notice Lala's expression, her concern.
Once again, her eyes are only on the gorgeous girl in front of her.
She just needs to know that Ren's truly, truly sure before she steps over that line- no matter how desperately she wants to.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"I'm as sure as you are," Ren murmurs back--which is to say, if Makoto actually regrets what she blurted out, she can still back out too. But if she means it...
Then Ren welcomes her desires.
Is an adult entertainment bar really a place where anyone will judge a girl and a femme-presenting enby for kissing?
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Even if it is, maybe Makoto doesn't care anymore.
Makoto shifts onto the balls of her feet just enough to move her forward and up, just enough to meet Ren's lips.
She moves her right hand to Ren's shoulder, while placing her left on Ren's waist, pressing against her obi and leans into her first kiss.
It's a chaste, slightly timid thing, just letting her lips meet Ren's- how she's seen in her shojo manga, or on TV sometimes. A little clumsy, a little unsure with, she hopes, her whole heart in it.
Ren's sentiment when she asked Makoto out seems to carry through to Makoto now- why wait, when it feels right? And it feels right right now.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It starts chaste, and it stays chaste, but where Makoto is a little clumsy and unsure, Ren maintains her confidence. Although Makoto's the one who closed the gap, once their lips are pressed together, Ren guides her with the surety of one experienced at kissing. Her other arm likewise slips around Makoto's waist, and she draws her closer.
It lasts for sweet seconds, but all too soon, Ren gently rises out of the kiss. She continues to hold her, though, and strokes the side of Makoto's hair, in front of her hairband.
"You two make such a sweet couple," Lala remarks then, still politely looking away. "It's getting late, so I don't want to keep you here too much longer, but why don't you find yourselves a seat somewhere private and I'll bring you each a soda? On the house, of course."
"Thank you very much," Ren murmurs, bowing to Lala. Her voice has taken on a velvety quality--still deep, but soft and thus more feminine. She grips Makoto's inner arm gently and nods towards one of the back booths, veiled by a gauzy curtain. "Shall we?"
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
It's hard to describe how it feels in the moment, but Makoto definitely closes her eyes in the kiss, until Ren pulls away.
She does look a little breathless in the moment, at least. It wasn't what she expected but... she definitely liked it.
"R-right. Thank you, Lala-chan."
Makoto is very easy to lead to those private booths, right now. "Yeah. Let's."