[aris, vday] love - we need it now

[elimine]

Veilstone's in disarray. The bombs and soldiers are gone, but the city lies in ruins, and even now, there's an attempt to bring up the city's mood. Pink and red ribbons are tied to the streetlights that are standing, and people hand out flowers and ribbons on street corners to try to bring some sort of laughter and light to the town.

For once, Valentine's Day isn't a force of commercialism celebrating Halmark's idea of romance. It's truly about love, for one's friends and family and neighbors as well.

Elimine's braided her hair and tied the ends with pink and white ribbons. She sits out on the front porch of the house where she's been staying, renting a closet space where she sleeps and keeps her meager belongings. She's sewing, something she's picked up over the past few winter months to try to help with a shortage of clothing. Her work has gotten better with time, and it keeps her hands busy.

She doesn't feel right unless she's working.

The air's crisp, but not freezing. It's otherwise a lovely day. Starly chirp overhead. The wind picks up. And Elimine sets down the mittens she's repairing and takes a long sip of the tea sitting on the table next to her.

In that moment, she feels much older than her seventeen years.

[aris]

This was silly. Stupid even. What was she doing with these flowers in her hands? Who were they for...? Mina. That was who. And yet wasn't that girl just her friend? No, there was no way she could just deny that at this point in time. She cared a lot more for Mina than she had ever cared to admit before. And now with Veilstone having happened, and it being Valentine's Day of all days...? It was right. It was time to tell her. Somehow. That was the part Aris hadn't figured out, how she was going to tell her how she felt. A good way to open it up would be flowers, or so she thought. As she approached the house Mina was staying in, she was a nervous wreck. A big ball of nerves, and especially since she hadn't really been staying anywhere of too much renown.

The pokemon center had taken in a few people, that was where she had been staying, but it was so...cramped there. She would oh so like to be somewhere else than that and oh crap there Mina was. Sewing or something, it looked like. Though right then she was taking a drink of tea. She even looked pretty doing that. For then, she'd keep the flowers behind her back a surprise. Keep Mina guessing. "Heh, hey Mina! Don'tcha think all these decorations are like what things were like in school?" Aris asked as she approached, keeping things casual.

Suuuuuper casual. Totally not going to still be a nervous wreck or anything.

[elimine]

Mina smiles up at her friend, setting the tea down. The expression is worn; Mina's been working long hours lately, trying to work away any thoughts of remorse and regret. But when Aris is around, it does about the same as working herself to the bone. For whatever reason, the sight of a friendly face makes the pain subside, at least for a little while.

"Sort of," she says, brushing some of her hair out of her face. "Seems more sincere, honestly. Like, back at school we were always forced to put up decorations and give people gifts. It doesn't seem like that right now."

She pauses. "...Every year there was always some jerk who put candy wrappers in my Valentine's box."

[aris]

Some jerk who put candy wrappers in her box...? Yeah, Aris thought she remembered that, and giggled a little as she remembered that. "Sincere...yeah, you're right about that, Mina. But even back at school it was nice when it happened. Even if there WERE jerks who put candy wrappers in your box. I...don't remember what they gave me," Aris spoke, wondering what that said about her that she didn't even remember what she had received from her Valentine presents in years past.

"How come you're spending it all alone though? You must have plenty of guys after you, right?" Aris asked. How could she not? She was just...well, pretty. Very pretty.

[elimine]

Mina just laughs at the first comment. But the second set of questions has her remembering the days working at the hospital, of that one soldier who kept trying to get her attention. She used to think such things were romantic, but she can't quite get herself to feel anything around him but annoyance.

He tells her that he'll make her fall in love with him, and while the movies used to tell her that it was possible, she knows now that it's impossible to force someone to feel things. And frankly, it's downright infuriating, because no matter how she looks at him, she can't find herself attracted in any way, shape, or form.

"...I have one guy," she says, "but I told him I was going to be working today. He's rude and kind of stupid and I don't like him much at all." She pauses, raising her hands to her lips. "Oh! I uh, haha. Well. It's not like you'll tell him I said that."

[aris]

"One guy huh?" Aris teased, a grin on her face. It was fun teasing the girl like this, though she couldn't keep the disappointed tone out of her voice completely. She actually had someone she did care about...even if she felt he was stupid, she had still mentioned him, so that meant he had to mean something to the other girl. Which made Aris nervous; she had been planning to reveal something super duper important today, and now she was doubting herself because Mina might already be attached to another person. What if Mina didn't even SWING that way?

So many things could go wrong. "No...no, of course I won't tell him, Mina," Aris spoke. How much should she probe? She was uncertain to a large degree. But she had to try and ask. "But if you don't really like him all that much, why really mention him at all, hrm...?" the white-haired teen asked of her friend, asking in a teasing manner in order to indicate that nope, she wasn't asking for personal reasons. Not at all.

[elimine]

She looks down into her tea, frowning. "Because everyone says what he does is cute and that I should give him a chance but I tried, I really did, but he's just not that interesting and not that cute and it's kind of creepy and really annoying." She shakes her head. "He's been bothering me a lot the past two weeks. Wanted me to go out with him today, but..."

The pain in her side comes up and she puts her hand on her hip, trying to make the pain go away with her contact alone. "...But I... I just want him to leave me alone."

[aris]

"Ah...I see," Aris said, frowning. On the outside, she looked sad to hear that, but on the inside? She was whooping for joy that her friend didn't feel much of anything for this man. "Well...I think the best thing for you to do is to just follow your own heart. Don't listen to what other people have to tell you, ya know? After all, only you know best, Mina," Aris advised her. Oh...hm. The flowers were still behind her hands.

Aris' eyes glanced to Mina's hip, wondering what the sudden movement was about, but it wasn't enough to warrant a question. "Here. I uh...it's at least something, right? No one shouldn't get nothing on Valentine's Day." And so, rather rashly, Aris decided to present the flowers to Mina.

Roses. Why did I get roses? That's way too romantic...Aris you stupid