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While Setsuna managed to stay pretty cheerful most of the time, the storm had brought his spirits down pretty hard. Sure, the air smelled fresh, with that heavy rain scent, and the sound was alluring, but the gloom, low light, and being stuck inside kept him too still.

He had time to think, and thinking alone didn't help him. He wanted to talk, touch, communicate and have a sounding board. He just wasn't meant for all of this alone time. Maybe that's why he headed to Orihime's place, hoping to run into her. Sure, he could have sent her a text first, but why do that?

Risking her not being there was part of the fun. No? Not really. He just hadn't considered that, he simply left. Without an umbrella, of course. But the time he got to her place, he too was soaked.

She wasn't just home (well, she wasn't inside) but there she was, just as wet as he was, clothes clinging to her every curve. He felt himself stop, eyes unblinking.

"Uh," he started, not so articulate, "hi."

Orihime jerked around abruptly at the sound of another voice, both hopeful and sheepish at the same time. She must have seemed pretty dumb at the moment, just staring at her door and surrounded by plastic grocery bags. But also, he'd clearly weathered a nasty storm just to visit her, so she was secretly pretty happy.

"I don't suppose you noticed any keys on the way? Hee...!" Darn it, she really wanted to invite him inside, at least so she could give him a towel! Maybe she should give up her groceries at the nearest food bank and hang out with Setsuna for a while. They could go shopping, visit a bath house, go for a swim at an indoor pool...plenty of stuff to do when they were wet and temporarily homeless!

Keys? Oh, that explained why she was just staring at her door. Right. That was important.

Keys were the last thing on his mind. Setsuna shook his head a little, trying to dispel the line of thinking he was currently involved in. Orihime had a problem, he needed to focus.

Right. Focus, Setsuna.

"Uh. No. You need help looking for them? Do you have a special key chain?"

She smiled and shook her head. While Orihime might have been willing to go back into the rain to retrace her steps, she wasn't about to drag Setsuna into that kind of situation. It was nice of him to offer, though.

"It's okay! We've got manna now, so I can afford to take a surprise weekend vacation." At least she could have before blowing most of her money on groceries, but with Setsuna here, money wouldn't be a problem for long. Embarrassed, she still felt comfortable enough with him to feel like she could ask. "Do you mind? If you don't have plans for the next couple of days, you could come too."

A hotel might have a mini fridge, so her groceries could still be saved!

He opened his mouth to point out they could just go back to his place. He knows where his keys are, but laughed a little instead, his impulsive nature getting the best of him.

"Sure. We could do that." It sounded so much better than going to his place. Or, at least, staying there. A weekend vacation sounded like maybe exactly what he needed.

"But uh. You know, we could leave your groceries at my place, until we get back."

"You don't mind?" She clapped her hands together, beaming. Clearly she was happy to accept his offer. "That's a relief, thank you! We can keep the ice cream at least." Why not? It was a fun way to kick off their impromptu vacation.

The thought of imposing on him and asking to occupy his apartment for the weekend instead didn't even cross her mind. And that was fine. Even if he did propose, at this point, she had her heart set on checking out one of the city's pretty hotels for a couple of nights. Outside of Prismatica, she'd never had the opportunity to stay at a ritzy hotel.

Orihime stooped to gather up her bags once more, looping the handles onto her wrists to free up her hands. She'd need to pick out a place that was close to his so she didn't make him walk in the rain any longer than absolutely necessary. "You can pick up some dry clothes when we stop there too, and anything else you might need." As for herself? She was pretty sure hotels offered free bathrobes to guests, she could make use of one of those until her clothes dried, or until she bought something new to wear once the weather cleared.

It does occur to him, he could invite her to stay, but really, the weekend vacation sounds best. Leave it to Orihime to beat him to suggestions.

"We should make sure to get a hotel with a laundry service, and get your clothes dried," Setsuna pointed out. "Until then, I can loan you a shirt, or something? And, uh, I do have an umbrella at home." He planned to grab it, this time.

He watched Orihime pick up the bags before it finally dawned on him, he had hands! Right.

"Hey, at least lemme help," he offered, putting a hand out to take a couple of the bags. He had completely forgotten they were there.

"Thanks!" she said, giving him only two bags. Being one of the Emerald gembonded came with certain perks, like increased physical strength. Eventually she would show this off to him, but only when the comedic timing was ripe.

"Those are good ideas, too. I guess I could wear your shirt, if you don't mind!" She bit back a smile, resisting the urge to ask him if he could loan her his skirt too (which he obviously didn't own). He might not find that as funny as she did. "I'm so lucky you came to visit when you did!"

She walked with him down to the building lobby, both of them moving through the automatic doors and back into the rain. She flinched a little, but adjusted and quickened her steps. "Are you okay? You look like you have a lot of experience walking in bad weather!" Obviously she meant it as a compliment, given how brightly she was beaming as the rain streamed down her face.

His own Ruby gem glistens from his right wrist. But they can talk gems later. For now, he does want to get out of the rain.

Mind? Setsuna looks down a little, smile growing on his lips.

"No, I don't mind. I'd think you'd look cute in my clothes," he blabbers, only to realize afterwards. His face warms, hoping Orihime won't think that too forward of him.

"Ha! I don't know about that. But I'm good. Wanna get out of the rain as soon as we can, though."

She didn't seem to think anything of it at all, mostly because she was checking the street for traffic before stepping off of the curb. Either she hadn't heard him, or she didn't think it was all that unusual for him to say she was 'cute.'

Or, maybe, she just didn't believe that he intended to flirt with her, so his comment wasn't worthy of a deep scour for a hidden meaning.

She looked back at him and smiled, nodding once, before quickening her steps to help speed them along to his apartment.

Once they got through the doors, she had to admit, it was a relief not to feel the constant spatter of heavy raindrops falling onto her head and shoulders. She was chilly, but only to the point of goosebumps, not shivering. "I haven't seen your apartment yet. Did you decorate it the same way as last time?" Or maybe he hadn't bothered to decorate at all, if he was like her and was satisfied with whatever the government offered for free.

Setsuna wasn't the type to flirt. Him saying he thought she was cute simply meant she was cute to him.

As for decorating, Setsuna gives Orihime a sheepish smile.

"I, uh, haven't really done much with the place," he admits. He doesn't like being there, and when he is, he just doesn't want to do much in general.

He turns on the light for his place and puts the bags he has in the kitchen.

"Why don't you put that stuff anywhere you like in the fridge, and I'll get a sweater for you, and dry clothes for me. Then we can take my umbrella and go to a hotel."

Oh? Sure enough, when he opens the door and lets her in, it's a plain apartment with basic furnishings. There's no personal touches anywhere that she can see. Maybe he plans to move somewhere nicer later, but... Hm. Maybe when the weather is nicer she can coax him into exploring a home goods store and get him a picture for his wall, or some books and games, even a cute potholder in the kitchen.

She slips off her soggy shoes at the door, quickly slapping a smile back on as she nods in agreement. "Thanks! I'll be fast!" Just so she wouldn't drip too much on his floor.

Orihime hurried to the kitchen, shoving produce and ice cream into the cooling unit. She'd done her own grocery shopping for a long time now, and knew to group items that needed to be refrigerated or frozen in the same bag, so she didn't have to dig too much. The rest of the items she set out neatly on the countertop off to the side, subtly putting the snacks toward the front to see if Setsuna would show interest in any of them. If so, then she'd bring it with them to the hotel.

"Do you do much cooking on your own, or do you prefer to eat out?" she called to him, since she'd certainly had ample space to store her purchases. Maybe she should ask him over to eat with her more often.

He would explore anywhere with Orihime, so if she wanted to look at goods store to liven things up,he would go gladly. He's not into books, but something cute, something Orihime likes, sure. He could put something like that up.

There's a curve to his lips, to see Orihime's shoes placed along side his. To have a visitor. Suddenly his little space doesn't seem so lonely.

"It's nice to deal with someone that understands shoes belong at the door. I don't have to tell you not to track them all over," he playfully tells her as he goes off to get dressed.

He comes back in dry clothes, and hands Orihime a dry, thick sweater.

"I like making my own stuff," he admits with a shrug. "That way I have something of home, and don't forget all the stuff Sara taught me. But sometimes I like trying the local stuff. Something new."

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Testing / 1. In Like a Lion...

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