and i think i'm ready / to let you get under my skin (for ~rockinghorse)

[onepromise]

[Thank goodness for the Shinkansen.

Otherwise, Mai highly doubts she would have slummed it on a local train for almost half a day just to spend some time in Tokyo. As it is, she hardly bothers venturing to the capital city if it doesn't involve anything school-related-- and even then, she's the last person to be excited about participating in the first place. She far prefers her home campus in Kyoto to the sister-school where, unfunnily enough, her own sister attends. Just the thought of being in the same city as Maki annoys her to no end, but Mai takes mild comfort knowing that whatever plans she has wouldn't have interested her musclehead sister, anyway.

She won't admit it out loud, but the best part of today's trip is the fact that it doesn't involve school, or curses, or anything relating the life she was unfortunately born into and forced to remain in. Pretending to be utterly normal, even if for a day, is a luxury not meant for someone like her-- yet here she is curled up in her train seat and watching the world rush by, just like everyone else.

Of all of the impulsive decisions that she's made, this one might prove to be one of the very few that don't crumble into something wholly disappointing. Or, well, a girl can certainly wish.

At some point in their planning, Mai had insisted on meeting up at some karaoke joint-- Nana made no mention of any upcoming shows she'd be performing at, but Mai would be damned if she went back home without finding out if the woman was all-talk about her record deal and star talent. In another life, Mai might've been the type to join a group of girlfriends for singing as soon as the last school bell sounded. In this life, though, she's rubbing elbows with someone almost-famous, hundreds of miles away from home. She could do a whole lot worse for herself (and certainly has before).

She's reluctant to admit when she's lost, but it's obvious enough when she shows up a bit late to their hangout that Mai fumbled the directions along the way. Embarrassing. The excuse of not being all that familiar with the city is tidy enough and it's the truth, but Mai is still annoyed-- half with herself, and half with the city of Tokyo in general. When she spots Nana lingering outside of the building, she makes a half-decent effort to smooth the scowl from her face before approaching her side.]

These streets are so annoying. I don't know how anyone could get used to living here.

[As she speaks this brusque "greeting" of hers, Mai fishes around in her tote bag before pulling out a small box of a regional confection from her hometown. Without fanfare, she holds the gift out to Nana in the hopes that she'll do Mai the favor of taking it off of her hands.]

This was my friend's idea. Keep it, or give it away. I won't care either way, really.

[A lie; Momo might have been the one to insist on her bringing along a souvenir from Kyoto, but Mai is the one holding the box and the expectation of approval. A hereditary trait she loathes, honestly.]

So, what are the odds of this place having any of your originals to sing along to?

Comments

[rockinghorse]

( as the song began to come to close, finally hitting that final bridge, it truly dawned on nana just how she had been holding the hand of this girl. less than seven months ago she would have never fathom holding the hand of a girl for this long, so willingly and yet it was a nice and familiar sensation she hadn't felt in ages. sure she had kissed a female fan or two here and there, all part of the act of building a fanbase. it was manipulative in a way that nana herself had regretted doing.

this? this was far from that. there was no manipulation on her part of trying to win mai over more than just proving she was talented. this was her way of gently trying to chip away at the ice queen mai seemed to be and even if she wouldn't say those words, she could only hope they formed some kind of connection.

before she could ruminate on that sensation, idyllic thought, the song finally came to end with one final 'all the boys get the girls in the back' and nana is left breathing heavy, face flushed with excitement. she never gotten this focused on a song she didn't write, a song that by all means was ridiculously silly and yet—

surprisingly hit close to home. she was in a band with nothing but men herself, seated in the back and watching as they all enveloped themselves in new relationships with the women that so happened to be nearby and easy accessible. from yasu to miu, shin to reira, and nobu with whatever new tart was able to replace hachi. it was a bitter feeling she had but she deserved it too didn't she? to make a new friend or perhaps something more.

yet before she could truly turn to face mai [this mai], she was already dishing out such a reserved compliment, causing nana to burst out in laughter, still holding onto her hand. she nearly bent over in laughter before tears of joy pricked at her eyes. )

Are you bullshitting me?

( with their hands now free, she turned to face the food that had arrived—

but she wasn't done yet. )

I'm more than 'not bad', I'm fucking amazing. I even handled that weird American rapping with ease!

[onepromise]

[Mai would have to be blind to not see the way that Nana practically glows with excitement once her singing hushes along with the instrumentals. She can almost taste the pride radiating from her, too, and it oddly enough doesn't annoy her like it would if she were witnessing such a display from anyone else.

Nana's rather crass exclamation in response to Mai's little judgement makes the girl snort in amusement-- especially since Nana is laughing so heartily at what was definitely a compliment more standoffish than she actually deserved.]

Fine, I guess I can give you that.

['That' being a concession that Nana absolutely killed it with the rapping bit. No way will she outright declare, like a fawning little fangirl, that Nana is amazing. But the ice has broken somewhat between them after this, and Mai's tone is notably lacking the edge it would normally have if any other person were to try yanking a proper compliment from her lips.]

Showing off like that for just a 'warm-up' -- I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from a real star, right, Nana?

[There it is again, a bit of her usual teasing, though it's decidedly more good-natured than before. She crosses her arms and walks over to the little table where the food and drinks are set, her hand still feeling the warmth from Nana's, and peers over at the selection. A moment of deliberation before she opts to start with the melon cream soda, feeling the chill of the glass swiftly cooling her hands. Too bad... ]

What made you wanna start? [She raises the glass to her lips, takes a sip.] Singing, I mean. Did you always know you were gonna be this good?

[Ah, a more proper compliment, now.]

[rockinghorse]

( just as quick as the ice melted between them, things soon became cold again at least to nana. she stood before the other, a more toned down and subtle expression in comparison to the energy from before. the song had lifted their spirits so high, allowing them to break that barrier and somewhat bond. it was now that nana was starting to truly see the worth in keeping this girl around and yet—

she just had to ask that specific question. it began when she too was in such an intense and dark place in high school, radiating vibes that made people whisper nonsense and rumors about her. the only one who saw past that was nobu who extended an olive branch out to her and encouraged her to form a band with him.

the one who truly pushed her to greater heights, who showed her the kind of romance she wanted to emulate, and the clothes she now donned was ren. a bitter painful reminder that no matter what she did in life, his influence would linger like a ghost. as much as she loved him....even now looking back—

it truly had been a toxic relationship. these aren't things she says to mai though, instead she immediately broke the silence by slinging her mic in her hand and holding it out to mai as if she were holding a sword to an opponent. )

That's a story for a different day my dear, you're here to listen to me sing a song from my band. So hurry up, look up the song 'Rose' by BLAST.

also happy bday nana!!! at least in my timezone still c:

[onepromise]

[The shift is subtle, almost imperceptible, in the atmosphere between them. Out of necessity when dealing with her temperamental family, Mai has learned to read the room better than most-- though goodness knows she uses that skill to encourage more mischief than peace outside of the estate grounds. Still, she can't put her finger on what part of her seemingly harmless question rubbed away some of that earlier exhilaration.

A story for a different day... But stories abound already, Nana. Far too many for there to be truth in all of them, but enough that any person more impressionable than Mai would no doubt find themselves drawing some unfair conclusions.

While Mai has a pretty smart mouth, she's at least not stupid enough to needle Nana about something she very easily brushes off with a smooth brandishing of her mic.]

Hmph. Just because you're old-- [ not "older," Mai wants that distinction clear!] --doesn't mean you get to boss me around.

[But she wouldn't be Mai Zen'in if she didn't (begrudgingly) do as others asked of her, especially if it was a request from someone whose company she wanted to keep. It truly was a curious habit of hers, hanging around strong personalities in attempt to fluff her own ego a little bit. They're always the talented ones, too, if she really stopped to self-reflect. Talented and quick to recognize Mai as a dutiful if not troublesome lackey. A lot in life she's far from fond of, even as she sets her glass down with an exaggerated display of annoyance and walks over to where Nana has set the songbook from earlier. It's easy enough to find. BLAST. Mai runs her finger over the print; no one else she knows can boast an original song offered at a karaoke lounge.

Once the code is entered, Mai takes her seat again on the center of the sofa, right where she has a perfect view of the show to come. She crosses her legs idly, and pays no mind to the drink melting in her hand.]

All right, Miss Rockstar. I'm ready to be blown away.

♡♡ (even a week later lmao)

[rockinghorse]

I'm not old you brat.

( her words are less rough than before, maybe even amused— but in the end they disguised how she truly felt deep inside. there was no sense in getting caught in the memories of the past and wallowing in the painful emotions that came from it. at least that's what nana told herself and as she moved to stand directly in front of the tv, she began a small ritual of sorts to get into the mood.

she began to roll her shoulders back, shoulder blades moving to nearly touch each other and her head began to tilt from side to side. her eyes closed briefly, the humming of the guitar and drums blaring from the tv, a familiar start to a song she's come to know and love by heart.

as the music blared on, she brought the mic up to her lips, slow and careful— and although most of her front appearance was hidden to mai, it was clear she was concentrating on this far more than the previous song that played. whatever sadness and bitterness over being reminded of the past lingered, it was now blasted away as the first verse began and nana began to sing a set of all too familiar lyrics. )

'When I was darkness at that time—'

( and on went the rest of the song in their native tongue, making clear how much passion and drive she truly had, even in a place like this.

which soon enough brought a bunch of eyeballs and looky-loos to the small window in the door of their private room. )

[onepromise]

[Mai can take that little retort on the chin. After all, what else is she to do now that she's really in the presence of a star? With her little ritual-- one that Mai guesses will help her shed the last bits of being just another normie at the karaoke lounge-- Nana truly begins to don the spotlight, even if this flimsy 'spotlight' here likely doesn't do her justice as it ought to.

When the song begins, Mai makes herself still, her breaths as quiet and as slow as she can manage. There isn't the excitement of a proper audience to overpower her nerves or drown out her presence in their commotion, so she can feel the thrum of the guitar and the rhythm of the drums more strongly than she expected to. It is, of course, nowhere near as intense as she imagines it would be in a real venue, with Nana's real bandmates setting the scene for her voice to truly stand out.]

'Furueteru  kuchibiru
Heya no katasumi de I cry...'

[Oh.

Even without the stage, the band, the audience-- everything melts away as Nana throws herself into the music, her music. That earlier warm-up, though impressive, feels like a silly little exercise in preparation for this. Mai had hardly understood the words of that western song, but these lyrics grab her immediately in their moodiness, only heightened by the way Nana sings-- the way she's done countless times, surely.

Mai feels her chest tighten when the chorus hits, and she can't say completely what exactly draws such a reaction from her. Is it Nana's impassioned vocals, hauntingly impressive in its raspiness? Or maybe it's the melancholy dripping from the lyrics, the desperation of wanting someone and the praying that they won't abandon you the moment you reach out for them with everything you have... ]

'I wanna need your love...'

[By the time Nana is in the midst of singing the second pre-chorus, a few faces peer into the window of their room to see exactly who is singing so enthusiastically right now, to the song from a band with more than a few scandals under their belt.

It couldn't be Nana Osaki, one girl seems to mutter to her friend, as she tries to get a better look in the dimly lit room. But with Nana mostly turned away from them, all they have to go off of is the dark hair and stylish clothes on a slender young woman. A wannabe, maybe? But not with a voice like that... ]

'Nobody can save me
Kogoeru bara no you ni'
'Yasashiku nemuritai my tears...'

[And Mai isn't even paying them any mind, herself already sucked in right as the chorus strikes again.]

[rockinghorse]

( there were some insecurities in nana even to this day and as she sang, she couldn't help but think about them. her voice was rough by all means and while it was full of passion and raw emotion, it wasn't as polished as reira's. she didn't envy the other woman by any means— they were in their own little bubbles despite sharing a world and yet when she met her, she was menacing in a way only someone as beautiful and talented as she could be. the meeting was good in a way, it made nana want to smoke less and pour more energy into her persona, even if the band was slowly starting to crumble before all their dreams could truly come true.

yet as she went on singing, hitting each word with as much passion and gumption as before, she found herself comfortable on the little stage she had made. whatever worries and insecurities were floating back into her mind were slowly drifting away. anyone who knew her, as a person and listened to those lyrics would realize the full extent of nana. that behind that cool exterior and fashionable aura, was a woman riddled with a need to love and be loved. she had shut herself off for so long, for so many years that the idea of wanting love had been so gone from her but now it was the only thing still driving her to keep a connection with others.

finally, as she reached that last bridge with the distorted voice [normally in the released version of the song], she turned towards mai and stared at her intently— )

'Nobody can love me
Nobody can help me
I'm a broken rose'

( then came the last chorus with the gaggle of on-lookers still whispering and ogling someone they thought was nana, but weren't quite sure of it. )

[onepromise]

[There was no more convincing needed, was there? Nana's brilliance was irrefutable, and once she had become completely at ease with her modest 'venue,' it didn't matter if she was singing to hundreds or just to one. A real star never forgets what it feels like to burn so passionately. Damn the naysayers, and Mai might even curse herself for even entertaining the idea that Nana was just some two-bit act. After all, she can tell when the two of them lock eyes-- Nana is pouring her entire broken heart into her powerful voice, singing her very life in this song that resonates a little too strongly with Mai. Loveless, helpless, and broken...

'I'm just a little girl / who can't stop the tears'

She's lived those words intimately, hasn't she? And she sings them in a way that Mai could only dream of, in a way that could truly speak to others rather than keep them at arm's length. A rose that's too thorny is awfully lonely, isn't it?]

...I take back what I said. You're the real deal, Nana.

[Normally, getting kind words out of Mai is like pulling teeth, but this time, she doesn't resist telling Nana exactly what she thinks. And she knows well enough that Nana would survive just fine whether or not she got this compliment. If she was aiming for the top, she'd need a will of steel that would keep her going no matter what kind of muck she'd have to wade through for the world to see her shine. Goodness knows that there's plenty of it, already.

The crowd around the window has grown too obvious to ignore, and Mai shoots them a testy look before crossing her arms and looking back up at Nana.]

Guess the audience out there is thinking the same. Want me to do something about them?

[Mai doubts that Nana wants to field any fan interactions, right now.]

[rockinghorse]

( as the song came to a memorable end that nana had heard far too many times before, she remained still as the weight of the intensity of her performance began to come down her body. it was such an intense thing that her skin was coated in a familiar trail of goosebumps and her breathing was just a bit more harder than before. not long though, mai was speaking to her and pulling her from the moment.

she turned briefly, placing down the mic onto the table and began to reach for a bite of the food that had been brought earlier. she remained silent for now, opting to eat as she looked at mai with a soft face before her eyes skirted towards the door to see the crowd of eyes looking in on them. )

Sure, go nuts. If you do a good job I might even consider hiring you as my personal body guard.

( it's a soft joke meant to sway away the intense feelings she felt now— it was a strange thing to be complimented, to boast about her talents in such a way. she wasn't quite proud of doing this now and while mai had pushed her, she wasn't sure if this was a good idea.

nana had never been too good at being prideful all things considered. )

Just make sure they don't get in here, would hate for this to end up on some cheesy tabloid.