Open Shipping Meme

[hurricane_chris]

OPEN SHIPPING MEME

Leave me a comment with one of the characters on my muselist and a prompt! Freestyle it, or use one of the following memes to help you come up with something.

No smut in this post! That goes here.

Arranged Marriage
Fake Marriage
Intimate Bathing
Love at First Sight
Love Confessions
Marriage Life
Mistletoe
Morning After
Proper Courtship
Rescue Romance
Settled Down Shipping
Slow Dance

Comments

[infinitejustice]

Huh?

[Makoto's reaction only serves to leave Athrun in a state of confusion. Why did she say that? Why did she barely act otherwise?]

Is everything all right? I didn't overstep my bounds, did I?

[The last thing he wants to do is make her more uncomfortable. He just wants to help her.]

[yukitohogo]

Sorry, I– no, no!

[Laughing a bit nervously, she waves her hands in front.]

I was thinking of something else? But, um, are you sure it's not too much trouble?
Your girlfriend...? Your girlfriend might be worried...?

[Smooth move, Mako.]

[infinitejustice]

[...Well. That causes Athrun's face to flood with confusion. Also a touch of melancholy.]

I'm single. That's not a problem.

[At least in this setting. It's a problem in general because he misses being in a relationship, though.]

It's no trouble at all. I swear.

[yukitohogo]

[Considering she's already made wonderful work of upsetting him coupled with the bitter chill now blowing through her body, she bows deeply.]

I'll accept your offer wholeheartedly. Hopefully I won't be too much trouble for you.

[infinitejustice]

No trouble at all. Now come, let's get you out of the rain.

[Athrun leads the way, doing his best to share his umbrella. Sure enough, there's a hotel close by. Even better, there's a fire roaring in the lobby.]

I'll go see if they'll lend us some towels.

[yukitohogo]

[Standing close to the fire, Mako does her best to wring some water out of her hair and clothes as she waits for him to return.

Though she's doing a better job at leaving puddles and wet spots in her wake as her gaze doesn't leave the man for a second.]

Is that all he eats...?

[Mumbling to herself, she focuses in on the plastic shopping bag– and the contents inside.]

[infinitejustice]

[Athrun is too far out of earshot to hear that question. He follows a bellhop around the corner, and a minute later returns with a stack of dry towels. He sets them down in one of the few dry spots remaining in the lobby, putting his bag of food down next to it.]

Here you go. Do you want some help?

[yukitohogo]

[The minute away gives her a chance to fall back into reality.

Or.

Her version of reality.
One where she only acutely realizes the hair and fabric clinging to her skin and the mix of nerves and chill flushing her cheeks. How she must look more "muscular drowned troll" than "innocent maiden" that so often found themselves in these scenarios.
With men like him.]

Damnit...

[With a few more moments before his return, Makoto hurries to wring her hair, twisting the ponytail and fluffing her bangs into some semblance of her normal style. When that doesn't suffice, she moves to wiping down her face with a soaked sleeve. Then wringing said sleeve and blouse hem and skirt and any other visible fabric she could find before shaking it out and doing her best to look preseta--]

Oh-yes.

I mean no! No! This is plenty, thank you.

[Her face blooms red again as she takes the towels from the floor, holding them awkwardly in front of her torso.]

Um. I should.

U-uh... dry off. Perhaps.

[infinitejustice]

[Athrun's eyes run up and down Makoto's body. She still looks wet, but not too bad, all things considered. She still manages to be fairly attractive, too. Not that he's ready to admit that yet.]

There are restrooms down the hall to the left. Take your time, and let me know when you're ready, all right?

[yukitohogo]

[A wordless huff manages to bubble out as Makoto shuffles down the hallway and disappears behind an elegant wooden door.

It takes her a while. A long while.

Clothing needed to be wrung out and blotted with towels, hair needed to be dried and styled into some acceptable way, and the growing chill of her skin needed to be warmed-- though easier said than done considering the cool marble and porcelain that surrounded her.

Still, she managed something. It wasn't perfect, but it was something. Better than before.

Stepping out, Makoto had halfheartedly expected Athrun to be gone, off doing whatever handsome princes who appear from nowhere guys do. Seeing him still waiting certainly made her heart skip a few beats]

I'm feeling much better, thank you.

[infinitejustice]

[Athrun had chosen to take a seat on the lobby couch while he waited. He had picked up a magazine on the coffee table and began to read.

He stops when Makoto returns, and closes the magazine and sets it back down on the coffee table. His eyes give her another once-over; she looks drier now, and more presentable. It further solidified his opinion of her as an attractive young woman.]

You look it, too.

[He scoots over to the side to make sure she has room to sit next to him.]

You were trying to catch the bus, right? I'd be more than happy to call a cab for you to get you where you need to go.