Second Date (for Wanderer)

[CaptainL]

It was official, now. Sanae Saitou and Lyra Heartfield were dating. They hadn't announced anything publically - Sanae knew full well that with her career as an idol on the rise, she didn't want to jeapordize anything with undue attention from the press no doubt watching her every move - but after their last date had been such a success, it was time for the two of them to take the next step forward. The last date had been a private affair, seeing the two of them heading out for a movie and dinner afterward. No fanfare, nothing fancy, just the two of them sharing in each others' company, and getting the opportunity to take a step back from their hectic lives. It was only supposed to be a trial run to see how well the two of them worked out - and it had far surpassed any of Sanae's expectations. In an instant, she felt a powerful connection to Lyra, and it only grew stronger and stronger as they reflected on what they meant to each other; how Lyra felt Sanae had been the only person to truly appreciate her for who she was, and how Sanae felt more attraction and devotion from Lyra than she had seen from anyone before. By the time the two girls had parted ways, both of them knew full well it wouldn't be their last date.

Their second date would take things a step beyond. Sanae had a concert in Kyoto booked for tonight, and she had given Lyra a free ticket to attend. It would put them a little closer to the public eye - Sanae would have no pretenses about who she was or what she was doing, and with her highly publicized tour riding on the height of her wrestling fame, she would have more attention on her than ever. It would definitely be a risk. But there would be plenty of people in attendance, and Lyra would blend into the crowd. Even if Sanae was going to show her around backstage after the show - well, such a thing was far from unheard of in the music industry anyway. Sucking in a breath, the green-haired girl reminded herself she had nothing to worry about...

And yet, she could still feel the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't used to being in a relationship to begin with, and now she was taking the next steps forward in it. This time, she was in the drivers' seat, and she was heading into uncharted territory with a date like this. She couldn't even be sure it would work. Her mind flashed through all the thoughts of what could go wrong as she fidgeted nervously backstage, twiddling her thumbs. But she took in a breath - if she had made it this far in wrestling, despite everyone's expectations, then this was a challenge she could rise to as well.

The show wasn't due to start for some time now, and the first few fans were starting to show up. Sanae had told Lyra to park around the back of the arena she'd be performing in, so as not to draw too much attention. Now, Sanae found herself standing before a door to the outside, peering through the crack in the door to wait for when Lyra would arrive...

Spoiler

[Pegasus]

Lyra had borrowed the rental car that Jonathan and his friends had commandeered from the agency they booked with when landing in Tokyo last year. She had signed with LAW only a few months after and had her own apartment in Japan for when she would be needed at LAW using the checks she gets to pay for her rent. She didn’t want to be dynamic in her appearance considering this would be Sanae’s concert, but she wanted to put something on that felt a little more than it should be. You could say she wanted to look attractive to Sanae and she thought of the best outfit she could. Lyra’s shoulders were bare, but everything else had a good amount of covering to where her confidence wouldn’t be shot.

Outfit Reference

The concert started at 8 PM and it’s 7:25 PM right now so traffic would be killer knowing the dedicated fan base Sanae had. Not to mention that LAW magazine writers, photographers, and press journalists would be surrounding the place hinting at a new scoop for their papers. Lyra was told to park around back as she saw a few cars here already, but the back lot would be less filled than in front of the arena. She put the stick shift in the ‘P’ icon and shut off the engine getting out of the car closing the driver’s door. Lyra grabbed her dark blue purse from the backseat and saw Sanae waiting as she waved enthusiastically with her right hand.

“Ahem….hello Sanae. It’s so good to see you. Hmmmm, I’m feeling a dark blue in your aura. Is something the matter, dear?” Lyra asked as she had a concerned look on her face and grabbed her girlfriend’s hands.

[CaptainL]

Soon enough, the moment arrived - Lyra's car pulled up to the parking spot. As Sanae watched through the crack in the door, she stood up a little straighter, a smile coming to her face. She was happy to know that Lyra had gotten here safely, and now, the date they had planned could go on. At the same time, Sanae still bit at the inside of her cheek, trying to hold back the butterflies that were flitting all around her stomach. Lyra was here, which meant they were one step closer to the big night. And that also meant they were one step closer to going public - and Sanae wasn't quite sure if she was ready.

Nevertheless, when Lyra came to the door, Sanae smiled wider as soon as their eyes met. She looked the blonde up and down with intrigue, seeing that she had come dressed as a carnival fortune teller. It was definitely a distinctive look - but Lyra managed to pull it off all the same, leaving Sanae dazzled as her eyes wandered over the many vivid colors of her skirt. "Hey, Lyra!" she called out, before realizing with a blush they were still trying to lay low and beckoning Lyra inside so that they could continue more conspicuously. Nevertheless, she cleared her throat and continued once they were out of the parking lot. "I, uh...see you got in okay! I love the outfit, by the way..."

But as much as Sanae still tried to smile and make small talk, Lyra could still tell there was something off. Whether it was her visions, the bond they shared, or just Sanae's body language showing through, it didn't take long for her to pick up on the green-haired girl's worries. Hearing this, Sanae let out a sigh, glancing down. "Sorry, Lyra...I don't mean to worry you. I'm just...nervous, I guess. I've never done anything quite like this before. And it really will be the most attention we've had on us so far. What if the word gets out? What if...people disapprove?" She gave Lyra's hand a gentle squeeze, reminding herself she was there. As she did, she smiled just a little. If nothing else, at least Sanae knew that Lyra would be there for her, no matter what.

[Pegasus]

Lyra understood her outfit was a bit more perplexing of a choice for concert wear, but it would hardly matter when Sanae got up on stage singing her heart out. She smiled and blushed as Sanae marveled at the different colors of her dress glad that her girlfriend approves of her attire. However, Sanae spilled her heart out about having so much attention on them and worried what her fans would think. Lyra thought much the same to be honest. What would her parents think if she was dating someone that would be hounded by paparazzi and celebrity journalists? Would they be hounded back home for answers? Lyra knew how crazy the press could get when they wanted to know the full scoops.

“I understand that this is all rather fast. However, we can keep this relationship a secret as much as you want till you are fully ready to tell the public. I just want to say….we shouldn’t really care what people think. Everyone has their opinions, but your fans will surely understand our love. Think back to our match. I was greatly outnumbered in terms of fan support. They love you, Sanae. If they are really your fans, they will respect the fact you are in a relationship and cheer for us to make it work,” Lyra explained as she kissed Sanae on the forehead.

[CaptainL]

Sanae sighed, glancing down at the ground. She had seen her popularity skyrocket in such a short amount of time, and it felt like a dream come true. But that didn't mean there weren't challenges that went along with it - in particular, she now had more attention on her than she ever could have expected, or prepared for. While it made her feel tingly inside to know that she'd made it this far, and that there were this many people who cared about her and grew invested in her, she also had to be careful about what she said or did in public, lest the press find it unfavorable. She knew all too well that the wrong spin from the media could make or break an idol's career. She didn't want Lyra to be caught up in that storm. Her relationship was something personal - something that was for the two of them to share. She knew that if she spoke up about it, it would be on everyone's lips, on the news, plastered across the covers of tabloid newspapers on every street corner. Would it still be special, after that? Would her fans even stick with her?

But when she was with Lyra, and when she heard her words of encouragement...something told her it would be all right. As long as she stood by Lyra, it'd be fine. The fortune teller believed in her. She had faith in Sanae to overcome any obstacle in her path, be it a daunting opponent or her own concerns over her career. And Lyra's support was all she needed to feel that, just maybe, it would all work out after all.

"Mmm...thanks, Lyra." Sanae looked back up at her girlfriend, a warm smile coming to her face as she nodded her head. "I'm sorry, I'm just...nervous, I guess. I shouldn't be such a downer. But if you think it's going to work out all right...well, you are a fortune teller, so maybe I should trust you on that one!" Sanae giggled at her own joke. But at the same time, could she really expect all the fans to be so supportive? There was still the possibility that everything could go wrong, lurking at the back of her mind, and it was a possibility that she couldn't help but worry over.

But...as long as she had Lyra, it'd be okay. She mattered to her so much more than any of her fans ever could. In the end, Sanae had to remind herself, that would mean so much more.

Just then, Sanae shook herself, remembering something - she'd gotten lost in her thoughts, and she'd let her reason for inviting Lyra in so early slip her mind! Shaking her head, she took a step back and cleared her throat. "Oh, oh, I almost forgot! You wanted me to show you around backstage?"

[Pegasus]

Lyra fully understood Sanae"s concerns as she had them as well, but this was their downtime to have a little fun before the show. Her visions told her that the crowd would chant Syra, which allegedly would be their shipping name created by their fans, so she entrusted the universe to help their love blossom over the fears they may have had. Lyra was at least happy that Sanae trusted her and that was a good step forward for their relationship which meant some progress was being made. However, they were at a concert hall which meant trying to dodge the public would be a bit harder and she couldn't rely on disguising Sanae this time since she was the main attraction. Better hope she can pass herself off as a good friend for the meantime till she gets out into the audience. Lyra would nod her head when Sanae offered to show her around backstage.

"Hey, I have always wondered how much idol concerts differ from normal musicians back home. I am more of a jazz and blues girl, but do enjoy country and classic rock once Jonathan got me into them enough. What type of music do you normally produce?" Lyra asked as she walked alongside her date for the evening.

[CaptainL]

Sanae was nervous, sure - she wasn't going to deny that! But at least Lyra seemed to be interested enough in learning about what went on backstage at her concerts, and that could take her mind off of any anxiety she might have felt around the inevitable announcement, at least for a while. She breathed a sigh of relief, but when she looked back up at Lyra, it was with a smile on her face. The moment she focused on the concert rather than the details of their relationship and how it would come to the public eye, she could feel a load lifted off her shoulders, and everything seemed so much easier.

"Well, mostly it's pop music," Sanae explained. "But there's a lot more to being an idol than just what you sing. It's about the image. The big production, the effects, the costumes...you're out there to put your best face forward to the world, and you know everyone wants to see you, so you have to make it a spectacle to be remembered!" As soon as Sanae said that, though, she chuckled nervously. When she put it like that, there really was a lot more pressure on her to do her best than she had intended to let on. Which only made her think back to how concerned she was about her image, and how such a big shakeup as her being in a relationship might impact it...and she bit her lip nervously with a gulp, realizing now she was right back at square one.

But there were other things she could distract herself with, and Lyra had given her the right jumping-off point to change the subject! Clearing her throat, Sanae stood up a little straighter, moving over to where the sound system was being set up. If Lyra wanted to see the kind of music she performed, it would be best to demonstrate. "Er, here, maybe I should show you!"

The green-haired girl picked a microphone off the table, singing a few lines of one of her songs into it. The microphone wasn't on, of course, and the sound system wasn't fully prepared to amplify her vocals, but it didn't matter to Sanae. She had rehearsed her singing voice time and time again for moments like these, and even when she didn't have bright lights shining down or an eager audience in front of her, she was just as eager to sing her heart out. And, from the smile across her face as she did so, it was clear to all that she enjoyed doing this like nothing else in the world.

When Sanae finished with her little performance, she took a step back and cleared her throat, grinning a little awkwardly and hoping she didn't come off as too ridiculous. "So...how was that? Er, it sounds different when they have all the effects going, of course - but you get the idea!"

[Pegasus]

Lyra felt really concerned about Sanae and her feelings about announcing herself having a relationship with the fortune teller which made Lyra feel a little guilty. While she is extremely happy Sanae agreed to a date with her, she also knew she was dating a celebrity and underestimated how difficult it would be. Even Molly and Harmonia have their own troubles with the press when they try going out on dates. But this was a bit different. Harmonia was famous for being a model, but she dropped out of that lifestyle and became a wrestler happily doing what she loved and didn't care about her image when people found out she was dating another woman. Harmonia is confident enough to handle these things, but Sanae is still under the spotlight and has another career to worry about-the career she actually wanted when she was a little girl. Lyra felt extremely guilty in thinking she put so much pressure on Sanae and even put her career on the line.

However, Lyra knew that this wasn't the time to start doubting the relationship when her and Sanae agreed to giving it a chance. If Lyra backed out now, it would mean she failed Sanae. That she made Sanae waste her time. That their first kiss didn't mean a damn thing. Lyra and Sanae were locked in for now so they had to work on the fly to deal with this major hurdle in their relationship. Lyra understood her concerns and she took them into thinking their way out of this mess. Sanae practiced singing a song of hers and honestly, it was very magical hearing the idol sing her heart out. The fortune teller's heart beat so fast hearing this young woman sing and she blushed intensely.

She realized in that moment that this is her girlfriend and how lucky she was to be dating her. Lyra knew what she had to fight for and fight like hell she would. Whenever Sanae finished her song, Lyra gave her an encouraging clap of her hands.

"I think you sounded really beautiful, Sanae. I know you are under a lot of pressure and I blame myself for not thinking going into this. Your career as an idol is important and I want to make sure that is kept intact. I still firmly believe our future is set in the universe and.....I had a vision they chanted our names.Your fans....called us Syra."

[CaptainL]

When Sanae finished with her little song, she couldn't help but blush. She knew full well that it was silly, and that she probably looked just a little embarrassing launching into a song with all the excitement she would bring to any of her concerts even when no one was around to hear - but as long as it meant she got to spend the time with Lyra, and that they could enjoy each other's company, then it was okay. What made her blush even harder, though, was that Lyra called her singing voice beautiful. She grinned wide, but with an awkward chuckle, she glanced back down, as though she was afraid to let her eyes rest on Lyra's for too long for fear of the emotions that were bubbling to the surface. It was all coming to her so quickly, and she didn't know how to respond...but seeing Lyra smile because of her, and hearing such kind words from her, that meant something to her that she couldn't quite place. Plenty of people had praised Sanae on her singing before. But when it was Lyra doing it...it meant something more.

The blonde continued, bringing up her regrets for putting the burden on Sanae. As soon as she heard that, Sanae took a pause, and the smile that was on her face dropped into a frown. She wanted nothing but the best for Lyra; she wanted her happiness, and for her to be able to enjoy what they had together. If she felt guilty about taking this further, Sanae couldn't help but feel like she had somehow done something wrong. "Huh..? No, no, don't apologize! It's okay. I have faith that...one way or another, it'll work out." She stepped a little closer, reaching for Lyra's hands. "If it makes the two of us as happy as it does, we'll find a way. We're not going to give up on something like that so easily."

If anything, the next words out of Lyra's mouth would only encourage Sanae all the more. Some might have been skeptical of Lyra's visions, but Sanae saw no reason not to trust them. And if her visions said they were meant to be together...then Sanae was no one to contest them. It only seemed to make sense - how it had seemed like a stroke of fate had brought them together; how everything seemed to be going so well for them since; and of course, how happy they were in each other's company. The more Sanae thought about it, the wider her smile grew. If the universe had said their relationship was meant to be, it all but confirmed Sanae's suspicions. And it made her all the more eager to follow them to where the future would lead them.

"Syra, huh?" She blushed a little bit at the thought that some day, they'd be big enough that people would have their own name for them. That thought was a bit intimidating, but at least she had confirmation that the time would come when the universe was ready. Maybe by that point, it'd be easier to talk about. "I like it. I guess if your visions said so, it's going to work out..."

Then, Sanae leaned in closer, giving Lyra's hands a tighter squeeze. "...hey, does this mean we're gonna work together some day? Maybe a duet act? Oh, or even a tag team?" The thought of working at Lyra's side, be it on stage or in the ring, was an exciting one for Sanae - and one that made her feel closer to her than ever, even if it hadn't happened yet. It would, and that was what mattered!

[Pegasus]

Lyra was glad that Sanae held no hard feelings towards her as their relationship had just started. Like they promised, they needed to be strong for one another and never give up on themselves. This did bring Sanae to asking about doing something together like a duet or even being a tag team like they had been talking about earlier. Lyra had to think on that for a moment as the lesbian couple held hands before she smiled warmly at Sanae. Sharing the stage or ring had a nice ring to it.

“I don’t know if I’m one for singing, but I’m sure you can teach me. I like to think I have a good voice,” Lyra stated. “Though, we do need to speak with management on getting ourselves booked for a tag team match. I just hope Helena keeps her nose out of my business this time. I almost beat Alizeh.”