A New Star! - Blaise and Asuka Wakahisa

[CyanDimitrik]

Blaise is A-okay with her taking that however she will; partially because he can't read her mind, and partially because whatever makes her happy! And it's not like he isn't mirroring her level of energy, albeit certainly from a more physically sore perspective. "Sure! And I'll maybe go put on a shirt!" Because that seemed the appropriate thing to do. Blaise isn't shy or anything, far from it. But after a certain point, it starts to feel weird, or like the moment has passed. He doesn't walk around Japan's busy streets showing off the abs, after all. What is this, an '80s movie?

The teen makes his way to the edge of the ring and starts to hop over the ropes, only to hitch with a quiet wince. Sharp, angular twists of the spine aren't setting right with him. Meekly, he ducks between the top and middle ropes to slink down to the floor below, then towards his gym bag. He expects she'll probably have her phone out before he's completely finished, but then again, maybe it's buried in her belongings

[Lark]

"Getting dressed never hurt anyone." That she was aware of anyhow... She made her way to the ropes along with Blaise. She happened to catch him second guessing jumping the top rope, and did the chivalrous job of holding the ropes for him. With a hand on the top rope, she pressed her sneaker down on the second, leaning her weight down to give him a spacious opening. She follow behind shortly after, dropping down outside the ring with a small hop. From there they parted ways.

She had left her back in the locker room. Much to the disappointment to her friends and family, gym workouts were a no phone zone for her. She needed to stay focused and after one too many times being distracted with cat videos and hot food challenge videos she swore off having the device with her during a workout session. She vanished into the archway leading away from the gym proper and wouldn't return for a few minutes, looking a bit fresher than before.

She had taken the time to towel down a bit and wash her face. She even wore a bleached white track jacket with a giant gold star on the back outlined in black. It was short sleeved with a bold black and gold trim. She'd find her way back to him, a small carry pack hanging from one shoulder. She already had her phone out, texting someone as she made her way over. "You can always take a lap to walk it out." She gave him a small wink.

[CyanDimitrik]

Getting dressed never hurt anyone. Blaise could think of a terrible joke to respond to that with - like, 'What about during sex?' But these thoughts are left unvocalized. She didn't seem the sort who'd be into off-color humor. They only manifest in a shadow of a grin.

He appreciates the assistance in getting out of the ring, and appreciates the lack of commentary on his current condition as well! And by the time she returns, he's toweled off, looking more fresh and springy than before, and equipped with bland, featureless gray hoodie with the round collar of a white t-shirt visible beneath. Of note, he's changed out of his wrestling gear altogether in favor of a pair of black sweats and silver-with-blue sneakers; no hints of extravagance left to be seen.

His gym bag is resting on a barbell bench while he waits. And when she returns, he'd all but completely forgotten his exit from the ring. She looks nice, after all. So all she gets is a confused headtilt. "Huh?"

[Lark]

"Hm?" She countered right back to him as she casually strolled up and seated herself lightly on the edge of his weight bench as she finished her text. She rolled her own tiny bag off her shoulder, letting it plop to the floor at her feet. She had nothing of real value in there at the moment, so she didn't feel particularly compelled to treat it tenderly. "Walking it off, your... whole, ya'know, you." She waved a hand in his direction, giving him a look.

She glanced readily between her phone and Blaise, tapping the screen gently to bring up her contacts page in preparation of the great information exchange to rock the quiet gym to its very core. "You're looking a lot less like you're dying. That's good. I'd have been pretty cross with you if you had dropped dead when I was gone. Also maybe a lil sad. Just a tiny bit." She glanced sidelong to him, cracking a smile. "Alright, ready when you are, lay it on me Mr. Wrestle Man." If he looked, he would see that was what she had as his contact name. Cheeky girl.

[CyanDimitrik]

Blaise continued to stare at her through her explanation. As if searching for some visible mar on his being, he looks down at himself, moves one leg out, then the other, twists to check his back- wince! Oh, right. That. The look he returns to her is flat and unappreciative, but doesn't last long. "Only a tiny bit, huh? I really need to work up my public appeal," he remarks.

He's not nosy enough to try to look at whatever entry she has for his name. The ringtone is always the more telling, after all! But he recites his lengthy Japanese phone number for her, followed by, "Text me and I'll have your number."

[Lark]

"Don't be greedy. A tiny bit can be just enough." Asuka tucked a leg up onto the bench, tucking her ankle under the other as it dangled off the bench. "Besides, maybe my version of tiny is pretty big." She nodded along with the numbers, filling them in as he rattled them off. Despite getting them right the first time, she asked him to repeat it all again, if only to double check she had everything right.

"Alright, here is a hot one, right off the presses." She leaned down, tapping at her phone. She just kept going. Was she writing a novel? No, in fact she was just seeking out a barrage of emojis. An astute observer would see they told a story, their story in fact. Sure, it was a bit trimmed down and hard to follow, like any deep story, and there were a few embellishments. Such as the end of the story having a crying emoji, presumably Blaise, being taken to a church bordered by an ambulance ... She couldn't find a hospital. Overall, a solid 7/10, with an A for effort.

"And sent." She lifted her head with a solid nod.

[CyanDimitrik]

"Ohh, apathetic woman, huh?," says Blaise faux-reproachfully. He doubts that, though. Nothing in their interaction would really suggest that. Maybe apart from her ribbing.

A buzzing comes from his bag. He unzips it and retrieves the modest little smartphone, and his brow immediately knits in confusion at the mess she sent him. He is not a particularly astute reader. He looks from his screen to her, questioning, then back to the screen. It finally begins to sink in, though he feels a bit like an archaeologist with hieroglyphics. He taps back to her on the device, far fewer than her to be sure! He hits the send button, it makes its sad little 'a-woop' noise.

"And there you go!"

Wrestle Man

You are the reason libraries died.

[Lark]

"I'm not apathetic, I am plenty pathetic... What no, sympathetic, I meant sympathetic!" She give Blaire another puffy cheeked squint as if to warn him not to seize on her mistake. In her defense she wasn't a native English speaker, right? Right.

As he receives her message, she brightens considerably. Grinning like she had just done something wonderful, expecting praise that never came. She awkwardly waited like that for a bit before letting it slip away. Unlike Blaise, she was far more curious and leaned in and to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of what he might be righting moments before he sends it to her.

As her phone twinkles at her, yes, her alert sound was a twinkle stock sound, she leaned back to look. Her smile turn to a frown as she eyes Blaise across the way with narrowed eyes. She peers back to her device, tapping him a message rather than just saying it.

The message itself was simple. It was block text emojis spelling out "JERK" with a manic laughing devil emoji. It had a " <--- You " tacked on to make sure he caught her drift. Huffing as his phone received it.

[CyanDimitrik]

Eyes liiiiift to Asuka. He's not saying it. Not with his words. But those eyes, those big blue eyes, they say everything. And then suddenly, a wink!

When she looks back at him from her phone message, she's met with a smiling, self-satisfied face. He's sure she expected something completely different from him, and the look she gave was pretty indicative. When she sends her response, he looks back to the cellphone, then to her again. With a smile, he teases, "Life would be boring without people like me, though."

The phone is then pocketed, and he lifts his bag. "So I guess I'll catch your next match, and you mine? I'll send you details'n stuff?"

[Lark]

"Debatable. It would certainly be a lot less frustrating." She huffs softly, breaking her self imposed vow of silence. She parted her track jacket, tucking her cellphone into a pocket within the lining. She didn't seem to really mean anything by it, her tone hadn't been very dire.

Asuka slips her leg out from under the other, setting her sneakers to the floor as she rises as well, giving Blaise a nod. "That's the plan." She hooked the toe of her shoe into a strap of her bag, trying to do a cool move there she kicks the bag up to her hand. It doesn't go quite as well as she hopes in the two attempts she mounts before conceding and just picking the bag up.

"Make sure you're on your A game, I am making your a sign after all." She shot him one of her big smiles, the sort she could probably trademark and sell with how infectiously cheerful they were.