Fake it till you make it

[moosejuice]

FAKE DATING MEME Whether you're trying to make someone jealous, trying to work through a stealth job without getting caught, or trying to ward off someone a little too handsy at the bar, you're dating. Not really, of course. You're just pretending for as long as necessary. Never mind that their warmth is nice against you, or kissing feels nice, or your heart skips a beat while being around them then drops at the thought of going back to normal. Whether this is a fake it until you make it situation or one where you both fall flat on your faces is up to you! Get out there and fake some dates, trick some strangers, fall in love. (Maybe.)

Comments

[selfreliar]

[That's what he wants--for her to see the way he smiles when he smiles at her. For her to associate her first kiss, and maybe all kisses going forward, with the knowledge of her own power to change something within another. With the power she has to turn ordinariness into something sparkling.

It's with a filmmaker's sense of the dramatic that Aqua leans in slowly, drawing out the moment so that she can take in every moment of it. His eyelashes catch the light as he draws closer; they fall to fan prettily against his skin when he's near enough to close his eyes. And then his lips meet hers, warm and soft and just the right pressure for a sweet first kiss.

They're picture perfect. The golden boy, the dark-haired girl, joined at the ocean overlook by lips and fingers and tentative, grasping hands. Their bangs brush together, his gentle wave bouncing softly off her blunt cut. Aqua lingers, savoring the moment though he knows he'll hate himself later; he takes care to give her time to etch it into memory.

He doesn't know much about Maya, but she gave him a gift. The least he can do is offer her this in return.]

[parillegal]

[Undoubtedly, there are photos. It's not exactly a moment that's private, but Aqua manages to make Maya feel like there's no one around. It's the magic of his acting skill, and it's working like a charm.

She makes the smallest little squeak when their lips touch, surprised at the sensation, how it can feel like so much and so little at once, like the first sparkle of carbonation from a freshly opened lemonade. And then it's warmer, this feeling that Maya finds herself lingering in as well, sweeter than she'd imagined.

As if something is telling her just what to do to make Aqua regret it more she lets go of his sleeve to instead rest her fingertips on his cheek, bidding him to stay close to her as she takes in this experience, lets it overwrite all her previous opinions on intimacy. She lets herself be a little selfish this once, making sure to engrave it all in her memory.

When they pull away from each other it's necessary, the right moment, but it still almost feels too soon.]

[selfreliar]

[His eyelashes flutter once against her skin, surprised when she touches his face. It's then, though, that he relaxes more into the kiss, letting more of the closeness to Maya, the sensation of Maya, the wonder and newness of this to Maya sink into his own memory bank.

Well, fuck future Aqua, anyway.

Finally, their moment ends. When it does, Aqua straightens slowly. His smile is still warm and soft, but it's as though he's taken a subtle step backwards, back towards the script--though not all the way. His hand is still touching her face.]

...You're right. I like the ocean a lot more now.

[parillegal]

[Maya stares after him as if dazed for a moment, though when clarity strikes her it slaps a grin on her face. She covers her mouth with her hand to shield the little laugh (to cradle close the buzzing in her lips) but it's still quite clear when she says—]

Did you really just say that? That's so corny.

[And yet, she's gone back to avoiding eye contact with him as well, smile wide and gaze averted like she's hiding a secret.]

[selfreliar]

[>:(!! Betrayal.

He huffs quietly and glances away.]

If it's so corny, why do you look like you're melting.

[parillegal]

I didn't say it was bad!

[She kind of curls forward a little though, as if to hide all that melting, though it's not particularly effective.]

I liked it. It was cute.

[The kissing, or Aqua being corny after? yes.]

[selfreliar]

You're cute. I'm a cool wandering swordsman, remember?

[But because he's a cool wandering swordsman with layers, he reaches up and strokes her bent head. Affectionate and playfully patronizing--a gap between the standoffish persona of a ronin and the tender heart beneath.]

[parillegal]

Playing a cool person and being an adorable one aren't mutually exclusive.

[It's so very convincing, said from beneath her curtain of hair that he is so sweetly petting.

She takes a deep breath before straightening up (holding on to his sleeve for balance again, because falling back over this railing would very much suck) and looking Aqua in the face again for a second.]

...I hope you meant it, though. That you'll like it better from now on, I mean.

[She smiles softly, a little less bouncily than usual, as she works to overcome being so flustered. But she knows this will remain on her mind, that she'll wonder every time she thinks about it— if she'd done it right, if it was enough, if it was really something Aqua wanted. If he really really meant it when he implied she'd been useful in changing his feelings at all about the sea.
If kissing always feels that way.
If they'd ever do it again.

She tries not to think about it too much, though, once again aware that oh, yeah, right— this has all been for the cameras and the investigation. She should be getting her head back in the game.]

[selfreliar]

[He pauses, both to look at her like this for a while and to consider his answer. Finally, after a beat:]

The sea is in my name, you know. Hoshino Aquamarine.

[Triply so. It's in the kanji, too: 愛久愛海. That's "love, affection" (愛) (a), "long time" (久) (ku), "love, affection" (愛) (a) and "sea, ocean" (海) (marin). Maya would know that. Having been part of his legal team, she'd have seen his full name on all those case documents.

To add new meaning to that last character, to propose a new way to think about who he is in the world, is no small thing. The sea is always with Aqua. Is he supposed to like that part of himself, that profound connection to the ebb and flow of life? Of death? He's not sure, but it resonates.

Also, let's not talk about how his mother stuck "love" in his name twice.

Exhaling, Aqua offers Maya his hand.]

All right, c'mere. I don't want you to fall.

[That would suck. People can die like that.]

[parillegal]

[Maya takes his hand without hesitation, stepping down without protest. She's eager to move from this spot, anyway— from her own hesitation. She steps past him a pace, hands still connected, and looks back at him to wait rather than drag him away.

She adds, though—]

That's why you should like it better anyway.

[Someone loved him and the ocean enough to put all that love into his name, after all. His mother must have been something else. What does love like that from a mother look like? Maya can only hope that at least Aqua remembers that much.]

You and the sea are both pretty good things. Well, at least I think you're both cool, anyway.

[selfreliar]

[Or someone loved him and thought it would be cute to give her twins a matching set of sparkle-sparkle names like 'Ruby' and 'Aquamarine.' His mom absolutely was something else.]

Me and the sea, huh? Mmm. Don't think I can speak for the water, but... it's appreciated.

[This time, Maya doesn't have to ask him to hold her hand as they continue their walk. Aqua doesn't let her go in the first place.]

[parillegal]

[Unfortunately(?) for Aqua, if Maya had ever had the chance to meet Ai, she would immediately and automatically agree with all of her decisions over Aqua's. Maybe he's just drawn to women who can be described as 'something else'.]

Oh, yeah, well, don't worry, I heard it myself.

It was all, wooosh I'm the ocean, Aqua's a big dork but he's also pretty cooool, wooooosh.

[Well, he's locked in— Maya certainly won't let him pull away now. Their hands might get cold, otherwise.]

[selfreliar]

[Oh yeah no, that's not a 'maybe,' it's patently canon. He is a moth unto the flame--the flame of a bright and fascinating personality. And invincible cuteness. Moeeee~.]

I'm a dork? You're voice-acting for the ocean.

[He's not sulking, you're sulking.]

[parillegal]

What can I say?

The ocean speaks through me.

[How she can say such stuff with a straight face... well, it's more of a cheesy grin anyway.]

[selfreliar]

More like goofiness speaks through you.

[He reaches across himself and taps his knuckles lightly against her head, the very mildest of tsukkomi rebukes.

It's easy, walking with her and trading banter like a comedy routine. It's... nice. Privately, secretly, Aqua wouldn't mind it going on a little longer.]

[parillegal]

[Maya even sticks out her tongue when he does it like they truly have some punch-and-judy dynamic going on.]

You'll learn to appreciate my comedic genius one day.

[It's easy to say, as if there isn't a time limit on this little adventure of theirs. And it's easy to say because Maya means it, because escaping her is not quite so easy, as long as he has an address at which to receive letters.]