(PP-FLOOR 1) Remedy [continued] // Jomei

[Carmine 0]

Carmine noticed Jomei had ordered, and knowing what she wanted, had decided it was alright for her to pick out her own meal as well. Choosing a plate of Teriyaki chicken alongside soy sauce, and a mango margarita. Grinning lopsidedly, as soon as the order materialized in front of her, Carmine plopped a straw in her drink and glanced at Jomei. "Oh yeah, virtual food is amazing. Or at least it seems that way, it's not really food just our mind thinking we're tasting, eating." She took a stick of chicken, and ate a piece before dropping the stick onto its plate.

 

"You only get red when?" Carmine knew what he'd said, but aimed for causing Jomei to fluster even more. She winked at him, chewing on another piece of Teriyaki. "I think it's cute. More men should be like you, or as kind... or have an accent." Carmine joked, staring at Jomei. "You're comfortable around me, though, right? I'm not weird or intimidating? If that makes any sense." The twenty-six year old chewed on her bottom lip a little, twirling a piece of crimson hair worriedly. If she had any flaws, she needed to fix them. It was almost like a need, or extreme want of her's, to be perfect in the eyes of anyone and everyone.

[Jomei 0]

Jomei smiled as her food popped up. It looked really good, and so did the drink.. which Jomei seemed to eye a little bit longer than the food. Who says guys couldn't enjoy a fruity drink every once in awhile? He closed his eyes and took another bite out of his food. He did not care if it was real or not.. and that his real body was probably being pumped with artificial nutrients through a tube.. This was food in the life that he had now, and it tasted amazing. He chuckled as Carmine began to philosophize about how the food isn't real and he put his hand up to her, "Don't ruin it for me" his face was serious, but was quickly broken with laughter. As she looked down to grab the stick of chicken, Jomei glanced at her and smiled sincerely before she looked back up.

 

Jomei scratched at the back of his head when she asked him why he was stuttering and getting red in the face. "Well, you know.. I-Im sure you blush too." He said crossing his arms and making a pouty face at her. He took another sip of his ale, catching her wink before his glass blocked out her face. He continued to drink until she mentioned that his silly antics were cute.. and that more guys should be like him. Thats when he choked on his drink a bit. Upon placing it down on the table, Jomei wiped off the ale that had splashed onto his face with a napkin, making extra sure to block out the fact that his cheeks were even redder than before. "Thanks." He decided now to attempt to get his revenge, maybe make her see how it feels to blush. He placed down the napkin and gave her a sly smirk, speaking in a soft tone "And more women should be like you, kind, confident.. fun.. but most women don't have your pretty face" he ended off with a wink of his own. {What the hell did I just say..?} he tried his hardest not to break out blushing, or apologizing for being too direct. But he was true to his word. He quickly took another sip of his drink.

 

"Comfortable with you?" Jomei tilted his head a bit as he placed his glass down and grabbed his sandwich in his hand. "Of course, Carmine. I feel.. very comfortable with you in fact.." he gave her another soft smile. He laughed, "I'm sure you could be both weird and intimidating at times, but that just makes you even better. Its nothing to get discouraged about." He shrugged his shoulders, "I could get weird and intimidating at times too, its just a part of being you." He hoped his words hit the right spot with her and did not offend her at all. 

[Carmine 0]

Noticing the way Jomei looked at her drink, Carmine smirked and scooted it close to him, the straw pointed towards his body. "Take a drink if you want, I can share." She nodded towards the cup, dipping more chicken in sauce before shoving the piece in her mouth. Forgetting manners when it came to eating, Carmine was always a bit sloppy when it came to doing so even around others. Though, she believed unless he found it disgusting, Jomei wouldn't mind her messy habits. A frown painted her features when Jomei had expressed his feelings towards her comment, and she glanced down at the table. "Sorry. I didn't mean to ma-" Carmine's eyes averted from her chicken to Jomei's eyes as he began laughing. "Oh." The twenty-six year old raised a brow, a tad confused at his sudden mood change though soon realized he wasn't being as brutal as she'd thought. As soon as Jomei smiled, she did the same; his laughter and overall happiness was contagious, those smiles just as much.

 

"Hardly." She replied, finding it hard to think of the last time she blushed other than the short period of time she had in that darkened alley. Of course, Jomei didn't have to know about that incident. The way Jomei emoted next, though, that really got to Carmine. He was the equivalent of adorable, almost more than her friend Piera was. "No problem. You okay?" Carmine furrowed her eyebrows worriedly, wondering if Jomei was feeling alright after nearly choking on his drink not realizing she was the reason he'd done so in the first place. 

 

Taking a sip of her drink, keeping the cup in the middle table in case Jomei would accept her offer of sharing, Carmine almost choked herself due to giggles rising in her throat. After gulping down her drink, and wincing at the burning of her heart from drinking too quickly and too much at once, Carmine let out a gurgled, burst of laughter. Leaning her head back, Carmine chuckled loudly and plenty before inhaling and exhaling deeply in order to regain her breath. Pounding at her chest, coughing quietly, she shook her head in apology on Jomei's behalf for her outburst. "I-I didn't think I ever could imagine you flirting with me. That is really flattering coming from you, though, seriously." The twenty-six year old flipped her hair, face far from becoming flustered. "I try my best to look good, I'm glad you think I do."

 

Taking one final deep breath, fully recovered from the painful, enjoyable laughing fit, Carmine stood and leaned forward, moving her face only inches away from Jomei's. "Though... to make me blush. That would take a lot of effort." She whispered, smirking as she sat back in her seat.

 

Carmine ate a piece of chicken dipped in sauce once more, nodding as he spoke again. She didn't truly believe his words, but accepted them nonetheless with no problem. "I guess so..." She shrugged, feeling as though there was still something wrong with her. "Thanks for the words of confidence, and compliments." The twenty-six year old referred to earlier and to just a few moments ago. "You're a good friend, I could see myself hanging out with you a lot in the future."

[Jomei 0]

Jomei looked down at the drink again as she held it forward for him. He shrugged his shoulders and gently grabbed it from her hand. He slowly lifted the glass to his mouth making sure not to spill anything. He took a small sip, which turned into a little bit bigger of a sip when he tasted just how good it was. Placing the glass back down, he let out a satisfied breath, "Wow that is good" he laughed "Definitely have to get me one of those some time." Jomei handed the drink back to Carmine with a smile and a thankful nod.

Jomei had choked on his drink because Carmine's words took him by surprise. I had been quite a long time since anyone has complimented him as such, especially a woman. He could not even remember the last time it happened. "Yeah yeah, I'm fine" he said as he rubbed the napkin across his chin hairs, drying them from the ale that fell from his cup. Jomei figured he could be honest with her, "Its just been awhile since anyones complimented me like that, or said anything that nice in general really" He took another sip, without choking this time.

After Jomei's attempt to compliment Carmine and make her blush, he noticed blushing was something she really did not seem to do. He looked down at the table when he saw his words did not work on her. "Sorry, it was probably a little out of line for me.. I mean, I just met you and all," he sheepishly ran his hand through the front of his hair, pushing his bangs to the side, only to have them fall forward into place again. "I honestly was just trying to see if I could actually make you blush, guess that didnt work though, huh?" He laughed with her, he was telling the truth about trying to get her to blush.. but there were also complete truth in his compliments to her. "...w-wait, whats that supposed to mean?" He crossed his arms and sat forward at her comment about someone like 'him' flirting with her. He sat back with his arms still crossed and closed his eyes for a moment. Jomei opened his eyes from a hard laugh when he heard the sound of movement from Carmine's side of the table. Upon opening his eyes, Carmine's face was now right in front of his, and his eyes widened. She mentioned it would take a lot to make her blush. Jomei replied to her comment with a glare and a smirk. He would not give up on making her do so.

Jomei recognized the 'I guess so...' anywhere. It was something he himself was guilty of doing from time to time. He reached his hand across the table and placed it on her wrist, gently. "Carmine, I'm serious" he gave her a sincere smile with raised eyebrows in the most soft, but confident voice he could muster up. He pulled his hand back and took another bite of his sandwich. After swallowing the bite, he looked back up to Carmine "Good, I hope that happens."

[Carmine 0]

"Really? Hmm..." She rubbed her chin as if she had a beard, shifting green orbs back and forth as if she were in suspicion before settling her attention back on Jomei. "Must be something wrong with people around us if you haven't been complimented. Everyone you know must be dumb or secretly blind or something. That's the only explanation." Jomei was a great person in Carmine's eyes, and though she was acting silly as usual she was honestly surprised he hadn't been flirted with... or at least complimented lately at that. 

"Wha-What? No way!" Carmine threw her hands down on the table after waving them in the air, but not loudly she was just reacting in a shocked fashion. "I like it when you try to flirt. I'm totally cool with that if you are." She did like hearing all of these compliments from a man she already deemed a good friend of her's, it was a nice change of pace from what she was used to. "You're awesome... But~ Nope. Not at all." Carmine smirked, shrugging in the process. "You're gonna have to really up your game, Jomei, if that's all you've got for me."

Still a little dizzy from her laughter that'd proven to be too much to handle, as she was now leaning back in her seat while clutching her stomach, Carmine stuck her tongue out at Jomei. "...It's complicated. Maybe you'll figure out when you're older." She joked, feeling rather humorous now, raising a brow when Jomei closed his eyes. Quickly she moved forward to pull a move of her own; after all Jomei got in a few moves himself, so why couldn't she? He seemed to be surprised, but obviously prepared for her declaration of a blushing war because Jomei didn't budge but only sent her an intimidating expression. "I see how it is." Carmine grinned evilly, winking at Jomei before moving back comfortably in her seat.

Nervously tapping nails on the surface of the table, Carmine twitched her lips into a weak grin. Reaching for her drink, Carmine paused when he touched her wrist which instantly became incredibly warm upon contact. She opened her mouth to speak, to say something, but Jomei had already beaten her to the action so Carmine simply closed her mouth and listened to what he had to say. "I believe you." Staring into his eyes for a split-second, Carmine let out a shaky breath when Jomei let go and finally took that drink she'd been wanting. Licking her lips shorty afterwards, Carmine played with the straw in her hand while resting her chin on the other. "Don't wanna bring down the mood or anything... but you're the first person to understand? Does that make sense? I dunno, sometimes I pretend but you-you didn't ignore me or anything. You're different, aren't ya?"

Edited September 24, 2015 by Carmine

[Jomei 0]

((OOC: 2 months later .. xD <3))

Jomei's eyes looked over at Carmine as she stroked her chin in thought. Sitting back in his seat, he slowly raised one of his eyebrows.. waiting for what the crimson haired girl had to say. She believed that everyone who Jomei surrounded himself with must not realize his looks and such, surprised even that he had never been complimented like that before. Looking down slightly, a smirk crossed his lips. He looked back up to her, into her green eyes. "Either way.. I'm happy if was you that actually said it. So thank you." 

The man laughed as Carmine seemed to have a little freak out over Jomei apologizing for flirting with her. However, the phrase 'try to flirt' stuck out in her next sentence, causing him to lean forward, crossing his arms on the table in front of him. "Try? Well lass, I have to admit, its been awhile myself since I've tried my hand at flirting." he chuckled at her. He really was not one to flirt with women unless he truly felt some sort of connection with them.. but.. he had only just met her. Despite when he met this girl, he could tell she was really something special. With another playful challenge, Carmine told Jomei he would have to up the ante a bit on his flirting. "Hm.. I'll keep that in mind."

The girl began to admit that he was the first guy to understand Carmine.. Probably referring to her 'weird' or 'intimidating' comments she had made before about herself. But honestly, Jomei had liked that in Carmine.. and he really was hoping to get to know more about her as well in the near future. He did understand her and her ways.. and he would never ignore the girl as well... She ended off her statement turning the conversation around on Jomei, asking if he was different. "Hm? What do you mean by different?" 

 

[Carmine 0]

"No problemo~ I'm just being honest." She curled the ends of her lips up slightly, enough to form a soft grin as the pairs' eyes met. Really, she was just saying everything that came to mind, reacting however she wanted because that's who Carmine was. Not to mention how comfortable she felt around Jomei to just be herself which was fairly simple - though that didn't mean she was still worrying about herself, if she were good enough and etc.

Carmine rolled her green eyes, positioning herself the same way Jomei had: leaning forward on the table. With a small squint of the eyes - mainly so she could focus on Jomei better, and seem to be as well - she tilted her head in a playful fashion. "Then maybe you should start "trying" again, eh?" When Jomei chuckled, she couldn't help but let out a short, low sound of laughter in response because such things had always been contagious to her. Her response fit right in with the next; it seemed a small game had formed between the two. "Good." 

"You're supposed to know what I mean, silly." Carmine paused, one end of her mouth twitching downwards. "Look. I mean... you listen, and you're sweet, and I've never met a friend who could just... Sense that I wasn't being honest. Nobody would ever wait and see if Carmen is okay they'd just go with what she said and think that's the truth. On the inside I'm wayyyy different; and I think you saw that even if just for like, a few seconds. Capeesh?" In the midst of her rant, Carmine hadn't even realized she used her real name instead of the username she'd become so accustomed to. Not that the twenty-six year old cared at the moment. There were other things she had on her mind that swirled around so much they caused a throbbing headache.

[all for you ;3 <3]

Edited September 26, 2015 by Carmine

[Jomei 0]

The irish man's lipd curled as he shot a smile at the girl. She was being kind to him, kinder than anyone in a long time had been, especially with the compliments. Not only that, be he had not had this much fun with someone he had just met. He had a feeling this would not be the only meeting between the two, and it only made him smile harder.

Jomei blinked when Carmine mentioned that he was supposed to know what she meant. He scratched his cheek with his pointer finger, giving her a sheepish grin to tell her that he had no idea. She went on complimenting that man again, but this time it seemed more serious that in a flirtatious manner. He could not help but shy away, placing his hand in front of the lower half of his face to hide the slight blush. He pulled his hand away and looked at Carmine, another smile appeared on his lips when he noticed the slip of her name. He knew the girl felt comfortable with him from her words, but just the fact she had admitted to her real name just confirmed it. He chuckled, "Carmen, huh?" he smirked "Beautiful name, really suits you. Well, I guess I should tell you my name, its Nick." That was the first time he had ever told his real name to someone in this world before, "But now I understand. And yeah, I do understand you. And.. I really like that about you."

[Carmine 0]

"Huh?" She backed up, gripping the sides of the seat of her chair when Jomei said her name. "How did y-OH! Hey..." Sticking her bottom lip out in a pout, Carmine crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head. She'd just mentally slapped herself for being such a ditz. "Whatever. I only had to change, like, 2 letters of my real name anyways. You better stay quiet or..." She slid a finger across her neck. "you'll get rekt." Really, she never liked her name especially since she didn't look anything like a "Carmen". That just didn't suit her enough, so she thought. "That's great, Nick." She stared at Jomei with pure focus, chewing on her lip before coming to a conclusion that his name was fitting. "Huh. I don't think my name works for me but your's is perfect~ Nick, yeah...Yeah I like it a lot." The twenty-six year old began speaking to herself in a quiet tone though she was complimenting her friend across the table.

Taking another drink of her margarita, Carmine bit the straw hard at Jomei's next words. She furrowed her eyebrows and let go of the straw, swallowing before speaking. "You like that I'm fake around everybody? Or what you see in me that's different from others?" Her tone of voice reached that of an offended woman - and she was, Carmine absolutely did not want Jomei to like the fact that she wasn't herself around just anyone. She was that perfect girl who's always happy and outing and-it got extremely tiring playing pretend all the time. "Sorry." Propping her chin up on a hand, she forcefully smiled and returned her brows to a normal position; running a free hand through crimson hair. "I'm not trying to be mean. I just don't know why you like me so much when I act like all my princess friends."

[Jomei 0]

Carmine revealing her real name was just a slip after all, and Jomei laughed as the girl realized what she did. He leaned forward again with a mischevious smirk as the girl threatened him about staying quiet, "Your secret is safe with me.. Carmen." He winked at her and sat back in his seat. He had to admit, it was weird hearing bhis real name again after so long.. He wondered how it would be when he finally got back to the real world. 

The Crimson haired girl's attitude seemed to change entirely at Jomei's words, seeming offended about what he said. What did he even say? She then summed up what she thought he meant by his words, and his eyes widened. "N-No thats not what I mean at all! I..I dont evn.. Uh.." He did not want to upset the girl, especially since he had no idea what he was even saying anymore. He took a deep breath and looked up at the girl with pinched eyebrows, "Im sorry Carmine.. I didnt mean it like that. I mean.. I just really like your personality and.. Gah I'm an idiot who has no idea how to talk to people." He placed his face in his hand and shook his head.

He took his hand away and looked at her. The sides of his mouth twitched as he prepared his next words, careful not to offend her again, "Well.. i dont know what you mean by 'acting like your princess friends'.. But you have a great personality overall that.. Makes me happy to be around." His eyes shot to the side, slightly embarrassed.

[Carmine 0]

Rolling her eyes, Carmine huffed loudly. "Yeah yeah." She didn't really want anyone to know her name just because she didn't want to be called it, but Jomei was an honest guy - so far, at least - so she felt like she could trust him for the time being. Keeping a positive expression on her face, something extremely hard to do, Carmine felt guilt surge through her body when Jomei didn't react as well as she'd though he would. She hadn't meant to make anyone feel bad, all she wanted to do was get her feelings out there for once - to somebody who would actually listen to her.

"Hey, wait" Carmine assisted Jomei's hands returning to the table, squeezing them gently while keeping his hands in her's. "at least you tried, right? You're no Prince Charming... but... I'm no Cinderella, so maybe we can help each other out with this communication thing. Sound alright?" She returned her hands to her lap when they started to get warm, no need to get lovey-dovey so soon. "Ugh. You're lucky you don't know what I'm talking about. Sorry for being so emotional; I'm the worst sometimes." Waving a hand in the air, seeming to be carefree, she giggled like a schoolgirl when Jomei diverted his attention elsewhere. "I'm over here, honey. Or are you blushing again?"

[i'm sick dun judge me bby </3 posted just for u anyways]

[Jomei 0]

((OOC: Oh no! Feel better! ))

The irishman smiled at the girl across the table as he picked up his glass to take another drink. As far as he could remember, Carmine was actually the first person to admit her real name to Jomei, let alone her being the first one to hear his. He felt a sort of trust develop just from that simple exchange of 'secret identities.' He looked down at the amber ale as he picked up the glass mug, shifting the gaze of his green eyes to the woman's over the brim of the cup.

Jomei suddenly felt the warmth of Carmine's hands grabbing onto his as she brought them back to the table from where they sat on his face. His eyes locked onto her hands holding his. They were warm and soft.. and honestly.. calmed him down instantly. What was this? He looked back up to the girl, who was giving him a sincere look. From her words, he believed that she had somewhat forgiven him for what he said that offended her, admitting at the same time she was no good with talking as well. The side of his mouth curved into a smirk, "Sure. Sounds alright to me. One condition.." his smirk became more of a cheeky grin, and as Carmine took her hands back, he grabbed onto his mug and sat back in the booth, "..I get to be Cinderella." he chuckled and took another swig of the ale. 

"No no, don't be sorry. I don't mind being the shoulder for you to cry on.. so to speak." he shrugged his shoulders, "Well, whenever you feel the need for one. I'd have to let them dry off some time though." the tone of his voice took a more teasing manner, but he was sincere with his words. From what he could gather from everything the girl had spilled to him, not many people seemed to understand her.. or accept her even.. which really gave him a shock. Why would no one like this girl? He thought she was fantastic. Anyway, it seemed as though since Jomei would actually listen to her, she felt she was able to open up more. He thought all of this during his short time hiding his face, blushing.. when Carmine addressed him. "W-What? Of course not. Don't be silly." One day I'll get you back... just you wait