What good's a theme park anyway? [Minori] [Finished]

She squinted at him when he called her "womanly", looking down at her chest (which was covered by the safety mechanism at this point), back to him, and then back down. Minori's grip did seem to relax a little though, returning his reassuring smile with a small smile of her own.

But she should have known. She really should have known. As soon as his expression shifted, she muttered an inaudible "oh no" and had been on the verge of saying something when they were plunged downwards at an incredible speed. Her words cutting off with a squeak, she spent the descent completely mute, lips pressed together into a thin line. She simultaneously felt exhilarated and disturbed by the sensation of her stomach sinking as they fell, but it wasn't until they slowed down did she begin to relax.

"You're still terrible," Minori informed him, thrusting an arm out to the side to point at him accusingly, "Just when I think you're being sweet, you say that." She stuck her tongue out at him again, trying not to make her relief completely conspicuous. The girl was still in one piece and, most of all, still safely in her seat.

Lucius laughed even harder as the ride started to ascend once again, the ride being a two shot sort of deal. "Call me whatever you wan, you can't deny how much fun that was,"

Of course a part of him definitely meant the joke he made, the other part of him meant the ride. By itself the ride would have been whatever, but tormenting her like he was only made it more thrilling. The second round wouldn't surpass the first, but hey, if she can not spend this one with a feeling of true terror in the pit of her stomach, then perhaps he actually did a good deed.

"Besides you can't really blame me. There was no way I was resisting pulling a little prank like that,"

Minori struggled for a second and then grudgingly relented. "Okay, I have to admit that it was pretty fun." She sighed, but it soon became apparent that the "it" she referred to was neither his joke or the ride when she continued to speak. "I mean, I really do appreciate you hanging out with me today. I can't imagine what a bore the day would have been going around here alone, so having your company was great."

She offered him a genuine, warm smile, and it lasted for all of a few seconds before she added, "I still kind of think you're a jerk though."

This time, the plunge down wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking as the previous round had been. Even though she didn't make her enjoyment as obvious as those who were screaming and throwing their arms up in the air, she looked decidedly more comfortable, a tiny grin gracing her face.

Maybe it was because she knew she wasn't going to die now.

"Well if you enjoyed my company so much maybe you wouldn't mind having it again, sometime?" Lucius replied before the ride plummeted once more. This time it wasn't quite as enjoyable, but he did make note of her tiny smirk. Seemed she overcame just a bit of her fear throughout this endeavor.

The safety devices lifted up and Lucius un-clipped his seatbelt. He stood up and offered a hand to the girl, in case she was a little shaky on her feet after that. "I'm assuming you have a cellphone? I'll add you and hit you up sometime,"

Lucius decided not to comment on the jerk part. He already knew he was, and he loved it.

Minori had spent the descent considering his request, not that it took much thought. She rarely rejected offers to hang out unless it was being extended by someone shady or that she didn't know well enough. A day of exploring the amusement park together definitely put Lucius well above the category of "stranger", and further up than "mere acquaintance" as well.

...She wasn't exactly sure where he sat beyond that, though. Friends? Kind of friends?

Still, Minori felt more comfortable around him than she was willing to admit. She attributed it to his friendly--if not rather mischievous--attitude and the fact that she could feel at ease acting as she did with him. Seeing little reason of saying no, she removed her seatbelt as soon as it was safe to, took his offered hand, and slowly rose up on her trembling legs.

"Sure," Minori answered easily, waiting until they had stepped away from the ride to retrieve her phone from her pocket, "Just give me your number and I'll text you now so that you'll have mine."

Lucius nodded, took his phone out, turned it on and read his number out to her. He was pretty glad she accepted the offer, and he figured she would, since she was probably the most interesting person he has met since arriving at Azores.

Once he read the number out to her and waited for her response he smirked, "Nice. Perhaps we can even continue our little game of 20 questions some time,"

Dutifully typing his number into her phone, she saved it before firing a quick text to him so that he'd have her contact information in return.

Text to Lucius wrote:

(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤ Hi Lucius!

Stop implying that I'm short.

With that done, she shot him a grin and returned her phone to her pocket. "Maybe we could," Minori agreed with a little laugh, "Sometimes I'll be busy with work, but text me whenever and we can make plans to hang out, okay?"

She was genuinely surprised that it was as late as it was, but it was apparent that it was probably about time for her to go. Minori reached up with both hands, unabashedly set them on Lucius' cheeks, and squished them playfully. "Thanks again for today! Let's do it again sometime."

Lucius smirked back at the girl, then blinked as she...squished his cheeks? He patted her on the head in response and nodded as best he could.

"Likewise to you, I'll be in touch," With that he put his phone away and started to exit the theme park. He was glad that his venture hadn't left him feeling disappointed. The day had been fun even with how fast it went by.

So it was San Malarus ferry for him, to find his way home yet again.

Lucius exits.

"Until then!" Waving goodbye, Minori glanced back down at her phone shortly after, firing a text off to her mom to assure her that she was coming home now. With that done, she let out a sigh--goodness, was she ever tired now--and merged into the crowd that was slowly filtering out of the park.

To think she had initially been sad that her friend couldn't make it. It was funny how it all worked out in the end.

Smiling to herself, she shook her head and began her trip back home.

[Exit]