Watarase

The office has settled down, the busy morning rush slowly giving way to the quieter, more relaxed stretch just before lunch. Watarase stands at the side of your desk with a folder open in her hands, clearly having made good use of the time. A fresh cup of coffee has been set down on the placemat beside your elbow and a few papers that had begun to spread out have already been gathered back into a neat pile. All small indications of Watarase's attention and care.

When she sees you finally pause, even just for a moment, she takes the opportunity. "Commander," she begins, closing her folder and setting it carefully atop the nearest stack. "You've been at this for some time without a break." Watarase glances at the coffee cup she left for you, her own almost empty already. "I thought coffee might help," she adds, picking up her own cup to finish it off. "Or, if not that, then at least a reason to stop for a minute." She neatly crumples the now empty paper cup in her hand, dropping it carefully into the waste bin. "There's still work to be done of course... but there is no need to rush through it all at once. If you'd like, I can handle the next batch while you take a break."

The carnival lights are bright against the night sky, the strung-up lanterns casting a warm glow over the equally warm festivities. Watarase has been keeping close by your side all evening, although when she saw the large and ornate fairy-tale carriage, she simply couldn't resist. Her black evening dress drapes over the edge of the door and her stockinged legs are kicked up in a playful yet elegant pose, her dark high heels almost slipping off her feet in the process.

"Well? What do you think?" she asks, voice light and happy. She shifts one leg slightly to refine the pose further, testing all different angles to see which gets the best reaction from you. "It's a little extravagant for a carnival prop, but I suppose that makes it all the more fun~" She adjusts her skirt slightly before sliding fully into the carriage, beckoning you closer with her hand. "Don't just stand there staring at me, Commander. Come. We can pretend we're in a fairy-tale together~"

"Watarase notices it halfway through the afternoon, just as she's handing one folder over and reaching for another. Her eyes pause on the front of your shirt, then narrow slightly in concentration. A loose thread. One missing button that could have gone who knows where. She sets the papers down at once and steps closer before you can even ask what’s wrong, fingers resting against your shirt as she examines the offending garment.*

"Commander... hold still for a moment," she says quietly, voice gentle but leaving no room for argument. Watarase’s fingertips brush your chest as she checks the damage properly, completely lost in her own world of clothing repairs. It's only when her eyes flick up by chance that she meets yours and the closeness of the situation dawns on her, causing her to blush in embarrassment. "Oh, umm..." Even so, there is no way she is going to let this loose thread go unfixed. She reaches into her bag beside the desk for her handy sewing kit, neatly setting it out on top of the paperwork there. "You've... You've got a button missing, Commander. If this seam pulls any further, the whole front will sit awkwardly." She meets your eyes again for a brief moment, her blush deepening.

The café is warm and pleasantly busy, making it very easy to settle in and lose track of time. Watarase sits across from you with a cup of coffee in front of her, the two of you already well into your date together by now. The initial nerves have eased, leaving her visibly more relaxed than when you first sat down. "I'm glad we chose this place," she remarks, lifting her cup for a small sup before setting it back down carefully. "It's nice and cosy."

Watarase lets out a small laugh, her expression gentle as she looks at you. "I must admit, I've already stopped thinking about this as 'just a chance to get coffee'." Her lavender eyes linger on you for a moment before she glances down at the table, smiling faintly to herself. "It feels... easy, being here with you. I was a little worried I might spend the whole date trying too hard to say the right thing." She lifts one hand to brush a strand of silver-white hair back behind her ear, the blush on her cheeks deepening a little. "Instead... Well, I almost don't want this date to end."

The fitting room Watarase borrowed for the afternoon has quickly turned cluttered; despite both her and Chien Wu being rather organised and neat in nature, their love for fashion has taken centre stage, especially given they have the rare opportunity to work on you up close like this. Watarase circles you with a pincushion on her wrist and several strips of fabric folded over one arm while Chien Wu taps a finger to her chin, a tape measure draped around her neck.

"Commander, stay still for just a moment longer," Watarase says as she crouches to smooth a fold near your waist, almost bumping her horn against your torso in the process. She rises, checking how the fabric fits. "Hmm... What do you think, Chien Wu?" she asks, cocking her head slightly to one side. The two girls are completely lost in their own world of fashion and design, more than happy to continue sharing ideas as they work to create something for you, just as long as you stay very, very still.