And so it starts.... tag Izzy

[fryn]

“Hai!” Takumi concurred with a nod. If Elena didn’t know they hoped to encounter spirits she might agree to come and have a fun night out with them... and if anything supernatural DID happen it would be useful to have an expert on hand! He laughed at her Ringu reference. “Silly... it was just a film,” he told her and he almost reached up to tousle her hair in his usual playful manner. In fact, his hand half rose towards her head when he remembered the trouble she’d gone to to put it up. Izzy wouldn’t thank him for bringing it all tumbling back down!

“Spiked? No,” he shook his head. “The lady over there... she opened a new bottle for me. It was definitely ok.” Surely it was... wasn’t it? The woman was one of the hotel staff and could be trusted! “I am not so keen on sour things but I also don’t like this lemonade. Soda... I am not fond of any soda but I wasn’t sure what else to ask for. Maybe you can see something better for us when we go back to the table?” He didn’t think it was macho to admit he really felt like a cup of hot sencha right now.

“Tonight is good,” Takumi agreed nd he peered at Izzy, the hint of a frown etched across his normally unlined forehead. Was something bothering her? Maybe her dress wasn’t comfortable. That could be it but... she definitely had her thoughts on something at the moment.

“We shall do both!” he declared. “Just not at the same time.” Takumi winked at Izzy and she giggled slightly. “First we shall dance and I shall try not to break your toes... Then we shall get another drink and some food and go to the room where we can talk.” To him it seemed she had something she needed to say.

* * *

Ten minutes later - and armed with apple-flavoured water in Takumi’s case plus a small plate of food apiece - they could be found sitting cosily together on a low couch. He peered at Izzy’s plate, wondering how she’d found such interesting items when all he’d picked up had been a sandwich and some sort of pastry roll that had pink stuff (meat?) inside it. He wasnt sure he felt brave enough to try the’... What had the lady called it? ... sausage roll...?

[Izzy Chen]

"I drink soda, but I am not a big fan. I like Orange Jucie, apple juice, cranberry juice..." Izzy named off, "Jett often asks when I am going to grow up." She said laughing. Izzy liked Juice. Yes she drank soda, but she didn't get why everyone loved to drink it all the time. What was wrong with a glass of juice. She followed Taki back onto the dance floor as they danced for one fast and slow song then proceeded to get food.

Izzy literally looked through the entire buffet for everything she could find that she might like as they headed back to the room, "I promise we will re join the prom, I just need to rest my feet." She kicked off her heels the moment she entered. They sat down and she was eating from her plate. "Want some? I have cookies, chips, some sweet things, a few sandwiches." She showed him the plate. "There is also a stocked fridge with stuff too." she motioned.

"Are you enjoying your night?" Izzy asked him. "I have to say when i first say your outfit I was a bit afraid, but I really do like it. It might clash, but I like that." She told him. She really did. "I like that you don't change no matter the occasion. It's comforting." she told him. "Gives me strength for myself." She told him. "Listen i don't want to ruin the night, but I have something to tell you." She figured now was a good a time as any to tell him. Then it would be out of the way and they could go back to a fun night.

[fryn]

Takumi leaned over to snag himself a cookie, opting to forego the somewhat dubious pleasure of eating the sausage roll. It looked far too... pink! Talking of pink... Takumi threw Izzy a grin when she mentioned his clothes. He knew they were different to everyone else's outfits but he had never worn 'normal' things. The most normal had been for Izzy's mother's funeral but even then he'd been unable to stop himself from pulling on his brightest Hello Kitty socks. "You were afraid? But what of? It is still me benath the clothes and I would never hurt you." Maybe she meant afraid of what people might think? That their outfits clashed so brightly...?

"Oh I won't change, anata," he assured her, "but as for tonight...? Yes, I am having fun. Are you?"


She didn't answer directly and instead spoke about needing to tell him something.

Takumi frowned slightly. "You wish to break up with me?" he asked, eyes widening slightly. What else could it be to bring such a look to her face?

[Izzy Chen]

"I don't think you could hurt a fly. You are too friendly for your own good." Izzy smirked. Which is why she liked Taki so much and felt the need to tell him the truth. She wanted to be open and honest about everything. Izzy looked away when he asked if she was having fun. She looked at the floor then back at him when he asked about breaking up, "What...no. I don't want to break up. I .....I think I am starting to fall for you, like deeply fall. If that makes sense. " She felt it was too early to say love, but she was falling hard.

"But there is something that happened to me and I thought I should share it. I mean it doesn't affect us now but it might change your view of me." She prepared him, "I really don't want to ruin the prom but I have been wanting to tell you for a while..." Spit it out Izzy told herself, just spit it out. "I don't know when or if we are going to take the next intimate step. The one we started in my room the day of the funeral..." Izzy's cheeks flushed pink. She was sort of stalling.

"Last year I um.....I was assualted. A guy attacked me and he um....raped me...so I am not as innocent as you think I am and I don't want you to have had the wrong impression of me. I am not so innocent because of that....and I wasn't sure....how to tell you. I was in therapy and I have dealt with what happened. But that intimacy part scares me and um...I feel we might be getting close to that step in the future and I guess I wanted you to know this in case I freak out on you or something...." Izzy said. Not really sure what she could say to follow that.

"I hope I didn't ruin the prom." Izzy said to him. "I am still having a great time, I just couldn't put off telling you any longer." She offered him a smile to show she was not in anyway going to dump him. Assuming he didn't dump her.

[fryn]

Takumi frowned slightly but not at what she was saying... More it was a look of concentration as not all the words he heard were known to him. He grasped enopugh to understand what had happened to her, though, and that she was afraid of two things. One, that he might be upset or angry... maybe even not like her still and two... that she was telling him she was scared of the thought of them ghaving sex.

At least, he was pretty sure that was what she was saying!

He reached for her hand and held it tightly between both of his and Takumi leaned closer, bending forwards over his knees. "Nothing that happened in the past will ever change how I feel about you. I wish to make that clear at first. I am upset at what happened but that is because it hurt you and has left you feeling as you are now. To take something like that is unforgivable and all I can do is hope the man was caught and arrested."

He thought over her next concern. "Izzy... of course I wanted us to go further. It is only natural, hai?" He offered her an unsure smile. "But if you aren't ready then we shall wait. I will wait for as long as you need," he promised. "But the man who attacked you... was he put in prison?"

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy smiled her thumbs caressed his hands as they held hers. "You make it hard to hate you, you know that. But I don't think I could ever hate you. " She told him with a smile. "Thank you for understanding. I have gone to therapy so I am fine with what happened and have accepted it. I have just never gotten to the point where it might go to that level with another person, until you walked into my life." She said. Izzy locked eyes with Taki.

"It's not like I don't want to go there. I do especially with you, but thanks for understanding that I may need some time." She was so glad to have a good boyfriend. Finally. She grabbed the best one, especially one that understood. Of course Taki might not know that proms tended to end with people ending up in bed with no clothes, for most couples, but she just wasn't sure if she could go there yet. Instead she just preferred to share a bed if things happened so be it, but just laying in his arms, against him for the night sounded perfect.

"He was arrested. I was not his first victim. He is whats called a serial rapist...meaning he sexually assualted or attempted to sexually assault at least five other girls besides me. He was caught but is out on bail. The trial will start in August I think." Most trials took at least a year to plan unless a deal was made. "So he will be in jail by then." But she had no fear.

"I didn't mean to bring down the evening I just wasn't sure what you were expecting to happen tonight and stuff."

[fryn]

Takumi smiled. "I would never want you to hate me, Izzy," he reasoned. "And I said I would wait until you are ready. Know that I mean it and would never make you do anything you didn't want to." Where was the fun in that? If only one of them was having fun it simply wasn't worth it in his eyes. "Tonight we shall just enjoy ourselves and I shall take you home afterwards and behave in the most proper manner," Takumi added with a formal dip of his head. His eyes glinted with laughter, though, and that was enough to see Izzy giggle slightly.

"I am glad the animal was arrested," he added. "Does he live nearby? I mean, he won't come near you again will he?" If he was out on bail then was he a danger to Izzy? Or to any other girls in town!

"But as for what I was expecting..." Takumi (rightly) assumed she meant after the prom. "I had nothing like that in mind." Maybe hoped but not expected! He'd never expect. "When you are ready to go further just tell me. Until then I will keep my hands very much to myself!" He paused. "By that I didn't mean TO myself as in..." He laughed. "But I will not touch you like that until you give me your permission. Does that make you feel less anxious, anata?"

[Izzy Chen]

"You don't have to take me home. We have this nice big room to ourselves. Might as well crash here. Just hold each other. No one said just because we share a bed means we have to go further then just making out, cuddling and other things." She smiled. Besides sharing a bed was not her problem. In fact just having Taki's body next to her should keep her feeling safe and warm. "But thats your choice if you want to stay. You are the best. So nice. I didn't think there were any nice guys left." Taki had been here a few months and had lots of friends. How did she get this lucky.

"Sorry I guess I should have explained that. He can't come near me. There is a restraining order. If comes with in 500 feet of me or one of the other victims he goes to jail and stays there until the trial. So far I haven't had an issue so I assume he is keeping his distance." This guy was non threatening right now. Or at least thats how Izzy had to look at it to feel safe and she did. Besides she as always with someone and her home had an alarm.

"I will tell you. I am just glad we got that out of the way, Would this..I mean if we were too..would it be your first time?" She didn't mind if it was or if it wasn't. She was naturally curious and to be honest Izzy had never really talked or asked Taki intimate questions cause she had been afraid he would ask her and technically this would not be her first given her past, but she felt like it would be.

[fryn]

Restraining order. Not a term Takumi had come across before but he grasped enough to know it meant the man had to stay well away from Izzy. "Good... That he can't come near you," he replied. "And did you think I would be mad at you for it? Or upset? Yes, I am upset but only because you have had to go through that but I would never blame you for it... or think of you any differently. Why would I?" Izzy knew him well enough by now, surely. She would know he wouldn't have blamed her in any way at all! "Just pray the man who attacked you never meets me because I think then you would see a very new side to me!"

He frowned slightly when she posed her question. What would she think of him when he answered? Would she laugh? Find it weird? No... He, too, knew her well enough to know how she would react.

"I have not slept with a girl," he finally admitted... an then paused. "Or a boy!" Takumi quickly added. "I didn't mean that I'd slept with a boy! I haven't done anything like that before." In Japan it was less usual to have casual sex... and Takumi was no exception. "So if you are ever ready you will be my first time, Izzy." It felt strange to be talking of such personal things so openly but then with Izzy he knew he could sya anything... Just as she could in return.

"It would be an adventure, hai?" he added with a slightly self-conscious and definitely uncertain smile.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy shrugged and shook her head, "I guess I thought you would be upset cause sometimes I get upset over what happened. In my culture once a woman is ruined whether it be her own choice or by force she is ruined for everyone in any Asian culture." Izzy explained. Although thats just how it was in the Korean culture. "Thats one of the issues my dad and I have. i am not innocent so even thought they may want to arrange a marriage one day, which i will never agree too, it will not be an easy task. I wasn't sure how you would view it...and I was a bit scared. I have never really told anyone, but I am glad i told you." Izzy said realizing she was rambling.

She smiled a tiny smile, "Sorry about the rambling. You know how I get. A new side of you and exactly what kind of new side is this. Is there a hidden bad boy dying to get out. One I might want to meet." Izzy began to laugh. She was kidding. She liked Taki as a nice guy, but the idea he could be bad was interesting. She really did have a good boyfriend. "You make it hard to resist you."

Izzy listened as Taki explained and she laughed after he said 'or a boy." She couldn't help it. It touched her that she would be his first time. "And i would consider you my first time." She told him. "What happened happened, but I cannot let that take away what is suppose to be special." She happy they could talk openly and be okay with it. So many couples couldn't. "Thanks for being okay with such a topic. I know sex talk is not always comfortable. And it would be a fun adventure." Izzy said leaning forward and kissing Taki.