Work Text:
Looking inside her closet with a scrunched face, Momo couldn't for the life of her understand why she was having such a dilemma about choosing an outfit for later tonight to hang with her friends. Those being Okarun,Jiji, and Aira.
Sense when did most of her outfits just look so…bland?
In the jungle of colorful sweaters, shirts, skirts, pants, and jackets alike. She just couldn't find something that felt right for her mood, OR the outing place everyone had agreed on.
They were supposed to be going to this new skating rink/arcade that had opened up recently. In celebration of passing exams for the quarter and finally getting a break from all the yokai-alien nonsense they'd been bombarded with in the span of a few months.
She was honestly surprised that any of their grades were still holding on to being acceptable.
Jiji had suggested the place one day at lunch on the roof. Okarun said he'd never been skating before, and that was all the motivation any of them needed to make this night out happen.
Momo spent another 20 minutes trying on outfits and putting different patterns together to no avail in the quest for something that didn't make her feel like she just didn't seem like herself in the mirror. The clock was ticking down closer and closer to the hour on which they'd agreed to meet, and she was still hopelessly deep in her closets and drawers.
She decided maybe she just needed some inspiration. Grabbing onto the bar of her closet with her psych powers to pull her up out of the piles of pants and shirts to flop on her bed and reach for her phone.
Honestly, anything that Pinterest had to offer normally gave her all the confidence in the world on what style to use that day. Recently she had been experimenting with a few different items than normal, the change evident in her search feeds. A lot of things inspired by different cyprids and aliens okarun had been introducing her to.
5 minutes into scrolling. Momo somehow managed to hit inspiration gold. Sitting bolt right up in her pink sheets and gripping her phone with both hands as the creative juices finally got flowing.
It would definitely be divergent from her common style. Abandoning most of the pastels and frills for a night. But momo felt like doing something exciting! Something new and different!
Maybe to reflect how much her life has changed since meeting a few special people.
-cough, Okarun, cough-.
Springing up with renewed vigor, Momo went back into the depths. Needing to look a bit harder to find exactly what she needed.
A cut shoulder here, some fishnets there, and of course some accessories and makeup. Then, she'd be all set to wow her friends and finally feel like she looked right.
____________________________________________________________________
“UGH, where is she?!” Aira stomped her foot impatiently, pushing off the bike rest she’d been leaning on and looking over both sides of the street for Momo. Her sudden outburst caught the attention of Jiji and Okarun who were locked in a very intense game of rock paper scissors.
“I swear she's always late whenever we make plans like these! Makes sense for a demon…” she scoffed, folding her arms over her chest when momo didn't spontaneously appear just by being mentioned like she half expected
“Aaawww, come on Aira! Cut the girl some slack, im sure she'll be here soon”, Jiji chimed. Leaning over to throw a playful arm over the delusional girl's shoulder. Being met with a stubborn stiffness at his antics
“A-Also, miss Ayase isn't a demon.” Okarun cut in, more so to himself. After all their time with one another, he’d thought aira’s whole demon obsession would have fizzled out. Guess some things are gonna stick longer than others…
Suddenly, they all heard a familiar yell from the other side of the sidewalk. Dragging all of their attention over the spot.
“Oh my god, finally! I thought i was gonna die if we had to wait any longer” Aira wormed out of Jiji's hold and he willingly let her go. Waving with two arms over his head to let momo know where they were.
“Hey guys! Sorry I'm late, got a bit held up at the train” Momo apologized as she crossed the street. Okarun's eyes followed her as she approached into the light and they all got a good look at her outfit.
He'd never felt his face get so hot, so fast, in his life
“Oooo~ omg, Momo! You look smoken gurl!?” Jiji whistled enthusiastically, while Aria for once was surprised into silence. Hell, even she had to admit the psychic looked fabulous.
“Uh- perhaps a bit over dressed for a skating rink?...but, you do look really nice.” she admitted, huffing out a breath of air with a pinched expression.
Momo rolled her eyes at the pink haired girl but still appreciated the half complement. Her maroon eyes eventually fell on Okarun, silently eager to hear his reaction to her new look.
Okarun was too focused on remembering how breathing worked then even attempting to form a coherent thought that wasn't ‘holyshitshelookssoprettyithinkimgonnadie’. Or something along those lines, he wasn't really sure.
Momo was dressed in a way darker fashion than normal. Her familiar soft pinks and indigo blues changed for more blacks and whites. She wore a striped faded orange top that looked more peach than orange. Maybe at one point it could have been a bright red or pink, but age had soaked the color out of it in a way that made the black stand out much nicer. Laid on her neck were a handful of shiny necklaces and her signature choker. Silver in material, some just chains and others had charms of hearts or stars. Okarun vaguely recognized a UFO charm that made something in his stomach twist and twirl with joy.
Momo also had black baggy pants with white stitchings, and matching heavy set boots. Chains and buckles were scattered about her person.
And oh. My. leviathan. Her face. Okarun couldn't bring himself to look at her for more than a millisecond or his heart might actually burst out of his chest. But she had silver eyeshadow that shimmered in the light of the door to the skate arcade. Black eye liner that highlighted the pink in her eyes like they were gems, glitter dusting her shoulders and exposed collarbone.
She looked like a gothic angel.
“Hey? Okarun? Don't be rude ya dummy, what do you think?”
he blinked as Momo waved a hand in front of his face, pulling him out of his train of thought and throttling him back into the present situation.
“Huh? Oh- w-what do i-...uh, you look-...you look…” he sputtered, swallowing hard as he racked his brain for a normal, not weird, totally friendly response.
God, it was always so easy to complement her when he transformed, why can't he do that all the time?
Looking into Momos' increasingly concerned eyes, Okarun managed a very weak but genuine, “y-you look good miss Ayase…”
Jiji gave him a quiet but encouraging whoop once he finally managed to squeeze out a response. Aira looked somewhere between disappointed and hopeful, thinking how Okarun would react if she ever changed her style…
“Uh, right, thank you.” Momo said, stepping back in between with Jiji and Aira. Had he really been glitching long enough for them to get through the formalities?
Desperate to change the subject, despite how much more he wanted to gush over Momo's look aside from it just looking ‘good’. God, he mentally kicked himself for ever describing her as something so simple.
“A-hahah…n-now everyone's here, why don't we go in?” Okarun grabbed the sides of his glasses and adjusted them as he stepped aside to put the door insight of his friends.
Jiji was the first to take the hint and eagerly led everyone else into the arcade.
“Heck yeah! This is gonna be awesome guys! Woooo!!~” Jiji exclaimed, hands pumping in the air to emphasize his infectious excitement. Both girls followed as Okarun trailed a bit behind. That was until Momo pulled him in to walk beside the rest of them. Refusing to let him fall back into his shell on his first night skating.
All in all it's a pretty fun night. Okarun got the hang of skating surprisingly fast. Momo would cherish the way his eyes lit up when they first got on the floor for the rest of her life. It could have something to do with his inherited turbo granny skills the more everyone thought about it. Kinda like how he has a harder time swimming then he used to.
Aira also seemed to be in her element. Dazzling the fellow skaters with her graceful movements and overly dramatic twirls. Momo hated how over the top she had to be all the time.
They'd eaten chilly fries and spent a good time around the arcade when Jiji challenged Okarun to the racing machine, which he happily agreed to. With Momo and Aira cheering the both of them on it made it a whole lot more fun.
Everything was so colorful and bright. The music wasn't too overstimulating, and every so often a genuinely catchy song would play that everyone somehow found themselves nodding along with. Aside from Jiji, at one point a song he and Momo knew came on, and it might as well have turned into a karaoke night with how they both belted the lyrics with perfect timing. Questionable tune, but at least they were having fun.
Okarun couldn't remember the last time he'd had this amount of fun with other people. Not since he was practically a toddler. Getting to spend it with Momo made it all the better.
The only down side of the night that Okarun could pin point was the attention Momo was getting with her outfit. It's not that she didn't deserve it, if he was a bit less anxious then he'd happily be showing off her dazzling look with the pride of being her boyfriend. A few girls have come up to her and asked about where she got her accessories from or how she did her make up. All questions she gleefully answered.
But then there were the head turns. The lingering up and down glances. The muffled chatter that followed whenever the two went past this one table of guys who looked like they were celebrating a break up rather than a get together.
It made okarun's blood boil. Some buried part of him wanting to hold Momo closer to him as they circled around the rink, staring daggers under the glare of his glasses at the guys who were making their ‘appreciation’ a little too obvious.
“Hey, okarun.” Momo bumped his side with her hip. The sudden impact nearly threw the new skater off his course.
“Uh- yeah miss ayase?” he replied sheepishly. Readjusting his glasses with the kind of look that a kid gives their parents after being caught.
“You know I can feel you staring at people? More accurately the energy at which you're staring at people with.” she cocked her head at him. The accusing tone Okarun was expecting was nowhere to be found. She was talking with a more ‘matter of a factly tone then reprimanding him. Almost teasing in the way she smiled subtly at him. As if there was a joke that he didn't understand.
Okarun's shoulders tensed. He floundered for an explanation or retort, but under Momo's sparkly gaze he found himself speechless once again. He had to have reached a new record at this point.
“I-i-i’m, sorry…” he sunk down in defeat. The roll of his skates slowed down as his already slumped poster became reminiscent of a rolly polly.
Momo, almost immediately noticing the way he caved in on himself. Decided that wasn't the reaction she was looking for.
She pointed her foot to change her trajectory and skated a full circle around Okarun. Coming up behind him and looping their arms together to drag him forward. The position elicited a yelp of the anxious boy as he was forced to stand up straight again.
“Ah-ah-ah! Don't you go deflating on me now? I didn't say it was a bad thing.” She flicked him on the side of the head for good measure. The confused look on his face was something momo lived for. Just how clueless okarun looked when things didn't go the way he expected was a bit of a guilty pleasure.
She starts to grin at him. With her black lipstick making it look sharper than normal. “Plus, I kinda like it when you're all overprotective. It's hot.”
Okay, Okarun is now throughly, at a loss for words.
He tries to hide his face as heat rushes up his neck. Embarrassed by her saying that, and how it made him feel a bit giddy. It was normal for a guy to be productive with his girl right?
…His girl…
“M-miss Ayase! You can't talk like that in such a public area!” He replied meekly. Ashamed at how whiny his voice sounded but not how it made Momo giggle with that bright grin of hers.
“Why not?” she continued leading Okarun along the bright neon lights that beamed down on the skating rink. Weaving about the open spaces and in-between other skaters with an enthusiastic ease. “I don't see the issue. You've seen the people at school shnoging in the halls like the world's about the end? I think simply expressing my attraction is pretty tame in comparison.”
Okarun wasn't about to disagree with her. It still made his heart race regardless. Even after being together for a few months now, he was still so new to this step up in their relationship. Still testing the boundaries on what could and couldn't be acceptable, both to miss ayase and to others.
After not hearing a response Momo takes that as a sign that she's won the argument.
__________________________________
The rest of the night goes off without a hitch.
Hours of just laughing and skating and competing eventually wind down as curfew approaches and people start to file out as the rink closes.
Jiji and Okarun push out the doors and hold it for each lady to walk out with some extra dramatic flair. Okarun moved quite a bit slower however, likely the most tired out of the three right after Aira. Who had a designated beauty sleep time she was in jeopardy of disrupting by being out so late.
Momo and Jiji, the bundles of energy they were, could probably have been awake for a few more hours. Alas, they had family who expected them to be home before 12.
“That was totally awesome guys! We should really do this again soon.” Jiji smiled as the group walked down the road to the train stations. Okarun nodded in agreement in between a yawn. Bumping him in the shoulder and saying something teasing about him being sleepy.
Aira huffed an ever dramatic breath, “it wasn't horrible I'll admit. They had decent food there,”
“Takakura-kun! Did you enjoy your first skate outing?” She chirped, her voice almost sickeningly sweet like artificial honey. Momo disliked the skank for always trying to ‘sway Takakura to the light of my heavenly beauty and away from your demonic clutch!’. However she showed her loyalty when it mattered, and after so long Momo had given up in trying to argue with her delusions.
“Hm? Oh, yeah I think it was pretty awesome. I'd definitely like to do it again someday” Okarun responded. A tired smile stuck on his face from how happy he was to be with the people who cared about him and whom he cared for. Between school and the newspaper job he's taken back up, he'd been kinda beat lately. Not to mention the in going alien attacks, he could live with it for moments like these.
He glanced over at Momo who had started a random conversation on some niche topic. Could be school drama or a new show she would no doubt show him when they got back to her house.
As much as he enjoyed the skating rink, there were a lot of people there. A lot of eyes and bodies and voices that had made it hard for him to completely relax, but here, with the light of the moon and a few street lights as the main illumination. The quiet of the night and cool air working overtime at easing okarun nerves and making him feel pleasantly exhausted. He could also stare at momo for as long as he wanted without worrying much on if he looked like an idiot or not.
Even after such an active night she still looked gorgeous. Her hair was tousled in just the right way. Her makeup was just a bit faded from sweat but the glitter and shine remained like a second skin. All her silver and jewelry and leather glinted with the moons reflection.
They all went on like that all the way to the train stations. That's when Aira and Jiji had to part ways since they lived in the more populated towns of kamigoe compared to the country side house Momo's grandmother lived in. Momo gave her hugs and goodbyes, as well as Okarun with much less energy. Jiji promised to see them after the weekend back at school and Aira bed her farewells along with him.
Okarun and Momo kept walking into the station. The almost harsh yellow fluorescent acting as a beacon for them to follow on their way home. She stretched her arms way above her head with a groan. Bending from side to side to get the tension out of her spine.
“Wooh! That was great, but I am beat… my legs are killing me…”
She complained absent mindedly. Not expecting much of a response from Okarun who was already a bit too drowsy to respond.
That was until he suddenly found herself weightless and lifted up off the tiled concrete of the train station. Bracing herself by holding her arms around a suddenly accessible neck and shoulders.
It took a few moments of silence for her to realize what was happening. Even longer to try and come up with a proper way to respond.
“Wha- uh- Okarun? What are you doing??” she questioned, her jewelry jingling with the bounce of each of his steps. He really just picked her up so easily. like she weighed nothing, And he didn't even transform.
“You said your feet hurt.” He replied simply. Clearly not registering the power of the subtext of him bride carrying her the remaining distance to the entrance. It seemed it was her turn to have the words flustered out of her. It was rare for him to be this bold as- well, as himself.
Any other time he's ever carried her was in his turbo form, and that was mainly in their twice a month life or death battles. Piggybacks didn't count because it wasn't as personal. Getting carried the way she was right now, she could see the approaching door and okarun's face at the same time.
Thank god the station was mostly empty right now. Okarun sat her down on a nearby bench, then sat right next to her. Leaning back on the rest while fighting the urge to close his eyes. It would be rude for him to drift off and leave momo alone, especially with the lingering threat of yokai or alien intervention.
The two were comfortably silent for a few minutes while waiting for their train. It was already assumed that Okarun would be staying the night. Even before they officially and publicly started dating, he had his own drawer in the Ayase house with some spare clothes. There had been times where he spent whole weeks over at her house under the gracious care of miss Saiko. It couldn't be expressed enough how much he appreciated this new family.
While in thought Okarun turned his head to Momo. Eyes gleaming with adoration as he once again drank in every feature of hers like a stranded man. How on earth did he get so lucky to have such a beautiful and kind and determined girl speed run into his life?
“Your gorgeous miss Ayase.” He mumbled. Catching Momo's attention and making her flush a bright pink that clashed a bit with all her blacks and silvers.
“Okay- what is with you all of a sudden? First you carry me out of nowhere, and now you're going to say stuff like that?” she laughed. Shoving her hand against Okarun's shoulder playfully. She didn't retract it even after he shrugged as a response. “What happened to not saying stuff like that in a public area?
“No one's around,”
She rolled her eyes at that. Trailing her fingers down okarun's arm until it eventually found his hand.
“And…i dont know. I feel really appreciative all of a sudden. I didn't say much when I first saw you but I really like your new look.”
He rubbed his thumb over the top of Momo's hand while she played with his fingers. One of his favorite habits of hers. Always finding something to do with her hands.
“Really? I was worried you didn't. I know it's really…different from what i normally wear, but i wanted to try something new.”
“Yeah. We could go to the mall tomorrow and get you more outfits like this if you wanted. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing like this more often”
Momo felt the weight of Okarun's head on her shoulder. He blinked his eyes a few times, berating himself for trying to get comfortable like this when the train would likely be here any minute, but he couldn't resist it, he was with Momo. His girlfriend. First ever best friend. The girl who had saved his life in more ways than one. Even if she did technically initiate the events that lost him his balls. He could have lost his life in that tunnel and still would have loved her though.
“I would love that. Anything for my boyfriend if he really likes me in black that much.” She meant to be teasing, but her words fell flat when she noticed Okarun's hand had gone limp in her hold. Curious she looked down at his face, straining her eyes to see past the glare of his glasses. Just to find his brown beautiful eyes to be closed in content. His shoulders moved up and down with each steady breath while he leaned against her. Hair tickling the side of her neck.
'No way he fell asleep that fast.' she huffed a quiet laugh. It must have been pretty late, and even with his intense stamina hanging out with so many people probably tired him out faster than normal.
'Pfft- freaking introverts…'
She continued on playing with his hands and occasionally blowing on his hair and watching the little curls sway. Part of her mind wandered to how much okarun had come out of his shell since they first met. Before he was just a boy who liked the occult and had no one to talk to about it. As far as she knew no one to talk to period. Before her at least.
She felt so lucky to be the one to notice him before anyone else. Even if it was a bit selfish of her, she was glad that whatever fate had brought them together did so.
He was such an important part of her life now. Defending her. teaching her how to stay calm with her temper. Rebuilding her connection with her grandma. getting to learn about the occult and fight by his side at anyone who tried to go against them, and watching as their band of misfits grew and grew into one big questionable family.
And now here she was. After a long day, with no threats, and the love of her life resting on her while waiting to go home.
It wouldn't even matter if they went right back to the chaos tomorrow. If her house got destroyed (AGAIN) in some bizarre way. She’d have Okarun, and everyone else to get her through it.
And she'd have their backs in return.
__________________________________
The train eventually came and Momo poked Okarun's cheek to wake him up. He immediately fell right back to sleep once they were settled and she did the same. She knew the route by heart and would wake up in time before their stop for sure.
Grandma was home with turbo granny, leaning against the stairs. Just waiting for her grandkid and four eyes to get home with the clock against them. Already 30 minutes past their curfew.
“Those rotten tangerines…” she groaned. Patting her large fan against her hand while turbo granny lazed beside her feet.
“Hope dem kids had fun. Cause they're sure in for the beating of a lifetime when they gets back” the old cat snickered to herself sadistically.