Scene #2856: International Economic Incidents and Other Signs of Affection

Owner	Pose
Kazuo Saitou	It is ''warm'' outside. Okay, it's not warm enough for summer, but it's warm enough for skipping a jacket. And it is definitely warm enough for Kazuo to have stopped by during lunch and inquired whether Makoto might like some ice cream - and, yes, joked about taking her to the beach for it. It's not warm enough for the ''actual'' beach, but the beach-themed ice cream parlor also has the bonus of not getting cold sand everywhere. Plus, they can take an outdoor table and have actual fresh air. It's the end of February. It's been a ''long time'' since fresh air. Kazuo makes sure Makoto's settled, then folds himself down into a seat with his black sesame ice cream. "Since I did a little extra field-test of Chiyo's candies," he says, half laughing, "I feel like I ought to ask if anyone's thought about ice cream versions. But I suppose it'd be awkward to have those melting in someone's pocket for days."
Makoto Kino	The spring season is just around the corner, which means the seasonal flavors are starting to appear. Makoto's taken the opportunity to try out pickled sakura ice cream, and got a matcha latte to go with it - colors perhaps a little too on the nose for Sailor Jupiter. She inclines her head to Kazuo at his remark, laughing a little. "It's not the ''most'' portable," she agrees. "But syrups are easy, and can go great with ice cream. I made some for Masato-kun not very long ago, to use in cocktails and so on." She tries a bite of her ice cream, and looks thoughtful for an interval as the sweet-salt-floral flavor melts on her tongue. Soon, though, her regard turns back to Kazuo. "Is there an occasion?" she wonders. "I mean, as far as I recall I haven't punched anyone recently."
Kazuo Saitou	Syrups! Now there's a thought. Though fortunately not one Kazuo will be experimenting with personally. Desserts that try to eat you back aren't a great finishing touch for a meal. He nods thoughtfully to Makoto all the same; certainly he's chatted with her about rosewater and rose syrup off and on, even without the context of it being ''magical'' roses. "I'm glad the world hasn't been feeding you people who deserve punching lately," he says between spoonfuls. "Even the greatest artists need vacations every now and then." Is he teasing? Yes, but not entirely, as ever. "Most of the occasion is just that it's been a long winter, and I haven't seen much of anyone. Some of the occasion is that I haven't seen much of you more specifically, or as much of Masato as I'd usually have expected, and while I'm pleased ''he'' hasn't made you think he needs punching, I wanted to ask how the two of you are doing."
Makoto Kino	And yet, how many people love pineapple? Makoto's brows lift and her eyes widen just a little at the direction of his tactful inquiry. Her smile doesn't falter, though; just a touch of pink colors her cheekbones as she glances down to carefully spoon up a little more ice cream. "We're doing pretty well, I think," she says. It might seem like an oddly cautious answer, but while Mako's uncertainty has mostly faded by now, there's still a certain sense of almost bewildered wonder in her reply. "We had a Valentine's date and everything, which was a nice surprise. Literally, he had me on a scavenger hunt all over the place to keep me busy while he set it up." Green eyes soft with affection, she sits back in her chair, absently tilting her head into to the breeze. "Masato-kun and I have a lot in common, actually. More than I'd realized, at first."
Kazuo Saitou	Pineapple points taken, and there are many. ''Of course you do,'' Kazuo does not say aloud. ''What's life, but lightning acting on the gifts of the stars?'' Instead, he directs his expression down at his ice cream, failing to completely hide (or indeed to try to completely hide) his slight smile. "I hadn't thought you organized scavenger hunts for another hobby," he says. "Your kitchens are so well-organized for convenience, after all. So it must be other things you're thinking of, that you have in common."
Makoto Kino	Not for the first time, Kazuo's understated humor surprises a laugh out of Makoto. "Other things than that, yes," she agrees, shaking her head with a lopsided grin. The color in her cheeks has turned another shade pinker. "Remember last summer, when we were all trying to get ready for the wedding while Usagi-chan was New Moon and Mamoru-san was mostly gone taking care of her and Chibiusa-chan? Masato-kun was running around trying to handle all kinds of things, practical stuff. I think that was the first time I noticed."
Kazuo Saitou	"He does that," Kazuo agrees. "If there's something that catches his attention, he gets determined to help make it come off both gloriously and flawlessly." This has absolutely nothing to do with anything that caught Usagi's attention about anyone's lunch at school, once upon a time. Really and truly. And is definitely not why Mamoru's kitchen has become the next thing to a shrine to Do Not Scare Off Makoto From Cooking Here.
Makoto Kino	"Exactly." To what extent Makoto really recognizes herself in the description is not entirely clear - but after all, they ''were'' talking about things she and Nephrite have in common. "But also... he's not really used to having other people to rely on. At least, in this life, before Mamoru-san and the rest of you guys." Her voice softens a little; in this, for sure, she has no difficulty seeing herself. "That kind of habit can be really hard to change. It makes me want to be sure to be there, in case he doesn't think to ask."
Kazuo Saitou	There's a slower nod from Kazuo, in turn. "And he hasn't been leaning on us, except maybe Izou - the two of them have an odd enough relationship it's hard to tell which parts of the yelling are comfortable." His pale grey eyes study Makoto for a moment, then flicker back down to the table. Guilt? Maybe a little. More likely just considering what things Masato might ''need'' to rely on people for. "I'd say I'll try to do better in that myself, but I'm not sure how. So I'll say instead that I'm glad you're there. And glad you ''want'' to be there."
Makoto Kino	"I definitely do," Makoto says - then hastily ducks her head and shoves a spoonful of slowly-melting ice cream into her mouth before she can get any more embarrassed than she already is. She regains her aplomb reasonably quickly; ice cream usually helps. "So, you don't need to worry about us, I think," she says lightly, and there's a warmth to her smile as she regards him across the table. After all, Kazuo is another who often serves as a pillar of support for those close to him. "Except," she tacks on as an afterthought, "the part where I was so clueless it took me way too long to realize we were dating in the first place. I ''hope'' I've gotten better about that kind of thing, though!"
Kazuo Saitou	Makoto has known Kazuo for years. Longer than she's known Usagi. And yet, there are still sometimes things that she has never seen before from him. Kazuo attempting to breathe black sesame ice cream is one of them. His handkerchief comes out and he muffles his coughing in it, giving apologetic glances and bows of his head to a couple of neighboring tables. Once he has himself back under control, the handkerchief promptly vanishes again, and he manages to give Makoto her very own apologetic glance. That one has a lot more sparkle in the eyes, though. "I ... hadn't heard about that part," he says gravely, in case Mako hadn't figured that out already. "So at least now you know Masato is keeping your secrets for you."
Makoto Kino	Makoto does her best to hide a giggle behind a paper napkin. The effort is dubiously effective. "Well, that's good to know. But, Saitou-kun, you're supposed to eat the ice cream, not breathe it." Her expression is the very soul of innocence. No, really. She doesn't keep that up long before she looks down again, bowing her head slightly over her own ice cream. "Honestly," she admits, "I'd kind of gotten in the habit of... trying not to want too much, I guess?" She works her spoon around the dish, scooping up more ice cream around the melting edges. "But when I'm around Masato-kun, 'too much' starts to look like something completely different. If that makes sense."
Kazuo Saitou	"I was testing to see whether I could spontaneously develop gills," Kazuo replies with a solemn nod. Gills for sesame oil instead of water. Clearly. His shoulders and back loosen as she looks back down, settling into a more normal posture. "He does take everyone else's idea of 'too much' and regard it as ... I can't even say the starting line. About half a mile ''back'' from the starting line. When you're talking him down from cornering Thailand's entire sugar export market because you mentioned you needed to put one bag of it on the shopping list, letting him pick up the groceries for you starts looking more than reasonable."
Makoto Kino	Makoto's spoon stills and she looks up, eyes wide. "I'm afraid to ask whether that's a hypothetical or something that actually happened." Because where Nephrite is concerned, it could just as easily be either.
Kazuo Saitou	Spoon is put down so that Kazuo can hold both hands up. "I promise. Hypothetical. No international economic incidents over groceries." Yet.
Makoto Kino	"Oh," Makoto says. "Good." She doesn't seem quite entirely convinced, though.