[Day 2, Late Afternoon] Ambush?

[Moshi Meiko]

“It’s slang for sex.” It was becoming very clear that some Crab slang would be lost on this girl. Sen just sighed, “Moshi-san, I’m not sayin’ that hand-holdin’ wouldn’t be nice. I expect it would be very nice. But I don’t want you goin’ in and thinkin’ that’s all some guy is gonna want to do. They ain’t like that most of the time.”

Looking devastated, Meiko is quiet for a few moments until:
"You're probably right, I guess some people might want to b-....to ba-...to hold hands with extra steps after. It's just so....graphic! I don't even know what's meant to happen after that but it sounds like that's what people want instead of holding hands and being sweet and happy together."
The Moshi looks like she's about to start tearing up

[Hiruma Sen]

Now Sen felt very bad. Like she just kicked a puppy.

“Moshi-san... I’m not sayin’ everyone is like that. I just want you to be careful. A nice sweet girl like you? I bet lots of people want to hold your hand. But they likely want other things as well. You just gotta be clear with what you want.”

[Moshi Meiko]

Now Sen felt very bad. Like she just kicked a puppy.

“Moshi-san... I’m not sayin’ everyone is like that. I just want you to be careful. A nice sweet girl like you? I bet lots of people want to hold your hand. But they likely want other things as well. You just gotta be clear with what you want.”

"They do! And I'm always really flattered. But I promised myself I would hold hands on my terms!"
Sniffling
"I just wanted to hold someone's hand for the first time and do all the nice special things with them and maybe give them a scarf afterwards!"

[Hiruma Sen]

“Hold hands on your own terms?” Sen didn’t quite know what that meant. “So, how do you imagine this to all go down?”

[Moshi Meiko]

“Hold hands on your own terms?” Sen didn’t quite know what that meant. “So, how do you imagine this to all go down?”

Sniff
"I'd...I'd look into their eyes, and they'd look into mine, and then time would slow down and I'd say 'hey...can I hold your hand?' and they'd reply 'yes!' and then I'd take their hand and hold it tight."
Sniff

[Hiruma Sen]

“That’s very straight-forward.” Sen scooted a bit closer, still feeling bad about upsetting the Mantis girl. “Hey... I’m sorry about bein’ crude about that stuff. I just didn’t want you to find someone who wasn’t so nice.”

[Moshi Meiko]

“That’s very straight-forward.” Sen scooted a bit closer, still feeling bad about upsetting the Mantis girl. “Hey... I’m sorry about bein’ crude about that stuff. I just didn’t want you to find someone who wasn’t so nice.”

"It's okay"
Meiko looks up at Sen and tries to put on a smile, her eyes a little red rimmed.
"You mean well. I think it was very sweet of you."
She scoots slightly towards the Hiruma.

[Hiruma Sen]

Guilt flooded Sen as she saw how red Meiko’s eyes were. “Sweet? But I upset you? You’re... Crying because of me.”

[Moshi Meiko]

Guilt flooded Sen as she saw how red Meiko’s eyes were. “Sweet? But I upset you? You’re... Crying because of me.”

"That's okay, I cry all the time! Koemi-san says it's because I'm soft...and I mean, I am soft, I can't help being squishy."
sniffle
"But, you either cry on the outside or the inside. And if there's nobody around it's okay to cry on the outside! And yes, you did upest me. But not because you were being mean, but because you were being very honest."

[Hiruma Sen]

“Anythin’ I can do to make you... Feel better?” Sen asked, not doubting that Meiko is soft but very much doubting that Koemi meant that kind of soft.

[Moshi Meiko]

“Anythin’ I can do to make you... Feel better?” Sen asked, not doubting that Meiko is soft but very much doubting that Koemi meant that kind of soft.

"Ummmm."
Meiko looks up, her eyes very large
"I always feel better after a hug....."
Very big eyes.

[Hiruma Sen]

Sen couldn’t say no to that. So she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Meiko to give her a reassuring hug.

[Moshi Meiko]

Sen couldn’t say no to that. So she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Meiko to give her a reassuring hug.

Now Meiko springs her true ambush, squeezing the Hiruma tightly and sniffling happily into Sen's shoulder!

Very muffled "Thank you!"

[Hiruma Sen]

Sen sat there a good moment, a bit surprised by this sudden ambush. Perhaps Meiko was a true expert all along? She didn’t sneak to ambush, no, she baited.

The hug was nice, though.

[Moshi Meiko]

Sen sat there a good moment, a bit surprised by this sudden ambush. Perhaps Meiko was a true expert all along? She didn’t sneak to ambush, no, she baited.

The hug was nice, though.

After a few long moments, Meiko looks up at Sen
"Um, Hiruma-san?"

[Hiruma Sen]

Sen looked down at Meiko, a bit of a puzzled look on her face. “Yeah, Moshi-san?”

[Moshi Meiko]

Sen looked down at Meiko, a bit of a puzzled look on her face. “Yeah, Moshi-san?”

"Do you um...think that maybe, in the future....if you want."
Sniff
"Maybe you and I could hold hands?"

[Hiruma Sen]

“Wait,” Sen pulled back a little so she could see Meiko’s face clearly. “Moshi-san... You want to hold hands with... Me?”

[Moshi Meiko]

“Wait,” Sen pulled back a little so she could see Meiko’s face clearly. “Moshi-san... You want to hold hands with... Me?”

"I....I think so. I've never held hands with anyone else before but I think I would like to do it with you."
Meiko smiles nervously.

[Hiruma Sen]

It was time for Sen to go red in the face again. That really did explain a lot about how Meiko was acting. “I would love to hold hands with you, Moshi-san.”

[Moshi Meiko]

It was time for Sen to go red in the face again. That really did explain a lot about how Meiko was acting. “I would love to hold hands with you, Moshi-san.”

Huuuuge gasp!
"Really? You're sure??!? Thank you thank you thank you! Oh my...my heart is beating so fast, and my stomach is all clenched, this is so exciting."
She goes back in for a hug, beaming to herself.
"I'll try my best to be the greatest hand holder ever."

[Hiruma Sen]

“Greatest, huh? You gonna practice?” Sen couldn’t help herself from smiling at how happy Meiko was. “But, yeah, I’m sure. We could hold hands now if you’d like.”

[Moshi Meiko]

“Greatest, huh? You gonna practice?” Sen couldn’t help herself from smiling at how happy Meiko was. “But, yeah, I’m sure. We could hold hands now if you’d like.”

"I'll practice every day if I have to."
At Sen's offer Meiko looks down at the Hiruma's hands, mouth suddenly dry
"R-right now? Oh my....oh my."
She could do it, too, the hands were right there."

[Hiruma Sen]

“Only if you want to and feel up to it!” Sen gave Meiko a little reassuring squeeze.

[Moshi Meiko]

“Only if you want to and feel up to it!” Sen gave Meiko a little reassuring squeeze.

Meiko scrunches up her face, rolls her shoulders and then carefully takes Sen's right hand with her left and slowly interlocks their fingers together holding her breath until it's done.
"I...I did it!"
She carefully squeezes Sen's hand with her own.
"Oh you're so warm! I can feel it!"