This Should Be Fun!

Masaru had more difficulty in comparison to the last game, but he was doing fine overall, he thought he was anyway. He was definitely focused on doing well; they had established that they could both look foolish when it came to doing badly at the games, but even still...he didn't want to. He wanted to do well with these games!

He finished his round shortly after Mia and a sheepish laugh escaped him; "I think I did alright; it's fun though...even if I'm not the best at it yet, aha..."

Her smile was bright as she looked over, Masaru was so focused on this game and doing well despite their words. It was...it was really really cute. Mia laughed with Masa and then shook her head.

"It just takes time! You have good reflexes so I bet you will get better! ...I-If you wanted to play more and get better... that is..." Mia reassured Masaru with a happy smile and a determined look before turning red and looking away. He had hobbies of his own that he liked to do! Her video game ones would...only take up his precious time...

Masaru nodded, his expression losing it's previous sheepishness as he smiled; "Right, I'm sure with more time I'll improve."

He wanted to improve... Mia was...playing on a much harder difficulty, wasn't she? He would enjoy being able to play on par with her, rather than the easiest setting. It would be...much more fun that way, he believed.

"I would like to improve...it would be nice to be able to play on par with you...not in any competitive light, I mean...but I believe it would be fun."

"You do?" Mia's eyes shined in pure joy as Masaru spoke of that, a happy laugh slipping through her fingers as her hand moved to cover her mouth. She looked away from him after a moment, smiling too much. He...was planning on getting better then. With her... "It would be the best!"

Ah her face was so red! But she looked back at the screen as it started beeping, the next level coming up luckily for her. She focused on it instead of the handsome and sweetest man next to her. He would kill her with his kindness...

"Mhmm, I think it'd be a lot of fun." Masaru answered, his smile brightening...and wanting to brighten further at Mia's reaction to his words. She seemed really happy to have heard that from him, that made him even happier...it would be fun, definitely!

Improving his skills, and then getting to play with Mia on equal ground...that would be his goal then!

Mia couldn't bare that happy response and smile, her eyes glancing over and forcing her face into further red territory. She didn't say anything, just bashfully pushed her bangs back and began playing the game again. After the next few rounds, until they reached the final boss, Mia did amazingly well and was smiling. She beamed at Masaru in the few breaks between levels, laughing happily and trying not to blush too much. A grown woman didn't need to be!

But she was...

As she finished the boss off with Masaru's help, she set the gun back in its holder and stretched her arms above her head. It made the buttons on her shirt strain a bit but they survived. "We did it, Masa. Thank you..."

Masaru returned his focus to the game, though he could have sworn Mia's face had become redder as she'd turned away earlier when she'd pushed her bangs back...

He couldn't get distracted by cute actions right now though, he had to do well and beat the game!

There were short breaks between levels, and he returned her smiles with his own, happy they were having fun.

Eventually, they reached the final boss as the game claimed and with teamwork, he and Mia defeated it! He was smiling as they finally finished, he'd been able to help and they'd both won!

He settled the gun back in its holder as Mia did, unable to help a happy chuckle before stretching himself. "We did, welcome..."

Mia watched Masaru stretch with a soft smile and nodded. He was...better than he thought she felt, his warrior trained reflexes making up for things even if the weapon was unfamiliar. It was just a silly game so it wasn't TOO hard.

"Lets...go try the racing ones now..." Mia, much more sure of herself since Masaru was definitely having fun and wanted to do this very obviously, reached out and took his hand in hers with a smile.

Some time later...and almost all of their tokens gone by now on all sorts of games... Mia was using the last of them to attempt to win a fluffy stuffed animal in a claw game. Lips pursed in concentration, she was using Masaru as her guide on the side. It was a fluffy red panda, she had to get it!

"5 seconds...am I in the right spot?" Mia's eyes glanced over to Masaru, waiting for confirmation and seeing if she needed adjusting at all.

There was such a variety of games, all sorts of different kinds, Masaru knew there had been a lot, but there were even more than he'd expected.

They'd played a lot, and he'd definitely had fun; he was trying his best with all of them.

Now though, he watched as Mia attempted to get a plush toy from a machine. This...

He watched carefully, five seconds...

Quickly, he tried to determine the position of the claw and the plush. It seemed right, definitely... "I would say so..."

It was definitely in the right spot!

With Masaru's signal, Mia nodded and pressed the button just as the timer ran out. The claw spun and lowered, a tense few moments as it closed around the panda and then wobbled the whole way back. Almost falling, Mia gasped in worry...before it was dropped into the waiting hole at the bottom. She gave a tiny little hop, a smile bright on her face as she reached in and pulled out the large plushie.

The fluffy red panda plush was gotten! She held it up and smiled towards Masaru. "We did it!"

Masaru watched as Mia pressed the button, just as the timer had gone out too! It lowered, and the next few moments became a bit tense as they waited to see if things would be successful. It wobbled the whole way back to the hole with the panda plush, and it'd almost fallen, causing him to tense some when Mia gasped.

Then...

She got it!

As Mia pulled the plush from the bottom with a hop Masaru's smile was bright as well, nodding at her words as she held it up. "We did!"

Mia moved to Masaru's side, grinning as she held out the red panda to give to him as a present when she stopped and looked... confused and...bewildered. Almost puzzled.

Holding the panda up higher, she stared first at it, then at him...then back to the panda... and just blinked a few times as her mouth formed an O of discovery. "...Ooooh..."

Masaru blinked, wondering what Mia was doing as she seemed to become...confused as she held to red panda plush to him, raising it some. What? Was something odd about it?

It seemed like it was a good plush though, something she would really like.

She appeared to realize something, and Masaru tilted his head slightly; "Something wrong?"

"I was planning on giving it to you...But...but it just... it reminds me of you somehow. I can't place it..." Mia's voice was soft as she pulled the red panda plush to her chest and snuggled it, her eyes looking down.

"I now feel selfish for wanting to keep it to snuggle..." She admitted, turning bright red almost immediately after.

She'd planned on giving it to him? That...She would have much more use for it though... If she wanted to keep it that was perfectly fine. It...reminded her of him?

"If you want to keep it that's perfectly alright. I think it'd be much more suited to you, you'd have much more time to love it than I."

It seemed like it would fit nicely in her room.

"I suppose..." Mia's words were at odds with her actions, holding the red panda tighter to her chest as she nodded. She'd...cuddle it the nights Masaru and her weren't sharing a bed...

She was growing too used to it, so those nights without him were the worst now. She could handle it though!

As she gave him another soft smile, she moved to his side and took his hand in hers. Her fingers twined between his even with her gloves on and she held the panda up with her other arm. "We're all out of tokens now... We should head back unless...you have other plans or ideas?"

If he wanted to see something else she'd show him. Maybe he wanted to see a movie or something! That could be nice...

True...they were out of tokens so really there wasn't much more to do here, they had played...a lot of the games here; there was plenty of other things they could do though, the human world had lots of things!

"It would...be a shame to just go home now, there's still plenty of daylight left... Is there anything you can think of that you might like to do, Mia? We can find something else to do together, if you'd like?"

There were all sorts of things, but Mia might have some specific things in mind...things that were date-suitable too!

Mia led Masaru out of the arcade, into the daylight again with a small wince as she blinked her eyes to get used to it. If she could... she'd pull her shawl over her head and hide but instead she scooted up against Masa for now to use as her shield.

His words had her smiling a bit as she nodded against his arm. "W-We...could go see a movie. You said you wanted to try that right? Those are really...normal for couples to go on dates here."

It seemed Masaru wanted to stay, so she'd show him more...and began leading him just subtly towards the theater.

"A movie sounds good." Masaru smiled; it sounded like it would be nice; he and Mia could go and see a movie together.

It was something...normal for couples to do, so it would be good for them to try as well.

He followed, not really paying attention to the fact that she was leading him towards the nearest theater.

Masaru agreed that it would be nice... So a movie it was! Mia knew the area pretty well, there was a shop a few streets down that she had a lot of games preordered with so there must be... a theater nearby. She normally went to a large one a few cities over, but she was sure... there had to be one near that store.

Being as this was a rather entertainment aimed part of the town, it wasn't far until they reached a movie theater just as Mia thought. Outside it had signs for the movies listed and apparently was even playing some older movies for a cheap price. Despite Masaru being...rather rich, Mia's thriftiness kicked in. She hadn't seen one of the movies that were offered and pointed up while still slightly snuggled up to Masaru. "That one is supposed to be really cute and happy! Its...animated but...its about a man and a kid and a dog with a house held up by balloons."

That one could be good! She had no ideas about any of the others really so if they went to see those...it'd be a surprise. "Or we could pick a random one too... I am not sure... what any of those are about."

Masaru wasn't sure where the nearest theater was, but considering they were walking...he supposed Mia might already know where it was located.

He'd never been...to a modern theater with movies before, those were something for fun, not work so...

Eventually, they arrived at the building and Masaru's eyes scanned over it before moving to the various movie signs.

A cute and happy one? The poster was definitely interesting, and he liked happy stories...

Mia seemed to be a bit excited about it as well, the fact that it was animated didn't bother him.

"We can see that one, if you'd like; happy stories seem perfect for today. I don't mind if it's animated..."

Picking at random might not be a good idea, they wanted to enjoy something and if they picked at random they might pick something they disliked!

"Okay!" Mia's voice was pleased and a bit excited as she held her two red pandas. She gently pulled Masaru into the theater and to their absolute luck the movie was playing soon!

There were people milling around, some in line for tickets... behind the ticket counters a large counter with tons of snacks and food seemed to be as well. Ads for movies played on screens, mostly family friendly ones in case children were around and posters were all over walls as well as display stands for movies.

Mia took him up to the counter and then clung to him before whispering. "Y-You..ask for...two tickets to see...Up..."

She couldn't...say anything to the person, her face red so she had to have Masaru do it for her. At least she could speak a bit in front of the ticket cashier...

Masaru smiled, glad Mia was happy with that decision as she led them into the theater.

There were people all about it seemed, for tickets or for snacks... There were tons of posters everywhere and his eyes couldn't help but roam a little carefully over each wall of the building. He'd never really been inside one like this so it was intriguing...

Hearing Mia though, his attention went to her and he nodded at her words. He could ask for the tickets, that wasn't a problem.

Moving to the ticket line, when it was their turn he requested for the tickets for the movie, he could get this one since Mia spent her money at the arcade, he definitely didn't mind.

Mia was glad Masaru seemed really interested in the whole place, his eyes roaming around as she clung to him. He listened and they moved to a line soon after arriving, finally getting their tickets that Masaru paid for.

That was nice... They headed for someone that accepted half of the tickets, Mia explaining in a soft whisper what to do before they got there and then handed them over. She then lead him to the food counter and pointed up. "P-Popcorn is good...you can put...stuff on it too... um pretzels too... W-We should get drinks too?"

Drinks were nice even if it was soda. She'd let Masaru look though before mentioning what she was planning on getting, that way he could decide or just take his time. They had a little bit before it started so she was fine with him taking a bit.

After Mia had explained to him what to do with the tickets, Masaru did what needed to be done with them and handed them over to the employee meant to take half of them.

"We can get those, hmm...what to drink though..." Masaru answered at the mention of snacks.

Popcorn, and pretzels...

He was fine getting whatever snacks Mia wanted, they could get extra and they'd be able to eat and enjoy the movie.