01 [Day: Saturday, September 4. Time: 7:30ish.] 01 [Javy just had a nightmare of a day which wasn't *actually* a nightmare, which may or may not be a good thing. What's really important is he has clothes! Plenty of clothes, that he at least didn't originally want. Whether he actually wants them now remains to be seen.] 01 [His sister, Tomoko - an incarnation of evil and also the person who dragged him on the shopping trip in the first place - is driving him home now. She's humming a little, as the radio's on an '80's and '90's station, and Hootie and the Blowfish are playing. She always did like Hootie.] 01 [Mini Start!] 06* Javy shifts in his seat. "Can't we listen to the classical station?" He asks again. "They're. It's, um, a Vivaldi night. I heard." 01 [Tomoko pouts a little - the 'Aw, but it's Hootie!' pout - but she says, "Yeah, you've been put through enough today. Go ahead."] 06* Javy sits a little straighter, and changes the channel. "Thanks." 01 [Tomoko grins. "Sure." There's a pause, and then she asks, "Did you have fun at all? Today, I mean?"] 06* Javy glances over at her. "It was..." He pauses to think about it. "Pretty hard. Like everyone kept trying to figure out. Um..." He lowers his voice a little. "...what'd be most embarrassing next." 01 [Tomoko awws. "The point wasn't to embarrass you. Not completely, anyway. *I* like embarrassing you a little, but that's my job as a big sister." Her voice also lowers a little, and she says, "If you really were embarrassed the whole time, I'm sorry."] 06* Javy shakes his head. "It wasn't... I mean, it wasn't all bad. Some of it was just surprising." 01 ["Right, I understand."] Like... 06* Javy leans back in his seat. "Like with Tyler." 01 [Tomoko blinks. "Tyler?" She pauses a moment, putting face to name. "That boy in the Gothish clothes who dragged you off to the art store?"] 06* Javy nods. "Yeah. I wouldn't have... he. I don't think he's the type to just come in and, um. Save someone like that." 01 ["Really? But you're his friend, aren't you?"] 06* Javy looks unsure. "I. He, ah, we talked some. I guess he's kinda a friend. He might help with Nate's art stuff." 01 ["That's good. So you're more... friendly acquaintances, then? He... ah, didn't seem to get along too well with that girl... Tiffany."] 06* Javy nods a couple of times. "He's... I don't know. We could maybe be friends. But, he's like that. And with Tiffany, it's true. He and his friends, they pick on her, and everything. It's not cool. She's pretty cool, she, ah, no one deserves that. And she doesn't, either." 01 [Tomoko shakes her head. "Why be friends with him, then? You like Tiffany, don't you?" She glances at Javy.] 06* Javy glances over at her, cheeks coloring. "Like or like-like?" 01 [Tomoko snerks. "You certainly *like* her. But yes, I was thinking you might like-like her."] 06* Javy looks uncomfortable, even with the Vivaldi. "I... ah, I don't even know her that well." 01 ["You don't need to know someone that well to have a crush on them, Javy. And you can tell me; I'm not going to do anything about it."] I... I don't know. She's. She's interesting. And... 06* Javy mumbles something out after that. 01 [Tomoko sighs. "You know I don't know what you're saying when you mumble like that."] 06* Javy looks over at her affectionately. "Yeah, I know." 01 [Tomoko briefly sticks her tongue out at Javy, then says, "It's okay. Your secret's safe with me."] 06* Javy makes a little sound of protest, and then subsides. "Pretty. Um, that's what I said. She's pretty." 01 ["Ah. Yeah, she is."] 06* Javy looks at her, surprised. "You thought so, too?" 01 ["Well, not my type, being a girl and all. But yeah, she's not bad looking."] 06* Javy nods a little. "Um. Yeah. So... uh, it was really weird when she just. You know. Like, ran into me." 01 [Tomoko chuckles. "She seemed pretty distracted." She pauses, then adds, "If it's any consolation, I think she *might* like-like you, too."] 06* Javy looks out the windshield a whole lot. "Really?" 01 ["Well, I don't know her nearly as well as you, but yeah. I think so."] 06* Javy speaks slowly. "I know... I mean, I heard, like, her reaction, when Christina said I was cute. That was. It wasn't bad. You know?" 01 [Tomoko nods with a small smile. "That's good."] Not like I can say anything, though. 01 ["Hm?"] 06* Javy slumps a little. "I'm, I have a hard enough time talking with her, like, like about normal stuff. How can I say that?" 01 ["Well..." Tomoko sighs. "It's probably just because you really like her, so you're afraid of what she might say or do, and you end up spending a lot of time thinking and not much doing."] 06* Javy looks at her, incredulous. "Tomoko... you know me. I'm like that with, with everyone." 01 ["I know. I was just humoring myself, thinking that you were extra shy with her."] 06* Javy thinks about it. "I don't know. Maybe. I feel like I've been. She's been around a lot. Like I've been talking with her more. But it can be hard, to find the words right." 01 ["Yeah... not any way around that, really. Just try to be yourself, you know? You will be around her eventually, whether you want to or not."] 06* Javy doesn't look like that's great for him. "You think that'll work? For me?" 01 [Tomoko rolls her eyes. "You're not a monster, Javy. Or a serial killer. You're a decent guy without *that* much to hide. Yes, I think it'll work for you."] 06* Javy looks somewhat mollified. "I just. I don't know how to do it. Being myself... when, um. When I don't know people well, everything gets stuck. It's not like with you." 01 [Tomoko thinks about that. "Well... does she get along with Nate?"] 06* Javy thinks for a beat, and nods. "Pretty well. We've been eating lunch together. Um. Except, like. When I eat with the team." 01 ["Why not hang out with her and Nate at the same time, then? I'm pretty sure you have an easier time talking when you're around him."] 06* Javy nods a couple of times. "That's true. 'cause I know him already." 01 ["Right." Tomoko smiles reassuringly, then adds, "Though you *probably* don't want to bring him with if you decide to actually go on a date. I'm just saying."] I know. 06* Javy announces, "I won't bring you either." 01 [Tomoko laughs. "I hope not!"] Are you. Like. Do you have anyone? That you're interested in? 01 [She sighs. "Not really... certainly nobody I'm serious about."] 06* Javy nods, slightly disappointed. "Okay. It's... you can tell me, though. If you do. Not that I can help much, probably." 01 ["Well... okay. Then maybe I will, when, you know. It happens. I never feel like we talk enough, anyway."] 06* Javy nods. "Ever since you moved to Hartford. But, um. You can call. Or, um. I can. I just think. You know, you have. Like, a life." 01 ["Yeah, well. It's mostly work. Good work - I like it, and we're doing good things - but it doesn't leave much room for a social life."] Okay. Then, then we should talk more. We can. 01 ["Then we will," Tomoko says with a grin. "I have to hear about how your romance with Tiffany's going anyway."] 06* Javy yelps a little, and says, "Tomoko!" 01 [She laughs and make a turn into the road where the Mayberrys live.] 01 [Mini End!]