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It was actually a quiet night. No meetings, no trips, nothing but himself and the street. Susanoo had some kind of family thing and Oumuamua... Honestly the senshi was sometimes a basket case. But Gagarin did come out tonight because they covered for him on nights he was in, and the night wasn't so bad. Gagarin certainly didn't mind patrolling alone. And last time had been nice, seeing Kerberos, and exploring.

Of course Gagarin was yet to learn the wisdom most powered had that the park was a hotspot for powered activity and Gagarin was taking a break by the fountain trying not to check his work email tonight, distracting himself watching the water... Partially. Honestly, he was wondering if it might make a quality accessory inspiration. Sure, 'clear' was retro, but maybe something else might be inspired by water? He hummed, not really watching the auras around him, and hummed, almost distracted.

The Dark Mirror Senshi was out and about in the park, taking a little energy from different people using his mirrorwraith because he had learned from before that taking too much from one person all at the same time could be troublesome for everyone.

He almost didn't realize who he was about to steal energy from, though, when he came across a White Moon Senshi until it was too late. Luckily, he stopped his mirrorwraith in time by having it go back into its mirrorshard. He wasn't sure what the other Order senshi would do if he spotted the wraith or if he noticed his energy being drained. He might have even tried to shatter the wraith.

Fortunately, the other senshi seemed distracted by the water of a fountain. But Kissling still found himself curious. It wasn't often he met White Moon Senshi. So he reached out to tap the stranger on the shoulder.

"Hello," he greeted brightly. "Nice weather, isn't it?" It didn't seem to occur to him that the other senshi might have been patrolling to stop chaos faction beings like himself.

He hadn't been paying attention until he felt something too close and that was when he moved - not slowly either.,

Gagarin spun at an alarming pace, partly born of old habit. His parents had spoiled the rod trying to 'fix' his gender identity growing up and Gagarin was tense, wont to move rapidly. When he stopped,.. he was poised to defend himself, chest heaving. He'd never fought another powered before and--

Was that senshi in black? Gagarin blinked slowly. OK. they greeted him. Positive sign, but he was tense, bristled, and ready to work in self-defense. Maybe call in Susanoo or Oumuamua if need be.

"...Hello." Gagarin said, voice curt, but not cruel. Guarded. He examined the other senshi again.

"...Can I help you?"

Awww, why was he so tense? Kissling blinked back in surprise before smiling in a friendly manner, hoping to put the stranger a little more at ease. They almost seemed to be the same height, but the stranger might have been slightly taller than himself. Maybe by an inch.

Still, Sailor Kissling had never really thought of himself as particularly intimidating, especially with his scrawny body, petite build, lithe limbs, and feminine appearance. He hoped the stranger wouldn't find him intimidating either despite them being from different factions and having different energy signatures.

"Yeah. I'm Sailor Kissling," he said. "Senshi of Kisses. Who are you?"

Gagarin was tense another moment, still breathing heavily.

"Something got too close behind me." Gagarin said warily. But... Damnit. Manners demanded he at least be polite. He nodded stiffly, trying hard to calm down.

"I'm Sailor Gagarin, Senshi of Squalls." Gagarin grunted. He was debating posturing some, examining Kissling slowly, head tilting. Susanoo had mentioned meeting a chaos senshi -- wait. Was this a chaos senshi? The one who met Susanoo? Gagarin looked visibly uncertain. He trusted Susanoo - the older man was more experienced and the most even-tempered of the three, but...

Gagarin shifted.

"You...Are chaos." He said warily. Honestly... What... Should he do? He knew not.

"Too close?" Kissling repeated. "Was I too close behind you?"

When Gagarin introduced himself, Kissling giggled. "You're cute," he said, amused at how uptight the other senshi seemed to be. Especially when Kissling didn't think there was anything to really be uptight or tense about.

"Chaos?" Ohhhh. Was that why Gagarin seemed so wary about him? "Oh. Well yeah, but Dark Mirror Senshi don't really have any problems with White Moon Senshi or the Negaverse," the pink-and-black-clad senshi said. "We're a different type of chaos than the Negaverse. But maybe you could sense that from my energy signature already."

He looked thoughtful. "I know! You seem tense. Want to have a little magic fight? We can show each other our powers!"

"From.. From behind." Gagarin admitted. He didn't elaborate. At being cute, Gagarin paused, blinking, and tilted his head.

"Cute...?" He paused. "Oh, you.. Might be a senshi a friend mentioned." Gagarin slowly calmed.. A bit. Cute? "I.. I mean if you know Sailor Susanoo. He's my friend." Gagarin blinked.

And then Kissling offered a magic fight and brightened. About as much as when he mentioned the Dark Mirror not having beef with Order, which was at least a little.

"I'm glad, frankly. And.. A magic fight would be fine. I'm pretty sure my magic might sting." He was.. Trying. If they weren't directly enemies... He needed to try.

At the words, 'from behind', Kissling couldn't help giggling again, though it was anyone's guess as to why. But when Gagarin seemed to calm a little and mentioned Sailor Susanoo, Kissling's brows shot up.

"Oh! Yeah, I met him," he confirmed. "How did you know? Did he tell you about me?"

The Dark Mirror Senshi tilted his head. "Why are you glad? Do you like fights?"

He looked a little nervous when Gagarin mentioned his magic might sting, but then he laughed. "That's okay. I'm sure I can handle it. Do you want to go first?"

It... Took a moment for Gagarin to understand the giggle. And then it clicked and he both sighed.. And snickered at himself, relaxing a bit more.

"OK. Yeah OK I get the giggling." Gagarin admitted. He snickered a moment more before nodding.

"He did. He patrols and coordinates information with myself, and a different friend named Oumuamua, so we both know friendly parties and so we keep information up to date between us. I'm pretty sure of us all he's the best connected, considering..." Gagarin rubbed his neck. "I work a lot. Oumuamua is awkward and has hang-ups about fighting powered. I swear, that man is going to work himself into exhaustion. I keep telling him to take a break."

Because Susanoo worked, patrolled, and was in his doctorate's program and Gagarin had no idea if he could do that. …Admittedly Gagarin wasn't even attempting college. He owned a company with a high fashion boutique, he didn't give half a whit about higher education.

"I do like to fight, but part of it is releasing pent-up frustrations and part is making an actual enemy know what is what. But Susanoo said you're nice and you seem to live up to it so... I mean swapping magic effects might help one another prepare for actual threats, right? Build up to real trouble." He laughed awkwardly. Really, Gagarin weas...Well... A little awkward. Was he doing magic right???

"Ok, let me just..." Gagarin shifted his weight, and cast, looking... A little worried for Kissling.



Surprised but pleased that the other senshi understood why he had been giggling, Kissling grinned sheepishly. It was nice that it seemed to ease some of his tension, too.

The blond listened attentively to Gagarin's explanation and nodded in acknowledgement. "You definitely seem like you need to release pent-up frustrations one way or another," Kissling laughed. "But I'm glad Susanoo thinks I'm nice. I think he's nice, too. And thank you!"

He nodded again, this time in agreement, when the White Moon Senshi commented on how swapping magical effects might help them prepare for actual threats. But when the brunet seemed worried, Kissling smiled at him, trying to put him at ease. "Don't worry! I'm sure I can take it."

Almost immediately, a sudden storm began to brew right over Kissling's head. His sandy blond locks were blown in his face and he used one hand to tuck them behind one ear, trying to hold his ground as wind and rain began to buffet him. Despite the stinging rain, he slowly managed to make his way over to Gagarin and, since the other was only an inch taller in height, moved to kiss his cheek.



Gagarin was finally relaxing.

"Yeah. Susanoo's a good judge of character too." Gagarin admitted. "He's bloody brilliant, and doesn't seem to realize how smart he really is." Because Gagarin was confident that anyone earning a doctorate at 28 in psychology had to be brilliant! He'd taken college credit in high school!... Gagarin didn't even bother with college!

And he watched. He watched the storm buffet Kissling with actual concern. Oh if asked he might deny it, maybe. Probably not, as he watched Kissling approach curiously. And blinked as Kissling used his magic. And the fact he kissed his cheek. Gagarin did register the last vestiges of agitation fade - he didn't really want to fight. He showed off his magic, that was good enough. But... He kissed him and Gagarin had never4 been kissed by someone since.... Ever? Yeah, ever. His dating life-- Gagarin stopped that train of thought because he felt his cheeks heating up, blushing deeply.

"Uhhh..." Gagarin tried, jaw dropping a moment, trying to find words.

"You're okay? I... uh...." He was turning deeper red. He knew it was magic, too, so-- why?! He kept asking himself why!... Which made him deeper red, really. "Uuuuhhh...."

He was... Trying to speak. Trying.

The Dark Mirror Senshi blinked when he pulled away and noticed Gagarin blushing profusely. Then he grinned, watching his blush darken even as they continued to speak. "I'm okay! Are you alright?" he asked, tilting his head. "It was just a kiss on the cheek. You have been kissed before, haven't you? At least on the cheek?"

The brunet was behaving adorably. Kissling laughed and hugged him. "Oh, you're soooo CUTE!!" Last he checked, his magic made people less violent, not less verbal. But apparently it was doing a great deal more to Gagarin than he'd thought it would. Or, if not the magic, the kiss was, at least.

"I mean... Not really, no." Gagarin felt the deep crimson spreading to his ears. He was not prepared for flirting. And he supposed he should have guessed Kissling's magic used kissing!... Right? Oh gods. The Senshi blinked.

"I.. I mean I'm okay..." Gagarin managed to stammer out. "I... Wait cute?" The blush went darker, Gagarin blinking owlishly. He wonder4ed if he was delusional or if his neck was pink as well as his ears.

"I suppose I could have just given you a blown kiss," Kissling laughed. "But I really wanted to do more than that. But I didn't want to go too far, either, since I know you might have someone waiting for you at home. A boyfriend or girlfriend or lover." He grinned mischievously. "I don't think they'd like it very much if they found out I kissed their partner on the lips, so I thought better safe than sorry."

He was turning an even darker red! Kissling hadn't thought that was possible! "Calm down! You're going to melt into a puddle! What, no one's ever called you cute, either? You really need to get out more!" The older senshi shook his head, still grinning. "I'd have thought you'd have gotten compliments like that all the time. Are you sure you're okay? Do you need me to walk you home or something...?"

Gagarin paused at that, considering, before he looked... Smaller than her was. Subdued.

"A...Actually... I don't have anyone at home. My parents died in a wreck when I was eighteen and... I don't miss them,. They weren't... They weren't good people. And I work a lot, so I... I've never uhm..." Gagarin was just digging a hole, but he didn't stop. "I've never even dated more than a couple weeks now and then in high school." He admitted quietly. And he hadn't been allowed to even date his type. His type included kind people, he felt. He knew he'd meet someone some day, but.

"S...So uh... Yeah. I don't really have anyone at home. I think Susanoo and Oumuamua are the closest in age to friends I have and I'm.... Turning Twenty-one next month." He didn't mind older folks either, plainly. He just felt... Shy, sand fidgeted a bit as he peered down. "I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable..."

The more Kissling heard from Gagarin, the more he started to feel bad for teasing him. He had no one? Well, Kissling knew a little about that. He imagined the other senshi must have been pretty lonely. Sure, he may have had friends, but the sounded like they were pretty busy. Then again, it sounded like so was Gagarin.

"Awww," the blond lamented. "If we were the same faction, we could tell each other our identities and I could ask you out," he sighed, his whole body drooping. "But since we can't do that, I'll never be able to even find out if you would have rejected me or not."

Righting himself, he tried to lighten up. "Well...at least we can be friends like this."

When Gagarin said he hoped he wasn't making Kissling uncomfortable, the shorter senshi stared at him. "Are you kidding? I've been the one making you uncomfortable this whole time! You should see your face. You're beet red!"

Shaking his head with a wistful smile, the pink-clad senshi ran a palm down his face. "I guess I'd better leave before I make you any more red," he chuckled. "But...one more thing."

Stepping right up to Gagarin once more, he kissed the opposite cheek of the one he had before. "I hope you find someone worthy of you who gives you lots of kisses if that's what you want," he told him cheerfully near his ear. "You deserve it."

"I mean... We can still hang out powered. Maybe schedule a time and place once a week to just wander town and talk?" Gagarin offered weakly, almost shyly. "If we were on the same team... I'd love to get to know you more too. I like people more than I act."

Because it was a defense mechanism. Because he'd been hurt for being who he was by his own family. Because he grew up the sole daughter of a wealthy couple who treated him as an heiress to marry off, not the son he identified as to inherit and run everything. So no, he never felt bad they died. But...it hurt. He was still angry. And he wanted connections, awkward as he was. When Kissling kissed him again, Gagarin offered a small smile and embraced him tightly.

"Thank you." He said softly. "That means a lot more than you realize."

"I'd like that," the blond said in response to the brunet's suggestion that they meet up once a week. "It would be nice to get to know each other as much as we can, anyway. Especially since it sounds like your civilian life is pretty busy, so maybe I'm lucky that you set aside time to power up as someone I can meet with."

At Gagarin's declaration that he liked people more than he acted he did, Kissling smiled. "I know," he said. "You seem...lonely. Maybe you should take a vacation from your job and spend more time with your friends having fun. And maybe that would help you relieve some pent-up tension better than fighting would."

"Oh!" Kissling was surprised when Gagarin hugged him, but he gladly hugged him back. "You're welcome," he answered warmly.

Once they released each other, the Dark Mirror Senshi gave Gagarin a little wave. "I have to go collect more energy, but I'll see you around, okay? Maybe...next Saturday night? At the park? Would that be good for you? Or you can pick a time and place instead! You probably have a busier schedule than me, so I'm happy to work around it."

"Work will probably let me power more once this huge project is done." Gagarin admitted. "And once it's in place I hope it helps a lot of people in Destiny City." It had to. Because Gagarin didn't want to use his wealth to take.

He wanted tov give. When Kissling let go, Gagarin stepped back, nodding.

"Alright. Just be safe. I'll see you again soon, I hope." Gagarin beamed, and moved to depart with a relaxed walk. Trading magic was fun.... Although he was not living down his first cheek kiss coming from a Dark Mirror, he wasn't bothered. Susanoo was right. Kissling was nice!

"Ohh! Good luck on being able to get your project done soon, then!" Kissling said, grinning. "If it helps a lot of people, now you have me curious. I hope I can ask you more about it next time."

The blond giggled again. "I'll be safe if you will," he assured his new friend. "And I'll definitely make sure to see you soon." And then, blowing a final kiss, he went and skipped off in the opposite direction.