Persona: New Awakening

Haruka sighed and face palmed.
"Seriously, you know how to make yourself seem more suspicious don't you?" she said to Holden.
She then looked at Leila, moving up to her and putting a hand on her shoulder, she figured she should spill the beans now to an extent thanks to Holden's inability to look normal in such a situation.
Although... she also figured it could just be the natural 'bond' between him and Leila.
"Look, we're being serious, I had something I wanted to take care of that would benefit a certain member of the team. I had Holden help me." Haruka said nonchalantly but still friendly.

 

"Benefit a certain member?" Leila repeated as she looked at Haruka, perking an eyebrow. She felt even more angry now, knowing Holden was hiding something. She starting getting the hint of what it was though with Haruka's words. Although, she'd prefer if she heard it from them instead of assuming and punishing them...Mainly Holden. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, glancing at Holden before looking at Haruka. "What member?"

 

Haruka sighed, deciding the jigg was up.
"You." she revealed.
"I hope you won't think bad of me, but I saw what you were being like... too afraid to go outside.
No one should have to feel like that. So I wanted to take care of it.
I also got Holden involved.
...So... this isn't his fault. It's mine.
I'm sorry, but I couldn't stand here and do nothing. I've had trouble with those thugs before, and I know the only way to solve them is to warn them off.
...Point is. Whether you'll be mad at me or not. You'll be safe from now on, and I'll take whatever punishment you see fit to give me, any day than have you be too scared to do anything." Haruka finished.

 

Haruka didn't leave just yet, her hands on her hips."Nah-ah. No. I'm not letting you take the blame for this.
Even if I hadn't heard completely from you, I'd have found out anyway." she clarified, and looked at Leila. "I could tell something was wrong, hence why I asked Holden about it, so yeah."
She showed no signs of leaving yet, showing her stubborn streak and that she wouldn't just let a friend of hers take a fall either.

 

Leila pressed her lips tightly together and clenched her hands tightly into fists, trying to hold back from exploding on either one of them. She knew Holden got himself into trouble, but she wasn't expecting Haruka to be the same as him. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply as she turned around, walking towards the couch she had been on earlier. She mumbled quietly to herself and rubbed her forehead, opening her eyes as she gazed towards one of the pillows on the couch. She lowered her arm and breathed in deeply once more before reaching towards the small pillow. She quickly turned around and stepped towards Holden, smacking his side with the pillow. "You told me you'd stop!" She squeezed the pillow tightly and took a step back. "Why did you do that? Yes, I was afraid, but I would have gotten over it! You could have gotten yourselves killed!"

OOC: <<;;

 

"Just because you're the leader doesn't mean you can't get hurt!" Leila glared hard at Holden, but she suddenly froze up when she felt him grasp her arm. She held the pillow tightly and felt her cheeks flush as he stared into her eyes. She stared back into his and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She felt her cheeks become warmer as she looked away for a moment, surprised just by a touch from him she was frozen. She cleared her throat and kept her eyes down. "I want the both of you to stop this...nonsense."

 

"Hey, it's no biggie." Haruka said, raising her arms behind her head.
"We won't have to deal with them again anyway."
Then she sighed... "But we are sorry for worrying you.
We know you have to look out for us, but you should also trust that we can take care of ourselves if need be.
At the end of the day... my actions and dragging Holden out with me may have been selfish, but I had the best intentions for the team and many others in mind."
She paused and walked up to Leila, noting the way she blushed around Holden.
"Look... you know how you felt when you got attacked.
You aren't the only one those guys target. As I said, I've been targeted many times before, but at least I can defend myself.
You and many of the other people of Iwatodai can't.
What we did may have just saved A LOT" and she emphasized the words 'A LOT'
"of people from having to feel scared and how you felt after they attacked you.
This also means that your mind can be put to rest about it." she finished... but she hadn't she decided to add one more thing in.
"I can only apologise for worrying you, and for getting Holden involved.
But I can't apologise for my actions, since I don't feel I was in the wrong." she said this a lot more maturely than she usually sounded.
Then she wrecked that by smiling and tilting her head to the side rather girlishly and winking. "Look, what if I promise you I'll do anything you say just once. No matter what you ask, I'll do it. Will that make it up to you?" she said playfully, trying to break the tension and make everything alright again.
The last thing she wanted was for the girl to hate her. She had only just found her place in this group of people as well. She certainly didn't want to ruin that.

 

"If it's anything," Leila muttered, lowering her gaze as she tugged a little on her arm when Holden loosened his grip. "I want you to stop with messing with the thugs. Just because violence with work with them, doesn't mean it'll continue to work." She looked up at Holden and narrowed her eyes at him. "This includes you too. No more! Or else." She glared at him once more and pulled her arm away from his grasp, heading towards the couch and putting the pillow back in its place.

 

"Really? That's what you want despite the fact that we already promised we wouldn't again anyway?
Considering we wouldn't need to again?
...Well, if you're sure." Haruka said.
She also got Holden's hint. "It's fine... I'll let you two be alone and have some 'make-up' time." she said playfully, giving them both a wink.
She turned around, her long red hair trailing behind her, and again, revealing something on the back of her neck for just a brief second as she started to head towards the stairs.

 

Leila glanced momentarily at Haruka as she walked off. As she returned her attention towards Holden, she caught something in the corner of her eye and looked back at Haruka. She blinked several times and shook her head, figuring she was just seeing things. She returned her attention at Holden and crossed her arms, curious as to why he wanted Haruka out of the room. She glared up at him as she listened to his first comment, soon pushing Holden back when she heard his last one. "Seriously, stop! I don't want you going off doing stupid things when you have other things to worry about!"

 

"C-Cute?!" The warmth on Leila's cheeks only intensified as she took a step back, tugging a bit at her hands. "I'm not cute when I'm angry!" She glared hard at the boy before averting her gaze as soon as she apologized. She bit down on her lip and stopped tugging on her hands, stepping closer towards Holden. "Just stop with it already. You'll end up killed one day." Leila looked up at Holden momentarily before slowly lowering her head, looking at Holden's hand. "And I don't want that to happen."

 

Leila bit down on her lip lightly and tugged a bit more on her hands. She wasn't sure why she felt so nervous suddenly, she couldn't even find the words to say to Holden. She chewed on her bottom lip anxiously, slowly looking up at Holden when he placed his hand under her chin. Leila's lips parted slightly as Holden leaned closer, feeling a slight twitch jump through her body as soon Holden's lips made contact with hers. She felt her cheeks heat up more as she closed her eyes tightly, intertwining her fingers through Holden's while she placed her other hand on Holden's shoulders, pulling him a little closer.

 

Haruka wasn't the type to spy on others, but she smirked as she stood with her back to the wall, around the corner of where the stairs were.
I guess the guy has some moves after all.
Good for them. she thought to herself, as she then continued on upstairs. It was a good thing we went and did what we did even more-so now...
I have no doubt it wouldn't have happened eventually, but meh, this was as good a chance as any. she smirked again, glad that her plan had ended up with way more than one success.
She then proceeded to her room, noticing all the boxes still.
"...Crap." she muttered, realising what the rest of her day now entailed.

 

Hattori yawned as he stretched. He felt himself wanting to take a nap before the team went to Tartarus.

Hardly anything to do around here..... Hattori thought to himself as he watched the clock.