#ira gamagoori | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ms0milk · 2 years ago

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i found this fic i wrote in 2014 (when i was 14) and i'm obsessed,, it's honestly not bad at all lmao pls enjoy my baby-kill la kill-throwback

(i literally just copypaste from my old email account so everything below this line is an untouched primary document)

Title: Dating for Dummies

Pairing: Gamagoori/Mako

Rating: T (<- what does this mean? -2022 pom)

Disclaimer: not beta’d and Gama is best dork

(based off of ^this^ end credit cap -2022 pom)

Gamagoori clutched the pink bouquet with shaking hands and mutely followed the other Devas through the streets. He hoped he didn’t vomit. Or faint. He wasn’t sure which was more likely; his entire body seemed to be fighting a war with itself. A war of nerves.

“We should have brought an extra change of clothes,” Nonon mused. “But Froggy had to wear a suit. Are you proposing or confessing?”

He stared at the bright pink flowers and chose to ignore her teasing. The snake would always lead with its fangs, after all. Even in the case of helping someone else. She was helping, and that was what mattered.

“They��ve stopped again,” Inumuta informed them, looking at his tablet. The tracking device in Satsuki’s purse allowed them to easily follow the trio.

Gamagoori somehow managed to look up from the flowers to focus on the little blinking light on the tablet screen. He swallowed. They were only a few blocks away now which indicated it was almost time. His eyes swung back to the flowers and he clenched them tighter. He couldn’t remember a time where he was more nervous. Standing up to the bullies, fighting Satsuki, waging war against the life fibers…no prior event had caused his insides to twist in such a way. He tried to calm himself by taking slow, even breaths, but his heart rate remained stubbornly elevated and he was still perspiring heavily.

Nonon, always one to sense any amount of weakness of will, stood before him with a scrutinizing look. “I gave up going shopping for you,” she informed him darkly. “You better not back out.”

Gamagoori nodded. “I know.”

He understood this was a matter of do or die. Soon it would be over with and he could relax again. Gamagoori tried to look forward to the future but found it was impossible to predict. If she wasn’t interested what would he feel? What would he do? The tiny, pink flowers had no answer for him, so instead he tried to work on what he wanted to say. Yes, no point in thinking that far ahead. For now he needed to practice what he would say to win Mako’s heart.

Gamagoori closed his eyes. Now, he thought. How should I put it?

He remained still, hunched against the wall as he meditated…until all at once his eyes bugged out. He’d been so worried about everything else he hadn’t even considered what to say. His mind was a complete blank. He couldn’t string any sort of meaningful love declarations, no poetic recitations, and certainly no sweet-nothings. At the moment, he could barely remember his own name.

Gamagoori’s breathing rate began to increase again as his panic rose. How could he have forgotten to come up with a good line? Something. Anything. He looked dumbly down at the flowers, which were starting to look both blurry and patronizing. A shocking feat for mere flowers.

“Here they come,” Inumuta warned.

He jumped to his feet without knowing why. They were coming and Gamagoori had nothing to say. He had flowers and nothing else. Just himself; a large, mute man who couldn’t even properly speak to the girl he liked. But he was going to try. No matter what, he was going to try.

Inumuta adjusted his glasses and looked up at him. “I took the liberty of placing note cards in your jacket pocket. In case you find yourself…without words.”

Gamagoori look down, surprised. “Y-yes. Alright.”

“You don’t need note cards,” Uzu voiced. “Just speak from the heart.”

He nodded again. “From the heart…” All he could truly muster was parroted responses. At a later point he would communicate his gratitude towards them for their help. For now it was all he could do to stay standing.

“There they are,” Nonon voiced, excited. “It’s time!” She waved a hand at him and said, “Good luck, Froggy.” Soon she was dashing out to intercept the girls, followed shortly by Inumuta and Uzu. They gave him a passing thumbs-up, and he was left alone with his flowers.

This is it.

He would not hide anymore. It was time for him to truly, truly go Nudist. With his heart, at least.

Gamagoori moved out from the cover the building provided, looking across the street where the group had met up. Nonon was directing Mako to a food stand down the way, and the girl had run off eagerly, her large bag of goods bouncing behind her. He headed in the same direction, planning to intercept her. His expression was one of determination with a tinge of nausea. Now that he was finally acting, his body at least seemed to be behaving correctly. Steely-gray eyes remained fixed on his target as he closed the distance between them.

Suddenly, a crowd of people spilled out of a bus, clogging the path with pedestrians. At the same time some moving-men began moving large furniture right in his path. It was as if the world had all at once conspired against him in the most non-humorous way possible. Briefly he took his eyes off of Mako as he picked his way past people and furniture, and when he looked back up he couldn’t see her amongst the crowd. Gamagoori stopped, eyes scanning for the engorged bag that Mako had been carrying. Even though he was larger than everyone, he didn’t immediately spot her.

“Mankanshoku…” he muttered, moving forward again. He needed to remain calm. She couldn’t have gotten far, and he knew where the food stand was located. The busy sidewalk was only a minor annoyance. He would find her.

When Gamagoori reached the stand, his heart sank. She wasn’t there, and he hadn’t seen her along the way. He looked at the store fronts, wondering if she made a side-stop in any of the buildings nearby. If he had to, he’d check them all. With another glance around the area he spotted a bulbous round bag. There she was.

He pushed through the people and called, “Mankanshoku!” Half-stumbling, he made it to the curb, eyes catching the sight of a large round bag…being thrown into the back of a garbage truck. Gamagoori’s shoulders slumped. It hadn’t been her at all. His panic was beginning to rise now. He didn’t know if he could bear facing Satsuki knowing that he had managed to lose Mako in the crowds. The hand that clutched the pink bouquet hung loosely at his side.

What should he do now?

“Oh! Is that you, Gamagoori-senpai?”

Gamagoori turned at the sound, wide-eyes falling on the very girl he had lost. “M-Mankanshoku…”

Mako was looking at him with a tilted head. “Wow you look all dressed up today,” she said. Then she jumped in surprise, pointing at the flowers. “F-flowers!? Oh gosh t-this…I know what this is!”

His brows snapped together. “Y-you…you do?” Inwardly he sighed in relief. Leave it to Mako to understand, yet again, what he was truly feeling. He should have never worried.

“Yes!” she confirmed. Her hands snapped up above her head and for a moment she appeared cloaked in a faint light (<- if you don't watch the show you don't understand what a hysterical addition to the fic this is -2022 pom). “The suit, the flowers, and all of the other things up until now. The entire atmosphere and even the Confession Moon! It was all leading up to the same thing.”

(it's genuinely alarming how accurate i got this characterization, pls god watch the show and read this again -2022 pom)

He tried to follow, but she was moving around very enthusiastically and making gestures that he couldn’t decipher. “Ah, y-yes. That’s what I-”

Mako held her hand up suddenly. “You don’t have to explain yourself! I understand.”

A warm, bubbly feeling spread through his chest at her words. His cheeks were red, but he looked at her with a tender expression. “Mankanshoku…”

She smiled, bright and cheery. He had feared for no reason. This person would not harm him, surely. She was kind and honest and brave. Why had he been afraid?

“We’re friends, senpai, so I’m going to help you! I’ll help make sure your confession goes perfectly!”

He blinked down at her with a dreamy expression before his expectations completely shattered. Gamagoori didn’t attempt to mask his horror as he stuttered, “N-no, M-Mankanshoku, you d-don’t-”

Mako made a sound of disappointment as she nimbly snagged the bouquet from his hand. “Aww, senpai, something happened to your flowers.” She waved the broken and droopy bouquet in front of him before tossing it over her shoulder. “If you’re going to confess you should buy some better flowers first. I’ll help you pick some out!”

Before he could muster a response, she took hold of his finger and dragged him along through the crowd. Those in their path wisely moved out of the way; Mako was too busy detailing all the reasons why he couldn’t possibly make a confession without nice flowers to notice anyone else. She pulled him to an outdoor market full of stands selling various wares.

“Mankanshoku, I have to-”

“Flowers!” she broke in, pointing. She tugged him forward again, ending up in front of a colorful flower stand. “Ooo! They’re all so bright and pretty!”

“Thank you,” the stand’s owner replied, her wrinkly face stretching in a smile.

“Hmm, what do you think would work best, senpai?” Mako asked, scrutinizing over the selection. “You probably have to think of their meaning.”

She grabbed a bouquet of yellow daisies and held it aloft saying, “These are saying ‘you are the sun in my sky’.” Then she exchanged those for some pink carnations. “And this is ‘my feelings are like a gentle blush’.” Her next pick became red roses. “These say ‘my blood is raging with passion for you’.” Mako’s face became serious as she advised, “These are only for the most serious intentions, senpai. Are you ready for that? You know. That.” He watched as Mako made a strange gesture which involved her pinky.

No, he certainly didn’t know that. He was starting to sweat more again at the very suggestion of…whatever that was. “Uh…” he uttered lamely, looking between the flowers and her intent expression. “What do you suggest, Mankanshoku? Surely you can advise me well.”

Mako blinked and then smiled wide. “I won’t let you down!” Gamagoori thought he could bask in such a smile endlessly. It warmed him to his core and chased away any apprehension that remained. He wanted to receive that smile from her again and again.

“I think this one!” Mako announced finally, choosing a multicolor bouquet. It was rather large but packed with a diverse number of flowers of different colors.

“Why this one?” he asked, honestly curious.

Mako stood triumphantly, hands on her hips as she explained, “Because it says ‘I want everything’! Gamagoori-senpai isn’t the type to hold back his emotions.” Mako punched the air in front of her. “You let them all out.”

Gamagoori quickly attempted to cover his blush. “That…that is a good answer, Mankanshoku.” He turned to pay the old woman while feeling light-headed. While Mako was not the most observant or attentive about certain things, in other ways she understood a lot more than one would expect. It was what made her so incomprehensible. That was simply her.

After he had paid he turned back to her and asked, “What else can I do, Mankanshoku?”

Mako took on a thoughtful expression. “It couldn’t hurt to give her some cute gifts! Girls like cute gifts.”

He nodded and picked up her large bag to carry it for her. “Alright.” Bashfully, he held out his hand and said, “Take my hand, Mankanshoku. So I don’t lose you.”

She placed her hand in his without hesitation and led the way. Gamagoori held her small hand gently as he allowed her to pull him to various stands. He felt content in a way he had never felt before. Never would he have expected such simple acts to feel so meaningful.

Whatever Mako suggested he was willing to accept. She looked overjoyed that she was being helpful to him. Chocolates, stuffed animals, matching cellphone charms. Mako pointed out things and advised him on why they would be perfect. She truly wanted to see him succeed and had no inkling that it was entirely about her in the first place.

Finally, when she was satisfied he had enough gifts and his arms were loaded with all the things she suggested he buy, Mako decided they should head back so Gamagoori could have his ‘shining moment’. The small girl bounced excitedly in front of him as she led the way, commenting on how she didn’t think anyone could say no to him. He smiled faintly at the encouragement before he looked ahead of them. The group was in sight now.

“Mankanshoku,” he voiced, stopping. “I have to tell you the truth.”

Mako stopped moving and turned to watch as he knelt, shifting all of the items and placing them before her. This time he was more careful with the flowers which he held out in the space between them.

For a moment, Mako simply stared. But then she clapped her hands together and said, “Oh yeah! Maybe you should practice what you want to say.” Mako ruffled her fingers through her hair and posed dramatically. “I’m ready. Steal my heart, if you can.”

Gamagoori swallowed. She had truly taken on a daunting form, but he wouldn’t let that stop him. “Mankanshoku!” he said loudly, his face steely determination. “I like you! Please accept my invitation to go on a date! The time and place is of your choosing!”

Finally he had said it. Gamagoori watched Mako’s face, waiting for her response. She appeared to be contemplating his words carefully. That was fine with him. He would rather her be completely certain than feel forced into something she didn’t want. The choice was now hers.

After a long pause, Mako broke her pose and clapped eagerly. “That was great, senpai.” She placed a hand on the back of her head, smiling bashfully. “I was so caught up in the moment I almost forgot it was for someone else. You probably should say the name of the girl when you practice. Ahh…she’s going to love it…” She was smiling dreamily with a far off look in her eyes.

Gamagoori revealed a small smile and said, “I did say her name.”

Mako’s mouth opened into an ‘o’ shape and she stared at him for many long moments. He remained where he was, waiting for her to come to her own conclusion. The moment broke with Mako jumping and exclaiming loudly, “What?! M-m-me?!”

“Yes. You.” He blushed deeply from where he knelt before her. “Forgive me, for taking so long.”

It was then that Mako was reduced to a babbling mess, gesturing and speaking too quickly for anyone to truly understand. Gamagoori finally felt calm; the release of his feelings had freed him from his fear. Gently he took hold of her hand and set the bouquet before her. She grasped it, settling down as she looked at the vibrant flowers.

“You are right. I want everything.”

She blushed, burying her face into the flowers. It appeared that now she was the one who could not speak. By then, the others were coming towards them. Most specifically, Ryuuko was. It seemed the diversion tactics had finally worn out.

“What the hell is going on?” Ryuuko asked, staring at Gamagoori kneeling and the pile of gifts in front of him. Mako turned, waddled on wobbly legs, and planted her red face into Ryuuko’s chest. “Wha…what’s wrong, Mako?!”

The response was muffled, but not enough to mask the meaning. “I’ve got a…d-date with Gamagoori-senpai!”

His heart soared.

rereading this i actually really love the concept and even 8 1/2 years later the characterization totally holds up! i'm also immediately rewatching kill la kill

#kill la kill #ira gamagoori #mako mankanshoku #pmme.txt #p recs

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