[M] Sniped Through the Heart (Iwazuma x Hannelorian)

[Iwazuma]

'Want' was a strong word. Regina raised an eyebrow, curious as to the meaning behind that phrase. It was quickly followed up with a desire to simply...do things with her. Spend time. Just as they had been doing. Regina wanted to point that out, but ultimately decided against the idea, instead simply letting the words hang in the air for a moment. After an extended pause, Regina figured out what she wanted to say. "I want to spend time with you." It was just a repeat of what Anke had said to her, but it was an affirmation all the same. An affirmation that she returned the feeling, and wanted to find a way to express that to her. Perhaps it wasn't the most emotional way to do so, but Regina still wasn't quite there yet. She needed to do things the Regina way, the way she was slowly beginning to learn. How to open up, to show emotion. If expressions weren't working, then words would do. For now, at least.

Regina had never bowled before, at least to her memory. Such activity fit into the 'recreation' category that Regina had simply never entertained, on the grounds that it was a waste of time and energy to do so. Any benefits to going to the bowling alley were lost on her, as the motions involved and unique type of precision necessary to knock over the pins did not translate well to sniping or any field activity. Now, of course, she had the reason she lacked before. If Anke wanted it, she would go. Perhaps there could be some 'fun'. Maybe just the idea of being with Anke was enough to make anything they did together enjoyable. That was what 'dating' was about, right? As far as she knew, from what she had observed and what Anke had told her, this was what couples were supposed to do. Even if something wasn't inherently fun on its own, fun could be found in someone else being there. Especially if it was someone you cared about.

As Regina considered just how she might go about having fun at the alley, Anke spoke up about the dress Regina had of hers. She had figured perhaps Anke simply wanted it back, but her request had Regina stopping short as she moved to her dresser to grab a set of appropriate clothes for herself. "You want...my sweatpants?" ...why? Anke was well aware of her very specific modifications to her clothes; she had to, even if she hadn't said as much. Her clothes were made to show off her off-putting and menacing metallic limbs, to show her coworkers and enemies alike that she was different, something to be feared. This obviously never scared Anke, of course, but to the point of wanting such clothes for herself? "I'm not sure I can recommend them to anyone else...they offer absolutely no protection from the elements." She could have also just as easily mentioned the amount of skin they exposed, but Regina knew by now that was a non-factor to Anke, whose nudity in her own room was proof enough of this fact.

Still, she knew Anke was insistent, and if her clothes would make her happy, then Regina was not going to say no. "You're sure you don't want something like a bra?" Something that would at least be normal for her to wear? Regina had a hunch it was a pointless question to ask, though. She dug through her dresser, producing two pairs of sweatpants: One for her, one for Anke. She handed one pair to her girlfriend, unfolding her own pair and looking at it quietly. They were cut a few inches below the waistline on the right leg, offering just enough decency to be acceptable for someone like her to wear in public without worry. But for Anke...wouldn't she look just a little ridiculous only covering one leg? Regina worried quietly as she glanced back to Anke, a blush covering her face as she thought about the idea of changing in front of her. Exposing herself to her...

After a long pause and a quiet sigh, Regina decided on a compromise, one that would at least keep her own fears at bay while perhaps giving Anke something she'd enjoy. She turned away, slowly and nervously lifting her shirt over her head, exposing her scars once again. Regina grit her teeth; she couldn't see Anke looking, so it was like nobody was, right? She repeated this anomaly to herself again and again as she quickly found another shirt to wear, hastily throwing it on and breathing a sigh of relief. Next came her pants, quickly discarded to the floor, revealing a plain, military green pair of undergarments as Regina hastily moved to throw her sweatpants on. Her wardrobe shift complete, Regina turned back to Anke, her expression neutral as always, as though she hadn't just exposed herself to her girlfriend and quietly willed the butterflies in her stomach to stop fluttering. "I'm ready when you are. Though I do not believe I have any particular skill set in bowling, I will give my best attempt. If that is what you want." She knew Anke would say 'I just want us to have fun', but determining that 'fun' was becoming a game of trial and error for Regina. One she'd messed up on a few times. Hopefully she became better at this than she could be at bowling.

[Hannelorian]

Anke was patient and quiet. She allowed Regina the freedom to change around her, and for the most part she kept her eyes away, knowing how uncomfortable Regina was with her body. Though she couldn't help herself from stealing the occasional glance. There was no part of Anke that didn't love Regina and her body, she was beautiful, even if parts of her were artificial, she was still incredibly beautiful, soft, despite rough edges.

"Of course I want the sweat pants. Your uniform pants wouldn't do for such an occasion as bowling." Anke rolled her eyes rather playfully and let out a hint of a giggle. "You really think I care if people look at me differently for wearing half a set of pants?" Anke knew Regina was familiar with the answer. That wasn't a surprise, Regina knew that Anke threw caution to wind. She wasn't ashamed of her body. "They belong to you, they remind me of you. They smell like your laundry detergent." Anke lifted the item of clothing to her nose and sniffed it a bit. Exhaling in something of an overjoyed state. "And everyone should see us as an us." Anke was proud of Regina, she wanted to show off that claim, that sense of togetherness.

Slowly Anke moved to don her underwear, followed shortly by the specially modified sweatpants. "Besides, I don't need protection from the elements."Anke seemed to be rather joyous, happy this morning. She was filled with a sense of determination. They were going to have fun. A true day of levity, no cryptic notes handed over by a server, no mission failure to bring down either of their moods. Anke completed her dressing routine and quickly tied her hair back into a neat bun. She looked like herself, barring the pants. Though Anke was, admittedly, proud of the effort she had put in during leg days.

"I am ready to bowl." Anke announced as she slung an arm around Regina and ushered her toward the door. The two women spilling into the hallway where she instinctively moved to take Regina's hand and guided the both of them toward the bases' bowling alley. She dismissed any and all odd looks they received from those that passed them. None of that mattered to her. Regina was the only important thin now. That and she supposed her role in Osnen's defense. But it too was nice to know they weren't simply going to the gun range, there had been enough target practice as of late.

"You're probably going to be insanely good at this." Anke could not deny Regina's talents and hard work in almost all things. After all how different could bowling possibly be? It required aim and some skill but surely that would come naturally to a pair of trained snipers. It was one of those things that seemed like it had to be some kind of natural extension of their innate abilities. Though Anke had a bit of doubt in regards to her own ability. A small part of her wanted to impress Regina, to look cool and effortless, but that was just who she was. Who she had always been. A perfectionist in all things. Even if she could never beat Regina's score on the range, she had come close. That still counted for quite a bit.

"I ask that you try, and have fun. If we suck, we suck. No one's giving us anything based on our ability to throw a ball across a shiny stretch of floor into some pins." The stakes were low, at least when it came to the game.

[Iwazuma]

Maybe Regina was just overthinking things. Her sweatpants certainly looked unusual on Anke, to say the least. An entire leg exposed...on anyone other than Regina, it looked a little silly. But Anke seemed...happy. And happy was good. "Just...us as us." It was a simple statement-about as simple as it got, really. And it described them quite well. They were...them. No qualifiers, just themselves. Regina shifted close to Anke, nervously seeking acceptance from her girlfriend and finding it. With a hand gently squeezing hers, Regina felt a quiet surge of comfort, something she hadn't expected leading up to the moment. But Anke was there. Anke was guiding her down the right path. She wouldn't do her wrong. Everything was going to be fine, because Anke wouldn't have it any other way. She'd learned this much during their time together, and Regina was slowly beginning to accept it. Her protests were only going to spur her on.

Regina glanced about the corridors as they walked towards the bowling alley. She could see other soldiers walking around and past them; many were staring at Anke's exposed leg. She could imagine many were commenting about her Terminator cosplay, and Regina felt a pang of guilt that Anke was being subjected to such ridicule. Not that Anke cared. She was striding with purpose and confidence, a smile on her face that deflected any and all criticism that could come her way. Regina truly didn't know how she did it. Regina had blocked out the harsh words, ignored the flak that came her way because of her soulless confidence. She was the best, and everyone around her was merely hating that fact. But since Anke came into her life, her confidence had shaken, her emotionless facade cracked and on the verge of breaking at times. She lacked Anke's ability to just...flow. She wondered if that was something that could be learned, or a fact of life that she would have to accept wasn't hers. Her mind mired in this quicksand as they approached the alley, Regina trying her best not to voice her worries. She knew what Anke would say.

As they entered the alley, Regina went to retrieve shoes for the both of them. Only three in total; Regina had no use for a left shoe. She handed Anke her pair, then went to go retrieve a ball. Rather than look at weights, Regina selected an orange-red ball, a color she liked a lot. With her ball in hand, she proceeded to an empty lane, setting it down in the rack and cracking her neck, as though preparing for a mission. She had never bowled before...but it couldn't be that hard. She knew how to bowl. It just came down to execution, right? She glanced over at Anke, then closed her eyes. It wasn't a competition. It was just an attempt for them both to have fun. She didn't want to mess this up for either of them. "I will try." Regina offered Anke a guarantee; she would try. For both of them.

She let Anke set up the game, sitting in one of the rather uncomfortable chairs as she waited for the pins to be set up. She glanced up to the screen; seemed she had been chosen as first. Regina walked up to the lane, holding the ball in her left hand for now. She wasn't certain which hand she wanted to use...but faster was better, right? Regina heaved a sigh, took a few steps into her delivery, and threw the ball, a screaming fastball that flew down the lane faster than any human arm could possibly throw. The ball smashed into the pins, sending them clattering around the back of the lane. One flew out of the back, sliding all the way up to Regina, who lifted a foot and caught the pin without moving an inch. The screen rung up a strike, but Regina felt a little embarrassed. That had been incredibly loud. Heads turned in the alley to face her; evidently this was not a common occurrence in the slightest.

"...whoops..." Regina muttered quietly, feeling her cheeks darken from the sudden attention she was getting. Maybe she hadn't done that right...

[Hannelorian]

Anke watched as Regina hurled the ball down the lane and nearly shattered the pins. Anke did not turn to stare, she simply watched as Regina caught the last pin beneath her foot. The corners of her mouth upturned into a smile as she nodded. "Strike. Impressive." Anke said softly but seriously as she moved back toward Regina, no one else's presence mattered or seemed to impact her in any way. In fact it was though Anke didn't register that anyone else was present at all. Leaning down the took the pin from beneath Regina's foot.

"Pretty sure they need this to reset." Anke held the thing within her hands and contemplated it for a moment. "So that's what they feel like." Anke commented though it wasn't necessarily toward Regina, rather she remarked on a new sensation, something different she had not experienced before. However, not being one to be upstaged, Anke did not choose to do the normal thing and walk the pin down the lane to reunite it with it's colleagues. No, Anke hurled it toward the machine as though it were a football.

"I don't think either of us is doing it right." Anke shrugged her shoulders and waited for the old machine to reset the pins. "But... you got the max points so. You're on to something." Anke offered Regina knowing wink, bit her lower lip and moved to select a bowling ball. "Decisions... decisions." Anke let her fingertips touch upon a few of the balls of assorted colors and weights. It was though she was hoping one in particular would call to her. Scream out that this was the ball she was destined to use, but no such thing occurred. Though there was one that was rather red, and Anke thought to herself that, that ball would do.

Slipping her fingers into the holes she picked it up, stepping slowly to her mark on the floor where she would cast it off. Was her form right? She had no idea. Was this how one was supposed to hold the ball? She had no idea. Instead, Anke simply did what felt instinctual, raising the ball up and then unleashing it against the floor to allow it to roll down the lane at a high speed, it met with the pins and sent them flying backward, she had cleared them all. A strike.

"I liked your way better."

[Iwazuma]

While most of the rest of the alley had turned to stare down Regina's rather brazen attempt at a strike, Anke seemed not to skip a beat, approaching her as though she had thrown a pro's ball as opposed to her unintentionally unhinged chuck. She watched Anke pick up the bowling pin, staring at it worriedly. That definitely wasn't supposed to be out here; it belonged at the end of the lane. Anke was inspecting it quietly, leading Regina to figure she had done something quite wrong, but in the end she seemed merely curious about the object itself. She threw it back at the lane in much the same uncaring, brazen way Regina had just delivered her ball. It clattered on the lane, sliding to the back and falling down the hole in the lane's depths, leaving the sets of eyes that had been on Regina to trail to Anke, including Regina's own. Anke knew that definitely wasn't etiquette, but she simply...acted with Regina. It led to a small hint of relief trickling through her. Anke was joining her, as opposed to judging her...

Regina returned to her seat, watching Anke prepare for her turn. She threw a much more reserved strike, though she didn't look quite like a pro in the process. Not that Regina was, either...but she had gotten a strike, so there was that, at least. Regina met Anke as she returned with a nod. "My way was...loud." Regina wasn't a fan of attention in the slightest; that was part of why she was thankful Anke had taken some of the eyes away from her. She knew how to handle the spotlight so much better than Regina did; that was why she was the media face, why she was giving the interviews, why she was the one everyone had their eyes on of the couple. Because Regina was predictable; say little, give a nod, dismiss the unnecessary questions. She was boring...usually. Boring and safe. Anke was...fun, Regina decided. There wasn't much of another way to put it. One of them had to be, she supposed.

With her turn up again, Regina took her ball, this time taking it in her right hand. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for her setup, then took a few steps and let go. The ball traveled much more normally this time, rolling along the lane at a rather average speed and slamming into the pins with much less aplomb. When the chaos settled, two pins were still standing. Regina shrugged; at least they were together, and the eyes she'd noticed trained on them had turned back to their own games. Regina retrieved her ball and stared back at the pins, shifting to her left hand once more. With only two pins, she figured she didn't need to hold back as much. She took another casual stance and unleashed, watching the ball fly and smash into the pins, sending them directly to the back of the pin deck. Regina turned back with a shrug, moving to sit down beside Anke without so much as a second thought.

That was, until she glanced to her left, spotting a small window with food being handed through it. "I'll be right back." Regina rested a hand on Anke's shoulder, reassuring her that she wasn't going anywhere, and got up, proceeding to the window. She eyed the chef behind it, thinking for a moment as she read the menu that was posted above her with plastic letters set in a felt background. She mused for a second, then ordered a plate of nachos for the both of them. She waited patiently for what felt like approximately six minutes, then nodded in thanks as she received a boat of chips, piled high with both nacho cheese and chili. She walked it back to Anke, setting it down on the table in front of them. "People usually have snacks at bowling alleys, I think..." She looked up to Anke, looking her in the eye and searching for the reassurance that she was right. Anything to make sure they were enjoying themselves.

[Hannelorian]

Anke's next bowl wasn't as successful as she would have hoped. Rather, it was quite the disaster. With what Anke determined was a strong starting position (it was not), her foot slid forward as she cast the ball out. It looked promising at first, rolling down the lane, but it began to veer off and Anke knew instantly that it was over. The ball drifted directly into the gutter. "Well... that went... poorly." Anke said while scratching her head. Regina had mentioned something along the lines of a chain of swear words. Regina mentioned she would be right back leaving Anke just enough time to try one more time.

On the repeat try Anke did better, having managed to keep the ball on course to slam into the pins, a strike once more. Something of a little bit of redemption for herself. She watched the funny little animation play on the monitor before taking her seat and waiting for Regina to return. When she finally came back into sight she was carrying a tray and Anke could smell it immediately. The scent alone was enough to trigger her mouth to salivate.

"Nachos..." Anke slapped her hands together in a pleased motion before moving herself over right to Regina, throwing her arms around the woman and pulling her closely and kissing her cheek. "I love this." Something about the melted fake cheese, the ooey-gooey nature of it. Jalapeños and other fixings swimming in the cheese that clung to the chips. Picking one up she put it in her mouth, bits of cheese dribbling down her chin. There was nothing else like it. "So good. You have to try one."

Anke selected, carefully, what she felt would the perfect chip from the pile to pluck out, and without hesitation she held it out toward Anke, her other hand out underneath it acting as a plate of sorts to catch any errant drippings. "You will not regret it. I know, I know... It isn't slop from the cafeteria. But it's so much better." Anke's eyes were alight with a childlike kind of joy and wonder. She was practically vibrating with excitement to watch Regina experience this moment with her. "I got a gutter ball... Like, horribly, did not do great kind of deal." Anke was all smiles even as she described her own failure. "Embarrassing, yes. Worth it though, also yes."