Forums » General Roleplay » Breaking the Lights || 1x1 RP

Jane shook her head and chuckled when Adrian excitedly told the playful banter shared among the marines and their roommates. "Gay chicken? Oh my God!" she exclaimed, laughter bubbling from her lips as she playfully covered her open mouth with her fingers, a reflexive gesture of disbelief that only added to her amusement. The concept struck her as both hilariously absurd and strangely endearing—a unique way to bond and test limits with friends.

As Adrian casually requested some edamame, Jane nodded her approval with a smile; it was one of her favorite snacks to munch on during study sessions. The prospect of enjoying the crunchy green pods while engaging in interesting conversation was something she always cherished.

"When I was seven," Jane began, her voice imbued with nostalgia, "My dad brought a fashion magazine for me to read while we waited at the dentist's office. I remember flipping through the glossy pages and being completely captivated by the mesmerizing images of models showcasing incredible outfits." Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she recounted the moment. "The clothes looked so fabulous, and I was particularly drawn to the beautiful dresses, stunning handbags, and elegant shoes featured in those articles."

From that moment on, Jane explained, her passion for fashion blossomed. "As I grew older and started high school, I became obsessed with mixing and matching my clothes. I wanted to create unique outfits that reflected my personality." A warm smile spread across her face. "I even started sewing clothes for my dolls! There was something so fulfilling and relieving when I saw that the doll fit perfectly into the outfits I had crafted. It felt like I was creating something special."

She animatedly shared her experiences with Adrian, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm and joy at the memories. Fashion wasn’t just about clothes for her; it was an art form, a means of self-expression, and a delightful journey into creativity that began at a very young age.

He shifted a bit as he grinned and listened to her. The soft-spoken Marine seemed to be enthralled with her as she discussed her love for fashion, so much so that it matched his interest in teaching. He was able to draw parallels between her with fashion and him with being a history teacher. His warm eyes focused on her as he listened attentively.


"That reminds me of when I went to museums with Donovan and his parents or my parents. Donovan seemed to be more interested in engineering and how things worked. That's why he liked going to science exhibits and I stuck with historical exhibits."


He would tilt his head before continuing his line of questioning "have you made any articles of clothing before you got to college?"

Jane could see the twinkle of nostalgia in Adrian's eyes when he told Jane about his visit to the museum with his friend. And when Adrian asked her about if she made a cloth before she entered the collage she would simply shake her head. "For human, I haven't. I only made for dolls. I'm not really confident to make one before getting into college."


"I truly hope that soon you'll be able to achieve your dream of becoming a teacher," she said, her voice full of warmth. "And as for me, I'm determined to pursue my aspiration of becoming a designer. Let's promise each other that we'll put in our utmost effort to reach our dreams, shall we?" With her eyes shining with sincerity, she extended her pinky finger towards Adrian, a gesture that felt significant to both of them. This wasn’t just a casual promise; it was a solemn vow between two friends who understood the importance of supporting one another on their respective journeys.

Just then, the timing could not have been more perfect. The waiter approached their table, carrying a beautifully arranged tray filled with vibrant sushi. The sushi packs looked absolutely delightful, each piece a work of art waiting to be savored. With a graceful flourish, the waiter placed the colorful assortment before Jane and Adrian, the aroma wafting through the air, promising an enjoyable meal.

Excitedly, Jane picked up her chopsticks and reached for the shoyu, pouring a small amount into her plate. She carefully added a tiny bit of wasabi on the edge, cautious yet intrigued. To complete her setup, she reached for the pickled ginger, placing a piece atop the shoyu.

With a mischievous grin, she turned her attention back to Adrian. “Tell me,” she inquired, her eyes sparkling with playful curiosity, “do you like wasabi?”

Adrian reached across and hooked his pinky with hers. He smiled warmly at her. His eyes were cool yet inviting, but there was an undercurrent of inexplicable pain bit strength only seen in military members who have seen war.

He looked up and he smiled before saying a quick blessing. He took a piece of nigiri and he looked at the pickled ginger and a memory struck the Marine. "I remember being told that the ginger was to cleanse your pallette..."

Instead of a suggesting tone, it was more of a reminiscing tone. When she asked if he liked Wasabi, he decided now would be a good time to shock her. He was grinning wolfishly inside as he took a chopstick and got a decent sized piece of Wasabi and simply ate it. He let out a simple polite cough and then grinned hammishly.

"Yeah, but I really enjoy eating the pickled ginger alongside the sushi," she said with a light-hearted chuckle.

While Adrian decided to take a generous dollop of wasabi, completely ignoring the usual caution that sushi lovers adhered to. Jane's eyes widened in disbelief as she watched him. "Isn't that a bit too much?" she exclaimed, her voice rising in surprise. "Whoa!" She blinked rapidly in astonishment, her gaze fixed on Adrian when he prepared to take a bite.

In the next moment, she was taken aback as Adrian started to cough. Panic surged through her as she quickly reached for his water mug, pouring some refreshing liquid into it. "Are you okay?" she asked, her tone laced with genuine concern. "Here, have some drink," she offered, pushing the mug towards him with a look that mixed of scared and concern.

He perked a brow outwardly, but inwardly he was smirking. "I'm completely fine. Trust me. I used to eat this all the time when I was stationed in Okinawa". He would them turn his attention to the nigiri in front of him which he ate with just a tiny bit of soy sauce.

"I feel really rude for doing that. I'm sorry. It was just a stupid parlor trick of mine" He tried to laugh it off to cover up the fact that he felt overwhelmingly guilty. Within an instant, he issued an apology "I'm sorry for making you worry. I was kinda banking on you not being as concerned as you were given that I was gonna order a spicy tuna roll box.

Jane's brow furrowed, her gaze lingering on Adrian's face as she chewed thoughtfully. "Ahh, I'm sorry, I should've thought that you like spicy things..." she said, her voice laced with concern. "But, wasabi spice is really different, isn't it?" She lifted a piece of tempura, the golden batter shimmering in the soft light. Hesitantly, she dipped it into the soy sauce, her fingers delicately brushing the edge of the bowl. The dark liquid clung to the tempura, coating it in a savory sheen. She took a small bite, savoring the flavor. "Oh, this is nice," she said, a hint of relief in her voice as she chewed. The worried look slowly faded from her face, replaced by a faint smile.

He decided to follow suit. His calloused fingers gripped a piece of his tempura and bit into it. He chewed for a few extra seconds in order to fully embrace the umami, this delightfully savory flavor that he can't seem to enjoy unless it is Japanese food. The Marine lifted his head to look at her. Once he swallowed he decided to press her a bit more about her interest in fashion, because at the moment, he had a vicarious interest in fashion through her. "Have you ever done anything like an amateur fashion show? By that, I mean made things to be shown at a fashion show before now?"


He had decided to press her about her interests. He was sure to lay out his interest in US history and government and economics. His prematurely weathered fingers grabbed another piece of tempura. A grin of curiosity crossed his face before taking a small bead of Wasabi and spread it over the tempura piece. After chewing it, he subtly recoiled as the taste of the two things he normally loved came together, but he disliked the flavor. He quickly took a sip of water to cleanse his pallette from the unpleasant flavor.

“Actual fashion show?” Jane paused for a moment, her thoughts swirling as she shifted her gaze to the side, lost in a world of memories. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to one. I mean, I’m just a student, right? I don’t have the funds to experience something like that.” She took a moment to swallow her food, a light laugh escaping her lips as she thought about how far away that dream felt. “But you know, I’ve always dreamed of having my own show someday. It’s one of those things I really want to make happen. Plus, with our end-of-the-month project coming up, it feels even more real. That’s why I’ve been putting so much effort into this work, especially with you as my model!” A bright smile lit up Jane’s face as she glanced at Adrian, her excitement bubbling through her as she continued to eat her sushi. “I know we’re running short on time, but I really hope we can pull off a great show later!”

Jane noticed his reaction about the wasabi and leaned in with curiosity. “Is the food not good enough for you?” she asked, a playful tone in her voice. “How about that spicy tuna you ordered? Is it any good?” She kept munching on her sushi, genuinely interested in his experience as she enjoyed her meal.

He waved his hand, as if to reassure her "the flavors are amazing. I just tried combining the tempura with a bit of the Wasabi, and it didn’t taste good. Chalk it up to an invasive thought" He said with a grin. He got a piece of his spicy tuna roll and set his chopsticks down. He then would set his focus his hazel-colored eyes on her. "So this will be the first show you'll be involved with? The reason I asked about shows is because I surmised that there are amateur shows that you fashion designers do from amateur all the way to pro. If we do a good job, I wouldn't mind staying on as your model. I could even talk to other Marines in my unit so you could have other models if you want..."


He casually made the offer before lifting his chopsticks and going for an edamame and ate it and enjoyed the savory flavor.

"The first fashion show, yes. Can you believe it? I’ve poured so much of my energy and passion into this project, and it means the world to me that you’re on board to help. It really feels like a dream coming to life." Jane said, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she took a bite of her prawn sushi. She expertly dipped it into the soy sauce, savoring the flavors.

"Sure, it's just an amateur show, no big deal, but think about it—if we knock it out of the room, who knows? There might be someone in the audience looking to cast you as a model. Isn’t that incredible?"

With a bright smile, Jane finished her sushi and placed her chopsticks down on the table, a sense of accomplishment washing over her. "So here’s the plan. After I take your measurements, I’ll start working on your costume, and I should have it ready sometime next week. It might be a little hectic, but I promise it’ll be worth it. In the meantime, feel free to stop by the fashion arts building whenever you want. I’ll basically be living in the studio, sewing, fixing, and just making everything come together for the show. Trust me, it'll be a creative whirlwind, and I’d love for you to be part of it."

"I have an idea which would benefit the both of us. I'm thinking that as we are working in the lab, I can practice giving my own lectures on US History, then I'll try government and economics. You can critique me and then give feedback. From there, we can decide which I seem more comfortable and proficient in" He said with a warm grin.


His battle-hardened gaze locked onto one of his last bits of tempura before picking the piece up and putting it in his mouth and chewing, allowing himself to revisit the familiar umami. There was an interesting dichotomy between the two: Jane was beautiful and full of life, and Adrian saw the sparkle in her eye and demeanor. In Adrian, he looked significantly older than he was. Behind Adrian's eyes were a certain hardness and pain, that which only those who have seen combat have. The adage of "having more firefighter than birthdays" was true for Adrian. Even on class, he was standoffish, but polite. Jane and Sophia were two of the only people he spoke to besides one of their classmates who is a navy veteran.

The idea of multitasking felt like a brilliant move, almost like killing two birds with one stone. Adrian had suggested that while he practiced his lectures, Jane could focus on working on her costume design. It struck her as a great opportunity, not just for herself but also a chance to provide Adrian with the feedback he had been craving.

“Okay, it’s a deal. I’m totally on board with that,” she declared, her enthusiasm bubbling over. “But you know, it’s getting kind of late, so let’s plan to meet again after class another day. How does that sound? Oh, and by the way, today’s meal is on me!” With a burst of energy, Jane jumped to her feet, determined to take charge and dashed toward the cashier before Adrian had a chance to protest. She flashed a triumphant grin at him after successfully settling the bill, giving him a thumbs-up as a celebration of her small victory.

~~~

The following day proved to be more challenging than she expected. Her class schedule was packed tight, leaving little room for her to connect with Adrian. Professor Hwang had assigned her and Sophia the task of patching up some clothing items, encouraging them to infuse their own creativity into the pieces. While both Sophia and Jane poured their efforts into the project, it seemed Professor Hwang was seeking something even more unique, pushing them to tap into their identities. This resulted in their work taking longer than anticipated.

Frustration began to seep into the atmosphere as Sophia expressed her impatience. “Hhhh… When will this ever finish?” she groaned, clearly feeling the weight of the assignment. Meanwhile, Jane kept her focus on the mannequin, adding intricate details to the dress in hopes that their teamwork would help them create something truly special that would impress their professor.

“Can you help me pin these?” Jane asked, handing Sophia a handful of ribbons and pins, guiding her to help secure the parts that Jane struggled to reach. Just then, Jane’s phone buzzed in her pocket, signaling an incoming call. She glanced at the screen and saw it was Adrian trying to get in touch. A pang of regret hit her; she really wanted to answer but knew she couldn’t pick up in the middle of class. She resolved to call Adrian back later, knowing it would have to wait until her busy day finally slowed down.

To say Adrian had a rough day at work was an understatement. Now he was in class with Professor Paulson, and today, the professor lacked the ability to get to the gosh damn point of the lecture. After the word salad disguised as a lecture was over, Adrian made a B-line to study hall where he could 1. decompress from the day, and 2. get some work done.


The Marine sat stone-faced as he was now gathering information about the American legal system. This was going to tie into him becoming more versed in American civics and government. He set his eight-pointed hat, referred to as a port cover, on the table next to his laptop. The slender black laptop, predicably, had a large scarlet and gold EGA (eagle, globe, and anchor) sticker on the top. Using his battle-weathered fingers, he carefully opened his laptop and went to typing.


A soldier in his thirties saw Adrian at the same time as Adrian looked up and saw him. They flipped each other off, but that was done out of nothing buy love and respect. Adrian finally smiled once again. Shortly after, the soldier sat across from the Marine and opened an anatomy book. "Sup, Hawthone?"


"Well today, a guy in my unit decided he wanted to swing on First Sergeant, so after he got smashed out, we took him to the motor pool and smashed him out again after final formation. He's a BNP and thought he knew more than the rest of the company"

"Did you give him a few lumps for me?"



Adrian responded "I think so. It was because of him why we had to do inventory as punishment"

The class finally wrapped up after Jane and Sophia presented their assignment, much to their relief. As they completed their presentation, they caught a subtle nod from Professor Hwang, indicating her approval of their hard work. With that small gesture, Jane felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she took a deep breath, savoring the moment. After what felt like an endless lecture, they were finally free.

“That went really well, Sophie!” Jane exclaimed, beaming with pride. She raised her hand for a high five, and Sophia happily reciprocated, their hands meeting with a satisfying smack.

Then Sophia couldn’t help but tease her. “By the way, your phone has been buzzing non-stop. It’s got to be that cute marine guy, right?” she said, laughter bubbling up in her voice.

Jane shook her head, a playful grin spread across her face as she giggled at the comment. “Oh, come on! I mean, yeah, we have been chatting a bit, but it’s not what you think. We will have our work on the lab, that’s all. Excuse me, I need to shoot him a text,” she explained, pulling out her phone with determination.

Then, she quickly typed out a message to Adrian.

Hey, dude. You’re coming to the lab?

Adrian was locked in on his work for his presentation, so much so that he had lost track of time. He reached and picked up hid phone and read the text. He gasped as he was reminded to go to the lab. He looked at the weathered older soldier and spoke "I'm out, McAllen. I gotta go help a civilian friend of mine".


The soldier looked up "alright, Jarhead. I'll see ya around" He chirped in a bit of banter.

"Well you know what 'army' stands for: Aren't Ready for Marines Yet"


"Marine. Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not Essential" Seth responded with a grin. He looked like he was in his early forties, but he just barely turned 31. He was weathered and craggy-looking early due to the toll that combat had on him, which both Adrian and Seth were familiar with.


Adrian texted back "I completely forgot! ETA, 5 minutes"


With that, Adrian left study hall after packing up his laptop and writing notebook. The Marine hurried to the lab before walking in. He saw Sophia first, and then Jane next. "I'm sorry I'm running late. I was working on my lecture"

Jane and Sophia had just wrapped up their class, a few hours spent immersed in creativity and learning. Now, Jane was ready to shift gears and dive into her next project in the lab. She had already prepared some patches with intricate patterns on the mannequin, and it was finally time for her to get into the sewing process. The machine was waiting, and the fabric was all set for her skilled hands to bring her vision to life.

Meanwhile, Adrian was making his way out of the classroom slightly ahead of schedule. Sophia spotted him first and couldn't help but greet him with a warm smile. "Hey, don’t stress about it," she reassured him, her tone light and encouraging. "I bet Jane is totally fine. In fact, she’s probably deep in her sewing right now, focusing on her project. But I need to get going and take care of something else. I'll leave you two to it. Catch you later!" With a playful wink, Sophia waved goodbye to Adrian and quickly moved on, leaving him to contemplate the afternoon ahead.

Jane lifted her head for a moment, letting her focus shift from the fabric and thread she had been working with. It was then that she spotted Adrian walking in. He had that familiar casual stride, the kind that made it clear he was here to do something important. With the sewing needle suspended in midair, she decided to take a break from her project. Setting her work aside, she stood up to meet him halfway.

"So... you're going to practice your lecture?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. She could tell he had something on his mind, and she wanted to support him in whatever way she could. "I’ll be around and listening if you need an audience." There was a hint of encouragement in her voice as she offered her attention.

He immediately saw Sophia and his demeanor went back to his usual demeanor of being warm.and approachable before speaking to Jane and Sophia. He shared a smile at the same time. "Yeah, I had a bit of a rough day as well. Good to see you again, Sophia" He watched her leave and then set his focus back at the task on hand.


He smiled at his friend warmly as he stepped into the lab. He looked around and took his surroundings., and once she she brought up his lecture "yes. I will be doing it on the electoral College, and depending on how I perform, I will decide whether I will teach US government or history. Where do you need me?"

“Alright, Adrian,” she began, her voice laced with a playful curiosity. “Have you ever tried your hand at modeling? Because I think I could really use your help with striking some poses.” As she spoke, a glimmer of mischief danced in her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, her fingers lightly stroking her chin as she appraised Adrian’s physique. The way his muscles flexed under the fabric of his shirt suggested he had potential, but Jane couldn't help but wonder if he possessed the right flair and charisma necessary to showcase the outfits from every angle, the way a true model would.

“I just need you to hit some poses that will highlight the clothing effectively, to really capture the audience's attention,” Jane continued, her enthusiasm bubbling to the surface. “I’ll be right behind the camera, snapping away to ensure we get the perfect shots.” A bright smile spread across her face, reflecting her excitement for this creative endeavor.

She held up the Canon camera she had borrowed from Jared—a trusted childhood friend who had always encouraged her artistic interests. Jane felt a mix of anticipation and nerves as she thought about whether Adrian would rise to the occasion and pass this little test of photogenic prowess. “So, what do you say? Are you ready to dive into this modeling moment with me?” She tilted her head, inviting him with an infectious eagerness, eager to see how he would engage in this playful yet demanding task.

He grinned and replied with one simple word: "Motivated!".He reached up and opened his combat utility top and walked over to a chair and set it aside before making his way back over to where Jane was shooting. An idea struck him and he put the top back on and he nodded to Jane signifying he was ready. He would now take more care in taking the top off as if he were being paid to be recorded. He would occasionally cast a glance where the look in his eyes was more warm and inviting as opposed to the thousand-yard stare he had. The look was still there, but he forced himself through sheer force of will to subdue it.


Outside it looked as if he were having fun, but inside he was terrified. He had always been camera shy, but here he was taking on one of his fears head-on. His heart was pounding. He had even gone so far as to make a few poses.



The entire time, he was giving her his presentation about Teddy Roosevelt. He had gone into some deep levels of detail when it came to the topic. The way he spoke signified that he was confident in his knowledge.