Alright, it was an impossible for Akiva to really keep anything to herself, particularly when it was something that made her nervous and excited at the same time.  She’d been doing a lot of musing on the past and how it impacted the future and her own life recently (thank you, Peter Thackeray, for that engaging conversation).  However hard it was to accept things and avoid dwelling, it was an important piece of life.  You could literally get frozen in time if you didn’t have perspective, if you couldn’t grow.

She was attempting to grow, that much was certain.  So, Akiva needed to take what she believed to be true about the world – that there was some importance in keeping the past with you, but not letting it overwhelm you.  She’d felt overwhelmed for a long time.  Now she was getting ready go leave her parent’s house (after visiting with them and dropping off the baby for a night at their house) to meet Maiko (to go shopping - of all things!).  Her parents were good enough to make that offer from time to time – Gabriel time was a parent favorite – they even had an old crib for him all set up. Akiva didn’t need to worry about him with them either, she could actually enjoy herself.

Not that she didn’t enjoy herself with her son, of course, she loved him more than anything, but it was different.  She could focus on the other people she was with – in this case, Maiko – without her eyes wandering to her son or wondering what she should be doing to make him more comfortable or happy.  That was someone else’s job for the night and Akiva happily exited their central London home with a cardigan and small bag to head further into the center of the city. 

They’d agreed to meet at a little coffee shop right on the cusp of Wizarding and Muggle worlds, depending on where they decided to go.  Looking at her watch, she noticed she was running a little early.  Akiva no longer ordered beverages at coffee shops (or anywhere), unless they were sealed (even then she had doubts), so when she made her way inside, she just took a seat at a table that faced the door and crossed her legs under the table, bobbing her foot up and down as she waited.  A waitress approached her and Akiva politely informed her she was waiting for someone, to which the girl left. 

She hoped it wouldn’t be awkward when she didn’t order anything at all.  But, this was the most convenient meeting place and with a lot of walking potentially ahead of them, she didn’t want strain so early. 

---

Title taken from Pablo Neruda's selected poems. 
"If you think it long and mad the wind of banners that passes through my life
And you decide to leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots
Remember
That on that day, at that hour, I shall lift my arms
And my roots will set off to seek another land”

Maiko was, quite frankly, excited to be doing something that didn’t involve work. Not that she didn’t enjoy her job-- she loved it! However, it was a busy time of year and she really did not get as much downtime as she so sorely needed. She always enjoyed spending time with Akiva (one of Maiko’s most favorite people). As much as she doted on Gabriel, it was going to be nice just to be with Kiva.

Besides, they had some very important business to attend to.

She arrived at the coffee shop with time to spare-- Mai was very rarely late. She looked around and found Akiva in no time. She ordered some coffee to go, so that Akiva wouldn’t feel awkward about having not ordered anything-- and approached her friend.

“Hello!” Mai exclaimed, coffee cup in hand. “Are you ready, then? What sort of date are you and Cal going on?” Would it be a fancier restaurant or something more casual? She suspected the latter, as her non-biological brother didn’t exactly have a surplus of money to spend on fancy date meals.

When Maiko arrived, Akiva felt a certain sense of relief.  She didn’t have to keep waving off the waitress who was looking over, anxious that the table wouldn’t trip her for bad service.  Akiva wasn’t going to tip her anyway, since she was using the table, but the girl couldn’t possibly know that.  Maiko’s arrival – and her coffee in her hand was a welcome surprise. 

Looking up, Akiva popped out of the chair for real and greeted her with a welcoming and warm hug, “Hello!” Enthusiasm was obvious as she pulled back from the hug and she reached in her pocket, depositing the coins she’d already set aside for the girl’s tip on the table.  It’d be wrong not to put it there. 

“I’m ready if you are,” she smiled and then felt the weirdest, strongest blush she’d had in quite some time creeping up her neck and into her cheeks.  She hadn’t really referred to seeing Callum as a date.  That made it seem like… well… a date.  They’d made plans to see one another, hang out – but a date.  Shaking her head, Akiva tried to will the pinkness away before she cleared her throat.  “I’m fairly sure it’s something casual,” Akiva assured her.  She didn’t know with one hundred percent certainty, but she could have guessed. 

She took a step toward the door and pursed her lips.  “I mean, I can’t imagine it’d be Callum Asher’s – the boy who could singlehandedly derail a class – first idea to do some fancy dinner,” she smiled a little and shrugged.  “Though I guess he’s not a boy anymore,” she commented, “and he wouldn’t want to derail a class now… since it’s his,” she laughed a tiny bit and shrugged.  “But whatever the case,” she resumed eye contact with Maiko and took a deep breath, her shoulders dropping, “I still don’t think I have anything to wear to hang out -- not a date.”  She fixed her with a steady, as-harsh-as-possible gaze for Akiva.

Maiko took a sip out of her coffee and her face scrunched up in momentary disappointment. It wasn't as good as anything she could've made at home, and it also caused her to realize just how much of a coffee snob she actually was. She let out a small disappointed whine before looking up at Akiva, her lower lip sticking out in a rather childish pout. She waited until they had left the shop before she made a comment.

"Overroasted coffee beans." She explained, taking another sip. Caffeine was caffeine,and throwing what she had away would be wasteful.

"Okay. It's a casual non-date." Maiko gave Akiva a pointed look, "Just two friends hanging out." She began to walk towards a small muggle shop that was relatively inexpensive, but she had luck finding cute casual clothes there. With her very particular build, it was difficult to find clothes that fit right-- and it was a problem that Akiva related to. She grinned at the mention of Callum. "He's not a boy anymore, but he still has his childish moments." Maiko laughed, "Don't let that fool you! Underneath his immature facade is someone who takes things seriously."

Getting out of the shop was good.  Akiva was happy to be away from it: she hadn’t thought much of the anxiety when she determined where’d they meet – but when she was there it started to build.  Leaving was good.  Back out into the air, Akiva took a deep breath.  She thought she might start to relax, but then the look on Maiko’s fface as she took a sip of her drink spoke to something unpleasant.  For a moment, Akiva’s heartrate increased, a sense of dread rushing through her – was there something in her drink?  At least she was here in case there was.  She didn’t trust shops at all anymore, particularly for drinking things – it was so easy to hurt someone – to take advantage of them, Akiva moved next to her and put her hand under her elbow. 

Of course, the sense of relief when Maiko indicated that it was something else entirely that put her off, Akiva’s shoulders dropped with relief and she took her hand away.  “Sorry about the beans,” she said softly, and then tugged at the edges of her cardigan. 

Conversation shifted and Akiva sighed.  Yes, no-date sounded good.  It was easier to take on that way and she walked easily with the thought.  “Exactly,” she drawled it out slowly, extending the ‘a’ for as long as she wanted to hold it (maybe two seconds).  “I mean, it doesn’t matter that much, right?” she looked at Maiko a little anxiously as they approached the front of a shop.  “It’s not like serious is a word on the table right now at all, anyway.”  It was a little high pitched, a little indicative of the nerves she felt and she turned her eyes away, searching for a distraction. 

Turned out, as soon as they walked in – the rows and hangers and racks could prove to be just what the healer ordered.  It was a muggle shop, judging by the pound symbols next to the prices, but that wasn’t a problem.  Akiva carried both currencies fairly regularly.  “There’s a ton of stuff here,” she looked back at Maiko whom she had cut in front of to open the door.  “Where do we even start?”

"It's okay." Really, overroasted coffee beans were absolutely nothing she couldn't handle. Mai threw her arm around Akiva's waist and pulled her into a side hug. The little shop was packed full of all kinds of clothes--formal wear and casual wear. In the corner, there was even a small shoe section. But where to start?

"Well Akiva, I'm a thrifty shopper." Maiko had to be, living most of her life with...Not enough money. Her grandparents were wealthy, yes, but she was stubborn and prideful, and id not want to accept their charity unless she absolutely needed to.

Besides, they weren't particularly close. Not anymore.

"And where do thrifty shoppers start? The clearance section." She locked arms with Akiva and led her to the back of the shop, where a clearance rack hung on the wall.

"I don't think you need to think of this meeting with Cal as serious. Not at all. Just... Take things as they come, see what happens. Nothing should be forced" She pulled out a low cut hot pink top and grinned, knowing full well that Akiva would never wear it. Not only was the color hideous, the cut was rather... Revealing. "Obviously, you want to show as much cleavage as possible, correct?"

Akiva didn’t think much of Maiko wrapping her arm around her.  She was an affectionate person and that was her language of love, she supposed.  She’d read an article on it and it was very interesting.  Akiva responded well to touch, but she was also a gift giver, probably more so than a touch sort of person.  She usually didn’t default to bought gifts, of course, more like cooking for family or bringing over something thoughtful… little things.

Either way, she didn’t mind Mai’s proclivity toward touch.  Instead, she just fell in step next to her and into the store.  Thrift would be good, she acknowledged that immediately.  Nodding along, Akiva let out a deep breath.  “Yes, clearance is good.”

Truth be told, she didn’t shop much, especially not anymore.  She really only bought things for her son and the last clothing she’d gotten for herself was only because her clothes didn’t fit anymore – third trimester problems.  So, going to the section, it was a little more settling since she knew she wasn’t going to have to spend a lot of money if they found something nice here.

Walking into the aisle, Akiva pushed a few hangers, trying to see if anything caught her eye.  She didn’t really like intense colors, and she wasn’t interested in anything that was going to show off too much.  Akiva liked to be conservative.  Looking up in surprise as Maiko finished talking, she gasped.  “No!” she shook her head vigorously.  “Not at all, no,” she insisted, her voice going from unsure to completely serious.  “I have a son, Maiko.” 

She supposed that meant something to most people – being someone’s mother was important – and did not entail showing off cleavage.  She dropped her voice to a whisper, “Cleavage,” it rose again to a normal level, “is not ‘casual’ – especially not…” she glanced down at herself.  It wasn’t a small amount, considering.  “Something like this, maybe?” she pulled out a top with a higher neckline, a little embellishment but nothing fancy – suitable. 

She looked at Akiva for a moment-- did she realy take this seriously? Maiko wasn't actually suggesting that Akiva wear something so revealing. Plus, the color was horrendous. Mai was not fond of neon colors, or bright pink. She preferred jewel tones, and Akiva tended towards.... Gentler colors. Either way, neither of them would've been caught dead in neon. Mai simply grinned and put the garish shirt back on the rack.

"Are you implying that mothers can't show off some boobage once in awhile?" Mai teased before examining the top that Akiva had picked out. It was cute, on the rack at least.  But as cute as things were on the hanger, it was nearly impossible to tell how they would fit until you tried them on.

"It's cute, but let's put that in the maybe pile." Everything they liked would go in the maybe pile until Akiva tried them on. Maiko grabbed a couple of similar blouses (one off white, one closer to a pale pink color) and held them up, raising her eyebrow questioningly. Three tops should be enough to try on-- hopefully one of them would work. "And I think a skirt would be appropriate.  Something longer then? Knee length?"

“Boobage?” Akiva repeated almost incredulous.  “You have been hanging about teenagers too much, haven’t you?” she looked at her skeptically.  But, she was putting the shirt away so she had to be kidding, right?  After all, the shirt itself was so bad it had to be a joke.  Neon was horrible and the v of that neck… it’d probably end near her belly button, and that wasn’t acceptable at all.  Even with close friends, she wouldn’t think about it. 

Regardless, she shook her head and continued to rummage, holding the shirt she actually liked as she continued through.  “Alright,” she agreed to the maybe pile and tilted her head as she moved hangers, clicking against one another and sliding on the metal bar of the rack.  It was sort of a nice sound, soothing in a way.  It was especially good when it was rhythmic. 

She grabbed one more – just in case, in a sort of heather grey kind of color, maybe not her favorite but the fabric was soft and it’d probably be comfortable.  At the mention of bottoms, Akiva nodded.  “I like the sound of that,” she admitted.  She wore skirts most of the time anyway. 

Of course, then she noticed something in the rack that seemed just like Maiko.  Holding it up over the rack she smiled.  “Since we’re here – you should try this one.  Didn’t you mention you were going dancing to me?  This could be very cute.”