melodiesofeternity | [Closed] Happy (Belated) Birthday

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[Closed] Happy (Belated) Birthday

Who: Naoto Shirogane and Kanji Tatsumi
When: January 23rd
Where: Sparks Golsaucia
What: It's Kanji's birthday. Why not go to an amusement park to celebrate... at least, that's what one normally wants, right?
Warnings/Notes: Dorks on a date

It's hard to keep their destination a surprise between the tickets, the flight, and approaching the main entrance of PuPuLand, but it can start out as a semi-secret. Due to their adventures into the Library, it just had to be pushed back a few days...

... She hoped he still liked it - the trip and his present later - even if it was belated.

"Where would you like to start?"

It was only the two of them going about the park despite weighing the options of a party with more people. In the end, this would be them on a date... first date? Yes, that sounded right.

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He set his jaw and sent a dark look to the handler, but acquiesced and made for the exits. Once outside, he was ruffling his hair under a palm.

"I, uh... got kicked outta the Ka'Pandol one, too. I was watching Futaba's chocobo. Figured in case she came back she'd want her bird. So that ain't my first."

He sighed, shook his head. "I just remembered that, too. Here I was thinkin' maybe I'd look into my own chocobo, especially to cover more ground while hunting for eidolons."

Then, eyes shifting away, searching the sidewalk for an answer.

"Anyway, I'll get over it. This is supposed to be a good time."

"... They kicked you out for looking after a friend's chocobo?" Okay, she was going to need to have a word with someone.

"Having a chocobo would be convenient... Though, we may need a White Chocobo right now to try searching for Hades again." It would help them avoid the monsters in the fields much easier. But... maybe a Black Chocobo would be more ideal since they were versatile.

Still, she eventually sighed. "Very well... Anyway, there is a food stand that sells crepes. Shall we go?"

"Yeah, they said I was loitering, and since the names get greyed out when somebody gets sent back home, I didn't really have proof..." Sorry, Chocojiro. He did what he could, but he'd never met a neglected chocobo. He was in good hands.

"Oh, shit, you're right... gotta think about places like that, too. But I dunno much about these fabled gold ones. I mean, there was the ONE when those monsters attacked but nobody's seen it since."

Hmm. Food for thought. Maybe that gold was out there somewhere, and he could ask it for help. Trick is finding out where it lived.

He perked up, then. Sweets. He'd always feel better after sweets. "I'm down! Ain't had a crepe in a long time!"

"Hmph. If you go to the Curti Center, they should be able to provide documentation on Fubata-san and her being our roommate however on and off." Naoto knew she liked going to Arito to stay at that one house on occasion, but that was it.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it only came around in times of its fellow chocobos being in danger." The chocobos that did assist them in fighting off the Eaters did seem less-inclined to do more after the fighting was over.

Nodding as he brightened up, Naoto began to lead the way. They were heading away from the stables and getting further into the attraction area of the theme park. If Kanji looked, he might spot the stand before they got to it.

He didn't spot it first. He smelled it.

It was toasting sugar and cooking egg, warm fruit, chocolate, caramel, and even a hint of bananas coming through between the distinct smell of another stand's burgers, the fry oil and sugary fat of the funnel cake stand.

The sight itself was something to behold, something small, humble and familiar. But the decor seemed to revolve around teddy bears. The mascot on the sign seemed to enjoy a big slab of honey comb in hers.

"...Holy shit, that girl bear's already my favorite. S'like a Sanrio character!"

Putting her slate away as they approached, she gave a look over the stand, considering their options, and thinking she might go for the crepes herself. It just looked like a bit too much fry oil for her.

"... Hm? Oh."

She looked at the mascot characters on the sign and nodded. "It does now that you mention it... So, what do you want to order?"

How long had it been...? Oh, man. But now that he thought about it:

"Never had honeycomb before. I think I'll go with their special." He pointed to the description. Peanut butter, bananas and honeycomb. The sign also warned them to watch out for bees. And bears.

"I'll eat like a bear! Bring on the bees!"

Naoto was a bit... confused why they would be warned about bees.

Sure, that would normally be something that didn't have to be taken literally, buuut considering where they were... Should they really order the honeycomb if that was going to be an issue? Well, she would just go with something fairly standard - the crepe that looked like it had fruit components similar to fruit from their world.

And once they arrive at the front, she'll place the order. Meanwhile, Kanji could watch them make both crepes.

This person looked as if they'd been making crepes their entire life: Batter poured, swirled, then flipped in less than 20 seconds. Peanut butter, bananas and a nice chunk of honeycomb went into Kanji's, topped with a cookie shaped like a teddy bear and a pair of bees. Naoto's was a French-style creme fraiche and seasonal fruit, topped with a flower cookie decorated with more bees.

"...I need to make crepes at home..." Of course, Kanji was hypnotized through the entire process. They were so complex, yet took almost no ingredients at all to make. He was passed his crepe with thanks, but he had to just stare at it a bit.

"And find some beekeepers in Inaba. There's gotta be some...!"

Occupied with payment, Naoto missed some of the crepe process, but she did finish up in time to watch Kanji's be completed and hers to begin preparations.

"Do we have the essential supplies for you to practice?" She knew the had the essentials for cooking, but between him and Ren cooking, she didn't know what was really in the kitchen anymore. She accepted her crepe once done and gave her thanks.

"I got round pans, sure. I think if I ladle in a little batter and swirl it I can replicate it without all the paddles or whatever. Honeycomb's the hard part... actually, hold on-"

He took a very, very large bite. Soft and sweet. Very gooey, too. This was amazing. He had to eat a bear's lunch like a bear, right?

"Oh my godpf-" He had to mutter around a full mouth. Give him a second... okay.

"This is fuckin' awesome! H-have a bite of mine!"

Naoto could follow his logic; however, imagining him swirling the batter and going from there without the paddles, it sounded like they were about to burn quite a bit of food during his experimenting.

Nibbling on her own, she was content, but she does raise an eyebrow at Kanji's reaction. So good he didn't mind spitting crumbs everywhere, huh?

"A bite...?"

So suddenly...

Boy's a mess. But he stopped to sort of clean himself up and get his shit together. Sorry for the crumbs...

"Yeah! A... hrggmh." The fuck was he thinking!? He'd read comics about this! Shows talked about this all the time, too! She'd think he was being a pushy punk, in-i-in-inflicting an in-indirect--

"I'M SORRY! I sh-should've asked! I ain't that kinda guy!" A sweep of an arm, forming a barrier, NO PERVING HERE, NO SIR!

"B-but if you wanted to share some with me, that's- I-I give permission, it's cool!" Why did he say that

"Huh?"

What was he panicking about now? Honestly, she didn't understand; he just offered her a bite - she would likely try somewhere he hadn't bitten yet.

"It's fine, Kanji-kun. I suppose I could try a small bite."

She wanted a bite anyway!? Wh-what did she mean by that? Should he be picking up on a signal that he wasn't? He can't just ask her!

Instead, he mechanically offered his crepe. Before, he'd worried about sharing umbrellas because they'd be seen as a couple. But... now they actually were, so maybe he needed to find out how to calm down.

"I'm, uh... s-still learning, y'know? I mean, y'know what they say about stuff like this, don'tcha?" Now the crepe stand employee, a rather curious human, was casually hiding herself behind her stand to watch the scene. This was why she had this job: To watch dorks like these.

"I'm not sure if I know what you're talking about..."

Really, she understood sharing an umbrella and... didn't care of what people might think about it. Sharing food she didn't understand at all as she took a small bite from Kanji's crepe, missing where he'd previously bitten.

"... It's good, but still a little too sweet for me."

To explain or not to explain. To explain or not to explain?! Maybe he shouldn't. Let's not make today terrible. He shook his head.

"N-nevermind, it's pretty dumb...!" Because it was, and yet it made too much sense to him too. Dumb, but logical. Now she had a bite and he had to just... avoid that spot... at all costs.

"Yeah, I figured, since you ain't much for sweets... but you can cross honeycomb off the 'I've Had' list." He was happy enough to dig into his own. Something about the warm banana and peanut butter really did the job for him. He'll subtly remain keen on finding out if she avoided anything in her own crepe. He was still figuring out what she liked, after all.

"So, what kinda parks n' fairs have ya been to? I'm sure you've seen a bunch all over the world."

"Hm..." Well, if he figured it was dumb - not that she would probably think any better were it explained.

"That's true. I hadn't considered trying honeycomb before." So that could be marked off the list she hadn't made, but should have considered. Back to nibbling on her own fruit crepe she would go though, enjoying the balance between sweet and tart.

"... I've seen a bunch, but that doesn't mean I've been. I have been in passing of the Hollywood one and the other company."

Of course she'd been to Hollywood! He'd be surprised if she'd never been out to that neck of the woods. But she didn't really do any tourist attractions. Fair. Then again, he had a funny feeling she'd "casually" visited the giant Gundam in Tokyo. Very casually. He couldn't help but smile at that.

"Work, work, huh? That's fair. But I hope you at least found some fun while globetrotting, right? I mean... I know you're professional n' all, but y'know we got some years left of bein' kids."

Then, it hit him. "So this is your first...! Let's do somethin' big. Any rides, on me!"

He gestured out to the rest of the park.

"No judgment. If any of these suckers has your attention, I'm there, too."

... Yes, it was a very casual visit. Nothing else...

"... Do I still have that time?" Thinking about it, her brows furrowed. "I'm turning eighteen this year..."

Had it really taken her over ten years to wake up and realize that she didn't need to try so hard? But looking up, she shook her head. "Kanji-kun, it's your birthday. I've already planned to cover everything."

Aside from that, she honestly didn't know where to start.

He smiled. "'Course you do! Bein' eighteen means ya don't get kicked outta things for bein' too young in most cultures, right? I still gotta get permission slips and all that crap. One more year..."

He shook his head in wonder. How the hell was he the youngest of the group? Boggles the mind.

"Well, it just so happens that my birthday wish is that I get to treat my girlfriend to whatever ride calls her name!" He may or may not have practiced the g-word in the mirror so he wouldn't fuck it up. A man's gotta grow a pair sometime, right?

"I'm not gonna step on your plans. I'm already havin' fun just bein' here with you. But lemme give ya somethin' back."

"... You still get permission slips?" Was she supposed to be getting permission slips? She was going to drop this subject for now... he was the youngest in their group despite appearances.

To hear him actually call her his girlfriend had her almost bury her face into her crepe. Still, she just managed to eat a berry and hide most of her flushed face - maybe.

"... If that's what you want, I doubt I'll be able to change your mind." ... Maybe. While he might not be up for the roller coaster, she did she something else - a large, circular something else. "... The Ferris Wheel."

The crepe stand girl had since made her own strawberry-banana crepe and was eating it in rapt interest. Life just kept getting better. Meanwhile, Kanji wouldn't admit any further that he was still treated like a baby. It was either 'child' or 'old man who repeats grades'. He hated that there was nothing in the middle for him.

Ohh, there she goes into her crepe. Why was- oh. ...so CUTE.

"Sorry. Mind's set." The little grin was only half from his own stubbornness. But he turned and followed her gaze. It was covered in lights that swept up and down the rails and was hard to miss even among the glitz of Sparks Golsaucia. It was a ways out, but what harm was there in a walk?

"...Then let's get on our way to the Ferris Wheel."

He offered a hand. S-so they don't get separated.

Why does it feel like they're being watched? They're probably being watched... Somewhere behind her, but she wasn't about to turn around and check.

With a sigh - perhaps exaggerated - she saw him look from the corner of her eye up towards the Ferris Wheel himself. It was tall; would he really be okay with it?

"... If you're really alright with riding it."

One hand still holding onto her crepe, she used her free one to take hold of his offered hand.

Jiiiiii... Why did anyone think she got this job in the first place? Couples were cute. But she knew all good things had to come to an end, but said nothing as the tall boy led them onward, keeping their pace casual so they could finish their crepes.

"'Course I am! Ferris Wheels are slower, yeah? Like airships. And I was never scared of riding those, was I?"

Okay. Maybe a little freaked out during the tour. But now he rides 'em like a champ! B-besides, couples always had to ride the Ferris Wheel at least once. He never thought he'd be one of those guys who'd get the chance.

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