Tanabata Festival

[memento_mods]

Who: Any participants
What: Tanabata Festival. Feel free to assume small prizes (plushies/goldfish/whatever) from participation. Note any money spent in journal entries, if you would.
Where: City park
When: August 7 - August 13
Warnings: Please keep the content here PG-13. Take it to the journals and lock it if it gets any naughtier than that

Comments

[a_mischief_grin]

Gin had barely entered the park festival a little while ago and was wandering around looking for someone he recognized. In the back of his mind though, his thoughts lingered to a certain blond.

After Izuru had tried to tell him something but couldn't, he had gone to look for the other in his room to find it empty. He figured that Izuru was probably still too upset or scared to talk to him and Gin frowned. He wasn't going to let Izuru spoil his fun if he was going to act that way, so instead of continuing his search he decided to head to his original destination.

There seemed to be quite some people here tonight but no one Gin really knew and felt like really talking to. So he continued to wander the stalls when a familiar haed of blond hair began walking in his general direction.

At first Gin wondered if Izuru was really walking towards him, but upon furthur inspection, he could see that the other was lost in his own world as he bumped into innocent bystanders. Izuru looked like he was anything but enjoying himself and after contemplating it, Gin decided that he want to change that. So without further ado, Gin made his way over to the blond and stopped in front of him.

"Penny for yer thoughts?"

[penitentsoul]

Each time he bumped into someone, he immediately mumbled an apology as if it the whole scene had been scripted. The process repeated several times when a far too familiar voice snaked its way through his ears.

He hadn't been expecting it. At all.

Out of instinct he jumped up, startled by the sudden intrusion of his daydream as he struggled to speak. Izuru snapped his head up, eyes widening.

"G-G-Gin-san...! I-I wasn't aware that y-you were coming to the festival!" He blurted, mentally kicking himself twice for a good measure.

For a moment he wondered if Gin had come simply because he had meant to ask the man to accompany him. It was probable that he had sparked the other's interest and curiosity when Izuru had retreated without a fully coherent word from earlier. Or it could have been sheer coincidence...

[a_mischief_grin]

Gin watched as Izuru come back to reality and then practically jump two feet in the air when he had realized who he was. It had been quite a comical site really and Gin couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle.

"Eh, didn't think I'd find ya here either Izuru. I figured ya had ran off somewhere ta avoid me after ya...well I still ain't sure what ya were tryin' ta say," Gin said, honestly perplexed.

"Glad I found ya here though~"

[penitentsoul]

The slight chuckle was more than enough to make Izuru feel impossibly warm, the heat making him feel dizzy and unfocused. He was panicking, too worked up by the man's presence and tone. Gin was acting as if he had never denied an offer in the first place. He should have been relieved, but he felt even more disturbed at the thought.

Swallowing, he willed away the aftermath of the surprise. "I-I... Since you didn't have anyone to come with, I was... - had been - wondering if I could have... accompanied you." This time he lowered his head again, keeping his breathing steady. "... I'm sorry for being a nuisance."

There. He said it. Izuru contemplated bolting right then and there. However, he kept his feet planted on the ground so as to not act on rash impulse. It wouldn't do to run away from Gin after having had a not-so admirable conversation a while back.

[a_mischief_grin]

Gin observed Izuru's reactions curiously and wondered what was making the other so flustered. The only thing he could assume was that Izuru still felt uncomfortable about last time they had conversed. Gin's smirk fell a little at the memory. Although it was true that Gin was still not too pleased with what had happened and still expected to be made up for it, he didn't want to linger on those feelings forever. He didn't really want to talk about it now either, lest it ruin his fun tonight.

Ah, now this was surprising and unexpected. Before he even replied he felt like reaching out for the other, but decided against it. "A nuisance? Ya worry too much Izuru. If ya wanted ta ask me that, why didn't ya just say so? I ain't that mad at ya enough ta say no ya know...but "had been"? Ya mean ya don't wanna anymore or did ya find someone else that yer waitin' for?" Gin asked, still amused but cocking his head to the side a little, trying to look at Izuru's bowed face.

The poor blond looked like he wanted to escape and Gin decided that this wouldn't do. He was going to have to make sure Izuru would stop acting like he was going to eat him or something.

[penitentsoul]

"No."

He kicked himself mentally thrice. That had come out in the worst way possible. While he had meant to defend himself and speak up, Izuru had certainly not wanted to say so in such a blunt manner. He hadn't muttered either, the word had been perfectly loud and clear. The bungle was not something to be proud of.

Immediately he went to correcting himself. "I mean... I was contemplating it, but then... I just couldn't." When he had went to ask Gin for company, a certain tug at the back of his mind had nagged at him to trail off and leave. It was odd, he had been unable to find his voice and speak without stuttering.

And Izuru was sure he wasn't suffering from speech impediment. He only grumbled so much around Gin.

Slowly, he tilted his head up slightly. When he came to meet Gin's cocked face and lock gazes - well, the man's eyes were terribly squinty, so he couldn't really tell where those unseen orbs were looking - he quickly pulled away. His gaze returned to the boring surface of the earth, scoffing ever so slightly and feeling childish for his recent actions.

[a_mischief_grin]

He had to admit that he had been a little taken aback by Izuru's abrupt answer, but in reality Gin had found it more interesting than surprising.
Izuru was really trying his best to get his feelings across and Gin felt that he was probably giving the blond a hard time. If things continued at the rate they were going, they'd never get to do anything fun.

Gin's thoughts had been interrupted when Izuru had peered up to look at him with his left eye partially hidden by light hair. He had expected Izuru to say something, but when he didn't and returned his gaze to the floor, Gin stood straight with his arms lost in his sleeves.

So...as much as he was enjoying Izuru' cute stuttering, loss of words and shyness. There was really one thing he wanted to know.

"Izuru."

It wasn't a question nor was it meant to sound forceful. He just wanted Izuru's complete attention

[penitentsoul]

The tone was neither force nor too soft, and as if on cue Izuru raised his head ever so slowly. For what felt like days the ground moved inch by inch as his neck craned to face the man before him. It was obvious from the simple calling that Gin wanted or desired to hear something. As complex as he appeared to be, Izuru found it rather natural to figure when the other was 'looking'. Somewhat.

"... Yes?" He forced, straightening his posture as he faced Gin yet again. He lightly chewed on his lower lip to bite back the imaginary pressure that was making his body feel heavy. It helped a bit. His hands fiddled with the sides of his hakama, what with all their billowy glory, as other means of relieving himself.

[a_mischief_grin]

Gin waited until Izuru decided to look at him before he was going to be satisfied enough to speak. The blond had taken a bit of time though, almost as if he was being forced to stay here and amuse Gin. Perhaps he was, and Izuru was just here out of guilt. Afterall, It wasn't too hard to see that the other was nervous, especially the way he was playing with his hakama.

Still, Izuru had said that he had wanted to come with him, even if he had failed, so it couldn't hurt to ask.

"Would ya like ta keep me company and enjoy the festival with me now, or are ya goin' ta go walk around and mope 'bout nothin' again?" he asked, assuming that Izuru would get his point, relax and enjoy the night whether or not he said yes.

[penitentsoul]

He knew he had been too obvious with his anxiety. Gin's last line had confirmed it and needless to say, it was rather embarrassing. Still, he kept his eyes glued to the man's perpetually smiling face, willing himself to get used to the face that he would be seeing more frequently in the future. Or so he believed he would. Izuru's uncanny desire - or was it blooming to be an obsession now? - to keep Gin content was surely going to make sure he did just that.

"I... I would like that," then he quickly added, "If you want to." Truth be told, he was relieved at the question.

His hands ceased to fiddle with the hakama, lightly balling into loose fists. However, Izuru continued to experimentally chew on the left side of his bottom lip out of sheer anxiety.

[a_mischief_grin]

Gin was quite pleased at how despite Izuru's discomfort, he was trying his hardest to look at him. Idly, he wondered what was going through the blond's mind since he had yet to answer. Not only that, but he also had a strange look on his face....he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Even though Izuru was usually easy to read, even now he wasn't sure what he would say.

"'Course, wouldn't of asked ya if I didn't," he said and stopped looking at Izuru to let his eyes wander around the park, "Good, now what should we do first hm? I ain't got any money, but we can till look around."

He looked back Izuru and his grin widened with a bit of excitement. He was looking foward to seeing how Izuru would try to keep him entertained.

[penitentsoul]

For the first time since he arrived in Memento Eden, Izuru felt like he had accomplished something. Unfortunately, that feeling of triumphant left as soon as it had come from the sudden realization of just what they would do at the festival. He couldn't imagine Gin doing anything... fun, in this fashion. Nor could he see himself doing those activities children did or simply window shopping.

Suddenly he was clueless. And that widening smile wasn't helping.

"... I don't know." Izuru managed before grumbling a quick apology at his inability of leading.

[a_mischief_grin]

Gin slightly pouted at Izuru's response, but his smile quickly returned. It was a tough choice afterall, considering they had no money...or at least he didn't think Izuru did from the last time he had seen him. So once again he looked around at the park until one stall caught his attention.

"Hm...let's take a look over there first Izuru," he announced and pointed to said stall. Then, not waiting for a response, he grabbed the blond's hand and began to lead him towards it. He didn't want Izuru lagging behind or getting lost afterall.

As they approached it, he could now see why the stall's sign had fishes drawn upon it. It looked like some sort of goldfish scooping game.

[penitentsoul]

He allowed the man to lead him to the stall, keeping up with Gin's pace so as to not trip or fall. Once the shuffling of feet stopped and Izuru was sure the other had stopped, he looked up to see a sign that had fishes as its symbol. He raised a brow in confusion before looking down where the stall had its entertainment displayed.

There were tiny nets by the side with goldfishes swimming about in a clear tub of water. This peaked his curiosity, though Izuru managed to keep from getting too interested.

Silently, Izuru turned to the older man questioningly.

"What do we do? Scoop the fishes...?"

He felt naive for not knowing what the stall was for. Sure there were nets and goldfishes, but one couldn't really figure out what the catch nor purpose of this was. Or perhaps he was thinking too hard on it.

[a_mischief_grin]

He looked at the tub of fishes curiously, watching them swim about taking notice that they were small and plenty. He then looked back the nets that Gin figured wouldn't do any help if the point of the game was to scoop them up. It'd be a lot more fun and easier to just use one hands...but it wasn't like he had the money anyways...

He felt Izuru's gaze on him and his attention on the fish shifted to him.

"Guess so. Though it looks a bit hard with those lil' nets if ya ask me...wonder what happens if ya get one?"

Gin kind of wanted to wait around to see if anyone was willing to try it so that they could watch. Problem was, who knew when that would be? Gin decided just to give up on the idea.

[penitentsoul]

He stared at the fishes for a while longer before shrugging. "Maybe we can keep them. There isn't anything around they can give out as prizes..." But what would they do with goldfishes, anyway? Eat them? There were much too small for that, and keeping them as a pet seemed... well, they didn't look like they would last too long as 'friends'.

It was a curious game, however. The idea of picking fishes out with tiny nets seemed so conventional yet fun in this aspect. The goldfishes appeared so energetic, and watching them constantly swim back and forth was intriguing, to say in the least.

Knowing well that neither of them had any spending money - or any, for that matter - Izuru looked back at Gin. "Would you like to stay and watch or move somewhere else?" Now that there were kicking into the whole idea of a festival, it didn't seem so bad speaking to the man anymore. He didn't seem to care for what happened earlier, so that was a relief.