(Untitled)

[maxwellsdemon02]

The really tricky thing about cross-universal dating is not whether or not you both use base ten to count dates and times. It isn't that one of you is deadly allergic to the proteins in that romantic dinner. It isn't even that you're technically on opposite sides of the law, though it is lucky alternate universes don't have extradition treaties

Comments

[seat_five_girl]

Ako supports the use of chocolate in a number of situations.

To be honest, Ako just supports chocolate in general.

"Noodles please, Bar-san."

Sideways glance at Duo.

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Sorry," he says with a grin. "Didn't mean to hog all Bar's attention."

Sometimes, you just have a pressing question!

[seat_five_girl]

"That's all right," says Ako, "Just, um. Oh fish please, Bar-san."

Napkin interruptions, you know how it happens.

"Just what are you trying to work out?"

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Young love," Duo says, straight-faced. Then he chuckles and shakes his head. "Just wondering if another universe celebrated the same holiday, is all."

[seat_five_girl]

"Oh, um, could you see if there are general references from there?" asks Ako, "Or even flyers I guess."

Sale prices on roses might be a hint.

"I'm Izumi Ako, by the way, but please call me Ako."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Hm, that's not a bad idea," he says with a considering look at the bar. "Maybe a newspaper or something." Or a tabloid. A serious newspaper might not work.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Duo." He offers a hand to shake."

[seat_five_girl]

Ako's handshake is a little unpracticed.

"Good to meet you Duo-san," she says, "Are you trying to surprise someone?"

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Pretty much. You have Valentine's Day in your universe? I've got a new girlfriend, see."

It's still a little weird to call River that, but he likes to think he'll have time to get used to it.

[seat_five_girl]

Ako nods. "Yes, but I think it's a little different than a lot of the people here deal with it."

For one thing, it would be River giving the chocolate today with Duo giving even more on White Day. So not much help there. Sorry.

[maxwellsdemon02]

Duo knows White Day, too!

"You're Japanese, right?" The 'san' gave it away. "Yeah, if I was dating someone from L1, it might not be a problem at all."

(L1 is of course, the colony where most of its citizens are of Japanese descent.)

[seat_five_girl]

Ako's world has at least one Gundum franchise, or at least a close inter-dimensional cousin, so there's a little blinking.

"Well you'd be closer to home then," she says finally, "Um, this probably sounds strange but what do you eat for Christmas where you're from?"

Ako's still a little weirded out by the lack of chicken dinners at the end of December in the bar.

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Uh, I'm usually working, so like, a peanut butter sandwich," he says with a grin. "But I did spend Christmas Eve with said girlfriend, so I know what you're getting at."

[seat_five_girl]

"The extra time here is nice, isn't it? And the, um, the people too."

Mostly.

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Oh yeah, I really appreciate it when I need some extra sleep. Or a little non-approved vacation time.

"Some of the people are real nice. And really weird, but you take what you can great." They probably seem especially weird to a relatively soft-spoken Japanese schoolgirl.

Unless she's like, an unspeakable horror or a goddess in disguise as a Japanese schoolgirl. Duo wouldn't put it past anyone here.

[seat_five_girl]

That's not Ako, just, you know, some of her classmates. Ako might also have an annotated copy of the Evil Overlord List from one of those classmates. Moving on?

"It's the close things that are the oddest, I think," says Ako, "You don't expect an alien to make sense if they have tentacles, but if they look normal..."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Or when you don't even live on the same planet as someone, but they know about your favorite singer, or whatever. That gets me. Similarities stretched out across time and space!"

Jazz hands!