rp log; Valentines (Blind) Date
Who: Tachibana Kippei & Fuji Syuusuke
When: Valentines Day
Where: In a good picnic place. NEXT TO THE TENNIS COURTS.
What: The actual date finally, after all Kippei's whining about it.
Comments: I'M SUCH AN IDIOT! I have to beta this again, because I used cut-bar and then copied something on top of it : /
Maybe he should go. Maybe he should stay. What was he even doing?! Blind dating? Him? Maybe he was pushing it; a lot. Sure, he wanted to get back on track. Sure, he didn't want to walk around with a sign that screamed 'Victim Complex' for the rest of his life. Sure, he wanted to learn how to be a teenager again. But this? At least he didn't think he'd get set up with Marui. Did he even sign up? Taka would never do that to him. He knew it. Fuji sighed and arranged his tie for the umpteenth time. Where was his mysterious date? (If it turned out to be Momo or something, he'd laugh his head off.)
With his back-up plan assured Tachibana wasn't as adversed to this as before. He walked up the stairs, getting closer to the place written in his card, and concentrated on not wondering who was waiting for him. Fat a lot of help that was. With every step he took the previous doubt raised its ugly head. Was it really okay? On top of the stairs now. Had he looked up he might've already seen the place. He thought about how he'd played with an idea of asking if Fuji wanted to join him in Neverland again. What would the tensai say if he knew of this? Tachibana hoped he'd never find out. A deep breath. He stopped when he realised he was close to someone. He saw sneakers and looked up.
He forgot to breathe.
"Oh." Fuji stared. And stared. And then stared some more. "Ta--Tachibana...? What are you doing... here...?" His voice was suddenly so oddly small. What. They. Couldn't. Right? Right? What the... Oh god oh god oh god.
"Aa-Fuji?" Tachibana was totally in loss of words right then. Why was Fuji Here? And....where was the person he was supposed to meet? Unless....unless Fuji- No way. Right? "I- My sister... That is, I mean... why are you here, Fuji?" There was a new doubt rising in his mind. If Fuji was the one here, then Fuji could be his partner for the blind date. He didn't know what to think about that. The logical conclusion would be that Fuji was trying to find someone to...date. And since he'd turned to a blind date, didn't that mean he was trying to find someone who wasn't Tachibana? "Unless you're in this Blind date thing too." He tried very hard to sound neutral.
"Yes... In fact, I am. Thought it would be a fun way to spend celebrate, you know? Spend the day making someone a little bit... happy." Oh god, that sounded awkward. Really, truly awkward. But wait, if Tachibana said 'this thing too', didn't that mean... Why? Why would he do that? Fuji really hadn't had him pegged as someone who would sign up for something like this. And... Did he do it for the fun of it, or because he wanted a date? And why would he want a date? For some reason or the other, Fuji didn't dare to ask.
"I....see." Like hell he did, Tachibana kicked himself mentally. But now that he was in this situation... He could hear An's voice in his head, telling him to trust her a bit. Kippei would never EVER trust his sister again. Then he happened to think how he looked like, in Fuji's eyes right now. Awkward Tachibana pushed his hands into his pockets and found something to fiddle with. "This is all An's fault", he informed his....gulp....date. "I chewed her already a bit for signing me up without my consent" that was the important part "but obviously I didn't chew her enough."
"So... You didn't want this." That was basically what he was saying, wasn't it? Part of Fuji was glad; that meant Tachibana wasn't too eager to go out and date just about whoever, but on the other hand... Where did that leave them? He tried to keep his face from falling too much, tried to keep his voice neutral. "Well, maybe we... could just forget this even happened, if you'd like?"
Was that....disappointment? Well, Tachibana supposed he'd be a little disappointed too, had someone like him showed up when Fuji was obviously looking for a good time. The tall blonde straightened his back and lifted his head from the protective hunch they'd gone into. Gee, he should stop being such a stick in the mud and at least try make some aspect of this better. He could....try, giving Fuji that good time. The tensai deserved that, at least. "No, it's fine", he said, unable to meet the other boy's eyes just yet. "I just don't know how good I am in...having fun, or whatever. Unless you'd rather call it off right now. An might still get you a better date, if you asked."
Fuji walked over to the blanket and sat down, opening the box of wasabi sushi that was laid out before him. Well, that had to be a gift from Taka, that much was for certain. So... Why would Taka set him up like this? Was he happy about it? Sad? Disappointed? He wasn't sure. But he wanted Tachibana to enjoy himself. That much he knew. "We'll think of something," he said lightly, patting the area next to him. "Please, sit down."
Tachibana followed Fuji and sat down to the opposite side of the blanket, trying to take as little space as possible, even if it made him sit half off the blanket. He concentrated his eyes on the box of ---sushi? instead of his....date. His head was still trying to get around the prospect. He wouldn't be calling Chitose though, unless Fuji changed his mind. "I'm sorry", he said. "About this. I mean, you probably were expecting someone else."
"I wasn't expecting anyone in particular," Fuji confessed. "As I said, I signed up for the heck of it, just for fun. I wouldn't have minded it even if my blind date turned out to be Yukimura-chan or anyone. Well... Maybe Sakamoto-sensei..."
Tachibana stared at the other boy. "Do you think Sakamoto-sensei signed up for...?"
Fuji shuddered. "Let's hope he didn't! I wouldn't put it past him though..."
Tachibana nodded slowly. He had to admit he didn't put it past the headmaster or whatever the man was called either. He let out the breath he'd been holding in a puff. "At least neither of had to deal with him", he offered.
"I'm glad!" Fuji laughed nervously. "The old man tried to get touchy feely with me the first year we were here."
"Did he?" Tachibana's eyes got a dark distracted look in them and he managed to destroy the paper mug he'd reached out to pick up when his hands clenched into fists. "How come he got away with it?"
Fuji blushed and popped a sushi into his mouth. "Well... I didn't exactly report him. And he's not been all that creepy ever since."
"I think you stay quiet too often", Tachibana commented. He would rather all the perverts were shipped off the camp and the management was left to non-perverted hands that didn't take advantage of their position. Tachibana didn't really trust a single adult in the camp/school, but he wasn't the kind of person who attracted those types of people, so he didn't really catch them in action either. Fuji was ....pretty. For a guy. Tachibana shook his head trying to shoo those thoughts away.
Well, he supposed he did. Old habits die hard and all that. He had the decency to blush again however, and reached out for his tea. "You disapprove?"
"Yes, but I guess it's pretty humiliating, having to say something like that. It's not you who's wrong." Tachibana looked at his cup and tried reshaping the mangled mug. "Ever thought about taking self-defence classes, Fuji?" he asked then, just because it was the next thing that came to his mind. Chitose could vote for him, he really lacked the proper filter between his mind and mouth.
"I don't like violence." But then again... He supposed he needed it. He frowned and put his tea down. "You don't think I'm weak, do you?"
"Not mentally. Physically. For now", Tachibana admitted straight. "But I'm all for being proven wrong." Like by having a long stimulating tennis match. He reached out for the thermostat to pour himself some tea as well. "How about a tennis match? Three sets, if you're up for it."
Well, he could live with that, yes. He nodded, face brightening. "Sure~!"
"Good." Tachibana smiled looking at his friend for the first time straight. Then he frowned at the bottle in his hands. How had Fuji got the tea out of it? He supposed there was some kind of mechanism he wasn't seeing.
Fuji tilted his head to the side and blinked. "Is everything all right?"
The lion-esque boy decided to give up before he made a fool out of himself. "I can't open it", he said ruefully and set the bottle aside. Like hell he'd ask for help to open a stupid thermostatic bottle.
Fuji blinked, then laughed. "Well, you don't open, open it. You just turn the lid until it says 'click', see?" And so he did. "Then you just press down."
Tachibana stared. It really said "click" and the tea was really pouring out of the bottle when he pressed down the lid. Had he been any more prone to colour changes, he might've blushed, but as it was, he just managed to look genuinely surprised and embarrassed. He filled his mangled cup and wondered if Fuji considered him stupid. He could've figured it out, eventually. Just chosen not to. "Complicated", he commented.
"But fun~ You wanna press the lid?" No, he didn't think Tachibana was stupid... But it was adorable.
"Maybe next time", Tachibana mumbled. At least - and he glanced up to make sure - Fuji seemed happier than before. Even if it was just a little. "You know", he started, but reconsidered then. And dropped it. "Never mind."
Fuji frowned. "No... Go ahead."
"I was just thinking. It wasn't anything important." Tachibana assured the tensai and felt a rushing need to get out of saying it. Saying things like that was... embarrassing. Tachibana didn't like embarrassing.
"You... don't trust me?" Well, he wasn't feeling disappointed, not really. He was just poking a little fun at Tachibana. Of course, his sad face could have fooled just about anyone.
Gah! Tachibana's eyes widened at the sad look. "It's not about trusting, Fuji, I swear. I just... It's just.... I suppose I just can't say things like that without feeling like an idiot."
Fuji popped another sushi into his mouth and smiled. "You're not an idiot. And I won't judge. I wouldn't dream of it."
Now there was definitely a light reddish hue on Tachibana's cheeks, though he hid it by looking at anywhere but Fuji's smiling face. "Was just thinking your smile looks nicer than your sad face. And I thought about what would it take to keep you smiling from now on. And....stuff."
Well, Tachibana's blush was soon accompanied by Fuji's own, and he stared down on his hands. "Oh... Oh. Tha--thank you."
Tachibana huffed and shot a reprimanding look at the smaller boy. "Told you it was stupid." It sounded like a cheap pick-up line. Which was part of the reason he hadn't said it. And now he'd in fact said it. Crap. "Could I get a sushi, please?"
"It's not stupid," Fuji mumbled, still blushing. Instead he smiled and handed another box of sushi over to Tachibana. This one didn't have any wasabi sushi in it - he had already checked. "Here you go."
"Thank you", Tachibana said and took the box with moves that were a bit stiff, even for him. The air around them just screamed awkward, and this time it was his fault instead of his sister's. He took one sushi from the box and put it into his mouth so he wouldn't have to say anything.
This wasn't exactly how he had imagined the date, but as things were as they were... Fuji sighed and made himself as comfortable as he could, sipping the tea. "... Are you single, Tachibana?"
Chew chew chew, swallow. Drink. "Who would I date?" The tall boy asked with wry humour. "Or rather, who would date me?" He didn't really say it to self-degrade or anything. It was just one of those things. And he hadn't really been interested in dating people either, so he hadn't tried making himself more....datable.
Fuji studied him carefully. He wasn't the type of person who would leap up to any given opportunity to tell a people that no, of course you're wrong, because you're awesome, or something like that just to stroke their ego. But then again, it didn't look like Tachibana was looking for something like that either. Which was why he could give it to him. "I think you're pretty good date material, actually. Strong, handsome, dynamic..."
Tachibana looked away with another embarrassed huff. "Watch it, Fuji, or I might build up an ego one of these days. I'd rather keep my feet on the ground." Then, as if to make a point, he lifted up another sushi. "This is good stuff. I should learn how to make this."
"Well, would an ego be all that bad?" He could do with one himself, obviously enough. "And I know, aren't they? Taka-san's a wonderful chef!"
"'An ego to go with my bad nature would be a disaster'", Tachibana chose to recite a teacher from his Fudomine days. Some of them had enjoyed using their stand point as an advantage and bestowed him with snarling comments and tons of extra home work. It had been a pain to clear it, especially with his academic inabilities. Sometimes he'd had to give up on them, and that had resulted in some more verbal slashing. Had there not been his team, he would've been glad to get away from Fudomine when he graduated, but he'd just been worried for his boys. And maybe a little relieved. Going back to the topic about the food, as it always seemed to be better than school, Tachibana nodded appreciatively. "I heard Kawamura's family owns a sushi bar in Tokyo?"
"They do. Kawamura Sushi." Not the most imaginative name, but it held a sense of familiarity and safetiness that made Fuji's heart warm, just thinking about it. He smiled. "And he makes the best wasabi sushi there is~"
"Oh?" Tachibana liked the smile on Fuji's face and smiled one of his own. He reached out a hand. "Let's taste it then, the best wasabi sushi there is."
"You think you'll like wasabi sushi," the shorter boy giggled. "It's quite an acquired taste, you know..."
Tachibana's smile turned predatory. "You just want to eat all of them yourself. I'm a cook, I eat anything." Which was probably truer than most knew. After all, Kippei had eaten his sister's cookings with a good appetite when she was still learning which jar had sugar and which salt.
"..." He smirked and winked. "You got me there~ So... Even though you eat everything... What's your favourite?"
Not to mention when she had learned which was which and started experimenting on her own, making him taste the ready food for poison. He always ate it with a straight face, that's how good a brother he was. "..." The question stopped Tachibana for a moment, and when he couldn't decide he slowly repeated what he'd said earlier, managing to make it sound unsure of all things: "I eat anything?"
Fuji pouted. That answer really seemed like the fast way out, didn't it? Giving Tachibana a small, disapproving smile, he shook his head. "Silly you. That's no answer~"
"Ah, I see." Tachibana kept a pause, taking his cup and drinking. He waited until he'd put the tea down again, and then made a thoughtful expression. "Then, tamago? And maybe you'll part from anago if I like it very much?"
"The anago is yours to take~" Fuji smiled, reaching out his hand before he even knew what he was doing, and put it over Tachibana's. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, nee?"
Tachibana glanced down at their hands and then strictly decided to keep his on Fuji's face instead. There was a threatening warm feeling hovering around his ears. "It's no problem really", he said seriously. "I'm glad if I could make you feel better." Then again Fuji had said "trying"... The taller of the boys decided not to over-analyse spoken words. It could turn into a headache before he knew.
His heart felt odd. Weird. Fluttering like a caged bird who wanted to spread its wings and fly high up into the sky. Cliché, but there you had it. I'm... falling for this guy...
Change the subject, a little voice ordered when Tachibana spied a little dazed look on Fuji's face. He'd said something weird again hadn’t he? Then again, he didn't think anything he'd said was Too weird, thinking back. However.... Kippei's eyes found the sushi container near Fuji. "Maybe someday I'll make something that'll make you think it's the best there is", he said and gestured to the sushi. "But for now, let me taste the present greatness."
"..." Fuji blushed and quickly looked away, pushing the box of sushi closer to Tachibana. "... Knock yourself out."
"Thank you." After considering a moment, Tachibana chose a tamago from the box and took it so his lips, unable to keep his eyes from glancing over at Fuji momentarily to see if he was watching, and then put the nigirizushi into his mouth the way his father had taught him. "There is a certain way these things are done, son. To honour the man who made the sushi, you must eat it exactly right." He chewed and released the over-whelming taste of fresh wasabi into his mouth. As he'd known it would, the paste made his eyes water, but the feeling was certainly worth it. Personally Tachibana ate his sushi with less wasabi, but he wasn't one to say there weren't any kicks to it. And the sushi itself was very very good, the combination of taste and feeling... Tachibana doubted he'd be able to make one just like it.
Fuji studied Tachibana's face carefully, seeing how his eyes watered and how he tried to keep his calm about it. It was endearing, really. He wasn't sure why he could stomach such spicy, sharp tastes, or why he liked it, but now he did, and there was no point in overanalyzing that fact. He got to his feet and walked over to the chain link fence, glancing out over the area around them. "So... Tennis?"
"Ah, I didn't bring a racket with me", Tachibana apologised, taking the anago he'd been promised from Fuji's box. "We should definitely play, but I suggest we eat today and play tomorrow." The sushi given to them was definitely the work of talented hands, and even if it wasn't it was food. Tachibana had been taught not to waste food.
He nodded. Seemed good enough; he didn't have a racket with him either. "So... let's just enjoy Valentine's for what it's worth?" In spite of the awkwardness...
Tachibana nodded with an answering smile. "Yes, let's."
When: Valentines Day
Where: In a good picnic place. NEXT TO THE TENNIS COURTS.
What: The actual date finally, after all Kippei's whining about it.
Comments: I'M SUCH AN IDIOT! I have to beta this again, because I used cut-bar and then copied something on top of it : /
Maybe he should go. Maybe he should stay. What was he even doing?! Blind dating? Him? Maybe he was pushing it; a lot. Sure, he wanted to get back on track. Sure, he didn't want to walk around with a sign that screamed 'Victim Complex' for the rest of his life. Sure, he wanted to learn how to be a teenager again. But this? At least he didn't think he'd get set up with Marui. Did he even sign up? Taka would never do that to him. He knew it. Fuji sighed and arranged his tie for the umpteenth time. Where was his mysterious date? (If it turned out to be Momo or something, he'd laugh his head off.)
With his back-up plan assured Tachibana wasn't as adversed to this as before. He walked up the stairs, getting closer to the place written in his card, and concentrated on not wondering who was waiting for him. Fat a lot of help that was. With every step he took the previous doubt raised its ugly head. Was it really okay? On top of the stairs now. Had he looked up he might've already seen the place. He thought about how he'd played with an idea of asking if Fuji wanted to join him in Neverland again. What would the tensai say if he knew of this? Tachibana hoped he'd never find out. A deep breath. He stopped when he realised he was close to someone. He saw sneakers and looked up.
He forgot to breathe.
"Oh." Fuji stared. And stared. And then stared some more. "Ta--Tachibana...? What are you doing... here...?" His voice was suddenly so oddly small. What. They. Couldn't. Right? Right? What the... Oh god oh god oh god.
"Aa-Fuji?" Tachibana was totally in loss of words right then. Why was Fuji Here? And....where was the person he was supposed to meet? Unless....unless Fuji- No way. Right? "I- My sister... That is, I mean... why are you here, Fuji?" There was a new doubt rising in his mind. If Fuji was the one here, then Fuji could be his partner for the blind date. He didn't know what to think about that. The logical conclusion would be that Fuji was trying to find someone to...date. And since he'd turned to a blind date, didn't that mean he was trying to find someone who wasn't Tachibana? "Unless you're in this Blind date thing too." He tried very hard to sound neutral.
"Yes... In fact, I am. Thought it would be a fun way to spend celebrate, you know? Spend the day making someone a little bit... happy." Oh god, that sounded awkward. Really, truly awkward. But wait, if Tachibana said 'this thing too', didn't that mean... Why? Why would he do that? Fuji really hadn't had him pegged as someone who would sign up for something like this. And... Did he do it for the fun of it, or because he wanted a date? And why would he want a date? For some reason or the other, Fuji didn't dare to ask.
"I....see." Like hell he did, Tachibana kicked himself mentally. But now that he was in this situation... He could hear An's voice in his head, telling him to trust her a bit. Kippei would never EVER trust his sister again. Then he happened to think how he looked like, in Fuji's eyes right now. Awkward Tachibana pushed his hands into his pockets and found something to fiddle with. "This is all An's fault", he informed his....gulp....date. "I chewed her already a bit for signing me up without my consent" that was the important part "but obviously I didn't chew her enough."
"So... You didn't want this." That was basically what he was saying, wasn't it? Part of Fuji was glad; that meant Tachibana wasn't too eager to go out and date just about whoever, but on the other hand... Where did that leave them? He tried to keep his face from falling too much, tried to keep his voice neutral. "Well, maybe we... could just forget this even happened, if you'd like?"
Was that....disappointment? Well, Tachibana supposed he'd be a little disappointed too, had someone like him showed up when Fuji was obviously looking for a good time. The tall blonde straightened his back and lifted his head from the protective hunch they'd gone into. Gee, he should stop being such a stick in the mud and at least try make some aspect of this better. He could....try, giving Fuji that good time. The tensai deserved that, at least. "No, it's fine", he said, unable to meet the other boy's eyes just yet. "I just don't know how good I am in...having fun, or whatever. Unless you'd rather call it off right now. An might still get you a better date, if you asked."
Fuji walked over to the blanket and sat down, opening the box of wasabi sushi that was laid out before him. Well, that had to be a gift from Taka, that much was for certain. So... Why would Taka set him up like this? Was he happy about it? Sad? Disappointed? He wasn't sure. But he wanted Tachibana to enjoy himself. That much he knew. "We'll think of something," he said lightly, patting the area next to him. "Please, sit down."
Tachibana followed Fuji and sat down to the opposite side of the blanket, trying to take as little space as possible, even if it made him sit half off the blanket. He concentrated his eyes on the box of ---sushi? instead of his....date. His head was still trying to get around the prospect. He wouldn't be calling Chitose though, unless Fuji changed his mind. "I'm sorry", he said. "About this. I mean, you probably were expecting someone else."
"I wasn't expecting anyone in particular," Fuji confessed. "As I said, I signed up for the heck of it, just for fun. I wouldn't have minded it even if my blind date turned out to be Yukimura-chan or anyone. Well... Maybe Sakamoto-sensei..."
Tachibana stared at the other boy. "Do you think Sakamoto-sensei signed up for...?"
Fuji shuddered. "Let's hope he didn't! I wouldn't put it past him though..."
Tachibana nodded slowly. He had to admit he didn't put it past the headmaster or whatever the man was called either. He let out the breath he'd been holding in a puff. "At least neither of had to deal with him", he offered.
"I'm glad!" Fuji laughed nervously. "The old man tried to get touchy feely with me the first year we were here."
"Did he?" Tachibana's eyes got a dark distracted look in them and he managed to destroy the paper mug he'd reached out to pick up when his hands clenched into fists. "How come he got away with it?"
Fuji blushed and popped a sushi into his mouth. "Well... I didn't exactly report him. And he's not been all that creepy ever since."
"I think you stay quiet too often", Tachibana commented. He would rather all the perverts were shipped off the camp and the management was left to non-perverted hands that didn't take advantage of their position. Tachibana didn't really trust a single adult in the camp/school, but he wasn't the kind of person who attracted those types of people, so he didn't really catch them in action either. Fuji was ....pretty. For a guy. Tachibana shook his head trying to shoo those thoughts away.
Well, he supposed he did. Old habits die hard and all that. He had the decency to blush again however, and reached out for his tea. "You disapprove?"
"Yes, but I guess it's pretty humiliating, having to say something like that. It's not you who's wrong." Tachibana looked at his cup and tried reshaping the mangled mug. "Ever thought about taking self-defence classes, Fuji?" he asked then, just because it was the next thing that came to his mind. Chitose could vote for him, he really lacked the proper filter between his mind and mouth.
"I don't like violence." But then again... He supposed he needed it. He frowned and put his tea down. "You don't think I'm weak, do you?"
"Not mentally. Physically. For now", Tachibana admitted straight. "But I'm all for being proven wrong." Like by having a long stimulating tennis match. He reached out for the thermostat to pour himself some tea as well. "How about a tennis match? Three sets, if you're up for it."
Well, he could live with that, yes. He nodded, face brightening. "Sure~!"
"Good." Tachibana smiled looking at his friend for the first time straight. Then he frowned at the bottle in his hands. How had Fuji got the tea out of it? He supposed there was some kind of mechanism he wasn't seeing.
Fuji tilted his head to the side and blinked. "Is everything all right?"
The lion-esque boy decided to give up before he made a fool out of himself. "I can't open it", he said ruefully and set the bottle aside. Like hell he'd ask for help to open a stupid thermostatic bottle.
Fuji blinked, then laughed. "Well, you don't open, open it. You just turn the lid until it says 'click', see?" And so he did. "Then you just press down."
Tachibana stared. It really said "click" and the tea was really pouring out of the bottle when he pressed down the lid. Had he been any more prone to colour changes, he might've blushed, but as it was, he just managed to look genuinely surprised and embarrassed. He filled his mangled cup and wondered if Fuji considered him stupid. He could've figured it out, eventually. Just chosen not to. "Complicated", he commented.
"But fun~ You wanna press the lid?" No, he didn't think Tachibana was stupid... But it was adorable.
"Maybe next time", Tachibana mumbled. At least - and he glanced up to make sure - Fuji seemed happier than before. Even if it was just a little. "You know", he started, but reconsidered then. And dropped it. "Never mind."
Fuji frowned. "No... Go ahead."
"I was just thinking. It wasn't anything important." Tachibana assured the tensai and felt a rushing need to get out of saying it. Saying things like that was... embarrassing. Tachibana didn't like embarrassing.
"You... don't trust me?" Well, he wasn't feeling disappointed, not really. He was just poking a little fun at Tachibana. Of course, his sad face could have fooled just about anyone.
Gah! Tachibana's eyes widened at the sad look. "It's not about trusting, Fuji, I swear. I just... It's just.... I suppose I just can't say things like that without feeling like an idiot."
Fuji popped another sushi into his mouth and smiled. "You're not an idiot. And I won't judge. I wouldn't dream of it."
Now there was definitely a light reddish hue on Tachibana's cheeks, though he hid it by looking at anywhere but Fuji's smiling face. "Was just thinking your smile looks nicer than your sad face. And I thought about what would it take to keep you smiling from now on. And....stuff."
Well, Tachibana's blush was soon accompanied by Fuji's own, and he stared down on his hands. "Oh... Oh. Tha--thank you."
Tachibana huffed and shot a reprimanding look at the smaller boy. "Told you it was stupid." It sounded like a cheap pick-up line. Which was part of the reason he hadn't said it. And now he'd in fact said it. Crap. "Could I get a sushi, please?"
"It's not stupid," Fuji mumbled, still blushing. Instead he smiled and handed another box of sushi over to Tachibana. This one didn't have any wasabi sushi in it - he had already checked. "Here you go."
"Thank you", Tachibana said and took the box with moves that were a bit stiff, even for him. The air around them just screamed awkward, and this time it was his fault instead of his sister's. He took one sushi from the box and put it into his mouth so he wouldn't have to say anything.
This wasn't exactly how he had imagined the date, but as things were as they were... Fuji sighed and made himself as comfortable as he could, sipping the tea. "... Are you single, Tachibana?"
Chew chew chew, swallow. Drink. "Who would I date?" The tall boy asked with wry humour. "Or rather, who would date me?" He didn't really say it to self-degrade or anything. It was just one of those things. And he hadn't really been interested in dating people either, so he hadn't tried making himself more....datable.
Fuji studied him carefully. He wasn't the type of person who would leap up to any given opportunity to tell a people that no, of course you're wrong, because you're awesome, or something like that just to stroke their ego. But then again, it didn't look like Tachibana was looking for something like that either. Which was why he could give it to him. "I think you're pretty good date material, actually. Strong, handsome, dynamic..."
Tachibana looked away with another embarrassed huff. "Watch it, Fuji, or I might build up an ego one of these days. I'd rather keep my feet on the ground." Then, as if to make a point, he lifted up another sushi. "This is good stuff. I should learn how to make this."
"Well, would an ego be all that bad?" He could do with one himself, obviously enough. "And I know, aren't they? Taka-san's a wonderful chef!"
"'An ego to go with my bad nature would be a disaster'", Tachibana chose to recite a teacher from his Fudomine days. Some of them had enjoyed using their stand point as an advantage and bestowed him with snarling comments and tons of extra home work. It had been a pain to clear it, especially with his academic inabilities. Sometimes he'd had to give up on them, and that had resulted in some more verbal slashing. Had there not been his team, he would've been glad to get away from Fudomine when he graduated, but he'd just been worried for his boys. And maybe a little relieved. Going back to the topic about the food, as it always seemed to be better than school, Tachibana nodded appreciatively. "I heard Kawamura's family owns a sushi bar in Tokyo?"
"They do. Kawamura Sushi." Not the most imaginative name, but it held a sense of familiarity and safetiness that made Fuji's heart warm, just thinking about it. He smiled. "And he makes the best wasabi sushi there is~"
"Oh?" Tachibana liked the smile on Fuji's face and smiled one of his own. He reached out a hand. "Let's taste it then, the best wasabi sushi there is."
"You think you'll like wasabi sushi," the shorter boy giggled. "It's quite an acquired taste, you know..."
Tachibana's smile turned predatory. "You just want to eat all of them yourself. I'm a cook, I eat anything." Which was probably truer than most knew. After all, Kippei had eaten his sister's cookings with a good appetite when she was still learning which jar had sugar and which salt.
"..." He smirked and winked. "You got me there~ So... Even though you eat everything... What's your favourite?"
Not to mention when she had learned which was which and started experimenting on her own, making him taste the ready food for poison. He always ate it with a straight face, that's how good a brother he was. "..." The question stopped Tachibana for a moment, and when he couldn't decide he slowly repeated what he'd said earlier, managing to make it sound unsure of all things: "I eat anything?"
Fuji pouted. That answer really seemed like the fast way out, didn't it? Giving Tachibana a small, disapproving smile, he shook his head. "Silly you. That's no answer~"
"Ah, I see." Tachibana kept a pause, taking his cup and drinking. He waited until he'd put the tea down again, and then made a thoughtful expression. "Then, tamago? And maybe you'll part from anago if I like it very much?"
"The anago is yours to take~" Fuji smiled, reaching out his hand before he even knew what he was doing, and put it over Tachibana's. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, nee?"
Tachibana glanced down at their hands and then strictly decided to keep his on Fuji's face instead. There was a threatening warm feeling hovering around his ears. "It's no problem really", he said seriously. "I'm glad if I could make you feel better." Then again Fuji had said "trying"... The taller of the boys decided not to over-analyse spoken words. It could turn into a headache before he knew.
His heart felt odd. Weird. Fluttering like a caged bird who wanted to spread its wings and fly high up into the sky. Cliché, but there you had it. I'm... falling for this guy...
Change the subject, a little voice ordered when Tachibana spied a little dazed look on Fuji's face. He'd said something weird again hadn’t he? Then again, he didn't think anything he'd said was Too weird, thinking back. However.... Kippei's eyes found the sushi container near Fuji. "Maybe someday I'll make something that'll make you think it's the best there is", he said and gestured to the sushi. "But for now, let me taste the present greatness."
"..." Fuji blushed and quickly looked away, pushing the box of sushi closer to Tachibana. "... Knock yourself out."
"Thank you." After considering a moment, Tachibana chose a tamago from the box and took it so his lips, unable to keep his eyes from glancing over at Fuji momentarily to see if he was watching, and then put the nigirizushi into his mouth the way his father had taught him. "There is a certain way these things are done, son. To honour the man who made the sushi, you must eat it exactly right." He chewed and released the over-whelming taste of fresh wasabi into his mouth. As he'd known it would, the paste made his eyes water, but the feeling was certainly worth it. Personally Tachibana ate his sushi with less wasabi, but he wasn't one to say there weren't any kicks to it. And the sushi itself was very very good, the combination of taste and feeling... Tachibana doubted he'd be able to make one just like it.
Fuji studied Tachibana's face carefully, seeing how his eyes watered and how he tried to keep his calm about it. It was endearing, really. He wasn't sure why he could stomach such spicy, sharp tastes, or why he liked it, but now he did, and there was no point in overanalyzing that fact. He got to his feet and walked over to the chain link fence, glancing out over the area around them. "So... Tennis?"
"Ah, I didn't bring a racket with me", Tachibana apologised, taking the anago he'd been promised from Fuji's box. "We should definitely play, but I suggest we eat today and play tomorrow." The sushi given to them was definitely the work of talented hands, and even if it wasn't it was food. Tachibana had been taught not to waste food.
He nodded. Seemed good enough; he didn't have a racket with him either. "So... let's just enjoy Valentine's for what it's worth?" In spite of the awkwardness...
Tachibana nodded with an answering smile. "Yes, let's."