[OPEN/MINGLE LOG] New Year's Eve at the Youth Center!

[cuteshit]

Who: Kanji Tatsumi, Coraline Jones & you!
Where: The youth center!
When: Evening of 12/31 (forward-dated).
Rating: PG
Summary: The adults are celebrating New Year's Even in their own way, but what about the younger crowd?
The Story:

[The idea had actually been Coraline's, way back around Halloween. New Year's was pretty important back home, and in the wake of Wonderland's most recent event, Kanji was missing home more than usual. This would be the first New Year's he'd be spending without his mom. There was no shrine to visit here, and while he could still go around and offer New Year's greetings to his friends, he still felt like there should be something more.

Coraline's idea for a sundae bar seems like a pretty good solution. A lot of the adults in Wonderland will be ringing in the new year with alcohol, but that didn't mean the younger crowd had to miss out entirely. It's nothing like the traditions he would have observed back home, but-- since he wasn't at home, maybe doing something totally different was the way to go.

He has to ask Coraline for her expertise, not exactly knowing what goes into putting together a sundae bar, but he helps with the legwork and the lifting. By the time evening rolls around, the youth center has been turned into an ice cream buffet with an extensive toppings bar, including candy that had been inspired by some of the treats that Dustin had handed out to people for Christmas. Once everything is set up, he sends a text out across the network to grab people's attention-- can't have a party without people!]

Yo, Wonderland! Too young to drink? Youth center's got all the ice cream you can eat, come ring in the New Year right!

[Or, you know. By sending yourself into sugar shock.]

Comments

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji catches Riley eyeing the chocolate while he's eyeing...everything. He gives a small wave, since they're standing within feet of each other.]

You like chocolate.

[This is not him guessing.]

[plutonicideals]

So what if I do?

[She gives him a small wave back, before finally just... reaching for it and taking the chocolate.]

[eatsyourscience]

It's a good choice.

[Really, any choice is okay in this situation. There is no wrong choice when it comes to ice cream sundaes.

In solidarity, he helps himself to some chocolate ice cream, and chocolate toppings. Because there's no such thing as too much or moderation.]

Will you make any resolutions?

[plutonicideals]

Probably. I always make resolutions. Are you?

[She does follow suit, though, and she starts filling her bowl with ice cream and toppings because it's new years and you gotta go all out on new years.]

[eatsyourscience]

I don't know. I never have before. [He shrugs, but smiles a little.] Any suggestions?

[plutonicideals]

[To not deal with as many relationship issues?? That's probably not the one she's going to share.]

There's all the usual stuff, like eating better or exercising more. Mine's probably going to be learning how to bake more things!

[eatsyourscience]

Let me know if you want any more help with that.

[Sometimes having help is a good thing, but not always. Some people prefer to learn things on their own. Though, in his experience, when it comes to cooking, that's not usually going to be the best choice.

He makes a thoughtful noise as he finishes drowning his ice cream in chocolate syrup.]

I think I'd resolve to work less.

[It's a miracle he hasn't just moved his room to be next door to the diner.]

[plutonicideals]

I'd like it if you helped more.

[Though she considers what he said, thoughtfully, before asking a question:]

How often do you work?

[eatsyourscience]

Every day.

[For at least eight hours. Granted, he doesn't spend all of that time doing anything in particular, but he's in the diner for that amount of time, and he really shouldn't be.]

There are a couple people to help out now, but I don't want to leave all of the work to them.

[Though he's sure both Kanji and Minato would be fine and even be glad to fly solo for him.]

[plutonicideals]

How long every day? Do you need more people to help out so you can take a break? If there's enough people, you should be able to.

[It's okay to take a break, Souji.]

[eatsyourscience]

...

[Okay, now that he thinks about it, it's a little excessive.]

I take breaks.

[plutonicideals]

How often?

[Sorry for the grilling, Souji.]

[eatsyourscience]

...Once a week or so.

[He has to play with his pets sometime.

He doesn't mention that he also takes breaks to sleep. Because even he knows that shouldn't be called a "break."]

[plutonicideals]

Have you considered a few more?

[The grilling continues.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji knows when he is being grilled and now is one of those moments.]

...I've considered it.

[Maybe he should consider it more seriously. And like...right now.]

[plutonicideals]

If you need more help, I can do it when you want a break. My mom made me help out at her place a lot.

[And she would do it again if it meant him taking a break. >:<]

[eatsyourscience]

[He smiles.] What does your mom do?

[/Deflects.]

[plutonicideals]

She's a lawyer! And she owns a cafe.

[You're not getting away so easily Souji.]

[eatsyourscience]

Those don't sound like things that normally go together.

[plutonicideals]

We took it over when the original owner passed away. We didn't want to let it go, so we kept it and we keep running it in honor of her.

[eatsyourscience]

[He smiles a little. He likes the sound of that.]

Any time you want to help out, you're welcome to.

[plutonicideals]

I'll be there whenever I can be. Promise.

[eatsyourscience]

[He smiles and raises his hand, holding his pinkie out toward her. It's a bit of a childish thing to do, but Souji is immune to such worries.]

Then I promise to take more breaks.