[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

Kanji | OTA

[cuteshit]

[Kanji is doing his best to make the most of tonight, using it as an opportunity to push himself to be a little more social with the younger crowd in Wonderland. He's lingering near the toppings bar as he finishes up the last of a waffle cone, looking satisfied with the turnout. Really, for the first party he's helped to throw, he thinks it's turned out pretty well.

He'll be available for the duration of the evening, eventually eating his fill and collapsing onto one of the couches in the conversation pit to unwind.]

[goodwoofjames]

[As much as Sirius is most definitely going to drink at some point in the night, he realizes that to many he still at least looks like a kid. And it isn't like he doesn't like ice cream, of course. So he decides to make a sundae and mill around, say hi to some people. He's surprised to see how many of the people who've arrived are actually teenagers. Might as well make some more friends, right? If James couldn't escape...

Sirius settles on a couch across from Kanji and takes a mouthful of ice cream, firing off a little wave as he swallows.]

'lo. You're Kanji, right? One of Souji's mates?

[cuteshit]

[Kanji recognizes him well enough-- he's seen him around the mansion plenty, but he's not sure they've ever talked before now. He looks mildly puzzled as he tries to put a name to the face.]

'Mates?' Oh-- we're friends, yeah.

[He nods slowly, confirming.]

That's me. You're... Sirius?

[He's pretty sure, anyway.]

[goodwoofjames]

Yep. Sorry we haven't really talked before. Figured I'd say hi, since you were so good as to organize all this.

[Sirius takes another mouthful, swallows.]

So you aren't interested in the drinking tradition?

[Not what he would have guessed looking at him.]

[cuteshit]

Dude, I'm sixteen.

[And barely that-- although it's tough to keep track, since thinking of how to count time in Wonderland alongside all his years back home is a little confusing.]

I might look like a punk, but even if I was all about breakin' the rules? Beer smells.

[He bets it doesn't taste any better.]

[goodwoofjames]

[Sirius snorts. Who would have thought this guy'd be so pure?]

I'm not much for beer myself. I started on firewhiskey. Works fast enough that you hardly notice the burn.

[He tilts his head.]

You've really never had a drink?

[cuteshit]

[He frowns.]

'Course not. I'm not old enough.

[As if that's ever stopped any teenager who really wanted one.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji finds Kanji almost immediately, but doesn't approach him right away. He wants to give him time to see what a good job he's done before Souji says it to him straight. So he takes his time eating a bowl of ice cream before finding Kanji finishing off his waffle cone.

Coming to stand next to Kanji, facing the room, Souji puts a hand on his hip.]

This is a great party.

[cuteshit]

Yeah? You like it?

[Kanji grins broadly at the compliment-- it always means a lot to him whenever his senpai gives his approval. Makes Kanji feel like he's moving in the right direction. He's had time to see that people are enjoying themselves, and that's proof enough of a job well done.]

It was Coraline's idea, we were talkin' about it awhile back. Thought it'd be fun-- I know it's not like what we do at home, but it didn't feel right not to do something.

[eatsyourscience]

It's a good alternative. [A tasty alternative.]

I don't think I've ever talked to Coraline. [But she sounds like she has excellent ideas.] There are a lot of people I haven't talked to.

[cuteshit]

Maybe this'll be a good chance for you to do just that. I mean, I know you were sayin' awhile back that you haven't gotten to know a lot of the newer people around Wonderland.

[Actually, on that note...]

Speaking of, uh-- there's someone I oughta introduce you to later.

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's proverbial ears prick up.]

Yeah? Who?

[cuteshit]

Uh--

[Kanji turns predictably pink, as he so often does when he's struggling to articulate himself.]

Haven't seen her turn up just yet, but she's kinda-- my girlfriend?

[It's the first time he's used the word, and it feels weird.]

[uncoils]

Hey Kanji. Nice party.

[Really, it's nice. She's been to both at this point, and this one's way more her style.]

You guys did great putting this together.

[cuteshit]

[Really, Kanji isn't used to getting so many compliments, but Jolyne is a close enough friend that he feels comfortable around her, and he doesn't second-guess what comes out of her mouth.]

It ain't the same as going to the shrine, but I'm glad people are havin' fun. I know there's a fancy party down in the ballroom, but this is definitely more our speed.

[He'd never make it through something like that.]

[uncoils]

Yeah, I get you. I went over there for a little while, but it just wasn't my thing.

[Maybe in a couple years if she ever decides to really grow up, but at this point, haha no. She just feels out of place at formal parties like that.]

where the hell did this notif go

[cuteshit]

Yeah, seems like you wouldn't be into that. Can't really imagine you dressin' up all fancy.

[It's weird. Jolyne's a tough chick, but she's not, you know. A girl.]

it is a mystery

[uncoils]

Hey, I'll have you know I had a nice dress and everything. I just changed before I came over here.

[Into something much more her style. She'll go with jeans and a t-shirt over that instead, okay?]

I can totally do fancy when I want to. Or when I'm forced to.

[...usually the latter.]

[cuteshit]

What's that they say? 'Pics or it didn't happen?'

[He's teasing, but she picks on him so often that he feels like he's earned the right.]

Seems like 'forced to' is probably more likely.

[hairdont]

[Ice cream and a bunch of people his age? Count Josuke in. The thought of wandering to the 'adult' party doesn't occur to him because it's been a really long time since he's done anything normal. Even by Jojo standards of normal.

With a, frankly massive, sundae in hand, Josuke spots Kanji across the room, recognising him in a distant way from Halloween when he slips on some melted ice cream that wasn't cleaned up only a short distance away from Kanji.]

Whoa -- [And that's how Josuke ends up face first in broken glass and ice cream. Luckily, he doesn't end up hurt but...] Awwww, man, my sundae!

[For a minute, it seems like he's going to sit there and whine when a pink and blue humanoid appears behind him and straight up punches the broken remnants of the bowl and sundae. Quickly, both things put themselves back together, as if they hadn't fallen to the ground or anything had happened at all.

With the newly repaired sundae in hand, Josuke high-fives Crazy Diamond and dismisses him.]

...Kanji, right? Hey!

[As far as Josuke's concerned, none of that was weird.]

[cuteshit]

[Welp.

Kanji is probably less stunned than anyone else might be, but his jaw still hangs open as he watches Josuke right himself, his sundae intact like nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.]

Dude, was that your Stand?

[Cool.]

I mean-- yeah, that's me! Shit, can it fix anything that comes apart?

[By punching?]

[hairdont]

[As Josuke shoves a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, a thought occurs to him. His mouth opens to ask when the answer also occurs to him. Oh. Right. Jolyne mentioned there were a few people without Stands who could see hers. Instead, he nods and grins, as proud as proud can be.]

Yeah, that's Crazy Diamond! [He raises a hand and starts counting things off.] It can fix things, heal people, once turned spaghetti into its original ingredients... Turned asphalt back into tar....

[There is a smart way of saying what Crazy Diamond can do. Josuke does not know what it is.]

[cuteshit]

Seriously? Its original ingredients?

[That's insane.]

How the hell does he pull that off?

[And, you know. Why, too.]

[hairdont]

[Josuke looks at Kanji and then down at his sundae. And then back to Kanji. Inside he's crying but it's the quickest, and best way to do this.]

I'll show you.

[Josuke clears a space on a nearby table and puts his sundae on it. Out comes Crazy Diamond and well. The ice cream equivalent of this happens.]

[cuteshit]

[IS THIS REAL LIFE.]

Holy shit.

[It's a waste of perfectly good ice cream, but it's not like there's not plenty more to be had.]