30 Day OTP Challenge
Day 4: On a date
Ship: Rin/Len
Summary: "Sorry, I realise I've probably been talking to your knees this whole date."
Immediate Regret because it's nearly 2am and I chose fanfiction over sleep and boi am i going to be tired and even more an emotional wreck tomorrow oops
Henlo I tried to Write something Decent but alas even though my eyesight is complete shit and I can't see without some sort of visual aid, I can't really write an accurate date with a completely blind person because a) idk any completely blind people and b) the last time i ever went on a "date" I literally went to, like, sushi train, with an able human being. so. I'm Sorry In Advance. just - yes. I'm Sorry.
also I can't believe I wrote 2k words in one sitting but I can assure you that this Definitely Did Not Take Half an Hour
I tried to proof read but tbh I want to succumb to sleep so I'll probably proof read it again tomorrow or smth and correct any mistakes I missed (or if u notice any pls tell me lol)
P.S. never been on a date in Japan either pls don't fight me I've literally been on a date ONCE. ok. forgive me
Blind Date
•
Blind dates.
Yes.
Sure.
Blind.
Dates.
Len wasn't sure whether Miku was being serious or not, but she was sure taking the blind date thing literally.
He didn't mean it in a bad way, of course. He had nothing against someone being blind. In fact, it wasn't really a choice for someone to be blind, so having anything against someone for being blind was nothing but a dickish move.
It was just… ironic that the so-called Matchmaking Master Miku had chosen an actually blind date as his blind date. It took him a moment or so for him to realise that she probably wasn't making a funny.
In fact, using a blind person just to make this joke was kind of bad taste. Although Miku's sense of humour was rather… poor, she didn't really stoop to that level. Len then realised he was the one who came up with that idea in the first place, and decided he was probably a horrible person for doing so.
Her name was Rin, and into the restaurant she waltzed on Miku's arm, gazing straight ahead into the nothingness. She was short - shorter than Miku and himself - and overall very petite, almost fragile. As Miku passed Rin over after introducing themselves to one another, he realised his palms were very clammy and his poor date would probably notice while he helped her down into her seat.
Jeez. It wasn't as if he'd visited the toilet at least a million times earlier that day, dying from nerves. He'd never been on a proper date before - let alone a blind date - so he had a reason for being anxious about tonight.
Len exhaled as he took his seat, wiping his hands on his pants. He chose a fancy, traditional restaurant, after his father harped on and on about impressing his date with a good choice of location. Not that he really had the money to spare for such an expensive-ass place, but he did it anyway, with much regret.
Rin was sitting patiently across the table from him, still staring into space. He wondered if she could see at all, but then decided that would be a rude question to ask someone he'd just met.
She was pretty, he mused, as he watched her in curiosity. Actually, more than pretty, but he couldn't find a word to describe her that would do her looks justice.
So. Pretty. His vocabulary was very bland.
"Um," Rin spoke up, after about five minutes of not talking directly to one another. A waitress had come past to take their drink orders a moment before, and the pair had just decided with water. "I feel bad asking this of you, but assuming this place doesn't have a braille menu, could you please read the menu out loud to me?"
Oh. Right. Yes.
That was a thing.
"Sure," he said, feeling a little awkward he hadn't thought of that in the first place.
Then again, he'd never interacted with a completely blind person before. He was rather, uh, sheltered.
Len glanced through the menu, a frown of concentration on his face, before he began reading out the titles - things such as Beautiful Water Dragon and Fox's Delight. After about five dishes, he paused and said, "To be honest, I feel like none of these names really describe the dish, but if I was to go through the entire menu reading out the list of ingredients, we'd be here all night. So. Um. Is there anything you'd prefer to eat? Noodles, teppanyaki, sashimi, bento?"
Rin's lips twitched and she tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm… what's your recommendation?"
He blinked. He'd never eaten at the restaurant before. To be honest, he'd just searched it up on Tripadvisor and went with the most popular option that was still - if barely - affordable. "Um," he said, recalling some of the reviews he'd glanced at, "apparently the noodles are good, such as the soba dishes…"
"Okay. Read me out the noodles, then."
Well, that was easy.
He read out the list, and after mulling over the options for five minutes, Rin decided with the Special Treat from a Fox Friend, which was basically a fancy version of soba noodles with fried tofu.
"What are you going with, Len?" she asked when he'd pressed the button to call someone over.
"Oh. I think I'll just go with the chicken yakisoba - uh, the Early Bird Gets the Worm."
"Yakisoba is nice," she commented.
"Yeah," he said.
Then they both fell into awkward silence - just in time for their waitress to take their orders.
•
Dinner was tasty.
Probably not worth what he had to pay, but it was tasty.
Rin seemed to enjoy her noodles, coaxing him to try the tofu. After he tasted her meal to please her, he offered a try of his - and, okay, feeding someone shouldn't be That Much of a deal, but he felt it was a very sensual moment leaning across the table and having to guide his chopsticks into her mouth -
Anyway, it was just - he'd fed people before, no duh, but watching her, with her mouth, on his -
He was getting flustered. Now was not the time to get flustered.
"Are you okay with getting some dessert?" Rin asked once he'd paid the bill and he walked her outside of the restaurant, onto the sidewalk. "Miku told me there was a nice ice-cream shop near here - I don't know which way, but, if you were interested…"
Actually, Len was kind of full. But she was asking in this soft, sweet voice, standing very close to him and clutching his arm very tight, her eyes averted in the direction of the ground - and somehow he just found himself automatically saying, "Yes. Sure. Why not."
Why did he - anyway.
So he walked her up and down the street until they found a cute ice-cream stall nestled on the corner of an alleyway. He read out the flavours, and she decided on the peach flavour, whereas he had his heart set on banana. Always banana.
Len stepped towards the window to pay, but Rin tugged him back, saying, "No, no, I'll pay for it. You paid for dinner."
He blinked in confusion, but she was already digging through her bag for her purse. Being the stingy person he was, he let her do the honours with little argument and walked her to the window to pay.
"Is there anywhere to sit nearby?" she asked, once their ice-creams were served.
"Hmm." Len glanced around, before spotting a park in the distance. "Yeah, I think down there - I mean, down the road. Uh. There's a park, I think. I can't really tell from here."
Rin was smiling. "Okay. Let's check it out, then, before our ice-cream melts."
Much to their relief, his observation was correct and it was a park, though slightly small and unimpressive. He supposed it didn't really matter considering Rin couldn't see it, anyway.
They finished their ice-creams in silence.
Eventually, Rin spoke up with, "To be honest, I don't really like peach flavour that much, but they didn't have the flavour I usually opt for."
"What's the flavour you like?"
"It's mandarin. I know, it's such a specific flavour, which is why I usually go for just any citrus fruit - but they didn't have any of those, either. Not even yuzu, and it's in season!"
Len frowned in thought. "I guess it's pretty weird they didn't have yuzu. They did have biwa, though."
"I'm not a fan of biwa either," she said with a sigh.
"Yeah, I guess its flavour isn't for everyone," he mused.
Rin then sat up straight, facing him. Her eyes were narrowed at his chest. "Len, I have a bit of a strange question to ask."
He raised an eyebrow, even though she couldn't see it, and swallowed with uncertainty. "Yeah?"
"What do you look like?"
"Oh. That's not a strange question…" he trailed off when the corners of her lips tugged down the slightest, then continued, "Well, I'm taller than you. And I have blonde hair like you, but it's a bit darker than yours, I guess. And I have blue eyes like yours as well - but, again, they're not the same colour. Wait - do you even know what colours look like?"
Rin glanced away, pursing her lips. "Um, well, I went completely blind when I was 10. I could see - although barely - before then. So, yes. You could say I know what colours look like."
"Ah - I'm sorry for asking," he said, a pang of guilt in his chest after having made her explain something she'd probably explained millions of times before.
Her expression twisted, as if she was resisting the urge to smile. "Don't be; I get asked these things all the time."
"That's exactly why I'm sorry," he mumbled.
She shook her head, sighing. "I don't mind explaining things as much as people making their own assumptions. Humans are curious creatures, after all. It's fine."
"Alright." It fell quiet once more, before he took a breath and asked, "So, were you able to imagine what I look like?"
Rin snickered, turning back to him. "You gave me such a vague description, I can't possibly. Like - by tall, how far do I come up to you in height?"
"Around my chin, I guess," he responded.
She reached out in front of her, touching his shoulder, before moving the tips of her fingers up his neck to his face. She then lifted her head, so she was - well, at least talking up to him. "Sorry, I realise I've probably been talking to your knees this whole date."
He grinned, chuckling a little. "It's fine. It wasn't as bad as you think."
Rin smiled back. "Is it okay if I touch your face again?" she asked. "I didn't really ask the first time, sorry."
He was curious - and a little uncertain - about her intentions, but agreed to it. She reached out once more, this time aiming closer to his face, bringing both hands down over his cheeks. She was gentle, dragging the tips of her fingers across his forehead, over his eyebrows, down his nose.
"You have a nice nose," she complimented.
Len tilted his head slightly. "Thank you?"
"And your lips," she continued, pressing her fingers down on his mouth, feeling around the edges, "they're nice, too."
He wasn't sure what exactly she meant by nice, but he was hoping it was a compliment.
Rin hesitated, as if mulling over something. She then asked in a small voice, "Do you want to kiss, Len?"
Len, at first, wasn't sure if she was being serious. But it didn't seem like she was kidding, either. He cleared his throat, nervous. "O-okay."
Her hands went to either side of his face and she pulled him down towards her. He reached down to her waist to balance himself, tilting his chin to meet her mouth with his.
Rin pressed up into him, her eyes fluttering shut. He followed suit, relaxing into her grip. Her lips were as soft as they looked, warm and inviting, with the faintest taste of peach.
The kiss was short but sweet. She pulled away a moment later, cheeks flushed. He was sure his face was the same, though.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at him. "I can imagine what you look like a little better, now," she said.
"Am I good-looking?" he questioned
Rin paused to laugh. "Maybe."
"Would you… would you like to go on another date, sometime?"
Her hand found his after wandering for a while across the seat, and she laced her fingers in between his own.
"Sure. I would love to."
how the Fcuk do you write kissing scenes again without it sounding like some cheesy YA hetero romance novel.
also thank you for the reviews on my Spam from Sunday night I will one day eventually reply to reviews but for now I'm going to die because talking to people is hard. :(