A/N: Yay for late chapters!
Audience: "You suck."
Really sorry guys! I know, my update schedule is horrible, but I'm doing my best. Anyway, today's prompt is eating ice cream. It was kind of difficult to write, so I hope you like it.
It's hot.
As he walked off the train, earphones on, hands in his pockets, that was the only thought in his mind.
It was really hot.
Makoto had been forcibly removed from his apartment by necessity, forced to be outside at noon on Sunday. What a terrible time to be outside. . . Couldn't it have picked any other day?
He was on his way to the mall to do some emergency shopping. Normally, he wouldn't be caught dead outside in this kind of heat, but today, it was essential. A resource vital to his survival had just been lost to him. One with which he couldn't bear to live without.
His monitor crapped out.
If he could, he would've ordered one off the internet and see if he could get one day shipping. Even his monitor wasn't always worth going outside on a day like this. But the fastest he could get a new one was three days, and he didn't think he could survive that long without one. After all, the internet was practically his lifeblood when no one else was around, and he needed it to do work anyways. He was left with no other alternative than to suffer the deadly heat as he ventured onward, for without his monitor, he was nothing.
Well, not nothing. Just terribly bored and potentially unemployed.
The sweat was already getting ready to drip down his forehead when he finally found himself standing in front of Paulownia Mall, looking up at the building as if it was his salvation. He'd almost never been happier to see it in his entire life, for one reason only.
Air conditioning. . . He could already feel the cold air, how sweet the refuge from this heat would be. . .
"We're sorry!" said the attendant as he walked inside. "We're having electrical difficulties right now. As a result, the air conditioning has been cut off to most stores and the main halls of the mall. Please enjoy your shopping experience!" He was handed a free coupon for the Hagakure noodle shop as he walked past, as a bit of a consolation prize. Whatever hope he had had for this day to be slightly enjoyable disappeared instantaneously.
Might as well make the most of it. . . As the sunlight shined down through the glass roofs, he made his way to the electronics store. It really was too hot for this kind of thing. The mall was practically barren, as you'd expect it to be on a day like this. Absolutely no one was around. The only people there were the unfortunate workers who had to be there, who were surely almost as upset as he was that the air conditioning was broken. Makoto even walked past one of the Wild Duck Burger mascots in the full duck suit, looking absolutely miserable. Makoto couldn't imagine how hot it was inside that thing.
Finally. . . He found himself in front of the electronics store he was looking for, letting out a slight sigh of relief. Just have to buy my monitor, and get back home. He started to walk towards the door, when something inside the store caught his eye. A slight tinge of hope.
Inside the store, he saw a familiar blueish-gray ponytail doing some shopping. He found himself happy for two reasons as his pace quickened, curious to see if it was who he was sure it was. And sure enough, as the automated doors slid open, there she was, ready to make his day.
Also, this store was one of the few that was air conditioned. So two things made his day, actually.
"Uh, thanks a bunch!" said Labrys, grabbing her bag off the counter as she turned towards the door. To her surprise, there was Makoto, waving to her. It caught her off guard. She wasn't really prepared for her boyfriend to be there. Pink started to don her cheeks as he greeted her.
"Hey," he said, smiling for the first time that day since leaving his apartment. "Fancy meeting you here."
"O-Oh, hey Makoto." She brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, suddenly concerned with her appearance. She pulled on the sleeve of the loose black long sleeve t-shirt she was donned in, trying to hide the blush that continued growing on her cheeks. "Whatcha doin' here?"
"Nothing special," he remarked, pulling his earphones off. He smiled warmly, no longer particularly concerned with the heat. "Got to pick up a new monitor." He glanced towards her bag. "What've you got there?"
"Uh, nothin' really." She looked inside the bag, following her boyfriend deeper into the back of the store as he walked through the aisles. "Just, uh. . . Picked up a Play Station." She cleared her throat, looking around the empty interior of the store as a pathetic means to hide her embarrassment. I shoulda' worn something nicer.
He turned towards her, an eyebrow raised with a sly yet proud grin. "Addicted, are we?"
As it often did around him, her embarrassment turned to joy. She stuck her tongue out at him, laughing playfully. "Well, it's all your fault! Besides, I can almost beat you. Gotta' get better first, though, and only practicin' at your house isn't holdin' up. And now we can play together even on the weekdays."
He smiled at the proposition. "Alright. But just more practice doesn't mean you're going to beat me."
"Don't be so sure!" she said, giggling. "I'm getting even better, even as we speak!"
"Better doesn't mean good."
"Just you wait, I'll get you one day. Your reign of terror is almost over!"
They found themselves in the computer accessories aisle, exchanging playful insults and one-ups as Makoto looked for something in his price range. "So you're here because your monitor broke?"
He cringed. "Yeah. . ."
"Oh, well how much is it to get a new one? I might be able to lend ya' some."
She then saw the amount of zeroes on the price tag.
"Oh. . . Yeah, maybe not."
He laughed, regardless of how pitiful his situation was that his girlfriend was contemplating floating him some money. "Don't worry, I've got it covered."
"You sure? I kinda' wanna' help out. After all, you always pay for all my stuff."
"No problem." He made his selection and started on his way over to the register, Labrys following closely behind.
"Okay, if you say so. But are you sure you're gonna' be able to pay for all your video games if you buy this stuff?"
He cringed yet again. The subject was dismissed.
After he paid, the duo stepped out into the mall as the unmistakable feeling of holy-hell-that's-hot engulfed Makoto again. He could already feel the sweat condensing on his forehead as his smile disappeared, ready to face the painful walk home. Labrys took note of his pained expression.
"What's the matter, Makoto? Everythin' alright?" she inquired, completely oblivious to the torturous heat.
"Uh. . . Nothing, it's just hot." He brought a hand to his eyes to hide his face from the glaring sun.
"Oh. Huh, I didn't notice." Labrys looked up at the bright sun. "I guess temperatures are kinda' high today. . . Hmm. . ." Labrys snapped, an idea coming to mind. "Why don't we do somethin' to cool you down?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Well, we're both here, and we're off work, so might as well do somethin' fun! Especially if it'll cool you down. After all, it's gotta' be more fun than goin' home and installin' a monitor. Aaand you get to spend time with me! It's a win win!"
"Hmm. . . I like that idea," he remarked, his smile gradually returning. "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, I dunno'. What do you usually do when you're hot?"
"Not sure. . . I've never really had to deal with it."
"I guess. . . We could go for, uh, what's that stuff? Ice cream?" Labrys put a finger on her lower lip, looking up in thought. "That's supposed to be pretty good on hot days."
The thought was pleasant. "Sure, if you want." Makoto slung his bag over his shoulder, placing his free hand in hers. "There should be a stand around here somewhere. . ." He began his adventure through the mall, pulling Labrys along with him in tow.
She felt her lips curl into a bright smile as Makoto led her onward, her good day having transformed into a great day.
After a good half hour of suffering through the painful heat, which felt even more intense thanks to the glass in the roof, Makoto finally located an ice cream cart. The employee working it was in a Jack Frost mascot suit, and Makoto felt some flashbacks coming on of Jack Frost, Pyro Jack and Black Frost in Tartarus. He looked pretty miserable, and every now and then he'd open the cooler to blow some cool air onto him. Makoto didn't blame him in the slightest.
"Oh, what can I get you two?" said the employee, greeting them as they approached. He managed to maintain a gleeful act despite the heat. His willpower was admirable.
"Hmm. . ." Makoto looked at the list of flavors. "Labrys, what do you want?"
She glanced towards him, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Uh, Makoto, you know I can't. . ."
"Labrys, what do you want?" he repeated. "You've got to get some, too, after all."
She felt her cheeks heating up as she looked at the menu, with no idea as to how any of this stuff tasted. She decided on whatever "Pistachio" was, pointing towards the green ice cream. "That one."
"One pistachio and one strawberry," he remarked, deciding on something simple for himself.
"Comin' right up," said the employee as he began to work his trusty scoop. "You know, it's a little hot for a date, you two. Shouldn't you be inside?"
Labrys laughed. "It wasn't exactly planned. Makoto here's just really hot, so we've got to do somethin' cool him off."
"Well, in the presence of a lady like you, I don't blame him." The employee tipped his Jack Frost hat towards her, handing her her selection. She took it in her (gloved, of course) hands, looking at it like it was an alien artifact no one had ever seen before. She had no idea what to do with this foreign object in front of her.
"Uh, thank you," she said, her cheeks getting ever so brighter, partially due to his flattery and partially due to her growing embarrassment.
"And for you," he said, now handing Makoto his ice cream. "You two enjoy, now."
"Thanks," said Makoto, licking his ice cream quickly. The feeling of cold on his tongue sent chills down his spine. Completely welcome chills, of course.
After they were out of the salesman's earshot, Labrys decided to make her inquiry. "Why'd you buy me some?" she asked. "You know I don't. . ."
He licked his ice cream, responding as if it was the most nonchalant thing in the world. "It wouldn't be fair if you didn't get some too."
She felt a strange warmth engulf her as she found herself once again astounded by her considerate boyfriend. She kept her eyes on her ice cream to avoid eye contact with him, simple embarrassment overtaking her. Fair, huh. . .
They sat on the fountain in the center of the mall, the water glistening brightly as the rays of the sun shined through it. It looked horribly inviting. Makoto could barely resist the urge to just dive right in and cool off, even if it probably wasn't terribly cool. He set his bag down and prepared to devour his ice cream, eyeing it with desire.
He took a large bite out of his ice cream, sighing as the cool feeling enveloped him. Every bite sent a shiver of satisfaction down his throat. Even if it was just brief bursts of cool, it really was nice on such a hot day. I must take this stuff for granted, he thought. I'll have to make this a usual thing.
Labrys, however, did not look as pleased. She had yet to be enlightened with what to do with this green blob of ice cream in front of her. I'm not supposed to eat anything. . . Her discomfort grew, frowning as her ice cream began to melt, small trickles of the green liquid making their way down the cone. "Uh, M-Makoto?" she asked.
Makoto wasted no time. He grabbed her ice cream, and licked up some of the small trickles. "Ugh, pistachio." He laughed a little, returning to his strawberry ice cream.
"Makoto. . ." She smiled warmly, realizing what he was attempting to do. She felt her cheeks flushing as that familiar sense of joy welled inside her, threatening to burst forth. It took all she could manage to avoid tackling him right then and there. "I-I really appreciate it." He smiled back at her as the intense warmth grew even further. "You didn't have to go and do that, though. . . You just spent a buncha' money on a monitor, after all."
"I know. But I want to." He finished ravenously devouring his strawberry ice cream, now shifting his attention towards the pistachio cone. "I promise, it tastes good."
"Then what was the 'ugh' for?" she inquired, laughing playfully.
"That's what I say when things taste good." The pair shared a laugh, now completely ignoring the intense heat being projected by the sun.
"Thanks for the ice cream," she said as Makoto finished the last of the pistachio. "Even if I didn't get to eat anything."
"Sorry about that." He cleared his throat, wiping his hands off. "It was just . . . so good." He made an exaggerated gesture to indicate exactly how much he "loved" that ice cream.
"I'll bet." She reached forward and took his hand in hers, holding it warmly. "Thank you." She kissed his cheek, the flush on her cheeks growing in intensity.
"What for?" he asked, completely casual. As if he hadn't planned this or anything.
"You know what for," she said as she slugged his shoulder playfully. "You bought that ice cream for me even though I couldn't eat it. I . . . appreciate that." He was doing his best to make their relationship seem like a completely normal one. That normal relationship that Labrys wanted so bad. "I love that about you."
"Anything for you." He tightened his grip on her hand, deciding it was best to change the subject. "Ugh, it's still so hot. We should get home, don't you think?"
"Uh, yeah, guess so." She smiled as the two stood up, grabbing their bags. "You really know how to treat a girl, don't ya?"
"You flatter me. So where to next?"
"I dunno'. Your choice," she said, as they made their way towards the exit of the mall.
"Hmm. . . Well, why don't we go home and plug in that new Play Station? Break it in a little."
Labrys smiled warmly, squeezing Makoto's hand as they exited the mall and walked out into the heat. "I'd like that a lot."
"Great. But, let's go as fast as possible. . ." He cleared his throat. "It's hot."
"Oh, you're just a wuss. You can handle a little heat, can't you?" She giggled, running ahead of him. "I'd call it warm at the least."
He grinned. "Hey, I resent that." He jogged a bit to catch up with her, now walking alongside her on the hot streets of Tatsumi Port Island, hand in hand.
"I'm really glad I ran into you today." Labrys leaned over and kissed his cheek. " I really am a lucky girl, huh?" It was a lot of fun. And I'm sure the ice cream was delicious."
"You bet," he teased, as the odd duo walked in the direction of his apartment. Despite the heat, empty streets, and bitter circumstances, the pair filled the air with an aura of joy, looking happier than ever. The heat was simply a back drop to their day.
But damn, is it hot.
A/N: Yay for another complete chapter! I hope you liked it, even if it was a little late. I thought it was a little weird, so I might come back an edit it, but I hope it's okay.
Audience: "You suck."
So yeah, favorite if it's your favorite! Follow if . . . I dunno'. I'M OUT OF STUFF TO FOLLOW. NOOOOOO.
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