Koto

[GGJ5]

A locally owned and operated hibachi grill and sushi/sashimi restaurant with such local specials as the tiger roll and marble rock 'n' roll. You can also order bento boxes at Koto around lunchtimes, with teriyaki, sushi, or sashimi. They have everything from soups to salads and desserts, all stemming from Japanese traditional cooking with a local twist. The hibachi is the prize of the establishment of Koto, though, with anything you choose from steaks to salmon to veggies to filet mignon.

The restaurant doesn't open until lunchtime and stays open very late. Having just relocated to a brand new location and building, the look of the place matches the high quality of the food and chefs inside. A bit pricey for some, being about 15 to 20 dollars a person, but many who have gotten to eat there say the cost is more than worth it. The staff take their job as an art.

[GGJ5]

OOC: Mascii, if you had something else in mind or what have you, feel free to tell me and I'll fix it... BIC:

Erin Spenser

Erin had already gotten looks for wearing Converse to the classy establishment-- not that they deterred her much. Really, they only served to make her happier with her choice of outfit for their first post-making up date. And plus, they were purple, which matched the purple plaid miniskirt that she'd convinced her mom to get her when she'd forced Erin to go shopping for a new dress the other day. She matched it with her black quarter-sleeve button-up blouse and a cotton fedora of the same color. She'd left her Avenge Sevenfold tote in Yukito's car-- not because it didn't match, but because it had both her swimsuits in it and there was no need to bring that into Koto. She'd promised she'd let Yukito choose, and she wouldn't forget that.

She wanted to look her best just for him. But not because she felt she had to earn his approval or anything-- it was more of her attempt to express gratitude and affection, to give something back to him, in a weird way...

Her arm curled around his, Erin hardly bothered to look anywhere but at him as they sat at their table. This time, the table was against the wall in almost a booth-type fashion, and Erin, sitting close to him, turned her head to Yukito with a bright grin. "I like these tables better," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Then she sat up a bit straighter, and folded her hands in her lap, half turned toward him. "Hey! How do I look?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Why was he suddenly feeling extremely nervous? He tried to smother the worry beneath a quiet smile as he led Erin inside, his arm wrapped around hers, and at the end of the entanglement their fingers were weaved into each other, like they were actually bound together for everyone to see.

It's because this is our first real date since getting back together. Last time we were 'out' together I was picking her up drunk. And it's because we're going swimming afterward. And a million things racing through my mind. He screamed inwardly for his thoughts to just shutup and get over it, because it was very distracting. And he would much prefer focus on Erin. Erin, Erin, Erin. She was easy to focus on. She was easy to care about. She was easy to smile, laugh, and have a good time. She was all the things he wasn't, and he hated to keep thinking you don't deserve her.

Erin, he noted, wasn't near as flustered inside as he was. Or if she was, she was doing a fantastic job of covering it up and making it sound like she was totally enjoying herself. "I like these tables better," she pointed out as a conversation starter. He smiled in reply, sitting down and meeting her eyes.

Then she sat up a bit straighter, and folded her hands in her lap, half turned toward him. "Hey! How do I look?"

Yukito paused, looking thoughtfully at her with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, "Well..." he started out slow, "There are probably a million adjectives to describe how you look tonight. And luckily, I'm aware of most of the English ones..." He leaned forward to kiss her lips, "Which one do you like? Are you more into 'fabulous', 'exquisite', gorgeous' or 'beautiful'?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Yukito didn't respond to her comment when they sat down-- she'd meant that she liked how they could sit next to each other this time, instead of way across each other with a huge table in between. But he smiled at her, and she continued smiling back. It almost felt like they were starting out all over again, and everything was new. Maybe they were, and maybe it was. Maybe that was why she felt so good.

It was all worth it, for right now.

Then she sat up a bit straighter, and folded her hands in her lap, half turned toward him. "Hey! How do I look?"

Giving her a thoughtful look, Yukito responded slowly, "Well... There are probably a million adjectives to describe how you look tonight." Erin's expression brightened. Aww! "And luckily, I'm aware of most of the English ones..." He leaned forward and kissed her lips, Erin still leaning toward him when he stopped to say, "Which one do you like? Are you more into 'fabulous', 'exquisite', gorgeous' or 'beautiful'?"

Erin responded with a string of giggles, putting her hands on Yukito's knee. "God, I love you." She returned his kiss. "What's one of the words in Japanese?" She moved closer to him, touching her nose to his with a grin and another giddy laugh. "You're my favorite." Then a thought occurred to her, and Erin sat back a little. "Oh! Do you think--" she laughed. "Do you think you could order for us in Japanese?" Erin set her chin on his shoulder, meantime taking his hand in hers, unable to stop smiling.

It was worth it all.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Well... There are probably a million adjectives to describe how you look tonight. And luckily, I'm aware of most of the English ones...Which one do you like? Are you more into 'fabulous', 'exquisite', gorgeous' or 'beautiful'?" He said, leaning closer to her.

The giggles that erupted from Erin were easy and free. She laid her hand on his knee, and he felt goosebumps run up his arms again. "God, I love you." He started his responsive smirk just as their lips met again. "What's one of the words in Japanese?"

Leaning down to touch noses with her, he whispered, "Utsukushii. Anata wa utsukushii. You are beautiful."

Another giggle from Erin, "You're my favorite." He smiled as she drew back a little to express another thought from the happy depths of Erin's mind. "Oh! Do you think--" she laughed. "Do you think you could order for us in Japanese?" Her head on his shoulder, her hand in his. And he couldn't think of anything she could ask him that he could refuse.

"Sure," he said with a little chuckle, "If it makes you happy."

"You know what?" he said after a moment of silence, "I'm actually...kind of nervous about the whole pool thing." He tried to smile but it turned out as more of a grimace, "I...uh..don't exactly like swimming."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"What's one of the words in Japanese?"

Leaning down to touch noses with her, he whispered, "Utsukushii. Anata wa utsukushii. You are beautiful."

The beautiful compliment from him made Erin giggle again, though she wasn't really sure why. It wasn't the first time he'd ever told her that... Maybe it was still a high from actually being back together and going out again. "You're my favorite." Another thought occurred to her then, and Erin piped up, "Oh! Do you think--" she laughed. "Do you think you could order for us in Japanese?"

She felt her hand in his, smiling at him with her chin on his shoulder, hat tilted forward just a little. She'd fixed her forgotten hair, too, redoing the dark dye job and for tonight slipping in purple extensions. Her hair fell over her shoulders as Yukito replied with a chuckle, "Sure, if it makes you happy."

"Arigato!" she chirped, then added, "But I'm already happy, Yukitokun!" Erin pulled his arm around her waist, her hand on top of his, as she enjoyed the feeling of being so close next to him.

"You know what?" he said after a moment of silence, as a waiter set down two menus for them to look at.

"What?" Erin flipped open one menu with her free hand and looked back up at Yukito expectantly.

"I'm actually...kind of nervous about the whole pool thing." Thinking he was making a joke, Erin smiled, waiting for the rest. "I...uh..don't exactly like swimming."

Her face fell immediately. She hated to let herself feel disappointed over anything right now, when everything was so perfect and good between them, but Erin couldn't help but feel like a deflated balloon. She dropped her hand from his and glanced down, feeling kind of stupid for not noticing his dislike of it before. And she had to at least try to cover before she made Yukito feel bad for being honest with her. Too bad she sucked at 'covering'... "Oh, I thought-- that's fine, I mean, you just sounded like you really wanted to, and I thought--" she fidgeted with the fringes of her hair uncomfortably and sighed, immediately fussing at herself for sounding like she was pulling a guilt trip. Erin forced a smile she hoped looked carefree as she looked back at Yukito, despite feeling completely disappointed. "It's fine, I guess we'll just go home after or whatever, right?" Why don't you want to go with me? I thought you really wanted to, you sounded like you did, and you made me look forward to it, too... Her expression faltered a little.

Their waiter returned, waiting for their food and drink orders. Maybe he could come back or something, they hadn't even glanced at the menus, and Erin hadn't told him she wanted hibachi.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Arigato!" Erin said gleefully, when he agreed to ordering in Japanese, as long as it made her happy. "But I'm already happy, Yukitokun!" The repeating sensation of her touch made it seem like they were saying and doing a million different things, in a thousand different ways. It felt as if they were adding more onto their words than any language could adequately express, and he was glad for that. Erin was making is so easy to be happier. When he looked in the mirror, he barely recognized himself anymore.

"You know what?" he said suddenly, thinking on their plans for the evening, and determined to clear all things with her while he still had the guts to, while he still had the courage to.

"What?" Erin flipped open one menu with her free hand and looked back up at Yukito expectantly.

"I'm actually...kind of nervous about the whole pool thing." he started, struggling with a smile turned grimace of a little pain and a little embarrassment. "I...uh..don't exactly like swimming."

Her smile vanished as if someone had just sliced through the table with a large, blunt knife. And Yukito felt like her look could send little cold and hot feelings all over him. Bad ones. "Oh, I thought-- that's fine, I mean, you just sounded like you really wanted to, and I thought--" he could see her trying to cover up...whatever it was she was covering up. Disappointment? Anger? Confusion? The sigh she let out did nothing to make him feel better for mentioning it at all. Just wait, Erin. Let me explain. I said that wrong. I always do! She sent him a smile, "It's fine, I guess we'll just go home after or whatever, right?"

"No, Erin, don't talk me out of it!" he said with a little nervous chuckle, as the waiter came to take their orders, "Just a minute," he muttered thoughtlessly, shifting in his seat to look at her directly, leaning closer until he could see the flecks of color in her eyes and visually pick them out to study them individually, his hands falling onto hers, "I didn't mean I didn't want to go, I'm just nervous about it, because....you see..." his brow furrowed and he worked his lip a little, as though mixing around the variety of words he could piece together to try and make this as clear to her as it was in his mind. It was easy to understand why he was nervous, but it was another thing completely to explain it in as cut and dry terms as words. "I'm not--" he released his loose hold on her hands and gestured to his torso, then let his hands fall, and his shoulders slump. He sighed, "I'm self-conscious about wearing just swimming trunks, okay? I said it." He frowned and looked away from her, trying to keep a passive face but only succeeding to appear to be sulking. "Blame it on my parents. My dad made fun of me and my mother never took me swimming, or she made me go in with all my clothes. And they both took me out to stuff me with food after every swimming session. And because of that, I'm not the best swimmer. I just don't go most of the time." I sound like a preschooler. He wanted to slap himself all of a sudden. Yukito, in his fluster of an explanation, couldn't stop himself from adding the question, "Can I just...sit at the edge of the pool and just watch you or something?" His own comment brought a bit of a smile to his lips, and he directed the expression at the table top.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Erin made herself smile as she tried to let the disappointment roll off her back. "It's fine, I guess we'll just go home after or whatever, right?"

"No, Erin, don't talk me out of it!" Yukito responded quickly with a little chuckle, and Erin looked at him with a confused expression. He'd sounded like he'd been looking forward to it, then he told her he didn't like swimming, and now he didn't want to be talked out of it? And who said anything about talking him out of it? While she thought these things, Yukito muttered something to the waiter, who stood there and waited for them.

Yukito turned back to Erin and placed his hands on hers, eyes locked on hers. "I didn't mean I didn't want to go, I'm just nervous about it, because....you see..." He paused, looking like he'd lost the right words and had to find them on the floor somewhere. Erin had to force herself not to press him even though it felt like he was taking forever. "I'm not--" he made a gesture with his hands that didn't communicate with her, and her face must have communicated as much, because Yukito slumped with a sigh. He tried another time: "I'm self-conscious about wearing just swimming trunks, okay? I said it."

A wave of relief washed over Erin, and she couldn't help but laugh a little in her relief. "Don't do that to me!"

Yukito looked away, and Erin's first thought was that he'd taken her comment the wrong way and she offended him. No, look back...! She leaned forward to try to see his face, concerned. "Blame it on my parents. My dad made fun of me and my mother never took me swimming, or she made me go in with all my clothes. And they both took me out to stuff me with food after every swimming session. And because of that, I'm not the best swimmer. I just don't go most of the time." She didn't think he could see her, but she felt an encouraging smile on her face despite the fact. His letting himself be vulnerable to her and being honest about something so uncomfortable to him.. it made her want to tackle him in a hug, really, it was hard to pin down just why. "Can I just...sit at the edge of the pool and just watch you or something?"

"Aww, Yukito!" Erin finally burst, now sensing that was the end of it, giving him a hug. "It's fine, really!" The idea that Yukito could possibly be self-conscious about anything still seemed a foreign idea to her, and she still let out relieved chortles as she hugged him. "It won't be any fun if I'm all alone," she insisted, nudging her face next to his. "'Cause then I'll just pull you in, you know that, right? And," she added, her smile growing, "I didn't think of bringing a towel or anything like that, so you need to leave your shirt dry or I'll be shivering the whole time..." Erin kissed his cheek, then immediately pulled away and looked at the menu.

"Okay, help me pick something!" she said perkily. "It'll be faster if you do. Can it be hibachi? I wanna try that."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I'm self-conscious about wearing just swimming trunks, okay? I said it."

Erin let out a laugh, and he didn't know what to say to that. He kind of expected her to laugh at him - because he sounded lame and really, really childish. But she'd asked for them to be more open and honest with each other, right? That was how it was supposed to be. "Don't do that to me!"

Her relief didn't aid him at all, and he turned away from her, managing to keep his scary crimson blush under control to a slight coloring of his cheeks. In his periphereal vision he saw her face appear, and it made him want to smile, but he held back. Yeah, she's cute. Get over it. He focused on explaining why exactly this was hard for him, but it came out wrong, as usual. "Blame it on my parents. My dad made fun of me and my mother never took me swimming, or she made me go in with all my clothes. And they both took me out to stuff me with food after every swimming session. And because of that, I'm not the best swimmer. I just don't go most of the time." A pause. "Can I just...sit at the edge of the pool and just watch you or something?" He looked over at her at last, and saw the smile on her face.

"Aww, Yukito!" she let out in a mini-explosion of mirth, as she threw her arms around him in a hug. Yukito's eyebrow twitched up, conflicted as to how the proper way to respond would be. 'Aww, Yukito' wasn't the easiest statement to react to, at least for him. "It's fine, really!" Fine? How is this fine? Or rather, how is this fine for ME?

More giggles. He decided she hadn't meant it being any more 'fine' for him. She just accepted it, was amused by it, and that was end of that. He felt very accomplished, now. "It won't be any fun if I'm all alone," she started, nudging him. A little voice inside him screamed out 'oh no here it comes', and he froze. Wait a second...she's gonna con me into taking off my shirt anyway, isn't she? He had to smile at that, head pounding and irritation surmounting even as he knew it would be useless to resist. She knew just how to talk him into things. "'Cause then I'll just pull you in, you know that, right? And I didn't think of bringing a towel or anything like that, so you need to leave your shirt dry or I'll be shivering the whole time..." Knowing her task was completed at this, she kissed his cheek and turned to her menu. Damn.

"Okay, help me pick something!" she said perkily. "It'll be faster if you do. Can it be hibachi? I wanna try that."

He leaned over closer to her face, until his breath was gently playing with the stray locks of hair around her face, pushing down her menu with one hand and practically pushing her over. Looking straight into her eyes, he muttered, "I never said I agreed to taking my shirt off. You're gonna have to try a little harder than that." He pressed his lips in for a long kiss, closing his eyes and searching into her mouth for her taste, for an effect he knew he had on her, just as she had an effect on him. Two can play this game, Erin Spenser. Sure, she had already won. Somehow, he'd get over himself and end up looking like a scrawny twig wearing bulky shorts, and embarrass himself in front of her, but he wasn't going to make it easy and turn himself into a complete sap.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"And I didn't think of bringing a towel or anything like that, so you need to leave your shirt dry or I'll be shivering the whole time..." Erin punctuated her explanation with a kiss on Yukito's cheek.

Content that they'd settled it, she sat back and picked up the menu. "Okay, help me pick something! It'll be fast if you do. Can it be hibachi? I wanna try that."

Yukito didn't answer her; instead, his hand appeared on the menu, pushing it down as he leaned very close to her that she could feel his breath, which only fueled her smile even further. He was closer still, practically pushing her over, and told her, "I never said I agreed to taking my shirt off. You're gonna have to try a little harder than that."

Before she could say a word back, Yukito floored her with a long and lingering kiss, one that Erin returned eagerly, hugging him closer to her, forgetting entirely that they were in the middle of a busy restaurant, prolonging the moment as long as possible. I love you. "You're gonna get us kicked out," she mentioned before continuing another kiss. Erin felt her hat slipping off, and it fell to the floor before she could pull away from Yukito to catch it.

She did pull away, though, the moment after it hit the floor. "Ah! No hat hair!" she cried, rushing to bend down and retrieve it, examining the black surface briefly for anything there that didn't belong. Erin sent Yukito a look, smile returning, and held it out to him with both hands. "You have to put it back now. And," she added, suppressing the urge to laugh, "they're not gonna let us stay much longer if we don't order something. I'm starving!"

"Oh, by the way," Erin added, resting content by his side, "I think it's really not nice of you if you want me to be wet and freezing afterwards, after swimming all alone. I don't think I wanna kiss someone so mean to me." She couldn't suppress the smug smile that itched to show. Feel comfortable around me, in everything. It's fine, really. I love you!

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I never said I agreed to taking my shirt off. You're gonna have to try a little harder than that." he dared, moving close to her and insisting with a kiss to remember. He could feel resolution slipping away when their holds gripped at each other, eager to feel the connection deepen, despite the past, despite the place, despite everything.

"You're gonna get us kicked out," Erin pointed out, but she returned for another taste, and he smiled into their kiss, his lips pulling away from her slightly, as he relished in the strange sort of power he had to make her want him. And maybe even to really love him.

He was shaken a little bit - okay, a lot - by the time she pulled away from him to dive after her escaping hat, "Ah! No hat hair!" She retrieved it, and he shifted back into a more comfortable spot. She sent him a smile and held out her hat to him, with both hands, as if a gift, "You have to put it back now. And they're not gonna let us stay much longer if we don't order something. I'm starving!"

Yukito felt a smirk tugging at his lips, but tried to downplay it - why would he smile at everything she said or asked him to do? - as he took her hat and arranged it as best he could figure atop her head. "There," then he turned away to actually take a look at the menu for a brief moment.

"Oh, by the way," Erin began, "I think it's really not nice of you if you want me to be wet and freezing afterwards, after swimming all alone. I don't think I wanna kiss someone so mean to me."

Yukito made a brief disappointed face, "Well, I would offer to let you dry off in the Volvo in front of the heater, but you would ruin my seats that way," he smirked. "Fine, fine...whatever. And don't tease me like that. You know you can't resist kissing me." He picked up his menu more pointedly, "Now promise me you won't order anything vegetarian. I'm not very hungry...so I guess I'll just have whatever your second choice would be." He kind of wanted her to share plates with him, but he hesitated on asking. Maybe he was hoping she was the type to pick off his plate anyways.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

A downside to a fondness for hats was the messy hair that developed under them and shined for everyone to see when the hat came off. And Yukito had already seen her looking so awful after she'd been out all night, hungover, and crying her eyes out within 24 hours-- there was no way she wanted to add any more bad images to that list, so as soon as she'd noticed it missing, Erin broke away from Yukito and immediately reached down to retrieve it. "Ah! No hat hair!"

Sitting back up, Erin held it out to him and insisted, "You have to put it back now. And they're not gonna let us stay much longer if we don't order something. I'm starving!"

She couldn't catch the expression on his face, which was a little bit of a downer since she'd hoped she could make him smile, but even so, he took the hat from her hands and put it back where it belonged. Well, almost, she had to adjust it a little, but Erin didn't, because she wanted to keep the feeling of how his hands had thoughtfully put it there. How she smiled at him with a dream-cast expression as he tried to get it right. She'd fix it later, when he wasn't looking. "There," he said officially, turning to take a glance at the menu.

"Oh, by the way," Erin voiced, "I think it's really not nice of you if you want me to be wet and freezing afterwards, after swimming all alone. I don't think I wanna kiss someone so mean to me."

For a second, Yukito frowned before he commented to her, "Well, I would offer to let you dry off in the Volvo in front of the heater, but you would ruin my seats that way."

Erin gasped, pretending to be offended by the idea. "I would not! You're so mean to me!" she added, giving him a playful shove. "That's how you treat me on my pretend birthday?" She gave him a pleading look that, though mostly genuine, she was learning worked really well for getting Yukito to agree with her.

Yukito's face broke into a smile, and so did Erin's. "Fine, fine...whatever." Erin grinned widely, silently congratulating herself. "And don't tease me like that. You know you can't resist kissing me."

Another feigned gasp, obvious from the smile on her face. "I can too!" She paused, looking directly ahead instead of at him for a beat, glancing at him impishly. "See? No problem." She giggled before turning to him with a quick peck on his lips. "That's 'cause I wanted to," she added, barely able to contain the urge to laugh.

Yukito picked up his menu and told her bluntly, "Now promise me you won't order anything vegetarian. I'm not very hungry...so I guess I'll just have whatever your second choice would be."

"Fine," she submitted, rolling her eyes. Erin had been hoping he'd at least tell her what he'd just read to save her the trouble of staring at it, reading it aloud, and then registering it, but noo. Sending him an "I'll get you back for that" smile, she took the menu from his hands and read over it, mumbling what she read under her breath. After a minute, she looked up at Yukito with a matter-of-fact expression and told him, "Fine, since I get to pick, you can't complain. I choose... chicken hibachi. And you choose filet mignon." She grinned. "I told you it would take longer if you made me choose. Oh! Can we get desert, too? There's fried ice cream, and I love fried ice cream, especially if it involves chocolate. Okay?" Erin punctuated her order with another hug around Yukito, resting her head on his arm, just below the shoulder.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Well, I would offer to let you dry off in the Volvo in front of the heater, but you would ruin my seats that way."

Erin dramatically expressed the agonizing shock and insult with a look, "I would not! You're so mean to me!" she shoved him, but he was prepared for it - actually, he expected maybe a punch or two - and just laughed it off, "That's how you treat me on my pretend birthday?" The wide, sparkling Erin eyes opened even more as she pleaded with him as if she was some dog that 'only asked for some attention and love'. He chuckled and looked away from her face - because he knew he was pretty much powerless against it. Who knew if she could ask him something too much, too far, and with that look win him over?

"Fine, fine...whatever. And don't tease me like that. You know you can't resist kissing me."

Another feigned gasp, "I can too!" She stopped for a full five seconds - probably an Erin record - and grinned, "See? No problem." He smirked at her. She giggled before turning to him with a quick peck on his lips. See? Erin? You want me, too. "That's 'cause I wanted to,"

"Sure," he indicated with his tone that he was just trying to content her with a generic reply, saying in one word, 'believe what you want to believe, but it doesn't convince me, who knows you better than that'. Yukito picked up his menu and told her bluntly, "Now promise me you won't order anything vegetarian. I'm not very hungry...so I guess I'll just have whatever your second choice would be."

"Fine," the roll of her eyes might have been taken as negative, if her eyes weren't still sparkling, and her lips turning up in a teasing smile. She removed the menu from his hands and started pouring over it, her brow slighty furrowed in thought. Yukito smiled to himself and watched her. Okay, so maybe his indecisiveness was part of the reason he pushed the ordeal of picking out one thing to eat off on her. But part of it was because he would rather just look at her than food. He stared as her lips formed the words aloud, a quiet murmur escaping her, struggling to pronounce the unfamiliar and familiar words alike. He propped his elbow on the table and cupped his cheek in his hand, eyes glued to her features. After a moment, her eyes raised up to him, that impish look on her face, "Fine, since I get to pick, you can't complain. I choose... chicken hibachi. And you choose filet mignon."

He smiled for a second, the expression falling into a solemn - but definitely not sad - difference. He raised his free hand and brushed away her hair from her face. "Sure," came the grunt of a reply. Strange and perverted as it sounded, he liked to touch her and for her to touch him. Something about touching people for no logical reason had always caused Yukito to tense up - he could blame it on his parents, but perhaps it was always in his unique character makeup. He couldn't remember the last time he had hugged his mother, and he lived with her, and he rarely touched Aidousan. Maybe in a playful shove. Or a not so playful shove. With Erin, each touch became easier and easier with every day. He didn't like the distance with her, because it meant a distance from her mind, also. For him to not stand close enough it felt to him like he was not being close enough to what she wanted and needed in her life. A kiss...there was a lot in the kisses. Maybe more than he could ever find words for. Maybe more than he wanted it to be. But he liked touching her, and feeling like they were one of those people that loved to know all about each other because it made them better people themselves. One of those couples that, different or the same, odd or even, it felt right and close. And honest, and serious, and fun.

"I told you it would take longer if you made me choose. Oh! Can we get desert, too? There's fried ice cream, and I love fried ice cream, especially if it involves chocolate. Okay?" She leapt for him again in a startling hug, and it always made Yukito want to respond with something more drastic than a grin.

"Sure," came the nonchalant reply. "But don't eat too much, or it'll take forever for your food to settle..." he finished the thought mentally then corrected, "Then it'll be hours before we can go swimming." He called the waiter over, and after mostly ignoring the accented question all waiters ask - are you ready to order now? - he rambled off in Japanese, "We would like hibachi-style chicken and filet mignon, if it isn't too much trouble." The waiter gave an assertive bow and disappeared.

"Oh," he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little box that waited there. He held it out to her with a tiny smile, "Birthday present. Number one." He waited for her reaction, thinking it worth it for her. He'd already gotten her a necklace, so he'd gone for a bracelet she might think was cool. It was actually five necklaces, and he'd liked the idea of it being one of those one-of-a-kind necklaces that was totally unique to itself. "I was walking around, browsing through a jewelry store I had just...I dunno...wandered into, and I noticed that most of the stuff looked like old rich lady belongings. But this one was colorful, so it stood out from...like, across the room. So I got one. After some begging and a little bribery on the part of your boyfriend's dashing good looks, I managed to have them make one that had both of our names on it." He didn't mention it had been over a hundred dollars to get it. After all, his mother had taught him something, right? And it made it kind of fun for her to have no idea it had cost that much. It was like a little secret he'd actually given her the evidence to. "If you want I can exchange it for one with just your name on it or something. I guess that would be a little weird...it's kind of like the female version of tattooing your sweetheart's name onto our arm." he chuckled, "And they just had to put 'Yukito' next to a big pink bead, or rock...whatever it is."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I told you it would take longer if you made me choose. Oh! Can we get desert, too? There's fried ice cream, and I love fried ice cream, especially if it involves chocolate. Okay?" She gave Yukito another hug for no apparent reason but that she wanted to-- a silent way to say 'I love you' without repeating herself verbally. She didn't want him to get tired of her saying the same thing over and over, even though all the things he did reminded her that it was true.

"Sure," Yukito replied, "But don't eat too much, or it'll take forever for your food to settle..." Erin looked at him curiously, not following his statement but not wanting to say so. "Then it'll be hours before we can go swimming."

"Oh," Erin voiced, smiling and rolling her eyes at his comment. "That's not true, anyway, it's just a old wives' tale, so it's whatever."

Erin released her hug and sat up straight, swinging her feet under the table as she waited for Yukito to finally give their order. She took his hand in hers in the meantime, grinning at him as he let their waiter go through his usual spiel before fulfilling his promise to Erin to order in his native tongue. She brightened when she could pick out the word 'hibachi' in the long string of unfamiliar sounds.

As soon as their waiter left with their order, Erin turned her attention from the beautiful interior of the restaurant back to Yukito when he started, "Oh," and pulled something out of his pocket. She stifled an excited squeal-- little boxes that Yukito pulled out of his pocket tended to have surprises for her inside of them, surprises that she loved because they were constant reminders that he'd thought of her and picked something out just with her in mind. Little physical signs that she was the one he liked. Yukito held out the little box to her which she took happily, watching him smile that fine smile as he told her, "Birthday present. Number one."

"How many are there if you have to number them?" she asked with a laugh as she exposed the gift inside. "Omigod, Yukito, it's so pretty!" she exclaimed as soon as the array of colors hit her eyes. Immediately Erin pulled the multi-strand bracelet from its bed and examined it with an elated smile. "Aww, Yuyukun, thank you!" He'd chosen this, just for her, and Erin couldn't word how wonderful that made her feel.

"I was walking around, browsing through a jewelry store I had just...I dunno...wandered into, and I noticed that most of the stuff looked like old rich lady belongings. But this one was colorful, so it stood out from...like, across the room. So I got one. After some begging and a little bribery on the part of your boyfriend's dashing good looks, I managed to have them make one that had both of our names on it."

His retelling of the story made Erin laugh more than one time, but his last sentence made Erin halt, her smile broadening as she looked a bit closer at her gift. "Omigod!" she whisper-squealed. How precious is that?! It would be like a public sign to everyone that she was Yukito's girl, and he gave it to her. He chose it, which meant he was thinking of her and wanted to show everyone how much they meant to each other. He even chose a circle to put it on, and everyone knew a circle meant a long time. "Yukito!"

"If you want I can exchange it for one with just your name on it or something. I guess that would be a little weird...it's kind of like the female version of tattooing your sweetheart's name onto our arm." he chuckled, and Erin joined him. "And they just had to put 'Yukito' next to a big pink bead, or rock...whatever it is."

"No, I love it, Yuyukun!" Erin corrected with a laugh, slipping it on her left arm and tossing her arms around Yukito's shoulders. "It's sooo sweet, I love it!" She kissed his lips again, silently adding, And I love you! "Arigato! Arigato go-- gooh-- um, I'm trying to remember how to say 'very much', but it's not working!" She tightened her hug on him instead. "Mmm, thank you so much! But..." she started giggling at the thought of what she was about to say. "Are you thinking of doing that? Tattooing a sweetheart's name on your arm?" Erin gave up trying to suppress the giggles anymore, having used the exact same phrasing he had anyway.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Oh," he was suddenly reminded of his gift to her. He felt severely lame for having a hidden bag in his closet where he 'stashed' Erin-gifts that he'd been collecting, but he planned on distributing them to her evenly. This wasn't one of the ones he had accidentally ended up buying while they were still apart - that would have felt really inappropriate and odd - but he'd thought of her just the same. "Birthday present. Number one."

"How many are there if you have to number them?" she laughed as she took the box and peered inside it, her face beaming. He didn't answer her, hoping she wouldn't press for even an estimate. "Omigod, Yukito, it's so pretty!" Erin wasn't one of those girls that just admired things she found beautiful from afar - she had to touch and feel it, and she didn't hesitate to draw the bracelet from its little white bed to inspect it with her eyes and hands. "Aww, Yuyukun, thank you!"

His answer was to relate the story to her in short, and pointing out vaguely that both their names were written on the bracelet in little gray boxes, separated by even smaller gray spheres that caught the light and made them shine, making an odd reflection of the two teenagers sitting at the table. Immediately at hearing their names were together on the jewelry, Yukito was rewarded by a broader smile, a bit of surprise in her eyes, and a sort of subdued squeal. "Omigod! Yukito!"

He wasn't sure if he needed to, but he attempted an amend by adding, "If you want I can exchange it for one with just your name on it or something. I guess that would be a little weird...it's kind of like the female version of tattooing your sweetheart's name onto our arm. And they just had to put 'Yukito' next to a big pink bead, or rock...whatever it is." He peered disdainfully at the offensive pink bead/rock.

"No, I love it, Yuyukun!" To demonstrate her point, she put it on immediately, and Yukito held a secret hope that it wouldn't leave her wrist very soon. Another hug from Erin almost caught him off-guard again - almost.

"It's sooo sweet, I love it!" she kissed him, and by that time he started to chuckle at her. "Arigato! Arigato go-- gooh-- um, I'm trying to remember how to say 'very much', but it's not working!" Normally, he would have quietly corrected her, just like he always did when Aidousan was trying to read or speak English. But instead he let it slide, just hugging her back. It was her make-up birthday, after all. "Mmm, thank you so much! But..." A tiny explosion of giggles escaped his girlfriend. "Are you thinking of doing that? Tattooing a sweetheart's name on your arm?"

For a moment, Yukito made a face like he was seriously considering it. "Maybe..." he tapped a finger on his lips, slightly pouting, "But will a long name like 'Erin' fit, do you think?" A smirk, "And let's just not mention the nickname 'sweetheart' again, okay? I was expressing a point." he met her eyes evenly, "I get enough with the Yuyukun thing."

"So I'm thinking more gifts are in order if you react like that..." he pointed this out with a surprisingly serious look, pulling her close with his arm around her waist.