For dainty_ofcourse: Coffee shop in NYC

[ayden_aeterna]

OOC note: This meeting happens on Thursday 7th January 2010 in NYC, when Senri is dragged to NYC by Taiki, and arranges to meet up with Ayden, having been chatting on AIM and in mile-long journal comment threads for the past few weeks. IC journals about the entire event to follow

Comments

[dainty_ofcourse]

They were running late. Senri blamed Taiki for not waking him up on time and Taiki calmly recalled the three failed attempts to do so before he'd had to meet up with someone for work. Their time situation was the straw that broke the camel's back for Senri's nerves and he was especially snappy now...All of which the black haired psychic took in stride.

That was just Senri.

When the cab finally pulled up to the coffee shop Taiki had to practically drag Senri out...The little brunet was positive something horrible was going to happen; Ayden probably thought he was some crazed Internet stalker...This was just a bad idea all around.

Oh God, he was going to be sick.

"Calm down." Taiki quietly ordered, hauling Senri out of the vehicle by the arm. "You would not stop talking about this before we left Japan; your aura was practically smothering me with pink." Senri scowled and reluctantly ducked into the shop while Taiki held the door open.

"Did I ask you for an aura report? No. In fact, it's fucking creepy so just stop right now.

[ayden_aeterna]

Ayden had been watching the door like a hawk, concentrated on looking away when he saw a couple of rather nervous-looking Japanese men coming in. Wouldn't do to be caught staring. He looked up the second one of them spoke, right by his side, and stood up before he could think about it. Mercifully, there was only three or four inches in it. Not exactly eye-to-eye, but he didn't feel too freakishly tall.

"Senri," he guessed with a smile. "Hi. Yes. Welcome to New York. How are you?"

He wasn't too worried about the accent; judging from the fluency of his writing, Senri's English was pretty good. That said, as far as Ayden knew, Japanese schools didn't tend to teach their students English with one hell of a Welsh accent, and he was trying to tone it down just a little, at least.

Was it wrong to hug him? Ayden got nervous enough about stepping on the toes of Japanese culture (wasn't it all very strict and formal?) even over the internet; he didn't want to cause any offence. Although he was standing up already, and... that probably looked

[dainty_ofcourse]

Taiki raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways when Ayden addressed his friend by his first name, but otherwise remained silent.

"I am tired and it is cold, but I am fine otherwise." He'd been practicing English all week with Taiki but his accent was still pretty heavy, making him all the more nervous. Both men shed their jackets and scarves and Taiki quietly volunteered to get them something to drink, slipping away despite the not-so-discrete panicked look Senri shot him. He adjusted his blue sweater and sat as instructed. "And yourself?" His voice was a bit high-strung...So nervous.

[ayden_aeterna]

Okay, pretty heavy accent, and Ayden thought he detected a hint of care about the words. There was a fine line between being obnoxious and being careful, and Ayden stepped out onto the linguistic high-wire cautiously. The last thing he wanted to do was insult Senri, but he also wanted to do his best to be easily understood and accommodating in any way he could manage.

"I'm all right, thanks," he said with a smile. "And yeah, it's bloody cold. Do you get weather like this in Japan?"

Oh, bloody hell, weather. He swore, creatively and in two languages, in his mind. Talking about the weather was an English trait, damn it, and he wasn't bloody English, he was Welsh.

At least it was a fairly safe topic...?

[ayden_aeterna]

'Hopefully'. Ayden didn't quite like that 'hopefully', but he had no right to complain. Besides, ten days was more than long enough. He and Senri could be completely sick of each other by then. Or they might not meet up again after today, or...

He shunted the mild disappointment aside and concentrated on the conversation again, with a cheerful grin to them both. "Right -- music, Welsh lessons... payment." He added that one more quietly, with a definite smile in Senri's direction. "Speaking of paying for things, how are you doing with that coffee? Can I get you another one?"

[dainty_ofcourse]

Taiki just silently watched all the shifts to Ayden's aura. Funny how they seemed to mirror Senri's...How long had the two been talking on the computer?? This was a bit beyond him at the moment.

"Mmm, yes please." Senri carefully finished the last of his drink while Taiki fished around in his pocket for some money.

[ayden_aeterna]

"No problem. What are you having?" Ayden glanced to Taiki. "And you, Kasha--" Damn and a hundred thousand curses more, he'd managed to forget it. Kashayimi? Kayashami? Oh, crap crap bugger bloody hell... "...umm. Forgive the godawful -- non-existent -- Japanese language abilities, I'm so sorry... Anyway. Let me get you a coffee, at least, or a tea or whatever..."

[dainty_ofcourse]

"Mocha!" Senri chimed in happily, grateful for the steady stream of caffiene. "With cream and all that."

"Kayashima." Taiki supplied quietly, not the least bit offended. "And I am fine with what I have." He handed a five over to Ayden to cover Senri's drink.

[ayden_aeterna]

"Kayashima -- god, I'm sorry," Ayden said quickly. "Really. Feel free to butcher my name any way you fancy. And sorry for stealing your friend--" He was half-way across the coffee shop by now, following Senri. "Great to meet you!"

Shooting a wave to Taiki over his shoulder, he caught up with Senri by the door. No jealousy, he told himself sharply. Senri's already said Taiki has a partner of his own. And cheekkisses don't mean anything.

God, that was daft in its highest form -- getting jealous, even just the tiniest bit, about Senri kissing someone's cheek?! Ayden scolded himself harshly in the privacy of his own mind, entirely unaware of Taiki's talents and the possibility that his aura might be giving a little something away here. He turned back to Senri with an answering grin.

"Ice skating," he said. "Are you any good?"

[dainty_ofcourse]

"It is fine." Taiki returned, trying not to be too obvious when he watched Ayden's aura. "Have fun." He added, but the two were both practically out the door already.

"Of course I am! Are you-Oh!" As soon as the door opened he cringed at the cold blast, swearing in Japanese. "Why in the world is New York so cold?!" He buried himself in his scarf, scowling.

[ayden_aeterna]

Ayden wasn't too happy with the sudden blast of freezing air either, burrowing his nose up into the collar of the dark wool coat he was wearing. He muttered a curse of his own in Welsh, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Because it's winter?" he offered unhelpfully. "This way." I think. Pretty sure. 99%, anyway. "And I'm not bad. Haven't been in a while, mind."

[dainty_ofcourse]

"You have to teach me to curse in Welsh." He said, careful to stay right next to Ayden. He'd never hear the end of it from Taiki if he got lost...

"I went once last year." But he wasn't going to think about that because Itsuki was long gone. Thank God. "Does it get this cold over in Wales?" It came out more like Wezeru and he had no idea that it was pronounced any differently.

[ayden_aeterna]

"Oh no you don't!" Ayden said, grinning. "You get your arse back here, Senri--!"

We have balance, we have grace, we have... liftoff? The first couple of paces unaccompanied were a bit shaky, and Ayden was sure he was going to go over in a heap at one point, but he found his feet fairly quickly and managed to chase Senri down quite effectively. Not trusting himself with the sort of control needed to stop exactly, he stayed a little behind, coming up on the inside so he could eventually pull alongside. "Or, you know, I can come and find you," he added. "I think I might be getting the hang of this again."

[dainty_ofcourse]

Senri just laughed. This was brilliant.

"Come on, that little girl passed you." He taunted, skimming around a slower skater. He skated ahead of Ayden just enough to keep teasing but didn't really get too far away. It wasn't fun if the object of your teasing couldn't hear you...

[ayden_aeterna]

"I'm coming, believe you me," Ayden told him, making a determined effort to speed up and catch him. He was just about getting there, too -- just about, just a little further... There. Gotcha. Ayden came up properly alongside Senri with a teasing smirk. "Caught you," he informed him, grinning. "Do you fancy getting something to eat after, by the way?"

[dainty_ofcourse]

"Only because I let you." He returned. As it was he was enjoying himself too much to turn his smile into the proper smirk he'd been going for...

"I suppose I might 'fancy' something like that." Senri kept alongside Ayden as they skated a bit to the inside of everyone else. Wouldn't do to have someone near them fall and take them out in the process... "I'm going to need something warm to drink, I think. Is there some place you want to go?"

[dainty_ofcourse]

"Yes...Um, sorry." He replied quietly. "I wasn't given much notice, either." Err...that sounded bad, didn't it? His mind did a little scramble to catch up and right itself; it was stupid to think negatively at a time like this. He blamed the travel and chalked it up to fatigue. Focus on New York and Ayden and ice skating and food...NOT on, well, everything else. "You're just lucky you're decent looking or else I might not be so forgiving." Back to his usual tone of superiority.

"Good. I hope they have something nice and warm to drink." Though he wondered if he should cut down on the coffee -at least until he had something in his stomach. All that caffeine after travelling (what time was it in Japan right now, anyway?) and getting sick was making him feel a little odd...Sort of like his skin was vibrating. Very strange. He also had the sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be too much longer before he crashed.

[ayden_aeterna]

"They do a mean line in coffees," Ayden told him cheerfully. "Premium Italian blend, and all that. It's a family-run place, as far as I can work out. Great pride in their quality, and all that, and somehow still manage not to be horrendously expensive." Always good on a student budget

[dainty_ofcourse]

Ahhh, so much temptation! Really, what harm could just one more cup do? And he'd drink it slowly, use it more for warmth than a pick-me-up. Promise. "O...kay. Um, decaffinated please?" There, compromise.

He glanced at the menu...arg, he wished it was in Japanese. He could understand most of it just fine (and he had Taiki's electronic translator), but it was still annoying. He was getting tired and crabby -not that he'd ever admit it.

"So." A bit of fidgeting. "Am I as crazy as you must have thought I was? Just showing up out of nowhere and all..." It came out as a joke but he was a little nervous for the answer.

[ayden_aeterna]

Ayden considered that for a moment or two, glancing up from his own menu to look at Senri. "Crazy?" he mused. "Hmm... no, I wouldn't say crazy. Spontaneous, maybe. And I don't mind you just showing up out of nowhere, you know."

He looked down to the menu again, a little embarrassed, but mercifully not blushing (yet). "Mind you," he continued after a moment, "it does take a special sort of crazy to show up, have a coffee and promptly vanish off on some kind of mad ice-skating adventure." He looked up again, smiling. "And then dinner. If you're crazy, I like it."