cadereagratia | PSL/Meme Continuation

[Oh wow, ordering for him is an extreme power move. Kunimi doesn't comment for now, but he doesn't like Whelk so much that he'll be exempt from complaints if Kunimi gets a flavour he doesn't like. Better to file that moment in his memory banks.

Now that Whelk brings it up, Kunimi can see how the little shop would make for a perfect teen hangout: the payment demands are low in a place that only offers treats, and this one has the added bonus of seating so they don't have to wander the streets with their food. Kunimi's assumption isn't that he hates them in particular but that he needs to hide certain things from people involved with the school, and everything about this outing lands it on the list of things to hide.]

Should we have a cover story, in case any of them decide they want morning gelato instead?

[Yeah, the idea of being swarmed by Whelk's students kind of blunted any humour in his joke. Kunimi's not insulted - he's definitely caught on that there are nuances to being queer in the US that still completely escape him - but he does want to know if being here might pose a risk to Whelk's job.]

[The sound of Whelk's own laughter surprises him. It's short and quick and a little defensive, though none of that is aimed toward Kunimi. ~~He'd be laughing harder if he had even the slightest idea that Kunimi thought the price of the gelato made any difference to an Aglionby boy~~. Even so, it's probably - almost certainly - the first time that Kunimi has ever heard him laugh. It's an exceptionally rare sound altogether, which would give Whelk half a mind to be embarrassed by it if he weren't suddenly so irritated by the idea of any of of his students giving him shit for being seen with another man. Maybe he should be more concerned than he is, especially given how young Kunimi looks and that most of them already think he's a freak, but despite all of that, he sounds contrary and confident when he says:]

I don't care what they think.

[Kunimi doesn't know this yet - at least Whelk doesn't suspect he does, given that Kunimi is still fraternizing with him - but a quick google search of Whelk's last name would be hint enough that his reputation in Henrietta is already as soured as it possibly can be ~~well...~~. That doesn't stop Whelk's injured pride from factoring into some of his decisions - like what he wears - but there's only so much that can be done when your name precedes everything about you. The idea that anyone would have anything to say about him eating gelato with someone is actually so aggravating that Whelk almost wishes someone would show up just to fuck around and find out.

[The waitress brings them their gelato just in time for the tension on his face to even out so he can pretend to be polite and thank her. Let's just focus on whether or not Kunimi's about to kick him to the curb for forcibly ordering him pretentiously Italian named salted caramel.

[Bitches do be loving salted caramel though.]

Let us just...enjoy ourselves and hope to be left undisturbed.

[Now Kunimi sees his mistake clearly. Whelk isn't worried about maintaining a certain image or impression of himself - he already exists outside of that image and doesn't like to be reminded. The particular details could be just about anything, especially given that he teaches at a fancypants academy, so Kunimi's particular impression of him isn't all that affected by his realization.

It's just a layer, that's all. Everyone has layers to peel back as you get to know them and one of Whelk's involves insecurity related to his place of work.]

That's the best idea I've heard all day. [He holds up his dish for a toast - an unusually goofy gesture for Kunimi, which he mitigates with a totally deadpan expression.] I went to a private high school myself and our biggest rivals were... well. Let's just say I can imagine the type you mean.

[Hey. Hey Whelk.

Are you picturing Kunimi in a little school uniform yet? Are you??]

[Kunimi's deadpan expression does tend to make a lot of things funnier than they usually are, and although Whelk is still a little irritated to find anything funny, he does hold up his own dish, which is probably the most adorably obliging thing he's ever done on a date. He tries not to think about that. Relax and enjoy yourself is something that Whelk stopped trying to command himself to do years ago - a fruitless effort every time.

[But he tells himself that now, which is incredibly gracious thing to do. It is paired, of course, with the bitterly instant thought that he has nothing to be ashamed of and that he's allowed to go on a fucking date without making it miserable - this isn't true, but the aggravation spurned on from earlier about his students is making it a little more convincing. Let's pretend for a minute that the only thing in your life you have to worry about is whether or not a teenager thinks you're gay.

[Now let's picture Kunimi in a school uniform and eat gelato.]

[Clink clink, time to eat some gelato. Kunimi looks over his serving, notices the ribbons of creamy brown shot through with little crystalline flecks for the first time - did Whelk actually guess right? Did he accidentally get Kunimi's favourite flavour of everything under the sun?

After a small mouthful, all he can do is gawk at Whelk in complete awe.]

How... wait, did I tell you that -

[Enter, stage left: a big rich jerk]

[Gansey would ~~resemble~~ resent that comment if he could hear it, but he can’t. He can’t hear anything because he has his earbuds in as he enters the gelato shop. Damn millennials always bent over their phones. That’s how he is now, looking either perplexed, disgruntled, or maybe a combination of the two. Surely he is researching his beloved dead Welsh king or trying to defuse a situation among his motley crew, right?

[Wrong. He is trying to figure out a particularly convincing scam email. Why would a Nigerian Prince be trying to send him $6 million dollars? These are the questions that plague Gansey’s mind as he turns a corner and subsequently crashes into Whelk and Kunimi’s table, his earbuds coming dislodged from his phone and sending it skittering across the surface. Whoops!

[His head snaps up to apologize, mind already reeling with how to form the right words in the right way to make it sound genuine. It is genuine, but sometimes people need some extra convincing. Hopefully whoever’s table he just assaulted will be a reasonably patient perso—]

Ah! Mr. Whelk...

[This is incredibly awkward. He hopes he is not asked about why he wasn’t in class on Friday.

[Oh. And he’s with someone. A student? That’s...weird...]

Hi. Sorry. Hello.

[His smile is friendly, but it’s a little hard to put on as convincing of one as he’d like. God, he really hopes he doesn’t ask why he wasn’t in class on Friday.]

[Oh, Christ on a fucking crutch. Whelk knew he was doomed the minute he saw that goddamned Camaro roar into the Harry’s parking lot. He’d tried to ignore it. This isn’t happening. If you just tell yourself it isn’t happening, then it won’t happen.

[As if that ever actually works. At least when Gansey had exited the vehicle alone, Whelk trying to be subtle as he glanced out the window, he’d felt the smallest bit of relief. At least it wasn’t the full band of idiots come to ruin his good time. At least that bastard Ronan Lynch wasn’t with him.

[Make no mistake - Whelk finds Richard “Dick” Gansey III to be supremely irritating. It’s only that he tends to be far less so when he’s not surrounded by his supremely irritating friends. The most he’ll do without them is maybe say hello, possibly maybe make a bit of obnoxious small, and then leave. Fantastic. Wonderful. Whelk doesn’t want to have to deal with that, but he will if he has to.

[And then the obnoxious bastard comes crashing into their table like a total idiot. Of course. Of course he would still manage to find a way to make Whelk’s day miserable. The man cannot even begin to keep the sour expression from taking over his face as he stares at Gansey.

[Said quite stiffly:]

Ah. Mr. Gansey.

[Then he picks the boy’s phone out of his gelato and holds it out for him.]

[A lot of things happen all at once, again stunning Kunimi into wide-eyed silence: someone crashes into their table and dumps their phone into Whelk's dish, identifies Whelk and offers Kunimi a confused greeting, the atmosphere at the table becomes glacial, and Whelk spits out the boy's name like nails from a gun.

It doesn't exactly take a mind-reader to realize, once the metaphorical dust clears, that this must be one of Whelk's students. Perfect.]

Hello... Gansey-kun? [Kunimi hasn't quite gotten used to dropping honourifics entirely since moving to the US, though he's trying because they only add to his sore thumb status. At least Whelk can comfort himself with the fact that Gansey's name doesn't sound nearly as musical in Kunimi's voice as his does.

Should he introduce himself? Whelk rejected the idea of hiding anything about the nature of their meeting, but now the frost is so thick on the ground between Whelk and Gansey that Kunimi can't begin to guess what will and won't be appropriate.]

[My lord, this is awkward. Even permanently polished and pristine Gansey can’t help but grimace when he accepts back the...now gelato-covered phone.

[He then awkwardly pulls a napkin out of the dispenser on the table (thank God it was on the end of the table).

[He...cleans the phone with more than a bit of shame. He’s still smiling though, which might be making this entire thing more awkward.]

Nice to see you today.

[He glances at Kunimi again. Was he hoping that he’d soon know what to do of introductions? Gansey is here to save the day by offering you a supremely awkward handshake. He looks a little insistent when he says:]

Richard Gansey.

[Whelk silently counts to ten when Gansey leans down to grab a napkin. He counts to twenty when he makes them all three look like a total moron by sticking his hand on Kunimi’s face like he’s running for Congress. None of this shows too plainly on his face, although his lips are pursed tightly. He has to show a certain level of professionalism here, but his patience feels razor thin.]

[So, shaking hands is weird, right? It's not just because people don't do that so much in Japan, especially not at his age? It's actually a weird habit? His own handshake is a bit pitiful due to his discomfort with the gesture, and having many people comment on his cold hands hasn't helped matters, but he manages to pull it off in a way he hopes won't insult anybody.]

Kunimi Akira. Nice to meet you.

[Kunimi's recovered from his initial shock but that's not great news for Gansey, as it just means he's returned to his usual flat, unimpressed expression. His eyes dart from Gansey to Whelk again, as he wonders if this invasion will be shut down any time soon or if Gansey's going to invite himself to join them.]

Wonderful to meet you. [Wonderful? Laying it on a little thick there, aren’t you, Dick? He’s nervous.

[When he opens his mouth to speak again, Whelk cuts him off by clearing his throat. Gansey turns toward him with an attentive albeit slightly apologetic expression. It probably reads something along the lines of “please ask me to leave, please just ask me to leave.”

[Whelk, to Gansey, looks tired. Whelk, to Whelk, feels like trying to set Gansey on fire with his mind. Kunimi’s going to have the hear his teacher voice. He kind of hates that.]

Can we help you? If not, you are excused.

[Gansey nods, then shakes his head, and Whelk can’t tell if he’s confused or just covering all his bases.]

“Sorry agai—“

[Whelk cuts him off again.]

It’s fine. Please. Go.

[That “go” sounds pretty final, so Gansey nods, then kind of bows his head to apologize one more time, both to Whelk and his...friend, Kunimi Akira. Gansey wonders if he’s heard that name around the school at all? He’s not a student student, right? He considers tacking on some sort of “see you later” or “have a good day”, but Whelk is still glaring at him, so he just walks away.

[Under his breath Whelk mutters:]

Jesus Christ. Let’s...pretend that didn’t happen. [He looks so irritated. And so, so tired.]

[Listen though, listen. Listen.

The teacher voice is kinda hot.

Kunimi can't help but watch Gansey's retreating back for a long moment, utterly puzzled by the interaction he just had and the other, completely separate interaction that played out in front of him. He likes to think he's pretty astute, after all, but some people's behaviour is so outlandish that it renders their motives completely opaque and Richard Gansey definitely makes that list. Not to mention the hostility that rolled off Whelk in choking waves despite Gansey's apparent attempts to appear as non-threatening as possible.

What was that?!

Well, maybe it's best to do as Whelk says and ignore what happened. Maybe, at least for now, Kunimi has little choice unless he wants to torpedo their date.]

Uh, what was I - oh yeah, did I tell you that salted caramels are all four of my food groups?

[Whelk feels not unlike he’d like to crawl under the table and die. Leave it to him to think he could have something halfway decent come out of this date. It’s annoying to him that Gansey is still here, even if he’s just across the room ordering.

[It’s difficult to explain what about Gansey gets under Whelk’s skin so much, but it has more than a little to do with them being similar people, but one of them still having everything, and one of them having positively nothing - not even an uninterrupted date that doesn’t involve some asshole kid flaunting their fancy car and clothes in front of his face.

[He should get paid for every time he talks to a student outside of work.

[It’s not without effort that he’s able to focus on Kunimi again and continue their conversation. There has been phone in his gelato, so he’s more reserved about eating it.]

It was a guess.

[Actually, come to think of it, it’s actually much easier than it should be to get distracted from what’s bothering him when his focus lands back on Kunimi. It’s another one of those moments where Whelk realizes that he looks good - not just in bed either. He wonders half-idly how they look together.]

I was right. Bless the thought. [His expression is still a little tight, but the corner of his mouth does twitch a bit, and he can’t help but look a little satisfied that he pegged ~~hue~~ Kunimi correctly.]

["Bless the thought" gives Kunimi his first accent-related flutter. It's about the cutest thing he's ever heard anyone say. Grinning down into his dish, he takes another big bite before considering the state of Whelk's gelato.]

You should probably get a new one, huh. If you tell them someone spiked their phone into yours, maybe they'll replace it for free.

[Kunimi's not usually that comfortable with cheering people up, at least not deliberately, but he can't help throwing in a little bit of praise when Whelk's so tense and unhappy. He's already seen that a little ego tickle dows Whelk a world of good, so:]

It's really good. I like this place a lot, thanks for inviting me.

I don’t mind paying for one.

[It doesn’t sound defensive, but he’s afraid it might seem that way anyway. He doesn’t like remembering that he has to think about money.

[He wonders, of course, whether Kunimi is trying to placate him. Logically he should be offended by that - how irritating. Except it’s not irritating, partially because of the dead pan, accented way he speaks.

[Whelk doesn’t notice himself smiling. He almost just comes out and says it - ”I like the way you talk.” But that seems excessively intimate somehow. He shakes off the impulse after maybe staring at him for a little too long.]

It’s a popular spot for these sorts of things. [These sorts of things...

[He feels weirdly naked all of a sudden. It’s more than a little uncomfortable.]

I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.

[It’s genuine, because with Whelk it has to be or he wouldn’t say it at all. He’s mastered the art of walking around a compliment while still remaining passably professional. When he says this one, he sounds lightly cautious, almost teasing.]

[The way Whelk watches Kunimi for that long, long, long moment, a smile playing on his lips and a thoughtful gleam in his eyes, makes him look naked too. Far more naked than removing his clothes did. There's so much softness in his features that Kunimi has to look away, too late to hide the dramatic blush that washes over his face.

It's not just Kunimi. Something really is happening between them.]

Are there any other hot spots I should experience?

[There's a touch of irony in the question because Henrietta's such a sleepy town, but Kunimi doesn't even try to deny that he's also asking to spend more time with Whelk after this.]

[Like Whelk's gazing wasn't lost on Kunimi, Kunimi's blushing isn't lost on Whelk. It's an extremely endearing image, the realization of which again makes Whelk feel more than a little uncomfortable. Even so, the small smile on his face endures.]

In Henrietta? [Whelk's accent is more present on the name of the town than it's ever been. It's a hard word to say without letting the last three syllables roll off the tongue all at once. He looks amused when he leans in over the table and says in a low voice:] Nowhere we won't be assaulted by overly-friendly teenage boys.

[He leans back then and raises his eyebrows just a bit. Kunimi is asking to see him again, or maybe even to continue spending time together after they leave Harry's. It can't be any later than 11:00am now. So Whelk plays a card that will place them together in the evening. What they do between these two periods will be inconsequential. He just wants to make sure that Kunimi will have to stick around for as long as possible.]

There's a bar downtown that has dreadful country karaoke on Saturdays. Truly Henrietta's finest in the flesh. [He sounds dryly sarcastic, though his expression remains amused.] You have to witness firsthand at least once.

Don't worry. The drinks are strong enough to get you most of the way through the secondhand embarrassment.

Ehh... [Kunimi makes a small show of "considering" whether he'd like random teenagers tagging along everywhere they go.] I prefer having you to myself.

[Not like Whelk needs Kunimi to point out how horribly his mood tanked when Gansey barged in, so again, Kunimi massages his words a little to turn the blatantly obvious into a compliment. They can always go somewhere private (read: Whelk's place) and spend some time getting to know each other (read: actually swapping stories and learning more about each other's lives), as long as they don't get distracted (read: bang too hard to make it out that evening.)

At the mention of karaoke, Kunimi has a brief moment of cultural vertigo that leaves him staring at Whelk as if waiting for the punchline. No, drinking isn't the punchline, it's just a fact of karaoke... so that means... Whelk really is telling him...]

American... country music... karaoke... [Like Whelk with the name of his hometown, Kunimi just slips into proper pronunciation naturally on the odd occasions when Japanese loan words come up in their conversation.] It isn't surprising, I just... never considered...

[He's not saying no, Whelk. He's just in shock.]

[The mildly distressed look on Kunimi’s face is enough to push Whelk’s vaguely amused expression over into a soundless laugh. He nods.]

You’re right. Terrible idea. [He looks thoroughly amused now. It’s not his idea of a good time either - maybe it had been a bit sadistic in nature to suggest it - and it’s further confirmation that he and Kunimi are more similar than he had any hopes for finding when he initially entered speed dating. What a grump this guy is. Again, he’s struck by feeling endeared. He’s beginning to get used to the way that makes his stomach flutter.

[He’d very much forgotten what it felt like to actually enjoy someone’s company.]

Screw Henrietta then and come over. I’m sure we’ll find someway to entertain ourselves.

[Kunimi sits back and lets out a sigh of relief when Whelk lets him off the hook. He wouldn't have said it - he's already gotten the impression that Whelk's goodwill has an off switch that tends to stick in that position, making it very hard to regain - but country karaoke sounds to him like a fever dream. Hilarious and strange but not date material.

So once again, they've come to a natural agreement without needing to compromise. It really does sound pleasant to spend some time together with the TV on or music playing, just catching up on what they didn't learn about each other when magnetic sexual attraction took over their first meeting.]

I prefer the sound of that. We can buy some drinks to bring along, maybe some take-out... in case we don't feel like leaving at all later.

[Heh. Heh heh. That's barely innuendo but it leaves just enough unsaid that Kunimi's eyes sparkle with mischief.]

PSL/Meme Continuation

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