Once everyone was safe and settled, they were off. Slow and steady at first as they cruised through the sleepy, populated streets. The bubble of sky overhead was clear, giving them an all-star view of the vibrant shades of sunset ushering other people home for the evening. Not these boys though. It wasn't sleepytime just yet.
Turning onto the roads that Kai had mentally marked down as 'fair game,' he shifted a bit to give the hands wrapped around his waist a little pat. "Hang on," he floated back to him, excitement clear in his voice, "we're gonna fly."
With a zip and a zoom as they took off towards the quieter, new parts of Havenwell. There weren't people to worry about out there. No worries to try and forget. All of this was simply for the joy of it, with the wind whipping around them and the cascade of colors on the horizon.
Even getting to just watch everything zip by is always a nice treat, and getting this kind of view with the setting sun is extra nice. While they're still taking the nice and easy portion of the trip, it doesn't take too long for Shinji to relax against Kai's back, enjoying the ride, the company, and the scenery.
At Kai's warning, Shinji offers a small nod, slipping his arms a little more securely around his waist to brace for acceleration. Even for as ready as he is, though, speeding up draws a small gasp out of him. His hold is tightened a little yet again in response, but there aren't any protests to be found here. As always, he trusts that Kai has a handle on this. Leave the driving to the expert, and Shinji will simply keep his attention turned outward to the city around them as it quiets down the further and further they travel out.
It was that extra little bit of a hug that Kai noticed, and he grinned a bit to himself. In return, Kai trusted that Shinji would have said if it was too much. If this was fine, than all they had to do was enjoy it. Even with his eyes trained on the drive ahead of them, he could still watch the show the skybox was putting on for them.
"This part's one of my favorites," he remarked through the wind. "When everything goes quiet and the day bleeds into night."
A moment that he'd never thought he'd be sharing, frankly. Driving out through the night had always been an exercise of isolation. The warmth and trust at his back was... welcome. It brought peace with it, despite how much his heart raced with the thrum of the engine.
Likewise, Shinji's seen his share of sunsets and sunrises, though having someone close by who appreciates them adds an extra kind of magic to them. It's the difference between knowing that it's a lovely sight, and being able to truly enjoy that view - it feels less lonesome, having this warmth at his chest, having someone enjoy it with him.
"It is amazing," he replies, just loud enough to hear over the sound of the wind. Even if the realness of it is... dubious, it's still stunning. What a nice little moment to have on a day like this. His hold relaxes a tiny bit, exhaling softly as he does. "This is... really nice."
For a second there, Kai kind of wished he could see the expression Shinji was making rather than the stunning, burning horizon. He could picture it though. It was probably the soft one he got sometimes when things were just chill, when it seemed like Kai wasn't actually looking. Just a moment or two away from maybe a smile, if only he never noticed that Kai was looking.
Maybe that was a weird wish, but Kai was too busy being a Good Driver to let the oddity of it settle.
Knowing a full conversation was hard even with a quieter bike, Kai let it settle at that. It wouldn't be terribly long before they got to where they were going anyway. It definitely wasn't a mountain like Kai would have preferred. It wasn't even a grassy field, which might have made for a good second choice. Even with the walls expanding, it was still mostly city out there in the quiet edges. There was at least one fairly decent spot though.
It was a little park that Kai pulled up to. It had been a sad patch of dust when the first explorations had happened, but after that happy breeze blew through doing its happy plant magic deal? It made a nice little green haven full of soft, new grass, tiny trees and open sky. There still wasn't much to it, but what it had was Just Enough.
What could possibly be strange about wanting to see a soft soft look on your bro's face? Don't worry about it. You might even get to see a few during this retreat! Who knows!!
With the added thrill of the added speed, the previously relaxing ride certainly becomes exciting, just like he'd expected. And even the destination - a quiet little patch of young grass and young trees, far, far away from the lights and louder buzz of the city they'd spent so long in - really, a tranquil place to escape from some of the trappings of city life, what isn't exciting about that, too?
"Here?" Oh, does it ever look like a nice, inviting spot! Safely stopped, Shinji removes that helmet as he admires what this little spot has to offer. "It looks really peaceful."
"Uh-huh." Kai leaned on the handlebars for a moment, looking over this little patch of solitude. "I'm sure people are gonna head out here and put all this stuff to use soon enough, but for right now it's gonna work real nice."
For what, one Shinji might ask. Well, well, well. Let's find out, huh? Kai scooted himself off the bike, giving Shinji's head a light pat as he brushed by him to get to that shiny storage space installed in the back. What was coming out? The mystery blankets from earlier! Wow!
Kai offered the folded piles in Shinji's direction. "Wanna pick a spot to lay one out?"
Oho, it's all coming together...! His expression brightens up in surprise, and he accepts one of those blankets from Kai.
"So this is what you had up your sleeve, huh?"
So sneaky! He scoots himself off the bike as well, surveying the area a little bit before settling on a space to unfold that blanket. "Here seems good, don't you think?"
Ah, hm, speaking of nice expressions on a bro's face. That surprise was a good one too. "Heh, pretty much."
While Shinji scoped out the area, Kai went ahead and got the rest of the surprise. The other blanket tucked under his arm was for sharing, and the bag he had perched on that was both also for sharing and also part of his sneaky sleeves. Kai wandered over to where Shinji was with all these things in tow, giving the area a little look. The ground seemed pretty rock free, and the sky... visible. Excellent.
With the go-ahead from Kai, Shinji shakes that blanket out and drapes it carefully over the spot he's picked out. "Here we go, then," he even kneels down to straighten it up nicely, no big wrinkles or folds in sight, perfect for relaxing on...!
He turns his attention back to Kai and that suspicious bag he's got, eyeing it with a soft 'hmm'. So. There is more at play here? He ponders on that for a short moment before deciding to yet again leave whatever further surprises are at play here to Kai's discretion.
There weren't that many more surprises, at least. This was still an extremely unplanned venture, after all, so one could only reasonably get away with so many.
Surveying Shinji's careful blanket craft, Kai gave it an approving nod. "Nice." So nice in fact, Kai was just gonna plop himself right there next to him. Hey there. Let him just get that other blanket situated between them for when they really felt chilly.
And also
the mystery bag.
Of which Kai went ahead and opened without a lot of fanfare. "There was some nice lookin' cake today," he said real nonchalantly, just like a person that had no idea there could be any occasions for cake this day. Here it is, two whole slices!! "Blueberry cornmeal, I think? And I got some meowffins."
Cake? Cake and... meowffins. Muffins. Cake and muffins.
This is all incredibly nice! What an incredibly cozy little adventure you've put together, Kai! And what a coincidence that you've chosen today, of all days, to do it. It's enough of a coincidence that Shinji simply has to stop for a second and try to figure out if there was some way Kai could have figured out some kind of significance to today. It's not like Shinji's told him, or anyone else, for that matter, but was there some other way he might have found out...?
So, there's an awkward beat between 'muffins' and Shinji's reply, one where he seems just the tiniest bit lost before stirring that enthusiasm he'd previously had back up.
"It does look nice...!" Two whole slices!! Wow!! But, you know, maybe he's spinning this wrong, and there's some significance that Kai knows and Shinji doesn't. Wouldn't that be something? "Is there some occasion for all of this?"
Luckily, while Kai did misinterpret that awkward little pause, it was for positive reasons this time! Wow! Clearly these treats were just things to be admired, since they were made by actual professionals and actually looked Real Dang Good. He could understand the want to marvel. Go ahead.
"Hah?"
The question earned Shinji an innocently baffled look. "Does there need to be an occasion for it?"
At least it was a positive misinterpretation! It wouldn't do for Kai to think he's somehow unhappy with this outcome! In fact, such an honest reply nets a nice, soft smile from Shinji. So it really is just a coincidence? He's not missing anything big and important, and Kai hadn't felt the need to make a big deal out of today specifically. That's pretty reassuring.
"This is all really nice, so I just wasn't sure if there was something I was missing," which is true! Even if it's not the only reason he'd asked. "If you just felt like doing it, then that's enough of a reason."
Kai really wasn't sure what he'd done to get treated to a smile so soon, but! Okay! He'd happily take it. "I don't think you're missin' anything," Kai reassured him. Definitely not anything that Kai could think of.
"The cakes just looked real good, and then the weather seemed like it was gonna stay nice and clear, so..." Kai rubbed the back of his neck a little, briefly looking almost shy. "Figured, maybe you'd wanna."
Just, you know, entirely by surprise. The whole asking people if they wanted to spend time with him thing was still, hm, Weird, even if he had better chances with it right now. "Glad that worked out!"
"I like spending time with you," he knows it's nothing new for Kai to hear, but it would probably be good to reiterate it when he can. Now feels like a good time to remind him of it, so, he does! "I'm really glad you decided to do all of this."
Especially! If it's just because he wanted to! Not because he felt like he had to, or there was some reason that Shinji was missing.
It wasn't new anymore, but it still meant a lot. He would have wanted to say that he didn't need reminders but maybe that wasn't really true. It wasn't just him though. This was a nice exercise for both of them.
That little touch of shyness was gone now as Kai changed gears, leaning over on his arm to grin at him. "Thanks for recklessly hopping on a bike to who knows where."
Is it really so bold when there are only so many places they can conceivably go? Maybe, possibly, but it didn't feel like it was a particularly risky move on his part.
"Was it really so reckless?" He says, after an innocent, thoughtful hum, like he knows the answer is 'no', but wants to play along for a little bit. "I don't get invited so nicely on adventures very often," 'ever', "I wouldn't have thought there was anything too dangerous about it."
"Hohh~ That's the dangerous part," Kai snickered, sliding Shinji a slice of cake on whatever serving piece of something something was here. "Sounds like I'm rubbin' off on you."
Surely the nice folks over at the cafe these treats came from had the forethought to pack 'em with plates or whatevers. It's fine. Don't think too hard about it.
"Thank you," another bit of gratitude slid Kai's way in return for the cake, even in the midst of all of this talk of danger. "It can't be all that dangerous, though. You even had a helmet waiting for me." As if that erases any trace of risk from the equation.
You don't have to be professional on your own time!
Still, "Well, you're doing a good job of that," the whole 'giant bite of cake' thing not withstanding. Again, this isn't the time to be professional. This is relax-and-enjoy-tasty-cake time. Speaking of, Shinji takes a bite of his own slice.
It was a good excuse!! Not that he would actually deny that getting the second helmet was arguably more for Shinji than it actually was for future money endeavors.
Here was a fervent nod while he worked on that big 'ol chomp. "Mmhm!" Wow! So tasty! Let him just give that a swallow and a lick of his lips. "..Yeah! I'd never heard of this kind before, so. Lots of adventures, tonight."
"Me neither," so many exciting experiences we have on our hands this evening! Even if it is an unusual kind of cake, he absolutely can't deny that it's delicious. Another bite, then...!
"Did you pick all of this up from... that cafe some of the offworlders opened up? 'Fur'-something...?"
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Once everyone was safe and settled, they were off. Slow and steady at first as they cruised through the sleepy, populated streets. The bubble of sky overhead was clear, giving them an all-star view of the vibrant shades of sunset ushering other people home for the evening. Not these boys though. It wasn't sleepytime just yet.
Turning onto the roads that Kai had mentally marked down as 'fair game,' he shifted a bit to give the hands wrapped around his waist a little pat. "Hang on," he floated back to him, excitement clear in his voice, "we're gonna fly."
With a zip and a zoom as they took off towards the quieter, new parts of Havenwell. There weren't people to worry about out there. No worries to try and forget. All of this was simply for the joy of it, with the wind whipping around them and the cascade of colors on the horizon.
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Even getting to just watch everything zip by is always a nice treat, and getting this kind of view with the setting sun is extra nice. While they're still taking the nice and easy portion of the trip, it doesn't take too long for Shinji to relax against Kai's back, enjoying the ride, the company, and the scenery.
At Kai's warning, Shinji offers a small nod, slipping his arms a little more securely around his waist to brace for acceleration. Even for as ready as he is, though, speeding up draws a small gasp out of him. His hold is tightened a little yet again in response, but there aren't any protests to be found here. As always, he trusts that Kai has a handle on this. Leave the driving to the expert, and Shinji will simply keep his attention turned outward to the city around them as it quiets down the further and further they travel out.
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"This part's one of my favorites," he remarked through the wind. "When everything goes quiet and the day bleeds into night."
A moment that he'd never thought he'd be sharing, frankly. Driving out through the night had always been an exercise of isolation. The warmth and trust at his back was... welcome. It brought peace with it, despite how much his heart raced with the thrum of the engine.
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"It is amazing," he replies, just loud enough to hear over the sound of the wind. Even if the realness of it is... dubious, it's still stunning. What a nice little moment to have on a day like this. His hold relaxes a tiny bit, exhaling softly as he does. "This is... really nice."
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For a second there, Kai kind of wished he could see the expression Shinji was making rather than the stunning, burning horizon. He could picture it though. It was probably the soft one he got sometimes when things were just chill, when it seemed like Kai wasn't actually looking. Just a moment or two away from maybe a smile, if only he never noticed that Kai was looking.
Maybe that was a weird wish, but Kai was too busy being a Good Driver to let the oddity of it settle.
Knowing a full conversation was hard even with a quieter bike, Kai let it settle at that. It wouldn't be terribly long before they got to where they were going anyway. It definitely wasn't a mountain like Kai would have preferred. It wasn't even a grassy field, which might have made for a good second choice. Even with the walls expanding, it was still mostly city out there in the quiet edges. There was at least one fairly decent spot though.
It was a little park that Kai pulled up to. It had been a sad patch of dust when the first explorations had happened, but after that happy breeze blew through doing its happy plant magic deal? It made a nice little green haven full of soft, new grass, tiny trees and open sky. There still wasn't much to it, but what it had was Just Enough.
"Here we go."
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With the added thrill of the added speed, the previously relaxing ride certainly becomes exciting, just like he'd expected. And even the destination - a quiet little patch of young grass and young trees, far, far away from the lights and louder buzz of the city they'd spent so long in - really, a tranquil place to escape from some of the trappings of city life, what isn't exciting about that, too?
"Here?" Oh, does it ever look like a nice, inviting spot! Safely stopped, Shinji removes that helmet as he admires what this little spot has to offer. "It looks really peaceful."
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For what, one Shinji might ask. Well, well, well. Let's find out, huh? Kai scooted himself off the bike, giving Shinji's head a light pat as he brushed by him to get to that shiny storage space installed in the back. What was coming out? The mystery blankets from earlier! Wow!
Kai offered the folded piles in Shinji's direction. "Wanna pick a spot to lay one out?"
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"So this is what you had up your sleeve, huh?"
So sneaky! He scoots himself off the bike as well, surveying the area a little bit before settling on a space to unfold that blanket. "Here seems good, don't you think?"
no subject
While Shinji scoped out the area, Kai went ahead and got the rest of the surprise. The other blanket tucked under his arm was for sharing, and the bag he had perched on that was both also for sharing and also part of his sneaky sleeves. Kai wandered over to where Shinji was with all these things in tow, giving the area a little look. The ground seemed pretty rock free, and the sky... visible. Excellent.
"Yeah, here will be good."
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He turns his attention back to Kai and that suspicious bag he's got, eyeing it with a soft 'hmm'. So. There is more at play here? He ponders on that for a short moment before deciding to yet again leave whatever further surprises are at play here to Kai's discretion.
"Is this good?"
Satisfactory? Do you want to take a seat here?
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Surveying Shinji's careful blanket craft, Kai gave it an approving nod. "Nice." So nice in fact, Kai was just gonna plop himself right there next to him. Hey there. Let him just get that other blanket situated between them for when they really felt chilly.
And also
the mystery bag.
Of which Kai went ahead and opened without a lot of fanfare. "There was some nice lookin' cake today," he said real nonchalantly, just like a person that had no idea there could be any occasions for cake this day. Here it is, two whole slices!! "Blueberry cornmeal, I think? And I got some meowffins."
...
"Muffins."
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This is all incredibly nice! What an incredibly cozy little adventure you've put together, Kai! And what a coincidence that you've chosen today, of all days, to do it. It's enough of a coincidence that Shinji simply has to stop for a second and try to figure out if there was some way Kai could have figured out some kind of significance to today. It's not like Shinji's told him, or anyone else, for that matter, but was there some other way he might have found out...?
So, there's an awkward beat between 'muffins' and Shinji's reply, one where he seems just the tiniest bit lost before stirring that enthusiasm he'd previously had back up.
"It does look nice...!" Two whole slices!! Wow!! But, you know, maybe he's spinning this wrong, and there's some significance that Kai knows and Shinji doesn't. Wouldn't that be something? "Is there some occasion for all of this?"
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"Hah?"
The question earned Shinji an innocently baffled look. "Does there need to be an occasion for it?"
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"This is all really nice, so I just wasn't sure if there was something I was missing," which is true! Even if it's not the only reason he'd asked. "If you just felt like doing it, then that's enough of a reason."
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"The cakes just looked real good, and then the weather seemed like it was gonna stay nice and clear, so..." Kai rubbed the back of his neck a little, briefly looking almost shy. "Figured, maybe you'd wanna."
Just, you know, entirely by surprise. The whole asking people if they wanted to spend time with him thing was still, hm, Weird, even if he had better chances with it right now. "Glad that worked out!"
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Especially! If it's just because he wanted to! Not because he felt like he had to, or there was some reason that Shinji was missing.
"Thank you for asking me."
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That little touch of shyness was gone now as Kai changed gears, leaning over on his arm to grin at him. "Thanks for recklessly hopping on a bike to who knows where."
Bold moves of you Shinji.
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"Was it really so reckless?" He says, after an innocent, thoughtful hum, like he knows the answer is 'no', but wants to play along for a little bit. "I don't get invited so nicely on adventures very often," 'ever', "I wouldn't have thought there was anything too dangerous about it."
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"Hohh~ That's the dangerous part," Kai snickered, sliding Shinji a slice of cake on whatever serving piece of something something was here. "Sounds like I'm rubbin' off on you."
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"Thank you," another bit of gratitude slid Kai's way in return for the cake, even in the midst of all of this talk of danger. "It can't be all that dangerous, though. You even had a helmet waiting for me." As if that erases any trace of risk from the equation.
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He said as he promptly took a big bite of cake. Very professional. Mmmmm, cake though. Itadakimasu.
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Still, "Well, you're doing a good job of that," the whole 'giant bite of cake' thing not withstanding. Again, this isn't the time to be professional. This is relax-and-enjoy-tasty-cake time. Speaking of, Shinji takes a bite of his own slice.
"Ah, this is really good...!"
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Here was a fervent nod while he worked on that big 'ol chomp. "Mmhm!" Wow! So tasty! Let him just give that a swallow and a lick of his lips. "..Yeah! I'd never heard of this kind before, so. Lots of adventures, tonight."
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"Did you pick all of this up from... that cafe some of the offworlders opened up? 'Fur'-something...?"
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Because that was perfectly normal. "So I was doing that and then," he gestured, "I had a pile of baked goods."
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