isleofavalon | Holiday Bash!!

Entry tags:

Holiday Bash!!

🧙 WHO: Ochako Uraraka (

floatsaway) + CR (and their +1s)
⚔️️ WHAT: HOLIDAY/BIRTHDAY PARTY YEAAHHH
🕒 WHEN: Now, I guess. :U
🗺️ WHERE: At her CASTLE.
⚠️ WARNINGS: ~~Venti stop trying to get Ochako TURNT~~ None, probably...other than Bakugou's potty mouth. :(

[It's been a hell of a year, or close enough to it, for Ochako and her many friends here. From the varying trials and tribulations of general quests, to the more perilous missions between kingdoms, to new beginnings and changing tides...it's all a path forward on the long road of life. Despite the difficulties, Ochako's been able to reflect on this past year and finally find herself a bit - a new title and a new, but still somewhat the same, purpose in this world. Something given, something earned (even if she doesn't really see it that way, yet), but still very much hers.

Lady Uraraka (hrrgh...it'll never feel normal, yikes) is throwing a bit of a holiday celebration at her small castle to celebrate the coming and going of a full year. Not only that, but also Christmas prior, and even her birthday as well! All friends she knows, and anyone those friends care to invite, are welcome!! They'll be guided to a decently sized ballroom where several tables have been set up for people to relax and eat, and a separate table for gift giving and gift receiving as well!

What, you thought you'd come to this celebration and leave empty-handed? Pshaw.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cause I… uh…

[Right. IT ISN’T ILLEGAL. Zuko is not a prince, or an Elite, and Gokudera isn’t a mongrel.

He looks over at his amused boyfriend, then lifts their joined hands to kiss the back of Zuko’s before muttering.]

Shut up.

[Gokudera is pouting, keeping Zuko’s hands to his lips and then frowning.]

The Tenth doesn’t even know yet.

[And he nips at Zuko’s hand. Grrr take that amusement and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.]

Edited 2022-01-05 02:23 (UTC)

[ The kiss keeps the smile on his face, but the nip at the back of his hand makes him snort a puff of a laugh. He's sympathetic, at least, but makes no move to break contact even as he offers to. ]

We don't have to if you don't want to...

[He’s grumbling, grumpy, but not sincerely, still speaking against Zuko’s hand.]

Didn’t tell you to stop, just to shut up… the Tenth is gonna figure it out… he’s more observant than he looks.

[Gokudera bites a little harder this time, just to be a jerk, going for the meaty outside of the other boy’s hand. Grrrr now it’s actually just kind of fun and looks silly.

They’re an odd couple, or maybe Gokudera is just odd. Whatever. To anyone that would stare: mind your business. Go away you’re not seeing anything!]

[ Zuko just scoffs again at the biting and shakes his head, amused. He raises his arm from Gokudera's waist just to pat him on the back all buddy-buddy-like. ]

As you please.

[ He lets his hand rest on Gokudera's shoulder loosely after that, looking much friendlier, though he knows he's just teasing Gokudera like this. He'll wait for Gokudera to release his hand first, though. ]

[Gokudera stops with the biting once that hand moves to pat, and he looks a bit stunned. That’s… still touching and a lot less intimidate. He’s not going to say anything, though.

The pout of his lips stays.]

We should get some food or something…

[Hopefully it works rather smoothly, but Gokudera moves away from those hands and his boyfriend, but before it’s out of range, he’s taking that hand that had been patting him and it is now going to be held. He’s a lot more shy about public displays of affection, so is bound to look like he’s leading Zuko around as if he were going to wander off and get lost.]

[ He nods and just lets himself be led. He, for once, can read the subtext here, and is happy when Gokudera takes his hand again, even if he feels the need to be coy about it. Zuko's just glad to be touching him in any way practically all the time now.

But he is glad for the suggestion of food, too, though, as he follows along. ]

Let's find something with meat.

[ He is extremely fond of Aurora and has found all the food she's made for him delicious and is very grateful to the girl for her cooking lessons and earnest, compassionate reasoning for not eating animals... respects that in her, respected that in Aang...

...but that ain't him. In the Fire Nation, even the meat ate meat. With hippocows and komodo rhinos and pig-chickens and lots of seafood, meat was an almost nonnegotiable staple of the island nation's cuisine. He can go without it, has gone without it, has erred on the vegetarian side lately since moving in with Aang and since dating Aurora, but... man, if it's here, well-made by someone else who actually knows how to cook meat, he wants it. Sokka was the only one who played hard for this team with Zuko, and he's been gone from this world for quite a while now. Unable to properly cook for himself still, Zuko's been effectively left just about meatless ever since. ]

[Gokudera’s mood seems to relax the closer they get to the food and he’s looking over everything, not even entirely certain what he should get. There’s… a lot of options, and some vegetarian, because of course there would be. He even asked it be done for Aurora’s sake.

He’s a fan of seafood, but wouldn’t say no to some steak, or whatever this world’s version of it is. Gokudera’s eaten pills for food, used to do that a lot, actually, when he was too poor to afford actual food. He’s got some healthy weight to him, but compared to Zuko, he’s scrawny, gently curved, but mostly just lithe.

There are many contributing factors, but he’s getting better. He’s healthier now than he’s been in a long while.]

Have you ever had shabu shabu or fried chicken?

[Maybe he could get a plate of one and then they could enjoy the other together? Now that he thinks about it, Gokudera can’t remember the last time he had fried chicken.]

Fried chicken, yes. We ate that in the Fire Nation. Shabu shabu, no. I don't know what that is.

[ There's certainly a lot to look over, and Zuko's loath to let go of Gokudera's hand to get a plate, so he just stalls, staring at the whole spread, trying to gauge his options. ]

Ah, let’s grab some just in case, then. Grab a plate?

[With your unoccupied hand, Zuko.]

Shabu-shabu is… like a hot broth, and you can put different meats and vegetables to cook, and the broth adds to the flavor, and so you can basically just… cook it there at the table. It’s very savory, and fits the season well.

[Gokudera wonders how much Japanese his boyfriend knows.]

Do you know why it’s called shabu-shabu?

[ Zuko rolls his eyes slightly, but in good humor. ]

You know I don't.

If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked you!

[Gokudera doesn’t appreciate the attitude, so Zuko’s getting a legitimate pout and grumble.

He moves to the table and drops the other teen’s hand so he can take a seat. If Zuko tries to reclaim it, there’s probably a way to do so.]

[ The reaction draws half a smirk on Zuko's face, as he follows suit. He rests his hand on Gokudera's shoulder as he moves by to take his own seat, intentional but unnecessary little contact like this now becoming commonplace when it was not before. He makes eye contact as he gets comfortable across from him. ]

So what does it mean?

[Gokudera is going to be huffy for a little bit longer, and it seems to fade when the physical contact stops.]

You’ll figure it out. Listen.

[With a set of chopsticks, Gokudera picks up a thin slice of meat and dunks it into the broth, swishing it about and watching it as the pot hisses and bubbles, the heat cooking the meat before Gokudera puts it on a plate and slides it across the table to Zuko.]

Get it?

[ Zuko shoots him a bewildered look, watching the meat being dipped. He's not listening to it... ]

No...?

You should. It’s an onomatopoeia.

[That is the most boring explanation, ever. Gokudera was going to be all cute about it, too, but his mood is a little soured by Zuko being so dry.

Gokudera grabs some vegetables and does the same thing he’d done with the meat. He even stirs a little, so there’s more hissing at the start of the noise.]

Are you hungry?

[With his free hand, Gokudera motions to the meat he’d passed to Zuko.]

[ Zuko's completely out of tune with the fact that Gokudera's mood is soured or the fact that he's being dry. He's having a fine time. Welcome to your new life of interpreting Zuko's moods, Gokudera. He pays closer attention to the noise, and nods. He gets it. No real reaction either way, though. He follows Gokudera's lead, though, picking up some meat and vegetables bit by bit to dip in the broth and pile onto his plate. He takes his first bite, but nods once more at Gokudera's question. ]

Yes. Very.

[ The thing is, Zuko shows his comfort around the people close to him in different ways at different times... He feels comfortable to be dry and curt and feel like all is fine if he's not putting forth that concentrated social effort. Having a moment aside on their own to eat at this party is a breath of fresh air for him in those regards. He's not at all in a bad mood. Just... an indiscernible one. ]

Zuko!

[He groans and then shakes his head, not set on being in a sour mood. Good thing Gokudera is so mercurial with his moods. Zuko not being very reactive to the cute little fact that this is named after its an onomatopoeia is only mildly disappointing at worst.]

I just made it for you.

[Poor little lonely cooked strip of meat, sitting on the plate by the hot pot. Gokudera nibbles at his own cooked vegetables.]

[ The fact that Gokudera was expecting Zuko to react to something cute is cute in itself, because... when has Zuko ever done that? Even being head over heels in love, living on cloud nine, walking on sunshine, isn't going to change that. Even in the best of moods, Zuko's still... just gonna act like Zuko. Maybe even more than he did before! No need for polite pretense now, right? If only Iroh were here to attest to how his nephew's curt, cold behavior is often indeed indicative of his warmth and fondness and comfort with his loved ones. Iroh bore the brunt of such love for many years, after all. He knows best that when Zuko feels comfortable and accepted enough to just be himself, that that's not always... pleasant for everyone else involved... but it's something that becomes transparent after some time-earned emotional translation, like so many things with Zuko. "A complicated young man," as Iroh once put it, trying to explain such nuances to their crew. Welcome to the innermost circle, bub.

Likewise, though, Zuko's fondness shows itself in clearer ways, too, like his wry, quiet humor and the soft, dreamy half-smiles he shoots at his lovers when they're not looking, not realizing he's watching them and smiling at them — as he's doing now, vaguely smiling as he's watching Gokudera pout and eat his vegetables. Zuko was engrossed in the process of doing this shabu-shabu to make it go "shabu shabu," expected he was supposed to take action to demonstrate this for himself, and so overlooked the plate Gokudera had intended to make for Zuko to eat, unfortunately bypassing Gokudera's own expression of love and fondness, his need to give and to care for his loved ones. It takes that mild objection for Zuko to tune into this in this moment, and it cracks a little smirk in the corner of his mouth, as he takes the meat up in his chopsticks and eats it without comment. Just that vague smile.

Once he has, though, he goes ahead and dips another piece of meat in broth, listening more carefully now for the sound as it hisses and swishes while it cooks. Once it seems done, he silently places that piece of meat on Gokudera's plate, and goes in to start frying vegetables for himself.

The boy's a mystery. ]

[Gokudera thought learning about something from his home would be fun for them, and doesn’t know why he’s so bothered by the point flying over Zuko’s head. Or… it seems to, with the lack of reaction. There are little food-things Gokudera is interested in sharing, because food isn’t something that makes him happy. He’s the worst Italian.

He just wants to share what he finds joy in, like mixing all the juices during continental breakfasts, finding onomatopoeia names amusing, cracking stupid little jokes and teasing the people around him.

The pout is staying until he sees chopsticks out the corner of his gaze go for the meat he’d prepared, and he looks up, a bit surprised, eyebrow cocked at the vague smile his boyfriend is wearing. He’s been stared at plenty.

Gokudera watches, blinks in honest surprise at the meat now offered to him, and eats it happily, even closing his eyes and giving a content hum at the flavor. Then he’s dipping a new piece, pulling it out, and standing to offer feeding it to Zuko across the hot pot.

Maybe he just wants to take care of his boyfriend a little more. He’s a sap.]

[ Zuko's satisfied just to see Gokudera eat the piece he'd snuck on his plate. But it's becoming like a game when the bomber stands and seems to be offering to feed it to Zuko directly, the way he reaches across the hot pot with it. Zuko can hold his hand and his waist and hug and kiss him and all that crap in public, but not this — Zuko wouldn't even let himself be fed in private, frankly...! He's a curmudgeon! But just the fact that Gokudera even tries for it is kind of hilarious to him, and even Zuko can't keep his smile from cracking wider in outraged amusement, even letting out a little stifled snort of a laugh. Meeting his eye with a sharp, fond stare and a sly, toothy grin, Zuko snatches the meat from Gokudera's chopsticks midair with his own chopsticks, staying seated almost pointedly. He merely holds it between his chopsticks above his plate, stalling to eat because he's too focused on Gokudera's face, stuck on smiling at him, before he gives him a very slight, very sarcastic shake of his head, and eats the thing himself while maintaining eye contact, as if to make a point. Nope. Not gonna happen. He's not gonna be fed like a baby ostrich-horse at some party. Or anywhere else, for that matter. But he's clearly more amused than he's almost ever been that Gokudera even entertained the idea — because it's such a staunch "Nope," nope. Curmudgeon or not, Zuko's obviously still having fun... that's the real point, here. ]

[Gokudera is wholly taken aback at Zuko taking the meat from him and eating it while staring at him. He almost feels pinned in place, with a spotlight the way he’s still standing, frozen and stuck on those eyes. Then he’s blushing, clears his throat and sits down rather hard before looking away with wide eyes.

That was very public, and he’s not sure what to do.

Maybe Zuko would feed him instead?

He looks over at the other, pout coming back before he’s taking some flavorful mushrooms and adding them to the broth, swirling them around. Then he’s gazing at the plate between them where he’d served Zuko.]

You don’t have to be sneaky. I’ll eat whatever you give me.

[ Zuko goes ahead frying more meat, letting his sly little smile fade but linger, not keeping eye contact with Gokudera now. ]

I know. I'm not being sneaky. But we're not gonna feed each other like baby ostrich-horses. Even if we were in private. I'm drawing a line on the "cute" shit there~

[ Good-humored Zuko is a silly and rare thing. His sense of humor is still a bit biting and sardonic, but he means well, and hopes Gokudera knows it's all in jest... ...even if almost all of Zuko's jokes are perpetually also factual statements he just says with a light lilt. He's always earnest, too, even when he's sarcastic. It's a delicate balance Zuko has mastered... ]

[Gokudera keeps pouting, then pops the cap off a mushroom and throws it at Zuko.]

Maybe I just want to put things in your mouth, huh? Ever think of that?

[Boo, Zuko. Gokudera tosses another mushroom cap up, then catches it with a snap of his teeth. Then, he bites his lip a little and sways in his seat.]

[ It doesn't get exactly a smile from Zuko, but the remark does get an odd look that takes him pause. Then, as he breaks eye contact to pluck the meat out from the broth and place it on his plate, he responds with a completely straight face, hardly a hint of embarrassment or glibness, as if it's the most casual, mundane thing he could say...: ]

Later.

[ grihlsjkn

Considering they haven't even done that yet and that this comeback takes him barely a beat, it's pretty suave, for Zuko...! ]

What the fuck do you mean by that, hm?

You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean!

[Gokudera pokes a vegetable at him in an accusatory manner, expression reading aggravation, but inside, he’s so excited by the idea. He didn’t even really mean it, either!]

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