punchtheflowers | blossom; cellphone

[Vinnie rubbed the unstudded side of nose lightly against Bulba's in an eskimo kiss - a gesture that seemed natural to him as a Pokemon, but spoke as something a lot more intimate for a human. He wasn't done looking him over though, and he still had a lot more questions for the newly minted Venusaur.]

How's it feel? Where'd it happen? What was it like for you? How's Green?

[For once, the Pokemon-esque gesture was exactly what he had intended, but a different story might have been told for anyone that had glanced upon them. ~~Hi Marie.~~ He still turned a bit pinker though, happily flustered over the rapid fire question session and he laughed.]

One at a time, one at a time...! It feels good though, I think. I mean it's going to take some getting used to, but yeah. It's good. [He nodded.]

Uh, Viridian Forest. I took Green there. It was really... nice. Green's kind of over the moon, heh.

Good. He should be.

[For a moment there was a flicker, a ghost of something pained behind the gladness in Vinnie's eyes. It was there and gone - and he quickly turned his gaze up to admire Bulba's shiny new ears and hair.]

Shit, I can't get over how much taller y'are now. You don't even have a bit've green left in your roots! Man, I wish my hair went the colour've my petals.

[Bulba wasn't sure if he noticed it or had just imagined it. As long as Vinnie was this happy, though, he wasn't going to draw attention to it.

Heheh. Being tall is real weird. I'm so used to looking up at folks instead.

[He gave Vinnie a considering look, trying to imagine him with a pink army do. What a trip that was. And here Bulba let himself get a bit bolder, reaching up to lightly ruffle Vinnie's haircut now that he could reach it with ease.]

Green looks real good on you, though! I already kind of miss it... I started out all green, but now I just have these. [A point towards his still green eyebrows.]

[Ah, so they were. Vinnie chuckled as his hair got mussed, not minding how forward it was. He'd always considered the two of them equals, but now there was officially nothing between them anymore.]

I'm jealous anyway. Gold's a great colour - you look like the sun.

[The other Venusaur glanced away with a small chuckle, a bit flustered again.]

Then I'll try to be a good sun for you. I mean, you wouldn't be able to see it very good if it was on your own head, right?

My own personal sun, huh?

[There was a teasing look in his grin. It was a cute notion, impossible as it was. Vinnie patted Bulba on the shoulder and casually suggested:] So, drinks?

[Bulba was still surprised that he had said what he had, and even more surprised by Vinnie's response. The flutter in his chest had come back full force as he nodded, grateful to step away from that part of the conversation.]

Drinks. My treat.

[Let's go walkin.']

[It wasn't a long walk to the cafe, but the hot summer sun certainly piqued their thirst on the way. Boba Fête was one of the less commercialized places in town, but Vinnie always found the atmosphere more welcoming. Most other places went for the polished, modern look. They lacked the intimate feel, with quaint trinkets decorating the shelves and nerdy, pop artwork on the walls to contrast the earth tones and wood furnishings.

Vinnie ordered a passionfruit lemon green tea with pearls, and took the far table for two by the window.]

[Bulba always liked looking at all the neat little things as he waited for his drink. He was pretty sure some of them quietly got rotated in and out to keep the attentive patrons on their toes. Since he was the one paying Bulba waited around the counter for the drinks, making light conversation with the girl up front as he did in an attempt to keep the nervous energy at bay.

He set Vinnie's drink in front of him as he took his seat. In went his straw into his own peach apple with pearls, and Bulba realized that whatever jitters he felt a minute ago had somewhat vanished as soon as he sat down.

It was Vinnie. It was going to be fine.

He waited a moment for Vinnie to take a drink before he asked:]

How is yours?

[Vinnie poked his straw through the plastic and sucked up a few pearls to chew on. They were still warm inside, and so soft, and the tea had just the right amount of tartness. Cool and wonderful, the perfect relief from the heat. Mmmm.]

Just what I needed. Thanks.

Edited 2013-07-21 21:30 (UTC)

[He grinned.]

Your welcome.

[Taking a sip of his own (which was nice and sweet), Bulba mulled over what he wanted to say. He'd already played it out in his head over and over, but it was a little different each time. Just like now, there were even more differences. There was a lot to consider, but he already knew that when it came to Vinnie it was going to be best if he stopped considering and was just very frank.

He turned his straw in a few slow circles, maintaining his cheer as he gave Vinnie a curious look.]

Can I ask you what you think we're up to right now? Together, I mean.

[That was... a strange question. It was obvious what they were doing, right?

Vinnie had, at this point, assumed that the important thing Bulba wanted to tell him on the night of prom had been these evolution plans. So it the possibility that there might have been some other great reveal on the plate for today didn't even cross his mind.]

Uh... well, if we're celebrating, then I really should've bought your drink for you.

I dunno. Hangin' out?

I probably wouldn't have let you.

[For the moment, Bulba turned his gaze out the window, watching people do their thing as they walked by.]

What if I said I thought it felt like a date?

[Sure, if looked at without context, then two people getting a drink together could be a date situation. Two people doing anything could be a date, really.

Vinnie stared back, blinking slowly and obviously not getting the point. So it was a friend date, then.]

Okay...? I guess it could feel that way?

[Yeah, okay, this was playing out pretty much how Bulba expected it would. Vinnie. Vinnie you were real dense. He held back on asking "why do you think I would think that" because that question wouldn't get anywhere very fast.]

I guess it depends on who's thinking about it, huh?

[Bulba looked back at him, gently setting his cup down on the table. He was already past the point where he couldn't really avoid it anymore.]

... Actually, do you remember that I had something to tell you? Would you mind if I went ahead and say it?

[Oh. Vinnie blinked, surprised that there was something more. He took a slow sip from his straw as his mind wandered blindly in search for what to expect. Some kind of news that trumped evolving? No, he was drawing a complete blank.]

Go for it?

[Well then. Bulba took a breath, and nodded, lightly running his thumbs over the sids of his cup. He kept his gaze on Vinnie, quietly reassuring himself again that it would probably be ok, even if it hurt a little later.]

I like you a lot, Vinnie. More than just friends, I mean.

[This, somehow, did not manage to penetrate his skull.

Of course they were more than just friends. Vinnie had said it before, he considered Bulba like kin - for all their differences, the same blood ran through their veins. They were connected in a way that most friends couldn't relate.

His head tilted slightly.] Well... we already are, aren't we?

[Bulba. Stared. The level of density he had just run in to was way more than anticipated. In a way, it was a lot like when he had tried to tell Kirby the first time. He smiled a bit, since though it was a bit frustrating it was also touching in its own way that he thought their bond was so close.

Just... not in the way Bulba had intended.] Well, yeah, but that's... not what I mean.

[Words alone weren't going to work. Bulba hesitated just a moment before he reached out, gently cupping his hand against Vinnie's cheek. That strange, elusive sweetness returned, mingling gently with the fruity scents of the tea shop as Bulba continued:]

I mean I would want to be in a relationship with you. ... More than we already are.

[He leaned across the table for just a second to place a very quick, soft peck on Vinnie's lips before he sat back and picked up his drink again with both hands.]

That's what I mean.

[The kiss was too brief for Vinnie to think about how to react to it - he just stared back in stunned silence at the strange bit of deja vu that just happened. It wasn't the first time Bulba had kissed him, but they were in a dream that time - that was different. It was different because...

No, more to the point at hand. Bulba wanted a relationship with him. The kind that involved kissing. Vinnie could only respond to that prospect with monumental disbelief.

He wasn't like Kirby. He didn't smile the way Kirby did, or have any of his infectious innocence. As far as he saw it, he was mostly just a massive source of worry half the time.

So there was a long pause that eventually ended with Vinnie looking very lost.]

But... why?

Why...?

[There were a lot of things that could have been said. He could have tried to pull out all sorts of reasons, but thinking them over, they just sounded a bit silly. It was hard to pick out the ones that could stand alone when it was hard to even pinpoint when it was that Bulba realized he cared about him so strongly. That in itself was a reason to want it though, wasn't it?]

Because... You're you, I guess. [He shrugged, smiling a bit sheepishly again.]

I'm really happy, when I'm with you.

[For an instant, Vinnie's chest felt lighter knowing that being with him made Bulba happy. That he just liked him for who he was.

It was just flattering that someone would like him that way, right? This flutter in his chest, the stiffness in his throat was just a reaction to unaccustomed flattery. His face was going pink, and starting to look visibly flustered.

Vinnie had no idea what to say. He was running around his own brain, growing more and more frantic as the silence grew longer, but remained at a loss.]

So... you...

Uh.

[Oh god.]

How did this... even? I mean, you didn't always, uh.

[He was dying.]

[Bulba had been more or less okay up until this point. He'd felt oddly calm, all things considered, and had managed to say what he wanted to say without much trouble at all for once.

He had not considered just how flustered Vinnie could have potentially gotten. He didn't really think there'd be too much of a reason for it. Bulba's blush crept back slightly after the appearance of Vinnie's, and he idly fiddled with his straw.]

Um. No. Not always.

[Fiddle fiddle.]

Since late last summer, I guess.

[Fiddle.]

Probably.

[Sip.]

[Oh no, now his awkwardness was making Bulba feel awkward. That was just great, Vinnie. You were great. Embarrassed by the lack of grace in his own responses, his face began turning even redder. It was obvious that it'd taken Bulba a long time to tell him this, and now he was just fucking it up.

He desperately wished he had something to do right now, something that would at least keep him occupied enough to let his mind sort out what it wanted to say. His gaze fell down towards his drink, which he stared at intently.]

Sorry. I kinda suck at this...

[Vinnie took a deep, long drink - one that looked like he was just trying to inhale the whole thing in one breath instead of enjoying it. He managed about a quarter before he had to start chewing all the pearls. The task seemed to help, a little.]

I... haven't thought about relationships since forever. [A confession, and an uneasy one.] I barely remember the last time I even had a crush. Even longer since I had a girlfriend.

[The tone in his voice was certain he couldn't make a good boyfriend. He didn't even know how to be a boyfriend. When even someone as timid and awkward as Marie could acknowledge what his heart wanted and Vinnie couldn't, well... he didn't know what it said about him.]

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