[closed] movie daaate

[made_up_names]

WHO: Peter and Orihime
WHAT: Going on a date! Maybe a friends date? How Did Peter Parker Become a Player, Part One.
WHEN: February 18th
WHERE: Soleil
NOTES: Warnings for soppy cuteness.

[ He shows up at her door almost on time, having forgotten at the last minute to stuff some snacks in his backpack and racing back upstairs to get it. But he makes it within a reasonable amount of lateness (especially by Peter Parker standards), and then it's a short walk into town to find the movie theater. Probably he won't understand any of it? But if it's dumb then he can at least have a good time.

This is how he winds up in front of the little local theater with Orihime, looking up at the movies and ... oh man, there are some American ones, aren't there? He's surprised at the selection. ]

Does France get stuff early? I thought that one wasn't coming out until next year.

[ He says, gesturing to Battle Feline Catlita. ]

Comments

[leekspins]

I'm not sure. I didn't really watch movies very often until we became friends.

[She stands next to him with her head tipped back, studying the enormous and colorful movie posters promising explosions and action and incredibly large eyeballs. She's in. On the other hand, there's How to Train Your Cat 3, featuring vikings riding giant flying cats, and that one looks fun too. Honestly, she can't decide! It'll probably be fun no matter what.]

Why don't you get the tickets, and I'll buy the popcorn and drinks? Then I can be surprised at what you pick!

[That way they spend about an equal amount of money, too.]

[made_up_names]

[ Oh hey, he wants to see that one too. France has all the best movies. ]

Okay, sure. You got a deal.

[leekspins]

I'll meet you inside!

[She darts through the doors to stand in line, picking up a large popcorn and a pair of sodas. She thinks she remembers which ones he went for the time she raided the vending machine for beverages, so she gets two different flavors. He's bound to like one of those.]

[Cradling everything carefully in her arms, she waits next to the ticket counter. The funny thing is, she's not really nervous at all. Excited, yes, but she thought there'd be at least some sort of trepidation or insecurity. There's none. Being friends makes a big difference, and he seems like the type who'd just laugh or shrug if she messed something up on accident.]

[When he comes through the doors, she stands on her toes and beams since her hands are too full to wave.]

Armed and ready!

[made_up_names]

[ Peter's also at least as likely as she is to make a mistake too, which might be soothing? Definitely he's awkward enough for it. But eventually he comes back with the tickets, having settled on How to Train Your Cat 3. ]

-- whoa, you aren't kidding. I'd say that's too much but.

[ Uh. There's no such thing with Peter. ]

[leekspins]

Hee hee! Better too much than too little, right?

[There's no such thing as 'too much' with them. She awkwardly motions with the sodas so he can choose one, then paces beside him as they walk down the carpeted aisle. She's careful not to look at the headers that give away which movie they're in, head down until they're in the dimly lit theater and shuffling toward the center to pick a pair of decent seats.]

[Orihime settles her drink in the cupholder, and then looks at the tub of popcorn with sudden dismay. How are they supposed to hold hands if there's a giant bucket of popcorn between them? Maybe she should have picked a smaller one, darn it. Oh well, they'll figure something out if they decide they want to link fingers at some point.]

[She straightens out her pink skirt with the asymmetric line of lace, then leans back to make herself comfortable.]

What's the last movie you saw in theaters?

[made_up_names]

[ He flops down next to her, gladly picking out one of the sodas. Also not thinking about the logistics of popcorn right now? Mostly he's thinking about the logistics of eating popcorn, because you decided to date a dumb nerd, Orihime. He did at least think to grab a bunch of napkins, so they can have some without both putting their hands in at the same time.

Also that's a good question. ]

Uh ... The Last Jedi, I think?

[leekspins]

Was it funny?

[Comedy probably wasn't the aim of the film, but to her, that's what matters most.]

You look nice, by the way!

[made_up_names]

Nah, it was more of a sci-fi action thing. With some really cool parts, like a lightspeed ram.

[ They have differing priorities. Also - he pinks a bit at that. ]

Yeah? I combed my hair and everything.

[leekspins]

Something got rammed at light speed?! I want to see that for sure!

[Not in reality, but when it's just a movie and no one is getting hurt, it looks super cool!]

[His reaction also tickles her.]

Do you usually not comb your hair? It usually looks fine to me! I like that it has a little bit of a wave to it, I have to braid or curl mine to get it to do something cool like that.

[made_up_names]

Well - not really? Usually its just a mess, and also I forget, so I just kinda muss with it and move on.

[ Wait, he needs to say something else here too, doesn't he. ]

You look really nice too. I like your skirt.

[leekspins]

Thank you! I'm secretly proud of it. I saw something similar in a fashion magazine and decided I could probably manage making something like it. I'd offer to make one for you, but I'm not sure it's your style.

[She's kidding, he probably knows her well enough to read that in her grin.]

Ren advised that I should wear 'nicer-than-usual street clothes.' I hope I met the dating expectations!

[The lights start to dim, so Orihime quiets and turns the popcorn bucket in his direction while she fishes out a handful for herself.]

[made_up_names]

[ He wouldn't be particularly offended even if she were offering seriously, honestly. But it's cute either way. ]

Nah, I'm not really a pink skirt kinda guy. Maybe if it were red.

[ Also - uh. He freezes up for a moment. ]

You talked to Ren about this?

[leekspins]

Mm! A while back.

[She lowers her voice to a whisper.]

He was bartending in Soleil, and everyone else was asking him for advice on things. He seems really knowledgeable!

[made_up_names]

[ Wow. Uh. That gives him some new context, doesn't it. ]

You asked him for advice on me?

[leekspins]

[She nods, starting to realize he isn't...exactly...pleased about this. Did she mess up even before the date began?]

More just dating in general. This is the first time anyone asked me out, and I wanted it to be a good memory for both of us, so...I guess...I thought that was okay.

[She glances at him nervously. He said he'd talk to Maya about this and after that they'd know if this was a normal date or a 'just friends' date. He hadn't said anything so she thought it was normal. Did she guess wrong...?]

[It's starting to feel like she did.]

I'm sorry. I was really excited.

[made_up_names]

[ He's not mad for sure, just excruciatingly nervous now. Orihime really likes him. To the point where she asked Ren for advice, and Ren had kept an eye out for her, to the point where he'd been watching over her at the dance ...

This is serious, isn't it? Is that a bad thing? Maybe it's not, but. He's a little terrified, to be honest.

But wait, first she's looking at him and apologizing?? That's wrong. ]

-- no, no. It's not - don't be sorry, okay? I just didn't realize. I'm really dumb, okay?

[leekspins]

Heh? You're not dumb.

[Why is he saying he's dumb? Are they going to fight over who needs to apologize most? Ah ha ha!]

I guess I should have been more obvious about how excited I was, I just didn't want to put on too much pressure, ne? Like you'd have to meet some crazy ideal!

[Because that's what he didn't realize, as far as she knows -- that she was super pumped for this.]

So you don't have to try too hard. I'm having fun just like this, I promise!

[made_up_names]

[ There's something kind of sad about it. She'd clearly been excited, and he's just. Well, himself. Really not good at any of it. But he thinks maybe he can do one thing right. ]

Okay, okay. I'm really glad, Hime. Because I'm having fun too.

[ He's gonna lean over and give her a small kiss on the cheek. ]

[leekspins]

[Oh...!]

[...]

[...Ohhhhhh. It's a normal date...after all...]

[She blinks, too stunned to say anything. Heat rises swiftly to her face as she turns her head to stare at him, mouth open with a surprised and doofy half-smile. Th-that was so nice...!]

[She draws in a quick hitch of breath, smiling down at her knees, paying very little attention to the adventures of Ruthless the Flying Cat and his human viking companion Barfsneeze.]

This is the best date eveeerrrr...

[Since popcorn is kind of in the way, she tips toward him instead, nestling in to rest her head on his shoulder.]

[made_up_names]

[ Did he get that right? It looks like he got that right. She'd talked so much before about holding hands that he'd thought maybe he ought to start there, but it hadn't seemed to be enough. Not when she's all doubting like this. Also, he'd really really wanted to do it. His own face is pretty red in return, especially once she says that. ]

I - um - I'm glad. Because I like you a lot.

[ And having her lean her head on his shoulder might be the best thing ever in turn. ]

[leekspins]

[He likes her...! Her heart feels like it's about to burst with sheer happiness. She's been so careful to keep her feelings in check, so she doesn't overwhelm him or make him feel like she wants more than he's willing to give. But if he feels this way too, then...maybe it's okay to be more open with him.]

[She smiles quietly for several moments, just basking in the glow of a first love confession as she prepares hers in return.]

In a short amount of time, you've become a very important person to me.

[One she can't imagine being without, honestly. She loves the corny pictures and videos they text to each other, and feeling like she can tell him just about anything -- especially now.]

I like you too, Peter. Very much!

[made_up_names]

[ Well, love is maybe exaggerating it a bit but. He definitely likes her, and he likes this - whatever they have here. That's all he really needs for his dumb teenagerness just yet.

Her words in reply make him blush rather furiously. It's good that they're in the darkened theater, or else she'd see how incredibly pink his ears turn. ]

Then that's a good start, right? To - whatever this is.

[leekspins]

Mm!

[Whatever this is... Actually, she does wonder about that. She shifts her gaze to regard his face in the darkness. Is he being vague because he doesn't know, or because he's hesitant to rush her into things?]

...Are we dating exclusively?

[She'll just ask him directly instead of trying to guess and getting advice from other people.]

[made_up_names]

[ He's being vague because he doesn't know what the fuck he's doing, and is still half certain that she's making a mistake, okay.

A. Pause at that. ]

Do you want to?

[ Does she want to date other people too?? He thinks this, conveniently forgetting that he's the one who sort of dated two girls at the same time. ]

[leekspins]

Yeah!

[She says it a little too loud, and there's a sudden severe 'HUSH' from a 37-year-old man who's really into these flying cats, stop being rude. Orihime hunkers down, grinning from ear to ear. She doesn't really feel too guilty about it, but she subsides back to a whisper.]

I just wasn't sure if that would be rushing things for you. But you're definitely my favorite person, so it's kind of an easy decision for me to make.