Chilly Boulder, Saturday Midday

[intraspective]

Ice cream. Small children. It was pretty much a siren call they couldn’t ignore. Two kids stood at the counter—one small and blonde, the other small and orange haired. Ino, of course, because she was a whole year older was doing the ordering.

“And I want lots of chocolate ice cream,” she said, standing on her tiptoes to make sure they did it right, “with rainbow sprinkles and fudge sauce! A really big bowl!”

She glanced at the crybaby beside her, and grinned. “And he wants two bowls, littler than mine ‘cause he’s littler than me, but they’re chocolate to! And a little bit of strawberry. Yes, he’d like sprinkles,” Ino had no idea, “on one of the bowls, too. Just one though.”

[Tooootally open!]

Comments

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"I think it'd be cool if my dad were a ninja too, but he's a doctor. That's good too, cause he gets to help sick people and make them feel better," he babbled in between ice cream eating. "Mum doesn't work, she stays with me and Karin and Yuzu and she comes pick me up from school. Then we go for a walk and sometimes she brings sandwiches and she cuts off the corners cause I don't like those."

[intraspective]

"My mom runs our flowershop," she told him, "and Daddy's the bestest ninja ever. Why don't you like corners? They're fun if you eat them first 'cause then the rest of the sandwich is all shaped funny."

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

He made a face. "I like the middle best, cause sometimes the corners are dry or funny tasting!"

[intraspective]

"You shouldn't waste food though," she said, downing more ice cream. "And if you eat them first then you've got the good part to look forward to!"

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

Somehow Ichigo had already managed to get both his face and his hands sticky with chocolate. "Do ninjas have to eat the corner?"

[intraspective]

She nodded. "We got to eat whatever we get 'cause otherwise we'll never get big enough to be awesome ninja!"

Her dad had sold her on that one, yes.

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

He blinked. "Do they starve you?"

[intraspective]

She blinked back.

"What?"

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"Cause it sounds like you don't get a lot of food," he remarked.

[intraspective]

"I get enough!" she said indignantly. "I didn't say anything 'bout not getting enough!"

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"Okay then," he said, apparently put at ease. He still shifted his second bowl between them. "Wanna share?"

[intraspective]

Ino considered her bowl of ice cream, which by now had just a few lingering sprinkles in it.

"Maybe a little bit," she said, feeling like it'd be rude to refuse ice cream. "But you gotta eat more than me." It was his bowl after all.

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"Sure!" he said, because he didn't mind eating more. "I eat faster anyway." Yep.

[intraspective]

"'Cause you're a boy," she sniffed. "Suzume-sensei says girls have to have manners."

But she was going to eat ice cream anyway. Mmm.

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"I have manners too!" he objected. "I say thank you and please and stuff!"

[intraspective]

"There's more to manners than that if you're a girl," she insisted. "You've gotta make sure you're neat, and tidy, and that you always smile and stuff!"

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

He eyed her and then made a face. "I don't want to be a girl!"

[intraspective]

She burst into giggles. "I don't think you can be one!"

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"Good," he nodded and he leaned forward as to better guide a huge scoop of ice cream to his mouth. "I like being a boy!" he added with a full mouth.

[intraspective]

"You're okay for a boy," she said generously. "Don't spill more."

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

"I'm not spilling," he argued, glancing down at the table to check. See? He just spilled on his clothes. "I'm more than okay! Mum says I'm her favourite boy!"

[intraspective]

"I'm not your mom!"

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

Ichigo giggled and swung his feet back and forth, thumping them against the legs of the chair. "I know that!"

[intraspective]

"Good," she said, licking her spoon clean. "'Cause that way you don't got to be my favouritest boy ever."

[first-guardian.livejournal.com]

He frowned. "Why not? I could be!"