The Perk, Saturday Afternoon

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Not having noticed anything out of the ordinary about today, Hinata had deemed it safe enough to venture out of the dorms and down to the village for a tea and a pastry.

J,GOB had better pastries, it had to be admitted, but she preferred sitting in the Perk so that she could read in one of their comfortable chairs and, if she got bored with that, was able to quietly enjoy just watching people go by on the street.

Hinata found it peaceful and, from her understanding of the season, that too was something to be celebrated in.

[Open as a public place is, yes!]

Comments

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela was leaving on Monday, and she really didn't want to make herself a cup of tea. So, to the Perk!

"Oh, hey, Hinata," she waved at the girl as she walked in. She'd sort of expected no one to be out with the cold today, so it was something of a surprise to find anyone else there. Not an unpleasant one, though.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

It was cold, yes, but that made the fact that she was inside and warm with a drink where she could watch people that much more pleasing.

"Good afternoon, Triela," she answered, one finger marking her place in her book. "Have you b-been well?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I suppose I have," Triela admitted after a moment to consider the question. "You?"

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"Well enough," she smiled. "Yei misses the snow angels from yesterday--she really l-loved playing with them."

Stalking and hunting them and such, yes.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Well, that makes sense," Triela grinned. "Is she whining now that they're gone?"

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"Piteously," she laughed softly. "Wh-Which would be why I left her with catnip and some balls and fled out here."

And, well, Hinata had wanted to get out of the dorms and the snow was pretty.

"D-Did you want to sit down, once you've gotten your order?" Hinata assumed she was buying something after all. "I w-wouldn't mind the company."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"That would be lovely," Triela nodded. "Be right back."

She ordered a large cup of tea and carried it back to Hinata's table. "Did you want anything?" she asked belatedly.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

She shook her head.

"I still have my tea," Hinata answered lightly. "I am well off enough with that. Wh-What would I do with two cups of it?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Look at one while you drank the other?" Triela suggested teasingly.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata tsk'd. "But th-then it would get cold and do no one any good at all."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Well, I am told that some people like cold tea." Though... drinking it during winter would be especially weird.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"I th-think that's iced tea?" Hinata said, sipping her (warm!) tea. "Which isn't proper tea at all."

It came in powdered packages!

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I suppose it might be good if it were hot outside, but... you're right."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley wandered into The Perk, a big smile on her face. She was free of classes for something like two weeks!

"Oh, oh, Hinata!" she said, when she spotted her friend. She nearly tripped over a table in her rush to get over. "Hi!"

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata half rose from her seat in alarm. "Be c-careful," she said, nonetheless smiling. "You'll hurt yourself, Hayley! And hello!"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I got reflexes like a cat!" Hayley said. She really didn't, but she was getting better about her balance.

"...Where did that mistletoe come from?"

She was looking above her head.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata looked up, distracted from her comment about how cats were generally less likely to trip on things, and...

"I don't think it was here when I got here?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Well, you know what this means, don't ya?" Hayley said, grinning. "We're gonna get that practice you've been avoidin'!"

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata pinked up, getting what Hayley was talking about almost immediately.

"W-Why would a plant mean that?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Don't you have Christmas where you're from?" Hayley asked.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

She shook her head.

"Th-There's a big celebration for the new year," Hinata explained, "but we don't have anything like this holiday."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Well, mistletoe? You gotta kiss people under the mistletoe. Otherwise you don't get any presents or... something," Hayley said.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

More pink.

"So w-we have to kiss?" Hinata asked dubiously and yet half-believing Hayley. It wasn't her holiday, she didn't know the traditions.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Just close your eyes and think of... that one guy," Hayley said, giggling.

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

If it ever happened, Hinata would possibly hyper-ventilate on the spot, to be entirely honest.

"If it's t-tradition..." she didn't think she could avoid it. Tradition and obeying it was very important to Hinata.

So, she closed her eyes. And was bracing herself a bit. This was terrifying.