Plant Parenthood; Friday [09/06].

[what_big_teeth]

The nice thing about being the only other employee in a shop other than your boss was that the scheduling was pretty flexible, so the fact that Eleanor had a Thursday class with some tricky timing wasn't an issue, and she just shifted over to Fridays for this semester, instead.

She found herself, eventually, settling in behind the counter with a cup of tea and a book about hummingbirds and what plants they liked, which she blamed entirely on the few she'd spotted around the shop before coming in for her work day. She didn't find anything about drakondias specifically, but it seems like hummingbirds did seem to like lilies in general, and she started wondering if that was something that the others would enjoy having around the new house or not.

Plant Parenthood is open!

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[slothbabyproductions]

After the first week of classes, Kamala was looking forward to the weekend and a bit of fun. So after doing her morning run around the island, she headed over to drop by and see Eleanor.

And of course she was bearing cups with straws but this time instead of the typical Red these were green

"Hey, El," Kamala said cheerfully. "How was your first week of classes?"

[what_big_teeth]

"Hey, Kam," said Eleanor, and forgive her if she sounded slightly distracted as she looked up from her book on hummingbirds and the flowers they loved, and in an entirely different way than she might have been when Kamala came into the store. Because her attention was on those suspiciously different-colored drinks, with their also noticeably different texture than expected, and, even more importantly, their smell.

Had Kamala gotten too close to those gremlins that worked at the Starbucks at the mini-towerlet? It was Friday; did the island start in on some strangeness early? She supposed she'd have to wait and see.

Kamala still smelled like Kamala, at least, although she was trying her best to ignore the fact that she was that familiar with her scent.

"So far, so good," she said, with a faint smile and a curious headtilt at the cups. "It's mostly pretty easy stuff. How about yours?"

[slothbabyproductions]

"Pretty easy for me too, but I’m guessing ethics is going to get tougher," Kamala said as she approached the counter. "It’s with Dean Skywalker, so I’m betting it won’t be as simple as just hopping through a portal to Boston."

She was about to lean over the counter to give Eleanor a quick kiss but paused, hesitating. "Wait, am I allowed to kiss you at work? Or is that, like, not professional?"

[what_big_teeth]

In response, Eleanor just sort of smiled a little, and leaned over the rest of the way to pick up on that kiss where Kamala had left off. "It's probably not professional at all," she admitted, "but I'm willing to take that chance."

And she proved just how willing by kissing her again, before her attention shifted toward the cups that she really could not keep ignoring anymore.

"What did you bring?" she asked. "Did they finally switch out the Red flavor at T&C?"

[slothbabyproductions]

Kamala had a moment to bask in that kiss before looking down at her cups and remembering she had actually brought them in. "Oh, these? No! No Squishy today. I'm-"

She let out a sigh.

"-trying to be better. So, instead of a Squishy I got us green smoothies to try! I'm sure it will taste just as good!"

Her voice wavered on that last sentence. Just a small sign of her confidence faltering when it came to this beverage.

[what_big_teeth]

"Aww, Kam."

Well, would another kiss help? Because Eleanor felt like that deserved another kiss. And also, maybe Eleanor just really liked kissing her.

"And before Arden and I could even start trying to sneak vegetables into your Squishies, too! That's great. And, okay, they're probably not going to taste as good, no, but they'll be good for you, and that's something, right?"

[slothbabyproductions]

Okay the kissing was going a long way to selling Kamala on this beverage.

"Sure! That's the good thing I guess. I mean it does have a banana and pineapple in it too. So fruit and vegetables."

If only it wasn't so... green. She leaned over to take a first sip of her smoothie and stopped.

"Wait, you guys were going to sneak vegetables into my Squishies?"

[what_big_teeth]

And the kissing was so much easier to pull off than secret vegetables!

But now Eleanor was just biting her lip against a sheepish grin, delaying having to respond by sipping at the other smoothie while she blushed a little.

"Oh," she said, "the pineapple's a nice touch. This really isn't so bad at all!"

Sneaking vegetables? Who said anything about sneaking vegetables?

[slothbabyproductions]

Kamala was going to act betrayed but gosh darn it that bit lip and sheepish grin was distracting. So now she was just looking at Eleanor and smiling.

"Well, clearly I'll need to be careful when someone come to me bearing squishies, she teased as she took a sip and just frowned ever-so-slightly. "It's missing red dye #5 but it's okay, I guess."

Not every drink is going to dye your tongue red, Kamala.

"It's much better than that poke bowl."

[what_big_teeth]

Eleanor was wondering now if just adding drops of red food coloring would help any. If it got Kamala to actually consume something that wasn't pure sugar in slush form, it would at least be worth the try.

"You're still thinking about those poke bowls?" Eleanor asked, with a small laugh and wondering if she should act betrayed about that being what lingered foremost in Kamala's mind about their trip. But she arched a speculative, teasing eyebrow at her. "Also not enough red dye?"

[slothbabyproductions]

"I wouldn’t say I was thinking about it," Kamala said warmly, leaning forward on the counter to take in Eleanor’s smile and laugh. "It’s just that the last time I tried something new in front of you, I ended up gagging on it and totally embarrassing myself."

That poke guy laughed at her Eleanor! Laughter!

"And I think I need time to adjust to the lack of food dye. I'm going from Red to Green. There needs to be an adjustment period."

[what_big_teeth]

"The important thing is that you did try it," Eleanor offered, brows lifting with imploring amusement, but they lowered again with a soft smile and a fond tilt of her head. "And you didn't embarrass yourself."

Not to her, anyway. Maybe the poke guy, yeah, but who cared about him?

"Just keep at it," she said, "and you'll be fine. And I definitely wouldn't mind if this means I get free smoothies during my workday, either."

And, to prove it, she took another sip of her, and while she didn't find it repugnant or anything, she had to admit, after Squishies, she could see how they could be a bit...challenging to a palate like Kamala's.

[slothbabyproductions]

“Look at you,” Kamala said with a teasing smile. “Being all supportive. Best girlfriend ever!”

And to emphasize the point she took a big slurp of her smoothie and almost didn’t make a face. “I think I just need to get used to it.

There’s so much kale in there, Eleanor. So much kale.