flameinthedarkness

"You like it," he shoots back teasingly. His laughter subsides as Idia goes quiet on his phone for a minute, still smiling and rosy-cheeked as he takes another sip of his coffee. Then his phone notifies him that he's gotten another message and he picks it up to see the work that Idia did on their photos, turning them into matching cats. Cater can't help but absolutely beam.

"We really make quite the couple, don't we?"

Idia opens his mouth to answer that, closes it again, opens to try again... before eventually. "Y-Yeah, I-I guess..." Forcing himself to put his phone down so he doesn't try to hide behind it, and instead carefully poking at his coffee to shift the little cat foam to one side so he can try it without destroying it right away. Trying a sip and, "Oh, good." Tongue darting out long enough to lick his lips before another sip, as if needing another test of it, moving to support himself and that weight of the cat on him by planting his elbows on the table, holding the cup between his hands near his face.

"Ah..." He starts, trying to keep the conversation going. It's been easier with Cater over the time they been talking, but still... this is different! It's a date! But... trying. "This, ah, this was... a really good idea... thanks."

A little too late, Cater realizes that maybe calling them a couple was a little too forward. Pair might've been a bit less...well. He feels his face flush a bit hotter as he curls a lock of his hair around a finger. He nods, hoping to ease off of all the grinning and giggling--though it is a little hard when Idia's a playground for cats right in front of him.

"I'm glad," he responds with a huff of relief. "I want you to have as much fun as I am."

Maybe, it was only a first date after all, but... it's also not upsetting Idia to hear, just feels it's a little early. Idia glances away, as if giving Cater a chance to compose himself from this all, looking down to his little floating cat foam in his cup as Cater continues. A bit of a smile forms as he admits, "I am... but my back's sore now." Still managing a smile for the reason why it was, that cat still playing and shifting around on his shoulders as Idia dropped his head to rest his forehead against the back of one wrist, those long fingers still precariously holding that mug, looking like it could fall anytime but Idia had a good grip on it.

Seven, how does Idia look so cute? He's just so clearly...happy, surrounded by so many cats and treats. He's never seen him smile so much--and even when he has seen him smile, it's never been this softly. "Well, we can't have that! Need your back in good shape for some pro gamer moves. Hmmm...but somehow, I get a feeling you don't want to be rescued from your adorable tormenter."

He would hate to hear that... being called cute... or anything positive.

And true, it's a wonderful way to go. But still, yeah, he needs a chance to stretch, raising his head enough to look around. "Is there toys or something to distract them? If I had my computer here I could use it as a laser point to try and get it off me." Hmm, could he do something with his wand? He had transferred the gem he normally has in his computer to a pen for today, it in a hidden pocket in his left sleeve, just in case he needed it. But still, they weren't supposed to use magic outside of the school, not really.

"I'm on the case!"

Setting his coffee and phone aside for now, Cater cranes around until his eye catches a few toys scattered around the play area. Getting up, he retrieves a ribbon toy and comes back to his space, dragging the end of toy across the toy in a slinking movement until the cat using Idia as her personal tree leaps off to capture it between her paws.

"Too cute!" Cater laughs, continuing to entertain the rambunctious ball of energy by flicking the ribbon here and there.

"Ugghhh! TY!" Once given the chance Idia puts his cup down so he can stretch, linking his fingers overhead as he stretches his arms up, leaning back to stretch his back as well. He may slouch a lot, but he also knows how to stretch. Need it after long computer sessions. A bit of an 'ahhhhhh' out with that stretch. "Don't realize how heavy they are until they, like, pressing your neck down."

It's easy to get lost in how absurdly cute these cats are. Fortunately for Cater, Michi makes a leap for the ribbon as well, and this results in the two cats playing together instead of the toy at all. This frees him up to totally eyeball Idia as he stretches out, admiring his long neck.

He's just gonna sip at his coffee, definitely not having any wandering thoughts.

"Gotta be, what, a twenty pound average or so? Well, you took it like a champ," he offers with a teasing chuckle.

Idia doesn't even consider that; he's so used to being hidden in his oversized hoodie, plus just the idea of anyone looking at him with any form of interest. A bit more of a stretch and a few cracks, "Ow." But yeah, better, Idia relaxing again, but also making sure not to be too inviting to be climbed on again. He leans back on a hand behind him, the other reaching for one of those snacks to try.

Then a 'pffttt' to answer that. "Any more and it would snap my neck." Yeah, he knows he's on the slim side, like the super slim side, he doesn't care, a small bite at that snack to test it.

"RIP Idia Shroud, I barely knew ye...a one hit KO by cat, hitting you with the gg ez. We'll all press F to pay respects." Cater puts his hands in front of him in a praying motion, nodding his head forward...and then breaks back out into a grin as he relaxes with his coffee. "How is it? I tried to go for one that wasn't crazy sweet, but I'm still a little hesitant to try it."

"Rather it be by a catgirl or catboy..." Idia mutters as he nibbles away on the snack. Then a pause as he realized he said that. Then, "OMG..." Ughhh, did he really just say that...? "I said that out loud... didn't I?"

Eh, fuck it. Looking to the snack then back to Cater. "Hmmm, it's good, it's not like super sweet, but... well, might be still for you." A pause before adding, "I'll treat you to, like, spicy ramen later."

"You did! You totally did!" He's laughing hard, he can't help it, but there's no real mockery behind it. Hey, good to know what Idia might be weak to. Maybe he should don some cat ears and put him in a headlock, someday. He's still giggling, but it subsides as Idia offers to treat him.

"You sure? I don't mind treating. All of this was my idea, after all." Not like he's going to insist on paying for everything, but he doesn't want Idia to regret wasting money on something that he's not enjoying.

"It's fine, you did this after all..." All because Idia was having a panic attack... and almost ruined everything. "Feels right to balance this all too..." He would feel a little bad if Cater covered everything.

"Unless you're trying to impress me with your leet streamer madol." Some light teasing back at Cater.

Enjoying Idia's ability to banter back, knowing it means that he's feeling way more comfortable, Cater feigns shock. "You caught me--how did you know?"

His little foam cat is starting to deflate, so he takes a stronger drink of his coffee before continuing. "If anything, I'm trying to impress you with my amazing date-planning ability. On a scale of 1 to 10, how wooed are you?"

Idia smiles as Cater shoots that back at him, then... that smile slipping away... before actually considering the question.

"Well... since I never been on a date before... not much to go by... though if going by dating games, that's going to be tougher to compare to." Idia starts to answer. "That at least comes with multiple choice to make it easier." Semi joking, semi not. But still, starting to answer that with him looking down at his hand, before forcing himself to look up to Cater. "It ah... it's been fun, so far, yeah, doing well with the, ah... 'wooing'." A slight blush to his face as he finished that, nerves giving out and having to glance to the side to get through it.

Even though he’d asked in such a joking manner…it’s not like Cater didn’t really feel that way. Maybe impress wasn’t the right word, but he did want Idia to have a good time. Wanted this to not just be a one-off thing. So, he listens intently as Idia mumbles about dating sims—it’s so dorky and cute.

“Good,” he declares at the verdict. “I’ll keep it up, then.”

The seriousness makes him blush a little too, so to lighten the mood again he adds a playful, “still plenty of time to put my arm around you while feigning a yawn.”

OMG Cater... "Going to have to wait until the bus back at this rate." Idia can't believe he's still on that.

...he's not really going to do that... is he? Should... should Idia be prepared for it? Or worried? Or... something? Then again... they had held hands here, but that was because he was in a panic... but still... Idia shoving the rest of the snack into his mouth before scooping up his cup, bringing it up to his face to hide behind it as much as it would allow him to.

"I'll get you when you least expect it," he assures with the confidence of someone who clearly knows what he's doing. Even though, you know, he's already admitted that this is a first for him, too. "Perfect timing for peak romance."

Okay, even he feels a little embarrassed at all the blatant talk of, well, intentions and clears his throat as he focuses on his coffee. "Okay," he murmurs from into his own cup, "I'll cut it out with the cringe as long as I can stand."

"So like... for a second?" It's mumbled out... but meant as a joke. Before a sigh, Idia forcing himself to take another sip then forcing himself to put his cup down and stop hiding behind it. As much as he wants to still. Fingers staying on it as he turns the cup this way and that, using it to play with and keep his hands busy.

"So, ah..." ...what do people talk about on dates?! Like, interests, right? Though they do that already in chat. And there's no fun talking about class. Hmmm... "Ah... so, got plans for what doing next week for streams?"

Cater whines. "So mean! At least five seconds. Credit where credit is due, man."

As the banter fades to silence, though, it's a welcome surprise when Idia spurs on the conversation himself. Any time the other boy makes any kind of effort, Cater can't help feeling a bit encouraged. "Hm, well..."

He runs a hand through his hair as he thinks. It's hard not to play with it--he so rarely keeps it down, after all. At least not outside of his own room. "I was thinking I might work on some original stuff--some composition work. But I know that's not super engaging so that wouldn't be a huge part of the lineup. I had so much fun co-oping with you it's kind of hard not think about playing solo. I guess I might see what chat feels like, throw up a poll or something."

Idia's eyes drifted up to Cater's hand as it played with his hair. He always did, just never to this degree. Makes him wonder if that's why Cater kept it up all the time. Just... it's so nice down, but maybe that's because he's never seen Cater have it down before. Did he prefer it that way? It did feel more casual for him.

Oh, he's talking, right. "Hm? Oh, that's cool. What if you showed some of the creation process within it? Like how some streams do editing streams for content they plan to show later. Might inspire some learning musicians to have a try if the know the process." Then as it switched to games, "Ah, yeah, it was... a lot of fun." Idia so tempted to underplay it but... no, no, say it how it is. "I'm, ah... happy to make it, um, a regular thing? If chat likes it?"

Cater nods along in agreement as Idia reflects on that idea. "Yeah. I was thinking something along those lines, bringing up the software I use and everything."

And then Idia offers to join in again, and Cater can't stop his face from lighting up. He hadn't wanted to put too much pressure on his shy friend, make him feel like he had to participate or get into character against his will or what have you. But if he's suggesting it himself, he's gotta be okay with it, right? Not just saying it to be polite?

"I'd really like that! They had a lot of fun, too--everyone seemed so hyped. And hey, who knows, maybe I'll be your good luck charm and summon some more god-tier drops."

"Pffft! Honestly, if you do, then yeah, going to power level you and gear you up and take you into raids to get all the drops for me then." Though still have to balance this all out with Crimson Muscle. They're an important friendship for Idia. "Will sort out a time. Can't be on raid roll overs, I save those days for another game friend. Plus whatever new content we do together. But doesn't mean we can't do it too." Just later. Second day instead of first.

A bit of a sigh as Idia raises his drink again to finish off. "Guess I need to finish my rigging then."

As Idia explains his gaming schedule, Cater listens along with a smile, understanding that he already had certain arrangements in place--it only made sense. He'd been playing this game for a long time, after all. "Oh, yeah, don't worry--I won't try and butt in on that or anything. I'm still just a filthy casual, at the end of the day."

But then he mentions rigging, and Cater's expression shifts to one of surprise. If it wasn't for the fact that he had gone through the Vtuber building process, himself, it probably wouldn't mean much. But after the stunt he pulled with the voice changer...his eyebrows are raising. "Wait...are you building a full model for Gloomy?"

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