#strawberry rambles

Kabu/Larry - Kabu's Birthday

Larry, bereft of gift ideas for Kabu's impending birthday, goes to the people he's most comfortable with first - his and Kabu's mutual friends, the usuals at Flannery's hot springs (they're all together, and Kabu briefly leaves the room). They're entertaining, but no one suggests anything particularly useful.

He tries Milo and Nessa next, who are surprised and a little embarassed. Milo admits he never knows what to get Kabu for special occasions and usually defaults to fresh produce from the farm. Nessa says she often just gets him a card.

There's another group here. Larry may have been trying for Peony, but Leon (and maybe Raihan?) is there too. Peony laughs and says that, yes, there's not a lot that Kabu wants that he doesn't just get himself. And Peony knows not to try throwing him a surprise party instead at this point, he says with laughter. Leon suggests maybe something simple that he'll definitely need - supplies for training his Pokémon, maybe.

Larry's last resort is Hassel, who comes with Brassius as a package deal even though Brassius has barely even met Kabu. Unfortunately, Hassel is simply surprised it's almost Kabu's birthday - Kabu hadn't mentioned it. While he's pondering through a few options, mostly rehashing what other people have suggested, Brassius frowns, catches Larry's gaze, and leans into the café table. He suggests that if someone has everything they want or need, all you can offer is yourself - take him on a date. Larry tries to object, saying that he and Kabu aren't dating (he probably trails off before the final word), but he can feel his face heating and knows it's not convincing - especially as Brassius' frown turns into a little smirk and Hassel blinks at him in surprise.

The final scene is the date. Larry had asked Kabu if he was free on the 5th, and let him choose where to go. At the restaurant he presents Kabu with a birthday card (a somewhat silly card with Fire-type Pokémon and a joke about too many candles on a birthday cake) - Kabu is surprised because he hadn't even realized that Larry actually knew it was his birthday. Kabu at one point reaches over and places a hand on top of Larry's. After dinner they do something - maybe go for a small walk, or just walk together back to the hotel - and Kabu thanks Larry, saying that he really made this day special. And Larry doesn't have to feel obligated, not because it's Kabu's birthday or for any other reason, but… would he like to… And they're paused somewhere not private exactly but with no one else around, and Kabu is leaning in and Larry's heart is leaping in his chest. They kiss, just simple and dry and tentative, and then pull back. There's a moment - breathless - where they look into each others' flushed and eager faces, and then they're both diving back in, mouths pressing together, arms wrapping about each other and hands on faces and in hair.

If this turns into a sex scene: If Kabu asks Larry what he would like to do, or if he doesn't know then perhaps what he'd like to not do, Larry glances around somewhat cutely - they're still outside where they've been kissing - before saying, "Well, uh, I'd like to move inside first?" Kabu, startled and having not even considered they might stay outside, laughs and possibly embraces him.