orange you disappointed in this terrible pun

[earnedmystripes]

WHO: Kotetsu & Ellie
WHERE: Grocery store in Heropa
WHEN: idk today?
WHAT: Dadtetsu gonna dad
WARNINGS: Gratuitous amounts of cuteness.


[Kotetsu's extreme lankiness usually serves to make him look ridiculous, especially with the notable lack of grace in the way he normally moves. But it also has its advantages, such as his torso being higher off the ground than it might otherwise be for someone of his height--making it easier to reach high up things for small, cute children.

Which is exactly what he does when he spots Ellie on her tiptoes, trying to reach for something on one of the higher displays.]

Here, I got it.

[Plucking the item down for her, he hands it over with a smile.]

Hey, haven't I seen you around Xavier's before? ...Ellie, right?

Comments

[nohalfway]

[ It seems like the extra couple inches she's gained since her last time here haven't done much. Ellie finds herself on the verge of losing patience and climbing up the display for a bag of her favorite chips. She doesn't realize someone is next to her until she sees a hand grabbing it for her. ]

Oh--

[ Ellie balances herself, propping herself back on flat feet. The man beside her is familiar, same with the face. But with the time that's passed in her world, she takes a moment to remember. ]

Hey, yeah.

Um.

Ko...Tetsu, right?

[ She takes the bag of chips graciously. ]

Thanks.

[earnedmystripes]

That's right!

[Here's a dorky thumbs-up for your trouble.]

How's your summer been?

[nohalfway]

[ She awkwardly looks down at the chips, crinkling the bag. Honestly, it hasn't been much of a "summer", really. She's bounced back and forth between seasons so much, she's lost track. ]

It uh.

It's been fine. Not really all that special.

[earnedmystripes]

[...? Did he say something wrong?]

...Everything okay? Like, really okay, not I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it-with-an-almost-stranger okay.

[Beat.]

Which'd be cool too, s'not really my business or anything, I just...wanted to make sure.

[nohalfway]

Oh--

[ God, seems like everyone is catching the strange mood she's been in. Ellie looks up to Kotetsu, trying a smile as best as she can. ]

Um.

I've just... Had a lot on my mind lately. I'm sorry, I know I'm not my usual self.

[earnedmystripes]

Ahh gotcha.

[He gives an understanding smile back. Of course, he's imagining generic teenager problems and not "the person I trusted most might have just doomed humanity and lied to me about it" problems, but the sympathetic expression is genuine nonetheless.]

Well--if you do wanna talk about it, I can be a pretty decent ear. [A beat, a grin.] Otherwise, I know an awesome ice cream place around the corner. Whipped cream and chocolate syrup are pretty top-notch distractions, if you ask me.

[nohalfway]

It's a long story. Kinda boring.

[ Which is a lie. But Ellie can't try to explain herself, especially when Kotetsu mentions ice cream. She hasn't had that since her last time here. Which, while that may have been only a short time ago, it still feels like ages with the time that had passed in her world. Ellie's smile gets a little brighter. ]

Ice cream sounds... Great, actually.

[earnedmystripes]

[He very much doubts that, really, but he does, believe it or not, know when to let things go. Instead, he grins cheerfully, as if he totally bought that excuse.]

Awesome. Let's get these chips paid for and we can head on over.

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie's smile is weak, but it's tried despite herself since it's pretty clear Kotetsu is trying to brighten things up for her. ]

Okay.

[ With a nod, she heads to the cashier, handing the bag over to the clerk for him to ring up. Ellie pats her back pocket for her wallet and pauses. Her head whips around, looking down at her very flat pockets. ]

Motherfucker, I forgot my wallet.

[earnedmystripes]

[Kotetsu is a devout adherent of the Church of Avoiding Your Problems, so any lack of conviction in that smile goes uncommented on. She'll talk to him if she feels like it, and he'll listen if she does, but otherwise he's perfectly content playing up his natural goofiness so she has something light to focus on. And really, it's hard to go wrong with ice cream. That's kind of like the universal bad day pick-me-up.

....He might lose the grin for a second to frown at her language, but he then shakes his head, taking out his own wallet.]

Don't worry, I've got it.

[And he just. Pays the cashier before Ellie can protest or say anything else, then hands the chips over.]