genessia | Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

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Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

WHO: Raye Hino, OPEN
WHAT: The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, so this calls for a ~~weeaboo picnic party~~ traditional social gathering to relax, eat food, and admire the view. And maybe shenanigans.
WHEN: April 27, 2014 - All Day
WHERE: Genessia City - Shrine
NOTES: Feel free to make your own threads! Just indicate if the thread is open, or locked to just a few. HAVE FUN OR ELSE!

Raye had indicated that the weather would be favorable on Sunday, so when the rain started coming down over the weekend, she got angry. And she ranted at the spirits, who didn't bother responding to her demands for pleasant weather to encourage attendance at the shrine. But to her relief, Sunday morning brought blue skies after all. Whether that was the spirit's doing, or if the skies were going to clear up on their own, who could say? Raye didn't care so long as she got results.

She rushed to the temple as soon as she was dressed in order to put up the paper lanterns once more...and to throw out her blanket on the spot she thought was the best for watching cherry blossoms. If no one else had claimed it first, then she was within her rights to aggressively stake her territory, especially if she was going to spend the day with Jaune and Minako, possibly some of her other friends as well. She hoped Harry would show up, but Everglade had a lot going on, so it wouldn't surprise her if he couldn't. She'd lecture him about it later.

Hastily she swept up the courtyard and tossed feed at the chickens, trying to take care of her daily chores before the first of the party-goers arrived. She'd worked hard to make this tradition a success, and no one...no one...was going to ruin it. Or they would face her wrath.

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Lucy laughed, "Are you kidding? We wouldn't miss it for anything!" She just hoped things would stay calm! "Everything looks amazing! You didn't arrange all this by yourself did you?"

That would be a LOT of work. An insane amount. If Rei was working on her own she would have to return the favor sometime. It was only right. Rei didn't have celestial spirits to help out when they were holding parties (and really, Lucy barely ever asked for help from them - they always offered it).

"Well, it's nothing for me," Raye bragged shamelessly, hands on her hips with a cocky smirk on her face. "I helped with the upkeep for my grandpa's shrine, too. This one's a lot smaller."

In truth, it had been a lot of hard work, and she'd spent hours cleaning the shrine inside and out, even taking a bristle brush to the roof to scrub away the moss. But Raye being Raye, she downplayed her efforts to make herself look as if everything just came easy to her, and Lucy's response couldn't have made her any happier.

"Glad you like it! I've been looking forward to meeting you guys in person for a while. Did you find a good spot?"

Lucy grinned - either way, Raye seemed to have things well in hand, and she hoped it stayed that way for her new friend. "Even so, it's really appreciated - I bet everyone here will love it." And hopefully a lot of people come to appreciate the cherry blossom viewing. Still, no matter how much work, Raye didn't look tired - she might be running on adrenaline or she's putting on a front. Or she really wasn't tired.

"So have we!" She beamed, nodding about the location of their viewing seat. "Yeah, since we got here really early -" or at least Lucy did, since she dragged Natsu out with her, "We had a good pick of spots. We're over there," she motioned to a spot half in shade and half in sun. With a fond laugh, she added, "I'm glad that I can actually see the trees properly this time - you remember the rainbow sakura I told you about last time?"

"I was too sick to get up and see the sakura in bloom then, so Natsu..." Here she smiles a bit more, with a brief blush, "He uprooted the whole tree and floated it down the canal past my window, so I could see it." Beats giving a girl flowers. He gave her a whole damn tree.

"An entire tree?!" Raye exclaimed, stunned. She turned her head, immediately scanning over the party attendants to see if she could figure out which one of them was Natsu. None of them looked particularly beefy, so she rubbed the back of her head, brow furrowed.

Raye looked back at Lucy, and blinked. Oh, that was a blush, wasn't it? Raye wasn't as nosy as some of her other friends when it came to other people's romantic lives, but admittedly, she was curious.

"So, this Natsu guy...he's your boyfriend?" She just had to clarify, to make sure she didn't make any untoward assumptions and wind up eating a big serving of foot.

Lucy laughed at the reaction, nodding. YEP, an ENTIRE TREE. Lucy even automatically glanced over towards Natsu, before turning back to Raye, "Haha, it was surprise to me as well."

And... and oh my god, her face turns a deeper shade of red at that question. "My... My boyfriend??!" Wow Lucy yell that a little louder. They didn't hear you in Attleton. "W. Why would you ask that?" Going from 0 to Flustered in .2 seconds, YES.

Edited 2014-04-28 11:36 (UTC)

Raye blinked, surprised. Well. Seems she got her answer, more or less. She held up her hands with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, that just seemed like the sort of stuff boyfriends do for their girlfriends. I didn't mean to imply anything."

See? Raye could apologize when she was wrong! When it didn't risk hurting her pride, anyway.

But that blush sure was deep. Maybe Lucy wanted to be in a relationship with this guy. Raye couldn't blame her for that. Uprooting a tree in bloom for her when she was sick was super gallant.

Lucy glanced around frantically as if worried someone might have heard that, and then glanced back to Raye, laughing nervously.

"O.. oh, no no, that's all right. I mean, a lot of people misunderstand...I mean Natsu and I aren't... like that. I mean, we spend almost all of our free time together, and we go on missions together and we've .." Wh...o a... yea, she stops right there.

"A-anyway, he's dense as all get out so --" ...actually she.. couldn't really say that. He'd changed a LOT since she knew him. "We're just... partners.." And it makes her sick to her stomach to say that.

Raye had a point after all. She had just thought he was considerate at the time, knowing how much she had wanted to see the tree but being too ill to. But looking back on it now, and... "... it does, huh...?" Course it does. She was just trying to deny anything even remotely 'more than friend' about him. And failing miserably.

Raye could tell the subject was a troubling one for Lucy. Raye wasn't the type who wore her feelings on her sleeve, but she'd had love troubles before, and would have given the world for someone to talk to about it.

And since she was the hostess of the party, it was her responsibility to see to the welfare of her guests, right?

"Do you want to talk about it?" she offered. "The shrine is pretty quiet if you want to sit down and have a cup of tea."

Maybe if Lucy had a trusted friend - or even an impartial friend - to talk to about these things she wouldn't be so confused or in denial. And Raye's offer was... really...really tempting. Levy was usually the one she'd talk to about things that were on her mind, even if her best friend was only going to encourage those thoughts.

Maybe an impartial party wasn't a bad idea. She'd told Natsu she was going to chat with Raye for a few minutes, so it wasn't like she had to rush back to him. "A...h... well there's... not really ...!"

... ... heck with it. It's not like anything would come of her talking to someone uninvolved!

"Well... Tea would be nice, ..."

Raye smiled, leading the way with calm steps. "Come on. The festival can do without us for a little while." She went up the porch steps and slipped off her shoes at the door before walking inside, looking back at Lucy to make sure she did the same.

There was a sense of calmness within the shrine. Raye walked past the central chamber, where five torches burned peacefully, and into a small alcove that she'd adapted to her own needs. There was a hot water dispenser, cups, a package of crackers, and a tin of good tea. She waved her hand to Lucy to invite her in before settling down to make the two of them a quick cup of tea.

"Does anyone else in the city know you feel this way right now?" she asked, passing the first cup to Lucy before filling her own.

Because if not, Raye could name a few key people to NEVER EVER TELL.

Slipping out of her shoes, Lucy placed them at the door next to Raye's, breathing a sigh of relief. It was really was soothing being in the shrine - but that was the point wasn't it? She settled across from Raye, for all the world as if she was just about to have a nice cup of tea with a friend. Nope, not gonna talk about confusion love problems no sir.

"E-eh?" Oh right. That. Lucy took the cup with a blush, staring into it as if it would answer her questions. "... ah...well... no.." She fidgeted a little. "I think... some of my guildmates assume things, but..." Oh man this is awkward. She could hardly believe she was actually having this conversation.

"Then I'm going to give you some advice: don't tell them, unless you actually want Natsu to find out how you feel secondhand. I think you both deserve better than that." Whether Lucy wanted Raye's advice or not, she was going to get it. Raye was just bossy like that. At least it was coming from a good place, since she was invested in their happiness now that she'd heard the story about the sakura tree.

She settled her chin into her hand, regarding Lucy with calm curiosity. "Do you know how you honestly feel about him?"

"Ahahaha..I... don't worry I ... have no intention of doing that..." Telling anyone anything. Natsu.. would definitely be the first. She felt really really awkward right now too, but with luck it would put things in better perspective for her. Or ..just make her even more strange around him.

"W-well..." She took a breath, paused to drink her tea and she's totally not stalling. She's thinking! "...I... I care about him, a lot. He's my best friend of course." That's not what Raye is referring to though and she knows it. "He's the most important person in my life. And I love being with him - around him." She chuckles weakly.

"Even when he's driving me crazy, but.." She fell silent for a moment, frowning. "Being without him.." Well she met her future self, in that other timeline when her friends died, except for herself and Levy. The idea of losing him that way, or any other was terrifying. But all that could just as easily be because he was her best and dearest friend, and not necessarily because she was crazy about him.

Which she absolutely was. She just was clinging to the illusion of friendship.

It seemed like Lucy wasn't entirely sure of her feelings, but whether it was love or not, it seemed that she cared a great deal about him. Those two sounded like they'd do anything for each other. That seemed like love to Raye, but she didn't want to make any snap judgments.

"Why don't you ask him out? It doesn't have to be anything serious," she suggested, sipping from her tea. "Just a way to explore your options. If it seems right, go for it. And if not, it sounds like you two are way too close to worry about upsetting a friendship like that."

It was true, they would do anything for each other. Raye's suggestion to ask Natsu out has Lucy choking on her tea for a few minutes. "A..ask him - I couldn't do that! Besides.. even if that were the case if... he'd only think I was being affected by that stupid magic plant again, or something, especially if I kissed him again--" ... Oh um.

... OH HEY, she REALLY needs a drink of tea right now, can she just swallow back her words with that?

"What, you're happier being confused and wondering where things stand? If that's the best excuse you've got to avoid the issue--"

Now it was Raye's turn to choke on tea. She was going to have to wash this room again, wasn't she?

"Wait, you kissed him?" She held onto the table, leaning forward slightly to peer at Lucy. "And neither of you resolved this yet? What's wrong with you?"

Probably, yes. Lucy is sorry for that. "N.. no, but-" ACK! Okay she is sorry for choking on tea in the room, but mostly she's flustered at the question, blushing fiercely again as Raye asked a question that probably everyone who was ever frustrated by the two of them, ever asked themselves.

"I.. it's complicated!" She fidgeted a little. Yes, it's complicated. Because she made it that way. Yay her?

"Oh brother." Raye's face fell into her hand. This was worse than Serena and Darien. "It doesn't have to be complicated. Take some risks! Even if it's just a kiss on the cheek, you need to show him that you care somehow."

Then again, Raye was far more bold and direct than Lucy. She wasn't afraid to charge after the person she wanted to be in love with. Both Darien and Jaune could attest to that, poor guys.

Lucy sputters quietly as poor Raye facepalmed at her. Ahahah, sorry Raye. "Of course I care about him - he knows that..!" She lets him sleep in her bed (PLATONICALLY) doesn't she? Because she knows he rests better when she's close by. And she cooks for him all the time - makes a point to find spicier recipes for him even.

"I could just... kiss him...!" ... ... "COULDN'T! COULDN'T! I couldn't just do something like that out of the blue...!"

Yup. Raye would definitely have to clean up this room again after the festival was concluded.

Her flat stare didn't let up. If anything, she was sweatdropping more than ever. "Didn't you kiss him already? It's kind of not a big deal anymore. Besides, it's just the cheek," Raye added comfortingly, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Plenty of girls thank guys with a cheek kiss."

Oh dear. Lucy shook her head vehemently, "It is a big deal..!" Kissing her best friend was totally a big deal. Besides, she wasn't sure she could trust herself to JUST kiss him on the cheek. Whenever they got that close they tended to lose track of things. "There's just no way..!"

She's a very stubborn girl, Raye. It took her a year to even get close to cracking this much! It was going to be tricky getting the thought out of her head now though. "It's not like I just ..kissed him on the cheek then...!"

She's just blurting everything now! Careful you don't spit tea again.

Edited (agh c&p how dare you betray me) 2014-04-30 00:54 (UTC)

Raye just didn't understand why there was so much hesitation. She cared for Natsu, he cared for her. Why waste time and health being upset over pessimistic and unlikely possibilities?

"I kind of figured. No one gets that flustered over a cheek kiss." Except, perhaps, Sailor Mercury. But Lucy wasn't nearly as shy as Raye's friend. "Well, start slow, then. Work up to it, if you're really that scared. You do want to go for him, don't you?"

Squint.

Well ..! Lucy didn't understand how Raye could be so calm about it! ... oh well she was a priestess so perhaps that had something to do with it. "I"m not --!" Scared.

Well she kinda was, and kinda wasn't. That last question though, Lucy squeaked, glancing away awkwardly. "Ah....w..well ...that...um..." Well the idea of Natsu being with anyone else was a bit upsetting...

"Erm... ..I... I should get back. Natsu is probably wondering where I am." EMERGENCY TACTICAL RETREAT!!!!

"Guess I pushed a little too hard. Sorry about that." Raye smiled awkwardly. It wasn't often that she apologized, but she definitely didn't want to make things worse.

"Here, finish your tea, and splash some cold water on your face. Probably not a good idea to rush out there while you're blushing like a tomato."

For serious.

Lucy smiled weakly, ".. it's not you, really." Obviously. "...I guess I'm lucky he's so dense so often or I'd be in real trouble." But it was so FRUSTRATING too, sometimes. Especially when he picks up on things she doesn't awant him to pick up on.

"It's... fine the way things are anyway." Kinda. She might occasionally be tempted but taking that step over is.. difficult. Setting her empty tea cup down, she suddenly laughs. "It'd be funny to see the look on his face if I did do something that bold though. Just grab him and kiss him -" Augh, blushing again. She quickly shook the thought out of her head, deciding to splash water on her face instead, huffing softly. "Thanks, Raye."

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flamescout - 2014-05-02 19:06 (UTC) - Expand

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celestial_wizard - 2014-05-03 00:25 (UTC) - Expand

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Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

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I typo'd 'couldn't' as 'could' by accident ... and decided to just leave it. :D

Sounds accurate to me!

XDD

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