Bunny Buns

[herdingspacecats]

Black Lion Bakery 3/6/17 near Tisse

Introducing Bunny Buns! These delicious Easter treats are made with savory azuki buns baked to perfection and sweet gummy candies. A perfect treat to welcome spring and share with your friends. Bunny Buns are currently on sale; buy 3 get 1 free! Stop by the Black Lion Bakery for yours today!

Comments

[esperimental]

Oh, rabbits. Pretty sure I was born in the Year of the Rabbit, so they're calling to me.

[ Ritsu had a secret fondness for sweets... But wait, Year of the Rabbit...? Is he remembering that right? It feels like it is, and yet... now he's doubting that "pretty sure". Anyway, that's a trivial matter. ]

I'll come over and buy sometime. How long is the sale for?

[herdingspacecats]

Aha! It's a sign! The heavens want you to buy them!

The current sale will be going for two weeks, and Bunny Buns will be available through the end of April, at least.

switch to action in a bit? O/

[esperimental]

[ That actually amuses him, for the first time in... --he doesn't keep track. A while?? Well, he's smiling. ]

I don't think I'm too busy today actually, so please reserve a box for me.

[ It's a "thanks for advertising that made me grin instead of grimace", but he's too mature to say that. Obviously. ]

fine by me!

[herdingspacecats]

It would be my pleasure. Could I get your name please?

( ` ω ´ ) !

[esperimental]

It's Ritsu Kageyama. [ ... He supposes his age isn't so obvious what with his staircase icon. Just in case... ] Don't be too surprised about my wandering around without an adult.

[herdingspacecats]

Got it. I will see you soon, Ritsu :)

→ action

[esperimental]

"Excuse me..." Ritsu opens the door to the bakery, looking around him. The confectionary smells are a pleasant greeting, not overwhelming, as some of the other candy stalls he'd found to be; perhaps it was reverse-culture shock, but he hadn't had Japanese sweets in a while. A taste of home, huh. He sees the special treats front and center no display, and he smiles a little. At present, the counter was unattended, so he assumed whoever should be there must have been on a restroom break... He could wait, that was no issue.

In the meantime, he'd poke around some more curiously. This was one of the few times where Ritsu was more obviously a kid, and though he has secrets to be more ruffled about than still liking sweets, he'd rather keep his fondness for them a secret. (Except maybe his present guardian in America, Ritsu would feel ashamed not to share what he buys.) He's so distracted and enamored though, it might take a direct addressing for him to realize he's not alone anymore.

[herdingspacecats]

Shiro is in the back at the moment, taking a brief break and catching his breath. He loves his bakery, but it's a good thing he had Kimi to keep him calm and relaxed when things get crazy.

The bell on the door dings softly, and Shiro straightens up, brushing off his apron and stepping back in. A grey pitbull follows at his heels, wearing a bright yellow vest marking her as a service dog.

"Welcome to the Black Lion Bakery! How can I help you?"

[esperimental]

"Oh! Um, hi."

In his surprise, Ritsu actually looked like he jumped a little there. Rabbit indeed. He has to take a bit longer to process the attendant had only one arm, as well as the (not-so-)little friend that followed him. He knows the polite thing to do is to treat him just as any human being however, so he straightens up and approaches the counter.

"I um, reserved a box of... Bunny Buns earlier." Wow that's a bit embarrassing to say. "My name is Ritsu Kageyama."

[herdingspacecats]

"Ah, Ritsu!" Shiro's smile, if possible, gets bigger. It's nice to put a face to the friend he's been talking with. He kneels behind the counter, pulling out a pastel green and bringing it up, resting it on the counter.

"Here's your order." He opens it up to show him the buns nestled inside. "What do you think?"

[esperimental]

"Haha! Their noses are really small. They're so cute, well done."

It's so unlike him to sound so happy, he relishes the nice atmosphere and lack of tension. Ritsu goes ahead and opens his wallet, continuing conversation in the process.

"Is this a family business? And what's this pup's name?"

[herdingspacecats]

Shiro swells with pride, a smile spreading across his face. It feels good to accomplish things on his own, after all.

"Sort of! It's my shop, but my brother does a lot to help around here." He starts to ring Ritsu up on the register. "This is Kimi. She's working right now, or I'd let you pet her."

1/2

[esperimental]

For the briefest moment, Ritsu seems to freeze at the mention of a brother. So much for the lighthearted air. He swallows the pill of bitterness from inside before it continues its thorny sprout. He was better than this. That's right, he and his brother were opposites with their stereotypes in the Chinese zodiac weren't they? A year apart: a timid tiger, and a most stubborn rabbit. But perhaps, the keeping things to himself matched up. This pain was his alone, he shouldn't spring it on some stranger.

2/2

[esperimental]

"That's alright, I respect a good work ethic. Good girl, keep doing justice to the uniform."

These words probably mean much less from a stranger, but that's just fine, Ritsu is a bit weird with genuine compliments anyway, why not get marginally better at it with dogs? He leafs through his bills with the hope for the exact amount now, because whenever his mood dove, he'd rather not subject anyone else to it, but unfortunately he does have to wait for his change. He fidgets slightly, now wanting to escape with his facade intact.

[herdingspacecats]

Hm. Did he say something wrong? Shiro notices that change in his customer's demeanor and frowns slightly, counting out the change.

"I'm sorry, have I offended you somehow?"

[esperimental]

"Ah... no, it's just the weather."

Damn, he's not even strong enough to keep up his smile anymore. But he continues on that lie, turning to look at the window--the tell-tale lie flag with chlidren: avoidance of eye contact.

"It's still cold, isn't it? Haha, I sure didn't dress warmly enough..."

[herdingspacecats]

Obviously something has bothered him, but Shiro is too polite to push.

"It is a bit chilly, yes." Shiro pauses, watching the child with a slight frown. "I don't usually offer this to customers, but would you like a cup of tea? On the house, of course. And if you'd like to sample anything, let me know."

[esperimental]

"... I really shouldn't impose."

Ritsu didn't know what he wanted to do. Rushing out would have looked suspicious, practically guaranteeing he couldn't soak in its nice warm atmosphere again, but staying here right now would be like conceding defeat that he is bothered by something as stupid as being reminded of the brother he's been meaning to forget by the mention of an entirely different one.

So he just stiffly stands, for a bit longer.

[herdingspacecats]

Shiro pauses, then glances down at the pitbull laying obediently under the counter. "What do you think, Kimi? Is he imposing?"

She lets out a short bark, tail starting to wag, and Shiro smiles. "See? Not imposing. Go sit down, I'll start a pot."

[esperimental]

Great, now he's trapped by the cobweb of hospitality since the offer got that far. Ritsu's voice comes out meekly, admitting at last he wasn't feeling well; but it really wasn't Shiro's fault. He probably shouldn't leave before making sure the nice man knew that. He still couldn't look at him in the eye with the awkwardness of the admittance, so he wasn't helping his own case.

"Alright."

Ritsu glances to a nearby chair, and sets down his bag beside him.