( CLOSED ) | I will still be here, stargazing

[hairstroke]

WHO: Anya, Xiaolang and Leon
WHERE: Recollé Square
WHEN: 12/23
WHAT: Leon takes Xiaolang and Anya (plus Jasmine) out stargazing in hopes of Anya and his younger cousin becoming friends.
WARNINGS: Too much fluff and adorable?

[ It's late at night when the cousins arrive at the park. At first, Leon was a little worried that the weather may interfere with their plans to stargaze with Anya since it can be unpredictable. Luckily for them, the sky was crystal clear and there wasn't a cloud in the sky! This was the perfect day to go stargazing. It's been a while since he's last done anything like this and while he couldn't deny that he was excited, his true intentions were for Anya and Xiaolang to meet. He's embarrassed to say this out loud, but she's a sweet girl and he figured that his cousin could use more friends, especially a nice girl like her.

Armed with blankets, doughnuts and hot chocolate (that they couldn't taste, unfortunately. curse this app!!) Jasmine was happily trotting along behind the cousins, spinning around and letting out a few joyful barks here and there. She loved the park but most importantly, she loved hanging out with her three favorite people in the world!!! The moment that Leon mentioned Anya to her, the poodle was nothing but excited to see her friend!!

Once they are at their designated meeting spot, Leon begins setting down a blanket while Jasmine keeps... spinning in excitment. She couldn't wait to see Anya!!!]

Comments

[cardcaptured]

[Xiaolang trails a little bit behind Leon as they walk through the park, hands full with the new telescope he had been gifted early for Christmas. It wasn't entirely heavy, and he had a nice carrying case for it, but he didn't want to accidentally jostle it or bang it into something before he could actually use it. The new telescope was mostly the reason why he agreed to do this in the first place-- when Leon had mentioned someone else was joining them this time around, he hadn't wanted to come along at all. After all, this was their thing to do together, and a third party would have made things awkward. At the very least though, it wasn't Mio-- he would have flat-out refused, new telescope or no.

Once they've finally arrived at their meeting spot, and Leon had settled down their blanket, Xiaolang sets his telescope case and messenger bag onto the ground as well. He carefully pats at the green scarf tucked around his neck, making sure nothing got snagged, before popping open the carrying case and beginning to assemble the piece together. Every so often, as Jasmine makes one of her spinning rounds nearby, he reaches out to give her a small pet, before letting her bound off again. He wasn't about to admit it himself, but he was... a little excited for this too? Maybe not so much to meet this Anya person, but to at least try out his new gift, anyway.

He glances up as he's part-way through his assembly, hoping to catch sight of this girl before she arrived. The name sounded familiar, but he didn't know why...]

[constellates]

[Before anything else, they'll probably hearing a mirrored little bark.

It was Jasmine's barking that Anya managed to hear first and why she picked up her pace to join the other two, a backpack on her shoulders and a smile threatening to take up about 80% of her face once she actually sees them. She waves excitedly and giggles when she spots Jasmine. Even as she greets Leon and Xiaolang, Anya is almost immediately going to kneel on the blanket to open her arms for her furry friend - ]

Leon, Jasmine! Добрый вечер! Good evening. And - Xiaolang? [Right? She looks up at him and smiles - yup, he looks just like his icon on the app.] Hello again...!

[Look, she'd normally be shyer around meeting new people but she's a little too excited about the stars?]

[hairstroke]

[ Anya!! It's Anya!! ANYA!!!! Jasmine immediately sprints over to where her other favorite hooman is and is practically smothering her with doggy kisses and affection. Seeing this girl's bright face never failed to make this poodle a very happy dog. Seeing Anya for the first time is like an immediate attraction. ]

Good evening, Anya.

[ He's rather amused by his dog's reaction to his friend and judging from the look on his face, he totally knew that Jasmine was going to be ecstatic. He was getting ready to introduce his cousin to Anya but he stops mid sentence when he notices something she says.

Hello again...? ]

Hold on. You two already know each other?

[ Not that it was a bad thing! Just really surprising, he had expected to introduce these two to each other. ]

[cardcaptured]

[Seeing Jasmine bolt off was the first clue that their guest had arrived, and Xiaolang turns a little where he's kneeling on the blanket, putting together the lens piece of the telescope--

--and then immediately fumbles it from his hands the moment he recognizes who she is. Oh. She definitely looks just like the icon on the app, too.]

Y-You're Anya?

[Granted, the name on Retrospec said Anastasia, not Anya, so he couldn't have known, but...

His cheeks flush a little, adding more color to the rosy cast the cold air had already given him, the dropped telescope piece momentarily forgotten. The surprise in Leon's voice gets Xiaolang to glance over toward him, and he shakes his head, denying the claim.]

We don't...! I mean, not really. We just talked about not being able to taste things on Retrospec when they made that post of theirs, but... [And she called him 'nice' and throughly embarrassed him--] It was just the one conversation.

[Because, UNLIKE YOU, LEON, Xiaolang isn't the type who would hide this just to troll somebody??]

[constellates]

[Anya is nodding in agreement because yeah, Xiaolang was pretty correct in his description but also - ]

It was a good conversation! Милая.... I thought that it makes sense if you are related? Because you have a very thoughtful family. Very kind.

[BOTH OF THEM. She wasn't sure back then just because it's a big city, maybe there's another Xiaolang, but - she pauses in her petting of Jasmine to give Xiaolang a smile.]

I was right! I am glad you are the Xiaolang Leon told me about.

[they're both embarrassing and now they're getting their just desserts smh]

[hairstroke]

[ Anya is so powerful because in an instant, Leon is turning red from being called kind and that it makes sense the two were related. His own mother has told him on several occasions that he and Xiaolang were so much alike and it never failed to embarrass him whenever he heard those words. ]

T-Thoughtful and kind?! [ Don't mind the squeak in his voice. ] I-It's not a big deal or anything. It's only natural for us to be thoughtful...

[ GOOD JOB ANYA, because you're already embarrassing this loser. Jasmine doesn't pay much mind and happily barks, continuing to nuzzle her head into Anya's soft touch. ]

[cardcaptured]

[Congrats Anya, because not only did you make Leon blush, Xiaolang is also turning a bright, brilliant red, from the roots of his hair to the tips of his ears. He gapes for a moment at her, and then at his cousin, before shaking his head in embarrassment.]

I-I'm not--! [OH, HE'S SQUEAKING AS WELL-- although that's not entirely hard for it to do given he's a preteen boy, but STILL] I wasn't being kind or anything, I was just--

[His voice warbles a little, as he picks up his telescope piece at last, although he's mostly worrying it in his hands at the moment. This was a friend of Leon's?? How did he even survive dealing with her?]

It was nothing.

[And, after a brief pause--]

Also, you can call me Li. It's... easier to pronounce. [Especially given that her English wasn't all that good, but Xiaolang wasn't always keen about people using his given name from the get-go.]

[constellates]

[There goes the whole neighborhood.

Anya watches them both turn absolutely embarrassed and just hums happily. Innocently. There's a brief little happy giggle that is absolutely not at all devilish or amused. Nope! For now she'll occupy herself by letting Jasmine hop into her lap and nuzzle happily into her fur for a moment.

Then, returning her attention to the two of them - ]

Li... Ah - thank you. [A little nod, because that means that they're friends now right.]

Leon is right. You are very good at being thoughtful.

[WHAT GOOD BOYS. She scratches behind Jasmine's ear before letting her gaze rise up to the stars, her eyes sparkling back against the lights in the sky.]

Красивый... It is a very pretty night... Perfect for stargazing...!

[she'll help with that subject change]

[hairstroke]

[ I can't believe that Anya defeated the cousins in one fell swoop. Actually no, I totally can.

Jasmine lets out the happiest of noises as she felt Anya's warm touch into her fur. The giddy dog responds to the affection by giving her a doggy kiss on the cheek! ]

Y-You have a good eye for spotting out traits...

[ Even though he's trying to play it off as being arrogant, it's quite evident he's embarrassed. HE'S NOT SURE HOW HE MANAGED TO SURVIVE BEING HER FRIEND EITHER, XIAOLANG.

Thankfully she changed the subject. He lets out a shaky sigh and glances at the night sky. Looking at the stars was enough to calm his nerves. ]

You're right, there's not a cloud in the sky. It worked out perfectly for us. [ He glances over at his cousin. ] Do you need help setting up the telescope?

[cardcaptured]

[Xiaolang focuses his attention squarely on the telescope piece in his hands, trying to avoid looking directly at her, because god forbid if she says something nice about him again!! Gosh!! But the heat generating off of his face is enough to nearly puff up clouds of steam in the chilly air, and he merely mumbles something incoherent in lieu of a response. His eyes do dart to Leon for the briefest of seconds, however, a small, irritated look crossing briefly across his face. It's a look that clearly says 'Just what have you been telling other people about me??', although he's too flustered now to say it aloud. Leon was proud of him, he knew, but having him constantly brag about him to other people was a bit embarrassing.

But YES, thank goodness for topic changes!! Please get these two dweebs to get over themselves-- Xiaolang shakes his head quickly at his cousin's question, finally getting his mind to where it was before all of-- this.]

No, I'm fine. It's pretty easy to put together. You picked it out well. [He moves back to the telescope, fitting in the lens piece, before moving on to the next bit. His gaze does join theirs upwards, however, and the glittering backdrop above does garner the smallest, briefest of smiles.] The cold makes it ideal for us to see them clearly, too. There's not nearly as much humidity to muck up the few.

[Of course you'd approach this from a technical standpoint, Xiaolang...]

[constellates]

[Anya watches them interact for a moment, idly petting Jasmine in her lap and giggling at the sweet dog's antics. Still though... she loves family. She loves everything about the warmth of spending good times with friends and she takes a moment to just appreciate this. It feels so... kind.

She hugs Jasmine closer to her before speaking up again.]

Leon got this telescope...? [Despite the length of the last word, she repeats it so much that she doesn't even so much as stumble.] It is very nice!

Do you go stargazing often, Li?

[hairstroke]

That's good to hear. I didn't want to pick one that was too complicated or anything. [ At the compliment, Leon's quick to smirk and run a hand through his hair. ] Of course, my choices are always excellent. I pick nothing but the best.

[ Of course this nerd has to use this as a chance to toot his own horn. How anyone can talk to him for more than five seconds is truly a mystery.

He glances over at Anya and nods, this time with a smile. Even though she has the power to fluster him and turn him into the biggest stuttering mess, she's a nice girl. It filled his heart with warmth to see his dear cousin and her getting along and for Jasmine to be so attached to her. As much as he tries to deny it, being with family and friends is a wonderful feeling. ]

I did. It's part of his Christmas present but I figured that since we're going stargazing, he could open it up early. It's supposed to be a really high quality telescope.