Work Text:
“Ugh, it’s so hot today…”
Tsukasa looked up from his script to see Nene fanning herself with her hand. Emu had laid herself across the bench next to her, and looked to be in the same state as Nene was. She stretched her arms above her head, before watching them flop to her sides. “Tsukasa! It’s too humid to practice.” Emu whined, covering her eyes with her arm. “Can’t we have a break to go get snacks?”
“I agree with Emu. Tsukasa, you should go buy us ice cream.” Nene didn’t even bat an eye as she said this, looking over at Rui instead. “You go with him. I don’t trust him not to get lost.”
“ Very funny, Nene! I’ve been working here just as long as you!”
“Sure.”
“What’s
THAT
supposed to mean--”
Emu cut off their arguing with a whine. “Too warm for this! Please, Tsukasa?? I’ll even help you pay for it!” She was sitting up on the bench now, frowning due to both the arguing and the heat.
Tsukasa sighed, placing his script down on the bench next to him. “Keep your money, Emu. I’ll go get the ice cream.” The star stood up, before walking over to where Rui was sitting on the ground and nudging him with his foot. “Come on, I’m not going by myself.”
“So, you will get lost without a helping hand?” Rui jokes, before tossing the small robot he was working on into his bag. “Alright, I guess I could go for ice cream, as well.”
“Shouldn’t you be more careful with that? What if it breaks?” Tsukasa asks, looking at Rui’s bag warily, while pointedly ignoring the small jab. The robot looked like it was thrown in with little to no care, and if the other was working on it for a reason, Tsukasa worried it might take too long to fix.
Rui waved off his concerns, instead pushing him ahead to leave the Wonder Stage and go back into the main park. “It’s fine, I didn’t toss it too hard. You worry too much.” However, now affected by Tsukasa’s words, the inventor turned to open his bag. “Wait, actually…”
Both boys watched in anticipation as Rui shuffled through his bag for the robot. After a minute, he finally found it, and lifted it high above their heads.
“It’s not broken!” Rui cried, as Tsukasa let out a long ‘WOO’ next to him. A grin broke out on both of their faces. “Like I said, you worry too much, Tsukasa.”
Tsukasa laughed. “This is why we leave all the inventions to you. Hey, what kind of flavors do you think Nene and Emu want?”
The two of them walked towards one of the many food stalls that Phoenix Wonderland had placed around the park, with Tsukasa doing most of the talking. As they stepped into line, the heat started to get more unbearable as time went on. Given the summer heat, there were more families and guests than usual, which meant longer lines.
“Ah, it’s so warm. I’m worried the ice cream might melt before we get back…” Tsukasa said, mimicking the actions of Nene from earlier and fanning his face with his hand. Rui chuckled from his side.
“That just means we’ll have to run. You can run, right, Tsukasa?”
Tsukasa froze at the other’s words. He sighed, closing his eyes to block the sun out. “I feel like you’re asking me more than you’re saying, but yes, Rui. I can run.” When the star opened his eyes again, however, Rui was gone. “Hey, where…?!”
He looked back and forth, before giving up once he couldn’t see Rui anywhere. Tsukasa grumbled, now having to deal with being stuck in line by himself and the sweltering heat. He swiped a hand across his eyes to attempt to wipe off any sweat, and almost yelped when he opened his eyes again.
“Rui! Where have you been- -” Tsukasa got cut off by a hand covering his mouth, before Rui held up a hand-operated fan. He could see the inventor begin to grin as Tsukasa processed the events in his mind. “Oh. Thank you! I will repay you for this!”
Rui dropped the fan into Tsukasa’s palms with an easy smile on his face, before fishing another one out of the gift shop bag on his arm. “Repay me by buying my ice cream, and we’ll call it even.”
Tsukasa pulls out his wallet without complaint.