Work Text:
Senior year, random Saturday morning
Albret Einstrong: Yo Frenchy, u free?
Noelle: Yes, i do not have any particular plans today.
Albret Einstrong: Wanna go to the mall?
Noelle: I could arrange that to happen, where specifically?
Albret Einstrong: Just thinkin we go play at the arcade and grab lunch.
Noelle: Sounds nice, When and where should we meet up.
Albret Einstrong: Meet in an hour and in the front entrance?
Noelle: Sounds good, see you then?
Albret Einstrong: Ye, see u then.
Noelle was in her senior year now, her mom lets her do more activities, though not by much, her tutor was sick that week so wasting 1 saturday (Calls anything not studying related wasting time) out with Akarsha (Which shes actually excited about) is manageable.
Roughly an hour passes, its around 11 and Noelle walks to the entrance. Of course, she expects Akarsha to be there late because she is always late. But surprisingly, when Noelle got there.
Akarsha was there waiting.
"Hey Akarsha, you're here early"
"What? Its our agreed time"
"Yes but you're always 15 minutes late, minimum"
"Gasps How rude, last time i was only 13 minutes late"
"Okay Akarsha, you are always 13 minutes late, minimum, happy?"
"Yesss, now lets go"
Both of them proceed to enter
"Frenchy, Wanna walk around first or grab lunch right now"
"I'm not super hungry, we could take a lap around and buy a little something"
"Cool, lets take a lap"
They wander around for a bit just looking at the stuff that's on sale or new releases. And they end up at a Dairy Queen.
"Wanna grab a cone, Frenchman?"
"We're about to get lunch I'm not sure if we should get ice cream before"
"There's a buy 1 get 1 free promo for that small cone, we can split the price in half."
"I guess a small one wouldn't hurt".
Noelle waited at a seat as Akarsha took the order. 4 minutes passed and Akarsha got back to the table with the cones.
"Milady" Akarsha gives the cone to Noelle.
Noelle reached up some money and offer it up to Akarsha.
"Naw, my treat."
"But we agreed to split"
"And I'm taking it back, you aren't paying"
"And I'm telling you, i want to pay, I can't be going around getting debt"
"What kinda person would i be, to invite someone onto a date, then not pay." Akarsha jokingly said.
Noelle kind of just backed off after hearing the date comment.
Akarsha was kinda disappointed that Noelle didn't fight her on the date part but her expectations weren't too high so she just brushed it off. Though a tint of red can be found on Noelle's face. They just enjoyed their cone in peace. Akarsha finishes, Noelle is almost finished. Akarsha cleans up, ready to go. Noelle finishes.
"You got a lil something on your cheek" Akarsha pointed out.
Noelle rubs her right cheek.
"No, its-"
Noelle rubs her left cheek.
"Guh, no its"
She rubs everything on her face to find it. She didn't.
Akarsha just got fed up with it.
Akarsha got close.
"Did i get it-" Akarsha licks Noelle's cheek.
"Kyaaa, what the fuck Akarsha?"
"I got it for you"
Noelle is now flushed, trying to find the words. Akarsha is giggling and on the verge of bursting into laughter.
"Wha- we- you- Lick, what the heck"
"A lil malfunction in your operating system eh? Frenchman."
After a good 20 seconds later of Noelle having a stroke, Akarsha decides to cut it out.
"So, where to next, Frenchy"
"We, will discuss this later. For now, lets just go grab lunch"
"Sounds good, whatchu thinking for lunch"
"Anything cheap and easy will do"
"C'mon, have a lil class. Pick a restaurant."
"I don't have that kind of money"
"Who says anything about your money"
"Akarsha, you are not paying for my lunch. A little cone is one thing, but a full on meal? I don't wanna be in that sort of debt"
"And I'm telling you, its good courtesy for the person who initiated the date to pay!"
"Guhhhh...."
Noelle is trying to think of something, anything to respond without commiting to any side of the 'is this a date debate'. And she might've found the solution.
"Olive garden?" Good ol' Olive garden, a place that could be passed off as a fast food chain and a restaurant.
"Sounds good..." Once again, Akarsha is disappointed that Noelle doesn't respond to the date comment.
They get into the Olive Garden and grab a table.
The place is relatively busy, it is lunch time afterall, restaurants in malls like these are usually fairly populated.
A waiter comes and does their usual shtick, they are given a menu and find things to order.
"Whatdya think you're ordering, Frenchman?"
"I guess I'll get the infinite salad and some breadsticks with water"
"Then I'll do the endless pasta and the breadsticks, and the lemonade"
The waiter comes and take their order. They order and wait.
"Noelle...."
"Rare of you to call me that"
"Just, what do you think you will be in the future"
"Why... Why ask that now of all times"
"Please just answer"
Noelle is weirded out by what Akarsha is doing, no snarky comment, no joke, shes..... Shes being serious.
"Well, I would graduate with a law degree from a good uni and get a good job, i guess?"
"Well, beyond that, what do you think about your relationships in the future"
Noelle didn't really think that far, or anything about what her future partner would be like.
"I guess he would be, a nice smart guy from a good family, I don't really know what to say."
"I see...." I have no shot with her do I
"So why ask?"
"Just wanted to know your preferences is all, just might find a lil someone to set you up with Frenchy".
Akarsha bit her tongue saying that.
"Okay, whatever you say" Amarshas back to her sarcastic self, which one is the real her, i wonder
Their food arrives and they start eating.
"Damn dude, these breadsticks are mad awesome"
"Yeah they are quite great"
"And its endless? Pretty damn value"
"Takes less of a toll on our wallet."
"My"
Akarsha, for the third time, references how shes gonna pay.
"Akarsha, for the last time, we are splitting, I can't just let you pay for everything, i brought my own money, please, you don't need to put this burden on yourself."
"But you're rarely outside. You don't get alotta free time, and when you do, don't you consider how much money you have? Don't you think its better if you were to spend that money on something less trivial than food, do you think you'll remember this food? You should spend your allowance, that you're rarely allowed to use freely, on something that you'll cherish and remember. Because if you haven't realized, our time together left is short. What happens when you're off to college huh? I'm just that weird girl you hung out with that you might not even remember the name of. I just.... want to be remembered, even if off handedly."
Akarsha spilled many depressing thought she'd thought of over today, she didn't even think about confessing, it was such a far off dream to her.
Akarsha realized that she had made things too real, shes not ready for confrontation with those thoughts.
"So the pasta is also pretty good eh? Too bad your French heritage isn't the pasta connoisseur."
Noelle just looked stunned but they kept on eating awkwardly until they were full.
Akarsha was panicked, she spilled so many things, what if Noelle thinks shes weird. What can she do, everything's awkward now.
Akarsha is gonna pay, and they're in this situation again. Akarsha doesn't know how to do this again, its too awkward for her to say anything funny and.....
"Pay it"
Noelle said it
Akarsha was fairly surprised but so she did, she paid and they cleaned up and got out.
"So, where to now Frenchman."
"Well you said to go somewhere memorable right?"
"Yeah?"
"The original plan was to go to the arcade, but i see something better for us."
She points to a GameStop.
"You have that game you wanna check out, right? Warp hole 2 or something?"
"Portal 2! Its a co op experience if a lifetime."
"Co op? As in in cooperative?"
"Yeah, its great for 2 players. I was hoping to try it with you, grandma"
"Oh come on, I'm not that bad at games anymore"
"Not when you hold the controller that way"
"Its the comfiest way!"
"Sure sure sure"
Noelle sighs and they walk into the game stop, they start looking around, well mostly Akarsha, Noelle didn't know what or where to look around.
Akarsha walks back to Noelle.
"Here! Portal 2. We can try it out over there *Points to Playstation 3"
"Yeah sure, 30 minutes the limit yeah?"
"Yep so hurry, can't wait to try it out"
Noelle settles down and they start up the game.
"Wait should I be caught up with Portal 1?"
"Its fine, its largely a new game and a puzzle one, so its fine"
They start playing and time flies, by the time they got comfortable, the session was over.
They both got up, Akarsha, ready to pay, approaches the counter.
"No, Akarsha, let me pay."
"But..."
"You paid for lunch, now let me pay"
Akarsha was kinda out of money and options, so she nodded.
Noelle pays and Akarsha was ready to leave but Noelle said afterwards.
"Wait, theres something I wanna take a look at."
"What? A game?"
"Let me check it out in the back, follow me"
Akarsha was admittedly weirded out but followed.
They reach the old releases section.
"So what're we doing here"
Noelle looks through the games
"Found it! The Mario party game we played"
"Sooo?"
"It just reminded me of something"
"Okay?"
"Yeah it reminded me of the first time I've...." Noelle drifts off.
"Well uhh, Grabs Akarsha's windbreaker I've had a great time today. It was a great date"
She said it!
Noelle looks embarassed by what she said, waiting for Akarsha's response.
"Sooooo this is a date then?"
"I don't know, but now it feels like it".
"Noelle... I" Tears start leaking out of Akarsha's eyes.
"Akarsha?! Are you alright"
"Yeah I'm great, and I, i just wanna tell you that, i just. I don't know."
Noelle firmly holds Akarsha's hand.
"Well here's what I know, I know that you are a wonderful person, witty, funny, .... Beautiful. And that, you, you.... You stupid clown, makes me the happiest I can ever be."
Noelle didn't fully realize everything she said, but now looking at Akarsha's extreme blushing face, then she realized everything she had just said.
"Well umm i mean, you're great, is what I'm trying to get at."
"You.... You're wrong"
"Akarsha, everything i said, i stand by... Even if they don't seem true to you."
"No, but you're wrong. Thats not the happiest I can make you."
"What're you trying to sa-"
Akarsha gently presses her lips against Noelle, Noelle instinctively follows through.
Noelle wraps her arm around Akarsha's back.
Akarsha wraps her arm around Noelle's waist.
After a good 15 seconds, they break off.
They were staring into each others eyes.
Akarsha was the first to speak.
"So, is that the happiest?"
"No, theres something else needed to be said first"
"Pee pee ketchup man, cowabunga Frenchman"
"What? No, what? Just, I lov-"
"I love you too"
They smile and hug each other again.
"Lets finish this somewhere else, I'm gonna go pay." Akarsha nods.
Noelle finishes paying and such, and so they leave.
"How're we gonna explain this to the others. The ya'know, that I can now pound you like mochi"
"I don't know, but, you should know I'm by your side, Always. (Also don't say you can pound me)"
"Muah, to see you again real soon"