hashtag_chocobro | The Apartment above the Photo Hut; Sunday Afternoon [02/11]

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The Apartment above the Photo Hut; Sunday Afternoon [02/11] - PuppyBowl Birthday Party!

Prompto would be entirely honest; if there was anything a bit different going on in town, he was completely unaware of it, because he'd been singularly focused since pretty much Friday on getting things all ready and set up for Noctra's birthday party today. The decorations were an amalgamation of both puppy things and football things, with a both First Year Down! and Let's Pawty! balloons to really drive it home.

And, of course, the birthday girl herself was showing her appreciation for the theme, as well! Unfortunately, with her dad's excitement all morning in getting things up, she hadn't been able to nap like he was hoping she would, so he was holding his breath that the whole thing wouldn't make her too cranky or overwhelmed, but at least there was plenty to distract her in the meantime. Including a little help from Rain pulling in duty as Party Ruferee.

Then there was getting everything with the catering set out for the guests, which included your typical moddable game day fare, but especially puppy chow, mini hot dogs, and, of course pizza rolls! There were a puppy bowl birthday cake, even, with some vegan cupcake puppy players!

And, of course, near the entrance, there were plenty of party hats for anyone who wanted to claim their allegiance for Team Ruff or Team Fluff or just Team Noctra (he suspected those would be the most popular, really).

And for once, after everything was set up and copious amounts of pictures had been taken, Prompto actually wasn't feeling like he hadn't gone enough on the theme, and was feeling pretty good about this one, actually!

[[ open party is open! If you've ever talked to Prompto or Liz even once, you probably got an invitation. Heck, even if you've never talked to either of them, you could have ~mysteriously~ gotten one, too! Maybe it's your big destiny to meet your true love at a one-year-old's puppy bowl party, you don't know!! ]]

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"I did," said Summer, although there was a little bit of awkwardness there, in her smile, because it was hard to really deny that a good part of that had to do with the fact that she'd been off doing her own thing for the highlights of it. "How about yours? Did you still go to the bar on Wednesday? Tino told me he was doing pudding shots just to spite me."

Stark would never want to stop Summer from doing her own when she wanted. He just wanted to be included sometimes. And know that she'd be back, eventually.

"I had a beer and left," he said, making a face. "It seemed safest. Ignis's party went well? Was your jello appreciated?"

Summer's smile was apologetic that Stark had to go through such a terrible ordeal, but at least she didn't ask if he'd ended up crying into that beer, too.

"The jello?" she asked. "Oh, definitely. The jug of wine I also brought, though...not so much.

"But maybe," she added, unable to help herself because she literally could not not bring this up every opportunity she got, "he was just really cranky you didn't show up to give him a good happy birthday make-put sesh."

He had not cried in his beer. He'd just gone home and baked cookies and sulked a bit.

"Maybe he can have that this Wednesday," Stark said with a roll of his eye.

He knew very well what Wednesday was.

"Why?" asked Summer, lifting her brows, looking almost impressed. "You two have a hot date that night or something?"

"Do you think I should?" Stark asked, grinning. "Maybe if I don't have a better offer but I was hoping to spend that night with someone else."

"I think," said Summer, "that I wouldn't risk getting on Liliana's bad side any more than you already have, unless she's into that kind of thing, in which case...more power to her. And, I mean, I'll be happy to pass the word on to Tino for you, if you want, but I think he might be working that night."

She wrinkled her nose and frowned at him in apology for having to be the bearer of such disappointing news.

"Tino was not the bartender I had in mind," Stark said firmly.

"Are you working on Wednesday?" he asked, all wide-eyed innocence.

"I don't know," said Summer, matching all that innocence beat for beat and upping the ante with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders, and, yeah, you know what? She was going to tilt her head and twirl a finger in the end of her ponytail, too, while she was at it. "Maybe. I was gonna wait and see if I got any better offers..."

Playing with the ponytail was unfair and she knew it.

"I wouldn't want to deprive the island of jello two weeks in a row," Stark said, watching her carefully. "But I could make an offer? Or just come to see you like I usually do? Or take you somewhere after you're done...or before?"

Of course Summer knew it was unfair. That's why she did it.

She also knew it was wholly unnecessary, and that almost made her do it more.

But, instead, she stepped a little closer, and the fingers that were in her hair a moment ago were now reaching for the sleeve of that hoodie he was wearing, as if to feel what kind of fabric it was.

She never did find that cute guy in the hoodie after the concert, you know...

"I'm sure," she said, "the island'll survive. What do you want to do, Stark?"

She had a debatably cute hoodie guy right here.

One who was stepping in a little closer at that touch.

"I want to be with you on Wednesday. In any way you'd like. I've never... had someone I could be with, for Valentine's Day."

It was a nice hoodie. Definitely stylist-approved. And he did look cute it in. Definitely not the same vibe of what she was trying to pick up on Friday, but that was rock concert hoodie cute. This was...

....kid's puppy-football-themed birthday party hoodie cute.

"Well," she said, "don't be too much of a dork about it. But...we could maybe make dinner, get high, see where that takes us?"

Maybe it could be rock concert cute someday? Stark had never actually been to one.

"Would you rather do that another night? Or on Wednesday? I'm sure you have terrible valentine jello ideas you'd like to inflict on unsuspecting bar patrons? And then... maybe it wouldn't be so dorky?"

He was a dork though. Sometimes. It was all that sincerity.

"You wouldn't have to be anyone's valentine, that way."

Yeah, the sincerity could be a real problem.

And so could all the self-doubt and second guessing and lack of confidence...

Summer sighed.

"Stark..."

"Summer."

He shook his head, took a deep breath, and stepped in just a little closer.

"I'd love to spend my Valentine's Day with you. With dinner and drinks and dessert and anything else you might like."

"I literally just told you exactly what I'd like," Summer pointed out.

And he got all wishy-washy about it and gave her an out that, honestly? Maybe she should have just taken it to prove a point.

"You did," Stark said, dipping his head in acknowledgement

"And it sounds like a wonderful way to spend an evening and I'm very much looking forward to it. Should I make dessert?"

Summer looked at Stark for another long moment, and she sighed again, shaking her head, but at least this time, it was smaller.

"I want," she said, "to cook dinner together. Pop a gummy right before we start, so that by the time it's finished, it'll just be kicking in and it'll make the food taste that much more amazing. But bring a dessert already prepared, because by the time we get to it, we are not going to be bothered to make that shit."

"I'll bring a dessert," Stark said. "Something delicious."

Maybe he'd bring something else. Something bubbly was traditional but maybe he'd find a ridiculous drink.

"I am looking forward to it," he said in a softer voice. "Very much."

He'd missed her this week. But saying that now didn't seem like the right choice.

"I'll make sure you don't miss the bar."

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The Apartment above the Photo Hut; Sunday Afternoon [02/11] - PuppyBowl Birthday Party!

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Re: Arrive & Mingle - PuppyBowl Birthday Party! - 02/11.

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Re: Arrive & Mingle - PuppyBowl Birthday Party! - 02/11.

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Re: Arrive & Mingle - PuppyBowl Birthday Party! - 02/11.

Re: Arrive & Mingle - PuppyBowl Birthday Party! - 02/11.

Re: Arrive & Mingle - PuppyBowl Birthday Party! - 02/11.

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