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[dereban]

Inaban

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[spacialeyes]

Let's look anyway!

[Because Yuuto is very eager to try something new! An eagerness made clear by his wide strides and big grin.]

Do they have skating in your world? It doesn't make pretty lights where I'm from. I wonder if it'll look nicer once the sun has set?

[dereban]

Skating exists in my world, but it doesn't make lights. There are even skating competitions, too.

[spacialeyes]

Really? How do you compete in skating? There aren't points or anything.

[dereban]

In competitive skating, there is. It's based on several categories that judges go by.

[spacialeyes]

That's so cool... Humans do some much stuff outside of the shrine. I've been here for months and I'm still surprised every day. Do you like any competitive things, Inaba?

[dereban]

I'm pretty good at card games.

[spacialeyes]

Oh! Can you play solitaire? [that's barely a card game, but it's the first one that he thinks of.]

[dereban]

I can, but it's not the one I usually play.

[spacialeyes]

What do you usually play? Is it... Poker, maybe?

[dereban]

Yeah, actually. I'm really good at it.

[spacialeyes]

I play it too! It's how I make money when I'm in a pinch. I wonder which of us is better..?

[dereban]

Hu~h... are you saying you want to find out?

[spacialeyes]

M-Maybe... If we can find a deck of cards? It might be fun..?

[dereban]

A deck of cards should be easy to find. Ah, but we were going to check the ice skating rink, right?

[spacialeyes]

Right! I almost forgot... There's just so much that I want to do with you! I hope that we'll have time.

[dereban]

Well, if we don't have time tonight, there's always another time.

[spacialeyes]

Another time... [He slows his pace when he considers that word. Because usually, there isn't another chance for him. It would be now or never; He might disappear before they have another chance to be together.

That phrase used to scare him. Now it's almost exciting.]

You'd hang out with me again, Inaba?

[dereban]

I don't see a reason why I wouldn't.

[spacialeyes]

So we can buy cards tonight and play another time if we want? Oh- [And before she can answer, they're arrived at the skating rink. Yuuto is clearly eager to get closer, but he tries to keep his pace matched to hers.]

[dereban]

Yeah, that would be perfectly fine if you want. [ And now that they're here... huh. It really has been a while since she's seen an ice rink. ] This isn't that bad.

[spacialeyes]

It's amazing..! It's not just colours, but shapes..!

[Yuuto is awestruck by the colourful trails of flowers and butterflies that some of the skaters leave behind. So much so that he's already walked to the edge of the rink and is gently gripping the barrier fence. He's not sure if it's meant to keep the skaters from sliding out of the rink, or to prevent him from asking for too much. He knows that he doesn't deserve anymore blessings than he's already stolen today.]

Do you really not want to try..?

[dereban]

I'm not athletic, so I'd probably fall a lot. Watching is enough for me.

[spacialeyes]

You wouldn’t fall. I’d be there to catch you a lot. [But he doesn’t push more than that. Yuuto looks longingly at the rink again, then seals his desires behind a cheerful smile.] It is really pretty to watch. People are so beautiful when they’re together. I wonder how the colours work..?

[dereban]

But catching me all the time would be a pain, wouldn't it? I'd rather let you have fun. Besides, it's not like ice skating is a two person hobby all the time.

[spacialeyes]

If you don’t want to, then we don’t have to do it. I’m happy doing anything as long as we’re together.

[He says this all too bluntly.]

We still have a lot to see… What other Christmas Eve traditions do we have left?