Study til Sore [Tomomi/Cecil]

At this, Tomomi thought, scrunching his eyes up in concentration. He... He wasn't really sure how to respond to that. There... Wasn't really a response. It made sense, and that was the worst part of it all, was that it made sense. But, that didn't mean Tomomi could just let Cecil sit and brew his thoughts like this. What to do...

Putting his hand in his pocket for a moment, with the slight sound of paper and metal shifting about, Tomomi nodded to himself, before gently nudging Cecil to get his attention, offering his best friend a smile. "Right. This is a far too quiet environment for a talk like this... Let's go get lemonade. My treat." The boy declared, deciding not to address the topic yet. They could talk it over better with drinks anyways. Cecil was his best friend... He wasn't going to let him torment himself like this, even if Cecil resented him after the fact.

"I...thanks." He was past the point where he could really object to this much. He appreciated the gesture, and he was hardly about to be so rude as to refuse it. Especially when it sounded good to him.
It doesn't take a long time for him to pack away his belongings, cramming everything into his bag and slinging it onto his back. Still, the stack of books remains, and he can't quite bring himself to leave the stack he'd collected together laying on the table. He places the book he'd been referring to for the work he'd been doing on top of the stack, before going to lift it. "Just...let me get all these back."

"Ah, um, since I'm dragging you off, I'll help put stuff away! Um..."

Taking a couple of the books from Cecil's pile, Tomomi did a quick - at least, quick for Tomomi - before walking away from Cecil to put them back in the "history" shelf. Tomomi couldn't help but imagine reading the title with air quotations at the title, with one of the books simply being what Tomomi could only assume was borderline fan fiction about Queen Isla... Just how intense was Cecil forcing himself into his studies?

At Cecil and Tomomi meeting up once more outside of the library, Tomomi offered his friend a genuine smile. "So! I think I know a place that does quality lemonade, and it's not too far from the academy either. Noticed it while working. So, um, if you're ready, let's go! Drinks on me this time."

"Thanks." As Tomomi took a portion of the stack, Cecil moved off to put back what he still had. As he was putting books back, he couldn't help but wince as he saw that Tomomi had taken that book allegedly about Isla...
It wounded him that that was official teaching material used in class. His history teacher seemed practically obsessed with the Queen, if he was being honest - he was starting to think that the ludicrous amount he was forced to focus on her in his studies was a problem with his teacher rather than with the curriculum.
Not that he doubted Isla was a significant part of the curriculum, but the man that took his history class definitely only aggravated the issue.

Outside, Cecil smiles weakly. "Alright then. Lead the way."

At the thanks, the aid was instantly rewarded. Just hearing that he was useful even in a minor way was... Nice. The task done and the two outside the library now, Tomomi nodded to Cecil, flicking his jacket so that it was over his shoulder as he always seemed to do, before walking down and out of the school, checking back to make sure Cecil was still following. About 5 minutes of walking was all it took before the misfit duo arrived at what seemed like a small and quaint café, roughly the size of a small bungalow with enough seats for roughly 20 people, and a single old lady standing at the counter. Above the door was a sign, introducing the small place as "Levert", a drink and cake shop. Yet within it was barely any sign of liveliness, the only reminder that it was open being the odd people sat down with a cup of coffee, newspapers lying on odd tables, and the single old lady smiling patiently at the counter.

"I've not actually tried the drinks here yet, so, I thought we could try them together" the boy declared with a grin.

The blond's eye runs over the store. Definitely not a bustling place - there wasn't enough room to hold grand hosts of people, and even what little capacity it had was hardly seeing use. He couldn't really say that was a bad thing, though.
Cecil manages a small smirk as Tomomi elaborates. "Perfect. I can see a grand future as a guinea pig unfolding now." He chuckles a little to himself, before letting out a tired sigh. "...we should get ourselves sat down. Probably isn't...too, bad, if the place is still open."

At Cecil's comment about being a guinea pig, Tomomi gave a bit of a giggle, nodding. "Hey, I was just as much of a guinea pig as you when we went to the food place. And that went well enough I think? I mean... That black bean sauce? Nice."

At Cecil's insistence of them getting sat down, Tomomi nodded, looking for a fairly quiet placed table in the quiet café, with Tomomi smiling to Cecil as he overly gestured to the seat in a fairly child like mannerism. "So. Two lemonades... Do you want like, a chocolate bar, cake, or cookie or something?"

He simply shrugs in reply. "You have a point...that was good black bean. We'll have to stop by again sometime to check out the rest of the menu." Cecil chuckles wryly, shaking his head. "Oh good food, that most delicious, expensive and fattening of mistresses..."

Raising an eyebrow and smirking at the gesturing of his friend, Cecil moves over and seats himself by the enthusiastic litter picker. He looks up into the corner of his eye at the question, taking a moment to think. "Cookies are good. One of those might be nice."

As Cecil sat down, Tomomi waited for his response to the food question. At the answer, Tomomi nodded, getting up despite having just sat down. As he walked over to the counter, the boy did some quick conversing with the lady, digging in his pocket for change, and then handing it over, before carrying a small tray back to the table. On said tray were two glasses of lemonade, and two cookies: one chocolate chip, and one double chocolate.

As he set the tray, and then himself, down, Tomomi smiled to his friend as he spoke. "I... Didn't know which cookie you'd prefer, so, I got one of each. Take your, uh, take your pick, and stuff!"

Secretly, Cecil was just a little glad that Tomomi was taking the lead on this one. The first time ordering at a place he hadn't been to before tended to prove just a little bit awkward, and not having to face that issue himself saved him a small measure of stress.
He wondered if Tomomi had that issue as well. He seemed to be handling it fairly well, but sometimes you couldn't quite tell by looking in during the action.

A little smile developed as Tomomi returned with beverages, the blond simply shaking his head as he took one of the lemonades. "It's fine. I'm not too bothered what type it is, and you're the one paying." He nodded and took a sip of his lemonade, before looking at the glass in mild surprise as his face puckered slightly. "Ok...that's more lemony than I expected. It's actually a little sour." He takes a sip, and nods. "Not bad, though. Nice to have some lemonade occasionally that doesn't just opt for sweetness. Think it'll be alright for you?"

Thinking for a moment as Cecil let Tomomi decide, the boy paused, then handed Cecil the double chocolate cookie, before taking a sip of his own lemonade. The sudden reaction was as if Tomomi had sucked a lemon himself, face squinting slightly. Taking another sip, Tomomi tried to play off the instinctual reaction, giving Cecil a thumbs up. "Y-yeah... Just um... J-just a bit sour... I like it! Yep!"

Coughing to clear the awkwardness, Tomomi picked up his cookie and took a testing bite. "Oh wow... The uh... The cookie's really nice... That's not to say the lemonade isn't nice!..." Looking side to side, Tomomi checked as if worried someone would overhear, before looking down. "I'm not too good with sour stuff..."

A slight pause, and then the boy spoke up once more, looking up and giving Cecil a sheepish smile. "But, it's still nice! Yeah! Definitely!" Rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck, the boy continued. "So, you prefer sour stuff, or, do you prefer something else?"

Cecil snickers as Tomomi puckers up and stutters out an endorsement. "Hey, no need to pretend you like the taste more than you do. Just because I like my lemonade lemony doesn't mean I can't acknowledge that some people aren't fond of drinks that make their entire face try to shrink into the space where your mouth is supposed to be."

He grins and shakes his head as Tomomi continues talking, taking a bite of his cookie and finding his eyes widening at the taste. "Ok, that is good..." He rapidly shakes his head clear, clearing his throat. "Ah...anyway...I have to admit, sour stuff is pretty nice. I can't say I don't have a sweet tooth, but..." He shrugs. "Well, it's such a rare kind of flavour to find, and it tends to get sweetened and covered up even when you do. But it's a worthwhile one on its own, even if other people don't think so. It's rough if you go too strong with it, but just the right amount is nice on its own while contrasting nicely with everything else."

Still smiling from his... Failure to hide his sudden explosion of sour pain, Tomomi nodded while listening to Cecil's surprisingly philosophical talk about sour. Truly, Tomomi did not realise that lemonade could lead to a philosophical speech about the lemon ratio. The profundity of it all was truly inspiring.

Or something like that.

"To be honest... I probably used to like sour stuff, but, most lemonade is so... Sweet. I mean, who would not develop a sweet tooth after that? Although, uh... I guess you also drink lemonade from the city so um... Yeah, uh, scratch that I guess?"

Coughing, Tomomi shook his head, before taking another sip of lemonade. "Anyways, um, this place isn't too bad I don't think? I mean, it's nice and quiet and stuff. But, you're the one with a gourmet critique based on black beans, so, mister master food critic, what's your verdict?" The boy declared in jest with a smile and laugh, tone filled with a child like innocence.

"Hmm..." Setting this down, he brings a hand to his chin and exaggeratedly strokes an imaginary beard, looking around the place. "I dare say that if I were to rate this fine establishment, I would give it a so-lid...seven!" He nods emphatically as he continues his elaborate pantomime. "Nothing against the quality of the offerings, I'm sure you understand my dear boy, but the lack of black beans is a dire sin against the culin'ry arts."

Cecil does a remarkably good job of keeping a straight face instead of curling up into a ball.

Cecil may have been able to keep himself composed as he made his expression...

Tomomi did not.

It started with a snicker, Tomomi putting his cookie down on the table to use his hand to cover his mouth. Then a giggle, with several people in the café beginning to look at the odd boy, before finally a full blown laugh with Tomomi practically falling out of his seat and hitting the floor, receiving very concerned and mystified looks from the other patrons. As he tried to calm himself down from laughing, the boy began to panic, the laughter turning into hyper ventilating. With hands that shook, Tomomi dragged himself back to his seat, sitting down in a way that curled up, and hiding his raggedy breaths behind his knees.