▌ 💜 • • • ► @servitxde ▌
What did Joker even enjoy outside of his job? From what others had mentioned in passing, apparently he took pleasure in cat naps during breaks, but that wasn’t an interest or a hobby. It didn’t give Takumi even an inkling of a clue of what to get the elder for the Nohrian holiday of Valentine’s. From overhearing talk around the camp, it seemed the normal gifts were chocolates, pastries, stuffed animals, flowers, jewelry, expensive dinners—and most seemed to be making these treats themselves, further worrying the prince. While his skills in the kitchen weren’t dreadful, they certainly weren’t up to the other’s standards, nor did he want to beg someone to bake something and swear to secrecy. Getting a typical gift that everyone was giving was also a massive no-go. As the holiday approached, tension rose. Two days before the holiday, and only then had an idea suddenly burst. With haste, Takumi acquired what he hoped was sufficient to the butler’s tastes, heart racing as the minutes passed. Knowing full well he couldn’t manage two more days of nerve-wracking anxiety, he strode off to Joker’s personal quarters, trying to covertly leave the basket of goods on the table... And proceeded to (horribly) hide behind the door. Curiosity won; how would the other respond to everything in private, (supposedly) away from prying eyes? Confidence and doubt roiled within, neither victorious, always clashing. The prince tried to raise his spirits by listing the contents of the basket in his mind once more, but it only served to heighten his insecurities as well. Over and over and over, he listed—one tea cup and saucer made of the finest china, with an intricate design in black and gray and gold and just the tiniest hint of purple; a pink tin of oolong tea, flavored with vanilla, almond, and caramel, and decorated with deep pink rose petals; a red tin filled with only the best Nohrian black tea, infused with chocolate and raspberry, little dried fruit and cocoa nibs within; and finally, a white tin containing a sweet white tea, blended with apricot, peach, lavender, and marigold flowers. That had to be enough to impress, right?
