citynet | @samsa, text

Oh, I guess you can't use my name on the cake, after all.

you're breaking my heart over here, man

It's not my fault, I don't make the rules.

But I will go bowling with you.

[ kaneki can't eat cake, so there is no point in cake ]

ok ok. text me when you're ready

[ Nobody said he can't bring cupcakes with the letter K on them, however. :) ]

I don't have a lot going on, myself.

Although you always seem busy, Robby. [ with the newcomers thing, and eventually the Halloween party. but what he means is: ]

I'm ready when you are.

i wish i was busy. but i'll meet you there in an hour.

i'll text if i'm late

[ You know. For reasons.

Because Robby does want to get the guy something, even if it's small. He's not exactly well-versed in gifts, and he doubts Kaneki will mind much; neither of them sound like people with big expectations for their birthdays, or any type of gift giving, and the one thing Robby imagines he could get the guy is, well....kind of not a thing, here.

(Books. Books that aren't blank.)

But he isn't too late heading to the bowling alley. He's got a bag on one shoulder, keeping an eye out for if Kaneki will be waiting outside or inside the bowling alley.

Hello, hello-- where abouts will Kaneki be waiting? ]

[ kaneki did not go inside on his own. Let's be honest, all these places are empty, but it feels a bit creepy to be somewhere that should be full of people, so empty like that. So he stays by the door, waiting.

As usual, he is wearing his eyepatch, and he also brought a bag - he keeps an empty book there where he writes stories and quotes and things he remembers, hoping to compile books out of that one day.

When he spots Robby, he smiles at the other and waves his hand a little ]

Hello. Thank you for meeting me. [ he is always very polite!! ]

[ What a polite boy he is. ]

Hey, [ returns Robby, voice louder for the greeting, a grin in his voice as well as on his face. He'll nod to the door, while, with that grin: ] Let's go in, birthday boy.

[ :)

The inside, of course, is completely operational, lights on and some random music on play, the lanes and the seats between visible. They'll have to grab their own gloves and shoes, but first, they should pick a table, so Robby can lower his bag and grab out to put on the table--

a card. With written in big, and oh so amateur lettering 'KEN' in katakana (ケン) on the front, with a simple message inside (I can't do any better than ケン. Happy birthday - Robby Keene) and bookmarks clinging to the front and back to act like decorations.

Oh, and let's not forget the box of doughnuts he's also slipping out with that. ]

--Don't know what your favourite flavour is, so I got a bunch of them.

It's not really my birthday.

[ kaneki says, although he has a feeling Robby will keep calling him that. Regardless, he follows after the other - it's the first time he has been to a bowling place like this, so he looks around with some curiosity... and then there is cake.

He blinks, looking at it, before he sees the card. Oh-- he did try, that's sweet!! But he doesn't know what he is supposed to say, either. Besides Hide, no one really cared about his birthday or bothered to give him a card/ ]

Wha---

you went through so much trouble! You shouldn't have! [ oh kaneki feels so awkward, and he is blushing hard as well, mostly because he doesn't know what to say ]

[ Kaneki's expression is good enough for Robby, delighted to get--what he sees as--a positive reaction. He nudges Kaneki playfully, a satisfied look on his face, and even puts his arm around his back in a fond gesture. ]

I wanted to! You just need to fill up enough of your books now to make the bookmarks worth it.

[ But Robby figures that isn't much of a problem. ]

[ god kaneki is so awkward about this, but he is also very awkward about touching. So when Robby does, he does freeze up a little bit, although he tries not to show it. It;s fine, it's fine.

He smiles at the mention of books ]

I'm trying. Hopefully, I can have a library eventually.

[ still, Kaneki's smile grows wider. it's nice, Robby is a nice guy and ken only had one single person in his life like that before ]

Do you even know how to bowl?

Nope. [ Honest! ] But you take a bowling ball, swing it down the aisle and try to hit the pins -- sounds straightforward to me.

[ How hard can it be? his tone suggests. ]

What about you?

[ kaneki shakes his head.]

I've never tried it, either. I only watched it in movies.

[ a pause ] It looks hard though, not really... easy. [ unlike what Robby says!! ]

[ He seems to think for a moment, before: ]

Let's try it.

[ Seems the simple conclusion to Robby. And he will approach the lanes, wanting to check them out -- will say to Ken if he follows, ] We need to figure how they work, [ since...that's the first hurdle.

But it's not much of one, when all the alleys have their pins set, and the balls are ready to be taken. ] Guess it's automatic?

[ Well, that's good. But now the important question... ]

You wanna go first?

[ Or does he want Robby to? ]

[ that's all they can do, try right?

Kaneki nods as he approaches. The heavy balls are there, so he didn't think too much about how it works - he sort of expected having to put the pins back himself? But apparently, that's not a thing! ]

Oh- it is. That makes it much easier. [ he smiles and kaneki does reach for one of the balls until Robby suggests he goes first ]

Wah... well-

[ a pause ]

You are not allowed to make fun of me if I miss!

[ aha, look at that reaction. But Robby just gives the most innocent (innocent!!) smile, spreading out his hands. ]

But I can cheer if you make a hit?

[ Is that allowed? ]

[ kaneki concedes, nodding his head a little before he sighs almost dramatically. ]

You may cheer, yes.

[ and kaneki goes for it then. he grabs the ball - it's easy actually, he does have inhuman strength, even if it's not at 100% - and then he prepares himself. But the problem of inhuman strength? he doesn't know how much he should put into it.

and when he lets the bowling ball go, it goes too fast and quickly curves to the side and gets off the bowling lane and just... smacks against a wall ]

.....

[ his face turns bright red and quickly turns to Robby ] That doesn't count -- I didn't prepare right!

[ At least Kaneki doesn't have to worry about Robby laughing. No, the face he's making is more in line with confused and baffled. Because yeah, he hasn't bowled before, but Robby knows those balls are heavy. You don't just smack one of those things against a wall without trying (harder than Kaneki was).

So he's still trying to puzzle this out even when Kaneki looks at him, switching between the ball's landing spot and him. ] --You did that how?

[ Is Robby overthinking this?? He doesn't feel like he's overthinking this?? hello?? ]

[ kaneki looks back at the wall, and then looks back at his hands, before he whispers ]

... with lack of skill...? [ please accept that answer, Robby, Kaneki doesn't know how he can lie about this ]

[ Please enjoy Robby just staring at you for what might feel like eternity, Kaneki (but is only about five seconds, tops)....

Before, finally, he's going for a bowling ball himself. ]

If people in your world are just stronger than people in mine? I'm gonna complain. I mean, why do all the other worlds get the luck?

[ This is, like, so unfair, okay? And maybe it sounds whiny (though some of it is forced), but this is why Robby's grabbed a ball, testing its weight. ]

I wanna see how different we throw these. See who has the easier time.

[ please don't stare ]

Ah... you think so? [ YEAH LET'S GO WITH THAT ] It's not-- that strong. [ it used to be a lot stronger.

Kaneki watches the ball before he rubs the back of his neck ]

I mean, it doesn't matter if we are just going to play, right? [ he hopes this isn't about to become a Thing ]

@samsa, text

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