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Wouldn't be any good if they did, [ he remarks with there being no consoles, and confidently. Nothing electronic that comes from these things is ever any good, but it's not like quality is the point.

What is the point, you wonder? There's a wrinkle at the bridge of his nose left over, but as he gives Tsuruno an observing look, it grows more as he concludes: ] But you would look good in a hat. You need a hat.

[ She can keep her lead, but he tugs at her hand playfully at that decision, looks around to see if he can spot any of the upcoming game booths. It's not the games he wants to see, of course, but their goods.

We need the best hats. Only the most sophisticated hats, here. ]

Even I'm not sure if I want to try pulling off a jester one.

[ with a minuscule snort, but she's led them true! Thankfully the games are all kind of closely clustered together, and it's the shooting one that boasts... so many hats. The jester's hats, some green and pink monstrosities, cowboy hats, a few dinky-looking crowns, some that just look like Nightmares, dopey fedoras. Amazing. ]

You owe telling me your favorite animal, then. It's only fair.

[ Oh. Oh, look at the selection! Robby wants to scan the selection, and he starts, but Tsuruno asks her question, and-- ] Favourite animal?

[ Okay, give him a second to think here... ]

Well...dogs are okay, I guess. [ But is that a favourite? Hm - ] --Prairie dogs, have you seen prairie dogs? They have the silliest faces, and they jump up when they say hi.

[ That's a pretty good contender for a favourite, right? ]

Oh! Yeah, I've seen them at a zoo before. They're really cute and squeaky, aren't they?

[ She would not have guessed that of Robby without asking, but that's the point of asking questions, isn't it? To get to know someone better. ]

I'll keep an eye out, I think the stuffed animals are the ring toss one...

Really squeaky, [ he confirms. Granted, he's never thought about favourite animals much, but Robby will go for that. He wonders what's the chance of her finding a prairie dog plush around here, but before they find out--! ]

But I've got to win you a hat first. I see the perfect one. [ He's faux pleading here, and is he deliberately not telling her which hat he wants to get for her? Yes. ] Give me..... three rounds?

[ Too many shots? He hasn't forgotten she said these things are rigged! ]

Mm... if you can get it in two rounds, ice cream's on me.

[ Said with all the cheer of someone who knows the ice cream is perfectly free.

Is she dreading what hat hell he might put her through, maybe, but she'll be a good sport about it, either way. ]

Oh, okay. [ His voice is slick with the challenge presented, the grin that shows teeth for a second--like not only is this ice cream worth the gamble (and not nothing), it might as well be the real prize.

He's picking up one of the guns, and the lack of an attendant--or, really, anyone else at the fair--is kind of goofy, but Robby finds he doesn't mind. Can't mind about that now, after all: he's got tin cans stacked upon each other to aim, and...!

Hit! They clatter on down, and all but two of the bottom fall off. ] Alright, I can still make this, [ Robby comments--or commentates, for himself. He's got to put on a show--and missing two doesn't put him out of the running! There's three more tin pyramids to go for, three more bullets, so he takes aim on each...!

All three on the bottom row missed!

Another three missed on the next try!

And wow, for that last shot--he only manages to make the middle one knock off, with the top tin somehow balancing on the tippy edges of the two underneath?! ]

--Oh, come on! [ Robby is, rightfully, gesturing to this result. ] The hell does that happen? That's gotta be glued to do that!

[ Bullshit!! ]

[ Tsuruno is doing her best not to laugh, but compared to Prompto (who had done this flawlessly somehow) and Daan (who she never would have made fun of), there's very clear amusement in her eyes as she watches this go down. Or maybe not go down? ]

You'll get 'em next time. Maybe.

[ Too cruel.... he is trying his best here?

But Robby's got a good mood despite his failures. She said it was rigged, right? And it's not like he's a super cool experienced guy at this. Regardless, he turns to her, placing the gun back where he got it. ]

How about you? I can't have all the fun. Show me what you've got.

[ Oh, and he is saying that like a challenge, a lift to his chin. You got what it takes, Tsuruno? ]

Sure. Fair's fair. [ sagely, picking up a gun herself. ]

Just don't feel too bad when I kick your butt. I still like you.

[ And she says it with a brightly mischievous grin, taking aim.

For all that, she still misses the first and second shots, which has her huffing a little at herself. Okay, fine. Focusing. Prompto had taught her how to adjust to the gun already being weighted strangely and the targets being a pain, so while she doesn't do it as impressively as he did, she manages to hit the rest.

And lifts an eyebrow at Robby. ]

[ I still like you gets a huff from Robby, but he's watching!! Arms folding as she takes the centre stage, and not, it doesn't pass him that the targets reset themselves from absolutely nothing. But look at him be good about not freaking out (he expected it, and also still finds it fucking weird!!! but anyway.)

And look at her. When she's done, both of his eyebrows are up, and he swings a look at her that's a funny kind of impressed. He unfurls his arms to give her a few claps. ]

Okaay, hotshot, look at you. [ He points. ] --But you have been playing more than me.

[ So let's not get cocky now, obviously. He glances back at the results of Tsuruno's game, then back at her as he picks back up his gun. ]

Are we gonna talk about how it keeps doing that?

[ A pointed look to the tins, and. You know. They're set back to normal.

Any point in talking about it, really? ]

[ Honestly, probably not. Tsuruno shrugs, a little ruefully. ]

Let's just say there's some elaborate mechanical reset system. Or it's haunted, I guess.

[ She's more used to weird things than he is, lucky girl. ]

Anyway, I had help. And then, like you said, I spent way more time here than you did. It was kind of a nice distraction.

[ From everything, including the boy she wound up going on a date with. ]

You've got it this time, I can feel it!

[ It's haunted, she guesses. Robby says nothing to that--he wasn't very serious about a discussion, anyway--but enjoys the good mood they have going on despite...well, everything, really.

But, time for round two, it sounds like. ]

Okay. [ He exaggerates a sigh as he turns back to the game. ] Work with me, here. There's ice cream on the line.

[ He just has to get 20 out of 24 tins -- no problem, right? And it's looking good: he gets 4 on the first shot (oh no), but then a 5 and then a 6! (Which, yes, does get a fistpump and an 'Alright!' out of Robby. he's proud of himself!!) He just needs to be as cool as Tsuruno and get that last 6!!

Bang! The gun goes off, and the tins come toppling off!!!...leaving two tins behind.

Like the game knew.

And just as excited as he'd been getting the six, Robby's as dramatic at getting the four, spreading out his arms. ]

I'm getting cheated by a hell city! What kind of torture is this!

[ The worst!!! ]

... Okay, let's say this. Get it in the third round and we can split the cost on the [ totally still free ] ice cream.

I don't make this kind of deal with just anyone.

[ As solemnly as she can manage, but her eyes are dancing. Sorry, Excited Robby and Dramatically Thwarted Robby are equally cu--hilarious. ]

You were really close this time, too!

[ What a deal. He closes his eyes with a nod that knows he's on his last line of luck (that just nobody gets to have), sighing in a very meaningful way as takes his gun, checks it out like there's actually anything to really check out. ]

Can't believe my life and money's come down to this moment. You know I can never show my face here again if I don't get it, right? [ So, so, dramatic. But even so, with a cheeky little smile directed Tsuruno's way. ] Will you visit me anyway?

[ In his self-imposed jail of...not successfully impressing Tsuruno? Please, heed not the details, but his wistful, lover boy movie request. ]

Nope. [ with a serene smile that is somehow just as cheeky as the one he'd just offered her. Wow. Romance is dead. ]

Because you're gonna win, right?

[ Let's be real, she would be terrible as a pining and longing love interest. ]

[ A shot to his heart at that no--! Up comes the look of shock, then taken away by what Tsuruno continues with; and Robby's open mouth turns into a smile, a grin, as he tips his head after a moment of thought. Alright, sure. ]

If you say I am, [ he comes back with it, a ~~waggle~~ raise of his eyebrows, and then a small huff of laughter at his own silliness there. But here it comes, he's turning back to the tin cans and the game. And he takes in a deep breath--inhale, exhales--to find his centre despite the noise, the nerves of possibly not winning Tsuruno Yui her hat.

And Robby's face, though Tsuruno might not see it, becomes more focused, concentrated as he takes his aim.

6...

4...

5... (how did we get back to this, ~~dice roll~~ life?)

And... ]

[ ...all six!! ]

Yes! [ The gun goes up with his hands, aww yeah!! He's laughing, bubbly, dropping it next so he can turn to Tsuruno and--will you give him high five?? Come on, don't leave him hanging!! ]

I owe you half an ice cream and a hat!

[ LUCKIEST BOY ALIVE!! ]

[ Honestly her hands are already raised for a double high-five and her laugh is just as bright. He did so nice he gets it twice!! ]

See, I told you! That was amazing, Robby! You were so cool!

[ Oh, then a double high five it is, hell yeah!! ]

Not as cool as you're gonna look. [ Because Robby is getting that hat. He hops over the side like the wanna cool doofus he is (please just use the side doors??), and then goes towards the side he knows the hat he was eyeing up was on.

And this time he takes the sidedoor coming back around, in his hands a--yes, maybe silly looking hat, but one that matches the colour of her lavender sweater, and with a flower in to boot. ]

Not embarrassing?

[ Does Tsuruno approve? ]

...

[ Well, it's not hideous, even though it's definitely silly, and he'd fought through three rounds to win it for her, which is honestly a little endearing.

So Tsuruno rocks back in her heels, making a big show of thinking about it Deeply, before she smiles up at him. ]

Crown me?

[ Putting a boy on edge, huh? He does wait despite it, and then the edges of his smile widen at her permission -- and so Robby does crown her, slipping the hat on from both sides.

He takes a step back to take her in, and decides: ]

Still look good to me.

If you said I looked worse, I think we would've had a bigger problem.

[ But she taps the brim of her hat, a little playfully. ]

It's your turn now, though. I owe you something to cuddle with.

[ What kind of hellish prairie dog can she find and why does she have to fight the ring toss again ]

Alright. [ A hum in that word, resigned to his fate! ]

What's your cuddling choice? You're not one of those girls who love the bedroom full of stuffed bears, are you?

[ Are you? ]

Usually it's a pillow. [ Scrunching up her nose at the thought of Many Bears as she heads over to the stall with the bottles.

Ah. The ring toss. ]

Okaaay. It's not thwarting me this time--!

Edited 2023-09-28 13:03 (UTC)

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