( open )

[hoasen]

Who: YOU, MY FRIEND & The friendly staff of Thistle Do Nicely, a humble flower shop.
When: IC: 29th January to February 14th (OOC: Starts 3rd July, full month log.)
Where: Thistle Do Nicely, Shopping District.
What: It's nearly Valentine's Day, so there's sales and events! Want to learn how to make chocolate? Look here! Cashing in your coupon for the upcoming Blind Date player event? That's here too! This is a mingle log, so everyone come mingle to your hearts content, and come in anytime, there's no such thing as late.
Rating/Warning: Nothing so far. There might be some future nightmares.

---

NOTE: There are some forward-dated prompts/part of prompts in this log. This is to coincide with the Blind Date Player Plot this month! More links and updates will be posted here once they come up.

Also if you wanna know how this works, it's just a mingle! An example here, our previous open mingle log. Treat it however you like, open and closed options welcome.

--------

Welcome to Thistle Do Nicely! Make yourself comfortable and browse the grand selection. In spirit of upcoming Valentine's Day, the store is decorated in pink and red, hearts scattered here and there. Sweet soft toys are on display, and there are bargains to be found. The tea shop is also decked out, but there seems to be something extra special happening on that side too.


A: ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE DISCOUNTED

[Are you here for the flowers? Sure you are, it's a grand tradition that all Valentines must share: the giving of flowers to loved ones. Roses are a definite favourite, but maybe you're after something more unique? Then look no further! Ask one of your friendly staff about it. Or maybe they're coming to you! But if they do, some may have the misfortunate of being told by the mysterious NPC boss to repeat the following: "What can Cupid's assistant do for you today?" Yeah, it's pretty embarrassing.

Or maybe you've bumped into a friend! In that case, buying flowers for Valentine's Day? Are you proud of this, or are you so embarrassed you must hide all evidence.

Alternatively, time has passed and you're now here because you have coupons for an additional price cut on your flowers if you are taking part in the Blind Date event. Blind dates can be particularly nerve-wracking, so let this store make things a little easier for you. You'll thank them for it.]


B: ANYONE WHO HATES CHOCOLATE IS A MONSTER (no we're kidding we still love you)

B.1: KITCHEN NIGHTMARES

[In all walks of life, chocolate is a very popular gift for Valentine's Day. And in some places, even more importance is placed on whether it's homemade or not. A section of the tea shop has been cleared just for this: earthy tables now have small stoves on them and ingredients set out. It's time to learn how to make chocolate. These classes are lead by head chef Shokudaikiri Mitsutada and his (reluctant) chef's assistant Ookurikara, but you can be sure that all the other reliable staff of Thistle Do Nicely are getting in on the action to help out (or learn themselves) too! Maybe Mitsutada and a handful of staff will make this great. The other half...

Everyone interested in these classes will gather round each of these tables, and together you will learn how to make chocolate. It's a team effort, so discuss with each other and work together to perfect it! In the end, you will be given cute little boxes or bags to put your chocolate in so you can give it to those intended. Or yourself, you can eat them too. Alternatively, you were forced into this mess, or have no idea why you're here but you're going to roll with it because it's chocolate.

The classes are free, happening a couple hours a day, but the ingredients require a small donation to keep the classes going. These classes are ongoing, so by the time you've gotten your Blind Date, you don't have to donate if you show them your coupon.]


B.2 CHOCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

[Or maybe you're not here for the classes, you're spending time on the other half of the tea shop where it's still set for customers. The tea shop half of the entire store is not actually that big, so you might be finding it a bit cramped.

That being said, a treats bar has been set out as a complimentary offer. There's a chocolate fountain in the middle of this bar, and you know you wanna dip some heart shaped marshmallows or fruits in that sucker. There's also these flower shaped gummies. No one actually knows how they got there, but maybe for the sake of science, you want to coat it with chocolate and eat it.

Do it.]


C: WILDCARD.

[Because there's so much more to explore! Or maybe you're just here to visit and laugh at them. Or maybe you wanna use the tea space as a PLACE FOR A DATE, AYYYYYY in which the scene from Lady and the Tramp could happen and there will be a cute musical number (look, I'll have it arranged, I'm not even kidding. Too bad I can't get an Okiayu character to do it though, you might have to make do with a loser girl). Or maybe you've MESSED UP THIS ENTIRE PLACE Vietnam will kill you with her bare hands (unless she likes you, then you will live).]

Comments

[hoasen]

You are lucky that you know someone here, and someone you can work with so that the both of you settle nicely before...[Before taking down the Man or something. She stops herself though, that's talk for another day (and not talk that Zoro could potentially rub into Sanji's face).

And some are! At least in the kitchen right now anyway. She nods and then flips to a clean page.]

Yes, anytime you are ready! I suppose firstly, you should tell me exactly what your haramaki is like. I will do my best to draw it. Ah, I'm not the best artist, so please correct me if I draw anything wrong. [But not terrible at least.]

[yourotherleft]

That's fine. I'm sure it'll do.

[and now that he's standing in front of her, he can make all the gestures and point all he wants to show what he means.]

It goes around my waist, like from here to here. [holding his hands from mid-abs to his hips] Just a band, it's plain...although I guess it does stretch, so I can pull it off and on like a t-shirt. It's green...I guess I still want it to be green.

[hoasen]

[What if it turns into a stick figure!!! Fortunately not, she just drew what vaguely looks like a person, and writes down notes as he describes it to her. A band around his middle (note to self, measure mid-abs to hips), and it stretches. Ah! She knows what he's talking about now! She definitely can make it, but to be sure--]

Any particular green you'd want it to be? And how thick is it?

[yourotherleft]

Eh, not too thick, maybe...double the thickness of my shirt?

[he's just wearing a t-shirt today, easy enough to pinch part of the hem and guess.]

I'm not too picky, just. Green's a good color. Anything will do.

[hoasen]

Double the thickness of your shirt...[She gives his tshirt one long look.]

Please excuse my forwardness! [And reaches over to do just that. Delicately, in case he flinches.]

And any green colour...is green your favourite?

[yourotherleft]

[he doesn't mind her in his personal space, it's the question that makes him blush just a teeny tiny bit.]

...uh. Yeah, it is.

[he'll just stand there and awkwardly scrub a hand through his hair. Tailors have to get up close and personal though, right? So he expects that.]

[hoasen]

[If he starts getting embarrassed, she starts getting embarrassed too WHAT A SPIRAL. She didn't notice yet though only because she's still writing stuff down.]

Green is one of my favourites too! [Red is her favourite, but she wears a lot more green.

That is when she looks up and sees how he's a little bit awkward.]

A-ah, if you can hold your arms out, please, I will measure around your waist now. [She reaches into her work apron to get her measuring tape, but now she's fiddling with it.]

[yourotherleft]

Oh - right.

[he quickly drops his hand and then spreads his arms out so she can get at him. He's never really had this done before, but it's not hard to guess what kind of access she'll need to measure him. He can't help but look down and watch because compared to him, she's so tiny, it's cute.]

[hoasen]

Thank you.

[And now to start! It's a good thing she's just going for his waist too, because otherwise she would've needed a step stool to measure everything else (alas). That being said, he's not just taller, he's significantly bigger. So she's trying hard not to get all up in his grill as she attempts to wrap the tape around him.]

A-ah, excuse me. [And there, his waist. She drops the tape a bit to get his hips as well, repeating the numbers to herself so she can write it down.]

[yourotherleft]

[at least for anyone not an enemy, Zoro's just a big teddy bear. A big, gruff, blunt, not-very-squishy teddy bear. He's not too embarrassed to have her so close, but at the apology, he yanks his gaze away and looks somewhere else so he's not staring at her.]

It's fine. Pretty easy, right?

[not that he knows sewing a haramaki from a three piece suit, but whatever]

[hoasen]

[Some people might like these kind of large, non-squishy teddy bears! Tsundere bears! Could be all the rage.

When she looks up, he's already looking away. She nods before dropping the tape to measure lengthwise, like how he estimated before, and then steps away to write down all the numbers.]

Thank you again, we are done. But yes, it should be easy! After you described it to me, I remembered when I saw it when visiting a friend. Should I get the fabric today, I will be able to complete it by tomorrow. If not, then some time this week.

[yourotherleft]

Really? [he flops his arms to his sides, impressed.] That's fast. That'd be great...

[it really is the little things in life. He's stupidly happy over being able to have the warm comfort around his waist again.]

Let me know what it costs, I'll pay anything. If it comes out right, maybe I'll even ask for a couple spares just in case.

[lord knows he'll go through shirts if he keeps fighting Vegeta, so maybe a few extra haramaki aren't a bad idea.]

[hoasen]

Yes! I am very used to sewing, so I am very quick. But I assure you that the quality will not be sacrificed! [She'll make him the best haramaki! His waist will be all warm and toasty. His swords too.] I will contact you after I am finished. Then we can organise another time to meet up.

I will figure out how much it costs after I buy what I need. I will definitely make sure it is affordable! [It shouldn't be too expensive, so she thinks. As long as she finds the right stuff. That and she haggles like a monster.]

Spares... [She taps her chin. She might end up having to make a couple more depending on how she buys the fabric. But she won't tell him that yet. Also Zoro, be more careful!] Whatever you decide, I hope it will still give you some warmth.

[yourotherleft]

[He idly rubs a hand over his stomach, like it's so cold and he feels naked even if he's got a real shirt on and isn't running around showing everyone his scar.]

You got it. That's what I need. Thanks, Vietnam, you're a big help. Maybe you can get a bit of extra business making clothes for people, this way.

[hoasen]

[That there sounds like a story she'd sit down and want to hear.]

You're welcome, really. I am glad that I am able to help! Thank you for making it easy for me, though. [She then laughs softly, although it's very brief.] Perhaps I can. I am willing, but only if anyone needs me to.

[yourotherleft]

I'm probably not the only one who's looking for something they don't sell here.

[playing it casual, though he did talk to one other person who also had a tailor query. Not that she needs more work, clearly, but who knows?

He leans against the back of a chair, folding his arms again]

Though, I guess if it's just you here, trying to run a shop and sew for people at the same time is gonna be hard.

[hoasen]

Ah...you are right. [She did invest in a sewing machine because she didn't have everything she needed here, and normally she's pretty good with just normal casual clothes.] I suppose if anyone needs me, I could try to do something! It is a little surprising that a place like this doesn't have all that we need.

[Handling two jobs isn't a big problem, she likes keeping busy. But he's right, it would be hard since they both require a lot from her.]

Yes, helping to manage the shop requires a lot of work, but it is because Valentine's Day is coming up. I might have a little more time for others too during times where not everyone is trying to buy something for a significant other.

[yourotherleft]

Yeah, a bit. I'll keep that in mind. [although to be honest he gave up looking for any stores carrying other types of clothing the minute she said she could make one. Guaranteed product!

The thought of Valentine's Day makes him make a face, though. Ugh. Ugh Cook's going to be insufferable this month.]

Oh, right. That. Guess it's that time of year.

[hoasen]

[Firm nod!!!] If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. Although you probably would like to judge my technique first, after I finish with your haramaki. [Though she's confident she'll be able to do it perfectly, she hopes that it is just like the one he's comfortable with.

She's slightly amused, because he's not the only one. Half the staff aren't looking forward to it.]

Not your favourite time of year?

[yourotherleft]

[oh he will, and when he's happy with it, he'll order more. D'aww.]

Nah. I'm not interested in that stuff at all. Mostly it just means my crewmate will be ten times more annoying than usual.

[hoasen]

[Uweh, Zoro's going to a be a favourite, it's gonna happen.]

Ah, I can see why that would be a problem. Hopefully, he would be out on a date, and you will get the apartment all to yourself on the day?

[yourotherleft]

[hang on, processing mental picture.

Nope, can't take it. Busting up laughing.]

Nah, he's not that good at it. More like he's gonna be moping around the apartment because he can't get any.

[hoasen]

[WAITING WAITING...oh there we go!

Okay actually even she cracks a smile at this.]

Ah, goodness, perhaps his strategies are all wrong. It is definitely a shame, but your day might be a little more amusing if you enjoy watching his pain?

[yourotherleft]

Damn right I do. That's a good way to look at it.

[approving nod. He likes you, Vietnam. You have an evil streak he can get behind.]

[hoasen]

[Shhhh, don't tell anyone she's kinda thug. She's a delicate flower!! (Who is she lying to).]

I really shouldn't be encouraging this, but it is also an integral part of Valentine's Day. [THE PAIN AND DRAMA.] Would he get more angry if a few imaginary admirers called you up? [Though she wouldn't be surprised if he had real admirers either. People dig rugged pirates.]