More Flags, More Fun

It was their one-year anniversary. A full year after graduation, their relationship was at full swing. Plans of sharing an apartment were in the works, they had obtained steady jobs and were approved by both ends of the family tree.

While he thought that his biggest dilemma yet was trying to convince Taiga that all of her stuffed animals (whether he gave them to her or not) were dangerous sources for allergens and with one too many, it could turn the air of a perfectly clean home into a human-sized dust pan, Ryuuji, once again, had found that he had underestimated his Taiga dilemmas.

For their one year anniversary, he felt like there was nothing that would make his little Tiger happier than a few spins on the tea cups and a few rolls on a coaster. Unfortunately, as much as he calculated his personal days from work, budgeted his paychecks and even reserved a dinner for tonight a few months in advance, Takasu Ryuuji was a step from perfection with this slip up. If only he'd foreseen it sooner. It could've prevented the dilemma at hand.

"Taiga, calm down."

"No, I will not calm down! This idiot here isn't doing his job right!"

She pointed an accusing finger at the park employee, clad in a bright orange and green that under this intense sun, made Ryuuji wince.

"Listen, little miss, it says here-"

"Look, Ryuuji, he insulted me! Now be a good dog and sic him!"

"Taiga, he called you little."

"And I am not little! I am just conveniently compact for traveling purposes! Now defend my honor!"

Ryuuji huffed, his arm in front of his girlfriend, the only barrier keeping her from pouncing, claws unsheathed and fangs out.

"We can find something else, Taiga. There's still a whole amusement park to explore."

"But I want to go on this ride! It isn't fair! This is racist!"

"Bias-"

"Whatever! I have rights!"

Quickly, he looked around, trying to find something to distract her with and hopefully drag her away before their crowd of onlookers turned into double digits. When he spotted a vendor a few feet away, right next to the nice, harmless, and most likely, not height restricted carousel, he moved to action.

"Look, Taiga! Didn't you want to try that ice cream? The one made out of little dots like space food?"

"Wait, Ryuuji, can't you see that I have a possible law suit in progress?"

"You can't sue him, Taiga, he is doing his job. It's probably not safe."

"It's only an inch! An inch! One. Stinking. Inch!"

With hesitation, the employee interrupted. "Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience. It's just that, unless you're this tall and your head reaches this line, we can't allow you to ride this coaster. Like your boyfriend says, it would be unsafe and if something were to happen, I would be held responsible-"

"Oh? So now we're all in cahoots with one another, are we? I'll tell you what then fruit salad, why don't you and my boyfriend have a ball on this coaster by yourselves! I'm going home and I'm calling my lawyer!"

"You don't have a lawyer," her boyfriend commented and he could tell that she was moments away from giving him the finger.

"I will have one when I get home! Idiot."

Taiga kicked the ruler that had condemned her in the first place, the kick shaking the mascot to the point that Takasu was ready to begin calculating property damages into his budgeting, and watched as she walked away mumbling.

"Stupid mascot's not all that cute, anyway…"

After apologizing to the employee for the scene, his third scene within their first half hour since admission, the Dragon realized that if he didn't solve this soon, they'd be banned from the park for good. The last thing that he wanted was to be escorted out by security, and as much as Taiga did have good reason to be upset, and typical of a feline, she hissed when her tail was stepped on, he knew that his girlfriend had meant no harm. It was their anniversary and all she wanted to do was to have fun. And as he watched her long hair sway at her back, guilt seeped in and he instantly wished he'd planned this better. The point was to make her happy, not the reverse.

They both sat at the bench closest to the ice cream stand. Silent, Taiga maintained her pout and avoided facing him.

Ryuuji couldn't help it. She deserved an apology.

"Taiga, it's my fault. I'm sorr-"

"Shut up."

"But-"

"Go away," she scolded, despite doing the opposite of her words and landing her temple to his shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence had calmed her fury, he found her looking suggestively towards the ice cream vendor. He snickered, "What flavor?"

"What do they have?"

"I hear they have a flavor called birthday cake."

"Ooh, give me that! And chocolate!"

"Coming right up!"

"Hey Ryuuji."

"Hmm?"

"Do they really eat this in space?"

"No idea. I wanna know why it doesn't melt right away. It's a scientific breakthrough! Less spills on clothing and my hands won't be sticky!"

She glared at him, "Only you would care about something like that."

"You're right."

He took a second to wipe the chocolate from her cheek and lick it from his fingers. "Mmm, I should try birthday cake next time."

"It's good, right?"

For the first time since they arrived, her grin reached her earlobes. The man felt that warm and fuzzy feeling that was usually her fault, and upon appreciating her smile, an idea struck him.

Shoving the last scoop of ice cream in his mouth and enduring the brain freeze with a grimace, he reached for her hair.

"Let me see something."

"Wait- what-"

"Taiga, give me your hair scrunchie-"

Red in the face, she fended him off, "We're not at home, you mongrel! This isn't the time to play hair salon!"

"T-Taiga!"

He shouted, his face equally red as he avoided the staring passerby's and motioned for her scrunchie.

"Just give it to me. I wanna see something."

Wordlessly, she obeyed. As she felt him gathering her hair up her scalp, she helped herself to the last of her ice cream to give herself another focus from the people who noticed the couple and whispered.

When gossip gave way to obnoxious laughing for one particular group of girls, Taiga yelled, "My hands are sticky, okay? You're just jealous!"

Shooed off by the Tiger's fierce glare, the girls retreated. Ryuuji had finished tying up her hair and as he backed away to observe his work, he nodded with approval.

"What?"

"Your hair, Taiga, when it's up in a ponytail, you look taller."

She'd almost forgotten about it until he brought it up.

"I don't care about that anymore, just forget it-"

"Come with me," he ordered, yanking her by the wrist and making way towards the parking lot.

"Where are we going?"

"It's only eleven and the park doesn't close until nine tonight. We still have some time to fix this."

"Eh? Speak Japanese, idiot! I don't know what you're talking about!"

He chopped her in the forehead and she cursed.

"That hurt!"

"You're going to get on that coaster, stupid! Just go along with me for once!"

"I- I am? I mean, you're stupid!"

He continued to drag her to the exit where they got their hands stamped and walked to the car. After about a half hour drive away from the amusement park and onto a main street, Ruuji stopped in front of a shoe store.

"What? What the hell are we doing here?"

Ryuuji palmed her nose and she bit him in return. At this rate, they'd have to stop by the pharmacy for a small first aid kit.

"Ouch! Let's just go."

"Not until you tell me why."

The blonde crossed her arms and legs in unison, not even a tidal wave would get her to move unless her boyfriend quit the mystery and spilled the beans.

"Okay, Taiga," he offered a hand to help her out of the car, "We're here to buy you a last minute pair of sneakers."

"Sneakers? But the ones I have are perfectly fine."

"Except that you've had them for a while and the rubber's probably worn out from so much use. And if my theory works, then we can get you on that coaster."

She looked at him, straight in the eye and her anger brightening into hope. "Y-you'd better not be lying to me, Ryuuji! It's not right to get a woman's hopes up."

"I'm not, I promise. And if I am, then you can have all of the ice cream you want."

He might've regretted his most recent negotiation. He wasn't sure if his wallet could take Aisaka's relentless spree of ice cream, but at the same time, he was so confident that his plan would work out, it was a risk he'd have to take.

"Fine. And next time you need to get yourself birthday cake."

"I will."

Twelve-thirty. The park employee eagerly checked his wristwatch, counting down the minutes until his one o' clock lunch break. He was looking forward to the rest of the day going without incident until he saw a familiar couple approaching him. Unfortunately, there was no place to hide, and with a sour look about him; He greeted the grumpy woman from earlier.

"I'm here to ride this coaster," she demanded, foot stomping and waist cocking included.

"Listen, I already told you before-"

"I don't know what you're talking about mister, but this is the first time we've ever met."

"Huh?"

Ryuuji smiled, "Oh, look, Taiga, it's your favorite mascot on that ruler there."

The employee was ready to reach for the phone and call security when she lined up against the ruler, a beaming grin over her face. He did a double take before hanging up the phone and questioning if missing breakfast that morning disrupted his memory.

"W-wait, you weren't that tall before-"

"Like I said, mister, I don't have any idea what you're talking about. Isn't that right, Ryuuji?"

"Yup. Look at that, you're even an inch above the standard height for this ride! You should be able to ride everything in this park now!"

"Like the log flume?"

"Yup."

"The tea cups?"

"Uh huh."

"And the free fall, too?"

"Yup. That too."

Taiga reached for Ryuuji's hand and the two marched victoriously onto the line ahead without sparing so much as a peek towards the baffled employee.

"But- wait- earlier- you-"

"Ryuuji, this is gonna be so much fun! I hope you're not afraid of this. I bet you are, you chicken."

He laughed, accepting her challenge, "Hah! I bet you'll scream with the first hill!"

"Are you gonna put ice cream where your mouth is?"

"Betting ice cream? Deal!"

If the park staff member wanted to stop them, he'd given up. As he sulked by the ruler, he checked his watch again - still a ways to go before lunch and plenty of time to doubt himself.

Before Taiga had strapped herself into the coaster, she caught the Dragon off guard with a kiss. The bar came down and he found her hand.

"Happy anniversary, Ryuuji. I'm having a lot of fun!"

Ryuuji twisted her arm around hers just in case, since her hair style and a new pair of sneakers were the only things cheating her onto these rides, and grinned, "Happy anniversary, Taiga."

A/N: I know. I vanished off the face of the planet. But I was in the mood for fluff and taking a break from something else that I'd been writing for months, and ToraDora was just the remedy I needed. Hope it pleased. X3