”Oh, I was just looking for Percy. We showed up together but I haven’t seen him since we arrived,” Dagda replied with a shrug. The two-toned man was probably on the other side of the room or something.
His eyebrows raised a little.
“Never?” he asked, surprise lacing his voice. He wondered if there was a specific reason or if she just hadn’t found the right person. However, he decided not to press further.
The two headed to the bar side by side. Pim said she did drink and was telling him about one she’d had sometime before. Her pronunciation of the name made him laugh. Being new to Earthland drinks and cocktails, he had no clue what it was, but it sounded interesting. He would remind himself later to get her one, but first, food!
They reached the buffet table and Pim had already grabbed up a plate. There were snacks of all kinds available and it seemed she had taken a little sample of several. Before Dagda could take up his own plate, the purple-haired woman was offering him some of hers.
“Yes please,” he replied with a nod, plucking a little pastry from the plate and taking a bite. It tasted like chocolate, a treat he had come to adore over the past few months, especially if it was dark chocolate.
Their snacking was interrupted by Lili’s voice. She had turned on a microphone and was addressing the crowd, threatening to arrest them if they misbehaved. Dagda let out an amused chuckle. Lili seemed to be looking for a partner for a man next to her for the first activity, which was quickly accepted by a woman with wolf ears who had appeared out of the crowd.
The hostess explained that the next activity would involve a balloon being strapped to one partner’s chest, crotch, or butt. The other person’s job was to pop the balloon with their own body, limited to the same list of body parts. Dagda glanced at Pim when the explanation was over, catching her gaze. She seemed uncertain. They did happen to be the closest to one another.
The decision was out of their hands, it seemed. An organizer had spotted the two and approached, stealing the plate from Pim’s hand and pushing her closer to Dagda. A balloon was attached to the string of her hoodie. It hung right over her chest. The small woman’s protest was cut short as the organizer gave her a hefty, almost aggressive shove right at the giant man.
Dagda leaned forward, reaching his arms out to help steady her. Pim had latched onto his arms to stop her stumble. Wide purple eyes stared into his own. Dagda’s breath hitched as his mind raced on what to do. He didn’t pull his arms away, letting her hold onto him as long as she desired to. Thinking back to his options for this activity, he decided to do chest to chest. Pim seemed so innocent that it was the option that felt right. Besides, there was no avoiding the activity. The piercing gaze of a nearby organizer removed that option entirely.
“We have to pop the balloon,” he explained, suddenly realizing just how intense their height difference was. He felt like a giant next to her, which he certainly was.
“So let’s pop it together with our chests, alright?” He couldn't use his hands directly on the balloon, but he had an idea. If she would agree, he would continue.
“I’m going to lift you up,” he warned. Crouching down, he would wrap his muscular arms around her waist. He pulled her closer to his chest with a grip that was firm but gentle, crossing his arms around her back. Returning to his full height, Pim would be in the air in his arms. He hoped she wasn’t too uncomfortable, but he would try to pop the balloon quickly.
“Tell me if I’m being too rough, okay?” he requested with a slight apologetic tone. She was so small compared to the titan that he feared he would cause her pain trying to pop the balloon. That was the last thing he wanted. Slowly squeezing, the balloon was compressed between the two. Their chests caused the pressure to build. It was like a giant bear hug.
Pop! At last, the balloon had erupted between them with enough pressure. While the balloon was certainly tough, it didn’t take extreme strength to pop. The rubber was pressing against Dagda’s cheek when it popped, leaving a slight stinging sensation on his jaw. With a sigh of relief, he quickly returned Pim to her feet. Though his arms had left her waist, he kept his hands on her upper arms as he looked the purple-haired woman over.
“We did it! Are you alright?” he asked, wanting to make sure he hadn’t gone too hard.