Complete Private Dates Are Always Awkward, Aren't They?

[Harveste]

"I appreciate your honesty," She replied with a very simplistic smile still on her face. Honesty went a long way with the woman- it was his honesty early on that likely started to attract her in the first place. Well, partially. Unaware of what she'd said to earn the 'smooth talker' role from him, she ended up giggling at the thought. "Can't say anyone's ever called me that before. If anything, most people tell me I'm too direct."

She did notice what he was drinking, but didn't say anything about it. Jaluna wasn't a big drinker, though she did have the occasional bit of alcohol here and there- she usually only drank it at home, where it was safe from prying eyes. Seeing Brian drinking grape juice reminded her of her younger years, when her family would have her drinking it in place of wine at Passover and other special events.

As he cleared his throat, she frowned and looked down slightly. "It's fine to say it's not fine, you know." His throat clearing had made her think she made him uncomfortable- and she wouldn't blame him, because she was uncomfortable with herself for it. She looked a bit like a puppy flattening its ears with her facial expression- but she shook it off soon enough, giving him a nervous smile instead.

"I just want to taste it now. I'm hungry, and it looks delicious."

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"I'd say your honesty is part of your smoothness, in a way." Brian said with a laugh, glancing at his food before starting to have it. He did hold himself back from eating his food in the way he usually would, being a bit more gluttonous than he was honestly showing to Jaluna. Well, it was fine to show his true glutton self later, for now it was better to just have a social lunch, nothing serious even if his stomach would complain later about it.

He rose his eyebrows at her words, chuckling. "I really think it is fine. Unless there is something weird on my face, then I'd rather if you told me-- But knowing how truthful you are, you would've already told me if there was anything wrong." He shrugged slightly, already forking some of the spaghetti and looking at Jaluna.

"Go ahead, I promise you it is very tasty. With your help, it is even tastier than the usual." Brian added.

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

Naturally unaware he wasn't eating as he usually did, Jaluna shrugged off any concern she might have had about it, instead listening to his words with care. Each word echoed in her ears slightly, as she took time to comprehend what he was saying. With a giggle, she smiled a goofy grin. "Thank you," she told him rather simply. When he told her to start eating, she nodded.

"Bon appetit~!" With careful spinning of her fork, she took a slightly larger-than-necessary forkful of food and took a bite. "I don't think I did anything of note," she told him honestly, "but it's very delicious." She took another bite, and then another. Each taste seemed to help her glow slightly, intrigued by the rich flavor.

Yep, she definitely had to try to remember the steps this took- not that she remembered most of them as it was. "Brian is a good chef." She said her words in a sing-song voice, before quietly returning to her meal, patting her mouth every so often with her napkin to avoid a mess on her face.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Brian watched the woman taking an intimidating forkful of the spaghetti with awe, suddenly realizing that maybe, just maybe, he should be just set himself free and eat as he usually did. But for now, he left it as a side thought, focusing on their moment instead of being worried about silly things. Though it was just natural to be concerned, even if Jaluna acted very easygoing so far.

"I am glad you like it." Brian smiled warmly, pausing and taking a bit for himself, enjoying the taste of his own work that felt even better today. He would bet all his money that it was thanks to his lovely company.

"Hm-" He urged to talk, but swallowed the food first. "- Is there anything you would prefer to eat next time?" Brian asked, then showing a confident expression.

"My menu is quite big, and even if I've never cooked what you want, I can always give it a shot." He grinned.

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

It took her a moment to realize she wasn't exactly eating in a very lady-like manner. She laughed nervously, but continued to eat in a similar fashion. It was too hard to really change her eating habits. She was just glad she hadn't made a mess of herself. At least not yet.

With another bite, she at least managed not to speak while chewing. She'd been getting better about that at home, too, luckily. When asked what she wanted to eat next time, she felt the blood in her cheeks at the thought there would be a 'next time', smiling a toothy grin once she had swallowed her next forkful of food. "I don't really plan my meals ahead of time... So, let's just wait and see what we want when the time comes, okay?"

She had no doubt whatever he made would be tasty- especially not after seeing him at work just moments before. "Say, what made you decide to be a chef anyway? I know already that you're very good at it, but I'm curious what lead you to it in the first place." After all, this was a date, she reminded herself. She was here partially to learn more about him, not just gobble down a yummy meal. It really was delicious though.

"I want to know more about you. Lots more." She gave another grin, feeling she'd articulated her desire well. All that worrying that morning felt silly now. She was truly enjoying herself. Now, she was glad she'd asked him out in the real world. Very glad.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

As cute and elegant as 'lady-like' could be, Brain gave no bother about those particularities. It was between them, not some sort of formal meeting. Learning the truth about each other was the reason they were in a date in real life rather than in game, wasn't it? Unless he had missed the memo.

When she said she never planned ahead, Brian grinned. "Well, that's an extra challenge that I will take for me." Not having time to prepare meant he would need to improvise a lot of cooking in case she decided to pick up something unusual.

It made him wonder if he should bring her to the Restaurant again next time, or... If he should be bolder next time.

Perhaps...

"Why I wanted to be a chef?" He muttered the question after swallowing and then pondering. "When I was a kid, I always cooked with my mom. I also liked to make my own sandwiches, and that... Kinda grew on me? Honestly when I was a kid, I wanted to be a hero, not a cook. But y'know, I grew up." The innevitable 'mature age'. He had even considered becoming something like a firefighter or a medic, heroes on their own, but still.

Brian chuckled. "I decided to become a hero in a video game instead... Turned out we can be actual heroes there though." He muttered the last part, then looking up at her eyes.

"And you, Luna? You've always written stories?" He asked.

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

Jaluna laughed a bit timidly, smiling. "I'm sure whatever it is, it will turn out tasty. Maybe I'll be able to help more next time, too." She wanted to be useful to him, she thought- not just let him do all the work. She felt a little guilty being so happy at the moment with a meal he'd made just for her.

"I see! So you were cute even as a kid." She giggled a bit, trying to imagine a younger version of the man in front of her trying to be heroic. Now that she thought of it, though, it did make sense how he acted in Terrasphere considering that. Sure, they'd only met once, but he'd helped her with something as simple as handing out flowers. That was heroic in its own way to her.

"I've always loved stories, but I actually wanted to be a teacher originally." She put a finger to her chin. "I didn't feel I could do it, though. School was pretty hard for me, and as much as I love children, they can be pretty hard to handle... And I was sick a lot, so..."

She let out another nervous laugh, scratching the back of her neck. "For me, writing was just a hobby originally too. My father was always telling me interesting stories, and it made me want to be able to tell stories too- but just for fun. It just sort of... grew into more as I got older."

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"We can take a day only to cook together too, it wouldn't be bad." There was something nice about domestic dates, something that inclined into more about doing casual things together rather than just going out and visiting places outside.

But the thought made Brian a bit sheepish for a moment. Wasn't that sort of thing you only did with a girlfriend or something? He was getting a bit ahead of himself, they were just friends, even if they were in a date, there was nothing going between them in this level of closeness. Sometimes he forgot that they had just met, even if it didn't feel like that.

"Well, most of children are cute, right?" He chuckled nervously, taking a sip of his drink.

"It would be interesting to see you as a teacher, you are pretty caring, so it would work pretty well." Brian said, pondering about it, and then looking at Jaluna with a pensive expression. It did seem like she had a lot of problems going for her, and Brian made sure to take a mental note of it for the future. He needed to treat her with a lot of care to not cause any bigger issue.

"I guess our hobbies just couldn't continue to be just hobbies then. Heh. I hope at least that it has been fun for you." He said, continuing with his meal, that should be done very soon.

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

"That sounds fun!" Jaluna chimed. She hadn't thought about the fact that a domestic date was often seen as more 'serious'. Then again, she already knew she liked the man in front of her quite a bit. Would she even care if it were more 'serious'? Shaking her head rapidly to erase the thoughts like she was an etch-and-sketch, she tried to avoid her mind.

As much as she liked him, he probably didn't see her that way, right?

"Children are super cute, I just don't have the stamina to work with them." She laughed a bit, adding, "And the ones I wanted to work with were the ones with special needs. That takes a special kind of dedication I probably couldn't give."

Jaluna noticed the pensive expression and blushed a bit, waving her hands in front of her rapidly. "Y-You don't need to worry about it too much. It's true I get migraines and stuff a lot, but... I'm a lot healthier now than I used to be."

She went silent and took another bite of food, then another. Finally, she smiled. "Writing is very fun. But... I think I'm having a lot more fun right now than I have had in a long time from writing a story. It sort of makes me sad the park is the end of today."

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"Then I guess that's a plan set for some day." Brian said, not wanting to back up now that he started speaking about it and seeing that Jaluna didn't really ignored the idea either. In fact, she even seemed a bit eager, something that made the man a bit sheepish.

The topic quickly went back to their conversation about what they work with, making him even more pensive about it when she mentioned her lack of stamina. But soon she tried to shake it off, and Brian noticed what he was doing. "Ah, I-I mean." He cleared his throat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you like that, it is a bit worrying though, so... Sorry." Last thing he wanted was to make Jaluna self-conscious.

"The fact you wanted to teach kids in special needs is very heartwarming though, maybe someday you will be able to help them like that. I mean, nothing would stop you from writing a book for kids in special needs?" It was a possibility.

A faint smile then crossed his lips. "Don't worry, it will be a fun time at the park." He said, finishing his meal and letting out a quiet joyful sigh.

"I promise we can stay there as long as you want."

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

A plan for someday... It was a pleasant thought. She wasn't sure why she liked the idea as much as she did, nor did she understand why he seemed a bit shier for a minute. But, when he realized she'd gotten worried about his thought process, she let out a nervous laugh. "It's really nothing for you to worry about... It's not going to affect you any. I'm getting better over time." Her lack of stamina didn't mean anything for him, after all, did it?

"I've tried writing children's books, but... The type of material I usually end up writing isn't exactly the friendliest for kids. It's nothing overly adult either, mind you, it's just... How do I describe this..." She was better at writing than speaking, or so it seemed.

Finishing her meal, she let out a contented sound, stretching gently in her chair. "That was delicious. I hope the cookies I brought will make a good dessert, though they pale in comparison to your culinary ability, I'm sure." She gave him a broad, toothy grin.

"And you shouldn't make promises like that, Brian. You don't know how long I can enjoy your company. I might just-" She stopped herself from finishing that sentence quickly, a small 'yip' coming from her as she covered her red face. "A-Anyway, shall we get going? Oh- should I bring the dishes for us?"

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"Oh! Children's books? That sounds nice, if you ever write one, let me know so I can see if I can grab some for my little cousins." He said with a grin, listening to her words and being sure that the cookies were going to be a great dessert, though something lingered in something that was cut short in her sentence.

"You might just..?" Brian blinked at her words, putting pieces together and feeling his cheeks warming. He had forgotten that this was the woman that had invited him to a date in real life in their first day meeting. She had zero restraint and he completely forgot it when he made such an offer... Though...

Clearing his throat, he looked at her and nodded. "My offer still stands." He said, getting off his seat and looking at the dishes. "Don't worry, I will take care of these. I do think we should get going though-" Brian looked at the time, noticing that soon the sky would be warm with its orange tone, something that would make the sight in the bridge park something no short of amazing.

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

She stared at her lap, embarrassed by what she'd almost innocently blurted out. Peeking up at him, she realized he may have gotten the wrong idea. Well, partially wrong. Actually, was it wrong? She did rather like the man before her, so... No! No, she was sure it was wrong!

"I-I just meant I'd like to spend all evening with you if I could! Honest! I just... Really like you, so..."

She wanted to curl up in a ball from embarrassment. "I don't really know why, I just feel at ease here with you. Your kindness is the kind I've always been attracted to... So I just... Got really excited thinking about it on my own..."

Unable to believe she was blurting this out (okay, she believed it well- but she still had some form of grudge against herself for doing it), she stood from the table and gave him a meek smile. "I-I'll wait here until you're ready, so shall we go?"

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Listening to Jaluna's words made Brian feel warm, way too warm. He fought back to not avert his face, feeling a shyness growing in his chest in such a way that was suffocating. Yet, there was some nice feeling in what she said, that she would like to spend so much time with him, that she really liked him, that she felt at ease with him. His lips quirked in a smile that he just couldn't get off his face, rubbing his neck as he tried to make words to talk back.

"I.... Am really liking our time together too." Brian said, managing to not only look at Jaluna, but to look at her eyes. "When we met, my mind was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I was pretty lost on what to do, after receiving bad news after bad news... A pretty and kind girl handing flowers was the last thing that I thought would make my day that time." He said, smiling a bit brighter.

"I like you too. Let's continue to make this day wonderful, okay? If you want to do anything, we will do." Brian added, taking the dishes and moving away for a moment, feeling his face reddening entirely now that he was averted from her.

He wanted to bury his head somewhere she wouldn't look. God how embarrassing that was, but at least... No one could say that was a lie.

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

She had a feeling she'd said something strange, or something that she shouldn't have- but when he smiled, a sense of rest managed to reach the pounding in her chest. He was smiling, after all. That meant her words didn't have a negative effect on him after all, didn't it?

A question rang through her mind, but it was one she'd opt not to ask as she smiled back at him. Metaphorically, she was sure she was glowing. Her smile was abundant, and her tail would be wagging rapidly if she had one. Receiving so many compliments in one sitting made her uneasy normally, but even so, she was happy to hear them.

"If I had an actual green thumb, I'd have brought some today too," She admitted honestly. "I'm actually really bad with plants. I could probably kill a cactus with minimal effort..." With a nervous laugh, she scratched her neck.

When his gaze was averted to take care of the dishes, she felt her face flush crimson against her will again. She put her hands behind her back and stretched, trying to use the movement to distract herself from how warm her face was. Her mind went numb- she was just too happy to think of what to do besides their stroll in the park. Thinking it over, she eagerly awaited his return. She could think about it as long as she wanted. For now, it was best to focus on what he'd already planned.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Brian wasn't entirely aware of how much or what was exactly making her so cheerful. He could think it was himself, yes, and maybe it was, but it would be too presumptuous to do it.

"If you do manage to kill off a cactus, you need to check these thumbs to make sure they aren't under some curse." Brian laughed quietly just as he moved away to go take care of the dishes, placing them away so the workers in the kitchen could take them. While he was giving it away, the workers managed to shoot a few funny stares at him, making Brian frown and handwave their stupidity.

As he walked back to Jaluna, Brian got near next to her, already offering his arm if she wished and gesturing to the door that he would soon open to her step out first.

"Whenever you are ready to go, I am."

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

She laughed nervously at the thought that there might be a curse on her hands. She didn't really believe in curses, but she wrote about them sometimes. She had to make a mental note to use that concept in a book sometime, before shaking it off and noticing Brian had already returned with his arm offered to her.

"Thank you," she chimed, wrapping his arm up in a snug hug with her own. "All ready."

She'd follow his lead with care, trying to find a way not to let go of him when they were going through the door, but ultimately failing at it. When she was able, she'd take his arm again and nuzzle against it slightly. "Which way do we go from here?"

She hadn't yet noticed the color of the sky, with the sun setting slowly overhead. She only knew she was enjoying the man's company greatly. She didn't seem to have time for other thoughts at all. Memories tried to haunt her, but failed miserably as she stayed smiling.

"Has anyone ever told you you're just super duper comfy?"

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

The way she gently held onto his arm made Hanno feel a gentle warmth, looking at her and chuckling when she nuzzled on it. "Are you feeling cold?" He asked, wondering if that was the reason she got so attached to his arm, hugging it like she wanted to take it to herself.

"It isn't a long way from here. we would be already able to see the bridge if it wasn't for the buildings." Many of them being too large and tall to allow people to enjoy the sight and beauty of it.

At her words, he couldn't help but chuckle sheepishly, rubbing his neck with his free hand.

"Well, I don't think anyone ever said it in the way." He felt the embarrassment bubbling in his chest, looking at her and giving her a gentle caress on the hair.

"You are very comfortable yourself. Your hug is very warm."

@Harveste

 

[Harveste]

To his question, the woman shook her head and gave a curious glance to him. "Is it strange if I just like being closer to you?" With her answer came a sheepish giggle, before she tugged on him just enough to kiss his cheek. If anything, she felt overly warm from the way her blood was rushing around in her body. She just didn't feel like letting go despite it.

"Well, you are. You're warm and delightful." Looking up at him with a gentle grin, she kept close without being so close she'd step on his toes. As she was looking up at him, she finally noticed the color of the sky. "It's hard to believe the sun is getting ready for bed. It's lovely though, isn't it?"

Of course, Jaluna had no idea what was in store at the park he was taking her to. She just knew what she could see through her lenses at that moment. When was the last time she'd even paid attention to a sunset? Usually cooped up in her home, she rarely noticed the sun going down until it was too late.

"Getting to see something so beautiful without being distracted is a nice change of pace." She flashed him a grin, adding, "Present company just makes it better, though."

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"It isn't strange, I just wanted to make sure." Brian smiled, already leaning in when she tried to tug him, knowing what she had in her mind and chuckling sheepishly at it again. Really, he wouldn't mind getting used to that, and funnily enough, he was actually getting used to it.

Her compliments made him once again feel his cheeks warm, but not enough to break his expressions and cause him to become way too flustered to react properly. At this point, he already was pretty much immune to stagger because of this kind of deal. "It sure is... The day went past really fast, now that I think about it." Brian said, smiling faintly and looking at Jaluna. "You are right, I couldn't have a better company." He returned the compliment, casting a glance at the sun lowering way too fast, and starting to feel a bit worried about it.

"But it is far from being done, c'mon" He tugged her, urging her to hurry up in a playful way, not really dragging her but rather pretending to give it a light jogging next to her.

As they finally neared the park, the sky was already in its contrast of warm and cool colors. The orange and blue exchanged each other in a gentle violet tone that colored the sky, with the clouds serving like the effect of a brush caressing the canvas of an artist.

The large and tall buildings blocked most of the majestic sight of the sunset, but the lake did not betray it, being used as a giant mirror to reflect the beautiful color the sun had to offer.

Brian released a sigh looking at it, having a small smile on his lips.

@Harveste