[Hakuno keeps up her steady pace, not entirely stopping even as the distance between them closes. She only has eyes for him, right now, no matter how cute or charming the placements were carefully arranged to be.
Instead of sitting, she braces a knee on the open seat, a hand on his shoulder, and she kisses him slow and deep and candy-sweet, pulling back just enough to murmur against his mouth.]
[hm. it's not like he's going to REFUSE her even as the warm food sits out in the cold. he meets her, eyes lidding as his lips move against hers until she pulls away. at some point, his arm had circled around to her waist and he grips the looser part of her top in his fist.]
Just... doing my best.
[the fourteenth means the cycle finds itself in its third Iris moon, just before it beings to wane. the 6th through the 18th is always...
no. this going to be the candlelit dinner she wants.]
So, er, Happy Valentine's Day. Take a seat. Would you like some wine? I have some of the sweet kind inside on ice. I'll bring it out.
[it might be the vestiges of the Sanguis moon lingering or... something else. he pauses at her smile but squeezes her shoulder gently as he skirts around her chair and head to the kitchen to find the bottle, calling over his shoulder as he pops open the cork.]
What? Like you don't already surprise me every day of the week?
[he comes back and pours her glass full before pouring some for himself and sits down across from her.]
[... leaving him to wonder what that means. or look forward to, knowing her. even if she didn't, she would be far from no-good.
he grabs his glass but before taking a sip, lifts it towards her.]
Not really. [c'mon. is he the bragging type?] I'd actually like to toast to you. For... [well, she makes him want to try a lot of things, doesn't she?]
[there's only a slight pause before he lifts his glass to his lips and takes his sip. it's not that he'll ever get used to the things she says but... it is getting easier. slowly but surely, building confidence in himself he hasn't felt his entire life.
if he can make this young woman smile at him as she does.
he smacks his lips at the sweetness that still manages to be light and well-rounded on his palate. more or less worth the Chroma he spent, though he prefers beer.
and normally, not something he would buy at the amount it sold for. special occasions call for special treatment. rather, special people...]
Robin grabs his fork. he's made something up to compliment the sweet wine. he's not used to spices (he's BRITISH) but he found something palatable for his white tongue. the meats have spices he wouldn't have DARED try on his own but complement the cool sweetness of Hakuno's favorite drink.
he mumbles something, flushing slightly, before making his voice more clear.]
[although she initiates it, it's the push he usually needs from her. there's only a small pause where his finger twitches before he's stretching his hand across the small table farther and lacing their hands instead of just hooking pinkies.
the statement is just as much, if not more, of a surprise.
they're Nero flowers, he guesses. there's a slight narrowing of his eyes before he steers them away. back to her.]
[She's gotten pretty good at it; pushing just enough that he knows there's a sincere offer on the table, with enough want on her end of the equation that he can seize it with minimal guilt or self-recrimination. It's not a perfect process every time, of course, but in little doses it usually pays off for the better.
She squeezes her fingers around his once, fondly, and continues eating without commenting it.]
You know... I've never really thought about it. Roses are nice, of course. The cherry blossoms are gorgeous, in one of the other cities... Hm.
[She sips her wine again, obviously thinking hard.]
Well... come to think of it, I suppose there's one I've always thought of as particularly cute, though I don't see it around all that much. Lily-of-the-valley.
[eating with one hand isn't more difficult but it is well worth it for the warmth and ease that settles over him once she squeezes his hand. simple pleasures.
he lifts his fork to his mouth and listens as she muses aloud.
maybe getting her to think about her favorite things instead of worrying about everyone else's is something he should keep aspiring to do.]
Those tiny white ones? [they are cute but]
You know they're really poisonous, right?
[he's smiling, crooked, trying to make sense of it. they're also called May bells.
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Instead of sitting, she braces a knee on the open seat, a hand on his shoulder, and she kisses him slow and deep and candy-sweet, pulling back just enough to murmur against his mouth.]
...you're the best boyfriend.
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Just... doing my best.
[the fourteenth means the cycle finds itself in its third Iris moon, just before it beings to wane. the 6th through the 18th is always...
no. this going to be the candlelit dinner she wants.]
So, er, Happy Valentine's Day. Take a seat. Would you like some wine? I have some of the sweet kind inside on ice. I'll bring it out.
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[She pecks him on the lips, once more, and settles down into the chair properly.]
I'd love some wine. This all looks amazing.
[She squeezes his hand, her smile halfway between purely happy and purely... Iris.]
But, let's enjoy this before I take my turn with the surprises.
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What? Like you don't already surprise me every day of the week?
[he comes back and pours her glass full before pouring some for himself and sits down across from her.]
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Really, she's got no defense against such earnestness.]
I'm a no-good girlfriend if I forget to go the extra mile tonight of all nights.
...but that's for later. You want to brag a little, before we dig in?
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he grabs his glass but before taking a sip, lifts it towards her.]
Not really. [c'mon. is he the bragging type?] I'd actually like to toast to you. For... [well, she makes him want to try a lot of things, doesn't she?]
For making me a better man.
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Then, I'll toast you right back.
[She lifts her glass, and sips smoothly.]
For making my life better.
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if he can make this young woman smile at him as she does.
he smacks his lips at the sweetness that still manages to be light and well-rounded on his palate. more or less worth the Chroma he spent, though he prefers beer.
and normally, not something he would buy at the amount it sold for. special occasions call for special treatment. rather, special people...]
You... did want something like this though?
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[The candlelight paints everything softly, like this, but her gaze is softer still as it finds his own.]
Something... something just for us. No wild nights on the town, or big events, just... us. It's perfect.
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with that? he grins over the edge of his glass.]
Good. It was between this and pub hopping until daybreak.
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[She says it lightly, taking another sip before starting in on the meal herself.]
The flowers were a nice touch, regardless.
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Robin grabs his fork. he's made something up to compliment the sweet wine. he's not used to spices (he's BRITISH) but he found something palatable for his white tongue. the meats have spices he wouldn't have DARED try on his own but complement the cool sweetness of Hakuno's favorite drink.
he mumbles something, flushing slightly, before making his voice more clear.]
Not like I can use roses...
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She edges her hand up and links pinkies with him across the table.]
Mm. They're literally everywhere in one of my cities. They're lovely, but they don't really seem like 'special occasion' flowers anymore, honestly.
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the statement is just as much, if not more, of a surprise.
they're Nero flowers, he guesses. there's a slight narrowing of his eyes before he steers them away. back to her.]
What's your favorite one? Your favorite flower.
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She squeezes her fingers around his once, fondly, and continues eating without commenting it.]
You know... I've never really thought about it. Roses are nice, of course. The cherry blossoms are gorgeous, in one of the other cities... Hm.
[She sips her wine again, obviously thinking hard.]
Well... come to think of it, I suppose there's one I've always thought of as particularly cute, though I don't see it around all that much. Lily-of-the-valley.
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he lifts his fork to his mouth and listens as she muses aloud.
maybe getting her to think about her favorite things instead of worrying about everyone else's is something he should keep aspiring to do.]
Those tiny white ones? [they are cute but]
You know they're really poisonous, right?
[he's smiling, crooked, trying to make sense of it. they're also called May bells.
May King.]
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[She blinks, a bit surprised. The more you know.]
...well, that doesn't really make them any less charming, does it?
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something tells him she isn't just talking about the flowers. their hands turn slightly so he can drag his thumb along the center of her palm.]
Sure, but they're probably better admired from afar. Still... they're really fortunate to have someone like you choose them as your favorite flower.