Re: What is the Price? (Gwain, PM to join)

[Gwain Darkson]

The king was no doubt amused by everything that was going on. He wasn't going to be merciless in the fact that he was going to get a rise out of Tsumiko, seeing the shock of his sudden answer on her face. Honestly, Gwain wanted to see the girl again and didn't want the one date to just be the one date. The red-eyed man had become smitten with the silver-blue eyed girl who fumbled nervously with herself and decided that if eating that fruit meant getting to know her more, then he'd eat it with her. Which, on the topic of eating, he temporarily turned his head to look at the neko-girl and smiled wide. The king meant two of everything and wanted two of everything. The waitress didn't fight against his order any longer and went off once again.

Gwain turned his attention back to Tsumiko and chuckled when he saw her put the silly-straw into the large glass of chocolate milk. He himself had picked up his glass of tea and took several gulps, before placing the beverage back down. After doing so, his smile remained, only because of how child-like and adorable her antics were. The king watched as the blue-haired woman began to stare and think deeply about the fruit in front of her. The man found himself doing the same and stared at the fruit, wondering what it'd feel like, taste like, should she decide to break it. He watched as her hands began to apply pressure to the fruit.

"This... This is really happening, is it? This is all real, this woman in front of me is real and the butterflies that are fluttering around in me chest and stomach are real. I wonder if that fruit in her hands is really magical, if so, we'd be making the biggest commitment of our lives..." Gwain thought to himself and his face brightened with blush. He twiddled his thumbs and his body shook only slightly with nervousness. This is what he wanted in the end.

"Move on. Move on and find another woman who can give you the same happiness I have, if not more..." The words of his dead ex-fiancee echoed in his mind. The king remembered the first time he heard those words, the shock on his face as it wasn't a "I love you" or anything like that. He didn't know why she didn't say those three words, but soon realized she said something with a greater meaning. There was no way of bringing her back, he knew that and she knew that, so she wanted to free him completely of her bond by telling him to move on. Years ago he didn't want to, but it wasn't until just a few years back that he realized what she had done for him. Gwain was ready to move on some time ago, but he didn't realize he'd find somebody so perfect, so soon.

Gwain tilted his head when he was suddenly handed the fruit, but smiled at the touch of it. He thumbed it gently and shifted his gaze back into Tsumiko's. She wanted him to do the honors. The man's grin returned and he nodded happily.

"Not at all." He said, his happiness all too overwhelming to contain his composure. The man was pretty damn happy. With that said, Gwain split the fruit in half, right down the middle. The fruit was red on the inside and had a citrus-like smell to it. Another smile touched his lips and he gently handed Tsumiko her half. "To us and our destinies. May we forever continue to have fun times like these." He toasted with a smile, before he took a bite into the Paopu Fruit. Gwain enjoyed the taste of it very much and found himself savoring the taste of it a bit, before he finished off his half. Once she did with hers, that'd pretty much be it.

According to the legend of the fruit, they'd be intertwined through destiny forever. Gwain wondered what that would be like and felt that it was something worth experiencing.

[Tsumiko]

Tsumiko watched with a glee-filled nervousness that was turning her stomachs in knots. The sweet scent of the fruit quickly swept over her as he snapped it in half. Reaching out for the half he handed her, she gripped it with a delicate touch and brought it close to her lips. She watched him for a moment, raising hers when he make his small toast. He seemed to enjoy it well enough, which brought a small smile to her lips. Returning her gaze to what was in her hands, there was a sense of anxiety as she bit into it. Was she really alright with tying someone down like this? It was only a legend, though. Right?

She suckled on it for a moment, comparing the taste she remember and what she was getting now. It was similar, but a lot stronger now. She giggled, chomping on it some more. Each bite she took was filled with more and more energy, but spawned a small, choking hiccup.

She missed them. She missed them so much, and yet... Why..? Why did they have to go? Why did they leave her all alone? Why was she the only one that got to continue living? She would have gladly taken one of their places! So why!? Why did they go!?

Her cheeks stuffed with fruit, Tsumiko couldn't stop the tears the streamed down her cheeks. She didn't mean for it to happen, nor to do it there in the cafe with so many watchful eyes. Raising two balled hands to her eyes, she swallowed hard and began to steady her shaky breathing.

“I-I'm s-s-sorry.... G-Gwain... I-I don't m-mean to... I'm r-really happy, I s-swear...” she choked out, forcing a flimsy smile to her lips.

Meanwhile, the back of house erupted with activity. The few people on staff had their work cut out for them and the lone neko-girl who attended the front was prepping several dishes of ice cream, about half of what the cafe's available desserts. He said it so casually, but could the two of them really eat that much food in one sitting? They weren't particularly small courses either, mind you. She began to tray up the bowls, two of each onto a serving platter and was about to lift it when she seen from the counter the songstress's sorry state. The rosy ears atop her head laid flat as she wondered if interrupting was a good idea. She didn't remain that way for long, however, and thought, “What better way to cheer someone up than with ice cream?~”

Hoisting up the tray, she waltz over and began dividing the bowls among them. Among them were servings of Honey Bunny, Vanilla Glitz, Spark Lemon, and the ever spicy Beuno Volcano. “Hope you don't mind having some dessert a bit early, nya. The main dishes are going to bit longer than usual.” She gave them each a cheery smile before wandering off behind the counter, now personally invested in the couples date as she watched from behind something. The man at the end of the counter gave her an ashamed shake of the head before returning to his shake and newspaper. He got an embarrassed wave of the hand and a grumpy look.

Shortly after the neko-girl had left, Tsumiko pulled the closest bowl towards herself, not paying much attention. Her spoon dove into a mix of fiery red before being shoveled into her mouth. What had been a forced smile quickly turned into a look of immediate regret and despair. "Sweet mother of hot!" Pulling the spoon from her mouth and slapping a hand over it, the songstress looked to see just what it was that she had let enter her food-hole. Her mouth was on fire.

[Gwain Darkson]

Gwain had been savoring the fruit, smiling to Tsumiko the entire time they eat. She looked as though she were enjoying herself, but something changed. The king looked into the songstress's eyes and saw that something hit her deeply. Tears streamed down the woman's cheeks and Gwain tilted her head only slightly. He leaned forward a bit and gently used a hand to help dry her tears. His hands were gentle and his touch soft. He smiled brightly at her to show that she hadn't ruined the mood at all.

"No need to apologize, Tsumiko. There was no harm done." He said with a reassuring tone and then sat back in his chair. Gwain looked into her eyes and gave her a charming this time around, to more than likely cause her to blush or grow nervous temporarily. Just enough time for the ice cream to arrive. The neko woman brought them a wide assortment of ice cream flavors and the king's eyes widened. The king was like his older sister, Marigold, in one way. They loved their sweets. "Oh man, don't these look good?"

He asked excitedly and started to taste each of the bowls that were close to him. He spooned each one three times and savored the taste each and every time. The man let out a sigh of respite with every flavor, but he became distracted by Tsumiko's sudden outburst. His gaze shot over to her and she had tried what looked to be a very red looking ice cream. Gwain took the time to chuckle about the silver-blue eyed girl's display of shock and started to spoon down the fiery red ice cream. One would assume by the way how his eyes widened, that he suffered the same fate as Tsu. That would be the wrong assumption.

"Oh my gosh! This flavor is an amazing blend of sweet, with the intense kick of spicy! What is the name of this glorious combination?" The king asked excitedly and started to spoon the ice cream often, as he took the taste of ice cream like a champ. He truly loved spicy foods and the fact that someone had crafted such a perfect bowl of dessert made him all the more happier. Gwain ate happily and smiled towards Tsumiko. "It's so delicious!"

[Tsumiko]

His gentle fingers on her skin did wonders to settle her wobbly emotions. There was a soft sniffle as he wiped away her tears, looking up at him through her bangs. And that smile... She flashed him a happy, blushing smile in response to the charming one he gave her. His smile didn't chill the heat that was seeping into her mouth, however. She watched as Gwain began to eat away at each of the different ice creams for them to try. She was smiling until he had gotten to the same bowl that she had pulled up to herself. Looking between her bowl and the king with a hand still placed over her mouth, she blinked at his excited reaction. It was quite apparent that he liked spicy things.

“I-It's called a Bueno Volcano. Names after its... fiery attributes,” she answered his question, both amused and horrified by how unaffected he was with the heat. The songstress began to wonder is perhaps she just over-reacted, being caught off guard and whatnot. With that thought, she dipped her spoon into the frozen treat once again and raised it to her lips. She was sorely disappointed to come up with the same results. Trying not to let her face show too much of what the inside of her mouth was feeling, she pushed the bowl away from her and towards Gwain. “Y-You can have that one, if you like,” she said with a sheepish grin.

Scanning over her other options, Tsumiko's eyes lit up when she seen the yellow bowl of the Lemon Spark. Whereas the Bueno Volcano was known for its heat, this yellow gem was known for its sour bite. This was more up her alley, and the songstress dived in with no hesitation. She squeezed her eyes shut, a delighted smile playing her lips. There was a musical giggle that escaped her unknowingly as she continued to dip in.

“Damn, I'm good...” the Neko-girl, Kat, was watching the couple still, pleased that the ice cream was making a good impact on their time. She didn't know what was up with the silver-blue haired girl's outburst earlier, but at least now she was smiling. And it was all thanks to her. Leaning her chin unto a hand propped upon the counter, she grinned to herself. Though a call from behind the door made her frown and sigh in irritation. “Duty calls, I guess.”

[Gwain Darkson]

The king was quite happy when the woman had shown him her blush and smile. He was glad he was able to cheer her up once more and looked amused by Tsu's shock of his ability to eat the ice cream. Gwain may have enjoyed the taste of very spicy things, but he wouldn't hide the fact that the ice cream was a mound of delicious heat. The man let out several breaths for even he was feeling the burn. Tsumiko explained that it was called a Bueno Volcano and that it was obviously known for it's extremely hot flavors, something he didn't mind one bit.

"That one is definitely my favorite. I'll take it, thank you very much, Tsu!" The man said quite happily and went even faster with spooning down his ice cream. Gwain hadn't had dessert that good in a while. The entire time he did so, all he could do was think about how great it was that he was sharing such a day with the woman in front of him. His eyes looked her up and down in a less lustful way and more in a very loving way. A strong urge in his heart made him feel protective over the woman, over her and that beautiful smile she gave. He became especially amused when Tsumiko felt the sourness from the ice cream. "What's that one called? I had several spoons of that one and oh boy, it definitely sent shocks through my body. You seem to be handling it like a tough girl though." He smiled and watched her cute display. From what he saw, Gwain decided that Tsu was the girl who enjoyed the sour side of life.

[Tsumiko]

There was a faint pink that had tinted the songstress's cheeks as she listened to Gwain speak. She did her best to keep her attention on her sour treat, though couldn't help but grin that resulted from the nickname he'd given her. For one reason or another, Tsumiko turned her eyes upon the king only to find that he was lovingly staring at her. Not quite expecting that she froze on the spot and blinked at him, her spoon hanging partway out of her mouth. The longer he looked at her, the more she could feel the heat in her cheeks intensifying.

“I-It's called Lemon Spark,” she answered, her embarrassment melting with his observation of her and the ice cream. “It is pretty sour, so I can only eat so much before my face starts hurting. It's so yummy, though, so I power through. I really shouldn't but it hurts so good!~” With her eyes squeezed shut, her hands pushed against her cheeks, pressing against her jaw where the sour was making itself known. Her eyes blinked open, however, when the door to the back of the cafe slammed open.

“Comin' through, nya! Wide load!~”

Tsumiko looked up to to see the neko-girl indeed carrying a wide load. The try she carried looked more like a miniature table, only minus the legs. Setting the tray down upon a stand beside their table, Kat huffed in relief. “Sorry about that, nya. Guess my eyes were bigger than my... muscles, or something like that. Anyways, I'll let the two of you start with this as the cooks finish making the rest. If there's anything you nyeed in the meantime, just gimme a holler!~” With that, she turned and walked back to her place behind the counter.

The songstress looked at what was given to them and immediately her eyes began to sparkle. There was also a low rumble that sounded from her stomach at what she saw. There was silly faced pancakes, mouse-eared steaks, little octo-weiners and other whimsical, animal themed foods. And there was two of each. Immediately, Tsumiko's hand reach out for the pancakes with a childish giggle. The yogurt hair really did it in for her.

Wasting no time, she called out, “Itadakimasu!~” and began to devour the cakes.

Though she was sure that he'd deny her request, Tsumiko felt as though this was too big a treat to not go without equal gifts. The songstress wasn't sure how just yet, but she'd find a proper way to thank him for the day that they've spent together. As she pondered her choices, she looked up at the man with glee-filled eyes. Through the short time they've known each other, Tsumiko could feel it in her heart; she could feel her walls crumbling as she spent more time with him. To laugh and smile with him... it just felt so natural. Nothing about their interactions seemed forced or staged. It had been a very long time since she had last felt like this. And it made her nervous. Due to reoccurring trends, she wondered in the back of her head how long this happiness would last before it, too, was ripped away form her. Shaking that thought from her mind, Tsumiko decided to stay focused on the here and now. She had grown a great deal since the last big accident, both mentally and physically. She'd but her everything into preventing that from ever happening again. She had bound her destiny to Gwain's, and he to hers. There was no way she was going to let anything hurt him.

[Gwain Darkson]

The man started to see the blush on Tsumiko's face as she began to heat up and wondered if it had something to do with his staring. He quickly and bashfully looked away, chuckling softly and smiling a bit. He listened to her explain what the ice cream was called and let out a laugh at how she was affected by the extremely sour taste. Just to mess with the young lady, the king took his spoon and stole a large amount of her ice cream with it and gulped it down. That turned into a huge mistake, as his eyes widened suddenly, then shut tightly and his lips puckered harshly. Gwain felt the sourness hit his jaw immediately and he fought against the feeling of it, by shaking his head free. His hair whipped wildly when it did so, looking a little messy when he stopped and recovered from the feeling.

"You can have that one then. I don't think I can handle sour foods as much as you can." He admitted with a chuckle. His attention turned towards the doors that flung open and his nostrils flared when the delicious scent of meat and sweets filled the air. Gwain watched the waitress, Kat, come in with pretty much a miniature table and sat it in front of them. The woman was proving to be a fine sport in handling their orders and the king couldn't be anymore thankful. "Thank you very much. You've been a great help to us." He said honestly and gave her a smile, before he turned his attention back to the food.

The themed foods tickled Gwain as he found himself laughing at how wacky everything looked. Tsumiko had chosen the perfect place, for it served to not only lighten up her mood, but was a great choice for a first date. The king wanted to make this spot a usual for he and the songstress. Whenever they were sad, had a hankering for junk food, or wanted to take friends there, Gwain would remember the cafe. How could anyone not? With so many abstract colors and how eccentric the place looked, no one could ever forget about a place like that.

Without further ado, Gwain took his pick with a the mouse-eared steak. He licked his lips hungrily and with his fork and knife, began to cut into the succulent meat. When he took his first bite, the king let out a sound of utmost satisfaction. The meat was tender, juicy and retained a lot of its natural flavor. Mixed in with the juices of the steak, was a bit of blood. When the red-eyed man continued to bite into it and lose himself in the delicious taste of the food, his fangs had slipped out by complete accident. His canines had enlarged and helped him bite into thicker cuts of the meat. He was a man who enjoyed his steak, but at the same time, he was a bit low on actual blood. Gwain would lick up some of the blood from the corner of his lips and smiled wide at Tsumiko, unaware of his current state.

"This food is amazing. Your pancake looks especially delicious too! I can't wait to get to those. You really have picked out the perfect spot, Tsu!" He complimented both her and the establishment quite nicely.

[Tsumiko]

Having a spoonful of her ice cream stolen, Tsumiko was tempted to battle him for its safe return. In defeat, there was a small pout that crossed her lips when he ate it. There was a loud laugh that burst from the songstress, having seen Gwain's reaction to the sour zap of the Lemon Spark. With a triumphant grin, she tugged his share of the sour treat towards herself, dipping her spoon into it and reclaiming the portion that he had taken from her. Though the sour had bitten into her jaw, Tsumiko remained steadfast in keeping her grin before happily returning to her pancakes.

She did have to agree that Kat was an amazing help, adding a bit a personal touch to their date. Though Tsumiko wondered if she was a new hire, or didn't work as much as some of the others. The songstress came here for a treat whenever she had the few extra munnies to splurge upon herself after a long day singing for the people. In some sense, she was akin to a street performer, making much of her income that way. The rest came in the form of hired help, performing small tasks for people here and there. And yet here she was, a large selection of goodies to choose from at the generous expense for the red-eyed man that sat before her. It make her wonder just what it was that he and his family did in their business.

In the process of eating a yogurt smothered cake, Tsumiko looked up to the king. He looked quite happy with his steak, though something had caught her eye. Without even realizing it, she was blankly staring at the king's canines, pondering the unusual length as she stroked one of her own in thought. When he look up at her, complimenting the food while using the nickname once again.

“I-It's nothing, really!~” she giggle with a shy blush, removing her hand from her tooth to wave it. She really hoped he hadn't noticed her rude stare, one that she hadn't even realized she was giving. “I thought that it'd be a good enough place to come to for a first date. I like the atmosphere here, thought I'd share...”

[Gwain Darkson]

Gwain was nearly half-way done with his steak already, even though he just started on it a few moments ago. He had noticed something when he looked up to tell Tsumiko about his happiness regarding the place. She had tilted her head toward him and started to play around with one of her canines. The king tilted his head to the opposite side and with a careless finger of his, ended up pricking the tip of his finger on his own fang. That's when he realized that in his wild eating, that his vamipiric nature got the best of him and slowly revealed itself when he tasted blood. Gwain's face flushed immediately and he looked away from the songstress, quickly his mouth with a napkin.

The man was a little self-conscious about the vampiric side of his nature. Gwain tried his hardest to hide the features and tendencies of his other self, but there were a few that he couldn't. Namely his eyes and natural appearance. When it came to his fangs, he always made sure to take care when having them out. He only ever had them revealed when he took blood from his sisters, but even then he did so in the confines of privacy. The man wasn't necessarily embarrassed by his lineage, but knew a lot of people were unsettled by such features and thus to make them happy, hid his fangs at all times. The red-eyed king calmed his blood lust down and allowed his fangs to slip back to normal. From behind the napkin, he put his smile back on and turned to face Tsu once more. Gwain hoped that he didn't scare the young woman at all and felt a little fearful of what she'd say about what she just saw.

"Well it was good that you did... It has the perfect atmosphere, you know?" He added to the conversation, his ashamed blush glowing brighter. Gwain bit his lip gently and looked into her eyes. A strong feeling kicked in his stomach and he decided to make sure Tsumiko saw what she did. "So... I take it you saw them, huh? My fangs?" He asked the last part under a hush, so that he wouldn't ruin the mood for others around him.

[Tsumiko]

When Gwain had suddenly turned away, covering his lips with a napkin, the songstress felt as though her mindless action my have offended the man. Tipping her head to the side, she frowned on the inside, unsure of how to remedy the situation. As she sat there thinking, however, the king had turned to face her with another smile. For a moment, she thought that perhaps what she thought she seen didn't actually exist and perhaps she really was being rude.

Though he was smiling, Tsumiko couldn't help the nervous vibe she was getting. Responding to the king's initial statement with a smile and a nod, she noted the ever growing blush that tinted his cheeks as well as the gentle biting of his lips as he looked in her eyes. She blinked at him as he did so, feeling a blush of her own creep upon her face. Though she had to lean closer to catch what it was that he whispered.

His fangs? So she wasn't imagining things, then. With a small nod, she answered with an equally quiet, “Y-Yeah..?” Tsumiko wasn't quite sure if she should be concerned about the matter. He seemed to be cautious about it, but couldn't understand why. A great many deal of beings out there had fangs, like the neko-girl that was watching them carefully from the counter. Her fangs weren't as pronounced at Gwain's, but they were still there. But being that he had them hidden, the songstress wondered if perhaps he was self-conscious about the topic. This alone had her feeling somewhat at ease. There was something that even the seeming perfect gentleman didn't like about himself

With a comforting smile, she reached out to steal a small piece of his steak in a similar fashion from earlier, where he had taken some of her ice cream. The taste that was now in her mouth was delicious and had her mouth watering. With a happy hum, she had a hand placed upon her cheek as she pressed against it. Perhaps she was being insensible about Gwain's self-conscious trait, but she wanted to show him, whatever it may have meant, that it didn't bother her.

Tsumiko wasn't one to judge others based upon some basic facts about a person. She'd rather take a chance and get to know the person, making a decision about them at that point, then to shun someone for a stereotype attached to them. Gwain had been nothing but kind to her, and so she felt as though there was no need to be wary of him. Whatever his hidden trait, she was going to accept him. He gave her that shred of hope that she had been searching for for years. She didn't want to lose that now, so soon.

“Gwain,” she looked at him with a gentle smile, giggling only slightly. “I've known you long enough to know that you are a very kind and caring sweetheart. I personally believe that there is no reason for you to be concerned about... whatever that was. I am going to accept the you that is true, no matter who or what that is.”

She hoped that her attempt at getting the king to not be so cautious had worked and made him feel more at ease. Tsumiko felt as though she'd find out with that time came, so there was no need to rush things at present. All things come in due time.

[Gwain Darkson]

Gwain felt extremely comfortable with each positive reaction he got out of Tsumiko. Her blush after his display of biting his lip allowed him to feel a bit at ease. Better yet, the woman didn't care at all about his fangs and seemed more or less concerned over the fact that she may have offended him. The blue-haired woman didn't say directly to him, but he could see it on her face. The king blushed brightly at Tsu and watched as she stole his piece of steak, his face changing immediately.

"H-Hey!" Gwain laughed and saw as the songstress enjoyed his piece of steak. For some reason the act of her doing so pleased the king in a way that he ended up blushing a bit. However, he wouldn't let her get the upper-hand like that and was swift to steal a single pancake from her. The king ended up munching on the pancake at a rather quickened pace, but found himself in the same bliss that Tsumiko went in when she tasted the piece of steak. He smiled warmly at her.

That was when the silver-eyed woman began with how she would accept the man no matter what. Her words were kind, sincere, gentle and loving. Gwain was left rather speechless by her and gave her a heartfelt smile. Something in the man's chest swelled at the fact she wasn't all too bothered by the man's flaw and was even ready to take him in further for it. A soft laughter came from his lips and he looked into her eyes, lovingly, if not thankfully.

"Tsumiko... It means a lot to hear you say such things... I mean, despite how long we've known one another, all you've been is just this sweet, wonderful woman. Thank you so much, Tsu, I..." He caught himself then and there. The man felt that it would have really been too soon to say such a thing like that, so he left it up in the air. Gwain proved that he wasn't about to continue with it further, by shoveling more and more food into his mouth. The king knew it wasn't the most gentleman thing to do, but if he also knew that he couldn't talk with his mouth open, so he continued to chow down with a big grin on his face. Not mention, he blushed brightly after knowing he was about to say something rather heartfelt himself.

[Tsumiko]

The songstress has allowed Gwain to take one of her pancakes without much of a fight, happy that things didn't turn out awkward. His response was good, and the smile she received as a response to her words left her heart fluttering like a bird. It was a warm feeling that she felt from head to toe, and was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. The soft chuckle he gave only served to increase that weightlessness she felt.

Smiling at his words, she tipped her head in confusion as he trailed off and began stuffing his face. He was thanking her, and then stopped. Was he embarrassed about what he was going to say? That hadn't stopped him before, so why now? She pondered a little longer until her grinding gears blurted out what she though Gwain was going to say.

"I love you."

Immediately, the confused face of the songstress glowed bright red in embarrassment. Turning from one side to the other and back again, she searched for something to occupy herself. She found her answer in a likely fashion of the king's wherein she began stuffing her face. When one plate was done, she pulled another from the table beside theirs. She couldn't believe she said that out loud, and in such an earnest tone, no less. She didn't look up at him, fearing what his reaction much be, but Tsumiko was sure that was only going to further deepen her bashful embarrassment. It's no to say that she felt as though what she said was a lie, she felt that it was a truth that grew with every passing moment she spent with Gwain. But it was so sudden, and out of place, and untimely, and- and- AND-

Losing herself in her thoughts, Tsumiko began to mindlessly shovel in foods with a cherry red face. When Kat got a whiff of that, she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She wasn't sure what happened, but it was sadly amusing. She only hoped that the silver-blue haired woman didn't swell up like a balloon with how much she was eating. That would definitely be a sad sight to see.

Attending to other customers as they came and went, she began noticing just how dark it was getting. The clouds had piled in and created quite the overcast, dark and dreary looking. She huffed at the sight. Being of the neko kind, her and rain naturally didn't mix. Hopefully one of her co-workers had an umbrella she could borrow...

[Gwain Darkson]

Gwain was busy shoveling food down his gullet and finally felt his blush going down. However, that suddenly changed when Tsumiko ended up finishing his sentence for him. Part of it felt like she didn't finish it and was saying it straight from her heart. Her tone was so earnest and easy with the words, it almost seemed like she had been meaning to say it for some time now. The king just believed in wishful thinking after that, seeing as he stared at the songstress, wide-eyed and not knowing what to do. Their flush red faces synchronized in terms of their rising heat and color.

The red-eyed man choked suddenly, but rather than freak out and embarrass himself any further, he held in his breath and prevented himself from swallowing. He easily picked up his glass of mint-green tea and started to take big gulps. The liquid forced the foods to go down the right hole and the man sighed out in obvious relief. For some reason, he found himself looking at Tsumiko the entire time, but she had looked down and started demolishing her food almost as much as he did. Gwain picked up on her cue and went ham on his plates soon enough. The man went after steak, pancakes and other things alike. Nothing stood in his way of trying to eat away at the situation, literally.

"I love you."

The words echoed back and forth within the man's mind, so much more than what any amount of food can help him become distracted from the whole thing. He hadn't even noticed the fact that the sky was darkening, a sign that it was going to rain. Not at all. Instead, Gwain focused on his food and soon found himself liking something else about his date. She could really eat. The king found it rather hard to even know a single person who could keep up with his own ravenous appetite. There was probably Ysl'Dae, but she wasn't one to compete over such matters like that. Gwain, for all intents and purposes, still had a bit of his childhood in him and part of his childhood was being competitive. It wasn't until the shocking words said by Tsumiko, did the king make it his point to try and eat more food than his date.

And that's how Gwain went about enjoying the date. Those three words sparked something that resonated well with him and brought him to awareness of how much time he spent with the songstress. The silver-blue eyed girl was found in an alleyway, crying and he helped save her from the sorrow of it all. He hadn't realized the date would have gone so far into the day, let alone these feelings that etched deeply into his mind and heart. They only knew each other for a short while, yet it was this date that they probably needed to get to realize their feelings for each other much more. It was either that, or the fact that they interested each other so much, it would allow them to know each other much easier than most people. For that, Gwain was truly grateful he was able to spend such a lovely day, with a beautiful and lovely woman like Tsumiko.

[Tsumiko]

From one dish to the next, Tsumiko began eating whatever was in front of her. From meats, to ice creams, to veggies and so on, if it were edible, it went in. She made sure not to touch Gwain's shares of the goods though. That would be rude. It seemed as though he was undergoing the same thought process as her, however. The songstress wasn't sure when or how, but it quickly escalated into a contest of sorts. "Who could eat more!?~"

From behind the counter, Kat stared in shocked disbelief. How could such average-sized people pack away so much food? It was like some magic trick that had everyone baffled. Tearing her eyes away, the neko-woman returned to the kitchen at the cooks' beckon to retrieve the final half of the couple's order. Walking up to them with another hefty tray, she set it down without a word, taking with her a good majority of the empty dishes they had stacked up.

Some time later, there only remained a few plate left. Tsumiko lay with her cheek to the table, waving about a fork with the remains of an almost finished plate. "I think I'm gonna burst... But it's so yummy... Want...but can't... UUUUGHHH...."

No longer in a state of bashfulness, the songstress has eaten away her nerves though was beginning to have small amounts of regret. There was only two dishes left. TWO! And then she could proclaim that she ate everything in a restaurant. And even though she wanted to, she couldn't. The mere thought of inhaling more food made her woozy. Maybe she could take it to go in a little doggy bag or something... Naw. Gwain was paying for it all, so anything left would have to go with him, by her decree.

Her attention perked up with Kat walked by again, laying a slip of paper face-down upon the table. She looked so apologetic and sad as she did so, it made the songstress wonder just what exactly the total came to. Setting her fork down, she reached a curious hand towards the bill as at walked off with another load of dishware.

[Gwain Darkson]

The contest went on and on, each side aiming to best each other in the game of food. Gwain was determined to win for some reason. He wanted to win mostly due to the fact that no one hasn't been able to beat him in a food eating contest yet, but also because he was having fun with Tsumiko in doing so. Plate after plate, dessert after dessert, main course after main course. The food came and the empty kitchenware left. This continued for a while, before both parties were as equally defeated. Tsu had her head lying down on the table, Gwain himself had leaned his head and body back in the booth. His belt buckle and pants were undone a bit, just to help him pack in more food, but his shirt went over both to keep the modesty.

"Can... Can we just call it a tie, please? I don't think either one of us will be able to finish these last two plates." He admitted with a defeated tone, but mustered out a tired laugh. Gwain looked down back to Tsumiko and gave her a soft smile. The king finally found someone who could keep up with him in the game of food. That put her right up there with Ysl'Dae in terms of eating strength. The more time he spent with the songstress, the more he realized that they were alike in many ways. She was someone who he could honestly relate to and it made him extremely ecstatic to have met her.

The bill had come for the two and Gwain smiled courteously at Kat. She deserved a big tip for her service and everything that she had done for the two of them. The king was just as curious as Tsumiko when it came to the amount and put his hand out at the same time, without looking. Despite how cliche or coincidental it seemed, the man had accidentally placed a firm, yet soft hand on top of Tsu's. He felt her soft skin beneath his fingertips and couldn't help but slowly drag a thumb across the back of her hand. A strong blush came to his face and he quickly withdrew his hand in embarrassment.

"I-I'm so sorry! I-I swear I wasn't trying to be too f-forward!" The red-eyed man stuttered and bit his lip gently. He bashfully looked into Tsumiko's eyes and had hoped he hadn't offended her with his actions.

[Tsumiko]

The songstress nodded her head in agreement when Gwain had proposed a tie. There was no shame in a truce for now. Perhaps at a later date, they could officially decide who would be crowned as the winner. That would have to wait... for a very long time, though. Tsumiko wasn't sure at this point if her appetite was ever going to come back. She never thought it was possible for her small frame to pack away as much food as she did, but it only served to prove that things aren't always as they appear.

And neither was physical contact.

At the feeling of the king's hand atop her own, Tsumiko could feel her body tense in what she would later decide as nervous delight. Upon hearing his stuttering apology, the songstress responded with her own stutters. “I-It's alright, really. No harm done or anything! R-Right?~” She could feel her cheeks once again turning a shade of pink for who knew what time that day.

As she waved her hands in front of her, she seen that she had picked up the bill and decided to divert her attention to the small piece of paper. The number at the bottom almost had her in cardiac arrest. Gawking, she looked from it, to Gwain, and back again, flipping it around so that he could see the total for himself. While she was aware that he said he was going to pay for it all, she didn't feel quiet right leaving such an enormous amount be without contributing a little.

“A-Are you sure you're okay to pay this much? Let me help a-a little...” She put down the bill and reached for her thigh... only to realize that the pouch that was usually stationed there with her assortment of personal goodies was left with the rest of her garments on the Lancelot. With a heavy sigh, Tsumiko accepted that there wasn't going to be much she could do to help him as of right now. She'd pay him back eventually! One day!

Not that either of them were paying attention, but the skies had opened up and it was beginning to sprinkle. The thick overcast darkened the air, causing many of the magically automated lights around the city to turn on. It was still a hour or so before evening, however. This time of day was usually still rather bright, so it was strange how dark it was.

[Gwain Darkson]

When Tsumiko turned her attention towards the small slip of paper, Gwain turned his to the darkened skies outside. The light had been snuffed out by the clouds as they soon let out their droplets. He wondered if they had prepared accordingly for the weather, but realized that was couldn't have been the case, because it was so bright and sunny earlier. The king felt a little terrible that he didn't get an umbrella for her or anything like that, but decided he'd try his best to cover her with his vest. Speaking of which, he turned his attention back to Tsu, in order to tel her about the change in weather. However, he was greeted with the size of the bill.

"Wow. Not such a bad bill for how much we got. Not to mention it was great too." Gwain said rather casually and pulled out a sizable wallet from his pants pocket. The man opened it and started to put the required amount of munny needed for it, but left quite a bit of extra for Kat. He found it rather adorable when Tsu, his date, stuttered over her want to help pay for some of the bill. The king laughed and looked into her eyes, a soft smile on his features. "Tsu, you can always pay me back with another date." One of his red eyes winked at her after saying so.

Another date would have been nice, probably to a beach or something. The idea of it made Gwain beam on the inside and his heart started with a quicker beat. The muscle had been beating rather quickly for some time now, due to the wonderful time he had been sharing with the songstress, but it wasn't something that he mind one bit. No, this feeling with Tsumiko was something he wanted to experience over and over. She was someone that was definitely worth spending all his time and money with. Gwin stared deeply into her eyes... He grew to love her over the course of the date and had hoped for many more.

"Oh and it's beginning to sprinkle outside... I have my vest, so I'll make sure to keep you covered from the rain." The king offered with a smile.

[Tsumiko]

Tsumiko was almost blown away by how casually the king commented on the bill. Never before had she seen one so high, and yet he sounded as if it were a normal thing for him. As he laid out a sizable amount of munny on the table, Tsumiko was instead distracted by a comment Gwain said. She could “pay him back with another date”.

She hadn't really thought about it until just now but she did suppose that, with how well this one went, it did warrant a second date. The thought alone had her blushing. She would like nothing more than to spend more time with the red-eyed man and get another chance to be with him. But where would they go? What would they do? They could maybe go sight seeing on another world, like Halloween Town or Neverland. Tsumiko hadn't been to either, but she's heard about them from word of mouth and stories alike. They sounded like fantastical places to visit and she hoped that one day they could go as one of their dates.

As the songstress was pondering the possibilities, the mention of rain had caught her attention. With excited, child like eyes, she looked out the window to see that it was indeed beginning to rain. With a cheery giggle, she bounced up from her seat and made to pull Gwain with her as she dashes for the door.

“Thank you Kat-san for all the yummy food! I hope to see you again!~” Tsumiko yelled to the woman as she leaned against the counter. She waved goodbye to them with a very confused expression as they left. She wondered for a moment if they were going to try and race home before it actually started raining.

When they were outside the cafe, Tsumiko released Gwain and turned her head skyward, outstretching her arms as she begun to spin in circles. Suddenly, she began laughing, stumbling back towards the king with a broad smile, a little dizzy from her spinning. She was somewhat disappointed that it was only sprinkling; with how quick the clouds rolled in, she knew it was only a matter of time before it got heavier. Taking one of Gwain's hands with both of hers, she gave him a sheepish giggle.

“I hope you don't mind the rain, but I want to take a small detour with a small favor to ask,” she'd say with a grin before leading him away.

There was always something that she wanted to do, something that required rain. Tsumiko hoped that, as she lead him in the opposite direction of the Lancelot, he'd humor her in such a silly request. Prancing nimbly through the cobbled streets, the songstress made her way with practiced ease to their destination, stopping every once in a while to enjoy the falling rain upon her skin.

Not too long after, Tsumiko had popped out of an alley and into the fountain area. Even though it was raining, the grand tiered fountains still gushed water, lit by the dim pink and blue under glow lights. Releasing the king's hand, she pranced away some feet before taking off the heeled boots she wore and turning to face him with a happy, shy, bashful smile.

“Dance with me?” she asked over the sound of all the falling water. It was an odd request. She was aware. But she had always wanted to dance with a friend in the fountains in the rain. It idea had tickled her fancy for many a year, though now was the first she ever asked it.

[Gwain Darkson]

Gwain had pondered that all the while that the rain would have ended their date prematurely. The only appropriate plan, if there was going to be one, was to take her back to shelter immediately. He didn't want his date to get drenched in the rain, so he planned to ask her where he abode was. However, before he could, the man was met with such enthusiasm he hadn't yet seen from her. Their hands were intertwined once more and Gwain found himself being lead by the guiding hands of Tsumiko.

"Take care, Kat! We promise to come with more money for more food!" He yelled after Tsumiko in hopes of reassuring the woman of a bigger tip later on in the future. The king was outside with the songstress and stood in place as he watched her spin in the rain. Something about her child-like actions and how happy the rain made her, only strengthened the resolve within Gwain's heart to want to preserve that smile. Tsu was something much more than just a woman in his eyes, she was somebody who managed to warm up his cold heart, after dealing with his past. The silver-blue eyed woman was very much his ray of sunshine after so much darkness. Which was ironic, considering the setting of their new environment. The thought made him chuckle softly

The red-eyed man caught Tsumiko when she became dizzy and went back towards him. He only gently caressed her shoulders and found himself blushing slightly at the contact. Gwain no longer felt nervous, but was more happy and content with watching the young woman do what she did. The king couldn't ask for anything else except to see her continually smiling. His hand was in hers again and the man looked into her eyes. She wanted to take a detour to somewhere and he didn't mind one bit. A nod and a charmed smile was what she got from him.

"Ask and you shall receive, Tsu, I do not mind one bit." Gwain said with an eloquent tone. When they were off once more, the ebony-haired man made sure to keep up. The rain didn't bother him personally, so he didn't care when he felt the droplets increase at the rate they fell. Gwain found himself audibly laughing with Tsumiko when they stopped every so often. The man was extremely lucky that it was raining, because every so often, a tear dropped from his eyes. This was because he hadn't been happy in so long, that it seemed like such a dream. It wasn't, however, for he was right there with the woman, enjoying such a lovely day with her. His burden, the weight of all those he swore to make happy and protect seemed as light as feathers. Their hands intertwined, the king allowed himself to be lead through into the fountain area.

Another fountain which reminded Gwain of the flower garden, which caused him to smile big. There were lights with this fountain and they lit up the area quite romantically. Droplets fell and were visible in the vibrant colors. When their hands unlocked from one another, he watched as the songstress made her way further into the area and began to take off her boots. When she turned to face him, Gwain felt his heart skip a beat, at the happy, shy and bashful smile. The king easily returned the gesture, a tint of pink swept across his face. She asked for Gwain to dance with her and as if on cue, the man removed his shoes and socks, offering her his hand.

"I would be honored to share a dance with someone as perfect as you, Lady Tsu." The man complimented, added the "lady" for extra oomph and waited for her to take his hand, if she wanted to. Should she not want to, he would merely follow her lead and dance alongside her in the rain. Gwian never once thought he'd have such an event happen with him, where he'd partake in an event beneath the rain clouds. Tsumiko had just managed to make the image of rain to be extremely romantic.

[Tsumiko]

Ecstatic by the fact that her eccentric request hadn't warded him off, the songstress's smile grew ever bigger. Holding out his hand to her after removing his shoes and socks, Tsumiko eagerly grabbed his hand and began pulling him into the ankle deep water of the fountain. Little did the king know, Tsumiko herself used the rain to hide happy tears. For many years, it was to better mask her tears when she cried alone to herself. The rain became a welcomed friend that eventually spurred feelings such as relief, peace, or excitement. It was never something that she shied away from, and embraced with open arms. But today, it had given her a different feeling – one of fulfillment.

It left her feeling great, refreshed, bursting with energy. She took that energy and filtered it into laughter, and erratic dancing with no practical thought behind it. She just let her body dance to the beat of its own drum, kicking and splashing about in the fountain. At one point, she took Gwain by the hands and lead him an an energetic spin of sorts. With so much jumping around, especially after having just eaten as much as she did, her blood was racing throughout her body, a blissful adrenaline coursing through her veins. It didn't bother her one bit, though. She was in such a state of simplistic joy that not much did.

Long has she wanted to share with someone a happiness that she thought was no longer possible. The songstress had given up on herself finding happiness, and so gave up on things like meaningful friendship and love. But Gwain, the shining ray of hope dancing right beside her, had opened her up to those possibilities once again. Though she couldn't say they were all broken, Tsumiko could feel the walls she placed around her heart one by one come tumbling down. She wouldn't have given up that feeling for anything in all the worlds.

“Hey Gwain?~” she yelled over the pouring rain and the gushing fountains. She readied herself, waiting until he either answered her, turned towards her, or both. “I think I've fallen in love – with you!~”

With a graceful leap, Tsumiko tossed herself at the red-eyed man and wrapped her arms around his neck. With her eyes squeezed shut, her lips crashed into his in what felt like a magical moment in which time slowed down for them. There was no embarrassment, no bashful or nervous excuses, just the honest emotions she felt blooming in her heart.

[Gwain Darkson]

She took his hand into hers and immediately, he was dragged with her into the fountain. The woman was so bold and that was truly something he didn't realize until now. Tsumiko had been so filled with joy, that her smile and laughter was infectious. Gwain found himself sharing in the same merriment between he and her, enjoying the woman's company as they danced happily in the water. One would normally feel cold in such weather, but the man didn't feel anything except for warmth. His body was going, as was his heart. He let the energy flow through him, let it run its course as he embraced the moment for what it was. Perfect

He spun with the songstress in the fountain and thought back to the fact that he had recovered nicely. This very moment with the woman was the push he needed to finally get out of the rut he was in. The entire thing happened so quickly and Gwain took in every single feeling of it. The king felt his body being electrified with her touch and energy, her smile especially. He felt a new form of happiness that he thought died alongside the old him a long time ago. No, the happiness had only been locked away in the dark, sorrowful corners of his heart. Gwain figured himself to be stuck in a melancholic state for a while, but was proven wrong at this moment with Tsumiko. Little did the woman know, she saved him from such a dark place and because of that, he had truly fallen in love with her. There was no longer any doubt in him. After the spin, he heard her voice call out to him, a very melodic and gentle voice that grabbed at his attention immediately.

"Yes, Tsumiko?" He asked, turning to her and giving her a big smile. What happened next, shocked him to a large degree. The woman had announced that she had fallen in love with him. Gwain's eyes widened and he watched as the woman leaped towards him. By instinct, his arms flung open and he accepted all of her when she jumped into him. The king held her tightly and gazed deeply into her eyes, a very grateful smile touching his lips. That wasn't the only thing that touched his lips, however, for Tsu's had planted her lips onto his.

The moment was so magical, so heart stopping, that the man closed his eyes to further embrace the moment. He returned all the emotions she gave to him through that kiss and wanted to stay like that, with Tsumiko, forever. The king didn't mind becoming a statue with the woman, in which their faces of pure happiness would share the love and energy for others. His heart throbbed with happiness and Gwain had to let her know how he felt...

"Tsumiko, I love you too... I love you so much!" Gwain said with confidence, as he opened his eyes and smiled at Tsu. He placed his forehead to hers and held her closely to him.

[Tsumiko]

When he kissed her back, holding her close, Tsumiko's body and mind were in a place of such happiness, such peaceful bliss. Never did she think this feeling was possible. Yet here she was, experiencing it for the first time in person. She never wanted it to end, to stand there forever with him as they were. Though as their lips parted, the songstress was suddenly aware of her drumming heart. Her odd rush of adrenaline had worn off, and she was very keen on what was going on around her.

As Gwain placed his forehead on hers, saying such simple, loving words, Tsumiko peered up at him with a smile in her eyes. To hear he felt the same was overwhelming, though in a good way. Taking her hands, she moved to gently caress his face in them. With a small chuckle, the songstress leaned up and placed a second, shorter kiss upon his lips before taking a step back. With his hand in hers, she said, “We should... prob'ly get going. Might catch cold if we stand out here too much longer.”

There was a small smile on her lips, sad to have to see this moment end. It was only inevitable, though. All good things must come to an end, as they say. She began to wonder when she'd see him again, or if such a thing would even be allowed. This day just seemed too perfect. There was no way to beat it, as far as the songstress was concerned...

[Gwain Darkson]

Gwain's heart beat heavily all throughout, but he ignored it for the moment he shared with Tsumiko. Their lips touching, lovingly so and the way how he held her as if she were the only woman for him, made the king realize just how much he was missing out on life. He was glad the songstress was a person who existed in the world. A person who he could share such wonderful experiences with. The man wondered if she thought the same, but deep in his heart knew that she did. They were so cute together and their moments were so poetic in his mind, that he couldn't bare to just leave it at this one date. Their lips parted ever so gently and he looked into Tsu's eyes. A second kiss was planted on him and he couldn't help but return it.

"Don't worry about getting sick, my love. I'd be there to nurse you back to full health if it ever came down to it." He said with a charming smile, but knew all too well that she was right in the end. The king didn't resist her and walked hand-in-hand with her out of the fountain. Despite the ending of the moment, he didn't want her to be sad about it. He wanted Tsumiko to look forward to many more perfect moments like these happening often with him around. Gwain gave Tsumiko's hand a gentle squeeze and started walking slowly with her. "I'd like to ensure you'd make it home safely, Tsu. Can I walk you home or would you rather come back with me...?"

His question was definitely a bold one and he even felt his own heart racing the fastest it could at the notion of it. The man wasn't trying to work fast or anything like that, not one bit. The question came as natural to him as breathing just about, but he knew to her, it must have been a sudden thing to ask. The king meant the reasoning behind it, though, for he didn't want her to get hurt should they decide to part with each other. Without him even realizing it, he classified the silver-blue eyed woman as his to protect... His queen. Gwain's smile remained and he thought about how perfect the day had went by. How it came and went.

[Tsumiko]

His smile did wonders to put her wondering mind at ease, somehow knowing that he wouldn't just abandon her. The gentle squeeze upon her hand only further solidifying that thought in her mind. Following Gwain's lead out of the fountain, she turned her silver-blue eyes upon him as he asked a simple request of her. The the latter bit of his statement had her blushing, blinking at him with wonder.

Given that Tsumiko was given only two choices, she naturally leaned away from the option that lead to the king seeing her unfortunate arrangements at the INN. That, and the innkeeper, who had nosed his way into the rank of surrogate father, would probably pelt the poor guy with one question after another upon seeing them together. He was a kind man that had came to a compromise with Tsumiko after hearing her tale when she couldn't afford the INN's steep prices. All that was asked in compensation to a new, low price was to help around a little and assist in entertaining his guests every so often. Something Tsumiko could and would happily accept.

Wanting to avoid that situation for the moment, the songstress had no choice but to accept his offer, however sudden it might have been. And this way... she could spend just a little more time with him. The thought alone had her bubbling with joy.

Smiling, she trotted over to their shoes, picking up both his and hers and walked back to the red-eyed man. The rain had soaked them pretty thoroughly, but they were otherwise fine. Holding out his to him, she said with a confident, confirming tone, “Your place it is.”

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