Live a Little

To be completely honest with himself, Everett can’t even begin to fathom a reasonable explanation on how exactly he had gotten here, to this particular place, in this particular moment.

Logically, he knows how it happened. He could recite the events of the day that played up to this very second back as though he were simply watching a film if someone were to ask (though he shudders to think of the implications of said film), and even then, he still doesn’t think he would fully understand how it happened. After all, he’s not drunk. He’s not high - hazeblooms aren’t even in season, and yet . . .

. . . and yet here he is. Standing outside of a restaurant. For a date. A blind date, at that.

‘It’ll do you good,’ Russel had said to him as he slid the slip of paper across his desk, staring him down before crossing his arms. ‘You need to get out more. Live a little. Not everything revolves around your work, you know.’ 

Everett had had half the mind to simply crumple the paper up and throw it right back at that stupid, unreadable face of his. Signing him up for a blind date matching service without even asking first? It’s absurd!

He hadn’t, though. He doesn’t quite know why, but something had made him keep the damn thing, even as he’d rolled his eyes and spit out his usual, ‘You’re an asshole.’

He’d kept it, and now here he is. Tail twitching nervously as he stares down the double doors, hand hesitating before finally pulling them open with a shaky breath. He’s not anxious, he’d say, if anyone would dare ask him. He doesn’t get anxious.

It’s just … been a while since he’s done this sort of thing, y’know? He’s out of practice. It shows, in the way he stumbles over his words a little as he checks at the host stand to see if there has already been a table set aside for them.

Hopefully, his date doesn’t mind that he’s just a few minutes late . . . 

~~

Ari checked his phone again, tail flicking with something that might be called irritation in the near future. Ari knew he shouldn’t have accepted a blind date on his day off. He could’ve been curled up in his bed - or Sebastian’s, more likely - but here he was, dressed and out of the house before noon. And his blind date was late. 

They better be hot. At least then it’d be worth it.

Ari picked up the brunch pamphlet, reading over the cocktail list as he continued to wait. 

~~

After his brief fumble at the host stand, Everett learns that his date did, in fact, already have a table. He feels a bit bad, having left them to wait for him. He thanks the hostess that he’d been speaking to, hurriedly making his way through the mostly empty diner until he spots who he assumes must be his date.

‘It’ll be hard to miss him!’ The hostess had said cheerily, all smiles and good-nature. ‘Look for the pink hair and horns!’

Sure enough, at one of the few booths that does actually have an occupant in it that isn’t already accompanied, there sits a bun with fluffy pink hair and vibrant pink horns looking quite … miffed. Everett swallows down the slight guilt that catches in this throat to instead replace it with his usual sharp, charming smile as he struts over to the booth.

“Reverie, right?” He both greets and asks, not wanting to risk accidentally taking a seat at the wrong table as he lingers beside it, perfectly pedicured hand settling upon the table top. “Sorry I’m late. I didn’t quite realize the time - I’m not normally much of a morning bun.”

~~ 

Ari looked up from his menu to take in the bun that had just shown up to his table. He seemed fairly put together; his clothes were a nice quality, and his fangs shone. And he was tall. And the first thing he’d done was apologize. Maybe this won’t be a complete waste of time… 

“That’s right! You must be Everett ~ “ Ari plastered a neutral smile on his face, waving off the other bun’s apology. “I’m not a morning bun either, honestly, so don’t worry too much about it.” He gestured at Everett to take the seat across from him. “I was just looking at something to drink.” 

~~ 

At Ari’s gesture, Everett takes his seat, quick to cross his legs slightly after he’s done so. All about posture, when he is out and about … one would never guess how lax and flippant he is when on his own. 

“Ah, did you find anything good?” He hums, head tilting slightly, smile never faltering as he openly takes in the bun before him. He’s rather attractive, he’ll give him that. Soft facial features and a good sense of fashion. The hearts of his eyes are quite cute, too. Fitting, even, for a bun of lust. “I’m not much of a drinker these days, admittedly, though I’m definitely not opposed to joining you if you think you found something worthwhile.”

It’s light flirtation at best. Casual, as he turns his attention away to let his own hand stray to the menu that he knows he’s only going to briefly scan. He doesn’t normally eat much, not during lunch, anyway. Much more attuned to snacking throughout the day and then ensuring he actually has a good dinner at night. He’d get something small, out of courtesy. After all, it is a brunch date. It’d be strange not to get anything.

~~

Ari glanced up from the drink menu to answer Everett’s question, only to catch the other bun very clearly checking him out. Ari smirked a bit at that, tail curling in amusement. His mood was already improving. “We’ll see about ‘worthwhile’. You just got here, after all.” Ari teased him lightly, discreetly watching for his reaction as he pointed out the drink he was most interested in. “Would it really be brunch without a mimosa? They make pomegranate ones here.” 

~~ 

Everett openly laughs at Ari’s comment, his smile becoming a bit more genuine. At least he has a sense of humor. He leans forward a bit, resting his chin on his hand as he looks at the drink that the other bun was suggesting.

“That does indeed look good,” he says, even if he’s really indifferent towards the idea. He’d likely just get water either way, but what’s the harm in a bit of conversation ? “Have you already decided on what to eat? I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long enough to have looked over the whole menu.”

Just as he was about to make another playful comment, he was interrupted by the waiter coming to take their drink order. Clearly, he’d been waiting for Everett’s arrival as well, so he could properly greet them.

~~ 

Ari already knew what he was going to get; that was a lot easier to decide, given that he wasn’t really a big breakfast person in the first place. The challenge had been to find a drink that would go with the chocolate-filled pastries that were going to make up his ‘meal’. But considering Everett had just arrived, Ari wasn’t about to give the waiter his entire order just to watch the other bun scramble. 

“I’ll take one of the pomegranate mimosas, please.” Their waiter was cute; if Ari had been alone, he definitely would’ve flirted. But because he was on a date, he held back. Everett was charming (and fit) so he intended to at least give him a chance. 

The waiter turned to Everett, and Ari waited to see what the other bun would get. 

~~ 

Everett smiled politely as he let the waiter take down Ari’s order - pomegranate mimosa it was, it seems - before looking up as the waiter turned his way. The waiter is indeed cute. A handsome young man, and he seemed polite. Sweet, even. Perhaps a bit fun to fluster.

He quickly tries to chase the thought out from his mind. He’s on a date, after all. Even if Ari didn’t quite seem like his type, he also seemed nice. It was at least worth a try. 

“Just water for me,” he says, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. “Though we’ll need just a bit longer to order, I’m afraid. Or, well, as long as that’s alright with you?”

He glances over at Ari, realizing he had essentially spoken for him. Ah, he wasn’t very good at this . . . Normally, when he went out, he just let whoever he was spending the evening with deal with it all. Now, he was forced to realize the clumsiness of his manners. 

(Not that he’d normally care either way.)

~~

“Yeah, a couple more minutes please,” Ari politely dismissed the waiter, who nodded and promised to come back in a few. “Just water? Not looking for something sweet today?” He teased Everett, not really caring either way but keeping a note just in case.

Ari waited as a different waitress passed their table, then leaned over the table to be closer to Everett. “He was kinda fine, wasn’t he?” He whispered conspiratorially to the other bun. If Ari was right, and he usually was about these things, Everett might have a similar role to the one Ari tended to play. 

~~

At Ari’s teasing, Everett chuckles slightly, waving him off a bit. “Ah, I’m just not planning on eating anything much, and I prefer not to drink on an empty stomach. I’m not much of a morning eater either.” 

Honestly, he was planning on simply going back to skimming the menu, but when Ari leans across the table slightly to be able to whisper his thoughts, that thought goes out the window. A genuine grin splits across his lips, a barely visible crack in his earlier facade of tame politeness. 

“He was!” He enthuses as he leans in as well, a wild glint in his eyes. “Seemed like he’d be fun to play with - if you can excuse my bluntness.”

~~

Ari studied Everett in a new light, a mischievous grin slowly spreading across his face. “I wonder if we have the same idea of ‘fun’?” He mused, casually reaching up to trace his heart-shaped horns, hopefully making obvious what his first idea had been. “I was just going to get some pastries, but I could go for something a bit… Meatier.” 

~~ 

“Oh, really now?” Everett drawls, raising a brow as he tilts his cheek into his palm, his own amusement clear in both his smile and half-lidded gaze. “Is that so?”

He hums a bit in thought, before allowing his hoof beneath the booth to gently graze across the other’s lower leg as he uncrosses them just to cross them the other direction, clearly teasing in intent. “If that’s the case, what’s your thoughts on sharing a meal, hm? It sounds like it could be fun.”

With a wink, he adds, “It is a date, after all, is it not?”

~~

“How romantic,” Ari purred, letting his tail travel under the table and delicately intertwine with Everett’s. “I think you’ll find I’m quite good at sharing.” Ari’s gaze flickered to the side as he spotted the waiter approaching with their drinks. “Will you do the honours of letting our waiter know what we’ve decided on?”

~~

“It would be my pleasure,” Everett practically purrs, his own eyes following Ari’s gaze as a flirtatious smile shows off his sharpened fangs.

Perhaps tonight would be fun. It does feel nice to simply ‘live a little’.