I just want to buy you lunch

Actually, though this was the first year it had ever mattered at all, Fatima wasn't exactly enjoying the whole Valentine's season. Everyone seemed so overly lovey-dovey and cute and she was absolutely terrified by the idea of romance. She wanted to keep her distraction as a physical thing and just not hurt anybody by using them. She'd not sent out many valentines for just that reason. Limiting it to friends she hoped would be cheered up by them and not get any ideas.

She hoped no one got the wrong ideas by her not sending them one. But fortunately she had only received two herself, and one was anonymous, so she wouldn't have to explain her reasoning to someone who sent her one without receiving any in return. And now hopefully people would get back to normal. Deep emotions made her think too much, and she'd rather avoid the complications.

When Regis saw her, she wasn't doing much. She was simply wandering around looking for something entertaining. She'd felt restless enough today to not stay at the cafeteria to eat, so she had time on her hands. Since it was lunchtime and a noticeable amount of people among the downtown crowd were starting to get hungry, Fatima guessed she was going to end up buying food anyways.

She was slightly startled by Regis approaching her. Usually, she was the one who started up conversation with him. If starting a conversation included pelting him with candy and calling him Mary Poppins. She wasn't sure why she refused to call him by his actual name, but she did think the nickname was surprisingly accurate. Fatima wondered for a brief moment if he was going to try and get revenge for the anonymous valentine and actually considered tossing random marshmallows at him and making a run for it. But then he'd probably just dodge anyways.

So putting on her best - I didn't send you an overly creepy valentine because I like you - innocent face, Fatima replied only slightly nervously. "Umm.. Nothing? It's almost lunchtime? ... I'm just - yeah I'm actually not doing anything. Just wandering around. Y'know - looking at... the scenery..."

Fatima wasn't exactly guilty, at least not about sending a creepy valentine, she was more embarrassed at the fact that she liked him enough to send one. He was right though that no one ever seemed to buy her innocent face. For some reason, people assumed she did naughty things. She wasn't one for concealing her emotions either, well the ones that she wasn't actively suppressing or in denial about at any rate. She felt awkward. The whole Valentine's season was kind of getting to her. But she liked talking to this guy, as odd as it was. Wryly, she asked him, "Do you really want me to be good at bluffing, then?"

Then the man made his offer, and Regis offering to buy her lunch was something so unexpected that Fatima was convinced she'd either misheard or misinterpreted him or both. The girl was actually struck speechless from shock for a few seconds, her mind whirring with thoughts. What?! Did he just? No... Is this... What? He must have meant... maybe he wants to... start a ... food... fight? Why the hell would Mr. Grim Reaper Regis want to start a food fight with me?!

If he'd thought she looked guilty before, now she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Even though he was generally a nice guy, which was part of his strange appeal, it always threw her off. Mostly because she thought that he really, really should not be kind to her. She liked him - it was terrible! But when she thought about it a bit longer, him starting a food fight wasn't really out of character. And maybe it was some Valentine's revenge, his little joke.

Still... the redhead realized she hadn't actually responded out loud. Trying not to sound overly incredulous, although her long pause had most likely revealed her surprise, she asked, "So you, umm, want to pelt me with food?"