Private Making the best of a bad date

Matilda was, as best as she could, trying to live a normal life. She didn't have to hide her bullshit chosen one status here on Manta Carlos and, generally speaking, people were understanding. Something that had been said to her the other evening had made her pause. That drinking with the right people was better than drinking alone. The only problem there was that Tilly didn't know any people. Not really, at least. She had no frame of reference to make friends or anything like that.

So with much hesitation and embarrassment, Tilly went to one of those hook up apps on her phone. It wasn't the best option, honestly. But there was a part of her that also wanted to try dating as well. She had missed out on so much, even her first kiss back in high school because of the stone in her chest. Not that she expected anything like that. Just... some kind of connection, she supposed.

Her profile was really bare bones. She hadn't even taken a picture, too embarrassed to actually put her face with her round cheeks and fat neck up against all of the supernaturally beautiful people that the island had to offer. Her profile also distinctly alluded to her condition, as she called it, but didn't go into specifics. She explained in the blurb that it was too complicated to put in her bio and she'd explain it if anyone actually met up with her. She really did not want people wanting to meet her out of pity or some weird desire to poke around and mess with the stone.

Her first real match was a woman she vaguely recognized but couldn't quite place. She'd seen so many people here so far and she just couldn't reasonably remember all of them. Aranea Price. Her picture showed that she had multiple eyes. A weird trait but whatever. Tilly couldn't really be picky, as gross as she was certain she looked compared to most everyone else.

She had some money saved up to spend on a slightly nicer restaurant than normal. No fast food on a first date, she knew that much at least. She had also spent the better part of her morning killing every critter within a two block radius around the date spot. Taken a shower and cleaned herself up. Standing in front of the restaurant in her one nice looking dress with the long bit of her hair done up in a bun rather than a braid, she actually looked like the beginnings of a well put together human being. What she might have been, maybe.

Tilly saw Aranea and recognized her immediately by her hair and her eyes. She flagged her down with what was probably too enthusiastic of a wave, putting on her best smile.

"Aranea right? A'm Matilda, from th' app. A weren't sure if'n y'were gon show." Wait,.that sounded bad. "Ah, A jes' mean, no' th' A think yer a flake..."

She stopped talking for a moment, that goofy smile falling as she realized that she really was not prepared for this. "But anyway. 'ere y'are, lookin' like a million bucks."

Matilda laughed a bit, sort of a nervous sounding one. "Ah yeah, A jest don't photograph too well. Always look like a burlap sack in a wig." Not to mention, seeing Aranea up close, Tilly felt incredibly underwhelming by comparison.

She stepped through the first door, coming to the second and holding it open for her date. She was low key giddy and anxious all at the same time. The host showed them to their seats, and Tilly awkwardly held out Aranea's seat for her before sitting down herself.

"So, ah... Reckon A should go ahead and tell ye bout me whole... thing." Tilly fumbled with her hands. She'd told plenty of people about it already, even her therapist. But the chance that Aranea would just leave rather than risk dealing with it felt real and she didn't know if she could handle that.

"A've got a rock in me chest stead o' a heart. It makes me a beacon for all kinds o' beasties that want it. Yer no' in any danger, but they kinda chew on me from time to time. Ain't seen none here tonight, but- A mean, A killed a whole bunch of em earlier. So hopefully nothin' 'appens."

Well that wasn't what she was expecting. The uncertainty, sure. That was part for the course. But the blatant flirting threw Tilly off, obvious when she had to backwash her drink a bit to keep from choking on it.

"Ah, well. A'd love fer ye to keep an eye out but ye won't see em comin'. It's the weird... two world's kinda thing. Long as A got the rock in me chest, A'm kinda halfway stepped between em."

Okay, now that sounded like an excuse. Like the whole no I totally have a girlfriend but no you can't meet her cause she lives super far away that some teenage boys tried to pull online.

Tilly was thankfully interrupted by the server, who she gave her order. Something small. She didn't want to seem like a pig in front of her date, even if she was actually famished from all the running around she had done today.

But soon enough they were gone and it was back to just the two of them. Tilly painfully wanted to change the subject, so she tried. "So wotcha do fer a livin' Aranea? I think yer profile said ye was a Scout? Din't never deal with them none fore A came here."

"Reckon yer used to goin' out an' fightin' cunts rather than sittin' on yer arse doin' paperwork. A get that. Figure A ain't cut out fer normal work, even if'n A could hold down a regular job..."

Tilly laughed a little, imagining it. Herself, as gruff and unsophisticated as she was, working in an office. Doing reports and signing paperwork and those Skype business calls people did. It seemed so silly.

But also, the thought kind of appealed to her in an odd way. Even here, on an island full of magical creatures and beautiful women with multiple eyes, Tilly still kind of felt like the least mundane person around. She tried not to show it in her face, but it probably did anyway.

"A'm sure ye'll get back out there sooner or later. Get back to kickin' arse and savin' lives."