This outing was so close to a date that she had to emphatically remind herself that it was not a date. Just because Caius had taken her out to dinner didn't mean that it was a date, as much as she wanted it to be. She could never tell what he was thinking, or how he felt...and it drove her crazy. His face was always so mysteriously stoic, but sometimes when he softened a little around the eyes and the corners of his lips pulled up into a smile...the expression just made her heart melt into a big puddle of warm goo.
She realized that she was staring at him and broke her gaze elsewhere, looking instead at the wall behind him where various stuffed animal heads and horns were mounted. "Y-yeah. Me too," she replied.
The arrival of their food saved her from her own awkwardness and gave her something legitimate to focus on. Unfortunately, though, the presence of the food was short-lived. Sofia had been hungrier than she'd thought, and made quick work of both burgers and a plate of fries. Feeling full and satisfied, she leaned back in her chair and finally relaxed her shoulders.
She wasn't sure what she enjoyed more; the meal, or the walk home with Caius. She liked being close to him, with her fingers tucked into the crook of his arm and her hip occasionally brushing against his while they strolled through the cooling twilight. This must have been what pure happiness felt like...she hadn't felt this way before in her life, not even for the boyfriends she'd had in the past, back when she was human.
Once they returned home, Sofia wandered into the kitchen and quietly started unloading the dishwasher. She was full, happy, and a little sleepy...but it needed to be done, or else she would sit up all night thinking about how she needed to unload the dishwasher. She went up on her toes to push a glass into its place on a shelf and reached for another.
She realized that she was staring at him and broke her gaze elsewhere, looking instead at the wall behind him where various stuffed animal heads and horns were mounted. "Y-yeah. Me too," she replied.
The arrival of their food saved her from her own awkwardness and gave her something legitimate to focus on. Unfortunately, though, the presence of the food was short-lived. Sofia had been hungrier than she'd thought, and made quick work of both burgers and a plate of fries. Feeling full and satisfied, she leaned back in her chair and finally relaxed her shoulders.
She wasn't sure what she enjoyed more; the meal, or the walk home with Caius. She liked being close to him, with her fingers tucked into the crook of his arm and her hip occasionally brushing against his while they strolled through the cooling twilight. This must have been what pure happiness felt like...she hadn't felt this way before in her life, not even for the boyfriends she'd had in the past, back when she was human.
Once they returned home, Sofia wandered into the kitchen and quietly started unloading the dishwasher. She was full, happy, and a little sleepy...but it needed to be done, or else she would sit up all night thinking about how she needed to unload the dishwasher. She went up on her toes to push a glass into its place on a shelf and reached for another.
It had been a lovely evening, he'd dinner with a.....a friend? In truth Caius wasn't sure what to call her, friend seemed inadequate, she was like family in a way, but there was something more.