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[ She gets it! She'll sit properly so Cloud can eat, and yes, she has her snacks, too! ]

I suppose. That's one way of looking at things.

[ The fritters are served with some barbeque sauce, so she dips an end of it in some and takes a bite. It is oily! But it's not bad at all. It also comes with a special other kind of dip, a mix of mayonnaise and some other thing. Ayaka's not sure! ]

Would you like some of mine? It is not a flower, but... perhaps we can trade a piece or two.

[ Thankfully for these two, they'll feel much better after they make their trip back home! It pays to be relatively active so they can enjoy some of the more indulgent things. He takes a bite of his sausage, surprised by the explosion of juicy flavors in his mouth. He didn't think it'd be dry, it's just... He's had hot dogs before. ]

Mm?

[ Chew. Chew. Swallow! He can't help the little smile when she offers to trade. It may not be a flower... ]

Sure. Have at 'er.

[ The sausage and bun would be much harder to just hang over to Ayaka and feed her. So he slides his plate towards her so that she can enjoy a bite! She can take it from either side if she wants- the one he bit into first, or the untouched side! ]

Looks like barbeque, but...what's that other one?

[ yes she's gonna have some of his sausage ]

Um... I haven't tried it yet. It looks like some kind of mayonnaise?

[ '-' But she transfers half of her beef fritters over to Cloud's plate. She doesn't need to eat that much!!! And then she grabs a fork and a knife to slice one bite off Cloud's food. She's not going to use her hands for this, thank you..............

Ayaya-sized bite!! Om 'u' Very juicy... This does taste like something Cloud would enjoy. ]

[ H U E H U E H U E ]

I'll figure it out.

[ He really shouldn't have been so surprised that she'd cut the sausage and bun off at the end. One day...he'll get her to hold a hot dog for real. But tonight was not that night. It's an indulgent treat! Cloud likes to eat relatively clean, but he's also a fan of BBQ and sushi... Ayaka got him hooked on quality salmon sashimi. Waiting for Ayaka to transfer her beef fritters to him, he doesn't even object that she's surrendering half of her snack to him. He knows that it's getting late and this was a snacky night.

... he also eats more by comparison. So, this is a win for both of them! ]

And?

[ What'd she think of it! While he waits for an answer, Cloud cuts off a piece of a beef fritter with his fork before taking a stab at it. Into the mayonnaise mixture it goes! And once he takes a moderately bigger Cloud-sized bite? Om. ... Oh! It's not your ordinary mayonnaise. And he couldn't really smell it at first until he took a proper bite but now he can't get it out of his head. It's good. ]

That's sesame.

[ Sesame Mayonnaise! At least, it's subtle. ]

It's very juicy, isn't it?

[ The sausage!! It's very flavourful! The bun adds a nice touch so you don't end up feeling like it's too flavourful. ]

Sesame? [ Huh!

Ayaka's quick to grab one of the fritters with her fork to try. The barbecue sauce was good and all, but this one? Ayaya approves. 👍 ]

I like this one better.

[ And because of that! She doesn't dip her fritters into the barbecue sauce anymore! Everything goes into the sesame mayonnaise, only taking breaks every now and then from the oiliness by taking sips of her drink. ]

So, tomorrow... do we have an itinerary? I'd still like to look around and buy some souvenirs.

Yeah, nice as barbeque is...it's pretty common.

[ ... he kind of wants this dip for home now. As Ayaka asks of their plans for tomorrow, he smirks with a "hmph" behind sealed lips. ]

Mind reader... [ Just like their characters. ] Was thinking we'd play it by ear and have a look around. If it's not too late and we feel done, we can make our way home.

[ He shrugs before going to take a sip of his own citrusy concoction. ]

Thought ahead and booked our place for another night just in case.

[ Which means they may stay another day if they fancy it too! ]

[ Ayaka doesn't even need to think twice! Her beau is just so amazing... ]

Then... I'd like to stay here for another day.

[ Just the two of them ☺️ It's been a year and the honeymoon phase is still going strong. It isn't as if the two of them are going to go their separate ways once they leave! But... if Cloud allowed him to be the only one in her world a little longer... she really would be so happy. ]

No more crying, this time.

[ Should there come a time wherein their honeymoon phase wears off? ... Nothing significant was going to change, really. Though maybe the fact it's lasted this long has to do with the admitted uncertainty of their futures together. If he truly finished his mission, and settled down into a new life in Inazuma as he decided he would... Yes; yes he wouldn't let anything change. Whether she was away on official business, or he was attending to official Yashiro Commission affairs, she was still somebody he would return home to. With the same admiration he found for her from the moment they met.

Times may change, but the way he feels for her? Would only grow stronger. That he swears by. ]

And if you do, [ mindful to wipe his hands so that they're not greasy in any way, he makes sure Ayaka's between bites to rest his hand atop one of hers. ] I'll just catch them.

[ Any tears that dare to fall. ]

You always do. Thank you for being so patient with me.

[ Ayaka does cry a lot... she promises not to do so anymore for the remainder of their trip, but if he does something that makes her so happy, then she might just break her promise.

A wistful sigh, and she offers him a bit more of her food. No one's looking, she can feed him!!

And as they finish the rest of their anniversary snack, they might notice more people coming in. Looks like this pub's only getting livelier by the minute! A few people start manning the pool table, filling up the ambiance with the sound of balls hitting one another, cheers, and laughs. It's actually fun to see! Ayaka doesn't know anything, but it's nice to see people gather together and enjoy themselves. ]

Always.

[ And just like that, another sign of his support of her, she sneaks him a bit of her food and he doesn't make a scene of it. A moment of sharing, not even thinking of the romantic notions of it all as he accepts another bite of her beefy little treat. After enjoying and finishing off the rest of his own sausage, along with a good portion of his own drink, he notices that more and more people were coming in too. ]

Good thing we got here when we did...

[ Even still, it wasn't getting so busy that it was overcrowded either. Coldreach wasn't some bustling hotspot like some places in Nightwake seemed to be. He finds himself enjoying just watching the people mingle, especially when some were starting to play pool. It's a game he never played before...

However, as a small yet jovial group celebrate in one corner of the pub, they're loud enough to garner the blond's attention as he squints through the brief cluster of people walking between tables to see a dart board. And somebody just missed it completely while the others were having a laugh about it! ]

Huh, didn't see the dartboard when we walked in.

[ Probably because your attention was on a certain little ~~white rabbit~~ princess. ]

[ Well, Ayaka isn't any better. She was too focused on her beau to notice anything else...

But that's fine! They're more relaxed now, and they're both taking in the atmosphere. Ayaka doesn't know anything about darts, beyond what Cloud's told her, but... ]

Would you like to play? [ Now she can watch him in action! Hopefully those other people are friendly and would play with Cloud. Ayaka won't, because there are other people around, but she'll cheer Cloud on! ]

Hm. [ He eyes what's left of his drink. ... Then back to the darts. And then to Ayaka, ] Sure.

[ But on one condition! ]

Wanna finish our drinks, pay and check it out?

[ They can start making their way home afterwards! He gets to show off to Ayaka... ~~No hustling drunks out of money this time though.~~ ]

Mm, alright.

[ That sounds like a good plan to her! And he gets to show off to Ayaka!! :D She's so excited. And in true Kamisato-Strife action. . . ]

May I pay for our bill this time?

'Kay. You got this one.

[ He's almost tempted to try and convince her to go halfsies with him if she must...but knowing him? He'll find a way to spoil her right back. Beyond what he's already paid for their trip out here, that is. ]

[ The two take their sweet time finishing their drinks, and once Cloud bites his tongue on telling their server to split the bill, it's all combined for Ayaka to handle and purchase! There's no need to clean up either, their plates taken care of and their emptied glasses of Night Sky Wish ~~of which he shall ask for the recipe of before leaving~~. Now all that's left is a prince and his white heron princess, hand in hand more comfortably in public thanks in part to the strength of their drink. Just as the duo arrive with the group of friends playing darts, they appear to be just finishing up a round after the last shot is just short of the bullseye.

Were they playing for points? Or who can get the most bullseye marks? He supposes he shouldn't get too competitive about it... ]

Hey, [ he calls out with Ayaka at his side. One of the older gentlemen lifts their head up from the pile of darts in their hand to spot the younger couple. ] Mind if I join in for a round or two?

[ "Heeey, we got a newcomer! Can't say I've seen either of you 'round these parts before! What's your name?" ]

[ Well they seem like friendly enough tipsy folk! ... possibly drunk. He can't quite tell. Regardless, he's got his answer! He can play! ]

I'm Cloud. [ Even though she wasn't planning on playing, he had no intention of leaving her out either. Giving her hand a squeeze before letting go, ] And this is...

[ Friendly! Which is great, because it means Cloud can play! Ayaka can't easily shake off being so comfortable around Cloud then suddenly being around others, though, so she takes a few seconds to compose herself before responding. ]

Greetings. My name is Kamisato Ayaka.

[ She gives them a small smile and a bow of her head. There's no need to be so formal in a place like this! But they chalk it up to her being shy. She did look a little dazed when Cloud cued her to introduce herself, after all.

... maybe she should order another drink while Cloud is playing. A glass to hold onto and something to drink to to take away the nerves sounds like a good idea. Though she waits for the game to begin before she does anything. ]

Um... I shall watch from here. [ Her voice is soft enough for just Cloud to hear, but the others can probably tell what she's saying. They're just by the bar, so Ayaka will watch from one of the stools. ] It is customary to wish the other luck, no?

I'm excited to see you play! And... [ Tiptoeing so she can whisper in his ear, she gives him some words of motivation to carry with him when he plays.

Perhaps you can sit on our bed while I'm on my knees when we are back at our lodging after you win? ]

That's right.

[ She can get comfy! Besides, he imagines he won't take long doing this. But before she can go to her stool to watch and cheer him on, Cloud accompanies her with a confident smile. ]

Shouldn't be long. If you wanna leave early, just say when.

[ "I'm excited to see you play! And..." ]

Mm?

[ He leans in with her tiptoeing up so she can whisper in his ear. He cocks a brow, and her voice carries through... She really was soothing to him, whisper or no. But it's what she says, and the expression on his face, that tells the whole story. His eyes widen, and his breath catches in his throat silently. ]

.......

[ And so, whispered back, but not before her beau swallows thickly, face redder than a summon Materia, ]

Yes ma'am.

[ And now? Cloud was in full-on mercenary mode. Time to school the boys. Approaching the group, he crosses his arms. ]

So. 301 or 501 Darts?

[ They choose to go with 301 Darts! They like this young lad's bravado, too! Just don't get too cocky in front of your lady there, Cloud. They may be a little drunk, but they're not so fargone that they can't see where they're aiming! He squares up with the oldest of the group, sporting a thick and impressive white moustache and a shiny bald head. As the two take turns hitting the board, Cloud's shots are more accurate, going between bullseyes and calculating how much farther down he has to go in order to reach 0.

It's not the closest game, but in the end, after about 10 or so throws, Cloud successfully defeats the old man! They take it on the chin, as the group commend the blond for his throwing skills! Clearly he's done this before! But now it's time for a middle-aged, bearded fellow to step up to the plate. But this time...they have a twist in mind. 301 again! Only this time...

"How's about we heat things up a little? If I win, you buy a round for me and the boys before you and your lady friend call it a night."

Can Cloud even afford that?! Seems the crew doesn't care. They wanna see this hotshot of an otherworlder back up his talk and walk. Especially against their best guy! He bets he can hit 0 in less than 10 shots, no problem. ]

...

[ But then Cloud, ]

Six.

[ "Huh?" ]

I'll do it in six darts.

[ That gets the rest of the surrounding crowd murmuring. Six?! That's...a perfect game, isn't it? Hitting the triples back to back to back...the last shot is the easiest one, supposedly. But getting there is the tough spot. If Cloud literally misses once, he can't do it. ]

I do that? And you're paying for her drink.

[ Hiking his thumb over his shoulder to his girlfriend watching, Cloud is serious about this. ]

[ By the time Cloud and the other men look back at her, she's watching intently with a drink in her hand, and the straw in her mouth. She was mid-sip, Cloud!! But now they're looking, and she blinks for a moment before shyly waving at her beau.

'-' ]

You can do it!

[ 'u' A shy smile. She doesn't know what 301 and 501 mean, but Cloud's been impressing not just her, but the other people here! ]

[ Cloud can't help but break his cool exterior for a moment when he realizes he's caught her mid-sip. He may do his best to keep his cool and knows when to take matters seriously, but...he really was smitten with her. He has to shake it off, least he not back up his talk. So before he begins his round after his opponent proceeds to finish in 9 shots...

Deep breath in...and deep breath out. ]

[ He throws. Inner circle 20. The other men give a collective "ooo". Deep breath in...and deep breath out. Clear out all doubt. Focus. ~~Cheat a little because his reflexes and precision are superhuman. FJLKDSA~~ Another throw. 20 again.

With each one, the man he's facing is less worried about losing to Cloud and more rooting for the guy. Would he even make the guy pay up for everyone's tab if he misses a shot? Because by shot #4 and Cloud actually landing all of them in the same spot in a row, he's thinking of just letting the guy go and rewarding his girlfriend with a free drink anyway! This is entertaining to see! ]

...

[ Shot Five. A collective gasp. It strikes true. Triple 20 again. Cloud literally only has 1 point left for a perfect game. It should be the easiest one. Just hit in the biggest spot underneath the '1'. No double. No Triple.

Cloud doesn't keep the crowd holding their breath for very long. Without so much as a word...

He lets his sixth and final dart fly, humming as it hits the board. 1.

Six shots. It's Cloud's game to win. And he's feeling pretty damn good about himself right now, pumping his fist as the crowd hoots and hollers in celebration. Aaand add a cool little 'hmph' as he crosses his arms for good measure. ]

[ Ayaka thinks she gets it easily enough. Six shots, and he has to make "301" points. It's hard to see the numbers from where she's seated, but the suspense is still immense when Cloud doesn't just have the attention of the men he's playing with and his girlfriend, but he has the attention of some other customers, and even the bartender.

When everyone's cheering and hooting, even toasting with one another and handing each other money because someone just lost a bet, Ayaka's jumped off her seat and left her drink at the bar. ]

That was amazing! [ No high fives, no fist bumps. She's clenching and shaking her fists in excitement as soon as she's in front of him. ] You didn't even look nervous. Not for a second!

[ She's already crazy about him but agsfdhfk her affections for him is just. Limitless. ]

[ Cloud doesn't even get the chance to gloat or rub it in to the guy he just beat by the time Ayaka bounds over excitedly. And just like that, his front crumbles and he's relaxed once more. Sighing through his nose in relief, he smiles for her when she mentions how he didn't look nervous for a second. ]

Gotta have nerves of steel in my line of work. [ Briefly he pauses, before correcting himself as the group he was playing with begin to approach them. ] Well, not anymore.

[ He gave up the merc life. At least, the kind he used to do. He turns around to face the gentleman he just bested who can only shake his head before flashing him a big toothy grin! ]

[ "That's one steady hand you got there, Cloud! A deal's a deal. Little Miss Kamisato's drink is on us!"

Yeah! ]

Thanks for indulging me.

[ "Now then, how's about one more go at the board! Think you can hit the same amount of bullseyes in a row?"

Ohhh that does sound good! They wanna see it!!

But...as Cloud looks to Ayaka at his side, and back to the darts... The choice is pretty easy for him. He's consulting her, like there's no one else around and it's just the two of them. Ayaka's his priority. What she wants? He wants. And Cloud wouldn't mind going back soon, if not right now. ]

How you feelin'?

[ Wanna go back? ]

[ It's a little embarrassing for a stranger to pay for her drink, but she can't really refuse that anymore. Not to mention, it's what Cloud wanted, so she has to tuck that shyness away and just let it be. There are far more exciting things at hand, though, like Cloud's victory!

She doesn't have a preference— to stay or to go, because if Cloud wants to play some more? Then of course she's support him! And he might want to play some more because it's fun, too. This would be when mindreading powers would be very beneficial, but it is a sad truth that they aren't capable of it. Would Cloud be sad if they left already? Or is this his way of excusing themselves as it is? ]

I don't mind staying a bit longer. [ She'll just have yet another drink kajdajd ] It was fun seeing you play! I know you said you were good, but I didn't think I could be excited for a game I'd never even tried before. You just had this air of confidence around you, and I was at the edge of my seat with every move you made.

My heart is beating so fast right now... [ ///// She laughs after that, swaying from side to side slowly. Why is it that she says she doesn't mind staying longer, but it also feels like she wants to be alone with him already? ] You're really amazing, Cloud.

[ Cloud knew which way he was leaning. After all, they intended to leave after they enjoyed their drink and snack before the allure of the dart board grabbed a certain beau's attention! Not to mention...the more that Ayaka strokes and strokes and strokes on Cloud's ego with how cool he looked and the confidence he exuded while backing up his talk, ]

You were...?

[ "My heart is beating so fast right now..." ]

...

[ ///// He can't help himself. He rubs the back of his head, then takes that one important step closer. Towards his girlfriend. Hand in hand, squeezing hers when he just as confidently tells her, ]

Let's get outta here.

Are you sure?

[ Ayaka meant what she said, and she wasn't saying anything just to make him feel good! She would like for him to have a good time too, after all. But it also comes naturally to her to step into him. Then she looks back at the other people who are still waiting for Cloud's decision. ]

Um, please excuse us. We'll be retiring for the night now. Thank you for letting us join you.

[ They're not bothered! Cloud joining them for a game was pretty fun, and it definitely brought a bit more excitement to their night. They're usually just here to meet up every week to talk about work and their families, so having someone young up and join them even for a bit was the highlight of their session tonight.

Some of them even give Cloud a pat on the back, inviting him to come over this time of night whenever he's around. It's pretty easy to travel around the city, after all. Looks like Cloud's got more supporters now! And that puts a smile on Ayaka's face.

Tug tug. ]

Positive.

[ He's had his good time! Now he's looking forward to better times beyond this place. Frankly, he only stepped up for this because it was a brief detour on his plan to spend the rest of the night with her. A calming walk home, taking in the scenery...living in these gentler times for just a little longer. For as long as they can afford to. Turning back to the crew that was glad to welcome them for a couple rounds, Cloud nods his thanks before declaring, ]

Think we're gonna call it a night.

[ "Thank you for letting us join you."

"Not a problem! You and your sharpshooter of a boyfriend here are welcome back any time. Isn't that right, fellas?"

A joyous raise of their glasses and a little cheer for the couple! Everyone seems to be in a good mood out here in this little town... It's actually comforting to him. It doesn't change his decision whatsoever as far as wishing to go back to their special little treehouse, but it makes the memory even fonder to him knowing this was the note they were leaving on. Sure enough, the drinks Ayaka had were entirely on them!

With pats on the back (and Cloud doing his best to just suck it up and take them...), he's tug tugged along by Ayaka as they leave the establishment. He'll be sure to come back to get the recipe for their anniversary drink before they leave this town. In the meantime, however, as the cooler night air greets them, Cloud feels a sense of relief wash over him. It wasn't that hot inside but, with that many people out and about, it was only a matter of time before body heat just built up.

He doesn't shiver though, only stepping in closer with Ayaka at his side before squeezing her hand. ]

You have fun?

[ Not just back there. But in general today. Even with everything they talked about before... To give Ayaka a chance to explore and visit so many new places she never would have had the chance to back home... This was but a taste of the life of a Traveler. ]

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