He would show it, but saying it? Terrifying.
Tonight he was working on a meal consisting of her favorite foods, mostly Japanese dishes. It wasn’t his specialty, but he had practiced for a week to make sure he had gotten the techniques and everything down. Ainsley was sick of Japanese, and he was lucky she hadn’t already blabbed to Noa what he had been planning. Checking the clock, he saw that he was making good time. Unless his gremlin showed up early.
Excitement didn't really cover how Noa was feeling, but she decided to roll with it. Lately, her brain has been wandering, which sometimes is a good thing, but could also be a bad thing depending on who she asked. But she considered it to be a good thing this time around, between reconnecting with Waru, becoming Saleeite, and meeting Idirian, Noa would say shes had a pretty interesting couple of months so far. Right now, as she was getting in her car to drive to Idirian’s home, excitement definitely did not cover all of her feelings towards her forever brooding other half.
The feeling that was budding in her chest? The one that made her heart go all doki doki?
Yeah….That was a package she wasn't ready to open.
So for now, she left that feeling alone and focused only on the excitement while she drove, humming one of her favorite songs that came onto the radio. It wouldn't take her too long to get to his place so she left him a text saying she was on her way over.
Idri’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Noa’s text tone coming from his phone, but he was not going to examine that in the least. Not right now, anyway. She was on the way, so he needed to get a move on. Hurriedly, he plated everything up and set it on the dining room table along with a chilled bottle of wine. He had just put dessert in the oven so it could cook while they ate.
He was dressed in his usual monochrome black, but he wore a nice pair of slacks and a button down shirt. He busied himself putting plates on the table and making sure it all looked perfect, not that he was worrying about it perfect. Nope. He just wanted Noa to like it, that’s all.
Noa parked her car in the driveway, and walked out with her duffle bag, humming to herself as she rang the doorbell. Her outfit was okay…Well she hopped it was. Since this is a date night she wanted to be dressed up but not overly dressed or underdressed. Looking down at her dress she supposed it was going to suffice. One check for her makeup and everything, and no she wasn't nervous….Not at all.
Idri smiled when he heard the doorbell and made his way to it, pulling the door open. “Hey, beautiful,” he said and tugged her close for a kiss. It never seemed to matter how long they were apart, he always realized that he had missed her while she was gone. “You look amazing,” he told her with a soft smile, brushing the backs of his fingers over her cheek.
“Hey handsome~” She happily leaned into the kiss, smiling with a blush at his comment. “And you look more like a hot vampire than a mascot for hot topic~” Her smile was just as soft, green eyes shining full of excitement and that other emotion she wasn't ready to admit to yet. “Take me inside, big guy?”
He snorted softly and stole another kiss before taking her hand to lead her inside. “I hope you like everything I made,” he said and brought her into the dining room. With a rakish smirk, he pulled her chair out for her. “Mi reina,” he said and gestured for her to sit. As she sat, he pushed the chair in under her legs so she sat up to the table. He went to the kitchen then, and grabbed the first course to set out, putting it in front of her. “Ladies first,” he murmured before taking a seat.
“I always like everything you make mi armor~” She actually thought she was lucky, snagging a boyfriend that knew how to cook and enjoyed it, two things that were extremely rare with a man. Noa carefully sat down in the chair that was offered, “Mi señor” She giggled, sitting happily with her hands in her lap. The first course looked delicious and she couldn't wait to eat, once Idri took a seat. The moment he did she dug in and started munching, a pleased sound coming from her mouth. “Idri…This is amazing!” The fact that it was all Japanese cuisine made her smile, “Hontōni arigatō Idri~” she thanked him softly, taking another bite of food.
Idri smiled when she started eating, clearly enjoying the food. “Dōitashimashite,” he said, a smug smirk on his face as he began to eat as well. “Anything exciting happen since the last time I saw you?” It hadn’t been that long, but he wanted to know everything. Even if it was just silly stuff she had done with her friends, he loved watching her talk about things that excited her. She got so animated, and her smile and laugh just made his day better. And he was not going to think about why that might be. Not yet…
Well, that got her to blush.
Idri’s voice was always a treat to listen to on a good day but whenever he spoke spanish or in this case japanese…Good lord down girl this is not what we’re having date night for! Clearing her throat she resumed eating then waited to swallow her food before continuing, “Oh! I got back in touch with Waru! I've told you about him before, he was my other best friend along with Bets~” She was trying to keep herself somewhat contained, but her excitement was starting to pour out with each word she said. “Apparently he has…Two husbands now? Which is just amazing and I love that for him but also he wants to get into the OnlyFans scene as well.” She was practically beaming at this point, “So after having a bonfire meeting, which by the way he called you,” she cleared her throat to make sure she could mimic his voice successfully, “Tall, hot and accepting Idirian~”
She finished with a snort and a laugh, green eyes twinkling, “I invited him over to show the studio and give some pointers since he wanted to learn and I'm going to help him get started. We won't be making ANY content but I do want to get him started with the technical side of things.” The was a soft smile and she continued, “Also….I beat you~ I'm a captain nowwwww,”
He also loved that it didn't take much to make her blush. He enjoyed that pretty pink flush to her cheeks when he did or said something either to compliment her or to suggest something completely different. He was glad she had reconnected with her friend. “Two husbands?” Damn, he wasn't sure what he would do if he had to keep up with two people. Noa was perfect for him. His Goldilocks, if he wanted to get fairy tale about it.
He grinned as she got more excited the more she talked. He was happy that things had been going well for her. Waru's description of him made him laugh. “Okay, I definitely want to meet him,” he said. “He’ll do well as long as he takes your advice.”
When they were finished with the first course, he brought out the second and sat down with a pout (that he would deny ever making) at her news. “Now I'm jealous. Captain already?” He smiled softly. “I'm proud of you, though.” She had taken well to this new aspect of their lives, and he wasn't too far behind her. “I bet Chal is proud too,” he said with a grin.
“Oh you will meet him soon. He wants to meet you as well, I just need to figure out where we could all meet~” She was leaning more towards her apartment, since Idri was not the type to let a stranger he hasn't met into his home, which made sense because of Ains. Speaking of her little gremlin, “Where is Ains? Is she at a friend's house?” She started eating the second course, looking around for the little blonde that was growing on her more and more each day. “Idirian! Was that a…pout?” The grin on her face was wide as hell and there was no way Noa was going to let him live this down. “My my, THE dark and brooding Idirian Caine ... .Pouting!? Clearly the world is about to end~”
There was a dramatic swoon to go with the accusation, followed by a wink and yet another blush. “Thank you ... .I'm so excited to learn more about the negaverse. I have to talk to Chal but I want to learn about youma and all they can do for us. I even heard that maybe we could get powers too~ But research would be needed.” another bite, “I want you to come with me! Maybe you could learn a thing or two as well.” she worried when they would go out on patrol and run into order. Her last encounter was pleasant, but the one before had her flinching from time to time whenever anyone would poke her stomach or come up behind her.
That was something she desperately wanted to rid herself of.
He nodded; thinking they could meet at a restaurant or at Noa's place. The switch in subject made him chuckle a little. Her brain made the weirdest leaps sometimes. “Ainsley is at a soccer retreat this weekend.” Which meant they would have the house to themselves until Sunday afternoon. He loved his little sister more than anything, but sometimes having a teenager in the house was a pain in the a**. She loved teasing him about his relationship with Noa and the changes it had made in him.
Of course, Noa would pick up on the pout. Clearing his throat, he just took a drink of his wine and completely ignored the fact that it ever happened. “I'll go anywhere with you, you know that,” he told her with a smile. “Besides, I want to learn about youma, too.” Those things were fascinating, and if it would give them more power? It would definitely be worth it. He wanted to meet those two Order assholes and return the favor of beating their asses.
There was a very smug smile when Idri took a sip of his wine, but Noa wasn't going to poke further. Ooooh…That's why her partner in crime wasn't around. She took a sip of her wine and rested her elbows on the table with her chin in her hands, “Oh?” Her eyebrows were wagging, “You’ll go anywhere with me huh?” Perhaps she was in a teasing mood, “Sounds like….” she gasped, one hand covering her mouth, “A proposal Mr Caine~” Of course she was kidding, but she decided to poke a bit further, “Trying to buy the most expensive OnlyFans tier already? You know the manager does not get a discount for that.”
She did finish the second course… “Is there a dessert?” Her eyes looked hopeful and if Idri did complete the entire meal course she didn't know what she was going to do.
Honestly the man should've gone to school to be a chef.
He gave her a crooked grin at that question, but declined to answer. His face heated and he was glad she couldn't see his blush. If he said he hadn't thought about what it would be like… He would have been lying. Maybe too fast, slow down there, bud. “Maybe at a later date,” he said with a smirk. “Manager doesn't get a discount, but I'm the only one able to purchase that tier.” He gave her a wicked smile with that, his gaze a little heated until she asked about dessert.
“Of course I made dessert,” he said and stood, taking their plates to the kitchen. When he came back he held the still warm dish the castella cake had been baked in, setting it down between them. “I hope it's okay. I didn't try this one before.”
Oh….Cocky now are we?
Noa returned his smile with a quirky one of her own. “Oh yeah? Not so sure about that one big guy. You do have competition, you know ... .He just likes to wear masks and good lord he might have an advantage over you, especially wearing Ghost Face.” Call her crazy and she would happily admit that she was. But in her defense she supposed the attraction to dangerous people (cause there are some hot women too, she's seen Lady D) was more common than she thought. Dessert looked amazing and she couldn't wait to dig in, which she promptly did the moment Idri sat down. After her first bite, her eyes lit up and she cupped her cheek with one hand. “Idri! This is amazing!” She sighed contently and took another bite. “Totemo yoi! Subarashī!(So good! Amazing!) Idri!”
He chuckled softly at her idea of his “competition.” “Yeah, well, I think I could take him. Because you’re all mine, Bunni,” he said and moved closer to tip her head up and kiss her. Before he moved away to sit down, he nipped her lip and smirked. He sat down again then and cut her a slice of cake first, placing it in front of her. He cut a slice for himself next, watching for her reaction before taking a bite himself.
It was worth it. The way her eyes lit up made his heart stop for a moment in his chest. Her praise made him smile, another blush warming his face. “I’m glad you like it, amor,” he said before taking a bite. Mm, it had turned out really well. He’d have to save some for Ainsley. Or make her one, since this one might not last the weekend.
Dragon Berri
