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"Without duct tape ? s**t, that's harsh." Okay, now this had honestly gone from code to inside joke. After all, there were two universial solutions to the universe : WD40 and duct tape.

He was quite certain his awakening, while not so dire, had been the wackiest, though he was certain it wouldn't carry well in code. Tale for another time. "Mine was a little funny, but that's not really a diner-appropriate story."

Now that he had stricken fear into all of their hearts, Xavier made a side-swing for one of the discarded veggies of Bell's plate before returning to his own chicken. He did raise an eyebrow at the whole ring thing. "I know we're quick in buisness, but that's a little too extreme even for me." No ring for Bell tonight, alas.

"Trial by fire on the first day," nodded Tallulah, chewing thoughtfully on a stalk of broccoli. "Sounds about right. And yes, the food is very good."

It was arguably some of the best Asian Fusion she'd had in quite a while (whatever Asian Fusion was) - it certainly beat going to TGI Thaidays and getting attacked by the flying spaghetti monster's second cousin. But what did you expect from one of Destiny City's premier dining spots?

"No," she laughed, glancing back at the guards and giving Jaimie's hand a squeeze. "They're probably waiting for some woman to storm out on a poor proposing sap. Every time it happens it makes their week. They have betting pools on who's going to get engaged or break up. They're eying our table because they can't figure out how some teenagers can afford to eat here."

She inclined her head slightly towards her boyfriend and, laughing, stage-whispered, "He's paying."

"Well, that's a pretty valid question to ask in my case." There was no way in hell he could have been able to afford this normally - even less so when he hadn't worked for nearly a month. But it was Tallulah's birthday, and he had been willing to take the ego blow and ask his father for some money especially for that fact.

He would probably need to do it again soon, for... something completely different, as soon as he had it figured out, but for now he wasn't thinking about that.

"Oh, oh," cooed Tallulah in a most unladylike fashion, squeezing Jaimie's hand. "Pick me." If she were in anything other than a good birthday mood, she probably would have scowled and told him to take things seriously but tonight the pressure was off. So far there'd been no youma (thank god!) and she thought that maybe, just maybe, she'd have let them be someone else's problem if any showed up. (But probably not.)

At any rate, it sure beat last year's birthday. Dinner at with three of her closest friends at a fancy restaurant sure beat getting kissed by Castor, falling off a roof and into a dumpster, and hiding in bushes with Pasha. Actually, last year's birthday was unspeakable. No one was ever going to find out about her unwanted liplock if she could help it.

Their empty plates were cleared. When the waitress came by to ask about dessert, Tallulah turned her down. "We've got cake with my parents to go back to," she explained to the table. "But you can still sing if you want," she added, as Jaimie paid the check.

Actually, she would kind of like to be serenaded at a fancy restaurant for her birthday, decided Tallulah. "That is," she added, "You probably should sing."

"Ill bail you out of jail." He stuck out his tongue at Jaimie. This kind of delinquency was not for him, thank you.

Unlike his lovely girlfriend, Xavier seemed more than willing to make a public a** out of himself, and so he was more than willing to start singing. Not too loudly, since he didn't want to drag the attention of the guards on them any more than it already was (Bell was uncomfortable enough as is), but serenade the birthday girl he did.

As much as his singing could be considered serenading.

Which wasn't very much.

Oh, all the humiliation and embarrassment would be repaid as soon as Tal opened the present Bell got her. That thought brought a thoughtful,humored smile to her face. Innocent? Bell? Why yes, but her sense of humor might have been a little less so.

There may or may not have been vaguely evil laughter somewhere in the back of her mind. Maybe.

"Well way to make this night a hard one to beat next year." Jaimie pointed out, with an exaggerated, teasing eyeroll.

"You two need some cab money?" He asked Bell and Xai, making it fairly clear that he had every intent to split off for a while. "I figured I'd steal away with Tal for a while. I mean if her father is planning on breaking me in half anyway i ought to give him some nightmare fuel." he grinned, jokingly again. "If that's ok by you, Tal."