Rendezvous at Seacoast Resort

Izar took in a deep breath as he stared into his bathroom mirror, having spent nearly an hour already trying to figure out how he would ask Akumu to go with him to the resort. He splashed a bit of water on his face. "Why is this so much harder than the last time I asked her out? the worst she can say is no." he thought out loud, the idea of her doing so seemed to hurt him much more than that of her previous rejections. He shook it off, wiping the water from his face and putting on his white shirt and black jacket. He down looked at the tickets in his hand, ''Confidence Izar. Women like confident men...right?'' he thought before heading out the door toward the guild hall, knowing that she would most likely be there. He stopped at the entrance, taking one last deep breath before entering the hall. He scanned the area of the guild hall, finding her in her favorite spot. Izar's lips curled into a loving smile as he began to walk toward her.

As per usual, Akumu was seated in her normal chair, her legs bent and curled up beneath her, made possible by the dark jeans she wore, accompanied by a forest green t-shirt. Her gaze was fixed intently on a book, green eyes trailing each word with fervor, making her almost completely unaware of anything around her. Her hair was not up in its usual ponytail, instead, the dark locks were tucked neatly behind her ears, keeping them out of the way as she read. As Izar approached, he cast a shadow over her book, which didn't affect her in the slightest thanks to her superior sight, but still alerted her to a new presence. She looked up slowly from her book, carefully saving her place with a bookmark before setting it aside. "Hello," She said curtly, carefully searching his person for any indications that he was asking her on another date. There were no roses or chocolates visible, so she relaxed the slightest bit. "What brings you here?" She asks, bringing her dark gaze up to his violet one, not harsh or demeaning, but certainly not warm and welcoming.

Izar let his smile fade into a friendly one. "I was just stopping by, this is the guild hall after all. I saw my good friend sitting all by her lonesome so I thought I should stop by and say hello." Izar said as he took the seat beside her, before noticing her book. "Sorry, I hadn't meant to bother you." He said as his eyes moved back over to meet hers. "Well, actually. If I am to be honest, there is another reason I came today."Izar said a little hesitation noticeable in his voice. "You see, I went on a job recently and one of the rewards were tickets to this fancy resort not too far away from Sea village." Izar said knowing she probably knew where he was going at this point. "And I'd be honored if you would be willing to go with me next weekend?" Izar asked in a hushed tone as he pulled the tickets from his pocket, being sure not to let anyone else see them.

Akumu waited impatiently for him to get to the point, feeling peeved because of his lengthy response, his apology, and then continuing to talk afterward. She didn't interrupt him for fear he would give her a lengthy apology and did her best to keep it off of her features as well. As he came to a close, Akumu addressed him with a look that clearly displayed her idea on going anywhere near the water in front of a guy who was heavily infatuated with her. She switched her gaze to the tickets, briefly remembering Itari telling her about helping Izar get them, and she reminded herself to question everything involving Izar after this. "I think I'm quite comfortable in my chair at the guild with a book," She says curtly, reaching over to get said book and cracking open the spine again. "And why would you want to bring me anyway? Does it look like I enjoy lengthy days in the sun?" She adds, referencing her pale skin.

Izars eyes averted from hers for only a moment as he quickly brought them back. The pain in his chest was definitely as bad as he feared it would be. "I suppose I understand. I've never really been the type for things like this either. It's just that, during our last date you said you wondered why we couldn't be a normal couple having a normal date. I thought that it would be a good chance for us to get away from everyone here and do that. Just a normal couple out on a date, no nosy people or judgmental eyes to worry about. I mean, we are a couple right?" Izar asked masking his own concern.

Curse past Akumu for saying things that Izar picked up on. Curse Izar for being able to remember things. Curse Akumu for seeing at the hurt in his lavender gaze and feeling guilty. What did she have to feel guilty for anyways? She was just stating facts, it wasn't her fault Izar picked the wrong date plans. Still, her heart reached out for him, if for nothing else than understanding what it felt like to be forgotten or ditched. She grit her teeth, thinking hard over her next statement. The word couple made her cringe inwardly. She didn't want to label the feelings she felt for Izar, especially because after she identified them, she'd have to share them explicitly, with Izar, and then later people she trusted with such information, said people being Itari. Dammit, why were relationships so difficult? "Considering we've gone on one date, I suppose the word couple defines us, at least, a little bit. And I suppose if given the opportunity to share a date with you without having to worry about others prying into it... then I suppose that would be okay. Good, even, but I'm just hesitant to agree to a date by the beach, or even going somewhere expensive. Not that I question your intentions, but not all men are as honorable as you are," She says, staring hard at him. The slightest slip by the man and it was over, that much was certain to Akumu.

A soft smile appeared on Izar's face at Akumu's words, happy that it wasn't just that she didn't want to go out with him. He nodded, "I understand. We don't even have to go near the water if you want. I'm sure there are plenty of things we could do on land. If you don't want to go to the resort at all I can give someone else the tickets and we could go somewhere different. It's not about where or even what we're doing Akumu, as long as it's with you I'd be happy anywhere."

Akumu nodded, thinking over possible places they could go. However, nothing came to mind, as she never went on dates, nor had a particular interest in imagining going on them. Of course, the standard movie came to mind, however, the prospect of sitting still doing absolutely nothing but watching a screen for hours wasn't appealing in the slightest. "There's no sense in wasting tickets you worked hard to get. You said we leave next weekend then? That gives me enough to mentally prepare for a day by the beach at least," She says, sinking farther into her seat and fixing her gaze onto her book. "Now, please allow me to finish my book in peace."

Izar stood up, nodding. He knew telling her she didn't have to or suggesting anywhere else would only seek to annoy her. She had made up her mind and was willing to go to the beach with him despite her dislike of such things. "Of course, and thank you. I promise you won't regret it. If we don't see each other again before then let's meet up at the station Saturday morning." He said with a wide smile as he backed away, letting her go back to reading.

Saturday morning rolled around quickly&mdash;much quicker than Akumu thought it would, at least&mdash;and she was shifting through her bag to make sure she had everything she needed for her oceanside get-a-way. Once she was certain she did, she slung the duffle bag up onto her shoulder, quickly exiting her dormitory and heading towards the station. The sun had just crept over the skyline, casting hues of pink, purple, and orange into the sky. She wasn't quite sure what Izar classified as morning, and she had been too stubborn to talk to him just for a simple question like that, so she figured a little past dawn would have to work. If not, she brought a book with her, so she could always read until he showed up. This was as early as she dared leave, otherwise, she would run into Itari, and the last thing she wanted to do was explain why she had packed a bag and was headed to the train station. Even with that crisis averted, she walked briskly in case he happened to be around. When she reached the train station, she found an empty bench and sat down, placing her bag in her lap and lacing her hands together on top of it. She would wait to read until she was sure Izar found that morning came much later than the break of dawn. If Izar was already there, she wouldn't have seen him either, as she kept her gaze directed towards the train tracks.

Izar checked the bag he had packed the night before just to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything important. He picked up the small, rectangle shaped gift box, examining it despite already knowing it's contents. He snapped out his trance and placed the box into his pack along with everything else before storing it all away in his pocket dimension. He had woken up much earlier than normal, knowing he had been stupid in not giving her a time, being far too afraid to give her one at any point during the week as to not make her feel like he was pestering her. He ran down to the train station just as the sun was cracking over the horizon. He got there to see that she too was just arriving, he watched as she sat down and began reading before making his way over to her. "Good morning Akumu. I hope you haven't been waiting too long, I was just about to go get our tickets. The train should be arriving shortly."

Akumu glanced up at Izar as he began speaking, shaking her head. "I haven't been waiting long at all," She says, shifting her bag up onto her shoulder. "Let's not waste time, I'd rather have to wait for the train than have the train wait for me," She says, standing up and walking over to the man selling the tickets. She pulled a wallet out of a small pocket on the side of her bag, pulling out a few bills in exchange for their tickets, handing one over to Izar. "Don't worry about paying me back," She says abruptly, slipping her wallet back into her bag. "Just make sure I am not wasting my time at the resort."

Izar nodded. "Don't worry, you won't be." He said confidently just before the train whistle could be heard not too far away. "That's our ride." He said with a smile as he turned toward the tracks. "Thanks again for coming with me, I know you don't like the beach but it really means a lot that you came anyways." He said glancing back to her. A few moments later it came to a screeching halt at the station. Only a few people came off as the doors open, not many being up so early. Izar motioned for Akumu to follow him. Remembering the spot she had chosen during the last time they had rode the train together he chose a seat near the exit, saving the window seat for her as he knew she got restless and that being able to look out the window might help.

Akumu remained silent, following him onto the train and sitting by the window. Her dark gaze immediately went to the window, watching the world outside. It was surprisingly calm, something she never really realized until she wasn't actually living in it, instead watching from behind a glass. It was surreal in a way, though once the train began moving this feeling quickly went away. As the scenery whipped by, she lost interest, no longer seeing the gentle details, only blurs of green and brown. Her gaze trailed over to Izar then, and she shifted in her seat so that she could lean against the window, her feet rising onto the chair, her shoes having easily slipped off. "May I borrow your journal?"

"Yeah of course." Izar said requipping one of his many journals before handing it to her. As she began reading Izar requipped his most recent journal and began to write in it. It wasn't long before he had finished writing about the mornings events and put his journal away. Shifting in his seat he looked over to Akumu who was completely absorbed in reading. He smiled before turning back to stare at the empty seat across from him.It was then that he began to let his mind wander. It wasn't too long later that they arrived at Sea village, the train screeching to a halt as they arrived. "A lot shorter than our ride to Bosco right?" he asked before standing up and stretching a bit. "The resort shouldn't be much more than a half hours walk from the station, what do you say we check in and then hit the town?"

Akumu mirrored Izar's movements as the train came to a halt, her fingertips gently grazing the top of the ceiling of the train car as she did. She slipped her bag onto her shoulder, and quickly exited the train, being mindful to listen to what Izar was saying. She nods to his suggestion, allowing him to lead the way to the resort. They arrived a short time later and were given the keys to their rooms, and Akumu headed over to the elevator, heading up to their designated floor. A short upwards trip and down the left corridor later, she was inside her room. She set her bag near the bed, pulling out a pair of sunglasses and setting her regular red frames on the nightstand. She took the liberty to explore the room a bit, making careful note of what she had in the room. She noticed a door on the wall adjacent to the one she had walked in through and headed over to it. She knocked softly, assuming that it was either a closet or a door to Izar's room. She would either look like an idiot trying to find Narnia in her hotel room, or find an easy way to get into Izar's room though the former wouldn't affect anything other than her own pride, so she didn't mind.

Izar made his way up to his room which happened to be right next to Akumu's. He had began to unpack some of his things, placing some of the things he may need while out back in the backpack, this included the small gift box that he stuffed into a small pocket within the pack as to not have it tumbling around as he walked. Izar looked around the room, giving it little more than a glance before making his way over to the window, throwing open the curtains to view the beach as well as the town not to far away from there. Izar was enjoying the view when he heard a knock. "Crap, I hope I didn't keep her waiting." he thought turning toward the door before realizing that the knock hadn't come from the entrance at all. He scanned the room, finding that the source of the knocking coming from behind another door which sat near the other. He walked over to it, opening it hesitantly. He was indeed surprised to see Akumu on the other side. This surprise was soon replaced by laughter as he found the idea of the door amusing. "Hello there neighbor, I wasn't aware I'd be living next to such a lovely young woman. Did you need to borrow some flour?" he asked jokingly.

Akumu hadn't found the situation at all humorous, her face remaining blank as Izar began to speak as though he'd never seen her before, let alone be on a date with her. Nonetheless, his hearty laugh caused something to stir within Akumu, so she decided to play along, at least somewhat. "This lovely young woman doesn't bake, she fights, so I suggest you keep your cooking materials away from me," She deadpans. "Please meet me down in the lobby," She says, promptly shutting the door on Izar and then heading back towards her duffle bag. She grabbed a small backpack from within, slipping her wallet and glasses inside. She placed her sunglasses on top of her head, then slung the backpack onto her back, kicking her duffle bag beneath the bed and then exiting her room. She headed back downstairs again and asked the receptionist for a map of the city they were in. He happily obliged, even telling her about cafes, restaurants, and small attractions all within walking distance of the hotel. He also told her about various things that could be done within the resort, telling her where to find various beach items and stuff like that. Akumu nodded along to what he said, making note of anything that she found an interest in.

Izar's smile remained even as she shut the door on him, feeling jubilant at their shared joke even if he had been the only one laughing. He quickly grabbed his backpack along with a few other things, changing into a white T-shirt and black shorts before making his way down to the lobby to meet Akumu, spotting her near the receptionist desk. He made his way over to her his smile still present on his face. "Well that was definitely a surprise wasn't it?" Izar asked before noticing the map in her hand. "That'll be helpful, so what do you think we should do first?" he asked.

Akumu peers over at Izar as he approaches, shifting the map so he can look it over as well. "I heard it was quite common nowadays actually. It makes family vacations much easier," She states plainly. She points toward a small red dot on the map, the key indicating that it was a cafe. "Eat," She says in response to his question, her stomach rumbling as if on cue. "I didn't get anything before because avoiding Itari in the morning is hard enough without having to worry about anything else. This guy says they sell amazing coffee and muffins, and I figured those were two things nobody could dislike, and it's close by, so it'd probably be our best bet," She says, looking up at Izar for confirmation.

Izar nodded, "I like that idea, I haven't eaten anything either so coffee and muffins sound really good right now." He said turning toward the direction the map stated the cafe to be in. He motioned for her to follow. They made their way to the cafe, their walk only taking a few minutes. Once they got there and were seated they ordered. It wasn't long before the waitress came back with their coffee and muffins. Izar was the first to sip his coffee, having taken his black there wasn't much of a difference of flavor compared to his normal brew but what difference was there was easily recognizable. He then turned to Akumu who was in the midst of taking her first sip. "So how does it taste?" he asked.

Akumu had requested her coffee black as well and had paired her drink with a cherry muffin. As she took the first sip, the steaming liquid immediately caused warmth to spread throughout her body. "Bitter," She says in response to his question though judging by the satisfied smile on her face she wouldn't have it any other way. "Definitely has a richer flavor from what I normally get," She adds, taking another sip. After setting the cup down, she peels the paper off of the muffin, tearing a piece off and popping it into her mouth. The muffin was much sweeter than the coffee, however, the cherry added a tartness that balanced it out. "How are your coffee and muffin?" She asks after swallowing the small bite, tearing off another piece as she does.

"Bitter of course but also quite refreshing, definitely what I needed." He said as he pealed the paper from his muffin. Biting into it, he chewed it several times as he savored the flavor. This being the first meal he has shared with Akumu that wasn't made by his own hands made it feel all the more special as he allowed the banana flavor to fill his mouth before washing it down with his coffee. "Quite toothsome actually, not dry in the least. The receptionist was right, this place is really good." Izar said pulling off another piece and eating it. Izar continued eating and enjoying his coffee as well as his company. He looked outside to see that the sun had risen quiet a bit since they had met at the station that morning. "It looks like it'll be a nice day outside. I saw a nice walking trail that runs along the beach and up the cliffs while we were looking at the map, what do you say we walk it once we're done here. I can run back to town and grab some things if you want to have a picnic out there."

Akumu nodded along to his description, finishing off the remainder of her muffin, then slowly sipping her coffee, watching the shadows become fainter and shorter as the sun rose higher, pouring through the cafe's windows and pooling on the ground, keeping the room pleasantly warm. With a soft sigh, she set her empty cup down, wiping off her hands, wiping the crumbs onto a napkin, and then setting it carefully in the center so as not to upset them. "A walk sounds pleasant," She says, wiping off her shorts and then standing up, heading towards the exit. "I would like to go with you to get the things for the picnic," she says, slipping the bag from her shoulders and pulling out the map and handing it over to Izar. "I've already memorized the entire thing, so it's no use to me anymore," She says, pulling her cinch bag back on. "Though I imagine you've done your research or have already been here, so you can just throw it away," She adds, looking around for a moment, pairing the actual locations with what she'd seen in the crude map. "Where is it that we need to go?" She asks after a moment, looking over to Izar.

Izar's face lite up a bit as she agreed to the walk. As she got up, Izar followed; throwing his trash in a nearby trashcan. Izar listened to her speak before she handed him the map, "Of course, no problem. Having you there would help a lot in figuring out what to pick." He said with a bright smile before looking down at the map in his hand. He did know his way around town, having helped rebuild most of it alongside Itari. He wondered just how much Itari had told her of their trip. He decided against asking, having been spared any scorn or wrath so far. Izar opened the map despite not needing it, "The Noribaru shop is here, it's a local food market so i'm sure they'll have a good selection of things to choose from." Izar said pointing at a spot on the map despite knowing she couldn't see the map. If she had indeed memorized the map she would know what he was talking about. The two made the walk back to town, finding the shop fairly quickly. Izar admired the shop for a moment as he remembered how it had looked before he and Itari rebuilt it. He motioned for Akumu to follow as he entered, grabbing a basket from the front of the store. "So, what are you in the mood for?"

Akumu waited for Izar to figure out where they were headed, nodding when he suggested Noribaru shop. She walked alongside Izar, making note of specific buildings she could match up with the map in order to get a better understanding of how distant things were from each other. As they stopped, Akumu peered at Izar questionably, wondering why he'd stop when they were this close. If he were to change his mind after getting this close, there was little Akumu could do to prevent herself from maiming him, or at the very least, giving him a lasting bruise he didn't want from his girlfriend. Or whatever it was that Akumu was to Izar. Fortunately, he walked into the store, allowing Akumu to follow after. At his question, she glanced through the front of the store, allowing herself a few moments of silence to think over his questions. "Fruits and vegetables would be fine. Carrots if we can get them," She says, walking towards the produce section to get the aforementioned goods.

As he followed her he made note that she had chosen to mention wanting carrots, knowing she could have named any number of fruits or vegetables. Izar, being the chef he was, immediately began thinking of recipes involving carrots. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his head but making a mental note to go back to them later as he knew he wouldn't be able to make any of them for the picnic but had hopes for dinner, wondering if the hotel would mind letting him use their kitchen. Izar looked over the iced produce section, picking out some apples as well as a pack of strawberries, and two limes. Grabbing a some lettuce, tomatoes, and of course carrots. He also grabbed a few bottles of water as well as some tea bags just in case they wanted something with more flavor; knowing he had a pot on standby for requip if he so needed it. He then turned to Akumu for approval of his choices. "Should we grab any meats, ham or turkey perhaps? we could make sandwiches alongside a salad with some fruit."

Akumu watched as Izar began picking out various fruits and vegetables, trying to predict what was going through his head as he did. Something this mundane wasn't entertaining in the slightest, and there was nothing wrong being interested in Izar's thoughts, was there? This thought sent Akumu reeling, and she choked on her own spit, falling into a short coughing fit. She waved off Izar's concern, taking a long breath to regain her composure. "I'm fine," She says. "Lunch meat sounds fine, let's just make haste, it's stuffy in here," She says, trying to play off her earlier behavior. Internally, Akumu was screaming, arguing with herself on why she would be interested in Izar at all, and why it so bad to think about him. She decided to push it to the back of her mind for now, since she didn't have an immediate answer to either side, avoiding looking at the male beside her.

Izar just nodded and continued on, knowing bothering her about it would only make her angry. He decided to give her the benefit of the doubt as she blamed her coughing fit on stuffy air. If she fell into another one however, he would have to choice but to push the matter. He quickly picked up the lunch meat along with some bread and cheese, grabbing a nice looking woven basket to place their things in before paying and exiting the store. It wasn't long before he noticed Akumu's eyes avoiding meeting his as they found their way onto the walk path. The sounds of waves splashing against the shore and the birds among the rocks filled their ears as Izar searched for a topic to start a conversation with her. His mind raced over several topics as he had a hard time trying to think of something that wouldn't immediately make her mad. "It's truly a lovely day, wouldn't you agree?" he asked, trying to buy more time to think while also breaking the awkward silence between them.

Akumu walked alongside Izar, and despite her pushing the thoughts away, they came crawling back, and stubbornly, Akumu avoided Izar's gaze, hoping that if he was out of sight, he would be out of mind as well. Of course, this did not work, as she could practically feel the tension rolling off of Izar. She couldn't ask him to tell her what was on his mind in fear that he would know her thoughts, which was pure paranoia, but any sane part of her had gone with the wind the moment she thought that she was interested in Izar. When he asked how the day was, Akumu wanted nothing more than to scream, however, kept herself composed, knowing deep down it would only make her look more suspicious. "It's nice," She says instead, hesitantly looking over to Izar. "I imagine that it doesn't take you so long to come up with a question like that, though," She says, taking a breath, steeling her nerves before continuing. "What's on your mind?" She asks, a tight smile on her face. This was normal, just a friendly question, nothing more, she reminded herself, repeating it over and over to convince herself.

Izar felt his heart skip a beat, his question hadn't bought him any time at all; in fact, it had completely run down his clock. A nervous smile appeared in Izar's face as he decided to tell her the truth. "Well... considering we're on a date, I'm thinking about you." He said as a slight blush appeared on his face. This blush quickly faded as he continued speaking, "I'm worried that you're not having fun, that you're mad about something since you were avoiding looking at me." Izar said as he turned to face her. "What about you? what's on your mind?" he asked hesitantly.

Akumu bit her tongue at Izar's words, feeling her ears get hot, hoping beyond hope it didn't spread any farther. She didn't speak in case it came out wrong or she stuttered or something else, allowing Izar to explain himself fully. At his question, however, she could no longer remain silent. There was no way she would ever say Izar was on her mind, but she couldn't come up with any other plausible lie, though. "You?" She offers, mentally slapping herself for such a lame response. "Well, more my feeling for you, but still you," She explains, her gaze trailing off of Izar and ending up on the ocean. The push and pull of the tide was a short distraction of her previous thoughts, though they still pressed insistently at the back of her mind, especially when she'd just admitted them to Izar.

Izar was taken aback by Akumu's response, if his heart weren't beating fast before it was now. Izar couldn't think of anything for a moment as the sounds of the waves did little to clear his now racing mind. His face was blazing hot, he knew he was blushing like an idiot but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. Izar opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, wondering if he should say what he wanted to say. He pulled up all the courage he had in himself as he decided that if he didn't ask now he would probably never get the chance to do so again. "an-and those feelings... wh-what are they?" he asked deciding that he wanted to know, regardless of what they might be.

Akumu continued to watch the waves, anything to keep from looking at Izar. The hesitation in his voice was enough to keep her silent for several moments, and if she had to think of a response to that question, she'd need quite a bit of time. "I don't know," She starts, nervously picking at the skin next her fingernail. It was a dangerous habit, one that often led her fingers to bleed if she pressed too hard. Luckily she didn't get nervous very often. "They're not inherently bad, but it's very confusing. I don't think I should love you, probably because I don't want to have to protect you. I realize you probably don't need protecting, but I suppose that's the only type of love I truly know and understand. I also don't want to have to depend on you, but being that I don't understand how this love works, that's all I can do until I can do it on my own. There's also the fact that you are an immortal, which is something new and different, and while most changes in my life, especially the most recent ones, have been good, I can't expect my luck to continue indefinitely," She says, sighing heavily, turning to face Izar. "But, even with my precautions, I cannot push my feelings away, and I cannot replace them with hatred or even indifference because your efforts and kindness have impacted me more than I let on. And truthfully I don't want to forget, or 'not remember' what happened on our first date, but I am afraid that if I admit to what I did then I will be left bare, unable to return to what I was before I met you."

Izar listened to her words, carefully absorbing each and every line as she spoke. When she finished, Izar wasn't sure how to feel. He wasn't happy or sad, nor was he angry. He looked at Akumu, the woman he loved and saw someone who was truly confused and scared of not understanding her own feelings. He noticed her scratching at her own hands nervously and stepped forward to intervene, taking her hands into his slowly as to not frighten or alarm her. Izar looked into her deep green eyes, taking a equally deep breath before speaking. " The truth is... I don't know either. Before I met you love was the furthest thing from my mind. I spent all those years wandering around this God-forsaken place wanting nothing more than to find a way to end this wretched curse. I was so scared of making friends, of opening my heart up to another human being because I knew that no matter what I did one day they would be gone and I would be left alone again. It wasn't until I came to Koma Inu, until I met you that I even considered the thought of becoming close to someone, of loving someone. Before I met you I wanted to do nothing more than die. What happened that night... whatever it was that happened while darkness invaded my eyes, it was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced. Whatever happened between us that night, it gave me new life. Now every time I'm around you all those bad feelings just go away and i'm not scared about the future anymore because I'm living each and every moment with you, treasuring doing so. I understand that you're scared and confused and i'm sorry for asking you to share something you weren't ready to. I want you to understand that I do truly love you Akumu and that i'm okay with waiting for you to understand your own feelings because God knows how long it took me to understand mine. I'm here for you."

Izar's eyes widened as he remembered the gift box in his backpack. He took one hand away from Akumu's as he slipped his backpack off, opening it slightly so that he could begin digging through it. He found the box in the pocket where he had left it. Pulling it out, he turned back to Akumu and held out the small box. "It's a Lacrima Phone, the guy at the store said they were the hottest thing in Ishgar right now. It's supposed to let you talk to someone from hundreds of miles away. I got one for me too, that way no matter how far away we are from each other, we're only a few button presses away." Izar said with a loving smile.

Akumu watched Izar gently take her hands in his, feeling her throat close up, anxiously waiting for his next words. She can't remember a time when she had listened so intently, had been so engrossed in something as simple as talking though there wasn't a single doubt in her mind that what Izar said next was important. And as she listened, she couldn't help but squeeze Izar's hands the smallest bit, to remind herself that she was here, and he was here, and he was truly going to wait for her. She swallowed hard, keeping her eyes on his despite the urge to look away, to hide from the words he had wholeheartedly spoken. She couldn't formulate words to respond to him, to say something to assure him that she would work on her feelings. He had laid his heart bare, and all Akumu could do was stare at him, trying desperately to convey what she thought though her gaze alone. Luckily, Izar had begun rooting through his bag, saving her from having to speak. As he pulled out the Lacrima Phone, her eyes widened, and she carefully took the device in her hand. "Thank you," She murmured, "I don't really know what else to say. I know these things aren't cheap, why would you spen&mdash;" Akumu stops speaking when she sees the patient, warm smile on Izar's face, too shocked to say anything beyond that. She slowly put away the phone, slipping it carefully into her bag so as not to damage it. Slowly, she stepped up to Izar's side, turning her hand so that she could lace her fingers between his. "Do you mind if I do this?" She asks hesitantly, looking down at their hands.

Izar watched as she placed the phone into her bag before moving to his side. It was only a moment later that he felt her fingers lace with his own as they began holding hands. At her question Izar began to gently squeeze her hand. He glanced down at their hands before looking back up to her eyes If she is a nightmare then I have no desire to wake up. He thought in reference to her name. In this moment his heart wasn't racing at all, he didn't feel nervous in the least, no. Izar was calm, his breathing steady. He knew that if asked he wouldn't be able to describe what it was that he was feeling, all Izar would be able to say is that, to him, it felt right. "Of course" Izar says, his smile still present on his face, getting brighter if anything. After they stood there for a few moments Izar turned to look down the walk path before again returning his gaze to her. "Shall we continue walking?"

Akumu gently squeezes his hand in return, looking towards him with a small but sincere smile. She nodded her head to his question and began to walk along the path, feeling at ease now that her thoughts had been conveyed, no longer wildly racing in her head. She felt the constant weight of Izar's hand in hers, but it didn't feel like a burden. It was reassuring for her hand to held so fondly in his, and Akumu couldn't help but feel particularly warm and content with it. "Izar, I don't really get you," She says, staring blankly at the trail ahead of them. "I don't think I would be able to feel anything but hurt if I had lived as long as you have. There would be no way I could open myself up to somebody else, and still, you did. You reached out; and not for some sugar, spice, and everything nice girl, who would probably be a lot better than I am at this, but you reached out for me. And I don't know whether to think of you as an idiot or a savior for that. I’ve never felt so protected and secure before with someone since it was my job to defend against the harsh realities. I feel so grateful that you stick with me despite how ridiculous and painful it must be for you to constantly reassure me that you aren’t leaving and that you love me. All the while you’ve never gotten anything in return, in fact, I believe I have been stepping all over you. I can sense your uneasiness whenever I say something you doubt, especially when you want to press the matter. I know exactly when you regret saying something, even when it’s true because you tense up and wait for me to explode on you. You always anticipate the very worst when it comes to dealing with me, but you somehow never give up,” Akumu sighs heavily, looking over at Izar. “I don’t really understand you at all Izar Tasya, because out of all the woman you could love, you chose the most incapable one.”

Izar glanced over to her, still making sure to watch where he was going as he did so. " I reached out for the right one." Izar started. "If anything, I should be the one being grateful. You had no obligation to give me the time of day, no reason to put up with all my screw ups but you did and you do. I'm always so nervous when I talk to you because i'm just so scared that one day i'll say something stupid and you'll realize that no one would blame you for walking away. That's why I feel you've been testing me to see if I was worth your time, your respect, and your heart because you know just how much you're worth and that you shouldn't waste your time with someone who isn't everything you deserve. That's why I try so hard to make you laugh and smile because I want to be that person. I want to be the person who makes you as happy as you make me. I knew going into this relationship that it wouldn't be easy, but no matter how rocky the road is, no matter how long it takes. I know you're worth it. I've never met someone who makes me feel the way you make me feel, not even once in all four hundred years I've wandered this world and I don't want to lose that. You've already given me more than you realize. The fact that you're here right now, that you're willing to share these feelings with me is more than enough."

Akumu's fingers moved slowly and smoothly across Izar's as he spoke, enjoying the gentle stimulation, evident by the appeased look on her face. "There certainly is no reason why I should give you the time of day." She asserts though her voice is soft enough to show she wasn't meaning to insult him. "There's no reason I should be doing anything, really. But I don't like explaining everything I do anyways, so it works in your favor." She adds, still keeping her voice fairly low. "Holding your hand feels right but I could never explain to you why. The sincerity in every word you speak stirs something within me, and even though this feeling makes me want to say things even I don't understand, I don't hate it. There are three words that people say to those close to them, especially in a relationship such as ours, though I cannot bring myself to say them. So, I will compromise with 'I am here' and hope that is enough to keep you around." As the pair get farther along the trail, it becomes slightly more rugged, the cliffsides providing a higher degree of fissured earth and stones in their path. Still, the ocean was clearly visible, the water glimmering under the sun. "Think we should stop to eat here?" She asks, glancing around the area for a flat place to set up and eat at.

Izar felt the movement of her fingers as they moved ever so slowly across his own, the feeling being truly unique. He found her words to be an interesting response though, they did help put his unease at rest. The biggest contributor being her ' I am here' which warmed Izar's heart several degrees. When Akumu asks if they should stop to eat Izar hesitates, disguising it as he pretended to think. Stopping would mean that they would no longer get to hold hands, unsure if Akumu would be up to doing so again once they got moving again. The fact that she asked meant that she was hungry and Izar had no intention of being selfish in denying her lunch simply because he wanted to hold hands. "Yeah, this looks like a good spot." He said requipping the basket full of items as he let go of her hand to find a place for them to sit down and eat. He eventually found a flat spot just a bit ways away from the cliffs edge, giving them a good view of the ocean. He pulled out the small blanket that had come with the basket, setting it up before placing the basket on top of it. He looked over to Akumu, motioning for her to sit as he got to work on preparing their meal. He requipped two bowls in which he mixed their salads, setting out the strawberries and apples for them to pick at if they so desired. He then went to making their sandwiches, making one for each of them before cutting them into triangles for no other reason that to make them look nice. Placing them on a pair of requipped plates and passing one over to her before pulling out the bottles of water and limes. "Would you like some water with a lime wedge? or I could make some tea if you'd prefer that?"

Akumu waited as Izar prepared their lunch spot, sitting on the picnic blanket when it was set. As he began working, she watched with interest, his deft hands working with precision and speed, however, it was not rushed or aggressive in the least. She picked up a strawberry as she waited, the leafy top of the vibrant red fruit being sliced off before she popped it in her mouth. She hummed contentedly as the sweet flavor filled her mouth, quickly grabbing another one after that. As Izar offered her options for her drink, she simply waved him off, taking the water bottle. "You know that I literally eat whatever I can get in less than five minutes, right? This is supposed to be relaxing, so stop worrying about fruit or leaf flavored water unless you want it," She says, grabbing one of the triangle sandwiches. "Young as I might be, you cannot impress me with your sandwich shapes," She says, chuckling before she bit into the sandwich.

Izar chuckled a bit too. "Sorry, it's a habit I picked up from my teacher. 'Fine women deserve only the finest food!' was her motto she never hesitated to use when I asked why we were stopping three hours before sundown to cook dinner. Always having to go that extra mile whenever she cooked anything." He said before biting into his own sandwich. He looked out over the waves which could easily be heard crashing onto the cliffside below them, a cool breeze blew softly through the air bringing with it the smell of saltwater which Izar in any way found unpleasant, the sun was high in the sky now, meaning it was probably just a bit past noon. He turned back to their picnic, grabbing a strawberry from the little basket and biting into it washing it down with a swig from his bottle of water. He ate the rest of his sandwich in silence, simply enjoying the day.

Akumu nodded along to what Izar said, finishing off the remained of her sandwich and washing it down with her water, sighing when she finished, leaning back on her palm as she grabbed another strawberry, popping it in her mouth. As she chewed, she looked over the waves, her eyes glazing over as she was entranced by the slow and methodical push and pull of the water. "You know what doesn't make sense to me?" She asks, still looking out over the waves. "The sayings  'actions speak louder than words ' or  'a picture is worth a thousand words. ' If that were true, then language would be completely useless, and we'd still be drawing on cave walls and stone tablets. And if words were really so insignificant as to be dwarfed by bodily movements or art, then that completely debunks the  'pen is mightier than a sword'  too," She says, her eyebrows scrunching in distaste. "I don't like philosophers very much, they never make sense and always contradict the guy before them for the sake of being different. Being complicated just wastes energy. In my opinion, it's much easier to fit the cookie cutter mold than to break it," She says, turning and grabbing another strawberry.

Izar looked toward Akumu as she began speaking listening to her speak. Once she had finished Izar wondered if she was just thinking out loud or if she meant for him to speak. He decided he should probably speak as doing so would be better than leaving what could become an awkward silence hanging over them. He smiled a bit, "One could call that a philosophy in and of itself." He said jokingly before getting down to his true thoughts "However, I do understand what you mean. Sayings like that were created by foolish people who only cared about sounding smarter and wiser than the guy who came before them. The way I see it, the word philosopher is a bit meaningless. They're just trying to figure out this world just like everyone else, why the need for the fancy name? People spend their whole lives obsessing over trying to understand the world, to see the bigger picture; thinking that the answers can all be found there. But through my experience I feel confident in saying that I feel the most important things in life can be found in the little things that we do every day, petting a dog, getting in a good work out, reading a fantastic book, and hanging out with the people you care about." Izar said, glancing up at Akumu as he said that last bit. "It's the simple things that make our lives better."

Akumu made a sound of agreement, looking over to Izar. "Little things, eh? If you're trying to say something here, then there's no sense in feeling shame about it," She says, smirking at him as her eyebrows quirk up. "But I do get what you're saying, and I don't think I'd believe anybody else but you. Though I am glad that I am not small, or else nobody would take me seriously. Itari's taller than me, and that's very strange being that I was taller than him throughout almost all of our childhood. You are just my height, and I think that's perfect because I couldn't imagine looking down on or up at somebody I was supposed to treat as my equal," She states. She scoots up closer to him, sitting next to his left side, straightening out the leg nearest him and pulling the other one up, resting her chin on her kneecap. "I hope that one day we can see each other as true equals, not an immortal, or a woman who's heart needs to be won. Just us, nothing more, nothing less," She adds, looking longingly at something just past Izar. "Doesn't that sound nice?"

Izar tried and failed to control his laughter at Akumu's unexpected joke. "I never imagined you making those kinds of jokes." He said as he tried to catch his breath from his slowly subsiding laughing fit. Izar let's out a sigh, having finally composed himself which allowed Akumu to continue. Izar listened to her speak, nodding until stopped and began moving closer to him. Once she got comfortable she began again. Izar continued to listen as she spoke until she finished, her eyes seeming to stare longingly just beyond him. If he was to be honest he wasn't sure what she meant exactly, but believing he had a good idea; he felt comfortable in answering her question without asking her to elaborate. "It does, I wouldn't want it any other way."

Akumu scrunched her nose. "Humor is humor, my friend. Also, you didn't deny it, so now I'm suspicious," She responds, chuckling along with Izar. As their laughter subsided, their chatter quietly transitioning into a soft and peaceful exchange, Akumu smiled sincerely, the skin around her eyes crinkling as she did. "Izar," She starts, exhaling audibly, though not obnoxiously or stressfully so; more of a pleasant sigh than anything. "Instead of waiting to determine what happened when things went dark, wouldn't it be better to just move on and do things we can remember?" She asks, not moving a single inch towards him. Unconsciously, she began worrying at her thumbs again, the skin shifting and turning red, however, not breaking or tearing. She didn't really know why she was nervous, it wasn't as though she were afraid to share something as intimate as a kiss with Izar, especially after she'd technically already done it once before. Perhaps being in broad daylight changed it, but with no one around but themselves, the only person she could blame the fear on was Izar, and she certainly wasn't afraid of somebody with vibrant purple hair. Still, her nervous habit continued, whether or not Akumu knew why it did was of no consequence as her blunt fingernails dragged along the surface.

Izar quickly noticed her scratching at her hands. He moved forward, taking a knee as he placed his hand over hers which brought them only a few inches apart. "You're doing that again." He said softly, remembering that she had been doing it last time she spoke of that night. That's when her words finally registered in his head, causing him to blush slightly as he began to wonder if she meant what he thought she meant. Move on and do things they could remember? Izar thought as he wondered if her words had been meant as a hint for him to make the first move. Izar's eyes moved from hers down to her lips before going back in hopes of getting some sort of confirmation. He had meant what he had said on their first date, he couldn't read her at all. He steeled his nerves as he placed his other hand gently on her cheek. She had been brave enough to hold his hand earlier so he would show the same courage now. His heart had began pounding again but despite his nervousness he still felt that what he was doing was right. He leaned forward slowly, hesitating as his lips sat less than an inch from her own. They stayed like that for only a moment before he connected the kiss. He did so softly, pressing his lips against hers as gently as he could. The moment he did so he felt a rush of feelings, the same ones he had felt that night, minus the shock of course as he knew what was happening now. He would hold it there for exactly two and a half seconds, giving her plenty of time to either return the kiss or reject it completely.

Akumu went absolutely still as he placed a hand over hers, even her breathing becoming slower and shallower. She didn't make a single motion to cue Izar to continue, or do anything at all. As he placed his hand on her cheek, she melted into the touch, swallowing hard as she tried to push her nerves down. Her heart pounded away in her chest, though she didn't move, just staring at Izar as he paused. She could feel the quick pulse of his heartbeat on his fingertips where they rested against her cheek, and knowing this affected him as much as it did her reassured her. The moment his lips pressed against hers, her eyes fluttered shut, and she pressed back, carefully and gently, the tender sensation filling her warmth. As he pulled back, Akumu let out a shuddering breath, slowly opening her eyes again. She leaned forward the smallest bit, resting her forehead against his, raising her hand and lightly brushing her thumb along her surface of his cheek. "You're very soft," she whispers, looking directly into Izar's eyes, hardly any distance at all between them. "You're eyes are captivating," She adds, still in the same quiet undertone. "You are so, so, gentle and considerate." Akumu's hand stopped, and she held Izar's cheek, letting out a soft exhale, her hot breath filling the space between them before disappearing. It was sweet, smelling strongly of the strawberries she'd eaten only a moment before. "I never want to forget this moment. I never want to let go of what I'm feeling right now."

Izar felt her lips press back against his, filling him with warmth and reassurance. After breaking the kiss he felt Akumu's forehead come to rest against his own as they stared into each others eyes. When she brought her hand up to his cheek he shuddered slightly, feeling her soft fingertips brushing softly along it before coming to a stop and holding his cheek. He had been called many things throughout his life but never had someone described him in such a way. When she let out a quiet, soft breath the sweet smell of strawberries filled what little distance was between them. As she finished speaking Izar pulled his hand from her cheek, putting his arms around her so that they rested on her shoulders as he interlocked his hands behind her. He refused to break eye contact as he began to speak, "Neither do I and I never will. For as long as I live I will treasure this and every moment I spend with you." Izar said lifting his head from hers before softly placing a kiss on her forehead. He let out a quiet, pleasant sigh as he placed his forehead back against hers, closing his eyes before speaking. "You're perfect." He said nearly inaudibly under his breath, unable to think of any one single thing about Akumu that he liked more than the rest thus, in his mind, the word perfect fit well. He let silence fall over them for a moment before he opened his eyes once again, searching hers for any sign of how they should continue. He wanted nothing more than to hold her like this forever, or at least for the rest of the day; but both were equally unlikely to be allowed to happen.

Akumu felt the weight of Izar's arms on her shoulders though they didn't feel particularly heavy. In fact, the subtle presence comforted her, making her feel safe and secure. Home, she thought, though she kept this to herself. She moved her own arms so that she was reaching around his torso, her hands locked together at the small of his back. "Maybe you shouldn't cherish every moment, I did threaten to kill you once," She says, a soft laugh bubbling up from her chest. As he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, Akumu's own eyes shut, allowing her to simply feel the warmth and pressure of Izar's forehead against her own. "No, I wouldn't say perfect. I make plenty of mistakes, and I've got the scars&mdash;both physical and emotional&mdash;to prove it. Making mistakes is part of being human, so it's not as though I hate them though," She opens her eyes, carefully seeking out Izar's gaze. "I don't really understand how your immortality works, but I figure it just gives you an unlimited amount of mistakes to make, and you eventually just get better at not making them. Takes away the human aspect of being alive, and I imagine that's more painful than having to learn from mistakes. But, I think so long as I can give you a reason to forget about that, then you'll be okay, at least for a little while," She says, voice low and soft. "Is that plausible?" She asks

Izar couldn't help but laugh a bit as she brought up her death threat. "I thought It was cute." He admits. Her bringing up his immortality made him cringe inwardly, " I Thought we weren't going to talk about that anymore." Izar says as he lifts his head from hers. "I'm not immortal and you're not a woman whose heart needs to be won. We're just two people on a date, having a lovely picnic; sharing a moment together, right?" Izar asks as his gaze shifts from hers. He shakes it off before turning back to her, "Though, I suppose you're right. I think the words I meant to use were that you were perfect to me. What you said makes sense, it's important to make mistakes and to learn from them; it's what humans do." Izar says softly. He returns his forehead to hers, nuzzling against it. "I've already said you make me forget about all those bad feelings, the feelings of being alone, the feeling of wanting everything to end. That being said, I don't want you to go thinking you need to go out of your way to let me know that you're here to help me forget about those things, you being you is enough." Izar answers before pausing for a few moments. His eyes gazing deeply into hers as he spoke, "All I know is that, if all my years of loneliness and self loathing has lead up to meeting you; to this moment we're in right now. I feel confident in saying that they were worth it."

Akumu's face scrunched up at her comment. "It wasn't supposed to be cute, I was trying to make you fear for your life," She grumbled, only able to contain her laughter for a moment. When she feels Izar lift his head from hers, she feels dread settle in, expecting something cataclysmic. However, if anything, Izar just sounded unsettled rather than angry. "Yeah, sorry, I guess it's harder to forget than I thought," She mumbles, casting her gaze down in shame. Still, she listens to Izar's next words, her fingers tapping absentmindedly on Izar's back. As he nuzzles against her forehead again, Akumu returns the gesture. "I'm glad that I can make the bad thoughts go away and that I can make living worthwhile. The little things are what makes it important, so if I'm able to do that and only that, then that's enough." She presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth, then pulls back, unlocking her hands from behind Izar. "Could we head back to the resort?" She asks. "The ground isn't that comfortable, and I probably need to shower if we plan on doing anything this evening," She adds.

Izar nods letting her go and standing up, offering his hand to help her up. "It's okay. It's not something that's easy to forget." He said before beginning to pack up their things. When all is back in the basket it vanishes from his hands back into his pocket dimension. "Yeah, we should probably be getting back, I suppose we lost track of time." He said with a smile as he turned back to the direction they had come from, motioning for her to follow. The two made their way back to the hotel around three thirty. Heading up to their floor and saying goodbye as they both went to their separate rooms to shower and get ready for the evening. Izar contacted the front desk, he wasn't able to convince them to let him use their kitchen which was definitely a wrench in his plans. He quickly remembered the map Akumu had given him. He pulled it out and began looking for local restaurants. By no means would it be as good as what he had wanted to make but he was sure Akumu wouldn't mind, having already had such an eventful day a calm and quiet dinner would be enjoyable.

Feeling refreshed after her shower, Akumu shifted through her bag to find something to wear. She grabbed a pair of light blue jeans, a black camisole, and a sheer, long sleeve button up blouse. She changed into her chosen outfit, loosely tucking her shirt into her pants, pulling her hair back in its normal ponytail. After she was finished, she headed over to the door that separated their rooms, knocking softly. "I'm coming in," She announced a moment later, making her knocking all but pointless as she opened the door and stepped through. She headed over to the bed, taking a seat and directing her gaze towards Izar. "What's next on the agenda?" She asks, leaning back on her palms.

Izar had just finished buttoning his white dress shirt when Akumu came in."You're looking quite lovely, as always." He said as he tucked in his shirt into his pants. Izar still hadn't picked out a restaurant when she asked what they would be doing tonight, he quickly went through the list of all the restaurants he had seen on the map but just like half an hour ago, none of them seemed like what he was looking for. That's when what Akumu had said earlier came to mind. Being complicated just wastes energy. he thought before his own word popped into his head, It's the simple things that make our lives better. That's when Izar remembered the little Sushi restaurant he and Itari had visited during their job. Izar looked over to her and smiled, "I know it's nothing special but there's a quiet sushi shop in town we could eat dinner at and then from there we could see where the night takes us?" He asked as he sat down next to her to put on his shoes.

Akumu rolled her eyes humorously. "You're blatant flattery never ceases to amaze me," She says, nonchalantly adding, "You don't look half bad yourself." As she waited for Izar to tell her the plans, she glanced around the room, though found nothing different than her own. As he suggested a sushi place, Akumu's face twisted up the smallest bit. "Are you testing out date ideas with my brother? Because that's a bad idea, we're almost complete opposites," She claims, completely serious.

Izar wasn't really sure how to respond, her having gone from joking to completely serious in such as short time. He tensed up again, he knew that he wouldn't be able to avoid the scorn he deserved for going behind her back. Izar shook his head, "I just thought that it was a nice, quiet place. I didn't want to pick anywhere extravagant or over the top since we've both had enough excitement for today." He said not necessarily trying to avoid the topic of her brother but hoping that by telling her the honest reason why he had picked the place she would leave it be, at least for now. He prayed silently that she would, everything was going to great, so amazing. Will his screw ups be the reason that became ruined too?

Akumu's head cocked to the side at his physical reaction to her words, not expecting for him to get so tense. Of course, the subject of her brother, especially Izar speaking with him, was a touchy one. However, being that Itari had not mentioned any suspicion of Izar's feelings towards her or vice versa, it wasn't as though she was especially upset. She imagined that if Itari knew Izar, it might make telling him they were in a relationship easier though this did not make her want to tell him any sooner. "No sense in getting cold feet now, Itari tells me everything he does, names included. He doesn't keep anything to himself, and whether or not I want to know is rarely of concern to him as long as I'm not actively telling him to go away. I just thought it was peculiar that you'd take me to the same place," she finishes.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I know that I went behind your back and there's no way I could have asked Itari to not say anything to you. Not only would that draw suspicion but I felt it would have been wrong to ask him to lie to you. So I knew he would tell you and I've just been waiting for you to bring it up because you have every right to be angry with me." Izar said, feeling like the weight of that burden was lifted off his shoulders as he spoke. He stood up inwardly sighing in relief. "I'm sorry I did that and I'm happy you're not angry." He said, recomposing himself. He turned to face her, "Shall we go?" Izar asked, feeling a bit ashamed that he too had momentarily slipped up, going back to the way things were before in thinking she would explode on him, no. Things were different now, they were working together in this relationship.

Akumu sighed. "I'm sorry if that's the impression I gave off. I'm not upset, I promise, and it's not like you were intentionally going behind my back anyway. You just went on a mission with your guild mate, and I have no right to try and tell you who you can and cannot go on missions with. Just don't go and accidently say something that isn't intended for anyone else but ourselves." She stands up after he does, nodding to his question, the duo heading out of the hotel. "Itari tends to stretch the truth a little to make everything sound more pleasant &mdash;don't tell him I said that&mdash; so, in your own words, I'd like to here about how the sushi was," She requested as they walked through the city and towards their destination.

"I won't, I'll be extra careful." Izar said as the two walked out of his room, Izar locking the door behind them. He wondered if he should mention his suspicion that Itari knew more than he had let on, having mentioned that Akumu talked about Izar in her sleep. What had Akumu unconsciously told him? he thought. He pushed the thoughts aside, not wanting to worry her at the moment as he wasn't even sure if that was really what Itari had said, perhaps he had only heard what he had wanted to hear. When Akumu asks him how the sushi was he takes a moment to think, trying to gather the the taste and smell from memory before trying to describe it." It was pretty good, we went there a few times during our time here since it was close to where we were staying. The seaweed was tangy but not overwhelmingly so, the fish was fresh; probably having been caught earlier that day, the rolls as a whole had a delightful texture that I truly hadn't expected from such a small local restaurant." Izar finished explaining as they arrived at the small building which looked only large enough to fit twenty or so people inside.

Akumu nodded, following Izar out of the room. As he began describing the sushi, she listened, though allowed her gaze to wander throughout the town, picking out anything that she wanted to revisit later, or just landmarks so they would be able to navigate themselves back. "Sounds pleasant enough," She says, looking at the building for a moment before stepping in. They found an empty table and ordered, Akumu quietly taking the decor of the small building. After a few moments, she looked over to Izar. "I still don't know a whole lot about you," She says. "So, what is it that Izar enjoys doing? Besides aimlessly wandering around Fiore, cooking food, and only making friends with Renatos" She asks, taking a sip from her water.

Izar took a moment to think. "Besides Cooking, travel, and Renatos? I enjoy writing as I'm sure you already know. I do enjoying reading from time to time as well but I wouldn't call it a full blown hobby. I sailed a ship for a week once which was fun, Magic tricks; i'm pretty good at sleight of hand believe it or not." He said reaching behind Akumu's ear before pulling out a jewel coin. He rolled the coin between his knuckles a few times before opening his hand, the coin seemingly having disappeared. "A cliche trick I know, but it was just an example." He said with a smile. He thought for another moment, "I don't like swimming very much. Well, it's more that I don't like drowning. Not much fun in my opinion, wouldn't recommend it." He said with a wave of his hand. "What about Akumu? What does she enjoy doing? What makes her smile?"

Akumu watched as Izar pulled a coin from behind her ear, the expression on her face clearly showing she'd already seen the trick, probably more times than she would like to. "No wonder you and Itari get along. You both enjoy doing ridiculous things. And what do you mean,  'you don't like drowning'? Are you telling me you invited me to a beach, where there is lots of water, without knowing how to swim? Or at least, swim well enough so you wouldn't drown?" She asks, staring at him with disbelief written across her features. As he asked her of her own hobbies, Akumu took a moment to think. "I enjoy reading, being in quiet places, and visiting animal shelters. Animals don't purposefully annoy me, and they are all much softer than people. Though, of course, talking with you and Itari is always nice when I want to hold an intelligent conversation."

Izar smiled, shaking his head, "I know how to swim, quite well actually. I think the drowning story should be saved for another time though." He said before sipping his water. He sat the glass down with a quiet Ah as he listened to her speak of her hobbies. The visiting animal shelters thing was new though not really surprising. People, especially anti-social people, were normally drawn to animals after all. Regardless, He still found the idea of seeing Akumu playing with a puppy or kitten to be an incredibly cute thought. "Have you ever considered adopting one? an animal?" he asked as their food arrived.

Akumu's face scrunched up when he said he would wait until later to tell her the story though she didn't press. "I have considered adopting one though I've never gone through with it. A lot of time and money goes into caring for animals, and I don't want to bring one in unless I am certain I can sacrifice enough of both resources to do it. Plus, caring for the animals at the shelter makes everyone happy, no commitment required." She grabs one of the sushi rolls, taking a small bite. After thoroughly chewing she says, "You were right, this is very good," taking another bite afterward.

" I suppose that makes sense, keeping a pet is a big responsibility and people in our profession don't really have a lot of time to devote to things like that. I thought of adopting a pet once, a few times actually, but my constant travel prohibits that." Izar said before taking a bite of one of the rolls. He nodded, swallowing as Akumu complimented the food. "I'm glad you agree. I've never been good at making sushi but I do enjoy eating it. My teacher wasn't very good at it either, that being the reason I never learned how to." Izar said as he examined the bitten in half roll in his hand. His eyes shifted back over to Akumu, "Maybe I could come with you one day? to the shelter, If you would allow me." He said, going back to their conversation about hobbies.

Akumu nods, "With creatures as innocent and dependent as animals, it's unfair to do anything except be completely devoted to raising them." She finishes off the remainder of the sushi roll she had, grabbing another one afterward. "Sushi doesn't look very easy to make anyway, there're lots of ingredients involved and they all have to fit in the small cylinder shape," She says, examining the roll before taking another bite. "I wouldn't have any problems with that," She says in response to his question. "No sense in banning you from participating about the things I like, it'd just make this harder," She says, making a small motion between them. "Though, in exchange, I would like to hear about the drowning story," She adds.

Izar hesitates, leaning back a bit in his seat. While he didn't want to talk about it he was the one who brought it up in the first place. He lets out a quiet sigh as before he begins, "It's not a funny story if that's what you were hoping for. Let's just say it's one of the many reasons I hate Bosco and everything that has to do with it. A long time ago I was travelling through Bosco, this was back before I was smart enough to avoid the place like the plague. I mean, I had heard stories and rumors but I thought them simply that and decided to go there anyways as I had never been there before. Anyways, I met with a group of ' Merchants ' who said they had lost a few crew members to pirates that had been attacking and stealing their cargo. Being the person I am, I offered to help them. Being stupid in not asking what this ' Cargo ' was and I didn't learn about it until we were several miles out to sea." Izar said, pausing for a moment, "Slaves. They were hauling nearly one hundred men, women, and children that had been kidnapped from Fiore. They were going to sell them in northern Bosco but I tried to stop them. This was back before I had fully mastered my magic and there were too many for me to take on all my myself. They tied me up, weighted me, and threw me overboard. I drowned, obviously. Not just once, but over and over again in those waters. I would drown only to wake up again later to do it again and again. Every time I woke up I moved a bit further back toward shore, The weights tied to me were they only things that kept the current from sweeping me further out every time I died. I don't know how long I was down there, but I know it was a long time. Probably a month or two. Anyways, When I finally made it back to shore I met up with those Pirates who had recently had their ship taken over and stolen by the same men that tried to kill me. I helped him get his ship back and he helped me get a little revenge on those bastards." Izar said. "We never found those people." He adds as his gaze shifts downward to the table. "They were gone when we got there." He stops talking for a few minutes before taking in a breath and sighing. "So, how did you like the story?"

Akumu's face slowly shifted into a frown, her hand closing into a fist as he told the story. She didn't want to believe it happened. That Izar had spent so long under water that he couldn't even remember how much time passed. Drowning and dying, over and over again, unable to breathe or scream for help. How cold and cruel a fate like Izar's was, to never truly be able to have any release, just feel constant torment. It took Akumu several moments to even think of anything beyond that, taking even more time to formulate words. "I'm sorry I made you share that," She says, clenching her fist tighter. "It's probably not something you ever want to remember." She lets out a shaky sigh, relaxing her hand and reaching across the table to rest it over Izar's. She just looked at Izar, waiting for him to recover.

Izar's eyes shifted to hers, a soft smile appearing on his face as he felt the warmth of her hand over his, his body relaxing under her touch. He shook his head, "Don't be sorry, the fact that I mentioned it at all meant that at least a small part of me wanted to tell you about it. I've never told anyone that story before so it feels good to get it off my chest." He says, his soft smile transforming into a reassuring one as he turned his hand so that his palm faced upwards, holding hers. "That being said, I still expect you to keep up your end of the deal. I look forward to getting to go to that animal shelter with you." He said with a wink.

Akumu nods, her features softening. "Alright," She says. As he held her hand in his, a smile spreads across her features. "I wouldn't go back on my word," She says. "Besides, the animals will probably appreciate the extra attention," She adds, slowly retracting her hand from his. "Perhaps after we finish we could walk along the beach?" She asks, picking around at her food. "Or we could head back to the hotel and find something to do there. There's probably some sort of attraction inside," She offers.

He weighed his options, While they had already taken a walk together that day it wasn't like there was a law against doing so again. Besides, Akumu didn't really seem like the type who would enjoy whatever kind of arcade or casino they had set up in the hotel. His mind wandered to the what made the hotel such an attraction to begin with, the natural hot springs that lied in the center of the hotel. He quickly shook off the thought, remembering Akumu's hesitation to even consider going to the beach with him. "A moon lite walk on the beach sounds really peaceful."

Akumu gathered her utensils and napkins, placing them towards the side of the table and pulling a few bills from her wallet and placing them on the table. Izar's hesitation was not missed upon her though she did not say anything about it. "Let's not waste precious moonlight then," She says, getting up from her seat, heading towards the exit.

Izar quickly jumped up to follow her. Did I choose wrong? he couldn't help but ask himself as he caught up with her, the two moving toward the beach. "While a walk on the beach does sound incredibly enjoyable, I don't see the need to rush. After all it's only a little past seven thirty." He said keeping up with her pace. "I mean, the night is still young. If there was something you wanted to do back at the hotel we can go there now and then if you're feeling up to it we could come back to walk on the beach later."

Akumu continues looking ahead, the only sign she was listening was a small hum she elicited. After a few moments, she responded. "Izar, you know this is just as much as your vacation as it is mine, right? Really, you should be the one making the decisions, since you were the one who earned the tickets to go here in the first place. If there is somewhere you planned on doing, then I am okay with going along with it. I trust that you would not take advantage of any situation we were placed in, especially considering I could kick your ass seven ways to Sunday while barely moving a single muscle." She says frankly, stopping in her pace to look over at him. "So, what do you want to do? And you can't answer with, 'I'm okay with doing whatever you wanna do, or I'll seriously have your head mounted on my wall."

Izar listened to her speak as she slowed her pace, eventually stopping completely. Izar stopped as well, avoiding her gaze as he stared at the ground; knowing he wouldn't be able to bring himself to lie to her. He bit his lip as he began thinking of what exactly to say, a moment later he looked back up to her though his eyes still avoided looking directly into hers. "Back at the restaurant, while you were suggesting things to do my mind wandered to the idea of going to the hot springs the hotel is known for. I quickly threw that idea out the window though because I knew you wouldn't like it as the thought of going to the beach alone was enough for you to almost completely reject the idea of coming here. Now, I don't know how much has changed since then but I wouldn't think your thoughts on going anywhere near the water much less a hot spring in front of me have changed very much if at all." Izar said as he finally brought his eyes to meet hers, he wasn't afraid that she would get angry or explode on him. He was afraid that he would see something much worse in her eyes, disappointment at him for having violated her trust in even thinking about such a thing.

Akumu very carefully thought over her next response, knowing full well that, after opening up the option for him to choose their activity, she couldn't just blatantly shut him down. There was also the fact that she didn't mind going to the hot springs, and it wasn't as though she was particularly uncomfortable with it anyway, so long as it was only herself and Izar, or at least, a very small amount of other people. Izar had waited centuries to open up his heart, and she didn't doubt that he could control himself no matter where they were or what was occurring, and even if he couldn't, Akumu could certainly make sure he did. With that in mind, she took a quick breath in, leveling Izar with a neutral stare. "You truly care too much for your own good. There's no sense in getting gray hairs over asking me if I want to go in a hot spring because, even when you'd initially asked me if I wanted to go to a beach resort, I said I didn't question your intentions, only those other men who rarely ever think with their brains. I don't mind going anywhere with you, and from the start, it's always been about the people who would see us, rather than just being with you. I suppose that means I care too little about you and too much about others, but then again, I wouldn't even be here if I didn't care about you more than I normally would care for anyone else." She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts again. "In short, I would like to go to the hot springs with you, though of course, my threats from earlier still stand; a wandering hand will be the death of you," She finishes, her gaze softening, a smile forming on her face. "So long as you think you can withstand any temptations and you still want to go, we should."

Izar nodded along to Akumu's words as they reassured him that she did indeed trust him and his decisions. Once she had finished Izar spoke, "Of course I'd love to go. No wandering hands here, I promise. What would be the point in coming to the hotel if we're not going to visit its main attraction, right?" He asked, a bright, extremely happy smile appearing on his face. He turned to look back toward their hotel, "I suppose we should go get changed, I doubt we'd be very comfortable wearing these in the water." Izar said as he jokingly pulled at his own collar. The two of them made their way back to the hotel, saying a quick goodbye as they went to their separate rooms. Izar quickly changed into something much more comfortable despite knowing he would just end up having to change into trunks once he got down to the springs. Once he was changed he wondered if he should meet her down there or wait for her. Being that she was just in the other room he decided to wait, if she meant for him to meet her down there he would surly hear her opening her door to leave. If he meant for her to wait she would most likely either call him on her phone or knock on the door that separated their two rooms.

Akumu nodded along, her smiling growing wider at the appearance of his jubilant one. "It would be a waste of a trip," She assures. Her gaze follows his over to the hotel, adding, "Eager, are we?" As they began walking towards the hotel, the laugh that accompanied the statement clearly indicated that it was indeed a joke. Once they arrived at their rooms and split off, Akumu rifled through her bag. She had known about the spring, and brought her bathing suit because of it, though, at the time, she wasn't really sure if she had wanted to go, so hadn't expressly mentioned it. She changed into it, throwing on a pair of basketball shorts and a loose white t-shirt. After she was finished, she went over to the door that separated their rooms and knocked, this time waiting until he announced it was okay to go in before she did. "Ready to go?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm all set." He said, moments later she entered. Izar waved at her "I doubt there will be too many people in there, I hear they're having some big card game tournament in the casino so i'm sure most people will be there." Izar said as he walked towards his own door, motioning for her to follow. "Who Knows, maybe we'll have it all to ourselves?" He said as they walked down the hall and to the elevator which took them down to the first floor. The two separated at the changing rooms, Izar obviously going into the men's and Akumu, the women's. Izar was half way through changing when he realized that this would be the first time Akumu saw him like this as well and while he was by no means insecure about his body the thought did make him feel a bit nervous. He shrugged it off, knowing worrying was a waste of time and energy at this point. He finished changing before heading out into the springs. As the brochure had said the springs were massive, large boulders jutting out of the water in several places making it hard to see how many people were there. Izar spotted a few here and there it wasn't like there wasn't more than enough space to go around. Izar stepped into the water, it felt incredibly hot at first but bit by bit his muscles began to relax as the searing heat became a pleasant warmth. Izar lowered himself so that only his nose and up were above the water as he faced away from the entrance where Akumu would be coming from.

Akumu followed him out, shrugging her shoulders at his comment. "I doubt we'd be alone though the tournament ensures most of the egotistical bunch will be away, which I am thankful for." Akumu moved rather slowly when they separated, allowing her thoughts to wander as she changed. She didn't feel nervous or strange, perhaps led on by the idea that Izar would probably be about the only person who saw her. She doubted his endless compliments on her appearance would suddenly change, and knew that she didn't have anything to be ashamed of either. She didn't have a perfect hourglass figure, having more defined muscles than some guys did, though she wasn't entirely boxy either. She pulled her hair up into a loose bun, stepping out of the changing room. She immediately spotted Izar, or rather, his hair, which, even through the dense steam, was still quite apparent. She padded over to the water, the heat overwhelming when she first touched the water though gradually becoming soothing as she relaxed. She lowered herself until her chin touched the water, closing her eyes and sighing blissfully. "You can turn around," She says, her eyes remaining closed.

Izar turned around, lifting his head out of the water just enough so that he could speak without getting water in his mouth as he leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "This is quite wonderful." He said before leaning back up again, slicking his now wet hair back as he did so. A pleasant sigh escaping as he finally looked at Akumu, Despite her eyes being closed he kept his trained on them. "I like the way you did your hair, I know it's just meant to keep it from getting wet but I still think it looks cute" He said with a smile.

Akumu's face turned upwards in a smirk, and she opened her eyes. "I am mildly concerned about your opinion on what is considered cute. Among the list are threats to your life and my messy mop of hair," She says, chortling. "You look quite nice with your hair out of your face, it shows off your features," She admits, rolling her shoulders beneath the surface of the water. The tension in her muscles was slowly released at the movements, her mouth opening in a silent 'o,' her eyes fluttering shut again. "This was a fantastic idea," She breathes out.