A Flower Blooms at Midnight

Akumu was quietly sitting on the far side of the guild hall, leaning heavily on the arm of the small chair as she did so. Her attire was slightly different than normal, Itari having convinced her to wear a black skirt, a white shirt, and she had added a baggy cream-colored sweater on top. As a result of her skirt, she couldn't bring her legs up onto the chair, since it would ride up her thighs too far, so a scowl adorned her features-- not like it wasn't normal for her anyway. Her red glasses were perched high on her nose, her dark eyes were cast at nothing in particular across the room.

Izar stood at the door to the guild hall, rose in hand. He pulled off the hood of his crème colored cloak to reveal his just above shoulder length purple hair. He looked down at the blood red rose and smiled softly. " I wonder how she'll reject me this time?." He thought before letting out a quiet sigh. He entered the guild hall and began scanning the area for Akumu. He spotted her on the far side of the guild hall, where She seemed to be staring into space. Izar felt his heart race quicken a bit. "Sixth times the charm." He thought before beginning to walk over to her.

Akumu was quickly alerted to Izar's presence, his vibrant purple hair difficult to miss, the crimson rose even more so, as she'd remembered from all of his previous attempts to gain her approval of a date. Letting out a sigh that was much too audible to be warranted, she shifted up in her chair, first readjusting her glasses before directing her gaze fully onto him. "Let me guess," She starts, fake enthusiasm filling her voice. "You want me to go on a romantic candle lit dinner with you? I think you and I both know the answer to that. However, I do want to the hear the sales pitch before I fully decline, so perhaps if I heard it from you for the... what is it, fifth? sixth time?... I would change my mind." Her eyes gleam with a dark glint, her tone conveying she hadn't truly meant she would change her mind. However, the girl was true to her word, and kept an open mind, just in case he offered something she couldn't refuse.

Izar avoided the gaze of the judgmental woman for a moment before rebounding, smiling happily despite her scowl. "Yes, long time no see. You're looking quite divine, as per usual." Izar said with an awkward laugh. He paused for moment, her stare making it hard for him to find his words, before holding out the rose to her and speaking. " I know by now that this is nearly pointless. You have no intention of allowing me the time of day." Izar said. " You may be wondering why I keep asking then?. What is the point in coming to you every time I return here. The truth is that even though I know that I will get rejected, my offer declined. I still enjoy the time I spend talking with you." Izar said as he looked directly into her eyes. " Will you allow me to take you on a date tonight?. A candlelit dinner in the grassy field behind the guild hall." Izar asked.

Akumu was so ready to shake her head to and fro. Five times she had done it, becoming less blunt and more sarcastic with each one, but it was nonetheless a no. However, something had struck a chord with her this time. Perhaps it had been his blunt honesty, which Akumu appreciated more than anything. Delirious lies had to be one of the things she hated most, right up there with nicknames and senseless insults. She leaned back in her chair slightly, taking the rose and twirling it between her fingers, her ruthless gaze trailing off of him and onto the rose. "Alright, you have me convinced. However, I'm showing up in pants, no exceptions. And if you even think of even whispering about this and somebody finds out, especially Itari, I will have your head mounted in my living room before you can even say 'I'm sorry," got it?" She asked, fixating her gaze on him once again. If possible, it had become even more harsh, and the rose was pinched between her fingers tighter. "I'll be putting this in a vase," She said, standing up and moving past Izar towards the exit. Before she could get beyond a few feet, she turned back towards him. "Also, what time shall I be meeting you?"

Izar was genuinely surprised, he had been so ready to hang his head in shame for the sixth time in a row but she had said yes. Even if that yes came along with the threat of decapitation. His smile widened into a foolish looking grin, he quickly composed himself as he turned to face Akumu. "Yes, of course. I won't tell anyone. How does nine sound?, and is there anything special you'd like me to cook?." Izar asked, his confidence slowly returning.

A small, barely there smile sneaks onto Akumu's face at Izar's dopey looking one. "Nine is excellent. And anything is fine so long as its edible and doesn't taste like the sugar plum fairy lives in your pots and pans." She then turns and walks towards her room. After she enters, she prepares a vase, slipping the flower in, and then heads over to her closet, picking out something that didn't look like she'd had it for several years, which was difficult for someone who didn't care what she wore. After finding a pair of jeans that weren't faded and a black button up shirt with small shiny gold buttons, she set it aside, waiting for the date time to roll around before she would put them on. She exchanged her skirt for sweat pants, not caring if her brother called her a "fashion disaster" and returned to her previous spot in the guild, tucking her legs beneath herself as she sat in the chair. She had brought a book with her, something she'd read more than a dozen times in the last month alone. She picked a random page and began to read it, using it as a way to kill time until she needed to get ready.

When it was approximately half past eight, Akumu headed back towards her room and changed into her chosen outfit. Her dark hair was brushed through thoroughly, and she left it down. She went directly to the small field behind the guild hall to avoid curious gazes at her apparel and hairstyle and the questions that were sure to follow. She walked around in the fresh night, the remaining fifteen minutes dwindling away. She kept her gaze away from the central part of the clearing to keep it a relative surprise, just allowing herself a relaxing walk beforehand.

Izar made his way to the market, knowing there was no way he'd have anything he'd be capable of making a romantic dinner out of in his barely used home. He picked out several things before getting home less than a quarter past five. He got everything sat up as he began cooking. Izar worked tirelessly, knowing he would get no second chance if he messed up. He prepared a meal of Roasted chicken with Asiago polenta topped with truffled mushrooms with a side of garden salad, and for dessert, cheesecake topped with strawberry sauce. He knew that all those years of cooking for himself would pay off eventually.

After picking out an outfit consisting of a white button up and dress pants he hadn't worn in years, Izar went to work, he snuck a table and two chairs behind the guild. He was very careful not to be seen, he didn't want to be asked any questions that may lead to his demise. Izar had gotten everything on the table just as the last bit of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon. He held up his hand using his cosmic magic to create in his palm, five small, baseball sized stars that he spread out around the table. He placed the final star just above the table. Standing back he admired his work. "If this doesn't win her over, nothing would." Izar thought to himself. He checked his watch, he still had about twenty minutes remaining. He stood, waiting anxiously.

When ten minutes remained, Akumu turned back, and began heading towards the center of the small clearing, expecting to find something over the top and extravagant that she would have no problem turning down. However, the dinner that had been prepared was simple enough to look real and edible, yet decorative enough to attract her attention. The miniature stars added enough light to illuminate the space, but not overwhelm her eyes, and didn't give off any scent that would make it difficult to eat her food. She stepped up a few feet in front of Izar, and looked over the man who had prepared the elegant dinner, nodding her head to his clothing choice. "I am quite impressed," She says voice sincere and a small, but pleasant smile adorning her features. "Can you keep up this atmosphere?" She asks, almost as if challenging him, her green eyes glowing in the pale light.

Izar smiled softly. During his preparation of their dinner he had decided that he wouldn't get his hopes up. He had sat a single goal for this evening, to make her smile. Izar's confidence was through the roof, having completed the only goal he had sat within seconds of their date. He wasn't stupid though, he knew he was still walking on a very thin tightrope. "I'm glad this is to your liking. You should smile more often, it suits you." He said motioning for her to take a seat as pulled out the chair for her. "For dinner tonight I have prepared roasted chicken asiago topped with truffled mushrooms and a side of garden salad featuring lettuce, cucumber, thinly sliced carrots, and cherry tomatoes. For dessert we will be having cheesecake topped with strawberry sauce."

Akumu's smile dropped at his compliment, turning into a scowl though it was half-hearted. "I think silence suits you best," She deadpans, taking the offered chair. While he was explaining the food, she realized how hungry she had become, having forgone food except for a few snacks while she was waiting. Luckily, no sounds gurgled from her stomach to alert Izar of her dilemma, and she kept her features smooth and relaxed so as not to give herself away. "You have a surprising amount of knowledge about food. I figured since you were gone all the time you wouldn't even bother with learning." She says plainly. After Izar had finished and moved to his own chair, Akumu picked up her utensils and began slicing it into bite sized pieces. Knowing full well Izar was waiting on the edge of his seat for her to take a bite, she calmly cut up her food until all of it was in pieces, then finally took a bite. After chewing it exactly 30 times for more dramatic pause, she looked up at Izar with a perfectly neutral facial expression. "It tastes just as good as it looks, if not, more so." She says, unable to keep the slightly smug smile off of her face. She began to eat at a normal pace after that. "So Izar, what made you decide that I, specifically, were the girl you needed to pursue so persistently? Surely you've met plenty of more mature and kind women than me while out traveling?"