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Man, I haven't tried making a pizza from scratch in a really long time... Yeah, we could try that! If we mess it up we can just order from Pete's. The pizza there's not New York pizza, but it's not bad for dream Maine.

[ Not nearly floppy enough pieces to be called New York pizza.

The server comes back over to serve them some drinks, and Gwen slips her free hand to take a sip, keeping her other hand holding Rei's under the table. ]

Are all our dates going to involve food? First a picnic, then hot pot, now pizza?

[Rei takes her own drink, sipping it and laughing softly.]

They could. Now that you point it out, we've definitely talked about food a good bit. Though, I suppose that may be because food is an easy thing to discuss. And I have no problem admitting I'm a little nervous.

[It's safe, everyone likes it, and everyone needs it. And they have preferences, too, which makes it universally simple.]

I'm certain we'll find other things to do. I mean, we can always go hiking together out in the national park, or swimming. Or just stay in and play games or something. So long as we're together...

[Her head droops a little, but her smile remains, even if it turns a bit sheepish.]

Honestly, I'm not sure what people do on dates. Do you have ideas?

Hiking yes. Swimming, maybe not. I, uh... [ Man, this is an awkward way for this subject to come up. ] I sort of have metal bones now?

[ Might as well just say it, get it out in the open. ]

But I dunno. Any of those ideas sound like fine dates to me. I just like spending time with you.

oh? Like Logan? That sounds helpful.

[Awkward? That doesn't sound too awkward to her. Rei is happy to learn it, and so smiles.]

And I agree. I'm not the biggest fan of swimming anyway, it was just a suggestion in case you did.

[She looks down at their hands with an embarrassed smile, happy but unsure.]

Honestly the activities don't matter. You're fun to be around.

[ Gwen's face lights up. ]

Oh, hey! I didn't know you knew Logan. But yeah, exactly like him.

[ She shrugs. ]

I could take or leave swimming. Don't really miss it now that I can't do it.

Oh. I knew a Logan from before. He's not here anymore. I have met another Logan here. But we aren't as close.

[Rei laughs softly. That had been a silly conversation. And shifting to talking abouta friend was good.]

The one I knew before taught me about tracking and hunting. And...some other skills that aren't so nice. Things it's good to know when you can't use your powers.

There's actually two different Logans here now. Same guy, different universes. Different points in the timeline.

[ She shrugs. Just more Creepsville weirdness. ]

That's definitely a big Logan thing to do. He's real nice, once you get past his grumpy exterior. He gave me a hug, when I arrived on Krakoa back on Earth-616.

Yes I met one of them. He's not the one I met before. He seemed about the same age, but I know he's...well, I know he's old.

[Very, very old. Interesting, that. He'd been nice though, and his Japanese had been impeccable.]

Are you on the same...superhero team? That is how things work in your worlds right?

Oh, yeah. A healing factor will do that for you. He's deceptively old. And the other one is even older, or at least looks older.

[ A healing factor that's stopped working will do that for you. ]

Me and Logan? Ohh, no. He's way above my paygrade. And besides, I only started being a mutant a few months ago. They wouldn't let me be on the X-Men.

Oh, I knew that. The one I knew was...well, I saw his ancestral home in a dream. Or I guess it was more a shared nightmare. He helped me kill a dream copy of a monster from my past, and I helped him kill a man...mutant...he called Sabretooth.

[That had been a pretty intense experience overall. Sabretooth was tenacious, and at least as dangerous as Tiger's Eye had been. Funny that they had cat-named antagonists.]

...They should let you join, Gwen. They are missing out.

Oooh, you fought Sabretooth? That guy's rage levels are ridiculous.

[ But of course Rei came out victorious. Gwen would have no doubt.

At the compliment, Gwen blushes and starts fussing with the napkin in her lap. ]

Eh, I've done the team thing. It doesn't always work out so great. And I'm definitely not a big enough name to be on a team like the X-Men.

[ If they won't let Wade join, then they definitely wouldn't let her join. And he's way more of a mutant than she is. ]

He was pretty angry, yes. Less angry when I buried him under an entire wing of a mansion.

[That whole thing had been an experience.

Her sympathetic look fades to understanding and her hand squeezes tightly.]

As long as it's working out for you, then.

[She's say more, but now the hot pot arrives. Carried out and set in front of them on the burner at the middle of the table, with several trays of various stew vegetables and beef to put into it. The servers bow and depart...]

Okay. Now we just add what we want. You've done this before right?

[ Gwen can't help but chuckle at the mental image of a mansion crashing down on top of Sabretooth. ]

Okay, yeah, that'll do it.

[ She's in much better spirits when the food arrives, pulling back in her seat so the servers have better access to the table. As soon as they're gone, she leans forward with a hungry grin on her face. ]

Yeah, once. A long time ago. My parents took the whole family out when my grandma was visiting, for my mom's birthday.

[ It had started out as one of the happiest nights Gwen could remember with her family. Of course, then she had gotten way too antsy at the table and her dad had scolded her in front of the entire restaurant, but... Rei doesn't need to know her baggage. ]

Wonderful. Then, add what you like and stir it in.

[Rei leans forward and puts in some of the vegetables she likes, and all of the meat. It's hot broth already, and there's a few base veggies in there too. It's not complicated at least.]

Then we let it stew for a few minutes to cook the meat and we can just go for it. This is...definitely one of the best possible dishes for an evening out like this, I think, since it's all about sharing and making it together.

[That had been a big reason why she'd chosen it.]

It's like a big melting pot of things everyone involved likes.

[ Gwen leans in, looking at all the different veggie options, before picking up her chopsticks and picking some to add to the pot. She struggles a little bit with the chopstick hand position, but overall for a white girl, she's not too bad. ]

That's... a really nice way of thinking about it. [ She smiles at Rei, then goes back to watching the broth boil. ]

This is gonna taste so good...

[Rei can't find fault with it at least. Gwen is a white girl, after all. she has an excuse.

Leaning over the pot, taking a sniff, she nods before sinking back.]

...Yes, it is. It's been too long since I had the chance to share something like this with someone special.

[Hehe.]

This place wasn't here when I came the first time. It's new. And I kind of like the feel of it. The lions out front seem...ah. Almost real.

[ Rei's leaning over the pot, and Gwen's leaning over the pot.... Their faces are already so close, it would be easy to--

--Yup. Gwen leans in that extra few inches and grabs a quick smooch from Rei's lips. Who cares what the waitstaff thinks. It's Rei's birthday. She deserves as may kisses as Gwen can give her.

Once it's over, she sits back in her chair, looking pleased with herself. ]

I'm lucky to be able to share this with you.

[ Remembering the rest of what Rei said, Gwen glances at the front door and the lion statues beyond it. ]

...Yeahhhh, wouldn't surprise me if those things come alive every now and then and try to eat unsuspecting passers by.

[Rei's eyes go wide when she realizes what Gwen is doing. It's not out of line at all, but it is completely unexpected. A little flustered, she slides back into her seat and brings a hand up to touch her lips, a dazed smile touching her features.

A kiss on her birthday? And thankfully not where the staff can see? That's both scandalous and amazingly welcome at the same time.]

...I think it's the other way around...

[She murmurs, gladder than hell that this crush as grown to full bloom.

Then she turns to the Fu-lions and regains a bit more sense.]

They wouldn't. I feel good energy coming from them. They're guardian lions, things meant to filter out negative spiritual energy and defend a building against evil.

[ Gwen's gaze lingers on the lions for a minute longer, considering what Rei's saying. ]

...Huh. I guess you would be the expert.

[ She'll take Rei's word for it. Her head's feeling pretty buzzy after going in for the kiss, so she doesn't want to think about it too hard.

The night goes on, and they enjoy a pleasant meal and even more pleasant conversation. Gwen learns a lot more about Rei, and opens up about herself as well. She feels comfortable around Rei in a way she hasn't really felt with anyone else in Deerington. Maybe because Rei has already seen so many sides of her. She saw her fight, she saw her cry, she saw her be a nerd at the comic book shop. Not many people can say they've seen all Gwen has to offer. But she's happy to share that with Rei. ]

[The night is beyond pleasant, for Rei. It might actually be the least stressful birthday evening that she's ever had. Even with the added element of nerves because she wants to impress her date, and the giddy feeling inside that comes when they make it back to Rei's house after their meal. Kisses soothe that away quickly enough, though, and all that's left is the warm feeling of an uncommonly strong connection.

Gwen's good for her, she thinks, and continues to think throughout the whole affair. She's easy to talk to, easy to get along with, understanding of her many oddities, and she's seen Rei at both her best and her worst. She also seems to soak up the attention and affection that is offered. That's always been her biggest worry, that she'll overdo it and drive anyone she likes that isn't one of the senshi away. She believes she can be high maintenance (she isn't actually), and even into her twenties struggles with the idea that she can have this kind of happiness with anyone else.

Thankfully, she's quite wrong.]

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