Date #6

Their sixth date. He couldn't believe it was real – the two of them had dated six times by now, almost every week twice and by now, they didn't even had to ask for a next date – it was going to happen eventually and came naturally. Either Gru or Lucy called and arranged something, and every time it was the same for both like the first time: What to wear, where to go, what to do to not disgrace themselves in front of each other. By now at least Lucy had her anxieties under control, but she was highly aware that Gru was still terribly shy and carefully around her. That was cute. That was nice. But it definitely couldn't say like this.

Whenever she noticed he was staring at her and looked back at him, he acted like he was looking at something past her, so she wouldn't notice him eyeing him.
And every time she did the same, he just turned his head away, blushing and jokingly trying to make her stop. And ever since their first date, he didn't dare to hold her hand again – and she had stopped being the initiative one about this. Not that she didn't like it, but she knew he had trouble with such things, so she thought that maybe he needed some space – and some more training regarding confidence around her.

And especially noticeable was, that he kept moving his fingers behind his back. She had seen the hand-gestures he made around people and his own daughters, they were always moving, never resting – but being around her, they shook slightly, like he was always terribly nervous. Yet his appearance was so calm and tranquilly, that she sometimes even feared he was bored by her.

But she knew he wasn't.

Once they had been eating and walking outside to a beautiful little park, Lucy kept looking up at him. Almost majestically, he moved next to her with his arms behind his back and his alert, crystal blue eyes roaming over the court, tiredly blinking a few times. What seemed like a big black spot of emptiness and depression next to her was something that kept her heart beating fast right now, filling every spot in her body with happiness and joy.

They strolled down the lantern lit street into the park, the warmth of the day keeping the air fresh and sultry and the touch of tender fingers on her knuckles made her shoulders twitch in excitement. Was he doing what she thought he was doing?

She didn't look down, but she bit her lips, feeling Gru's fingers gently gliding over the back of her hand, running his fingers into the spaces between hers, where they seemed to fit just perfectly. He was holding her hand!

Looking down at their entwined fingers, she smiled, glancing back up at him.
"Uh…I-Is dis okay?" he asked, insecurely.
"Yes!" she replied with a grin, almost whispering, as she squeezed his back to encourage him.
She giggled internally. How was a guy like him so tender – so insecure?

He could plan mischievous schemes, could steal a moon and protect and rescue her and his children from even worse villains – but he couldn't hold a woman's hand without asking for permission. If she wasn't so modest, she would have wrapped her arms around his torso to draw him close to her, but for now, holding his hand was good enough for her.

"You know…" Lucy said, starting to sway their hands gently in unison. "You're actually quite lucky to date me."
I certainly am, was a thought that lingered in Gru's mind, but all he did was cocking an eyebrow and smirked at her.
"Well, dat's quite confident to say."
"Oh – no, no, I mean –" she blushed. "I mean that it doesn't happen often I…well…go on dates with people that often anymore."
"How come?"

"Well, many men I went out with kind of – dumped me just shortly afterwards. It has been going now for some time – I've learned to get along with that fact, but…I am still quite lonely sometimes. It makes you feel used and not good enough. Like it always is your own fault you're not capable of keeping relationships alive."

Gru pondered over her words for a while, silently nodding sometimes. He could tell – he never even had a relationship that lasted long enough to ask them out on a date – there were some cases he vaguely remembered, but…

"I'm sorry, Lucy…"

His thumb gently caressed her knuckles in a matter of comfort, but stopped after a while as Lucy showed no response. Gulping, his grip around her hand loosened, but she suddenly clung to him, literally begging him to stay.

"It's alright." Her face lit up instantly, looking back at him with a smile. "I'm just glad I've learned from my mistakes, and now – I just choose people I trust the most that they won't hurt me." She turned away again, smiling widely once she recalled these words of his daughter:

'He loves you, Lucy'

Gru tightened the grip around her hand, showing her his gratitude and reassurance that he'd never dare to hurt her, as his mind and eyes started to work for their own. He couldn't help but stare at her, her beautiful red hair, curly and neatly groomed, her shoulders gently swaying back and forth with every step, her long, thin neck, the soft skin and the cute freckles on her cheekbones and shoulders – he was tempted to touch, to graze his fingers through the mane of locks and feel how soft they really were, but he kept admiring. Her thin, yet athletic body, hands clutching to her purse and to his own hand, her beautiful green eyes staring at the ground in shyness. There was even a healthy shade of pink on her cheeks as they moved through the dark park. He could stare at them forever, get lost in the bright green colors – how wonderful they were, compared to his very own.

Eyes kept traveling down to her nose and her lips, which were curled in a smile, and the sudden urge to kiss her grew bigger and bigger. Once it became almost unbearable, he stopped walking for a second and Lucy turned around to look at him.

"Gru, are you okay?" Gru opened his mouth to speak, before suddenly a loud rumble interrupted him, a sudden light emerged from the sky and just seconds afterwards, rain dripped down on them before they increased to literally pour down.

"Oh, Curses!" Lucy exclaimed, holding the purse over her head to beware herself from getting wet.
"Come on, let's quickly get some dry spot to stay beneath!"

Gru nodded, quickly taking Lucy's hand and arm to drag her through the park, running down the street and both couldn't help but laugh loudly. Rain soaked through his scarf and into his jacket, but he quickly tried to find shelter from the cold wind blowing and the water falling down on them.

The evening was dark and so was the surroundings – he couldn't make out spaces that weren't touched by rain and water and wind, but eventually, he found a big oak, which large branches stuck out, keeping the ground dry and literally offering them shelter with wide, welcoming arms.

"Quick, under here…"
He dragged her to the trunk of the tree, both pressing their bodies flush against it to spare themselves as much rain as possible through the large and thick crown of the oak.

Eventually looking at each other, they started grinning and giggling over the damage the rain had caused them – Gru's scarf was soaking wet, water rinsing down the fabric and his jacket wasn't looking any better. The wind caused him to shudder slightly, noticing that his sweater was as well sticking cold and wet to his skin.

Lucy's hair was messy, curls springing from each side of her head, the bun slumped down from the wet, heavy hair, some mascara running down her cheeks and her dress was sticking tightly to her body, and as Gru suddenly noticed the form of her undergarment beneath the green-blue dress, he started chewing on his lower lip, before looking back into her eyes.

"That wasn't planned, huh?" she said, smiling nevertheless. Gru shook his head briefly, taking off his scarf to squeeze the water out of the fabric, yet taking small glimpses back at her.

He could see the wet dress revealing her bare form beneath, her flat belly and her soft, seductive curves, her hip-bones sticking out slightly with every movement she made while getting her hair fixed. Her rips moved beneath her skin, grazing it sometimes, and he couldn't help but looking further up her body, up to her chest, where the small texture of her bra was visible. They weren't pretty big or full, but it was enough for Gru to swallow, soothing his dry mouth.

Lucy wouldn't admit it, but – she noticed the way he was looking at her. His eyes wandered over her in admiration, and she blushed deeply over the thought that he would actually like her body. She never saw herself as beautiful. She hadn't had the biggest breasts there were, nor a pretty face – and people made fun of redheads. But knowing that he was eyeing her like this made her think she was admirable after all.
Gru quickly wrapped the still wet scarf around his neck and joined Lucy back under the tree, but his eyes were still on her face.
"Well, that spared the shower for me tomorrow, haha." She laughed, looking back at him. "Are you cold?"

He didn't answer. He just stared at her with an expression of – tenderness. Before Lucy could even notice it, heat seeped up in her cheeks, her fingers started to tingle, as she looked back in his pretty, gleaming eyes, falling into them like into a pool of blue colors. What was he thinking about?

Did she dare to ask? She felt like she needed to ask, so, she was silently muttering: "Gru…?"

His hand carefully placing itself on her shoulder and slowly running over her neck was his answer. Lucy would have jerked in surprise, but his touch…it was making her brain go numb. He was remarkably tender, carefully, almost like he was afraid of hurting her by touching. And something in his eyes just didn't let her go, shuddering beneath his fingers grazing her cheeks to brush away a streak of wet hair.

Gru couldn't tell if it was the cold or herself shuddering slightly by his touch, but he knew that as soon as his palm was cupping her cheek to lean in softly, that he had managed to follow him suit. Her eyes closed as she tilted her head just barely, as suddenly, the bushes behind them started to rattle and shake and both jumped in surprise as a dark figure emerged from the thicket, standing in front of them in an alert position – ready to attack.

"Empty your pockets, lovey-doveys!" the figure growled in a hoarse, smokey voice, roughed by alcohol and cigarettes.

Both stared in shock at the man, and Lucy was about to grab Gru's arm to drag him away, away from this guy, but she was pushed back behind him by his hand.

"Or vhat?" Gru growled back, eyes narrowing at the man in front of them, and he could feel Lucy hiding behind him, grabbing his arm and blinking over his shoulder at the other.

He was tall, almost as tall as Gru was. He was suited in dark, ragged clothes, a beanie on his head, his face covered in mud and scars and he reeked of urine and dead animals.
And he held a little object in his hand which she couldn't determine by name.
"You wanna play?" the stranger suddenly flicked his hand, and Lucy gasped at the sight of a knife flipping in the man's hand. He gulped.
Not good! He had left all his weapons back home, even his freeze-ray!
"Let's fucking play…!"

"Gru!" Lucy pulled Gru back, urging to run away with him, but he didn't move, and none of them were sure if it was out of shock – or stubbornness.
"I said gimme your goddamn wallets, or you little doll here will pay!"
A sting ran straight through his body as he heard Lucy shriek in fear behind him, clutching to him, probably too shocked and startled to show confidence right now. Adrenaline zinged through his blood – his protective-instincts kicked in.

"Dun't yu dare touchin' her…!" he hissed at him, making a step towards him.
"If yu come any closer to her, I'm goin' to send yu straight back from vhere yu came, yu leetle punk!"

But the other just gave a guttural sound, close to a mischievous laughter that gave Lucy the creeps.
"Let's see 'bout that, y'old Bastard!"

And within a second, the stranger dashed forwards, lifting his arm with the knife to sink it straight into Gru's body. He tensed up, still not leaving from Lucy's side.
Gru suddenly pushed Lucy aside, jumping to the side as he dodged the attacker. Lucy stumbled but caught hold of the treetrunk as she saw him fighting the attacker. Making quick dodges from the knife's blade, he clenched his fist to punch the other straight against his nose, Gru breathing heavily as he watched him groaning in pain – yet not dropping his weapon.

Hastily grabbing inside the pockets of his coat, he tried to find any weapon he perhaps had forgotten to put in the lab back home and still carry around, but before he even had the time to search through the other side of his jacket, the stranger was up on his feet again and started a new attack, leaving Gru defenseless.

And then everything, weirdly, stopped. The stranger let out a strangled cry as he stood right where he was, his body trembling hardly, literally quivering, limbs twitching uncontrollably, he dropped his knife as little blue electric strings fluttered around his body.

Just seconds later, he dropped flat on the ground like a chopped tree, leaving Gru terribly confused.

"Lipstick Taser!"

And with that, Gru turned to Lucy, who held the little red tube in her hand, breathing heavily and eyes gleaming in both relief and excitement. "Thanks…" Gru gasped almost breathlessly. And without her answering, she quickly rushed up to him to examine him.

"Did he hurt you? Any bruises or cuts? You feel dizzy?"
She roamed her hands all over his body, looking for a hint of any wounds he had carried from the short fight. Tensing up again, Gru just gently grabbed her by her wrists.
"Lucy, Lucy, calm down, I'm okay!"
"Oh, thanks god." She stopped as her hands rested on his cheeks, brushing away some dirt and rain from his face as she bit her lips, brows furrowed in worry, then she drew him into a hug, and after a long while of surprised blinking and staring, he heard her whisper.

"I thought you'd die…"
He opened his mouth to speak, but this shut him up just completely. She was scared of his life…?
Gently placing his arms around her, he hugged her back, carefully cradling her head to press it gently into the crook of his neck.
"Oh Lucy…" he whispered. "Dun't worry, I'm fine! Takes more dhan dis Greenhorn to knock me over, …but…thanks for helpin' me out…"
After some seconds that lasted like almost an eternity for both, embraced by each other's arms and held tightly against their bodies, she drew back, smiling at him.

"See? That is the trick! First shooting, and then announcing your weapon."
He laughed at that. "Well, maybe I shuld first learn to always carry a weapon vith me."
"Maybe…"
And then, she cupped his cheek again, looking deep into his eyes, slowly leaning in to plant a short kiss on the corner of his mouth.
Gru parted his lips just barely, turning his head so their lips were touching, feeling each other's breath, still staring into their eyes, admiring and sinking into them, he gently gave her bottom lip a nudge and both merged together, mouths pressed against each other in a short encounter.

Insecurely drawing back, Lucy put her hands onto his cheeks and pulled him back, kissing him again, her eyes closed and savoring the feeling that spread inside her guts. Tingles, butterflies, everything tickled and fluttered in her stomach and with slight gasp in delight, she felt him answering, his arms still around her and drawing her close, one cradling her head to deepen their kisses, the other pressing on her back to keep her close, keeping her away from running off his grasp. As if she'd ever do.

Her fingers gently drew patterns over his cheek, thumb brushing gently over his cheekbones and teasingly rubbing the spot beneath his earlobes, making him chuckle and draw back.

"Vhat are yu doin'…?" he whispered, somewhat out of breath from their kisses.
"S-sorry…it was tempting." She admitted and chuckled into her hand, before placing her lips against him once again, giving short and happy kisses.

"So…I assume we'll just kiss every time we save each other's life, huh?" Lucy said as she drew back, hands resting on his shoulders and beaming up at him with a cocky smile.
"Well, dat wuld mean I'd have to save yur life a whole lot – 'cause I want to repeat dis."

Grinning from ear to ear, the couple gave breathy laughs and spend the rest of the evening with standing beneath the tree, waiting for the rain and wind to stop, sharing sweet and careful kisses, and they didn't even notice how their previous attacker woke up to flee back into the thicket, before the lady would start to lipstick-taser him again.