Xehanort trudged away from the castle, his hands tucked into the pockets of his new lab coat. Tomorrow marked the day when the tests would begin for the flowers. Yet, what part would he be playing in the lab? Just someone who gathered everything, took all their notes for them? A quiet sigh escaped Xehanort as he shook his head.
"Up for some coffee?"
"Oh my-!" Xehanort stumbled backwards, caught completely off guard, and nearly fell down only for the woman who had spoken to catch his arm and pull him upright. "Good god woman," he said attempting to catch his breath. "Why in the world-"
"Sorry, didn't expect to scare you so badly," Naida said quickly, finally letting go of his arm seeing as he had regained his balance. "I just saw you walking along and figured I'd invite you out for some coffee."
"Is it still open?" He asked, the scare only souring his mood further.
"It's only three thirty."
"Dear god. It seemed like an eternity in there!" Xehanort growled, while rubbing the bridge of his nose. "How on earth does time do that?"
"Come on, you look like you could use some relaxation."
"Think coffee is going to offer that relaxation I need?"
"Not completely, but it might help somewhat." Xehanort shook his head.
"I don't think so. I just want to go to sleep and not wake up until the morning. "
"Oh. I see." Naida was silent as Xehanort tucked his hands into his pocket and moved down the road with a quiet sigh. "Hey."
"What's up?"
"Come on." She walked to his side quickly and tugged on his arm. "Let me show you another place. It will be fun."
"Alright," he finally replied, unable to simply say no at this point.
"There might be a slight line, but it will be worth it. Trust me." Xehanort let himself be led along by Naida and watched the café as they passed by it only to become slightly confused. Where exactly was she taking him? What had he let himself get dragged into now? "Here we are." Xehanort attempted to look at the sign as he was pulled into the store which currently had a good deal of children in it at for the time being. He was quick to finally realize where he was due to one common factor that linked the children together: the ice cream they all held. "Let me go get in line. You find a table."
He was not given much of an option as she hurried off to stand in the line with the children. Xehanort gave a quiet sigh as he found a table for the two of them though felt his lips forming a slight smirk. She was really trying, was she not?
"What a surprise!" Xehanort turned his head around and spotted Ansem the Wise standing next to him. "I did not expect to see you here at all! Looks like you're learning all of my hiding spots now," he chuckled. "But what's this? No ice cream?" Xehanort looked at Ansem holding a blue popsicle in his hand as he took one of the seats at the table.
"Actually, just none yet."
"True I suppose. There is a line."
"Well, someone's getting some for us."
"Oh my. Should I have taken this seat then?"
"I don't really know," Xehanort sighed quietly as he leaned over to look towards the line and spotted Naida getting close to the counter. "Especially after what I was told today." Ansem tilted his head only to shrug.
"Good choice to come here though. I swear, I live off this stuff more so than coffee. I would suggest the Sea Salt ice cream, but I am assuming the person buying has something in mind." Ansem rose from the chair, his smirk still worn. "Have fun."
"Thanks." Xehanort watched Ansem exit the ice cream shop only for a bar of ice cream to be held out in his face. "Sea salt?" He asked, recognizing the blue to be the same as the one of Ansem's ice cream.
"How'd you know?" Naida asked, hoping that she would be able to catch him off guard with the flavor as she sat down in the chair which Ansem had taken for a moment.
"Could smell it," he lied, giving a smile only to nibble at the corner of the bar. "Goodness! I didn't expect it to be so salty! And yet, it somehow manages to leave a somewhat sweet after taste. How strange." He looked up hearing Naida laughing.
"I think that's everyone's response when they have it for their first time. I know it was mine. I thought your face was funny, but if you would have seen mine when I first had this stuff, you would have been rolling." Xehanort laughed quietly, imagining his own facial expression when he first bit down on the ice cream.
"Yeah. I probably did look silly, didn't I?"
"Everyone does," Naida replied.
"Thanks," Xehanort finally said after the two took a couple more bites from their ice cream.
"For?"
"This."
"It was nothing! Besides, it's nice to bring someone along," Naida said, noticing a somewhat saddened look appear in Xehanort's eyes as he looked back down towards his ice cream. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said, feigning a smile for a moment. "Nothing you should have to worry about. Just, some things which were said at work today."
"I see." There was a fairly long silence between the two as Xehanort stared at his ice cream before looking up towards Naida.
"I have to ask. Why are you doing this for me?"
"Do I really need a reason to be nice?"
"No. I suppose you're right," he sighed quietly.
"Because you're a nice guy, Xehanort. You're nice to be around. I look forward to seeing you I guess. When I got off of work, I found myself wondering if I'd see you at the café." Naida watched as Xehanort looked away, seemingly loosing himself within his own thoughts. "What's wrong?" She asked again though her voice carrying a more serious tone this time.
"I – I kind of had the same thing happen today too," he admitted quietly. "One of my coworkers gave me a warning. I can't shake it but I find myself not able to really…" Xehanort trailed off and shook his head and nibble on the bar of ice cream.
"A warning?"
"It's hard to explain," he replied. "It's just, I find myself thinking of you more than other things, as strange as it may sound. You've captured my attention in such a short amount of time. My thoughts have apparently become obvious to my coworkers as one of them told me basically that having a relationship and work would be almost impossible to do. What I'm trying to say, is that I'm on the verge of asking you out and yet I have this holding me back. Yes, I understand that it's probably too soon to-" He was stopped by Naida placing a finger on his lips.
"How about…" She trailed off thinking for a moment while keeping her index finger on his lips. "Tonight at eight or so? I'll write my address down for you, and you come pick me up?"
"Pardon?"
"Well? How about it? We'll give it a shot and see if it could possibly work." Who was he to object? Xehanort finally gave a nod only to finally have a thought occur to him. Where would they go? He didn't know of any place here and had a rather limited budget for the time being until he started getting his pay from being an apprentice.
"But- Where would we go?" He finally asked. "To be honest, I haven't that much to spend until I start getting my pay."
"Well, I have a place in mind. Don't worry so much, I really don't have expensive tastes," Naida reassured as she searched her purse for a pen. She wrote on one of the napkins and slid it towards Xehanort, her address written in careful calligraphy-styled handwriting. "So. Eight, right?"
"Yeah."
"See you then."
