Note: Gift to Answrs, part 1: A view into Kay and Arthur dating. Or, at least, a view into Arthur asking Kay out for the first time. Set way before Things We Lost. Chapter title excerpted from La Lune by Madeon & Dan Smith.

….

Arthur fidgeted with his wristband, running the fabric between his fingers as he dragged it slowly around his wrist. A few strands of his soul patch straggled and the thought of them hanging there nagged him. He didn't want to tug them out, though. He saw the little bald spots Uncle Lance hid with careful combing. He'd heard his Uncle's warning a million times. "One ya start yankin' it's awful hard ta stop."

Should have clipped them in line when he saw them, but Kay had just answered his text, asking her if they could get together and talk.

Sure. Meet you at the park after my shift?

Two hours. He could wait and ask her out when she was off and plan a future date, or he could be totally prepared now, wait for her, ask, and then sweep her off her feet by having the date ready to go right then.

So he loaded the van with necessaries for a picnic; a cooler, a blanket, two plates, a set of silverware, plastic cups, and a roll of paper towels. A quick trip to the market netted him a rotisserie chicken, coleslaw, and kettle chips. Not very classy, but he'd been to enough of the Peppers' backyard barbecues to know the safe bets. A small plastic jug of local fresh-squeezed orange juice. Ice for the cooler. Two small cartons, one holding a slice of carrot cake another holding a slice of chocolate to cover the bases.

Sliding into the van, he rested his hands on the wheel and drummed his fingers, considering locations. The park was a fine place to meet Kay and ask a quick question, but it was very open. Not that open was a bad thing, but he didn't want word getting out that he was dating his best friend's sister. Not yet.

He dragged a hand down the front of his face. "Yeah. Listen to me, already thinking I'm dating her when I haven't asked her out yet. Get a grip. Get a grip."

It was a short drive over from the market. The park was a respectable size, with fenced-off playground equipment off to one side and a lengthy stretch of rolling green dotted with shade and climbing trees the rest of the way.

A quick glance at his watch informed him there was plenty of time to take a loop around the park and contemplate disaster-date scenarios. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he let his feet take him where they would and kicked his thoughts in a direction that didn't promise a hike in anxiety levels.

Okay, that was not working. Kay's face was front and center in his mental theater and it was hard to get away from the cycle of potential reactions the screen flipped through when all exits were barred. He jammed his hands deeper in the pockets. Was this how Lewis felt asking Vivi out for the first time? Probably not. At least he'd known that Vivi was into him. Arthur would kill for some of that assurance.

Vivi wore her emotions on her sleeve, but Kay was a harder read. He'd known her since middle school ever since he got to be friends with Lewis, but Lewis was the only Pepper who got to attend public school. Kay and her sisters learned at home, for reasons Arthur could never weasel out of Lewis aside from some vague brush off about religious preferences. The same hand-waving reason was used to explain their refusal to allow music in the house or at the Pepper Paradiso, but Arthur had yet to think of a single religion that forbade all kinds of music.

Digging for answers like that during your first date was probably bad etiquette. Besides, he wasn't dating Kay because he wanted answers. He was dating her because… well…

He stopped pacing around the park and leaned up against a tree, contemplating a seedpod by his shoe. A couple pretty girls had made eyes at him in high school, and that was nice, but there was something about them that always turned him off. It was like when they were looking at him, they were really looking through him to someone he wasn't even sure existed. Like he was just a conduit for their still-forming hopes and dreams. Or perhaps he looked like someone they could mold to fit their desires. He didn't know for sure, of course, but it was the closest he could come to explaining the feeling that he wasn't really the one they were seeing when they looked at him.

Meanwhile, every visit he made to the Pepper household got him a friendly smile and a wave from Kay. Her gaze stopped at just him, as he was, and her lips formed his name and asked him how things were going. How Mr. Kingsmen was doing. Did Arthur have any special projects at the shop? She didn't understand all the tools or procedures he described, but then she would stop him to ask more questions. By the time they were seniors, Arthur began setting his watch wrong so that he arrived earlier than he'd told Lewis he'd be there. This gave him a little extra time to talk with Kay while Lewis scrambled to finish his chores or homework.

That year she'd started giving him birthday and Christmas presents. He was practically family, or so she'd teased, since he was over so often. Might as well get a share in presents. The first gift she gave him was a case to hold his favorite tool-set. Something to keep it from getting so banged up all the time. It had his name engraved on both sides.

She was thoughtful. Generous. She actually saw him. He hoped, fervently, she liked what she saw enough to take another few steps. He wanted to get to know her better. He wanted to confidently choose a gift for her next birthday and have a running list of her favorite foods and see what she enjoyed doing after her shift at the restaurant and talk about if she enjoyed all those years learning at home.

"Arthur!"

He jolted free of the reverie, his breath dropping off as he caught sight of her jogging toward him. She'd changed out of the uniform into sweatpants and a yellow shirt. As she came up to him, smiling, the entire English language marched out his ears in either direction.

"Hey! Sorry I couldn't meet you right away. You need some help putting one over on Lewis?"

He blinked, latching onto one word she'd given him back. "Lewis?"

"Yeah. I heard about the Bhut Jolokia sandwich he made you. That's awful. Just because he has no sense of taste himself doesn't mean he should try to wipe yours out. So, what's the plan?" She cracked her knuckles, grinning. "Greased shoes? Swapping out his hair dye color? Catnip in his vest pockets?"

This little peek under the quiet exterior where other colorful parts of her soul gleamed out was another reason he wanted to date her. He wanted to find out more about this mischievous, playful streak and see what other colors she was hiding beneath the quiet front. Words came flooding back all at once and he blurted, "I want go date me!"

His stomach bottomed out as her smile froze. I want go date me? What kind of frankensteined request was that? Swatting humiliation aside, he forged ahead. "I mean, I'm sorry. I'm nervous." That bought him two seconds to breathe and try again. "I… this isn't about Lewis. Though I love those ideas. Um." The words were slipping away again, and he fumbled for a few good ones before they deserted him and took his nerve, too. "I was wondering if you'd like to. Um. Go out. On a date."

Her frozen smile swapped out for a very serious expression. This was it. This was where she said it would be better if he didn't come into their house anymore. A polite turn-down, then she'd spin around and walk off. Why hadn't he rehearsed with Vivi or something?

"What did you have in mind?"

Air. He could breathe again. That wasn't a no, but it wasn't a yes either. Blinking, he floundered for an answer. "Um. Picnic. Picnic, at…" his eyes widened. He'd forgotten to pick a place. He didn't want Lewis or one of the Paradiso's regular patrons to spot them having a picnic out here in the park. There was no guarantee dating Kay would work out, and he wanted to wait and see before having to shoulder the expectations of everyone around him. Especially Lewis.

"At the river, maybe?" Her arms had crossed and her fingers worried the skin at her elbows. "I mean… sorry, don't mean to hijack. Just, here's a little… open. But, I'd like that."

Cautiously, Arthur poked at her concern. "Lewis?"

She nodded once, chewing on her lip.

"Yeah. Me too," he admitted. "Maybe… maybe if there's more dates." He winced. "I mean! If this works out for more I'd tell him! I mean…"

Her laughter drowned out his embarrassment. "I think we're on the same track, here. I'd love to go out with you. Just, you know. I can't really do restaurants."

"That's why I put together a picnic."
Satisfaction swelled in his gut at the sight of her eyes widening. "Wait, you want to have a date now? Picnic? Now?"

"Yeah. I have everything in the van."

Her grin returned. "Smooth move."

He gave a short laugh. "No, not really. Did you hear me a second ago? What even was that?"

"Adorable, that's what. But we should probably head out, or at least look like we're plotting some evil scheme."

"What is that even supposed to look like?"

Kay hunched her shoulders, rubbed her hands together, and gave a grating cackle. "Now you try?"

"Maybe down by the river." Arthur smiled, gesturing to the van. "Shall we?"