"Blondie can I ask you something?"

"Sure what is it?" For some reason Flare had been a bit quiet this morning, but then again after recovering from her, shall I say "forgiveness," induced injuries I probably be quiet to. Still usually she at least said how she was feeling. This level of quiet was starting to worry me.

"Can we go out together? You know on a d...date?" So this was the reason she was so quiet, she was just too nervous about asking me.

"Sure we haven't really been out since we got back from our mission. Is there anything you want to do or anyplace you want to go? Actually I don't think you've really been anyplace besides the guild and the markets have you?" After giving it some thought she shrugged at me which confirmed it.

"Well then we'll have to fix that. Come on I know of a great little cafe that Erza told me about. She told me it's also a costume shop and that she goes there all the time to get new and exotic clothing." I could see the way she was thinking about it and personally I wanted to go but I wanted to let Flare have the final say.

"As long as I'm with Blondie It doesn't matter where we go." No matter how many times she says things like that it never gets old and every time it makes me smile. Now if only she could say my actual name instead of her nickname for me then it would be perfect.

As we left the apartment and started walking to the other side of the city where the cafe was located we passed the usual boatmen who instead of telling me to be careful like they always did told Flare to have fun on her date with me. Flare could only follow behind me too embarrassed to speak.

After nearly forty minutes of walking we finally made it to our destination.

"Here we are Flare, the Gilded Toybox."

As we opened the door we were greeted by two lines, one of butlers and one of maids.

"Welcome to the Gilded Toybox masters how may we serve you today?" They both say in unison.

"Uh well my friend Erza told me to try this place so..." as soon as they heard the name Erza they swept the both of us up and moved us to the rear of the store where a V.I.P sign stood.

"As master's Erza's friends you of course are entitled to the best that the store has to offer." one of the maids says as she sits us down at a table.

"Does she come here that often?"

"Nearly three times a week and when she does she usually buys all the new shipments before promising to be back again. The boss made it clear that any friends of hers were to be treated just as well."

Yeah that sounded like something Erza would do alright. As she hands us our menus I noticed a small section on the back that showed a special service for couples.

"Excuse me but what exactly is the couples special?"

"Oh well it's where one of you would dress as a maid or butler and serve the other in a variety of ways. Guys do it all the time to really make the date special." I knew Flare would be far to embarrassed to act like a maid but it would make her day if I did it for her so….

"I'll do it then." Flare could only look at me with surprise and excitement as the maid escorted me to a changing booth where I slipped into the maid outfit. As I changed I got excited thinking about how Flare would react to this, would she go bright red? Or maybe just pass out when she sees me. When the outfit was finally on and I stepped out the maid from earlier handed me a small card with all the services Flare could have me do.

1. Complimenting service.

2. Feeding the master service.

3. Backrub service

4. Love announcement service.

As I looked over the services and their exact details my excitement started to ebb away as embarrassment rose, but I wasn't about to back down now I've already put on the outfit. When I finally arrived back at the table Flare was sitting in her seat fidgeting with her drink as she waited for me to return. The moment I got close enough for me to notice she couldn't stop staring at me.

"Blondie is that you?" I could only smile as I handed her the service card. After reading them she handed it to the maid from before telling her that she'll take them all but she'd like to start with number four first. So I turned to Flare and with the best honest smile I could said the four words that caused her to burst into tears.

"I love you Flare." as the words left my mouth I was stunned by how much I really did care for her. Her protectiveness, her shyness and of course the fact that to her I was the most important person in the entire world.

Her reaction besides wiping her cheeks clear of tears was to use her hair to pull me into a crushing hug.

"I love you to blondie" Our little emotional display earned a few awws from passing maids and other people. Soon every couple in the room ordered the special and both guys and girls alike came out as maids and butlers to make the day special. But all that didn't matter, all that mattered to me was making sure Flare has a great time on our date. However from the way she kept looking at me and blushing I had a feeling that whatever I did would maker her happy.

"So would mistress Flare like to move on service number three now?" to embarrassed to speak she gave me a small nod before turning around so that I could give her a backrub. As my hands roamed her back and shoulders I couldn't help but smile as Flare let out moans and squeaks as I worked.

"Are you having fun Flare?"

"...Yes... please don't stop." It felt good to know she was enjoying this and from the way her muscles relaxed at my touch I could tell that any and all stress she may have felt had long since died.