"Hey, Pops, d'y'know what the word 'love' means?"
Sol couldn't believe his ears. Love? What could that little punk want with love? Just a day ago, all he wanted was enough burgers to make Sol's wallet run dry. Damn kid was liable to eat anything he could fit in his mouth. Then again, he had taken to making sure Ramlethal didn't go and run off on them to destroy the Earth or anything. But that was the last thing Sol needed. Sin and Ramlethal? Ugh, it didn't even sound right to think about it.
"Forget about it, kid. Last time I thought about love was years ago. Hundreds of years ago. You don't need it," Sol harrumphed. He really just wanted to take the kid back to Illyria already.
"But whyyyyy? You didn't answer the questioooon!" Sin whined. God, he hated it when Sin whined, and the kid knew it too.
"It isn't your business to know why, and if you gotta know what it is, figure it out yourself!" Sol growled, readying his weapon. Sol wanted to be on his toes if not getting answers resulted in another battle. He'd already given the kid one round to 'show him his multiples of seven,' and he didn't want to lose again. That he had in the first place annoyed him enough already.
To his surprise, Sin slunked off defeated, but with a thoughtful look on his face.
"I just made my worries about a thousand times worse saying that, didn't I?" Sol asked no one in particular.
"Hey, Leo, What's your dictionary say 'love' is?"
What was that Leo heard? Someone had taken an interest in his personal dictionary? And it was Sin of all people? Why, he'd have jumped at the chance to show him his definition, and many more after th- wait…
"What was that you asked?" Leo wondered aloud. Love? Why would Sin want to know about love? He wracked his brain but just couldn't find any possible reason.
"Well, I asked Pops, and being the grump he always is, he didn't answer. Just told me to 'figure it out myself,'" Sin grumbled, doing his best Sol impression.
If he wanted to understand love, he had a long way to go. Even Leo himself didn't fully understand it. He had placeholder definitions there as it was. Best to look it up in a real one and change it as necessary later.
"Ah, Sin, my boy, there are some things that just don't work exactly as defined in a book. It's better for you and whoever it is that has your fancy to simply feel it out," Leo said, trying his best to sound wise.
After seeing Sin's very clearly disappointed face, he pulled his dictionary out of his coat pocket and quickly added, "But if you absolutely must know, my dictionary defines 'love' as 'the ever-glowing pride my subjects feel knowing that I am their leader.' Alternatively, it is also defined as 'your mother's apple pie.'"
Sin's mood didn't improve.
"Hey, El? You know what 'love' means?"
"Eh? What was that, Sin?" Elphelt asked, sounding hopeful. Whatever had piqued Sin's interest had gotten him thinking romantically. Maybe this would be the day her wedding bells would ring!
"Well, I asked Pops and Leo about it and they just told me it was something I should figure out myself. My next person on the list of people who probably knew was you," Sin explained in an annoyed manner.
"Can I ask what's got you all interested in love in the first place?" Elphelt asked, getting her hopes up.
"I know this girl, and she's really nice, but I don't really know what I'm doin', so I don't really know what to do about it," Sin lamented.
Oh, you poor thing, Elphelt thought as she racked her brain for a good definition. Well, no better teacher than experience…
"Did you ever get a funny feeling in your stomach? Did you notice your heart start to beat faster around her? Did her face ever turn red when you caught her staring at you? Do you lay awake at night and think about her? Do you dream of the two of you living together?" Elphelt quickly fired off, talking a mile a minute.
Sin looked overwhelmed. Elphelt quickly realized this and shut up like a clam.
"El, you're givin' me too much to answer at once. Uhh, let's see… one, two… three, four… after four… Uhh, yup, yeah, all of 'em, I guess. What's it mean? Am I coming down with something?" Sin worried, looking bewildered after counting his answers on his fingers with some difficulty.
"Oh, that's just WONDERFUL, Sin! And no, you're fine. Who is it?" Elphelt asked, her excitement getting the better of her.
"It's… uh, it's Ram," he said, hesitating even after looking around to make sure he was safe to say.
CRASH
And just like that, the wedding bells in Elphelt's head turned into a death knell.
"R-Ram?" she asked, noticeably less excited.
"Yeah. I wanna get her to be less quiet, and to be more out there, but I just don't really know what to do," Sin said, anxious.
If it was one thing Elphelt knew how to do, it was play matchmaker, or so she liked to think. If Sin wasn't after her, she'd at least have the decency to help him. He even asked because he knew she'd know what to do. She couldn't just leave him out to dry, could she?
"Well, what do you normally do for fun?" she asked, testing the waters.
Sin sat thoughtfully, his hand on his chin, and said, "I usually just eat food and play with the animals we run into sometimes."
Okay, not a lot to go on. It seemed both of them could stand to get out more. Elphelt, not one to back down from a challenge, didn't let that stop her, as she quickly came up with a foolproof plan to help Sin.
"Why not just take her with you next time you do that?"
Yes, that would be perfect. An airtight plot if there ever was one. Except for the fact that it was completely obvious. So obvious that he had to have already thought of that exact thing. Dang it, Elphelt, think harder!
"Huh," he said simply, "Hadn't thought of that. Thanks, El!"
Sin quickly sprinted off, filled with renewed energy.
Wait, what? He seriously hadn't thought of tha- no, no Elphelt, that was a win. A complete win. Valentine's arrow strikes true yet again. 100% accuracy, every time, all the time.
Elphelt sighed as she watched Sin go.
"It's a shame my record is 0 for every one that mattered to me…"
"Sin, wha-"
"It's a puppy, take it!"
"I don't underst-"
"And I got a card for some Danny Missile's, and I really wanted to bring you along next time I went, so-"
"SIN!"
…
"Yeah?" Sin asked tentatively, hoping beyond hope that he hadn't done something wrong.
"Please, slow down," Ramlethal evenly implored.
"Slow. Yeah. I can do that," Sin said, breathing deep breaths between each sentence.
"So, what is it you wanted?" Ramlethal prompted him, looking expectantly to the small dog in his hands, a smile bordering on normal daring to spread across her face.
"I, uh, wanted to take you to Danny Missile's, and I also wanted to give you this little guy as a present," he repeated, tripping over his words somewhat as he tried to slow down like Ram asked.
"What is 'Danny Missile's?'" Ramlethal curiously asked.
"It's a burger joint! One of my favorites!" he responded almost immediately.
"And that?" she asked, eyeing the little bundle of fuzz in Sin's hands.
"It's a puppy! It's like a little baby dog!" he explained excitedly.
Holding it closer to her so she could get a good look at it, Sin was beyond excited, especially as Ram began reaching towards it with a single finger.
And then it bit down on her extended finger.
"Ah! That's not supposed to do that!" Sin yelled, panicking.
But then he heard a very faint, almost melodic sound.
She was laughing.
Her eyes were fixed on where the little troublemaker had bitten her and still held on. Those eyes were sparkling, and the smile that threatened to break her impenetrable facade before had smashed through now, as she naturally took the dog from Sin and looked into its eyes. It squirmed energetically in her hands, and she couldn't help but keep smiling.
"So… do you… wanna… y'know…" Sin mumbled, looking awe-struck.
Ramlethal pulled the dog into a comfortable hold against her chest, and looked up at Sin as he fumbled for words.
"I think I'd like that, Sin."