š“€€Stevenš“€€

"Well, what do we think?"

Steven assessed his reflection in the mirror, baring a button up shirt, vest, and tie.

"Not really my style," Marc told him. "But this is your night."

"So it's me then?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

Steven had promised to pick Eva up at her flat so they could head to the restaurant together.

"Don't be nervous," Marc told him as they walked.

"Well, after how things went the last time..." He didn't care that it looked like he was talking to himself, for he often did this. Now, however, there was solace in knowing that Marc had always been listening, even if Steven hadn't known it then.

Shortly after he stood at the door to her flat. He smoothed his hair back and took a deep breath. "Second time's the charm." And rang the bell.

Moments later Eva answered the door.

"Wow, you look smashing!" he cried to her 1920s style dress, headband, and gloves.

"Why thank you." She struck a pose. "Looking rather smashing yourself."

"Oh thanks. Marc helped. And these are for you." He reached out, a heart-shaped box of chocolates in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other.

"You're the sweetest." She accepted the gifts and pecked his lips.

"Shall we?" He extended his arm out to her.

"Gentleman. We shall." She kissed his cheek and wrapped her own gloved arm through his, and off they went.

Their arms untangled in time to their footsteps and their hands grasped each other, almost in perfect sync. Hand-in-hand they headed down the street, talking and laughing as they went along together.

"It's a beautiful night."

"It is, the perfect night really. Look at the moon."

Arriving at the restaurant, they took their seat at the table outside on the patio that Steven had called for and reserved ahead of time.

"I'm so glad we're doing this," she said, smiling at him from across their table.

"Me too. Cheers-" He held up his glass of wine and she raised hers, and they touched glasses in a toast to them and this special night together. "And Marc gets to eat steak-"

"And Steven's paying," Marc added.

"Cheers, Mate." And Steven was back.

Their dinner was long and wonderful, there was no need to rush. Afterwards, Steven led the way on a walk through the park.

"Crowley! How are things, Mate? I know it's been a spell, hasn't it? You won't believe what's happened to me since we last spoke! This is Eva, my girlfriend - promised I'd introduce you, didn't I?"

Crowley was a living statue, a man painted gold and perched on the edge of a fountain, posing for several hours, how many exactly she didn't know.

Eva smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Crowley."

"Oh, Crowley's great, he's a great partner in conversation. Later Mate, we'll catch up soon!" And they headed off, leaving Crowley and his fountain.

Further up ahead, when there was a break in the conversation filled with comfortable silence, Eva brought up what she had been itching to ask since Cairo. "Steven, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Love."

"Well, I just, I-" She stopped walking, trying to untangle her jumble of thoughts and form coherent words.

"Everything all right, Dear?" Steven asked gently, stopping too.

"I'm just wondering how this is all going to work now..."

"What do you mean, Love?"

"With Marc, and you. You told Khonshu you're a package deal now-" 'We do come as like a package deal now, Marc and I...' "-And I'm not sure what that means for this, for us..." There it was, the Band-Aid ripped off and the wound bared.

He understood immediately. "Oh, Eva, I'm so sorry, we didn't even ask you-"

"No, no!" she assured him, waving away his apology. "It's such a personal thing, I can't come between you. And it's so lovely to see you and Marc living and working together as you are now, it's clear that you're both so important to the other. I just - I come from a time when everyone was very close-minded. That's no excuse, and thankfully we've come much further along since then, but this is bigger than something I ever thought I would face in a relationship. Honestly, I-I'm nervous. I don't want to say or do something wrong..." Her words trailed off, but she had said all she hoped to say.

"Oh Love, I understand. I'm nervous too - and frankly I have no idea what I'm doing."

She couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Well, thank you for the honesty. And, since we're being honest, I love you Steven. And I can love Marc too, I just need to get to know him better."

"Of course, of course! Would you be open to going out with him? Just the two of you?"

"I would. Would he?"

"Yeah, he'd like that very much."

"All right then, it's settled: we'll go on a date, Marc and I. Sounds nice. And you're okay with that?"

"Yes, Love, I am."

"I'm lucky to have you, Steven. Both of you."

"And we're lucky to have you."

"Thank you, for understanding."

"Of course, Love. We'll figure this out together."

She smiled. "Together."

"Together. But for now-" He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "This is our night, you and I and the world! Where shall we go next?"

Yay, they finally got their date! ;) Hope you liked it! Marc's up next!

As always thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)