Kazuma sauntered his way towards Wiz's shop, a pep in his step as he relished the mental image of the flushed crusader he'd left behind in town square, beet red after he'd whispered a fresh bout of unsavory things before leaving her to suffer, as she had requested.
Dark's an odd one, that's for sure. He thought to himself with an amused chuckle. I still love her to bits, though, kinks and all. At least the other girls are more manageable in that department.
Shaking his head, Kazuma carried on with his usual route to the lich's shop (as well as her only place of residence). As he got closer to his destination, he briefly pondered the confusing logistics of what it was going to be like to hang out with a friend who had benefits. Would it technically qualify as a date or would it still be more akin to a regular get-together, just with the added bonus of light intimacy? The parallel adventurer did not know, and in all likelihood it was something he was going to have to figure out by himself.
Sure enough, the moment arrived as he came to a halt just outside of Wiz's shop. He did pause for a moment, as he was still considering just what this "date" was going to entail before pulling himself together and opening the shop door, stepping inside with a broad smile.
"Wiz? You in here?"
A distant, "Eep!" was heard followed by the sounds of objects crashing in one the back rooms. Soon enough, Wiz emerged from the employees only door, rubbing her head with one hand. Whatever pain she was experiencing instantly vanished the second she laid eyes on her expected visitor.
"Oh, Kazuma! It's so good to see you again, and in much better spirits no less! Please, come in, make yourself at home."
Kazuma did as he was asked, taking a seat at their usual table as Wiz moved to join him, the lich practically glowing with anticipation as the young adventurer addressed her. "What have you been up to as of late? I haven't seen Vanir around in weeks, so I assume he's still off on his business trip?"
"Mhmm, you'd be right. And from what he's written to me in his letters, he seems to be making it big in Elroad thanks to your inventions," Wiz chit-chatted without a care in the world. "You certainly have a knack for making such exotic products, Kazuma. Thanks to you, my store can finally afford to stay afloat!"
"I'm glad to hear it! I know you had some...rocky moments, here and there." Kazuma admitted with an awkward chuckle, recalling the few but notable times when Wiz was so low on eris that closing down the shop actually became a frighteningly real possibility. "Speaking of which, should I know anything about that shield you gifted me? I've been considering getting it repaired after a certain armored asshole caved it in like a frisbee, but I didn't want to risk losing the enchantment effect."
For a microsecond, the retired "Ice Witch" felt a sharp spike of rage shoot through her at the mention of Kazuma's assailant. However, Wiz was quick to bounce back and she reassured her friend of any complications.
"Oh, no, there shouldn't be any problem with sending it to a smithy for repairs. That's the beauty of that enchanted shield in particular: it doesn't lose its effects when critically damaged! As you can imagine, that added bonus saved me quite a bit of money for replacements back in my adventuring days."
"I certainly can. Thanks, Wiz, I'll probably get to work on fixing that up tomorrow then." Kazuma replied, before leaning forward in his seat with a slightly nervous smile. "Now, enough chit-chat. Considering this is our first date, strange as that is to say, I figured we should probably do a little more than just talk. So, off the bat, is there anything you're looking to do today?"
Blushing, Wiz's eyes shifted to outside her shop's window as she mustered the nerve to share her secret passion with the man she adored. "Well...there is something I thought I could show you in private. A-assuming you'd be interested in that sort of thing, of course."
"Um...what sort of thing, exactly?" Kazuma asked, sitting up a bit straighter with a bemused expression. "I mean, I just want to make sure we're on the same page here. No room for misunderstandings, right?"
"O-of course, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have been so vague!" Wiz babbled nervously, waving her arms out in front of her. After regaining a bit of her composure, she elaborated, "What I meant was, I was wondering if I could introduce you to one of my...let's say hobbies, if you will. It's not something I'm normally too keen on sharing, even Vanir doesn't know about it. But I figured this could be a good way of rebuilding our trust together seeing as how we're...slightly more than just friends now."
"Oh, uh...sure! That sounds pretty cool, actually." Kazuma agreed, finding himself more than a little interested in learning more about his storekeeper friend. "I'm grateful you'd be willing to trust me with something so personal! What exactly did you have in mind?"
Feeling significantly more confident thanks to her beloved's encouraging words, Wiz continued to explain. "Well, you may not know this about me, but I've always had a fascination with the...macabre. I know, I don't exactly show it through my personality, but it's true; something about dark subject matter presented in an artistic format has always been a secret passion of mine. Which is why I often like to express my interest through violin. W-would you care if I demonstrate to you upstairs? I keep the case hidden under my bed."
"S-sure, yeah. Lead the way." Kazuma replied hesitantly, following the lich with a new sense of minor unease. It's not that he wasn't disturbed in her hobby, moreso that he was truely thrown with how serious she seemed about it. Divulging to him clearly showed a high level of trust, and he didn't want to let her down.
As they arrived in Wiz's room, Kazuma couldn't help but glance around. To be honest, the set-up wasn't particularly special; a dresser in one corner, a bed in the opposite, and a wardrobe on the fall wall. The only real thing of note was the purple curtains that adorned the nearby window. Otherwise, the room was...almost bland.
"Well, here we are: my inner sanctum," Wiz announced in what Kazuma hoped to be a joking manner. "Vanir doesn't give me much of a cut in the profits we make, likely on account of my poor financial skills. Nevertheless, I make do with what I earn. At least I saved up enough money for the curtains. Anything to give the room a splash of color, right?"
"A splash? Wiz, I adore you, but this is the bleakest room I've ever seen! And my room back home wasn't exactly delightful either!" Kazuma replied, slightly troubled by the state of the shopkeeper's self proclaimed inner sanctum. "I mean, if you like it this way, power to you, but I'd really recommend just...adding something to make this place feel a bit more homey!"
Feeling somewhat ashamed, Wiz cast her gaze downwards and held her hands close to her chest. It was then that Kazuma realized he probably said the wrong thing to her, even if he meant it with good intentions. He really needed to start adopting that whole "filter" thing Ms. Gray talked to him about in regards to speaking his mind. Being a shut-in for so long comes with the bad habit of being a little too blunt for one's own good.
"Sorry, that was kinda rude of me. I probably should have chosen my words better." He apologized, scratching the back of his neck as his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Five seconds in a girl's room, and he's already ruined the mood. That was pretty par for the course for him, wasn't it? "I just, uh...I honestly figured that your room would have more color, given your personality."
"It's alright, Kazuma, I already accepted your apology," Wiz stated, having bounced back from her previous state to address her friend upfront. "I know my room's not the prettiest in the world, but truthfully? It doesn't need to be. When you've been around for as long as I have, material possessions gradually lose their glamor. What's truly important is the friends and memories you make along the way. Which is exactly why I want to create a new memory with you, if you'll give me just a moment..."
Wiz trailed off as she crouched down, reaching under her bed and retrieving a fairly unassuming case, before returning to her previous standing position and setting the case down on the bed, flipping it open seconds later. Inside lay an admittedly beautiful and well-maintained violin, it's polished surface shining in the afternoon sunlight. Kazuma couldn't help but whistle slightly in admiration.
"Dang, Wiz, that's a fine-ass instrument you got there," Kazuma complimented similarly to how one would comment on a friend's new car. "Where'd you get this violin from anyway? Was it before or after you became a lich?"
"Before, actually. It was a gift from one of my former party mates, way back when." Wiz confirmed, gingerly holding up the instrument as her eyes glazed over slightly in nostalgia. "We'd just completed a series of difficult jobs, and we were celebrating our newfound profits. At one point or another, I was given this as a token of friendship and respect. I've held onto it even since, though I haven't had as much time to practice as I'd like. Being a merchant is harder than it looks, obviously."
Kazuma found a spot for himself on Wiz's bed as she took her time tuning the violin to her liking. Aqua was the only one of his group to actually hear any of the lich's old adventuring stories, and if her secondhand accounts were anything to go by, it sounded like Wiz used to be a real hard-ass. So imagining someone of her previous type being gifted a sensitive instrument like the violin brought no small amount of internal amusement to Kazuma.
It's hard to imagine her as anything else other than soft, gentle, and well-spoken, he thought to himself. But something tells me she's always been kind at her core. Time has probably smoothed out the rough edges and made her who she is now: a big old marshmallow! Emphasis on big...
Eventually, the lich tuned her violin to a degree she seemed content with, followed by her turning to Kazuma with a slightly nervous smile. "I should be ready, then. I-I hope you like my performance, Kazuma. I'm not used to playing for others, but for you, it's worth the risk."
Kazuma nodded politely, giving Wiz the all clear to perform. The undead woman assumed the proper violin playing position, resting her instrument on her collarbone and lightly holding it in place with her chin. She closed her eyes, took out her bow, and...blew Kazuma away with her skills.
The second Wiz played the first note, she had her friend's full, undivided attention. Admittedly, he'd never actually heard real violin music before, the closest exception being video game soundtracks which featured it as part of the instrumental. But getting to listen to the real deal was something almost otherworldly to Kazuma. Not only that, but the music itself was very...haunting would be the best way to describe it.
The notes Wiz played carried with them a somber, bitter tone which would deliberately ramp up in intensity, sounding like the gradual build up to a big scare in a horror film. But just as it would reach that proverbial climax, the music would dip back down to that subdued melancholy it originally started with. The lich herself, Kazuma noted, looked beautifully dark as she played her eerie melody, and the young man unknowingly found himself in a deep trance as the song came to its ghostly end.
As it did so, Wiz opened her eyes once more, her gaze flicking to Kazuma in silent expectancy. For his part, it took a few seconds for Kazuma to compose himself enough to respond properly.
"Absolutely incredible." He muttered, fixing the lich with a look of pure astonishment. "Wiz, that was...geez, amazing doesn't even begin to describe what I just heard! That was phenomenal!"
The shopkeep glued her arms to her sides, thoroughly touched but also unprepared for such compliments to her work. "W-why, thank you, Kazuma. I-I'm truly happy you were so moved by my performance. Admittedly, I was a little worried my...tastes would conflict with your own, but I'm relieved to hear that wasn't the case."
"Not in the slightest, no! I actually found your music very appealing!" Kazuma replied, releasing a light chuckle as he leaned back on the bed slightly, scratching his cheek. "Guess I've never really considered listening to somber music before, but I definitely am now. That stuff was...powerful. I don't think any music has ever gotten to me like that before."
Wiz continued to converse with her special friend as she proceeded to put her violin back in its case and under the bed. "I know, right! Some people don't like depressing music, which is fine of course, but I've always found it to be very cathartic. Releasing all your pent up woes into a form of art is just...oh, it's just a marvelous feeling!"
"Well, if you ever feel like practicing again, save me a seat, will you?" Kazuma requested with a broad smile, sitting back up so he could face Wiz properly. "I'd definitely like to hear more of your music whenever I get the chance."
Wiz nodded ecstatically, bursting at the seams with unadulterated joy over repairing their trust she had tampered long ago. She was so happy, in fact, that she decided to be a little bold now that they were a little more than just simple friends.
"K-kazuma? W-would you mind if I..?"
The lich trailed off slightly as the young man tilted his head to face her, confusion lingering on his face before it clicked in his mind and another bright smile rose on his face.
"Oh, sure. Go for it." He confirmed, fully unprepared for the bliss he was about to endure.
Wiz lit up like a city at night, and she leaned down to plant a loving kiss on his cheek. Kazuma didn't notice it before when she kissed his forehead last time, but a kiss from the lich had a certain "jolt" to it. Simultaneously cold yet warm due to an inexplicable surge of energy that tickled the skin where she left her mark. Even for a simple peck on the cheek, it was surprisingly addictive.
"T-thank you. I just wanted to make sure you were alright with me kissing you. G-given our past, well...I was worried you would hold some reservations." Wiz admitted bashfully, brushing aside the negative feelings as soon as they rose. "I'm glad you feel comfortable with me."
"Hey, like I told you back then, water under the bridge," Kazuma assured as he arose from Wiz's lumpy mattress. "If anything, I'm glad you feel comfortable sharing your interests with me. I'm honored you trust me enough to do that. Maybe I can return the favor sometime?"
"I would certainly like that. Very much." Wiz confirmed jubilantly, before a bell rang from downstairs and she jumped slightly. "Oh! That must be Yunyun, she mentioned she planned to meet you here for your date. I suppose that means our first date has come to its end, unfortunately."
"Guess so. Although I have a good feeling they'll be more like it in the future," Kazuma sagely pointed out before returning Wiz's kiss on the cheek with one of his own. "I'll see ya later Wiz! Stay beautiful for me!"
Wiz couldn't even find any words to retort with as Kazuma descended the nearby stairs, instead opting to enjoy the warmth that lingered on her cheek afterwards, a delighted giggle slipping out. At that moment in time, Wiz was more than content with lingering on cloud nine a while longer.
"T-thanks again for agreeing to this, Kazuma." Yunyun muttered shyly, walking alongside the young man as they neared the city center, where Yunyun had requested they stroll along the riverside. "I know it's nothing special, but I figured a nice walk would be a safe bet for a f-first date. That, and it would give us plenty of time to get to know each other!"
"No sweat, Yun. I don't mind just walking and talking with you," Kazuma reassured as the two passed by some kids fishing near the riverbank. "It's what Megumin and I did for our date together and we were still able to make it fun. Besides, beats going somewhere crowded."
"Exactly. I don't do too well with crowds myself, so you can imagine why I'd prefer something a bit more…private." Yunyun replied with a bit more mirth, obviously bolstered by Kazuma's kind words. "So, was there anything you'd like to talk about off the bat? I...didn't really have any questions planned."
Rubbing the back of his head thoughtfully, Kazuma considered his questions for Yunyun carefully, not wanting to make the meek Crimson Demon uncomfortable by asking something too personal. Naturally, he had a very challenging time coming up with a fairly innocuous question to ask. So he just winged it.
"Err...you got any hobbies? Y'know, outside of magic and junk?"
"Well...I do like to play chess! I've always enjoyed the game, and the strategy that comes with it." Yunyun admitted, before releasing a nervous chuckle and turning away slightly as her cheeks flushed. "O-of course, I didn't have many opponents outside of myself growing up. Megumin would play with me every now and again, but...I don't think she was much of a chess fan."
"I know all too well what you mean..." Kazuma replied, recalling how competitive the girl could get over the game. "But yeah, I could never get into chess myself; never had the patience for it. I'm more of a video game kind of guy myself. Oh, uh, that's a form of entertainment where I'm from. Think of it like an interactive visual story where you have all the agency and control over the main character. That's the best way I can describe it to someone who's never heard of it, anyway."
"It certainly sounds intriguing. To be able to affect a story while it is being told...it sounds quite remarkable, actually!" Yunyun commented exuberantly, making Kazuma chuckle slightly. When the girl got in her element, she was actually quite the chatterbox. "I have an appreciation for stories myself, since I used to read a lot back in the village. Any chance I got to read a new storybook, I took it. It offered some escape from being lonely, I suppose."
With morbid curiosity and genuine concern starting to overtake him, Kazuma finally decided to ask something that had always been on his mind since the day he met Yunyun. "Hey, um, stop me if this is too personal but...what was it like growing up as a shy Crimson Demon in your village? From what I've heard, it sounds like a social death sentence."
"Oh, it certainly was. Being shy in a community that thrives on interaction was its own special brand of hell." Yunyun confirmed the slightest bitter edge entering her tone, surprising Kazuma as she continued. "Most of my interactions with my fellow classmates were short and anything but sweet. They seemed to find me completely uninteresting because I didn't drench every sentence in excitement and enthusiasm. Besides Megumin, none of them really paid me much mind. They mostly just...ignored me."
"Wait, so does this mean you were aware that they were just using you for food and money?" Kazuma couldn't help but ask, still taken aback by Yunyun's hidden resentment of her mistreatment. "No offense or anything, but I assumed you were always blissfully ignorant whenever it came up."
"Honestly, it's a bit mixed. I did indulge in a certain amount of ignorance, but it wasn't entirely intentional?" Yunyun replied, phrasing the response as a question as if she herself wasn't quite sure of the answer. "I think I was just so desperate to have someone outside of my family to talk with, to be around...I just sort of let things be. Looking back on it now...I regret it. A lot."
"...I'd say fuck 'em." Kazuma eventually stated, slightly startling the girl from his sudden coarse language. "You have real friends now, so you don't have to worry about earning brownie points with anymore assholes who just want something out of you. I had to learn to come to the same conclusion with my own parents. Granted, it wasn't easy and a part of me still wants to love them back, but I've come to accept now that they abused me. It sucks, but as long as I have a real family that honestly loves me, I think I'll be able to manage. And as long as you have real friends that honestly love you, I think you'll be able to manage too."
Kazuma then proceeded to try and downplay his intentionally inspiring words by waving his hand and blowing a raspberry. "Listen to me, sounding like a corny self-help book. I might've been spending too much time around therapists lately, heh."
All the same, Yunyun stared at Kazuma for a moment, clearly moved by his words and the truth that registered within them. It took her a few seconds to formulate a proper response, clearing her throat as to try and downplay her rising emotion. "T-thank you, Kazuma. You're absolutely right about me having friends that actually care about me. Truthfully, befriending you and your party mates has been quite the blessing, and I don't think I could ask for a better family to spend my time with."
"Oh! Uh...s-sure, you're welcome," Kazuma stuttered, feeling like a dork for coming up with such a lame response. He decided that the best course of action was to move the conversation along to something less serious. "Anyway, was there anything you wanted to ask about me? I could always tell you more about my homeland and its technology if you want."
"Certainly! I'm definitely interested in hearing more about these video games of yours." Yunyun replied, an exuberant shine returning to her eyes. "You've managed to pique my interest with those in particular. Tell me everything you can about them!"
And so Kazuma did just that: explaining in-depth about video games to the best of his ability. Truth be told, it was a breath of fresh air for the otaku to simply geek out about some of his favorite games and the storytelling within each one. The fantasy genre was by far the easiest of the bunch to explain compared to the ones with a focus on science fiction; Kazuma was forced to go off on many tangents in order to explain essential elements that were foreign to the medieval girl. Regardless, Yunyun listened with intent, her bookwormish mind working overtime imagining the vivid scenes her friend painted for her.
"I'm not boring you with all of this, right?" He asked at one point or another, knee deep in the lore of one of his favorite MMOs. "I know you like stories, but with the tangents and all, I just wanted to make sure you didn't get lost. I definitely could have explained a few things more clearly."
"Oh, no-no! You're not boring me at all, Kazuma! If anything, I'm even more intrigued by these video games now more than ever!" Yunyun confirmed, feeling confident enough to be herself around the young man. Discussing stories with her was one of the few things in the world that can get her to open up more. "I'll admit, it can be a little hard to follow along sometimes, but I think you've done a phenomenal job of breaking down the lore of each game. It really makes me want to play them for myself now!"
"Really? That's nice to hear! I was worried that I was rambling a touch too much." Kazuma chuckled, scratching his cheek as he hummed in consideration. "I wonder if I could work with Vanir on getting some kind of hybrid console? I mean, with Aqua and Wolbach's help, maybe we could make something...eh, probably not. I don't know the first thing about how any of that would be possible. Still, it'd be nice to show you the games first hand."
"Aww, that's a shame," Yunyun sighed disappointedly, really looking forward to the idea herself. Nevertheless, she managed to bounce back with a hopeful outlook. "Well, I'm sure you could always figure something out. Anything's possible with magic after all. It just takes the right amount of imagination and ingenuity to - !"
Mid-sentence, Yunyun tripped over an out of place stone of the road, sending the poor girl stumbling off the path with a hilarious shriek...before falling face first into the nearby river. Luckily, the water was little more than knee deep, but it was still enough to leave the Crimson Demon positively drenched.
"You, uh...you okay down there?" Kazuma asked with restrained chuckles. As much as he didn't want to laugh at the poor thing's expense...it still was kind of amusing. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"No, I'm fine. Just very, very embarrassed." Yunyun replied, standing up and clutching herself, already starting to shiver from the shocking cold water that ran through the city. "C-could you do me a favor and not t-tell Megumin about this? She'd never let me forget it."
"Consider these lips sealed," Kazuma said while pantomiming his lips being zipped across. As he went to help Yunyun out of the river, his wandering eyes couldn't help but notice how tightly her wet clothes hugged her body. In fact, he could even make out two notable..."bumps" sticking out from underneath the cloth of her shirt, likely a reaction to the cold water.
Luckily, he held his tongue and refrained from saying anything particularly unwise in that moment, a rare occurrence for him and a show of good progress. Unfortunately, however, Yunyun did catch his gaze, swiftly flushed a shade of red to put her namesake to shame, and covering herself up hastily.
"Uh...sorry." Kazuma sputtered after a few awkward seconds, averting his own gaze as he mentally kicked himself. Baby steps were required here, not open ogling. "I, uh, I shouldn't have been looking at you like that. That was rude of me."
"I-it's okay, I mean..." Yunyun trailed off, her blush reaching to even her ears as it intensified at her next choice of words. "...As long as it's with you, I...don't mind it too, too much."
"O-oh." Kazuma managed lamely, his own cheeks flushing as he briefly glanced back at his date, unsure of exactly how to proceed. "T-that's, uh, that's good. I'm glad you trust me..?"
Yunyun, just as unsure as her date, merely nodded in response. Figuring that she made it this far already, the archwizard decided to take the extra mile and ask, "Would you...like to kiss, then?"
"I-I mean, sure, yeah." Kazuma sputtered, desperately trying to regain a semblance of normalcy as the awkward air finally started to dissipate. "W-would you like to lead this one, or would you prefer me to?"
"Well, uh, I mean, I-if it's not too much to ask...I'd kind of like it if you took the lead," Yunyun answered, barely managing to spit it out. She still vividly recalled the blissful high she got when he took the initiative on their first kiss, even having a few wet dreams because of it. "Y-you seem to be really good at it, heh, heh."
"Alright then. Here we go." Kazuma stated, before slowly leaning down and pressing his lips to Yunyun's, nearly pulling back in surprise following the elated moan that slipped out of her. As the kiss deepened, however, the young girl raised her arms to wrap around Kazuma's neck, as if refusing to let him end the kiss so soon.
Eventually, she released him, if only so that they could both catch their breath for a moment. As soon as she did so, Kazuma couldn't help but chuckle in surprise. Looks like Yunyun had some fire in her after all.
"That was...certainly something, Yunyun." He managed, before noticing the hungry look in his date's eyes that seemed all too familiar, gulping nervously. "Oh boy..."
Kazuma straightened out his shirt for what felt like the hundredth time on his walk back into town to meet up with Sena for his next date. As it turned out, Crimson Demons had an unexpected habit of being very, very prone to make out sessions. Luckily, he hadn't lost any time since Yunyun released him back into the world.
Damn, that girl was REPRESSED! Kazuma excitedly thought as he tried to watch his footing, still lingering on cloud nine. I didn't think she would ever let me go! And now I'm finally free, I'm off to see someone else who's been repressed...Eris, lend me your strength.
Hopefully, the goddess did just that, because seconds after sending his prayer, Kazuma rounded the street corner and spotted his end destination: the town's front gates. Before he left the house this morning, Sena had instructed him to meet up with her outside Axel's walls so she could lay out her date plans with him.
"Hmm...don't see Sena anywhere yet," Kazuma said to himself as he scanned his immediate area. "It's not like her to be late...unless I'm the late one? Jeez, I'm already losing my touch, and I still have two dates left to go!"
Under most circumstances, Kazuma wouldn't doubt Sena so easily, but this particular instance did make him a tad nervous. With the rest of the girls, he had a fairly good idea of what they liked, what their preferences and hobbies were. With Sena, that was a bit tougher, and it made going into a date blind more scary than it already could be.
Nevertheless, Kazuma was a brave boy who's made it this far in his new life, so he waited patiently while stoking the fires of his confidence as best he could, before his gaze finally landed on the one he was looking for and shouted, "Hey, Sena!"
Naturally, his unexpected shout caught Sena by surprise, an undignified shriek leaving her as she nearly fumbled with the basket she'd been holding, before stabilizing her grip and turning to Kazuma with an embarrassed smile.
"Heh, sorry! Didn't mean to startle you," Kazuma outright stated, hoping to start this date off as well as the others did. "Anyway, uh, hi Sena! You're looking pretty today! Not that you didn't look pretty before, but, well...you know."
Despite his fairly obvious stumble with the complement, Sena nonetheless flushed slightly. She'd chosen to wear her fancy red dress just for this occasion, and she was more than aware of how Kazuma's gaze lingered once he got a good look at her. Just like Aqua had suggested!
"Why thank you, Kazuma...and I must say, you yourself are quite handsome as always," Sena complimented back, mustering the poker face she mastered after years of being the kingdom's royal prosecutor. She had to keep reminding herself that despite the privacy they were about to be gifted with, today would not be the day she jumped his bones. She needed to take things slow, earn his consent first, and then do the nasty!
"Heh, thanks." Kazuma replied awkwardly, mentally face palming and asking himself how he was so shit at this after six dates in a row. Pulling himself together, he tried again. "So, what exactly did you have in mind for our date, Sena? You practically have me shaking with suspense over here."
Sena faltered for a moment, a nervous chuckle slipping past her lips as she answered her date. "Well, I figured that we could go for a picnic just outside the city walls! It's something I haven't had the chance to do in years, given how busy I was as a prosecutor. I have a basket all packed, so if you're willing…"
"Oh. Yeah, sure, I don't mind! I'm pretty sure it's just about noon anyway," Kazuma said, resisting the urge to glance at his non-existent watch. He didn't want to embarrass himself twice in one sitting. "I trust you already picked out a good spot for us to eat? Preferably one that's far away from any Giant Frogs?"
"Far from any frogs, I assure you." Sena replied with a light chuckle, before offering her date a hand, which he gratefully took. "Come on, it's not too far from here!"
With an unusually excited Sena leading the way, Kazuma followed along as the two traversed the grassy plains and trekked up a small hill which gave them a nice view of the city before them. But even with the view as nice as it was, Kazuma couldn't help but enjoy watching Sena happily set up the picnic blanket while humming to herself. It was such a 180 from how she normally presented herself in public. The only other time the young man saw her break from her "serious business woman mode" was when she interrogated him for the first time. He didn't say it back then, but he thought she was really cute when she acted like a normal girl in front of him.
"I'm glad to see you're in such high spirits. I'll admit, I was kinda nervous about what you had planned for me today." Kazuma remarked, joining Sena on the picnic blanket once she finished setting it up. "Honestly, a picnic wasn't what I expected, but I am more than cool with it too. What made you think of this for our date?"
"Well, like I said, it's something I haven't done since I was a little girl with dreams of making it big within the royal court," Sena explained as she opened the basket. "And seeing as how I have a week before I start working at my new job, I thought it'd be nice to do something...well, common for a change."
"Sounds like a damn good idea to me." Kazuma agreed, smiling broadly at his date and tilting his head curiously to her. "Speaking of good things, I wasn't aware you found a new job! Congrats! So, what's the lucky business that now has you at the helm?"
Sena was in the middle of unwrapping her sandwich as she said, "Starting next week, I will officially be the newest consultant for Axel's Adventurer' Guild. An opening for it opened up recently so I knew I had to take it before any else. Since I'm in this town so often, I might as well work at the heart of it. Besides, someone needs to share the workload for that receptionist; I can tell just from looking at her that she needs all the help she can get."
"Cannot disagree with that, Luna works her heart out and doesn't get half the credit she deserves. Nice to know she'll have some back-up now." Kazuma remarked pleasantly, before snickering slightly as a mischievous gleam flashed in his eyes. "I can imagine you were happy to get a position at the guild that wasn't a waitress, as well. Would've been a horrible waste of your talents."
"Indeed, a gross waste of my talents," Sena agreed before forming a small blush and looking away, her body closed off slightly. "That, and I doubt I would've been comfortable wearing one of those waitress uniforms in front of so many people. I don't mind if it were just you witnessing me but - !"
Sena's cheeks flush bright red as she tried to catch herself, but it was already too late. Kazuma fixed her with an all too sly expression as a damn near menacing chuckle erupted from him. "Oh, really now? I just might have to keep that in mind, Sena. Putting such ideas into my head is terribly unfair if you don't plan on making good on them!"
Unable to respond with a logical comeback, the raven-haired woman donned an unamused mask to hide behind and adjusted her glasses accordingly. "J-just eat the damn food I made for you. There's a thermos in the basket with some soup I made just for the occasion."
"Alright, you win this round, darling." Kazuma replied, well aware that the pet name made the former prosecutor sputter in surprise as he retrieved a sandwich and the thermos from the basket. "Thank you, though. Seriously. This food looks delicious."
"I, uh...you're welcome," Sena settled on saying. "I hope you like the soup. I used my late grandmother's recipe to make it. Granted, it probably won't be nearly as tasty as hers; she always knew how to get it just right. However, I like to think I gave it my best shot, so tell me what you think."
"I will do so right now!" Kazuma assured her, before unscrewing the thermos lid and taking a swig of the soup. Immediately, his face lights up. "Holy shit, Sena, it's amazing!"
A little caught off guard from the unnecessary profanity, Sena smiled all the same at Kazuma singing her praises. "Oh! Well, thank you for the compliment! I taste-tested it beforehand and was a little concerned I used too much of one spice. But if you like it, then I guess I was worrying over nothing then, heh!"
"I do like it, a lot! Your grandmother certainly had good taste." Kazuma remarked, before setting down the thermos and switching over to the sandwich. "Now, to see what else you have in store for me. Can she go two for two?"
"Come now, it's just a simple ham and cheese sandwich," Sena chuckled. "Even you can make one without burning it to a crisp! No offense, of course."
"Some taken, but considering I can't argue with you on that…" Kazuma trailed off, taking a bite of his sandwich and nodding approvingly. "It's good. Simple, like you said, but still a good pairing to the soup."
"Yes, I thought so too," Sena said with a smile before sighing blissfully. "Warm weather, good food, a great view, and a handsome man. Gosh, listen to me right now! I must sound like a hopeless romantic! But, then again, I suppose I am seeing as how you're the first guy who's given me a fair chance."
"Really? That's...somewhat troubling, honestly." Kazuma admitted, before hastily amending. "Not that I mind, of course, I'm glad we've gotten to know each other and get to a stage where dates are possible, but...no one else has ever given you a chance romantically? Ever?"
Sena idly twirled with fringes of her hair, working herself up to a response. "Well, no, there have been times where I tried to put myself out there. I think having a prestigious job like royal prosecutor of the kingdom scared a lot of guys off. It was either that or my...let's say 'eagerness' to settle down one day. Truth be told, I'm still surprised you agreed to date me even after my outburst at Wiz's shop."
"I'm not sure what you mean." Kazuma assured her, a warm and genuine smile rising on his face. "All I saw, and what I still see now, is a beautiful, kind, smart woman who has somehow taken a liking to me, and who I care about and cherish deeply. I don't think there is anything you could have said in that shop that would've scared me away. And keep in mind, Darkness is one of my girlfriends, so that alone says a lot!"
It took all of Sena's professional willpower to not take him right then and there. Gulping down her strong, semi-perverse feelings for him, the young woman smiled for she was truly touched by Kazuma's hidden kindness.
"And to think I first thought of you as a terrorist. Thank you, Kazuma, I...I don't know what to say, honestly! Except thank you, of course! Heh-heh-heh! Gods, I'm making this awkward right now, aren't I?"
"I'm awkward all the time, it's only fair you get a turn." Kazuma snarked, chuckling along with her as he waved his hand dismissively. "And you don't need to thank me. I just...told you the truth about how I feel about you. That's not too spectacular, right?"
"Oh please, don't sell yourself short like that. In spite of your misdemeanors, your positive traits and actions more than outweigh your past sins. You may not view yourself as anything all that special, but you certainly are special to me and a lot of others." Sena then smiled cheekily and added, "I mean, who else can say hey have three girlfriends and four friends with benefits? Not many I imagine."
'No, not many. You certainly got me there." Kazuma admitted, before rubbing the back of his neck anxiously and clearing his throat. "W-well, considering how well this has been going so far, I'm gonna use the nerves I have at this moment to bite the bullet-er, arrow?-can I kiss you, Sena?"
"YES!" Sena cried before immediately realizing it wasn't in her head like she'd planned. Straightening herself out, she wiped her suddenly foggy glasses and put them back on before stating, "I mean, yes you may. W-would you like to make the first move? Or should I? Or should we meet halfway? Gods, was it always this hot outside?"
"I can take the lead, and if you'd like, you can take over once we start, ok?" Kazuma suggested, barely suppressing a laugh as Sena nodded hastily, looking positively enthused. "Alright. Here I go, then."
The adventurer closed his eyes as he leaned in, sampling a taste of the older woman's lips. An elated hum from Sena made him smile as he kissed her, pleased and a little surprised when she returned the kiss with an almost hungry vigor. Despite being a bit sloppy at first, she soon got the hang of it and even scooched closer to Kazuma so that she could wrap her arms around his back, going all in on the kiss. the young lad was almost afraid (or was it unwilling?) to break it off, however, he eventually did as to not let either of their base urges overtake the both of them.
"W-wow. That was...that was really good." He admitted breathily, sparing Sena a small smile as he scratched his neck once more. "I would ask if you enjoyed yourself too, but uh, I think even I picked up on that one."
"Y-yeah," huffed Sena in an almost sensual tone of breath. "Heh, sorry if I went a little overboard back there. I didn't know what to expect of my first kiss. But damn if it wasn't good! I trust you don't mind if we do that a little more often?"
"You have my full permission to ask at any time for one, yeah." Kazuma confirmed with another chuckle, taking a bit of pride in just how delighted Sena sounded and looked. "I definitely have no way to complain about a lovely woman wanting to kiss me more often."
"Stop it, you!" Sena exclaimed with no real hate, relishing in the compliments her date provided her with. "Keep those comments up and I might just jump you right here and now!"
Kazuma snorted, shaking his head lightly while leaning back onto the picnic blanket. "Don't threaten me with a good time, darling."
There was a beat of silence that followed, one that worried Kazuma enough for him to glance back up, meeting the undeniably hungry gaze of the former royal prosecutor, and realizing that he just might have bitten off more than he could chew.
"Hey, there you are! Was wondering if you were gonna make the deadline, Kaz." Chris remarked playfully from atop a stack of crates as her date approached, before whistling in surprise as she noticed his disheveled appearance. "Yeesh, you alright? You look like you just lost a fight to a pack of goblins. Handsy ones, at that."
Kazuma stared blankly at the thief for a moment before smoothing out his hair and replying, "Let's just say I now know better than to tease a businesswoman with pent up sexual frustration. I barely got out of my date with Sena in one piece. And I thought Aqua and Darkness could get frisky!"
"HA! Well, live and learn I guess!" The thief snarked, casting Kazuma another smirk. "Besides, I'm sure there are worse things that could've happened to you, right? Your luck is showing again, Kaz."
"Yeah, I suppose it is," Kazuma agreed. "Maybe now that I'm no longer butting heads with you girls, my luck stat is finally starting to repay me in kind. At least, that's my working theory anyway."
"Hey, your guess is as good as mine. Luck's a fickle thing to understand on a good day, right?" Chris remarked, before descending the boxes with a flip and flourish, a bright smile adorning her face. "Now, onto business. You ready to have some fun, Satou?"
"It doesn't involve getting into trouble with the law, does it?" He asked cautiously. "Because I'm trying to convince the haters that I'm not a complete and total scumbag, you know."
"Oh, come on! Have some faith in me!" Chris insisted, opening up her arms in a gesture of good will. "What we are doing is perfectly legal, I promise. Also, haters? Really?"
"What? They exist," Kazuma stated plainly. "It's mostly with the female adventurers and women in general. Granted, some of the backlash is warranted, especially when it comes to stealing your panties. But they also keep propagating these dumb rumors of me drenching women in slime, which is a complete misunderstanding by the way! I've tried to explain what really happened numerous times, but they just won't listen to reason."
"Really? I haven't heard much of that lately...but I can only spy on so many people." Chris remarked just a bit too casually, before waving her hand dismissively. "Well, if I hear it come up, I'll try and put in a good word for you. People should really recognize how much you've changed in the last year and a half. It's only fair given how hard you've worked on yourself."
"Oh, well...t-thanks then," Kazuma said with a small smile. He already recognized he was far from a perfect person, but he was dead set on trying to improve himself for the better. It was the least he could do for his friends and family. "So anyway, what did you have in mind?"
"I'm very glad you asked, my good man! For our first date, I figured we could start with something to get the blood pumping." Chris explained, before throwing a thumb over her shoulder and pointing to the stack of crates she'd previously been seated on. "You and I are gonna do parkour together."
The less-than-athletic man eyed the thief warily before speaking his mind. "Parkour? Like jumping up walls and buildings and stuff? Isn't that kinda dangerous?"
"Oh, relax. I'll start us off easy, nothing too death-defying, I promise!" Chris assured him, before taking his hand and throwing in a wink. "And even if you're still nervous, don't be. I got your back, 100%. Nothing will happen to you while I'm around, alright?"
Even though he still felt apprehensive about the whole idea, Kazuma always had complete faith in Chris, though he couldn't quite ascertain as to why. He just felt...safe around her. That was honestly the best he could come up with to explain it. He wondered...
Well, whatever he wondered would have to wait for another time as Chris led him up the improvised stair of crates to the top of the first building. The roof was flat and the building thankfully wasn't too high to start with, so Kazuma was grateful enough for that at least. Once they were up, Chris laid out the battle plan for him.
"Alright, here's what I got in store for us, Kaz: first, we go from this roof to the one right next to us, see?" Chris started, gesturing to the adjoining rooftop to their left. "After that, we got three more level jumps, two that are a bit higher down the line, and to finish our first round, we're aiming for...let's say that tall one down at the very end of the line, alright?"
"Uh-huh, yup, got it!" Kazuma said, hiding his ever growing uncertainty regarding Chris' plan. "Let's do some parkour then! Uh...ladies first."
"Always the gentleman, huh Kaz?" Chris snorted, before rolling her shoulders and cracking her knuckles. "Alrightly, then. Time to show off."
With that, Chris shot forward with unprecedented speed, making the first jump with ease. However, she didn't stop there, continuing on to the second and third rooftop, never breaking stride. As she reached the third roof, she skidded to a halt, turning back to face her startled date a few yards away.
"Alright, now you try!"
Oh fuck me, thought Kazuma as he looked on at his date before eyeing the gap between the first two buildings. It didn't stretch that far and he figured he could reasonably make it so long as he worked his legs up to the challenge. But after the first gap, however, the next building was a bit higher up than the second. And the one after that was higher, and so on and so on. Kazuma doubted he could make it to where Chris was.
Doesn't mean he wasn't above trying, though.
"Eris, give me strength." He muttered quietly, before breaking into a run to the edge of the roof. Sure enough, he made the first jump pretty easily. He tried to keep pace, and managed to make the second with a slight stumble, only losing a bit of his momentum in the process.
But then he made it to the third gap and came to a screeching halt. It was about as wide as he was tall and the ledge to the next rooftop was a head taller than him. He analyzed the troubling position he was in and Chris was more than aware of this. Kazuma had always been a pretty open book to her, as much as he would deny it. She could tell he'd already convinced himself to be stuck in an insurmountable situation.
"Having some trouble, buddy?" She asked, peering over the ledge with that same, smug smirk. "I could offer you a hand if you need it! No trouble at all, I probably should have started us off slower anyhow."
Kazuma actually considered her offer for a split second before ultimately shaking his head in defiance. He's been through way worse challenges than a simple jump, damn it! He was gonna prove to Chris that he was a bonafide adventurer even if it kills him (but not really)! "Watch me!"
Having backed up a few feet in his process of analyzing, Kazuma proceeded to sprint forward with all the energy he had, determined to make this jump. He strode forward, made the leap, and came so damn close to the ledge…
...and just barely caught the edge of it.
Kazuma's grip immediately began to strain as he clung to the ledge for a moment, before Chris scrambled to help him up to the rooftop, managing to pull him up a few seconds later and leaving both of them slightly winded.
"Watch you, huh?" Chris bit back after catching her breath. "Yeah, good thing I was, otherwise you'd be a pancake right about now! C'mon, Kazuma, if you knew you couldn't make it then why didn't you just say so? There's no shame in knowing your limits."
"I just wanted to impress you. Besides, I knew I'd be fine." Kazuma retorted, shooting his date with a playful smile. "You have my back, right? And on the off chance you didn't, I'm sure Eris does."
Kazuma's smile faltered when he noticed Chris still looked unamused at him. She said, "I may have agreed to be your guardian angel, but that doesn't give you the excuse to do something so reckless, especially if you knew it could've been avoided altogether. How do you think I or the others would've felt if I didn't catch you on time like I did? You can't just..."
Chris stopped mid-rant, seemingly studying Kazuma's concerned face before pinching the bridge of nose and sighing. Soon enough, she pulled him for a surprisingly tight, warm hug.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you like that," she mumbled. "Look, all I ask is that you ask for help next time, alright? Like I said, there's no shame in it."
"Alright, I'll ask next time then." Kazuma relented, suddenly feeling a bit more embarrassed than before. He didn't like the feeling of letting someone he cared about down, after all. "Sorry for scaring you, Chris. I should know better."
"Yeah, well, I suppose I should take some of the blame as well," Chris admitted, patting her date on the back and giving him a flustered smile. "I should've known better than to tease you into doing something stupid. In fact, I probably should've known parkour wasn't something you'd excel in. Given your exploits, I sorta just assumed you could handle it. But you know what they say when you assume, am I right?"
"Oh, I'm well versed, yes." Kazuma snarked, breaking off into a chuckle and leaning back slightly. "Well, at least we have one thing crossed off the list for next time then, right? Maybe we can stick to something a bit more relaxing, like...I don't know, maybe a boat ride? Something that doesn't have the risk of me being battered or broken by the end?"
Humming in "deep thought", Chris tapped her chin dramatically, mulling over his suggestion. She broke her little charade with a shrug and answered, "Sure, I don't see why not. I scale buildings every other day of the week, so I'm up for shaking things up a bit. Boat ride it is!"
"Sweet! Let's climb down and find a ferryman then!" Kazuma cheered. But before he could begin to search for a ladder down, he found himself restrained by the mischievous thief. She narrowed her eyes at him dangerously and even licked her lips as she stared him down like a lion about to pounce.
"Actually...since we have the whole rooftop to ourselves with no peeping toms in sight...what say you and I play a little game first before we back out in public, huh? Unless you don't think you can handle it~?"
"A little game, huh? I know I just swore off danger and all, but I'll admit, you have my attention." Kazuma replied, quirking an eyebrow expectantly. "Lay it on me, Chris. What did you have in mind for this game of yours?"
"Simple: whoever holds their breath the longest buys the loser dinner," the frisky thief responded, her face inching ever so closer to the adventurer's. "So what do you say, hot stuff? You in or what?"
"Really? Just holding our breaths?" Kazuma questioned, sensing that the devious thief would likely have a catch in mind. "I mean, if you insist, but I gotta warn you, I'm pretty sure I got you beat on this one. No shame in knowing your limits, right?"
Chris suddenly backed away and gave Kazuma a strange look like she almost didn't believe what he was saying. "Wait...you actually don't know where I'm going with this? Seriously?"
"I mean...not really, no?" Kazuma admitted, that same awkward feeling returning as he started to consider he'd misread the conversation. "I, uh, I've got the feeling that I've missed something. Again."
"Yeah, no shit!" Chris laughed, more amused than annoyed at her date's apparent naivety. "Kazuma, I was inviting you to make out with me! Surely you've made out with the other girls today, haven't you? Didn't they give you those 'bedroom eyes' you're always on about? Well, that's what I just gave you! Seriously, man, how can you be so smart and yet so dense at the same time? It's unreal..."
"Oh. Oh, jeez, yeah. It's starting to make sense now." Kazuma admitted as the pieces fell into place in his mind, a long, self-deprecating sigh emerging from his mouth. "Sorry, it's just...you tease me a lot, much more than the others. It's harder for me to tell when you're being serious, so I just kinda...assumed you weren't?"
"Well, I guess we both made asses out of ourselves for assuming today, didn't we?" Chris said with a playful shake of her head. Once she stopped pretending to be disappointed, she snaked her arms around Kazuma's neck, leaned her forehead against his, and rephrased her request. "Allow me to clear up the confusion then. Kazuma, would you like to have an aggressive make out session with me right now? We can catch a boat ride once we've had our fill."
"I mean...I'd have to be crazy to say no to that, wouldn't I?" the young man remarked, his smile returning slightly as he nodded with a slight flush. "I'd love to, Chris."
With a satisfied smirk, Chris leaned in to meet Kazuma's lips halfway, the two engaging in a kiss which would soon devolve into a passionate make out session, as was apparent tradition with these dates of his. The two young people went at it, with the thief going so far as to push her date down to the ground to further deepen the kiss. Thankfully, any nosey townsfolk would've been none the wiser to a pair of horny teens making out atop the buildings as they continued on their merry way.
After another minute or so, the pair finally separated, both gasping desperately for air as Chris gave Kazuma some breathing room, chuckling lightly at her date's flustered state. He certainly looked adorable after what had been a fairly steamy moment.
"You know what I like most about you, Kaz? That you still act like a virgin even though this is far from your first rodeo. It makes doing this with you seem more...I don't know, pure I guess? It just makes the experience feel more genuine to me, you know?"
"Really? I'm...glad to hear that, actually." Kazuma admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he averted his gaze. "Honestly, I was a bit worried that you'd find it annoying. The rest of the girls and you, that is."
"Nah, we like it alright," Chris confirmed with a big-ass smile stretching across her face. "In fact, it's one of your best features! Besides, you've done way more annoying stuff before, so this is nothing compared to that."
"More annoying stuff, huh? Yeah, I figure that list is a mile long given my track record." Kazuma remarked with a light chuckle, before turning back to Chris fully and smiling again. "Thank you, though. Not just for the kiss, obviously, but...for being by my side. Being willing to date me in what are remarkably strange circumstances. Just like the rest of the girls, I'm not sure what my life would be like without you in it."
"Don't mention, bud," Chris softly replied as she helped Kazuma get back on his feet. "I'm your guardian angel, after all. I've gotta look after my special man, make sure he's happy and doing alright. Just keep that in mind whenever I'm relentlessly teasing you from now on. Because I do give a shit about you, Kazuma, I really do."
"Thanks again, Chris. I appreciate it." Kazuma replied earnestly, before glancing at the roof's edge in contemplation. "Now, onto the hard part...how exactly are we getting down from here, because I don't see a ladder."
Without asking for his input, the thief girl suddenly picked the young man up, bridal style. Kazuma was so thrown off by how strong Chris was that he didn't have enough time to protest before she flashed him a cheeky grin and answered, "That's the fun part. Hold on tight!"
"C-Chris, don't you dare!" Kazuma sputtered as the girl neared the edge with a far too confident smirk. "Holy shit, CHRIS!"
Well...it was certainly a way to end a date.
