Hux exhaled with relief as they left the restaurant. Beaumont would have blown his cover for sure, then there would be no more smiles, no more meaningful glances and worst of all no more hand holding. Luckily, they had averted that disaster and her soft fingers were still latched onto his.

You know the truth will have to come out eventually…

He pushed the thought away, there were other concerns he needed to address.

There was the problem of where to take her? It had to be somewhere special but maybe not as impersonal as rebels retreat...

'I have an idea,' Rose announced, pulling him from his thoughts.

'Oh?' Hux said with interest.

'There's somewhere I like to go, but it's a bit different, I could take you there if you want?'

'I'm willing.'

Rose smiled.

'Follow me.'

Hux gaped as he stood outside the door of Meow Morsels. Rose had explained that this was a cat cafe. She had brought him to a cat cafe.

Rose looked up at him tentatively.

'Is this okay? We can go somewhere else?'

'I had no idea places like this existed,' Hux said with wonder.

'We don't have to go in…'

'No! We do have to go in! This is amazing! I love cats. I actually have a cat, she's called Milli and she's my best friend—' Hux stopped talking when he realised what he had confessed.

'I mean, obviously she's a cat so she probably just likes me because I feed her.'

Rose smiled up at him.

'I think animals understand us better than most people do because they touch our hearts in a way most people never can.'

Hux wanted to kiss her then but he resisted. It seemed too soon and he didn't want to scare her away, even though he was half convinced at this point that she was a walking dream of his own invention.

Wait until she finds out who you really are...

Rose led him into the cafe. They ordered two burgers and fries and Hux waxed lyrical about each of the cats as they came to greet him in turn. Rose noted with delight that barely any of Hux's burger found its way into his mouth as he fed tidbits to all the hungry little balls of fur hanging around his feet. She cut her burger in half and put one half on his plate.

'You're going to be starving,' she reprimanded lightly.

'I can't help it. I have no resistance to cuteness,' he said, glancing at her.

Rose blushed and stroked a tabby cat who had happily perched itself in her lap.

'What type of cat is Milli?' she asked.

'Very prissy and very bossy.'

Rose laughed.

'She's a Ginger tabby, who thinks she owns me. It's my own fault though. I spoil her too much.'

'Lucky Milli,' Rose said then immediately began to blush again.

'Do you have any pets?' Hux asked.

'No. We had cats when I was growing up though. I would really like to meet Milli sometime.'

'I'm sure she would like to meet you too.'

Rose rubbed noses with the tabby who was now furiously padding her lap.

'I love this place. It's so nice to have somewhere to go where you can just be yourself, you know? Where you don't have to put on an act for anyone.'

Armitage nodded eagerly, though he felt a ball of guilt start to form in the pit of his stomach.

She's clever, she'll figure it out eventually…

His last bite of burger got stuck in his throat as he swallowed. He signalled the waitress for the bill and shook his worries away as he smiled at Rose.

'I know a great ice cream stand,' he said leaning towards her conspiratorially.

Rose smiled.

'I love ice cream.'

Hux paid and Rose noted he had put down double the amount of money required.

She looked up at him questioningly.

'It's a donation, for the kitties,' he explained.

Rose melted. Animals were the way to her heart. She impulsively stretched up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

As she pulled away, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers briefly. The kiss lasted only for a moment, but it was long enough for a jolt of electricity to run through Rose. Armitage ran a hand through his hair.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that,' he mumbled.

'No! It was….nice,' Rose replied.

He looked down at her. There was something soft and warm about his expression. It made her feel...cherished.

'Do you want my jacket?' he asked as they left.

'No, I'm okay.'

He put it on and let out a soft 'hmmm' sound.

'What?' Rose asked.

'It smells like you.'

'Oh! I'm sorry.'

'No, I like it.'

Rose bit her lip, his eyes zoomed in on her mouth. He reached out his hand for hers and she took it.

'Let's go get that ice cream.'

Armitage mentally kicked himself as he realised, they were going to have to go past First Editions to get to the ice cream stand. He heard Rose growl under her breath as they passed the store. He squeezed her hand within his.

'Beaumont said that place is an abomination,' Rose hissed.

Hux quietly seethed. He had never seen eye to eye with Rose's reporter ex. Knowing he had a past with Rose just made him hate the man even more.

'Perhaps Beaumont should keep his opinions to himself,' he blurted out.

Rose frowned.

'He was just being a friend,' she explained.

Damn it. He had upset her now.

Stupid big mouth.

'I know, I'm sorry, I just don't want to talk about Beaumont Kin.'

'Of course, you don't, now I'm the one who is sorry. Who brings up their ex on a first date? Especially one we just went out of our way to avoid! Well done Rose!' she exclaimed.

Armitage's mouth quirked up into a smile. Suddenly an idea came to him.

'What would you do if First Editions offered you a job?'

Rose scoffed.

'I would say absolutely not.'

'What if they offered you a lot of money?'

'No.'

'What if they offered you bonuses and a company car and an expense account?'

'The answer would still be no.'

'Why?'

'Because I'm not a sell-out, because I can't be bought, because I have morals and principles, take your pick.'

Rose didn't understand why he looked so disappointed.

'What would you do if they offered you a job?' she asked.

'They did offer me a job once.'

'How did you turn them down?'

'It was the sort of offer you couldn't refuse,' he muttered intriguingly.

'But you said no,' Rose said unquestioningly.

'I gave them the answer I thought was right at the time but now, I'm not so sure.'

'Rose looked thoughtful and Hux was relieved when they reached their destination and he could change the subject to what they were going to order.

Rose chose a vanilla and orange ice cream cone and Armitage settled for a tub of strawberry and chocolate flavour.

They continued walking, and Rose had to once again relieve Hux of his suit jacket due to a combination of the chilly night air and the icy dessert. Hux was happy to oblige as her perfume has begun to wear off and he wanted a refresh of her scent.

'This is so good,' Rose said, licking her lips.

'You have some on your nose,' Armitage said reaching out with his finger to gently rub it away.

'Thank you.'

Rose watched as he put his finger to his mouth and sucked the tip. She looked away quickly when he caught her eye.

'Do you want to try mine?' Armitage asked holding out the small spoon with a mixture of the two flavours.

Rose leaned towards him and wrapped her mouth around the plastic utensil.

'Mmm,' she said as she closed her eyes and savoured the cold sweetness.

When she looked at Armitage once more, he had a look on his face she couldn't quite comprehend.

'Did I get some on my face again?' she asked as she tried to inspect her nose without going cross eyed.

Armitage chuckled. She was utterly adorable.

'No, no. It's just that...I've never met anyone like you.'

'I'm going to assume you mean that in a good way.'

Armitage laughed.

'I do. I mean that in the best way possible.'

He looked at her warmly then took a step towards her.

'Actually, I think I was mistaken, you did get some ice cream on you.'

Rose groaned.

'Could you get it for me?'

'Sure,' the word came out low and gravelly, and Rose was momentarily confused, then he tilted her chin up and kissed her, and everything became instantaneously clear.