After getting through the date itself, will everything be ruined on the return trip home?

Ashley followed a few feet behind her roommate and her date. She was sweating as she fought to catch up to them after being held up at the restaurant by someone who thought she looked lonely. The anger she felt from that situation immediately melted away when she saw Baxium and Mira holding hands while they walked toward the apartment.

As the unlikely couple walked down the street, they received several looks from passerby that ranged from confused to disgusted, and the air quickly became uncomfortable. Mira slowly pulled her hand out of his own, and though he understood why, Baxium still felt saddened by it. He knew that being with her was way out of the norm, and he distinctly made a mental note not to mention this to his own family for the same reason they received such looks.

As they neared her apartment, he suddenly recalled something that would hopefully lighten the mood. Mira seemed like a romantic so far at least, so hopefully it wouldn't hurt.

"Oh, I saw something on my way to pick you up," Baxium said as he stopped at a crosswalk they didn't need to take to get home. "Would you mind stopping at a store with me? It's on the other side over there."

Mira looked down the street as he pointed to a flower shop just about to close. "Wh-"

"Oh no, they're about to close, let's go!" he said as he pulled her along with him. He was careful not to move too quickly or squeeze too hard, but Mira still felt as though she was being dragged there. She was only hopeful Ashley could stay close enough to see whatever was going on.

Scratch that. I hope she can't, Mira thought as soon as Baxium handed the florist money for the flower he now held in his massive hand. They still received strange looks from people as they crossed the street and she tried not to seem too panicked by the situation so he wouldn't get into any trouble. Though, admittedly, it was difficult to seem anything shy of flustered and flattered by his gesture.

"What's this for?" she asked as she shyly took the yellow daffodil from him.

"Uh, well," he started, suddenly becoming very nervous and aware of everyone around them. "It's for you. You know, for our date."

Mira laughed a bit as she put the flower behind her ear. "Usually you're supposed to give flowers before you go on the date," she said with a smile. "But thank you anyway, it's beautiful."

Baxium smiled through his nervousness as he nudged her hand with a finger and walked with her back to her apartment. "Sorry I pulled you over there... Truth be told I did want to get you something before the date, but... I got nervous," he admitted, trying to avoid every stare from the few folks wandering the streets.

His honesty maintained the blush that had colored her cheeks for most of the night. "Why are you so nervous?" she asked as she recalled the few times before that he had mentioned it.

"Like I said, I've never gone out with a human before. Aside from all the looks we've been gettin, the girls I've dated before don't really expect romantic stuff from me."

"Really? What do they expect then?"

Baxium looked up in thought as they waited for their crossing signal. "Traditionally I am supposed to give a precious item to my date. Something like jewelry or a decorative stone or something. Typically flora isn't the go-to if you know what I mean."

"Are there not many flowers on Homeworld?" she asked curiously, touching the daffodil lightly as they walked to ensure its safety.

"Not particularly. We have displays of plants from a few planets as well as some thought to be from our original planet before The Death, but it's more for study than aesthetics," he explained. "I do enjoy looking at them, myself though. Especially yellow ones. I think when they're in such abundance giving them as a gift is a wonderful gesture."

The contagious smile he was unable to hide brought one to Mira's face as well. "I didn't know you were the sensitive type," she joked, hoping to hide her blush from him.

"No one expects it. I hope it's a pleasant surprise for you at least... It felt nice to share that with you."

Once again caught off guard by his honesty and sensitive nature, Mira had to place a hand to her cheek as she looked away in order to calm the blood rush to her head. She never imagined she'd be lucky enough to find a Big Boy (TM) who was also so sweet and able to hold a conversation with her.

"I do love flowers," she said softly.

"What's your favorite kind?" he asked as they approached her doorstep.

"It's a total cliche, but I love roses. And purple snapdragons." Baxium made a mental note of her preferences as she climbed the steps, finally able to be eye-to-eye with him. He gave her a sheepish smile, glancing quickly to make sure no one was watching, and gently took her hand.

"I hope you'll want to go out with me again, but don't feel pressured to say yes if you don't want to."

Mira smiled up at him, feeling an urge to kiss his cheek but calculating the distance was a bit too awkward to try out. Instead, she opted to squeeze what bit of his hand she could as her cheeks remained rosy and warm. "I'd like that."

He lifted her small hand up to his face and placed the back of it against his cheek. "Then it's a date. Goodnight Mira."

"Goodnight, Baxi," she said with a smile, casually pulling her hand away to enter the apartment.

Baxium waited until she was inside to leave, feeling a warmth inside of him he hadn't felt for a while. He took another glance back at the apartment building and spent the rest of his walk home pondering any semblance of a future with a human woman.

Ashley waited inside the door of their apartment, eager to hear the juicy details of Mira's night while her friend climbed the stairs. Mira held the daffodil in her hand as her mind drifted away. She couldn't believe what her night had just been.

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