Chapter 5 - Dinner

Happiness. It was the feeling that enveloped her entire being whenever Eira caught a glimpse of the tall figure of the marshal. It was the feeling that swarmed her chest and created thousands of fluttering butterflies whenever she heard his hoarse voice, even from afar. She rarely saw him even though they were working in the same building. Only twice a day and not everyday. That was when Cor was walking toward and/or leaving from the crownsguard training ground.

The only time Eira had interaction with him could be counted by her fingers, most of them were when Cor was injured and visited infirmary to be healed by her.

Well, there was a time when Cor chased away three crownsguard men from infirmary because they asked Eira to heal their minor injuries with her magic even though they didn't actually need it. And after that, he kindly bought her a bottle of oolong tea, which then became her favorite beverage. Other than that, Eira only had one coincidence when she entered the same elevator as him. But, they didn't interact much at those times.

However, today was different. Because she was sitting across his seat, eating dinner together. Only the two of them.

Eira hoped Cor didn't notice how the chopsticks in her hand were slightly trembling because of how nervous she was right now. Her cheeks were burning in heat and her heart was pounding inside her chest in tumultuous thudding. She tried to relax her stiff shoulders, but noticing how Cor sometimes glanced at her with his lustrous blue eyes she admired, the attempt failed gloriously.

But then Cor laughed because of her, as she unwittingly murmured how she wanted to taste his cooking and then he somewhat suggested borrowing citadel kitchen to implicitly stated that he would cook for her there. She was flustered by his offer, quickly refused him, and he laughed at her response.

Cor's laugh was beautiful. So beautiful that Eira wanted to hear it again. The husky voice that escaped from his lips, the way he raised both corners of his lips as he laughed... Cor was so charming. Even she had forgotten that the man was already forty-two years old.

"How's life as a crownsguard medic? It has been a year, right?" Cor asked after he gulped his food.

Heat gathered inside her chest as she heard his hoarse voice. Oh, how happy she was right now. The marshal initiated the conversation with her.

"It's not as busy as I thought," she replied, "But if I were busy, it means that there are a lot of injured crownsguard, right?"

Eira gave off a soft chuckle before taking another bite of her tebasaki.

"You're right," Cor smirked then ate again.

Eira wanted to faint. Cor had smiled, smirked, chuckled, and even laughed for many times today. The kind of face he rarely showed whenever he was in the citadel. She really wanted to slap her face, to make sure that she wasn't dreaming right now. It was too beautiful for reality. Eira never imagined that she would have a chance to eat with Cor Leonis like this.

"You said that it's not as busy as you thought. But, you often stay in infirmary until almost midnight," Cor said.

Eira who was looking at her tebasaki widened her eyes. She remembered how Cor said similar things when they met in the elevator the other day.

"Wait, I think I've said something similar before," Cor mumbled, tilting his head for a second then ate his meal again.

She couldn't say that it was in the elevator, after Cor talked with Gladio as they wanted to go to the training ground in a certain afternoon a few weeks ago. It was too detailed and she didn't want Cor to be curious as to why she could remember it.

"Y-Yes, it's not busy. But… I realized that there are a lot of crownsguard who train until late," Eira said while looking at her meal. She didn't dare to lift her gaze right now because she felt that Cor was staring at her. She then shyly explained, "The infirmary is supposed to be closed at eight, but if someone got injured after that, no one could treat them."

Cor didn't talk after she finished her sentence. Curious about what kind of face he made, Eira peeked at him. He rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger, seemingly contemplating what she just said before he spoke, "So… It's partially my fault?"

No! It's not partially your fault, Sir! It's entirely your fault.

Eira couldn't say that the reason she stayed late was actually because she just wanted to see him walk past the infirmary. She didn't want him to know, of course.

"Um? W-Why is that?" she asked, placing her chopsticks so her hand could take a glass of her oolong tea and sip it, hoping that the cold-unsweetened-tea she liked would help her to maintain her composure.

"I'm one of those crownsguard," Cor replied.

Eira put away her drink then said with a slightly quivering voice, "But, it's not really your fault… It's not anyone's fault… Also, I like to stay in the infirmary. Sometimes I practice my potion brewing after my shift. Studying, or practicing my magic. If I returned home, surely I would prefer to sleep and not do anything."

Her cheeks were blushing again after stating her reasons. Eira moved her eyes to see Cor's expression then silently gasped because the man fully gave his attention toward her. She raised her glass again to drink the rest of her oolong tea.

"I see… That's good, then. But, don't force yourself. You also need to rest well," Cor stated.

Eira gave off a sheepish smile then nodded, "Thank you."

She was so happy. It felt like there were hundreds of flowers blooming around her. Cor gave his concern to her. He cared about her. Eira didn't mind it if it was a mere courtesy. The fact that Cor gave those words at her was enough to make her heart fluttered.

"Want to order more drinks?" Cor asked, noticing that she had emptied her glass.

"Eh? Ah… Yes," Eira blinked in surprise, looking at the way Cor pointing out her empty glass with his gaze. She moved her hand to reach the bell to call the waiter but didn't realize that Cor also reached it. The tip of their fingers bumped each other, and they quickly pulled off their hands soon after.

"Sorry," Cor apologized then gave a silent gesture with his hand so that Eira could press the bell. He awkwardly moved his hand away and placed it on the table.

The tip of her forefinger was burning, still remembering Cor's heat that met her skin. It wasn't the first time she touched him, but whenever it happened, Eira couldn't manage to maintain her composure. It felt like the heart inside her chest was ready to burst out because of how loud and harsh it beat.

Pressing the bell, Eira then took back her chopsticks to continue eating. As she munched, she remembered that the same thing happened when Cor handed her a bottle of oolong tea a few weeks ago. Their fingers met, like this time, and even though the time had passed, Eira still remembered the touch on her skin.

"You can order more than a beverage," Cor offered, insisting to be exact.

"Umm," she hesitated, looking at the small plates of food on the table. Cor had already ordered many things, he also asked her not to be reluctant from taking what he ordered. People shared food they ordered in this kind of restaurant anyway. But, Eira didn't know what to order anymore. Because most of the side dishes she wanted to eat were already there on the table.

Even after the waiter came, Eira still didn't know what she wanted to order besides the oolong tea. Cor then suggested ordering anything he wanted and asked Eira to take some if she wanted.

"You really like oolong tea, huh?" Cor commented after the waiter left.

"Yes," Eira nodded. No. It was because Cor gave her oolong tea so that particular beverage had become her favorite drink. But, again, Eira couldn't spill that secret at him.

They went silent as they continued their dinner. Eira looked down, to see the rice in her bowl, wondering what should she say to melt this awkward atmosphere. She wanted to talk more with him and didn't want to let this miraculous chance slip away from her hands. Perhaps it would be the first and the last time Eira eating dinner at the same table as him. When their dinner ended, they would return to their status as colleagues. She would never have any reason to invite him to have dinner together, and so would he. Thinking about it, she wished the time would pass as slow as possible. She didn't want it to be over.

The waiter came, pouring oolong tea into her glass after placing five more small plates of food Cor ordered. After taking the empty plates, the waiter left and once again told them to enjoy their dinner.

Eira looked at those plates one by one before glancing at Cor. Well, the man was the marshal of crownsguard, he ate a lot. And it seemed he could order more. Probably he only ordered five kinds of side dishes because the table wasn't big enough for more.

"Take anything you want," Cor said while taking a piece of karaage from one of those plates.

"Then, I'll take some," Eira smiled, also taking a piece of karaage. She blew it for a few times before putting it into her mouth and let out an "Mmmm" again as the luscious taste touched her tongue. Tebasaki in this place was the best, but didn't mean that the other foods were ordinary.

As she munched, Eira unwittingly gazed at the marshal, observing how his perfect jaw was moving as he munched, looking at his beautiful hand that was holding the chopsticks, and sometimes glancing at his alluring eyes that were looking elsewhere. But, then he moved his blue eyes toward her. Their eyes met, and Eira almost lost her ability to take a breath.

"Um… What do you usually cook at home?" she asked, trying to find a topic so that Cor wouldn't notice that she was staring at him impolitely.

Cor lifted a corner of his lips—Oh the Astral, he's so enchanting—then replied, "Any kind of food."

"Not cup noodles, right?"

He laughed softly, "I'm not Gladiolus."

"Why Gladiolus?"

"He's obsessed with cup noodles."

"Very unhealthy," Eira giggled, "What's your favorite food, then?"

"Hmm… That's a hard question. I can't think of any."

"Then, between these foods, which one is your most favorite?"

Cor rubbed his chin with his thumb, frowning and looking at the foods left on the table. He was so adorable, it wasn't a hard question but Cor was thinking hard there were creases on his forehead until he finally replied, "Tebasaki?"

"The same with me then," Eira smiled from ear to ear. Only having a similarity with him was capable of making her happy. Her happiness was too simple, indeed.

They kept talking, filling the air with their chatters and soft giggles as they ate their dinner. The stiffness on Eira's back had disappeared as she relaxed her tense muscles due to the nervousness that shrouded her mind from the beginning of their dinner. The awkward atmosphere which tortured her before now had melted and shifted into the lively one.

Cor wasn't scary at all. It was fun to talk with him, and she knew more about him through their simple conversation. Of course his eyebrows still curved and not relaxed, causing his face to be as stern as usual. But, Cor often lifted the corner of his lips, forming a smile or smirk that enchanted her in his charm.

It was a pleasant dinner, and she wished that there would be another chance like this in the future.