Note： reading on AO3 is recommended because I put some pics there :3 But, happy reading~! Thank you for waiting :""D

Chapter 19 - Game Center

"Ah… I'm full!" an adorable voice reached the marshal's ears. He then looked at Eira who was muttering happily after they stepped out from a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant not too far from the citadel.

"Fifteen plates, huh?" Cor chuckled, remembering all the empty plates at her side of the table while the young woman blushed behind them.

"A certain man ate twenty four plates." Eira sneered before giving a soft laugh.

A smile passed over his face. How happy he was right now for the fact that Eira was no longer so tense around him. The lively chatter accompanied them as they enjoyed their dinner, and the laughter added color to the atmosphere between them.

The marshal glanced at her as they walked, admiring the side figure of her. She was close, too close. And if he wasn't careful, his hand could touch hers. Therefore, the man decided to put his left hand into his coat pocket. Oh, how much he wanted to hold her hand now. But he should restrain himself from doing so.

It was Saturday night. The crownsguard training was finished earlier than usual, and Cor, once again, invited Eira to have dinner together. They left the citadel at five, and now, it was only a half hour to seven. That explained why this neighborhood was crowded. It was still dinner time, and there were a lot of restaurants around here.

"So happy that they opened their chain here. Kappa Roll is my favorite conveyor-belt sushi." Eira suddenly said, breaking the silence between them.

"And you were so excited seeing the little train that brought your order," Cor said, remembering the sparkle on her eyes when she looked at a little train with the small plate of sushi on its top.

"You said that as if you weren't excited yourself," Eira replied.

Cor chuckled. The man didn't say anything but stared at her from the corner of his eyes as they walked. He saw her looking at her watch then she looked at him.

"Hei, it's still early. I think I want to take a look around here," Eira said.

"Sure."

Eira halted her step then asked, "So you'll go home, first?"

"Huh?" Cor frowned.

"Huh?" and so did her.

Cor replied, "No way I'll let you walk aimlessly in this crowd alone, right?"

Eira gave a small chuckle. She was blushing, and Cor's eyes caught the way her cheeks reddened. And at the same time, there was a surge of warmth flowing in his heart. Was she blushing because of him? No, Cor. It was impossible.

"Let's go then?" she asked, with a usual sweet smile on her face.

She then walked before him and led the way. They turned into a rather small alleyway, and the narrow lane prevented Cor from walking next to her. But, well, he was on her behind, and fuck, he just wanted to hug her right now.

"Have you ever walked around here?" Eira turned her head to look at him. And Cor cursed his head for thinking that her eyes were so beautiful when she looked at him.

Cor answered, "Not often."

"Not aimlessly like this, I presume?"

"Yes."

A giggle escaped her throat. She walked rather slowly, while her eyes were looking around to find what attracted her attention. She then stopped at a clothing shop, looking at a few blouses on one of the hangers before walking to the next shop.

"You really like shopping, huh?" Cor asked.

"I do. And just like the other day after we watched the movie, it'll take time. Are you sure you can follow?"

Cor chuckled, "Not as tiring as the crownsguard training."

"Let's see." Eira smiled then entered another shop.

Accompanying this lovely lady wouldn't exhaust Cor. He liked seeing how Eira got excited when seeing cute things, or when she asked his opinion about those cute things she held. And even though at the end she didn't buy them, Cor didn't mind it, for he was happy just to spend time with her.

As they walked, loud noises came from a certain building not far from there. Sounds of machines and lots of unclear voices from speakers mingled with each other. Eira halted her steps then smirked at him.

"Marshal, have you ever visited a game center?"

Cor looked at the source of the noise, realizing that it was the place she meant. Looking back at her, he replied, "You know the answer."

"Well then... Let's go." After giving a grin, Eira scurried to the game center.

Cor gave a small laugh, wondering what actually he was doing right now. The marshal of the crownsguard now leisurely visited the game center with a medic. Something that he never imagined before.

Her heart was hammering inside her chest. Her hands were cold and slightly trembling. Her legs were so weak, yet they kept moving to the game center she just found in this neighborhood.

Despite knowing that Cor would never allow her to walk around here by herself, she still told him that she wanted to.

No.

To be exact, because Eira knew that Cor would follow her, she told him that she wanted to explore the area.

And what a coincidence, she found a game center. And probably by going there, Cor could have some fun.

She noticed how tired he was recently. Probably the paperwork was the cause. Moreover he couldn't join the training and just stayed in the training room only to watch the other crownsguard. Of course, going home early and resting was also good for him. But remembering that he had just three consecutive leaves the other days and just spending those days by staying at his home, she thought that he needed something else.

To have fun.

Probably the eternal frown on his forehead would slightly fade if he had fun. Also, playing these games wouldn't force open his wounds.

The sound of game machines got louder when they stepped inside. Eira scanned the room, looking for what kind of game they were going to play. It must be something that Cor could enjoy.

"You like to go to places like this?" Cor's sudden question startled her.

Turning her head to look at the man taller than her, she replied, "Sometimes, yes."

She then continued to walk, while looking around to decide which one they should play.

Gulping, she looked at the people here, hoping that no one from the citadel here who would notice the marshal was visiting this kind of place with a particular medic. Well, actually it shouldn't be a problem. They were not having any special relationship anyway. And if someone caught them, what kind of accusation would they spread to the world? They were not a couple, they were not even holding hands right now.

But, they had a date to watch a movie months ago. And she didn't even bother about it. So, why should she be bothered about it now?

…

Then she remembered about the night when Cor touched her head…

Tapping both her cheeks, Eira looked back at the marshal. He was looking at her when she turned her head, not to the game machines around like what she expected he was looking at.

… Oh the Astral… Was he watching me?

"Ah… Um… You really never visit a game center? Not even once?"

The man tilted his head and rubbed his chin. "Hmm… Once. Twenty years ago."

"Oh?" Eira blinked in surprise. "Unlike movies? What kind of game did you play."

"I don't really remember it. I don't think I played one. That time I was on a search mission because Regis disappeared suddenly, and it turned out that Clarus dragged him to a place like this."

Eira widened her eyes, not expecting that kind of answer. She laughed, amused by Cor's explanation about his past. "Even when you visited the game center, it was for work."

Cor chuckled, and when she looked at him, she noticed that his cheeks were a bit… reddened?

The marshal cleared his throat before asking, "So, what's your recommendation?"

Eira now returned back to reality. No, no, it can't be.

Looking around, she examined the game machines one by one. Until she found one that might be interesting. "Come here!" she exclaimed.

A smile was blooming on her face. She was so excited right now. Now, she just hoped that no one used the game.

There was a rather tall box, with a curtain on one side and another one on the opposite side of it. From below, one could see whether it was occupied or not.

Great, no one was using it right now.

"Here! Here! You can enter from that side," Eira pointed to the other entrance of the box before she entered from the one closer to her.

Sitting on the seat right in front of a large monitor, Eira just noticed how dark this place was. But she couldn't back off now. She had just invited Cor to play this, and it was going to be weird if she asked him to play another game without even trying this one.

"So, what's this game about?" Cor asked as he took a seat next to her.

Oh the Six, Cor was too close. She wanted to blame herself for deciding to play this game. But on the other hand, she was also happy that she had a chance to be this close again with the marshal.

"So…" Eira wished her voice wasn't quivering as she explained, "You wear these glasses." She took a pair of glasses on their front and gave them to Cor—while avoiding his gaze because she was too nervous. "And this is your controller, you move them like this." She gave the example with her own controller. "And this button here is to shoot and this one is to reload."

"Oh, shooting game?" Cor looked at the monitor. "Oh…" he took off his glasses for a while before wearing them again. "3D?"

Eira chuckled seeing how Cor acted like that. He was so amazed yet the game hadn't even started yet.

"100 yen for one player..." Cor muttered then delved his hand into his pocket.

"Eh, no! Let me pay. I'm the one who invited you." But Eira was late. Cor had already inserted 600 yen into the machine.

"Eh? 600 yen?" Eira was confused when she saw the coin display.

"Turns out it was 500 and 100." Cor chuckled.

"Why? The size is different though," she giggled. Okay, now the nervousness had slightly subsided.

Taking another pair of glasses, she wore it and looked at Cor. "It's weird seeing you with glasses."

"Well…." Cor cleared his throat then looked at the monitor. "The same goes for you."

Eira laughed. There were hundreds of butterflies in her stomach. She prayed she wasn't going to faint now.

Looking back at the monitor, she then pressed the button on her controller. "Let's start!"

The small scene was being played, and as they encountered the first enemies, in a sudden the bench they were sitting on was moving.

"Woah! It's moving!" Cor jolted.

"Interesting, right?" Eira began to shoot the zombies that attacked them.

"I'm surprised." Cor then began to play as well.

"Okay, Marshal! Let's kill them!"

Fuck.

Cor tried hard to control himself as he sat on her next. He cursed, about how dark and small this box was. Again, he could smell the sweet fragrance from Eira's hair. And he should restrain himself from doing something unforgivable to her.

She was so adorable, now with dark glasses that were too big on her face. The man tried to focus solely on the monitor in front of him, but the urge to glance at the young woman on his right was unbearable. If he could, he would prefer to watch her play than play the game with her.

"Ah! Marshal! They stuck on you!"

Cor gasped then looked at their game. Some monsters were sticking on the monitor on his part, and Eira helped him shoot them dead.

"You're really good at this game." Cor smiled.

"But, I need your help, Sir."

Sir…

Cor was rather disappointed that she still called him with such formality. Even when they were playing a game together like this. But, on the other hand he knew that it must still be hard for her to call his name casually.

"Okay, I lost a lot of blood," Cor said, and Eira replied with an amused laugh.

"Unfortunately I'm unable to heal you in the game," she said.

Glancing at her, he gave a smile. Eira probably wouldn't see it, as her eyes were latched on the screen.

In-game-Cor died three times, while Eira died once. It was their last life, and when one of them died now, they should pay more to respawn.

But Cor was a creepy old man that couldn't restrain himself not to take a glance at his crush every time. As a result, he died for the fourth time.

"Ah! No! Marshal!" Eira exclaimed.

"Wait." Cor dug his pocket, trying to find some more coins. But unfortunately, he didn't have any. "I'm out of coins. I should exchange the coin then."

"No, no. It's okay. Ah! Wait!" Eira was panicking. Cor chuckled as he watched her trying to defend herself from those zombies. He loved the way she let out a startled scream when the zombies suddenly appeared from nowhere. He loved the way her shoulders moved as she jolted. "Oh no… I'm dead…" and he loved the way she laughed when she was lost.

"I think I have some coins." Eira opened her bag in a hurry.

"Game over!" However, there was a big red GAME OVER written on Cor's side of the screen. Apparently there was a timeout for refilling the coin.

Eira froze. Looking at him, she apologized, "Ah! I'm sorry! I forgot that there's a timeout."

A laugh escaped Cor's lips, "No problem."

"But we should play from the beginning if you want to continue. It doesn't save our progress."

Cor laughed again, "We can play again from the beginning if you want."

Eira curled her lips then took off her glasses, "Maybe it's time to try another game?"

"Sure."

"Yeay! Let's go!" Eira grinned then walked out from the game booth.

Meanwhile, Cor gave a long sigh while rubbing his face. Somehow he was relieved that they would no longer be in this small and dark place that unwittingly awoke his desire.

Getting out, Cor walked toward Eira who was looking around.

"What's your next suggestion?"

"Umm…" She was still looking around until her eyes caught something. "Ah! Do you like rhythm games?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Cor frowned. "Rhythm games?"

Eira just grinned then walked toward a certain corner of the room and Cor followed her. She then pointed at two machines with a small drum on its front. "This one is my favorite."

"How do we play it?" Cor asked, observing the drum then to the monitor that showed a cute mascot of the game that looked like the drum.

.

.

.

Cor never had this much fun before. He tried many new things tonight, from playing zombie shooting games, rhythm games, and some simple sport games. He almost forgot that he was forty two, that he was a marshal of the crownsguard, that he was an old man who apparently didn't know how to have fun in this kind of place before.

He laughed a lot, for doing stupid things because even though he was skillful on the battlefield, he was so suck in playing games. Tonight was so fun, it seemed that the creases on his forehead were decreasing. It was all thanks to Eira.

He loved to see how often she smiled and laughed today. He loved to listen to her voice as she patiently explained how to play to him. He loved to see how shimmering her eyes were as they played together.

He loved her.

Oh, how much he loved her…

If only she was older. If only he was younger. He probably already confessed his feelings tonight.

"So... going to the game center isn't complete if you haven't tried UFO catcher." Eira stood next to some machines with a glass box on its top that contained lots of stuffed animals. She looked at Cor in anticipation, then grinned while pointing at one of the boxes. She asked, "Have you tried this?"

"No." Cor shook his head. He then observed the machine next to her. It had a lot of stuffed toys and at least he knew what animals or beasts they were. Chocobo, moogles, and some other monsters like malboro, cactuar, and tonberry.

Eira then explained how to use it, and great, Cor didn't actually listen to what she said. He was charmed, staring at her face as she talked, enjoying her mellifluous voice, but unfortunately he didn't catch her explanation. His mind was busy admiring her and thinking about how adorable she was.

"Got it?" she asked.

Cor gulped then awkwardly replied, "I can try."

He took a coin—he changed his money to lots of coins before they played taiko, the games with the drums—then inserted it into the coin slot. Frowning, he then looked at Eira, "What if you show me first?"

"Sure!"

"Oops! Goodbye 100 yen. Ehehe," Eira giggled while glancing at the marshal who then gave a small chuckle after seeing that she failed to get a plushie from the ufo catcher.

"Have you ever gotten any prize from this machine? It seems that it's rather… impossible." Cor raised a brow.

"Two years ago I got a tornberry."

"Two years ago?"

"And that was the only one time I've ever gotten a prize."

"After that?" Cor asked.

Eira grinned, "No luck."

"And you still want to play this?" Cor was confused.

"You should try!" Eira opened her coin purse and inserted 100 yen into the machine. The lamps on it were blinking, signaling that the machine was ready to be operated. "Let's see whether the marshal can win the prize."

"Don't set your hope too high." Cor looked at the glass box, observing the inside, "What do you want?"

"Eh?" Eira blinked in surprise, not expecting that he would ask what she wanted. But, when she thought of it, Cor didn't need a stuffed animal, right? "Anything is fine."

"So…" Cor looked down at two buttons on the machine. He frowned, increasing the amount of wrinkles on his forehead. He looked so serious, as if he was looking at a map of Eos and thinking about battle strategy.

After a few seconds he finally pressed the button then watched the machine claw move forward. Of course Eira wasn't interested in seeing what kind of thing he would get. She was immersed in staring at the handsome visage of the marshal. His eyes were piercing the machine, as if they were some kind of Nif army. And Eira was a bit struggling not to laugh and destroy Cor's intense concentration.

"Oh, shi-" Cor then hastily pressed another button to change the claw's direction. Meanwhile, Eira was agape. She was sure that Cor almost cursed. The marshal almost cursed. It would have been the first time she heard it. Yet, unfortunately the man managed to control his word.

What a weird woman Eira was. She wanted to hear Cor curse in front of her. Perhaps, because it would mean that she could see a side of him she never witnessed. The man was always polite, especially in front of her. Probably, because she was a daughter of a royal council's member. Therefore, hearing his curse would make her … happy. How weird.

Cor sighed—almost went unnoticed—, then pressed the button to stop the claw from moving and went down to get the stuff below.

"Ah!" Eira widened her eyes when the claw pinched chocobo's tail and lifted it. "Ah, no!" But, what a shame, the plushie fell in the next second.

"It was so close." Cor clicked his tongue.

Turning her head to look at him, she chuckled seeing that he wasn't happy with his failed attempt to catch the chocobo. "It was a nice first try."

"Once again." He took a coin from his pocket, inserted it into the coin slot, and tried again. And Eira was amused seeing how he failed again. The face he made when the claw failed to pinch the plushie was so adorable.

.

.

.

"Again?" Eira asked.

"Again."

"You've spent 1000 yen, Sir."

Cor froze after he put in the eleventh coin. "Now I understand why you recommend this game."

"Frustrating, right?" Eira gave a teasing laugh.

"Indeed." Cor was really so adorable. The man didn't even realize that he had already played ten times. But she didn't hate seeing it. It was so amusing to witness Cor's eagerness in getting that chocobo. He kept aiming for it, and kept failing to.

"But, it's addictive, isn't it?"

Sighing, Cor stepped back. "I should stop."

"But you've already inserted a coin."

"You can play it for me then."

Eira chuckled, "Okay."

She moved to the front of the machine, examining the cute plushies inside before looking down at the three buttons before her eyes. Upon deciding her target—the moogle next to the dropping pit seemed promising—, she pressed the button to move the claw. Biting her lower lips with eyes focusing on the claw movement, she then quickly pressed the next button.

"Uuu… please, please, please…" she mumbled, then when the claw was right on the top of the moogle, she pressed the last button.

She almost forgot to breathe when the claw went down to pick the target.

"Huh?"

However, instead of the moogle, it took a malboro plushie next to it.

"Whoah, you actually got it!" Cor was amazed.

Turning her head to the marshal in disbelief, she looked back at the claw that released the malboro and dropped it.

She was a bit disappointed that she failed to get the moogle one. But, hey, she got something, and it was amazing!

Kneeling down to take the plushie, she looked at malboro in her hand. She then laughed, "I aimed for the moogle though."

"I really thought that you aimed for the malboro."

"Nooo."

"You don't like malboro?"

Eira looked at Cor, "Do you like it?"

"No. Their breath is so stinky and poisonous. And their younglings are troublesome, not as cute as this one of course."

She giggled again, amused that Cor answered about the real malboro and not about the plushie she held. "This one is not malicious."

"Huh? Yes, of course."

Eira looked at Cor's face, being enchanted by his softened gaze. None of them were talking after that, just staring at each other with no words slipping from their lips.

She loved him. She didn't even remember that he was five years younger than her father. It felt like a dream, spending time in this game center together, she still couldn't believe that the marshal agreed to play with her. They were so close, so close… But more than this, they would only crush each other.

Gulping, Eira dismissed her thought then looked down at the plushie in her hands.

"For you," she said, handing him the little malboro.

Cor froze, more creases formed on his forehead. "Huh?"

"Ah, um…" she just realized that it was weird giving the plushie to the marshal. Quickly thinking about some reasons, she then added, "Think of it as a keepsake for the marshal's first visit to the game center?"

Cor stared at her for a few seconds before looking the other way while rubbing his chin. She blinked, not trusting her eyes for catching a glimpse of red blush on his cheeks.

The man didn't reply, and it made her restless.

"You don't want it?" he asked.

"No. I think it would be cute if the marshal had a plushie." Oh no, Eira… Cute? What did you say? She hoped that her face wasn't reddened when she said that. "So… Do you have any plushies?"

"No."

"W-Well… It's settled then. Your first plushie!" Eira cursed her mouth for blabbering meaningless reasons to give him the plushie.

Cor didn't take it right away. But he cleared his throat and rubbed his face instead.

"Well…" The man looked confused and hesitated. But at the end, he took the plushie and said, "Thanks."

"No problem."

Oh, how happy she was right now to give a first present ever to her beloved marshal.

He didn't want Eira to see that his hand was slightly trembling as he took the stuffed malboro from her tiny hands. He carefully took it, avoiding skin contact with her. Simple, because the heat from her skin would linger for hours if he touched her.

The time when the malboro was safely arrived in his hands, he stared at it. Heat filled his heart the moment he caught the peeking eyes from malboro's mouth. Damn. This was the first present from Eira… and probably, he wouldn't see the malboro the same way anymore.

"If only the real malboro is this cute," he mumbled.

"What a shame."

"Right…"

Cor averted his gaze from the malboro to look at the pair of adorable eyes before him. He wondered how a young woman could be this enchanting.

Tonight was so fun. Never in his life that he had this much fun before. And if it wasn't because of her, he would never experience this kind of thing.

He was so grateful to be with her… Even though their relationship would never be more than this. Just working partners who loved to eat dinner together...

Cor blinked when she looked the other way. Eira looked down to the watch on her wrist then awkwardly suggested, "So… Um… Shall we go home, Sir?"

Sir…

Cor was displeased. She kept calling him as marshal or sir, and it made him regret asking her to call him by his name. He understood that it was impossible for her to call him in a casual way.

Cor, just Cor.

The request he made as subtle yearning that he wanted to be closer to her. To stand at the same position. To be a friend. Not as a marshal of the crownsguard and a medic.

"Marshal?" She called him again.

"Hei," Cor gulped. He glanced at the clawing machine then looked back at her. "You… still call me marshal…"

She gasped. Mouth agape for a few seconds, she then stuttered, "Eh? Um.. I… Uh…"

Cor looked at the way she bit her lower lips and averted her gaze. He just burdened her with a nonsense request, it seemed. Who did Cor think he was to her, asking to be called by only his name without his title as honorific. He knew how stupid he was to have a desire not to be called marshal nor sir by her. Wanted to be closer while he should have built a stronger fortress between them, thinking that being friends would be better, as they would never be lovers.

"It's okay. Don't mind it." Cor sighed, giving up about it. He wanted to apologize, actually. However, after he thought about it, Cor decided that it would be better to pretend such a conversation regarding his request the other night after their dinner at his home never happened.

Looking at the stuffed toy in his hand, Cor suggested, "Shall we go back? It's already late."

"U… Um…" Eira nodded.

Cor gave a wry smile then turned his body. Ah, he just ruined this day by complaining the way she called him. It wasn't a big deal before. Why should he make such a fuss about it?

With disappointment that pricked his heart, Cor began to move his feet, walking before her toward the building entrance.

"C-Cor…"

But then a whisper halted his step.

It felt like his heart stopped beating for a split second when he heard that adorable voice from behind. Turning around, he looked at Eira. Her face was red, and fuck she just called his name. He didn't misheard it, did he?

"I-I've tried my best." Eira tried hard to raise her voice—unlike the previous whisper when she called his name—before scurrying to the door.

Cor was stunned for a second.

He then quickly turned his body to look at the small figure of a young woman he loved running outside.

A soft chuckle escaped his throat.

Rubbing his temple, Cor took a deep breath. Oh the Six...