"Hey Sofia!" Cedric called out upon spotting a certain maiden up ahead all by herself. She immediately turned to his direction and smiled
"Ceedric?" She smiled from afar "What are you doing there?"
The sorcerer did a gesture of inviting her, and she nodded. Sofia made her way to him under the shade of the tree and notices he was eating lunch
She sat next to him and he offered her some sandwiches. Gratefully, she took some and eat one for herself. It was a past noon, almost afternoon, and she was getting hungry so there's that
As she turned to him, he notices he looks rather happy today "It's rare to see you outside for once" she hummed with a soft tone
"Come on, I may be a shut-in but I do like the fresh air once in a while" Cedric then took out more sandwiches from the basket "You want more?"
"Don't mind if I do~" Sofia hummed as she eagerly took three from the basket. Cedric looked at her with rather a surprised expression as she munches sandwiches down not so princess-like. Sofia only gave him a goofy smile in response
"I kinda had too much work today so I kinda missed breakfast and lunch… that's why"
"Oof, no wonder.." Cedric then offered her the entire basket "Here, have some more"
"I'm very sorry for eating your sandwiches." She frowned in guilt as he was reading the situation
"What are we strangers? Eat all you want, you need the energy" He then stretched his arms and leaned on the tree. Sofia did the same as they just watched the view from the shade of the tree
"The sandwiches are very yummy by the way.. Did you make them?" Sofia commented as she finished a sandwich from her hand
"Not really. Ma made them" he responded
"Winifred the Wise!?" she looked at him
He nodded
"Now it all makes sense" Sofia commented as she took another sandwich from the basket
"Wow.. that's harsh, Princess. Are you saying it makes sense that the sandwiches taste so good because I didn't make them" he looked at her from the corner of his eyes
Turning to him, Sofia took a bite of the sandwich and winked at Cedric "Maybeee~"
"Well, ain't you a sweetheart?" Looking ahead, he sarcastically uttered with a smirk on his face
A sudden silence soon followed as the calming sound of the wind passing by and the swaying of the grass made it seem like everything was gonna be okay in the world. Cedric wanted to close his eyes and nap, but it would be quite rude to sleep while Sofia next to him is still eating. And so, he decided not to.
As he thought of her, he turned to Sofia. His eyes widened upon seeing ten wraps of sandwiches on the basket… and Sofia was still eating one.
He chuckled upon noticing this "I really hope you won't be doing this in your next dates, Sofia"
Hearing this made Sofia's eyebrows furrow as she wipes her lips with a napkin "What's a date?"
Surprised, he turned to her "You don't know what a date is?"
Sofia shook her head "You mean what day it is?"
He chuckled slightly upon hearing her remark. The princess was as innocent as ever "No, I mean like… a date date?"
"Oh… what's a date date?" she grew curious about this
"Well…" The sorcerer scooted closer to her and rested his hand on her shoulder "A date is something you do with someone you have feelings on or someone you like. It could be a place nice where you can talk about some interesting things about yourselves…"
"I see.."
Cedric nodded "That's why you need to be in your best behavior in dates. Something like eating too much might discourage the man you're on a date with"
Hearing this made her frown "Well.. there would be no point then going on a date with someone if they won't like me because I'm very hungry"
"Well err… in different circumstances" Even Cedric grew confused of this "Eh never mind. You're probably still too young to know about this anyways"
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There was silence that soon followed after that conversation as they just stared into nothingness while laying down on the tree. But eventually, Sofia notices quite something as she looked in Cedric's way
"So let me get this straight…" Sofia looked around a mellow look on her face
"uhuh" Cedric hummed while drinking his water
The princess then looked at him with intent "This is a nice place and we're spending time together.."
Cedric also looked around "Yeah, that's right.."
"And then we're eating food together"
"That's also right.." Cedric responded
In that moment, an idea came to Sofia as a sudden bright and happy smile gazed her face
"We're on a date!" she smiled excitingly
"Yeah~" he didn't seem to notice what it meant, but when he did… "I mean no…"
The sorcerer heaved out a nervous chuckle as he looked at her "We're just… friends."
"Well… it makes sense. You invited me here to eat and tell stories together" Sofia explained carefully "So.. you want to have a date with me?"
"Woah woah.. hold your horses there, Sofia–"
"It all makes sense now~" Sofia leered at him which immediately made him uncomfortable. He had to clarify something for sure
"Well, firstly, you need to actually like someone to have a date with him–"
"Well I do like you, Ceedric" she smiled at him
"Well I'm flattered for that, Princess Sofia. I like you too but it's different"
"How is it different?"
"You have to actually LIKE someone to date him"
"Well I LIKE you, Ceedric" Sofia was quick to defend her stance "I LIKE you because you're impatient, and sulky.."
"Wow, thank you for that.."
"Aha-ha-ha!" Sofia giggled on the spot upon seeing his reaction
"and unironically kind… and patient.." Sofia paused for a second as she looked at him with sincerity "And despite my mistakes, and my goofy side. Never once did you ever hate me for being who I am~"
Touched, Cedric looked at her with nervousness. The girl was smiling at him and he didn't know what to say.. or do
"Well uh… thanks?"
"You're welcome!~" She cheered in response as she stood to her feet. She fixed the mess that was on the ground and made sure to tidy up
"It's settled then.. I'll tell everyone that Mr. Ceedric and I are officially dating!"
Hearing this immediately brought him on his feet "Wait what!?"
"Don't worry, I'll explain to them that we like each other"
"Wait what… I don't like you that way"
"You just told me you did earlier." Sofia bit back with an amused expression
Looking back on memory lane, it was true. Cedric did say that. Remembering this made him freeze on the spot as a grimace forms on his face.
Upon seeing Cedric's expressions, Sofia can't hold it in anymore as a sudden wave of merriment came to her. Laughing, Sofia was literally holding her tummy while currently having the best fun of her life
"Aha-ha-ha!" Sofia wiped a tear from her eyes caused from all the laughing. "Just kidding!"
Meanwhile, a frown was on Cedric's face. Opposite to what Sofia is feeling right now, the man is not amused at all
"Then why didn't you tell me in the jump.."
"Because I wanted to see how you would react~"
She was as annoying as ever. But as he pondered about what it all means… does that mean what she said about liking him
"And if you're thinking if I was lying when I said I like you, I wasn't." her voice immediately cut his thoughts
"W-what are you talking about.. I wasn't thinking about that."
"Sure you weren't~" she leaned in closer to see his face, but he keeps on avoiding her gaze
"Suit yourself then…" Cedric leaned back on the tree, in which Sofia followed suit. And there, they just sat in silence – watching the noon pass by with the ambient noise of the breeze of the wind pass them by
"Hey Ceedric?" Sofia finally broke the silence
"Yeah?"
"How long does a date last?"
"For how long as you like, Princess Sofia" He looked at her
Hearing this, she embraced her knees up front while giving him the most adorable stare ever…
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"Well then I'd love this date to last forever~"