Teppei reached the restaurant at 6pm, as instructed. Before going in, he gave himself a quick check in the window. He slicked back some stray hairs, checked his white jacket for stains, turned his green turtleneck right-side-out, and pressed a hand down his dark pants to smooth the exceptional rumples.

Something told him he had Sunny's standards in mind as well as the restaurant's.

Not that it wasn't a high-class establishment with a dress code. Well-appointed patrons trickled in and out of the lobby. Ladies with faux fur coats mingled with gentlemen in suits and hats. Teppei was glad he hadn't just gone with his Reviver's uniform. Though folks tended to bestow special treatment on a Reviver in uniform in Life.

House on the Rock had a regal rock-encrusted exterior, and a dark, intimate interior with glass chandeliers dotting the ceiling like pale jewels. He could see why Sunny might like it. A waiter approached him and said that his dinner partner was already waiting, could he guide him to the table? Teppei nodded and was led through a prairie of cream-colored tablecloths. 6pm seemed early enough to avoid the dinner rush, as the establishment was sparsely populated.

He felt the tendrils glide over his skin first, then he saw their pastel origin, floating out of a booth for two. Sunny glimmered in the restaurant setting, like an opal set in a pewter ring.

"I already ordered an apertif, I hope you don't mind," Sunny said as Teppei slid into the small booth.

"I hope you don't mind it being your treat," Teppei laughed. "Someone like me rarely goes into places like this."

Sunny raised a glass to his lips. "Surely you can't mean you're poor, Teppei."

"No, not really. I just don't come to this sort of place without occasion. Not to be insulting, but it doesn't hold a lot of appeal for me."

"None taken. An appreciation for the finer things in life isn't something that I've come to expect from others. Although I do hope you are moved by this particular experience."

Teppei's heart skipped a beat, but his awkwardness was overridden by the arrival of candied Crab Nuts in Raspberry sauce. Pleasant chatter followed with Charis Lobster Soup, Tuna Fingerlings, Cinderella Beef, and Golden Carrot noodles. Teppei loved noodles.

He was wiping the sauce from his mouth, pleased as could be, when the waiter appeared with two cups. Inside were large Lavender Lotus flowers, topped with small dollops of pastel ice cream.

"Do you like it? Yosaku gave me a recipe for flower freezes. It's all edible."

"Wowee," Teppei hesitatingly bit into a thick petal. It had a smooth, rich taste like sweet cream. "It's delicious!"

"And the ice cream in the middle is also floral."

"Yum. I taste roses and honeysuckle."

"The green is juniper mint," added Sunny. "Mmm, it's truly exquisite."

Their spoons clanked at the bottom of the cups at the same time. Teppei smiled. "That was delicious, Sunny, thank you." Sunny flushed, or maybe that was his imagination.

A waiter arrived with fluted pink glasses. "Your Cherry Zinfandel."

Sunny smiled slyly. "A full-course meal isn't over until the drink. Join me on the balcony, Tep?"

Although the inside was nothing to scoff at, House on the Rock was better known for its spectacular view. Set atop a cliff, it overlooked much of the city of Life. Sunset's orange tones saturated the landscape below.

Teppei and Sunny leaned over the balcony, glasses in hand, soaking in the colored light and air. Sunny's tendrils curled around Teppei's arms and brushed against his face. In the warm light, and warm air, with the deliciously warming dessert wine, Teppei felt ridiculously sated.

"Thanks again, Sunny. This was really nice. But why go through the trouble?"

Sunny looked poetically at the brimming sunset. "To experience a moment like this. Don't you think the greatest moments are reached through beautiful toil?"

"This moment, huh?"

Teppei looked at Sunny, who glimmered shades of coral, orange and pink. The light cast a softness about his sharp features. His bottom lip at least, looked incredibly soft when the glass dented it and Sunny swallowed the last of his Zinfandel.

"Tep."

The Reviver instinctively set his empty glass aside.

More and more of Sunny's tendrils were flocking to him, curling and twisting about his body. Sunny drew a step nearer, searching Teppei's face.

Teppei leaned in and Sunny gently but firmly met his lips with a kiss.

The world narrowed to Sunny's warm, insistent mouth against his. He was too busy melting into those inviting lips to breathe, until Sunny broke the kiss. Air only flowed into his lungs for a second before Sunny took his mouth again.

This kiss went deeper, pressing tongue to tongue. Teppei made a muffled noise into Sunny's mouth, and was rewarded with deeper probing. They were both trembling, even Sunny's tendrils were shaking, and the kiss broke. Teppei pressed his cheek against Sunny's, and Sunny's strong arms clasped around his back. He shivered at the promise in those arms.

"Will you join me upstairs?" Sunny whispered in his ear. "The hotel gave me a room in exchange for the Lavender Lotus Freeze recipe."

Teppei's heart raced, but for some reason he couldn't hold back a smile. "Hoo boy. I guess I'll be getting a lot more commissions for those."

Their bodies shifted, until Teppei was gazing deep into Sunny's blue eyes. They sparkled with life, brighter than any jewel.

"I really like you Tep. I think I'll like you even better in bed," Sunny said.

Teppei's knees turned to jelly. "Me too, Sunny."

A/N: Aaaand here's where the story ends on FanFiction. The full, unedited version is being posted chapter-by-chapter on ArchiveOfOurOwn, under the same title.

Although I'm thinking of posting an edited version of the rest of the story here, just so all of you awesome people reading the fic here can see what happens. I really do appreciate the people who are reading this!