Super short chapter guys! Not much happens, but I thought something would be better than nothing. Also, no more beating around the bush! Yay!
When Dylas woke up that morning, he seriously considered ignoring the dwarf all day, but of course that wouldn't accomplish anything. No, he had to return the favour, so then they'd be even. He didn't want Doug having the upper hand, even if he wasn't sure what that was in this situation.
So he got to work making sashimi out of the fish he'd caught in Porco's kitchen before the chef woke up. That didn't take long, but he was so focussed on making the sashimi that he didn't notice the chef come up behind him. "SUPER Good morning!" Porco said, startling the horse so much that he almost cut his fingers off.
"Good morning." He responded as he quickly wrapped the sashimi for later. If he wasn't careful Porco would end up eating it and then he'd have to catch more fish. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but right now he had to get his repayment date over with. He made his way to the door, only to have Porco start prying.
"And where are you off too in such a hurry?"
Since he couldn't say what he was up to, he made up a very believable lie. "I'm going fishing."
The chef seemed to believe it and replied simply, "bring some back for moi!"
"Yeah." He responded before heading out. For a while he wondered if he should seek out Doug directly, or wander around and make their meeting look like an accident. Going direct seemed like the best course of action, so that's what he did.
He found the dwarf just outside the shop sweeping up. So he approached without a hint of subtlety and eventually locked eyes. Doug had an unreadable expression, but for some reason Dylas could tell that he was expecting something.
"Doug." He said finally.
"Yeah?"
"I want to, uh, repay you for yesterday."
Doug got a mischievous grin on his face hearing that. "Oh really?" There was really nothing to repay him for, since the 'date' had been totally free. "Is this your way of saying you like me?"
"Shut up!" He barked back, blushing slightly. "I just don't want to have to owe you."
Doug just rolled his eyes and went along with it. It seemed like a legitimate excuse, but he knew it was just a guise. "Fine, fine. So where are we going?"
Well, they obviously couldn't go to Porcoline's kitchen, so he couldn't take him there for free food. Of course, he was already prepared for that. "I think I know a place." Dylas said. It was a place outside of town, so no one would see them. There was no special significance to the place, it was just a clearing where they could eat together.
It was just outside the water ruins. Dylas seemed pretty content being around here. He took out two portions of sashimi for them that he made himself. Technically it was free, even if Dylas caught the fish and cut it up himself, but he liked doing that anyway. "Have a seat."
They both sat down and started eating. Doug wasn't particularly fond of sashimi, but it was free food, so he'd take it. They ate in relative silence again, and once the sashimi was gone, Doug broke the silence.
"Hey, Dylas?"
"Yeah?"
"Now I owe you." The dwarf said with a sly grin.
"Wha-"
"It's only fair right?"
Dylas thought about that for a moment. Clearly this was going to continue, but really that didn't seem like such a bad thing. So he decided it was time to go direct instead of dancing around the subject like they've been doing. "Doug, are you asking me out?" He couldn't believe he actually asked that, but it didn't seem as strange after all that's happened.
"I've been pretty into you." Doug admitted. "So uh, whatdaya say?" It was pretty point blank. Might as well just ask. Worst case scenario, they go back to being the eternal rivals they were before. That wasn't so bad really.
"I uh," For the briefest of moments, he wanted to say no. The more he thought about it though, the more he thought it was a good idea. When he first came to this town, Doug seemed to be there the most, always tormenting him. He was able to come out of his shell because of the dwarf constantly picking fights with him, tormenting him, getting him to say stupid things. Perhaps giving him a chance wouldn't be so bad. "I could give it a shot." What did he just agree to? Even he couldn't believe it.
Doug's jaw dropped, but he was happy. "Seriously?" He couldn't deny that he wasn't expecting that. Either way, he smiled. "Well then, should we change what we call each other?" Every couple seemed to do that in Selphia, so he thought maybe they should too.
"No! I mean, our names are fine."
"Oh good, I won't have to make the effort to learn another name." Doug said, basking in his laziness.
There was silence for a brief moment, and then Dylas spoke, "so, is that it?"
"I guess so."
"We are- officially a couple now?"
"Yeah."
"Oh."
There was another pause. Doug Just smiled and said to his horsey companion, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow. I gotta pay you back after all."
"I- uh, okay."
So tomorrow would be their first 'official' date as a couple. Maybe it would be fun to not have to pretend they were only spending time together out of some kind of obligation or to one up each other. Perhaps now they could find out just how compatible they really were.
"Do you want me to take you back now?" Dylas asked. He still had to get some fish for Porcoline since he said he would.
Doug seemed fine with that. "Sure." He said. Soon they were back in Selphia and off on their separate ways again.
Super short chapter, but oh well. I'll be fast forwarding a little in the next chapter maybe!