Beneath the Stars

By Gold Sparrow

Valentine's Special:

Dinner-date

A lovely evening where threats are traded, knives are thrown, and Sinbad ruins Valentine's for everyone.

Zein & Sin

"So," Zeina drawls, sipping her wine. "You chose me as your valentine, hm?"

"Wouldn't pick anyone else," Sinbad chimes, giving a wide grin. Zeina rolls her eyes, amused.

"Two years ago I believe you picked a redhead because her "hair was the color of love". Or am I wrong?" Sinbad winces at her sharp memory.

"Didn't you pick that male model to bring to dinner last year?"

"Only because you picked up the victoria's secret model, bragged about it, and then suggested we double date," Her voice is wry, but also very teasing, almost as if the memory was somehow fond to her.

"Touche!" Sinbad wields an imaginary sword, like a fencer. "But now that we're dating, it's only natural for me to take my woman to dinner."

"Mmm, yes, little Italy." Zeina laughs when she looks around the small restaurant, a simple place with awesome chicken alfredo. "If I let you pick the place, however, we'd be dining in some four-star high-rise building."

"I don't understand why you hate high-class restaurants,"

"They're expensive and lack the simple joys of the little places." She clarifies to him, her nose up as if she's better than that. "And I like the privacy."

"Priva- crap." Sinbad quickly locks gazes with Zeina, whispering, "Aishia and the devil just walked in."

Zeina casually peeks over her shoulder and then giggles at Sinbad.

"How are you guys in a fight?"

"He thinks I'm the one who got Masrur to ask Catrina out. Now I'm dead to him."

"Just lay low and don't ruin dinner," She commands quietly, sipping more of her wine. "And if you do ruin dinner you better get me damn good chocolates."

Ai & That Guy She's Married To

Aishia loved italian food, which is why she chose the restaurant. Her only regret was that she didn't realize Sinbad and Zeina were actually dining there, despite Sinbad's email about how good the place was. She was friends with Zeina of course, but...

"I take it you don't like Sinbad?" Aishia says, giggling. Her husband frowns deeply, unamused.

"He's always there. It's like stalking, but he always plays it off like accidents."

Aishia giggles, leaning forward with her elbows, getting into his line of vision.

"Dear, it's Valentine's. Unless you're finally going to be confessing your feelings to Mr. Tison, please pay attention to your wife." He begins to smile before his eyes catch the movement of the restaurant's door and his face pales.

"Oh hell no," He growls. Aishia inwardly groans and looks at the door. Their daughter and her boyfriend walk in hand in hand, Catrina beaming at him. Aishia had dragged her husband out to dinner because she knew that Catrina was planning on having a date with Masrur and that her father would have an aneurysm if he found out.

The Amala laughs a bit hopelessly and grips her husband's hand.

"Don't get angry-"

"If he hurts my baby girl I will destroy him."

Cat & Rory

It was a dream come true.

Catrina had begged her mom to get her dad out of the house so that she could go out with her boyfriend, and it worked like a charm. Catrina had time to do girly things she usually didn't do: putting on makeup, fixing her hair, wearing the pretty dress Centola had helped her buy. It was Valentine's and also the first year she got to celebrate it with a beau, and she was extremely excited.

The night started out great. She got picked up by Masrur at six and they went to a movie. During it she laid her head on his shoulder, and every now and then he squeezed her hand- usually when something romantic happened on screen. It was sweet. Then they decided to go to dinner, choosing a little italian restaurant that seemed nice and was reasonably empty; not to mention Masrur said that Sinbad suggested it.

She wasn't paying attention to the rest of of the restaurant when she went in, preferring instead to just focus on her boyfriend and think about how awesome it was to have a boyfriend. Though he was older, she liked Masrur a lot and neither of them were planning on doing much of anything until she was older.

"What's your favorite color?" Catrina smiles cheekily, her cheeks probably pink. Masrur rolls his eyes but he's smiling slightly.

"I like red...I guess."

"Lucky you," She hums, pointing to his hair color. He runs a hand through his hair and nods, sitting down at their assigned table. She sits as well, not looking at the menu. "What do you think looks good?"

He scans through and shrugs.

"I hear the chicken alfredo is good-"

"HI." Both flinch at the loud shout. Alarmed, they look across the restaurant where Catrina's parents sit, her Dad looking like a murderer wearing a way too wide smile. "HOW'S IT GOING GUYS?"

"Daddy!" Catrina squeals. She quickly tries to devise a way to get Masrur out of the restaurant without him dying, watching how her father's hand twitches toward the knife on his table.

Oh god not another Mother's day incident.

"It's not what it looks like, Daddy," She tries, wishing she wasn't wearing make up and that her hair wasn't pinned up with her mother's pretty barrette.

"That's a nice dress, Cat," Her dad responds, hand curling around the knife.

"Thanks, Daddy."

"BUT NO BOY SHOULD SEE MY DAUGHTER LOOKING SO PRETTY!" He yells. It's then that Catrina sees Sinbad in the corner trying to slink into his chair.

"Mr. Tison!" Catrina yells, trying to distract her father. "Thanks for the heads up about this restaurant! It's wonderful!"

Sinbad pales as he realizes that she just hardcore threw him under the bus. Her dad instantly turns to him as Masrur gives a small cough that she recognizes as his laugh.

"Nice," He tells her as she points to the front door. He quickly presses a kiss to the top of her head before darting out the door, saying, "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," She says dreamily, before watching her father throw the knife at the wall and see it lodge in firmly.

Then Centola and Alibaba walk in.

And it gets better.

Cent & Ali

Centola should've known not to go into the restaurant purely because of the ominous vibe, but Sinbad sent out this email about how great the place was, so she decided to give it a try. Also, she was craving chicken alfredo and Alibaba was being so cute and dorky about privacy. Though it wasn't technically a date, Centola did ask Alibaba to be her valentine since she wanted the boys at their schools to leave her alone. Alibaba had agreed, and took her out to dinner in order to fulfil his "valentine" duties.

The whole time before Centola was giddy and excited, picking out a dress to wear with Catrina when they went shopping at that friday. She also had snuck over to Catrina's house to get ready with the Fanalis-Amala, which was super fun.

When Alibaba picked her up, he had a bouquet of red roses that made her want to squeal. She put them in a vase in her room before leaving her house and inquiring what he wanted to do. He had sputtered so adorably, complimenting how pretty she looked and also nervously asking if she wanted to go out to eat. She had said yes and enjoyed watching his attempts to be casual about the whole thing.

Then into the restaurant/hell.

She first saw Catrina sipping lemonade, then watched Cat's dad try to kill Sinbad with his glare. Sinbad and Zeina were pretending not to notice it, but Zeina was smiling a shit-eating smile that seemed out of place on her beautiful face. Aishia was sort of ignoring all of them and looking slightly like she wanted her husband to pay more attention to her rather than another man.

"We can always leave," Alibaba whispered, but Centola made the fatal mistake of smiling and saying it would be alright.

She was wrong.

Ja'whore & the She-Demon

"I can't believe I'm taking you on a date," Ja'far groans, pressing on the gas of the car. Beside him, Khadeja gracefully gives him the finger before responding,

"You lost the bet fair and square. Now I get free dinner." The bet had something to do with live roosters and Asad, but he didn't really want to get into that. Now he was spending his Valentine's taking a woman who drove him mad out to dinner.

"Let's go here," Khadeja points to an italian place, "It looks fun...And I'm pretty sure Sinbad suggested it to me."

"Sure, yeah." He parks outside, carefully taking out the keys to the car.

"You're paying."

"That was the deal," He grumbles, grabbing his wallet. While he didn't really want to go to dinner, he still tried to look nice with a dress shirt and tie. He felt a little outclassed by Khadeja, who had actually decided to look better than her usual t-shirt and jeans. She wore a white blouse and navy skirt with heels, and she actually looked really pretty.

It bothered him because he knew she was secretly a she-devil, even though she didn't look that way with lip gloss on.

He was so preoccupied with these thoughts that he didn't notice who was in the restaurant until he was seated.

Then he looked up and saw Sinbad sending him a clear signal to save his ass.
…

I just wanted chicken alfredo.

Eri & Ei

"Italian?"

"Sure!" Hakuei happily chirps, pointing to a sweet, unassuming restaurant. It wasn't like they were out on a date, but neither had plans for Valentine's and to save himself from having to go up to his family's house he asked Hakuei if she wanted dinner. Luckily Eren knew the italian place would be open, he received an email from Sinbad about how good it was.

So, together, they made their way to the restaurant.

Eren opened the door like a gentleman, ushering Hakuei in.

Then regretted being born.

"What'd you say about my mother you-?!"

"-SINBAD THAT'S NOT-"

"-more lemonade, please!"

"Ali, put that menu down-!"

"-Don't let him pick up that knife-!"

"Chinese?" Eren quickly suggests, and Hakuei nods rapidly. They turn just as Khadeja grabs the back of their shirts.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asks chillingly. "The chicken alfredo is great tonight."

He should've known this would happen. He should've peered through the windows, or just looked.

DAMN YOU HINDSIGHT!

En & Mei & Mei

Like the many before him, Koumei didn't actually look into the italian restaurant before entering, but his story was different. He was going out to dinner with his girlfriend, Ting Mei. Like every year, Valentine's was pretty much the only day that he made an effort in being romantic; not that Ting Mei cared very much, the angel.

But unfortunately, he was distracted.

Not by her eyes, no, that would be too sweet.

Not by a car crash, no, that'd be too dark.

He was distracted by the clingy nature of his dateless elder brother. Since Kouen was crashing and Koumei's because his house was being fumigated, Ting Mei made the mistake of casually asking if he wanted to come to dinner. She was only saying it because Kouen looked lonely in front of the couch, she didn't expect him to say yes.

But he did, and now was strolling casually in between Koumei and his girlfriend.

Koumei loved his brother, but was probably going to strangle him.

Then, they entered the restaurant.

Suddenly they were confronted with the sight of Khadeja trying to stab Sinbad as Alibaba and Catrina fight in the corner and Aishia threatens to end her marriage by running away with Zeina to Las Vegas.

They realize just how big a mistake they've made.

But as they turn to leave, they find the exit blocked by a very solemn Eren and Hakuei.

"Where do you think you're going?" Eren asks, his eyes shadowed by his hair. Hakuei finishes, her voice dead,

"The chicken is great."

Asad & 'Gyoku

Asad looked across the street, spotting a nice looking italian restaurant on the corner. Beside him and holding onto his arm was his girlfriend, Kougyoku. She spots the same sight as him and gushes,

"Oh! Sinbad said that place has great food! We should go."

But because Asad actually has the sense to narrow his eyes and peer through the window, and because he doesn't like Sinbad talking to his girl, he shakes his head.

"Oh hell nah, 'Gyoku. I just saw Khadeja suckerpunch Ja'far. I am not going in there."

"Really?" Kougyoku eagerly tries to look in even as her boyfriend starts to pull her toward an open, civilized restaurant. "A suckerpunch?"

Yamu & Yunan

"Happy Valentine's day, honey," Yunan coos, kissing his wife's temple. Yamu gasps happily and hugs her husband, staring at her gift with wonder.

"How'd you do this?"

"It took a lot of work and some identity theft, but I managed," Yunan proudly points in the window of the restaurant, beaming at the several fights going on at once. "I hacked Sinbad's email and sent out messages to everyone telling them to come here for dinner. Isn't it great, my dearest?"

"Oh, baby…" Yamu kisses her husband, her heart warmed by his unique gift. "You shouldn't have."

"Oh, but I'm so glad I did. And now everyone's going to blame Sinbad!" Yunan nods, happily. "What a good Valentine's day. Hey, wanna go get fondue now? Bad's over at Aladdin's."

"Oooh, fondue! Fancy."

And the couple leaves the chaotic restaurant in the dust.

Bad & Aladdin

"Oh, hey, Bad?"

"Yes?" Bad turns and Aladdin smiles at her, handing her a heart-shaped box.

"I got you chocolates! Happy Valentine's!"

Bad accepts the gift dumbly, staring for several seconds. then she blushes heavily and practically shouts,

"T-t-t-t-thank y-you!"

Happy Valentine's day, guys! I spent today writing this, cleaning my room and hoping that the boy I like would ask me out. But what else is new, right? Thanks for reading! Have a romantic day~

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~