Auraleous opened his mouth, wanting to say something romantic like he would have come if Narciso had only asked, or that there were other ways of finding him without needing to involve half the city and endangering civilians but would he? Would he have gone if all Narciso had asked? Or would he have brushed off the villain's plea as nothing more than a waste of time, another grab at attention when Auraleous' attention was already split in so many directions needing to keep up his appearance as city hero, keep everyone safe, and live a relatively normal life with his cats…alone. He closed his mouth and offered a small smile.
"Perhaps it was necessary," he admitted softly, glancing around the parking lot as other guests of the restaurant began recognizing Auraleous and taking pictures. Clad in a suit and arm-in-arm with the very recognizable Narciso, there shouldn't have been a doubt in Auraleous' mind that they would have been recognized. Though for a naive moment, he thought he could get away with being normal by having a normal date with Narciso. He flashed a small smile towards the few people pointing their cameras and shook his head, politely asking for no photos as he guided Narciso into the restaurant, a secure hand at the small of his back as they ducked inside. Thankfully, the restaurant was spread out enough that they would have a bit of privacy as they enjoyed their meal. Already recognized by their host, the pair were led to their reserved table without much fanfare and thankfully left to contemplate wine and meal options while looking out the riverside-facing windows that nearly touched the ceiling.
"You've always had a knack for getting me to go where you are, where you want me to go. Sometimes out of necessity, other times I was genuinely interested in seeing what you could do." He chuckled softly as he looked over the wine option.
Narciso, in his own eccentric way, had fascinated Auraleous. Even when his schemes annoyed or inconvenienced him, taking a step back and analyzing the aftermath of how Narciso concocted his plan impressed Auraleous. It was like trying to catch Sherlock Holmes sometimes, something Auraleous had always thought he was stupid for and, by sheer dumb luck, managed to figure out in the last minute.
He set the wine menu down and watched Narciso from across the table, the light from the candle between them casting a warm glow upon his villain's face, smoothing out his angular features and bringing out the gentle pink in his cheeks and lips. Thankfully he caught himself staring and subtly adjusted his position, now finding Narciso's gaze.
"So," He drawled, a smile crossing his features. "You have me all to yourself. My attention is yours. What was it that you needed from me?" he asked, already having an inkling of what Narciso wanted. What he needed. It's what Auraleous wanted and needed, too. Company. Someone to share a life with. Sure playing cat and mouse was fun but when you've been doing it for however long they've been alive, eventually the cycle gets boring. Auraleous had felt caught by the villain for a long time, but admitting something vulnerable to his so-called capture was harder than any mission he had been assigned.
"Perhaps…" In the corner of his eye, he watched as some people tried to take photos. He bit the inside of his lip while having a strained smile on his face. Looking over at Auraleous, he watched as the hero just smiled gently while asking for them to not take photos. Narciso tried to enjoy that smile he always loved yet he lowered his chin the ground, pretending like those people were never there at all. If only that was the last time he had to do that. Something about the way the host looked at them told him that they knew who the two of them were. Thankfully that interaction came and went as fast as they were seated at a table.
All the villain could do once he sat down was tilt his chin up and constantly move his head around to get a glimpse of the restaurant. He wanted to take it all in, capture it in a mental picture. Would it be too much if he took out his phone and took some real pictures? For a second, he felt like he was in some kind of movie like this was all too good to be true. He laughed at Auraleous's words, "I don't know…Maybe you were just interested in me."
Finding himself sitting up stiff and straight in the chair, he pretened to be cool by relaxing back into the chair. It was so easy before to stare at Auraleous but now he could barely find himself gazing across the table at him. However, he caught his date looking at him and Narciso couldn't resist staring back.
What was it that he needed from Auraleous? Him. Everything. Narciso had no clue really but he knew that he was sick of being alone and wanted to be with Auraleous. He was exhausted of being a villain. He was exhausted of having to create this whole show by threatening people and creating destruction just for the sake of seeing Auraleous again. For years and years, they have been doing this. The whole cat and mouse game they've been doing was not enough for him. Sometimes he thought that maybe he was done with the game. But also…
"This is going to sound so stupid…" He laughed a little then looked down at the table while biting on his lower lip. Finding the words was easy but there was a lot on his mind. Narciso sighed, "I keep dreaming of us being together. I've been doing it for so long and so often that sometimes I hate it because you're not there with me. I need…I…need…I just need us to be more than what we have been. I don't need you as my hero or rival. I need you as a date or a partner or a boyfriend of whatever they call it these days."
He shook his head, keeping it down so all he could see was the table cloth and utensils below. "Probably is too much for a first date yet that's it…that's what I need from you, Narciso shrugged, "I always wondered if you ever felt the same." Looking up at Auraleous, he brushed some strands of hair away from this face then asked, "Have you?"
A small smile tugged at the corner of Auraleous's lips as he gazed at his date, his vision going distant for a moment. He couldn't even remember the last time he had sat down and had a real conversation with Narciso. Lives ago probably when he was still naive enough to believe being a good person could bring out the best in other people. On some level he still thought that way, it's why he was a beloved hero. But he had learned it wasn't as easy as he initially thought, certainly not when it came to Narciso. He could also acknowledge there was something fake about his naivety. Something a part of his little hero act, some holier-than-thou mentality he had caught along the way but not something Auraleous himself thought as something to live by. He knew relationships, romantic or otherwise took work. Just believing in someone to be a good person on their own wasn't enough sometimes.
"I'm sorry," He replied softly, offering a tentative smile. "That it took me this long to realize you didn't need saving from some hero. That the world didn't need saving from you. You waited for someone who wouldn't show up even if I were standing right before you." He took a deep breath, glancing away momentarily to gather his thoughts. He had gone from casually leaning back in his chair to now slightly hunched over, toying with the cloth napkin off to the side, anything to keep his hands occupied while he tried to make sense as to why his heart raced every time he looked at Narciso.
"It's not stupid." He reassured me when he was able to look back at his date. "It's…normal. In an eternity of life we've lived you start to miss the mundane aspects of life. Even if you haven't experienced them yet. I thought us being together like we were, fighting each other, villain and hero, banter and shameless flirting was our normal. To suggest anything else seemed out of the realm of possibility. I honestly thought you'd be sick of me by now." he admitted, raking a hand through his hair before folding his hands on the table and resorting to gently bouncing his leg under the table instead.
"I meant what I said at the museum. I'm yours, Stormcloud. That's been true for our existence, and I don't plan on changing that. I do, however, want to change how we're together. I want more of this." He gestured between them. "More dinner dates, more going out to the movies or taking pottery classes or just going out on a whim. Though I wouldn't be opposed to sneaking into a closed museum at midnight again." He grinned, letting himself relax a bit as he got more comfortable. "No more playing hero and villain. I don't think it'll be that easy to break away from the agency, but at least between us, I don't want that to be our relationship anymore." Auraleous leaned forward, bringing himself a little closer to Narciso and slowly reaching across the table to catch his hand, gently holding it between them. "I want to be what you need. I want you to be what I need. Not because either of us has to out of some unspoken obligation or guilt but because we want to." He leaned back as a waiter came over, offering their wine of the night as well as some appetizer options to start with. Auraleous's gaze lingered on Narciso for a few moments before he turned his attention to the waiter and ordered a Chardonnay as well as the house special soup as an appetizer, all without letting go of Narciso.
Watching the hero toy with the cloth napkin was a sight to see, Narciso couldn't help himself as he smiled sheepishly. "But you are not just "some hero," Auraleous," He tried to assure, "I always needed you…just in a different way."
It was easier glancing over at Auraleous when he wasn't looking over at him. Anytime he stared at Narciso, the villain would get flustered. His date's words beat along with his heart bouncing in his chest. "I'd never get bored of you," Narciso whispered after shaking his head.
"Oh…" He blushed at the comment about sneaking into the museum, but it was clear that he agreed with it also. "It will be okay, we can do it…I don't want that to be our relationship anymore either." He knew that this would not instantly change overnight. It would not be easy for either of them, and it certainly wouldn't be easy for the agency (if they ever would, Narciso did not know and he did not care about the agency to be honest.) Yet, it didn't matter to him. He wanted, he yearned to be in a relationship with Auraleous. Not as hero and villain as they always have been for centuries.
When the waiter came to the table, he tried to pull his hand away, thinking that his date would do the same. But Auraleous did not, he didn't let go. Narciso's worries melted away as he managed to relax himself. Gently squeezing Auraleous's hand, he sighed while staring across the table at his date as he talked to the waiter.
Just as the waiter left, he said, "Then let's do it. Let's do it all. Let's go out whenever we can to restaurants like this or a park or a museum or the movies or at one of our places…Whatever!" Realizing that his voice might have raised a bit, he stopped himself and cleared his throat. Looking back at Auraleous, he breathed, "Let's be what we need us to be…what we've been wanting us to be for a long time. Let's be us. Isn't it about time that we, yes?"
Auraleous grinned, gently rubbing circles over Narciso's skin "One of our places? So soon, stormcloud. I just met you, and this is our first date." he teased, idly tracing the lines on Narciso's hand. "Though I do like the idea of you meeting my cat. I suppose he's the closest being I have to a parental figure you can get a blessing from for our wedding later." He winked, his smile only growing when he saw Narciso's enthusiasm. Not only for their future dates but for life.
As an immortal, it was hard to keep an interest in life. Tendencies towards dangerous situations only seemed natural when nothing could kill you. Auraleous was guilty of getting into some pretty bad situations if only to spark his lust for life again in particularly bad times. He was eternally grateful he eventually found a decent job and someone who kept him on his toes, someone worth seeing again, even better someone worth living for.
"I think that's the closest you've come to proposing, dear." He couldn't help but laugh, not at Narciso, neer at him but out of the sheer joy his date brought by finally being someone Auraleous could unabashedly be himself around. He took a few deep breaths, if only to save Narciso from blushing even more, and nodded quickly, trying to compose himself. "yes, yes of course it is. you're absolutely right." He breathed a laugh, glancing up again as the waiter came back with the wine selection, making a show of presenting its origins and pouring two glasses, all of which Auraleous was grateful for, as it gave him a chance to recompose.
He felt giddy and somewhat childish as if this truly was his first time meeting Narciso. Flirting and banter were their primary way of communication for lives now; he knew how to handle that as a hero but this was entirely different. This was real. This wasn't something he could, nor ever wanted to, walk away from and go home and lose sleep over. This was a real chance to love someone he's had feelings for for as long as they were alive.
He cradled the wine glass and tipped it towards Narciso, pressing a kiss to their still-linked hands. "A goodbye to the people we were before, never forgotten, and a hello to the better people we wish to be together, now and in the future." He took a slow sip of the wine, savoring the slight sting of alcohol followed by the smooth sweetness.
"What? I….Oh? Oh no, that's not what I- I didn't mean," He exhaled then nervously giggled, "Well I didn't exactly mean you know…" His brows went up for a moment there before he laughed nervously again. Narciso supposed he meant it like that in a way or maybe he didn't. He wasn't really sure but he knew that it would be just to have Auraleous over at his apartment or maybe him at Auraleous's wherever that is. Sometimes he tried to imagine what that would be like. Would he get to live out this little fantasy of his?
Narciso froze in his seat, staring across at Auraleous. The teasing always pulled at his heartstrings; pulling him closer to the hero. Even when it was just regular banter, he would give in but then would spend the rest of the day hoping that all of it was or would become true. And that godforsaken wink too.
For a second, he laughed about his "proposal" then asked, "Too soon? Guess I'll have to try another time." With his free hand, he lightly tugged on his earlobe before letting it rest on his bouncing knee.
Narciso tried to let himself relax when the waiter returned. Watching as the wine was being put on a little showcase, he kept looking at Auraleous through his peripheral. He liked seeing Auraleous as himself. It didn't matter. Hero or normal. Although, this was the first time seeing his date as he is. What he loved about it was that there was not much of a difference between hero Auraleous and normal Auraleous.
After the waiter finished pouring the wine, he thanked him and gently picked up the glass. His breath hitched at the kiss pressed on their linked hands. Narciso was late to tipping the glass. He was even a bit later to taking that first sip. The wine was refreshing to drink. It felt cool against the heat rising from his throat. Even the wine couldn't take the giddiness that radiated throughout himself.
"Please do try, who knows, maybe I'll say yes." He replied with a shrug, a coy smile playing on his lips. He couldn't help but be smitten with Narciso, especially now that he got to observe up close and personal just how his little comments affected his date.
It intrigued him, how Narciso could go from the cocky villain, unafraid and unashamed to make Auraleous blush and weak at the knees with every well-placed comment when they fought, to flustered and soft the moment Auraleous complimented him. He hadn't missed how Narciso had frozen in place for a moment when Auraleous had pulled back from the gentle kiss and it made him inexplicably proud to know he had been the cause of the moment of hesitance and that look in Narciso's eyes…he wanted to see that again, the slightly glazed over sheen they got before they intensely refocused as if he didn't want to miss another moment of their date.
"I can see why you'd always try flirting during our fights now. It's more fun than I had thought."
He teased, breaking eye contact with Narciso to look over their menu options. "Anything you're leaning towards? There's so many good options I don't know what to choose." He contemplated the options, flipping the menu over a few times before he settled on a few comfort items and narrowed down those options. He also looked over dessert options, wondering if one would be too small to share if Narciso wanted to share in the first place.
Narciso sighed at the thought of proposing, "I will. I will try again when you least expect it." It only is their first date and that was already a big thing for him. Staring at Auraleous's smile made him feel like he won some sort of major award. It was warmth and alluring. He couldn't get enough of it.
"What can I say?" Narciso shrugged, "It is one of my favorite things to do." If trying to flirt with Auraleous during a fight was a crime, Narciso would be in prison for a long time. What? He couldn't resist. Funny now how he could barely get a word in now. Even with Auraleous just staring at him, he is head over heels and blushing like crazy. When has he ever been so flustered before?
The hero captivated Narciso. Well, he always did. Auraleous left him speechless time and time again. Narciso wondered what be could do to leave Auraleous as awestruck as the hero has been leaving him. Oh but he wasn't able to think of anything. His mind was empty except for the thoughts of him, the hero, and their date.
He hummed to himself while looking down at the menu. It laid face up on the table. This whole time he was focused on Auraleous and their date that he forgot to get even a glance at what kind of options the restaurant offered. Flipping through the whole thing, he tried to see if there was anything that really stuck out to him. To be honest, he would eat anything. After all, even though he has lived for a long time, he hasn't had every dish known to man.
Resting his finger on his bottom lip, he stared at some of the dishes on the menu. "There's this roasted chicken and potatoes…Some of the seafood dishes also look good too. Shrimp salad sounds delicious." He looked over at his date and said, "No going to lie, I just pick randomly and go with it. I do the same thing when I cook at home."
