forum You are my hero! But I am not a villain. (1/1 closed)

Started October 04, 2023 by @Fenrir

tune

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."

"See, now I'll always expect it. The only mystery now is when I will say yes." He drawled with a knowing grin. Auraleous wasn't sure when he had gotten so comfortable with being himself around Narciso. They had only just begun to order dinner; it had barely been half an hour into the date, and yet Auraleous felt as if this was their 10th date as if this was something they did every week like clockwork yet never got bored of. The idea of ever getting bored of Narciso was unbelievable and wildly unlikely, but he did like the warm, fuzzy feeling he got when thinking of a routine with Narciso, something mundane but never boring simply because they found new ways of fascinating each other.

"I can definitely see why, it's very fun." He agreed, flicking his gaze up momentarily to watch Narciso search the menu. He liked watching his date. Not in a creepy way, at least he hoped it didn't come off that way, but watching Narciso being himself, whether that was a flustered mess or suddenly confident enough to tease Auraleous was a welcome change to only seeing him during their overly elaborate fights. It reminded Auraleous that Narciso was human and not his mortal enemy as he had thought for most of their immortal life. A gentle smile crossed his features, realizing a life with Narciso, one he had heard countless speculations from his villain before but never paid much attention to until now, was still possible, even more so now that he was actually taking time to get to know the real Narciso.

He blinked, having missed the options Narciso had rattled off, and glanced down at his own menu, both to scan the menu items and to try and hide the blush that rose to his cheeks. "Y-Yeah? You're braver than me. I usually go for the same five dishes." He laughed as he actually looked over what their options were. "I think I might go with the shrimp risotto. I haven't had it in so long, and every time I try and make it at home, the rice still comes out undercooked. it'll be a nice change having it actually made right for once." Auraleous really did try and cook for himself but he had never really picked up the skill of cooking in his lifetime. It was by sheer luck he managed to cook anything decent for himself most days and even then there was always something he managed to burn or underseason. At this point he just stuck to the very basics, promising himself he'd learn eventually. He supposed eventually would have to come sooner rather than later if he planned on cooking anything for Narciso in the future.

"Guess that is a mystery for the two of us to solve. We'll see then won't we?" Narciso could not place it, but there was something so captivating about Auraleous as himself. As a hero, it was so obvious. The perfect poster boy who swooped in and would save the world without breaking a sweat. For a while Narciso had this image of the hero that was perfect, that he was always strong and never flustered for a second. It was just how he viewed him for a while yet slowly as they began to get more loose and flirtatious, it started to change.

This was everything to him. He could not get enough of seeing Auraleous as himself, outside of this hero persona that everyone knows him as. Deep down, he is just a man. A gentleman. A funny and warm gentleman. One that holds his hand and doesn't let go. This is just the first time he has seen Auraleous like this. It's the first time he has been with Auraleous and he was learning so much about him.

"I can teach you how to cook. I can just cook for us too if that's something we'd want to do," He offered before adding, "That way you can have shrimp risotto anytime you want."

Narciso would love to have Auraleous over. Every now and then it gets lonely in his apartment but maybe it won't be lonely for long. But he started to get into different things like cooking to help cope whenever he didn't have anyone over. It's why he can make a variety of things from snacks to meals. There's so many dishes too; he really does love it…well that is till the smoke alarm goes off.

After flipping through the menu a couple of times, he closed it and sat it back down. "You know what?" He asked, "I'll just have the same thing as you. Shrimp risotto sounds good to me."

"That we will, darling Narciso." Auraleous purred, setting aside the menu, gently cupping his wine glass and bringing it to his lips, taking a short sip. He nodded his head, his smile brightening when Narciso mentioned teaching him how to cook.

"I can't promise I won't burn water. You have been warned. But I would love that. If I am, in fact, a lost cause in the kitchen even with all your expertise, then I guess I get to enjoy your wonderful cooking regardless, and of course, I'd relieve you of any dish duty." He offered, excited by the idea of finally having good food at his disposal. Food was just the tip of the iceberg; he loved the idea of spending time with Narciso. If he had to dig up his very little ancient knowledge of making food to have a chance to spend more time with Narciso, it would be more than worth the struggle. "You'd think out of all the lives we've lived, I would have learned to make some basic food." He chuckled embarrassingly as the waiter came over to put in their orders.

"Two shrimp risottos and a side of Mozzarella sticks," he ordered, nodding his thanks as the waiter took their menus.

"Whenever we arrange another date for cooking, are you sure you want me over?" He asked, realizing a second too late how slightly ominous that sounded. "Not that you have any reason not to have me over! It's just that we haven't really been in each other's personal spaces for much longer than a few seconds. Even if this is far more than what we're used to, you're sure it won't be too overwhelming? Not that this is overwhelming! or to say I don't like this, I like this very much. I- I'm rambling." He gave a weak laugh, wanting to blame his racing heart and reddening cheeks on the wine he had been sipping but Auraleous knew his alcohol tolerance was nowhere met yet. "You're sure it won't be too much all at once?" He finally asked, searching Narciso with newfound determination. Was this imperfect, no longer hero, too much?

Narciso tried to hold back his laughter while he took a sip from his glass. "Sounds perfect, I'll do the cooking and you do the dishes. Maybe, I should just propose to you know," He grinned and laughed. Still, he wouldn't mind teaching Auraleous a few cooking things; maybe baking too. They could have a baking date where they made cookies or something. He hadn't learned how to properly bake till a couple decades ago. "It's okay," He said while sighing, staring longingly at his date.

He rested the side of his face against his other hand. Oh heavens, Auraleous was too much for him. Narciso just sat there, grinning like a goof. At one point while listening to the hero talk, he had to fan himself because he was sure that it was getting hot in the restaurant. Not that the hero was too much for him. He was perfect to Narciso. Perfect in every way that concerned him. He just loves sitting and listening to Auraleous go on and on. It was nice.

"No, I don't mind," Narciso assured him, "It's pretty lonely at my place. At the end of the day, it's just me. I'd love to have you over. You can stay the night if you want to." Seriously, the villain found normal life to be lonely. Sometimes he would have friends over, but it was all temporary. It was only just him sitting on the sofa, watching movies or reading a book.

Leaning in, he gave Auraleous's hand a little squeeze. "Would it be too much for you?" He asked. "If it's too much, too overwhelming, just let me know, Auraleous. I mean, I'm fine with anything really but if you just want to just go out and eat at places like this or go see a movie, that's fine with me. You could also come over too. The worst thing I'll have to do is some grocery shopping and cleaning the apartment, but it's fine, trust me. But, are you okay, Auraleous?"

Auraleous' first instinct was to ask if Narciso was sure. Weren't they moving too fast? This was their first date, after all. Usually, talking about going over to someone's house and sleeping the night was for date two or even 3 but Auraleous had never really been good at dating. It was by sheer luck he had managed to be with his previous partners, and he couldn't even put a name to whatever divine intervention had let him be with Narciso. Regardless, he was beyond happy to be with him, the love of his life it had taken him far too long to recognize. They couldn't be moving too fast, if anything, they had been moving too slowly lives ago. This should have been their weekly dinner dates, something they kept up even after being married for years now. Sleeping in the same bed together shouldn't have made Auraleous nervous because it would have been something they were used to by now, something they looked forward to every night. Auraleous wanted that feeling again, but he had no intention of finding a temporary partner, no matter how much he had loved his previous ones, he couldn't go through losing a loved one. Narciso would be someone he would be allowed to love forever, granted whatever god or otherworldly being that had given them immortality felt generous enough for them to keep it.
He brushed his thumb over Narciso's hand, determined to commit every inch of his skin to memory. "No, my dear." he breathed a laugh, shaking his head. "No, even in all your spectacle, you will never be too much. I promise," he reassured, thinking back to all the times he had faced off against Narciso. He had always managed to choose the most theatrical of places, the Rifle Tower, the Coliseum, and the Great Wall of China, all with equally grandiose schemes that would attract Auraleous to him.
He grinned and arched an eyebrow in surprise "Oh really? Honestly, I'm surprised. Grocery shopping and cleaning your apartment almost sounds normal." he teased, though he did find the idea of doing mundane tasks, even as simple as spending the day tidying the apartment, blissful, and it gave Auraleous a chance to see Narciso as something more than just the villain he had come to love over lives.
"I would love to come over, and if you still like the idea, I wouldn't mind staying the night with you." he said softly, his gaze flickering down to Narciso's lips for a moment before he caught himself and refocused on his date's eyes. "More than okay, my dear." He reassured, placing the napkin in his lap with his free hand as dinner was served.

Waiting. That's all Narciso has been doing for the last God only knows how long. Frankly, if he was not so sure of himself then he would not have said what he said. If he could be even more frank, he would say "To hell with it, let's go all the way!" Some of his friends (who are still very active as villains) have done it. Two of them have been married for almost ten years now. But to be honest, he wanted to take it slow. Not as slow as they had been yet whatever pace him and Auraleous pick would be perfect for him. He will wait for Auraleous. Narciso would do anything for Auraleous.

"My spectacle." He rubbed his forehead while laughing at himself. Well, he does love putting on a show when they fought. Even now as himself, he'll still put on a little show. Maybe he should do one just for Auraleous someday. Not one that would end up with them fighting though.

Narciso shrugged, "It's the most I'd have to do if you would like to come over. And we would have to figure out what we would like to have then so then I can buy the ingredients or whatever we might need. Nothing too big."

His lips felt buzzed as they curled into a smile. Narciso could swear that there were butterflies in his stomach as he listened to Auraleous. Him and Auraleous. Auraleous staying over at his place. What a dream!

"Great! We can talk about it later," He beamed, "Let's focus on us and this date right now." Staring at Auraleous, into his eyes lifted a weight off of Narciso. Even while sitting in a chair, he felt light. He blinked, leaving the trance for a moment as he heard the clinking of plates. As he watched the waiter put their food down, he look back at the hero and said, "Good. I'm glad."

Auraleous nodded, a grin spreading on his lips. "Hm? I like that as a new nickname. Beats out Stormcloud." He mused with a laugh, pressing a soft kiss to Narciso's hand before letting go so they could enjoy their meal. "Anything you cook will be infinitely better than what I make alone at home." He reassured, saying a small 'thank you' for the food before digging into the risotto. He hadn't had a decent meal since lunch earlier that day, and he hadn't even finished it all due to his rising nerves over the date. Eating also gave him a distraction from how much he had been focusing on Narciso. Not that he wanted that to change, but Auraleous had always been someone to put extra thought into every decision he made, or at least he tried when he had a clear mind to do so. As much as it excited him to be with Narciso, he had to consider the lives they lived outside of dating one another. Auraleous was still the city hero, and he doubted Narciso would stop being a vigilante just because Auraleous was his partner. Auraleous didn't know if he would necessarily want Narciso to stop his job even if he didn't agree with all his choices, considering they did yield some results the agency couldn't take credit for. And Auraleous would be lying if he didn't admit that working with Narciso, or in most cases against him, wasn't the highlight of most of his days. Now that would change, though Auraleous hoped for the better.
"How is it?" He asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence where they simply enjoyed their meal and each other's company. "I hope the place is to your liking. I wasn't too sure if you liked fancy places, so I thought this was a nice in-between, though, to be honest, I mostly went off of how good the menu looked." Auraleous had spent half his shift looking for updated ideas with Conan and the other half searching every local restaurant for something both delicious and semi-affordable. In the end, Auraleous had settled on the current restaurant, more formal than he had originally intended, but he had wanted to impress on their first date, and he had been dying for traditional Italian food for a while now. "I've never actually been here, but Conan had recommended it. I trust him with my life most days, so I think it's safe to say I could trust him with choosing a restaurant for a date."

"Call me whatever you'd like. People do it all the time," He laughed. One thing Narciso liked about being a villain was how people created these names for him and they'd become his alias. Zugrăvescu. It's his current one and has to be his favorite. Where he comes from, it means "painter." Frankly, he doesn't know who came up with it or how they figured out he's Romanian, but Narciso loved it. If he does continue with this, maybe they'll call him Cel Tradat or Mitrea. No matter what though, he'll love whatever Auraleous called him. Narciso, Storm Cloud, my spectacle…He just wanted to hear the hero's voice.

He wasn't really sure what to do though as a villain. Should he continue? Should he retire and let Zugrăvescu fade into existence? Narciso wasn't sure. He was still active in the criminal underworld, mostly serving to maintain connections between others. Then there's also the fact that Auraleous's whole job is about going after villains like him. Narciso wondered if their relationship could and would progress even if he was still a villain. Did it matter?

At least, sitting in silence eating and drinking helped push the thoughts back. Narciso didn't mind eating in silence. Normally, if he was by himself, he would have his headphones in and listen to his 80s playlist. Eating with someone else was much better though. Sure they were silent, but it was shared silence. He was enjoying Auraleous's company. Plus listening to the music and chatting in the background added to the experience. It helped him be more in tune with the moment.

After setting his fork down for a moment, he picked up his wine glass. At first, Narciso just looked down at it. He bit his lip, pondering whether or not to down it. Would such a thing be appropriate for a date? The villain could not figure it out yet he ended up taking a long sip. "Hm?" He set the glass down. Narciso looked around before glancing back at Auraleous, "It's good. I like it! I mean, as long as the place has good food, I'll go anywhere with you. Even a food truck or street food stands. I mean, I really love those but you know what I mean."

He just really appreciated how much thought Auraleous put into this date. How long has it been since someone had done such a thing for him? How would be repay Auraleous and do the same for the hero? Maybe he could make some kind of elaborate dinner when they have this sleepover date. Perhaps they'll have dessert too!

"Glad Conan suggested this place," He said while looking around. Smiling at Auraleous, he added, "It's really great. I like it here and the food too. He sounds great too. Do you guys always go out for lunch or something while working together?"

Auraleous tilted his head in thought. "That's the thing. I don't want to call you what everyone else does. I want to find a name to call you that's mine alone." He gave a slight shrug as he swirled what remained of the wine in his glass. "It's something I'll keep workshopping for now." He reassured, returning to his meal as he mulled over nicknames or terms of endearment for future use. What good of a boyfriend would he be if he didn't call his partner every adorable nickname under the sun? If he didn't find the right one in English, he'd try his first language, Spanish. And if Spanish didn't yield any results, then he'd try Romanian. He would try every language until he found something to call Narciso, something that encompassed how much he cared and loved him all in one word.

Auraleous breathed a laugh and nodded, making a mental note to find food trucks and niche spots to take Narciso on their next date, seeing as he didn't mind exploring a bit. "you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. The mental backflips I did try to find a place that wasn't too fancy but not too cheap, that had the right food but wasn't busy, and everything just right had me on edge the entire day." He admitted, "Any thanks is owed to Conan, at the very least for having to put up with my anxiety for the both of us."

Auraleous shook his head "Not always. Conan is a food blogger as a side gig. He found this place on a whim and published a few articles on it." He leaned in conspiratorally and whispered, "I think he's their favorite customer." He chuckled lightly "He called in a favor and reserved our dinner tonight. I like it too. It has a gorgeous view of the river, and it's not as busy as I thought for a weekend." he mused with a smile as he took a moment to appreciate the window side view of the river. "We'll definitely have to come back when it's warmer. Conan showed me they have outdoor seating in the summer."

"It will be okay," He assured his date, "I'll be yours and you'll be mine and we'll go from there. I am sure it will come to you naturally. One way or the other." He wondered a lot about nicknames though. Does that mean he would have to come with a nickname for Auraleous? If only Narciso was that type of cleverness. When he had to come up for a name for his photography business, it took him a whole week and that was with the help of the internet. Don't even get him started on creating title for papers when he went to college that one time. Oh well, if anything, he could always come up with something in Romanian, Spanish, or Italian. Thank the heavens for the romance languages.

At least he's creative and clever with food. It seemed like he'd have to get in touch with Conan for suggestions though. And maybe surprises for Auraleous and future dates. Narciso smiled softly, "Look, it's fine. I'll go anywhere with you, Auraleous. Seriously. I mean, this place is fancy and nice…and that's great too, but still. I'm glad Conan could help you, and us, with this date. It's nice."

His brows rose at the mention of food blogging. "Oh really?" Narciso titled his head. When Auraleous leaned in, he did the same. It was hard resisting to smile as his date laughed a little. If it wasn't for that Prince Charming smile, Narciso would have looked over at the river but he couldn't. What a shame. If only he had his camera with him.

The river looked pretty though. It was breathtaking enough for him to set his fork down so he could admire the view for a minute. "I'm not sure I would be able to eat then," He said as he turned to face Auraleous, "Between you and the river, I'd be too preoccupied with the gorgeous views to even look at the menu."