Hope yall enjoy please leave a review it helps get the readers up. I know y'all might not think so, but I promise I will and that's the only reason I really do this is to entertain.
Chapter 75: lunch and new things
They stepped into the restaurant, the warm light and low murmur of conversation washing over them. It wasn't particularly fancy, but it was clean and had a decent atmosphere, with most of the tables already occupied by locals finishing their evening meals.
Lumni didn't hesitate.
The moment they were fully inside, her hands tightened around his arm and she pulled him toward a curved corner booth near the back. "lets sit over here," she decided quickly, almost like she was afraid someone else might take it. She guided him in first, then slid in right beside him before he could put any real distance between them.
Her body pressed lightly against his side as she settled. Without missing a beat, she reached over and took his arm, pulling it closer and tucking it against herself so that the soft pressure of her breast rested against his bicep.
Varion felt heat climb up the back of his neck.
"S-sorry," Lumni said in a soft but shaky voice. She kept hold of his arm even as she glanced around the room, eyes flicking toward the other tables like she was still checking for danger. "I know this is… a lot. I just—" She swallowed, then looked up at him with a hopeful, slightly embarrassed expression. "I don't really want to sit alone right now. Not after… you know."
Her fingers tightened just a little around his arm.
Varion rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, the faint warmth still lingering on his face.
"…It's no problem," he said. "Really. You don't have to apologize."
A waiter approached a moment later, offering a polite smile as he asked for their orders.
"Steak, medium," Varion said. "And water, please."
Lumni tilted her head slightly, considering. "I'll have the same. And a glass of the Night Rose wine, if you have it." She named that specific, high-quality wine with the kind of casual precision that suggested she was used to getting exactly what she wanted.
The waiter hesitated, clearly not expecting the request in a restaurant like this. "Ah… I'll have to check if we carry that one. One moment please."
Varion turned to look at her, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips. "You're very particular."
Lumni huffed, lifting her chin in a practiced, slightly snobbish manner. "I only drink that brand. There's no settling for less."
The playful act was obvious, but there was a flicker of real preference underneath it.
Once the waiter was gone, she turned her attention fully back to him, still holding his arm. "So… what are you doing in a town like this?" Her tone was light, curious, but her eyes stayed locked on him with a certain intensity to them while blushing.
"Just traveling," Varion answered. "Taking jobs as I go."
"Is there a reason?" she asked, tilting her head. "And why alone?"
He gave a small, slightly stiff laugh and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Nothing special. I just needed to clear my head for a bit." He paused, then added more honestly, "My whole life I've been surrounded by friends and family. It's great, don't get me wrong. But I missed this. Going out, taking jobs, not knowing what you'll run into next."
Lumni let out a soft, almost wistful sigh. "That does sound like a lot of fun…"
There was a quiet longing in her voice that made Varion glance at her more carefully. He mistook it for simple interest in the same kind of freedom.
"What about you?" he asked. "What are you doing out here?"
Lumni's fingers shifted slightly against his arm.
"I was here on business," she said. "But I finished that now I'm bored. And I don't really want to go home either."
Varion's brow furrowed. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no, no—" she said quickly, almost too quickly. "It's nothing like that. My people are kind. Everything is well-ordered. Everyone does their part." She looked down for a second, then back up at him. "It's just… it gets old. Doing the same thing day after day. I want something exciting. Something new."
Her gaze lingered on him a little longer than necessary.
'And I found something very interesting now,' she thought.
The waiter returned a short time later, carefully setting down Varion's water and a glass of deep red wine in front of Lumni.
"Your drinks. The food should be out shortly," he said. Then he leaned in a little, lowering his voice. "Would you like me to draw the curtain? There are a few… unpleasant guests who've been staring rather openly at you. If it's bothering you it won't be a problem."
Lumni blinked, genuinely surprised. She hadn't noticed anyone else at all.
She glanced toward the rest of the room, then gave a small shake of her head. "No, it's fine. I didn't even notice."
A beat later she lifted her chin and sniffed with deliberate, dramatic haughtiness. "It's not as if they could do anything anyway. My knight, Sir Varion, will protect me."
The teasing lilt in her voice was clear as she looked up at him.
Varion chuckled and rolled his eyes, though the corner of his mouth curved upward. "Yes, yes, my dear queen. I'll protect you always."
The words were light, clearly part of the joke, but there was a quiet note of real seriousness underneath them.
Luminous felt that clearly through [Lust].
A genuine flush rose across her cheeks before she could stop it. Only two other people in her long life had ever said something like that to her and meant it. She reached for the glass of wine and took a slow sip, using the moment to gather herself.
'What is wrong with me?' she thought. 'How could I let my guard down like that? I didn't even notice them… though I suppose that's normal. They're just insects.'
'But this feeling I get when he looks at me, when his attention is only on me, why does it make my heart beat faster? Especially with what he just said. Even if it was teasing, he was serious too. We only just met and he's already acting like…'
'No. No. No. No. I am Luminous Valentine. I am not some easy girl who can be won over so simply.'
She shifted slightly against his side.
The movement caused [Lust] to send a sudden pulse of his aura through her. The sensation rolled warm and deep along her core and senses, and she had to bite down lightly on her lower lip to keep any sound from escaping.
Things settled into a comfortable mood after that. Lumni asked about places he'd been, and Varion found himself telling her about a few of the stranger jobs he'd taken and the time he was given stupid missions, mixing in both recent missions and ones he'd done in earthland. She laughed openly at a few of them, as they went on. She started to sound lighter and less practiced than before.
In return she shared a few carefully adjusted stories of her own travels, enough truth mixed in that the amusement felt real. They traded dumb mistakes and odd encounters, the conversation flowing more naturally with every exchange.
At some point Lumni looked down at her half-finished glass of Night Rose, then back up at him with a considering expression.
"You should try this," she decided.
Before Varion could respond she shifted closer, practically climbing halfway into his lap, and lifted the glass to his lips. One of her hands rested lightly against his chest for balance as she tilted it for him.
Their eyes met at that short distance.
It caused Varion's heart to kick hard against his ribs. Something about the closeness, the way she was watching him so intently, made it difficult to think straight as he drank.
Lumni felt the sudden increase in his pulse through her hand and the jump in his emotions through[Lust] and a small, pleased smile curved her mouth. She kept the glass there a moment longer than necessary, clearly enjoying the reaction and the proximity.
When she finally pulled the glass back, a faint trace of wine was still on his lips, he looked mildly surprised.
"…That's actually really good."
Her expression brightened for real. "I know, there's a reason it's my favorite." She said excitedly as she settled back against his side, leaning into him even more firmly than before, as if chasing the warmth of the moment.
Time slipped by without either of them paying attention. They kept talking and laughing together as they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. The light coming through the windows had shifted by the time they both seemed to notice how late it had gotten.
They stood to leave. When the bill came, Lumni reached for it on reflex, but Varion was faster. He paid without comment.
She pouted at him. "I was going to get that."
"Too late, gotta be quicker than that," he said with a smirk.
Outside, they faced each other on the street. They had already said their goodbyes, but neither of them actually moved after they finished.
Something held them in place.
Varion became aware of it first. He liked her. More than he expected to after a single meal. Talking with her had eased something in him and the thought of simply walking away now felt… wrong. His instincts stirred in agreement and raged against even the idea of just walking away.
For Luminous, the feeling was sharper, affecting her in a way she had never experienced before. She had finally met the man that Chloe had spoken so highly of after so long, and for the first time in longer than she cared to admit she had felt real excitement and something else. The idea of ending it here and now sat wrong in a way she wasn't willing to accept.
She thought about it for a few seconds, then swallowed her pride. She put on a nervous and shy look, it wasn't entirely an act, this time it was her real emotions hidden behind this role she made.
"…Varion?" she asked, voice smaller than usual. "Could I… travel with you?"
She glanced up at him through her lashes, then continued before she could lose the momentum.
"I want to explore, I want to get to know you better. Have an actual adventure." A quiet emphasis entered her voice. "With you. To have fun and laugh like we did today. If- if that's alright that is." she said shyly which was partly an act but she was actually nervous of him saying no.
Varion looked at her for a moment, the surprise was clear on his face, followed quickly by something warmer settling in.
"…I wouldn't mind that at all," he said. Then, more honestly, " Actually I'd like that a lot."