;; IMPERFECT

   He was quick to taste, quicker to eat but not so quick to judge. It held the proper flavors for what it was, nothing out of place or for that matter missing. It was good food. Hardly something out of his comfort zone. Swallowed would the food be before judgement passed his lips.

       ” It’s good. “

It did not take her long to finish after him, cleaning up after herself slowly. Napkin was discarded into her formerly full bowl and now she was left with actually having to look at him for a bit. It wasn't his appearance that made her not want to--it was just that she was uncomfortable.

"I'm glad you liked it...."

       ” A shame… “

   There was doubt in him, that she would take words of encouragement to heart, so he would not waste his breath. Merely he would take the camera back, hesitating for a moment as he stared at the picture before turning to turn it off and shuffle it away into it’s bag.

       ” I might not get another chance, so I’ll keep it. “

She was hesitant to eat since she normally never did eat in front of others--she was normally alone. Slowly but surely she began to eat, gaze staying down and away so she didn't catch him looking at her. Being under someone's eye made her uncomfortable since for so long she had been alone.

Waiting until her mouth wasn't full, she lifted her gaze, only to ask a simple question. "What do you think of it...?"

       ” Something simple but also appealing. “

   Blue hues would find themselves fixated upon the lit screen and he did little to avert them. Fingers motioned forward, tapping the screen and ordering it to zoom in before capturing her face alone in the screen. A tilt of his head would follow before he turned his attention to her.

       ” Too bad you didn’t smile. You would look nicer with one. “

                                    "...I don't smile often."

Fingers curled around the glass in her hand--just something for her to hold onto. He found her appealing? She agreed with the simple part, but hardly appealing. She blended in with the plants and trees far more than most people. People normally ignored her.

It was extremely different to be called appealing.

   A simple enough reason. He had hardly meant harm with taking it and yet she still showed anger because of it. The idea of a single picture being taken on one, though filled with dislike for such a thing being done, was hardly enough to warrant her resent.

   He would pull forth the object in question, giving it life while it hummed at button pressed before presenting it to her. Menu was brought up just a moment before so that she may see the picture(s) in question.

She was quiet at the device presented to her, a bit taken aback at his gesture. He was completely different from when she had met him, which had in turn caused her to bristle up and guard herself further. However, he had changed since the first encounter...

                                     --It was leaving her confused.

Fingers hesitantly took the camera from him--much heavier than her own. It was a newer type, which had to be the reason for its heavier weight. She stared at the picture hard, fingers hesitating to delete it. She suddenly turned it back to him, showing it to him--much like he had shown it to her when he first took it.

       ” Taking the picture, for starters. “

   Pasta with garlic bread was all the he would order, aside from the given choice of a drink, soda would do just fine for that. He would shift, placing given napkin in his waist before turning to the waiter. The order was given quickly, not willing to give his attention to anyone other than her.

"I am simply not a fan of having my picture taken..."

She had given her own order right after him, focusing down at the breadsticks before looking around. Her gazes toward him were nothing more than fleeting glances or side looks. She was not one to hold eye contact for very long unless she was fully comfortable with someone.

                          Which she wasn't with him.

   To remark on his taste again would gain her his favor, perhaps more so than she would like. Glancing through the menu he would order what he liked, something simple with a side of simple.

In her mind, she had been against his every action except the offer of lunch. She wasn't exactly sure about what he was mentioning, but it would soon be clear. She had no reason to worry about it.

Hazel eyes focused downwards on the menu in her grip, slowly flipping through it and reading through everything. She tried something new every time she happened to be in this place, but she was getting close to having tried everything already.

       ” Pasta will be just fine. “

   Moving towards the door he would wait with it open, one arm extended out towards the streets while the other stuffed itself into silk pocket. Her choice was far more favorable than what he had in mind, but hardly more expensive. However the choice had been hers and he wasn’t going to fight her.

   Once out on the street he would stay at her side, following her lead of course, he hadn’t traversed enough to be familiar with the city just yet.

"Just follow me...it isn't very far. It's across from a nice little park too..."

One hand stuffed into her pocket while the other held the strap of her bag, turning her head slightly to make sure he was close enough to follow. Perhaps a little too close for her, but she wasn't about to start a fight with him.

The walk wasn't far, just like she had said--soon out front of a small little restaurant. She held the door this time, waiting for him to slide past her and enter. Once inside, she guided him over to a booth--with menus already laid out.

   He could not but to laugh, not at freshly warmed cheeks but instead her reply. It was not the acceptance one might expect, however it was amusing in it’s phrasing. Enjoyable and at the least she had said ‘yes’.

       ” I’d hardly be a gentleman if you don’t let me pay. I was to offer a burger, perhaps a sandwich, but if that is too exquisite,         then maybe you should choose? “

   Always one for banter, he could hardly help himself. By no means did he think himself above the simpler things in life, in fact such things were his home, he but vacationed in the life of luxury. 

"You're not paying for me..."

Thoughts quickly mulled over the places to eat that were cheap as she set about closing the shop--pulling her apron off and setting it on the counter before grabbing her bag. There were plenty of cheap places to it...it really just depended on what she wanted.

"Nice to meet you...how do you feel about pasta?"

   Switching tongue was hardly an effort for him, one who had spent many years learning numerous languages, but he had not spoken that particular tongue in quite the number of years. Those he knew that spoke it, never did in his company. A shame really.

   Nimble digits did not act to grab the presented change, immediately, instead they merely opted to grab the packed bags. Stuffing them away into sizable coat before tempting to pluck the change away, though they would simply carry it to the immediate tip jar. It wasn’t much, at least to him, he was not against losing it.

Her voice trailed off at his offer--the faintest bit of color arising to her cheeks. The feeling of it irritated her beyond anything that had happened so far, simply because she did not want to make such an appearance. Blushing tended to cause a greater reaction or give the wrong impression.

Her eyes drifted to her watch again--it was about her break time and she wasn't very keen on the leftovers she had brought. Money wise was a different situation...she would refuse to let him pay for her and well, it would have to be somewhere cheap. He didn't seem like the type to like that though.

   He had not seen her upon his entry and instead of daring a glance in her direction he shifted directly towards the back and out of her view. Arachnid like fingers would trail over each parchment of ground leaves until he found names that sounded exotic. Perchance he would boil a cup or two, to judge their tastes before packaging them off to his allies. A bargaining token to be claimed at another time.

       ”Do you carry paper bags by chance?       

        "--You enjoy the finer things in life...this isn't for you though. I can tell."

Slowly she crouched down and unlocked the counter she stood behind, pulling out several other bags and placing them down. "These will suit your needs far better if they are for people with the same tastes as you."

The case was quickly locked again and the keys stuffed into the pockets of the apron she wore, softly exhaling as she straightened up once more. Her work uniform wasn't really a uniform--just a green apron and her name tag.

“Actually I haven’t had a… necessarily vulgar way of talking recently, that used to be a long time ago. Sort of." He squinted and pursed his lips, thinking over his words.

   His intended plans were accomplished in a few hours. He had found himself quite the fantastic pizzeria, a decent enough tailor, the quaintest of bookstores, someplace to buy produce and fresh meat and perhaps somewhere to sleep. All was left on his list was to find someplace to work, surely he could find somewhere that could use him for a month or two.

   Intended path had brought him around to where he had been only hours before, the incident still live in his mind. Perhaps he could find her, if he was lucky enough. He did not doubt that he could, if he so wished it, however it seemed far more purposeful if he simply gave the idea up.

It was usually rather slow at the shop and that wasn't a big deal to her. Social interaction was rough, but her need for money was a bigger priority. So she tolerated it and worked as much as she needed to.

Today was more particularly slow than others, since only one customer had wandered in and that was several hours ago. She really had nothing else to do, so she ended up brewing her favorite tea and settling at the counter, occasionally sipping from it as she flipped through a book about tea plants.

Her attention was drawn up at the sound of bell attached to the door tinkling--only to feel her stomach drop at the sight of who it was.