♛ it's all useless!

She wouldn’t question it.

“Oh! So you’re married? How nice!” And to hear he was a loyal fellow? Wow! What a lucky wife he must have…~ She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d end up with someone like that.. A specific someone, really.. But those thoughts could wait until the date was over. Plus, she didn’t even know the specifics of the other’s marriage.

Poor Battler.

And Yuzu didn’t want to seem too nosy.. Though she would admit to herself that she was curious about Battler’s waifu. Yuzu is a bit of a romantic, you see?

Was his wife beautiful? Kind? How did they meet? How did he propose? Did they have an extravagant wedding or a simple one? Where did they go for their honeymoon? Were they still happy? Was she here? Had they found a way to their happily ever after even in this strange city? 

Love stories were the best! But she wouldn’t bombard him with a bunch of questions about that stuff… That was girl talk. 

`` Eheh, sure am! ``

if only he knew the thoughts running around in her head, he probably wouldn't have even made an effort to show her. when it came to love and talking about it with women, a man had no chance of even keeping up with the conversation, much less withstanding the onslaught of questions that came with the topic. Battler had no idea of knowing what she was thinking, but if he did, he'd have regretted letting her know in the first place. if Yuzu ever met his wife, they could gossip and giggle over the details, but until then, Battler was keeping his mouth shut until she asked a specific question.

Battler wasn't as self-conscious about letting others know he was hungry, and he quickly crossed his arm over his stomach in an attempt to keep it quiet. even if it was an obvious gesture, it was better than having his stomach roaring like a pissed off lion! his gaze shifted to the stores lining the street, and he nodded in response. 

`` A diner? That sounds good to me, ihihi. No point in getting fancy! ``

to be honest, it had been quite some time since he had a decent meal. without the servants, or hell, even an idea of how to really cook, he had been living off sandwiches and instant noodles. it wasn't anything close to a horrible experience, but to say he wasn't craving something other than chicken flavored noodles or a ham sandwich was the same as lying outright. he slid his hands into his pockets as a show of good faith (and no sudden boob or ass grabs) and gave her a smile. 

From Lockdowns and demons, that is.

“Aahh! Good!” The girl clapped her hands together. “And of course! It’s on you, right?” Gentlemen always pay! That and… Yuzu had yet to find employment. Currently she was probably just living off crackers and water. It was the lockdown all over again… But worse because this wasn’t Tokyo… And Naoya seemed to have made a friend… 

And… “Oh! But first things first..” She should probably make some ground rules, shouldn’t she? Considering the mysterious grey-faced anons that harassed her on countless occasions. 

“My eyes. They’re up here.” Yupp, motioning to her eyes. Melon Tits McGee will take no shit tonight. “There will be no inappropriate touching. No innuendos. No sandwiches. Nothing about melons or cows. And….” She paused, tapping at her chin. Thinking… Thinking…

Was there anything else?… 

“Hmm… I think that’s it!”

`` Of course. What kinda guy makes a lady pay? ``

the young man allowed his frame to relax and take in the sight of the girl -- not in a degrading way, but in an attempt to see if he recognized her, and (surprisingly), his eyes didn't linger or even seem to take notice of her impressive bust. in all actuality, he took notice, took a guess at her bust size, and had even tried to imagine what they felt like; when men reach a certain age and interact with enough women, they learn how to do these things in unassuming and nigh impossible ways to detect. 

besides. what kind of breast sommelier would he be if he couldn't get away with a simple glance!? her mention of ground rules didn't even make the man blink, and showing her that he wouldn't make any sudden or unwanted advances, he pulled his left hand free of his pocket. he showed her his hand, and the wedding ring that was proudly worn on his ring finger.

`` Right, right. You won't have to worry about any of that.. ! I'm a pretty loyal guy, if I say so myself. ``

loyal to a woman who doesn't give two shits about him and is more interested in making him believe than anything else. Battler, you unlucky son of a bitch. quickly sliding his hand back into his pocket, he glanced directly into her eyes and nodded regardless, showing that he was going to follow her rules. 

And by the anon’s request, Yuzu tracked down her supposed date for the evening. A friendly date and nothing more! Right? You bet her tits, that’s right… But from the brief encounters they’ve had… Well.. Yuzu didn’t really have much of an opinion on Battler just yet. Did she even know his name…? Ah well.. This could probably be a good encounter. A good way to get to know someone! 

Perfect. 

“Um.. Hey!” The girl waved a little upon approaching the other. 

Yuzu folded her hands behind her back, offering a smile before speaking up again. 

`` Huh? Oh, hey.. ! ``

she was approaching him? not that he was disappointed or dismayed, hell, far from it! he simply.. wasn't used to people approaching him in this city, especially not a girl as cute as this one. and to top it all off, she wanted to go out on a date with him? even if it was just as friends, he needed to do something to distract himself with, and this seemed like as good a chance to get to know someone as ever.