Dorian knocked on Reina’s front door, not caring if his hair was flat and holding the single rose he’d gotten behind his back, and umbrella on his front arm, waiting for her. It crossed his mind to keep ringing incessantly as Reina was prone to do but thought better of it. He was here to take her on a date and wanted to put his best foot forward. He was hoping for more after this one, after all. Besides, he didn’t have to wait long since they agreed on a time, and he was there just a little before.
Reina answered the door wearing a midnight blue off the shoulder blouse that extended over the side and around the back, jeans, flats and a slate gray jacket. She’d let her hair down and even curled the tips as they fell down her back.
“Wow,” Dorian breathed. “You look amazing....”
“Thank you,” she smiled. “Not looking half bad yourself. You look good in a turtleneck.” He returned her smile before offering her the rose. “Well, well, Dorian. Aren’t we just the little gentleman.”
“Just thought you’d enjoy it,” he offered. She looked him up and down but made no move to take the rose. He swallowed. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” she said, finally taking it. “It’s just that your posture was almost the same as the one you had for the maid and butler café you and your friends did.” With a sigh of relief, he shook his head.
“Of course, you’d notice that,” he sighed, offering his arm. “Well then...shall we?” She ducked back to put the rose down before locking the door and linking her arm in his. They headed off towards the train station, able to take their time and enjoy the pleasantly chilly weather. As it had been on previous trips, the train car was fairly empty save for a few other people, including an elderly woman who had a warm smile as she looked at them. Dorian looked away and smiled as she gave Reina an approving nod when she reached her stop.
It was only a few more before they got off, arm in arm as they made their way towards the aquarium. There wasn’t really anyone out that evening, but they hadn’t really expected many but it was better than being out on the fifth even this early in the afternoon. The light chill in the air gave Dorian an excuse to have Reina be closer to him as they walked, idly chatting about whatever came to mind.
“This isn’t just going to be a classic, casual date, is it?” Reina asked, hopefully.
“Aw, you’ve ruined the surprise,” Dorian teased. “But I thought of something we can do over the course of the evening. I want to play a game with you....”
“Easy there, Jigsaw,” she smirked. “I think I’ve lived my life pretty alright....”
“Most amusing,” Dorian smiled. “But I’m serious. We each get five questions to ask each other over the course of the evening. We can ask whatever we want, and we have to answer as truthfully as we possibly can.”
“So we’re just playing Twenty Questions?” Dorian nodded and Reina smiled up at him, realizing the power he’d just given her. Despite the precarious position he’d put himself in, he could see that Reina knew she was in the same boat as him. No question was off limits, and they had to answer truthfully...if they could. “So, do we have to qualify using one of our questions?”
“I’d say so,” Dorian agreed. “Be a bit boring if we didn’t....”
“So, first question,” Reina began.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Dorian interrupted. “Who said you get to go first?” She raised an eyebrow at him with a slight smirk. “I mean...I was going to let you, but a bit presumptuous, aren’t you?”
“Oh, shut up,” she sighed. “Anyway, how long have you had glasses?” A chuckle escaped Dorian at the question. He’d almost expected her to go for the throat immediately but was happy she was going to ease him into this.
“I guess I was about six or so,” he explained. “Middle of class I realized that I was having trouble seeing the board, and so I told my teacher. She moved me to the front of the room at an empty desk and I still couldn’t see. Got my first set of glasses about an hour later.”
“So you’re near-sighted?” Reina asked, falling into step beside him.
“Biggest understatement of the century,” Dorian sighed. “My eyesight has only gotten worse as I’ve grown up, thankfully plateauing a few years back, but without my contacts or glasses I can’t see anything beyond my nose, really.” He let Reina’s stunned silence stew for a bit before saying anything else. “Never dated a nearly blind man, before?”
“I don’t know...not seriously, at least.”
“Excuse me?” Dorian asked, stopping.
“Well, it’s not that I haven’t dated,” she began, delicately choosing her words. “It’s just that...I mostly just did it to shut the guy up. It never turned more serious than that....” The gears in Dorian’s head had almost come to a full stop even as logic explained that what she said did, in fact, make sense. She was the school beauty, but how many guys wanted to be with her just because of that fact? With her interests and hopes that she only told Dorian because he could help her....
“So you’ve never really been on a date?” Dorian inquired.
“Is that your first question?”
“Sure.”
“No, I have not,” she admitted, looking a little forlorn. “I know that part of it is because of me, but it still just really stings, y’know? Makes me wish I wasn’t me for a change....” She made to leave but Dorian got her wrist and spun her around to face him. “What the hell?”
“You’re amazing just the way you are,” he told her. “Yeah, being the most beautiful girl in school seems to cause a lot more problems than it solves, but you don’t do it for them...you do it for yourself and that should be more than enough.” His face broke into a smile. “Besides, there’s nothing better to me than a pretty girl who’s also a super dork with things she loves.” She returned his smile.
“Thanks for the pep talk, Dorian,” she said, chuckling at his sudden reaction. “Now, come on, let’s get this show on the road.” She gripped his hand and started pulling him down the street, giving him a sense of familiarity.
The walk to the aquarium was uneventful, filled with discussion about how Dorian was getting on with their next cosplays, and just idle chatter. Dorian paid for their tickets to the aquarium, both of them being pleasantly surprised to find a couple’s discount in November. When they asked what the occasion was, the lady at the front said that the higher ups’ daughter was getting married and decided to offer the discount. Not complaining and thinking that it was kinda adorable, they moved on.
“It’s been far too long since I’ve been here,” Dorian sighed. “I must’ve been really little....”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been to an aquarium,” Reina admitted. When Dorian gave her a curious look she continued. “Mom moves around a lot for work, and it wasn’t until I turned about fourteen or fifteen that she let me stay while she travelled for work. She’s a travel nurse and she can be gone for only a couple months or sometimes a year or two.” Dorian wondered why she’d never really mentioned this before but guessed that he hadn’t pried too much into her family life.
“What does your dad do?” he asked. “I mean...he’s never been there when I’ve come over, and I’ve never seen him when I walk you home.” Her expression turned a little sour, immediately making Dorian feel terrible. “Listen, forget I asked. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to....”
“I’ll answer after I ask my next question,” she offered. “Let’s just enjoy ourselves while we’re here, yeah? What first?” Dorian looked around, trying to think of a route before he let out an audible gasp. “What?”
“They have horseshoe crabs....”
Reina grabbed his hand again, pulling him along to get things started. All in all, it wasn’t really any different than a regular trip that they might’ve had save for Dorian deciding to take a few pictures of Reina while she posed for them. She caught a few of him but he didn’t really notice what she was doing until he heard the sound of her phone camera going off and a triumphant smirk from her. She showed him one where he was leaning against a rail and just admiring whatever had been at the exhibit which he assumed had been a mantis shrimp.
“I’ve never seen someone look so longingly at a shrimp,” she poked.
“They’re fascinating,” he countered. “Two varieties, both equally as dangerous with one being able to hit so hard it creates heat and light...all for clams....”
“More or less fascinating than the horseshoe crabs?”
“Definitely a close second,” he admitted. “Horseshoe crabs are just neat all around and a lot less dangerous...what about you?”
“Jellyfish.” Her answer surprised him a bit. “Just a floating stomach with a basic nervous system attached...wonder what it’s like to just kind of exist....”
“Deep,” Dorian said, immediately realizing what he’d just said and letting out a sigh as Reina laughed. “If I had meant that to be a joke, I would be proud of that....” He sighed and smiled as Reina snorted, causing her to laugh even more. It took her a while to calm down. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh that hard....”
“I don’t know why that tickled me so much,” she sighed, lacing her fingers in his. “Maybe you finally said something funny....”
“As if,” Dorian scoffed. “Come on, we’ve almost seen everything, and my sister asked me to get her something from the gift shop.”
“Very romantic,” Reina teased. “But we probably should try to get that walk in the park before the rain hits....”
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