El Paso, Texas, Tuesday Night

[weldedtomyspine]

"Have I mentioned how much I like that dress?" Jaime asked with a grin as he held the door open for Momoko. Because he did. Not that he didn't like Momoko in lots of things, but some dresses just... really worked for her.

"Also, I hope this place is good. I mean, the reviews say it is, but I haven't been here before."

He took a moment to exchange a few words with the hostess about their reservation.

"But if they aren't the best Italian place you've been to this year, don't blame me, okay?"

Comments

[weldedtomyspine]

"All twenty?" Jaime asked, widening his eyes in ridiculous exaggeration before shooting the hostess a quick wink.

[heromaniac]

"Twenty?!" Momoko tried to stifle her laugh and thought she did a very good job. "Who did you dump this week?"

"Excuse me, your table's ready." The hostess was... not sure what to think; she'd witnessed their interaction earlier and they seemed to be laughing. "Table for two in the Rose room, correct?"

[weldedtomyspine]

"Oh, that really cute Japanese girl. Momoko, I think her name was?" He shrugged helplessly. "You know I can forget sometimes."

Then he glanced at the hostess, still laughing, and stood up. "Yup. That's us!"

[heromaniac]

"You're terrible," she finally couldn't hold it in and let loose a full laugh. She waited the few seconds it took for him to pull her chair out and then took his arm to follow the hostess through the bar and the main restaurant to a smaller dining room in the rear.

Separated from the rest of the restaurant by a half-wall covered in plants, it seemed a lot more secluded and cozy. The softer lighting, roses at every turn, and huge crackling wood fireplace at the far end of the room helped.

Momoko's grip on Jaime's arm tightened and she fairly sparkled with delight. "So romantic... You pick the best places."

[weldedtomyspine]

Jaime grinned. "Yeah. I totally thought it'd be a good spot once I saw some of the photos."

He leaned over to press a quick kiss against Momoko's cheek.

"Now I'm just going to cross my fingers that the food is as good."

[heromaniac]

"With a room this nice and you, it doesn't matter." If there'd been a way to sit and just cuddle in front of that fireplace...

The hostess smirked proudly and indicated they had arrived at the table. "Would you prefer to look at the restaurant's menu or would you like the Chef's Valentine's Day Special?"

[weldedtomyspine]

"Um. What's the special?" Jaime asked, watching Momoko's face for a reaction even as he asked the hostess the question.

[heromaniac]

"First, a light panzanella made with bread and tomatoes and just a touch of basil. That is followed by a delicious, freshly prepared blue cheese and pear risotto. After that, Chef asks that you enjoy his personal favourite, a tagliata steak served with a green salad with raspberries, walnuts, and roasted cherry tomatoes."

Of course steak. Momoko raised an amused eyebrow. She was getting used to always always ALWAYS having steak offered to her as part of a huge meal instead of fish. Texans.

"And the dessert?" she asked, betraying no other real signs of a preference for this menu over choosing her own. She really didn't have one, except here: this was the important deal closer, lady. "That's included in a Valentine's Special, I'm sure, but what is it?"

[weldedtomyspine]

Jaime suppress a snort as the hostess smiled politely. "Of course. For dessert, a chocolate ganache cake made with a generous portion of fresh cherries, served with freshly whipped cream and a delicate coffee-infused ice cream." The hostess' smile widened. "Apportioned for two to share."

That sounded fine to Jaime, but his attention was on Momoko. Her expression would tell him faster than anything else what she thought of that particular offering.

[heromaniac]

"I'm like the sound of the special, but..." Hmmmmm. Momoko didn't like coffee, but that did sound good. After a moment or two of consideration, she smiled and shrugged. "If Chef choose the dessert to be part of the menu, then the flavours have to be complimentary, so, okay."

She turned to Jaime. "Does all that sound good to you? There wasn't any pasta mentioned; would you rather choose something like that?"

[weldedtomyspine]

"Hey. I'm here to have dinner with this really funny, smart, hot girl I know. Good food is secondary to the company."

He grinned. "But, yeah, that actually sounds pretty good." Jaime turned to the hostess. "The special sounds perfect. Thanks."

[heromaniac]

"Thank you. Your waitress will be by to take your drink order shortly, then." The hostess nodded and left them.

Momoko shook a finger at Jaime. "You'd better not complain later that you went to an Italian restaurant and had no pasta."

Actually that had better be the part of tonight that he complained about, if he did any at all.

"Speaking of missing out on things, did I tell you I got an email from Sila?" She folded her arms on the table to lean towards Jaime. "I found it in my SPAM folder the other day. She's been stuck in an alternate timeline!"

[weldedtomyspine]

"That's me. Always complaining about dinner."

He grinned, then cocked his head. "You didn't tell me, and while I should probably be surprised about the whole timeline thing..." He shrugged. "I mean, the Fandom weirdness thing seems to carry on to later generations, huh?"

[heromaniac]

"Though Sila says she doesn't think it's a Fandom thing since there wasn't a portal," Momoko nodded. "But the Leda there did go to Fandom, and we know it can affect even adopted kids. Sin came to visit Dinah, too. Remember? Not Just Leda."

[weldedtomyspine]

"Oh, I don't think it's genetic or anything," Jaime shook his head slightly. "Just, you know, more like it's... I don't know. Contagious?"

[heromaniac]

Momoko thought about that. "I don't know. If that's true, then our parents and others would be having weird experiences, wouldn't they?"

[weldedtomyspine]

Jaime raised an eyebrow. "You're saying they don't?" Though he knew that wasn't what she meant.

[heromaniac]

She snorted and reached a finger to her water glass to flick some of the contents at him. "I think if my mom was getting visitors from alternate kids or finding herself in alternate worlds, she would totally tell me. And Dad would totally pull a you if he turned into a girl."

[weldedtomyspine]

"Hey!" Jaime stuck his tongue out at her. "My response is totally the normal one! All you weirdos who act like it's normal are the crazy ones."

[heromaniac]

"You just don't know how to have fun." She tossed her head, teasingly.

[weldedtomyspine]

"I don't remember hearing that complaint the other niiiight," Jaime teased.

[heromaniac]

Okay THAT got him a kick under the table. Also a very red Momoko.

"Jaime!" They were in public!

[weldedtomyspine]

"What?" Jaime asked, eyes going wide with fake innocence. "I'm not allowed to talk about movie night?"

[heromaniac]

...

"You're totally mean," she narrowed her eyes at him. Though to be fair, he had said 'the other night' and not 'last night' so she should have known he was being tricky.

Also, she knew him.

[weldedtomyspine]

Yeah. She did. Which he knew meant he wasn't fooling her with that "movie night" nonsense.

He just flashed her a grin. "And, hey, this place seems pretty good so far, right?"