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

[heromaniac]

"I don't need lines; it's the truth." She made a small face at him, then let go of his hand to reach for her purse. "But that reminds me... here! Your present!"

She found and handed over... Nope, not a batch of homeade chocolates this year. A very cute and to-the-point card. But inside he would find an email confirmation of purchase! "Open it! open it!"

[weldedtomyspine]

"Don't want me to save it for later?" Jaime's voice was sing-song teasing as he waved the card back and forth, but after a second he opened it up.

[heromaniac]

"You'd forget about it!" She rested both elbows on the table and pouted as he took his time opening it. She wanted to see what kind of face he'd make! She thought the idea was amazing, flying as themselves and not as Blue Beetle and Blossom. "I'd find it in a book somewhere months from now used as a bookmark."

[weldedtomyspine]

"And then you'd know I was putting it to good use!"

Duh!

[heromaniac]

"Or that you were done with that book."

"Jaaaaaiiiiiimeeeeee!" She jiggled the table a little. "Ooooopen it!"

[weldedtomyspine]

"Fine, fine," he laughed. "Just don't spill my beer."

So he did, which caused him to pause, eyes going wide.

"Whoa. Seriously?"

[heromaniac]

She leaned in closer. "Is that 'seriously' as in good or 'seriously' as in too much?" It had been a bit pricey, but she'd wanted something different!

And, well, flying.

[weldedtomyspine]

Jaime looked back up at her, grinning. "What, you don't get enough flying already?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

His expression made it clear that he thought it sounded pretty fun.

[heromaniac]

TWINKLING!

"You are totally going to make me cause a scene if you don't stop looking like that." She reached for her drink to buy a moment and catch her breath. "If you think about it, you and I have never actually been flying together."

...

"And no."

[weldedtomyspine]

His face twisted slightly as he tried to bite back a laugh.

"No what?" he asked innocently.

[heromaniac]

She sipped her drink and raised an eyebrow, avoiding eye contact for a moment. He was totally going for innuendo here, wasn't he? "No, I don't get enough?"

[weldedtomyspine]

That laugh broke free, and Jaime had to reach out and steady his drink so that he didn't knock it over.

"Oh, you don't? Is that a... complaint?"

[heromaniac]

"Would I complain?"

[weldedtomyspine]

"Only if you don't get what you want," Jaime teased.

[heromaniac]

"Then I am obviously not-" she was going to steal his line - "because I've got what I want."

Nyaah!

[weldedtomyspine]

"Well, that is a very sugary-looking drink," Jaime allowed with a nod.

[heromaniac]

"If you're hoping I'll reply with, 'not as sweet as you', you'll be sorry." She wrinkled her nose at his teasing and then flicked some of the huge pink sugar granules at him from the rim of her glass. "Because this is totally sweeter."

[weldedtomyspine]

Jaime pouted at her.

"That's so mean. I'm telling my girlfriend on you."

[heromaniac]

"And admit you were with me instead of her?" Momoko asked innocently. "Now that's mean."

[weldedtomyspine]

"I don't know. Think you could take her in a fight? She's pretty tough."

[heromaniac]

"Definitely." Momoko set her drink down to sit back and make a set of fists at him. "I'm pretty tough, too. Remember who has the high score on Metal Fighter II?"

[weldedtomyspine]

Jaime widened his eyes and tried to look forgetful. "No. Doesn't ring a bell. Is it someone we know?"

[heromaniac]

"The beat-down was so terrible for you that you have amnesia?" she chuckled as the hostess approached their table. "Let's just say I could totally take on all your girlfriends at once and win."

The look on the hostess' face was priceless.

[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?"