3.22 Date Discussions

Fortunately, Maddy didn’t know how much of an embarrassment Zoey had made of herself. Zoey returned to the training room mostly composed, and after a brief bout of awkwardness—both of them knowing Zoey had been pleasured, but not addressing it—they resumed their studies.

Maddy spent some time teaching Zoey how to read spell formulas using the notations in her spellbook. It was straightforward, but not easy. She made decent progress. Or, so Maddy said. Zoey didn’t get close to manifesting the spell. It always fizzled. But it ‘fizzled less than at the start’, according to Maddy’s semi-encouraging words.

Working on a new spell meant more mana wasted … Zoey needed to be topped off a few more times. Fortunately, they weren’t as much of a disaster as the first. Rosalie attended to her eagerly, whenever her cock sprung up—with suspicious speed, even, as if she were waiting around for it to happen—but Zoey made sure not to get hard until she reached the bathroom.

As the practice day wrapped up, Zoey found herself broaching a subject she’d been considering asking Maddy for advice with.

“So,” Zoey said. “This is off topic, but can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“I’m … going on a date. And since,” she waved vaguely at her head, indicating her amnesia, “all of that, I need some advice.”

Maddy blinked rapidly, then a grin split her face. “A date!” She shuffled up to Zoey with bright eyes. “With who? What’d’you have planned?” She leaned forward eagerly, hanging on Zoey’s response.

It was a more excited reaction than Zoey had expected. It was a good thing Maddy was that kind of girl, Zoey supposed, who loved talking romance. She’d be able to help Zoey out. Plus, the enthusiasm was hard not to match; Maddy’s outward excitement was exactly what Zoey felt whenever she thought about her upcoming date with Rosalie, even if Zoey wasn’t the kind of person to be vibrating like Maddy was.

“Rosalie,” Zoey said. “The other teammate. We mentioned her, right?”

Maddy’s eyes widened. There was a brief pause—Zoey couldn’t guess why—but the enthusiasm surged back a second later. “That’s so fun! You two are girlfriends?”

“Well,” Zoey said, cheeks coloring at the word, “no, not yet. This’ll be our first.”

Maddy gasped.

“So you can see why it’s important,” Zoey said, a bit amused at Maddy’s theatrics. Except they seemed genuine reactions, not exaggerated in the slightest. Or, not intentionally exaggerated. “And I have a few plans, but I’m a bit lost. It’s hard to plan a date when I can barely remember how the world works.”

“Yeah, I bet.” A steely determination crossed Maddy’s face, which had Zoey blinking with how fast it appeared. “Then, I’m at your disposal. Ask anything.”

Zoey had thought it the moment she’d seen Maddy’s bright and innocent face, but the image had been cemented throughout the past few hours: Maddy was just a cheerful, enthusiastic person. She wanted to help, genuinely. It was disarming how free she was with her kindness, and it was enormously endearing.

Zoey had had a side-mission with these training sessions to determine if Maddy would be a good fit on the team, personality wise, and her answer—so far, at least—was a resounding yes. She supposed a few hours wasn’t enough time to get to know someone for real, but how couldn’t Zoey like Maddy?

“I’ve got a few things planned out,” Zoey said. “Rosie’s a bit … uptight.” She loved that girl, but—

Er. Loved? Where had that word come from, so easily? Zoey liked that girl. Best to avoid … that other word … for now. Moving way too fast.

She liked that girl, Zoey rephrased, but she wasn’t blind to her flaws; she was definitely uptight.

“So I want to do something relaxing,” Zoey continued, the ‘L word’ only making her stutter for a moment. “A picnic at the park, I’m thinking, for the main event.”

“So cute,” Maddy groaned, seeming almost mad when she said it. “Which park?”

“That’s one of the things I wanted to ask. Which’s best, for a date?”

“I haven’t been in Treyhull for super long, but I guess I know better than you.” Maddy popped up; they’d been seated as they practiced. “C’mon.” She held out a hand. “Time to go scouting.”

“Scouting?”

“Better to find an answer in person. We’ll look around.”

“Oh,” Zoey said. “I didn’t mean—I didn’t want to take up your time like that.”

Maddy seemed almost offended. “There’s nothing more important than a first date. I can spare a few hours.” She wiggled her hand, and Zoey took it, rising. The short, petite girl had a surprising amount of strength in her grip; she was third advancement.

“And I was planning on doing some clothes shopping,” Zoey admitted. “Having a second opinion would be nice there, too.”

“Totally.” Maddy snorted. “Not that you need to dress up, but sure.” A second later, she blushed at what she’d said—as if the words had barreled out of her mouth without verifying with her brain, first.

Maddy had done that a few times: said something without meaning to. It was never overly inappropriate; Zoey didn’t think Maddy could be overly inappropriate.

Which was, if Zoey were honest, maybe the one problem with her joining the team. Maddy was cute, and definitely attractive, but she was so wide-eyed and innocent that Zoey hesitated taking her into the kinds of shards they’d been venturing to. Zoey was protective of her, even, despite knowing her only a few hours … even though it wasn’t Zoey’s place to be protective of her. She was a grown adult, same as all of them. And as old, or older, than Zoey.

“Let me get changed,” Maddy said, brushing past her accidentally too-frank compliment. “Meet up in the lobby, ‘kay?”

“Sounds good. And thanks again.”

“Thanks? Nuh-uh. No thanking me. First dates are class one emergencies. I’m doing my civic duty.”

***

Maddy had been wearing her adventuring gear when they’d been practicing spellcasting, but when they met up again to head out into Treyhull, she was dressed up in an everyday outfit. The flowing gray robes had been replaced with a frilly white blouse and a long skirt that went down to her shins. Zoey had to stop her lips from quirking; it made sense Maddy liked frills and pleats.

She didn’t wear her long, drooping hat, so her blue hair was on display. It really was an odd combination with her warm gray eyes—she had a striking look about her.

She still wore her gloves, the only piece of the outfit that hadn’t changed from their training sessions. A sparkling amulet hung around her neck, the red gemstone, a ruby perhaps, now laid overtop her blouse, so that Zoey could see it—she had caught glances of the silver chain affixed to it, but it’d been hidden beneath Maddy’s robes.

Zoey herself hadn’t needed to change; she’d been in casual clothes already. Or, the casual sort of clothes she’d grown used to wearing, which meant sturdy adventuring gear. During her first shopping trip with Rosalie, Zoey had picked up a few articles that were more casual, meant for being out and about in a city, but not many. She’d been more focused on practical preparations.

“I’ll follow your lead?” Zoey asked. “How long have you been here, anyway?”

“In Treyhull, you mean? A few months. Enough to get know my way around. We checking out the parks first? Or clothes?”

“Up to you,” Zoey said. “There’s still some things I want to talk about, too. Maybe brainstorm a few ideas besides the park? Another event or two.”

“Well,” Maddy said. “What’s she like to do?”

The two of them had set out from the guild, into the streets of Treyhull. They talked as they walked.

“That’s kind of the problem. Rosie is … hard to read, sometimes. Doesn’t share as much as I’d want. And she’s dedicated to wayfaring. So much, she might not even have hobbies.”

“Delta mentioned something about that, I think.”

“Which is fine,” Zoey said. “That’s the life she’s chosen.” Or, that wasn’t quite right—her parents, and station of birth, had chosen it for her. But Rosalie had accepted the role, either way, and that was her choice … just one derived from responsibility and expectations. “I’m not trying to change who she is. She already thinks this date is a waste of time, so—“

“Huh?”

“Er,” Zoey said. That might paint this event in a poor light, like Zoey had begged to go on it and Rosalie was unenthusiastic. “She wants to go on it,” she clarified. Though, only because it was Zoey. And didn’t that have her stomach doing funny things? “But she also thinks she should be focusing on more practical stuff. That’s just who she is. So, like I was saying, I’m not trying to change that … I just want to show her what else is out there.”

If Zoey showed her a relaxed evening, or a few, and Rosalie ended up becoming restless for the ‘wasted time’, then Zoey would stop taking her on them … or at least ease up. Zoey wouldn’t mind dates in the training room, if that was what Rosalie wanted more. She knew this relationship of theirs wouldn’t be like the ones she knew before. The low-key moments would be rarer.

And, honestly, Zoey had a world to be saving, whatever that meant. So it would be a good thing if Rosalie’s workaholic tendencies rubbed off on her.

“I see,” Maddy said, contemplative. “She sounds …” Maddy hesitated, as if she couldn’t find the right word. “I’d like to meet her.”

“Well, that’ll happen soon enough,” Zoey said. “Unless you don’t want to, obviously. Delta told you how we’re looking to fill out the squad, right?”

“Yeah,” Maddy said. She coughed. “But, erm. I’m still thinking about all the … stuff.”

Zoey’s class. “That’s fair.”

A brief awkwardness. Maddy was blushing, now—and pointedly walking faster. She definitely wasn’t like Delta. Zoey’s class had Maddy off-foot, and might actually be something that had her not wanting to join. Like … well, most people, probably? Delta was special in that regard. Delta was special in most regards, really … and Zoey meant that mostly as a compliment.

“So,” Zoey said, bringing things back to a topic that wouldn’t have Maddy’s cheeks burning red. Or hers, too. Maddy’s embarrassment had heat rising on her own cheeks. “Like I was saying, some ideas for low-key events.”

Maddy was comically easy to distract, fortunately. Bringing the topic back to the date had her swerving in demeanor … like a dog spotting a squirrel. “Oh!” she said. “How about, hm, finger painting?”

“Finger painting?” That had come out of left field.

“Imagine it,” Maddy grinned. “You’re saying she’s all prim and proper, hard to cut loose, and that you want to force her out of her shell … well, no one can be all refined-like while finger painting. It’s perfect!”

It was an unexpected suggestion … but honestly, Zoey was amazed at how good it was. Rosalie, finger painting? Something a bit childish, and sure to be messy? It would definitely work to do what Zoey needed. She could imagine it already.

“That’s genius,” Zoey said. “Like, actually. And you came up with it so fast.”

Maddy grinned. “Well, it’s what I do.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Don’t tell my sisters I said this, but I’m definitely the reason at least four of them aren’t single. They’re all useless.”

“At least four?”

“Ophelia and Venus are lost causes,” Maddy said solemnly.

“But … how many do you have, then?”

“Seven,” Maddy said. “And two brothers. Yes, it’s a headache.”

Nine siblings. Seven sisters. Zoey couldn’t even imagine.

“Well,” Zoey said, shaking her head. “I’ll want to do it during the picnic, I think. So I’ll have to get supplies.” Maybe there was a place that hosted finger painting, but Rosalie wouldn’t properly be able to cut loose in public. She’d be too worried for her image. It was one of the reasons Zoey had picked a picnic: for the privacy. Out alone, in a field. “And I was thinking, maybe we’d get desert, after? Somewhere cute?”

“Ooh,” Maddy said with a nod. “Yeah, I know a few places.”