"Something wrong with the kitchen?"

"'Spose not. Make yourself at home." Cafas sipped his coffee as Maya poured her milk. The end colour was noted and filed away. The entire image of Maya, in one of his hoodies, sitting on his kitchen, bench stirring coffee with her finger, was tucked away for a low moment.

"Chairs are too formal, and I would probably get distracted outside. C'mere. This way I'm as tall as you are."

"My chairs are black tie only." He allowed himself to be steered into position, his eyes shifted light red as they met Maya's. A short shiver ran down his back as she smiled. He sipped more coffee just to break the spell on him. Maya snickered, Cafas held back the urge to sing along.

”AND IT MOVES US ALLLLLLLLL!”

"THROUGH DESPAIR AND HOPE!"

And released it. He wasn't much of a singer, but it felt good. He left his coffee on the bench next to Maya, and broke into a dance which was as much a miming as it was dancing. He could have said it was entirely for Maya's benefit, but he'd have been lying. Really it's just what he did when he listened to music alone.

Cafas waved Maya over, despite her just having sat down. There was no point in dancing alone when he didn't have to.

Of course his chairs were black tie. For all those dinner parties. She did not trust herself on any of the furniture at the current moment. The kitchen had been an excellent idea.

Maya did not snort her coffee, but she did have to make the conscious decision to set it aside when Cafas started belting it out just as bad as she had. She could sing, but this wasn't a moment for singing. This was a moment for making merry.

"THROUGH FAITH AND LOOOOVE!"

Cafas' interpretive dance was catching and in a wash of giggling Maya had to join in.

"'TILL WE FIND OUR WA-uh PLAAAAACE" Okay. So it'd been a few years since she'd heard the song. Maybe Rowan would like the Lion King? Maya linked her hands with Cafas' and of course there was at least one twirl. It was the circle of life song. There needed to be circles. "ON THE PATH UNWIIIINDING!"

There was some kind of tapping coming from beneath them that set Maya off on a whole new tangent of giggles and maybe a snort. No. Definitely not a snort. She wasn't a snorter. There was NO SNORTING.

"I forgot you have neighbors. Shhh, Cafas. Shhh!" She put her fingers on his lips amid a wash of mirth. Her words were near unintelligible for the constant bubble of laughter.

"'TILL WE FIND OUR WA-uh PLAAAAACE"

Cafas missed a line laughing. He'd been so careful to avoid doing just that. He did it every single time, it just made so much more sense. Who finds a place on a path anyway?

Elton John, right?

Twirling Maya made Cafas slightly envious. Gender roles had him being all not twirly. Well, he'd show them! Cafas threw a twirl in for himself. It was just as fun as he'd expected. He did it again!

The tapping from below set Maya off in a new fit of giggles. The cute snort was unexpected. Her face told him everything he needed to know about the snort and that set him off too. He pulled Maya into a hug so she could hide her embarrassment. He shuddered a few laughs into her hair. She smelled like ozone. It was somewhat intoxicating. Releasing her was a disappointing moment, but he did re-lace their left fingers. It offered some consolation.

"I forgot you have neighbors. Shhh, Cafas. Shhh!"

"They're just jealous of our fun." He spoke through her fingers on his lips. He did grab his phone out again to turn down the volume some. They might have to stop singing too. That was sad, but he didn't feel like a noise complaint.

Cafas slowly managed to stop laughing. It wasn't easy, Maya's laughter was infectious and kept reviving his own. "Okay, okay, shhhh you're pretty mouth. Wait, what were we doing? Oh! Coffee." He dashed over and grabbed their mugs. He was pressing Maya's into her hand shortly after.

I could do this forever...

Twirling Cafas was an adventure in size differentials. She had to go up on tippytoe and stretch her arms up to keep hold of him while he did it, but it was worth it. And worth it to do all over again.

The neighbors were totally jealous. Just like Maya was finding herself jealous of her fingers against his lips. That was a surprising thought and she was glad Cafas made a jaunt over to grab the coffees while she digested it.

She... liked him.

She wanted to kiss him again.

Was that so inconceivable? She accepted her coffee and pulled the mug up to smell as much as sip, still smiling enough for a marathon cheek exercise.

He said she was pretty. He made her feel pretty.

"Is this how it's supposed to be?" Because while she'd loved Sebastian, theirs had been slow growing. Not passionate or... whatever. Maya flushed. Was it warm in here? Maybe it was the coffee.

She was feeling shy now, but tugged Cafas close enough to bump him with her shoulder. "Should we make this a black tie event?" Maybe if they sat in chairs she could marshal her feelings into something productive.

"Is this how it's supposed to be?"

Cafas took a moment to try and figure out exactly what Maya meant. Her flushing did all the thinking for him. The fact she was asking, and like that... He refrained from the fist pump. "I don't know,really. This is nice though. Great even."

Where is "kiss the girl" in this playlist?

Maya pulling him close did funny things to his heart. Cafas searched her hand out with his own. He sipped away at the coffee trying to make his brain function properly, but it wasn't complying, too excited by the circumstances and seemingly good prospects.

"Should we make this a black tie event?"

"We're hardly dressed for it, but I'll make an exception for you." Cafas pulled Maya relatively gently back to the table. Her tone sounded like she needed gentle. Was she shy? Cafas pulled a chair out for her and set out a coaster. He turned the chair next to it to face her and sat leaning his elbows on his thighs.

Don't blow this now.

"So uh... What's up?"

"Are you kidding? I have this most fashionable dress on." Maya illustrated the point by tipping her shoulders back and forth before she sat. The effect what that the bottom hem of the hoodie swished across her legs like a tunic dress might. It also showed that there was enough room for at least two of her in that hoodie.

And of course Cafas had to turn his chair to face her. Bah! She hid in her coffee cup until there wasn't any more coffee to be had. Double bah!

Maya squirmed in her chair. "I just... I mean, I think I... I wasn't sure, you know, but... uhm." Words were hard. "あなたが好き。私は、私たちはロマンチックに関与されることは良いアイデアだとは思わないが、私はしたいと思います。そして、それは利己的です。" She puffed out her cheeks knowing full well that was as good as not saying it. But it had opened the floodgates at least. She would have to raise her concerns later. For now, one step at a time.

She addressed a speck on the table. It was a very important speck. "I like you. I like... this." Whatever this was. Saying the words, though, brought back memories of the first time she'd said that to him.

Could she just go hide under a rock now? Please?

"Are you kidding? I have this most fashionable dress on."

There was swishing but all that was getting through was legs. Once he realised he was staring Cafas averted his gaze upwards. Maya was hidden behind her cup. That was pretty much a confirmation of the shyness.

"I just... I mean, I think I... I wasn't sure, you know, but... uhm. あなたが好き。私は、私たちはロマンチックに関与されることは良いアイデアだとは思わないが、私はしたいと思います。そして、それは利己的です。"

Cafas blinked as Maya puffed out her cheeks. Then he blinked a little more. Was that Japanese? He tried his best to get rid of the confused look on his face, but failed entirely. He sipped his coffee and waited, because he had no idea what to say to that. He had no idea what that was.

"I like you. I like... this."

Cafas' confusion gave way to unabated happiness. His face hurt from smiling already, but it put in some extra effort with the new smile. She still wasn't looking at him but he could deal with that. "I like you, and this, too. I uh... I was kinda really worried you didn't for a while, but... Well, yay!" He had no idea what to say. Thoughts were tripping over each other to try and find his mouth.

Cafas couldn't quite contain the excitement. He left his chair and hugged Maya in hers. Just a short one, but a happy one. "So do uh... you wanna actually do this?"

Because he really wanted to.

She could no longer pretend she was doing this just to keep him happy since it was very clearly making her happy too. But do this? Like actually do... what? Love? Marriage?

She got that flash of fear again. Especially with the hug.

"Yeah, but no. Cafas—" She turned to look at him and he was so eager. He was so... expectant. "I'm not the solution to your problems. I'm just a whole new set of them." Why didn't he see that he could have anybody?

She put her hands on his face and they were just on the cool side of warm. "If you stop and think about it, really think, it's not a good idea at all." Those weren't the words she wanted to say, but they were the truth. She looked between his eyes checking for color and insight into what was happening in his head.

"Yeah, but no. Cafas— I'm not the solution to your problems. I'm just a whole new set of them. If you stop and think about it, really think, it's not a good idea at all."

Cafas let out a short sigh. He was a little exasperated but no less happy. She'd said the same thing before. His smile didn't falter, and his eyes maintained red and yellow. perhaps some pink flickered in on the edges, but it receded quickly.

"If those problems come with you, I'll take them." He covered one of Maya's right hand with his left, lent in and kissed her. He tried in that short moment to convey his sincerity. He drew back and refocused the eye contact.

I could lose myself in those forever...

"Just because something eventually has to end, isn't a reason to never begin." He curled his fingers around the edge of her and and held it. If she really didn't want to, he'd respect it, but he had to try. In that moment, his heart demanded it.

Okay. Yellow. Yellow was happy, right? She'd seen yellow. Was red mad? Was he angry? She hadn't seen red before.

Angry people didn't kiss like that. It took her a moment to re-open her eyes and reorient to the situation.

> "Just because something eventually has to end, isn't a reason to never begin."

He held her hand. She climbed out of her chair and into his lap curling her legs up between the arm rest and his side. She hid her face in the collar of his shirt.

"Would you date other people?" There. Holding onto him made this conversation a hundred times easier.

Cafas put his coffee down. He didn't think he was going to be able to drink it with her in his lap. The arm was much better served holding her. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb absently. He was once again distracted by her scent.

"Would you date other people?"

"How do you mean? Like, with you? No. Single? I don't think so. In your position..." He wouldn't, but he really didn't want to say it. He couldn't say it. He never said he wasn't being a hypocrite. She seemed happy though, and she made him happy. Maybe then? He'd be lying to himself if he thought that would actually change it.

"I guess I'd have to be there to know."

He was more than happy to take an inevitable sadness onto himself, but wouldn't bestow it on someone. He was asking her to though.

He grasped the different cases all immediately. It made it easier for her that he was puzzling through them on her behalf. She'd certainly thought about it in a non-real sort of way. Now? Here? It was depressing.

This was not happy flag planting. It wasn't dancing in the kitchen 'til the neighbors complained either. But she could have those things if she was willing to try.

She was still for a long moment just listening to his heart beat and the ebb and flow of his breathing.

Her voice felt loud to her after so much quiet. "Okay. I want to try it. The real deal." She should do things in the right order for once. Hadn't she harped on Jude for that? Dating came first. It was a trial period. Didn't have to be permanent. Not at all like she'd done with Sebastian, which hadn't turned out to be terribly permanent anyway.

"But... one request?" It would make this better if he at least kept an open mind. "Would you promise me that if somebody else comes along, you won't waste that opportunity?"

"Okay. I want to try it. The real deal."

Cafas' heart rate increased appreciably at that. He could feel it. He could feel the smile on his face. He could feel Maya's weight on his thighs. He could feel a great deal of stress leave him. Mostly though, he could feel the incoming but.

"But... one request? Would you promise me that if somebody else comes along, you won't waste that opportunity?"

How am I meant to answer that?

A mild panic set in. He desperately wanted not to screw up in that moment. He just had no idea what the right answer was.

He had a fairly firm grasp of what the truth was, though Maya being there was a pretty decent testament to how uncertain his no would have to be.

It took him several long moments to come around to an answer he was okay with. He wasn't used to thinking so hard about what he was going to say.

"They'll have their work cut out for them, but I promise not to rule it out until you tell me to." It seemed like a diplomatic answer. He knew it sounded like one too. He'd clear it with her in any instance it came up anyway, just so he could maybe not feel like he was betraying her.

The way his heart was racing, Maya knew she had to see him face to face. So she dredged up her courage and sat back.

She wasn't sure what she would see. Horror? Disgust? Certainly not wheels turning in his mind. It made her smile. This whole situation was weird. She was lucky he was actually taking the time to take her seriously.

And his serious answer earned him a full megawatt smile that she hid behind her hand. "That's all I can ask. Thank you."

Goober. She ducked and fussed with her sleeves. Well, technically they were his sleeves. "So... you wanna go get coffee?" Maya teased.