"It'll be... fun." Her stilted tone said anything but.

Maya tugged on Cafas' sleeve and breezed past the "Nice to Drink You" banner in the entryway of the hotel plaza. The flyer had said "Hetero Round Robin Speed Dating" and that drinks would be provided. She hadn't thought that it'd be central to the night's theme, though. "I didn't know there'd be alcohol." Her gathered eyebrows said more than enough about that. Still. She worried.

"Will you...?" No. That was a passive Maya question. She rephrased. "If you drink, I will be there to intercept. So don't even bother."

The room buzzed with hushed excitement. There were more people than Maya had been expecting milling around the carpeted room with tiny two-person standing tables. But that was the idea, wasn't it? To get out and meet new people. There had to be people to meet people.

Maya had RSVPed on both their behalf and paid a small fee, so the elemental knew there were technically an equal number of boys and girls. And the people here were serious about finding "the one" for them. It just felt somehow that there were more women. Maybe it was the fact that there were more women looking in Cafas' direction with a proprietary eye.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

"Uhm. So. Maybe I kinda tricked you into this, but you promised that you'd keep an open mind." She was reminding herself as much as Cafas at this point. She pat him on the elbow and marshaled a smile. "So good luck!" And she made off to the opposite side of the room where the women were gathering.

So why was Maya here? Because it'd been a bring a friend of the opposite gender that you think should hook up with someone else kind of flyer. Cafas wouldn't have gone without her prompting, so she had to be here.

They'd been late arriving. That was the problem with making it a "surprise date" and taking a taxi. Heck. She'd only dressed up and worn lipstick because she wanted him to know she meant the word "date." She was glad she did, though, considering the caliber of women that were there. Lipstick. High heels. Dresses. No. Maya wasn't out of place in the least.

The lights dimmed and the MC took the stage introducing the event and prompting a line of servers to appear and put a drink in every hand. He was chatty and everything a good MC should be. Maya wasn't really paying attention. She was trying to peer over into the men's group and make sure Cafas hadn't taken a sip out of reflex.

"Alright! Gentlemen, if you will each choose a table. We'll have the ladies flitting between flowers. Take a drink every time your date says "uhm!" If she can't think of what to say, let's face it, you'll need the help, guys." That got a smattering of applause. Not from Maya. She was still trying to pick out the pink of Cafas' hair. It shouldn't be this hard! Or. Wait. when the lights had dimmed, she'd swapped more to her spatial senses.

"Remember, ladies. It's your job to take a drink each time the buzzer sounds and then swap partners. Support staff, we shouldn't see the bottoms of any of these glasses. Everyone know what to do?"

There was cheering. The guys took their tables and the girls were given cocktail napkins with get to know you questions to help them should they need it.

Then. The first buzzer. Women scrambled for a table with an open, unattached male. There was a bit of a scuffle. That was how Maya finally identified Cafas' table.

Cafas had been wary from the moment the words "It's a secret!" had left Maya's mouth, but he trusted her. As it turned out, that had been a mistake.

"It'll be... fun."

She sounds so convinced.

Cafas threw an amused smirk Maya's way. For both their sake he hoped she was right. She tugged his sleeve right past a banner. The phrasing was even better than Maya's delivery of the previous lie.

"I didn't know there'd be alcohol."

Her face did not look pleased about it. Given he was meant to not be drinking, he figured she was worrying about him.

"Will you...? If you drink, I will be there to intercept. So don't even bother."

"I'd like to see that, lightweight."

One flash of a cheeky grin later they'd entered the event room.

That's a lot of people.

There was an excited tension Cafas had trouble missing. It only seemed to grow as people noticed them. He was almost used to it. Crowds too. It did make him miss having Noel with him though. A chill ran up his spine, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He felt the distinct sensation he was being hunted. His smile faltered.

"Uhm. So. Maybe I kinda tricked you into this, but you promised that you'd keep an open mind. So good luck!"

"No maybe about it, but I did promise. I'd wish you luck too, but I wouldn't mean it."

There was a mounting stress inside him as Maya walked away. He stamped on it hard, trying to suppress the urge to do a full one eighty. He re-affixed his smile like a shield, but his eyes gave lie to his expression, almost radioactively green.

At least he got to watch her walk away.

Just like a signing. Just like a signing. Just like a signing.

The lights dimmed and a drink found its way into Cafas' hand. He resisted the urge to put it to his mouth. It took more willpower than Cafas was proud to admit. The MC gave them a run down of the rules. Despite having lost sight of her, Cafas could almost see the frown on Maya's face. Mandatory drinking, eh? That was going to make things interesting.

When told, Cafas selected a table between an impeccably dressed but visibly sweating younger guy, and a thirty odd man in a shirt and slacks, cool as a cucumber. For his part, Cafas was starting to feel awfully warm. He folded his sleeves to the elbow while the MC finished explaining everything.

The cheering really seemed a bit much to Cafas. Then again, what were they going to do? Answer him individually? It was just how crowds worked.

The buzzer seemed less like it was for a speed dating event, more like black Friday sales. He really struggled not to drink just at that. Cafas was a little ashamed how much it amused him to watch one woman literally throw another out of the way to get to him. He hid the smile behind his hand.

The breathless woman was, contrary to what he'd expected after what she'd been through to get there first, very well put together. Make up and hair on point, dress sense couldn't be faulted. She had the air of a wall street worker though. Superficial charm, he could smell it a mile off. He was clearly dealing with film execs too much.

"Hi! I'm Sandra, nice to meet you!"

"Cafas, likewise."

"Oh, like, THE Cafas? Cafas Johnson?"

He held back a sigh behind a smile he was putting his entire acting skill into. It had been bad enough in bars. At least then he'd been drinking, and more decided not to try than ended up approaching.

"Guilty as charged."

The composure suddenly slipped. It happened that way a lot.

"Oh wow, can I just say, I loved the Dusk movies. Did they digitally enhance your muscles? I thought they must have with your hair but wow was I wrong with that."

"Thanks! I don't think they digitally enhanced much of anything. Except the wings, those aren't mine."

He offered a wink, Sandra offered a polite laugh for her part.

"Okay so uhm..."

Damn it. Cafas laughed and faked a sip as she consulted her napkin.

"Alright, if you had a free weekend with no commitments, what would you do?"

"I'd probably end up sleeping late, getting waffles for lunch and spending the day playing video-games, gym in the evening, catch something on Broadway. Sunday ride my motorbike upstate, have lunch out in the beautiful country, ride back in the afternoon sun, hit the gym then just see what happens that night."

It was his PR answer. It went with the laid back image, just the right amount of exciting and cultured thrown in. He'd been coached on it before so many conventions and appearances. Sandra seemed to buy it.

"How about you?"

"Oh I think a spa retreat weekend, saunas, facials, massages, the works. I know, so typical!"

Yeah well, those in glass houses...

"Hey, cliches are cliches for a reason. So, what do you do for work?"

"I'm a junior broker at Dean Witter Co. though hopefully not junior for too long! Uhm.. I think that's it! How about you? Oh, wait, no I mean... Uhm What was your favorite class at school?"

There was that napkin again, and Cafas having to fake another two sips. He very nearly actually took it. Maybe Maya wouldn't notice? He fought the urge.

"Believe it or not, science. Loved it, always fascinated me. Doesn't really fit the picture does it? What about you?"

That actually seemed to perk her up a little. Cafas hadn't been expecting it to, but it was sometimes hard to tell with people.

"Maths and chemistry! Wow I didn't pick you for he science type! I guess I just figured you were a sporty drama club guy. Did you ever think about doing a job in the sciences?"

In school, sure. Life didn't go the whole complete education route for him though. That all seemed far too depressing a story, and too long, for the circumstances.

"Yeah, but I kind of just fell into acting and being an X-man. It's kind of taken up most of my time since."

A short buzz gave them a ten second warning. Sandra scribbled her name and number on one of the provided cards and slid it across the table.

"It was super nice meeting you. Call me, we can talk about science and stuff over coffee."

"Sounds great. Good luck with the rest of the evening!"

The actual buzzer went off, Sandra took a long draw of her drink and moved off.

That wasn't so bad... If the rest go like that I can probably deal.

Maya really hadn't thought it through all the way. She had totally dismissed the part where she had to go through the process too.

She stepped up to a table, neck still craned toward Cafas' table. He seemed to be doing alright, but he was lifting his glass to his lips every now and again. He said he wouldn't!

The man in front of her cleared his throat. "Err. So Are you in college or something?"

The elemental turned slowly to focus on the man on the other side of the table. He wasn't unattractive, she supposed. Just... very normal.

"Oh. Uhm." He drank. Oh. Right. "No, I actually never made it through college. I didn't have time."

He frowned like he wasn't expecting that kind of answer. "Why not?"

"Uhm." She was really bad at that. Her date drank again and looked grateful for it. Maya worried that Cafas' date might be bad at the uhm thing too. "If you'll just excuse me. One. Just one second." Without explanation Maya dashed over to Cafas' table, grabbed his drink from his hand and chugged it until it was gone. She gave him a look and made it back to her table just in time for the 10 second warning buzzer to go off.

"I'm sorry. He's not supposed to drink so... I hope you find someone." She smiled at her first "date." He did not smile back.

The buzzer rang.

"Don't forget to take a drink."

Oh. Right. "I'm not really very good at this, huh?" Since there was no good answer there, the guy just shrugged. Maya picked up her drink and took a sip before shuffling off to her next date.

The look Maya gave him was one of utter hypocrisy as she had literally sculled his drink right in front of him. That was just mean. He made a very clear gesture of "I did nothing!" even as his drink was refilled by a very confused looking server.

His next 'date' approached, nay, strutted towards Cafas' table. All cleavage and bottle blonde hair. Not that Cafas could talk about dyed hair, but that bleach blonde look just really needed to go out of fashion. Her skirt flumphed with every hip rocking step, eye contact the whole way over. She was really going for it.

"I'm Erica, you're Cafas Johnson, I think we both know we're the hottest two people in here, we could leave right now."

"Direct and confident. If I hadn't come with a friend I might just take you up on that offer." No he wouldn't. He'd met a thousand of her in LA when he'd been down for stage shoots.

Her confident facade crumbled. She clearly wasn't the type to have a plan B.

"Oh uhm, sorry, uhm I really kind hoped that would work.. I rehearsed it all the way over. Uhm Okay, yeah Hi I'm Erica, how are you?"

Cafas flicked his eyes over to Maya trying to pick a moment she wasn't watching him. Eventually he just had to mime drinking before it got awkwardly long.

"I'm pretty good, thanks, yourself? Gotta ask, was there a plan if that worked?"

Erica blushed under her make-up, not that Cafas could really tell.

"Uhm, try and keep it up until you fell for me? I don't know I hadn't thought it through, it just seemed uhm.. Bold? Sexy? you know?"

Cafas did his best to disguise his amusement. It didn't look like it was working, by the look on Erica's face. He used his glass to cover his mouth as he feign sipped again. He could smell the alcohol. It wanted to be drunk. He pushed it back away from his mouth.

"I know it's stupid."

"No, it's fine really. Just not really my style. Worth a shot right?"

It seemed to make her feel a little better. Certainly she looked less dejected. A long pause passed.

"Hey so, uhm, I guess I've blown my chances, and there's not long left, but, can you sign my arm?"

Another fake drink.

"Sure, got a sharpie?"

Why she just happened to be carrying one was beyond Cafas. Women's handbags boggled his mind. They seemed to contain a full walmart within some extra-dimensional space. Cafas accepted the pen, held Erica's hand to stabilise her arm and signed her forearm.

Erica, Be yourself, you're far more interesting than 'those girls', Cafas Johnson

"Hey, you look really familiar."

"Do I?" The woman who was with Cafas now was so not his type. Good thing it was only two minutes.

"Oh! The bank! Geez! You're an X-man! An X-lady?" Maya's date whistled. She felt bad about the other one so she tried to at least appear interested in this one. She turned to face him.

"X-man is fine. Yes. My code name is Ghost. Sorry. Honestly, at this point I probably couldn't even say which bank you're talking about." Money was a pretty good motivator for theft and without thinking too hard about it, mutants with powers went straight for a cash grab. "Really makes you think about how we think about money, huh?"

"But, Oh man. That costume. You could probably beat me up, right?" He bit his lip and gave Ghost an appreciative look.

"It's just a uniform." She blushed. He hadn't earned the right to look at her like that.

"No. Just a-" He grabbed his chest as if she'd wounded him.

"Sa— uhm. ColdSteel picked out the skirt." He even shamelessly foisted heels on all the women. Of course, because of that Maya was now able to wear heels with absolute confidence. Like tonight.

Maya was pretty sure she heard the man say something into his drink as he sipped. Something like 'my hero.'

"The man is a saint. Yeah. If you'd showed up in that no man would turn you down. You don't have it on you, do you?"

"Uhm. No." That uhm? Yeah. That one was on purpose. They both drank.

The warning buzzer sounded.

"So you'll call me?" He was writing furiously on his card before time was up.

"Maybe." She smiled and felt bad for lying. What? Was Cafas writing on that lady? Maya really should try to be nicer. She'd asked him to be nice. She could at least afford to be nice, right? "Thank you." She accepted the card and glanced down. He'd written his number and a web address that started with fanfic.net.

She knew better than to look that up.

The buzzer to swap came through. Maya took a drink and had to wait for a refill before she got to her next table. How many more before the night was through?

((OOC: Zinnia's side can be found in the Cameo thread.))

The buzzer sounded. Erica retrieved her sharpie, had the required drink, and moved on. No number. Cafas was almost disappointed. Then again, they'd barely actually spoken, certainly no "get to know you" questions had been asked.

Probably for the best. Most people who ask me to sign body parts end up being weirdos.

His new "date" approached, a rather pretty woman who introduced herself as "Zinnia". Unusual name. She also seemed like she hadn't automatically placed him, though her expression suggested she at least knew she'd seen him before. So far, so good.

Then realisation dawned on her face. It wasn't followed by the usual level of enthusiasm however. Cafas was relieved, constant streams of high-energy enthusiastic fans were exhausting.

Okay dude, reserved hope. Stick to that. Maybe this will turn out to be a perfectly nice non-crazy non-fan. Maybe she's just hiding it.

"Cafas. Nice to meet you."

>“Before the first question- can I take a selfie with you? My housemates will lose their minds.”

Did Cafas really want photo evidence of him being there? Maybe... He'd just watched Maya finish her drink on the buzzer. At the rate she was going he may need it just to prove he'd gone with her.

"Sure. Thanks for asking first, you'd be surprised how often that doesn't happen." Cafas moved around the table to stand next to Zinnia, slung an arm over her shoulder, and put on his best super excited face. The thumbs up was for bonus points. If she was making her housemate's jealous, may as well do it right.

At least someone's getting something out of tonight.

One quick selfie later Zinnia was tucking her phone back into her purse. Cafas swung back to his side of the table. They still had a bit over a minute to burn through. Luckily Zinnia seemed perfectly capable of asking questions without trying to get him drunk. Unlike certain Ericas.

>“So, where are you from?”

An easy one, if somewhat common knowledge. Zinnia was obviously not a fan-girl. It could not be overstated how much Cafas appreciated that in a person. "Australia, though I've lived here for six years now. How about you?" The accent said New Yorker. Cafas' was just kind of generically foreign, hints of Australian left. He doubted it would ever fully convert to an American one.

>“I was born here, my Dad is British, but my Mum lived here all her life and now so have I.”

"Yeah I had you pegged for a local. The accent gives it away."

Really carrying the conversation, aren't you?

>“I’m guessing whoever wrote these questions didn’t know they’d have a movie star in their mix, so lets skip ‘what movie role would you like to play?’, and go straight to ‘What is your favourite movie?’, if you say your own I’m obliged to punch you, just so you know.”

Cafas liked Zinnia more and more as they spoke. She came in at eight inches shorter than him and probably half his weight, yet there she was, with her promises of punching him. Why was that an attractive trait? Probably because he knew it wouldn't hurt. He liked her chutzpah.

Huh... What IS my favourite movie?

"Damn that's a hard one. I'm going to have to say 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. Heck of a blend of comedy, action, and sci-fi. Artistically 'Lord of the Rings' is pretty brilliant, great score, stellar acting, perfectly shot. Off the top of my head those are my picks, what're yours?"

Cafas was a little self conscious that neither of picks were the sort of artistic pieces other actors always named. He wasn't exactly a connoisseur. Action, comedy, fantasy, sci-fi and Disney were pretty much his jam. It had earned him more than one derisive sneer from some film snobs. That and his role in Dusk.

Whatever, who needs 'em anyway?

>“Guardians had definite space-explosion appeal, I’ll give it that. I like the newer Disney Princess movies, yay black princess!”

Ha! Taste in movies too! He hoped Maya was having as much luck as Cafas was. Not more though. So far there was no-one that Cafas found particularly interesting. Zinnia was potentially friend material, but there wasn't much in the way of chemistry. Still, maybe they could hang out for movie nights. Hopefully Maya wouldn't replace him.

>“Ok, last question- why are you here tonight? I’ll go first – my housemates think I’m a sad sap who can’t get a date for herself, and needs to be set up with a total stranger that she met for 2mins. You?”

"My uhm... Maya," Maybe she wouldn't notice? It sounded similar enough. Cafas indicated to the white haired woman for good measure, "kinda tricked me into it. Guess she's hoping I'll find someone long term. She's sweet, but if I hadn't promised to keep an open mind I wouldn't be here."

His mind was certainly as open as he could make it. But he just wasn't feeling it with any of the women so far. Zinnia scribbled something down and handed it to him.

Zinnia Hourig

Her full name. Odd.

>“You should add me, I think we’d be friends.”

Oh right, BookFace.

BookFace friends he could deal with. It was the friendship equivalent of a holding pattern. Maybe they'd actually meet up eventually, maybe they wouldn't, until then they could know just enough about each other's lives to be up to date.

"Will do. Nice to meet you Zinnia, catch you round."

>“Nice to meet you too.”

The ten second buzzer sounded. Zinnia busied herself with her phone. Cafas reflexively reached for his drink and brought it to his lips.

Weirdly enough, she recognized the woman at Cafas' table now. She was the pretty nurse. Pretty and smart and funny. She'd thought all those things when she'd met her before. Xin? Zeenia? Her name was something flowery and beautiful. She was probably over there right now winning his heart.

Probably for the best, really.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Maya was drawn back from watching Cafas' table to the here and now where her date was motioning for her to lean in while he did the same. Oh. A secret. Like a whisper secret? Maya leaned in helpfully.

"I'm not a drinker and my first date was a nice lady who didn't seem to have any confidence at all." He confided. "I think with uhm's alone she ran me through my first drink and a half. Under two minutes. Sss'unreal!"

That earned him a snort that the elemental had to cover up with her hand. It wasn't very lady-like to snort laugh in a stranger's ear. But he wasn't done.

"And maybe it's the other drinks I had in the meantime and the recent divorce, but I think you look like an angel."

Maya turned so that they were forehead to forehead, entirely amused. "You must be drunk then." This one, out of all the others was easiest to deal with. Maybe it was the alcohol, which he tried to lean back and take another sip of. Maybe it was that Maya felt that she was in the exact same spot: slightly trashed and recently divorced.

The x-man slid her hand between his drink and his lips before he got the cup up to drink so that the guy ended up lipping her knuckles briefly instead. An almost kiss. Just barely sweet over icky.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Uhm."

Maya took the barest of sips, glancing over to Cafas' table again before leaning across the table to whisper in his ear this time. "Please don't drink too much. I'm having a hard enough time playing guardian angel tonight."


WIth their faces this close, Maya noticed that his eyes were brown and watery.

"Issanybuddy tell you that you have amazing eyes? Like. Wow." He'd apparently been scoping her eyes out too.

"No more drinks for you, okay?" Maya gave him a kiss on the forehead and reached for one of his cards and a pen. "Just tiny sips if you absolutely have to. I'd rather you fake a drink than go home with the wrong girl tonight." She jotted down one of the many hotline numbers she'd memorized over the years. Just in case he needed help later.

The ten second buzzer sounded.

"You sure you're not an angel?"

The alert sounded to swap tables.

Maya smiled a bit sadly. Maybe tonight wasn't so bad after all. "Don't make me intercept your drinks. I'm a lightweight too."

In fact, when she went to check on Cafas, he had his glass to his lips. Maya was there in a flash, it helped that they were only one table away now. She hesitated only a second with her hand on the cup. Last time when she drank it, they'd just given him a refill. His glass was full again. Had he drunk a whole glass already without her noticing?

She stole his entire cup.

Now, as she took her place across from a bemused looking businessman, she had two drinks.

"D'jou take your drink between tables or are you only interested in stealing everyone else's?"

Not knowing how to answer, Maya simply took two sips: one from each cup.

Zinnia moved on and Cafas was suddenly left with an empty hand where once had been a drink. Maya didn't even give it back. Even the server was at a loss, lacking spare glasses. It did snap him back to focus though. Alcohol was present, he needed to be vigilant with himself.

Receiving the refill jug in front of him was not helping. The server just shrugged at him and went to find another jug.

Okay then...

He looked up just in time to get hit by a disdainful glare from across the table. Cafas knew this expression well enough. It was the other one he'd come to expect from the people that recognised him.

"Don' ev'n try it on, thish girl'sh got your numb'r."

The smell of booze was overwhelming on her breath. Either she was a colossal lightweight, or she'd had some very uncertain partners. She was also not making the most sense to Cafas, though along with the slurring, that might have been the booze.

"Uh, okay. I'm Ca..."

"I knooow who you are. Wash your bed ev'n col' before you go' tha' trait'r HARLOT into it? Can't hide from OK! Magaz'n' playboy! I shaw th' pictures!"

Oh god. Cafas ground his teeth and braced himself as the woman took a big gulp, spilling some of the drink onto her skirt suit. He considered just bailing then and there, but Maya was next, and he was actually looking forward to those two minutes. If he could just survive a little longer, he'd be fine.

"You shood be ASHHHAMED! Chea'ing on a polishe offisher! Rishking his LIFE!"

It took a lot of Cafas' willpower not to reach across the table and lay the b**** out. His eyes flared as pink as his hair. Who the HELL was she to judge? Did she have any idea about his relationship with Calley over the pas few years? Did she have any evidence he'd cheated? Ignoring that he totally had, it was a big call to be making.

"Rita O'Laine shtands with C... C... Uhm.."

"Calleb Schwartz. I'm very sorry if you believe OK! magazine knows what was up with my relationship with 100% accuracy, but it does not."

They weren't far off though.

Cafas' self control was on its last legs. His eyes flicked between Rita and the jug of drink in front of him. It felt like the longest two minutes of his life.

"Wha'ev'r, lousy jerk. I hope they arresht y'r trait'r floosy, and you too."

Was it his imagination, or had a smug looking black and white cat just disappeared out the door?

Bzzzzzzt

Cafas had never heard a sweeter sound.

Rita fixed him with a final glare and moved on to the next poor sod. Cafas was just glad to be rid of her. His hands trembled close to the jug. A few calming breaths, that's what he needed... Maybe a few calming gulps from the half empty pitcher.

Nope... No, hold on.

"So you're telling me, you're an entrepreneur too?" Maya pressed her hands to her cheeks to cool them down. She was actually making progress in the nice department when she couldn't help but over hear something distracting from Cafas' table.

> "...HARLOT..."

"Yes. Actually, I majored business while in university and started a small... cheese wheel and panty hose factory. Maya?"

She'd been frowning at the drunkard across for Cafas.

"Are you really here to find somebody?"

She blushed. "Uhm."

"Is he your squeeze?" The man indicated Cafas with his head. He did not drink at her uhm, she noticed. She wasn't sure if that made her respect him more or that fact that he was calling her out.

"No. Maybe. I mean! He's not supposed to drink. I want him to find somebody. Not drunk. Uh get drink." She jumped at the woman's next outburst.

> "You shood be ASHHHAMED! Chea'ing on a polishe offisher! Rishking his LIFE!"

Maya cringed.

"Hey. Don't make that face. She can't be talking about you."

Oh. Little did he know...

"I would like to see your factory some time."

The ten second timer sounded into her date's confused look.

"Cheese wheels and... did you say panty hose?" She teased.

He actually threw back his head and laughed.

Bzzzzzzt

Maya took her drinks, one from each glass, and toddled over to Cafas' table. She was apparently drinking for Cafas too, now.

And Cafas had his own pitcher.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes became very round and very sad. "Please don't make me drink all that."

"Please don't make me drink all that."

Cafas looked down at the jug, then back to Maya. "Honestly not sure you could. I'm not drinking anyway, though after that last one..." It seemed like such an inviting prospect. The numbing embrace of the alcohol. He pushed the jug further away from himself on the small table, as if that was going to make a difference.

The metal manipulator did his best to smile for Maya. Having her there was calming. He didn't know quite why he was bothering with the others.

Because you promised.

Cafas lent around the table and ran his gaze up Maya, floor to hair, then back to her eyes. "You look beautiful." Cafas cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter. His smile grew a fraction and his eyes began fading to yellow.

"So, I'm Cafas Johnson! I'll be your date for the next ninety seconds. First question, starting easy, favourite food! I gotta say, it's hard to go past a slice of pizza for me."

He was very hopeful he could get her number. The question was hardly interesting, but he'd been speaking quickly and trying to think of something in time. It was the first thing that came to mind.

If I can't get Maya's number I may as well quit now...

"I don't think I could either." Already Maya was on her way to tipsy, if she wasn't already there. Still she pulled the pitcher over and made a show of pouring one glass entirely into the other. She then poured with an unsteady hand the smallest amount possible into Cafas' cup and returned the glass to him. She hoped the plan was understood at this point. If he earned a refill, he was in trouble.

"Are we still on for dinner after?" Or had she made him mad? He actually seemed in a decent mood despite taking guff from his previous date. His compliment went a long way toward making her feel a little less like a walking failure.

> "...First question, starting easy, favourite food!..."

"Okonomiyaki. Uhm. I've heard it described as a Japanese pancake pizza thing?" She lunged to intercept his drink. Okayokay. That one was totally her fault. She wobbled, half on the table, half not even on her feet any more. She took the sip for him and eased back to pour him another.

"Okay." She spoke with obvious over intention. No Uhm would ever leave her lips again while at this table. Especially since she was handing back his drink. "Do you have a favorite sweet?" Maya had lost or abandoned her napkin some time ago. She hadn't actually come for the dating, after all.

Okonomaki... Japanese pancake pizza it was! He was fairly confident he could remember that. Google would handle the rest when the time came.

Cafas had barely bothered to move his hand. He'd known what was coming. He hadn't expected Maya to dive onto the table to stop him drinking though. She took the sip for him pointedly, poured another sips worth and handed the glass back.

Man, that drink's really hitting her...

"Do you have a favorite sweet?"

She spoke with such care, Cafas wondered why she'd bothered to give him the glass back in the first place.

"You." He slipped it in quickly and moved on just as fast, "Food-wise though, that's a real depends on the mood sort of thing. Right now, I could decimate a plate of waffles. How about you?"

That was likely true of most things though. Given neither of them had eaten, it was hardly surprising the topic was food. Cafas had trained quite a bit too, and his caloric intake needs weren't exactly small even on days off. Muscle mass didn't just happen.

"We're totally still on for dinner, why wouldn't we be?" It was the plan, after all. Not that Cafas was the best at sticking to plans, but he did try. There weren't any obvious threats about, so he saw no need to deviate.

"Final question, because that buzzer's coming up. Who's your celebrity crush?" Cafas' wink was just the cheesiest.

> "You."

Really? He moved on quickly. Perhaps her eyebrows had scared him on to actually answering the question. You? Seriously?

Waffles were not what she considered a sweet, but once she started thinking about waffles... she really wanted waffles. "I like waffles. Uh. But my favorite-" piece of crap! Maya grabbed his cup and drank and then tried to pour him more as she continued. "I meant dessert, though. Like pie? Or chocolate or... I don't even know. Some crazy Aussie candy or something." Whoo. It was getting hot in here. Maya passed Cafas his drink. Again.

"I like sour things over sweet. My mom used to make me key lime pie instead of cake for my birthdays." Also, pies had been simpler to make in a society where not every house came equipped with an oven.

> "We're totally still on for dinner, why wouldn't we be?"

"I thought you might be mad at me. For this." It was almost like she'd been trying to get rid of him, after all.

And she wasn't sure why his last question made her blush all the way down to her toes, but it did. Maybe it was the wink. "Ewan McGregor." She reported with all due stubbornness. To be perfectly honest, she didn't remember which celebrity that was. Just that it'd been a male celebrity name that was on the same tier as Cafas Johnson. He might be blonde? Maybe?

The buzzer sounded and Maya smiled into her drink as she took a sip. "Don't make me come back over here to drink your drink." Maya winked at him and gathered up the pitcher to take it with her.

Everyone else had made her nervous. Cafas had left her feeling better about the whole evening in general.

Probably because that's how it was supposed to be.

Maya's next date eyed her refill pitcher warily. Whoever was going before Maya was not only saying bad things about her, but all kinds of incredibly drunk. That left everyone in her wake wary of drunk girls. Maya would just have to be the face of responsible drunkenness, then.

The elemental tried to belay those fears with a smile. "Hi. I'm Maya..."

"I like waffles. Uh. But my favorite-"

Cafas didn't even reach for the cup. He just waited patiently for Maya to continue. After her expression at his "You" he really wasn't willing to push it, not even jokingly. His brain filed the "You" under "Went over like a lead balloon."

"I meant dessert, though. Like pie? Or chocolate or... I don't even know. Some crazy Aussie candy or something."

"I dunno, sour coke bottles? Lemon meringue pie is pretty great."

Cafas hadn't really been eating dessert in a while. It didn't agree with his abs, and while he didn't really intend to do more movies, the possibility of something changing that kept him in line. Not that all the alcohol was really helping. He also didn't really understand how waffles weren't dessert, but maybe it was just the way he had them.

"I like sour things over sweet. My mom used to make me key lime pie instead of cake for my birthdays."

The little secretary in his brain scribbled that one down and filed it under "Birthday" for future reference. Hopefully if he made enough notes one or two would stick in his brain.

"I thought you might be mad at me. For this."

"Mad at you? No. Mad at that last woman, yes. Overall it hasn't been that bad." He even had a couple people he might follow up on, though not romantically. Overall he'd been expecting much worse, though he still had several people to go.

"Ewan McGregor."

Cafas feigned hurt shock momentarily. Melodramatic hand over heart and crushed expression, a short gasp. He dropped it almost immediately. "Nice enough guy. I only met him the once but he seemed decent enough. Certainly can't fault his looks. I'll cop that one." Losing to Ewan McGregor on looks was acceptable to Cafas.

"Don't make me come back over here to drink your drink."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Have fun!"

Cafas braced himself.

Once more unto the breach.

She smiled, still riding the bravado from teasing Cafas. In honesty, she wanted to all-out gape.

He was a fish. It was not polite to point this out, as he'd probably been aware of his fishiness for some time. Maya was nothing if not polite. She was, however, really regretting the lack of napkin with handy get to know you questions.

He was polite. Maya understood that much from his tone. His words, however, were momentarily lost on her as soon as he spoke.

His voice was like chocolate butter wrapped in velvet bacon. She wanted to wrap it up and roll around in it.

> “Pleased to meet you. I’m Caleb. Or Cale, whichever you prefer.”

"N-nice to meet you as well." And it really was. Being a fish was not his fault. The bow tie was. She liked the bow tie almost as much as his voice. "Did you...? Cale? You said that." She didn't say uhm. So. Yeah. This was going okay so far.

"I-Forgive me if this is forward, but... do you have a tail?" Realizing her potential faux-pas Maya was tripping over herself to explain "I— My last— I mean to say that tails aren't the end of the world, you know. I have a son. He's part dog." Maya flushed all the way up to her ears. Okay. If she could find a polite way to hide now, she was all for that.

While Cole explained, Maya craned her neck to check on both Cafas and the other boozer she'd started worrying over. She was still listening. Mostly. She may have also ventured into imagining that his voice was something more solid like a blanket. It had a very tactile quality.

So far, not too bad. She may have over balanced a bit, but that was nothing a little feet shuffling couldn't fix.

"You should come speak at the school where I work. Xavier's Sister School? We would love to have you. There are anxious ears that would love to hear what you just said to me." This was turning quickly from a date to a teacher recruitment.

> "Small world. If all goes according to plan, I'll be teaching there soon."

Maya was okay with this. She was not exactly attracted to his face. His voice, however...

"Do you sing? You have a remarkable voice."

The ten second timer buzzed. So soon? Already?

> "That, my dear... is a mystery to be solved another day."

He chuckled and Maya very nearly forgot that knees were a thing she had to use.

She had to gather her scattered wits and her jaw when the timer sounded for her to move on to the next table. The elemental took her drink and ducked her head in a polite way.

"Be-uhm-be sure to stop by the library some time to say hello." It was all she could do to escape on to the next table.

And the next table. And the next table after that. It was all the fun and humiliation of a blind date with forced inebriation. By the end of the event when the MC released them to mingle, Maya was well and truly smashed.

She was not the only one.

She was also not the only one making a bee line for Cafas.

"Mmmm. Pleese excuse." She gently peeled the ladies out of her way until there he was. A slow motion running and jumping scene wasn't out of the question was it?