It was date night! Booker could not have been more relieved that it was. There was a lot going on in the city and he needed a sufficient kind of distraction. Nessa had returned to her teenage self, the library was going crazy trying to figure out what to do about the number of materials that were now considered “lost” because people had deaged and couldn’t be held accountable for missing fines, and other such nonsense. It was to a point where Booker needed a glass of wine and even a sympathy neck massage from his empathic boyfriend after work.

But tonight? Tonight he wasn’t going to allow any work to broach his lips. It is the night before the weekend and he was looking forward to just being out with the hottest guy he knew. A surefire balm for a shitty week.

Booker had already showered and was now standing in his bedroom, clad in his Z-Team boxers and mulling over what he was going to wear. His muscular physique was half-buried in his closet, pulling out one of his favorite navy-colored jackets when he frowned. Ugh, the mustard stain on the lapel. That’s right. On one of their previous dates Booker had accidentally spilled a bit of mustard on his jacket. They had a good laugh about it, but it was a stain he had yet to conquer.

One day he would, but it would not be this day.

After a moment or two, an idea struck. He pulled out his brown jacket and mustard yellow shirt. Hah! Talk about fighting fire with fire. Laying his clothes out on the bed, Booker grabbed his slacks, slipped those on just as he heard footsteps near his open door. He peered over to see Javier and gave him a wide, broad grin.

”Javi!” It was hard to believe he was an adapted. After all, how did he manage to clear the twenty feet from where he was to the bedroom door in under a microsecond? As well as wrap his strong arms around Javi, lift him into the air and pull him into a tight hug. ”I’m so excited, babe! It’s date night!”

Date nights were Javier's favorite nights. The past months had been stressful for both of them; Booker had a lot to deal with between Nessa and the library, and Javi was still trying to figure out his own powers, which was not exactly easy while living with an adapted. Really, that was the only downside to dating Booker. And the date nights were definitely the upside.

Javi made sure to dress sharply; as usual he was wearing a vest, and his shirt was a rich deep blue. He poked his head around the hallway corner into the bedroom.

"Do you think I should wear a tie...?"

>>”Javi! I’m so excited, babe! It’s date night!”

Booker bounded over like an excited labrador retriever, and gave Javi a hug. His feet actually left the ground. Javi laughed and hugged his boyfriend. Tonight, they would leave their worries at home. "So, what is this place we are going to?"

There was no chance for Javier to finish his question. The fool. How dare he even consider asking a question when Booker was getting ready to hug him. That’s just how that goes. Holding the other man in his strong arms, Booker held him tight to his chest, lifting him up and off the ground. Javi didn’t react unfavorably to it, and instead just chuckled along with Booker’s antics and allowed it to happen.

Good. That meant he was nearly done being broken into Booker’s constant need for random hugs. The quicker they got that out of the way, the better. Still holding Javi up in the air in his tight bear hug, Booker shook his head.

”Nah, I don’t think so. I mean, don’t get me wrong,” he waggled his eyebrows. ”You are incredibly sexy in a tie…” he paused, momentarily lost in his own thoughts. Wait, what were they talking about? Date night! That’s right. ”...anyways, sorry, happy memory,” he smirked and finally set Javier down. ”But no. I don’t think you’ll need one.”

Another kiss to the man’s cheeks and Booker whirled around, returning to the depths of his bedroom where he pulled out an undershirt and finally slipped it on over his bare chest. After tucking the shirt into his pants, he turned and started to collect his nice shirt for the evening. He started to button it up while he turned to his boyfriend to answer his question.

’Oh it’s this great place I heard about from a coworker. ‘The High Note’,” he said with a grin. ”She said that there are spontaneous musical numbers there. Probably some kind of avant-garde theme. But I figured it sounded like a good place to grab a drink before heading to dinner?” he suggested. ”Afterwards we can get a river-side table at Azure Chef Lounge! I already made the reservations. Sound yummy?”

>>”Nah, I don’t think so. I mean, don’t get me wrong. You are incredibly sexy in a tie…”

Javi rolled his eyes; he was getting used to his boyfriend's constant compliments and hugs, but sometimes it was still funny to see him distracted by his own train of happy thoughts. He waved a hand in front of Booker's nose as he spaced out.

>>”...anyways, sorry, happy memory. But no. I don’t think you’ll need one.”

"But you do need a shirt" Javier reminded him with a grin, watching as Booker found his way to the closet to put on a button-down. Javier had found some shirts lately that looked dashing on him. Not that it was hard to make him look dashing at all.

>>’Oh it’s this great place I heard about from a coworker. ‘The High Note'. She said that there are spontaneous musical numbers there. Probably some kind of avant-garde theme. But I figured it sounded like a good place to grab a drink before heading to dinner? Afterwards we can get a river-side table at Azure Chef Lounge! I already made the reservations. Sound yummy?”

"As long as we don't have to sing" Javier agreed. He liked the idea of a riverside dinner and good food, and the bar sounded fun too, as long as he could sit quietly at a table away from any spotlights and open mics. Javier did not like performing in front of strangers. But music was nice, as long as someone else was doing it. He waited for Booker to finish getting dressed before they were ready to leave. "Let's hope it's good music."

Booker was all smiles as he pulled on and buttoned his shirt. He was excited for this bar. He didn’t know why. There was just something about going to a musically inclined place and enjoying a drink and a song with someone that he really cared about. Cared? No, that wasn’t the right word. It wasn’t powerful enough. Huh…

He was shaken from his thoughts when Javi pulled him back to know, hoping that he wouldn’t have to sing at the establishment. Booker jutted out his lip and shook his head. ”Nah, Crystal didn’t say anything about having to sing. But you know these kinds of places. They’ll probably try for some audience participation but you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

With a charismatic wink and a nod, Booker returned to getting dressed. If there was anything their relationship was built upon, it was trust. Booker had always told Javi that he wouldn’t make him do anything he didn’t want to do and if there was the slightest whiff of discomfort on Javier’s part, Booker would move things along to more equal footing. He liked Javier. A lot. That was why he was willing to do whatever it took to ensure the other man’s comfort.

Before long, Booker finished milling about the room, collecting his shoes and his patented bowtie, and a vest, before returning with a brilliant smile to the other. Arms outstretched, he did a little turn for Javier before meeting his gaze again.

”Look good?” he asked. ”Not embarrassed to be seen with me in public yet?”

Javier had decidedly gotten more social since he started dating Booker. It sometimes meant compromise; being an introvert, he was perfectly happy staying in on most days and nights, but he also enjoyed spending time with his boyfriend in Booker's natural element - among other people. Or books. The books were better.

>> ”Nah, Crystal didn’t say anything about having to sing. But you know these kinds of places. They’ll probably try for some audience participation but you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

This date night was promising to be good, and he had absolute trust in Booker. If he was feeling uncomfortable, he could always just tell him, and Booker would figure out a way to change things. It was his own personal superpower. Well, that, and the adapted aura.

>>”Look good? Not embarrassed to be seen with me in public yet?”

"Never" Javier grinned, giving Booker a kiss before hey headed out of the apartment. There was a time when he would have made some kind of a joking comment about being embarrassed about going out with someone much more handsome and popular - but Booker, in his own gentle way, had been weaning him off such self-deprecating comments. It was a good thing.

Not long after they left the apartment, the couple was standing at the entrance to the High Note. It looked like an average bar, not too crowded or fancy. Javier looked up at Booker, tilting his head.

"I don't hear any music yet." he said, then took Booker's hand "Let's go see if this place is really as good as they say, hm?..."

Booker was all smiles as they finished getting ready for their date. He didn’t know what it was about Javi that was just so lightening. He really was the greatest relationship he had ever been in. And, because of that, he wanted to make sure that things went as perfectly as they could. Of course he wasn’t a fool. He knew that things couldn’t be perfect all the time. There were things he was going to do that were going to annoy the tailor, and vice versa, but Booker was in this for the long haul. He only hoped that Javier felt the same way.

But now wasn’t the time to think about that. They had a date to go on, a good meal to have and good music to listen to! That was all that mattered right now. So once his nice shirt had been buttoned, his vest adjusted, and his bowtie, tied, Booker took the other’s arm and they headed off into the night.

The trip wasn’t long. Before they knew it they were standing, side-by-side in front of the bar. Javier immediately called out the obvious -- there was no music. That was weird. Booker was certain that his friend said this place had great music. He wondered what the deal was. He shrugged his shoulders softly as he shared a warm smile with Javi.

”Maybe they are just between sets,” he beamed. ”Come on,” he said, his hand slipped into Javi’s and giving it a tight squeeze. ”We won’t know until we go in.”

Inside the bar it was fairly nice. It would be nicer with music, but Booker wasn’t going to be rude. Instead he looked for a nice quiet corner for him and Javi to claim for themselves. He knew that Javier didn’t like to be out in the open too much so when the perfect little intimate, darkened table was found, he pulled his boyfriend over.

”Here, this looks like a great spot. Get a good view of the entire bar, right?” He grinned as he pulled out a chair for the tailor, and then claimed a spot across from him. ”This is nice,” he said as he looked over the drink menu. ”Ooooh, they make Rainbow Paradises here!”

They walked in, hand in hand, to explore whether the High Note deserved its reputation. Javier relaxed as Booker pulled him along; it was comfortable to be around him, especially with the knowledge that he was always more than eager to take on the burden of social interactions. The two of them moved among the small tables until they found a free one in a corner. So far, so good. Javier smiled as they settled down.

>>”Here, this looks like a great spot. Get a good view of the entire bar, right?”

"Indeed. I think we might have to get our drinks at the bar, though" he noted, looking around. There was a friendly-looking young woman at the bar, mixing drinks.

>>”This is nice... Ooooh, they make Rainbow Paradises here!”

"That sounds... festive?" Javi chuckled. Booker never had a taste for anything boring. He looked at his own menu for a moment. "You know what? I'Ll go get you one."

Maybe it was an evening to try new things.

Booker wasn’t impressed. That wasn’t a bad thing! Oh no! Stores, shops, bars, restaurants, they had nothing to prove to him. He wasn’t one of those types that went around bad mouthing an establishment because things weren’t a certain way. Far from it. But when compared to what his coworker said, Booker half expected celebrity musicians around every corner and angelic persons handing out gold leaf covered candy bars.

But, for the most part, the place had a nice, comfortable quality. It just didn’t have the pizzazz he was expecting. Oh well, maybe the drinks would be worth it! Rainbow Paradise’s were pretty yummy!

At Javi’s observation that they needed to get their own drinks, Booker plucked up the menu and quickly began to scan through it. He was certain he was going to want a Rainbow Paradise, but what was Javi going to get? Booker handed the menu back to him, getting ready to get up so that he could go order their drinks when his boyfriend granted him a surprise.

Javi was going to get the drinks? That was admittedly a surprise. Sometimes the tailor’s anxiety meant that Booker was the first to go order drinks or food (unless they were sitting at the same table), but this was a nice surprise. Booker, his lip jutted in impressed appreciation, nodded his head.

”I like the way you think, babe. I’ll hold down the table!” Booker said, taking his seat again.

As Javi arrived at the bar, the bartender, a sweet looking woman with mousy brown hair and large eyes, offers him a bright smile.

“Hi sweetie,” she says with a melodious voice. “What can I getcha?”

It had been a spur of the moment decision, but how difficult could ordering drinks be?
Quite difficult, actually, if the bartender started asking questions Javi did not know the answer to, like whether he wanted this or that in the drink. In that case, he would have to admit defeat and return to Booker. But for now, he was willing to try.

>>“Hi sweetie. What can I getcha?”

"Hello" Javi gave a shy, friendly smile. She seemed nice. So far, so good. "I'd like a Rainbow Paradise, please. For him." he glanced back towards Booker as clarification, hoping she would not ask difficult questions. That was a solid tactic, right.

"Sure thing! And for you?"

"Uhh..." Javi blinked, panicking slightly "Same as him...?"

"Sure" Melody grinned, getting to work on the two cocktails. "He seems like a nice guy." she added with a smile.

"He really is." Javi smiled back. It was sometimes hard to believe Booker was real.

The two colorful drinks were mixed and decorated (complete with the little umbrellas), and as she handed them to Javi, she patted him on the hand. "Have fun!"

Javi turned, balancing the two drinks, and smiled at Booker across the room. It was always easy to smile at him. Someone at the piano struck up some opening notes, and the lights seemed to change, the other patrons fading into the background as Javi carried the drinks, and the music carried Javi. Before he knew it, he was singing, only to himself, as if he was thinking out loud, in song, and it was a totally normal, socially accepted thing to do.

"There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind
can be turned away
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless worrier
Just to be with you..."

Booker was all smiles. Though wasn’t watching Javier the entire time, he could hardly be blamed for wanting to. Javi was probably one of the best relationships Booker had had in recent memory. He was sweet, he was kind, he was oh so sexy, and it really seemed like he liked the librarian. That in and of itself was a pretty sweet notion. And, to make matters even better, it didn’t seem like Booker’s adapted aura had any harmful effects of the tailor.

Unlike other mutants he had dated, it had always been a tense time for the librarian to watch his S.O. struggled with how to manage powers around someone who could effectively turn them off just being in the same living quarters. Javi was unsure of his abilities, especially with how finicky they can be. But with Booker, that was one thing that the tailor didn’t have to stress about.

Booker was more than happy to help with that.

As the drinks were being poured, he offered Javi a million watt smile from across the room before his gaze swept back to the rest of the bar. It was fairly nice. Even as the music came on, Booker found himself swaying a little to the beat. Oh how he loved the Lion King.

Strangely enough, the words weren’t coming from the piano player. Listening to the song drift through the air, Booker found himself grinning as he turned and found that Javi, his sweet, shy, loveable boyfriend, was actually singing! And so good too!

Booker’s offered a beaming smile before he stood up. He could hardly resist a duet, especially if Javier was leading. So well before Javi re-entered his aura, Booker belted out the next lines:

"And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds

Believe the very beeeeesssst!”

The singing felt... natural. It was just the thing to to, to express how he felt. Booker smiled as he looked up, and they sang together, in sync with the music and the words. Somewhere in the back of his mind Javi was aware that he would never, ever sing in public, and yet, here he was doing it. They just reached the end of the chorus when he stepped back into Booker's aura.

The magic disappeared. As if someone cut the recording, the lights changed back to their normal dim, the guy at the piano kept playing but without the... extra volume, and Javier suddenly realized that he had been singing out loud in front of a whole lot of people. Even though the patrons did not seem to care much, he flushed deep red and fumbled, managing to put one cocktail on the table before he knocked over the other one.

"What... oh my god I'm sorry..."

Back at the bar, Melody looked equally confused.

Booker was all grins as he watched Javi approach and joined him in song. He didn’t know what had gotten into his boyfriend. Javier was so reserved. There were a few times that Booker had walked in on him singing, whether washing dishes, doing laundry, or when he was in the zone, tailoring.

But out in public? That was strange and unusual for him. But he wasn’t going to question. Whether Javier was inspired by the fun of the date, being bold, or simply in love, Booker didn’t know, but he was not going to waste the opportunity.

Standing from his seat, Booker returned the lyrics in kind, grinning and dancing in place for a few steps. However, as soon as Javier reached their table, the realization of his outburst seemingly struck hard. He stumbled, fumbled out an apology and attempted to place a drink on the table before it tumbled to the ground.

”Oh sweetie,” Booker said as he walked over. ”Are you okay?” Javier still looked a little flustered so the kindly librarian offered him a warm smile. ”It’s okay! You sounded awesome. No need to be embarrassed. And don’t worry, I’ll get a rag for the spill. Be careful of the glass.”

Wrapping his big arms around Javier’s shoulders, he gave him a warm hug, a pat on the shoulder and walked towards the bathroom. There should be some towels and rags around there somewhere, right? He didn’t want to disturb the bartender serving drinks so he would go on the hunt for cleaning utensils himself!

>>"Oh sweetie. Are you okay?”

"Well, that was not embarrassing at all" Javier muttered, looking at the spilled drink. Where had the singing even come from? He had never been a person to sing in public, let alone sing a love song to his boyfriend. Even though Booker was taking it in stride as usual.

>>”It’s okay! You sounded awesome. No need to be embarrassed. And don’t worry, I’ll get a rag for the spill. Be careful of the glass.”

Booker bounded off towards the bathrooms, no doubt in search of cleaning utensils. Javier stood back awkwardly, then sat down on a chair, trying to get his bearings.
The piano player was still at it. The song changed though, filling the bar with a more melancholy mood. Javier sighed again, words spilling out in a natural way as his feelings found a new kind of outlet.

Love plows through me like a dozer
I've got more give then a bale of hay
and There's always a big mess left over
With a what did you do and what did you say
What did you do and what did you say
Skillet on the stove
It's such a temptation
Maybe i'll be the lucky one
That doesn't get burnt
What the f-ck was i thinking...