Shin didn't like the 'for the most part'. Nor... nor did he like Venus's defining personality trait. That seemed like a damning trait right now. Not likable one bit. No, he didn't like Venus... of course, that could have just been protective Shin being protective, and maybe worried, with a tiny, almost-microscopic, hint of jealousy, but... nope. He still didn't like Venus.

If Kealey said he was a friend, though... Shin could be the bigger man about it, and give up a one-sided hate war between himself and the big red 'naughty' guy. Just so long as Venus didn't try anything... Shin somehow felt that wouldn't happen, though.

Hrm. This whole topic was not the happiest thing to ponder whilst eating sushi. When they were done with all the hard conversation topics, they were eating that cake. It seemed like it was bothering Kealey, revealing all this stuff.

He wasn't going to stop her, though. This was kind of important for him to know... especially the part about Jacen.

Shin didn't remember much of the conversation he'd had with Kealey and Aurum, the night he'd broken up with Kasumi. He'd partially forgotten. Things were blurred... but Jacen's name still rang small bells.

Hadn't he been... a previous relationship? Someone important? But he wasn't with her now, so, had he done a lousy job? Shin's mind strained for connections... and failed.

He looked at her, hesitant to ask. He knew it was hard talking about it, but he simply needed to know. "Kealey. I'm sorry. I feel like you've mentioned him before, but... who is Jacen?"

Oh God. Shin was not liking what she was saying about Venus. This hadn’t been what she’d intended at all…he had to know sometime though. Better now than later the blond supposed…better than if they ran into Venus somewhere and all the things about him Shin should know became obvious…even if she’d been clear, Venus always still tried.

At least he wasn’t jealous…well, maybe a little, but mostly he was just feeling rather protective. Kealey didn’t mind that, not at all. The conversation was uncomfortable though…were these things people talked about with their boyfriends? Kealey supposed that if that’s what they were doing…it was.

Then he asked about Jacen.

It was something they hadn’t really talked about all that much outside of the time they’d drank with Aurum. That first night they’d really hung out…the night Shin had broken up with his girlfriend.

Now he wanted to know.

Kealey sighed.

”He’s my ex…the one who just left. He’s an adapted…helped me out, saved me from Roland when he burned my place down….gave me somewhere to stay until I could get back on my feet.” She stopped and shrugged. Was that going to be enough? Kealey kind of hoped so.

Shin stared at Kealey quietly for a moment. Somehow, he got the feeling there was more to the story than 'he's just my ex'. Maybe it was the vague recollections he had of the drinking night... maybe it was how uncomfortable she was getting talking about him, maybe it was that he was stupid, and he felt like somehow, exes were important. Who knew? He sounded important, and Shin was curious, but... this was kind of straying from the original plan for the date now, wasn't it?

"Okay," Shin said. His voice was quiet, passive. He wouldn't push her on giving him more details. If she wanted to talk with him about it later, she could. But right now, they needed cake. He stowed that curiosity, in favor of dessert. "Want to eat that cake now? I didn't mean for this talk to get so heavy."

Shin let the topic go, and Kealey dropped her eyes, once again studying the blanket they were sitting on. He was still curious, and there was obviously more he wanted to know. She didn’t like feeling as though she was holding back information. Not at all. It was important information, she supposed, and Kealey had reconciled all her feelings on the subject some time ago. It was still hard to talk about though, hard to drag all those things to the surface again.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Shin spoke. He said it was okay…Kealey knew it was slightly otherwise, but she nodded her head when he asked if she wanted to eat the cake.

The cake really did look good, and when Shin said he hadn’t meant for the conversation to get so heavy, Kealey shook her head, ”Oh no, that wasn’t on you. Sometimes my mouth runs away with me. We could always go back to talking about tattoos.” Deflection by humor had a tendency to be a safe bet, and Kealey put her money on it and grinned a winning grin.

Cake, though. If he was going to stomp down his curiosity so they could enjoy their dessert, Kealey was going to participate whole heartedly.

”This really does look good.” she said earnestly, echoing her thoughts from earlier as she reached for the tin and started to work at removing the lid. The smell of chocolate immediately filled the air, and Kealey mmm’d appreciatively. ”I think if it tastes half as good as it smells, Shin, you’re going to give Aurum a run for his money.”

>>”Oh no, that wasn’t on you. Sometimes my mouth runs away with me. We could always go back to talking about tattoos.”

Shin arched an amused eyebrow. "For some reason, I'm more inclined to eat cake."

It seemed Kealey agreed with him. She picked up the tin, and said it looked amazing. They certainly didn't need an excuse like a topic change to devour cake, either. It smelled good.

Shin smiled at the compliment. "Hopefully, I did something right."

Reaching forward, he pulled a few paper plates from the basket. Next, came plastic forks and knives. Shin set the utensils and plates out, first for Kealey, then himself. "Can you dish up for us?" He asked, handing her a small cake knife.

”Me too.” Kealey said, when Shin pointed out that he was slightly more inclined to eat cake than go back to conversations about tattoos. He’d read her mind, definitely. As fun as the conversation had been, it was the last conversation Kealey wanted to visit again.

Kealey tilted her head when Shin said that hopefully he’d done something right, she grinned and shook her head, ”You do tons of things right…and like I said. If the way the cake smells is any indication, you did tons of things right there too.”

Kealey didn’t point out that even bad chocolate cake was still pretty awesome.

Shin produced eating utensils and cake-cutting implements from the basket, and Kealey took the proffered cake knife when he asked if she could serve them up. ”Of course.”

It didn’t take long to make the cuts in the cake, or parcel out the pieces to herself and Shin. Kealey picked up a fork, cut off a piece of the cake, and tried her first bite.

It was…definitely more than decent.

Unfortunately for Shin, it probably wasn’t Aurum quality, but it was still pretty darn good.

”This…is really good.” she said, then went back for another bite. ”A few more tries and Aurum’s going to be asking you for pointers. I’m sure of it.”

>> ”You do tons of things right…and like I said. If the way the cake smells is any indication, you did tons of things right there too.”

Shin only smiled modestly, and set them up with plates. Kealey dished up for them, and Shin took his cake. He let Kealey have the first bite, then took one of his own. It was good, just like he'd hoped it would be.

Shin chuckled at Kealey's compliment. "Thanks." Though, did using Aurum's own recipe against him count as becoming better than the master? That was a question for another day.

They didn't talk much for the next few minutes, simply eating. Once Shin had finished his cake, he polished off the boxed lunch. He made smalltalk, showing off with a few cool sushi-eating tricks. Tossed the sushi in the air, caught it in his mouth. Balanced it on the edge of a shard.

It was a nice meal, once they'd escaped the hard talk. When they were both finished, Shin packed up the boxes, and slipped everything away into the basket. Kealey helped him fold the blanket. They slipped that in, too.

Now, all that was left was escaping the hedge maze.

Shin stared at it quietly for a second. "Uh..."

This was much more like the date was supposed to be. They were quiet for a few moments, but it was a very comfortable silence, and Kealey reveled in it for a while. The cake really was quite good, and Kealey had absolutely no trouble finishing her piece. ”Anytime.” she said when Shin thanked her for the complement, ”You know I’m just telling the truth.”

Then. It was show time.

Kealey grinned, and laughed, and even applauded a little as Shin finished off the rest of the sushi. It really was quite impressive, even if Kealey was pretty sure where she’d come from someone would have said something about playing with food.

Then, they were finished and it was time to clean things up. They put up the few dishes, they folded the blanket, and turned to make their way out of the maze. Kealey sighed a little, leaving the maze meant going back to the mansion and all the emotions. This had been a nice break, though…

Shin stared at the walls, and Kealey could feel his concentration as he tried to remember the way they’d come in. He vocalized it and she chuckled.

”Oh no…we could be stuck in these tangled and twisted corridors for hours. Whatever are we going to do?”

Stuck in those tangled and twisted corridors... no. They wouldn't be. He couldn't have forgotten... that he could FLY!

Shin turned back to Kealey, head bowed, confidence heavy, ego proud. "Oh. I think we'll be fine." He said. "Can you hold onto that blanket and that basket for a minute?" He grinned.

Yes, he had a plan. It was a very brilliant plan. All it took was a surprised, but willing, volunteer. Once the basket and blanket were in Kealey's hands, Shin summoned up the green shard platform. He stepped aboard, and extended a hand to help her up. "Care if I sweep you off your feet?"

So it seemed they would escape from the over grown corridors of the Mansion’s Hedge Maze. Part of Kealey was glad, she hadn’t really wanted to stay out there forever. Part of her was a little sad though, it had ended up being such a nice little outing. It was hard to want things like that to end. Shin was confident though, and Kealey could feel his pride just enough to know he had some sort of great idea up his sleeve for helping them escape.

He asked if she could hold the basket and blanket, and Kealey took them with a smile and a nod. They weren’t very heavy, after all, and she was happy to do anything she could to help.

A moment later, a platform appeared out of seemingly thin air and Kealey grinned, wondering if seeing Shin use his power would ever get old. It was still so incredible to her that he could do those things with his mind. It was just so…cool.

Up Shin stepped onto the platform, and offered Kealey his hand. She spent a moment shifting the basket and blanket so they were in one hand, then reached out and took it.

”Again?” she asked with a grin, ”I don’t mind at all.”

"In that case," Shin met grin for grin, shifting forward as he pulled her onto the platform, to scoop her up in his arms in one flowing motion. He balanced for a second, Kealey-in-hand, then turned his face to the sky. "Off we go~!"

The platform rose, up up, and away.