-1: 37
"Ugh." Anis squeezed into the booth across from me and said, "You're surprisingly popular, Commander... I'm surprised it took all the way to the Royal Road for people to stop following us."
I sat down and chuckled. "Well, I AM the talk of the town. But shouldn't you be used to the attention as a former idol?"
Anis tensed and averted her gaze. "Yeah, well. Being an idol was a bit..." She trailed off and looked at me before saying, "...You really don't know?"
"No matter how many times you ask, the answer's the same, Anis. I really don't know about your past any more than what you've told me."
"Sorry. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just... weird." Anis looked at me and said, "You know so much. And you pick up on the little things that only someone who SHOULD know does. But you... really don't know. It's weird. It's like you see right through me." Anis fiddled with the zipper of her quarter zip shirt and said, "I don't know how I feel about that. It makes me happy, but also... Well, also a bit scared." She finished in a soft tone.
I nodded, but then I let her words sit, giving her space to breathe and collect her thoughts. In the meantime, I glanced around at the surroundings.
We'd gone to a fancy steakhouse in the Royal Road area of the Ark. The ritzy place where the 'Sovereigns' lived and spent their money.
Ironically, there weren't many of said Sovereigns around due to the fact that human nature was human nature, even post-apocalypse.
The people with money didn't spend time in the place designed for them, but rather in the normal area, flexing on the ordinary people by throwing money around.
But it was better for us, at least. It just meant we could have privacy. Especially since the staff seemed professional.
...Though that might have more to do with the fact that I was armed with a sword, carried myself like I knew how to use my sword, AND clearly had money.
Which, I guess, boiled down to professionalism in the end.
But anyway...
We were sitting in a private booth in the back of the restaurant.
I'd already placed orders for us. Just some simple pasta and steak. But since the place was Italian themed, I already knew we were in for a long meal.
Which meant it was perfect for a long chat with my dear Anis here.
Anis's laugh broke me out of my thoughts. She shook her head and then smiled. "Just gonna let me sit here and stew in my thoughts, huh? Some date you are."
I shrugged and said, "I'm still gathering data on how best to love you. Have confirmed you hate silence."
Anis rolled her eyes. "You could have just ASKED." She reached out to poke my cheek and said, "Weren't you the guy saying certainty is your M.O.? What happened to that, huh?"
"Well, I'm certain you love me. But I'm having fun seeing the reactions you have to different ways of me loving you, my Star Anis."
Anis froze. Mixed emotions crossed her face before they settled on a bitter smile. "You know, if you were anyone else, I would have punched you for that, Commander. Star Anis... Don't call me that, okay?"
"Ah." I nodded. "Understood. Can I ask why?"
"...It's just..." Anis looked at me. Then she frowned. "...It's weird. Most of the people who called me that were the scum of the earth. I don't want to associate that with you, okay?"
"Got it. Hm... I DO want to give you a pet name though..."
Anis sighed. "Of course you do... What, Anis isn't good enough for you, Bub?"
"How about 'mine?'"
Anis froze, turning a bright red.
I laughed and reached out to poke her nose. "Yep. That's the one."
"...I hate that I'm okay with this." Anis grumbled. "...You're playing me. You've got to be playing me. But..."
I smiled at her, sincere. "I'm not playing you. I'm playing with how I love you. But I DO love you, Anis. I'm just letting you set the pace. This is your time, remember?"
Anis's breath hitched. Then she looked at me with eyes blurred by tears. "...You really mean that. Don't you?"
"Of course. Quality time is your love language, along with words of affirmation, right? You need reassurance and validation. Well." I reached out and held her hand. "Let me reassure you. Since you chose me, I'll choose you. The only thing I ask in return is that you don't fight with Marian or Rapi over me. At least, not any more than banter. We're all adults here, so if it's not working out, let's talk it out."
"...Ugh. I hate how logical you make it sound when you're objectively making a harem of women around you."
I chuckled and said, "Well. You're the one who chose to love me. I did say you could choose not to."
Anis huffed. "We're not all weirdos who can just snip love in the bud, Mister. ...But thanks." She smiled. "...It means a lot, you know? That you're taking this serious. And not just..." She gestured towards her body. "...You know."
"Hey, I'm not uninterested in all you've got going on. But I DO care about you. So I want to know you as a person first."
Anis rolled her eyes, an amused smile on her face. "You say that. But haven't you been smashing Mari since day one?"
"Ah, well." I cleared my throat. "...She was very persistent."
"Suuure, buddy." Anis laughed.
The staff came by to serve our food, placing it out in front of us.
After that, Anis started eating and said, "You know... as tasty as this looks, it's all fake."
"Hm?" I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"
"You know." Anis gestured towards our food. "It's just splendamin but dressed up to look like something else. No matter how you change the outside, the bland inside's the same. You know?"
"I disagree." I twirled a forkful of pasta and took a bite.
Now that she pointed it out, I couldn't help but notice how it wasn't quite right. But even so...
"It might be imitating the real thing. But that doesn't make it 'fake.'" I looked into Anis's golden eyes and said, "This food was still prepared by someone's hands. The ingredients, assembled thoughtfully and with intention before being served. It's not 'fake' food. It's real food. It might be synthetic, yes. But it isn't fake."
Anis paused, thoughtfully chewing on a bite of her steak. Then she said, "...Not 'fake' but 'synthetic' huh? And still real..."
"Mmhm." I nodded and said, "It's like... When you perform, you tune up certain parts of your personality, right? But it's not 'fake.' They're still you at the end."
"That's..." Anis pursed her lips. "...Well, so what? What if nobody likes the 'real' you? What if they only want the 'you' that's 'tuned up' then, huh? And what if they only care about the idea of you and not you as a person?"
"Those people don't matter."
Anis froze.
Seeing that, I slowly repeated. "Those people don't matter, Anis. Because those people only see you surface level."
"...Isn't that most people?" Anis crossed her arms, hugging herself. "...Most people don't bother. They stop there. They look at an idol and think that person belongs to them. That they can do whatever they want, say whatever they want. And...!"
"And those aren't your fans." I looked at her and calmly said, "Anis. You seem to not know this, so I'll say it clearly. Hate is louder than love. But love lasts longer than hate." I gently reached out and placed my open hand on the table, palm face up. "Love is like a hand outstretched. Quiet, asking, but never taking. But hate..." I clenched my hand into a fist. "It's closed off. And it's swung at you again and again until you give up. Still." I held out my other hand too, opening both up. "For every one person who loudly hates you, at least two quietly love you. It's for those people that you live. It's for those people you perform. At least." I chuckled and then reached up to gently caress her cheeks. "That's what I believe."
Anis's golden eyes teared up. She quickly blinked the tears away and said, "Stupid Commander...! You're not..." Her breath hitched and she said, "You're not supposed to make a girl cry on a date!"
I gently brushed her tears away and said, "Sorry about that, Anis. But I'm a bit sadistic. I kind of like your crying face."
"Ugh! You're terrible!" Anis laughed, reaching up herself to wipe away her tears. "Why do I even like you?"
"Don't lie, you love the banter~"
"Hmph." Anis huffed and said, "Whatever, Commander. Come on." She let out a shining smile and said, "Let's eat this stupid 'real' food before it gets cold then."
I smiled back at her and said, "Alright, Love."
"And stop calling me that!"
"Okay, Honey."
"DEFINITELY not that."
"Fine... Wifey."
"Grk."
"Oh, you LIKE that~"
"Shut up." Anis grumbled and then flicked a noodle at me with her fork.
I knew she was going to do that though and just caught it with my mouth, expertly twirling it into a bow with my tongue...
Somehow.
Hm.
...Definitely not beating the superhuman allegations anytime soon, huh?
Anis's eyes widened. "How the heck?!"
I swallowed it and then wagged my tongue. "Wanna experience it first hand~?"
Anis turned a bright red. "You-!"
"Eeeeeeentertainment~!"
I froze.
Anis froze too.
Music started blaring and then disco lights started shining in the restaurant. The moment they did, Mustang strutted over and said, "Commandant! Mon cherie~! What a coincidence meeting you both here today!" He adjusted his shades and said, "Is this... a rendesvous, perchance?"
Anis slid down her seat to hide under the table and murmured, "Kill me. Boss, Commander. Just... finish me off already."
"Oh, non, non!" Mustang laughed. "La petite mort is not something you should request in public, mon cherie~"
Anis screamed.
...I didn't blame her.