shiningboxofjustice | Valentine's Day CMO

[Normally, Vert would be... well, Vert, and busying herself with games she really wants to play -- i.e. 4 Goddesses Online, or her precious naughty collection. But today, she's opted to make herself an exception. Valentine's Day was just around the corner, and she wanted to surprise someone who'd been staying in Leanbox as of late. She couldn't do that if she went by her usual schedule.

So in a rare turn of events, Vert leaves the task of maintaining the guild for the day to her sub-leader -- she'll make up for lost time when she's done, she tells him -- and heads out for the morning, dressed in... her usual clothes, plus glasses.

Really, this was the best disguise she could come up with? Well, hopefully the target of her surprise wasn't out and about...]

[Some time has passed since Bedivere ended up in Leanbox, and he has grown more comfortable the longer he has been here. He is fitting in well, and has been earning his keep by taking up bounties and requests in the city. In truth, it was somewhat similar to the life of a knight; he based himself out of a city and tended to the people who needed help.

He had also managed to ingratiate himself to the region's goddess. While Bedivere wasn't wild about fantasy video games unless they had a very compelling story -- a side effect of being part of the most famous medieval tale ever told -- he was also willing to humor Vert's hobbies just to spend some time with her. And he, too, was conscious of Valentine's Day coming up, and he had bought a tin of cookies from a bakery on a whim for her. His only concern is that it might not be appropriate for a wayward knight to present a token of affection for a goddess on a day for lovers.

So one might be able to imagine Bedivere's surprise when he sees Vert, who for some reason is wearing glasses, on a street in the city where there were various restaurants, bakeries, and confectioneries. Naturally, he notices her. And her "disguise" has zero effect on a man once known as King Arthur's personal tactician.]

Uh...hello? I, I mean. Hello. How are you?

[Even if she didn't see sunlight, oh so precious yet scathing sunlight, very often, Vert was not one to throw out the hard work of her peers, much less those who worship her. Today was one of those days where she had time to appreciate that work in person -- and given pastries were on the menu for what was to come soon, she wasn't going to just let an opportunity to spoil Bedivere slip by. The least she could do, after all, was reward him for putting up with her gaming sessions.

Well, that was her cover, anyway, but she wasn't going to let him find out what this actually was.

Either way, Leanbox's confectioneries weren't exactly Lowee's -- and why would they be, when Lowee's line has to pamper two little sisters that take to the stuff like bees to flowers? But they still had a distinct touch to them that made them appreciated across the landmasses. She'd make sure only the best would do for someone of Bedivere's stature. With that in mind, she came out of one such pastry shop carrying a box -- not one big enough that she had to hold it against her ample endowments, but wide enough she needed to keep her hands full until she could stick it in her inventory somewhere. She even requested for it to not have any place to peek into without lifting the lid, strapped down by a nicely tied ribbon.

Yes -- yes, this will do.]

That takes care of that... now to just--

[It was at this precise moment, however, that she heard the target of her affections -- and immediately seized up like a deer in headlights.

Nonononono, it couldn't be. She couldn't have heard that precious silver-haired knight that she'd been inviting into her Basilicom fairly often as of late, right? It was just her imagina--

...no. No, it wasn't.

When Vert turns around and sees Bedivere a brisk stride or three away from being near her, her expression immediately turns to one of awkward realization, and, for the briefest of moments, the expression of someone that just screamed internally at what manner of contrived coincidence just put her into this situation.]

[She does at least try to manage her usual disarming smile, regardless -- though her brow doesn't exactly do any favors to mask the baffled mess that was going on in her head.]

Ah... hi. I'm doing as well as can be, thank you. [Small talk would at least help her regain her bearings. She hopes.]

[It's not hard to pick up that something was going awry within Vert's mind. Bedivere couldn't know what, but one thing that seemed likely was that she wasn't expecting to see him here He could also tell it took all of her effort to just sound normal.]

That's good. It's a wonderful day, isn't it? What have you been up to?

Taking time out of my day to get fresh air. For once, it wasn't dear Chika's idea. [There's a bit of straining as she tries not to draw attention to the box in her hands. Thankfully, carrying cake wasn't like carrying a console, so keeping it upright wasn't too much of an issue. No, it was making sure the box didn't catch his attention to begin with.

A part of her hopes she can ward off said attention -- but this was a knight she was dealing with. She knew they were particularly vigilant even when duty didn't call for them.]

I did have plans to pick up another game I've been meaning to share with you, but I got sidetracked...

[That gets Bedivere to smile, at least. It pleases him that Vert went out for some sunshine and fresh air of her own accord.]

Ah, that's wonderful! I think getting some sunshine every day can do wonders for one, both in body and in mind. But please don't worry about keeping me entertained. There are plenty of other ways to spend time together.

[At that point, he lets the smile relax. The next question comes with an air of genuine curiosity.]

By the way, I was wondering. Why the glasses? I was not aware you had need of vision correction.

I could hardly just leave it at inviting you to stay at my Basilicom, though! If at all possible, I would sooner make sure you were at home here in Gamindustri than leave it at that.

[A bit of her panic at Bedivere being here seeps through, but otherwise, Vert's mannerisms don't seem to have shifted too much since running into him.]

Ah... the glasses? They're mostly for decoration. [...well, that was something of a half-truth, given what she uses them for, but she wasn't exactly lying? They legitimately seemed fashionable, anyway.] It's true that my hobby would probably make vision a concern, but I at least know how to pace myself.

[...okay, now that one might not have as much truth to it, but at least she did work while waiting on her raids...? If nothing else, Vert certainly tries to get a special grip on the idea of multitasking just for this.]

[Bedivere scratches the side of his head, looking clearly confused. He's flattered that she was that concerned about his comfort, but the glasses thing? That was kind of weird.]

Decoration? I was not aware that was a thing to do with glasses.

Well, not all pairs are made to correct eyesight; some people may simply like the feeling of having them on. They make one 'look smart', or at least 'feel smart'.

[She fumbles with the box for a moment -- oof, why did it have to be one she couldn't carry with one arm... -- before slowly taking off her pair of glasses. There wasn't much point shying away from him now... though now that she thinks on it some, it feels like she may have let something else slip with her messing about.

...no, it couldn't be the aforementioned box, could it? Well, she's bringing the attention to her glasses, so hopefully it won't be spotted out of the corner of his eye?] Here, why not give them a try?

[The only way Bedivere would have been able to miss that box is if he had been really out of it that day. So, naturally, he saw it. However, he's momentarily distracted by Vert offering him the glasses.]

Ah...well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt.

[With that, he tries the glasses on. He feels a little silly, but he still manages to make the look work.]

So...?

Valentine's Day CMO

Bedivere! Or Xander, if you prefer. Time for pre-Valentine's shenanigans!

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