4.22 Love Day

Kaity apologised profusely to her siblings and mother all week. The incident was almost forgotton, and Kaity had chosen to pretend it never happened.

As she'd promised, the family visited the festival the following weekend. Not wanting to abandon all the kids with Shaena, but needing to talk to Winter, Kaity suggested they take Autumn and Elise to look around the rest of the park.

And so Shaena stayed with Joshua and the twins in the little playground area while they wandered off.

Placing the children on the grass, they were drawn to a pair of towering machines, eighteen bulbs flashing up the sides, and a giant illuminated heart on top.

The sign, upon closer inspection, read "Love Tester", and there was a little story about how the ghost of ol' Grampa Simpson haunted it and would be able to tell you whether you were in love. The looked to each other, before wordlessly placing their hands on the handle as instructed.

Hopeful, even though it was a stupid gimmick, Kaity placed a five simoleon note into the slot, and pleaded the machine to light up the top end. Winter didn't seem to care, but was happy to see her smiling. She'd not smiled much since last weekends episode, and she'd refused to speak about it since their 'conversation' after.

A squeal made him jump back, but he laughed as soon as he realised it was Kaity excited by the results of the machine. "Burning" had illuminated, and judging by how high up the list that was, it was good.

Kaity threw her arms around him, and he returned the hug. This was the closest they'd been for a while, and Winter could see Kaity's whole demeanor had changed.
"Would you let me take you to dinner tonight?" He asked. Kaity didnt want to let go, but the shock of his words made her stand back.
"A... Like a... Well, like a date?"
"Yes. Exactly like a date." Kaity was completely blown. She'd thought it would be years before this stage, and yet here he was, infront of her, with a smile on his face, asking her on a date.
"Uhm... Ok." She smiled to reassure him that she did actually want this, despite her reaction, but Winter already knew that from how she acted when the stupid machine told them they were meant to be.

_____


They'd agreed to meet at a swanky diner in town that Kaity had never been to before. She arrived early and looked at the menu posted at the entrance. Pricey... I hope he's rich because I forgot my purse. It had just started to rain, and she started wondering if she should have bought a jacket from the look of the clouds.

She suddenly felt nervous when she saw him approaching. She had wanted to run out and buy a new dress because all the ones she had were too short for this place, she hoped she looked ok, she hadn't had time, and was really nervous about someone seeing her out in something she'd already worn.

"Sorry, am I late?" He smiled, stopping infront of her.
"No, it's ok." She smiled back, she'd got here a lot earlier than agreed, to scope out the area for press, she just hoped none would show up while they were eating.
"I love your dress, you look beautiful." Winter commented, as if he'd just read her mind. He leaned in and pecked her cheek, and she felt sick suddenly.
"Thank you, you do too." She wasn't used to compliments, and the whole thing just felt awkward. Winter led her inside with a hand on the small of her back, and a host showed them to a table. The place was empty, but that's what you get for dining at early-bird hours in an upmarket establishment.

"So." Winter smiled and reached for her hand once their orders had been taken.
"So..." Kaity smiled back, trying hard to bite back the wave of nervous laughter.
"Why are you so nervous?" This just embarrassed Kaity, she'd almost forgotton he could read her emotions like the pink neon sign on the wall beside her.

She laughed nervously, and attempted to tame a stray curl. "I don't know. I guess I see this as a test I need to pass, and I don't want to mess it up."
"What do you mean by 'test'?"
"Well, like... You know, you're testing me. You told me a few months ago that you couldn't trust me and you had to get to know me to see if you could trust me. So, this is a test, to see if I accidentally slept with some guy when you were at work, isn't it?" Kaity saw the expression in his eyes, either hurt or confusion, and pulled her hand away from his. Is he reading my mind or something? I don't get it, I've not done anything with anyone, not even him, since that damn conference, but he still can't trust me.

 "It's not like that at all! I wanted to take you out for dinner, so that's what we're doing. No tests, no backwards questions about your past, just you, me, and now." Kaity sighed, and the couple were silent for a few moments.
"So, I'm supposed to believe that you suddenly trust me?"

She sat there, with a sour look on her face and waited for him to say something. Why am I doing this? Why can't I just be happy?!
"No. You're supposed to believe that over the past three months you've earnt my trust, and I want to take you out to prove that." He laced his fingers around hers, and her heart melted. She wiped a tear from her cheek, before pulling her hands away and covering her face. "Kaity, what's wrong? Do you want to go home?"

"No, just ignore me a minute." She called out from behind her hands, glad there was nobody else in the restaurant to see this.
"I'm not going to ignore you. I'm never going to ignore you." This only made Kaity cry more, and Winter really started to worry. "Are you sure you don't want me to take you home?"
"No! Dammit, Winter! Stop being so damn nice to me for once will you?" His soft chuckle made her look up from her hands, and she couldn't help but smile at how silly her outburst must've sounded.

He took her hands gently, making Kaity blush a little.
"No. I like being nice to you." He protested, before leaning down and kissing her fingers. "And you like me being nice to you. Secretly."
"No, I don't! Well, maybe a little, but then I feel bad because all you get back off me is a screaming, shouting, crying mess."
"I'm only in it for the screaming, shouting, crying messes." Winter smiled, kissing her hands again, and making Kaity smile. "See, that's why I'm in it. That smile. You should smile more often."
"You're such an embarassing cliche sometimes." This made both of them giggle.
"And you're truthful. You say what you really think rather than what people want to hear."
"You took me on a date because I'm truthful?"
"Well, the fact that you're beautiful helps. And your reaction to that love tester."

She pulled her hand away and propped her head up. She cocked an eyebrow while she tried not to laugh.
"Don't. Please, just forget about that. The twins already told me off for making too much noise, I don't need you to rub in my stupidity anymore."
"What's stupid about being happy?" He asked.
"Well, nothing, but..." Kaity couldn't hold it in anymore, and burst out laughing. "The look on your face. You looked terrified, it was so funny."

"How do you expect me to react when you scream right in my ear? I was really worried about you."
"It was a happy scream."
"I know, but since that night I will always worry about you." Kaity knew exactly which night he was referring to; the night Bonnie died.
"Don't." She stated. "Don't worry about me. In a few weeks he'll be gone forever."
"Do you want me to come to court with you on Monday?" Kaity shook her head.
"I just want to go there, tell the world what he did, and speak up for Bonnie and Shaena. And if he's there, I'll look him dead in the eye the entire time, and pray to the maker that he'll never see the light of day again."

 "You don't have to do that. You know that you can give a statement without him in the room."
"I want him in the room. I want him to see me, and know that he didn't win." Winter stayed silent for a moment, thoughtful.
"You know that you don't have to prove anything. It might be more difficult than you think to stand up in court and see him."

"Winter. I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing."
"Ok, just know that if you change your mind you don't have to do anything in front of him." Kaity nodded, and the food arrived, changing the subject for them.

After the plates had been cleared, Kaity nervously tucked her hair behind her ear again.
"Uh, Winter? I forgot my purse." Winter burst out laughing. "What?!"
"I like your style. Pretend you think you're going to split the bill, and then conveniently remember you have no money on you until after you've eaten." Kaity's mouth fell open, not sure whether he was joking, until he winked and got his wallet out. "Don't worry, I was going to pay anyway."
"You're such a llama." She smiled quietly, making sure she was loud enough for him to hear, before tearing some leaves off the topiary on the table, and playfully throwing them at him.

Moments later, they were outside in the pouring rain.
"Thank you for my dinner, Mr Snow." Kaity said in her most upper-class voice, to match the restaurant they'd just left.
"It's quite alright, Miss Mattell." Winter grinned, wrapping an arm around Kaity's shoulder. "Did you want to borrow my jacket?"
"No, you're the cold-blooded one, I can handle a little rain." Once they'd stepped out from under the canopy, Kaity had second thoughts. "Wow... It really is raining. Maybe I should have driven. Do you want me to ring Shae?"
"Kaity, you've left Shaena with five children, and it's nearly their bedtimes, she can't load them all into the car and come and pick us up, it's not fair."
"She won't mind, and then we'll be there to help put them to bed anyway." She'd already started getting her phone out.
"No." Winter said firmly, taking the phone from her and putting it in his pocket. "The kids won't sleep if they have the excitement of a car ride so late at night."

And so they walked home. Slowly. Neither of them even really noticing the rain, they were on a high.

They avoided walking through the park, because it would have been quicker. The dark clouds made it look later than it was, but the sun hadnt even set as they walked further inland away from the restaurant.

They made it to outside the museum when Winter bought up the subject.
"Do you want to talk about your father?"
"No. I don't even want to think about him... Her."
"I'd like to understand, and you shouldn't bottle your emotions up."
"Just drop it, Winter. I don't want to think about it, you don't want to know about it-"
"I do want to know about it." He protested.
"Just no. Please, pretend it never happened." She begged.

Kaity had refused to speak for a while, but by the time they got to the theatre in Mirabello plaza, she'd turned to whispering dirty things in his ear, and neither of them noticed the werewolf dressed in the latest homeless-chic watching them.

She pounced on him as soon as they got to her house, throwing herself into his arms so he had to hold her up. It was the first kiss they'd shared since the day he returned from Bridgeport, she'd been waiting a long time.

"You must be getting cold. How about you come inside and let me warm you up?" She winked. Winter smiled, before gently placing her on the ground in front of him.
"Maybe another time."

Kaity sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You know you don't have to play the gentleman. If a girl invites you inside, you go in because you've scored." Winter chuckled a little.
"I know what you're saying, but I'm not going to come in." Kaity pulled back and pouted.
"Why?"

"We're taking things slow, remember?"
"It's been a year since we did anything, Winter. Is that not slow enough?"
"Not quite." He leaned in and kissed her softly, before handing her phone back, telling her goodnight and leaving.



Restaurant used is 'Bridgeport downtown restaurant' by Black Zekrom I was feeling lazy, so just stole someone elses ;)