<TIAMAT> *Well, I had this idea for a particularily nice (and rather romantic, if you want it to be) cafe located on top -- yes, literally, on TOP of the Arena. If you keep going up and up and up, you'll eventually come to it; it's basically the roof of the Arena itself, so you can't watch battles from it, but you can see for a LONG ways off, and it's big and spacious -- since it's basically the size of the Arena itself.

<TIAMAT> *Hmm...I suspect that perhaps not ALL of the upper part is the cafe...there might be just some open area to it, too, where people can sit and star gaze, and sometimes mages have to come up to study the constallations and stuff.

<JETMODE> *The meal, we'll say, is winding down. Kender has barely been picking at his food, and he seems unaccountably nervous. The waiter has asked him repeatedly if something's wrong with the food.

<TIAMAT> *Well, let's see. Whisper isn't a complete idiot -- I bet she's got a guess why Kender asked her here and why he's not eating much, though she hasn't said anything that might suggest she knows. ^_^ She takes a sip of, er, wine. Or something. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong with the food, Kender? You've barely touched your meal..

<JETMODE> <Kender> *looking guilty* It's all right, honest. The food's really good. I'm just.. not very hungry.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper sits back and gazes up at the night sky as the waiter comes by and clears their dishes...er...unless Kender was still eating. Whisper: It's nice to be able to go outside once in a while. Sometimes you forget what it's like, being in the Arena all the time..

<JETMODE> <Kender> *whooshes a sigh, stretching a little* Yeah. It's kind of nice not to have to smell animals all the time, too.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper laughs a little. "At least that's not as bad as the dungeons. Being down there makes you wonder if they ever clean them...

<JETMODE> *Kender shoots her an unhappy look. "I'm sorry you had to go down there at all."

<TIAMAT> *Whisper shakes her head. "It was hardly your fault. I'm sorry I brought it up...

<JETMODE> <Kender> It's okay. *reaches across the table to take her hand and grins* You're out now, and that's what matters.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper looks back down at him and smiles back. "Thanks to you I am.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *colors a little* I.. well, I couldn't just do nothing.

<TIAMAT> *There's an awkward pause, and then the waiter comes back. "Is there anything else I can get for you, sir or madam?

<JETMODE> <Kender> Er.. *jumps to his feet* No, I think we're finished.

<TIAMAT> *The waiter bows slightly as Whisper stands. "Are you in a hurry to leave already?

<JETMODE> <Kender> N-no. Let's just -- *he spots an open area away from the tables* -- let's just go over there.. 'kay?

<TIAMAT> *Whisper smiles and takes one of his arms in hers. "You seem awfully nervous tonight, Kender, is something bothering you?

<JETMODE> *Kender startles at her touch. It looks like the fight or flight instincts are warring. "N-nothing." He clears his throat and stares at the sky.

<TIAMAT> *Well, let's say they end up over near the edge of Arena (which is surrounded by a fence-thing, so no falling off) near a bench and some big fern-plant things, so there's a bit of privacy. Might help Kender calm down.

<JETMODE> *Kender sits down with a sigh, and assuming their arms are still linked, Whisper would sit down, too. "I.. dunno why I'm so nervous, you know?"

<TIAMAT> *Yup, Whisper would sit down with him and look up at the sky again. "There's nothing to be nervous about, Kender.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *shaky laugh* Yeah, I know. I mean, I talk to you all the time, and we go places together all the time. *gulps* It's not that much different..

<TIAMAT> *Whisper looks back down at him, a smile playing on her lips. "Except...this is a special place. We've never been here together before.

<JETMODE> <Kender> I.. guess that's true. *scratches the back of his head, at a loss*

<TIAMAT> *Whisper hesitates for a moment, then leans over, closes her eyes, and kisses him gently.

<JETMODE> *Kender's eyes go wide with surprise, then he flushes a little and returns the kiss.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper pulls away after a few moments, blushing a little herself.

<JETMODE> *Kender seems to snap back to reality. He's definitely red.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper laughs a little at that. "Kender, you're blushing! Was it that bad?

<JETMODE> <Kender> W-well, you are too, you know! ... and um.. no.. actually. It was.. really nice. *if possible, he goes redder*

<TIAMAT> *Whisper smiles and takes his hand in hers. "Are you going to tell me what you've been so nervous about all night?

<JETMODE> <Kender> *sheepishly* That. *he reverses on her, taking her hand in both of his and bringing it up to his mouth to kiss gently* I love you, you know that?

<TIAMAT> *Well ... now Whisper's the one blushing, though probably not as much as Kender was a moment ago. "Oh...Kender, I--

<TIAMAT> *She looks away for a few moments, then turns back to him, smiling gently. "I never thought I'd hear anyone say that to me.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *shakes head, looking a little sad* I can't imagine not saying it. *grins* I'll say it as often as you want, all right?

<TIAMAT> *Whisper grins back and laughs a little, her eyes shining a bit. "You know I love you too, Kender.

<JETMODE> <Kender> It's nice to hear it, though. *sunny smile*

<TIAMAT> *Whisper smiles back and leans her head against his shoulder.

<JETMODE> *Kender reaches down to stroke her hair a little, looking content.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper has her eyes half-closed and is looking rather happy herself.

<JETMODE> *From behind the pair there's a rustling noise, and then something flies through the air to clunk down in front of the bench. Dude. It's a tripod.

<JETMODE> *Kender jerks upright, looking panicked.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper sits up with a start, blinking down at the tripod.

<JETMODE> *More rustling, and a blond woman pokes her head over the top of the bush. "Perfect shot!" she cries triumphantly, then catches sight of Kender and Whisper. "Eh? Oh, did I interrupt you two?" She doesn't look particularly concerned.

<JETMODE> <Selma> Shoo, shoo. This is my spot. *flaps her hands at them*

<TIAMAT> *Whisper looks a little bewildered. "Um..

<JETMODE> <Kender> But..

<JETMODE> <Selma> *impatiently* Please! I've got work to do tonight, and this place has the best angle.

<JETMODE> <Selma> If you really want, you can finish necking somewhere else. I mean, that bench is free. *waves over to the right*

<TIAMAT> *Whisper scowls at her, then grabs Kender's hand as she stands. "Come on, Kender. *and she trots off, annoyed. ^_^

<JETMODE> *Kender follows agreeably, mostly looking horribly confused.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper stops suddenly a ways off and turns back to Kender. "Well...so much for that...

<JETMODE> <Kender> *apologetic look*

<TIAMAT> *Whisper smiles. "Oh well. You want to go down to the Rustling Ghost for a drink or something?

<JETMODE> <Kender> *grin* Sure.

-- cut to later that night --

<TIAMAT> *Okay. ^_^ We can assume they had a goodnight kiss or something before parting. ^_^ Jarod's sitting Indian-style on his bed reading when Kender returns.

<JETMODE> *Kender is looking high on life when he returns -- bit surprise. Cinno howls an indignant greeting, but he completely ignores him, hopping over to his bed.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod watches Kender for a minute, grinning a little. "Well, someone certainly is happy.

<JETMODE> <Kender> Eh? *flushes a little* Well, yeah.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod: Things went rather nicely for you tonight, then, huh? You gonna tell me about it?

<JETMODE> *Kender flops on his bed and buries his face in his pillow for a sec before looking up and grinning. "She kissed me."

<TIAMAT> *Jarod smirks smugly. "And you said she didn't like you.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *protest* But I wasn't sure!

<TIAMAT> *Jarod chuckles. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Anyway, I'm betting it was a nice kiss, the way you're blushing just talking about it, am I right?

<JETMODE> <Kender> *grins at his pillow* Yeah. And that's all I'm telling!

<TIAMAT> *Jarod: Hmph, fine.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *impishly* Get your own girlfriend.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod rolls his eyes. "At least you'll admit that much now. Won't be long before the wedding.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *slightly muffled and still grinning like an idiot* Oh, be quiet.