And There Were Two (Joseph)

[Midnight]

His hands pleasently clasps in the small of her back Joseph locked eyes with her. "Oh I think I do. The old headmaster was right. My intentions were pure, so I was able to solve the riddle. As for the guardians, well Ziare, and the others helped me with that." he explained simply, though his face was filled with joy. She was actually hugging him. Pressing her body against his in pure affection. The thought almost caused him to blush. "At any rate Talbot, I promised you a spice you'd never had before, and the way I figured it. Why not go for the best. A dinner with you would certainly be worth it."

[Talbot Linsorim]

She let go of him, holding the Astrarian back up to the light- this rare- it was almost too rare to use- but at the mention of cooking with this she smiled broadly, wiping tears from her eyes before they could stain her face, "You've outdone yourself! Joseph, do you realize how many different dishes this one spice in the smallest amout can easily make or break a meal! I mean, any spice can but this one- there are so many-! You just don't know how much this means! You couldn't understand how long- how much- dear Goddess!"

As she spoke she waved her arms, her tone going from joyful to jovial, her smile going from mild to grand, her eyes dancing brightly- she seemed as if she was barely able to contain herself. She hugged him again, stepped back and laughed, "Of course I will cook us a meal! A dinner you wouldn't believe but- I don't know- I have to reference mother's book! Joseph, did you know with as much as you've brought be I can make over three-hundred dishes? This spice, this spice alone is- Goddess!"

[Midnight]

Joseph chuckled at her overly excited attitude. At the same time though, his chest was on fire with how good it felt to hear and feel her reaction. Smile very wide he boldy places a hand on her waist. "I'm very happy to see you like it." he said stepping close, "As for how amazing it is. Yes I know. I used it to save a friend's life before I filled your vial." The gunmage attempted to say something else, but realizing just how close his position was to her he faltered. After so long of working to gain her affections, and being as suave as possible...his words freeze in insecurity as his eyes met hers once more.

[Talbot Linsorim]

He was being bold, and in truth she hadn't minded- she was still buzzing from the fact she held such a rare spice. But his blue eyes met hers and she froze. What was- she leaned into him and pressed her lips to his- she blushed hard, the sparks she found were more than she had- ever dreamed of. Her heart raced rabit quick as she moved away- out of arms reach- she giggled softly, her face bright red, "Tonight. Same place- be here by nine. Joseph, you won't regret the meal I have planned!"

Without waiting for reply, she dissapeared, grabbing her basket along the way and leaving the stunned Joseph behind.

[Midnight]

Joseph remained there frozen for several long minutes. He did it...She'd actually kissed him. Talbot Linsorim, kissed him. The emblem on his back was practically on fire. The revolver was excited for him. The gunmage began to laugh. Everything he went through up untill this point was worth every second. Just that kiss alone validated his coming to the Academy for him. She was even going to make him dinner tonight...dinner! Realizing the time of day, he shook away his reverie. He had to get back to his dorm room and prepare.

***

8:42 and he still hadn't seen her. Joseph, stood excitedly impatient under the moonlight, as he waited in the spot she indicated. The gunmage was now clad in a personal suit which was similar to his gunmage uniform, but more relaxed. Once again he wore no gloves as a sign of his affection for her. His hair however was done up with the same Harlequin gel he used back at Eldran's birthday celebration. This time he'd also asked the Harlequin for a cologne. The scent was subtle, but aromatic. Joseph also made sure to polish his glasses and revolver again. He wanted nothing to go wrong tonight. If all went well, he might even get another kiss. Hopefully one that lasted a little longer as well. The thougth made him grin into the moonlight.

[Talbot Linsorim]

She had been cooking for hours- the moment she had gotten back and explained to Mikon and Zula about everything- she had never seen Mikon so disgruntled while Zula puckered her little wiskers as if to tease Talbot- but she had paid no mind. The elation she felt from her first kiss- even if rushed and the thought of someone going to so much trouble- for her simply to cook- no simply for her. She giggled and blushed as she sucessfully made the three course meal that would make anyone an instant addict to her cooking- and with the Astrarian at her disposal and well added, this would be a meal to truely remember.

~*~*~*

Mikon chittered annoyedly at the daydreaming boy, encouraging him to move his rear before the hard cooked meal grew cold. Zula twittered softly at Joseph's feet before climbing up his leg and to his shoulder, before grooming at his hair and ouckering her little mousy whiskers. Both chittered at the same time- advising he walk a little further where the winds are wafting the scent of the long prepared meal are waiting.

[Midnight]

As Joseph walked along in the moonlight, goaded in the right direction by the two familiars, he caught his first scent of the food wafting on a breeze. Almost instantly his stomach bit in on itself with hunger. Though, thanks to his gunmage's training he could eat anything, nuance was far from lost on him. Joseph still had favorite foods, and could enjoy delecacies as much as the next person. To be truthful, it hadn't always been that way. For years following his training, he'd actually lost his sense of taste. However, as time passed and he picked up on empathic hints from others while they ate, he built the sense back to normality. Much like his empathy, many considered this a weakness; feeling that taste was a useless sense to begin with.

Still, he had divined that food could just as well be percieved an art as nourishment. Talbot was the very epitomy of that long ago thought. Say for his small breakfast of a pair of eggs, Midnight had not eaten anything all day. This was partially on purpose when his fancy had told him she'd make dinner for them. Finally he achieved what he'd set out to do. A meal cooked by, and with the elusive, yet racishingly attractive Talbot Linsorim.

Mikon continuing to pester him, Joseph stepped into the grassy clearing where he'd come upon her earlier that day. What he found was a pic nic table adorned with table cloths, silverware and an array of tin dish covers which surely concealed the enticing meal. However, this only occupied his sight a moment, as he looked up to the far more intoxicating visage of Talbot.

[Talbot Linsorim]

Zula squeeked and did a backflip as she watched the boys reaction- Zula could not help but love this! Putckering her little mouse wiskers again before Mikon flared his wings and fluttered to Talbot's shoulder, chittering softly to her. Talbot turned and smiled, the skirt of her black dress flaring and settling- personally she found the spagetti straps a little annoying with them being well- spaghetti straps but in truth they healped make the dress what it was. She smiled, brushing a lock of blonde hair behind her ear- she had pulled it up into a flared bun, tying it back securely with a black lace ribbon- she blushed lightly. Her stomach knotted form the suddenly elation she felt- he had actually come like she asked! Her gray eyes shimmered as she moved to hug him, if he inhaled- the scent of lavendar and sage would be shared, "Wonderful! You are right on time!"

Unsure of what to do she waved a hand to the table, leading him to it, holding his hand- nothing here would have the chance to get cold- except what was supposed to be at least. Guiding him to sit, she smiled, "Now I promised you a meal you wouldn't forget and well if you do forget I'll have to try again and again until you don't."

Sitting across from him- not giving the chance or option to pull her seat out or any of that nonsense, Talbot lifted the lid to the tray in the center of the table- a simple appetizer of stuffed mushroom waited. Mikon chittered from her shoulder as Zula continued to pucker her wiskars almost in a mocking fashion.

[Midnight]

Joseph shook his head at his luck as the girl hugged him. "Of course, and you are looking beautiful, as always." he had said with a kiss on the cheek. As she took him to the table, eager to get the meal started, his thoughts took a strange turn. The gunmage wondered what his father would think of the girl. Certainly he wouldn't be very happy. Gunmages were only supposed to court other gunmages. That way they could strengthen the bloodlines. That closed mindedness was one of the reasons why he left for the Arcane Academy in the first place.

Joseph pushed the thoughts aside as his lovely hostess lifted the tray to reveal a delicious tray of stuffed mushrooms. A light breeze carried the scent of both the mushrooms natural flavor with a hint of Astrarian, mixed with that of her perfume. The sensation actually made him shiver lightly with delight. "Does that mean if I savor this moment you'll never cook for me again?" he replied to her words as he took a sample of her appetizer.

[Talbot Linsorim]

Talbot laughed, the sound of wind chimes, she took only a small mushroom. She had made this for him- off how she finally had someone to finally cook for again. She missed it- though she was glad with the knowledge that Joseph wouldn't start swearing at random and throwing what she worked so hard on. She shook her head, the rune for air flashing softly as she did so. He was worried about her not cooking for him ever again? Slyly she smiled, picking up a mushroom and popping it in his mouth, "Well that all depends on how well tonight's meal goes. For all you know right now- you may never eat school food again."

[Midnight]

The moment the mushroom was pushed into his mouth and the spice touched his tongue, Joseph's senses were lit on fire. His heart beat faster as his sight grew sharper, his scent grew cripser, his touch grew more sensitive, his hearing grew crystal clear, and his taste...gods the taste! The gunmage chewed, savoring every moment it was in his mouth then finally swallowed in near ecstacy. "As of right now, I pray that's the case." he said to her with a great amount of praise in his voice.

He couldn't help but ponder at his luck. He was having the most delicious dinner, with the most beautiful girl, and he had the nice mouse on his shoulder. Zula was being a sweet little thing to him. Eating down the mushroom he had put on his plate, he made a noise of admiration as he swallowed. "Gods Talbot, this is the best thing I've ever eaten!" he proclaimed truthfully, "This is simply amazing."

[Talbot Linsorim]

Talbot laughed at him, drawing attention away from the blush which spread across her cheeks. Talking almost with his mouth full, she was inspiried to try the mushroom she had taken from the tray. She could tell anyone what was in it but the fact that listing everything could take hours- maybe even days, but now was not the time to list every ingredient. Taking a bite, she realized Astrarian was not as overpowering as she had feared but rather mild and enchancing. She blinked a few times- her eyes adjusting far better to the darkness beyond and around them, after all it was dark outside. She blinked her already sharp sense of smell could smell more than simply the ingredients one by one, but now the scent of every bit of brushed away earth and even the cleansing water- this was more than any heart could wonder. She tilted her head to the side as the crickets around them became louder- no not the crickets becoming louder but rather her hearing had become more clear. Even her sense of touch found new sensations at every under the table, nervously twisting her napkin. Something no one ever saw when they ate her meals, she was a naturally nervous about cooking for others, it was why she never or rarely ate with those she cooked for. She smiled at him, after swallowing what was in her mouth, "Who would have guessed a glowing spice with such a strong scent would be so- Goddess, Joseph- it barely has this effect on it's own!"

[Midnight]

Though the thought passed through Joseph at her words, he pushed it aside. It didn't matter how much of the delicacy was the spice and how much was her cooking. The important part of this meal was that it was made especially for him, by her. The gunmage smiled over at Talbot. "No need to be modest," he said picking up another mushroom, "the spice is only a part of the food. You're still the one who added it. Talbot that still makes you an amazing cook."

He broke off a small piece of the food, and held it up to his shoulder. "Here little one, would you like to try you mother's food? It's quite good, if you haven't gathered." he asked in a warm tone to the sweet little Zula on his shoulder. Joseph figured if the little familiars were attending the dinner, they might as well at least sample Talbot's hard made food. If he could, the gunmage would share the food with his revolver, but the weapon would just have to settle for the feeling of fulfillment from eating the food instead.

[Talbot Linsorim]

Zula took the small bit offered and without question and with full trust, squeeked and nibbed- her wiskers stood on end and she fell foreward onto Joseph's lap. Scurriing about, Zula sprang onto the table and cast 'water ball' at Mikon. Mikon, who had been fed samples throughout the cooking process, shrilled loudly and flew right at Zula knocking her off the table. The two mice tumbled, squeeked and it was son obvious they were simply playing.

Talbot watched for a long moment, realizing the plate was empty she nodded, clearing the empty tray she moved another to the center, she smiled broadly, "Alright- if you thought that was great you'll love this even more."

Lifting the lid and revealing a heavily loaded with lime-sauced chicken, hand picked and washed sauteed green beans, and homemade garlic bread. There was enough for both of them, but she waited for him to dish up first, somrthing long programmed into her mind- one thing from long ago that refused to let go of her mind. Talbot held her smile, waiting with her head bowed slightly.

[Midnight]

Joseph chuckled at Zula's reaction to the food, then subsequently as she fell to the ground wrestling Mikon. They were just like brother and sister. Looking back to Talbot, the girl switched the empty tray out for the main course. It looked delicious. The gunmage divied out the food onto their plates, making sure to give his hostess her share first. Chivilry and tact were two things always ingrained into gunmages. Though in their conception they were roughened individuals. As times changed the schools deemed it appropriate for soldiers to be gentlemen as well death dealers.

"I'm sure it will be everything I can imagine." He assured the girl as he cut his first slice of the chicken. He noticed her waiting for his response. "With how much skill you have, Talbot, you are incredibly sweet, you know that?" he asked before placing the food in his mouth. There came the same influx of bliss as before, possibly even more potent this time around. However instead of lavishing in the feeling, Joseph forced his own silence and kept his eyes on hers; an utterly adoring expression on his face.