A Bloody Treat [Aiko/Hannah]

"Maybe you are right~."

Aiko hummed with Hannah in her reasoning that puns should be terrible to be good. Truth be told, she was just kind of giddy to be full of energy again. Though, she was surprised there was a sudden gust of wind before she gushed a bit and coughed.

"Well, aren't you a BREEZE to be around?"

After flapping her wings and slowly beginning to rescind back into a resting position, Aiko snorted and looked around a bit more as her stomach growled.

"I had a joke about pizza, but it was too cheesy. Really, are we any closer to that cafe? I'm so hungry now."

With a groan, Aiko rubbed her belly and let out a soft sigh as she looked around and saw something coming up in the distance. She had hoped that was the place, at least.

"I am the light of people's life" Hannah would put out, still glowing a bit more radiantly than a normal person would. But then, the damsel was distressed, and Hannah had to dig deep into her bag of tricks to ensure that they were comforted from all the dangers of the world. Or just leave her to do it herself, equality and all that, right?

"Just round the corner. They do a Grate mozzarella pizza" Hannah would state, heading up to the door and opening it for Aiko.

"It seems the puns never end with you~"

After a snort and giggle, Aiko rolled her shoulder and rolled along side the woman until they finally made it to their destination.

Food~ At last!

With a figure like Aiko's, it certainly took a bit of nutrition to keep her looks up. So, there was a happy expression across the woman's face as her energy became lighter and she hurriedly went to take her seat after they were greeted by the staff. Remembering the mention of the mozzarella pizza, Aiko felt it would be awesome to try it out, and she ordered that with a side of breadsticks and red wine. Nothing too heavy; she just liked the taste.

Now, with the food settled, Aiko looked back at Hannah and relaxed.

"What are you gonna have, Hannah? You don't seem like the type to really gorge yourself, but I could be wrong!"

"It is your eternal Pun-ishment, yes. To be forever surrounded and punned into oblivion"

Hannah's radiance diminished after they came inside, like there was some kind of bubble around her that she had dropped once getting into cooler pastures. Aiko would then be quite dichotomous, ordering a pizza, and wine. It was like driving a Lambogini in pajamas. Still, she wasn't going to get in the way of that vibe, and just ordered the pizza extra large so they could share. And a cup of tea as well.

"I think I will have a pizza your food" Hannah would not let up for a moment, forever striking with the mighty pun.

Aiko observed Hannah with a warm smile, her hands gesturing for her to indulge in the food. Sharing this meal felt comforting, like a glimpse into a world where generosity thrived. She wiped away the cheese from her mouth and spoke appreciatively, her eyes shimmering with gratitude.

"No, go ahead. It's truly kind of you to take me out like this. It's refreshing to encounter people who possess such generosity in today's world."

As Aiko savored another sip of her wine, she could feel its warmth permeate her senses. The relaxed atmosphere of the cafe put her soul at ease, offering a respite from the weariness that had plagued her earlier from that lack of blood and energy. It was a welcome change since it was far better than sitting under the scorching sun, waiting for her energy and power to return.

But, another thought entered her mind. She needed to seize the moment and try to open up to people a bit more. So, Aiko recognized the opportunity to delve deeper into the conversation to forge a connection with this blind stranger.

With a playful glimmer in her eyes, she posed a question, lacing it with curiosity and a hint of intrigue.

"Do you always sweep girls off their feet and treat them to lavish meals? Or is this a unique occurrence?"

Once that question was uttered, Aiko's tone carried a mixture of light-heartedness and genuine interest, hoping to uncover more about this strange, blonde woman who had unexpectedly entered her life.

"To be fair, the world has not been the most stable since World War Three. There is always something going wrong somewhere. And whenever something implies being contained, some Kin-damned moron nukes a civilian city and escalates the stakes way high. Not a lot of people today can afford generosity. And not a lot of people have people to do it with if they do"

Hannah seemed a little morose, but then fought that off by picking up a slice of pizza, and looking to Aiko.

"Ohh, no. You'd know if I was sweeping you off your feet, my dear" Hannah would give a wink, and a breath of air moulded to feel like a stroke against Aiko's cheek.

Aiko's gaze lingered on Hannah, captivated by the aura of resilience that surrounded her. It was evident that this woman had weathered her fair share of storms. The thought of the world's hardships made Aiko reflect on the significance of generosity in a world like this. She couldn't help but feel a deep sense of responsibility to spread kindness to those who truly deserved it. In a world of chaos, destruction, and madness, encountering level-headed and compassionate individuals like Hannah or Aiko makes it a bit less shitty.

So, a warm smile tugged at Aiko's lips as Hannah's response evoked a genuine connection.

"Not sure what a Kin-damned moron is, but I completely agree with you. The world has certainly taken its toll over the years, leaving scars that run deep in a lot of people. That's why your simple act of kindness meant so much to me. It's not something you come across every day, especially in this city where the sanity seems to dwindle while the crazies multiply."

A mischievous glimmer sparkled in Aiko's eyes, and she couldn't resist the urge to express her silliness playfully. With a snicker, she extended her index finger, twirling it around the side of her head, emulating the universal sign of insanity. Her tongue peeked out mischievously, adding an extra touch of whimsy to the moment.

"But perhaps I have a dash of silliness within me too."

Aiko pondered whether the wine made her feel so bold or if she was indeed getting better at being around people. After taking another sip from her glass, her gaze fixated on Hannah, her heart fluttering at the gentle stroke of Hannah's hand breeze against her cheek. It was a moment that caught Aiko off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. She took a quiet pause, feeling slightly out of her element, before gathering her thoughts, her words laced with a hint of uncertainty and genuine curiosity.

"You know, Hannah, you have a refreshing straightforwardness about you. So, let me ask a question: are you having a good time right now? It might sound silly to ask, but I'm working on honing my social skills, and I hope my eagerness hasn't rubbed you the wrong way or given a bad impression."

"Not everyone is lucky enough to have dealt with their shit. Some people are still in the process, others are mired in it to a point they never will, alone. And few will offer the hand when they had their own to deal with. Especially given what happened to the most high profile woman in the Realms that did offer her hand to others"

Hannah would start eating her food, pondering about the path that had lead her to this moment. To a beautiful woman, heart racing, in front of her. And then she made a rather nostalgic comment, that Hannah wished she had the introspection to have asked when she was going through the same thing.

"I've been through exactly what you are going through now, pretty recently as well. So I would not hold it against you if you were thrice as bad as you are now. Then again, anything times zero is still zero" Hannah would reply, giving her a tilt of her glass. And then pausing.

"Unless it's like compounding or something. Three times as bad as normal, or zero, can't still be zero. There needs to be some kind of additive interger getting in there somehow"

Hannah clearly confused herself with her own attempted flirt, and began mentally chewing on it.

As the other woman's words resonated within Aiko's core, an undeniable truth seeped through her being. Life presented its cruelty and unfairness in varied ways. Some were blessed with abundant resources, supportive souls, and transformative events that propelled them forward, enabling them to overcome the burdens that weighed them down. Yet, for others, it felt like being caught in an inescapable cycle, a relentless grind that molded them into unrecognizable shapes distorted by pain and hardship.

And on this introspective thought, for a fleeting moment, Aiko bore the weight of melancholy, her gaze mirroring the somber words spoken by Hannah.

"Yeah, you're right. Life's not fair,"

Aiko replied, her voice hushed with a hint of resignation before a light ember of optimism started to creep back in with a faint smile.

"But that's why kindness is a virtue, you know? We can never truly gauge how close someone might be to the edge. It's a messed-up reality we exist in, but I think being able to act in spite of that is valuable since it makes the world less fucked up."

Aiko then brought the wine glass to her lips, savoring another sip, and as the crimson booze danced on her taste buds, Aiko's smile returned, a gentle curve reclaiming her features.

The fact that her interaction with Hannah was going positively uplifted her spirit. Stepping out of her comfort zone and taking that chance on another person had brought her to this moment. Right now, she was in a cozy corner of the world, the vibrant ambiance of the cafe and the company of a stranger-turned-companion. It was a reprieve, a temporary release from the relentless whirlwind within her own mind. And so, raising her glass, Aiko offered a silent toast to these newfound joys, the glass clinking faintly.

"As good a reason as any to drink,"

The woman's voice came back to life with a declaration of warmth and happiness.

"It's beautiful, really, to forge new connections."

A brief pause filled the air, and Aiko couldn't help but chuckle, her soft laughter carrying a hint of endearing confusion. She reached out, gently patting Hannah's head, offering solace in that simple gesture.

"You did your best, and that's what matters,"

Aiko reassured her that Hannah did no harm when trying to get that joke off the ground. With a wriggle of her nose, then goofed off a bit before a thought came to her mind.

Hannah did mention something about her going through the same thing as Aiko. So, with her curiosity piqued, she would then nudge her head forward and ask a question to get some more details on Hannah's life experiences.

"How exactly was your process? You said something about going through the same thing as me socially; what was your transformation like, and how bad were you, if ya don't mind me asking?"

If Hannah continued this way, the conversation would get too dreary. Recent history showed you had to be careful who you were kind to, less you lose everything. No matter who you were or how highly placed or well connected. So she moved off to another, equally dreary topic....

"My way was more 'bumble headlong into the situation, obsess over people's physical and mental health, make pragmatic decisions because that's clearly the best choice, and react on impulse to anything that happens because you are way too early to actually be out and about'

It didn't go well. As anyone could infer just from hearing about it"

Hannah hoped that Aiko could keep up that happy attitude she had even when talking to Hannah about this. It was a terrible fate to be the downer in a dinner date.