How to explain this...[Joshua/Kaminari]

Kaminari was instantly taken aback by the whistle and compliments. Of course she was plain! Boring brown hair, plain face, nothing spectacular about her figure. Plain, plain, plain! Blushing and looking away, Kaminari just kept quiet and began following him. ‘What a goofball. I doubt he even meant it.’

Kaminari was much more aware of any attention they would grab, constantly looking around at anyone who might stare. She followed behind him, not knowing what to say until he was the one who spoke up. “Uh… Yeah, right,” Kaminari said in agreement. Sure, if she remembers the place. She wasn’t the best at random locations she finds, but if she got an address, she could find it again.

Seeing that wink, Kaminari stuck her tongue back out at him, “Are you just picking on me? If that’s what this whole night is going to be, I promise you I will cast a kido that makes you seven inches shorter in an instant!” Was she telling the truth? Well, this woman could put an arm back on a body and flatten a skyscraper with enough preparation time, so who knew? Seemed serious at least.

“I do not!” Kaminari immediately denied. She had a… realistic opinion of herself, at least in her mind. As he continued, her blush deepened and Kaminari had no idea how to react, except for with frustration and an angry face. Frustration, confusion, and major insecurities were all that had a grip on Kaminari at the moment. Taking compliments was harder than discovering new kido!

“Just… just…” Kaminari let out a low, defeated whimper. “Are we there yet?!”

‘Not empty? Yeah, right. I am not falling for that shit again.’

Kaminari continued following the red-headed hat wearing demon flatterer. He turned into an alley and Kaminari raised an eyebrow. The first hint that her immediate assumption about it being a trap was wrong when she got the first whiff of food. The place was packed, cramped, but strangely welcoming. She looked around curiously, taking in the sights as she followed him to his place of choice.

Surprised by his gentlemanly gesture, Kaminari gave him a suspicious glare as his pulled out her chair and then sat down. She seemed to test the chair with her weight first before sitting comfortably. “Thank you.” She looked up to the menu and decided on her meal immediately. “Yes, I’d like the chicken ramen with extra chicken and an extra egg. I’ll have whatever you’re having for a drink.”

“Yes,” Kaminari nodded, agreeing to the sake. She meant what she said! As he finished the order, Kaminari looked around, taking in a few notes of the people, the lightning, the chatter going on… She was glad they didn’t show up at some stuffy ol’ brightly lit, table-cloth using, suited waiter, what is on the champagne menu type restaurant. She would have wanted to leave immediately.

“I was on a mission a few months back,” Kaminari said, bringing her attention back to Joshua. “There was a powerful hollow that needed to be dealt with. We were supposed to just be recon, but that didn’t go like we wanted. What about you?”

As he talked, Kaminari realized exactly what he was doing. She mentally face-palmed. “Okay, okay, okay… I get it,” Kaminari looked away, feeling real dumb about the question. “Clearly not very good at casual conversation…” Kaminari sighed and was going to say something more when Joshua continued on, moving past his previous mission. That helped the dumb feeling fade a little bit.

Kaminari was taken aback. ‘He dodged patrol duty? What?’

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait… What do you mean you ‘dodged’ patrol duty?” Kaminari asked, an eyebrow raised, her tone coming off as if she was personally offended by what that might have meant. “That sounds like you’re not doing your job.”