Boyfriend Banter[Nero/Violet]

For Nero's part, he maintained his best effort as a conversation partner, offering suggestions for any item she wasn't familiar with, as well as essentials that would take their recipes over the top. After they bought their respective items and left the store, Nero turned to Violet as she inquired about his date. Since he'd met with him on a few occasions to confirm whether it was worth going out on a date after going overboard with drinks, he'd learned quite a bit. Certainly enough to make their date feel awkward. With a warm smile, he brushed some hair from his face as he sheepishly smiled with a blush on his face.

"His name is Kokuto. He's a member of the Vandenreich. He's tall, and he has a charming American accent. At first, I wasn't sure how I should feel about him, but once we got to know each other more, I concluded that any of my suspicions were for nothing at all. Also, he loves teasing me a lot."

He finished with a playful pout. That was another trait he found charming about him, even if he'd never admit that to Kokuto's face.

“Part of the Vandenreich, huh? I have a friend that works for them. Wouldn’t it be neat if they knew each other?” Violet said as she carried her groceries from the cart to the car, stuffing it all in the trunk. Of course, Violet had no idea that Kokuto and Solomon did know each other… Once the groceries were all in the car, Violet could tell how adorable Nero was with that pouting face.

“I can’t blame him. You’re a cutie,” Violet said, a mix of teasing and a true compliment. “I have a decent sized kitchen. Did you want to practice at my place?”

"Oh? Well, I know he works in the Sternritter, so if you're friend is situated there, I wouldn't be shocked. He's a very friendly and outgoing man."

Look at him, singing his praises without going on their first date yet. When Violet agreed with the man's approach, Nero's blush grew even brighter. He appreciated the compliment. Now that he could feel at home with himself, he could appreciate compliments such as these without betraying his identity as a member of the Arant family. When she offered to prepare the food at her place, Nero nodded his head with a warm smile.

"A decently-sized kitchen works well for our recipe testing. Plus, there won't be any of my lousy siblings to make things awkward and interrupt us. Okay, Let's head to your place."

“Huh,” Violet blinked. It had initially been a little joke, even if that would have been neat. But she was pretty sure Solomon was a Sternritter. She couldn’t remember though. “Maybe they do… Anyways, you wanna follow me in your car? I just live up the street… I can’t go far cause, uh… I don’t… have a driver’s license yet… I’m learning, and uh… I kinda snuck the car out for this surprise.”

Violet had to be so… so careful. She even refused to get on the main road. On their way back, Violet gripped the steering wheel like an old woman who couldn’t see, leaning forward and being hyper alert of everything that moved. She struggled pressing the gas and break right, often doing it too soft or too hard, causing her to panic. She was lucky she didn’t hit anyone by the time they got back.

“Driving is the most terrifying thing I have ever done…” Violet said as she got out of the car and closed the door. She began grabbing groceries and carried them into the house. “It’ll be worth it if I can make Vanyel happy…” she said, setting things down. “So, how do we start this? I’m sure we have everything we need…”

"Really? It didn't take me too long to adapt to learn how to drive. If you ever need help, I'll gladly offer my assistance whenever I'm free!"

Of course, inwardly, Nero couldn't shake how nervous he felt on their drive to Violet's house. He wouldn't admit that to her, though. They were developing a friendship, after all, and the last thing he wanted to do was dampen her mood. They were here now, and that's all that mattered, no? Helping her with the groceries, he followed the blue-haired woman into the kitchen. Once everything was settled, he turned to Violet with a confident grin. Washing his hands first, he fashioned his hair in a ponytail as he looked at the recipe.

"Well, first things first. After washing our hands, the first thing we need to do is prepare our ingredients. You'll find that among most dishes, Pasta isn't inherently all that difficult to prepare. With a little focus and attention, we should have it done in no time. For now, though, why don't we start with prepping our ingredients?

Violet and Nero practiced their new pasta recipe, teamworking it together in the kitchen. As Violet stirred the sauce, she accidentally brushed the hot pan, wincing as it lightly burned her hand. Nero quickly grabbed a cold cloth for her, and they shared a small laugh. Once the garlic shrimp pasta was ready, they set the dish on the table, both happy and satisfied with their effort despite the mishap.

"It smells delicious!" Violet said, taking a strong whiff before grabbing two clean plates and some forks. "I hope it tastes as good as it smells..." Violet sat down on her side of the table and nodded to Nero so they could both start eating. "Mmm...." Violet said, eyes brightening. They did perfectly! After she got done chewing, she asked Nero about his man, "You think you'll cook this for your boyfriend?"

"I know! I'm really happy with how it came out. For first-time kitchen partners, we did a great job."

Nero's smile brightened as they added the finishing touches to their pasta recipe. Since he had expertise in preparing pasta, he was able to guide them both along without much mishap. When they sat the food down, Nero washed his hands a second time before sitting down and sampling the dish. "Mmm..!" His eyes lit up as he savored the melody of flavors gracing his tastebuds. This came out wonderfully.

As he said, for their first time working together, they did a great job. When she posed a question, Nero pondered for a moment before nodding his head. He didn't quite know how much he'd cook for Kokuto - he was a large man who likely possessed a large appetite, after all - but this could certainly be amongst the dishes he prepared.

"I think I will. This tastes absolutely divine. You did great, Violet."

"Of course, of course. I'd gladly do something like this again when we both have free time. It was really fun."

Nero enjoyed the idea of having friends he could interact with. He wasn't exactly friendless, to be certain, but he didn't exactly go out pursuing a conversation with everyone he knew. Truth be told, much like Violet, he didn't necessarily want to be the one making her ask all the questions. She truly seemed like good company, and he could use a good girlfriend to gossip with, cook, and have a good laugh. Nero waved his hand to assuage her worry.

"No need to apologize, Violet. His name is Kokuto. Pretty tall guy. Handsome. As far as teasing me... actually, it's very playful. Not anything I'd consider mean-hearted, you know? He's a good guy. I wouldn't mind introducing you to him one day."

After answering her questions, he quickly posed one of his own.

"So... tell me what this Vanyel is like. Your face lights up every time you mention him. And it's simply the cutest thing to see on display."

‘Kokuto, tall, handsome, tease, playful,’ Violet thought, trying to remember the traits. Everyone she talked to said being a good listener was how to be a good friend, so she needed to make sure she listened and remembered what Nero said. Kokuto was important to him, so it was not something to be forgotten easily.

"It's because I love him," Violet said with the purest sincerity. "He's a wonderful guy, who has helped me in ways that I can't ever repay... Some bad things happened a while back and I ended up in a very dark place, but Vanyel knew how to handle my chaos. He didn't run away, which is somethin' I would have done. I'm not as brave as he is... He's a body guard, so he lives his days putting his life on the line to protect people who need help... and that makes me proud of him."

"You said Kokuto was a Sternritter... Do you ever get nervous about his job? Like... get scared he will get hurt and you won't see him again?" Violet asked and then sighed. "That's a pretty scary question, I guess... I don't want to bring the mood down... I just sometimes worry... But ignore that... I shouldn't have asked. Instead, tell me how picky Kokuto is about his hair? Vanyel is very picky."