Date

Nocturne wondered why he couldn't see head or tail of Nine the past couple of days. The two of them still slept in separate rooms, but other than that he felt like every day was filled with bliss.

Sometimes, he woke up from his sleep smiling to himself. He couldn't remember what he dreamed about, but he was filled with a sweet feeling each time. He supposed that the both of them were still in somewhat of a honeymoon mood, and everyone around them could tell.

The jealous looks he got from Nine's fans would have stabbed him to death a thousand times over had it been possible, but luckily, it wasn't possible.

Though he did wonder why Nine seemed to be avoiding him, it was more like Nine was preparing something instead of *really* avoiding him. Had it been before Nine sat him down and told him that he loved him, Nocturne would probably have exploded with jealousy and caused Nine to hate him.

When he thought about that, he sometimes felt a chill down his spine. Luckily, he had somewhat calmed down now that he was surer of his place in Nine's life.

So, though he wasn't being insecure about himself anymore, Nine's behaviour was making him terribly curious. He was patiently waiting, but each day that passed made him feel like tailing after Nine more and more. To prevent this, he locked himself in the workshop, immersing himself in work.

Right now, he was working on tweaking a couple of spells. Nocturne absently brushed his hair behind his ears as he wrote on some papers, correcting earlier mistakes that had been proven wrong.

The door to the workshop clicked open, but Nocturne didn't notice it, so engrossed was he in his work.

Nine hid her smile when she realized how hard Nocturne was working. She always wondered if this was what she looked like when she herself was working when she watched over him.

When she saw him put down his pen as he flipped to the next page, she took the chance to alert him of her presence.

"Nox," she called, causing his head to snap up reflexively.

"Nine!" he said, evidently surprised. He smiled softly at his husband, unable to keep the delight off his face. "Finally not avoiding me anymore?"

Nine let out a laugh. "I wasn't avoiding you, though?"

Nocturne crossed his arms faux angrily, frowning. "You have been, though! Every time I drew nearer, by the time I got there you were already gone!"

Nine poked Nocturne's pouting cheeks, smiling indulgently at him. "Fine, fine. I was wrong, okay?" she said, coaxing him gently.

Nocturne's cheeks immediately burned red. He just couldn't get used to the indulgent looks that Nine gave him each time, so he always ended up blushing easily, but at the same time, he wouldn't ever want it to stop!

Every time Nine did this, he felt like he would melt into a puddle on the ground at the sheer sweetness the other was practically drowning him in.

Nocturne huffed and looked away, acting angry. To keep up this act, he had to look away from that devastatingly beautiful face. If he didn't get used to it now, then wouldn't he be screwed over in the future? So, for the sake of his future, he was giving it his all right now.

Nine gently coaxed Nocturne though she already knew that he was just acting angry. His reactions were always so cute and entertaining that she couldn't help but act this way each time. This side of her was a privilege that no one but Nocturne would get. She would happily spoil him and take care of him since he was special to her.

"Don't be angry, okay?" Nine said, tilting his head back towards her. She gently kissed him, causing his eyes to pop open. Nine directed her most pleading stare at him, a hint of a smile hanging on her lips.

Every inch of Nocturne's will immediately dissolved upon the sight of those deep blue eyes staring pleadingly into his soul. He could practically hear his resolve crumble the longer he stared into those eyes.

Nine was totally cheating with that display. Not to mention, the kiss that made him have no reflexively look at him! But he was weak. Nocturne really couldn't win against Nine when his husband was determined. It had only been a short few days, but Nine was already so good at coaxing him!

Nocturne inwardly screamed.

He covered Nine's eyes, unable to bear the sight of those soulful looking eyes that were acting all pitiful.

Nine let out a laugh, picking Nocturne up by the waist, carrying him in a bridal position using a single arm.

Stunned, Nocturne reflexively held onto Nine but didn't even get a chance to protest before Nine started speaking.

"Let's go then," she said.

"Go where?" Nocturne said, still stunned. "I haven't finished my thesis yet!" he said, saying it without a thought. He almost asked Nine to put him down and let him out of this humiliating position, but then thought about it again. Nine was carrying him in his arms! If that wasn't staking a claim, he didn't know what was! Most likely, they would be going out into public. Even though he was a man, he was more than happy to stay in Nine's arms forever.

"We can look over it together later," Nine said, starting to run with Nocturne in her arms.

"Okay," Nocturne said immediately. "So, where are we going?" he asked, puzzled.

"We're going on a date, of course," Nine said, smiling. She anticipated his reaction to her words.

Nocturne was silent for an entire minute as his mind slowly digested Nine's words. "Oh, a date," he said at last. "A date?!"

Nocturne made a low sound in his throat. A date! Their first date, and he was looking like this! He had ink stains all over his hands and his clothes, and he didn't look at neat as he usually did!

He silently panicked, wondering what he should do. He was in no way mentally prepared for this at all! He didn't know if his heart could take it. Nine had already practically killed him earlier with those soulful blue eyes, but this was on a whole other level altogether!

"Don't think so much," Nine said, poking Nocturne's furrowed brows. "You're cuter when you smile," Nine said without much thought. "Just enjoy it."

Nocturne buried his face in the crook of Nine's neck, his ears heating up. Nine was so sly!

"Are we really going on a date?" Nocturne asked suspiciously. He almost couldn't believe it.

The smile Nine gave him never ceased to send him into a daze.

"Yes. Look forward to it," she said.