lofi_charm | INBOX: Pumpkin Hollow

"Oh, four? That's not too far off, perfect." Jon sounds entirely pleased. "I know we're probably--- a bit beyond that, considering everything, but, ah. I was wondering if you'd like to go... on a date? I was thinking Empty Pockets. Bit of food, not too far a walk, open late if we get caught up talking...?"

Oh, Martin's heart just melts at that. After all of that, he still wants to go on a real date. Jon has asked Martin on a date! The normalcy of it is almost too much of a relief to bear.

"I'd love that! I've been to Empty Pockets a few times," Martin agrees. "I really like it there. Let me--- let me have a little time to spruce up when I get out of here, and I'll meet you at five?"

"Five sounds excellent to me," Jon's barely-restrained buzzing excitement slips a little further out of his grasp. On his end, he's shuffling around, looking for something just a bit nicer to wear. "Should I go ahead and get us a table when I get there, or wait at the door?"

"Go ahead and get a table." Martin wants that moment of walking in and seeing him there, silly as that is. "I'll see you then!"

"See you! Looking forward to it!"

He's lucky to have the time to reel himself in, and once he's gotten one of his nicer button-ups and pants chosen out, tying his hair back into a tidier bun than he's started to worry about, he sees himself out of his home.

The walk across town is both a blessing and a curse, allowing him to work out his jitters - but, in all his excitement, he manages to show up early. Alas, there goes all that progress. He's back to trying not to buzz at the table, having picked out one in a cozy booth with a decent view of the door, only able to distract himself so much with complimentary bread.

As soon as Martin's through the door, his arrival doesn't escape his notice, and he goes to stand--- a bit too hurriedly--- and smacks his knee right into the table, fussing over the light sting as he awkwardly shuffles himself out. So much for making himself look a bit more put-together for all this, that thoroughly ruins that image.

Martin's heart leaps at the sight of Jon, and he's about to hurry to the table when Jon smacks his knee. Then Martin's rushing to him for a totally different reason. "Oh--- Oh my god, Jon, are you okay?"

Despite the kerfuffle, Martin's clearly dressed for the occasion, wearing a nice little black waistcoat and a slender bowtie over his button up. He's clearly leaned into the aesthetic of the place. Also, his hair is done very nicely.

Despite the initial wince, Jon looks more embarrassed than genuinely hurt, hurriedly shuffling out of the booth seat even before Martin reaches him. It's clear they've both taken the effort to dress nicely; Jon's own outfit its a bit more understated, with a deep brown waistcoat of his own, similarly colored patterned pants, and a green silk cravat tucked into his collar. (He's still worried it's a bit much, but it's too late to second guess it now!)

"I'm alright, I'm alright! Nothing's hurt. Save for my pride," Jon hurriedly assures him, clearing his throat as he tries to straighten himself. He's finally able to get a good look at Martin, and God, he's really taken to Pumpkin Hollow's fashion, hasn't he? He looks incredible. It doesn't make speaking any easier.

"Just stood up too quickly, that's all. You look--- great, by the way."

"I--- Oh, I just picked this up," Martin says with a laugh. "But look at you! You look amazing! Very sharp, I love it."

God he's so hot what the fuck why is he so hot how is Martin supposed to sit here and deal with this holy shit he's so hot. A cravat. How dare he show up in a cravat. Christ. Distract yourself, Martin, quick.

"This is a fun place, isn't it? I don't think I ever checked it out." Martin glances around, his eyes lingering on the piano. "Know any good cocktails?"

"It is! I've only been a few times." He fails to mention that a few of those occasions were for less-than-savoury reasons. "There's a few decent drinks, though! We've got a menu and everything."

Finally sitting back down (no knee impact this time!), he skims the single menu they'd been offered, tracking down the portion with the beverage options. There's a few classics: ale, mead, champagne, beer, but with a few cocktails of varied strange names beneath them. Among them are such notable titles such as Alligator Princess, Swan's Throat Lozenge, Serranai's Spit, Last Will and Testament, Blanket Hornpipe, and Aster's Garters. Good luck ordering any of these with a straight face.

Jon taps one in particular. "I've only ever tried the... er. Knickerbockers one, but it's lovely. Lemon juice and a bit of rind, raspberry syrup, rum, and curaçao over ice. I think you'd enjoy it."

Martin can't help but giggle at the drink menu. "These are amazing." He shakes his head, still grinning. "And you know what? I think I will try that one. Even if I think they're naming them stuff like this just to get us to say these ridiculous words."

"Oh, I'm positive they are. At least they had a bit more mercy with the food?" Jon jokes. There's still some unusually-named dishes, but it seems less strange intentionally, and more in that they're trying a few experimental options. New crowds meant new ideas to work with, it seems.

It doesn't take long for their waiter to make a return, and with drinks (and a small fried appetizer, Jon finally settled on) to get started with, things settle into an easy, comfortable pace, despite the excited energy that lies underneath. It still feels so shockingly normal compared to everything else they've been through, and quite frankly, it almost leaves Jon reeling.

"So, how have things been?" Jon finally breaks the short beat of silence after the waiter is off with the order. "I'm sorry I've been out of contact for longer than expected with everything, I'd meant to call sooner. Time got away from me, there for a while."

"Oh, fine. I talked to Laios about everything, he sends his blessing. I'm still going to try and help him figure out his dating situation, though. I promised, and he needs the moral support." Unable to help a chuckle at the strangeness of all that, Martin sips at his drink. Jon was right about it, it's great!

"I--- assume things went okay with Neil?"

"Well, I'll have to let him know I appreciate that, when next I see him." God, what a weird situation. It doesn't help that Laios is always so pleased to see him. This town and the people in it never stop from being so incredibly bizarre.

"Things with Neil went... okay."

Jon taps his fingers, a bit awkwardly, and takes a sip of his own drink.

"He was entirely fine with it. Honestly, it seemed like he was anticipating it." Which made it so much worse, Jon doesn't add. "He needs his time, which is completely understandable, but he'd like to stay friends, so things are still a bit uneasy but alright on that front."

"That's fair," Martin agrees quietly. He doesn't love that Jon wants to stay friends with the man, but that's not his place to decide. So he doesn't remark on it. He trusts Jon. "I'm sorry you had to do that. But... I-I hope you--- don't regret it?" The question is soft and hopeful.

"Of course not!" Jon seems surprised at the notion all on it's own, setting his glass aside. "I mean, God, it'd need to happen eventually. Apparently it was getting... obvious. I also wouldn't want to--- lead him on, you know?"

A beat, a hesitant moment passing, before Jon offers his hand across the table gently.

"I'm here because I want to be, Martin. I don't regret doing what I needed to in order to make that happen."

Martin holds up his hands in mock defense. "I just was making sure! This is--- all of this is kind of a lot, you know? I--- I never thought I had---- even the shadow of a chance with you, Jon." Deflating a little, his hands fold under the table. "I, ah. I don't know why you'd... leave someone like him for me, honestly."

When Martin deflates, Jon's shoulders sink a mere few centimeters, and he pulls back that hand of his, letting his elbow linger on the table.

"It's funny, I... from my end, at least, I don't see why I wouldn't," Jon gives a short, quiet laugh. "I've got a number of reasons, I could surely go down the list, but... I--- I do hope I've made my seriousness about this clear? If I haven't, I'm sorry---"

"No, no, you have, I just don't--- uh. Get it. But I guess I don't need to? I guess I-I'm just nervous, like it's all going to end up being fake, or you're going to realize you didn't--- that you weren't so sure about this after all. It's surreal, to be here with you like this," Martin explains, worrying his hands. "Just trying to find my own footing, you know? But I shouldn't make that your problem."

Jon listens, quietly, and mulls all that over. It's hard to hear, but everything does feel so new still, doesn't it? He wishes, now more than ever, that he was better at communicating his feelings. Something as simple as 'I do feel that way, and I just need you to believe me' doesn't carry weight here, not with that racing mind Martin's clearly so prone to.

Even if his words aren't exactly skilled, it's still worth trying.

"I'm completely sure about it," Jon starts, quiet and sincere. "The more time we've spent together, and the more time I've gotten to--- actually know you, instead of just trying to escape whatever latest thing wants us dead, the more I've realized that... I don't know. It's hard to explain. I don't want to disparage against Neil, or anything in our relationship, it was all perfectly fine, but I didn't..."

He struggles with his words for a moment, letting out a breath.

"Martin, I don't think I've ever had anyone care about me as deeply as you do," He finally manages, trying not to feel a little pathetic at the notion. That fills in an unfortunate blank about his and Neil's relationship that he doesn't even want to admit, himself. "I don't often give people the chance to care about me. I often don't want them to. But... for all the trouble I gave you, you did, and--- I cared about you. Very much. After all the time we spent together, it got harder for me to imagine not having you in my life. As soon as you arrived on the island... all that came back to me, and then I got a chance to get to know you without the pressure of the Institute hanging over us. I mean, I already told you a great deal of it when we were ghosts, but. Everything that got put on on hold from life came to me all at once, and..."

Jon lets out an embarrassed huff of a laugh.

"I think I'd already been well on my way to falling in love, but there was finally the time and the place to cement it."

Continuing to worry his hands on the table, Martin listens quietly to everything Jon says, blinking away tears. Christ, you really don't get this kind of emotional honesty from Jon often, do you? And all of it just to prove that he really does love Martin.

Swallowing roughly, Martin reaches out to take Jon's hand.

"Thank you," he murmurs. "I love you, Jon. A-and it's--- it's taking a while for it to sink in, for it to feel real, and I know I'm being insecure right now, but. But I believe you. And I'm really, really excited to be here with you. On a date! A real date."

Thank goodness that went over well - there's a palpable relief that comes with him managing to get his point across. Honestly, he should probably thank Zelda for helping him get a decent head on his shoulders over the last year, or else he'd likely have completely and utterly botched all of this.

"That's alright, Martin. I know it's... all fairly sudden," He cracks a small, embarrassed grin, and allows his hand to be taken. "But we're on a real date! I haven't been on a date in... Christ. Years, I think."

"I know!" Laughing off the stress comes blessedly easily. "It feels so normal, doesn't it? I, ah. I guess this makes it official, huh? We're---- we're dating?"

"If you'll have me, of course? Then yes, absolutely," Jon plays coy, but can't help but look entirely delighted about it.

"I do believe I will!" Martin is eager to agree, beaming. He seems pleased with himself. "I have a boyfriend now." He puffs up a little.

That gets a laugh out of Jon, purely and genuinely delighted. "And we've already crossed the threshold of saying I love you to each other and everything. We're making incredible progress, all things considered!"

INBOX: Pumpkin Hollow

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