Outback Steakhouse, Wednesday Evening

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Perhaps the island had been satisfied by their sacrifice the last time they'd tried to get Paintball Dinner. Perhaps it figured they had suffered enough today already. Either way, the only shenanigans that Arden and Cal had encountered on their way to the steakhouse for dinner that evening were the traumatized memories of their afternoon.

They really needed to have a talk about appropriate targets for hero worship, Cal.

"So important question for you," Arden said as they were led to their table. "Are we risking an onion blossom with our cicada hands?" She held her hands up to him, waggling her fingers. "Or are we playing it safe and skipping the finger food?"

Yes she'd washed her hands like four times since their detention in the park. But the memories lingered.

[For he who is on the hook for dinner, pls!]

Comments

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"You're right," Arden said, free hand finding his to give it a squeeze. "That's way better."

She lifted up her phone to get all three of them, taking several pictures in quick succession so they can choose the best one.

"This," she added, turning to look at him, squeezing his hand again. "This is what's going really well for me right now. Glad we finally got a chance to make this work."

[moreofaponchoguy]

"I am too," Cal said fondly. "We'll have to come up with a way to maintain this dinner thing even after Paintball is over."

"You could just get meals together for fun," BD-1 pointed out.

"Yeah, we could just hang out, but the competition aspect makes it extra fun," Cal replied.

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Arden's smile went a bit complicated for a moment before she chuckled softly, sliding out of the booth and back to her side. "We'll just have to keep taking classes together," she said. "I'm sure we can find a ton of ways for you to keep owing me dinners."