Chapter 44 - Date

Chapter 44: Chapter 44 - Date

Hand in hand, Vincent and Natasha stepped out of the palace courtyard and flew together to the bustling Carnival of the Divine City.

Natasha kept her chin held high, trying her absolute best to maintain her cool appearance, but the bright, rosy flush lingering on her cheeks ruined the illusion.

"Alright, V. W-Where to first? If we’re doing this ’date’ thing, we’re doing it properly."

"You’re asking me? I don’t know left to right about this place... Hmm. How about over there?" Vincent pointed toward a noisy crowd gathered around a game booth.

Behind the stall featured an open area floating, shifting obstacle course where participants had to fly through moving rings while shooting targets with small practice bows.

"Target practice while flying?" Natasha’s eyes sparkled with dangerous competition.

She cracked her knuckles and pointed at him. "Prepare yourself, V! We might’ve spent all those years training your baby wings and combat prowess, but don’t expect me to go easy on you just because you’re my boyfriend!"

"Oh yeah?" Vincent smirked, stepping up to the line beside her. "Show me what you’ve got."

Once it was their turn to take part, the vendor handed them each a divine-powered bow.

At the signal, both of them launched into the air, wings beating rapidly as they ducked, rolled, and wove through the shifting rings, firing bursts of divine power at the moving targets.

Natasha, of course, was a blur of speed.

Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!

Her arrows hit target after target with flawless precision.

"Ha! Take that! And that!" she cheered competitively, shooting a sly glance back at Vincent. "Are you even trying, Little Demi~?!"

Feeling the competitive spirit washing over him, Vincent performed a sudden, mid-air axial roll, zipping smoothly under her wing and casually sniping three targets behind her back in one fluid movement.

"Whoa! Holy shit, V!"

As they landed back on the platform, the vendor tallied the scores. "A tie! Perfect scores for a valiant couple!"

Natasha pouted her lips in an adorable line as she crossed her arms. "HAH?! A tie?! Hmph! You’re lucky I got distracted watching you, V!"

"Yeah, I got distracted too. Watching you fly like that with that serious look on your face... it’s hella hot."

"W-W-What are you saying out loud in public, you idiot?!"

Whack!

She swatted his arm playfully while turning her head away to hide her huge, uncontrollable smile.

Despite her fierce, competitive nature, Natasha never once let go of his hand as they continued down the Carnival, clinging to him as if letting go for a single second would break the magic of the afternoon.

Soon, they stopped at a charming outdoor café overlooking a cascading cloud-waterfall. Together they sat down at an open table, ordering a spread of exotic delicacies.

Natasha sat up remarkably straight, picking up a small pastry with her fingers and taking a delicate, refined bite, attempting to look every bit the dignified girlfriend.

"Mmm..." she hummed softly as her eyes fluttered shut in bliss.

"Hey Nat. You’ve got a little something right there."

"Hm? O-Oh! So embarrassing..."

Before Natasha could grab a napkin, Vincent reached across the table and gently wiped a smear of cream from the corner of her plump lips with his thumb. He brought his thumb to his own mouth and licked it clean, winking at her.

Natasha froze, holding her spoon suspended in mid-air.

Her face burned so hot she looked like she might melt on the spot.

"V-V! Y-You... you’re being way too smooth today! Where did you even learn to do that?!"

"Oh, you know. It just comes naturally when I’m with you, Nat."

’Not gonna say it’s what Mama does to me every dinner.’

Natasha narrowed her eyes playfully. "Oh, is that so?"

She leaned forward and caught a small speck of pastry crumb resting on the edge of his lower lip. How? By moving with lightning speed, she tilted his chin up and gently licked the crumb directly off his lip with the tip of her tongue.

"N-Nat?!"

She pulled back, dabbing her mouth with a napkin and casting him a cool, victorious smirk. "There. Returned the favor."

Vincent’s heart gave a sudden thud against his ribs. His ears turned bright red as he stared at her in shock. "W-Whoa... When cool Nat comes out to play, she doesn’t mess around, huh?"

Natasha’s smirk broadened into a proud, triumphant smile, thrilled that she had managed to fluster him just as deeply.

"Heh heh heeeh~ Excuse me for a moment. I need to use the ladies," she said, standing up gracefully from the table. "Don’t go anywhere, V."

"Yeah... take your time."

As Natasha walked off toward the café’s interior, Vincent sat back, catching his breath.

Looking around the bustling area, his eyes were suddenly drawn to a nearby artisan stall adorned with sparkling jewelry.

Drawn by curiosity, he decided to take a quick look and strolled over to the display.

His eyes immediately caught an eye-catching pendant resting on a cushion – a beautiful ruby set in intricate gold and crimson trimmings.

The gem looked as if it burned with a warm, inner fire that perfectly matched the fiery red of Natasha’s hair and eyes.

"It’s gorgeous..." he murmured aloud. "Excuse me, sir. How much is this necklace?"

The artisan looked utterly baffled. "How... much?"

"Yeah. I don’t have any money right now, so I was thinking of coming back once I do. So what’s the price?"

"Young man, are you from a mortal realm? You don’t look it..."

"Half. I’m a Demigod."

"Oh wow... This is the first time I’m seeing a Demigod in the Divine Realm. Well, let me tell you something special since you don’t know: There is no monetary system in the Divine Realm. We do not trade in gold, coin, or paper."

"Wait... what? No money? Then... how do you buy things?"

"If an item is crafted, it is created to be shared and enjoyed," the artisan explained gently with a smile.

"Mortal currency breeds greed, corruption, and theft – sins that have no place in what they would describe as the heavens. If you possess a true, heartfelt desire for the pendant, then it is yours."

Vincent’s human brain at the moment is completely frying.

’No money? No greed? People just... give you things because you like them?’

He shook his head in awe, taking the beautiful ruby necklace as the artisan handed it over in a box with a polite bow.

"Thank you so much, sir. I really appreciate this."

"You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it."

He carefully slipped the necklace into the inner pocket of his jacket and walked back to his table. As he sat down to wait for Natasha, it suddenly hit him – throughout their entire date, from the games to the delicious food, they hadn’t paid a single cent for anything.

’I know for a fact that if humans from Earth ever got a taste of this realm,they’d pollute and destroy it in a heartbeat...’

He reached into his jacket, touching the smooth box of the pendant with a giddy smile.

’I wonder if she’ll like it...’

"What are you smirking about?"

Natasha stepped back up to the table, looking at him with a suspicious, playful brow raised.

"You look like a cat that just swallowed a canary, V."

"N-Nothing at all! Hahaha!"

Quickly diverting her attention, he stood up and took her hand firmly into his once more. "Come on, the day’s not over yet. Let’s explore this city some more."

"S-Slow down, hahaha!"

As they walked hand in hand down the bustling avenues, several soldiers and citizens recognized Natasha.

Whispers broke out among the crowd as many stared in shock, watched the once fiercely terrifying, stoic military commander walking happily alongside a man, her face glowing with soft, tender affection.

"Is that... Commander Natasha?"

"She’s holding his hand!"

"I’ve never seen her smile like that in my entire life..."

Natasha ignored their stares, leaning her shoulder lightly against Vincent’s arm as they walked around the city, taking in the sights.

.......

As twilight began to blanket the realm, the sky transformed into a breathtaking canvas of deep purples, golds, and cosmic blues. Distant, shimmering planets and swirling nebula clouds lit up the approaching celestial night sky.

Vincent and Natasha flew up to the highest spire of the colossal cathedral palace at the heart of the city, touching down onto the smooth ledge.

They sat side by side at the very edge, their legs dangling over the infinite ocean of golden clouds below.

"Man... You weren’t lying, Nat. This view is unbelievable. I could sit here and look at this forever."

Natasha didn’t look up at the sky.

Having grown up in the Divine Realm, she was long accustomed to the celestial view. Instead, she kept her eyes fixed entirely on Vincent’s face as she watched the starlight reflect in his blue eyes. A deeply loving smile touched her lips as she watched his genuine, boyish wonder.

Noticing her quiet gaze, Vincent turned his head. "What? Is there something on my face again?"

"No," Natasha leaned her head against his shoulder. "Just watching you. You’re cute when you’re amazed."

"Speaking of cute... I got you something while you were washing up at the cafe."

"You... got me something?"

Vincent reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the delicate ruby necklace from its box. The red gem caught the starlight above and glowed like a tiny, living flame.

"V... it’s... it’s beautiful... You picked this out for me?"

"It matched your hair and eyes. The second I saw it; I couldn’t stop thinking about you."

Natasha’s heart fluttered frantically against her ribs as her lips trembled with happiness. "P-Put it on me... please~?"

"Gladly."

He stepped around behind her and gently brushed aside her short red hair, exposing the smooth curve of her neck. Natasha shivered pleasantly at his touch as Vincent carefully wrapped the gold chain around her neck, fastening the clasp securely.

When he stepped back, Natasha got up to turn around and face him. She delicately touched the crimson ruby pendant resting right over her collarbone and asked, "How do I look?"

"You look perfect."

Unable to hold back her feelings for another second, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a passionate kiss.

Vincent pulled her waist flush against his under the glowing cosmic stars. The kiss was slow, sweet, and filled with a silent, binding promise – a declaration of their unwavering bond no matter what challenges lay ahead on Earth or Pristina.

When they finally parted, panting softly against each other’s lips, Natasha rested her forehead against his chest, as she clutched her new necklace with pride.

"I really love it, V. Thank you so much. I’ll cherish this forever."

Back to holding hands, the couple flew all the way down from the cathedral’s spire and into the grand palace’s waiting lobby.

"Ah! Greetings again, Vincent Winters. Commander Natasha." the clerk politely.

"Hey. We’re here to give an update for Her Majesty in regard to my request."

"Of course. What message shall I relay?"

"Tell Her Majesty that the chosen divine beings will be departing for Earth first thing tomorrow morning. Request that she synchronize the time streams between the realms by then, please."

"Synchronize the realms time streams? My goodness. Just what was your conversation like with her... Not that it’s any of my business. Understood! I will update your request and submit to Her Majesty’s inner sanctum."

"Thank you."

"Yeah. Thanks."

With their preparations finalized, and satisfied with their perfect day, Vincent and Natasha began their peaceful flight back toward the mansion estate. Ready to take on whatever comes tomorrow.