And with the next step comes...?

The way she smiled, the gentle curve of her pink lips, between them just the smallest glimpse of pearly white teeth. But it was her eyes that always captured the whole of his attention. It was so sickeningly cliché but he could literally get lost in those blue eyes and stay lost. Remembering back to when she'd walked out of the infirmary, stopping at the door to flash him a small smile, it was those eyes that reassured him that they- that she- would be strong and survive all the studying.
Those blue pools put every single one of Katyusha’s emotions under a spotlight. Kat was so expressive, though he didn’t know it herself. A small nibble of her bottom lip was a smothered grin, a tiny crease between the brows screamed of worry.
Matthew smiled blithely upwards, hands resting behind his head.
He may not be a mind reader- and he still couldn’t read Katyusha’s poker face for the life of him- but a smugger part of him liked the idea that he’d become so attuned to Katyusha that he saw and understood things no one else could.
Me, only me…
Mine.
…
… and that was sufficiently creepy.
Sitting up, Matthew yawned and stretched, pulling his glasses off the top of his head and placing them back on his nose. His naked mattress squeaking echoed around the empty room, several papers falling off his chest and scattering on the floor at his feet.
“Oops.”
Matthew gathered them all again, tapping them on his knee to straighten them and blushing slightly at the black ink that stained the white pages. Still, his eyes danced over the title of first one.
‘APARTMENT LISTINGS’
It still gave a mild shock to his system that he actually held such a thing. The quiet little Canadian Matthew thinking of moving out.
Who’da thunk it.
Matthew stuffed them into the bottom of his bag, throwing the whole thing over his shoulder. It wasn’t heavy, having already moved most of his school things out already. This was the last of it.
His sneakers squeaked against the floor as he made short work of the unending hallways with his lengthy strides. He’d finished with his things but he’d promised to help Katyusha with her things. Kumajiro tucked under his arm, Matthew recalled how much better Katyusha looked now that exams had ended. They were both free of school now, which was both a relief and an impending sort of doom.
Ah, it’s better not to dwell on it now, Matt decided. He tended to space out when thinking too much and the last thing he needed to do was get lost and end up being late to help Kat.
… That and he had something of a surprised question to ask her…

A few satisfying cracks from her back allowed Katyusha to focus more on packing up her belongings then on her back. The usual pain was there, but there were also more important things to be doing than wishing for a chiropractor.
She was currently tidying up her locker, now that she was done with her exams. They'd been rough, - REALLY rough - she'd almost given up, but she'd gotten through them and, for the most part, felt alright about them. Now she simply had to play the waiting game for her marks and see if she'd done well enough to pass.
She couldn't help the massive wave of relief that swept over her every time she realized that she was done with them... She DEFINITELY felt a lot more relaxed.
...Well, maybe relaxed wasn't the right word. It was more like exhaustion.
But for now, it was time to gather her things and plan out her summer. Her life, even!
First on the list was of course to get everything she had HERE, out. Leaving behind a mess for others to clean up was unacceptable, and she swore to herself that it would be perfect. ...Well, near to perfect, at least.
Second, she needed to figure out her work schedule. She'd be staying with her current job, most definitely! But she wasn't sure if she was going to work full time or pick up another job along the way...maybe even get a third job, although she doubted she'd have enough time for that.
And third, she needed a place to live! Right now, she would be staying with her siblings, like she always had before. But she couldn't stay there for ever...maybe for the summer, maybe even the year, but she still needed her own place. ...And she hadn't exactly been looking.
It wasn't that she was being lazy about it, no! She'd just had a lot on her plate lately and she'd been so busy with exams, and she'd had to deal with so many emotions---
It had just sort of...slipped her mind.
She was just stuffing a few books into her already almost full bag when something caught the corner of her eye; someone was coming down the hall. Not that that was an unusual thing, but it made her turn her head anyways.
And boy, was she glad she looked.
Seeing Matthew was a breath of fresh air, and that was no exaggeration. She was finally winding down from the high-time stress of final exams, and getting to be with him after the entire thing was a lovely little reward. ...But that made it sound like she was talking about him like he was an object, which he wasn't! She treasured him for the person he was.
...But that wasn't the point.
Setting the bag down and turning to face him as he got closer, Katyusha shot him a small smile, trying and failing not to flush lightly. He looked much more organized that she did right now. But then again, he'd finished earlier than her.
She chewed on her lip momentarily before asking, once he was in hearing range, "So, have you finished cleaning already...?"

_______________________________________________________________________

Boring reply is boring, lolorz ;;

“All cleaned and ready to go,” Matthew smiled down at her. His gaze drifted around to Katyusha’s locker and the things he knew she was currently trying to tidy. Hers was much neater than his.
Opening his own locker meant a serious game of ‘Keep the trash in and get the books out.’ A light blush tinted his face as Matthew recalled finding a ham and cheese sandwich he’d lost at the beginning of the year under a school year’s worth of papers and old assignments. He would’ve been impressed with his own accidental science experiment if it hadn’t been for the smell… Though, either way Katyusha would be horrified if she found out about that, he was sure of it.
Clearing his throat quickly, Matthew tried- and probably failed- not to look too awkward. “So… what can I help with? I’m at your disposal. Is there more packing to be done in your room?”
Moving closer he used the pretence of peeking into her locker as an excuse to wrap his arm around her middle.
A completely unconscious action though, if anybody asked.
“Oh this isn’t bad at all,” he chuckled. His arm curled tighter, spread palm pressing flat against her stomach. He smiled, “We’ll have this all done in no time.”
No time indeed, he thought to himself. Being a teenager- a male teenager for that matter, made Matthew more than a little adverse to the whole “cleaning” and “sorting” idea, but he’d long since learned to take his sweet time when it came to Katyusha. Even if it meant cleaning, he was just glad to be near Katyusha again. He just had to hope that Kat didn’t see through his little charades…
It was selfish, really. He didn’t have to be quiet and sit in the corner now, or sacrifice their lunch dates to her much more important exams. And, most significantly, emotional stability seemed to be re-established in both their lives, although Katyusha had definitely taken the brunt of the stress.
She still looked tired, tired but satisfied.
Matthew knew now was not the time nor the place, but his eyes drifted to her lips…
…it had been much too long…
There were people still trickling through the halls, however Matthew didn’t mind. Being invisible really wasn’t that bad when you had someone like Kat who could see you…
Matthew gently pushed Katyusha up against the lockers, the movement and grip firm but loose enough that she could wiggle away if she wanted to. His mouth pressed against hers, tongue darting out for the briefest of seconds before he pulled away. Sure he’d like to go a little… okay a lot longer, however they were smack dab in the middle of patrolling teacher territory and whether he liked it or not, there was cleaning to be done. He’d have to hold onto his cards and play them at the right time.
Matthew dropped his head so his forehead rested against hers, a curtain created by his hair falling around her heart-shaped face. He should look sheepish and apologize, but all Matthew could do was give a ‘no regrets’ grin.
“It’s good to have you back…”

Katyusha shook her head at his previous questions, still wearing her smile and replying almost automatically (if not a bit sheepishly), "Y-You don't HAVE to do anything, really. My room is done, and this won't take very long...I-I'll be OK, it's alright." She didn't want him to bother himself with this tedious task; he'd already done it once, and once was enough, right?
...Then again, he'd been doing it every year at school like everyone else, right?
Shaking her head again, except this time much more subtly for this was just for herself, she moved to turn back to her locker but Matthew's arm was already curled around her. The attention embarrassed her as always, but...in a way, it was relieving. It was like proof that things really were back to normal. Stress levels were down to a minimum for now, and whatever bad-blood they'd had was gone. They were back to their old, head-over-heels selves.
...At least, for the time being. There was a question that still lingered in the back of her mind, a question that when thought about made her throat tight, her mind race, and her stomach tie itself into knots.
How were they going to see each other once the school year started up again?
Would she even be around then? She didn't know. Maybe she'd get a special job opportunity somewhere else if she was lucky, but she couldn't helping doubting that. With her educational level? ...It wasn't that she was STUPID, no! She just couldn't see herself advancing in major sciences; she found her talents in the simpler things in life, the necessities, whatever you want to call it.
Besides that factor of leaving scaring her, she was scared of herself if she ever left... She wasn't sure she had the emotional stability to uphold herself right now. Yes, she was a big girl, she could take care of herself. That much was obvious! But...
This was her first time dealing with affection like this, and Katyusha wasn't quite sure how she'd deal with NOT having that kind of support with her.
Oh, just stop it already, you're being ridiculous...
Well, Matthew's sudden - and yet very gentle - actions certainly stopped any thoughts that were going through her head. "Matv---?" She didn't even get his nickname out; his lips were already glued to hers, and she couldn't help squeaking a little in surprise. Of course, her reaction was nearly instantaneous. Arching her back slightly out of surprise, her eyes fluttered shut...and yet all too soon he was gone again, pulling back ever so slightly to stare at her. Somewhere in her mind, his grin and his words had reached her, but they weren't really processing.
She had turned into a stuttering, beet-red mess.
Gosh, Matthew sure did know how to take her breath away. Figuratively and literally speaking.
Her small, shy smile had returned though in place of her now-lost words. She tore her gaze away from his and bit her lip, trying to hold back a few timid giggles. Looking back up at him, she finally managed to choke out a little reminder for him, "Ah...um, M-Matvey? My things...?"
It was so tempting to plant kisses all along that grin of his, but she stopped herself. Now was not the time or the place. ...That time would come. Hopefully.
But right now, it was time to clean up! And that is exactly what the pair did. Cleaning, sorting, washing, drying, trashing---whatever had to be done was done, and now that all Katyusha had all of her things, another question came to her...
What now?

____________________________________________________________________

Lame ending, durrr

The little grin he’d been sporting, the one with a smug bearing, quickly disappeared as Matthew bit his lip to smother an even bigger smile.
He’d dissolved Kat into a bright red, giggling mess and he couldn’t be more proud of himself. Not to mention that adorable little squeak she’d made as he’d pushed her up against the lockers. It had been so long since he’d heard her make a noise like that. Well, maybe it hadn’t, but he was always glad to hear it.
Katyusha’s sweet, bubbly giggles were extremely contagious. Matthew was absolutely fixated on them, chuckling right along side her.
Oh, watching her cheeks turn pink and her blue eyes peeking up at him through her lashes… well, it definitely sent something sparking up his spine. And that something was apparently impairing his ability to hear.
Kat was talking… Oh! She was talking to him! Remember how to talk, man, she’s waiting!
“Wha- hmm?” Matthew hummed inquiringly, keeping his face innocently blank.
What did she say? She was talking to him obviously! But he’d gotten… distracted. She’d said his named right? Or, her nickname for him. Wow did he like it when she pronounced her v’s, it really brought out her accent.
Stop that! You’re going to get yourself in trouble!
But those accented letters sound so lovely, and her lips look so beautiful when they bend to shape them.
God man! Stop it! She’ll notice your staring- if she hasn’t already!
Matthew blinked rapidly trying to refocused and then followed Katyusha’s gaze to the small pile of things on the floor.
Oh, right.
Matthew pushed back from the locked, allotting a bit of space between the two of them with half a step back and then raised one hand to ruffle the back of his head.
“Right. So. Um, that reminds me that I have something to ask you.” Matthew shifted, blushing more than just slightly. “Now that school’s over n’ everything, I thought we could celebrate by going out to dinner.” His flush darkened. “I made reservations at this restaurant downtown…” Curl bouncing, Matthew tilted his head, wonder what Katyusha’s reaction would be.

---

Gah it feels like forever since I posted! eAe
Sorry this took so long. Day 2 with the headache *sob*

"Hmm...?"
Matthew's question made her stop organizing her things, turning her head to look at him with inquiry. Go out for dinner...? Reservations? Her curious expression dissolved into one of happiness and slight embarrassment. He was so sweet...so, so, SO sweet. His kindness was still something she had to get used to...he was so chalk full of it!
Nodding shyly, her bright blush still evident, Katyusha answered him, "That... That sounds wonderful! I'm alright with it." She couldn't help smiling at him again as that strange bubbly feeling built up in her again. It was that feeling of gratefulness again...
It looked like they were sticking with a traditional date, not that that was BAD. It was nice! It was simple and enjoyable, not to mention easy on the wallet. Most of the time anyways. It'd actually be kind of nice to go out in some more formal clothing, even if it did make her more wary of her appearance. It was nice to feel beautiful.
Oh! But wait...the money...
Her smile twisted into a small frown, and for a moment her gaze left his. Looking back up at him, she asked almost hesitantly, "Is this...going to be fancy? I-I don't want you spending money when you don't have to..."
I probably sound like a nagging mother...but...
No, no! He made reservations just for you, Katya. He's doing this for you. Us.
...But...
She couldn't help feeling bad about it. This was what Matthew wanted, but she just couldn't help feeling guilty... It was silly, really. She shouldn't be feeling guilty. If he wanted to take her out for dinner, then so be it! That was his decision. He'd use his money however he'd please, because it was his. Those were the facts.
But still...she just felt...so...gah!
Fiddling with the hem of her shirt a little, a small sheepish smile took the place of the frown, and Katyusha spoke again, "No, no, never mind me...it's your money, not mine. ...I-I'm being silly." She laughed softly and tried to regain her current composure. School was done with, this was a time to be happy! They could finally spend some well deserved time together, she should be happy!
Yes, happy. Happy, happy, happy.
Happy is what she'd be!

_____________________________________________________________________________

<u> Durrr
Feel better soon! ;A; <3

Yes. She said yes.
Matthew ran a hand down his jaw, half from his sudden excitement and half to hide the enormous grin spreading across his face.
Keep it cool, bro, you’re starting to look like the Joker. C’mon she asked a question, be a gentleman and answer it- without giggling like an idiot please.
“I-it’s-“ Matthew stuttered. He stopped and pulled in a deep, calming breath, laughing a little bashfully. “It is a, um, well I guess you could say ‘classier’ place, sooo… yeah.”
He didn’t even try to stop the mental images of Katyusha all dressed up. A red dress, or a red skirt or a red blouse… yes, Kat would look downright delicious in red-
His mind was cut off by the painful twinge in his chest hearing Katyusha comment on the money. She’d hit the nail square on the head without even realizing it.
It was true that a dinner like he had planned was going to cost a pretty penny. Matthew had some money saved up- he was rather scrupulous with his money unlike some of his siblings, however if his math was correct this was going to set back his apartment plans. Not by a lot of course, but enough to slow him down.
But this dinner was important. Both he and Katyusha wanted something to celebrate. She was done with school! If that didn’t deserve something special he didn’t know what did.
And, of course if he wanted to show his inner mushy head-over-heels boyfriend side, he liked the idea of spoiling Katyusha like this. He’d shower her in gifts and dinners until he was broke if she let him.
... which was something he should probably be worried about.
Gathering an armful of her locker’s things, Matthew shifted them into one arm and linked his free hand with Katyusha’s, expertly lacing their fingers together and trying hard not to show just how much he revelled in the softness of her skin.
“Money’s not an issue. Besides, that’s for me to worry about, it’s your job to relax and have a wonderful time,” he smiled, leaning close to her so their foreheads gently bumped again.
Straightening up, Matt let out a happy puff of breath, eyes sparkling behind his glasses. “So! Shall we go put these away?”
The nostalgia of walking down the school halls with Katyusha- and knowing this would be last time- was overwhelming but he tugged at her hand anyway, still smiling. True he wouldn’t be able to find her in between classes or make faces at her while sitting several rows away during school assemblies just to see her silently try to smother her giggles, but there were other means of staying close even though it meant things would indubitably get harder.
Matthew knew if they worked hard enough, they’d be okay.
...Or at least he hoped.

---

<_>

She still felt a little uncomfortable letting Matthew spoil her like this, but perhaps it was for the best. Heck, maybe it was even a good thing! Somehow. ...In some way. But anyways! Maybe he was right...she never really did relax, and she was finally done with school...
So, this was quite the opportunity, was it not?
Sighing, Katyusha quickly bent down to retrieve the rest of her belongings, then followed Matthew's lead. For a moment, she rested her head against his arm since his shoulder was much too high at the moment. She was thankful, but still hesitant...even though she shouldn't be. This was his decision, and she should do her best to NOT make things difficult! And so, putting on a small smile, she walked with him to put her things away. Happily so.

...And then it wasn't much later that she found herself waiting to be picked up.
Fiddling with the tips of her hair, Katyusha seated herself beside a window, anxiously waiting for Matthew to pick her up. She'd become quite nervous for some reason... She wasn't over-dressed so she had no reason to be so self-conscious, which she was. A black skirt and white blouse was nothing to get embarrassed over. But when it came to Katyusha, getting embarrassed over little things was her specialty. But that also wasn't the point.
The point was that she was waiting at her siblings' house and getting more and more nervous for reasons she was unable to explain.
It was getting quite bothersome, actually.
She let out a shaky sigh, drumming her fingers on the window sill. She shouldn't be getting so worked up! They'd gone on dates before, they were dating for goodness sake! And yet here she was, having difficulty calming herself.
...And yet, at this point she wasn't sure whether is was anxiousness or excitement. This was their first formal dinner together...and she had to admit, she was excited. It had been a long time since she'd treated herself to some "five-star food".
Katyusha sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes and stopping her tapping against the window sill. She just had to take a breather...deep breaths... She just had to be calm. It was a time to be calm anyways, just like he'd said. They could kick back and relax, and just have a good time.
It'd be nice to have his company again...and this time they wouldn't be agitated with each other.
Honestly, being so angry with each other was so unpleasant. Hopefully tonight would be much, MUCH better than their recent days together. Flushing lightly, Katyusha's thoughts wandered into blissful daydreams as she waited.
That was all she could do right now. Wait, and be calm.

________________________________________________________________________

sdj;faeifjas I'm so sorry this is so blah, I couldn't think of anything for her to do while she waited, asldjfaoef ;;A;;

Well… this looked like the right place.
Matthew looked down at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand, on it, Katyusha’s address crudely scrawled in his own writing. The numbers matched what he’d written down so this must be it. Stuffing the paper into the inside pocket of his jacket, he exchanged it for his prized pocket watch to check the time. He was just a couple minutes late, but not drastically so. He hoped Katyusha didn’t mind, he’d gotten a little lost on the way. It was one thing to look for small street signs with the name and the numbers on them, but quite another when you’re distracted thinking about whether or not your girlfriend’s siblings are going to be there with her to. From what Katyusha had told him they were more than a little… unusual. Would they be there to? Would her brother be there…? Although maybe he should be more afraid of her sister since he’d heard she had an affinity for knife wear…
He put the watch away to, the small delicate chain still draped visibly in a very old fashioned way. He wondered if Katyusha knew that he carried her gift virtually everywhere he went. Of course, he doubted she’d spot the chain considering the large bouquet of flowers in his hand.
He had everything he needed to sweep her off her feet.
Suit, check.
Contacts instead of glasses? Check.
Flowers? Check.
Car? Check.
Nerves? C-check.
Matthew pulled at the suddenly too-tight tie around his neck. It’s funny. He’d heard that two people who were together for a long time eventually settled down and grew, well, perhaps not bored, but things got monotonous. But here he was, heart hammering in his throat just as hard as the first time he saw Katyusha fumbling around for her bag at the end of that school hallway. That was probably a good explanation of what Katyusha did to him. No matter how long they spent together, or how many dates they went on, she still had this ability to send his senses spiralling without even meaning to.
-And that incredible woman was sitting in the window.
It was all Matthew could do just to stand there and stare.
Holy... moly…
She looked like a painted portrait framed in glass panes. Eyes closed, her dark lashes fanned across her cheeks then fluttered as she looked outwards. The piercing blue of her irises wasn’t so much as hindered even through the barrier between them.
Matthew quickly tried to stop gawking, snapping his dropped jaw shut, and got it together enough to knock on the door.
Here we go…

She opened her eyes at the sound of a car door shutting and came to spot a familiar face. She only caught a glimpse of him, but already Katyusha's stomach was doing back-flips. Puffing out a sigh, she left her spot at the window and went to go open the door---
But chickened out. Biting her lip, she quickly ran to the nearest bathroom for one last check-up. Adjusting her necklace (which had been hidden under her blouse until now) and trying to keep her bangs out of her eyes, she gave herself a quick mental pep-talk. Everything would be just fine....
Alright, Katya, deep breaths. This is just like any other date you've been on with him. No need to faint on this one. Calm down...
Taking in one more deep breath through the nose, she straightened her posture and went to to door to greet Matthew. Opening the door, her breath caught in her throat upon the sight of him. He looked...so...dashing. The sight of him dressed head to toe in such a classy fashion...well, she was glad she could see it. And then the bouquet...! That was just a bonus! He always seemed to like bringing her flowers...not that she minded, because she didn't. He was being absolutely WONDERFUL, more so than usual!
...And she suddenly felt much more shy than usual...
Clearing her throat, Katyusha greeted him gently and quickly went back inside to grab a spare key and some shoes. She hadn't seem him for 10 seconds and already she was blushing...!
C-Come on, Katya, get a hold of yourself! Sure, he's looking really...really good, b-but don't make a fool of yourself!
She returned to where he was standing, locking the door and facing him. The bouquet was so tempting, not to mention Matthew himself...but she was still too shy to take it from him.
The flowers.
Take the flowers from him!
Not something...else.
But when you thought about all the other things she'd been capable of doing...her shyness over the flowers was quite ironic.
Instead of taking the bouquet right away, she looked down shyly and walked towards his car. They had a dinner to get to, anyways. Although she definitely didn't mind starting off their date like this, she was getting a bit flustered. ...It was probably just because of her over-active imagination, as always. She looked back at him and smiled, telling herself that everything would be fine. This was their time. How could things possibly be bad with Matthew around?
The pair eventually made it to the restaurant and had a sat, and Katyusha couldn't help staring at her surroundings. Everything was so...neat. Neat and tidy and very proper. Even the menu! All of it was very high-class, and to be honest it was a little unnerving... She hadn't had a meal as fancy as this in a long time. Swallowing, she looked up at Matthew and trying not to get distracted by that wonderful gleam in his violet eyes, asked shyly, "Ummm...I... Thank you. For this. It's very nice, it really is. Um, what are you going to have...?" She smiled at him again, chewing her bottom lip a little and trying to act natural, which was failing. She needed to stop being so nervous about this! It was extremely silly.
She couldn't help looking over at a waiter carrying someone's food to its location. Gosh, it sure did look good...!

For a long moment Matthew held out the bouquet, smiling as dashingly (or at least he hoped it came out as dashing) as he could, but it seemed to catch Kat off guard. Her demeanour suddenly turned shy and she ducked back in to gather a few last things, leaving him standing there like an idiot with an outstretched hand full of flowers. Of course when she returned he expected she’d take them then. He was wrong again. She gave his gift a sort of double take at- and promptly found the ground leading to his car much more interesting. It seems he’d hit Katyusha’s flustered limit.
Matthew shook his head in an affectionate gesture, turning to follow Kat and opened the passengers’ side door for her (and discreetly setting the bouquet in the back where it could stay until they got back and a vase was made available). He got into his own seat, pulling on his seatbelt then staring at the steering wheel before turning to Katyusha and smiling like an idiot.
“Good evening to you to,” he snickered. Matthew grabbed his keys and jammed them in the ignition, but not before whispering a delicate, “You look beautiful," and pecking her on the cheek.
The restaurant was very swanky as they entered, fancy furniture and table centres and sharp but simplistic colours. There weren’t any cheap booths either. All the tables were polished with a crisp linen tablecloth on top. Matthew gave his name to the host who took them to their awaiting table. The man tried to pull out Katyusha’s chair for her but Matt shooed him away, taking the honour for himself. He could’ve sworn he saw the man’s eyes roll.
Once he sat himself, it took a bit before he realized he had a menu in his hand.
It was really hard to take his eyes of her…
The blithe, I’m-in-heaven expression dropped instantly from his face, as Matthew frantically searched the list of dishes. “Oh, I um, I don’t know. Probably the steak, I suppose.”
Too bad they weren’t legal yet, or he could’ve gotten them a nice red wine to go along with it…
“What about you? Seen anything you like yet?”
Ah… there it was again, that goofy grin. He couldn’t help it! Watching her take in the sights, sounds, and smells was absolutely enthralling. Obviously, Katyusha hadn’t often been treated to something like this.
Matthew waved over the waiter.
Well, he’d just have to change that, now wouldn’t he…

---

*throws computer*

Chewing the inside of her lip, Katyusha looked over the menu again and again. Everything sounded so GOOD! ...But the prices were also very...not good. Very high. She looked at the choices and couldn't help frowning in the slightest, trying to decide on something that would satisfy her but had a reasonable price. It was much harder than it would seem, especially since she was getting quite hungry.
...What was she doing?
Matthew was treating her to dinner, a very nice classy dinner to be exact! And yet here she was, still fretting over the money issue even when he'd told her it was alright. She needed to stop being so NERVOUS about this whole thing and just go with it.
Her gaze returned to one item that had caught her attention a few times before; a fancy sounding soup, with salad on the side. The name must've been some other language, because she wasn't quite sure how to say the name of the dish. BUT it sounded very good and filling, and the price wasn't THAT bad... It was desserts she was worrying a little about. She'd have to keep herself away from the dessert menu...
Laughing sheepishly, she looked up and Matthew and answered his question, "I...I think I'll go with this soup, whatever it's called. I-I can't pronounce it, but...it sounds yummy." She smiled shyly at him, feeling a little foolish but happy. Very happy.
The couple eventually ordered their food (with a little bit of a struggle on Katyusha's end - that name is hard to pronounce, OK!) and now, all that was left to do was wait. She fiddled with the fork as silence formed between the two of them, pursing her lips thoughtfully. They could always meet up together during the summer, but during the school year...that would be a problem. There was always the holidays, yes, but there was family to think about, too... They needed to balance their time SOMEHOW...but how?
Thinking about the lack of future time with him was certainly upsetting...and that wasn't exactly what she wanted to be right now. Upset. He was using his money and taking time out of his holidays to be with her and treat her to something like this...she should be happy, right?
So, maybe...those thoughts shouldn't plague her right now? They could always come later...
Clearing her throat a little and biting her lip awkwardly, Katyusha looked down at the table for a second before looking back up at him, asking, "Umm...what do you plan on doing for the summer?" OK, so maybe she couldn't keep her mind from planning ahead. But she didn't have to plan years ahead, right? At least, not with Matthew. Of course she'd be planning out her life; she needed to find a place to stay, find another job, perhaps a second job, maybe consider college---
But right now, she just wanted to know when she'd be able to see him next.

Matthew paused for a minute, smiling at Katyusha and adorable way she tried to start a conversation. He looked down at his menu, the soup… the soup… Ah yes, a French dish. A small conspiring smile tweaked the side of his mouth.
I wonder what Katyusha would sound like in French…
“Nothing much,” Matthew said, puffing out a long breath and setting down his menu. “It’s nice being home n’ all, though things are a little crowded now. Guess I’m too used to living in a dorm, haha.” Under his breath, he muttered almost inaudibly. “Not to mention they kinda ignore me despite what month it is…”
The waiter interrupted them, striding up to the table and politely took their orders. When he’d left, Matthew looked back to Katyusha and shifted awkwardly in his seat. “I’ve, uh- I’ve actually been thinking about that actually. Living in the dorms I mean.”
Another awkward shift.
Should he tell her? It’s not like he was completely serious- he didn’t have a specific place in mind, anyway. He was just poking around with the idea of having an apartment. It couldn’t hurt to tell her right? Maybe Kat could even give some advice!
“I was kind of actually looking into getting my own place. It’s just a thought right now, but it might be sorta nice having an apartment, just off campus… having a place of our- …”
He looked over the flowery, candle lit centrepiece, trying to appear nonchalant. He grabbed his complimentary glass of ice water and chugged nearly the whole thing in one go.
He did not just said that.
He did not just said that!
“So!” he said, just a little too loudly, earning him a couple of stares from the next table over. “D-do you have any plans for this summer? Now that you finished school do you have any new job plans?”

Katyusha simply remained silent for a moment, blinking at Matthew with pink cheeks and honestly feeling a little confused.
Was he...asking her to move in with him?
...Could he be...?
The thought left her flustered. Sure, bringing it up on at a candlelit dinner was very romantic of him, but this was serious stuff, too! Were they ready for that kind of thing? Sure, they'd spent Christmas vacation in the same house, but that was different...! She'd been taking care of him for the most part. But this...this was big business! It meant that they'd share living quarters; they'd have to do their part, be responsible, pay for expenses---
Sleep...in the same...bed?
Woah, woah, woah, slow down. He JUST said it was a thought. That doesn't mean "Move in with me!" There's nothing official, he's just telling you about it, calm down! Geeze!
Stuttering a little, she almost forgot that he was asking her questions. Playing with her fork again, she took a moment to collect her thoughts then answered a little shyly, "A-Ah, um, well, I'm thinking of getting a second job...and I need to look into getting my own place... Ah, I don't think I'll be going to college, haha." She smiled at him, hoping that her cheeks wouldn't betray her thoughts. Stupid blushing...stupid mushy feelings.
Or rather, stupid over-imaginative feelings.
The pair soon enough got their meals and talked casually throughout dinner (if not still a bit shyly). Boy, Katyusha had been right...this WAS good! It was delicious! Matthew sure picked a good place to go! Sure, the money issue was still bothering her at the back of her mind, but this was a time where she just needed to enjoy herself...THEY did. And she most definitely was.
The food, the atmosphere, the man sitting with her...EVERYTHING was perfect.
Licking her lips after taking her last mouthful of the delectable soup, she quickly dabbed at her mouth as questions started forming in her head again. Taking a quick drink of water, she asked curiously, "Um...so, are we going to stay for dessert?"

Oh gosh what had he done- What had he done?!
Matthew nearly choked on his food trying to eat it too quickly, like stuffing his face would save him from having to explain what he meant.
The air had suddenly grown extremely awkward.
Good job, buddy. Good job.
How could he say something like that? Living in the same place- they’d only been together for not even a year yet. There was timlines for these kind of things right? Like you don’t kiss until the first date or something? This was confusing…
Putting things on the fast track, wasn’t he? Kat was probably all freaked out about it now. Just look at the expression on her face! Oh, why couldn’t the earth open up and swallow him whole. It would save him from this embarrassment at least. Katyusha had ever right to think he was a creep…
Still, remembering back to last Christmas, he was the first to admit that the arrangement was more than just nice. Of course, they’d slept in different rooms and… oh, maybe Kat took his accidental word spillage the wrong way…
Well, one room would be nice-
Stop it, it’s dinner! Stop fantasizing and start a conversation! This is supposed to be romantic-
“You’re not going to go to college?” Matthew asked nonchalantly, and then nodded understandingly. “But a second job? Isn’t that a little much? I know work is important to you but…”
He let his words trail off. The last thing he wanted to do was sound pushy. Not mention that Katyusha even looked cute when eating. Taking dainty little spoonfuls of her soup and dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. Slowly, Matthew’s hand crept across the small table and reached for Katyusha’s.
Maybe… he thought cautiously, maybe he’d bring up the subject of moving in together up again. At a different time- and not so bluntly, of course.
Matthew discreetly handed the waiter his credit card when they’d finished. Damn that had been really good. Didn’t beat Katyusha’s cooking though.
“Actually, if you don’t mind, I was thinking we could go somewhere else for dessert? There’s a little dessert parlour nearby that I’ve heard great things about.” Standing, he offered his arm, “Shall we?”

"I don't mind. It's sounds fun!" came Katyusha's reply as she smiled shyly at him, taking his arm and begrudgingly letting him pay for the meal. The bill certainly wasn't pleasing, but perhaps she could look over it... After all, it wasn't like it wasn't worth it. It had been very much worth it so far! Matthew was being such a gentlemen and they'd managed so far to NOT get themselves into some terribly awkward situation.
They seemed to have a knack for it...
Well, there had been that moment just now with the apartments---but that had just been a misunderstanding! It had been...sudden, and embarrassing but...it wasn't a set goal at the moment. He'd said it was just a thought, it wasn't a proposition.
Right...?
She began answering his previous questions as they walked out to his car, "Well, I need the money...and I suppose it won't be THAT bad...right?" Giving a little shrug, they parted briefly, got into the car and headed off. Her hand found his again and she tried not to smile ear to ear, failing miserably.
It didn't take very long for them to reach their destination and, just like at the restaurant, Katyusha's eyes wandered. The place was quaint; it wasn't too large or too small, and it looked like it had a lot of different sweets to choose from.
...She suddenly felt over-dressed standing in the dessert parlour with Matthew. And shy. She felt much more shy all of the sudden...and as a result, she found herself almost hiding behind Matthew. It was an embarrassing fact, but very true nonetheless.
Th-This is ridiculous, Katya, don't be so...so...! It's not like you haven't ordered something at a counter before! You WORK at a counter sometimes---!
Squeezing his hand, she smiled sheepishly at him for a moment and feeling her cheeks grow red, focused her eyes on the front. Looking around at her surroundings as if she would go into a panic at any moment wasn't exactly natural...it might even come off as suspicious! She certainly didn't want that! The parlour wasn't too busy, so it probably wouldn't matter much if she continued or not, but still...
The couple began approaching the counter, she looked back up at Matthew, wondering what he was going to get. She had NO idea, herself...everything looked so tempting. She made a mental note to control the urge to buy something big and sweet; sure, Matthew was spoiling her today, but she didn't need to be spoiled to the point of nausea.
"Um...what do you think you'll get? T-To be honest, I don't know what to choose..."

The slight chill to the air within the parlour was nice compared to the evening’s summer heat. Matthew tugged Katyusha along the long counter, looking in behind the glass to the rows and rows of different sweets and dishes. Cakes, pies, cookies, you name it they had it. Despite already having a gut full of food from dinner, Matthew could feel his sweet tooth screaming for something sugary.
The workers behind the counter could obviously tell they were on a date, being just a tad over dressed as they were. Though, to be honest, Matthew didn’t notice the odd looks because- Oh! Look they had maple swirl ice cream!
Matthew started, feeling something pull at his hand and press against his side. “Katyusha?” he asked, violet eyes wide in surprised curiosity. It looked like she was trying to hide…
Matt jerked his gaze away, one hand rising to cover the blatant evidence of all the blood in his body suddenly rushing to his face.
How can Kat get any cuter?!
“I-I… um…” Well damn. She’d actually made him speechless. Matthew’s fingers moved like they would to fiddle with his glasses, a nervous habit of his, but since they weren’t there, he hurriedly stuffed it in his jacket pocket. “There, a um, maple ice cream, though I’m not sure if you liked maple syrup… They have sherbet and fudge to…”
What an unfair advantage. His heart pounded wildly against his the inside of his chest, he was sure Katyusha could hear it, not to mention that he’d taken back his words about the nice brisk air. It was suddenly boiling beneath his collar.
Why did he have to choose to wear a full tie and not just a clip on one?
They stood there awkwardly for a long moment, although the word ‘awkward’ didn’t seemed strong enough.
Stop being such a baby, this isn’t your first date. Man up already.
Clearing his throat a little, Matthew slipped his arm around Katyusha’s waist, bringing her a little more forward but effectively tucking her into his side.
“Look.” He pointed towards a little display pedestal on the counter covered in cooking chocolate. “Do you remember when we made fondue? That was fun. We should do something like that again one of these days.”
Matthew smiled down at her, tilting his head slightly so his curl bobbed in the air.
“Now, what would you like? We can get a little of everything if you want! Haha.”

---

<w>

Katyusha couldn't help smiling when Matthew brought up the fondue memory, and briefly rested her head against his shoulder. Humming in agreement, she mused, "It was fun...we should do it again, soon." It had been a while since their time together over Christmas holidays, but the memories and the feelings were still as vivid as ever. They'd simply been an awkward couple, hopelessly falling for each other, just passing the time with good food and conversation.
Blushing again, she shook her head and tried to clear her head.
Since when was she so SAPPY?
She blinked at his next question, staring at him for a moment before turning her attention back to the counter with her mouth slightly agape. She fought for words, and found that answering him was becoming difficult. There was just so much variety...what should she have? Would they be sharing? An attempt at words simply turned into stuttering, and she tried to regain her composure, "U-Uhh...I...would like cheesecake? Haha,"
Her statement came out as a question much to her annoyance, but that was nothing to fret over. There were much BIGGER things to fret over. ...OK, well, maybe the things she fretted weren't exactly BIG, but that wasn't the point.
The pair eventually both ordered what they pleased and found a spot to sit, making themselves comfortable for this latter part of their date. And as delicious as her dessert was, her gaze always seemed to drift back up to Matthew. ...He was being distracting! Well, it wasn't like he was doing anything distracting, he was just...
It was hard to keep her eyes off of him.
He looked so different without his glasses...sure, she'd seen him without them before, but this was different. It was just...different. It was hard to explain! He was just...SO...
She'd already been over this fact in her mind earlier, but apparently it was taking some getting used to. He was usually a sweetheart and a gentleman normally, but there was something about seeing him prepared like this that made her feel very...spoiled.
Very lucky.
Very, very, very lucky.
Katyusha bit her lip to stop herself from staring, looking back down at the cheesecake before her. Apparently she was unable to release herself from her flustered state...
This is silly! Calm down already! Just act natural, act like you always do! ...Or is that nervous...?
She let out a small sigh and was unaware of the smile that had hitched itself onto her lips. She was about to take another bite when an idea struck her; she stabbed the cake and lifted the piece up, not bringing it up to her mouth but putting it on display.
"Um...would you like some?"

She’s so cute…
Matthew looked up from his piece of maple fudge, cheeks slightly puffed out from chewing with a full mouth.
Try some?
He looked down at her slice of cake then back up to meet her eyes, swallowing the best he could.
“I’ve never tried cheesecake before,” he admitted, now eyeing her choice of dessert. It couldn’t be that bad right? He liked cheese and Kat seemed to really like it.
Matthew leaned over the small booth table opening his mouth, tongue poking out slightly, and chomped down on the offered forkful.
The reaction was instantaneous.
This…
This was not cheese.
Wait-
NOPE.
DEFINITELY NOT CHEESE.
ABORT!
ABORT!
The expression froze right on Matthew’s face. Right eye twitching in disgust, jaw locked, throat refusing to swallow.
Don’t spit up in front of your girlfriend.
Don’t spit up in front of your girlfriend!
“…Mmm…” Matthew tried to smile through his grimace. He didn’t dare open his mouth to say anything else.
Oh God, oh God it was sticking to the roof of his mouth-! Get it off! Get it off! AHHHH-
The consistency of the cheesecake made him shiver uncomfortably. It was thick and slimy and it tasted too rich for his liking. Who would ever eat this willingly?!
“Deli..shiosh…” he tried to say through the food, one hand coming up to politely hide his mouth, the other giving a feeble thumbs up. Would it be too inconspicuous to run and find a trash can? Katyusha was watching him so he guess yes, yes it would.
His tongue worked feverishly to scrape the revolting dessert off his teeth and in one big, probably over dramatic gulp, he downed what he could. His shoulders dropped and Matthew gave the most unceremonious half breathless gasp, half squeaky laugh.
Needless to say, Matt turned into the perfect imitation of a beet… which was something he was becoming rather good at tonight…
“Haha… ha… how yummy,” he shakily grinned.
Yeah, the look on Katyusha’s face blatantly told him that he wasn’t fooling anybody…

Well...that had been interesting. Quite the reaction.
Katyusha could only just stare at him in surprise as Matthew not-so-discretely tried to stop himself from hurling. That hadn't gone as she'd expected it to. Sure, he'd never tried it before, but she hadn't expected such a strong reaction...
This, in turn, brought her to the point where she was feeling terribly guilty.
Panicking, she fought for the right words and tried to apologize, stuttering instead and flushing because of it. She offered a napkin, then set it down, then picked it up again but hesitated in offering it, before setting it down again.
Fiddling and fumbling were all she really knew how to do at the moment.
She took a deep breath, letting the air all out in a nervous apology, "I-I'm sorry, Matvey! I-I didn't know you wouldn't--- I didn't really expect--- I mean...I'm sorry." She tucked a few locks of hair behind her ear, looking off to the side. He obviously hadn't enjoyed that experience...
"I... Sorry."
Looking back up at Matthew, Katyusha bit her lip then continued to eat her dessert. She couldn't help feeling bad... Reason said that she had no reason to feel bad because she wasn't at fault, but her feelings said otherwise. Her feelings said that she shouldn't have offered the piece in the first place, while reason was much more sensible in saying that Matthew wouldn't ever know that he didn't like cheesecake if he never tried it.
And yet, her much to sensitive feelings seemed to be more dominant over reason.
Reason was always the way to go, and yet here she was...
This was so silly. They were having a very nice, romantic date and she was worrying over cheesecake! Absolutely ridiculous! She needed to stop and just go with it, and allow herself to completely relax.
After all, Matthew was using his precious money, his precious time to spoil her like this...she shouldn't let his generosity go to waste.
Puffing out a small sigh and swallowing the last of her cheesecake, a small smile managed to wriggle its way onto her lips. She bit her lip to hide it, but it didn't help. She felt foolish and silly...but at the same time, she was happy. She was beginning to know his quirks, his likes, his dislikes...
It was just a very satisfying feeling.
Katyusha managed to look back up at him, feeling her cheeks redden for no reason whatsoever, and, still smiling, she spoke, "Um...do you want to get something else? To share? O-Or are we done here...?"

_______________________________________________________________________

Blaahhh... <A>

“N-no! It’s fine really!” Matthew sputtered, panicking because of the guilty expression on Katyusha’s face and still dealing with the cheesecake’s aftertaste. “I’ve never tasted anything quite like… that before. It’s not that bad. I expected it to taste like cheese for some reason not cream cheese…” He laughed self-deprecatingly.
Really it was his own damn fault. Why couldn’t he just of eaten it with a smile on his face.
It had taken him by surprise sure, but he’d once gotten in a fistfight for Kat, he should at least be able to eat a forkful of cake without so much as a twitch!
And of course in true Katyusha fashion she was blaming herself. Matthew resisted the urge to shake his head. He could stub his own toe on a table leg and Katyusha would blame herself for putting the table there. It was that unbelievably sweet side of her. She was too kind for her own good, he sometimes thought and though he did worry about someone taking care of that gentle nature of hers (sometimes this included himself), Matthew knew he would never change a thing about her.
He could, however, cheer her up a little.
“Really, it’s fine-“ Leaning his tall frame over the table, Matthew kissed her lips. One of those nice, slow kisses, more than a peck but nothing over the top that could get them in trouble in public. The taste of her dessert still lingered but, licking his lips, it didn’t seem that bad now. Smothering a smug smile, he added, “Actually it’s really delicious, it just needs a little… sweetener.”
Oh God what had gotten into him? Sweetener? Really?
Matthew puffed a laugh out, chewing on the inside of his cheek for a second before turning his attention to Kat’s other questions. “How about I grab us a couple of hot chocolates and we get going? I’ve got something to show you.”
Offering a gentleman’s hand to Katyusha, and a quick stop at the counter, Matthew walked with Katyusha back to the car, both drinks in hand and a smirk on his face.
One last stop…
Boy, he sure hoped Katyusha like it.

Riding on a blissful high from Matthew's kiss, Katyusha simply agreed and followed his lead. She gave a quick nod of thanks to the person at the counter and let Matthew guide them out, blinking at his last statement. Something to show her...? A surprise? What kind of surprise? Well, of course she wouldn't know what kind of surprise it was, then it wouldn't be a surprise! Biting her lip and staring at Matthew for a few seconds, she mused over what he could possibly want to show her...
...And came up with nothing.
Zip.
Nadda.
He'd sure gotten her curiosity peeked, but for the life of her she couldn't imagine what he was going to surprise her with. Frankly, it was going to start gnawing at her insides soon.
The couple was on their way shortly, and Katyusha gave a small sigh while sneaking a glance at Matthew. She really was curious...but she didn't want to spoil herself. He was already doing enough of that! All she could do at the moment was wait...and try to make conversation. Trouble was...she wasn't really sure what to talk about. Well, that was a lie. She wanted to talk about this surprise he'd suddenly brought up, but they couldn't! It was a surprise, and it was going to stay a surprise. Chewing the inside of her cheek, she absently mindedly found his free hand and tangled their fingers together, blushing at her forwardness. It was just...she was really...relaxed. She was relaxed and happy, and...it just felt like she didn't have to worry about a thing.
That didn't mean that she DIDN'T worry about things...or more specifically, everything. Which she did.
But right now, she was very content. Exams were done, school was done (for her, at least), and all she really had to worry about right now was getting to her next shift at work. Matthew and her were enjoying a fancy date, not to mention the much needed time between themselves.
It was just very...very nice.
A playful smile made its way across her lips and Katyusha turned her head to look at Matthew again, speaking, "So...I don't suppose you're going to tell me where we're going, huh? Haha."

Matthew smiled and flushed, feeling the soft pads of Katyusha’s fingers slip over the palm of his hand and lace between his own. He had to bite his lip in order to stop himself from grinning ear to ear.
What a perfect night. He just hoped Katyusha enjoyed what he had planned. Honestly he didn’t want to let her go though after this he knew it was going to be late and Kat probably had things like work tomorrow. Sighing a tiny little inaudible sigh, Matthew glanced down to the beautiful young lady at his side then back at the road.
I’ll just have to soak it all in while it lasts…
The tiny, little arrow blinker lit up on his dash as Matthew directed the vehicle over to a little roadside pull off, gravel rattling under the tires. They left the main road and suddenly the interior became much more intimate, he could hear every one of Katyusha’s dainty inhales and it sent a shiver up his spine.
It took a few minutes longer but finally they were there.
Matthew cut the engine, and maybe, sort of, pulled in a breath to calm his nerves.
Ready?
… Ok let’s do this.
“Okay, wait here,” Matthew said, nose nuzzling into Katyusha’s ear for a short moment before her clambered out of the car and headed for the trunk. Inside he grabbed the folded blanket he’d brought and two glasses along with a bottle of sparkling cider. (He wanted to pull out all the stops for Katyusha but their age was, unfortunately, something he couldn’t change.) But trekking his way around to the front, Matt spread the blanket out on the hood and set the drink aside, going back to open Katyusha’s door.
“Ready?” he asked, bowing like a proper gentleman as he offered his hand to help her out of her seat.
The view wasn’t like something from one of those chick flicks with the amazing cliff view down over a valley with the sun setting on the other side, more like they were parked on the top of a modest hill, surrounded by tall trees but there was enough of a part in the forestry for them to see the sun slowly sinking over the town.
“Ally-oop!” Matthew gently took Katyusha by the hips and lifted her up onto the hood. He was about to get up himself but he hesitated.
“You know, it’s not often that you’re taller than me,” he chuckled, looking up at her. His hands rested on either side of her, leaning in just enough for their noses to brush, but at the last second he pulled back. Perhaps jumping right to that wasn’t a great way to start.
The car bounced a little as he hopped up next to Kat, settled in and poured them both a glass, holding up his own in a congratulatory manner towards Katyusha. “To your graduation and a great night.”

Katyusha simply watched him gather everything together, and a wide smile formed on her face when she realized just what he was putting together for the two of them. Soon enough the couple was seated on the hood of Matthew's car, and he was holding a glass up to her.
...It took a moment for it to click.
A toast? To her? No, to them. To a celebration.
It was a little bitter-sweet, but none the less she clinked her glass against his own, smiling warmly up at him. Laughing light-heartedly, she took a long sip and made herself comfortable against his side.
Gosh, she honestly couldn't stop smiling! This was all so sweet, it was almost overwhelming. When Matthew wanted to spoil her, he sure spoiled her! Part of her hated it, but for the most part...well, she SUPPOSED it was alright.
Well, maybe a little more than alright.
But that wasn't the point! ...For the most part.
The POINT was she couldn't stop smiling because of how he was acting. Paying for every cent, making sure things were perfect, treating her like she was the most important person in the world... It wasn't like he didn't do some of those things already, but...
It was just baffling.
Finishing off the cider in her glass, Katyusha found that her thoughts were slipping from the embarrassment and happiness from the date to a calm, relaxed state. The scenery before them was beautiful, it didn't matter if it wasn't the perfect scene from a movie or something. The setting sun stained the ground a humble orange, growing dim as the seconds ticked by, as night came closing in, and the shadows of the trees grew longer and longer as if reaching out to where the pair was seated. It was really hard to take her eyes off of the sight...
Since when had she gotten so relaxed? She was NEVER relaxed, that was a fact of life! It was hardly possible. She was a living ball of stress, that was her nature!
But yet, here she was. Here she was, at the calmest she'd been in probably QUITE some time.
A warm, bubbly feeling rose up inside of her, and she turned her head to speak to Matthew, "So...why here? Is this just something you wanted to do, or is it just...because?" She giggled a little, biting her lip and trying not to admire how much his violet eyes stood out in this lighting, and then poured herself another glass of sparkling cider.
She WAS curious as to why they were out here, and how he knew about this place, and what inspired him to take them here--- She never really could understand his reasoning, she was hardly worth the time.
But still! She was curious!
Speaking of curiosity...at the back of her mind, she was still wondering about the apartment situation Matthew had brought up. He couldn't have been serious about them moving in together, right? He'd never even asked her that, so it was silly to think about it---
Even so, the thought remained, and it startled her at how much she ENJOYED the idea of living with him...!
She took in a sharp breath and kept telling herself to act NATURAL, and offered him seconds, waiting for an answer.

Matthew pulled in a deep breath of summer air, hinted with the scent of the young woman sitting mere inches away from him. He leaned back on one arm, setting his palm on the hood behind Katyusha’s back so she could have easy access if she wanted to lean on his shoulder.
What? He just wanted to leave the opportunity open…
“Am I not allowed to do something nice for you like this?” Matthew said, returning Katyusha’s question with another question. He turned his face to the sinking sun, feeling the lingering rays hit his face.
His eyes turned to her, becoming tenderer. Balancing his have drank glass against his thigh, Matt raised a hand to Katyusha’s cheek, the back of his fingers grazing her the apple of her cheek. The touch was warm and he half wondered if the heat of her skin was from her faint blush or if she was always like this.
“You deserve all of it,” he said. “You deserve more actually- a lot more. This is just the least I can do right now.” He blushed a little and chuckled. “I know you aren’t completely comfortable with me doing all this, but honestly if you let me I’d spoil you like this everyday. And that’s, that’s because I”- he swallowed- “That’s because I like- no, because I love you.”
Matthew huffed a deep breath like a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders and laughed a little self-deprecatingly. “It’s about time I finally said it, eh?”
His hand sought out Katyusha’s and he laced their fingers together, giving a gentle squeeze.
It didn't feel like some big revelation to admit out loud. More like he was just finally admitting the obvious.
On the topic of sensitive issues…
“I didn’t mean to blurt it out at dinner, b-but I am thinking about finding an apartment, and…” Matthew peeked at her from the corner of his eye, “Well, what I mean to say is, would you ever think about it? M-moving in with me- SHARING- I meant sharing a place with me! L-like separate rooms or what-whatever you want.” His stuttering mumbling trailed away as Matthew hid his bright red face. Also, his nervous fidgeting had nearly spilt his drink.
“Sorry, sorry!” he sputtered automatically. The heat blistering upwards from underneath his collar made him tug at his tie and though he knew Katyusha was probably looking at him, he couldn’t seem to meet her eye.