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Kyle had been wanting to have the perfect Valentine's Day date since forever!
Alright, so maybe he'd been reading way too many romance novels, and crushed a little too hard on Hanna before she turned him down (thankfully, he'd been able to move on since then in the latter case), but he'd always imagined what it'd be like to spend this special occasion with his special someone. And today was finally the day where he was going to seize this chance!
As a matter of fact, this year was going to be the very first year where he'd be spending the day with Vanilla. All that time he'd spent reading through various books was finally going to pay off!
Ever since Vanilla had proposed to be his girlfriend, Kyle had been making elaborate plans to show how much he cared for her. He bought a bouquet of roses from the florist that would be brought to the Muscat family mansion, leaving behind a surprise once she got home. He even went shopping for the perfect outfit possible, even getting bits of advice and suggestions from his friends (especially Hanna, whom he only saw as a friend nowadays, having finally moved on from his crush on her). Pretty much all those things you'd expect from a teenage boy trying to impress the girl of his dreams, and a little bit more.
And when the day arrived, he immediately decked himself out in the outfit he'd chosen: a bright magenta waistcoat over a white dress shirt, white gloves over his paws, a pair of red pants, and burgundy dress shoes. To complete the set, he put on his usual canary-yellow tie, as well as the one special accessory Vanilla had given him: a gold tail ring encrusted with rubies. It was a special keepsake that he would treasure for the remainder of his days.
He'd spent the last few weeks scraping up all those Rings and pulling the strings to arrange it all, but in the end, he knew that it was all worth it. He knew for certain, and without a doubt, that this would be the most perfect Valentine's Day date possible!
…Or, at least, it would be if not for one little snag: he forgot to make a reservation at the restaurant.
"WHAT?!" Kyle exclaimed. "What do you mean you have no reservations?!"
The host, a middle-aged Felineko man who stood outside the restaurant, stared back at him with a stern expression. "It's as I said before: all the reservations we have available were already taken."
"B-but that's impossible," Kyle stammered. "I was sure you'd have at least one open spot."
"Unfortunately, it's the truth."
Kyle opened his mouth to say more, but Vanilla beat him to it as she stepped forward. "So not even the kids' area is open for us?"
Now, Vanilla was a lovely sight to behold, and anyone who even took one glance at her would immediately confirm it! Tonight, she wore a violet backless dress that bore no sleeves, accompanied by black gloves that reached up to her shoulders. She'd swapped her usual braided pigtails for a bun that was tied in a way that resembled a flower bud. To complete the set was a pair of black tights and a pair of violet-coloured Mary Janes.
What really made this outfit stand out was that it served to physically show off a more vulnerable side to her…a side that she'd been hesitant to reveal to anyone except Kyle. For on her left hip and outer thigh of her left leg were several burn scars that ravaged her fur; burn scars from a tragic incident that occurred long ago. Over the years, however, she'd grown more confident in herself to the point of being able to reveal more of her insecurities, which in turn led to Kyle opening his heart to her, and that eventually culminated in the two of them beginning a relationship that both hoped would last for a lifetime.
But even her appearance was not enough to sway the host, who shook his head once more. "Not even the kids' area is open, sorry."
Vanilla let out a sigh. "Yeah, I figured as much," she said. "I guess being the president's daughter and a hero of Gasco doesn't make much of a difference."
Kyle grumbled as he kicked the ground. "I mean," he said sheepishly. "It's not like I forgot to make a reservation here in the first place—"
He'd realized his mistake too late, even as he tried to cover his mouth to stop himself from saying anything more. Immediately, he felt two pairs of eyes upon him, both bearing different reactions: Vanilla with complete shock, and the host with a look that said, "Well, that explains it".
"I-I mean," he stammered, futilely trying to change the subject. "I tried making a reservation at other places, but they were completely booked, and…uh…um…" He trailed off upon seeing the host's expression, one eyebrow raised.
"What are we going to do," Vanilla whined.
Kyle' stomach let out a loud growl. "We can't give up just yet," he muttered. "Some couple's gotta give up their seat sooner or later."
He craned his neck as he looked past the host, straining his eyes to find any empty spots. He even went over to one of the windows to try and get a better look. But, just as his rotten luck would have it, every single table was occupied and filled to the brim.
"Sir," the host said with a warning growl. "I'm going to have to ask you again to leave. I understand how crazy it is right now, with today being Valentine's Day and all, but that's no excuse to loiter around the premises."
Kyle clenched his jaw and pressed his forehead against the glass, his tail-tip twitching back and forth in frustration. "Damn it…" he cursed.
Vanilla went over and gently placed a paw on his shoulder. "Kyle, please," she said. "Let's go somewhere else, alright? We can get a reservation here at a later date."
The teenage boy glanced between the other couples dining in the restaurant, happily making use of their time…then at the host, who kept his stern gaze fixed on him…then finally at Vanilla, who was looking at her with pleading eyes. His stomach growled in protest, but he knew better than to keep everyone waiting.
Finally, he took a deep breath to relax himself. "Alright, fine," he finally said. "We'll be on our way then."
"Thank you," Vanilla said with a smile, before hooking her arm around Kyle's to gently escort him out of the premises. "Come on, let's go someplace a bit quieter."
The host could only watch as the two Felineko teenagers walked away. Then, he slapped a paw against his head and sighed pitifully. "Poor kiddos," he mumbled to himself. "I just hope they have some sort of backup plan."
This was a disaster! A complete and utter disaster!
Those words played over and over in Kyle's head as he buried his face in his palms.
After their little spat at the restaurant, Kyle and Vanilla went over to one of the benches near the port. While Vanilla watched the airships come and go, Kyle sat in complete silence, taking the time to cool off and recollect his thoughts.
He couldn't believe that his perfect date went awry because of that one little snag! He'd thought for certain that he had made the reservation…so how did he even let it slip his mind?
His ears pressed themselves flat against his skull as his stomach growled for the umpteenth time, screaming with hunger. He was certain that Vanilla would be upset at him for that one little mistake. Yet, when he glanced at her, the blue-grey Felineko's expression was nigh-unreadable, leaving him unable to decipher what was truly running through her mind.
It was a little while longer before Kyle decided to finally break the silence. He raised his head and leaned back against the bench with a sigh.
"…I'm sorry," he said. "For messing up our perfect date, I mean. I thought I'd made that reservation, I really did…" He turned away. "It's alright by me if you want to call it a night."
He immediately felt her elbow lightly nudge his arm, causing him to look at her with surprise.
"You're such a dolt," she chastised him with a snort. "So what if you forgot to make a reservation at some fancy restaurant?"
"Again, I'm really sor—"
"Kyle, I'm going to stop you right there," Vanilla cut him off. "One mistake does not spell the end of the world. Or, in this case, the end of our relationship."
"I didn't say—"
But Vanilla wasn't going to have any more of this. Without warning, she suddenly grabbed the knot of his tie and pulled him forward. She released her hold seconds later, only to then wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug.
"Shhhh," she shushed him, gently patting his back. "Don't say anything more, okay? I'm not disappointed that you forgot one little thing."
Kyle could only sit there, stunned, as she held him. Sighing to himself, he slowly returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Vanilla drew back and cradled his face in her paws, tilting his head so that she could look into his sun-gold eyes. "Listen, I think this date is already perfect enough as it is. And I honestly couldn't ask for anything more." She leaned closer until their forehead were practically touching. "I'm just happy to spend this day by your side, and I'd love to spend many more like this with you."
"Vanilla…"
Kyle couldn't help but smile. Just hearing those words was more than enough to make his heart soar. She loved him for his perfections as well as his imperfections; his flaws and insecurities, as well as his strengths and redeeming qualities. He wasn't entirely sure how he could forget that so easily…but it was nice of her to remind him of that regardless.
The first time she reassured him that she'd be there for him was years ago, when he'd only just started to move on from Hanna's rejection of him. She'd been shocked and upset to see the fur on his face still dark from the tear tracks, his eyes still puffy from the nonstop crying. She had been the one to comfort him, to walk by his side, to make small talk. She even visited him every once in a while just to check up on him. And he was truly grateful for it all.
Just as he was grateful for her words of reassurance now.
"And do you know what else?" Vanilla added, withdrawing her forehead. "I've always wanted to spend my Valentine's Day date with the one I love. Just the two of us taking a stroll through the city, gazing at the stars, having a nice dinner at a café…and then ending the day at your place or mine with snuggles and kisses."
Kyle chuckled. "Maybe some other time," he remarked, staring into her teardrop-shaped eyes, wishing he could forever lose himself in those crystal-blue pools. "But it would be a nice idea."
"I'm glad you think so," Vanilla whispered, leaning close enough for him to catch the sweet scent of mint leaves on her.
It was hard to tell who made the first move, but the next thing Kyle knew, his lips were gently pressed against Vanilla's as they kissed. It was a truly romantic moment — soft and tender, yet passionate all the same — and one that both of them would treasure for the remainder of their lives.
It felt like an eternity had passed before they finally pulled back for air. Even so, they continued to gaze into each other's eyes, their faces coloured bright pink as they smiled.
…And then, Vanilla felt her stomach growl, completely ruining the moment. She immediately turned away and clutched her gut, her adoration for Kyle quickly turning to embarrassment at herself.
Kyle chuckled. "Looks like someone's still upset with me for forgetting to make that reservation," he remarked.
"Y-yeah, no kidding," Vanilla groaned.
Still smiling, Kyle hopped off the bench and offered a paw to her. "Come on," he said. "Let's see if we can find a café. I've been catching wind of one that just opened recently — and it's got some pretty good soup on the menu, too."
Vanilla looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, she smiled as she took his paw. "Sure," she replied. "I could definitely settle for some soup."
The two Felineko smiled to one another as they linked arms and tails. Then, they set off to that new café, their fur flaring with the gold tints of the setting sun as it painted the sky with varying hues of purple, orange and pink.
After having a lovely, if simple, dinner at the café, they took a stroll through Pharaoh's streets, passing by her various folks of all sizes. When they arrived at a park tucked away near the center of the city, they noticed several other couples dancing the night away while a band of musicians played a lovely serenade. They wasted no time in joining along, their movements synchronized in near-perfect unison while everyone watched.
By the time they returned to Vanilla's house, it was already nightfall. Not that it mattered to them anyway, as they walked paw-in-paw, only stopping once they were at the doorstep.
"Well, here we are," Kyle announced. "And in record time, too." Part of him wished that he could just spend a little bit more time with Vanilla. But alas, all good things had to come to an end, and Valentine's Day was no exception. If anything, however, he was at least glad that Vanilla got to enjoy it with him, despite a few mishaps here and there.
Vanilla seemed to share his sentiment, especially as she leaned against his arm for support. "I had a rather lovely time tonight," she said. "The dinner, the walk around the city, and even the dance…" She glanced up at him with a grin. "See? I told you this date was perfect enough as it was."
Kyle returned the grin. "Yeah, you're right."
In the end, she had been right all along. It didn't even matter if he'd made that reservation or not; all that mattered was spending some time with the one girl who mattered most to him, especially if it was for a day.
He turned around to face her, tilting her head back so he could look her in the eyes. When he was given the permission he'd been looking for, he then leaned forward and closed the gap between them, their lips meeting one another in a soft kiss. This one was a bit more brief before they broke apart.
"Guess I'll be seeing you sometime soon," Vanilla said, a sadness creeping into her voice as she smoothed the lapels of Kyle's waistcoat.
Kyle nodded in response. "Yeah," he murmured. He brought Vanilla's paw up to his lips to give it a light peck, wishing that he could spend more days with her like this.
The young couple gave each other one last gaze into each other's eyes, their hearts aching — nay, yearning — with the desire to be together forever. Then, after what seemed like a long time, they finally let go as they parted ways for the night.
Vanilla watched as Kyle jogged off — presumably to the port to try and catch the last airship headed to Petit Mona. Then, with a sigh, she turned and headed inside, kicking off her Mary Janes as soon as she entered the foyer.
"Well, well, look who finally showed up," an older female voice sounded from her left, nearly spooking the blue-grey Felineko. Vanilla spun around to find Cannelle sitting on the sofa in the living room nearby. Her ginger hair was unusually unkempt, as was her white fur, and she'd replaced her usual Gasco Army attire with a casual white shirt and baggy pants, yet no footwear. Sitting atop the coffee table in front of her was a rather large bouquet of red roses…and as far as Vanilla could tell, they were definitely NOT delivered for the lieutenant!
"C-Cannelle," Vanilla squeaked, timidly addressing the older Muscat sister. "I-I didn't notice you here!"
Cannelle smirked softly. "Sorry 'bout that," she said. She then patted at an empty spot on the sofa beside her. "Come and sit. I want to know everything that you and Kyle did tonight."
Smiling to herself, Vanilla trotted over and plopped herself beside her sister, feeling the soft, squishy cushion against her rump. She then wasted no time in explaining everything in complete detail: from the evening dance at the park, to the moment they shared that passionate kiss near the docks, to walking around the city, and even having dinner at this nice café that served the greatest soups she had ever eaten in her life! Of course, she completely omitted Kyle's mistake of forgetting to make a reservation at the restaurant before all of that happened.
Cannelle smiled as Vanilla finished her tale. "It sounds like you had a lovely time together," she said at last. "You know, I've always known that Kyle would be a good match for you."
Vanilla blushed. "Y-yeah," she replied with a bashful smile. "He's vulgar and rough around the edges, but he's also really strong and kind. And…part of me wishes that we can be together forever."
"Mmm," the white Felineko woman nodded. "By the way, these were delivered here earlier." She reached over to retrieve the roses from the coffee table and handed them over to Vanilla. "And I believe they're for you."
The bouquet of roses exchanged paws, allowing Vanilla to examine them herself. Cautious optimism flooded her very being as she studied each petal with a delicate touch. They were definitely hand-picked and delivered for her…but to who, she wasn't entirely sure.
That was when she noticed a small card sticking out from the middle of the roses. Reaching over, she took the card between her fingers and flipped it over. Her eyes widened with surprise upon finding out who the flowers were from.
To my lovely Lady Vanilla,
In case you decide to end things early with me, I arranged to have these roses personally delivered to you to show how much I love and care about you.
And if things do go well, I'll still have these roses delivered to you anyway. Wanna know why?
Because I love you, Vanilla. No matter what happens, you will always have a special place in my heart. You are perfect just the way you are…and I hope you'll feel the same way with me.
Kyle
Vanilla smiled, a warm feeling blooming in her chest. Even if the plans Kyle had made made today had gone astray, he still managed to come up with a way to salvage the date. And that was all she needed to know that she loved him back.
"It's like I said before," she said to herself. "Already perfect enough as it is."
Here's a bonus little illustration regarding Kyle and Vanilla's outfits in this fic:
