An unexpected Knickknack... [Peter x Jest]

[NicTheDjinn]

This was his chance! During one of his visits into the city proper for some nice flowers for the house, he had seen the man of his dreams... He worked at some little greasy spoon diner, poor guy. Could do worse, he supposed, but he deserved better. Probably couldn't find anything better, given his nonhuman status... Peter himself had gotten very lucky on that front, but this...? This didn't seem fair at all! He looked so sweet... It had been enough for him to start purposely walking by the diner till he'd figured out his crush's schedule. It became much easier to find him after that.

After that, it wasn't hard to wait for his shift to end and follow him home. He'd waited till long after the sun had set before leaving his van and creeping up to the apartment complex. He'd checked all the apartments on the first floor and then repeated the process on the second. It was admittedly scarier to climb up to the third floor to continue his search, but eventually, he'd found the right balcony, and there he was! Oh, he looked like an angel as he slept... And those ears! How cute! How could anyone possibly look at him and think of him as less than a person? Anger had bubbled up in him then, but he pushed it down. He could be angry about it later, he'd had precious little time to watch the shifter inside sleep.

He reached for the handle and slowly, gently, he pulled. He couldn't believe his luck! It wasn't locked! Silently he slipped inside and shut the door behind him, coming over to the bed and carefully sitting himself on the floor. He was so perfect... His heart raced as he watched him sleep, listening to his breathing and any little sounds he might make. What he would give to climb into bed with him and hold him close as he slept... Was he the cuddling type? Would he hold him back if they slept together? The thought made his chest ache and his cheeks warm.

There he stayed, watching him all night, even when his eyelids started to feel a little heavy. He'd get what sleep he could when he went back home. He remained there till the sky started to grow the slightest bit lighter, then he knew he couldn't stay. He needed to get going or the neighbors might see him leaving. It was a little hard to explain away climbing down from a third-floor balcony so it was important that he leave before anyone woke up!

This eventually became a nightly routine, one that he had to be very careful with and left him little time for sleep, but the constant exhaustion was worth it to get to see his beautiful crush. No... Love. He'd fallen in love. He loved his adorable ears and his beautiful eyes, and his gorgeous smile, and his laugh---Oh! That laugh! What he would give to hear it without a pane of glass muffling that sweet sound...

But today. Today, he'd gotten beyond lucky. This was his chance! It was here! He'd followed him after he'd left from work, but he hadn't gone straight home today. He'd been excited to find out a little more of his routine outside of work, but the last thing he'd expected was for the cutie to not only go visit a park, but to sit himself far away from the path. Completely isolated... Had he noticed him following him? Was this his wordless way of telling him to approach? Surely that was it! He was just shy and didn't want to ask directly! Peter could certainly relate to the anxiety involved with social interaction. Gathering up his nerve, he left his spot from behind a tree and walked up.

He sat himself down on the bench next to the other, unintentionally startling him. He gave a little jump of his own, but raised a hand in a soothing gesture. "Whoa! Hey, take it easy, it's just me." He lowered his hand, smiling in what he hoped was a warm way, but he was pretty sure it was just awkward instead... Ugh, socializing was hard! "You're a jumpy one, aren't ya?" Unable to help himself, the bald man scooted a little closer, just excited to finally get to speak to the guy he'd fallen so fast and hard for.

Those deep blue eyes lock onto the shifter's and remain there as words continue to rush out of him, unable to help filling the silence in hopes of making a good impression. "Sooooo.... Are you waiting for a family member, or a friend?" Alright so maybe the question was partially to find out if they would be interupted by anyone and not just for conversation's sake... "Just seems kind of odd for you to be sitting here, all alone like this, and so far from the jogging track."

Working at the diner was... Not fun. The first thing he had to do before going into work was swap out all the blue-tinted metal for clear jewelry and the second was to focus on maintaining a form lacking the parts of his body that made him... Well, Him. It was a hassle at best. He managed, though. It wasn't fun, but he managed. And he still kept the cheery demeanor through it all, no matter how difficult it became. He'd been working at the diner for a while at that point and his bubbly attitude had managed to earn him a reputation amongst the regulars. And someone else. But! He didn't know about that yet, so he remained blissfully ignorant.

The usual routine was fairly easy to follow, lacking in variation or many spontaneous outings. They'd always preferred routines, so that's what things had come to. On weekdays they'd wake around eleven, get ready for work, arrive at the diner at noon, go through their shift, and head home around eight. On the weekends, they would handle laundry, clean the apartment, and figure out groceries before doing a various array of things within the home once done. A bit on the boring side, but they were saving up to plan a trip to visit some online friends.

One thing anyone viewing him while he slept would notice, though, would be a tail only dissimilar to that of a maine coon in size. It was almost as long as the shifter's legs and as fluffy as one would expect, occasionally curling and twitching while they slept. On the topic of sleep, though, they'd been getting less and less. At least, that was how it felt. He never woke well-rested, sure, but it felt like lately, they'd been more fitful while unconscious despite not actually moving all that much. It was confusing, but they tried to ignore it.

It was a hopeful thought that a walk after work would help with that. Probably futile, honestly, but it was getting bothersome to constantly feel like he needed a nap right after waking up. But, there he was, walking to a nearby park and making his way through the trees towards a more secluded spot to just... enjoy being outside. It'd been a while anyway, why not have a good time, right?
Right.

Only issue with that was the lack of that little sensation most got when eyes were on them. They were ignoring the fact anyone might be watching them, trying to just focus on walking without tripping over their own shoes as they walked towards the spot. A successful journey! He made his way and took a seat fairly easily, ankles crossed but knees spread slightly as his head leaned back to look up at the sky, admiring the fading colors of the day before-

Jolting at the motion of someone joining on the bench, one hand of his lifted to his chest, his pulse spiking at the sight of another person as he gripped his shirt. He'd been thoroughly spooked by the appearance and gave a nervous chuckle at the other's assurance. Did he know this guy? Had they met before? The first words made him confused as he was... mostly certain the answer to both questions was 'No'. The smile was more reassuring than his words or gestures, though, the awkward and uncertainty of the expression endearing in a sense. Though, while slightly put at ease by that, the comment on his nerves made Jest fluster a bit, the hand on his chest shifting up and carefully rubbing the back of his neck as he shrugged.

Could he be blamed for being nervous around strangers? It wasn't like he'd gotten the warmest reception from people before he'd learned to control his appearance, and while he knew he looked human now, the instinct remained. "Sorry 'bout that, nerves are a tricky thing... You know how it goes." Making small motions with his hands, they smiled sheepishly at the other, noting the other getting closer before quieting down.

They could ramble like a motherfucker, sure, but this was both a stranger and someone who had approached him out of the blue. Needless to say, he was pretty much stunned into silence as one hand picked at the fabric of his shirt slightly, a small nervous tic. At the question, he paused, brows furrowed in confusion before he shook his head slightly. "Ah... No? I just figured I'd come and enjoy the night air while it's cool enough to do so." Pausing after answering, he took a moment before the hand messing with the hem of his shirt lifted slightly, fingers curved over his palm while his index bent a bit to rest the tip against his thumb. "Uh, not to be rude, but do I know you? My memory's never been the best, so I'm sorry if we've met before, but I don't remember..."

Oh, he looked so cute when he was flustered! Peter couldn't help wondering what other reactions and expressions he could coax out of him! He wasn't blind to the anxiety he'd just caused though and forced himself to remain where he was and not inch any closer. He nodded a bit when the other spoke, his smile slipping a bit. Yeah... Yeah, he definitely knew how that went. While he wasn't full incubus, he was half and if anything that made his situation worse. If he were full incubus he could change his appearance however he'd liked and have a full list of magical abilities under his total control. This was far from the case thanks to his mixed heritage.

Instead, he had a shortlist of abilities and limited shifting ability. While he could hide his horns, claws, and tail, he couldn't change anything else. This left him with clearly inhuman grey skin, pointed teeth, and an unnaturally long tongue. The fact he stood at 6' tall didn't help matters either. When it came to his powers, the only ones he'd retained were the ability to influence how much someone noticed him, the ability to control someone's sleep, the ability to control dreams, and finally the ability to draw out lust in a person. With that said, his abilities were essentially watered-down or incomplete versions of the originals.

It was almost impossible for him to force attention onto himself, but he was very good at going unnoticed which he found very useful. He could make someone more or less sleepy, but not wake them up or force them asleep. He couldn't so much control dreams as much as just sort of nudge them in the direction he wanted them to go which was good enough to get a wet dream going, but not enough to star in it unless his target did it on their own. Then there was his ability to induce lust. That too was weaker and for a creature that needed to consume someone's lust to supplement his diet that was a bit of a problem. While he couldn't simply inflict lust on a person, he could coax it out if he really focused. Generally, it was easier to encourage lust that was already present than to force it out when it was entirely absent. Thanks to his appearance and how off put humans were by nonhumans it could make getting meals tricky... Sure, other nonhumans worked just fine, but as many of them tended to hide away and some of them bought into the whole soul-eating myth, even that wasn't reliable. With any luck, he wouldn't have to rely on shady hookup apps or preying on the homeless anymore.

At the comment on the night air, he finally looked away and up towards the sky. "Yeah... It is a really nice evening, isn't it?" His eyes snapped right back onto him when the other spoke once again, that almost shy smile returning once again. "Well, I'm your boyfriend. Isn't that why you're here? L-look. I know this is sudden. Very sudden. But if you're free tonight, can I have the pleasure in taking you out to dinner?" The anxiety finally got to him and he broke eye contact, gripping the bench on either side of himself as if to literally ground himself in place. Hesitantly, he looked over to make eye contact again, ducking his head. It was clear that he was anxious and had to have fought for the courage to ask, though the assumption that they were dating was a lot. The poor guy looked so worried, too, clearly fearing rejection.

The shifter was... Nervous. The man beside them was definitely Not human, but that wasn't a bad thing right off the bat... Hopefully. The guy's demeanor was a bit odd, sure, but he seemed nice enough. Something someone working in customer service, especially food service, found a wonderful change of pace. So, he nodded lightly at the question on the weather, a soft hum given as the two both looked away, blue eyes lingering on the clouds longer before the man's comment caught his attention once more.

He paused, visibly confused as he looked back to the guy, brows furrowed when he did so. 'Huh-?" His lips parted in the sound, a moment taken before he managed to parse out the question that had followed. They were dating? No... No, his memory wasn't the best, but it wasn't that bad, he'd remember his own boyfriend. But no, he hadn't even been on an actual date before. Yet there this guy was, claiming to be his partner and asking him out to dinner.

It took him a second to process things, noting how nervous the other was in turn. He must have just slipped up, right? Jest had definitely said some things that would've come off wrong when he was nervous as well, so that must be it. So, smiling softly as their eyes met again, he took a moment, taking a slow breath to ease his own nerves before he nodded lightly. "Yeah, alright. Dinner sounds nice, why not?"

Speaking easily, he looked around them for a moment before he turned his focus back to the other, a small grin still plastered on his features as his legs kicked slightly. "I've never been on a date before, so I'm sorry if it gets weird, but It should be fine, right? I mean you look like your nerves are about to make you shake and I feel about the same, so it can't be too terrible." Annnnd there he goes, rambling on a bit before he paused, forcing himself to stop as he shook his head and gave a sheepish chuckle. "I'm getting ahead of myself, my bad. I tend to talk too much when I'm nervous... And when I'm not, but-" He cut the words off, shrugging and lifting a hand before rubbing the back of his neck lightly. "Anyway- Got somewhere you wanted to go?"

He'd gotten lucky. Blurting out their unestablished romantic status like they'd discussed it was something he probably shouldn't have done, something he realized in retrospect. He couldn't help it though! Sure, he'd had a crush here and there, but this was different! He was SO in love and this one was definitely a good one! "Really?! Great!" chirped the grey-skinned young man, smiling so widely that his eyes closed. Holy shit he had some intense bags under his eyes... Given their symmetry and color, it was unlikely he just had two black eyes. It wasn't hard to tell that this guy wasn't exactly on speaking terms with sleep.

When he opened those deep grey-blue eyes he reached out, finally closing the last of the distance between them by taking up a hand in both of his own. His hands were surprisingly soft and a little warmer than human hands tended to be. "I'll make sure you have a great time! I'm sure it won't be weird at all. I, heh, I'll admit I was really nervous about approaching you, but I'm so glad I plucked up the courage!" He smiled a little softer then, squeezing the hand in his. "Hey, you're not talking too much, it's okay! I really like listening to you. Honest!"

He blinked lightly when a location was requested and he felt his cheeks warm. "Oh! I almost forgot, we need a place to meet up! Sorry, I know I sound absent-minded, but I'm just excited. Ummm... How about that old diner downtown? It's nice and quiet so no one will disturb us. Let's say at 7?" He prompted standing himself up and reluctantly letting go of their hand. As much as he wanted to stay and keep talking, he needed to wash up and get ready if they were going to go have dinner together! So exciting! Hmm... Not enough time to go back home. He'd have to find someplace he could use instead. Maybe get some of those tiny travel soaps and find a public pool shower to use. Eh, he'd figure it out, but he needed to get going if he wanted to get ready in time.

Jest hummed softly at the eager response, his heartrate spiking a bit at the other's excitement. The wide smile made him fluster again, though the grasp on his hand when the man's eyes opened made his face darken as he melted a bit. How long had it been since another living being touched him? Since he'd had anyone so excited to see him...? It was enough to make his heart race faster, a small nod given at the other's admission before he gave his hands a gentle squeeze. He looked dead tired if those gnarly bags had anything to say but he was still so excited. It was sweet...

Pausing at the comment on his rambling, he grinned slightly, nodding carefully once more before waiting on the answer to his question on location. He looked up, listening intently as he waited before noting the restaurant of choice. Well... It wasn't somewhere he would want to go on a first date, but... He would still get a small discount, so why not? "Alright! I'll see you then!" Chirping back just as excitedly, he stood as well before dusting himself off and pulling his phone out carefully to check the time. He wouldn't have enough time to go home and clean up fully, but... Waving the stranger off, he jogged back to the regular path, heading back to at least check if he had something to look a bit nicer stowed in his car.

He didn't, but he did have a spare shirt tossed in the back seat. And it was clean! A major win in his mind! It replaced his work shirt in a matter of moments and once it was adjusted, he took a moment to at least attempt to fix his hair. A futile try, but the effort was there. The odd phrasing of where they'd meet had yet to hit him, though it probably wouldn't for a while with how excited he was getting about the ordeal. Dating regular humans was difficult, something he was a bit too scared to try since he could be found out fairly easily, but if the guy wasn't a human... what reason would he have to put him at risk? Maybe it was naïve, but... Honestly? He just wanted to go on the date. It'd be an adventure! And, even if it didn't end up working, at least he'd have experienced it, right? Right! So, come 7, he was nestled easily in one of the back booths of his work as he hooked his ankles together and let his legs sway a bit as he waited. Giving it a few minutes, he pulled his phone out to check the time, brows furrowing slightly before he decided on what he'd order in general and opted to ask the person working for a malt. Strawberry specifically. He knew the milkshakes were nearly the same and cheaper, but he liked the flavor so it was worth the extra few cents. Stirring it a few times once he got it, he took small sips before looking around as he tapped lightly at the table. It was hard for him to sit still, so, he fidgeted, keeping it small to avoid causing any issues with other patrons.

The little return squeeze was enough to make his heart skip a beat, not having expected the affectionate gesture to have been returned! Once they'd agreed on a place, he was hurrying off towards the parking lot. He needed to get somewhere to spruce up a bit before heading to dinner and he wanted to make sure his van wasn't spotted so he would have to find a place to leave it and walk the rest of the way. The last thing he needed was for his love to realize he was getting nightly visits. Hopping into his van he drove off as quickly as he could manage, his powers snapping on so he would go unnoticed. Ugh... He was so tired, but he couldn't risk it. Just for a little bit then he could relax when he was sure he was out of sight.

His mind buzzed as he drove only for an idea to strike him. He should get some flowers! He knew of a cheap motel he could rent for a few hours not far from his favorite flower shop and that, in turn, was close to the diner! That would do nicely. He made his way there, rented himself a room and hurried to it. He sprayed a little fabreeze on his clothes from a little bottle he kept in the van and left those to air out as he took a quick shower. Okay, it would have been quick if he hadn't gotten distracted frantically rubbing one out. The love of his life had agreed to go on a date with him first try he was allowed to be excited, okay?! He was still breathless and pleasantly dazed as he stepped out and dried himself off, got dressed, walked to the flower shop as planned.

Once there, he looked around the shop, trying to figure out exactly what flowers he wanted to get. Asters perhaps? Or maybe pink or even red camellias? Red carnations or chrysanthemums? No... While all those were beautiful and spoke his feelings, they didn't say it as bold and clear as he wanted. No... Only one flower would do. He made his way over to the roses, very gently picking one up and sniffing it. Yes. Perfect! He selected a second one, careful of the thorns, and carried them to the front. There he requested the thorns be removed and that the two be laced together with a ribbon. He was tempted to throw a little more symbolism in there but in the end, he just selected a pretty black ribbon. Black goes beautifully with the deep red of the flowers. They were placed in a white box and he paid for them, thanking the florist and stepping out of the shop. The diner wasn't too far he should have plenty of time... To...

He almost dropped his phone when he saw the time, shoving it back into his pocket and breaking into a full sprint! This is what he gets for taking that extra time in the shower for himself! It wasn't far! If he hurried they might still be there!! He barely noticed the fact he was almost hit by a car as he scrambled across the street only to burst into the diner. He looked around frantically, breath ragged. So much for that shower... Hopefully, he hadn't gotten too sweaty. Dammit! He was so stupid!!

Just when he was sure that he'd missed his chance, he spotted his date near the back. A breath stuttered out of him in a rush, though the relief wasn't enough to get a smile out of him, his date might be very mad at him, after all! He slid himself into the booth across from them, still very much out of breath. "I-I'm so sorry!" He panted, even wheezing a bit, betraying just how hard he had to have run in his panic to get to the diner on time. "I had to make a quick stop..." He finally finds it in himself to manage a tired smile, placing the white box on the table between them and gently pushing it over.

"Here, I bought this for you. Thinking about earlier today in the park, it might have been a little creepy to ask you for a date on the spot." He laughed weakly, his breathing slowly starting to normalize. "I thought I might get you a little something as a way of apologizing... I-If it was awkward for you, of course." It seemed he was a bit talkative when nervous too, but on the bright side, he was now able to breathe through his nose rather than pant and he was back to smiling, warmly even, as he waited to see how his new boyfriend would feel about his gift. Two, dethroned roses. For those that weren't versed in the language of flowers, it might be seen as a sweet, romantic gesture. For those that knew a little, it was common knowledge that red roses symbolize love. If one was particularly well versed though, they may know that the number of red roses bundled together like this meant something very specific. A pair of red roses was a traditional marriage proposal.

Honestly, he was getting a bit worried the guy wasn't going to show. A bit disappointing but... At least he got to treat himself a bit... Right? He shifted in his seat, sinking in a bit as he stayed waiting, though. He had to show... He'd been so excited before, so he had to come, right? The guy wouldn't just bail after that, would he? No way. No one got so excited for something they didn't want, besides! He'd asked! He'd gone out of his way to-

In the middle of his thoughts, the man burst into the diner, the shifter's eyes widening as he felt a grin spread over his lips, not even noticing the gift over his excitement. The guy came!! He was here! A bit frantic, but he'd come! Waving him over when he looked around, Jest shifted to straighten up and placed both hands carefully on the chilled glass holding his malt. His hands were getting warm and he didn't want to overheat. He already had to hold off on going home to shower, no need to get less clean than work had left him. Then, once the other slid into the booth across from him, he grinned wider, waving a hand dismissively at the apology as he shifted a bit once more.

"You're okay! Are you alright? You look like you ran a mile-" Speaking softly, he reached out carefully, the back of his hand reaching to carefully wipe off his cheek before he paused. Eyes drawn to the box, he took a moment, face heating a bit as he took a moment to process the other's nerves before he took the box carefully. "That's... so sweet..." Muttering lightly, he carefully pulled the box open before looking over the flowers carefully.

Now, he wasn't too well versed in floral meaning, but he knew some things from an odd trip down that particular rabbit hole. The meaning of the proposal was lost on him, sure, but seeing the two long stems along with the deep scarlet of the petals made his heart race. "Long-lasting adoration..." Murmuring under his breath, he took a small breath before looking back up to the man across from him and smiled softly, definitely not on the brink of crying, no way. "Thank you, they're amazing-"

Pausing again, his brows furrowed in slight confusion for a moment before he puffed his cheeks briefly. "I uh... Hope this isn't rude, but I don't think I ever actually got your name? I usually go by my legal one at work since it's easier, but you can call me Jest if you'd like." His smile returned, one hand reached carefully over the table in an offer to shake hands.

Well, at the very least, he didn't seem upset about his being late which was a wonderful start and had him relaxing quite a bit. He laughed awkwardly as his breathless state was addressed, but thankfully the gift was enough to not only explain his tardiness but also distract from it. Even better, the gesture was almost instantly appreciated. So he liked flowers. Noted.

What he really hadn't expected was the correct translation of the flower and color's meaning. Usually the simple label of 'love' was placed on red roses, but his boyfriend had gotten the far more specific meaning perfectly. He could feel his cheeks warming and wondered if the blush had spread all the way across the bridge of his nose. It had indeed and the blush paired with the sweet smile that spread across his face made the tall, bald man look rather cute.

"I-it's not a bouquet but I thought they looked nice. Yeah... I walk past this place rather often on my walks. I... I catch glimpses of you through the window from time to time when you're working." He knew he'd moved too fast at the park so he needed to be careful to tone down his behavior. Making it seem like a coincidence sounded a lot better than admitting that he changed his entire schedule to be able to peek at them through the window every day, let alone any of the other things he did.

"I tried coming in, but, heh, I get cold feet and just keep walking. Like a loser..." Shit... He hadn't meant for his self-loathing to crop up out of the blue like that. Worse, he'd visibly wilted at the thought. Would his new boyfriend think less of him for it? Would he think he was a coward for not just coming in and saying hello sooner? Would he think he was creepy for looking in through the window, even if he played it off as a passing thing? The next question didn't help his mood either, even after finding out the other's name.

"My name...? I really don't like my name... Honestly, I'd rather be called something else, like a nickname, or something." Sure enough, no return introduction was offered, those grey-blue eyes fixed on the table till he noticed a hand had been offered to him to shake. Rather than shaking it, however, he reached out and instead simply taking it into his hands like he had at the park and held it in both of his own. His eyes were downcast again right after that and he seemed to be taking a small measure of comfort just from the physical contact. Still, even now, he didn't offer a name in return. "Jest is a really nice name, though. Thank you for sharing it with me..."

Carefully placing the flowers back in the box, he closed it gently and set it to the side, not wanting them to get damaged before he could get home and set them in a vase. Or a tall cup. Whatever worked. But, pushing down the temptation to cry at the gift, he pushed on, smiling all the same as he listened to the other speak. He seemed so nervous, it was so endearing. So, sweet. Though, the fact he'd been too nervous to approach him at work made him pause, taking a brief second to glance out the window as a flush spread easily over his features.

The fact that someone had been nervous to approach them made the shifter unbelievably flustered and excited. His heart raced at even merely the idea. He did notice the other's comment on himself, though, brows furrowing slightly before he tried to distract with the introductory question. Not that it really helped ease the guy's tension. Noting the way he avoided giving a name, the other started to think about what to call him before his train was immediately tossed off the tracks by having his hand taken in both of the other's.

His eyes widened, a slight twitch coming from his hair before subsiding as he worked to get his nerves under control. Once more flustered beyond belief, he took a moment before moving his free hand up to clasp over one of the man's. "You flatter me, but I'm glad you think so." Starting lightly, he gave his hands a gentle squeeze, lavishing in the connection of skin as he let his thumb lightly trace over the side of his hand slowly.

"And it's okay to be nervous, it doesn't make you a coward. I get freaked out all the time but you built up the courage and did something, that's what really counts, right? I admire that! It's hard talking to new people so at the very least you can be proud in doing it!" Chirping after, he gave him another squeeze before pulling his hands back as one placed near his face, forefinger bent and second knuckle tapped lightly against his lips. "As for a name... it feels kinda mean since they're usually considered useless, but I keep going back to Knickknack. Or just Knick for short? I really like little trinkets and it's almost as cute as you!" His apartment has... So Many little things. A myriad of little clown dolls, figures from media he consumed, little animal things, items that'd be best described as things you'd get from fast food kids' meals. It was not the best habit, but he usually just picked them up from thrift shops so it wasn't detrimental to his finances.

[NicTheDjinn]

He looked down at their hands as another came over to rest atop both his own. His expression started to soften then, the fact his boyfriend wanted to comfort him meaning the world. Those cobalt eyes drifted up to meet the other's when he spoke, his mood slowly improving the longer Jest spoke and with each new little show of affection. "I don't know about that, but I'm glad you think so. Glad I worked up the nerve too. You're so nice!" Ah, the subject of a name for him came back up then and he tensed, not sure if his legal name would be demanded out of him. He blinked lightly at what came instead, certainly not having expected a name like that.

"Knickknack?" A small worthless object used as a decoration. Well, he could understand why Jest had worried about offending. In spite of this, he was smiling. "Knickknacks are also small and I'm 6'4"." He chuckled softly, reaching over to take up a menu. "You like collecting pretty things, huh? Well, I'm happy you want to add me to your collection then. It's very flattering." Opening the menu up, he started to look over the items inside. His lips parted only for his smile to fall into a pout upon seeing the strawberry malt. "Oh... I was supposed to buy you something. I really am very bad at this... I-I can pay for that if you want and you can order anything you'd like! Dinner isn't really dinner without the dinner part."

He hoped he hadn't messed up again, looking over the items. He really needed to eat something... He was growing weak from not eating like he should have, but he didn't have the time anymore! He had to choose between feeding and being with his love at night and that wasn't a hard choice for him! Starving himself like this meant he needed to eat more human food, but that only helped so much... "If you're not very hungry we could share something instead?"

[cynnabnnuy]

Jest noted the way his face shifted when he moved to take his hand. It sucked that the other didn't agree with him when he responded, sure, but he got to say something he thought was pretty cool, so he was happy. The words were true as well, at least to him. He thoroughly believed what had come out of him and would've been a bit more adamant about it had he not been so easily distracted. But, he could reinforce the idea at a later date, for now, he needed to find a nice nickname for the man in front of him. That was a lot harder than he thought it'd be, though, his thoughts not cooperating as he tried to think of something else.

Nodding slightly at the repetition to clarify, they moved their hand to rub the back of their neck carefully. The smile was assuring, though, and he mirrored it right back at the man as he gave a small laugh at the height comment as well. "I mean- yeah, that's a good point." Shrugging lightly, he hummed in affirmation at the question, nodding as he took a small sip of his malt as Knickknack moved to look at the menu. "I'm a man of taste, what can I say?" Joking lightly, he chuckled softly and grinned as the tip of his tongue poked out slightly, stopped by another piercing yet to be seen. The playful expression faltered at their date's pout, though, their brows knit slightly as he spoke before they waved him off dismissively.

"It's alright! Honestly, I'm not all that hungry, and the food here isn't the best. Why don't you get something you like and I'll just steal some fries, then we both get something we want, okay?" He made the offer happily, giving the man a softer smile as he did his best to assure him. "And you can pay for the malt if you want, but I really don't mind. I'd be happy to share too if you want to, though!" Date etiquette is almost completely lost on this one, but he's trying his best to make it a pleasant time for them both.