A Complicated Meeting (Open to Ray)

((lolz, by the way, Akari's hair is silver ))
Akari heard a faint "she looks beautiful" and her head turned sharply to look at Akane. She didn't know if he was talking about the moon, some person walking down the street, an animal, or... no way, not possible... it couldn't be... her.
"So, what do you feel like eating? It's your choice, my treat." Akane said to her. Akari thought for a moment, but she had no idea what this town offered. She also felt a little distracted, by what she wasn't exactly sure, but it was definitely messing with her head tonight.
"Hmm... Well, I don't really care. As long as it has good food anything's fine with me. How about there?" Akari asked, pointing to a small restaurant ahead of them. It seemed pretty crowded, and there was lots of light and noise. Whatever was wrong with her would probably go unnoticed by Akane in all the confusion. "Unless, uh, you just want to walk around and eat..." Akari said suddenly. She stared at her feet, wondering where that outburst had come from.

Akane looked at Akari, he paused for a second. "Walking around and eating sounds nice, we'd be able to talk...and still spend time together. Without a crowd and noise around...the restaurant there looks a little crowded to be honest..." he said trailing off, he looked at Akari. Akane could see she seemed a little distracted, he put his hand on her shoulder and put his other hand under her chin. He slowly lifted her head until they looked each other in the eyes "Hey" he said softly "Is everything okay? You seem a little...distant? Or may distracted? Preoccupied...? All I know is that something seems wrong. And, even though we've only known each other a little time. I'm kind of...worried..."
(haha sorry, it looks pink in the picture)

Akari felt her face go about a million shades of red. He was worried about her? Her head felt a little light and she couldn't think clearly with Akane so close. Desperate, Akari dug her nails into her palm, drawing blood. The fog in her head went away with the pain. Akair smiled and said,
"No, I'm fine. I was just thinking is all. It's been a long time that I've just relaxed and walked around, you know? Especially with someone. Normally it's just me and Tsuki. It's nice to have someone to talk to." Akari gently separated herself from Akane and looked around. "Hmm... Do you have anything you'd like to eat? Because, if not, I want to go there!" Akari said, pointing to a stand selling skewers of vegetables and meat. Akari felt that Akane was still looking at her anxiously, so she sighed. "Alright, I'm a little worried about Tsuki. I mean, I hate it when she gets injured, so I just get a little freaked out about it. It's no big deal. I'm fine."
Akari bent down and rubbed Tsuki's back. It was true that she was worried about Tsuki, but Tsuki would be fine. Akari finally accepted the fact that she was so out of it because of Akane. Something about him was messing with her. But Akari couldn't let herself get distracted from her mission, so she shook her head and stood up again, spinning to face Akane.

Akane smiled from beneath his cloak. Which he had the strange urge to take off. Even though he knew if he did, it would mean instant death. He was too easily recognized. If he did it would have to be a place where no one else would see him. Akane quickly shook from his thoughts and saw Akari pointing to a place where she felt like going. Akane nodded "Sure" he said happily "We can go there..." Akane trailed off as he saw a long row of street vendors, each selling jewelry and various robes and clothes. Akane got a sudden thought, and before he could think about whether it was a good idea or not he blurted it out "Hey, I was thinking if maybe first I could get you some jewelry?" Akane turned red in the face, he hadn't expected it to come out so well, especially when he was so nervous. "To celebrate a mission well done. And to...well...bring out yours eyes in the light..." Akane turned redder, why was he being so...sweet? And charming? He held back a sigh, he didn't want to offend Akari. Akane, still hidden beneath the cloak, quietly waited for an answer as they slowly walked towards the food cart.

Akari blushed another million shades of red. Hopefully, in the dim light and the crowd, Akane couldn't see it. "S-sure!" She stammered, feeling self-conscious. "You don't have to though! That's very sweet of you!" Smiling slightly, Akari followed Akane to a man selling lots of jewelry and chattering to his customers. Akari had never been one for wearing jewelry, but she felt like tonight, she would make an exception. She bent down, tucking her hair behind an ear, and looked at an array of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. They all looked beautiful, but Akari had no idea what to get. She had never really been in a position where she was buying herself jewelry. "Well, I don't want to be a bother or anything, so, I'll just get something inexpensive." Akari said, looking for the pieces that had the lowest prices. They weren't as pretty, but they were still nicer than anything Akari owned.

Akane waved his hand as Akari mentioned buying a cheaper necklace. He put his hand on her shoulder and gave a slightly visible smile from beneath his hood. "It's okay, really. Pick the most expensive one if you want. I have enough money to last for many lifetimes. I don't need it all. I'm only one man right? Besides you look like someone who doesn't wear jewelry often, but when you do you certainly deserve the best." Akane smiled again as he spoke "Consider this and dinner my little gift for a successful mission, and for showing me a good time. Possibly-No definitely, the best I've ever had." Akane moved aside his cloak and pulled a small bag of gold coins from his belt. He took Akari's hand and opened it, palm up. He placed the small bag of gold in her hand and closed her hand around it. "That should pay for even the most expensive piece of jewelry here. There's more than enough, you'll probably have a lot more left over. So, you can keep that for yourself. That added with dinner, a necklace and all of the payment for our mission, and you're making out like a bandit today." Akane laughed as he took a step back and eyed at Akari "And if you're worried about being burden. Don't. Friends aren't burdens. And, call it weird, but even though we've only known each other a few days, I consider us friends..." Akane trailed off as he crossed his arms casually and stared off past Akari. He quickly snapped back into his senses and looked back at Akari, giving a small laugh he spoke again "And if you're worried about returning the favor. There is only one thing you can possibly give me: Your word that we can do this again sometime in our lives."

Akari didn't know what to say for a moment. No one had ever been so kind to her before, except her brother. But he was dead. She smiled brightly even though inside she felt like crying for no reason she could fathom. "Wow! Thankyousomuch! You're really nice! You're a great friend!" Akari jingled the bag of coins in her hand. I can't accept this.... Akari thought. It was almost more money than she had had in her life. "Well, since you're being so generous, I guess I shouldn't waste this!" Akari smiled at Akane and looked at the jewelry again. Suddenly she saw the perfect necklace. It had a silver chain that was fairly simple, but the pendant was gorgeous. It was made of rubies and gold, blended together so that it looked like fire. It was shaped like the branches of a tree, but seemed to be opening like a flower. On either side of the middle pendant were two deep red pieces of glass that stretched our like wings. Akari stepped forward and picked it up. It was perfect. Akari turned to Akane and smiled. "It's beautiful!" She said happily. Akari swung to the merchant selling the necklace and held it up for him to see. After paying the man for it Akari hopped back to Akane and gave him a huge grin. She was doing a lot of smiling tonight, and it was nice that this time, they were all genuine.

Akane couldn't help but smile back at Akari. "You look truly beautiful," he said sincerely "It looks perfect on you." Akane took a good look at Akane, and for a second she seemed to be the only person standing in the street. Her eyes seemed to draw him in again, like a Siren's song, her smile was as bright as the shining stars above. Her long hair shone in the moonlight. Her skin glowed softly in the latern light. Akane couldn't help but feel something in his stomach...was this...no....butterflies? Akane, quickly blushed but hid it under his hood. "So, ready to go eat?" he asked "You must be starving."

Akari decided to pretend she hadn't heard those compliments, because if she thought too much about them she knew she would explode from nerves. "Oh yeah! Let's eat!" She bent down and picked up Tsuki, rubbing between his ears as she cradled him. "Ready for some fish, boy? I know I'm up for something to eat!" Akari didn't look up from Tsuki as they walked to the man selling shish-ka-bobs (I believe that is what you call veggies and meat that are grilled and shoved on pointy sticks). "Here, let me pay for yours too, Akane. I mean, you gave me a lot of money, and I'd feel bad if you payed for my dinner too!" Akari asked for some ______ skewers (what kind of animal do they eat in avatar world?) and also for some fish. Looking around, Akari thought of something. "Are you going to buy anything for Garuda? Like a gift or something?"

Akane took the shish-ka-bob that Akari had got for him. He sighed "Dinner was supposed to be my treat...but if you really want to. Thanks." Akane took a bite of the meet and looked at Akari as she spoke "Are you going to buy anything for Garuda?. Akane thought for a second, "Well I do usually yes. He is a large bird though...and as you can imagine his appetite is as big as him. Usually it'll take a few large livestock..most of the time it's cows...a horse that one time but that's a whole other story...and then the elephant in the Earth Kingdom..." Akane who had been thinking outloud looked at a slightly confused Akari. Akane smiled nervously "The answer is yes," he said as he took another bite of the skewer "I will by something for Garuda. I'll pick it up tomorrow though. The livestock markets are closed till morning anyway." Akane took another bite from the skewer and looked at Akari "Hey um..." started Akane nervously "Do you want to go on a walk with me? After we're done eating. Like a moonlight walk, to just...unwind...or something...if that's not too weird."