The day passed like any other. I made more deliveries, took shortcuts due to traffic, and kept my eyes out for trouble. The city seemed calmer than usual. By the time the afternoon rolled around, I was more than ready to call it a day. So, after reporting back to work, I clocked out and headed home to get ready for my date.
I took a quick shower and dressed up. A simple blue shirt, jacket and black jeans. Nothing too flashy, just enough to look presentable. After a quick look in the mirror and a mental check to make sure I wasn't looking like a complete fool, I grabbed my keys.
"Alright, time to go," I locked the door and went to the little garage.
Wait! It's our first date and I can't possibly take her out in that beat-up car of mine, can I?
It didn't take long to find a rental service. I rented a good car. The car wasn't too fancy or too cheap, and most importantly, it looked good. It's an Audi A6. I took a test drive around the block, checking to make sure everything was in working order. Everything seemed fine, so I drove it to the mutant school.
I was ten minutes early when I reached there.
"Phew!"
I took a few deep breaths as I parked the car and got out. I had been nervous before, but this felt different. Multiple relationships with Jean and Kitty where they are considerate of each other's feelings, well, I'm a lucky guy.
Kitty soon came out and she was wearing a simple black dress with her hair tied in a bun. She looked good as usual. Ohh, she put on some makeup, I see. I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she made her way towards me.
"Hi," she said with a smile.
"Hi," I replied with a smile. "You look... beautiful."
"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself," she said, her cheeks blushing slightly. "So, where are we going?"
"Truth be told, it was sudden and I didn't get enough time to plan things," I told her the truth. "But, how about a long drive and dinner, maybe a drive-in movie after? If you're interested, of course."
"Sounds good," she replied, nodding. "And it's nice that you're spontaneous. It's... exciting."
"Oh, I'm full of surprises," I chuckled as I opened the car's door for her. She smiled at me and got in. I closed the door and walked over to the driver's side and as I was about to get in, I saw Jubilee, Rogue, and Jean peeking their heads out of the door like three conspirators. They even gave me a thumbs-up. I shook my head and got in.
As I settled into the driver's seat, I caught Kitty glancing over at me with a grin.
"Something funny?" I asked, starting the engine.
She laughed softly, shaking her head. "It's just... I saw Jean and the others spying on us."
I chuckled. "Yeah, they're not very subtle, are they?"
Kitty rolled her eyes playfully. "Nope. But, it's sweet. They've been teasing me about this for weeks."
I shot her a sideways glance as I pulled out onto the road. "You? Nervous? I wouldn't have guessed."
She shrugged, looking out the window with a slight smile. "I don't get nervous about many things, but this... I guess it's different."
"Different how?"
Kitty turned back to me, her expression softening. "We've known each other for a while, right? But this... us... it feels like uncharted territory. I wanted to make sure I was ready before... well, before we did this."
I nodded, appreciating her honesty. "I get it. It's a big deal. But we'll take it one step at a time. No pressure."
Her smile widened. "I appreciate that."
The tension between us eased, and the atmosphere in the car felt lighter. We continued driving through the city.
"So," I said after a moment, glancing at her. "You into drive-in movies, or did I just luck out with that suggestion?"
She laughed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I love them. Jean used to rent a car and we would often sneak out without permission. It was fun. Plus, you get to sit in a cozy car instead of those cramped theater seats."
"Good to know. I think I've got the perfect spot in mind."
"So, how's work?" she asked casually, leaning back in her seat. "Busy with deliveries?"
"You know how it is. The city never sleeps, and neither do the packages. It's been a little busy lately, but nothing I can't handle," I replied. Yeah, it's been a little too busy lately. Gotta put in some more effort. If not for these fucking surveillance cameras and shits all over the city, my job would have been much easier. I need to find a mutant with techno ability or something similar. That way, I should be able to disable nearby cameras and all. Anyway, let's focus on the date.
Kitty nodded, her smile widening slightly. "Anything exciting happened lately?"
Exciting... Well, yeah. I just fueled a war in the mafia world. In a couple of days, I'm gonna start a war. End a couple of gangs together. That's kinda exciting, right?
I chuckled, keeping my voice light. "Exciting? Not unless you count getting stuck in traffic for an hour or almost getting side-swiped by a cab. Or arguing with a customer about whether or not their package was insured. I swear, some people are just—"
I stopped abruptly, realizing what I was saying. "Sorry. I guess I just needed to vent a little. I shouldn't be complaining about my job on our first date."
"It's alright," She laughed, shaking her head. "Sounds like the glamorous life of a delivery guy."
"Yeah, I really live on the edge," I teased, grateful that the conversation stayed focused on my day job. "Mostly it's just packages and paperwork. But every now and then, you run into something weird—like that guy who signed for a package wearing a bathrobe and snorkel mask."
Kitty burst out laughing. "You're kidding!"
"Nope. One hundred percent serious. I guess everyone's got their quirks."
We continued chatting and joking.
After a relaxing drive through the city, we ended up passing by a cozy little diner. I was ready to pull in and suggest dinner.
"Actually," she said, "I was thinking... how about we grab some burgers and fries and eat them at the drive-in? You know, something simple and fun."
I agreed, loving the idea. "That sounds perfect."
We pulled into the diner's parking lot, and I quickly ordered a couple of cheeseburgers, fries, a Mt. Dew for her, and a Coke for me. While we waited, we leaned against the hood of the car, chatting about random things: movies we liked, her favorite ice cream, and all those nice things, you know, getting to know more about each other. It felt so natural, so comfortable.
After we picked up our order, I paid and we made our way toward the drive-in movie. It was a bit far, but it was ok.
..
[Drive-in Movie]
I found a good parking spot, and as soon as I turned off the engine, Kitty reached for the takeout bag. "This is way better than a fancy restaurant," she said, pulling out the fries. "Burger, fries, drinks, movies and you... It's the best."
"We should do this more often then," I said as I unwrapped my burger.
"Yeah, we should. Next time, maybe with Jean... You know, three of us together," Kitty said with a shy smile.
"Sounds like a plan..." I replied.
We munched on our burgers, laughing at the cheesy one-liners from the action flick on the screen and trading fries like it was the most natural thing in the world.
There was something about the simplicity of it all... The food, the movie, and just being there together, made it feel like the perfect first date. No pretenses, no awkwardness, just... us.
After a while, Kitty leaned back, her eyes on the screen but her attention clearly elsewhere. "You know, this is nice. I was worried it would feel weird, going from friends to... this. But it doesn't."
I glanced over at her, taking in how the glow of the movie flickered across her face. "Same here," I admitted. "But honestly? I'm glad we're doing this. It feels... right."
She smiled at that, a soft, content smile. "Yeah. It does."
We stayed like that for the rest of the movie, enjoying the movie, the food, and each other's company. By the time the credits started rolling, the night air had cooled, and the city beyond the drive-in was calm and quiet. I couldn't help but feel like the night had gone better than I could've hoped for. I mean, my first date with Jean got interrupted over and over again, but thankfully, tonight was good... Really good.
"Ready to head back?" I asked, stretching my arms and glancing over at Kitty.
She nodded, but there was a warm glow in her eyes. "Yeah, but I had a really good time tonight."
I smiled, starting the car. "Me too. Let's do this again sometime."
"Definitely," she replied, settling back in her seat as we pulled out of the lot and headed back toward the school.
As we drove through the city, the silence between us wasn't awkward or heavy. It was peaceful, filled with the quiet understanding that this night—this first date—was just the beginning of something more. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I didn't need to rush. We had time, and I was okay with taking things slow.
----
Next Chapter: Black Widow
****[POWERSTONES & Reviews]****
Support link: patr eon.com/UnknownMaster
[12 advance chapters] [No double billing]
...