A real fake date?

Evelyna was already waiting in the park looking at her phone. Barnaby comes up behind her, "What are you doing here?"

"Barnaby! Hey, how are you?" Evelyna shouted as she came back down from being startled.

"Fine. What brings you here?" Barnaby asked again as he held the internal laughter at her jumping.

"Tiger said he needed to met me for something," Evelyna explained as she came closer to Barnaby simply to hear him in the large crowd.  

"Odd. The old man said he needed something similar to me," Barnaby said before he began dialing his phone. No answer but a sound caught Evelyna's attention in the crowd. "He's not answering. Humph That is odd. Usually the old man wants to rammble on about something," Barnaby wondered as he put his phone away.

"Unless he is following one of his other habits," Evelyna suggested as she scanned the crowd.

"Hum?" Barnaby made in noise as he watched he scan the crowd.

"Has he been acting weird and extra nosy at the office lately about your plans?" Evelyna asked as she turned back around.

"Yeah why?" Barnaby answered though he was still confused.

"Mine too," Evelyna shared.  "And now he has tricked you and me out to a park alone together. A park that is currently celebrating 'young love' with the new spring season," Evelyna explained as she pointed to the sign only a few feet away from them.  Barnaby moaned as he put his face in his hand.  "Plus if you glance over my shoulder you might catch him trying to hide in those bushes," Evelyna pointed just past her shoulder.

Barnaby looks past her to see Kotetsu's hat fall behind the bush. "Old man," Barnaby said as he took a step forward.

"We could go over there right now and confront him about it," E said causing Barnaby to stop in his tracks.

"Or?"

"Or we could meddle right back," Evelyna said with a grin.

Barnaby got a devilish smirk, "What's the plan?"

Kotetsu peeks up from the bush. "Ah! Where'd they go?" He spots Barnaby's head above the crowd and quickly goes after them.

"You sure he's coming?" Barnaby asked.

"Yeah. I'm tracking he's pda. He's only a few feet behind us," Evelyna explained.

"Ok, over here," Barnaby said before diving into a crowd around a statue. They hide together behind statue. They see Kotetsu come around the corner and watched him get annoyed that he lost them. "Ok. We lost the old man. What do we do know?" Barnaby asked.

"Well we could call it day here. Make him think he saw things," Evelyna began.

"Or?" Barnaby said in a playful tone as the day was taking a turn.

Evelyna smirked, "Or we could do little sneak peeks down through the fair, seeing how long he'll tail us to make his dating plan works or not."  Barnaby's phone rang. "Looks like your making the call," Evelyna said before climbing the statue to spot Kotetsu.

Barnaby answers his phone. "Hello. Yes I'm in the park. Unlike a particular old man, who was supposed to be. Its amazing you remember anything," Barnaby teased and smirked at the phone. He watched Evelyna climb the statue. Her body was almost wiggling as she responded to Kotetsu's exaggerated responses. "Yeah turns out Evelyna is here too. Yes I did. Turns out she got stood up by a crazy old man too. Yeah I'm walking her home now. Yes. Through that fair is the shortest distance. Hello? Old man? He hung up," Barnaby finished as he closed his phone.

"That's because he's making a move. He's coming!" Evelyna declared as she leaned away from the statue.

"Let's go!" Barnaby snatched Evelyna off the statue and began to run through the crowd with her almost on his shoulder.

"Barnaby!" Evelyna squealed.

"What?"

"I think this is a pretty big give away," Evelyna said as she felt like a flag being waved around.

"Good! Its no good if he can't get close," Barnaby shouted as he ran.

"Huh?" this time Evelyna was confused.

Barnaby ducks between two booths and slide Evelyna back to the ground. "Sorry about the sudden grab," Barnaby apologized pulling her close to hide her from view. Evelyna nods it off as the pair scan the crowd. They see spot Kotetsu run by. "All right. I was thinking instead of completely ducking around playing hide and seek with the old man; let's make it look like something its not so he stops bugging us," Barnaby began.

"What do you have in mind?" Evelyna questioned.

"Evelyna would go on a fake date with me?" Barnaby proudly asked.

"What?!" Evelyna almost snapped at the concept.

"Look he's not going to back off till he gets what he's set his mind too. And if we don't do a date today he'll just figure out another way to try set one up again," Barnaby explained. Evelyna sighed and nodded in agreeance.  "So if we look like we are doing this little game of his and tell him it was awful maybe he will back off a bit," Barnaby explained.

"Well it is a good thought. But if we go through with it you are going to have to follow up more than me. You two share a cubicle pretty much," Evelyna voiced her concern.

"I can do that. So what do you say?" Barnaby confirmed.

"Its your show, Handsome," Evelyna teased as she stood back up. Barnaby's shoulders shot up. She never calls him that. It was Fire Emblem's nickname for him. Sure a couple other people called him that but she never did. This time his entire was getting warm. She offers her hand, "Lead the way."

He takes her hand and guides her close, "My pleasure."

They began walking together as Barnaby wrapped her hand around his upper arm. The would go into the shop the tents a little. Evelyna even tried covering Barnaby's glasses with funny ones  only to have him put a more outrageous pair on her. Kotetsu finally caught up to them as they found snacks. Barnaby scoped Evelyna close to take a chomp of her pretzel. Her counter was taking on his drink from his hand. Kotetsu tries frantically to take pictures with his phone but only captures his thumb.

Till the time came that Barnaby spotted on particular vendor, a balloon vender selling nothing but heart shaped balloons. Barnaby began to move towards it but Evelyna pulled his arm back a bit. It did not stop him though, instead it only made him more eager. In what felt like less than a moment he came back with a balloon. Evelyna's hands were covering her face that was going through the shades of pink very quickly as Barnaby chuckled as he tied the string around her wrist. He could resist grinning like he was five again when her eyes came just over her hands to see than duck back down again. Now the redness had spread to her ears as she muttered something in her hands. Barnaby's hands were on her shoulders as began to step closer. A thud startled Barnaby as Kotetsu came crashing out of the crowd. Before Kotetsu looked up Barnaby grabbed Evelyna's hand and had them running for it again.

The pair jumped a few empty bars and dove into the boat together and began down the tunnel ride.

"For an old man who doesn't workout, he is hard to outrun!" Evelyna almost panted as the boat disappeared into the tunnel.

Barnaby caught his breathe, "Yeah. But when something gets in that head of his he will smash through anything to get it done."

Evelyna laughed softly, "Crusher. Works in more ways than one for him."
 
"True," Barnaby agreed with a snicker.  They just fell together. No really thought about how they moved but after they caught their breath. Barnaby's arm moved across the back of the seat. Evelyna almost thudded onto the back before she slide down his arm to end up against his chest. His forearm came down to complete the circle around her.  A few minutes passed as the two simply rested on each other.  "Um, hey," Barnaby began breaking the silence. Evelyna turned her head so she could finally look him in the eye.  "Why do you like balloons so much?" Barnaby asked looking at the bouncing heart. Till he glanced at Evelyna only to be greeted by her eyebrow being up. "You always seemed annoyed people tease you about giving them to you but when they actually do you get all embarrassed, hide behind them and hold onto the string so tight," Barnaby explained while pointing out her fingers wrapped in the string. Barnaby watcher her hands move as she seem to be scanning them. She turned back to Barnaby only to hear him add,  "I would say something about flowers but you seem to hide in those when you get them too."

Evelyna's eyebrows came down slightly as her lip rolled a little, "I hate how observant you are."

"I know," Barnaby said with a smirk.  "Now tell or the string gets it," he teased as his hand on over her's.

"They're just fun," Evelyna began after shrugging off his comment as her attention returned to her hands. Barnaby almost leaned onto her shoulder as she got quieter with her answer. Though she did chuckle when he actually did touch her shoulder. The tension seem to release from her. "People send messages all the time now. With phones and countless electronic devices people have today. But when you want to do something different than normal, something big and cheery, fun or playful people," Evelyna began.

"People can use balloons," Barnaby interjected.

"Right!" Evelyna almost cheered. She turned back to her normal direction as she leaned more on Barnaby than looked at him. "It is like for a moment somebody thought about you and wanted to feel good." Barnaby's hand moved next to her's again though now his arm was beginning to slide her closer. "Flowers are similar but have their own language," Evelyna finished explaining.

"You must have gotten a lot of flowers and balloons before," slipped from Barnaby's mouth before he realized it.

"Nope."

"What?"

"I didn't get a single gift of either till I got here, to this city," Evelyna said as she ran her fingers over the string. "No matter my age I never struck people as a person to give gifts too. Let alone things like these. Till I got here and Tiger gave them to me," Evelyna explained with a soft pink tone to her cheeks as she fiddled with the string again.

"So those were your first ever?" Barnaby asked almost turning her in his arm.

"Ever. How about you?" Evelyna asked as she turned back to him.

Barnaby's head leaned back as she got closer than he expected. "Just flowers sometimes. Not the other thing, not since I was little anyway. People don't give balloons to grown men," Barnaby said as his eyes drifted down and away from her. The boat pulled up to the side as the ride ended.

Evelyna stood up first to get out. "Than I guess it is your turn for some over due good thoughts being sent your way," Evelyna said with smirk before running off.

"What? No! Don't even think about it!!"  Barnaby began shouting from the boat as his face turned red realizing what she meant.

"Too late!" she shouted running down the exit ramp.

For the first time in a while a full smile came across Barnaby's lips as he watched the heart balloon bounce down the ramp.  "That woman," he mutter before giving chase.

Kotetsu finally caught up with the pair toward the end of the fair as he followed blonde hair just above the crowd. He broke through the crowd enough to get a peek as Barnaby wrapped Evelyna in his arms, lifted  her up till her feet were off the ground and spun around for a little bit.

Evelyna's feet touched the ground again in enough time for the pair to take a few steps together. Evelyna bumped shoulders with Barnaby before saying, "So we are pretty much at the end of this little street fair. Do you want to wrap this up?"

"No," quietly and quickly slipped out from Barnaby's lips. His hand covered his mouth just as quickly as the words came out. His eyes scanned the everywhere expect where she was standing. He caught the signature hat disappear behind a tree again. A sigh came from Barnaby as his hand dropped to his side.  "Guess we should," Barnaby finally agreed.

"Ok," Evelyna said as she stepped in front of him and pulled the balloon down to level with them.

"Hey, what are we doing? I thought we were finishing up. I have things to do," Barnaby bitterly added on as he was getting confused by the situation.

"I know but you can't tease Kotetsu about it being a fake date if it doesn't have a fake ending,right?" Evelyna said with a wink. Somehow she managed to bring the playful energy back to the situation. "Which is why we are hiding behind the balloon. Now put your hand on mine," she finished instructing.

Barnaby wrapped his hand around her's,  "This part I don't understand."

"You really don't watch alot of movies, tv or read books do you?," Evelyna teased. She knew how he spent most of his free time but teasing him always seem to bring him back to the moment. It worked this time too as he gave his scowl. Evelyna smirked caused him to reciprocate.  "All right. Kotetsu is a big softy or an old school romantic depending on how you want to view it. So to him and some other people this looks like a little secret kiss goodbye at the end of a date," Evelyna explained.

"Well than this must have been a terrible date because if it was good we'd be closer for a better kiss," Barnaby said as he stepped in closer to Evelyna. He pulled her hand closer to his arm. "And we would be touching each other," Barnaby said describing every kiss he has seen on movie posters.  

Evelyna ran her finger tips along Barnaby's jawline. "Like this," she said as she traced down his jacket to rest her hand on his chest.

After a moments break Barnaby ran his free hand through her hair with his thumb just touching the hair line to mimic her actions. "And this," Barnaby added as he rested his hand on her hip. "Than the longing look," Barnaby was going to tease her about but jumped in his boots as his eyes came up to be greeted by her's already. Something caught in his throat as the vibrate blue eyes locked with his. His chest puffed up as he seem to be having issues catching his breath. "Before closing our eyes for the final lean in..," Barnaby tried to continue.

Evelyna closes her eyes. "Sometimes it is easier if one partner closes their eyes before the other," she almost whispered.  Barnaby began to lean in. Till a moment caused him to swallowed his tension and freeze in place. Evelyna touched her nose just barely to the side of his. "This is should be close enough," she added as she stood still before Barnaby.

Barnaby did not close his eyes as he became filled with the sight before him. The scent of her breathe washing over his face, the warmth of her skin, her hand so small in his and being so close to him. 'She's never looked like this before,' Barnaby thought as he watched the deep brown curls frame her face. The balloon squeeks next to his ear. "That should be long enough," Barnaby said as he almost yanked himself backwards. "I think our cover heart balloon here almost popped," Barnaby tried to tease as he moved their hands down.

"I'm more worried here," Evelyna said as she tapped on his chest.  "It felt like your heart was going to take this racing jacket as a suggestion and run for it."

A grumpy humph came from Barnaby. "I don't know what you are talking about," Barnaby said as he tries to pout and turn his face. Evelyna's hand slipped away from his chest and out from his hand. His eyes came back as soon as his hands emptied.

"Ok,"  Evelyna said with a chuckle. She leaned in one more time and gave a quick peek on his cheek. "I've had a fun fake date with you. Talk to you later Barnaby," Evelyna said as she waved bye.

"Bye," Barnaby barely managed in his daze.

"So how was that kiss?! It looked awesome!!" Kotetsu shouted as he leapt out  from the bushes behind.

Barnaby arm came up in defense as he was kicked out of his daze,"You really were close!"

"Come on tell me!! How was it? My cute little bunny got his first kiss," Kotetsu almost cheered trying not to jump in place.

Barnaby turned his head sideways a little, "I don't know what you're talking about old man."

"That kiss just now!! Come on I saw it!!" Kotetsu kept shouting as came back in front of Barnaby.

"You saw what happened, just now," Barnaby tried to drag out. He tried to stick to the plan that he mainly concocted less than a couple of hours ago.

"Yeah! Tell me about it!" Kotetsu shouted almost shaking Barnaby in place.

"It was awful. Just awful."