2pUSHK

It's a Date..?

Emily couldn't conceive why she'd agreed to this, let alone why she was going through with it, but she got up, went upstairs to get dressed, and rushed back down, concerned to leave him alone; 

He'd sat the coffee table back up on it's legs and planted himself on the couch, waiting for her, and -when she came down the stairs- grinning stupidly again. 

"You look very nice." he said smiling. 

She just looked at him again, she had no words, would it be like this the whole time? Would he leave her alone after this?  

"Are you ready now?" he asked, 

"Where are we going?" she continued to stare at him blankly, 

he jumped up from the couch and hurried over, grasping her hands tightly and pulling her toward the door, "Just come along! I know you'll like it!" he giggled, 

she walked with him outside, grabbing her baseball bat on the way out; they continued silently for a bit, she was just wondering where they were going. 

"...what's the point of this anyway?" 

she wondered aloud, 

"I just like being around you Emmy!" he stated things like this so matter-of-factly.. 

she just kept walking, staring at her bat vacantly. 

"......where are we going?" 

he stopped walking and looked at her seriously again, "Emmyyyy.." he huffed, "It's a surprise!" 

they walked quietly for a bit again, 

"Don't call me Emmy." 

"...I keep forgetting..I'm sorry!" he whined, 

"I oughtta' slug you. ...It's bad enough my name already ends in a Y, don't fucking dare make it sound even cutesier." she said folding her arms, 

"But you are cute!" 

"I AM NOT FUCKING CUTE." 

He pouted and looked at the ground, still walking, she didn't know why he'd even bother with her, especially how she was treating him; yet she continued to follow him regardless. 

"What is this really about?" 

he hadn't noticed her talking as he was peeking around a corner, verifying their location in his head no doubt, before quickly snatching her arm and scurrying into and through some trees. 

she blinked at him again, in a bit of a stupor as he'd led her out to a small clearing in the trees; it was was wonderfully peaceful, there was no one and no thing around, everything was still. 

"You said you like to be alone, so i thought we could be alone..together!"  

He'd lowered his voice a sizeable amount, such as when you walk into a hushed room, and feel the need to speak quietly yourself, being that the room just has that effect on you. 

The trees were mostly overgrown, blocking out the light all but in the center where a pillar of light fell gracefully, like a spotlight down from the clouds, she was simply stunned she had no idea this was here, so close to home. 

"..H-...how did you know this was here?" 

"I have my sources." he replied with a smile; once again he seemed to overlook, or honestly not care about the ramifications of his words. 

Tai paused for a moment examining the bat in her hand, "Why did you bring that thing with you?" Though his voice was still high and cheery for the most part as usual, his tone was suddenly unsteady and slightly foreboding; she looked at it herself; she carried it with her quite a bit and didn't think much of it, it was generally for defense, and the occasional property damage, "I just did, ...why?" 

"You sure carry that thing around with you a lot.." He hissed,  

She was mildly alarmed by his sudden change in disposition, "I'm...used to it.." she said, eyeing him tentatively, 

"Okay!" the air about him was suddenly bright and pleasant again as he sat down in front of her, "It's okay the bat's your best friend now-I'll change that!" 

"...What." 

What a confusing little shit. 

"You won't need to carry that thing around anymore because you'll have me." he hissed again, but quickly returned to smiling brightly before she could have a second thought about it. 

Once she'd stopped trying to understand him it was much smoother, she just sat there peacefully for a time, and he just watched attentively, until she felt like speaking up again,  

"I'll ask again since you didn't seem to hear me the first time, what is this really about? 'cause I know you don't mean what you're saying." she stated blankly, he was slightly taken aback, 

"Of course I mean what I'm saying Emily!" he didn't hesitate to hug her again, regardless of the weapon in her hand, he must really trust her, poor kid; just as these thoughts rolled across her mind he spoke up again,  

"Or maybe, not quite.." as expected; She patiently waited for him to continue, though he took a generous pause, "...I said you were pretty but you're beautiful, and I said you were cute but you're adorable, there's a hundred more things i could say that i haven't, and I did say I love you...and I mean that." 

She was frozen, and blushing furiously, at least, furiously as she ever did or could, she didn't know why this mattered to her, I mean, sure, she hadn't really had a love confessed to her genuinely before, but it was...this kid, and even so there was something else there, something she couldn't deny. 

Tai looked up at her hopefully,  

he didn't really expect a response, he smiled to himself at the sight of her deeply rose-tinted cheeks, and nuzzled her softly, unrelenting in his grip. 

She really had nothing to say or do, she made to continue sitting there in silence, but it wasn't the same as before; It seemed...warmer, and brighter in the small forest glade, but, it was nothing, she was sure of it. 

"..And Emmy?" he spoke again, she remained frozen, "I know you're strong, and amazing and all, so you don't need someone to protect you, but, ...I'm sure you need someone for something, and whatever that something is I'll do it." he finally let go of her and sat back in the grass with a discreet and bitter glance at the bat, which she'd dropped and had rolled an inch or two away from her. 

Of all previous confusion, the state she'd now fallen into was easily the worst. "Um....thank...you..?"