Tattooed

A Special Dinner

"And done! Beautiful!" Sarai exclaims as she finishes combing her sister's hair back from her face before turning her to face the mirror. It brought a smile to see her sister make a surprised expression when she saw herself, and she couldn't help but feel proud.

Just the other day Amaya had sent her frantic texts asking her for help with a date she had with a man named Gren. Thanks to Soren and Janai, Sarai was able to find out that he was the kind and friendly owner of the bookstore they had visited a few months prior, and the friend of Rayla's godfathers as well. And much to her amusement, (thanks to Janai) he was also the same man who happened to attend one of their shows and Amaya crowned the queen of love and beauty after throwing several flowers in his direction after every game she won during that tournament. At least now she could put a face to this Gren fellow, knowing he was completely harmless, and seemed like a good match for her sister. Sarai couldn't even remember if there was a time she had seen Amaya act this way with anyone before when they were younger, but if she did she probably kept it to herself.

[Do I look good enough?] Amaya asks when she turns to face her, a worried look etched on her face. [He said it was a simple dinner, nothing too fancy. I don't want to be overdressed for the occasion.]

[You look fine sister, I doubt he would think a simple knit sweater, jeans and boots with your hair brushed back is overdressed.] Sarai signs in response before taking her sister's hands and lifting her chin so she was looking directly at her. "And don't worry, we'll be nearby just in case, just leave it to us."

---

"I feel very overdressed for this." Gren states as Ethari is trying to comb his hair back. "And what did you even put in my hair?"

"Some sort of hair gel Soren gave me before he left to help set the dinner up. Said his father used it to slick his hair back and his sister got wind of what we were doing and sent him a container of the stuff to help make you look nicer." The baker responds before stepping back to examine his friend's hair. "Actually, this looks nicer than I was expecting. Enya, is that coat fixed yet? Gren's hair is done."

"Already finished fixing the buttons!" Gren hears her call from outside the bedroom before she enters carrying a simple brown coat in her arms. "And I fixed the fraying edges of the button holes while I was at it, I'm surprised this was in such bad condition."

"An old gift, I think from a cousin I was on okay terms with." Gren says as Enya shakes out the coat and holds it open for him to slip his arms through. "Oh and it still fits, I thought I had outgrew it."

"And it goes nicely with the turtleneck Crowmaster lent you." Ethari adds as he starts to button the coat up and adjust it. "Now, no need to be nervous, it's just a simple dinner."

"A simple dinner with the woman he's been crushing on for the past four months!" Enya corrects him as Gren's cheeks flushed red. "Though we're all treating it like he's going to propose to her."

"You're making him go redder than a strawberry, he's already blushing up to his ears." Ethari laughs before he finishes with his task and pats Gren on the shoulder. "Relax old friend, everyone already knows you fancy her, I think even she knows as well."

"I just want this to go smoothly." Gren mumbles as Enya hands him a scarf and he starts to wrap it around his neck. "What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing is going to go wrong, we're making sure of it."

"Here's some advice: just don't think about it and act the way you normally act with her." Enya instructs as she grabs the scarf to fold it in half, loop it around his neck and slip the ends through the hole and adjust it. "I was a huge wreck with my first official date with Soren, I thought I was gonna be sick. But I tried focusing on having fun, and after a while I forgot about being so nervous and managed to enjoy myself with Soren."