This Ascent to Divinity is Lewder than Expected (A Futa LitRPG)

3.23 The Date I

"Stop fidgeting," Delta said. "It's cute, but stop. You look fine. You're making me nervous."

Zoey stood in Delta's bathroom, inspecting herself in the mirror, having finished preparing herself for her and Rosalie's upcoming date. Rosalie was probably ready too. In a few minutes, it'd be time to set off from Delta's room, walk one door over, and knock.

She'd dressed, as she'd told Rosalie to, casually. She'd gone with a tried-and-true classic: jeans and a black tank top. She hoped it wasn't too casual. The intent wasn't to seem like she wasn't trying—just that she wasn't pretending to be someone she wasn't. Zoey wasn't really a 'get dressed up for a fancy date' kind of girl. She would, of course, when the situation called for it ... but Zoey was trying to show her true self.

Was Rosalie the 'preferred to get dressed up' kind of person? For all her poise and obvious pedigree, she also had a sort of razor focus that Zoey suspected meant frivolities annoyed her. That something lowkey—though a bit contradictory to Rosalie—would be her preference, too, over an event where she had to put on airs, like a fancy dinner.

That was, Zoey supposed, the ultimate point to this date: to get to know Rosalie better. And the reverse.

She'd gone light on the make-up. Maddy had helped her with that, too—the shopping part. Ephy's blessing meant it was almost redundant. Zoey was still disoriented by how perfect her features were, now, with the changes to her body. She styled her hair, but it had looked fine messy; she applied make-up, but it only made her look different, not better. Still, she put on a mild pink lip gloss, and light touches of mascara and eyeliner, just to make it clear she was trying, that she hadn't shrugged on the first clothes she found and strolled over to Rosalie's door.

Would Rosalie wear make-up? Obviously, she hadn't bothered while delving, or even in their short stay at Treyhull between shards. Her career was cutting through monsters and trekking through wilderness; cosmetics weren't high on Rosalie's priority list. But for a date? Zoey thought she might. She wouldn't care if she didn't—her stalwart practicalness was one of the things Zoey admired—but she'd also appreciate if she did. She'd appreciate Rosalie in any form, obviously.

Overall, though, Zoey hadn't gone excessive on preparations. Today was a big deal, but the events Zoey had planned weren't accommodating to dresses and heels. No fine dining and an opera house ... or whatever was the norm for this world. Rosalie had seen too much of that, Zoey had to assume. Though, probably not in date form. Maybe?

Was this her first date? It wasn't the first time Zoey had wondered over the question. Certainly, Rosalie couldn't have had a shortage of admirers, but she didn't seem the type to have entertained any of them. Arranged dates, then? Of a political sort? Or had she always been razor-focused on wayfaring? From the sounds of it, she wasn't entirely free from politics, despite her ultimate purpose of advancement.

But Zoey had a feeling it was Rosalie's first date. As in, ever. That was intimidating, to say the least. And a bit freeing? It meant she wouldn't be comparing Zoey to anyone. But also, first dates were a big deal, and this event was already nerve-wracking enough without knowing it was Rosalie's first ever.

Or, not nerve-wracking. That wasn't right. Or ... yes it was. Zoey didn't know. She was both paralyzed and giddy, totally at ease and confidently nervous. Things would go well, obviously. But also, she was going to crash and burn and ruin everything.

Delta sat on the sink, watching her with amusement. Zoey had appropriated her room so she could get ready separate from Rosalie. Delta had helped reassure her ... though maybe not in a direct manner. Mostly, she'd been teasing Zoey.

"The flowers aren't too much?" Zoey asked.

"It's grossly sweet," Delta said. "So yes, it is. She's going to have a melt down. Are you sure I can't come watch?"