Of Roses and Moonflowers (One-Shot)

~11:30 AM, Two Days Later~


It hadn't been discussed, going to lunch with Rune, but the king had made arrangements despite this. Handwriting a letter to Rune the previous day, he told the other to meet him in the Crystal City Square, where the market flourished. Today he would show the other some of the city's finer highlights and prove to him that his kingdom, their kingdom, was a good place to live. That he no longer had to worry.


And he had plans to do just that, starting with a simple tour of their beloved city.

He only just hoped that Rune would actually show and began wondering if he perhaps should have gone to the Apartments to pick him up...

The king in no way had to actually worry about Rune showing up. He had received the letter as planned and immediately had begun making sure that he was both presentable and there at the square as the King had said to be.

The morning before was hectic, Rune making to find some nice clothing for a change for his meeting with Mythril. He hadn't had an opportunity to look nice at the feast a few days prior, but this was going to be different. There was no pink this time, just classy black semi-formal wear as he finally took a deep breath and left the door of his home to go and meet the other.

Now he just had to find the king.

The king was standing beside the great crystal fountain in the middle of the square, composed as he looked around, waiting for Rune.

When he had spotted the other, he looked... surprised almost, to see Rune the way he looked. He hadn't expected that Rune would look as he did, formal and not at all like himself. "Rune," he greeted, walking over to the other, looking him over. It wasn't to say that he didn't look nice, no, the exact opposite- he looked gorgeous in a suit like that- but... "You didn't have to get dressed up just for this, little fox-blood," he said with a kind smile.

"I guess I just kinda wanted to make up for how I dressed at the feast the other night..." He chuckled, looking down at himself. He truly looked different from normal, and he couldn't tell if he actually liked it or not. "But, here I am. Formal or not..." It was this realization that caused his ears to pin straight up, a giggle coming from his lips. He was here, with Mythril...the other had actually made time for him despite leading such a busy and hectic life. "I'm glad you wrote for me to come and meet you."

Mythril hummed softly, "I promised you, did I not?" he questioned, chuckling quietly. "It would be a pleasure to spend time with you, Rune. And in addition, I can show you around the city a little, if you would like?"

"That sounds absolutely wonderful..." The fox-blood smiled, his tiny little fangs present as he visibly lit-up slightly at the suggestions of the other. He was curious about the city, curious about the whole kingdom, and he wanted to see everything. Cautiously, and with a hint of a pink shade, he offered his arm to the other.

Chuckling at this, Mythril accepted, "I suggest lunch first. The case is just across the square," he smiled, nodding his head passed the fountain.

As they began walking, the king remained silent, staying his tongue until appropriate.

When they arrived at the cafe, there was already a table waiting for them, as well as a bright cheery young spotted fur, ready to seat them- her eyes bright and sparkling. "My Lord~" she purred, seating them at their table.

"Thank you, Isabella, but I've told you before, to call me Mythril," the king said in return and the young woman giggled, her tail flicking from side to side.

"I know~" she replied, as cheeky as she looked. "Well, as you've already guessed, I'm Isabella," she then turned to look at Rune. "What's your name~?"

"R-rune~" He said in response to the question, his voice rather high pitched and crackly as he spoke. He still wasn't used to seeing people such as Isabella, furs. There were of course many people like himself back in his home realm, having different animal characteristics, but the concept of furs was still new to him. "It's n-nice to meet you~"

He had to try not to be rude, to stare. Of course it wouldn't have been malicious, but he was barely able to help it.

"Nice to meet you, too, Rune~ That is very pretty name~" she purred, giggling once more, before Mythril cleared his throat, evidently amused with her antics. "Oh fine~" she stuck her tongue out at him- odd behavior around a king- before getting out a notepad. "Do you both want a few minutes to decide what to get for lunch~?"

"Yes, please, Isabella," the man chuckled, shaking his head and she grinned.

"Okay~! I'll be back in a bit, then~" with that, she skipped away, to help some other customers at the cafe.

Rune took a breath of relief as Isabella stepped away, a chuckle coming from his lips. "She's quite the....interesting one isn't she?" He looked down at the menu, not even knowing where he should begin with everything. The food here was so different than what he was used to. It was all so...foreign. Though, since this kingdom was in essence pretty much just a melting pot to begin with that was completely to be expected.

"How about a simple glazed fish to start?" the king's expression softened as he watched the fox-blood. "I assure you that our fish isn't so different from Earth's. Their names, perhaps, but not their taste."

"Uh...sounds great." He said with a giggle, eyes-wide as he continued to look at the menu. Of course he recognized a few things, but most of the ingredients were just a mystery to him. "I'm going to simply have to go off of your recommendations until I get a bit more familiar with all of this..."

"Very well then," Mythril smiled, nodding his head. "Go ahead and pick your drink, as well, and when Isabella returns, I'll place our order," he offered.

"I think I will just go ahead and go with the old standby, water. That can't be different here can it?" He laughed at this, but it was honestly a very real question. Everything was so different, and it would take quite a long time to get used to everything.

"Water is water, dear Rune," Mythril said with a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"W-well. I wouldn't know...chemical compositions could change depending on the realm you're in. Like..." He huffed, looking to the side as a pink shade dusted over his cheeks. "What is there besides water? Anything good?" He tried to shake the embarrassment away and looked back to Mythril with a rather cheeky grin.

"We have something called Snowberry Cider? I recommend it with baked Anoi- a type of fish we have here- or a good steak?" Mythril suggested with a soft chuckle. "Anoi is good with any side dish we have at the cafe and I'm sure, being from Earth, you know what any good steak is best with as far as side dishes go- foreign meat or not."

"So steaks are rather similar to Earth then. You know, made from cows right?" He grinned, making a rather adorable 'mooing' sound at Mythril before instantly shaping up in an attempt to gain back at least some of his dignity. He was in the presence of royalty after all. And...there was a chance that Mythril didn't even know what a cow was so the risk of complete and total embarrassment was there for the taking.

"Not an Earthen cow, no, but a bovine creature, yes," the king said with a smirk, amusement sparkling in his eyes as he watched Rune, pleased with what he was seeing- how comfortable the other seemed around him. It was exactly what the king wanted to see- not the shell he'd seen at dinner the other night.

It was easy to be comfortable like this around Mythril. Even though he was a king, it was still just a single person. The crowd was what he had trouble dealing with, not the king himself. "Well, close enough to a cow then. At least you knew what that sound was supposed to be." He coughed slightly, reaching up to try and scrub away the heat that had collected on his cheeks. "So...this kingdom, eh? Any places a fox should visit in particular?"

"There are plenty of areas for entertainment, Rune," the king hummed, thinking for a moment. "We have... an amusement park, a zoo, a tavern... There is the ocean beyond the kingdom. There is a lake inside the kingdom itself... but if you're interested in something a little more peaceful, I would recommend the Palace Greenhouse. Every flower and tree I planted myself, though my gardeners tend to the plants more often than I am able, I am ashamed to admit..." he said with a soft sigh, looking down at the table, a frown on his face.

"Well, you're a busy man Mythril. A busy man with a lot of busy things to do...like take nobodies like me out on lunch dates." He stuck his tongue out, not even thinking about the term he had just used. It wasn't a date...was it? "I'll definitely have to check that out, if only just to see what kinds of plants you picked out to grow. You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of flowers they like."

"I'm afraid then, that you'll find me quite extravagant," Mythril smiled a little, breezing past the 'date' terminology that Rune used, wishing not to bring it to light in case he embarrassed the poor fox-blood. "My greenhouse is perhaps the second thing I must my most pride into, other than the kingdom itself."

"Then I absolutely have to go and visit it. If you put so much work, effort, and pride into it...then perhaps it is something that everyone should try and take the time to go visit." He smiled, enjoying the slight bit of excitement that Mythril showed in response to the garden, knowing he had to go and see what the other was so proud of. "Perhaps later today I could pay a little visit?"

"Perhaps..." the king thought for a moment, falling silent, before he smiled, rather sweetly, "we will leave that to conclude the tour of the kingdom, hm~?"