It's NOT a date... (Arc/Lani, Private-ish)(NSFW)

She knew the lie even before she'd begun to type the message, knew the immediate reaction it would trigger in the fellow magic user, yet she sent it anyway. Want to go for a hike? The message had begun: It's NOT a date! That's how the message had ended, but she knew how he'd respond, knew he would have said it regardless of whether or not she'd tried to clarify. Still, at least the effort was made, though that might have been a worse idea than just ignoring the prospect altogether. Whatever. Let him say what he would; it's not like she could exactly stop him.

Of course I do! Jay sent a message back soon after. This was going to be fun, and he hadn't had a date in a very long time, at least not a proper one where both people agree that it is one. Jay wouldn't accept that it wasn't one, not when Phoebe had agreed when he suggested in the first place. He let her know as much. It totally is. he sent in another message, a few moments later.

Shut up, birdbrain. She sent back, though she was smirking when she did, setting about making herself presentable without seeming like she was preparing for the date that she totally wasn't going on! She ended up finishing way sooner than needed, and grew antsy quickly. Instead of just waiting around her apartment, she told him to meet up with her at a cafe, where she did possibly the worse thing for her nerves; she got coffee and waited.

That's not very nice, even if it is true some of the time. Jay's reply was the last that Phoebe would receive for the time being, since he was going about getting himself ready too. Unlike her, however, he wasn't in denial about the fact that he was trying just a bit. That much was clear when he arrived, as he was wearing normal people clothes, or at least mostly. Perhaps still a similar style and perhaps not clothing suited best to walking long distances, but he didn't seem to be bothered; it was simple enough, in that he was wearing jeans along with a button up shirt, atop which he had on a waistcoat. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up just past his elbows and he had the top couple of buttons undone. The ever present quiver still stayed at his hip and the boots he always seemed to wear were hidden beneath the jeans. His goggles also weren't to be seen atop his head, the hair on which was slicked back a little more neatly than usual. "Hey," he said, simply enough, as he approached her.

Phoebe all but jumped when she heard him, clearly caught off-guard and filled too much with caffeine --- this may or may not have been her third cup. "Jay. Right. Hi." She said, carefully pushing out of her seat and holding a hand out to him awkwardly. Well, this is going SPLENDIDLY.

Jay was cool enough until she got all startled. He was just his usual chill self up til that point. After, though, he couldn't hide his amusement and perhaps a hint of both excitement and an unusual cheerful note to top it all off with. With a low chuckle, he spoke, ignoring her outstretched hand for the time being. "Are you, perhaps, nervous?" he asked, with a slight grin.

She responded with a quick, almost instant glare before gesturing to her cup, "Too much caffeine," she said, pushing the blame off of her nerves and onto her coffee consumptions. He wouldn't believe her, of course not, but she could at least put the effort forward. Phoebe almost went and explained that she'd been waiting there for a while, but she figured that would only spur him on further. "Do you want some coffee?"

"I getcha," Jay said, though not because he believed her but because he didn't want to make her angry with him quite so quickly. Or at all, if he could help it. "I could go for one, sure," he said, pausing, smirking a little again, "Though didn't you just say you've had too much already yourself? I wouldn't want to make you sit and wait while I drink by myself..." he then went on. Perhaps he couldn't quite help himself.

"I can... get a sandwich or... something," she said, trying to act nonchalant but tripping over her words didn't exactly help her attempts. Still, she turned around and went to order them food before he could call her out on the matter. That was a safer approach, she thought, at least until he finally did get the chance to call her out on it.

Jay sat himself down at the table that she had previously occupied, watching as she ordered whatever it was that she was ordering. He had no clue, since she didn't even bother to ask him exactly what he wanted. He didn't seem to mind it, though; his face certainly betrayed nothing but his ever increasing amusement. He was not expecting her to be so flustered, but he was certainly loving it.

She returned a few minutes later with a coffee for him, more of a mocha, so that it was at least a little sweet, and a sandwich for herself. Phoebe picked at it slowly, using it as an excuse to not talk or look at his dumb, grinning face.

Jay was happy to sit and sip at his mocha, chosen by him or not, while just taking in the very unusual behaviour of Phoebe. After a while, he spoke up, however. "So, any ideas on where we'll be walking to?"

Fuck. She thought, mouthing the word though it didn't escape her lips. It was another thing she hadn't had the sense for, though she did have some options in her phone, "I thought you could choose." She said, voice surprisingly steady as she pulled out her phone and slid it over to him.

"Uhm..." Jay said, looking at the phone and not mentioning that it was pretty obvious that she just didn't think about it, considering her initial reaction. "Lets see where the wind takes us?" he said, having trouble with picking on the spot.

She laughed a bit, a somewhat nervous gesture but not too obviously so, "Do you mean that literally, birdbrain?" She asked him, taking the phone and putting it away.

"Poor choice of words, I admit," Jay said, scratching at the back of his his head, a low and slightly nervous laugh of his own following. "There's a park a little ways away that we can go and see first off," he said, a suggestion being better than what he said before.

She nodded at this, an amused smirk still at her lips, though she opted not to tease him further. "That sounds nice." Phoebe said, finishing up her sandwich and gathering her trash together for when they left.

Jay quickly drank what was left in his cup and put it down, standing up from his seat. "So how much did that cost?" he asked, hand in his quiver, digging as one might do in a pocket for change.

She waved away his attempts, grabbing the cup and making her way towards the door and the trashcan beside it, "Does it really matter?" Phoebe asked, clearly not bothered; "You can pay next time." Shit, she thought, wincing at the realization, that implies that there's going to be a next time...

Jay chuckled, taking his hand out of the quiver. "I can deal with that," he said, his grin back in full force. He quite liked the sound of that slip-up. Still, he waited for Phoebe to be done with getting rid of the rubbish patiently and with no more teasing.

Once done, she lead them outside, just waiting for him to call her out and her poor, nervous behavior up to this point. She almost would rather him do so now, rather than let them build up --- she was pretty sure there'd be more, with this track record -- and go after her all at once. Fuck, but she was making this seem more and more like the date that it certainly was not the more she spoke. Fun.

"So, do you think you'll be like this next time, too, or do I only get to enjoy this... Caffeine overdosed, as you put it, side of you for today only?" Jay asked once they left the store, the idea of not teasing her too much seemingly going out the window entirely. He didn't last long.

Phoebe pushed her elbow back, against his gut, when he spoke, making a face as she whirled around to face him. She was on her toes in an attempt to get in his face, expression indignant as she waved a finger up at her, speaking accusingly, "You... you... you insufferable ass!"

"Deserved that..." Jay said, though still smiling despite having just been jabbed in the gut. He wasn't about to try and deny the accusation, as he was fully aware that it was kind of true. "And though true it may be, you knew it full well when you agreed to this whole thing."

"Agreed to what?" She said, huffing, whirling around and marching off. The behavior made her seem even younger, as though her height was making her seem mature at all.