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

"Of course," Jay immediately agreed to another excursion, as, he felt, he would agree to most anything if it meant entertainment and spending some more time with her. He couldn't get anything done if he wasn't spending time with her, after all. Not that he'd be able to call something like that a date, unlike what he would adamantly do with what they were currently doing.

Her smile was almost like a beacon, lighting up instantly and especially dazzling; it seemed she might have been genuinely worried that he wouldn't join her on her adventures anymore. Why was anyone's guess, but the most likely culprit was that she simply thought that rejecting him romantically might lead to her rejected her platnoically. It wouldn't have been the first time, with or without her involved in something, for such to happen. The world was cruel that way. Not bothering to truly mask it, she went back to her notebook, turning towards the front of it to spin it around and carefully slide it over to him, between her pile of discarded bread and the active burner. When he looked at it, there would be a collection of monster types listed, as well as a few things like cryptids that she wasn't entirely sure existed. The monster of the lake was crossed out, as was a gryphon, with a Roman numeral one beside each.

ooc: You can have him show particular interest in any kind of thing and I can work with it. Otherwise, I can make a longer list in my next post.

Jay seemed stuck on watching her for a few moments, though her showing him the pad soon snapped him out of it and he realised he might have very well said something again; she'd have suppressed her smile for sure, he thought. Still, looking over all the things listed, he couldn't help but think Phoebe was willing to follow most any lead. Most of them, he was sure, must have started somewhere. Still, a couple of the entries caught his eye and he produced a pen from within his quiver. Reaching over, he drew a line, quickly, between the Nue entry and that of the Manticore. "These are awfully similar, thinking about it. The Sphynx is one of those, too, more or less. What do you think?"

Her eyes flitted to the pad, where she had previously focused her attention on his face and she gave a gentle nod. "Xenia says they're related. One of her daughters is actually a sphynx." She recalled the initial conversation that she'd had with the chimera about it. It had been an odd one, ending largely in disappointment at the fact that she wouldn't be able to recruit Xenia's family members. Most had gone missing, some even --- for their lifespan --- somewhat recently. "I'd like to have Xenia join me on those, but I'd- she'd- ah..." Her face flushed as she tried to explain that someone would need to be around to watch Pleasant without using the term 'babysitter.' Regardless, he hadn't been wrong --- the Nue and the Manticore could just as well be the same thing in different regions, changed slightly, if at all, by perceptions for local art or just from adaptation. She'd noted it herself before, but Xenia didn't seem confident one way or another about them being the same or different monster.

"Mmm, gotcha. She's watching the little guy, no? Maybe we leave those until he's gotten bigger," Jay said, apparently catching onto more or less what she meant. He didn't see her blushing, luckily for her, as he was still looking at the pad. He tapped the pen as he looked over the various entries. He drew some more lines. Not bothering to link up firebird and phoenix but still adding thunderbird to the trio. Elemental birds couldn't be that different. He linked the roc and his own written Minokawa with an arrow and a question mark. Both massive birds, if descried differently. It was clear where his interests were, though all the links he made were tentative. Still, he seemed to think that creatures that appeared similarly in various mythos were worth checking out.

Should he turn the page, though the current one had three columns packed full with names, he'd find the list even more extensive. On the plus side, she'd clearly not looked into the various birds as much as he seemed to have. That wouldn't come as too much of a surprise to her, though --- she preferred broad strokes, and his particular brand of familiar made him more acquainted with the skies. Composing herself, she paused for a moment, seeming to contemplate something before getting out of her booth and sliding in beside him, looking over his shoulder, now at her lists. Whatever she'd had to argue against it apparently hadn't included, 'we'd look too much like a couple' or she wouldn't have done it.

Her standing up and moving around the table finally drew his eyes from the notes and he smiled when she actually sat down next to him rather than leaving to go to the toilet or something benign like that. He didn't comment, though, still tapping his pen as he read the lists on either side. There were a lot of creatures that seemed interesting, though he was looking mostly at intelligent ones. Xenia, he was assuming, had limits on the amount of stuff she could deal with at once.

Phoebe made comments here and there about various creatures as they went through them, pushing her hair behind her hear and shoulder on one side so that she could see better. She didn't even notice when the waiter came back, laying out a large spread of various meats, and even some... tofu? It took up the new space in front of her, though was largely still in front of the other booth. The waiter was smiling knowingly as he set down another pot, this one full of a light oil, along with some tempura batter for them both, and fresh forks, just in case. He didn't say anything this time, but winked at Jay before leaving. Without being able to eat until the oil heated, a potato floating around to help prevent popping, the witch kept her focus on the task at hand, ignoring that they literally had their choice of every single entree option on the menu set out. Apparently, this was also normal.

Not entirely unexpected, considering how she cleaned out the cheese pot. Still, no comment from him about it. He didn't say or do anything to dissuade the waiter either. Perhaps even to the contrary, as he acknowledged him with a smile. While they waited, he made comment on some items in the list, noting which ones his skills might be particularly useful in, and taking each time that Phoebe spoke as a chance to study her face just a little more; the creatures he made note on were generally things that were famed for having some effect or another on the weather. He could clear anything they did with a little time.

Eventually, she'd shifted all of her hair to being in front of the opposite shoulder and was idly running her hands over it as she thought. She did at least remember that there was food, and seemed to have the timing for the oil down to an art. Passing an empty plate to him for the finished food, she dipped a piece of lobster first in the batter, then the breadcrumbs before setting it into the oil. "I like to cook everything and bring it back home. The leftovers are good for quick lunches." She said, finally clarifying the spread. It was still a good amount for the pair of them to share, but with the amount she'd eaten thus far it was obvious that she'd have to take most of it home.

"Oh, okay," Jay said. He'd assumed she was just super into this stuff, though that didn't seem too far off the mark if she was specifically bringing it back home with her; especially, perhaps, with how she seemed to be an expert.

She shifted in place as she began to set up food after food, waiting as though she had a small queue set up for it. "I mostly favor the fondues themselves, but I know I need the protein." Regretably. She'd just as well live off of the chocolate and cheese, if she didn't have at least the amount of self control that she did.

"Good to know," Jay said, still watching her do her thing. He didn't interfere, seeing no reason to. She seemed to have things covered.

When she didn't notice him getting food for himself, she retrieved her first batch of lobster and began setting up a fork for him, handing him a piece with a potato on it. It was simple enough, and she wasn't sure what he wanted. "You can get some, too, ya know."

"Oh, I'm just watching you. You've got a whole system going. Hard to get in there with a queue all worked out," He said, though he took the fork from her and put it in the oil off to the side nonetheless. He'd wait a little longer, discounting the tuber.

Phoebe frowned and sputtered at him, moving to set her plate across the table. if he was going to be stubborn about it then she'd just get out of his way. Simple.

"Wait, no stop, stop, I'm taking notes, I'm sorry, don't go," Jay said, doing his best to convince her to stay on his side of the table. He started gathering a few of the bits he thought looked good, too.

She froze nearly the instant he'd begun to say stop, eyes sizing him up before she retrieved her plate and made more room for him to reach things. It still hadn't quite occurred to her that people didn't waste an entire open booth like she was doing if they weren't with the other half of their couple. No matter, she'd inevitably notice in the end.

He grinned at his apparent victory, placing each of his own prepared morsels into the oil one by one. He wasn't going to dally, now that he was apparently on thin ice. Not poking fun was fine if it meant keeping her close a little longer.

With both of them cooking, she finally settled enough to start eating some of her food, surprising even herself with the loud, pleased hum that escaped her as she did so. Shit. She'd been had.

"You sure you-..." he started, but then shook his head. No, no, no poking fun. He took that first potato from the oil and popped it into his mouth after letting it cool for a couple moments instead of saying what he was going to.

She cocked a brow at him but seemed to be content with him not finishing the statement, moving back to continuing her queue --- one line in the pot and the other slowly making its way to her mouth.

Less talking and more eating was fine. Despite having had placed the potato in his mouth whole, he took his time savouring it, mostly because the rest of his stuff was put in late. Whatever the reason for that might be.

Phoebe was content to let him catch up while she ate her own food, eventually returning most of her attention to the notebook, leaning in to him to keep herself from having to touch the notebook and risk getting food on it in some way.

Hey, that's the sort of thing he'd do if he had the excuse! Score. Anyway, Jay started to take some of his food from the pot, doing his best not to drip oil everywhere. He left them on his plate to cool a little while he nibbled on one of them despite the heat.