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

Phoebe either ignored the position or didn't care as she looked through the notes. Eventually, she grabbed her napkin and used it to close the notebook, tossing it into her booth and proceeding back to eating like nothing had happened.

And there went what she would have done if he had done so, how sad. It was fine, though. It made it easier to eat.

Eventually, they ended up with a sizable bit of leftovers, and the oil was taken away as boxes arrived for such. Passing the pot off to another server, their waiter handled boxing up their food for them, leaving the boxes in a bag and setting that in the unused booth, as if making a barrier to keep her from returning to it. Saying nothing to either of them, he made his way back to the kitchen, soon returning with their chocolate. Setting the pot down, one could notice the brilliant white was painted with a faint, milk-chocolate drawn heart and a raspberry in the middle. Phoebe turned solid red instantly, and it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that her hair was changing from blue and green to pink instead, and vividly at that. She tried to sputter something, but the waiter only smirked and winked at her before walking off, unscathed.

Oh, man, Jay thought he was just doing his best not give the waiter any ideas while also making sure not to not give him any. This was far better than he expected. From the pot he looked immediately to Phoebe, amused, enamoured, and fascinated by her appearance all at the same time. It helped that so much of her hair was moved by herself to the shoulder opposite him, giving him a wonderful view of it all.

Phoebe was soon hanging her head, defeated and blushing to a degree that made her feel like she could just die, right then and there. Well, it looked to be that Jay wasn't the only one getting the "wrong impression" about her opinions and interests in him. This wouldn't do at all, but right now she just really, really wanted to get that heart out of the chocolate. Stabbing one of the pieces of pound cake that had been left while she wasn't looking, she swirled it in the chocolate before biting it off in one go. It was bite sized, so it wasn't a terribly surprising gesture, but she'd been a little aggressive about it, especially for someone that looked like a character out of a children's story.

Jay, on the other hand, was fine with leaving it in there as long as possible. Of course, it wasn't possible to leave it for long. He felt free to indulge in the desert once Phoebe was done with messing it up. He wondered, then, how bad of an idea it was to take the raspberry and... Oh, damn it, he couldn't rightly resist. He poked his fork into the raspberry and only half covering it in chocolate such that it'd be very obvious what it in fact was, then moved it over to her mouth instead of his. His smirk was not possible to hide. He wouldn't be surprised if he got punched or something.

Her face only got red all over again, and she stared at him in surprise, embarrassed. Punching him certainly seemed like a good idea, but she instead quickly bit the raspberry off and turned away, eating it in embarrassment.

He was surprised at first, but her taking the raspberry and eating it was even better than just getting to tease her. It was another one of those small things that he just loved to see, that made him feel like a kid with a crush or something. He was in deep. He leaned against the table, smiling, watching her. Very much not eating like he ought to have been, once again.

So long as she could feel his eyes on her, she wouldn't turn around. This ended up culminating in her taking an exceedingly long time to chew and having to eventually force the berry down. Fidgeting with her fork and a strawberry, she waited, seeming to be expecting him to say or do something, though what she had no clue.

It... It wouldn't work again, would it? He looked away from her for only a few moments, spearing a strawberry onto his fork and dipping it in the chocolate. He brought it to her lips, again. Surely, this was pushing his luck? But, he couldn't not.

Her face was even more red this time, and she ended up dropping her fork before she could skewer her own fruit. She looked very much like a deer in the headlights, now, and she slowly opened her mouth, clearly spooked.

He was starting to get embarrassed just watching, by proxy, never mind that he was the one feeding her. Still, the fluttering in his chest couldn't be denied. Even if she did look scared, somehow, he prepared another bit of fruit. For a third time, he did the same. He was starting to think she wouldn't do anything about it...

Phoebe couldn't deny that he certainly seemed right, but it seemed like the third strike was the out, and she quickly turned away before he could try it again, hair slowly darkening towards a red.

Really, he wouldn't have gone on beyond the third. Feeding her like that, with her reaction being so absolutely adorable, was getting a bit too much for him. He felt like his chest would burst from the feeling. He turned away as well, leaning against the table again, while spearing a strawberry to feed himself this time.

It was several moments before she finally brought herself to eat the food again, sparing no real time between for him to feed her or strike up another conversation.

Jay sat there and ate the various bits in silence, face slightly turned away from Phoebe all the while. She wasn't the only one that didn't think they could talk with no issues.

Silent and sheepish, she finished up what she seemed capable of eating, her hair slowly dimming back down to pink before the initial colors took effect once more. By this point, the waiter had returned, trying not to chuckle as he shut off the burner and began to box up the remainder of the food.

He ate slowly, so he wouldn't be unable to eat any more for a little longer. He quite liked her presence, even if they weren't having a conversation of any sort. He did spare the waiter a glance, once he came around, smiling very softly. His meddling may not have been welcomed by Phoebe, but he appreciated it.

"Do-" she shook her head, clearing her throat in order to work more of the confidence back into her voice, "Do we want to do anything, after this?"

He almost seemed surprised to have heard her speak, for a moment. They had been quiet for a while, after all. Recounting the meal and all the fuzzy feelings it had brought upon him made the answer to that question tricky. He scratched at his forehead, hiding behind his arm, as he closed his eyes and thought. "I want to figure out if I'm being punished or rewarded," he muttered, the answer more for himself than anything else. Really, how could he not take more chances to stick around with her, but also, how could he keep doing that with her attitude? "Maybe? I wouldn't know what," he gave his answer, though noncommittal it may have been.

Phoebe initially offered him little more than a curt nod, thinking and debating to herself. Hardly had the waiter left them to themselves, however, before she blurted out, "You're wondering, 'what are we,' aren't you?" She said, surprising herself. Her hands quickly clamped over her mouth, hair discoloring from the surprise and embaressment.

Jay's hand lowered as he now open eyes moved to regard her. He tried to figure what the hell to say to that, because she was the one who seemed to have no real idea what she wanted. He thought he was fairly clear. "Close enough," he said. Leaning back in his seat, then, he looked to the ceiling, making the decision to ruminate on the initial answer he gave to her first question until she had anything more to say. If she did.

She nodded and looked down, knowing at least approximately what it was that he wanted, though she wasn't, rather obviously, terribly keen on personal relationships, on letting people close. People that were close learned secrets. Weaknesses. They could get hurt, and they could hurt you. With her own goals, especially, she was less than happy to consider the thought of dismissing her typical notions of interpersonal relationships. Still, she was genuinely worried about the prospect of him just... leaving if she didn't at least leave the option open. Sighing audibly, her entire upper body raising and lowering as the tension eased away, "Can we... go for a walk? Or... back to the apartment?"

Ooh, a sigh. Very much not an answer or clue that clearly leans one way or another. Jay should probably get used to it, and to things like the invitation that followed. He looked slowly down from the ceiling and towards Phoebe. "A walk sounds good," he said, since it was the option with somewhat less of a chance of all of what had been happening here at this place and before to keep happening. It was a mystery, really, if he should want for it all to keep happening or not. He stood himself up, took a moment to straighten up his clothing a little, and then looked to see if that waiter who had been here a moment ago was going to get a bill for them or just leaving to do something else. He'd get someones attention if it was the latter.

Phoebe nodded, standing and smoothing out her clothes. When he didn't immediately stand as well, she gave him a small, confused look before nodding towards the doorway, "My card was on hand already; you don't have to worry about paying. I've got it." She might pay for that in some other manner later, but that was fine. If things developed the way he wanted to, then really, it was all about give and take, right? "Where do you want to walk? We could... even go to a museum if you wanted? Or a garden?"