Day 25 - First Date

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It wasn't often that one of their group made solo contact with those who requested help from the capital's finest hodge-podge of heroes, but if Minoth had to pick the least likely to go it alone, it'd be Haze, no question.

Yet, there she was, excitedly buttonholing a female Common Blade. A different sort of help, huh? As the other girl, laughing, departed, Minoth caught a frown creeping onto his favorite healer's face.

"Something up, Haze? Looked like you hit it off, to me."

"Well...but I must ask Lady Lora!"

Minoth placed a firm hand on Haze's shoulder, and when she didn't startle (or at least, stopped startling), he added the other.

"Are you and Lora actually what humans call official?"

Haze bit her lip. "No..."

"Any quantification of a romantic relationship at all?"

"No..."

"So you don't have to tell Lora squat. You go have your fun! Not gonna hurt anybody."

"Master Minoth," Haze began warningly, moving to shuck his protective arms, "this sounds like encouragement to cheat."

Minoth laughed. "Maybe so! I'm trying to get you to understand that for you to truly be your own person, you've gotta stop checking everything with your Driver. It's the only way your head comes out alright."

"Did yours?"

"'Course not! 's why you love me just the way I am."

Haze grinned - rather, gave her best and most Haze-like approximation of one: pursed lips dancing against each other as she gradually realized just how much she wanted to smile, and how right she'd be to do so. "Okay. So...so I'll meet Ashe tonight, and if Lady Lora asks where I'm going, I'll just say I'm going on a date."

"Because you are," Minoth put in.

"Because I am - oh, eek!"

"What's the matter now?"

"Master Minoth...I'm terrified!"