They settled on the blanket together, and Satou poured wine into simple wooden cups. It wasn't fancy, but it was what they had.

"To first dates," Satou said, raising his cup.

"To first dates," Jessica echoed, clinking her cup against his.

They drank, and Jessica made a face. "That's... stronger than I expected."

"Sorry, I should have warned you. Want water instead?"

"No, it's fine," she laughed quietly. "You just surprised me." ,She took another sip, eyes sparkling as she glanced at him

"So… what happens next?" Sarah teased. "You know — on dates."

"We do whatever we want," Satou said. "There's no script for this, Jessica. We just... spend time together. Talk, eat, enjoy each other's company. No pressure, no expectations."

"I like that," Jessica said, visibly relaxing. "No pressure. I can do that."

They settled into conversation easily after that. Jessica told Satou about her day—the minor panic about the dress, Lyra's patient reassurances, the way some of the settlement women had offered fashion advice that ranged from helpful to completely bizarre.

Satou told her about his meetings with Urgak and Lyra, carefully avoiding the more serious topics in favor of lighter anecdotes. Like how Urgak had suggested they solve the housing shortage by "just making everyone sleep in shifts" until Lyra had thrown a report at his head.

As they talked and ate, Satou found himself seeing Jessica differently.

Not that he hadn't noticed her before—but he'd always seen her through the lens of "healer" or "little sister figure." Competent, caring, reliable. Someone who took care of others.

But tonight, away from her responsibilities and just being herself, he saw other facets.

Jessica was funny—her observations about settlement life were sharp and often hilarious. She did a devastating impression of Urgak's "diplomatic voice" that made Satou laugh so hard he nearly choked on his wine.

She was thoughtful—when Satou mentioned his concern about Chronus holding a grudge, Jessica didn't offer empty reassurance. Instead, she talked through practical steps he could take to protect himself and the settlement, showing a strategic mind he hadn't fully appreciated before.

She was curious—she asked him about the dungeon, but not just about the combat. She wanted to know what the different floors looked like, what strange creatures he'd encountered, how it felt to constantly adapt to new challenges. Her questions showed genuine interest in his experiences, not just his power.

And she was vulnerable in a way she rarely allowed herself to be around others.

"I was terrified when you left for the dungeon," Jessica admitted during a lull in conversation. "Not just worried—actually terrified. I kept thinking about how you'd only been in this world for a few months, and you were already taking on challenges that killed demon lords. What if you didn't come back? What if I never got to tell you how I really felt?"

She stared into her wine cup. "When you told me before you left that you couldn't return my feelings, I was devastated. But also... almost relieved? Because at least I'd been honest. At least I'd said something instead of just carrying it silently forever."

"And then you left, and I spent every day wondering if you'd come back. If I'd see you again. If I'd get a second chance." She looked up at Satou. "So when you came back and said you had feelings for me too, when Lyra said she approved, when everything suddenly became possible... it felt like a miracle."

"It wasn't a miracle," Satou said gently. "It was just me finally being honest with myself about what I felt. I'd been hiding behind calling you my little sister because it was safer. Simpler. But it wasn't true."

"What is true?" Jessica asked.

Satou set down his wine and took both of Jessica's hands in his. "What's true is that you're brave—you told me how you felt even when you thought I'd reject you. You're compassionate—you heal people not because it's your job but because you genuinely care about helping others. You're beautiful—not just physically, though you are that, but in the way you move through the world trying to make it better."

He squeezed her hands gently. "And what's true is that I love you, Jessica. Not the way I love Kelvin, not the way I love the settlement. I love you the way a man loves a woman he wants to build a life with. And I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it."

Jessica's tears finally spilled over, running down her cheeks in streams that caught the floating lights. But she was smiling—a radiant, unguarded expression of pure joy.

"I love you too," she said. "I've loved you since you first taught me to defend myself. Since you showed me that being strong didn't mean being cruel. Since you built a place where I could be safe and valued and free."

She pulled one hand free and wiped at her tears, laughing at herself. "I'm crying on our first date. That's probably not very romantic."

"I think it's very romantic," Satou disagreed. "Honest emotion is always romantic."

He pulled her closer, and Jessica came willingly, settling against his side with her head on his shoulder. They sat like that for a while, watching the floating lights drift through the clearing, listening to the sounds of the forest around them.

"I'm glad you're here," Jessica said softly.

"I'm glad I'm here too," Satou replied honestly.

Jessica pulled Satou into her arms, and they kissed, holding each other close as they confessed their love in quiet, heartfelt words.

Eventually, the night grew late enough that even in their private clearing, the temperature was dropping. Jessica shivered slightly despite being pressed against Satou's warmth.

"We should probably head back," Satou said reluctantly.

"Probably," Jessica agreed, but she didn't move.

Satou stood and helped Jessica to her feet. He gathered the blanket and remaining food, using Earth Manipulation to create a small basket to carry everything. The floating lights he dismissed with a thought, letting them fade back into ambient mana.

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