First it was the fair where they had gotten stuck up on the peak of a roller coaster drop. Then it was the taste-testing at the Stray—now this time, it was an evening away from everything they knew. Lars could only guess what the other was up to, and the signs blaring all over were either telling him to tread with caution or just go in recklessly.

After all, it wasn’t easy being so open with his feelings after the past few ‘disasters’ that had shaken him to the core. The last time he had done that he ended up getting burned so bad he had sworn off on anything that had even the slightest notion of romanticism in it.

But this?

He was sure… well, he was hoping that he was more than sure that this wasn’t going to be a mistake unlike the last time he had so foolishly charged into something that he hoped was a mutual understanding.

So why was he reading too much into the signs too seriously? He continued to stare at the text message asking him to go to this certain address in Lilycove, and to wear something nice.

Didn’t he always dress nice? Or maybe this was something else entirely? Like that other time they had both been set up…

Arceus, Lars, get with the program already! Don’t be such an over thinker!

He didn’t know why he was twenty kinds of nervous as he arrived, before being shown to where Evan was waiting for him. Mentally slapping himself upside the head, he braced himself as he took a deep breath and opened the door…

…walking right into something that he wasn’t exactly expecting. Boy did his gaze wander over to the piercings that he would secretly side-eye when he hoped the other wasn’t looking.

Was he actually wearing something nice for once? He had never felt so under dressed.

“I told them to handle it themselves, they can survive one day without me manning the helm,” he replied, chuckling as he ran his hand through his hair and quickly closed the door behind him before settling down on the couch.

“So what exactly are we going to do this evening?” he joked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.