Chapter 856: Getting Ready Too Early
While Ayia spent hours finding the perfect outfit, Theo was getting ready for the date as well. But his process was much simpler, as he already knew what he would wear.
The steam from Theo’s shower, a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful attempt at transforming his bathroom into a tropical rainforest, finally dissipated. Theo, a man whose grooming habits could best be described as "functional," emerged. He hadn’t exactly scrubbed himself raw, but neither had he employed any advanced exfoliation techniques. His hair, a mass of silver mop that perpetually defied gravity, was still damp, clinging to his forehead like a determined seaweed.
His internal monologue, meanwhile, was a fascinating blend of anticipation and mild panic. "Right, date with Ayia. Impress her. Don’t trip over the cat. Don’t spill anything on my shirt," it chattered, the mental equivalent of a particularly nervous squirrel.
Even though he had been dating Ayia for months already, he still got nervous before dates with her. After all, the best description we can give the readers is that Ayia was so beautiful that she could easily be a supermodel famous worldwide. Plus, this goddess had an amazing personality that liked Theo!
So, it wasn’t a surprise that Theo still got nervous before their dates.
He rummaged through his closet, a chaotic landscape of neatly folded shirts (mostly) interspersed with rogue socks and mysteriously misplaced items. After a brief debate between a slightly-too-tight button-down and a slightly-too-casual t-shirt, he opted for the latter – safety in slightly-wrinkled familiarity. He paired it with jeans that had seen better days, but still held their own.
A stylish Jeans, a quirky anime T-shirt, and a stylish jacket.
This simple outfit made his silver long hair and silver eyes shine, and made him more handsome.
Next, the shoes. A silent battle raged between his trusty, slightly scuffed sneakers and a pair of dress shoes he’d worn only twice, or his boots. Sneakers won, a testament to his inherent practicality.
The entire process was punctuated by small, endearingly clumsy moments: the near-miss with the shaving cream, the frantic search for matching socks (one eventually revealed itself hiding inside a shoe), and a brief, comical struggle with a stubborn button. He even managed to accidentally spray himself with too much cologne – the olfactory equivalent of a shout.
Finally, having conquered his wardrobe and escaped significant injury, Theo surveyed his reflection. He looked...FINE. The simplicity of his outfit couldn’t hide his handsome features, so he looked like a casual Prince Charming. A perfectly acceptable level of presentable for a date with a girl who, according to his internal commentary, was pretty awesome.
He checked his watch. He was an entire hour early. With a sigh that contained equal parts nervous energy and a hint of self-amusement, he slumped onto the living room couch, a picture of reasonably presentable anticipation. One of the house cats, a fluffy white creature named Angel, smelled him and lay down next to him, as if silently commenting on his casual outfit. Theo, absorbed in his internal countdown and secretly hoping for a smooth, uncomplicated evening, remained oblivious to Angel’s scrutiny. The date was, after all, the main event.
Theo had said to Ayia that he would pick her up at 7 PM, but as Theo looked at the clock and saw that it was still 6:01 PM, he wondered if he had gotten ready too early.
As Theo ruminated on that, Sylph announced that Aurora had arrived from her day at school.
5 minutes later, Aurora climbed the stairs from the underground garage.
"Tadaima!" Aurora said out loud as she entered the house.
"Okaerinasai!" Theo replied as he looked at his little sister.
"How was school?" Theo asked with a doting smile.
"Tiring!" Aurora exclaimed as she threw herself on the enormous couch.
"Come on, let me cook a snack for you before I leave for my date." Theo smiled as he dragged her to the kitchen.
The delicious aroma of Cheese Rolls and Bread– a testament to Theo’s culinary skills– hung heavy in the air. Aurora, perched on a stool at the kitchen island, couldn’t take her eyes from the snacks that Theo just made. Theo, now wearing an apron so that he didn’t spill things on his date outfit, watched her with a mixture of dotingness and curiosity about her school day.
"So," Aurora began, her voice brimming with the self-importance only a Student Council Vice President could muster, "Mr. Henderson finally agreed to let us have the disco ball for the spring dance. He initially had some...reservations. Something about ’health and safety concerns’ and ’the potential for catastrophic glitter-related incidents’." She sighed dramatically. Internally, she was secretly thrilled that her persuasive skills had triumphed over the fear of glitter-related mayhem.
Theo, as a good brother, was interested in her things, so he said, "I knew you girls could do it. When will the Spring Dance happen?"
"Next month, so we have a lot of things to get ready before that." She said
"And the debate club meeting was...interesting," Aurora continued. "Brenda from year 12 argued that pineapple belongs on pizza. Can you believe it?" She shook her head, clearly still reeling from the audacity of the statement. Theo, a secret pineapple-on-pizza enthusiast, felt a sudden urge to defend the controversial topping. But wisdom prevailed.
"Sounds...exciting," Theo mumbled, his gaze fixed on a particularly stubborn dust bunny.
After a lengthy recap of the student council’s latest initiatives, which included a highly controversial proposal for mandatory sock puppetry classes, Aurora finally paused for breath. This was Theo’s cue. He knew his sister’s interrogation would inevitably lead to this point.
"So," Aurora asked, her tone shifting from official pronouncements to a more conspiratorial whisper, "tell me about your date tonight. Is it true you’re taking Ayia stargazing?"
Theo’s eyes widened. He’d been hoping to keep the stargazing date under wraps. A blanket, a thermos of hot chocolate, and a clear night sky felt far more romantic than a bowling alley, but he was still slightly nervous. Ayia was a bit of a free spirit, and he wasn’t sure how she’d react to his carefully planned, intimate setting. The thought of a meteor shower happening at the wrong moment, or worse, a sudden downpour, sent a shiver down his spine.
"Uh...yeah, stargazing," he stammered, trying to sound nonchalant. "It’s...peaceful."
Aurora smirked. "Peaceful? With Ayia? That’s like saying a kitten is ’a little playful’."
Theo groaned. His sister had an uncanny ability to make even the simplest things sound ridiculously dramatic. He knew then, with a certainty that only siblings could share, that his evening would involve not only hoping for clear skies, but also a barrage of Aurora’s teasing commentary. He sighed, knowing he was hopelessly outmatched. The possibility of a spilled hot chocolate, he thought, was the least of his worries.
Just like that, Theo explained to her what he had prepared for tonight, and Aurora listened to his plans, her eyes shining in excitement.
"So, what do you think?" Theo asked, "Do you think that Ayia will like it?"
"Of course, she will, bro!" She exclaimed, "Knowing my big sis, she will be extremely happy." Aurora laughed.
Theo heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that.
Just like that, the siblings talked until the time for Theo to leave arrived.
"I left dinner ready for you, but if you want, you can still ask for delivery food." Theo said as he walked toward the garage, "Be careful! I’ll be back later!"
"Don’t worry, bro!" Aurora said with a smile, "Have fun on your date!"