"It was entirely justified."

"I mean, yes, but it's still not very pleasant to be on either side of."

Snuggle. He can't disagree with her, there.

"Ugh. And now we can never go to that coffee shop ever again."

"There are other, nicer coffee shops."

"Yes, but I don't like having places that are the equivalent to little black marks on my mental map, that I can never go to again. Because I made a scene."

"You could ignore the fact that you made a scene and go there again." Maybe have a second first date, he doesn't say, because she said she didn't want him to.

"I cannot," she says, with utmost gravity. "Someone might recognize me and know."

"...and?"

"I would feel awkward, they would feel awkward, someone might ask an awkward question, I'm English, James, do you think I like social conflict?"

Oh Heavens she's adorable. He starts laughing.

"Oh, hush, you," she grumbles, without any heat.

"I'm afraid my American might be unable to appreciate the gravity of the situation."

"It is very serious! You are not in your backwater set of colonies anymore, James, you are in England! We are civilized here! No displays of emotion or strong connections to people if they can at all be avoided! If they cannot, then all who witnessed this mishap must be!"

Nope. Too cute. Help. He's laughing too much.

"Emotional outbursts are to be scheduled in advance with the proper paperwork, and signed and approved by His Majesty, King George," sniffs Yvette, trying not to smile. "Like any respectable country."

"Oh, I'm sorry, should I stop, then?"

"Mhm. Laughter is to be expressed with a slight smile, and perhaps a sensible chuckle, if you have not overdone it in the past with emotional outbursts and burned through your chuckle allotment for the month already."

"Oh, there's an allotment! Of course there is, how did I fail to think of that."

Snort.

"I don't know. It just seems sensible to me."

"You will have to teach me your British ways, I'll never think of them on my own."

Snort. "I—"

She pauses midway through that thought, and trails off, looking pensive.

"... I don't think that'd be the first set of things I'd try to teach you about."

"Oh?"

"Um." She pauses, then wriggles out of her burrito and sits up. This is not a conversation she wants to have while snuggling him.

"... Do you, um. Care. About humans?"

He opens his mouth to answer but then closes it and thinks. She deserves an honest, well-thought-out answer, and he... hasn't really thought about, before. So he thinks.

It doesn't take long; he's a vampire. He opens his eyes again and says, "I think I do." And it's true. "I didn't use to, but... I couldn't turn you. Not without your permission. Your permission is important, and you're human and..."