"And together they make this delicious collaboration. I see. We'll have to come visit at some point."

Nod nod.

After walking a little while longer, he points out a sign painted with a pair of pine trees, and the name SYLVIE'S between them. "There's Sylvie's. I'd introduce you, but," he shrugs, which causes the cart to gently bob as the handles rise and fall in his hands, "can't go inside right now. She's friendly, anyway."

She nods and grins. "Much appreciated. We'll probably go shopping tomorrow or so. Just wanted to memorize the place, since buying tools is sooner or later an absolute necessity. For tonight, we gotta go meet up with our... friend? Boyfriend? Haven't really decided on a label yet. He's handsome and caring and fun to kiss though."

Ross smiles. "Have fun," he says, and gets to turning his cart around.

"Have a good evening, Ross. Thank Ernie for us. See you tomorrow."

And she strolls merrily toward Market Square to find her Torok, whatever label they want to use.

There he is, waiting for her by the dumpling cart.

And she kisses him cheerfully and gets the bundle of veggie buns out and smiles. "S'good to see you. We had a great day. Boss showed us his favorite toolshop and the bakery his hubby and hubby's girlfriend run, and we told him we're plural, and all is well. How was your day?"

"Also pretty good! I remembered that the Cup and Spoon serves lunch if you show up to eat it, and I worked a bunch at the orphanage and they said we can sleep there tonight, and I found a place on Treasure Street that says they'll sell scrap fabric—I wasn't sure exactly what colours you wanted so I didn't get any yet, but I think we can get as much as you need for just a couple of gems. And baths! I had a bath! At the Cup and Spoon. They have them at the orphanage too but they're worse."

Honestly all of that deserves another kiss, so she kisses him again. "Torok, that's wonderful! You've done so much today. Thank you. Want to show me where the shop is while we split the veggie buns?"

He blushes a little when she kisses him, but smiles.

"Sounds good! Oh, I didn't get around to checking the library, though—too busy at the orphanage. I can do that tomorrow, maybe."

She smiles. "No worries about the library. Tomorrow's fine." And she passes him a veggie bun, and bites into one herself.

Nom nom. "Damn, that's good—c'mon, I'll show you the shop."

Between bites as he walks, he asks, "So how's the job going? Is it fun, building stuff?"

"It is! We've been working on maintaining the watchtowers, and every tower we fix feels like we're actively making the city safer."

"Awwww. That does sound nice."

She kisses his cheek while they walk, and then eats another veggie bun.

What a cozy stroll!

They munch their way over to Fountain Square and down Treasure Street almost all the way to the wall, where he stops in front of a little shop whose sign is painted with overlapping squares of brightly-patterned fabric and the word "Patches".

"We should probably finish our food before we go inside."

Then she'll happily lean against a wall with Torok while they finish eating. "Ernie makes such good bread and bread-related foods."

Om nom.

"Huh. Y'know, there was a moment today where I kinda wanted to be able to mention your delightful presence in our life, and I realized that I don't know what noun to use. Friend? Boyfriend? Inexplicable cute boy we've acquired as a handsome tagalong?"

"Well, 'friend' definitely works. I don't... I don't mind 'boyfriend'? But I feel like I don't know... how to be a boyfriend, I guess?"

She blushes a bit. "I don't exactly know how dating works either? Maybe save the fancier label for when we've made up a bit more of the making it up as we go along, I guess?"

"Sounds good to me." Nom nom. "The guy who makes these is Ernie, you said? Have you met him?"

She shakes her head. "He's Ross's husband. Ross is the head of maintenance and construction. Ernie and Willow — Ernie's girlfriend — run a bakery together. I've only met Ross and Frank. Frank is another person working construction."

"Yeah, I think I remember you telling me about Ross. He sounds nice. Not sure I remember anything about Frank, what's he like?"

"Just met him today. He's excitable, a bit eager, a bit out for glory or puffing up his pride. Probably a bit distractible, given how late he was today?"

"'Out for glory' and 'late to work' is sure a pair of things to be," he remarks, finishing his last bite of veggie bun.

"It really is," she agrees, doing the same. "He really does seem to be craving recognition, though, from the way he's pushy with his own contributions, or the way he tells stories to increase his involvement even when Ross could contradict him."

She shakes her head.