"What's the point of having lovely people around if you can't spend time being good to them?" She shakes her head.

Sable thinks she's lovely!!!

She blushes a little deeper. 

"Yeah," she says. "That's why I asked for this whole outing with you."

"Ah," she says with a knowing grin, "you clearly already know me quite well, and have realized that my perfect gift is an opportunity to arrange a lovely time for a beautiful, clever, fascinating girl that I'm falling for. I'm touched."

"Yeah," Lilian says. "I think I'm falling for you too."

It's so easy to say. 

It's only after she says it that she really realizes it's true.

Sable reaches out and brings Lilian's hand to her lips, kissing the knuckles lightly. "What a terrible fate, to find myself falling for a beautiful new Huntress. I'm doomed."

And that's when the waitress returns with dessert. She awwwwws as she puts the plates and spoons down.

Lilian ducks her head, suddenly shy. It's new to be seen in public with... her girlfriend. 

"Thank you," she says to the waitress. And she looks back at Sable and brushes back her hair around her ear. 

"Yeah," she says. "You're so doomed."

She takes a bite of the pear, cutting through the edge of the chocolate shell with her spoon, and sighs happily. The hazelnut ice cream complements the chocolate shell wonderfully.

"Fair warning, you three are doomed as well. The other girls trust my taste enough that they're going to all be aiming for 'get to know you' activities and dates and date-like things over the next week or three."

"Oh no. Whatever shall we do." Lily deadpans. 

Then she smiles. "... It'll be good to get to know them all."

"Bet you'll like 'em." Sable honestly hasn't spent much time not grinning, tonight.

"I bet I will. Ruby was so patient with me during the training earlier. And Jade can fly, so what's not to like?"

She smiles and nods. "Although I'm not dating Ruby."

Yet, at least. She's noticed a few of those sappy looks directed her way. It's not something she'll rule out.

She nods. "Neo's got good taste in movies and hats, too. So really it's Maya who I don't know as much about. But I think I'll get to know her in time."

"She's pretty easy to get to know. Very much a patient sort."

Gradually the ice cream disappears and the waitress drops off the check. Sable takes a look, nods, and sets a bank card down on it.

She fishes through her pockets and gets her own wallet, and brings out her card. 

"I know you probably want this to be your treat, but... We can split it." She ducks her head. "I think you've done enough good things for me already tonight."

She smiles and sighs fondly. "I suppose," she assents, drawing the last word out a bit melodramatically before sliding the check tray across so Lilian can put her card in as well.

Lilian adds her card, and reaches out and brushes a strand of Sable's violet hair out of her face. 

She smiles, a little lost for words.

She blushes and smiles sappily, not really paying a lot of attention as the check is taken away, the cards are charged, and the receipt and cards are brought back.

She squeezes Lilian's hand.

She squeezes back. 

Sable is just... so sweet. 

She picks up her card and puts it back in her wallet. 

"Well," she says. "I guess it's back to Beacon for us..."

She puts her card away and nods, checking the time. "Oh, it looks like the airship we're likely to catch should put us down just before the cafeteria opens up for dinner."

She stands up and offers Lilian her hand. "Shall we?"

She takes Sable's hand. 

Returning to the academy seems like such a chore after all this. 

Still, she'll have Sable with her... 

So anywhere is fine.

"Alright," she says. "Let's."

Sable leads the way out of the restaurant, thanking their waitress, and then Calla (the hostess) with a charming smile, and they find themselves back on the street, heading toward the airship terminal. It's a very pleasant early evening, the air nicely crisp against their skin, Sable's tail swishing in time with her steps, and she gives Lilian occasional fond hand-squeezes.

Lilian squeezes back, and walks with Sable... 

She wants to be closer, though. 

"... could we walk arm in arm?"

Sable's response to that is to pull Lilian closer, slip her arm through hers, and wrap her tail around Lilian's waist.

Lilian settles her own arm around Sable's waist, and goes onward. 

... This is good. 

Well, this certainly makes the walk back delightfully cozy, and soon enough they're settling into a bench seat together on the airship, cuddled close.