The Fated Date

"I don't know if you could afford to take time off if you are going to take me to places like this." A light hearted joke with a faint smile. It made for obscuring the actual reasons far easier than confronting them. One day she would take Cicilia to see her parent... Maybe. She didn't know when, likely after she had found the time and courage to talk herself through how to present it to her family.

Sayumi brought a hand to her mouth as she blinked rapidly at the admission, holding back a laugh. Cicilia had put so much faith into a place she had never even eaten at before. She supposed that was what online reviews were for, but the boxer had been her life line to foreign food. Looks she was on her own now... Look out world. "I sure I'll find something that sounds good." She gave Cicilia a comforting smile of assurance.

She cracked open her menu just as the waiter arrived, flashing them a brief smile before looking over the wealth of items found within the pages. Oh... Well, yes, confirmed the place was as expensive as it looked. She flipped through the pages, everything was about the same. She wasn't sure she would never spend this much on food if it had just been for herself. She had to avert her eyes, trying to ignore the prices.

She glanced up as Cicilia rounded the table with the wine. "Yes, thank you..." She wasn't sure what to address Cicilia as in this roleplay scenario they concocted. "...your ladyship." That worked, right? She tilted her menu down, watching the boxer pour. Wine etiquette was well beyond her. She assumed the half glass was what the waiter meant by letting the wine breath though.

Once Cicilia had finished, she lifted the glass by the stem, mimicking how cultured women handled their glasses daintily in the movies. She examined the color by the candlelight, fond of the deep red. At the mention of a toast, she was overly eager to raise her glass. "A toast!" She grinned widely, though it faded as the boxer continued to speak to a more gentle smile her cheeks a faint rosy pink as she could see people turn to look there way. "Uh... hear hear." She reached out to gingerly clink their glasses together before leaning back in her chair to take a small quiet sip, sampling the flavor of what Cicilia had picked out, curious as to why.

Cicilia smiled widely as her words appeared to have an effect on her sweetheart. She would've added a kiss too, but she couldn't reach her from across the table. Instead, she settled for gently tapping their glasses before taking a sip of the wine she's chosen. To her surprise, she enjoyed it's flavor! She always heard that alcohol was an acquired taste more than something one would get instantly... Apparently who she was listening too weren't reliable! What was even better, the warm feeling the alcohol made when it hit her stomach, almost like a little fire-place crackling softly with it's gentle flame. It was so... calming... attractive... Much more than the flavor itself. Between Sayumi's assurances and this wine...? She might just be able to get through this date with a cool head!

"So... have you found anything you like?" Cicilia mused, looking over her own menu. She had to be a bit cheep with her own food so that Sayumi could safely get whatever she wished... Maybe some of that italian pizza... or a salad... Something nice and casual... or what passed as casual in a place like this. "I'm thinking about the italian pizza myself. A bit... mainstream, but it'd be something nice I think." The waiter would be back any minute now to take their orders, Cicilia could see him rounding the tables nearby, heading their way. Still! They had enough time for some conversation!

"You know, I admire your grace." Cicilia mused, taking another sip from her glass before setting it down at the head of her plate. She leaned forward a little on her elbows, resting her jaw in her palms. "And I don't just mean in the ring. You're always so sweet and kind to everyone... I'm kinda envious of how you can act like that all the time..." At the same time, it was hard for the German to imagine herself acting like that... The winks, the smiles, the easygoingness Sayumi seemed to flaunt just as well as her elegance... Of course, she's seen her darker side... they explored each-other's as often as they could but, as stunning as she was physically, she was on a whole other level in personality... She wished to know more.

"I think it's one of the reasons I'm so head-over-heels for you." She giggled softly, her gaze as warm as her belly right now.

Sayumi took a small rip of her whine. It was a flowery taste, a bit sweeter than she imagined by the smell of it. She tended to enjoy reds, on the odd occasion she had it over something else. As long as they weren't dry and were a bit on the fruity side she was content  She didn't like white wines, at least any she had tried. She set the glass down to eye the food selection.

"Not sure yet." She had been eyeing things under the pasta header, knowing noodles would likely be a safe bet. Ravioli in particular tickled her fancy. It sounded like a strange little dumpling. They didn't appear to be steam or fried by the description. Interesting. She glanced up from the menu at the mention of pizza. " I am going to try some of yours. Try and stop me." She giggled with a grin.

She had also considered the pizza, but how different Could fancy pizza be over the stuff she was familiar with? This place was big, different, rare. She wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to pick something strange and new... That wouldn't stop her from trying to undercover the difference adding some extra money made to pizza however once Cicilia got hers.

Her face scrunched up a bit as she looked back into the menu, leaving the safety of the pasta section to Branch out to find something she couldn't pronounce. "I think I know what I want." She tapped her menu lightly, on the spot in question. She continued to eye the menu though, looking over their appetizer selection as well. As Cicilia continued to talk however she lowered her menu to peek over top of it to find her being watched. She blushed faintly, a smile growing.

"It's just how I am." She said simply. She couldn't ever recall going out of her way to be the way she was. It certainly wasn't without faults, nor was she as a whole. She didn't keep much from Cicilia... Save for her her bouts of paranoia when left on her own or skirting around introducing there parents to the boxer. She was, for the most part an open book.

Hearing Cicilia giggle was always amusing to her. The girlie laughter didn't seem to suit her exterior, or didn't use to. Ever since they started living together she didn't often see much of the rough and tumble boxer she first met, it had become more of an afterthought. She would still catch glimpses of it, but for the most part it was never directed at her. It was still hard to get use to.

"Just how you are and that's why I enjoy your company so much." The German responded with a grin, seeing that beautiful blush burn in Sayumi's cheeks. "Your genuine... and the fact you're so cute and cuddly while being genuine is something special. You're someone special." Sayumi was truly someone Cicilia will treasure... She didn't have to be so protective of herself around her, she didn't have to get mad... She brought out the gentleness in the Juggernaut just by being in the room with her. That rough-and-tumble woman she had met that fateful day was but a face... A facade she puts up for those she she either doesn't know, automatically assuming they were a threat... A left-over reaction from back in germany... It helped her stay alive in that environment. She wasn't a weak girl by any means, however. She had an iron will, and a burning passion for all the things she cared about! HOWEVER! She did have a softer side more in tune with her femininity... something that went woefully unexplored in her life back home. She was here now, though, free from that life and she had a beautiful girlfriend who was willing to show her the way. She could relax and be herself instead of the rage monster that was supposed to be her guardian.

With them both ready to order, the Waiter returned, pen and pad in hand. Cicilia offered the man a smile as thanks for putting up with their roll-playing form earlier, picking up her menu to order.

"Yes! I'll have the Italian Pizza, please and thank you." She stated, the man taking her menu shortly after! After taking Sayumi's order, he'd nod, taking her menu before assuring them it'd be out soon and disappearing... An apparent habit of his. Left alone again, Cicilia turned her attention back to her absolutely stunning partner. She was so happy she could act like this around her without being judged. She could dress up all nicely, hug and kiss her as tenderly as she pleased, discuss her video-games and all and she'd still treat her the same.

"So! What got you into wrestling, Sayumi?" She questioned, intertwining her fingers under her chin. "Was it something you've always wanted to do? Oh! And please feel free to ask me anything too! I'd be willing to answer any of your questions!"

Sayumi patiently waited her turn, a finger on her selection. "Could I get..." She eyed her menu. "The Caeser salad and this right here..." She tilted her menu towards the waiter. "Saltimbocco? Yeah. Thanks you." She smiled up at the waiter as they jotted the order down. They asked if there was anything else, but it didn't seem as though there was so the waiter dismissed themselves to let the women talk again in peace

"It was a self defense thing. There was a point and time when I was trying to be something of an entertainer and it didn't quite pan out. I was at a pretty low point in my life, and I met someone who inspired me to take up some similiar martial arts. Just sorta merged together from there into getting into wrestling. I don't know if I ever really had something I always wanted to do, to be honest. I feel like a lot of my choice was stifled growing up trying to make it in entertainment." She had picked up a spoon from her place setting, idly spinning it slowly between her fingers.

"What made you come to Japan instead of just about anyplace else?" Sayumi wasn't terribly familiar with boxing or the various leagues around the world. Japan, on the surface anyhow, didn't strike her as being a big draw for someone in Cicilia's sport. While she knew about Momentum, it never quite seemed as massive of Friction, AFW's flagship brand.

A salad huh...? No points for unpredictability, she supposed... Cicilia had no idea what this... Sultin-boco thing was or however it was said but if it was anything like that salad, she would GLADLY share some of her pizza! It was only the courteous thing to do after all. The waiter, satisfied with the information he had received, disappeared once more, leaving the two to talk. The German leaned in and listened with great interest as her girlfriend explained the origins of her wrestling-profession, it all starting out with the entertainment business. Well... Self-defense during those described "low-times" but still. Sayumi? Being in showbusiness...? Such a cut-throat organization... She wondered what had gotten it into her head that she WANTED to be "among the stars"...? Even though they burned bright, stars were surrounded by the most gnawing of cold! She couldn't imagine her sweet subjected to such torture! Apparently Sayumi lost her vision too because she ended up here, inspired by someone to take up the ancient art... of professional wrestling. Cicilia nodded slowly, taking this all in. She had always known there was something deeper to her... There was always more colors to a person than what was on the surface (she would know) and now she had an idea of what lay underneath her partner... Perhaps it was selfish to think so, but she was GLAD Sayumi got out while she still had a mind of her own. She had no idea how it worked in Japan, but in Germany, fame was the cutest little slave-collar you can put on a person... Especially if it was cushioned with praise and cash. She didn't want to think about what kind of hollow shell she would've become if she had that collar on for too long...

"Oh... I see. Well... I'm glad you became a wrestler." Cicilia offered with a smile, various emotions splashed across her lips from concern to joy. "I wouldn't have been able to meet you otherwise." AND NOW IT WAS HER TURN TO DELIVER HER BACKSTORY! Okay... how could she make this as least miserable as possible...

"Well... Suffice it to say my family got around." Cicilia started. "You couldn't be as big as them if you didn't do world-tours, you know? Most of their money came from these big wrestling events held in the various countries they visited. They'd pop in, steal the show with their skills and then pop out and do the same thing a country over. It's just how they worked. My sister felt the same way... When she was old enough, she did the same thing, though with less of a focus on wrestling and more on her martial arts. Me...? I did the same thing... or that was the plan at first. I didn't have the confidence to go somewhere like America or make a real name for myself in Germany where boxing is huge. I wanted to start somewhere I could gain momentum, somewhere... easier for lack of a better word. So I came here." The 'Juggernaut' shrugged like it was no big deal... T'would be quite a lie if she claimed that it weren't out loud. Truly, she was the weakest of her family by far, each one of them throwing themselves into fights that Cicilia herself would hesitate to enter... Mentally and physically, she was the rock-bottom underdog... and now she had basically admitted that without actually saying it. She could only imagine what her sister might think of her, seeing her dawdle in one place like this. She was probably up in Russia by now competing with bears or something...

"I was supposed to move on a while ago but I chose to stay. Didn't feel ready. Now I'm here with you and I don't plan on moving again."

"Well, maybe. You never know. Maybe you would have seen me on the TV in a super cute idol costume and instantly fell in love with me." She folded her arms on the table, leaning in slightly to blow Cicilia a kiss. "You could have been my biggest fan, and sent me all sorts of poems and flowers..." She seemed to be a bit too engrossed in the alternate realty situation as she prattled on. "But you'll likely right. I think I prefer being a wrestler anyway. I can still make people smile, be cool, cute, and tough at the same time. It's pretty amazing." She leaned back in her chair, wiggling a bit to get comfortable.

"Have you... ever considered watching some of your family's old videos? Of like, wrestling stuff I mean. I'm happy to help with teaching your more wrestling moves, but you might be able to come up with some things pulled from your legacy that will help with your style in the ring. We can both watch them if you want. I know you don't get along much with your family, but maybe you can still get them to give you something good back." Sayumi smiled encouragingly, managing to somehow find a silver lining in all of the conflict that surrounded the boxer's family life. It was true though. If they were as good and strong as she made them out to be, they had to be doing something right. Maybe their style was just good, or they had some ace in the hole moves. They wouldn't know until they looked.

"Well, if you had moved on, we never would have met. So that's something to be thankful for." She raised her wine glass up and out, giving it a small wiggle to offer a toast. She would wait until Cicilia tapped her glass before taking a sip. "I've never watched boxing before really. Or even tried it. I'm not really all that punchy I guess." Sayumi set her glass down lightly. "Now that you've been getting better with your wrestling stuff, maybe we can switch up our training days a bit. We can alternate between me teaching your wrestling and you teaching me boxing." Sayumi beamed proudly at her own suggestion.

Cicilia chuckled as her lover crafted a world of "what if", where Sayumi had achieved her old dream of becoming a Star and she was still head-over-heels for her. She could only imagine what level of CONFIDENCE She would have to cook up to give such a beautiful woman a call, to write her garbage poetry out to someone like that, to send her flowers... For some reason, in this alternate universe, the German couldn't help but see herself as some kind of creep, obsessively on her computer and T.V., desperate beyond description just to get a look at Popstar Sayumi... And the scary part was...

It probably would've gone down that way...

Cicilia reached out a short ways, nabbing the kiss her girlfriend sent out of the air, pressing her hand against her breast as she smiled softly. Her heart fluttered in her chest and her cheeks burned a soft pink... She had to be the sweetest woman in the world, who'd ever lived ever. The little things from her quirky dress-style to just blowing her kisses struck deep into Cicilia's heart. It connected with the softness in her own being and brought out the gentleness in her she had forgotten had existed so long ago and she couldn't think of any way to thank her for such a favor... With Sayumi, she felt more human... more herself than with anyone else... It was one of the many, uncountable reasons why she loved her so much.

The soft, fuzzy, squishy warm moment completely froze over and shattered as her partner brought up her family, asking if she'd ever considered just watching some of their old wrestling recordings. Kid you not, Cicilia had to swallow the big, flat-as-paper blunt-as-a-club "N.O." that had instantly formed in her throat. It had to be the hardest thing to keep that word from escaping her lips, from shutting down what was, no doubt, a suggestion meant to help her! The instant it's influence wasn't so strong, she felt a wave of guilt wash over her... She was *this* close to telling the woman she loved to shut up... That was unacceptable! With all that being said about how Sayumi made her feel when she was around her... was that part of what it meant to be herself...?

Shoving such disturbing thoughts aside, Cicilia forced herself to hear her partner out. She was just about right with everything she said... She could learn a lot from her family if she was inclined to give them a chance. Even if it was only just an image on a screen, just seeing them wrestle reminded her of how much they loved their sport infinitely more than her... Brought out the worst, deepest, sick feelings she had in her heart, a grudge she wouldn't (or rather couldn't) let go. She didn't know if she could do it by herself... Luckily, she wouldn't have too. Sayumi offered to watch it with her, then suggested that by watching it, she could get something out of them that they wouldn't give her in person... She supposed... she could work with that logic...

"Yeah... Okay..." Cicilia sighed, her once tense expression relaxing substantially, flashing her partner an appreciative smile. "You always know what to do, huh...?"

Cicilia raised her glass to her girlfriend as she did the same, the two of them sharing a toast over the good fortune the two of them had met. They lightly tapped their glasses before sharing a small drink. And again, the warm squishies returned with a vengeance! Cicilia stared in shock as her girlfriend expressed and interest in boxing. Sayumi...? Punching people professionally? She'd be the most adorable boxer in the ring, she could definitely promise that!

"Sure! That'd be fun!" Cicilia agreed with enthusiasm, smiling with great anticipation. Puckering her lips a bit, she blew her partner a kiss of her own, feeling herself drift a little closer.... only to be stopped by the edge of the table. Oh... right... that was there...

"So what's your family like...?" She asked, quickly retreating, a tad embarrassed that she'd lost herself like that...

Sayumi had expected Cicilia's lack of enthusiasm in regards from her family the moment she brought them up. While she didn't know all the details, the boxer's semi-vague mentioning in the past had been enough to know it was treading on shaky ground to suggest. Still, there was something beautiful about taking control of one's demons and making them into something useful that she saw in the idea which gave it promise. Cicilia had been doing something like that, albeit rather unhealthily with her anger in the past.

"I don't always know what to do." Sayumi glanced side to side, leaning in closer to stage whisper across to Cicilia "It's one of my super powers though. But it only works when I am using it on other people and not me." She couldn't image looking at some old video footage would be that bad. They couldn't hurt her now that she was out from under her thumb. If it had been that bad after all surely Cicilia would have changed her name or something to vanish off their radar like some sort of spy in a movie.

"I thought you'd like that." Sayumi flashed a bright smile. The idea of training with Cicilia with boxing was... a little scary. It was hard to get the old images of the woman getting carried away out of her mind. She had worried about those rearing their ugly head when the two first became a couple and had been pleasantly surprised at how much Cicilia had changed to better control herself. She hoped them being together had been a good influence, but she secretly still had doubts. Every time Cicilia came back from the gym banged up she couldn't help but wonder if she had just been finding new ways to vent it out away from her.

It was important for her to branch out though. Not just for her wrestling career, for her relationship. Boxing was a big part of Cicilia's life, and she wanted to know more about it to find common ground with the German, so they could share the sport. It didn't hurt to have even more things that bond them together, right?

It was her turn to catch a kiss from her lover. Reaching up she pinched her fingers together to grab hold of the imaginary kiss, miming bringing it close to her lips. She raised her brow to Cicilia before pulling up her purse and pretending to drop the kiss inside. "For later, I could always use a kiss for a rainy day. I have a feeling I'm going to get plenty of those tonight." She couldn't help but grin, reaching out with her foot to poke at Cicilia's leg under the table again.

"My family? They are both very... Japanese." She said softly with a laugh. "If it wasn't for my dad's work, I doubt he would even speak any English." She set her hands in her lap, eyes glancing upward as she reminisced. It was hard to really describe her parents. She knew them both so intimately that breaking them down into a few sentences seemed almost criminal. "He is a very orderly man with a great deal of practicality. I think that's where I get most of the things that help me organize and evaluate things better." She bit her bottom lip, nodding. It was a good guess now that she thought of it. He sometimes got too caught up in the end game and the steps getting there to be concerned with the human aspect of things involved. Variable he couldn't accord for so were better left on the wayside. She loved him, but this mentality had been the source of her misery in her later school years when her dream had become a nightmare thanks to the methodical execution of his planning.

"My mom is a bit more quiet, very tidy. I'm not sure if she worked before meeting my father, but she had always been the sort to stay at home. I learned a lot from her in terms of upkeep and maintenance of my clothes and household. She was very handy, a bit more hands on when it comes to stuff..." Her parents didn't really fight, just small disagreements from time to time. It normally amounted to her father trying to do something outside of his usual wheelhouse to fulfill a stereotypical male role within the house and being made to rely on Sayumi's mother instead. The term "mother knows best" applied rather often in their home, after all she was a stay at home wife. It might as well have been her own domain of power. She kept everything running smoothly so her father didn't have to worry about it... even if he wound up doing so anyway.

Cicilia blushed softly but smiled widely as she watched Sayumi pluck her kiss out of the air and bring it to her lips before pulling up her purse and dropping it in! The German shook her head and chuckled as she explained her reasoning, that she could always use a kiss on a rainy day... Well she would have plenty in store by the time this night was over... She could COUNT on that... She nudged her partner's leg under the table right back as she flashed her a knowing smile, sending a wink her way. She was so glad they were on the same page... Made her feel less insecure about the plans she was already making.

When she inquired as to what her parents were like, Cicilia tilted her head in interest, though she was quite surprised how she described them... Her dad seemed to take great pride in work and tradition, caring very much for order and the "way of things." She could understand that, she supposed... Her father had some of those attributes himself. Though instead of being content in the rules he'd already set, the man always seemed like he was seeking more control, more ways to secure his bubble of influence and that was reflected in his wrestling style. Control and dominating space. Now her mother... that was something new... She figured that her mother would be one to stay at home considering how her dad works (for some reason she gets the image of a workaholic out of him... couldn't say why) but she never figured her for the quiet-type... Considering how up-beat, energetic and playful Sayumi was, she found it hard to see her mother as anything but if her dad was the way he was... It made her wonder just where she got such a powerful personality from... Perhaps something from her earlier years? Cicilia's mother was almost the exact opposite: Loud, strong, considering herself the best... It made talking to her on even terms a CHORE... Well... she knew where she got her temper from...

"Oh... I see..." Cicilia nodded slowly, drinking in this new information. "I have to admit, your father sounds intimidating." She smiled widely... but it wasn't untrue. He sounded like a no-nonsense commander of authority within his home... If Cicilia were to slip up once in his presence... It wouldn't be happy times for anyone. On the other hand, she thought she and Sayumi's mother could get along quite well, so long as the boxer did her best to keep out of her way when it came to work... She hoped she wasn't just being enthusiastic...

AND IT WAS JUST THEN their food arrived on the silver platters carried by their waiter, Sayumi graced with her dish and salad first, then Cicilia with her Pizza. A shiver of pleasure ran up her spine as the smell of well crafted cuisine reached her nose... Oh... that was good stuff... She flashed the waiter a smile, thanking him for wishing them enjoyment before he left them again.

"Well... Yours looks great..." Cicilia mumbled, ogling her food... T'was simple... but elegant indeed. On Cicilia's plate appeared to be a SUPER-SIZED roll of some kind, topped with a white cheese and various spices on top, a small cup of tomato-sauce on the side. It looked a lot more like a calzone than it did a Pizza but maybe that's just how they did it in Italy...? They were weird.

"So! You wanted some of mine, right?" She recalled, gesturing down at her dish. "Perhaps I can get some of yours..."