Xaviers!

Leo was nervous. More nervous than he ever was with his ex. This time there was a deeper, more genuine connection at stake and his feelings of inadequacy left him afraid that he'd do something wrong and ruin everything.

"Stop it! You can do this. Just relax," he said as he adjusted his silk tie, trying to encourage himself. Thinking about his snazzy tweed ensemble helped bolster his confidence enough to knock on Ainsley's door and announce his arrival.

He was, in fact, late due to just standing there for several minutes.

Ainsley opened the door for him, standing there as equally dressed up, his braids pinned back out of his face in a bun.

He shifted a bit back and forth, clearly nervous himself. He waved at the other boy who was less than three feet from him.

He did a slight double-take and smiled affectionately, exhibiting the body language of a happy feline.

"Wow. You look... amazing."

"You look pretty good yourself..." He replied, eyes darting around with a sheepish grin.

"Good. 'Cause this tie took me forever and I think I poked a hole in it somewhere," he said, fidgeting with his tie. He obviously wasn't used to wearing one.

"I'll do it for you next time." He offered, implying there would be a next time.

"You're already doin' it for me right now," he smirked, looking over Ainsley's outfit again.

"Unusually flirty." He replied, sounding amused.

"Haven't even fed me yet."

"Then let's go fix that," he smiled. His clothes were giving him a confidence boost, that was certain.

And so Leo whisked Ainsley away to London.

---

Their first stop turned out to be a Japanese restaurant, one of many dining establishments that had sprouted up under the gaze of the London Eye.

"So... I just guessed you might like this place," Leo said, studying the authentic-looking decor out front. There was even a maneki-neko in the window.

Ainsley waved back at Maneko even though he knew he wasn't alive.

"You think I'm a weeb?"

"No. But you do like at least one Japanese thing. Besides, they have a good rating on Snakt* and have vegan options."

(*A restaurant review site for mutants.)

"Listen, I never said you was wrong." He smirked.

"Fiiine. I do, a little," he admitted, smirking, "But I like you anyway."

"Anyways?" He asked, watching Leo dig himself deeper with amusement.

"You enjoy making me squirm, don't you?" he asked, smiling a little.

"Let's at least eat before increasing the difficulty level," he chuckled, motioning towards the door.

Ainsley relented, and followed Leo into the restaurant as he'd requested without giving him anymore flak.

Inside, their reservation was confirmed and they were led to a private booth where they were given menus to peruse. They ordered and made small talk until their food arrived.

"Whoah... this looks amazing," he said of his steak dish, grinning across the table.

Ainsley clapped his hands together in a gesture over his vegan ramen bowl. There was that awkward sort of silence present in Leo's mind, same as when his boyfriend laughed. Did he say something that didn't translate?

"If you said anything just now, I didn't receive it," he said, briefly wondering where it was that he had seen that gesture before.

"Really? I said- deafened silence.

"After the word said, I got nothin'," he answered, a little concerned now. With their lines of communication reopened, he had mostly forgotten about learning sign language as the need for it had lessened. Perhaps that was a mistake.

Ainsley furrowed his brow as he slurped up some noodles.

"Perhaps it's just a flaw in the way we communicate." He offered.

"Guess I still need the sign language lessons for things like this," he said. He took a big forkful of his dish and made a noise of culinary pleasure.

"I know what I was saying, and there probably is a sign for it, but fuck me if I know what it is."

Ainsley snorted as Leo's delight in the meat.

"I'd have thought it being cooked might be a turn off for your animal senses."

"Maybe a little. But the human part, I dunno, overrides it," he responded, shrugging slightly.

"Cant remember the last time I ate a steak.

Maybe never." He mused.

"Never? Not even once?" he asked, "Well, at least you don't know what you're missin'. Though you couldn't taste it like I can anyway."

"I know I've had cow, and maybe I've had cheap steak in a kebab or something, but never just a cut.

Something of a luxury I guess.

But you're right it would have been wasted on me. I'm perfectly content with my fungi and molds." He smirked.

"There's a bad pun in there, but I don't have the desire to find it," he smirked back.

"Preeetty sure that doesn't apply to puns. But what do I know, you're the fun guy."

Leo groaned in pretend pain.

"That was awful. Your pun game doesn't have mushroom for improvement."

"Yeah, I'm out. 'Cause I don't know enough to get that one beyond assumin' it was clever."

Ainsley pumped his fists in victory.