The closer they got to the dining hall the more nervous Ash became. He wasn't really sure why, though, because he knew that his mum would absolutely love Rucrow, but still...

Calm down, heart. We're just having dinner. 

He managed to relax enough to steady his breathing right before they stepped into the dining area. Then, upon seeing his mother situated at the far table, dressed to the T, his heart immediately fumbled as if he'd suddenly tripped while running one-hundred miles an hour!

Frozen in place, he didn't even notice when his mum eagerly waved him over. 

What if Rucrow doesn't end up liking her? 

She was an amazing woman, though. Surely he would love her. 

But if he doesn't like her... or if she doesn't like him?! 

Shifts could be much more temperamental than their human counterparts, and it seemed like Ru had about as much control over Rucrow as he did Ashy. Which was to say, not a whole lot. 

He was just beginning to feel dizzy from worry when he suddenly realized something and turned his head to look at his shoulder. 

His bird-less shoulder. 

Rucrow...? 

He was just about to have a panic attack, his mind bringing up one terrified boiled crow image after the other, when he suddenly heard an excited caw from across the room. His head snapped toward the sound immediately, then a flood of relieve nearly made his legs turn to jelly. 

Mum...

He hurried forward until he was standing beside his mother... who was holding his baby Rucrow like, well, a baby. 

"Your friend has such a sweet bird, Ashy," she said as she gently pet his feathery head. 

"I was just telling him how nice he looks in his sweater, and with his new jewelry additions. I also offered to make him more things to wear if he liked it. Can you believe that he was so excited he even cawed for me? What a cutie!" 

Ash stood there, more than a bit dumbstruck. 

He's never let me hold him like that...

Or much at all, honestly. 

The bird had seemed pretty independent and always frustrated about its feathers, so the only time he'd actually picked it up was when they were celebrating a short while ago. And that had only been for a brief moment. 

"Come sit down, sweetheart. You're ordering the same as usual, right?" she said as she waved toward one of their waiters. 

U-uh...

He did want his usual, but Rucrow was right there and he didn't want to seem childish. It was already hard enough trying to stay on even footing with someone clearly more mature than himself. 

"U-um, I'm gonna try something new this time," he said as he hurried to scan through the menu... even though he already knew it all by heart. 

He could tell his behavior was confusing his mother even without looking up at her, but he couldn't help it! He wanted to be more mature, and eating the same exact simple thing almost every time you ate at a restaurant just wasn't. 

Besides, he'd cooked, and tasted, every single thing on the menu, so it wasn't like any of them tasted bad to him. He just preferred one specific thing.

When the waiter walked over a moment later, he set his menu down and ordered the butternut squash soup and woodfired salmon. Once done, he handed his menu back, then glanced across the table at his mother... who was giving him a very confused look. 

After a moment she snapped out of it and handed her menu to the waitress, then ordered herself some chicken and rice soup, a piece of salmon, and an extra order of grilled cheese and tomato soup. 

But... you don't like grilled cheese that much. 

His mother didn't seem to hear the thought that was sent to her, as she was clearly much too busy measuring Rucrow with the little wind-up measuring tape she always brought around with her. 

"My guesses were just about perfect, sweet one," she said as she wrote down his more specific measurements on the little notepad that she also always carried with her. 

Ash watched, a bit speechless, as Rucrow practically did everything she asked of him without a single caw of complaint. He even let her measure his outstretched wings and toes!

Wait... are you making him socks?!

That finally got his mother's attention as she finished with Rucrow's feet. Just in time to send a glare across the table to him. 

U-uh, I mean, of course you're making him socks. He's going to need some for when he's outside. 

She seemed placated by his response, because her glare soon dissipated and a smile settled on her lips. 

"I think we're all set, and not a second too soon! Our food is heading this way," she said excitedly.

Rucrow hurried towards the place setting between them, then rustled his feathers a tiny bit as the waiter set their food down. 

You got him the grilled cheese? 

He felt betrayed, but honestly, he could have just ordered it for himself. 

But still...

His own food looked delicious, and he knew that it would be, but that grilled cheese...

W-wait a second!

Ash just-barely managed to snag the sandwich and yank the plate out of Rucrow's reach before the bird could take his first peck!

"Mum, he's allergic to gluten. He can't have this," he said, internally screaming at himself for not realizing the situation sooner. 

His mother's face paled as she quickly caught Rucrow, who was quite upset with his yummy dinner being suddenly stolen away, and gently settled him in front of her own meal. 

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, I didn't know that you were allergic to that. I'm actually not that hungry yet, so won't you enjoy this food instead?" she asked gently as Rucrow considered her words. 

He didn't seem nearly as interested in the salmon, but he did wander over to the bowl of soup and lean down for a quick taste. 

After getting a bit in his beak, he leaned back up and tilted his head, letting it slide into his mouth. A pause followed afterword as he considered the flavor, and then, finally, went back for seconds. 

Ash and his mother gave mirroring silent sighs of relief, then took a bite of their salmon. It was perfect, of course, but that grilled cheese was now sitting next to him... tempting him. 

He was just about to say screw it and inhale the food anyways, but a vital bit of information suddenly made itself known at that moment. 

If I eat that bread I might not be able to make out with Ruru for a while. 

"Let's send the grilled cheese back to the kitchen. I'm sure one of them would love a free meal," he said, earning a knowing grin from his mother as she waved down a waiter to do just that. 

The soup was fine, though, so they decided to leave that, and, thankfully, their decision had been appropriate. Rucrow finished about half of his mom's soup before hurrying over to the tomato one and beginning to eat. 

Of all the shows I've seen growing up about birds liking bread, it's interesting to see one eating soup. 

Granted, they'd taken the bread away, but Rucrow had switched directions rather quickly, so he doubted that the bird even missed the sandwich that was originally presented to it. 

"So, my sweet Ashy. What are your plans now?" his mom asked suddenly, startling him a bit. 

U-um...

Well, they had made a plan. To a point. 

"Well, as of right now, we were going to see if Ruru can find himself a job out in Colorado. You said that it was pretty nice and we could find somewhere that gets cold in the winter, but has reasonable summers," he said, feeling a little more comfortable now that he was actually saying things out loud again. 

His mother nodded, making little notes on her pad of paper. 

"More socks?" he asked after a few moments of silence. 

His mother straightened after writing a few more words, then smiled. 

"Of course not. Eight pairs is enough. I was just making notes to do some scarves, too." 

Of course, bird scarves are all the rage these days. 

"Oh hush, you. Most of them are for his human form, unless you want your boyfriend to freeze during winter?" she said, her tone reprimanding but also tinged with humor. 

His face warmed, but not because of the food or her teasing words. It was because of the single word she'd said so easily that it had taken him by surprise. 

Boyfriend. 

He couldn't help repeating the word in his mind over and over and over again, and didn't even realize Rucrow was eating his salmon until he heard his mother laughing at him from across the table!

Oops. 

A quiet caw drew his attention downward, then he grinned as he reached up to take the piece of fish Rucrow was holding out to him. 

"Why thank you, babe," he said as he took the butchered piece of salmon from his beak and popped it into his own mouth. 

Before he could even finish chewing, another piece was being offered. 

"Oh, thank you," he said, taking it and adding it to his other one. 

Rucrow gave a dismissing caw before running back across the table to dip his beak into his mother's soup. Another moment later and he was running back over, and trying to hold up the literal soup that was dripping down his feathers and onto his sweater. 

Ash fought himself to keep from laughing as he reached up and took a little droplet of soup on his finger with a smile. 

"Thank you, baby." 

Rucrow gave another content caw, then ran over to the tomato soup. 

While his bird was doing that, Ash noticed his mother jotting more things down. 

"What have you decided to make for him now?" he asked, curious and honestly beginning to wonder if they should consider investing in a dresser for birds. If that even was a thing. 

His mother only spared him a brief glance as she replied, "bibs." 

Uh.

"I-I'm not dressing my boyfriend's bird up with a bib!" he said as quietly as he could. 

His mother looked up again, then glanced at Rucrow as he ran back across the white tablecloth, dribbling red soup everywhere until he stopped in front of him again to offer the mostly-nonexistent liquid. 

It was now all over the table and his feathers. And his new sweater. 

"Um, yeah. Let's do four of those." 

She was just nodding when Ash realized something. 

Shit!

He immediately yanked his shirt off, snapping a few buttons in his haste, but he managed it remove it just fast enough to catch Rucrow in it, then hug him tightly to his chest! 

Not a moment later Ruru was back in his human form... and completely naked straddling his lap! 

He'd thankfully managed to get his shirt wrapped around just the right area, but that still left them in a bit of an awkward situation. Ruru definitely thought so, too, because he quickly hunched his shoulders and tucked his head against Ash's chest. 

Thankfully, his mum was on top of the situation and immediately hurried from their table, only to return less than a minute later with a full change of spare clothes!

She even held up an extra tablecloth so that he could change in peace, even though, thankfully, most of the diners knew better than to be rude and stare. The only ones that were even looking were Ruru's coworkers. 

I really don't like them. At all. 

Only two of them even looked concerned, but it really was none of their damn business to begin with. Those two didn't look like the others, at least. They looked like they were watching a perverted show put on just for them!

"I'm all set. Thank you so much, ma'am," Ru said, drawing Ash's attention away from the other table and back to his love, who was sitting down in the seat beside him with a light blush to his cheeks and a small smile on his face. 

He's so cute!

The clothing his mum had run to get was also not just random spares, but his own extra set he often left in the kitchen just in case Ashy decided to pay a visit to the area, then leave him stranded in there naked when he decided he'd had enough time out. 

Wearing my clothes...

He was going to swoon. 

Oh wait. 

Grabbing his napkin, Ash dipped it into his water, then reached over to tap it against the line of tomato soup that had dried along his babe's jaw. 

"There we go," he mumbled as he finished tending to him. 

Ru gave him a content smile as he withdrew his hand, then set the napkin back down... only to notice his mum staring at them with adoring eyes. 

Want to leave, love? 

Ash didn't hesitate after hearing Ruru's voice in his head. He quickly grabbed his hand, then helped him to his feet. 

"We're going to go back and rest for a bit, mum. Thanks for having dinner with us," he said, earning an understanding nod from his mother without hesitation. 

Having been dismissed, Ash hurriedly tugged Ruru toward the door on the other side of the room, making sure to leave through the farthest one possible from his coworkers. 

He could tell that they were annoyed about his evasion, but he didn't give a shit. Ruru was more important than the jabs they were likely to take at him for having shifted so abruptly in a public space. 

It happened to everyone, but he just knew that they wouldn't let it go if they went anywhere near them right then. 

He was still fuming even as they headed back toward their room, and it evidently took Ruru a few minutes before he was finally able to get his attention... by sliding his hand into the waistband of his pants! 

Ash immediately slowed to a stop and turned to face the man with a blush on his face. Thankfully there was no one around, but still! Even when they'd gone to have breakfast the other day the guy had been bold and just casually slipped his hand into his pants!

I need that kind of courage. 

"You are plenty courageous, sweetheart, but your mind seems to be wandering. Is everything alright? I'm sorry I shifted so abruptly back there," Ruru said, making Ash quickly step forward and grab hold of a bit of the bottom of the man's borrowed shirt. 

"N-no, that was totally fine. I've done it a bunch of times before," he said, quickly clearing up that misunderstanding first. 

Reaching up to rub at the back of his neck with his free hand, Ash looked down for a moment, then back up. 

"I was just upset that the people who came with you on this trip were the only ones who refused to look away while you were changing, and they also looked mad when I took you out of the room through the other door instead of the one next to them." 

One of them, specifically, had even craned his neck to try and get a better view, but he'd keep that bit of information to himself. 

"Don't worry about them, love. Besides, if I do end up moving, what will they be? Memories, if that," Ru said, making Ash realize how childish he'd been acting about it... again. 

Why can't I just grow up faster? 

A faint huffed laugh had him blinking out of his thoughts at the same time Ru leaned forward to press their lips together. It was only a brief touch, but it quickly cleared away all of the unimportant static that was distracting him. 

"I thought that I wanted someone older for a partner. Someone more mature," Ru said, making Ash feel his heart speed up a little in his chest as he lowered his gaze and whispered an understanding, despondent "yeah," in response. 

 He knew what Ru had been looking for, and it definitely hadn't been someone like him. 

I'm impulsive, hyper, childish, and—being kissed again. 

He felt Ru guide his body into a little alcove as they continued exploring each others' mouths and didn't hesitate to let his hands wander a bit in the process. They kissed until he was completely out of breath, forcing Ru to lean away so that he didn't suffocate him! 

Holy...

"You didn't let me finish," Ru said, making Ash's mind immediately go south into the gutter as he mumbled a slurred "but I wasn't blowing you yet..." 

The look on his man's face had him realizing that he had said something that didn't make sense for their situation and made him immediately blush deeper. 

Right, he meant talking, not blowjobs. 

Before he could correct himself Ru was lifting a hand up to his head and rustling his dark red hair, a warm smile on his face. 

"I meant that I've decided that my previous interests have changed a bit, to include, specifically, a charismatic, sweet, handsome, and childish dragon shifter I recently met on vacation." 

You...

Ash blinked a few times. 

You mean...

Ru smiled at him, the edges of his eyes crinkling slightly as his lips tilted upward. 

"I mean, that I think it's about time that I asked you to be my boyfriend, Ash."