(Hestia POV – Clothing Shops)
I walk slowly beside Riven, my hand intertwined with his. His grip is firm, warm, and comforting. I keep stealing glances at him—half out of curiosity, half because I just like the way he looks. But as we come to a stop between a line of clothing shops, confusion furrows my brows.
"Are we… shopping for more clothes?" I ask, tilting my head. "But I already love what you gave me." I glance down at the beautiful dress I'm still wearing, brushing my fingers over the fabric almost absentmindedly. "I don't need anything else…"
Then a thought hits me. I look up at him. "Wait… Is this where you got them from?"
He grins at me. A proud, mischievous grin that instantly tells me he's up to something.
"Nope." He replies with a chuckle. "I actually rented one of these stores for a month. Did it before I picked you up."
My eyes go wide. "You what?!"
Panic bubbles in my chest. "Why would you do that?! How much did that even cost?!" I start to ramble, anxiety rising. "You made good money yesterday, sure, but weapons and armour are expensive, Riven! We already have a place to stay, and now you're out here—!"
He cuts me off with a smile. It doesn't feel cocky or dismissive… just calm, and somehow it reassures me. I breathe in and try to reel in the worry clawing up my throat.
"I had my reasons." He says simply.
I narrow my eyes, not letting him off the hook that easily. "What reason?"
I'm already imagining a dozen possibilities. Riven might be strong, but he's reckless—especially when it comes to taking care of himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he did this just because he thinks armour and weapons aren't important, or how it'd be more fun to fight without them.
'If so, I'll give him a piece of my mind.' I think angrily.
But instead of answering, he gives me a once-over—head to toe—and I immediately stiffen.
"Wha—why are you looking at me like that?!" I snap, a blush climbing up my cheeks. I'm not used to being looked at like that. Not so blatantly, nor so fondly.
'He doesn't even pretend to hide it, either.' I scoff happily.
"Tell me the reason, already!" I demand, even as I tug slightly at his hand. It's hard to stay stern when he's holding me like this.
Riven rolls his eyes—rolls them, like I'm the one being ridiculous—and for a moment I think I might explode from anger.
"Didn't you wonder where the outfits came from?" He says with amused exasperation. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't ask."
I blink. I did wonder when I first saw the outfit, but… well, everything's been moving so quickly, I didn't have time to ask.
I look at the clothes he's wearing now—clean, well-fitted, stylish. Then I glance at my dress again. The fit, the fabric, the colors I love…
"…Did you make them?" I ask, the question feeling almost silly once it's out of my mouth.
"Yeah." He laughs. "Guilty as charged."
He lifts his free hand and pats my head affectionately. "Don't feel bad for not figuring it out sooner."
I pout. "Saying that makes me feel bad, dummy."
He just grins and shrugs, then turns to look at the nearby shop with a thoughtful expression. "Anyway, I rented the store because I wanted to start a business—selling clothes like these."
I blink again, thrown off by the shift in his tone. "That… doesn't sound like something you'd be interested in." I say slowly, eyeing him with growing suspicion. "Why are you really doing this?"
"For you." He says simply and my heart skips a beat.
"…Huh?"
"For you, Hestia." He repeats, turning to look at me fully now. "I asked you out on a date, and you had to work. And I get it, you want to help the familia, but…"
I look away, guilt prickling in my chest.
"I just… I didn't realize it bothered you that much." I mumble. "But I have to do my part. I can't just let you carry everything."
"I know." He says gently. "That's why I came up with this. I make the clothes, you run the store. You'd be your own boss, make more Valis, and choose your own hours."
I stare at him. 'He's thought this through… for me?'
"You'd be free whenever I ask you on a date." He adds, leaning down suddenly, his lips almost against my ear as his voice drops to a teasing whisper. "No excuses next time."
I flinch with a tiny squeak, a bright blush instantly blooming across my face. I take a hurried step away, forgetting he's still holding my hand, and he doesn't let me go. He tugs me back with ease, pulling me into his chest.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" I yelp as his arms wrap around me from behind, holding me firmly but gently.
"Why are you running, Goddess?" He says in amusement.
My entire body stiffens. "C-can you not do this in public?! It's embarrassing!" I whisper-shout, squirming slightly. Not because I want to get away, but because it's too much. He's suddenly too warm, and way too close.
His arms stay where they are, firm and steady. I can feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. And… I don't hate it.
"If you're not against it, can I hold you a bit longer?" He asks with a knowing smirk.
"Y-you're impossible…" I mumble, half-mortified, half-melting. "This better not become a habit."
He grins happily. "So you're not against it."
"…Only for a minute," I mutter, leaning into him despite myself. "But I'm still mad about the rent."
He laughs softly, and his arms tighten around me just enough to make me feel like maybe… I wouldn't mind this being a habit after all.
And after what feels like way more than a minute—though I'm not exactly complaining—Riven finally lets go, his arms loosening around me. I take a breath, stepping away just enough to reclaim my space, only for him to immediately catch my hand again in an easy, casual motion.
I blink up at him in disbelief, lips parted but no words coming out.
He just shrugs, utterly shameless. "What?"
I narrow my eyes.
"I like holding your hand." He says with smug grin. And no matter how mad I want to be, I can't help but accept it.
My eye twitches. I whip my head to the side with a pout. "Hmph."
He chuckles softly, and we begin walking again, our fingers still intertwined. But as my mind settles, something important surfaces.
"...Riven." I say slowly, my voice deadly calm but slightly menacing.
He glances at me, curious. "Yeah?"
I stop walking. "How much is the rent?"
He tilts his head, blinking. "I thought you'd forgot about that." He says, seeming genuinely surprised.
"Do you think I'm dumb?!" I growl through clenched teeth.
He opens his mouth, then stops himself, clearly thinking. "Goddess... I believe you're incredibly perceptive, with countless years of experience. How could someone like you be dumb? I honestly admire you."
I squint up at him suspiciously. 'That wasn't a lie… but something isn't right.'
"Fine." I say, still glaring at him but letting it go for now. "So, how much is the monthly rent?"
"Not much." He replies with casual indifference, like it really is a small sum. "Just 40,000 Valis."
It takes my brain a moment to process his words, then…
My jaw drops. "F-forty thousand?!"
"It's not that bad." He says, trying to downplay it.
"I get paid 30 Valis an hour!" I exclaim, my hands flying up in the air. "That's—wait, hang on..."
I start counting silently, fingers twitching in the air. "If I worked eight hours a day, every day... that's... um..."
"It'd take you about five and a half months to make that." Riven offers helpfully, taking no time to compute.
I glare at him. "I don't like how casual you're being about all this!"
He just chuckles, completely unfazed.
"That's a lot of money, Riven!" I cry. "You can't just drop that on something like rent for a random store!"
"Is it really random?" He asks with a teasing gleam in his eye. "Would you buy the clothes you're wearing right now?"
I pause... and glance down at my dress.
It's perfect. Soft, breezy, flattering. It moves like it was made just for me—which it was. Even the underlayers are comfortable, without being constricting or stiff. It's nicer than anything I've ever worn.
"...Of course I would." I mumble. "They're amazing."
"Exactly." He grins. "And I can mass produce them, remember? If I've got the materials, I can make dozens of variations—custom ones too. We'll make way more than the rent."
I freeze. "Wait, wait… mass produce?!" I practically shout, then gasp and slap a hand over my mouth, darting my eyes around to see if anyone heard.
Riven gives me a dry look. "...You do know what my skills are, right?"
I furrow my brows, thinking for a moment. Then it hits me.
"Ohhh." I whisper, my eyes lighting up. I clutch his arm with both hands. "Right! I remember it now!"
He smirks. "Bingo."
I let out a happy laugh, not even caring how loud it is this time. "You did good, Riven! You did really good!" I say brightly, patting his back enthusiastically.
"Your mood flipped pretty fast." He muses with a raised brow, but I ignore him.
"Let's continue our date!" I declare, tugging eagerly on his hand. "Where to next, my dear Riven?"
Riven just chuckles, keeping up with me. "West Main Street." He says, and I excitedly pull him along.
(Riven POV – West Main Street)
Hestia and I walk side by side along West Main Street, the afternoon sun casting a warm, golden hue over the cobbled road. The buzz of voices, the scent of fresh bread and grilled skewers, and the occasional shout from shopkeepers create a vibrant energy. We're in no rush, so we decided to take it slow and enjoy ourselves.
"Riven! Riven!" Hestia tugs at my arm like an overexcited child. "Let's try this one next!"
She pulls me toward a street stall with big, puffy cream-filled buns. I smile and let her drag me, already pulling out a few coins to pay for two. She clutches the bun with stars in her eyes and bites into it with absolutely no godly grace.
I take a bite of mine.
'It's sweet…' I think dispassionately.
And it's the sixth sweet treat I've had in 30 minutes.
'I'm getting sick of sweets.' I groan internally, resisting the urge to sigh aloud as the sugar assaults my taste buds.
'Great Sage, is it ready?'
[Answer: Affirmative.]
A rush of relief floods me. 'Finally… salvation.'
"Hestia." I call out, gently drawing her attention.
She looks up mid-chew, cheeks puffed out adorably, cream smeared near her lips. She blinks owlishly at me.
"You've got something on your cheek." I say, wiping the spot with my thumb.
Then, deliberately, I lick it off.
Her entire body freezes. The bun slips slightly in her grasp. Her eyes go wide, her face going the shade of an overripe tomato. I see the steam practically whistling out of her ears.
'A little revenge.' I think smugly.
And before she combusts, I quickly pull something from my Stomach and offer it out.
"Here." I say casually. "Try this. It's sweet, but a bit more fun to eat."
That snaps her attention away from my scandalous thumb-lick. She leans forward curiously, her eyes flicking to the fluffy item in my hand.
"What is it?" She asks, brows furrowed. "A… cloud on a stick?"
I grin. "It's called cotton candy. Go ahead, try it."
She sniffs it cautiously—then lights up like a kid on Christmas morning. "It smells like vanilla… and something fruity?"
"Vanilla with a hint of strawberry." I confirm. "And yes, it's edible."
"I know it's edible." She huffs, then finally tears off a bite with her teeth.
The second it melts in her mouth, her eyes flutter shut. She lets out a soft, delighted hum, almost like a purr. The expression on her face is one of utter bliss.
'Bingo.'
She eagerly takes another bite, the candy vanishing into her mouth like magic. Which, in a sense, it is.
"Riven, how'd you get this?" she asks between bites, her voice full of wonder.
"I made it."
"Of course you did." She giggles, eyes sparkling. "You make everything."
I just shrug, smiling to myself.
After noticing how obsessed she was with sweets—and how most of the ones around here are average at best—I figured I might as well step in. The culinary tech in Orario isn't terrible, but it's behind in some surprising ways. They have crepes. Whipped cream. Even caramelized nuts. But not a single vendor had anything close to cotton candy. No ice cream either, for that matter.
So I made some.
It was easy, Great Sage and Stomach handled everything based on my memory, and the purified sugar I made in Stomach helped quite a bit. The taste was practically transcendent.
Watching Hestia's joy as she nibbles away, I grin inwardly. 'Perfect. Now nothing else will measure up. She'll never want those roadside knockoffs again. And that means no more forced sugar comas for me. I can finally eat meat in peace.'
And then—
"Hey!" A voice calls out from across the crowd. "If it ain't the shrimp! You finally crawled outta your little cave?"
I sigh. 'Of all the people we could run into...'
Hestia jumps in surprise, nearly dropping the cotton candy. "L-Loki?!"
Of course. Charging toward us with her usual strut, smirk on her face, is the last person I wanted to see during a peaceful walk with Hestia… well, one of the last. And flanking her are two familiar figures.
'This is gonna be a headache.'
[Answer: IronHeart nullifies all physical pain, including headaches.]
'...You did that on purpose, didn't you?'
[…]
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A/N: Hello Everyone. How are you all? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and book thus far. And if you did, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or powerstones.
Honestly, don't have much to say either actually. It's quite a chill chapter, with romance here. When I started, Loki showing up was the plot progression I needed, but then realised unveiling the building to Hestia accomplishes that, but why not get both? So I did both, and it worked out (imo).
Now I just need to think about how Loki and Hestia will embarass themselves, and how Riven will interact with her entourage. Ngl... Freya's probably watching the whole thing, given that it's also on West Main Street, which is the same street the Hostess of Fertility is on.
I myself am immune to the laws of causality on this fic, so I'll say what Riven shouldn't... "Freya won't go nuclear when she sees he's on a date... right?" And hopefully that ain't a flag, since I'm immune... Right?
But yeah, I plan to finish the date in 2 more chapters... 3 and beyond wouldn't really be part of it, it my plans almost always fail to keep up with the changes, so who knows what'll happen.
As for the Bell gender vote on discord... It looks like Bell will be a girl based on that.
And I suppose the only hypothetical I have for everyone is... Who do you think Loki showed up with? Any guesses?
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
Anyway, that's all from me. I'm gonna go to sleep, but I hope you all have wonderful nights/days😁