2025-06-28 - A Dinner at Into the Woods

True to his word, Jaime had arrived to pick up Diana for their stroll to the ferry and off to Into the Woods for their dinner reservation around 7pm. Was he wearing the fedora? No. Was he on stilts? Also no. Did he have on a pair of stylish boots that had just enough of a heel to give him a tiny bit of extra height? Yes. It's really the best he can do without Changeling powers.

He is, however, dressed in a pair of pressed black trousers with a white shirt and grey jacket, a tie that is a pewter color with a bit of blue in it to add some color to the otherwise monochrome look. He is neatly trimmed and has a woodsy, light scent. He cleans up alright when he wants to.

Diana lets out a low whistle. "Who knew the construction crew could look so good?" She smiles as she greets him with a kiss on the cheek. She's sporting a red dress with a corseted bodice and draped sleeves off her shoulders. Her hair is down, natural, and slightly curly in the summer humidity. Of course, she's also wearing a small heel, just enough to make her feel pretty, but not enough to cross that ridiculous line where she feels like a self-conscious middle schooler again. "You look great."

"And you are looking stunning as ever. Love the red," Jaime says as he offers an arm. They have plenty of time to stroll on down to the ferry and catch it over to Starlight in time to be a little early for their reservation. He made sure they didn't have to rush to get anywhere. "If we time it right, we'll probably finish dinner in time for the fireworks. Or maybe we can even see them from the restaurant." It's very likely that they could.

"Fireworks too? You've thought of everything. It's making it hard to maintain the whole 'Jaime is insufferable' narrative. Pretty rude, actually," she teases as she takes his arm. It'd been a couple of days since she'd seen him last. Her work schedule had picked up, and as she understood, his schedule wasn't much better.

The sun is just starting its descent over the treeline, casting the island in a warm glow that makes Jaime's eyes sparkle.

"To be entirely honest, it was the only open reservation time. That place is packed. So I can't entirely take credit for the timing and the fireworks. I'll try to do something tonight to renew your faith in my insufferability, though," Jaime promises with an amused grin as they make their way down to the ferry.

The ride itself is uneventful, quiet, peaceful and Jaime leans in to steal a kiss from her lips in the warm glow of the setting sun. It makes for a nice view as they head north.

Di insists on taking his picture with the golden light. "It's the best you've ever looked," she jokes, between pictures and kisses, even snapping a selfie or two somewhere in the process. It's easy, it's light, and being with him is like breathing fresh air after a lifetime of smoke and mirrors.

As they walk toward the restaurant, music plays through the little hidden speakers on Starlight Island, and Di tugs him into a silly little slow dance. It helps that she's wearing a dress with a good twirly skirt.

Jaime is perfectly comfortable with the picture taking. He's serious. He's silly. He leans in for the selfies, and the kisses, and lets her take whatever pictures she wants, then gets out his own phone and grabs a couple on his phone, too. "Gotta document it for proof in case anyone actually meets me and wonders why on earth you went out to dinner with that scruffy guy from construction."

As they walk along the path, he laughs as he's pulled into a slow dance. He sways and steps along, edging their way closer to the restaurant, not in any kind of a hurry. They're early, after all. Lifting one of her hands, he twirls her, for maximum skirt swirling.

Diana just rolls her eyes in reaction to his justification. "Unfortunately, you're charming. I don't think anyone who knows you would wonder why. If anything, they'll be wondering why you are out to dinner trying to woo someone with very cross eyebrows." She's still not over his drawing.

The spin is met with laughter, and once she's back in his arms she kisses him again. They've shared dozens of kisses by now, but each time she feels a little buzz. "You're my favorite summer fling."

"I am never going to live that drawing down for the rest of my natural life, am I?" Jaime asks when she brings up the eyebrows. "Maybe I happen to like beautiful women who are willing to engage in a little verbal sparring and questionable sidewalk art."

Once she's back in his arms, he pulls her in close and sways a little with her, returning that kiss and then dipping her dramatically before they take their last few steps toward the door. "Hey, I've made my way up from 30 minutes to a whole summer; I'm calling that a win," he laughs as they step up to the podium and he says, "Reservation for Kelly."

"Never," she confirms, her smile broadening as he makes his case for dating her. "Little masochistic. I guess I am, too." She certainly seemed to enjoy it when Jaime stung her back or called her out on her ridiculous behavior.

"Mmm, we'll see. You could be a summer heartbreak. It's still early," she reminds Jaime as her hand slips into his, figuring the hostess wouldn't appreciate her twirling to their table.

She's quiet as they are guided into the restaurant, taking in the living walls and the way the space blends so perfectly into the gardens outside. Spellbound was no stranger to breathtaking ambiance, but this restaurant was unlike anything she'd seen. Bathed in the warm, golden sun, it was a fairytale setting plucked straight from her dreams.

"Maybe just a tiny bit," Jaime says, "As a treat." He then points out, "I'm still taking the win for being up from thirty minutes to a second date. And you can't take that from me." He gives her hand a little squeeze and while he certainly wouldn't mind twirling her to their table, the other diners might object.

Once they arrive at their table, he pulls out her chair for her and lets her sit before moving over to settle into his own, taking in the space as well. It's quite the place and not the sort of place he visits often. "This was a good choice," he says. "I love the vibe in here, very alive." Kind of the exact opposite of the Boo'edwalk.

"I can't? If I go to the bathroom and don't come back, don't act surprised," she counters, then squeezes his hand back.

Diana thanks Jaime and waits for him to sit before peeking at the wine list that the hostess left for them, along with their menus. She looks out and then laughs. "It couldn't be more on the other side of the spectrum. It's beautiful. I think I want to die here," she says, looking out toward the gardens again. They lucked out with their table. It was one of the ones with an unobstructed view, positioned perfectly to see the fireworks, which would start in about an hour. "How are you going to top this when it's time for our third date?"

"Nope, you're already here. We got to date two. Can't take it away. You can run, but you can't say we didn't get here," Jaime says very solemnly.

He settles in to his seat comfortably and lets Diana peruse the wine list while he glances down at the menu to take in the various options. "Top this?" he asks. "Nah, this is it. I've peaked. It's all downhill from here," he warns her with a little grin before glancing back down at the menu again. It really is a great table and a fantastic view and he could not have done better if he'd actually planned it that way.

Settling back into his seat he takes another moment to just appreciate it, breathing in the night air and looking out toward the castle in the distance where the fireworks will be in an hour.

"Even have the pictures to prove it." There would be no denying that Jaime had indeed earned a second date, and she didn't anticipate escaping out the bathroom window anytime soon.

There is a gentle breeze that erases any traces of humidity they'd felt on the journey to Into the Woods, and the sky had started to shift from gold to cotton candy pink and sherbert orange, and fireflies began to twinkle between the flowers. "I had a feeling," she said. "The bar is too high. By this weekend, I'll break free from your spell and remember I don't actually like you that much." The smile that clings to her scarlet lips suggests that it might not be possible.

Under the table, her foot knocked against his, craving that little bit of connection. "Did you wear tall shoes for me?"

"No doubt," Jaime agrees easily enough with her assessment. "And by Monday, you'll be ghosting me and pretending you can't remember my name," he laments. "Shoulda drawn it out more. That was my mistake. Went from corn dogs to haute cuisine way too fast. Borgi's Brats would have been a better intermediary step."

When she taps her foot against his he chuckles and says, "I just like the boots. But.. the fact that they do have a bit of a heel may have weighed into the equation a tiny bit."

The sky is gorgeous and the little fireflies flickering here and there throughout the garden only adds to the atmosphere. The music, too, is just the right degree of soft and ethereal to continue the fantasy atmosphere and quiet enough so that the conversation can flow around it without being overpowered.

"Your name is Joey, right?" She says with an impish look as the waiter comes over, introduces themselves and explains the menu. Diana decides to let the in-house sommelier pair her wine with her meal once she's ordered, and asks for water in the meantime. "Well, maybe not Borgi's Brats. You know how I feel about sausages after the incident," she shudders.

"Mmm, sure, you just like them." If her feelings had any impact on his decision, it was thoughtful and didn't go unnoticed.

Once she settles on her entrée, she leans back in her seat, just enjoying the view. "It's almost too perfect," she sighs. "Like... I almost want to take paint and throw it all over everything," she laughs, allowing the intrusive thoughts to at least voice themselves.

"Really it's the gross fried corn dough that is the worst. The poor hot dog is the victim here," Jaime says, only smiling amusedly when she calls him Joey. He just grins about the boots and says nothing more about it. He might not hold back in his willingness to banter, but when it comes to her actual comfort, he does care about that.

When her intrusive thoughts are given voice though, he studies her for a moment or two, and then says, "Things that seem too good to be true make you uncomfortable. Don't trust it?"

"Both parts," Di says. "Both the hot dog and the dough are disgusting. Really, that place is a festering blemish on Spellbound's otherwise perfect face. We should lobby to have it removed and replaced by something better."

His smile is one she's grown used to, and she knocks their feet under the table when he fails to comment, and their attention turns back to the grounds. His question draws her silvery gaze back toward him, and she's quiet, stoically so as if trying to decide if she should reveal this card. But she nods. "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.?" Surely, he's heard that phrase a time or two before. "I'm an Illusionist, Jaime," she reminds him. "Not just at Spellbound, but everywhere else here. It's hard to trust a facade when you are one."

Jaime chuckles and says, "I'd sign that petition." He is not a corndog fan, himself, so he'd be perfectly fine with it being taken out and replaced with something else. "How about a Penny's Pretzel Palace?" he suggests, relaxing back in his seat.

His gaze meets hers and he waits, letting her decide how she wants to answer that question, though when she does he nods slightly but then says, "You're more than a facade. Sure, there might be those who are content to just look at the surface and enjoy the illusions. They're very pretty illusions. But the real stuff? What's below the surface? Those are the interesting bits."

Diana says, "As long as they always have the cinnamon ones," she says, more or less agreeing. "I'd also be happy with one of those places that does specialty mac and cheese in pretzel cones. Those are so good. But anything would be better than corndogs."

The waiter comes by and drops off a sample of some fancy soup they are working on in the kitchen, made of vegetables grown on site using techniques she can't pronounce. It's a fluorescent green color, and delicious. When it's time to order, Di opts for the sustainable fish and a glass of white wine.

"You haven't known me long enough yet. I'm dreadfully boring underneath all the razzle dazzle." She flourishes her fingers with a sparkle effect for emphasis. "

"I don't think I've ever had mac and cheese in a pretzel cone," Jaime says, though he nods a couple of times and says. "I'd be down for that." No complaints from the Kelly camp on mac'n'cheese cones. "Yeah, agreed."

Jaime gives a quiet, "wow" at the color of the soup. "That is bright." Not that it stops him from eating it. He gives it a try and then proceeds to consume the entire sample before settling in with the menu. When the waiter returns to take their order, he opts for a pasta primavera made with veggies grown on site in a light lemon cream sauce with a glass of white wine.

"Guess time will tell, then," he says, since there's no arguing that they haven't known one another long, even if he seems to have his doubts as to her claims of boringness.

"You haven't lived," Di smiles as she sets her menu down and turns her attention to the soup, which is tasty enough to get her excited about the rest of the meal. So far, nothing had fallen short of a five-star experience.

Their wine arrives in short order. Diana swirls it in the glass and takes a sip as she looks out toward the garden, mystified by the view. "It feels like I've known you so much longer than I have." It helped that they'd spent hours the last time they were together asking each other questions, yet she still had so much to learn about Jamie. "I love fine dining. Vegas has some really incredible restaurants. Do you typically like this kind of thing, or am I special?"

"I guess not," Jaime laughs, making a note to try mac'n'cheese cones the next time the opportunity arises. He lifts his wine glass to likewise swirl the wine just a little bit -- maybe because she did, rather than because he would have if she hadn't. He takes a small sip to taste it and seems satisfied, setting the glass down to wait for his meal.

With a crooked little smile he says, "When you wear on a person enough, it sure does feel like an eternity, doesn't it?" But then when she asks about the restaurant he looks around and shakes his head. "I've been to a few nice places, usually to take somebody else out because it's something they like. Not that I haven't had a great time at every one and enjoyed it. It's just not something I'd do if it were just me." He then laughs and says, "But you're special regardless."

"It does." Feel like an eternity, Di agrees. "Any ability to resist you has been completely eroded," she deadpans as she turns her attention back to the older man with crooked smile across from her. By now, he likely would know that she doesn't particularly mind, not when her foot keeps knocking against his and her eyes periodically flick to his lips, waiting for when she's able to kiss him again.

Di grins a little wider. "Special enough to bring home to your dead mother?" She can't help but ask. That whole ghost thing is still a fascination of hers. "I mean, if you're pulling out all the stops despite this not being your thing, I must be pretty special." It wouldn't be them if there wasn't ample nudging and teasing.

"Have you ever introduced a romantic interest to your family?"

Jaime glances up and smiles as their food arrives and is set in front of them, saying a quiet thank you to the server and studying the plate before him. It looks delicious and smells even more so. His smile is amused as he says, "Oh, I don't know. I find it hard to believe that you don't have a little fight left in you. Way too spicy to have given in completely." It's easy to tell that his entire focus is on her, their conversation, her eyes, her lips, whatever little gestures she makes with her hands. There may as well not be anyone else in the room with him save for the brief interruptions while the staff checks on them.

"Sure," Jaime says. "I'll bring you home to meet mom. I think she'd get a kick out of you. Probably conspire," he says, gesturing between her and an empty spot next to her as though his mother were there, "And then I'll be in trouble." Though when she asks if he's ever introduced a romantic interest to his family he has to think about it. "To Joey? Sure. Even a couple to Linnie when we were younger. But mom? There's a certain degree of weird somebody has to be chill with before I talk to them about mom."

Each dish is presented like an individual work of art. Diana's fish is resting on a bed of wild rice and vibrant summer vegetables, all accented with decorative purees in various shapes and swirls. Di picks up her fork and snorts a laugh, peering at Jaime across the table through thick lashes. "You might have me pinned," she admits. It was unlikely that Diana would ever let Jaime get too comfortable, not when it was so much fun to spar with him verbally and otherwise. "Being bored is the worst thing that can happen."

Somehow, the food tastes even better than it looks. The kitchen must be enchanted, or the staff have been blessed with otherworldly talents. "That makes sense," she notes. "I also think that as we age there is a certain... expectation when you bring someone home. It feels more serious... at least in my family."

Which is probably a good thing. Jaime isn't the sort to enjoy passivity. It's far more fun to be kept on one's toes. "Yeah, nobody wants that," he agrees easily. His own pasta is artfully piled in the center of the plate with the seasoned vegetables all around in a variety of bright colors, the sauce delicate and light but fragrant, the veggies lightly roasted with herbs so that they retain that snap of freshness.

He takes a bite, lifting it on his fork and gives a couple of approving nods. Then he glance across the table and thinks about it for a moment, "Yeah, sortof. I brought a lot more people home when I was a kid. Mostly you know, to hang out, to eat, the stuff you do when you're a kid and broke." He chuckles. "These days, especially at the park, it's easy to hang out with Joey, but if I want to bring someone home it's a whole trip back out to Detroit. There's gotta be some purpose to it, not just hanging out because we're in the neighborhood."

Di reaches across the table with her fork to steal a taste of his pasta. She'll allow him to do the same if he so chooses without much fuss. "Is curiosity a good enough purpose?" Di asks as she smiles, tasting the pasta. "I can't tell who won at ordering. Both are incredible... almost frustratingly so. I wonder what it'd take to make something like this pasta," she muses, internally attempting to deconstruct the various spices used in the sauce. "One day, I'm taking a cooking class." When that would be was anyone's guess. Free time wasn't something Di had in abundance.

"I only ever brought my ex-boyfriend home," she admits. "But I didn't have a lot of friends growing up. We were bouncing back and forth too often, and the ones I did have were other Cirque kids. There were a few that used to work at the park, but they've moved on." Where? She didn't know. Rigel didn't exactly go out of his way to say goodbye, not that she expected him to.

"Curiosity is always a good enough reason," Jaime says, letting her take what she likes from his plate. He reaches over afterward and steals a little bite that gathers up a small bit of everything to taste together. "I don't think there are any losers tonight. Everything has been fantastic so far." He considers for a moment or two and then says, "I'd take one. Maybe the park has some. Wonder if any of the restaurants do any for the guests.." He has no idea.

"Yeah, that makes sense. We were pretty much in the same neighborhood much of growing up until we got out of high school and started working. Then, it kind of depended on where the job was. If it was local we were around home a lot. If it was somewhere else in the state? You just sorta went where the work was."

"Who said you were invited?" Di teases. "I think some of the restaurants offer classes. I wouldn't be surprised if this one did," she muses. They had that whole chef table situation going on. "But it'd be fun at any of them. Maybe third date?"

"The life of a transient worker," Di sighs. "Going wherever the construction vehicles take you. When we have our chateau, are you going to leave me for months at a time waiting by the window like an old timey woman waiting for her husband to return from sea?"

Jaime raises a brow and says, "Nobody. Just said it'd be something I'd do," with a little smile and a shrug of his shoulders. He takes another bite of his pasta and glances over toward the chef's table area and says, "Maybe." But to the suggestion of a possible third date, he nods. "Sure. Why not? If I'm invited," he adds with the faintest of little smirks.

"Me?" he asks with faux incredulity. "You're the one who is going to go off on your solo show around the world, amazing and dazzling audiences while I toil away at home, forever building and building, adding new rooms to your chateau in the woods like the Winchester Mystery House."

Diana rolls her eyes as she takes another bite, then puts down her fork and takes a sip of wine. "You already know you're invited now. It was implied when I allowed you in on my kitchen fantasies." She laughs softly. By now, the cotton candy clouds have given way to inky blue skies, and the night lilies and jasmine in the garden scented the air. The fireworks would start soon.

"Mmm, you're right," she shrugs casually. "Your honey-do list will be infinite. Historic buildings are demanding mistresses... but we'll have the dogs to keep you company." Big fluffy ones. "And it's our chateau, darling."

"Hey, I have learned that it's best not to make assumptions," he says, raising his hands in surrender. "Just because a lady tells you her kitchen fantasies doesn't mean she wants you to be part of them." He's grinning though, and can't really say it with a straight face.

"Oh, right, the dogs. Well, at least they can keep me warm as I drift through the drafty rooms, doing renovations and pining for you," Jaime says, giving her a look that is truly tragic. Tragic. "Oh, sorry, our chateau. Which means I get at least one room that is mine to do whatever I want with." He chuckles and lifts his glass of wine, taking a sip from it.

As their meal is ending, the fireworks start to go up in the sky over Castle Island. They can't hear the music from here -- it's too far away, but the clear view over the water allows for a perfect view of the lights and the sound of the popping while they finish off their plates.

"Wise man," Di compliments as she finishes her entree and turns her attention to the gardens.

"You'll get at least a shed... in the back," Di winks, a smirk finding its home on her pretty features. "The chateau will be big enough for you to have as much space as you like... unless we have all those children you talked about... then you have no one to blame but yourself really, so I refuse to feel guilty." She sighs as she watches the first few blooms of color lighting up the night. "Is there anything better?" She asks, and there is, because the waiter arrives with the dessert menu right about then.

With the dessert menu in front of them, Jaime glances down for a moment but it doesn't take him long to make a decision before he is looking up and laughing a little at the idea that he gets a shed in the back behind the chateau. "Not even a carriage house? A shed? Man.." But then when she mentions all the children he says, "Oh, right. All the free labor. They can help me build my den when they're old enough to swing a playschool hammer." He flashes a grin.

Then he settles back to watch the fireworks over the water, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter how many times I see it, it's great every time."

Di lingers on the menu a little longer. "Are we sharing?" She asks as she mulls over two very enticing options. "The crème brûlée may be the winner... the crème caramel looks good as well..." Decisions, decisions.

"You can call the shed a carriage house if you like." Di jokes and then laughs at poor Jaime having to employ their toddlers. "I guess we can't rely on them too heavily. There are labor laws," she reminds him. "Plus, they are yours and likely to be busy getting into everything... mostly trouble."

"They must enchant them... they seem more brilliant than any I've ever seen."

"We can," Jaime says. "I was going to go for the caramel. So why don't we get one of each and split them?" Because all-of-the-above is always his first go-to option.

"Depends on if this chateau is in France or in some other realm. Other realms may not have child labor laws," Jaime points out. Then he snorts and says, "No doubt. And arming them adds a whole other level to it." He does not look worried.

"Maybe," he agrees as he looks up at the sky, watching the colors explode there. They sure are bright. "Either way, it never disappoints."

"Sounds like a plan," Di says as she sits back in her seat and sips her wine, shifting between looking at Jaime and the show ahead of them that she's seen a thousand times, but never feels old.

"I thought you had reservations about escaping to another realm. All the rules and wanting to come back... plus we have to make sure that the locals are ok with us and our offspring... we don't even know if dogs are allowed... So many logistics. With you being so old we'd probably have to start having children soon or I'll be stuck changing their diapers and yours at the same time."

"Oh, I have thoughts, mild concerns, but I don't know if I'd call them entire reservations." He leans back in his chair, draping his elbow over the back of it and sprawling comfortably as he sips his wine and watches the lights in the sky. When their server comes by he puts in an order for one of each of the desserts they want to try and then looks over to her, saying, "All details that can be worried about when we choose the realm for our eventual chateau." He laughs just a bit and says, "Yes, a man of my advanced age, already falling apart. Better get as many chateau building years as you can out of me before I fall into complete ruin."

"My thoughts exactly. Should we elope tomorrow?" She suggests casually. "Maybe one of the realms will have a nice little chapel and a Mr. Tumnus type who can officiate. Maybe we'll even get a tax break in that realm for sealing the deal there." Di smiles as one of the glittery waterfall-style fireworks explodes. "Those are my favorites."

"Might as well. Wouldn't want to waste any time," Jaime says, faux-pragmatically. "I assume that you already have the world all picked out and the location for this chateau that we're going to build?" He grins, though his attention is still on the flurry of fireworks. Their desserts are set before them and he pushes both into the middle so that they can each take a spoon from one or the other as they like. "Those are pretty cool. I like the giant ones that fill up the sky. The big blue and purple ones."

Di shakes her head, then shrugs. "I've only been to that cutie fantasy land. I guess we could start there. It fits the vibe. Of course, you might have to build the chateau from the ground up. I don't suppose you noticed any waiting for us to move in when you went bird mode?"

She takes a bite of the crème brûlée first, and moans with delight. "Oh, fuck," she says, and immediately goes for the other dessert. "Oh my God." She's a happy camper and far too distracted to appreciate the fireworks now.

"I didn't. The only one that I noticed was the ruins that we passed on the way in, but then, we didn't go very far. Just far enough to find the road, really. Probably going to take a longer survey to find just the right abandoned chateau that isn't haunted or full of goblins," Jaime laments just a little bit as he reaches for a bite of the caramel.

"That's amazing," he says as she reaches to try it. Then he goes ahead and takes a little bit of the other. "Yeah, getting both was absolutely the right call." Because they're both fantastic. "I really like the pistachios in this one."

The fireworks only go on for about fifteen minutes or so, and then they are fading, and dinner time is ending. The crowd is starting to thin out as people finish their meals and gradually begin to depart.

"Not haunted, no goblins, and close to a hardware store, or you're going to have a hell of a time with all of the upgrades," she reminds him. "Also, the dogs... otherwise we'll have to sub them for winged horses, and while those sound incredible, I don't think we could snuggle on the couch with them, which means I'd have to settle for snuggling with you," not that she seemed to mind snuggling him so far.

It is a travesty that the desserts are gone about as fast as the fireworks are. "I love the pistachios," she agrees. "I love the coconut as well. I'm so full but could eat three more of each." There was always room for more dessert when one tried hard enough.

The waiter swings back and asks if they'd like anything else. "We could walk around the gardens?" Di suggests, knowing that their time here is likely over, but not so ready to head back.

Jaime chuckles and groans, "I don't want to think about mucking out stalls, either. We better be making enough in this fantasy world to afford some stable workers if we're going to have flying ponies."

"I could definitely eat another one, but I think perhaps moderation. Just gives us a reason to come back another night." Once the bill is taken care of, he slips out of his chair and offers his arm to her. "Absolutely."

He has no interest in heading back immediately either, and while the restaurant may be closing, the botanical gardens are still open, and they can walk right into them through the private gardens around Into the Woods.

"I agree. I hope to be a very well-kept woman," Diana smiles, trying not to break completely as their fantasy future slowly morphs into something ridiculous and untenable. "Construction pays well, right?"

Diana offers to split the bill, but ultimately lets Jaime dictate how things are handled. Once it's sorted, she takes his arm and smiles as the scent of his cologne greets her again.

The gardens are as beautiful at night as during the day, just differently so. The colorful blooms of day pale in comparison to the creamy blooms of moonflowers, night-blooming jasmine, and gardenias, making for a garden that never truly sleeps. The heady mix of scents leaves Di feeling a little lighter on her feet, and like most places on Spellbound grounds, music plays, adding to the atmosphere. "If we ask real nice, they may let us build our chateau right here."

"I'd imagine with the number of ruins they have in that world, that reconstruction is a well paid profession," Jaime chuckles. "I'm sure we'll do just fine." Ridiculous or not, it's funny, and he seems more than happy to play along.

Jaime waves her off and says, "I'm taking you out tonight. You can take me out sometime if you like." Though he doesn't seem to make any insinuation that she has to, either. But he's got this one.

Between the scent of the flowers, their soft paleness in the moonlight, and the soft lighting that illuminates the paths so that one doesn't stumble and find themselves in the hedges, it's a very pretty night with just the right amount of coolness to make the walk pleasant.

"I have a feeling that they'd tell us that they've already got one," he chuckles as they make their way along the path. Though when they cross over from Into the Woods into the rest of the botanical gardens, he leads her over to a little gazebo with a view of the water, and there, he pulls her into a dance again, to the music playing through the park speakers, amidst the blooms and the fireflies.

"Maybe the people there are all just waiting for you to come and fix everything. Maybe they'll make you king for saving them from literal ruin," Di smiles. "We'll have to go back soon and introduce ourselves to the locals." She assumed there were locals. It seemed like it wasn't a completely empty realm.

"Now, isn't this romantic?" She smiles as he spins her, making her skirt flutter in the gentle breeze. Diana wraps her arms up around him, stealing a kiss. "I was thinking you could come back to my place tonight?" She suggests. "Unless you have an early morning."

"I sure hope not," Jaime laughs. "I don't need that kind of responsibility in my life. Not with a chateau, dogs, horses, and an lady to attend to. Who needs an entire kingdom?" Jaime nods though and says, "I do want to go back though and see if we can find the people that Quinn was able to see."

"I thought so," he says with a broad smile before leaning in to return the kiss, and pulling her just a little closer for another, steps slow with the music that plays along the path. "I will," he says, "And I do, but that's not going to stop me."

"It would be fun to explore past the bridge. If these are fully fleshed out worlds, I want to see more than the front door," she agrees, dropping the bit for just a moment.

It is so easy to kiss Jaime. She'd done it a hundred times by now, but it hadn't progressed much past those fleeting, heated moments. "It feels like a safety hazard to keep you up all night," she says and then deepens the kiss.

"What makes you think that they wouldn't be?" Jaime asks. "Are they like some kind of hologram that just ends at the edges?" Then he pauses. "I guess that could be possible, too. We won't know until we go and look, I suppose."

Jaime smiles against her lips and murmurs, "Then I guess you'll have to let me sleep at least a little bit before I have to get up." It still doesn't seem to be deterring him, though. The dancing comes to a gradual stop as he tangles his fingers in her hair and kisses her a little more deeply, with a little more heat.

"I think there is just as likely a chance it's all an elaborate illusion as it actually being an alternate dimension, or realm, or whatever you want to call it," she states. "But I hope it's all real. If it is, imagine the possibilities... and even more so, we can keep our abilities in these worlds? I think the idea of losing our abilities if we leave here is the hardest thing to accept, and I don't think a theme park will be big enough forever." She explains, clearly having given it all at least some thought.

"Or you can call in sick," she smiles against his lips, then melts into him, her body pressed flush against his chest as she kisses him deeper, any conversation they had been having forgotten in favor of more physical desires.

"Some kind of shared hallucination?" Jaime asks, tilting his head a little to one side. "I guess if it is, it's one hell of an illusion." But when she mentions all the possibilities of other worlds and getting to keep their abilities, he nods. "I don't know if I could go back to just working a regular job in a regular place after this. Not being able to shift, not being able to do the things that I can do.. I'd miss it. I could do it, I guess, if I had to. But I'd definitely feel like something was missing."

"You're a bad influence on me," he murmurs against her lips, before letting whatever conversation they were having fall by the wayside. It's a little bit before he finally breaks the kiss and comes up for air long enough to ask, "Ready to head back?"