Cat & mouse game

Kara lifted a brow, then she showed him her empty plate with a gesture. "Do y'see something left over? I can see my reflection", she observed with a laugh. "That pretty much means the food was great and I loved it. And, well, I'm enjoying the company too!"

Donovan chuckled kindly. "I feel the same way ~ Do you want a dessert, or do we try to grab an ice-cream on our way to the bowling alley?"

"Oooh I love ice cream! Let's do that", Kara exclaimed with an enthusiastic smile, already motioning to stand up from her chair. And almost dying because her heels were trying to get stuck.

Donovan swiftly got up and helped her steady herself. ".. You don't put heel on much often, do you," he asked her with a smile.

Kara laughed, embarrassed. "Last time I put heels was back in my country, for a town fair. So I really don't get that much practice", she added as she finally steadied herself. "I am super glad I don't have to put them at official celebrations..."

Donovan smiled at her. "You don't have to force yourself next time we go out together, you know. I'll understand !"

"Aw, but I wanted to make an effort! Besides, it would've looked out of place if I came here with my training boots, don't y'think?", Kara laughed.

"... if those are the only other pair of shoes you own, then yes," Donovan replied with a chuckle, as they went out of the restaurant to grab some icecream for themselves.

"Not the only one, but I mostly own boots. Lots of boots. And just one pair of heels", Kara hummed, following Donovan. Damn, he had managed to pay everything without her noticing. Ice cream was on her. Be that the last thing she did!

Donovan tried courageously to pay for the ice-creams, his money bills fighting Kara's like their life depended on it. "I won't judge you, I don't even own a pair of heels," he joked, trying to distract her !

"Well, maybe y'should consider owning one, they do a lot for posture and make y'recinsider all your life choices...!" Kara didn't really want to surrender, trying to fight Donovan back. "Look, isn't that Admiral Kizaru in that shop behind you?" She said then in a poor attempt to distract him.

"...Really ?" Donovan turned around like a gullible idiot, wondering what Admiral Kizaru was doing in a place like this. And then, he realized his mistake. "Kara ! That's cheating !"

Kara gave into a boisterous laugh as she had finally succeeded in giving her money to the seller. "I prefer to call it an alternative way to win", she said with her big grin, winking at him.

Donovan couldn't help but finally smile at that, and handed her her own ice cream. "Fair enough. You've earned it ~ and thank you."

"No probs!" Kara answered merrily, happily eating her ice cream. "So, where's the place y've been telling me about?", she asked, after getting a bad case of brain-freeze from ice cream. She managed to hide it well though!

Donovan gestured the way to her. "It's not far away from there, a bit closer to the beach. I mean. Further away than from where we stock our ships."

Kara nodded in understanding. "I see. Seems so weird I never noticed it", she mused out loud as she followed Donovan around.

"It's a bit remote from our base, and away from the city center. That might be the reason", Donovan explained as he took her to the bowling alley.

Kara whistled, observing all the people gathered in that alley. "Seems like a lot of people know about it though. And seems everyone is having a good time", she smiled. It was nice, for once, not to wear her uniform and be part of the crowd of civillians.

"I hope you and I will have a good time too," Donovan told her, and he asked for a playing booth for them, as well as shoes. There were also a few marines here and there, but thankfully, nobody had noticed her or Donovan. For now.

Kara didn't worry too much about her colleagues around. She was too busy putting on those flat shoes - finally! - and study the booth, trying to analyze how to completely obliterate her date at that game.

Well, Donovan had answered that question earlier, actually. While he did love bowling for the ambiance and such, he was actually not that good at it. He would only strike if he was pretty lucky, which happened once every full moon.

And to everybody's surprise, Kara was actually... not good at all. Her aim was totally off, and her power couldn't really help her that much. If we don't count breaking two pins as helping of course. But she was surely having a lot of fun.

Donovan had a good time playing with Kara, although he took some time to explain to her that force was not the key to bowling. He had already two pins to pay for, he might as well limit the expenses as much as he could!

And Kara enthusiastically tried to go after the suggestions she was given. With sporadic success. But she fiercely insisted to pay for those two pins. It had been her fault after all!