Cat & mouse game

Kara shrugged. "Well, I've known y'for a bit and you're a nice person, that's plenty enough. And I thought it would have been fun to spend some time like this. You know, in a different way!" She smiled at him.

"It's true, Donovan admitted with a smile, and grabbed his glass of champagne as it was finally brought to their place. "To be honest, I'm quite... glad that you took the first opportunity to get your current position," he said with a kind chuckle.

Kara grabbed her own glass, thanking the waiter. "Well, how could I have let that slip out of my hands! I mean, wasn't expecting y'to keep me around for this long, so I am pretty amazed!"

"Well... I did need some help. And you were right there when I needed you. So... thank you, Kara," Donovan said as he raised his glass to her.

"Thank me!", Kara answered gleefully, raising her glass up to him and then finishing all of the champagne in a single gulp. Which proven to almost be a bad choice as she coughed up a bit. She really wasn't used to that.

"..." Donovan tried hard not to laugh, and had to lay his glass back onto the table as he tried to regain his composure. "No, that's not like beer at all," he joked kindly.

Kara tried not to die in between her fit of small coughs and her laugh, her hand clasped on her mouth until she managed to calm down. "Yeah, I can tell that", she answered, her voice raspy. "Won't make the same mistake again", she added, resting her chin on her hands.

Donovan chuckled again. "We'll stop ordering this kind of stuff, then," he just offer with a kind laugh. "Are you alright, though?" He poured her a glass of water, wanting to be of some help.

Kara smiled gratefully at him, accepting gladly the water. "I'm fine now, yes. But, if y'want to order some more for yourself, don't mind me! I'll stick to things that don't try to kill me", she laughed then, winking at him.

"I do hope nothing else with threaten your life tonight," Donovan replied with a warmer smile. Then he paused for a moment. "Would you mind me asking you an indiscreet question?"

Kara laughed. "Sure. Shoot it off!" She leant back against her seat, smiling at him.

"Don't you miss spending time on the training grounds ? I mean, aside from our friendly fights," - which he often lost to -, "You don't go there anymore. And you seemed quite thrilled about setting the young recruits on the right path, if I remember well."

Kara had her answer ready. "I miss it, to be honest. I liked to be a trainer, and to help the new recruits get into the big machine of the Marine. But... I believe that if there is a way to help them further, it is by helping my superiors. And to be a way for them to be in touch with higher grade commanders." She smiled broadly. "I'll make their life better by making yours better!"

Donovan smiled kindly. "But wouldn't you rather become a higher officer in our biggest training camps, to follow that dream?"

Kara smiled again. "That's my plan for when I will be very high officer. Like ye, y'know Boss? Or, well, as near as I can go to that", she added, scratching her neck, her smile getting a bit sheepish.

Donovan smiled kindly. "So you'd nee me to do good reports on your work, right?" He thought out loud.

Kara grinned. "Well, let's say that'd be nice?", she answered tentatively. "Why, has m'work being unpleasant? Mind, I am not below making puppy eyes at ye if y'think so!" She faked a pout.

Donovan laughed kindly. "To be honest, Kara... I fear that without you, I'd have gone under a burn-out," he said with a sorry smile. "It's true that I had always refused to have somebody to assist me, but I didn't think I would find your company so soothing. Both in a profesionnal and personal way.

Kara's pout morphed into a happy smile. "Aw. That's... very touching actually. Thanks, Donovan!" She scratched her neck again, playing with her short hair. "I thought it would have been more of a pain to work for ye, but y're a pretty nice guy, and I've loved being in your company. So, yeah, I'm glad we are working side by side like this." Her smile turned a bit shy.

Donovan smiled kindly, and gently reached for her other hand, brushing his fingers against her skin. "Is everything alright, Kara?"

Kara's fingers instinctively jerked away from that casual contact. She smiled, a bit embarrassed. "I'm... I'm fine. Sorry, I am... kinda not used to all of this", she said, laughing a bit. She relaxed, her hand getting in its previous position.

Donovan retracted his hand. "Hey," he started with a soft voice. "It's okay. I can go back to acting like I usually do, if you like it better that way. I don't want you to feel rushed, or pressured to do anything, right?"

Kara smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks", she said in a soft voice. "I'm just... a bit overwhelmed, that's it. It is sort of a first for me, after all. Just have to get used!" She smiled a bit more gleefully. "So, where's the food in this place!"

"Well, you have the menu right here," Donovan told her with a smile, as he gave her hers, and then took his. "And Iiii have the one with the prices. Please don't take the lobster."

"What even is a lobster", Kara asked distractedly as she quickly flipped the pages of the menu around. "No way you'll pay for the whole dinner. I'll just have the steak, with some salad on the side", she announced then, closing it. "What 'bout ye?"