Royals - tag Calliope

[Chester Douglas]

"Wear something nice and meet me at the main entrance at 6."

Chester was on his way home when he sent that text to Calliope, already thinking of the night he had planned for his childhood love. He should have done this ages ago but he had been too busy dealing with personal bullshit that he had neglected one of the few people he knew loved him openly and without condition.

That didn't matter. He was going to make it up to her tonight. She deserved a night of decadence. It was, however, also a selfish event since he just wanted her all to himself for the night. He was sure she wouldn't mind.

Dressing in a dark blue striped collared shirt with it's sleeves rolled up to his arms and a pair of dark grey pants, he checked himself out in the mirror that only recently popped out the strangest of people he had ever met. Shaking his head of the encounter, he gave his long-ish hair a rake through with his fingers and went downstairs to inform Alex of where he was heading.

"She might be coming back with me." He gave Alex a small smile before heading out to his car to pick Calliope up at Hammel. Once there, he got out and leaned against his car, waiting for the sprightly blonde he adored.

[Calliope Gallo]

Any excuse to see Chester was a good one in Callie's eyes. When she got his message, she couldn't help but feel completely elated. It was so much different when he reached out to her. Like it was special. It carried more weight than when she messaged him first, asking him to come over. Or asking if she could come over.

The half-Greek dancer was incredibly excited, to say the least.

True to form, she worked to make herself look good for him. He deserved the best. After all, to her he was the best; childhood companion. Friend. Man.

By pure accident, she chose a short dark blue dress with long sleeves - something to combat the cold she was sure to feel in the night air. Had she known they were going to match, well, she probably would have chosen it anyway. She tied her bright blonde hair up in a high ponytail and opted for a shorter heel with purpose; she didn't want to tower over him.

Walking out to the parking lot, Calliope immediately smiled at the sight of him leaning against his car as he did.

"Look at you." She said lightly, her smile widening as she got closer. Callie leaned in towards him, a hand to his shoulder as she pressed her lips adoringly against his cheek. "You look perfect."

But then, when did he not?

[Chester Douglas]

Seeing her approaching, a smile naturally appeared on the redhead's face just as easily as he pushed himself off his car to meet her halfway. He leaned into the kiss, offering his own and lingering just because she smelled good.

He hummed lightly and grinned at her as they parted. "I should say the same of you." He responded, letting his hand slide down her arm before squeezing her hand lightly. "We match tonight. Should we become those sickeningly matchy couples as well? Finishing each other's sentences, feed each other desserts?" He teased a little before stepping back to open the door for the youngest Gallo.

"After you, m'lady." Chester grinned, even bowing a little with a sweep of his hand.

[Calliope Gallo]

Callie would always love the smile he'd offer her. Involuntary. Natural. It reminded her so much of the boy she was so sure she was going to spend her life with.

It was impossible not to smile back at him when he turned the compliment back on her. She squeezed his hand back without fail, revelling in whatever contact he was offering her. It was rare for him to be like this.

"Maybe I should have called first." Callie teased lightly, running her hand underneath the collar of his shirt. It looked perfect - of course it did. But she wanted to smooth it out anyway. "Or you should have been more specific. Most girls don't go on dates with guys who text."

With a grateful nod, Callie moved into the car seat once he'd opened the door for her. In the brief moment she was alone, she breathed a slow sigh.

Once he joined her, she was all bright again. "Where are we going? Am I allowed to know?"

[Chester Douglas]

Chester had a habit of switching off his ability around people he cared for. He didn't like invading their privacy unless they requested him to. Calliope was no exception. Sure he couldn't help the little snippets every now and again but most of the time, he kept his shields up.

This was why, though he knew Calliope loved him, he didn't quite know to what extent. Though he was pretty damn sure, the feeling was mutual.

Tilting his head up a little to ease her fixing, he chuckled at her statement. "And risk not getting these little coincidences? Never." He did feel bad for asking her out with a text, though. But he quickly brushed it off. Tonight was not a night of regret.

Once he was in the car, Chester started it and turned to her at her question. "You know I've never been good at mystery." He smirked. "We're going to go see a movie first. Of your choosing. And then dinner at Mercury." It was a restaurant a little out of town but he really liked it because they actually had little stations of different types of food and he was so sure Calliope would love it.

[Calliope Gallo]

"I'm glad you like these coincidences." Callie admitted, running her hands across his shoulders and down his chest lightly. Of course he didn't need her to fix anything. To smooth anything. But she'd wanted to anyway.

Callie glanced over towards him when he looked at her. She was glad to hear what he had in store for her, especially when she realised he'd actually planned it. It wasn't just a random thing for him. Though really, that should have been obvious given the way he was dressed.

"Oh, you're going to let me choose? That's very generous of you." She replied, her voice lightened with a touch of humour. But that dwindled down to something a little more genuine; "I'm really glad you messaged me. I feel like it's been too long since I last saw you."

[Chester Douglas]

"Especially when it involves you, love." He gave her a soft smile as her hands reached his chest. He reached his own hands out to wrap behind her neck and let his thumb trace her jawline before letting go.

Chester let his head hang back against the headrest as he looked at her looking at him. He let out a soft sigh and a small quirk of the left side of his lips. He couldn't help the adoration he was probably giving off by the bucket towards the girl in the car with him then. He didn't know what it was about her that made him have such loving and protective emotions towards her.

Her tease made him chuckle and shrug. "I have my moments." Of course, he didn't have to reveal that those sacred moments were usually shared with her. When the moment changed, Chester's smile faltered oh so slightly before he reached a hand over to her knee to squeeze it lightly. "I do apologise for that, love." He responded gently. "I know I promised we would keep more in contact with each other after Cam-" he stopped himself from finishing that name and shook his head. "I'm glad you're willing to meet up with me. I'm going to try to keep my promise." He nodded before turning to the road and driving off, punctuating his concentration on the road with little glances off to her and smiling lightly.

Once they arrived at the cinema, the telepath walked over to the passenger's side and opened the door for the blonde. "After you, madamme."

[Calliope Gallo]

Calliope revelled in the way Chester was so attentive to her need for physical attention. His touch was light - thoughtful in its nature. It was the side of him no one understood. One she was glad to receive the benefits of. The softened features as he smiled; the nickname he opted for. It was all perfect.

She briefly glanced down at his hand as it moved to rest on her knee. Her smile faltered very briefly when he mentioned his former counterpart. The name alone seemed to stir some kind of involuntary ill feelings inside her; ones she couldn't ignore for the moments they overtook her senses and caused her to frown. "I know you will." Callie replied instead, trying her best to shake the emotional recall away. She knew it'd take time for him to make it to such a promise, but she was willing to wait.

Once he opened the door for her, Callie stepped out as per his request, offering him an equally appreciative smile. Was it bad to be happy with the fact that he kept this side of himself for her? She couldn't exactly be sure that she was that special, but she had an inkling. Intertwining her fingers between her own, she noted how perfectly his hand fit within her own for however long he was willing to let her hold on before she led him inside.

She mused with purpose over various titles, well aware that she was never the type to make a definite choice in her life without thought. It was so unimportant, but it wasn't all the same. "What do you feel like seeing?" Callie tried anyway, leaning into him idly as she asked.

[Chester Douglas]

His control over his power slipped just for a second but it was more than enough to take in some of Calliope's thoughts that he mirrored as well. It was bitter but he supposed he couldn't be surprised. He was just glad the blonde was more than willing to be so forgiving of him, despite his track record with her.

Easily accommodating the dancer when she leaned in, Chester laughed at her question, shrugging as he looked around the cinema for something they could both enjoy. He supposed he should just choose something light. Maybe an animation. He didn't mind an animation.

"Up for some childhood re-awakening?" He asked, pointing to the Disney poster with a little chuckle.

[Calliope Gallo]

Given how comfortable Chester seemed to be with her attentive nature, Callie was relatively oblivious to her subtleties. She didn't notice the way she leaned in close towards him when she spoke; the way her thumb trailed across his finger as she held onto his hand. His laughter infectiously drew a wider smile to her lips.

"I was hoping you'd say something like that." She admitted, squeezing his hand and leading him into the line up. She wasn't exactly sure what kind of movies he was interested in, but she doubted their usual interests matched up.

Besides, childhood memories with Chester were the all important factor here.

"Did you ever really like watching this stuff with me when we were kids?" She asked idly, the corner of her mouth tugging into an amused smile, "Or did you just sit with me because you wanted to be around me."

[Chester Douglas]

Chester was far too aware of Calliope's every single move. It had been ingrained in him since they were children. The difference now was that he knew exactly what to do with it.

At Calliope's agreement, he let the girl pull him to the line. Without thinking, he slid his arms around the blonde's waist, pulling her closer. Almost possessively.

His lips protruded as he mused at the question. "As I recall, the reason I kept having to sit next to you was because our mothers had already betrothed me to you." He teased before smirking. He could have answered truthfully. He actually did like the movies. But it had also been an excuse to be near her. She had to have known that.

Laughing lightly, Chester stole a quick kiss to her temple before paying for the tickets. He led her over to the concession stands and got them a big combo of nachos and sweet popcorn.

"I think we've got about ten minutes till the movie starts. You wanna go in or stay out here?" He asked, munching on the popcorn.

[Calliope Gallo]

Callie made absolutely no move to shy away from him when he pulled her in close with an arm around her waist. She was just too focused on enjoying the way he was treating her.

She couldn't help but offer an amused smile as he spoke, her mouth threatening to try and match the smirk he offered. "You were the perfect boy. Even my brother's liked you." She reasoned. Given how possessive her brother's were, she knew he'd take that as a legitimate compliment. Not that he hadn't heard that before.

Truthfully, it didn't matter who paid. Between them, money was no object. But it was important - and more to the point, sweet - that he decided to.

"Let's go in," She reasoned, "You can pick good seats that way. Make sure no one sits in your way." Her hand idly stroked across his arm, as if the issue she raised really was a legitimate one. "Cause y'know, you didn't bring your baseball bat." Callie added, quickly adopting a teasing tone of voice; "You can't be threatening without it."

[Chester Douglas]

"I was? What happened between then and now? Did I lose my perfection?" Chester teased with a chuckle. Chester did, in fact, know how ridiculously difficult it was to impress Eric and Niko, and he was eternally grateful that they both approved of him. There wasn't much he needed to be approved of but that seemed to be important, at the time, and he was glad they still took to him even now. It certainly made being friends with Calliope a lot easier.

He thought nothing of paying, knowing the blonde dancer would never really mind that, despite their more or less similar financial status. He was, by now, very used to being the one paying for everything.

"Ah that makes sense. Yeah." He said as he led the way inside. Her phrasing made him laugh but the thought that accompanied that made him stop. He was becoming a little sloppy with Calliope's thoughts and he felt bad. But this one, he was glad he caught. He knew tonight was supposed to be for the both of them but anger was a driving factor in his personality, which made him pause in his walking.

"Where did that come from?"

[Calliope Gallo]

Callie smirked through her amusement as he teased her. "You're a man now, Chester. It's a whole new game." She explained with a small, expressive laugh. "But I bet your perfection is perfectly in tact." More to the point, she felt she knew that was so. But such a definite statement mightn't have sat well with him.

She followed him inside, though she felt him stop before she did. It was sudden, and it almost made her hand slip away from his arm. She turned back to glance at him, confusion settling into her bright blue eyes.

At his question, she couldn't help where her mind went. A specific boy in a specific auditorium making mention of her friend.

"Seriously, though, who shows up in someone's room with a baseball bat?"

Callie had gotten defensive when questioned about Chester - as defensive as she could be. She called him protective, and didn't really get a verbal answer. Oriel's thought had depicted Chester as something of a coward. But she remained oblivious to that fact.

She often forgot her counterpart was a telepath.

"No where in particular."

[Chester Douglas]

At her words, Chester puffed his chest out and struck a pose, straightening his coat and clearing his throat with a smirk on his face. "Well, I suppose if the lady doth agree." He said in a more-than-usual pompous tone of voice before dropping the act, getting a full effect of her opinion of him at her next words. His smile softened slightly and he pushed forward so Calliope wouldn't comment on the change in his expression.

When the thought gained clarity, Chester's anger bubbled up to the surface. The memory from the thought started to form and Chester's eyes glazed over for a second. Blinking away the memory, the redhead attempted to quell the anger he felt. It wouldn't help, he told himself. You are on a lovely date with a lovely girl. He continued to convince himself. He couldn't let his anger ruin tonight. It had been a long time coming and he wanted Calliope to enjoy herself and his company even if it was just for a night. This can be dealt with later, he promised himself.

"O-of course. Shall we?" Chester opened the door to the hall, his hand gripping the handle so tight his already pale skin turned rather white around the knuckle. Following Calliope in, he forced himself to get back into his previous mindset where he was enjoying his time with his blonde childhood best friend.

"So whatever happens in this room stays in this room, all right? Any tears you see in my eyes will never be mentioned again." He teased with a forced grin.