The little diner Gavin had picked for lunch was only a short walk from the thrift store. Its faded red awning flapped in the breeze, and the smell of sizzling burgers and fresh coffee wafted through the air. Gavin held the door open for Felicity, who was still awkwardly adjusting the unfamiliar clothes she had chosen.
"After you, milady," Gavin said with a teasing grin as she walked in.
Felicity shot him a mock glare but didn't say anything. He assumed she was too distracted by the strange, bustling environment of the diner. She acted as if the clatter of dishes, the hum of conversation, and the neon "Daily Specials" board above the counter were utterly foreign to her.
A waitress led them to a booth near the window, and Felicity hesitated for a moment before sliding into the seat opposite Gavin. She looked at the laminated menu in front of her, frowning slightly as she turned it over in her hands.
"What's wrong?" Gavin asked, leaning back in his seat. "Never seen a menu before?"
"No, I haven't, if you must know," Felicity muttered, running her fingers over the pictures of burgers and milkshakes. "It's so... shiny. And there are so many choices. Do people actually eat all of this?"
Gavin laughed, shaking his head. He wished she would act a little more civil, but she insisted on pretending she was from the medieval world. "It's all about options, whether you want them or not."
She raised an eyebrow. "Does that make life better or more complicated?"
"Both," Gavin admitted. "Mostly complicated."
"How will I know what to eat?"
"You order whatever you're hungry for." After he said it, he wished he could take it back. He only had one-hundred dollars on him, and only fifty dollars on his bank card. What if she was really hungry and ordered the whole menu? Then again, from her petite frame, he doubted she could eat the diner's largest burger and fries.
When the waitress returned, Felicity glanced nervously at Gavin as she tried to decipher the menu. "What would you recommend?"
He smirked, sensing her discomfort. "You strike me as a grilled cheese kind of girl. Classic, simple, and impossible to mess up."
"Grilled cheese?" Felicity asked, tilting her head. "It's just bread and cheese?"
"Pretty much," he said. "But it's the best thing you'll ever eat. Trust me."
She gave a hesitant nod, and when the waitress took their order, Gavin added a side of fries and two chocolate milkshakes. Felicity didn't protest, though her curious expression said she wasn't entirely sure what she'd just agreed to.
Once the waitress left, the awkward silence settled between them. Felicity glanced out the window, her fingers tapping lightly on the edge of the table.
"So," Gavin said, breaking the quiet. "Tell me something about you. Besides the whole 'fairy warrior from Camelot' thing."
Felicity's lips quirked into a small smile. "That's a pretty big 'thing' to overlook."
"True," Gavin said with a grin. "But there's gotta be more to you than magic and wings."
She hesitated, her gaze dropping to her hands. "I've spent most of my life training," she said slowly. "Learning magic, studying history, preparing for... well, this." She gestured vaguely. "Helping you. Saving Camelot."
"No hobbies? No guilty pleasures?" Gavin asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Hobbies?" Felicity echoed, puzzled.
"You know, stuff you like to do for fun," he said. "Like reading, singing, binge-watching terrible TV shows... stuff like that."
Felicity blinked. "I enjoy riding horses," she offered after a moment. "And sword training. Though I suppose those aren't really modern hobbies."
"Hey, I'll take it," Gavin said. "You're better with a sword than half the guys I know."
Felicity tilted her head, studying him. "What about you? What do you enjoy?"
"Before all this?" Gavin shrugged, leaning back in the booth. "I guess I liked hanging out with friends, playing video games, and not worrying about magical shadow agents or time-traveling fairies."
She smiled faintly. "And now?"
He paused, his expression growing thoughtful. "Now? I guess I'm trying to figure out who I am," he admitted. "For most of my life, I thought I was just some guy trying to get through college. Now, apparently, I'm a prince destined to save a kingdom I didn't even know existed."
"You don't have to figure it all out at once," Felicity said softly. "You're allowed to take it one step at a time."
He didn't know what else to ask her, especially since she still maintained her secret identity. But he wanted to get to know the real Felicity, the girl without the so-called fairy wings and magic wand. He also hated silence.
"Do you have a special memory you'd like to tell me about?" he encouraged.
"Hmm... That's a good question. Let me think."
He watched her expression, and especially her impressive eyes as they darted around the diner. Hopefully, she didn't get distracted from all the modern stuff and concentrated on a memory.
When her gaze landed on him again, she smiled brightly. "I have so many special memories with my grandfather, Merlin. He is a very wise man, and I felt privileged to be picked for training."
As she explained about her favorite memory with Merlin teaching her how to cast a spell, Gavin had to hand it to her. She was so caught up in her story that he actually believed it might have happened. Either that or she was just an excellent actress.
But the way she talked, the tone of her voice, and the way her sparkle in her eyes danced, he was drawn to her like never before. He actually got caught up in the story, and even laughed a few times when she described how she'd messed up on spells. Of course, that hadn't changed much, since she messed up quite a few times in just the small amount of time he knew her.
The waitress returned with their food, setting down a plate of golden fries, a perfectly crisp grilled cheese sandwich, and two tall milkshakes topped with whipped cream and cherries.
Felicity stared at her plate as if it were an alien artifact. "This is... food?" she asked, picking up one of the fries and turning it over in her hand.
"Try it," Gavin said, grinning as he dipped a fry into his milkshake and popped it into his mouth. "Trust me, it's amazing."
She watched him skeptically but took a cautious bite of the fry. Her eyes widened in surprise. "It's salty," she said, then took another bite. "And crunchy."
"See? Modern food's not all bad," Gavin said, laughing. "Wait until you try the grilled cheese sandwich."
Felicity hesitated, then picked up the sandwich and took a small bite. Her expression shifted from curiosity to delight, and she quickly took another bite.
"This is incredible," she said, her voice muffled by the mouthful of food.
"Told you," Gavin said smugly. "Now you're officially a fan of grilled cheese."
As they ate, the conversation grew easier, the tension fading into the background. Gavin found himself laughing at Felicity's bewildered reactions to everythingâfrom the concept of ketchup packets to the sweetness of the milkshake.
"You're going to have a serious sugar crash later," he teased as she took another sip of her milkshake.
"Sugar crash?" she asked, licking whipped cream from her lips.
"You'll see," he said with a grin.
For the first time since meeting her, Gavin felt a sense of normalcy. Sitting across from Felicity, watching her discover the quirks of his world, he realized how much he enjoyed her company. She was serious and focused, but there was a quiet curiosity and strength to her that he admired.
As they finished their meal, Gavin leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "Okay, Felicity, I've got one last question for you."
She raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"What's the weirdest thing you've noticed about my world so far?"
Her eyes widened. "Do you believe me now?"
"No, but I love playacting with you. So, answer my question."
Felicity thought for a moment, then smiled. "Ketchup," she said. "Who decided to squeeze tomatoes into a bottle?"
Gavin burst out laughing, shaking his head. "You've got a lot to learn, milady."
Once their laughter died down she reached across the table and took hold of his hand. "Gavin, you have been absolutely wonderful during our meal, but please do not refer to me as milady."
He arched an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Because that title belongs to women of nobility, which I am not. I'm just a servant."
He shrugged. "If you wish. But I guess it's okay. I mean, I'm just a college failure who only wants to work as a knight in a medieval restaurant. So, I suppose I'm just a servant as well."
She gasped. "Heavens, no! You are much more. You will be king, and don't ever forget it."
There was one good thing he could say about Felicity. Even though she was probably mentally deranged, at least she was good for his ego.
* * * *
The park was quiet in the afternoon sun, with only a few joggers and families scattered across the grassy expanse. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the tall oaks, and the air carried the faint scent of freshly cut grass. Gavin led Felicity down the path, their steps moving along the odd-looking gravel.
She didn't dare ask what it was, only because she was tired of him looking at her as though she'd lost her mind.
She glanced around, taking in the sight of children playing on what appeared to be swings on chairs, an older couple walking a small dog. The modern world still felt like an elaborate illusion she couldn't quite trust.
"So this is where people come to relax after lunch?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Pretty much," Gavin said, gesturing toward a clearing near the edge of the park. "You'd be surprised how much a little fresh air and green space helps clear your head."
"Camelot has gardens," she said thoughtfully. "But they were quiet, serene. This is noisier."
"Yeah, this town isn't big on 'serene'." He grinned.
They reached the clearing, a small grassy patch tucked between two large oaks. Gavin stretched his arms over his head. "All right, time for a little lesson."
Felicity gave him a skeptical look. "A lesson? In what?"
"Self-defense," he said, motioning for her to step closer. "Look, I know you claim to be good with magic and swords and all that, but only if you have your wand. But without those things, you should know how to handle yourself if someone attack you."
She tilted her head, trying not to laugh in his face. The only way to make him understand was to show him, but that time would come soon enough. "And you're going to teach me?"
"Of course," he boasted. "Trust me, I've got some moves. I used to train in mixed martial arts before college."
Her lips twitched but she kept them steady as not to show him the humor in this situation. "All right, Gavin. Show me these 'moves.'"
He stepped back, motioning for her to face him. "Okay, first things first. If someone grabs you from the front, like thisâ" He reached out slowly, mimicking an attacker grabbing her shoulders. "What's your instinct?"
Felicity shrugged. "I would most definitely set them on fire."
"Well, that's a good backup plan," he said with a laugh. "But let's try something without magic. If someone grabs you, you want to break their grip and throw them off balance."
He guided her hands to his wrists. "Grab my hands and push down hard while twisting your shoulders. Use their momentum against them."
She nodded and focused as she followed his instructions. Gavin allowed her to twist his wrists free, stepping back with exaggerated defeat.
"See? Not bad," he said. "Now let's try something a little more advanced."
He moved behind her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "Okay, let's say someone grabs you from behind. You can flip them over your shoulderâkind of like this." He stepped in front of her again, demonstrating the motion slowly. "You pull them forward, drop your weight, and flip them over."
Felicity frowned, keeping up her playacting. "You want me to throw you?"
"Yeah," Gavin said, grinning. "Don't worry, I can take it. Just follow the steps."
She hesitated, then nodded. "All right, but I'll try to be gentle."
Gavin grabbed her shoulders lightly, pretending to attack. Felicity shifted her weight as he'd shown her, pulling him forward and twisting her body. Immediately, his feet left the ground, and he landed flat on his back with a loud thud.
"Ugh!" he groaned, staring up at the sky. "Okay... you're a fast learner."
Felicity stared at him, wide-eyed. "Oh, dear. Did I hurt you?"
"Just my pride," he muttered, sitting up and rubbing his shoulder. "But seriously, that was perfect. You've got a natural instinct for this."
She offered him a hand, helping him to his feet. "It wasn't as difficult as I thought," she admitted as a small smile tugged at her lips, unable to keep a straight face now. "You weren't lyingâyou do have some useful knowledge."
"See? I'm not just a pretty face," he quipped, brushing grass off his jeans. "Let's try it again. This time, I won't go so easy on you."
They practiced the move a few more times, and Felicity's confidence grew with each attempt. By the fourth try, she didn't hold back, flipping Gavin with surprising ease. A small crowd of onlookers had gathered nearby, drawn by the sight of a young woman throwing a fully grown man to the ground.
Gavin groaned as he hit the grass again, squinting up at the amused faces of two teenagers filming with their phones. "Great. Now I'm going viral."
Felicity extended her hand, her smile widening. "Perhaps you should practice falling as much as I'm practicing flipping."
"Ha ha," Gavin said, accepting her help up. "Just remember, next time it's my turn to throw you."
"I'd like to see you try," she said, brushing her hair out of her face. As she stared into his eyes, excitement danced in her chest. "This is actually fun."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Glad you think so. Let's call it a day before you break my ribs, though."
They sat on the grass to catch their breath, the tension of the past few days melting away in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Gavin leaned back on his elbows, watching a pair of birds flit between the trees.
"Thanks for humoring me," he said after a moment. "I know this isn't exactly your style, but I figured it couldn't hurt."
Felicity glanced at him, her expression thoughtful. "It was helpful," she admitted. "And not just the moves. It's been a long time since I've done something that felt so normal."
"Yeah," Gavin said softly, his gaze drifting to the horizon. "It's nice, isn't it? Just being in the moment."
She sighed heavily. "For a moment, it almost feels like the world isn't falling apart."
Gavin chuckled, but there was a bittersweet edge to it. "Well, enjoy it while it lasts. Something tells me things are about to get a whole lot crazier."
Felicity looked at him, her smile fading slightly. "Then we'll face it together."
He met her gaze and winked. "Yeah, together."