so uh... it's been like a year hasn't it... hahah... sorry... might be a good idea for you to reread the first few chapters.

Monika smiled softly as she and Oliver left the café, Oliver stopped at the door, looking at her awkwardly.

"Well, uh," he smiled sheepishly, "I had a lovely time, the éclairs were lovely didn't you think?"

Monika nodded, "Yes they were."

Oliver swallowed hard, still smiling, "So…" he let out a small huff, swinging on his hips slightly, "I should probably be getting going, do you want to do it again?"

Monika nodded again, "Of course." She smiled softly, "I enjoy coming out with you."

She pulled out her phone to make a note, "The same time next week?"

Oliver nodded, "Sure, do you want to come here again or go somewhere else?"

"Uh…" Monika found herself caught off guard, the past few times she'd gone out with Oliver he'd been the one to suggest the next meeting place, he knew where all the best teashops and bakeries were.

She stood in thinking for a moment, her eyes widening a little as she thought of a place. "There's a man named Arthur who owns a teashop near my house, we should go there."

Oliver nodded, "I think I know that place," he smiled, holding out his hand to shake hers, "It's a date then."

Monika nodded and shook his hand firmly, "I'll see you there."

She watched as he walked off, letting out a small and happy huff as she turned to walk towards the bus stop, sitting on the bench and leaning back, letting the soft glow of happiness fill her.

She was really beginning to enjoy going out with Oliver. At first it had been a little awkward, she always felt awkward in one on one social situations like that, but Oliver had a nice aura to him, he had a way of getting her to talk and making her feel comfortable.

It was even nicer knowing that he accepted her, in fact they'd not really talked before she'd come out to him as trans, it had been the evening that she'd come out to her baking class that he'd first approached her and asked her out to lunch.

Though at the same time something about that unnerved her.

She frowned as someone sat next to her on the bench, pulling her from her trance.

"Hi," the man said, Monika's head twitching to him as she realised she recognised the voice.

"Oh," she said softly, turning to face the familiar form of the small Italian man that seemed to keep popping up in her life, "Hello, uh…" she paused, her frown hardening as she tried to remember the man's name. "Feliciano?" she said, unsure.

The man smiled widely, nodding, "Si. Hello, it's good to see you again, Monika."

"What are you doing here?" Monika asked bluntly.

"I've just finished work," the man said, leaning back in the seat, "I'm headed home. Are you doing the same?"

Monika shook her head, "No, I don't work on the weekends. I just, uh," she paused for a moment, not quite sure how to define what she'd been doing, "I just had lunch with a friend."

"Oh," Feliciano cooed, "That sounds so nice. Where did you go?"

"The Heart, it's a teashop," she pointed in the direction of the shop, though it was just out of Feliciano's view.

Feliciano smiled, "Oh I know that place, their hot chocolate is so nice." He cocked his head, "It's a little bit romantic for lunch with a friend."

Monika glanced away, letting out a small grunt and getting to her feet as the bus pulled up in front of them, Feliciano jumping up and to her side.

"That's just my opinion though," the man squeaked behind her, seeming to fear that he'd insulted her.

"No I," she paused, pulling her ticket from her purse, "I agree with you actually."

Feliciano giggled, following her onto the bus and sitting on the seat in front of her, "Well then are you sure it was just a friend you were having lunch with?"

Monika shrugged, turning her head towards the window to try to discourage the conversation, the man however persisted.

"You know I'm not going to judge you for liking someone, if you've been on a date then that's a good thing."

"I know it's a good thing," Monika said, turning her head back to him, "I just don't think it's any of your business."

Feliciano pursed his lips, shying away slightly, "I'm sorry, I don't want you to think I'm being nosey,"

Monika frowned at him for a second, how could he think he was being anything but nosey? She pulled away to sit straight in her seat, looking back at him after a moment and seeing him sunken in his chair, his smile faded.

"The truth is," she said softly, "I don't know if it was a date or not."

Feliciano's smile widened and he let out a small chuckle, "How do you not know if it was a date? It's easy to tell."

Monika shook her head, "I'm not good at recognising things like that."

Feliciano leaned forward, "Well were they smiling at you a lot, and watching you, and leaning over and touching your arm?" he leant in to stroke her arm to demonstrate.

Monika glance down, "Yes, I suppose so."

"Then it might have been a date."

"But he does that with everyone, I think," Monika said, frowning again.

Feliciano hummed softly, "Yes but he doesn't do it to them and ask them out to lunch as well."

Monika chewed her lip and nodded, "That's true… I never really…" she huffed, turning away again.

Feliciano patted her arm again, "You could just ask him?"

Monika shook her head, there was no way she could do that, if he was only interested in her as a friend it might ruin whatever friendship they had.

"It might be better than not knowing?" Feliciano pushed.

"Ja…" she said under her breath, letting out another huff before shaking her head, "I might ask eventually." She pressed the stop button in the bus railings, getting to her feet and looking down at Feliciano, "Are you getting off here too?"

Feliciano paused for a moment before nodding and getting to his feet, "Si," he followed her off the bus, stopping and smiling at her, "Which way is your house."

Monika gestured to her left and began to walk, Feliciano smiled, walking at her side, "Me too."

"I always think it's a good idea to ask if people like you, it stops you from getting hurt or confused," Feliciano began to explain.

Monika nodded, "…I'm always worried about making things weird, I have so few friends now I don't want to lose the ones I have."

Feliciano glanced down, "Yeah I can understand." He looked back up at her, smiling, "But you can't let that stand in your way, you deserve to know what's going on."

Monika nodded again, stopping outside her block of flats, "I live here," she said bluntly, beginning to walk up the stairs.

"Oh," Feliciano squeaked, "I live a bit more down here," he gestured down the road.

Monika frowned, there was another bus stop a little down the road, he could have stayed on. "Why did you get off the bus with me then?"

Feliciano shrugged, "Well, I like you and I wanted to keep talking," he smiled, "I like walking anyway."

"Oh…" Monika swayed on her feet, frowning, "Well thank you."

Feliciano's smile widened, "Your welcome…" he chuckled softly, "And, uh, when I say I like you, I do mean as more than a friend, I don't want you to feel confused."

"Oh," Monika said again, feeling a soft blush come to her face, "Well… ok…"

Feliciano linked his hands behind his back, looking up at her sweetly, "Do you think, maybe, if the man you had lunch with doesn't want to go out with you that I might be able to?"

Monika stared at him for a moment, her mouth lulling open slightly, "I… uh…" she swallowed hard, "I don't know, maybe, I'll have to think about that."

"Well if I see you again you can tell me."

Monika nodded, "Ok."

Feliciano giggled, "Ok, I need to be going, my cat will start to miss me."

She watched as he began to walk off, feeling a soft smile come to her face as she turned to the door, walking in and up to her apartment.

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