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I. CHOCOLATIER DU MONDE - (OPEN)
It didn't take too long for Kyle to find a job in the city. He wasn't entirely sure if this one would last, given that he was hired for a seasonal trial period, but it meant doing something kind of cool and getting paid for it, so he couldn't complain. Working at a gourmet chocolate shop meant giving people things they actually wanted for prices they were already willing to pay. He didn't have to sell anyone on things they didn't want and had the added bonus of rarely dealing with agitated customers.

Of course, with Valentine's Day around the corner, the shop was busier than ever and most of his shifts were spent on his feet helping people. He was mostly grateful that they didn't do deliveries and that every transaction was straightforward and in-store. Plus he'd already been able to sample most of the flavors and could actually able to recommend some. Which is why, when the next customer was up, he immediately offered them a smile and a sample of the dark chocolate orange creme.

"Try this."

II. CAFE - (CLOSED TO ALEX)
Kyle couldn't help but wonder why Alex had asked him out on Valentine's Day. The girl seemed adamant in shutting down every attempt at flirting and diligent about insisting on their inability to ever progress. Which he was fine with if that's what she wanted, but the mixed message was more than a little confusing. There was a part of him that wondered if maybe she was oblivious to the day. Even still, she had to have a reason for asking him out to coffee then. Luckily, his new job at the chocolate shop provided a convenient excuse to bring her a gift without making a big deal out of it.

"Hey," he greeted her with a smile, taking a seat before she could even offer. Kyle set the small golden box in front of her. "Here, I got these for you. I figured you wouldn't like the heart box, so I went simple."

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Kyle mirrored her movement, leaning in to share in the secret. When she admitted to the mistake, he quickly shifted his perception and expectations for the morning. Holding up a hand to dismiss her concerns, Kyle leaned back in his chair again and offered his usual smile. "To let me surprise you with the news that I got a new job? I work at the place, Alex. It's okay."

Sure, it set him back a little, but she didn't need to know that. Even platonic, he was happy to give her something which he had a feeling that she would never get for herself. Kyle set his hands on the table and stood, still wearing the same smile. "I'm going to grab a drink. Anything else you want while I'm up?"

Alex quickly relaxed at his revelation, giving him a relieved smile. "Okay. I just didn't want--" She cut herself off. Finishing that sentence would just be calling more attention to it and probably just digging herself deeper into the hole. She paused, smiled again, and started over. "Congratulations," she said sincerely. "I'm sure you'll make a great chocolate salesman."

When he got up, she shook her head. "I'm fine. I've already got coffee and chocolate."

"Thanks." He flashed her a grin, giving a nod to her polite decline.

Kyle headed for the counter, ordering a coffee with some cream and sugar. It gave him a delightfully long moment to think. He genuinely didn't mind being friends with Alex, even if it stayed there. It was her propensity to think that the flirting was meant to be something, and her tenacity in rejecting his innocent musings, that threw him off. He wasn't sure whether to stop flirting entirely or keep at it and continually gloss over her assurances that they weren't and would never be a thing. Cocky as he could be, it did wound him a little to be constantly reminded.

He accepted his drink and returned to the table, sitting with the same lightheartedness and no sign of his internal monologue or dilemma. Instead, he moved on to casual conversation. "So. Any big plans for the day?"

While she waited for him to come back, Alex decided to examine the chocolate more closely. Apart from cheap candy bars, she didn't eat much chocolate, and definitely not the fancy kind that came in individual paper cups in a gold box. At least there was a small legend on the inside of the lid that told her which chocolates were which, not that she was picky. She took a bite of a caramel just as he returned.

When he asked about her plans, she shook her head. It was an easy lie to tell. There was no reason Kyle had no know that she'd been making inquiries and tracking down a wanted murderer and planned to catch him later. "I thought today was just another Sunday. What about you?"

She pointed at the chocolates. "Those are really good, by the way."

"It really is," he replied with a shrug. Just another Sunday. Although Kyle wasn't oblivious to the date or holiday as Alex was, he was new to the city and had no one to spend the day with even if he wanted to. Truth be told, he couldn't remember the last time he spent Valentine's Day like a normal civilian guy though and it was kind of refreshing just to be around it all.

Besides, after last night's rave-turned-vampire-massacre, he was a little shaken up. Although damn good at hiding it, Kyle was really grateful to be back in what felt like a safer public space. Though maybe his gaze flitted to the door with every entry and exit and to anyone that passed nearby.

"The guy who runs the place is supposed to be some master from Brussels. He keeps a small staff and the pay's good. Classy place. This might sound dumb, but I'm lucky to be working there." It was fairly low key, all things considered, and his boss was surprisingly easygoing for such a perfectionist. "I'm glad you like them."

Alex wouldn't have noticed the way he kept looking around if not for the fact that she used to do that too. She still liked to make a quick note of exits and anyone that looked suspicious or threatening when she walked into someplace she'd never been. It was a habit. But what he was doing didn't quite look like an old habit. She didn't really know what to do about that other than keep going like nothing was different.

"It sounds really nice." She meant that absolutely sincerely. She understood the appeal of a job like that, and she knew she'd count herself lucky if she could have one, even for just a little while.

She pushed the box of chocolates across the table towards him, grinning. "You should try one. The caramels are amazing."

He smiled at her remark, taking a sip of his coffee. He was proud of himself for snagging the gig and it was nice to have at least one normal friend to back him up on something so mundane. Even if it already lead to a run-in with a vampire. She didn't need to know that part.

At her offer, he shakes his head and holds up a hand to decline. "No, thanks. My boss makes me try a few every shift to make sure I know what I'm selling. It's smart, but I think I've hit sugar overload. You'll have to come by sometime, pick out the ones you like."

"You get paid to eat chocolate? That's way more than nice." Alex grinned at him, somewhat bewildered by the fact that a job that cool actually existed but definitely happy for him.

She pulled the box back and took out another caramel. "You realize you're stuck now, right? You're gonna have to get me fancy chocolate for every holiday." She was mostly teasing, but she certainly wouldn't say no if he did.

He laughed at that, shaking his head yet again. Alex's face lit up like he was Wonka in his own chocolate factory rather than a guy with a sales job. As cool as the shop was, he still swept floors and made gift boxes and bags. "It's not like that. It's only until I try them all. He makes a crazy amount of flavors."

At the latter, Kyle's smile returned. It was weird how easy it was with her, even when it got awkward. She was distraction enough that, for the first time this morning, he wasn't dwelling on the night before at all. Instead, his attention was entirely with her. With the same humor as in her tone, he replied, "Can't wait."

It took her several seconds to realize that she was just staring at him with a grin plastered on her face, and she blinked a few times, her smile softening as her eyes drifted down to her coffee. It was easy and fun being around him, and easy to forget that she didn't want to be more than friends.

Alex picked up her cup and cleared her throat before looking back up at him, still unable to contain her smile. Partially just because she liked spending time with him, partially because his job really did sound that cool, no matter how much he insisted it wasn't.

"Well. Here's to Kyle Sutton, chocolatier." She moved to clink her cup against his in a little mini-toast before taking a sip.

Kyle couldn't help another grin spreading on his lips at her toast. He offered his mug for the toast and then took a long sip, enjoying the moment more than he knew he should. Flirting came easily. It was the part of him that wanted more that was trouble, the one that would put a civilian at risk. He was acutely aware of that after last night's reminder.

"Thanks," he replied after a bit, burying his mouth in his hand not a moment later. After another pause, he dropped it away and leaned back, relaxing into the chair and trying not to look at the door as another man exited. "How is everything?"

"The same," she said, shaking her head. There wasn't much of anything she could tell him about her life or what she spent her free time doing, and even though she'd only known him for about a month, that was already wearing on her conscience. He didn't deserve to be lied to. But the truth might get him killed, or it might make him never want to see her again. So she smiled, shrugged, and said, "Turns out having nothing but free time is boring. Who knew, right?"

Maybe she should get a job. It would be good for her cover. But then she'd have to explain to her boss why she could never work on the full moon and had to leave at odd times and might not be around for very much longer. No, a real job would be more trouble than it was worth.

"I could've told you that," he teased. "The hell do you think I did in South Africa for months on end?"

It was an exaggeration, of course. There were nests to be cleaned out, fellow soldiers wounded and killed, and a hell of a lot of recon to be done. They stayed as busy as you could, staying in a moderately limited area with sporadic resources. But some months on end were spent guarding a tango who no one came to find or waiting for the next operation from on high. It was all or nothing, dealing with trauma or nothing at all.

Kyle took another sip of his coffee and ran his free hand through his hair. "Maybe you could take some classes or volunteer. Work's not always bad either, if you're looking for something to do."

"Maybe." She tried to sound amenable to the idea, because she couldn't explain that she didn't really have the time and she didn't really see the point, since there was a decent chance she'd be dead before she turned twenty.

That train of thought wasn't anything she wanted to pursue at the moment anyway, so she changed to subject. "What about you? Anything else new besides the job?"

"Uh.. Not really." He admitted with a shrug. Kyle's lips twitched with a hint of some private joke as he lifted a hand to scratch at the back of his head, looking vaguely sheepish. Aside from his encounters with the vampires and having a little too much to drink, he'd made something resembling some new friends and his encounter with Skip had been pleasant enough. "Making new friends, finding new places to hang out. Nothing too exciting."

Unlike Alex, he didn't feel guilty about lying. It had been a necessary part of the job and now was for her own safety. Of course he would tell her the truth if he could, and would prefer it, but he couldn't, so there was no use in getting upset about it.

"That's good. Re-adapting." That's what he'd called it, re-adapting to civilian life. Alex couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of envy. She wanted friends, and places to hang out. But Nikita had given her everything she needed to start a new life somewhere far away, safe and boring and normal, and Alex had chosen this instead.

"Do you have to go back to work?" She knew she shouldn't blow off her bounty hunting side mission - tonight would be the most likely time to find her target lonely and willing to follow her into a dark alley with his guard down - but part of her really wanted to let him go, catch him another night. If Kyle was free, she thought, maybe they could spend the rest of the day together, being friends and hanging out.

He chuckled and nodded. "Re-adapting, that's right."

Kyle forgot he'd told her about that and was somewhat surprised she remembered it. It probably sounded a lot more boring than it actually was and he almost wanted to defend himself just to prove he was interesting. Luckily, Alex moved on and seemed content enough with the idea that he was as boring as he seemed. Although he couldn't help but take her question as a potential excuse for her to leave.

"Later, yeah. My shift starts in a few hours." He took another sip of his coffee. A more polite man might offer to end their meeting if she had places to be, to give her the easy out. Kyle didn't often like making things easy though. "Do you want to come with me to check out Regent's Park? It's a little cold, but the gardens are supposed to be awesome."

Alex's smile showed in her eyes almost before the corners of her lips turned up. It was a small smile, one that didn't completely do justice to how excited she was at the prospect of going to the park, even in this weather. "Yeah. Yes, I'd love to."

She took another drink of coffee. There wasn't much left, but she paid for it, so she wasn't going to leave before she'd finished it.

Kyle's face showed his surprise at her immediate agreement with the idea. Even though they'd become a little more comfortable with each other in the last few weeks, he'd still expected her to be awkward about the invitation before possibly refusing it entirely. His shock quickly reverted to a smile as he tried to play it off. "Cool. Give me a minute to finish some of this coffee? I need the caffeine."

"You need that much energy to eat chocolate all day?" Even though she was eager to go, she'd let him have whatever time he needed. There were only a few sips left of her coffee, which she quickly drank.

Kyle's smile falters for a second as he's caught off guard by the question. He chuckles as he recovers, taking another sip of his coffee to buy him the extra few seconds. Finally, he dons a vaguely forced smile, "Late night. Didn't get much sleep."

More like rave turned massacre, an escape with a new friend, and then spending most of the night on edge and having some nightmares about his old tours.

Kyle's reaction doesn't completely make sense to her. She was only joking, but the way his smile falls, even if only for a second, seems serious. And when it comes back, the smile is definitely forced.

Alex puts the box of chocolates in her jacket pocket and gets up to put her coffee cup in the plastic bin set out for customers' dirty dishes. In the few moments she has to herself, she debates whether she should ask him about his fake smile or not. Ultimately, she decides against it, but when she gets back to the table she can't help it. She's curious, and a little worried about him. "Are you okay?"

Kyle takes a long sip of his coffee and stands as Alex is returning. He gives her an easier grin when her question catches him off guard again. Damn it. If she's worried about him, he's obviously doing something wrong. He pauses for a moment, dropping his head and thinking, giving her question proper weight. Then he nods, lifting his eyes to her as he dons an authentic smile. "I'm good. Last night.. I didn't sleep too well. That's all."

He gives her a pointed look as he says it, enough to emphasize without overdoing it. Either she'll follow what he's saying and realize he's talking about nightmares or she won't and hopefully will have missed the look entirely. Kyle doesn't need to tell her about the rave to admit he's a little shaken up.

Before she has much chance to respond, he moves over to put his half-full cup in the bin, buying them both a few seconds to breathe. Then he returns with the same soft smile, tilting his head towards the door. "You ready?"

Alex watches him carefully, not trying to catch him in a lie but just genuinely concerned that something's wrong and wanting to help. When he explains and gives her that look, she nods. She can guess what he means, and she knows what it's like to have nightmares that keep you awake. "Okay."

She returns his soft smile with a matching smile of her own, her genuine enthusiasm for their trip to the park coming through more strongly now.

"Yeah, let's go." She moved quickly towards the door, then turned to make sure he was coming with him, grinning over her shoulder at him.

Kyle follows her to to the door, his smile widening at her almost childlike enthusiasm at going to the park. He slides his hands into his pockets as soon as they're out the door, walking along beside her towards Regent's. Thankfully, the soldier has a damn good sense of direction.

Ever one to lighten the mood and distract from his problems, Kyle opts for a complete change of subject. "So what's your favorite color? I'm thinking like, purple or maybe green, but I could be way off."