Saturday Surprises

Saturday arrived, and Arthur felt a rare weight on his shoulders. He wasn't looking forward to this date with Luna, but given her family's business ties, he had little choice. He dressed sharply, hoping the outing would be over quickly.

Luna climbed into his car with a bright smile, eyeing him curiously. "So, Arthur," she purred, "what special plans do you have for us today?"

Arthur hesitated, glancing at her briefly. "I thought we'd start with dinner at Lou's Restaurant."

Luna's smile faltered slightly. "Lou's Restaurant? Seriously? I thought you'd choose someplace... higher-end." Her voice was smooth, but her tone carried a trace of disappointment.

Arthur offered a nonchalant shrug. "I think you'll find it has a unique charm. Besides, I know the owner." He didn't mention Aelira, but the thought of seeing her made him realize he was a little more invested in this outing than he cared to admit.

When they arrived, Nancy greeted them with her usual warm smile. But seeing Arthur with Luna, her eyes went wide with surprise. She quickly collected herself, giving them a welcoming nod. "Mr. Arthur! It's wonderful to see you. And this must be…?"

Luna gave a pleased smile, nodding slightly as if Nancy's warm greeting was a given. Arthur responded with a polite nod, his gaze flicking around the restaurant as if searching for someone. Noticing this, Nancy excused herself, rushing to find Aelira.

Upstairs, Aelira was half-asleep when Nancy burst in, shaking her by the shoulder. "Aelira, wake up! You won't believe who's downstairs!"

Aelira yawned, rubbing her eyes. "Nancy, what's going on?"

Nancy pulled her to her feet, practically bouncing with excitement. "Arthur! And he brought a woman with him. Get yourself together—this is going to be interesting."

At the mention of Arthur with another woman, Aelira's heart sank, though she didn't show it. A part of her was… curious. Why was she feeling possessive over someone like him? Nevertheless, she forced a smile and quickly got ready, determined not to let her emotions show.

Downstairs, she composed herself, putting on her most professional demeanor. She approached Arthur and Luna with a bright, albeit sarcastic, smile. "Hello, Mr. Arthur. Nice to see you… with company. Is this your girlfriend?" She glanced at Luna, forcing a polite smile.

Luna raised an eyebrow, looking at Aelira with a mixture of curiosity and dismissal. "Yes, Arthur and I are here together. And you… work here?" Her tone was laced with a hint of judgment.

Aelira returned her gaze calmly. "Oh, this is my friend Nancy's restaurant. I just help out when I can. And for special guests like you two, we have a private section for… couples." She said the last word with a teasing smile, noticing Arthur's slight frown at the label.

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Luna's expression brightened. "That sounds perfect. Lead the way, would you?"

With a small smirk, Aelira guided them to a cozy, candlelit corner booth reserved for couples. She pulled out a menu, but instead of handing it to Arthur, she handed it solely to Luna.

"Our special couple's menu, just for you two," Aelira said, flashing a sweet smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll be right back with some complementary appetizers for… you lovebirds." She winked at Arthur, whose brow arched in response.

Once in the kitchen, Aelira leaned against the counter, holding back a laugh. Nancy, watching her antics, whispered, "You're enjoying this way too much."

Aelira grinned. "Oh, you bet I am. I'm just here to make sure they have a memorable evening."

When she returned with their appetizers, she gave Luna an even brighter smile. "For our lovely couple, we have a special dish. Enjoy!"

Luna's eyes sparkled with delight. "This place isn't so bad after all," she admitted, then looked at Arthur. "Maybe we should come here more often. It's… cozy."

Arthur gave a slight nod, his eyes meeting Aelira's with a knowing look. She was up to something, and he was beginning to enjoy her little game.

"So," Aelira chimed in, standing close to the table, "would you two like a custom dessert? We have a lovely couple's cake, just for special occasions."

Luna's eyes sparkled. "Oh, that sounds wonderful! Isn't it, Arthur?" she said, squeezing his hand. Arthur barely hid his wince, but he nodded politely.

"Yes… that sounds fine," he murmured, shooting Aelira a look that she ignored with a barely-contained smirk.

As she turned to go, Aelira stopped and glanced back. "Oh, and our restaurant gives thoughtful gifts to special couples. I'll bring them by later."

When Aelira returned with the cake, she set it down between Arthur and Luna with exaggerated care. "For the perfect couple," she said, her tone almost dripping with mock sincerity.

Luna was all smiles. "Thank you. This is really… lovely."

Arthur, however, shot Aelira a look that was both irritated and amused. He knew what she was doing, and a small part of him couldn't help but find it endearing. As Luna continued to gush about the food and ambiance, Aelira came back with a small gift box.

"For you two," she said, smiling brightly. "A small token from our restaurant for a couple as… unique as you are."

Luna beamed, reaching for the gift. "Arthur, isn't this sweet? It's like they know us." She turned to Aelira. "Thank you… um, what was your name?"

"Aelira," she replied smoothly. "It's my pleasure to serve such a… dynamic duo."

Arthur chuckled under his breath, catching the faint sarcasm in her words. But soon enough, he was growing weary of Luna's overenthusiasm and the forced romance of the evening. As Aelira excused herself, he finally turned to Luna, rubbing his temples.

"Luna, I think I'm starting to get a headache," he said, his voice apologetic but firm. "I might have to call it an early night."

Luna's face fell slightly. "Oh… well, I suppose that's all right." She gave him a soft, disappointed look. "I was really enjoying our time together."

Arthur offered her a small, polite smile. "We'll do this again sometime, I'm sure. For now, I just need to rest."

He glanced toward the back of the restaurant, where Aelira was pretending to busy herself. With a small nod to her, he walked Luna out, promising to call her soon. Luna pouted slightly but eventually left, clutching the gift box tightly.

As soon as Luna was gone, Aelira and Nancy exchanged gleeful glances. "Mission accomplished," Aelira whispered, giving Nancy a small high-five.

Nancy grinned. "I've never seen Arthur look that exasperated. Well done!"

Aelira chuckled, feeling a small thrill at her success. But her satisfaction was short-lived as she felt a familiar nudge in her bag. She looked down to see her shape-shifting assistant, now disguised as a small hamster, nestled comfortably in her backpack.

"Hey, don't start reminding me about the mission now," she muttered to the tiny creature. The hamster, with its soft, twitching nose, simply looked up at her with wide, inquisitive eyes.

Nancy noticed, her eyebrows raised. "Uh… are you talking to… your bag?"

Aelira flushed slightly. "Uh, no… Just... reminding myself to focus." She gave a quick laugh, brushing it off.

Her assistant, in his hamster form, whispered in her ear, "Remember why we're here. We have to retrieve the device soon."

Aelira nodded to herself, her thoughts turning serious. Though her playful antics with Arthur were entertaining, she couldn't lose sight of her true purpose on Earth. She had to get that device back and complete her mission, no matter what.

As the evening came to a close, she felt a surge of excitement mixed with determination. With a last glance at the restaurant, she knew her time here was getting more complicated—and more intriguing—by the day.