Bulletproof Heart (Lily and Alonzo)

[Fen]

His nerves were on edge, his feet fast as he left the Plaza. There was a bouquet of Midnight and Silk Road lilies wrapped in a pretty black bow in his mouth. He'd nearly had to auction off his own leg to get them in such a good condition, but now he was going to be late. He ran as fast as he could without hurting the flowers. The smell of them filled his nostrils and he felt the urge to sneeze a bit but stifled it. His paws were swift as he saw the industrial park coming over the hill and he sped up. He hurried through the gate and onto the steps, wondering how he should go about doing this. He had it all planned out in his head, but his heart was thudding in his chest and his mind drew a blank. He put the flowers down carefully as he looked around. Maybe he wasn't late after all? He didn't see Lily anywhere. 

He sat back on his haunches, taking this opportunity to catch his breath from the race he had run to get here on time. He looked down at the flowers. He'd had a hard time picking them out. He didn't realize there were so many different kinds. He wanted them to be black, like her fur, but no dice. So, he settled with the Midnight and Silk Road arrangement. Pieces of baby's breath were carefully placed in as well, completing the look. He smiled. They did remind him of Lily, and he couldn't think of the last time he actually appreciated the simple beauty of flowers.

A few moments passed, and he began to fidget. He felt awkward, and he realized how absurd it sounded. He had never been nervous around women before. Lily, she was different. She was a world away from any of the other girls he had met. No, she was one of the good ones. He wanted to impress her, to make her smile, laugh, and all the other little quirky things she did when she was happy. He realized on their walk that the way to make himself happy was to make her happy, so he had counted down the days until he could take her on an actual date.

Alonzo didn't think he had ever really been on a real date. He had met girls, brought them home, and then didn't talk to them again. No, Lily was too good for that. He could never dream of it. He sighed again as he tried to calm his pounding heart. He looked at the flowers again, patiently waiting for Lily.

[Frost]

Lily had been so busy daydreaming that she ended up throwing her whole schedule off track. "I can't have a perfect date if I keep trying to imagine it, now I'm going to be late," she stopped for a second. "And why am I talking to myself? Am I really that nervous?" She knew that she was that nervous, and even though she kept telling herself that there was no reason to be so nervous, she kept finding herself doing things she didn't usually do. She'd also been clumsier and more forgetful today. Catching herself sitting and daydreaming again, Lily realized that she'd taken more time than she'd thought and her eyes grew wide. She was going to be late! She ran out of her room as fast as she could and ran to the entrance/exit to the warehouse. She stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath and smoothing down her fur, then she walked outside.

"Hi Alonzo, sorry I'm a little late," Lily smiled as she saw Alonzo, he was so big and intimidating, yet he was always so nice. It was almost hard to believe that such a tough-looking guy could ever be so kind and caring. He was certainly one of a kind. "How's your day been so far?" Lily asked, nervously trying to start a conversation and therefore saying the first thing that came to her mind.

[Fen]

Alonzo was busy daydreaming as well when Lily's voice startled him back into reality. He turned around and grinned. "Hey theah, dollface." He said, his voice pleasant, all nervousness fading as his silver eyes met her brown ones. He picked up the lilies gingerly and trotted over to her, placing them on the ground in front of her. "See? Told ya I'd bring flowahs." His tail wagged excitedly as he smiled again. It was hard to keep a smile off of his face when he was around Lily. His nerves were calmed, and he didn't feel as awkward, at least for a moment. "I'm ah little late. Lota folks in da Plaza today."

"Want me to take 'em inside for youse?" He asked, gesturing to the flowers. He didn't want to burden her with carrying them around all night. He had a big night planned and he didn't want her to have to worry over them for the duration of it. The whole point was for her to enjoy herself, for him to put more smiles on her face, make more amazing memories that would chase away the nightmares.

[Frost]

Lily gasped when she saw the flowers. "They're beautiful!" She exclaimed, her smile widening. "I've never seen such gorgeous flowers," she looked up at Alonzo. "Oh yeah, that would be great, I'll find something to put them in real quick. The Kelpie ran inside and quickly found a bowl of water. She knew the perfect place for the flowers. She set the bowl just outside of her room where they would be close to her, but others could enjoy their beauty and scent. She waited for Alonzo to bring the flowers, then she followed him.

"Thanks for the flowers, they're perfect," Lily smiled at Alonzo, her dark eyes shining with joy. She was so happy and excited that her tail would probably fall off if she wagged it any faster.

[Fen]

Alonzo was happy she liked the flowers, and he put them in the bowl of water very carefully. He looked to Lily and laughed. "Glad you like 'em. Picked 'em out special for you." He winked and started toward the door, holding it until she passed. "So, I made dinnah plans at dis place at 86th. Then, well...surprise." He said, walking alongside her and making for the place. He'd managed to have a few friends of his snag a couple of steaks from the steakhouse and they were supposed to set up the empty alley next to it really nicely for them. Alonzo hadn't yet eaten that day, and he was starved. It was to be a wonderful time.

"Miss me much?" He teased, flashing one of his token grins. He couldn't think of a way he could be any happier than at this moment, walking with Lily on their very first date. He felt like a child on Christmas, and he couldn't wait for all the excitement the night had in store for them.

[Frost]

"Of course," Lily half teased in response to Al. "Who wouldn't miss their bodyguard?" She laughed at her own joke. She was excited for dinner, and she was incredibly curious as to what the surprise would be. The Kelpie had waited for this day for a little while, and now what she had been daydreaming about was starting. She wondered where they were going to eat. The suspense was killing her, but she loved the mystery too. The suspense started to fade away as she simply enjoyed Alonzo's company.

"I have a feeling that tonight's going to be great!" Lily exclaimed enthusiastically, unable to hold in her excitement any longer as she skipped a few times. It seemed that there was nothing that she didn't like about this day, and she loved nothing more than spending time with Alonzo. She loved the time spent with him, and she couldn't help but love how even though he was a mobster, it seemed to her that he had a heart of gold.

[Fen]

"Bodyguard?" He laughed and nudged her with his nose. "Please, like youse need one'a dem. I seen you take dat hotdog from dat fat human like it was nuttin'! If youse can fight off one'a them and still come out wit a take, I should be da one hirin' you." The joking and teasing put a happy gait into his steps as he walked along with her. When she expressed her excitement for the night Alonzo nodded. "Yeah, I got dat feelin' too, dollface." He sent her a goofy grin and then looked forward as the sight of 86th street came into view. He could smell the aromas of all the food service vendors and the restaurants in the air, and he grew more and more hungry with each step he took.

He led her toward the steakhouse and around the back where two dogs were waiting, both slender greyhounds. They had thrown an old tablecloth over a wire spool and made a make-shift table. Sitting in the center of it was a single candle, almost burned down to the last part of the wick, but it was still nice. The coming darkness allowed the dead-end alley to be illuminated with the flickering candlelight. He led her to her seat and then took his own, giving a smile as the two dogs rushed off.

They came back with two large steaks that they had obviously been given by the owner of the restaurant. They were his pets after all, and Alonzo's very good friends. They ran a small dog diner out of this alley, and Alonzo had paid them as much as he could reasonably afford to have the place to himself. The owner of the steakhouse was a ditz, and hardly noticed his meat missing. It was also hard to see down the alley even in the day time because of the privacy fence that had been erected at its mouth. Bigger dogs had chewed a hole in the fence, and it made the perfect place to relax and have an easy, but expensive, meal without worrying about human interference. It was rather nice, and Alonzo thanked them as the walked away after leaving them each a dish of water.

"We got da place to ourselves." He said, his smile growing as he looked to Lily over the flickering candle before them. The steak smelled delicious, and it was even cooked. They must have snatched it right off the counter in the kitchen. The seasoning and other little effects were nearly making his mouth water, but he refused to be rude, allowing the lady the first bite.

[Frost]

Lily gasped when she saw how nicely the area was set up. She looked from Alonzo, to the fancy table, then back at Alonzo. "Wow, it's beautiful!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide with amazement and wonder. She could hardly sit still she was so excited. When the food was placed in front of them, she took a deep breath, savoring the smell for a moment. The Kelpie looked at Alonzo, admiration adorning her expression as her eyes shone with joy. She noticed that he seemed eager to eat, and she couldn't blame him, she was as well, so she took a bite of her steak. The flavor was wonderful, she'd never had steak this fresh, cooked so well, and seasoned so thoroughly.

Lily swallowed the meat she was chewing, pausing to say something before she took another bite. "This is perfect, Alonzo. Thank you so much," she was grinning from ear-to-ear and her tail was wagging wildly as she looked into his eyes, happy that she was being a part of this moment, with him.

[Fen]

Alonzo was happy when she began to eat, and he took a bite of the steak, savoring the flavor of the seasonings and the meat itself. It was cooked a little rare, but that made it taste even better. Alonzo had no idea how humans managed to eat food that they had cooked every bit of juice and blood out of. He swallowed his food and sent a smile in Lily's direction. "Anythin' fah you, doll." He took a sip of his water and continued to eat, pausing between bites to make conversation. "So, was ya day alright? Get ta do anythin' fun?" He cocked an eyebrow, taking another bite of meat and chewing it carefully.

He took a moment to think about the actual act of being around Lily. He felt so calm, at ease. He was completely at her mercy. He had let his guard down the moment he met her and it hadn't come up again sense, at least not when he was in her presence. He had never been so comfortable around someone before. All his life he had to watch his back, be ready to fight. Not with Lily. Now, he had to watch out for her too.

[Frost]

"Yeah, my day was great," Lily replied. "I went for a walk, tidied up my room, but nothing special," she ate some more of her steak. She had never tasted anything so good before. Not only did the food taste amazing, but the atmosphere was calming and romantic, yet not over-the-top fancy or anything like that. She stopped eating for a moment and looked up at Alonzo.

"All of this is amazing," she said, her brown eyes sparkling in the candlelight as she smiled brightly. "I don't know if I can ever thank you enough for this. This is the nicest thing anybody has ever done for me," she had never, ever been happier than she was now, everything is perfect. Unable to contain her joy, she hugged Alonzo unexpectedly, even surprising herself for a moment, but it was pleasant. She sat back again after a moment, eating some more of her steak while glancing at Alonzo to gauge his reaction.

[Fen]

Alonzo nodded. "Good. You deserve great days." He said, his smile never wavering. He finished his steak rather quickly and looked to the sky. The moon had slowly begun to rise over Bensonhurst, though the smaller stars were still concealed by the light pollution of the city. He knew a place where you could count them one by one. He'd often went there as a younger dog to clear his mind. Now, it was just a place he knew of, and never visited. He sipped at his water as he realized he'd like to show Lily that place some time. He'd show Lily the world as long as it meant he could walk beside her through it. He smiled a little to himself as he looked up again.

"You don't 'ave ta thank me. You deserve nice things." He then fell back into silence for a moment, meeting her gaze and suddenly being taken by surprise as she suddenly hugged him. Her scent filled his nose and her fur was soft around his face as he hugged her back. He was a bit disappointed as she pulled away, and he looked down at the table, a little flustered.

[Frost]

Lily noticed Alonzo's reaction and misread it as a negative response. "Am I moving too fast? I'm sorry. I have no previous experience with things like this," she said quickly, worried. She'd never even hugged anyone before, even though she knew it was something others did a lot to express affection, she wasn't quite sure how well you were supposed to know someone before hugging others. Yes, she does have problems, and she is very disconnected. She was clueless about how dates were supposed to go, and she didn't want to ruin her first one.

[Fen]

Alonzo shook his head. "No, no! Not at all! It was nice." He smiled a bit and then cursed himself inwardly at having reacted so nervously. He sipped at his water. He was excited for the next location, and he waited for Lily to finish her meal before motioning to the waiters that they were ready to leave. The two greyhounds bid them goodnight as Alonzo led Lily to the entrance, blowing out the candle on the table as he did so. The night was in full swing now. There were other dogs on the streets out walking around and heading to parties. Alonzo had a better idea. He walked close to her, excited for the surprise he had waiting for her as they neared it. He was having an amazing time already, and now he was ready to show her another one of his favorite pass times.

The large silver screen loomed over the many parked cars that had all shut their lights off and stopped in front of it. There were humans lined up at the concession stand to the right in anticipation for the movie. He had chosen this night because one of his favorites was playing, "Goldfinger". He didn't understand a lot of human speak, but he loved to watch the movie on the screen. He led Lily to an area where they could sit in the grass. Most of the humans were too busy with their sweethearts in their cars that they didn't even notice Alonzo and Lily or any of the other dogs that had gathered to watch the movie.

"Evah been to da movies before? I can't undahstand much of what dey say, but it's still fun ta watch." He winked, finding a seat close enough to her for their fur to brush.

[Frost]

Lily smiled as well, relieved, but a bit embarrassed about her ignorance too. She quickly finished her food, then followed Alonzo. She was extremely curious as to what the surprise would be, she didn't have any idea what it could be. When she saw the screen, her eyes grew wide. She'd heard about movies, but she'd never seen any.

"No, I've never seen a movie before," she said as she sat down. When Alonzo sat down next to her and their fur brushed, the shy Kelpie could feel the heat rising to her face, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she took a deep breath to work up her courage and gently leaned against Alonzo. She looked up at him and smiled. "Is this alright?" She asked, she thought it would be, but she wanted to make sure anyway.

[Fen]

Alonzo looked over to her, and smiled. "Of course." He said, giving her a soft lick between the ears. His eyes went up to the screen as the projector lit it up and the first reel of film was being loaded. The movie started, and the parking lot's lights dimmed. The traditional James Bond opening began and Alonzo watched as the pictures began to move over the screen. It was amazing the things humans could invent. Alonzo could hardly believe it the first time he had stumbled onto one of these drive-ins. He had come back every week just to watch the next movie. It enthralled him and he was happy he could share it with Lily. He closed his eyes, appreciating the warmth of her fur as she sat next to him, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Yeah, this was perfect.

The movie lasted what seemed like only a couple of minutes, and Alonzo had thoroughly enjoyed himself throughout. It was one of his favorites. When it was over, the screen darkened and the cars left. Soon, the only ones left sitting there were Alonzo and Lily. Finally, he stood, stretching out his muscles and looking up at the sky and remembering something. "One more stop. Is that alright with you?" He looked to her, his eyes finding hers and catching her gaze.