Mirroring the Endless Night | Elliott x Female Farmer |

15. Baby Steps

It wasn't too difficult to hail a cab once the pair were in front of the hotel, the street the Iridium Rose was located on had constant traffic flowing in front of it. Within a matter of moments, there was a brightly colored taxi swerving up to the side of the curb, the driver rolling down his window.

"Evenin' lovebirds," the older man says with a brimming smile, "where're the two of you heading?"

Blushing at the nickname 'lovebirds', Maria approached the driver's side door and leans down, whispering the instructions to maintain the surprise.

"We need to go to the theater district, our stop is at the Gem Sea Theater," she answers, "how much is the fee?"

The driver nods, "theater district, gotcha, that'll be three hundred gold."

The farmer grins, before turning to look back at the writer who'd been awaiting her patiently just a few steps away. "C'mon, we've got our ride," she grins.

Ever the gentleman, Elliott steps up to the side door of the car and pulls it open with a flourish. "After you, dearest," he says warmly.

Giggling, she steps into the car and gets comfortable in the backseat, crossing her legs and placing her purse on her lap, soon to be joined by the writer who takes his seat beside her. After paying the fee, the driver sets off and they start to cruise through the Zuzu City traffic.

At this time in the evening, rush hour is already over, the bulk of the daily commute of office workers returning home after their daily 9-5 is completed. Now the rest of the traffic can be attributed to the city's nightlife, the younger crowd coming out of their apartments to head to clubs and bars and restaurants.

The farmer found herself gazing out the windows with a faint smile on her lips, looking up to the skyscrapers and brightly lit towers she used to think of as home. The city life was behind her though, and even though it'd only been half a year on the farm there, she was reminded of all the reasons she'd left in the first place. The light pollution, the noise, the crowded streets. She could only handle all the hustle and bustle for so long.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a gentle squeeze to her hand. Glancing over, she met a pair of curious green eyes.

"Are you alright, dear?" Elliott asks in a hushed tone, lacing their fingers together.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Maria murmurs, "just spacing out. Thank you for the concern though."

He gives her a smile before leaning over to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, leaving the farmer flustered and blushing as always.

Within a matter of minutes, the cab pulls up to the side of a grand building. Pulling some coins from her purse, Maria pays the fee, and before she can move another inch Elliott is quick to hop out of the car and dash around to her side, opening the door and offering his hand to her.

"What a gentleman," the farmer laugh, sticking her tongue out at him.

Throwing a quick thank you over her shoulder to the driver, she takes Elliott's hand and wiggles out of the taxi, shutting the door behind her and brushing off the skirt of her dress.

"Maria... are we where I think we are?" the writer asks, leaning over to whisper the question into her ear.

"If you think we're at the renowned Gem Sea Theater, then yes, yes we are," she answers with a cheeky grin.

In front of the pair is a grandiose building, made from shimmering marble that's lit up bright in the nighttime, the exterior of the building decorated with beautiful posters and tapestries of various colors, displaying the current shows being performed within the hall. Ahead of them, a stream of people all in formal wear are shuffling into the building, signifying that a show is about to start.