Bonus Art - Valentine's Day (2024) (Plus Short Story)

Hands entrenched firmly in my coat pockets and head bowed low, I hurry along the dark, rain-slicked streets. My breath escapes me in misty puffs as I do my best to ignore the cold. It's reaching that point of the year where winter is just barely hanging on with its frigid grip, and REALLY beginning to overstay its welcome.

Still, not even the icy winds nipping at my face can dampen my spirits as I march on with purpose--a burning, buzzing sensation in my heart fuelling me each step of the way. Alongside that comes a sense of nervous excitement--but I've come this far. I can't back out now! Not one when I only get one shot a year!

Because today is Valentine's Day. And while ordinarily, the sight of so many smitten couples walking hand in hand, or with their arms linked as they whisper sweet nothings in one another's ears would be enough to spark a bitter resentment inside me--to the point I might just hide away for a day or two and engorge myself on discount chocolates after--this year is different.

Yes. This year, I'm finally going to do it. I've finally worked up the courage. No longer will I bottle my feelings up and curse my weak-willed nature for depriving me of happiness. This is the day everything changes. This is the moment I finally become man--instead of an immature child simply masquerading as one. I can do it. I can...I can do it! Even if I've already circled back home several times today as nerves got the better of me...this time...THIS time...I won't retreat!

And believe me. The closer I get to my destination, the more my nerves threaten to consume me from the inside-out. Each new step I make prompts another spark of panic deep within. That nagging voice gets more and more desperate as it realises this is actually happening this time.

'It's not too late to turn back around,' it pleads with me, tries to dissuade me. 'You can save yourself all the pain and embarrassment that's going to come as a result of this, and just enjoy a nice night in. You already know this isn't going to work out as you hope. So why bother? You're going to be the laughing stock of the entire place. You'll never be able to set foot in there again.'

Each argument is more convincing than the last as my steps grow heavier, and heavier still through the dreary streets. It almost gets to the point that I stop entirely, but with a tremendous amount of willpower--and most likely earning me a few strange looks from passers-by in the process as I clench my fists and teeth--I push on against my better judgement and arrive at my destination. A place that is only a ten minute walk from my home, yet took the good part of several hours to arrive at thanks to so many stops and starts.

Nestled in the heart of a fairly nondescript alley sits an equally nondescript bar. Built from sturdy red brickwork and wedged between an apartment complex and a pawnshop, it's the kind of place that doesn't draw in big numbers, but at the same time, it has just enough big-spending regulars to eke out a healthy existence.'The Fox and the Hare' greets me, buzzing atop the door in fancy neon-lit script. For some, it may be a dive bar. And for others--especially the authorities--it's highly suspicious establishment. But to me? It's a second home.

Sucking in a deep breath--and tightening my grip on the object that sits deep in one of my coat pockets, I push through the black, windowless door and enter the murky bar.

Dim lighting overhead to obscure what might otherwise be a series of suspicious stains marring the hardwood floor. A thick haze in the air, largely from tobacco, among other...perhaps more questionable substances...and the quiet murmur of a jukebox off to the side strumming out mellow rock all greet me at once. And despite how many times I come here, I still find myself hacking up a storm from just how much smoke there is. But then again, maybe it would be more worrying if my body DIDN'T react to it?

This isn't even to speak of the clientele--an assortment of gruff sorts, both alone and in groups--sitting a good distance apart from one another at various tables as they quietly grumble to one another. Or themselves. They barely even spare me a look as I enter, far more preoccupied with their drinks. I'd like to also think it's because I'm recognised as a 'regular'...but honestly, I couldn't tell you a single thing about any of them beyond the fact that they like to drink and smoke a lot.

With the dreary atmosphere hitting you--and your lungs immediately--coupled together with patrons that can only be described as 'shifty', you might wonder why someone as timid and reserved as myself would ever frequent such a place. But honestly, the place isn't too bad as far as bars go. Once you look past the immense haze and learn to navigate around the darkened interior, you'll find it's quite a well-kept, charming little hole-in-the-wall. The drinks are cheap. Ish. And the sparse amount of food you can order is cooked to perfection. You could do far worse for a night out, so long as you don't let your initial prejudices get in the way.

Or...I could just be making excuses, trying to dance around the one TRUE reason I come back here, night after night. Namely, the person that owns this bar, and is almost always found behind the counter, working tirelessly to keep the lights on, day in and day out, and every hour in-between.

Ah... My heart skips just at the sight of her from afar. The red hair. The freckled face. Those cunning eyes that seem to gleam ever brighter whenever money is exchanged.

Anna...

Recalling her name alone is enough to get my heart pumping just that little extra bit faster. But at the same time, it pushes back even further against the negative, self-defeating voice that has been ruling over me for so long today. Her name gives me the strength--the courage I need to see this through tonight. No more hiding away!

I clutch the object in my pocket ever tighter--no doubt drenched in nervous sweat now, too--as I navigate through the dim lighting towards her. With the way the brightest light in the establishment light shines down on Anna at the bar, it's like a beacon that draws me in. Beckons me ever closer.

And like that, I'm at the counter. Save for one person sat at the far end, it's completely empty on my side. And given how absorbed the man is in his drink, I doubt he'll be paying us much mind. Good. This'll make it SLIGHTLY easier, but...can I really go through with this?

"Oh. Hey, kid. I figured ya'd be showin' up about now. The usual, I take it?"

I stiffen up on the spot as that husky, yet oh-so-enticing voice calls out to me from behind the bar. Ahh, crap. I'm still so unprepared for what's to come next--but...I can't just ignore her! Gulping down the solid lump wedged so deep in my throat, I meet Anna's gaze with a sweat-laden wave as I fish one of my hands from out of my pockets.

Looking right into her amber, cat-like eyes certainly doesn't help matters, though. I find what little resolve I'd mustered on the way here melting all over again as I hope to the great powers above that the poor lighting conditions around here help mask just how red my face must be already.

"A-ah--hey... A-Anna!" I stammer out, voice cracking far more than I intended. I do everything in my power to keep my gaze level with hers and to NOT drift further down at such a crucial moment in time. Even if admittedly, she's probably used to me sneaking at least a few peeks now and then...

Because with what she has on, how could a man NOT want to gawk? It's amazing that some people can even keep their orders straight when getting a drink with how much there is vying for attention elsewhere. And...now that I think about it, maybe that's just part of her business strategy?

At first glance, with the white shirt, dapper little bow tie and equally formal waistcoat on top, you might consider what the red-headed proprietor chooses to wear in her bar fairly modest, eschewing the trends set in place by more trendier bars where the bartenders are let's say...well...flaunting a lot of skin to good effect.

But the more you take in the kind of figure Anna actually has, and what such a tight-fitting outfit has to battle against to conceal  her modesty, well... To say the shirt fits her buxom frame 'snugly' would be an understatement. In fact, with the way her absolutely enormous chest strains against the sheer fabric stretched to its utter limits--which you can practically hear screaming in agony if you listen closely--it's a miracle the buttons are able to hold together at all. Every day, I half expect one of them to come pinging off with the force of a bullet and taking someone's eye out. Most likely mine, if we're being honest.

Especially with the way the shirt struggles to just about button up--with the faintest hints of the pale skin beneath peaking through, giving a glimpse of the tantalising valley beyond. Anna has jokingly said that the slot on top is intended for tips... Or, at least I THINK she was joking? It's possible that all this time she really has wanted me to slot bills into that sweaty expanse beyond, and I've been foolishly passing up the chance each time!

…

Guh. Crap. I said I wasn't going to look at her chest, and I've been staring at it this whole time! I was about to say something really important to her, too! Clearing my throat and wrenching my gaze right back up to her mysterious eyes--which don't seem bothered by my leering at all--I continue the train of thought I had right before it was derailed into shirt-straining, bouncy heaven.

Or...that was the plan, anyway. But despite my best intentions to speak, I can only let out a little squeak. As if the sheer radiance of Anna's freckled features are sapping away any and all of my ability to talk. Ahh... Even the way the dust motes glitter in the light around her lend to something of a magical aura around her.

"...Y'alright there?" An eyebrow is arched my way. A good deal of confusion--mixed with a hint of concern--surface across her face. "Yer actin' kinda funny. Which is sayin' somethin', I know, considerin' how y'usually are, heh... But still." She pats the stool on the opposite end of the counter, needing to lean over a good deal to do so. The way her plump assets smush against the hardwood counter in the process doesn't go unnoticed. "Had a rough day or somethin'? C'mon, sit down and I'll fix ya up yer usual. Y'don't have to talk 'til yer good and ready."

Oh, Anna... My poor heart--already on the verge of bursting--can't help but throb some more. This is exactly the kind of motherly, caring attitude towards her patrons that made me feel this way towards her to begin with. Of course, you could also see it as her doing what she can to keep the drinks--and subsequently money--flowing, but I'd like to believe she is a kind-hearted person in spite of the rough edges.

...You know, inwardly speaking, of course. Because on the outside, her body certainly doesn't feature any kind of edges. No... It's just all...buxom, squishy curves...ahhh...

Taking her up on her offer with a wordless nod--at least until I've mustered the courage to finally go through with my plan--I hop up on the stool offered my way as Anna swiftly sets about mixing me a drink. A rum and coke to be precise--so light on the rum it may as well just be a glass of cola...but, you know...everybody has their limits! I found mine out a long time ago during some of my first visits to the Fox and Hare bar. I wanted to impress Anna, along with everyone else present, so went for a straight shot of something hard, and...well...let's just say some of the earliest memories Anna and I have together is of me bent over a toilet, simultaneously bawling apologetically whilst throwing my guts up, along with her patting my back and trying to assure me she wouldn't charge me THAT much more for damages.

Ahh... Memories. I can't help but smile as I think back on what was initially a fairly traumatising moment for me. Without that, though, I probably wouldn't have grown as close to Anna as I have--nor would I ever have dared to set foot in this place again without her assurance that it was no big deal.

"Y'know..." Anna continues, thankfully filling in the silence between us whilst I'm still in the midst of finding my courage, "it's a little more quiet today than usual, isn't it? Not that this place is known for being packed wall to wall, but..." She finishes pouring my drink before sliding it my way. With a straw of course. I'm far too delicate to be chugging this stuff raw! "Guess it's on account'a it bein' Valentines Day and all, huh? The time of the year some people actually make an effort to treat their loved ones to somethin' special."

The mere mention of what today is makes me clench the sweat-soaked object in my pocket ever tighter--to the point I risk bending it completely. I sneak a peak at Anna's face as she says this, just to see what she makes of the holiday, and...

"Tch... Nothin' but a buncha corporate advertisin' if y'ask me; an excuse to sell people ridiculously expensive flowers and chocolates 'nd guilt 'em if they don't. Can y'really even call it 'romantic' when there's so much pressure bein' lumped on people?" She says this with a furrowed brow and a rather severe scowl, arms crossed against the heft of her bosom for good measure as they act as quite a shelf for all the softness spilling over.

...Well. That's not quite what I was wanting to hear from her.

Wanting to stall for yet more time before I finally have to speak, I take a long, LONG sip of my drink. This is one of the rare moments where I actually wish that there was a little more alcohol mixed throughout it, since maybe then it might have instilled just a tiny bit more courage within me.

As I silently sip away, Anna seems to ponder more on what she just said. Bringing a hand up to her face--in that distinctly sly, Anna-like way, obscuring her mouth and all--her severe expression softens somewhat. Even if there's still some clear disdain for the holiday burning in her eyes.

"Ahh... But don't mind me, kid. Maybe I'm just gettin' too cynical as the years go by. Plus, I'm hardly one to talk about only bein' in it for the money, right?" Her amber hues brighten, hints of a smile visible beyond the hand cupping her mouth. I find myself beaming back like an idiot, always smitten whenever she gives me more of her patented grins.

And then...silence sets in between us, occasionally punctuated by the occasional cough throughout the murky bar. Before I know it, I'm draining the last drops of my cocktail through the soggy paper straw, and wishing I'd paced myself just a little bit more. Crap. Now I really do have no excuse not to speak now.

Well... It's now or never, right? I suck in a deep breath, straighten myself up on the barstool as best I can, and look Anna's way--who's currently in the process of wiping the other end of the counter with a filthy rag.

"H-Hey, uhm... Anna..." I finally begin as I push my empty drink aside. One hand is still firmly entrenched in my pocket. As I realise this is finally happening, my heart begins to thump louder...and louder still, to the point I can barely hear myself over the constant rush of blood in my ears. But I press on, all the same. What's the worst that could happen, after all? Right...?

"Hmm? What's up, kid? Y'want another drink? Or did y'finally remember how to speak?" She drifts back over to my part of the counter with a final slap of her rag against the finely polished surface. Something of a smirk curls along the edge of her glossy lips. I must be really easy to read, huh...?

"A-ahaha... Yeah. Sorry about that--I didn't mean to be so quiet today... It's just, I was doing a lot of thinking...and..."

Anna lets out something of a dramatic sigh, her sizeable assets heaving along with her in the process. Hands to her hips, she clicks her tongue at me playfully. "Didn't I tell ya it was dangerous for ya to be doin' too much of that 'thinking' thing? 'Specially with how anxious y'tend to get when ya overthink." In spite of the humour in her voice, there's still a clear degree of genuine concern that shines through. Which only makes me swallow even harder than before. And begin to second-guess myself. Is it possible these feelings I have for her aren't romantic at all, and stem more from a...familial kind of love? Perhaps viewing her more as a motherly figure, than anything else?

No--... It couldn't be! Especially not with the thoughts that come floating in whenever my gaze roams south, down those wonderful peaks and valleys... Ahhh...! Why is my head getting so confused NOW of all times?!

Realising I'm doing exactly what Anna just warned against--overthinking--I shake my head clear as best I can before letting out another nervous laugh.

"H-hahhh... You did warn me, y-yeah... But...I felt this was really important...s-so..." I tighten my grip ever tighter on the gift stashed in my coat. Anna's brow raises in the face of what must be incredibly uncharacteristic behaviour from me.

"Oh, yeah? Well, now y'got me curious. Lay it on me, kid." She leans in over the counter lazily, letting the sturdy, polished surface hold up the heft of her bosom in her stead. Curiosity twinkles in her eyes and a toothy grin is flashed my way. "Heh--yer not about to stick me up, are ya? What with yer hand that's been hidin' away in that pocket for so long 'nd all. 'Cuz that'd be adorable."

"Wh-what? No! It's nothing like that! R-really!" Breaking out into a fluster from her teasing--or maybe she really would have found it cute if I'd pulled a gun out here and now--I almost withdraw my gift right away just to prove to her that isn't the case. But I'm quick to recover. I compose myself, kick the barstool back a little, and then hop off. It doesn't feel appropriate to be doing something like this while I'm sitting, after all.

"Hmmmm~?" Practically purring with curiosity now and lazily propping her head up with one hand, she continues to lean against the counter whilst I fumble for the best way to do this.

"I, uh...I've never really done this kind of thing before... Or...or asked anyone something like this, s-so I'm sorry in advance if I get it wrong, but..."

I glance around. Even with how much of a commotion I'm causing, no-one else in the bar seems to care. I guess my...let's say...'animated' interactions with Anna have become quite common around here, after all.

Then, mopping an abundance of sweat my face that had crept up during these short few moments I've been speaking to her--and mopping away some more--I clench my hands in tight, suck in a deep, shaky breath, and finally pull out the present that has been stashed away in my coat this entire time. I thrust it out Anna's way, instantly earning a bewildered, wide-eyed look from a woman who's typically so calm and composed.

"W-will...will you be my Valentine?!" I squeak out with all the force I can muster. The present in question trembles in my grasp--a classic, heart-shaped box of chocolates adorned with frilly ribbons. And just like Anna said, it had indeed been absurdly expensive for what it is. I'm sure there's not even that many chocolates inside, nor will they taste all that good...but...it's more about the message I want to get across to her. The feelings I want to convey.

In case it wasn't already obvious, I'm absolutely smitten by the fiery, red-headed woman on the other end of the counter. Everything about her captivated me, from the moment I first stepped foot in this dingy little bar. Her blunt, no-nonsense attitude mixed together with that motherly touch she applies to every interaction at the bar. The constant kindness she's shown me over the few months I've known her. The graceful way she dances from one end of the counter to the other as sweat sparkles and glistens around her. And yes, of course, her buxom figure plays a large, bouncy role in it all--but I'm pretty sure that's just a bonus on top of everything else that already makes her so great.

It's possible I'm misunderstanding my own feelings bubbling away inside, and am making a huge mistake here today... But...if I don't take a chance now, I might live to regret it for years to come! Especially if I keep making excuses for myself and putting it off, day after day. I'll never know what could have been!

One step away from hyperventilating now, I suck in hot, ragged breaths, sweat racing down me in rivulets now as the small, heart-shaped gift becomes heavier and heavier in my shaky grasp. It becomes a battle just to keep myself from fainting as I await Anna's response--beyond the initial, wide-eyed stare, of course.

...And that shocked look remains for quite some time, the pair of us awkwardly facing off...until finally, Anna lets out a long, staggered sigh--one almost bordering on pity.

"...Seriously, kid...?" she drawls out, still slumped so lazily against the counter as she is. A hopeless smile is offered my way. "This...this isn't some kinda joke, right?"

I shake my head and urge the gift just a little closer her way. Her initial reaction isn't quite what I hoped for, I admit...but then...with a woman as mysterious as her...I'm not sure WHAT I expected. But...even if things aren't going perfectly...I refuse to give up hope. Because she hasn't burst out laughing. She hasn't gotten angry. She just...seems more confused than anything. But...I can work with that! It gives me some wiggle room!

She eyes the exorbitantly priced chocolates shaking before her some more. Just the faintest flush of colour surfaces against her freckled cheeks--something I don't think I've EVER seen from her. Clear conflict reigns in her amber hues as her hand idly taps away against the counter.

"Sheesh... Just when I think I've seen it all in life, y'go and drop THIS bomb on me..."

There's another lengthy pause between us. And from the way Anna's eyes are drifting off to the side, and how she's chewing on her lip, it's clear she's deep in thought. My heart skips a few more beats as she finally looks back my way, and I'm amazed I haven't keeled over from cardiac arrest just yet.

"Look...kid..." she begins, smiling awkwardly as yet more colour sets in against her cheeks. "I'm flattered, I really am...but..."

There it is. The dreaded 'but'. I feel my poor, aching heart just about ready to shatter from whatever comes next, along with a pit threatening to swallow me up from below with despair...but even...even still...I hold out some kind of vain hope. The chocolates serve as my light throughout all this. My guide. As long as I keep ahold of them, I'm sure everything will work out!

Anna takes another long, hard look at me. Our eyes meet in an intimate way that I don't think they've ever done before. "I get that Valentines Day makes people desperate...but don't feel like y'gotta settle for an old, washed up thing like me. I'm like, what, twice yer age, aren't I? Y'can't REALLY want somethin' like that. I know yer self-esteem ain't the best, but yer a cute, handsome little thing. I bet ya'd be surprised at what kind of girl y'could bag if y'put yerself out there."

What is she saying...? The other girls out there can't even begin to COMPARE to Anna! How can she talk about my self-esteem, when hers seems to be even worse than mine!

The chocolates threaten to crumple in my ever-tightening grasp--all manner of confusing emotions surging inside. I'd been prepared for the worst. To be put down bluntly. Or even laughed out of the bar. I'd fully accepted that these outcomes could happen, and was prepared to leave without a fight, simply accepting that it just wasn't meant to be.

But when I hear her being so down on herself--even if it's in service of propping me up... I...I just can't accept that. Not someone like Anna.

Practically making her jump as I slam the chocolates down on the counter--and no doubt finally earning a few confused looks from the scattered patrons--a fire ignites deep inside of me one. One I never even knew I had.

"N-no! You're wrong, Anna!" I say as I look right back at her, eyes alight with newfound passion as I slap my hands atop the polished surface of the bar. My voice is still incredibly croaky, of course, but this is the best I can muster on such short notice.

"Wha--... C'mon, kid, I--..."

"It's not like that at all! There's...there's no desperation at all! I've...I've felt this way about you for a long time!" By this point I'm sure my face is burning so hot the sweat is evaporating on contact and drifting off in plumes of steam--but I press on whilst the buxom barkeeper is reeling. I can't let her get back into that state of mind. Especially when it's not true!

"You're...you're a kind, wonderful...amazing woman! Who's always inspired me to do my best. A-always comforted me during my darkest hours. Always been there for me when nobody else ever was! A-and I know, sure...a lot of that is probably just part of your job...but...tell me if I'm wrong...there's definitely something more than that, right?!"

"Where is all this comin'--..."

"Because I know you try to k-keep your distance, and say you're doing your job...but all that time you spent with me when I was puking my guts up... All those chats we had, long into the night--well past closing hour... Y-you wouldn't do all of that for me if I was just a customer, right?!"

By the end of my spiel I'm a winded, panting, sweat-drenched wreck, droplets of perspiration splattering into a puddle atop the counter. I hadn't intended to say THIS much to her... Especially not so...insistently... But once I got started, I just couldn't stop--finally voicing what I'd been keeping bottled up for so long, and what we'd been dancing around for the longest time. Because I wouldn't have gone this far if I thought the feelings weren't mutual. Unless I've misread everything entirely, but...still...!

Still not quite done yet--and perhaps yet to utter aloud the most important part--I tighten my grasp on the counter as I look her right in her beautiful eyes.

"I...I'll just come out and say it--I like you, Anna! I-I really do! No...no other woman in the world compares to you! Who cares about something as t-trivial as age?! That hasn't stopped us enjoying our time together before, has it? Wh-why should it now?! S-so I'm not desperate... I'm not settling... And I couldn't imagine being with anyone other than you!"

I croak the last word out dramatically, grateful for the counter propping me up as it is--because with how weak my legs feel now, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stand of my own volition. And by this point, both Anna and I have attracted quite an audience. The scattered patrons throughout aren't even being subtle about it--most having completely turned around in their seats to watch things unfold, some having even scooted closer in the process. But I don't care. Nobody else matters right now except for the blushing, red head before me.

"…"

At first, she says nothing. Mouth ajar, and eyes as wide as I've ever seen them before, she's genuinely rendered speechless by everything I've had to say. It takes a good deal of glancing between me and the chocolates before she's finally able to get her first word out.

"...Wow."

The word escapes her in awe. Almost breathlessly. As if she forgot to breathe the entire time I was speaking so passionately to her. But then, with that first breath taken again, she finally finds her voice once more.

"Kid, I..." she begins, a finger curling anxiously with the fluffy red locks draping down the side of her face. She struggles to look me directly in the eye--almost a direct reversal from how things were a moment ago. "I think that's the most I've ever heard ya speak, heh..."

I grin back at her, if only to distract myself from the fact my heart feels like it's about to burst right out of my ribcage. "I...I guess I only really speak up when I feel like I absolutely have to. A-and in this case...I...I didn't want you thinking all those negative things about yourself. Even if...even if you don't end up feeling the same way about me...that's fine. S-so long as you don't think I was settling. Or that...you're a washed up hag."

"...Huh. Funny. I don't recall usin' the 'hag'." An eyebrow is arched my way. Just a hint of Anna's usual, playful nature returns as her pearly whites gleam in a crooked grin.

I rub the back of my head awkwardly, feeling all of that bravado I had a second ago slipping away with each passing moment. Just like that, the roles are swapping back again. "A-ahaha... Uhm--s-slip of the tongue... S-sorry--... But you get what I mean!"

"I do. 'Nd...I guess it's pretty hypercritical of me to be so down on myself after all the pep talkin' I do around here, huh?"

"Maybe a little... Wh-which is what made me so angry... Especially when you're such a stunning woman!"

Her eyebrow somehow raises even higher. Her grin only gets more crooked. Which...never ends up going well for me--even as glad as I am to see her settling back into her old ways. "Uh-huh. And is 'stunning' just your meek little way of saying that you like my massive rack?" She emphasises said large bust with a pronounced push of it against the counter, instantly drawing a gulp from out of me.

"W-well... M-maybe that's part of it, too--b-but... It's not just that! It's your super fluffy hair! Your freckles! E-even your eyes, which remind me of a cat!"

"Okay, okay--sheesh. Knock it off already with all the sappiness. I get it! Y'don't gotta write a whole poem! Y'think I'm pretty! There. I summed it up in a few words."

"A-ahaha... Right... Got it. Sorry."

...I subtly push down the piece of paper that was also in my pocket, which came with a variety of Anna-related poems. I was especially proud of the one that compared her amber eyes to the beauty of a setting sun...but...uh...maybe another day?

Slender fingers drumming against the counter, her head still lazily propped up her other hand, Anna gives me another curious look-over. Her freckled features are still burning almost as brightly as mine.

"...Still... Is this REALLY how y'wanted to spend yer Valentines? In a smoky, rundown bar? Not exactly the most romantic of spots, is it?"

"A-any place is magical as long as you're around, Anna..."

The buxom barkeep blinks at this--momentarily stunned once more--before letting out a heavy, exasperated sigh. "I swear,  kid... One more sappy thing outta ya like that 'nd I'm grabbin' the broom."

"N-noted..."

Guess I won't tell her about how the dust motes look like magical glitter around her then, huh?

Still... Even as we settle back into a casual manner of chit-chat like this, and both just barely cooling down, I can't help but realise she hasn't answered one very important thing. Almost as if she purposely danced around it.

"Uhm... So... I've told you how I feel...b-but..." Prodding my fingers together, and lacking the courage that had let me practically yell in her face a few brief moments ago, I try to steer things back to the topic at hand. I even gesture towards the sweat-soaked chocolate box still lying on the counter between us.

Anna scrunches her face up before letting out a defeated sigh. "Crap--'nd here I thought I could weasel my way outta it... Yer surprisingly pushy when y'wanna be, y'know that, kid?"

I can only scratch the back of my head in response. "S-so I've been told, eh-heh..."

"Mmnrrr... Fine. Y'wanna know how I feel about ya? Alrighty, then." She slaps her hands against the countertop and pushes herself up. I instinctively brace myself as a narrowed gaze is thrown my way. "I suck at talkin' 'bout feelings--'nd certainly can't bust out romantic soliloquies like you--but..."

Those mysterious amber hues of hers roam me up and down. I don't think she's ever quite taken me in as intensely as this before. It's all I can do not to shudder under her gaze.

"Yer cute 'nd handsome--which I said before. But I think that's mostly just yer young age workin' in yer favour. 'Nd...I don't...hate...spendin' time with ya. 'Nd, yeah...sure...I look forward to the days you visit. But...can I really call that attraction...? 'Specially not when I have no passionate speech lined up..."

Her head tilts to the side and a hand gravitates to her mouth as she ponders HARD on the matter. I don't rush her on the matter. Because, like I said, I'll happily accept if she doesn't feel this way. As long as I've got it into her head that she's a beautiful woman, and age hasn't tarnished her at all.

"Aww, c'mon, Anna! Give the lad a chance!" a gruff voice calls out from the sidelines as Anna continues to think. Whoops. I'd almost forgotten we had an audience to this whole, dramatic little affair. All at once, the other patrons echo the man's sentiments as they cheer around us. Anna gives a start at the heckling, broken out of her thoughts. Apparently she'd forgotten about them, too.

"H-hey! We ain't puttin' on a play here! Mind yer own business, guys!" Her voice lacking its usual fire--and sounding oddly...cute...with how flustered she is, she glares over at the other patrons before turning her head with a huff. "Sheesh, we should be chargin' for tickets, at the very least..."

"Sorry... Maybe I got a b-bit too passionate back there. Otherwise they might not have noticed..." I apologise rather bashfully. I'd been able to ignore their stares up until now--but now I can really feel the presence of so many other eyes in the bar.

...After giving them one last glare, Anna finally dismisses them with a wave of her hand. "Eh. I guess we can give them this. A little bit of excitement for all those lonely hearts on Valentine's, right?" She winks at me and my heart is set off all over again. But, even still...

"You're still dodging the question, you know, Anna..."

"Hell, yer a persistent one. Since when did y'get so bold?! Fine--y'want an answer? How's this for a damn answer!"

"Wh-whoa--...?!"

It all happens at once. She reaches for me over the counter, grabs ahold of my collar and quite literally YANKS me over to her side. And for a brief, maddening moment I think she's trying to haul me out of the bar. But then I collide right up against her abundance of pillowy softness. The radiant warmth her buxom body provides. With but one mighty motion, she was able to heave my entire slight frame right over the counter and into her arms.

I look up in a daze, face thoroughly cushioned by such bountiful assets that it takes every ounce of willpower not to nuzzle up against them. Never have I been so close to Anna. Never has she embraced me so tightly. The sheer heat between us is dizzying. Her exotic fragrance is downright intoxicating--far more so than anything her drinks could manage.

And just when I think this heavenly embrace couldn't get any better...she brings herself in even closer still. Our lips connect. My entire body jolts, like lightning has rushed through it. My mind struggles to process everything at once and settle on what feels the best between the soft, moist sensation of her lips upon mine and the pillowy assets practically enveloping my far smaller frame the tighter she wraps her arms around me.

"Mmmmwah~!" The buxom barkeep makes a suitable show of our kiss, smacking her lips against mine with a sloppy, wet sound that echoes out across the bar and prompts a round of cheering from our drunken audience. "How's that for an answer, huh?" she says, pulling back with a flushed grin.

"A-ah...awawa...uhahh..." is all I can babble out, my mouth still ajar and faintly glistening with her saliva as I melt in her embrace. Even as showy as it was, it was a simple peck on the lips. Nothing too ravenous or obscene. But the meaning behind it... The reflection of Anna's true feelings towards me... They lent far more power to that kiss than it otherwise may have had, to the point even now my body is reeling from the shockwaves rolling through it.

...Sensing she's probably not going to get much of a response out of me anytime soon, Anna continues in my stead, still holding me tight. "Heh... Good, huh? I'm glad.  Look--I maybe don't feel QUITE as strongly as you about this whole thing...just yet, anyway...but...hell--fine. I like ya, okay? 'Nd if ya really wanna give it a go with a washed--ahem...a mature woman like me in spite of everythin' I've said...then...who am I to say no?"

Yet more cheers sound out around us. I even hear a couple of people sobbing, as though this was a truly touching moment to watch unfold. And okay, sure, I do feel my eyes getting a little misty... Anna pays them no mind--having only eyes for me and me alone right now as we embrace under the bright bar light--as though it had always intended to be a spotlight for the play that was to unfold between us tonight.

"Happy...Valentine's, I guess. Right? Heh. Wow. Never thought I'd see the day where I was actually celebratin' this crap." The woman of my dreams beams down at me, and I smile as much as I can right back up at her--at least in my limited capacity.

"H-happy... Valentine's...Anna..." I babble out, never more content with my life than I am right now.

It's my sincerest hope that this moment tonight with Anna is the first of many to come. And that...in spite of her misgivings, things truly will work out between us, age be damned.

Although...maybe next time with not as many drunken men sobbing around us and cheering us on like we're their new favourite soap.