That evening, that special evening, Kiba wore no visible weapons. He was not going to be on duty that night. No, tonight was for him and Kaya. The Champion would ever remain vigilant despite what plans he had hoped for the evening. Hands were stuffed in his black slacks as he leaned against one of the poles that draped lights over the festivities. He couldn’t help but smile as the scene grew louder with the laughter of those that were enjoying their time. Music lifted through the air above the ever growing crowds. Couples danced with all the enthusiasm possible. ’As they should,’ he thought. They had survived one of the worst attacks upon Revaliir since he had come to the new world. His nightmares were beginning to ebb, but it did not take away from what had happened.

Death had taken him from his family, but Life had grabbed him just in time. He shifted slightly to cross one leg over the other as he continued to watch the guests. Removing hands from his pockets, he crossed them over his chest. For the evening he decided to go simple. Black pants paired with a white shirt. He had picked out a well-tailored black vest that allowed him to move easily. He wore his gauntlets still that held siphons on the back of each hand that contained his divine sand from Angela. Even if the diowolf was determined to enjoy the evening with Kaya, he could not go into public completely without weapons.

Kiba would admit he was highly anticipating the arrival of his partner. He had wanted to bring her to the event himself, but there had been some business for the Temple that he could not avoid. They had decided to arrive separately to meet at the festival.

He swallowed the anxious knot that had formed in this throat. The couple had not been able to spend much time together considering much had occurred recently. Still he worked to make it up to Kaya for the deep despair he had caused her. Kiba had died upon the battlefield. All of his family had seen it. Each had been hit differently, but at the same time similarly. Isleen had been hit the worst as it had driven her to an incomplete transformation. Ethan had taken it hard and blamed Kiba for it (which was normal).

The entire family had reconvened at the apothecary to wait for Isleen to come back to her mind. At the same time it was revealed that Azrail was alive once again. That had been an interesting twist. Kiba chuckled slightly as he recalled how his cousin had reacted. It was one of the only times the diowolf had seen the vampire actually look soft to anyone else besides Isleen. Kiba was sure that if Isleen had not been his adopted daughter that Ethan would have tried to kill him by now.

The Champion’s thoughts were mixed as he waited for Kaya to arrive. He was desperate to see her as this would be their first true ‘date.’ The male wanted her to enjoy her evening. To not worry about anything but them there together.  Kiba could sense himself fidgeting even if he was trying not to.  

A date. An actual date.

Since Kiba and Kaya had got together, they had barely had any time alone. It was no ones fault, there had been one drama after another, and they had been in the thick of it every time. Kaya had known that their lives would not be quiet; she had fallen into similar habits as her mother, the habits that she had loathed during her youth, that she had resented her mother for. Now she understood Kythe better, while Kaya would never be a warrior like her mother was, she had come to see that she was far more like her than she realised. 

Losing him him had nearly destroyed her, thinking she would never see him smile at her or cal, her name again… her heart had shattered, and she wasn’t sure how she was meant to move on from that, how she was meant to live without the man in her life. Thank Fate for Angela, and the Goddess’ own love for Kiba, had it not been for her he would not have been back in her arms now. Typically that gift came with a price, a good one by all accounts, but a price none the less. Now that Kiba was Angela’s Champion, it meant that his time was split between her Temple, and his duties as Second in Command of the Nosse, naturally this meant that every moment they had together was precious and to be treasured. Tonight was going to be a rare treat. 

Kythe had helped her daughter get ready, when Kaya had asked if her mother and father would be joining the festivities themselves, Kythe had scowled and made up an excuse about herself being too heavily pregnant to be prancing about in a tent of a dress, wondering if one hop or twirl might cause her to give birth to the twins on the dance floor itself. The excuse was… weak at best, Kaya had not been oblivious to the arguments between her parents, the strained looks, the excuses to be out of one another’s company for long periods of time. Since the battle against the Void, Pol had been livid with his wife, and while Kaya had understood her father’s stance on the situation, she had found herself siding with her mother on this one. Those beasts intended to kill them either way, was it not better to fight back and stand a chance of surviving rather than sitting idly by? Watching others fight and die for her cause was not Kythe’s way, and Pol should have known that better than anyone.

Her hair braided with gold and green ribbon, to compliment her auburn hair and jade green eyes, Kythe had taken a painstaking amount of time getting it right, determined that her adopted son would find her daughter breathtaking. Kaya had laughed, but she knew her mother had meant every word of it. The dress she had picked hing off her shoulders, the chiffon sleeves floating as she moved as though they were wings. The corseted bodice hugged her lithe frame, the skirt shorter at the front than the back, to show off her tanned, long legs as she all but gilded into the festivities, golden circlet upon her forehead.

Eyes scanned the dance floor, seeking out her wayward lover. As soon as she spotted him, she smiled warmly, he looked just as handsome as the day they had first met…

It was her scent that first came to the diowolf’s senses to make him look up to see Kaya. She was looking at him from across the dance floor. The anxiety that had been building up in his chest floated away just at the sight of her. Why had he been so resistant at first to bind himself to this woman? She had been in the shadows for a longer time than Kiba could even understand. An admiration that she had nurtured without his knowledge. When her courage finally did swell, Kiba had faltered in accepting for his love for Nami had still consumed him. Even so, Kaya had remained patient with no pressure upon him to dissolve what would always be a part of him. The love for Nami would always be in his heart. Nami was dead. She had been for a long time and there was no getting around that.

The diowolf thought about what would have happened if Nami had returned like others were slowly appearing what he would do. As he looked across the way he knew; Kiba would not have the ability to pull away from the woman that was dressed for the event that evening. His features were softened with the love that had grown deeply in his heart to take a deep root in him.

Taking in a steadying breath, Kiba shifted through the crowd to stand in front of Kaya. With a deep sweeping bow he took her head gently to place a kiss upon the back of her hand. ”Good evening, lovely lady,” he said while looking up from his bow. A smile sparked in his mismatching eyes. He stood up straight to tower over her slightly all while offering his elbow to link arms. ”You look ravishing this evening,” he complimented. ”I may have to do something along those lines later in the evening.” Kiba looked down at her as the glint in his eyes changed to something more predatory than admiration.

He led his love towards the refreshment section as they skirted around the dance floor. It was becoming livelier as the night wore on. The diowolf finally stopped to wrap his arm around Kaya’s waist as he noticed a small group of men take notice of her. A softly emitted growl resonated from deep in his chest that could be heard well by those he wished to stave off. It was acknowledged as they quickly departed to find somewhere else to spend the night. ”What would you like to do first? There is delicious food and drink. We can go for a walk. We can dance. I want you to decide what we do tonight.” His fingers were playing with the end of her braid while he waited for her to answer.

It was difficult for him to keep his hands from tracing the lines of her body as they stood there. Kiba wanted to explore everywhere, but leaving right then would have defeated the purpose of them going out on a public date.