She splurged on the outfit, she must admit. She has a reputation for being miserly and doesn't like to go against the expectations, but standing in front of the mirror, shower fresh and dressed in the newly bought clothing, she has no regrets. The outfit was worth every penny.

She meets him in the usual place; he greets her in the usual way; they go to the usual restaurant; they sit at their usual table. She makes a big show of reading the menu, though she could probably recite the entire thing from memory, they've been doing this for so long.

"I'll have this, this, this, one of that, some of these and a coffee please."

Her companion winces at the lavish order. "I'll have some water," he tells the waiter who promptly scurries away to do their bidding.

He stares across the table at her and she meets his gaze levelly. It's a challenge, of sorts.

"Well?" he asks finally, sounding exasperated.

"Well what?" she counters.

He looks at her like she's lost her mind. "The pictures. Where are the pictures?"

"There are no pictures today." And with that, she's put everything on the table, so to speak.

She waits for the outcry. She waits for him to say there's no reason for him to be here if there are no pictures. She waits for him to announce that the only one for him is either a pigtailed boy-turned-girl or a violent tomboy. She waits, but it doesn't come.

Instead, there's a sly look in his eye, like he's just won a battle though his opponent doesn't know it yet. "I see." He sounds amused, but she can't see why.

Unless maybe they've been together all this time and she just hasn't noticed it until now.