"Your total comes down to..."

    "Can we get it for free?" Cero asked with a smile.

    The server frowned for a moment before shaking his head.

    "Of course. My mistake, haha." The server chuckled awkwardly as he scratched his head. "Thank you very much for your patronage."

    "You''re welcome." Cero answered sarcastically as he stood up and extended a hand to Liz.

    She took his hand and stood up while the server walked away with the dishes.

    "You know you could also get things for free if you just told them who you are, right?"

    "Who we are." Cero corrected. "Yes." The tip of the tentacle-like limb crawled back into his sleeve, up the arm, and back into his back. "But this is more fun."

    "I suppose." Liz chuckled. "A bit evil but... Sure."

    "Hope you don''t mind me using it in front of you. I know it''s a touchy subject."

    "Are you trying to prepare me for when you''re forced to use it for real?"

    Cero smiled as he closed the distance and lay a hand on Liz''s cheek.

    "You know me so well."

    "Of course, you will have to use it on enemies. The concept or use isn''t at all what makes it touchy..."

    His thumb gently caressed the back of her hand. "On the other hand, you are being touchy."

    "Should I not be?"

    Liz held his hand tightly, and they walked out onto the streets.

    ***

    "No matter how much I think about it, getting knocked out by Raya is crazy."

    "It was a crazy uppercut." Cero nodded with a chuckle.

    "I never thought she would be able to land one, let alone throw one that could hurt enough to knock me out."

    "That''s something she was counting on. Because you don''t see her as a threat, your body wasn''t on guard."

    "Which in turn makes me easier to knock out, since I probably didn''t brace myself and all... Or prepare for impact, I guess." Liz scratched her chin. "Well, I didn''t see her as a threat. That has changed now."

    "Has it?" Cero tilted his head. "Should we test it out?"

    "That''s not funny." Liz said despite letting out a chuckle. "So anyways... Who of the flakes should we go pester first?"

    "Well... How about we go there first?"

    Liz scratched his head, and followed.

    ''No, actually! The size difference makes it worse! They look like children in their mother''s lap! Well... Teenagers in their mother''s lap, which is a whole different level of weird.''

    Liz gulped, once again taking her courage with both hands.

    She was his Wife. And as such, she had no choice but to take his side. Even in the most ridiculous and absurd endeavors.

    "That''s right! What''s wrong with a woman in a man''s lap, huh?"

    "Fighting against gender norms since... Forever!"

    "Death to the matriarchy! D... Um... Freedom!"

    It was a struggle, but the two managed to find expressions to shout while waving their fists.

    Funnily enough,

    "Ugh, that kind. I really can''t-"

    "Um, what do you mean that kind?" Her boyfriend interrupted.

    "The matriarchy." Another sighed. "It''s always the problem, isn''t it?"

    "Um, yes. It is. Do you not agree?"

    It didn''t take long for arguments to spread like wildfire through the lovers'' square.

    "So what? You think that because I''m a man I should be in the kitchen?"

    "What?! That''s not at all what I said!!"

    "I didn''t know I was going out with a masculinist!"

    "What''s wrong with being a masculinist?! It took a while for us men to get equal rights! And we''re still a long way from..."

    Liz''s head gently fell back to Cero''s chest.

    While she was slightly embarrassed, it was still true that both watched proudly and with mischievous smiles on their faces at the chaos they had created.

    "I love you." Cero whispered as he turned towards her.

    "And I love you." Liz smiled.

    They kissed, and the chaos around them only got stronger.

    "Cute!"

    "Adorable!"

    "Why can''t you be more like that?"

    "Why do you have to be such a close-minded brute?"

    Counterintuitively, when the strangers were loudest and had their eyes stuck to them was when Liz worried about their presence least.