Treating them to Dinner

The golden light of the seal faded, leaving the sky over San Fransokyo a perfect, cloudless blue. The sirens were still wailing in the distance, but the immediate danger was gone. The team stood around me, buzzing with a mix of exhaustion and the high that only comes from cheating ****.

"Hungry?" Fred asked, his eyes lighting up behind his monster mask. "I could eat a whole pizza. No, three pizzas. With extra nachos."

"Think bigger, Fred," I said, dismissing the Keyblade and smoothing the lapels of my coat. "We saved the world. We aren't eating pizza in a basement. We're going to Le Festin. Top floor. Ocean view."

Wasabi’s jaw dropped. "That place has a six-month waiting list. And it's... really expensive."

"I don't do waiting lists," I said, pulling a thick roll of currency from my pocket, spoils from a dozen worlds. "And I'm paying."

I looked at the girls. They were dusty, sweating, and beautiful in their armor, but the occasion called for something else.

"But we aren't going like this," I announced. "We go home. We shower. We dress. Formal."

Honey Lemon clapped her hands, her pink armor rattling. "Oh! I have the perfect dress! I've been saving it for a special occasion!"

I turned to Go Go. She was popping her gum, looking skeptical. Her wardrobe consisted of leather, denim, and more leather.

"I don't do dresses," she stated flatly.

"You do tonight," I countered. I walked up to her and took her hand, slapping a heavy stack of bills into her palm. It was enough to buy a small car. "Take the van. Go to the boutiques in the fashion district. Buy something stunning. Something that shows off those legs you used to kick ass today."

Go Go looked at the money, then at me. She wanted to argue - it was in her nature - but the memory of the rooftop and the command in my voice silenced her. She curled her fingers around the cash.

"Fine," she muttered, a faint blush touching her cheeks. "But if I trip in heels, I'm taking you down with me."

"Deal," I smirked. "Go. Be back in an hour."

An hour later, the Lucky Cat Café had transformed into a staging ground for the evening. The boys were ready quickly. Hiro looked sharp in a fitted suit he had clearly outgrown slightly, tugging at his collar. Wasabi was impeccably dressed, lint-rolling his shoulder for the tenth time. Fred had managed to find a tuxedo, though he was still wearing high-top sneakers.

They sat in the café, waiting for the main event.

Upstairs, the transformation was slower, and much more distracting.

I was already dressed in a fresh black shirt and trousers, my coat discarded for the evening. I walked into the bathroom where Honey Lemon was getting ready.

The air was thick with steam and the scent of citrus perfume. Honey was standing in front of the mirror, wrapped in a towel that barely contained her height. Her long blonde hair was blown out, cascading down her back in soft waves. She was trying to apply eyeliner, leaning close to the glass, her mouth slightly open in concentration.

I didn't knock. I stepped up behind her.

"You missed a spot," I whispered, placing my hands on her bare waist.

Honey jumped, the eyeliner pencil skidding slightly. "Ray!" she laughed, breathless. "I'm trying to concentrate! We're going to be late!"

"Let them wait," I murmured.

I let my hands roam. I slid them up her ribcage, feeling the warmth of her skin fresh from the shower. I cupped her breasts through the fluffy white towel, squeezing gently.

Honey leaned back against me, her eyes fluttering shut. "Ray... I can't put on mascara if you do that..."

"Then don't wear it," I said, kissing the curve of her neck, inhaling her scent. "You don't need it. You're glowing."

I wasn't lying. She looked radiant - happy, claimed, and confident. But I enjoyed making it difficult for her. Every time she reached for a brush, I grazed my teeth against her ear or let my hand drift lower, dangerously close to the hem of the towel.

"Stop..." she giggled, swatting my hand away weakly. "I want to look pretty for you."

"You always look pretty," I said, spinning her around.

The towel slipped.

I caught it before it fell, holding it against her chest, looking down at her flushed face.

"Get dressed," I commanded softly, releasing her. "Before I decide we're skipping dinner and having dessert right here."

Honey Lemon scrambled to grab her dress, her face burning a bright, happy crimson.

A few minutes later, the front door chimed. Go Go was back.

She walked into the living room carrying a garment bag, looking terrified. She wasn't scared of monsters or portals, but looking feminine was a battlefield she didn't know how to navigate.

"I got it," she announced, tossing the bag on the couch. "The lady at the store said it was 'daring'. I think it's just missing half the fabric."

"Perfect," I said, walking out of the bathroom with a fully dressed Honey Lemon.

Honey was wearing a floor-length gown of pale yellow silk that clung to her curves like water. She looked like a runway model.

"Honey," I said. "Help our speedster. Make her shine."

"On it!" Honey squealed, grabbing Go Go’s hand and the garment bag. "Come on, Go Go! I have the perfect lipstick shade for you!"

"Don't you dare come near me with glitter," Go Go warned, but she let herself be dragged into the bedroom.

Twenty minutes passed. The boys were pacing.

Then, the bedroom door opened.

Honey Lemon stepped out first, smiling like a proud artist. She gestured to the doorway.

"Presenting..."

Go Go Tomago stepped out.

The room went silent. Wasabi dropped his lint roller. Hiro’s eyes went wide.

She was wearing a sleek, black cocktail dress that hit mid-thigh, exposing miles of toned, athletic legs. It was backless, held up by thin straps, showing off the muscles I had felt beneath my hands on the roof. She was wearing heels - black stilettos that made her calves flex with every step. Her hair was slicked back on one side, and Honey had applied a dark, smoky eye and a blood-red lip that made her look dangerous and stunning.

She stood there, shifting her weight awkwardly, tugging at the hem.

"Stop staring," she snapped at the boys, though her voice lacked its usual bite. "It's just a dress."

"It's a weapon," I corrected, walking over to her.

I stopped in front of her. She looked up at me, unsure, waiting for the verdict.

I reached out and ran a finger down her bare arm.

"You look lethal, Go Go."

She let out a breath she’d been holding, a small, shy smile breaking through her tough exterior. "Yeah? Not too... girly?"

"Just the right amount," I assured her.

I turned to the group. I had the genius, the monster, and the neurotic swordsman. And on my arms, I had the beauty and the beast - Honey in her yellow silk, and Go Go in her black armor.

I offered an arm to each of them.

Honey took my left. Go Go took my right.

They pressed close, claiming their places at the Alpha's side.

"Alright," I said, looking at my victorious, beautifully dressed team. "Let's go eat this city alive."