Change of plans, Octavius is not going to meet Ronnie at the house. No, they would just wait until later. The kids at least. Octavius put on his best wear that he could find that were presently clean. He didn’t normally slack, as he would normally do the laundry every night, but he was just a day behind, and he felt it messed up his entire wardrobe.

To try and appear cool and casual for a man his age, he put on some jeans and then he wore a loose fitting T-shirt that didn’t look much too baggy and wasn’t extremely tight.

It was like a burst of excitement, he didn’t care so much for what his hair would look like. So he just darted out of the house, without so much as an “I love you and I’ll see you later.”

He was excited for seeing the man’s face again. He was excited to hear his voice. There was nothing more thrilling than that. If he were given the choice between going to space and going to see this man, he would choose the man. Ronnie was just that gosh darn gorgeous.

He was now ready to be on his way to see Ronnie and it was thrilling the man.

Hey, he was going out with someone. That was cool right? Right? If it was not then obviously he did not know what cool meant. He was going to meet Robbie at Cafe Tabou. Now, Octavius had converted some of his galleons into pounds, and he knew how flipping expensive this restaurant was.

He thought about coming here with the kids once, but they were rather destructive so that would, in fact, not be a thing. But for Robbie? Anything.

He walked up to the door but waited on the outside, attempting his best to be as patient as he possibly could be without anything that appeared to be rude or could lead to people misjudging him.

-- 25 minutes later, Robbie arrives.

"Robbie! Hey! I'm so glad you're here!"

He looks at him, his look sweet but his Russian tone was not. "Name is Ronnie not Robbie." It lightened up as Octavius apologized and opened the door for him.

"A table for two please." Octavius said to the hostess. She lead them to their seat and asked them what they wanted to drink. Water with lemon for Ronnie and the same for Octavius.

They looked at the menu, Octavius staring at Ronnie but blushing and trying to hide it by raising the menu higher to cover his face. Ronnie reached over the table and pulled down the menu, pressing it against the table. "Do you want steak?"

Honestly, Octavius would eat anything. He did not care. He waited until he felt like he could speak, "yes."

Ronnie picked up his menu again, looking at the section with the steaks on it. There were five options, three under a one person dish and two under a two people dish. Under the one person dish were an 8 ounce Fillet De Boeuf, an 8 ounce Rib Eye, and a 14 ounce t-bone steak. Under the two people dish were an 16 ounce Chateaubriand Fillet and a 35 ounce Cote De Boeuf.

Octavius was looking at his menu under steak, seeing the same thing. Honestly, he knew it would save money to do a two people dish but these people working here would need money, obviously. He didn't care how much it would cost, he had 200 pounds on hand.

Before Ronnie would say anything, Octavius looked at him and quickly spoke, "Honey," Ooo, that was a step. "Wait, I'm sorry if I was moving too fast! I meant hey, Ronnie" He tried to cover his track, but he noticed a smirk on Ronnie's face. "I'm sorry! Uh anyways, I want the employees here to make some more money than just us having a shared meal in a general sense, yes we can both have steak, but I want to order off of the one person meal side, and add wine to it... if that's okay with you?"

Ronnie put down his menu, putting his hand into Octavius's. "Whatever you want, I get too." Is he saying that he'll have what Octavius will get? Oh, that's kind of sweet...

The hostess returned with the water and a waitress walked up holding a cup of sliced lemons. The hostess left, going to help the next group of people, and the waitress remained, pulling out her notepad and her pencil, "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes," Octavius said as Ronnie looked at him. The waitress looked at him for his order, and he felt his heart beat a mile a minute, almost as if he were choosing something horrible to happen to his kids and he had to choose the least horrible option. He took a deep breath, adding an extra measure of awkwardness to the table and to the waitress. "I will have the.. Fillet De Boeuf with... tenderstem broccoli."

Ronnie took a quick glance at the menu for the sides and spoke, "I will have Filt Ey Boat, same to Octavius, but no broccoli. I will have Gratin Potatoes." The waitress nodded, ignoring the obvious mispronunciation of the words. "Anything else?" They would hear the waitress say.

"Uhh, can we have two small glasses of wine? One for him and one for me? What wine do you all have?" Before the waitress spoke, Octavius interrupted her. "Anything from Italy?"

She nodded, grabbing the drink menu that neither Octavius or Ronnie noticed on the table. She opened it up and read the names, "Pinot Grigio from Veneto in Italy, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo from Abruzzo in Italy, I Muri Primitivo from Puglia in Italy, and Prosecco La Cavea from Veneto in Italy. Pinot Grigio is a white wine, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo and I Muri Primitivo are both red wines, and Prosecco La Cavea is a sparkling wine."

Ronnie winked at him, "We will have I Muri Primitivo," He looked at him, his facial expressions softening as he looked very caring. "Does that sound good... babe?"

Oh, how his heart fluttered. Yes, yes, yes a million times yes! Oh, he thought the yesses, he needed to verbally answer. "Yes, Ronnie that sounds wonderful."

Before the waitress could walk off, she asked how they would like their steaks cooked. "Well done," Ronnie would answer. Octavius was stuttering because he could not think of what she was meaning. "Cooked? What do you mean?"

She explained what Rare, Medium Rare, Medium, Medium Well and Well Done were and he nodded. How did he not know this? He knew how he liked his meat though, and he also selected Well Done. To be polite, he told her thank you as she walked off, heading back towards the kitchen.

Hmm, Octavius figured that while the food was in the queue to be made, he would at least take a sip of water and ask Ronnie some questions so that they were not awkwardly sitting in their seats for a while. He pondered for a second for a question to ask, and one appeared. "What's one thing you are most proud of?"

Octavius knew he could answer this, even if the people in his life could rival that and disagree, it would have been his kids. They were the pride and joy of his life, even if they were total gremlins sometimes. He loved to go shopping with them, to buy them clothes, toys, books, whatever they needed. It made him feel valuable and proud to be a father. A father that exists in their children's lives. But for Ronnie? He could tell Ronnie was thinking, it was a tricky question to answer and probably something that could easily be changed over time.

He took another sip, and finally Ronnie reached over to Octavius and urged him to put down his drink. "I have to say that I am most proud of you. You are brave to go on date with me. You try to steal from me but now we are on date. You bring money to pay, you think about others. You are not selfish or rude or a horrible person, you are kind and sweet and loyal. I am proud of you." Aww, that was sweet. Octavius wasn't expecting that.

"heh." Octavius didn't know what to say, his smile brimmed from one ear to the next and he giggled. A grown man giggling though? How odd! He had not felt that way since dating Maria! That was about 14 years ago! Is this man really the one for him? He didn't feel that way with Joseph before (as Joseph and Octavius never loved one another)!

He blushed. He noticed that Ronnie was also smiling, maybe Octavius looked a little funny but oh this man was so sweet. Ronnie popped off with another question. "What is the all-time most embarrassing thing that happen to you?"

Oh gosh. "Well.. as a kid, a very young one, when I started Hogwarts, I was bullied. Mind you, I started Hogwarts at the turn of the millennium, in 1999 to 2000 was my first year."

He looked at Ronnie with a look of shame before staring down at the table. "I got a wedgie from a kid who didn't seem to like me. The next day, I got dunked into the toilet. Then the next, I was beat up. The most humiliating moment of all that, the most embarrassing? It wasn't what I just said, no, those were just minor inconveniences. For me? I remember the day I got pantsed. Yes, I wore underwear, but the worst part of that was that I was made fun of, no one would take me seriously, no one would care to be with me and I was isolated. I thought I had a crush on a boy then, but he's dead now (Joseph) and I would find later in life that we never loved each other. He witnessed it, and I was crushed that he saw me getting bullied." He looked back up into his eyes and gave him a soft smile, but his brows let up. "Anyways, it's my turn to ask a question." Octavius stated, seeing a look of pity on the Russian's face.

"What's your idea of a perfect marriage?"

Ronnie was going to say something about the answer before the question Octavius asked but moved on. He could address it later, but for the date night to go well, he didn't want to make Octavius feel worse or relive the humiliation. "I think a perfect marriage is when we live in a house, decorated whatever way you want it of course, with a room dedicated to the ocean, even if it is a room full of fish tanks and fishes and all. I like the ocean, in case you did not know. I think a perfect marriage would consist of more than one child, and I know you have four. What are their names, Octavius?"

Octavius's soft smile grew, someone cared about his kids. "Simon, Ben, Clark and Ernest. Two of them are part goblins, from my ex-wife Maria, but Ernest is not my biological child because he is a child of whatever man Maria got together with. Ernest and Clark are related though, only as half-brothers. Simon and Ben are not biologically mine, I adopted them. The oldest is Simon, graduating from Hogwarts in June 2026, the next oldest is Ben, graduating from Hogwarts in June 2027. Well, the other two, it might depend if I have to pull them out or.. I'm not sure, whatever the circumstance is that might change their initial year of graduation."

Ronnie nodded, "Well, if I ever meet them, let me know beforehand what they like so I can get them something they actually want. Do you want me to finish answering the question?"

Octavius replied, realizing he ran on and on about his kids. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Yes, please go ahead."

Both smiled, and the glass of wine for each had arrived, being placed on the table.

"A perfect marriage is having more than one kid, a house how you like it with a room dedicated to the marine life or nautical life, and your presence. You are perfect. You make it a perfect marriage." He said softly, moving his hand over to the wine glass and taking a light sip of his I Muri Primitivo. It seemed he held the liquid in his mouth for a brief moment before swallowing. Well, it isn't water after all.

Ronnie put down the glass and asked Octavius another question, "If something happened that changed your appearance, how would you prove identity to me?"

Octavius thought for a second. "Honestly, I would hope that you would recognize me, that you would know it is me. How would someone prove their appearance otherwise if the opposing person does not believe that they are someone they love? They'd be doubting themselves. Follow up question, if I changed my appearance.. would you still love me? What if I looked ghastly and slimy for the rest of my life due to some sort of accident? What if it was temporary? Would you still love me? Would you stay with me?"

Ronnie nodded. "Yes. It would be awful if I abandoned you over your looks. Looks are not everything, it is what is inside that counts. Right?"

Octavius agreed. "Yes." The waitress returned, both hands bearing ceramic white platter with steak and butter, confit plum tomatoes and balsamic pearl onions. Additionally, each plate had the different sides to identify who ordered what. Octavius's plate had the broccoli, Ronnie's plate had the gratin potatoes.

"Thank you," Octavius said to the waitress.

Maybe its time to get serious now? Octavius grabbed the steak knife, pressing the jagged blade into the meat, jamming a fork alongside the flat side of the blade and began sawing the knife through the steak. "So, Ronnie.. can I ask you something personal?" He asked, a tone of hope in his voice.

Ronnie replied back, doing just what Octavius was doing, "What?"

"Do you think that you would be interested in adopting more kids? If you are, would you change their names?" Not dreadfully serious, but a genuine question nevertheless. He continued to cut the steak, hating the noise the blade made as it scraped against the plate.

Ronnie looked at him, a look of pity on his face. "You really want more kids?" Octavius nodded as he was finishing up the cutting, cutting them into small, easily digestible cube portions. "Then yes, I will happily adopt more kids if it means you get to help take care of them. I promise you, I will do anything for you and for your kids, your happiness makes me happy."

He paused for a second, continuing the slicing of his steak before he finally answered the last part of the question, their names. "No. Yes? No? I'm not sure, to be honest. I would want to leave it up to the child, it is their name after all." Octavius softly jabbed a cube of steak as he looked at Ronnie, "You can do the simple thing, adopt them when they're babies whereas their names are not quite as solidly known in their head in comparison to a ten year old's. Or, you could do what you said. I do not disagree, I rather do agree, however, what about the last name?"

Octavius put the steak cube in his mouth, chewing softly. Ronnie answered, halting his cutting. "Well, I am okay with taking your last name. Baird is a pretty cool last name. It is so much better than Rackapqui, and so much easier to say. I would fine with changing their last names."

He returned to cutting, now focusing on his steak as he prepared to ask the next question. "Since you graduated from Hogwarts, what jobs have you had? Were you fired from any?" Octavius wondered something, "Can I skip to last year rather than all the way back to when I was 18?" Ronnie nodded.

"Okay. Uhh, last year I got hired as the Astronomy Professor at Hogwarts in April. I taught a bunch of pipsqueaks and there is one that seemingly has a grudge against me but I can't remember her name because she never shows up to class." (She did, Octavius never claimed her presence, hence the fairness of hating him and the subject.) He popped another cube into his mouth, chewing and talking but he covered his mouth with his free hand. "I left the position officially in late December, early January. I was unemployed for a few months, finally getting a job at the Ministry of Magic on Level 2, making Wanted Posters. It's a boring job, but at least I get to hear more about the crimes rather than having to face the crimes head on as a professor." He didn't grab another bite of steak, he instead went for the pearl onions, feeling the juice leak into his tongue, running down the tiny bumps and down his throat.

Ronnie was starting to finally get to eat his steak and looked up at Octavius, his mouth full as he chewed. "Iheaaterchalduhe" Er, Octavius's face showed confusion, and Ronnie halted the talking, finished his chewing and swallowed before he continued. "I heard that your child was a wild one, was it you that told me that?"

Octavius grinned, chewing more of the pearl onions. "Hah! Yeah, it was me. But if someone else said it, honestly, I would not be surprised, the little goblin decided it would be funny to wreck havoc wherever we go. I stopped being embarrassed, and honestly, I stopped apologizing. That reminds me, and this is very controversial in my opinion, what is your stance on corporal punishment?"

Ronnie's eyebrows seemed to hit the ceiling at that question and he grabbed another bite of steak, his eyebrows returning. "Octavius, dear, I do not agree with corporal punishment at least not outright," Octavius interrupted, "No one does! Its just, I tried everything I can do outside of it and it does not work!" Ronnie continued, "Well, that's what I was getting to. I don't agree with the corporal punishment, but I think that your goblin is acting out for a reason, it does not matter what it is that you do to stop him, as he will continue." Octavius felt embarrassed. "But, to answer your question, like you said, no one agrees with it. However, when it comes down to needing it, I do not disagree, but I will hate every moment of it. Spanking is horrible, you don't want to do it, I don't want to do it, but we both know that if it comes down to it, we might need to consider it."

Octavius whispered loudly, "I had a man at Hogwarts, while I was employed up there, I think he was dating or was married to the Charms Professor, or maybe he's just with her at all times and have no relations, whatever, he said I needed to punish my child. He said if I did not, I needed to find someone to. I felt offended. I kept that in my mind this whole time, and honestly, I have more distaste for the concept now than I did then."

Ronnie shook his head to show he understood, but he filled his mouth with a bite full of potatoes. He couldn't say anything, not yet. Last time he tried, it came out all garbled! He continued chewing until it was compact enough to swallow. When he swallowed, he softly spoke to Octavius, "I understand. How about we have this conversation at another time?" Octavius nodded. "Alright, so let me ask a question.. have you been arrested before or.. no that is a silly question.. you work at the ministry.. no criminal can work at the ministry.. let me think of another question." He took another bite of steak and ate the rest of the potato alongside it as Octavius ate the final bits of the onion and moved onto the tomato.

Octavius started, "I'll ask. Do you plan on working just as I work if we marry?" He figured that maybe that was unclear, the phrasing a little odd. "if we marry, do you plan to work? I also plan to work? I just wanted to know because some people will not work if someone else is working because they think someone should stay home and tend to the house." Ronnie swallowed the steak bite and potato entirely.

"Well, I also think that but I love to work and I think we could, together, make a lot money and if we both work, we can have a good future for our children and for us." Octavius liked this answer. Ronnie followed up with a question, "So.. because you mentioned tending to the house.. if I come over, what are your house rules?"

Octavius smiled, putting down his fork and knife, swallowing the tomato and grabbing the wine glass. "It's funny, I only have four documented rules, maybe that's why living with me is so hectic." He took a sip of the wine, enjoying the taste as it flared on his taste buds before he swallowed it. He put it back down on the table. "Those rules are.. one, hurt no one. two, sleep at 10 at night. three, eat all meals thoroughly, do not waste food. four, hand octavius, me, your dirty clothes so laundry can be done that night so clean clothes are ready." He knew it was silly.

"That sounds kind of nice, actually. Octavius, thank you for agreeing to dinner out here." Ronnie said, waving the waitress over. "Can I have box please?" He looked over at Octavius's plate, seeing only the broccoli left on it. "And a small box for him?" She nodded, getting the boxes and returning with the bill. Octavius took out his pounds and grabbed the bill before Ronnie would and got up, walking over the payment area.

"146.16" He heard, his pounds clamped tightly to the bill, as he squeezed it, placing it onto their counter. "Here, 200 pounds, can I get change?" They nodded.

He got back 53.84. He walked back to the table, counting out thirty pounds and putting it in the center of the table. It was more than what the taxes were but he hoped it was enough.

He stood at the edge of the table, pulling Ronnie up. Octavius pulled him in closer and leaned in to kiss.

-- skipping because I don't wanna describe.

When done, they grabbed their boxes and headed out to leave, saying farewell to each other. Octavius would make plans with him later.