Radial: Valentine's Day

The road was lined with parked cars and devoid of people because, unlike them, everyone else was sensibly inside. Each restaurant they passed displayed their customers as window dressing: the most attractive showcased for all to see, the least relegated to obscurity at the back. On his own Alex would be seated at the front, but with Milos? That would be anyone's guess: the dark elf was handsome, but his skin? His ears?

If anyone tried to shove Milos to the back, next to the toilets, they'd have Alex to answer to.

The Numero Uno was larger than the file made it sound — larger than Alex liked — and approaching the the window showed that, just like the others, it was packed with well-dressed Valentiners. From the scents that assaulted him the moment he pushed open the glass door they were on their main courses already; aromas swirling thickly through the air conspired to wring a pang from Alex's too-empty stomach and did absolutely nothing for his mood. Just when had health and safety started taking a back seat, anyway? There had to be at least five more tables than usual wedged into the drowsily-lit dining area. If the tip was wrong about the kind of 'shee, then there were ten more suspects courtesy of the greed of the season.