"I..didn't catch any of that, sorry miss speedy sign." Soren admitted, though from the blush that covered her face he did want to know what she was saying, and he watched carefully to see if she would sign it again.
The waiter came back over before she could sign again though and laid the check on the table, smiling politely and nodding, "Just call me back over when you're ready and I'll pick this back up." He left just as soon as he came after speaking though, and Soren picked up the check without a second thought. It wasn't a cheap dinner, but he didn't mind paying, both because he was having an amazing time with Rowan and because he liked being a gentleman.
Rowan saw Soren take the check. She understood that she signed to fast for him. She took a deep breath, the blush wasn't going away. She brushed her bangs from her face and signed once more adding a little bit extra onto it, "I can help pay for the bill if you need. Otherwise. We could head back to my place? Or yours? Or maybe just out on the town? Whatever works for you."
He shook his head, setting down the bill and signing quickly with a smile, "*No, I'll pay. And any three of those work for me, so it's up to you." Soren pulled his wallet out and grabbed enough money to pay the bill and leave a tip before tucking it back away and setting the bill and money near the edge of the table for their waiter. Any three of those options or a mix of them sounded perfect to him, mostly because he was really enjoying being with Rowan.
Rowan smiled and watch him pay. It was more than she had expected, but he had been the one that said he would pay. She thought for a moment her hands making the same repetitive moment before signing at him, "Can we walk around the town? And then figure out whose place to go back to?" Her face grew redder and she signed faster, "I mean if that's fine with you!"
"Sure, that's fine with me." He said, smiling at the boy as he came back one more time and took the money and bill, "Any places around that you want to to?" Soren didn't know the sign for some of the words, and he made a mental note to learn more sign that would be helpful when talking to Rowan, plus it was slightly fun learning sign, even though it was also confusing and quite difficult.
Rowan thought for a moment. She was moving to stand from her chair ithinking still. Her head shook slightly as her hands bobbed back and forth, "I can't think of anywhere in particular in the moment. I don't get out a whole lot if I'm being honest."
Soren stood up as well, nodding and thinking for a minute before a smile slipped onto his face, "Are you in the mood for ice cream at all?" It would give them somewhere to go and spend time while they tried to decide where to go. If she didn't want to go though, that also worked with him.
"Ice cream sounds great!" Rowan responded grinning at Soren. She thought of a few ice cream places nearby and already had made up her mind that she would buy the ice cream for them, "Where are you thinking we should go?"
"There's a place a few blocks down, if you want to go there." He said, shrugging and letting his smile grow, "We could walk then, or drive down there." Soren wondered where they would end up going, though he figured he could always get his roommate to head out for a while if they ended up going to his place.
Rowan was smiling as she thought about afterwards. She couldn't kick her roommate out though as tempting it might sound. Her roommate was already having guests over so it might be best if they went to Soren's, "Can we walk? I just prefer walking to driving if it's close."
He nodded and motioned to the door, adjusting his jacket, "That works with me. Ready to go?" Soren signed along with his words, though he wasn't positive that the signs he did matched with the words.
Rowan wanted to laugh seeing him mess up, but she couldn't. She nodded and slipped her notebook into her bag. She slipped a pair of gloves on, "Ready. Lead the way."
Soren smiled and walked out of the restaurant, holding the door open for Rowan and then pointing up the street with the same smile, "It's up that way."
Rowan nodded and followed after him. She was grinning and started walking down the street. As they moved it began to snow around them, "It's snowing!"
He looked up and his eyes lit up when he saw that what she had signed was true. "It's the perfect time to get ice cream then," He said happily, walking alongside her and not seeming to notice when his hand 'accidentally' brushed hers.
Rowan did notice their hands brush together. Her main reason is she almost always known where her hands were and felt when the two brushed. She would have grabbed his hand if she hadn't needed it to communicate with him, "It really is."
Soren smiled and continued walking alongside her, playing off his hand brushing her's by not bringing it up and just taking the tiniest step away so their hands wouldn't brush again. He could see the place several blocks up, fairly close, but with the snow coming down, it would seem to take a little longer because of the cold and slight wind.
Rowan bit her lip and she reached out grabbing his hand. She could feel her cheeks flush pink and she couldn't look at him. The snow was picking up and it looked like it might turn into a blizzard or at least a series of flurries. Doing what she could with her free hand she signed, "Maybe we should skip to the part where we go to your place?" It didn't work as well as she wanted it to.
"As much as I really like holding your hand, I'm guessing you're trying to sign something," Soren said, his face heating up as he squeezed her hand and gently let go, "And my barely passable sign language knowledge isn't giving me any help." He smiled and looked over to see what she had to say, guessing it had something to do with the snow coming down and the chilly weather.
Rowan face had turned red and she took her hand back. She completely understood not understanding her but she hadn't expected the hand squeeze. She took a deep breath in and then repeated her signs, "Maybe we should skip to the part where we go to your place?"
"Sure, that works for me." He nodded and smiled a little, "I think there might be ice cream back at my apartment if you still want dessert." Soren could feel the snow come down a little harder and he held out his hand to Rowan again, his cheeks red from the cold and from him blushing, "Do you want to go back to the car?"
Rowan nodded eagerly her face also red. She took his hand with a bright smile on. She was glad he was okay with going to his place and ice cream still sounded good, even though it was freezing out. She bit her lip before mouthing to him, “Sure.”
His smile grew as she took his hand again and he squeezed it gently as he turned them around and started back to the car. It seemed to be getting colder even quicker as they made their way back and the snow left a nice spatter of white snowflakes in his hair. Soren glanced over at her every so often to see how she was reacting to the cold, wanting to give her his jacket but not knowing if he should.
Rowan felt her cheeks grow hotter at the slightest of movement. She didn't think she could get colder, but that was exactly what was happening. They can't have been that far from the car, could they? She bit her lip and signed nothing leaving herself to shiver in her own stubborn stupidity.
Eventually, Soren worked up the courage to ask, "Do you want my jacket?" It was a simple question, but it felt much more complicated as he waited for her response and walked along. She looked very cold, and he was slightly happy that she had made the decision to just head back to the car instead of making the walk all the way there and back.
Rowan paused for a moment before she nodded. She was freezing at the moment and it would be better to admit that weakness now than pay for it later. At the moment she was so glad she had suggested skipping the ice cream parlor.
He shrugged off his jacket as soon as she nodded, smiling and gently holding it out for her. It was instantly colder without it on, but he didn't really care, knowing she probably needed it much more with her outfit. The car was only a little further down the block, parked just far enough away that it was a cold walk past the restaurant and towards it.
Rowan took the jacket and put it on. She felt a rush of relief at the warmth it helped provided. Why had she decided on the dress without looking at the forecast? It didn't matter now and her face was tinged red since the jacket was big on her tiny frame. She could spot the car and it immediately made her happier knowing that they would both be sheltered soon.
Soren dug his keys out of his pocket as soon as they neared the car, happy to get out of the cold and snow. "Here we are." He opened the door for her and smiled, brushing some of the snowflakes out of his hair and going around to his own side of the car. It wasn't long before he was in as well, and he started the car so it could warm up.
Rowan shook her head trying to clear the snow off her head. She got into the car smiling at Soren and closed the door behind her. She held herself as the car started to warm up and leaned back in the seat. She glanced over at Soren smiling and signed to him, "Thank you for the jacket."
