"Thanks for looking after Brett for me," Annika said.
"Oh, no problem," Corinne said cheerfully. "Have fun on your date tonight."
Annika smiled.
"Yeah, should be interesting."
At that moment, Binar and Cliff entered the room.
"Are you ready to go?" Binar asked Annika.
"Yes," Annika replied.
Binar nodded and lead the way out the door. Corinne shook her head as they departed and looked at Cliff.
"Okay that... okay..."
"What?" Cliff asked, bemused.
"I never pictured Binar as the dating kind, is all."
Cliff shrugged.
**********
At the restaurant Binar looked at the menu with a pained expression on his face that Annika found rather curious.
"Can't decide?"
"No," Binar paused. "Do you know what you want?"
"Yes. I'm having the fettuccine carbonara."
Binar looked at the menu, located it and read its description.
"I shall have that too then," he decided, sounding relieved.
"Okay."
There was a drawn out silence as Binar put down the menu and they waited the arrival of the waitress. After she took their orders the silence continued.
"So, uhh, how's work?" Annika asked.
"Things are progressing on schedule," Binar replied. "And how is your work?"
"Everythings going smoothly for the most part. I have to say I really love having more storage space for all the merch we sell now."
"Yes, that would be most useful."
More silence.
It continued in this awkward fashion even after their food arrived. Then Binar finished his plate, pushed it away from him and looked up at Annika.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Annika looked up, a little startled.
"For what?"
"For agreeing to come out with me tonight," Binar replied.
"Oh, umm, it was my pleasure."
"Really?" Binar asked, his face lighting up in a way Annika had never seen before. "I had heard that first dates were always awkward but I was not sure of how to prevent that."
"Oh! Well, umm..." Annika stammered, having not expected this reaction. "I guess it's because we're friends. First dates are always awkward when you're with someone you only just met."
Binar nodded thoughtfully.
"Yes that makes sense. Would you consent to going out on another date with me sometime?"
Annika looked down at her plate, scooping up some more pasta as she considered how to answer his question. Oh the one hand, this whole thing had been strange, but then Annika could grant that Binar wasn't exactly a social person, so this had probably been a rather difficult thing for him. She wasn't inclined to date anyone out of sympathy, but then she also didn't know Binar that well, and she had to admit she had sparked her curiousity.
Annika lifted up her head to see Binar looking at her, waiting patiently for her reply.
"Sure," Annika said.
"Okay, how about -"
"Let us finish this date first, give it a few days, and then decide on the second one."
"Very well," Binar nodded.
There was another one of those silences, but this one was broken quickly.
"I was just surprised, y'know? You asking me out. I didn't think you were interested. In dating, that is."
Binar screwed his face up, and Annika could almost hear the wheels turning as he tried to formulate a reply.
"I was once described as being 'book-smart and socially-stupid'," Binar said at last. "Clearly this is inaaccurate as it is computers that operate on the binary system, not books. However, the 'socially-stupid' part is correct. I have always found social situations to be difficult to deal with. I can't... I don't..."
He trailed off, a frown appearing on his face as the words escaped him. Annika nodded, actually feeling like she understood for one.
"Because you're all yes-and-no and we're all yes-no-maybe? With lots and lots of maybes?" Annika asked.
Binar looked up thoughtfully. Annika's eyes flickered to his plate and felt inspired.
"Like with the menu before. If there had only been two options on them menu you would have been fine, but there were lots and lots of them so you struggled with it, right?"
Binar's face lit up.
"That's it exactly," he replied, nodding enthusiatically. "The only other person who understands that is Cliff."
"Well, you've been friends for a long time."
"And that's why."
Annika smiled, suspecting that it was only the primary reason why, but Binar's mutation prevented him from making that distinction.
The waitress soon arrived for the plates and offered them dessert, tea and coffee. They ordered and found that converstation started to come more easily.