After years of rejecting love no matter who it came from, the baron had given in. James Barnes had been unable to fully see inside Helmut's heart, never in the way Heike had. But you? You truly saw Helmut for who he was. You seemed to see every side of the Sokovian, everything that James couldn't see and hadn't tried to look for. You had given Helmut hope for love, a reason to live beyond being a poor wandering soul. The internal conflict within his heart had come to an end, as if someone had finally emerged victorious.

It took months for either to make a move, but surprisingly, you had made the first. You had asked Helmut on a date to a fancy restaurant that Helmut had surprisingly never been to. Table reserved and all, like a true gentleman. At this point Helmut was starting to wonder what he ever saw in James. Sure, he had been handsome, but you were something more to Helmut; you were... krásne, božský, úžasné. No single word could perfectly capture how Helmut viewed you.

The thought of seeing you again made Helmut smile to himself as he walked down the sidewalk toward the restaurant. The evening air carried the faint scent of expensive perfumes and exotic spices that characterized Madripoor's upper district. Upon arrival, he was immediately guided to a cozy table in the back, where the soft glow of a candle flickered against dark wood paneling. When his eyes met yours across the table, he almost lost his breath. Helmut had dressed carefully in his finest attire, but you sat there in that tailored suit looking impossibly handsome, making him feel suddenly underdressed despite his expensive clothing. He swallowed down his love-struck thoughts and grinned as he sat down across from you, deciding to start off the night with a bit of charm.