Post by Solana on Feb 14, 2023 17:38:32 GMT -5
This idea came to me in the past few days. There's a lot going on at home, and I thought something fluffy and funny was in order. I love writing these two as a couple.
Eziban read through the little card that Aryn had given him at lunch once more. Every year for Valentine's Day, she gave him a little card that indicated if they were going to stay in or go out, what time to meet her in their room, and what to wear. She always came up with a lovely surprise, as he returned the favor for her on White Day.
We'll be staying in.
Meet me in our rooms at 6pm.
Wear something comfortable.
Last year they had gone spelunking and had an underground candlelit picnic. That had been awesome, even if he had gotten them a TEENY bit lost on the way back up. Another year they had gone back to Parcelyte to go ice-skating again.
This year? Eziban grinned to himself. Who could guess with the wonderful wild woman that he called his wife?
Once Eziban entered their room, he skidded to a halt.
There was a tent in their room.
A very, very large tent.
One flap was open with a sign with an arrow pointing inside pinned to it.
Ah, this was why he had to dress in something comfortable. Eziban found a pair of soft gray slacks and a green shirt without a collar, something that he used for lounging in. Once suitably attired, he crawled into the tent.
The inside was beautiful. A small low table held one of Solana's tea sets. Two fingerbowls filled with rosewater sat on a tray with clean, warmed towels. Pillows and rugs covered every inch of the floor, while silk draperies covered the inside. Eziban was pretty sure that at least a few of them were some of Solana's dance veils.
One area on the other side of the table had a low flat rug sprinkled with flower petals and with a few candles on each side. Was that where Aryn would sit?
"Ezi?" Aryn called from outside the tent.
"I'm here! Are you coming inside?" Eziban called back.
"Not yet. I have a surprise for you," Aryn teased.
Eziban smiled. "Does it involve a sword?"
"Of course! I bought a costume and everything."
Oh, yeah. Eziban lifted the teapot and poured himself a cup of what smelled like chocolate rose tea. He took a sip as he heard rustling from outside the tent.
"It just arrived today from Yulyana Needleworks. It took forever, but I think it will be worth-" Aryn paused. Eziban could hear fabric being moved around, as well as a jingle.
What the hell?
A wail of dismay rang out from behind the tent. Eziban jumped. "This isn't what I ordered! Those idiots! It's not even close, and this won't work at all!"
"What were you going to do, firebird?"
"Solana taught me a dance, but none of her costumes fit me. So I ordered one, and those jerks sent me... whatever the hell THIS is!!"
Jingle, jingle.
Eziban paused. Aryn sounded devastated that her surprise was ruined. There had to be a way to fix this, to make her feel better. "Can I see? Maybe it's not that bad."
"It IS! I'm not wearing this!" Soft sobs broke out.
Oh, boy. Time to break out the big guns. "Aryn, I will make you a solemn promise. If you do your dance in whatever came, I will do one for you in the costume you ordered."
The sobs stopped as Aryn sniffled. "You don't want to. It was the Spell Fencer costume from Luxendarc. The female one."
"It doesn't matter, I'll do it. " Eziban insisted.
Pause. "Do you promise not to laugh?"
"I promise."
"...... okay." More ruffling noises came, as well as a few more jingles. Eziban finished his tea, steeling himself for what was to come. How bad could it be?
Music was turned on outside, and Aryn stepped into the tent.
Eziban had the challenge of his life not laughing. It was a CAT costume. The jingle was a little bell on a red velvet choker around Aryn's neck. A headband had brown cat ears, one of which flopped over. A red tank top with detached sleeves was over a pair of brown shorts and thigh high stockings. There was even a reddish brown cape with a cat tail.
Aryn studied him closely, but Eziban managed to keep a straight face. With a sigh, she took a starting position before starting to dance.
Before long, Eziban forgot about the teacup in his hand. He even forgot Aryn's ridiculous costume. All he saw was the woman he loved, his other half, dancing her love for him.
Aryn wasn't always good with words but spoke her love through actions. Learning and inventing new dishes to go with his newly created drinks. Always having his back. The precious, precious time they spent together.
She told him now in the way her fingers rippled, exactly the way they did over his back muscles when they were together. The way her hands were held over her heart and then opened wide to him, offering hers for his. The way she sank to her knees at the end, vulnerable and showing him her innermost self beyond the bravado on the outside. The way her hazel eyes were warm and luminous, never leaving his.
When she was done, Eziban had to remember to breathe. "Wow..." was all he could say.
Aryn blushed. "You liked it?"
"Wow..."
Aryn laughed, her normal happy self again. She took off the headband and choker but didn't move to change out of the rest of the costume. "Wash your hands. I have dinner coming in next."
Eziban didn't have to be told twice. He splashed the rose water onto his hands and wiped carefully with the top towel. A WARMED towel. Aryn never missed a detail.
She came back in with a giant tray. Two cast iron pans held steaming pot pies. Thin, elegant crepes were sitting on a plate. In the middle was a large bowl of... mousse?
"This smells amazing, firebird. I don't know how you do it," Eziban said happily, bringing the pot pie closer.
"Millennia of practice," Aryn replied with a wink. "They ran out of strawberries for dipping, so I got blueberries and thought crepes would be better anyway. They have cannoli cream, too."
The mousse puzzled him. "Is this for a cream puff or something?" he asked, sniffing it carefully. Chocolate rum mousse. "What's it going to go on?"
Aryn gave him a teasing smile.
"What did I do to deserve you?" Eziban asked, reaching over the table to kiss her.
"Do embarrassing dances," Aryn answered slyly.
Eziban groaned, but he'd worry about that later. This was worth it. The chance to put a smile on Aryn's face was worth it.
"Happy Valentine's Day, love."
Eziban read through the little card that Aryn had given him at lunch once more. Every year for Valentine's Day, she gave him a little card that indicated if they were going to stay in or go out, what time to meet her in their room, and what to wear. She always came up with a lovely surprise, as he returned the favor for her on White Day.
We'll be staying in.
Meet me in our rooms at 6pm.
Wear something comfortable.
Last year they had gone spelunking and had an underground candlelit picnic. That had been awesome, even if he had gotten them a TEENY bit lost on the way back up. Another year they had gone back to Parcelyte to go ice-skating again.
This year? Eziban grinned to himself. Who could guess with the wonderful wild woman that he called his wife?
Once Eziban entered their room, he skidded to a halt.
There was a tent in their room.
A very, very large tent.
One flap was open with a sign with an arrow pointing inside pinned to it.
Ah, this was why he had to dress in something comfortable. Eziban found a pair of soft gray slacks and a green shirt without a collar, something that he used for lounging in. Once suitably attired, he crawled into the tent.
The inside was beautiful. A small low table held one of Solana's tea sets. Two fingerbowls filled with rosewater sat on a tray with clean, warmed towels. Pillows and rugs covered every inch of the floor, while silk draperies covered the inside. Eziban was pretty sure that at least a few of them were some of Solana's dance veils.
One area on the other side of the table had a low flat rug sprinkled with flower petals and with a few candles on each side. Was that where Aryn would sit?
"Ezi?" Aryn called from outside the tent.
"I'm here! Are you coming inside?" Eziban called back.
"Not yet. I have a surprise for you," Aryn teased.
Eziban smiled. "Does it involve a sword?"
"Of course! I bought a costume and everything."
Oh, yeah. Eziban lifted the teapot and poured himself a cup of what smelled like chocolate rose tea. He took a sip as he heard rustling from outside the tent.
"It just arrived today from Yulyana Needleworks. It took forever, but I think it will be worth-" Aryn paused. Eziban could hear fabric being moved around, as well as a jingle.
What the hell?
A wail of dismay rang out from behind the tent. Eziban jumped. "This isn't what I ordered! Those idiots! It's not even close, and this won't work at all!"
"What were you going to do, firebird?"
"Solana taught me a dance, but none of her costumes fit me. So I ordered one, and those jerks sent me... whatever the hell THIS is!!"
Jingle, jingle.
Eziban paused. Aryn sounded devastated that her surprise was ruined. There had to be a way to fix this, to make her feel better. "Can I see? Maybe it's not that bad."
"It IS! I'm not wearing this!" Soft sobs broke out.
Oh, boy. Time to break out the big guns. "Aryn, I will make you a solemn promise. If you do your dance in whatever came, I will do one for you in the costume you ordered."
The sobs stopped as Aryn sniffled. "You don't want to. It was the Spell Fencer costume from Luxendarc. The female one."
"It doesn't matter, I'll do it. " Eziban insisted.
Pause. "Do you promise not to laugh?"
"I promise."
"...... okay." More ruffling noises came, as well as a few more jingles. Eziban finished his tea, steeling himself for what was to come. How bad could it be?
Music was turned on outside, and Aryn stepped into the tent.
Eziban had the challenge of his life not laughing. It was a CAT costume. The jingle was a little bell on a red velvet choker around Aryn's neck. A headband had brown cat ears, one of which flopped over. A red tank top with detached sleeves was over a pair of brown shorts and thigh high stockings. There was even a reddish brown cape with a cat tail.
Aryn studied him closely, but Eziban managed to keep a straight face. With a sigh, she took a starting position before starting to dance.
Before long, Eziban forgot about the teacup in his hand. He even forgot Aryn's ridiculous costume. All he saw was the woman he loved, his other half, dancing her love for him.
Aryn wasn't always good with words but spoke her love through actions. Learning and inventing new dishes to go with his newly created drinks. Always having his back. The precious, precious time they spent together.
She told him now in the way her fingers rippled, exactly the way they did over his back muscles when they were together. The way her hands were held over her heart and then opened wide to him, offering hers for his. The way she sank to her knees at the end, vulnerable and showing him her innermost self beyond the bravado on the outside. The way her hazel eyes were warm and luminous, never leaving his.
When she was done, Eziban had to remember to breathe. "Wow..." was all he could say.
Aryn blushed. "You liked it?"
"Wow..."
Aryn laughed, her normal happy self again. She took off the headband and choker but didn't move to change out of the rest of the costume. "Wash your hands. I have dinner coming in next."
Eziban didn't have to be told twice. He splashed the rose water onto his hands and wiped carefully with the top towel. A WARMED towel. Aryn never missed a detail.
She came back in with a giant tray. Two cast iron pans held steaming pot pies. Thin, elegant crepes were sitting on a plate. In the middle was a large bowl of... mousse?
"This smells amazing, firebird. I don't know how you do it," Eziban said happily, bringing the pot pie closer.
"Millennia of practice," Aryn replied with a wink. "They ran out of strawberries for dipping, so I got blueberries and thought crepes would be better anyway. They have cannoli cream, too."
The mousse puzzled him. "Is this for a cream puff or something?" he asked, sniffing it carefully. Chocolate rum mousse. "What's it going to go on?"
Aryn gave him a teasing smile.
"What did I do to deserve you?" Eziban asked, reaching over the table to kiss her.
"Do embarrassing dances," Aryn answered slyly.
Eziban groaned, but he'd worry about that later. This was worth it. The chance to put a smile on Aryn's face was worth it.
"Happy Valentine's Day, love."