[IC] Wanderers

[Michellin]

Kire saw his mood shift slightly, his expression more thoughtful. She took his plate when he slid it towards her, picking at the icing as she listened to him. She was silent, thinking over what he had just said, though she couldn’t help but feel glad, feeling the flutters inside when he said he wasn’t as nervous about this as he had been before. “You’d be right about a lot of nobles, though. Not too far off the mark,” she began, finishing the icing on his plate. “As for your past, your scars—I’m the last person to judge. I know, when we first met, that I was wary of what you can do. But that was before I got to know you more. I at least understand why you were afraid to let me in. I can only imagine the leap of faith you’re taking with me here, given what had happened to you before. I’m far from perfect, but—I’ll try not to fuck up your trust in me.”

[Carantathraiel]

Ruli studied her face, watching her expression as she spoke. He nodded when she said she was trying not to fuck up. "I got that. Especially in your reaction when I told you what I am. Er, was." He stated. Then he sighed. "I got so upset at our last dinner attempt because I, at least I think, I didn't like that you'd just drop me and go back to being empress once you'd won. Fine job I did at staying out of it, but," Ruli shrugged. "Despite my best efforts, you grew on me."

[Michellin]

Kire pushed the two dessert plates aside, crossing her arms over the table as she listened to him. When he explained why he reacted the way he did at the end of their last dinner, she sighed, understanding better where he was coming from. She chuckled at his last statement though. “I didn’t exactly exert my best effort to stay away, either. I’m glad I grew on you.” She smiled, bowing her head a bit, hiding a slight blush and trying not to feel too giddy about it. She cleared her throat after a pause. “I’ll clean the plates. And save the rest of the cake for the girls. They’ll go ballistic.” She took the dessert plates to wash.

[Carantathraiel]

Ruli nodded, remaining in his seat as she rose and cleaned, looking over the bottle of wine. he couldn't read the label, but trying to make sense out of the alphabet made for some amusement.
After a few minutes, he rose, gathering dirty dishware from his cooking, as well as setting aside the few squash portions left. They'd be devoured by someone; Rab, Gavin, Envy.

"So," Ruli felt that wave of anxiety again as he helped tidy. "When you take the cake to the girls, ...will you be coming back?"

[Michellin]

Kire took the dirty cookware Ruli had put away and added that to the pile to be cleaned. She might not know how to cook, but she could at least do that. When he spoke, though, she paused in her task, then looked back at him. “You mean tonight?” she asked, a smile tugging at her lips. “I mean…unless it’s going to spoil, I could take it back tomorrow, instead. Stay here.”

[Carantathraiel]

Ruli grinned softly and nodded, bending slightly to assist with the dishes. "Good. And it shouldn't spoil." He informed, scrubbing at a pan. "I know we jumped the gun already, but I'm not expecting anything. But, I did sleep well last night. Wouldn't mind that again." He said, hoping to any deity that his cheeks weren't red. "Once this place is clean, we can wander the shore. Take the bottle. Whatever you'd like."

[Michellin]

Kire grinned, nodding, going back to her task to avoid him seeing just how red her face must look at the moment. She tried not to look like she was hurrying, even if she really wanted to finish cleaning as soon as possible. With Ruli’s help, though, it didn’t take too long for them to be done with chores. Afterwards, she took the bottle with them as well as a spare blanket as they made their way down to the shore again, sharing the wine between them as she walked barefoot, lifting her skirts so the hem wouldn’t get too wet as she walked near the water. When the breeze got cooler and her wet feet added to the chill, she walked away from the water, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders to warm herself.

[Carantathraiel]

Ruli grinned. While entirely unaware of how fast she normally did chores, he was sure she was hurrying. When they finished and went down to the shore, he walked along beside her, unable to resist stealing glances at her in the dress. It was far more attractive than the frivolous things she wore previously. It was subtle. But feminine. At least far more so than the armour he was used to seeing her dressed in.
When she withdrew from the water and wrapped the blanket around herself, Ruli gestured to the sand, moving to find a dry place to sit as the sun went down. He tugged the blanket, letting himself in to share it with her. "So is that how you normally dress as an empress?" Ruli asked, staring toward the water. "I like it better than what you wore yesterday."

[Michellin]

Kire sat beside him on the sand, sitting close to him so they could share the blanket. She stared out at the water, smiling at the sight. She would never get tired of sunsets. Especially when preceded by a dinner like the one she had just had with him. At his question and remark about the dress, she nodded. “I noticed,” she said with a cheeky grin at him before looking back out at the sunset. “Yes, this would be more typical. I did mention before that I had more flamboyant outfits. But when you’re empress, you have to treat clothes like armor, too. The dress yesterday was meant to show off. The Empress is the matriarch of the nation, so she has to dress the part. Being attractive, sure, but untouchable. And the clothes I wore during the war council, it’s for days when you have to remind the boys who’s wearing the pants and shouldn’t be fucked with.”

[Carantathraiel]

He failed to suppress that flush in his cheeks when he realized he'd not been subtle about eyeing her. At least she hadn't scolded him, so she couldn't have minded. "Well, it did its job. Between the dresses, the scar on your face, and the expression you wear that says 'try me', you're hard to approach." Ruli reached for the wine bottle to take a sip before handing it back. "Will you show me parts of Amria next time I wander your way?"

[Michellin]

Kire enjoyed seeing the flush on his cheeks, grinning at him as he spoke. “Thank you. Glad to know it’s still effective,” she said, taking the bottle from him. “And I’d love to show you around. I’ll make sure to take you to warmer places. Actually, prior to the war, the Palace grounds would have been lovely.” She sighed. “Especially the orchards. Whenever it’s flowering season, the whole place just smells like heaven. Then the fruits come in time for summer, and you’d have all the fruit you’d need for a dessert tart. Then before winter, the leaves turn and it has its own beauty.” She paused, thinking about places to take him to. “We have our own beaches, too. Oh! I could take you to wine country. Have all the liquor and cheese you can get your hands on.” She grinned gleefully at the thought.

[Carantathraiel]

Ruli flashed a toothy grin at her. "I'm not as into drinking wine as you may think I am, but I'd be happy to see. And, you had me intrigued at the mention of cheese. Amrian cheese, I'm sure I can find quite a few recipes for that to make this place more like home when you need it." The orchards sounded lovely, of course. He could wait until the scar of war lifted and the trees went back to life as usual.
"It would be nice to see a beach or two. A desert. Anything but the snow." Ruli insisted, shaking his head slightly. "What about you? We've seen quite a few places in the hunt for a home. Any type of landscape you'd like to see?"

[Michellin]

“Sorry. Forgot not everyone is an alcoholic like me,” Kire said, grinning back. Already she was getting excited at the thought of Ruli cooking something with Amrian cheese. “There’s a town in wine country, they’re known for making these famous wheels of cheese. Gods, so good.” She drank a little more from the bottle before setting it down. “Mountains and lakes. I wouldn’t mind a good hike. Any chance you came across a place with waterfalls? That would be a treat.”
Warm from the wine, the blanket, and from sitting close to Ruli, she sank into a contented silence, watching the sunset. She really wouldn’t mind more evenings like this.

[Carantathraiel]

"Well, we'll go there then. I'm now incredibly curious, and eager to see about this famous cheese." He pondered, thinking about waterfalls. "I can look into that. All the seas and cliffs here, there's bound to be something."

It was incredible how nervous he was about sitting with her, getting worse when he shifted to wrap his arm around her. It was nothing when he'd helped her back to his house from the beach last night. And he had a vague recollection of her arm wrapped around him, and his around hers, when he half-slept in the hotsprings. What made now so unnerving?

The sun vanished, painting the sky a series of colours, the clouds reflecting the light in farewell.
After a few minutes enjoying the silence and the view, Ruli cleared his throat. "You can borrow some of my clothes if you need. I don't know about sleeping in dresses, but it may not end well."

[Michellin]

Kire felt his arm around her, and she realized she had held her breath for a couple of heartbeats, becoming aware of how close they were, of their breathing, her own heartbeat thudding in her ears. When, after the sky had gone darker, turning into deeper blues and purples, he broke the silence, she felt her ears go warm. “Yeah. Not the best idea,” she agreed, looking sidelong at him. “It’s getting chilly. Think we should head back now?” she asked quietly.

[Carantathraiel]

Ruli hummed in response, groaning softly as he rose to his feet, offering Kire his hand to help her up just the same. He let her have the blanket, walking up toward the cliffs again, then up the stairs. He could have sworn, on the way, he saw a glint of fuchsia as they neared his house, but no sign of the elf they belonged to.
Opening the door to his house, he let her in, the low heat from his little hearth kept the house warm. Ruli set the wine bottle on his chest of drawers and rifled through, withdrawing a pair of trousers and a shirt for her.

[Michellin]

Kire waited, hands clasped behind her, as he picked out clothes for her to wear overnight. It was strange how nervous and giddy she was, when they had already shared a bed, literally and figuratively, on more than one occasion, most recently just last night. “Thank you,” she said, taking the offered shirt and trousers. She turned away, undoing the ribbons on her dress before slipping it off. She put on his clothes and folded her dress—rather haphazardly—to rest over his chest of drawers. “Much more comfortable than a dress,” she commented afterward, holding out her arms as she looked down at herself, amused. “So…” her voice trailed off, and the blush was back, standing awkwardly in the middle of his room. “Bed?”

[Carantathraiel]

Respectfully, Ruli turned away, unsure if, even now, he was allowed to looked. Truthfully, seeing the dress wind up on his dress was a let down, as it was nice on her. But seeing her in his clothing. He wasn't sure why that stirred such a reaction in him, but he stared for a few seconds before he shook his thoughts free.

"Go ahead. I'm going to grab the cake. Hungry elves." He said, slipping out. Once outside, he exhaled. Ruli didn't understand why he felt so strange. Maybe because this was the first time they were planning anything. Everything before had just fallen into their laps. Opportunities offered and claimed.

When he returned not ten minutes later, Ruli set the cake away from the hearth and cleared his throat. "Does this feel strange to you? Not bad, just. Weird?"

[Michellin]

She sat cross-legged on his bed as she waited, fidgeting with her hands. Why am I fidgety? When he returned not too long later, she tensed up again, watching him as he set the cake down. “I thought that was just me,” she confessed, a little relieved he felt the same way. “And yeah. Strange. But—good strange.” She moved to give him more space, then lay down, her hands on her sides as she waited for him to join her.

[Carantathraiel]

At least she felt the same. Ruli exhaled, watching her shift to allow him room. Putting his knee on the bed, he turned and lay himself down across it, pulling his blanket up to cover them. "Get in here." He beckoned, adjusting so his head lay on the pillow. "No expectations tonight. I think we need that."
When she lay beside him, he lowered his arm and drew the blanket over them, draping his arm over her middle to rest comfortably.
"If I wake up and the cake is gone, you're in trouble."