Blackwood Grove, Tuesday Evening

[witchoftheflesh]

Adrian and Rey'd had a date planned for tonight - nothing major, just some spending a bit of time together. But when he saw the reindeer made of lights wandering through the Grove, he'd had a much, much better idea than just cooking dinner and maybe enlisting her help with making Christmas gifts.

"Do you think telling her to dress warmly will give it away?" he fretted at asked Boston. Boston, who was once again reminded how much energy Lydia-kitty had, opened one weary eye. "Yes," he said. "Telling her to dress warm in December is surely only something one would do if they were up to something."

Adrian scooped up Lydia-kitty, pulling her away from her current favorite toy: Boston's tail. "It's not that cold," he scoffed.

"Spoken like someone who grew up in a forest in Massachusetts," Boston said, letting his eyes drift shut again. "You should tell her to dress warmly. You'll only fuss if you don't."

"Good poi--hey! I don't fuss!"

Boston was not inclined to dignify that nonsense with a response. Not when there was prime napping to be done, and he was going to take advantage of it while Adrian entertained Lydia.

"Oh! Oh! Boston, I know the best way to handle this!" Adrian said, excited. He read off the text he'd just sent Rey. "Don't forget to dress warm--Baby, It's Cold Outside. Get it? Like the Christmas song!"

...If anybody needed Boston, he'd be hiding under a plant in the greenhouse. Emphasis on hiding.

[For the aforementioned date, if you'd be so kind!]

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[witchoftheflesh]

She'd barely finished saying the word when Bran shot into the air. Didn't even flap his wings, just shot straight up into the evening sky like a cork. They were high above the trees in an instant and still climbing, and below them the island looked like it was home to hundreds of little glowing stars as they were able to spot more and more of the reindeer ambling across the island in the dark. Finally, Bran stopped rising, high enough that they could not only see the entirety of the island below them, but also the dark ocean and the lights of Baltimore beyond it.

"Fast enough?" he asked, cheeky.

[thatwaslucky]

"Yes," Rey said with a little laugh. She was a pilot. She was into that.

And now that she could really take in the sights from here, she found it fascinating. "I've flown onto the island before, but I've never really been able to look at anything from up here."

[witchoftheflesh]

Bran started making slow, lazy loops in the air now, letting them admire the island from different angles.

"I figure you're probably busy making sure that you're landing okay," Adrian agreed, shifting so he could see her. "Not really getting to take a moment to soak in the beauty."

Was he looking at the island when he said that? Don't be ridiculous, of course he wasn't.

[thatwaslucky]

Rey glanced over at him, maybe- maybe- blushing a little.

"This is by far the most romantic thing anyone's ever done for me," she told him. Not that there had been many options for anyone to do anything like this, but her point stood.

[witchoftheflesh]

"So what you're saying is that I'm only competing with myself from now on?" he teased, holding his arm up in invitation for her to come cuddle closer. "I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing for me."

[thatwaslucky]

She set the cider down, happy to accept that invitation to slip under his arm. "I'm not sure. I know it's great for me," she grinned.

[witchoftheflesh]

Adrian nudged Bran to shift directions slightly, heading away from the island. "Well, I guess I can't be too upset in that case," he said. "I've met my competition he seems pretty soft."

[thatwaslucky]

"May the best man win," she teased. "Though I'm rooting for you."

That was dorky. And she did not care, she was really happy right now.

[witchoftheflesh]

"At least I've got that going for me," Adrian said, and then gave her a suspicious look. "Hey. You're not gonna say the same thing to him, are you?"

Absolutely dorky, yes. But still fun.

And yes, happy.

[thatwaslucky]

Rey smiled. "I would never. You really are my favorite," she said, giving him a kiss. And just staying there for a moment. Reveling in it a little.

[witchoftheflesh]

It was a good moment to revel in as they lazily flew over the Bay towards Baltimore. "That is lucky for me," he said with a smile.

And then kissed her.

[thatwaslucky]

She smiled against his lips, bringing her hand up so she could stroke his jaw with her thumb while she kissed him back.

She stayed close when she pulled back, murmuring, "How do you think we're doing at 'pretty casual?'"

She wasn't trying to complicate things. She worried about that a lot, actually. She was worried about ruining this with that right now. But if she was crazy, she really needed to know.

[witchoftheflesh]

"I..." Adrian sighed, taking his hand through his hair. "Not...great?" he admitted. "But the things we talked about originally are still there."

[thatwaslucky]

"I know," Rey assured him. "And I'm still okay with that."

She loved it less than she did then, but she knew what the reality was.

"You just make me really happy."

[witchoftheflesh]

"You make me happy, too," he said. "But...happy doesn't stand up to our responsibilities."

[thatwaslucky]

Yep, shouldn't have said anything.

"I know. I know how this goes, even if I don't like thinking about it. But until then," she said firmly, "I'm happy."

[witchoftheflesh]

"Me too," he said quietly. "I'm happy now. I'm a Witch of the Present, it's when I live. And I'm happy now."

[thatwaslucky]

"I'm usually terrible at that," she admitted, giving him a light kiss. He'd heard about her past. He knew. "But I think I'm doing pretty well here."