On days when their schedules were kind enough to complement each other, Ares liked to make the walk to the classrooms with Lene. They would meet around the pair of stairs bridging the two halves of the dorms, just as the morning sun was beginning to spill over the sides of buildings, and bask in the warmth of each other's presence every step of the way.
Typically, today would not be one of those days, but Ares' tall and dark figure was unmistakable. Emerging from beneath the shadows of the dorm buildings, a handful of brisk strides was all it took to bring his hands to Lene's face.
"Happy birthday, my dearest."
Gentle fingers caressed her cheek as he breathed the words softly into her ear, curling and then coming back around to trace her jaw with his knuckle. Its riding to the tip of her chin was his small invitation for her to follow upwards, and the other hand slipped around her hip was to keep her steady while he bent low to meet her at the lips.
While nothing longer than a small peck, the extra pause he took before pulling away represented the promise of a much more intimate kind to come later, if she wanted it. For now, he still had other gifts to present.
"I've thought much about your account of our time apart." Or more specifically, how it made her feel. How his letters he'd prepared to assuage the loneliness he knew her to be so prone to proved to be a poor substitute. How they were then further marred by unforeseen meddling, and then left her with nothing but empty halls. The half-distant haze that briefly clouded his eyes suggested he was thinking of these even now, as he reached back around to grab at something on his belt while adding, "And it led me to this--"
From behind his hip came a simple cloth sack which, when placed into Lene's hand, would reveal a surprising bit more heft to it than one would expect. It was akin to a heavy coinpurse, and whenever Lene decided to open it, she would quickly discover why.
Armor, even small enough to fit a stuffed animal like this, was something that would add some weight to anything, and this bear had a fair amount on its little body. It was still nothing comparable to a real, human set though -- simply enough to add some pleasant pressure to the hugs its adorable plush face would surely tempt many to give. Stuck between its stubby paws was a letter, with her name written in rather rough and basic but clear print that instantly distinguished it as Ares' handwriting.
Its contents were simply words of comfort and reassurance, insisting that his promises to her were just as unbreakable as his love was. Never did it occur to him that this could easily pass for engagement vows, for he didn't know enough about the intricacies of marriage ceremonies to catch the similarities, but it wouldn't have changed what he wrote if he did. Its goal was to ensure Lene would always have one pure and untampered message summarizing what she means to him, written by him and meant solely for her, to fall back to when he couldn't be there to say it himself.
But of course he now knew that a voice alone was not going to satisfy her, especially when his writing was already so mediocre that it could never properly bring his heart to the page. Thus, the reason for the bear became apparent. Cute, huggable, and specifically given by the love of her life, it was the part of his 'body' to the letter's part of his 'voice' that could help fill the space in those empty rooms.
"Should circumstances force us apart again, I hope that will do more to keep your sadness at bay until we reunite…"
He let a beat pass so she might study her gift, searching and hoping for signs that his knowledge about her preferences wasn't mistaken, but it wasn't long before he nudged her back to the present regardless. A soft, "But right now…," was paired with a tilt of his head that lined his gaze with hers. That other hand, still wrapped around her at the hip meanwhile, gently pulled her in close to remind her he was here as he presented his final gift: "…All of my time is yours today."
Come what may, that was the current, undeniable truth, and it was one he was proud to be able to say to her, so much so he had to stop and play it back in his thoughts.
To have the power to simply…pause the world around them for a day --
To meet with her so regularly that he could dare call it a set schedule --
--Ares could only stop and marvel at the simultaneous familiarity and disbelief of this feeling tickling him right out of his skin as he could confidently declare:
"Wherever you would like to go, whatever you want to do, we can spend it together however you see fit."
This strong sense of idyllic peace that was already pervading this morning, it wasn't a bad thing at all, but it was one he'd tasted very rarely. Such pleasure was still so new that he didn't know what to do with it, and in absence of being able to draw on something more fitting, he simply fell numb from its wonderful warmth.
"…We haven't had this much free time since we met, have we?"
The thought trickled out absently as his lidded eyes briefly glanced at the floor to reflect.
He spoke of Dahna, of course.
Back before everything went so terribly wrong again, it was there that he began to remember what it was like to be right. Wandering the streets of Dahna til late into the night, having long conversations on the castle steps, discovering a rare sense of comfort and understanding in each other's experiences that they never thought they'd find…
What he felt then was the same as now, suspended in some kind of dream that, no matter how deeply he drank from it, he could never have enough of. And at the center of both, at the very beginning of the end of those long years of darkness, was the same woman who stood before him now despite everything thrown her way.
Several years already spent together, and yet a touch of blush still snuck across his otherwise stoic expression that had now fallen back into the twinkling light in her eyes -- something he once feared was lost forever. Further and further he drifted, until noses and foreheads were no more than a hair's breadth apart, as he added:
"I can think of no better time to have it back."
In the morning sunlight, Lene stretches her back and stifles a yawn. Early starts were the bane of her week but at least it meant she could spend the whole day by Ares side. A blessing more than worth getting up at the crack of dawn for. Now, if only her eyelids would stop being so very heavy...
They flutter back open the moment warm, calloused hands cup her face. Had it been anyone else Lene would probably have jumped back screaming for dear life. She recognises his touch instantly however, knows immediately she is safe and sound. A smile spreads across her face as she drinks him in.
"Mornin' love. You're chipper today, huh?" Ares' hands are so gentle as they hold her face. His fingers move deftly and she follows, seeking his warmth. Their eyes and lips meet almost simultaneously. Her eyelids drift shut once more, savouring the moment's bliss.
The cloth bag takes her by surprise. It seems heavy and her stomach stirs uncomfortably. Lene adores him, wants nothing more than to spend time with the man she loves beyond words. She prays he hasn't wasted money on things she cannot possibly hope to give back in return. Relief floods her when she sees the adorable stuffed bear inside.
In full armour. A very Ares touch. One that delights her to the very core!
Tentatively, she takes the letter it carries and opens it. Pours over every word as if she is lost in the desert of Dahna and this is her oasis. Each letter, carefully penned in Ares handwriting is more precious to her than any jewels or gold could ever hope to be. She reads them slowly, as if terrified that once she gets to the end they'll disappear into smoke and ash.
The words read almost like wedding vows, a little less formal and formulaic but just as heartfelt. If not more so, knowing they were penned personally, by Ares own hand for her to keep close to her heart. She hears his voice, asking her to keep her sadness at bay and lets out a loud, inelegant sniffle. Her tears stay back though, glittering in her eyes as he nudges her back to reality. Lene grins, smiles as though she's trying to outshine the sun and laughs. Laughs into his chest as she pulls him close.
"I can't promise not be sad without you, silly! But I'll try my best, should we be separated to focus on cherishing times like this. To smile everyday, even if it feels like you've left a very tall, handsome hole next to me." Her arms wrap around his waist and she doesn't want to let go. Not now, not ever. Impractical, she knows, but if home is where the heart is, he is her home. Safe, kind, passionate, loving Ares - he's all she could ever want, ever ask for. "Is that a fair compromise? You better do the same too, okay. The thought of you hurting--"
Lene decides not to finish that thought aloud. Instead she stands on the balls of her feet, leans up closer to him. They're a hair's breadth apart when she closes the gap of her own accord, lingering for a moment in which the world seems to stop. Time freezes around them and she could swear they were the only two people in the world. Her heart feels effervescent and beats so fast that Lene wonders if it's trying to fly right out of her chest.
She pulls away, smiling like the cat that got the cream.
"Well, if you're not too busy maybe we could take a wander into town for brunch? It would be nice to share a meal together away from prying eyes."
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