[Closed] Shadows and Lights (Aura)

[Fionn]

Yaris 1, 2719 | After Dark
Professor Keyes’ Office

.

The Gala of Physics was a great deal of fuss and the galdori were very proud of it. It had been highly anticipated for weeks and of course, with most of the important proceedings being held on the Brunnhold campus, the passive population had known about a great deal in advance. They had to, of course, given the degree of organisation and their participation in much of what was going on on campus. After all, who else would prepare the food for luncheons and fancy dinners and serve at opening ceremonies? Who else would cater to the whims of the many visitors when neither humans nor wicks were allowed into the heart of the University? Ordinarily, the Gala wasn’t a source of excitement, although it certainly did liven things up on campus, which of course typically meant an increase in workload and a demand on the passive population. While there has been a little relaxation on the part of the galdori in previous years, not dissimilar from that which existed in festive occasions like Clock’s Eve and St. Grumble’s, this year was quite different.

The whispers of it had filtered down through the scraps, eliciting wonder, disbelief, and anticipation. This year, the Gala would include access for the lower races — not on campus, of course — not just open but encouraged. Some passives, those who had always been good, who had risen through the ranks over the years to become Matrons and Patrons wondered if the lower races included them. After all, were they not lower than the galdori but above wicks and humans having at least originated from the same divinely blessed wellspring as their magical brethren?

There had been plenty of debate among a goodly number of those in charge of the welfare of their fellow passives. Many believed that it was too presumptive of them to think that the galdori would extend such an honour to them, after all, hadn’t they been charitable enough as it was? It seemed greedy to think that they deserved something more than their generous masters already provided. That being said, the fireworks sounded as if they’d be particularly lovely and what could the harm be in that?

Why wouldn’t the passives love the fireworks? They might not be able to do magic or understand the science behind them—poor dears—but why wouldn’t they delight in the explosions of colourful lights? After all, wasn’t it expected to be a favourite with families? Those with younger children were almost certain to attend, even if at something of a distance in case it proved too exciting for the littlest ones. To them, it would be a simple pleasure as it would be for the passives on campus or the wicks and humans who clamoured for the best positions on the other side of the campus walls.

However, even the subject of fireworks caused some unease because what if the galdori didn’t approve? What if they encouraged their charges to go and then it turned out to have been the wrong action? No one wanted to present such a question to the galdori though, the notion of bothering their superiors with such a trivial thing seeming the height of cheek. With a lack of confirmation, that seemed to be the end of that. There were a small minority of the passive overseers who determined to go ahead with things anyway, informing their charges in the week before the event in question so that there would be sufficient numbers in attendance when the time came. The information was disseminated to the charges directly under the willing overseers and of course, it passed from passive to passive, far beyond its intended range, including the ears of one Fionn Madden who had already been thinking over hypothetical plans.

Some of his peers cringed at the thought of doing such a thing, even with permission from some of their overseers because what might the gollies think? Frankly, Fionn didn’t care what the gollies thought and honestly, it was a ridiculously small concern in the scheme of things; the wider galdori population in Brunnhold were hardly concerned — or even thinking — about the scraps. After all, who considered the feelings of furniture, which was always there and so necessary to rely on? Passives were people obviously but other than that, there was little difference so really, why be concerned with what happened to the furniture while you were busy enjoying yourself? So long as there were enough to lean on, who cared?

While some of the overseers were shepherding their charges along like a herd of happy hingle to watch the fireworks at an acceptable distance from others in case the passives exploded, Fionn was elsewhere and taking full advantage of the occasion.

The teenager had safely sequestered himself in Professor Keyes’ office, which while quite some distance from the Field of Practical Application where the demonstration was taking place, would afford a view of some of the pyrotechnics courtesy of having windows facing in the right direction. From what he’d been led to believe, there would be colourful explosions in the air, which were likely to be more intense and lingering than lightning flashes and so visibility shouldn’t be a problem. Most importantly, he’d have privacy and peace of mind to spend time with Aurelie.

Honestly, this whole thing had started out as a pretty little fantasy, a daydream that obviously wouldn’t—couldn’t—come through. He’d known about the Gala, he’d thought of of all the knowledge that would be demonstrated both on campus and off of it, all the educational opportunities that would be beyond his grasp. The prospect of fireworks sounded fascinating to him initially, the youth wondering how such effects and displays could be produced — assuming that all the stories he heard were true. However, he’d known that he’d never find out, that no right minded galdor would impart those secrets on a scrap. It was when he’d resigned himself to that fact and begun to look forward to simply watching the fireworks that the fantasy had begun to form.

It might turn out to be a bit wobbly where curfew was concerned but he had thought about what free time he could eke out, how he could find a period to watch proceedings without having to worry about the prospect of trouble looming over him. The fantasy had stretched to some spot away from the crowd of galdori that would surely be there with Aurelie nearby, the pair sharing a moment even if they couldn’t touch in view of witnesses. The possibility of hiding among the trees that bordered part of the Field had occurred to him as well, perhaps affording him an opportunity to hold her hand or maybe even embrace her under the shadowy protection of the leafy canopy.

Once word reached his ears that some of the passives would actually be attending the demonstration, the idea of getting away and managing to bring Aurelie along with him without getting her into trouble became more real and with it, the anxiety had come.

Hiding out in the trees was a wonderful, romantic idea but hardly practical on far too many levels. For one thing, they’d have to move far enough in to avoid discovery and they’d have to do it without the aid of a light. That opened up a whole world of hurt. What if a root had broken out above ground to grow in treacherous twists and humps that waited to snare an unsuspecting victim? What if there were hidden holes to jam one’s foot in and sprain or even break it? Branches offered the prospect of jabbing and scrapping them with their twigs, catching at them like fingers and some of those branches could have fallen to provide a particularly painful landing if one or other of them lost their footing. The last thing they needed was to finish the night looking like they’d been dragged through a bush or had a particularly nasty altercation with an furious feline.

Oh the potential catastrophes were infinite in his mind! All the possibilities and unknown variables producing new ones every time he worried about the ones he’d already considered. What was more, he wasn’t chasing down impossibilities or long shots but things that could all too conceivably occur. After all, if he could consider those trees as a potential location for clandestine affairs then why not somebody else? It seemed an ideal place for some of the students to go, allowing them to canoodle away from the watchful eyes of their elders. With that in mind, how could he consider doing anything there when it might not be safe?

And then he had realised that he had a space that he could make his own, one that others wouldn’t dare to encroach on and one where nobody—especially its owner—would have to know that he’d there. After that, well… anything seemed possible now, didn’t it?

So he had told the kitchen maid to come here after dark and to knock to be let in. He hadn’t told her much beyond that really, except that he knew a good place that they could watch the display together without having to jump at shadows. Beyond that, it was all to be a surprise.

The windows were uncovered, the soft glow of moonlight falling through the panes onto a series of cushions, blankets and various pieces of fabric that Keyes used in his compositions. The boy had arrayed them in such a way that they could sit or recline comfortably, getting a good view of the sky from that low vantage point. There was enough light to see by — once you grew accustomed to it — and visible in a little space between the piles, sitting on the wooden floor was a small wicker basket. That would be the nicest surprise of all, something that he’d managed to put together with the help of his sister: a little picnic.

Niamh didn’t entirely approve of Fionn and Aurelie having any sort of relationship but she didn’t dislike the passive girl and what was more she knew that Aurelie made his brother happy. She’d agreed to aid him in this instance because what he had planned was… Well, she thought that it was sweet. Oh good Lady, hadn’t he blushed hard at that one! He’d weathered it though, he’d put up with whatever he had to in order to guarantee her help because he couldn’t do it all by himself — he didn’t have golly privilege after all. Frankly, he didn’t know what he would have done without her. If he hadn’t had his sister’s approval and cooperation then there would have been poorer fare, the boy entirely reliant on what he could smuggle out of the kitchens, which certainly wouldn’t have been much. The teenager was excited for Aura to see it.

Excited but also nervous. There was no telling what she’d make of it all, if it was too much. It’d be awful if she became so overwhelmed that she started crying as she had with the bracelet and that had been such a small gesture by comparison. This was grander but also something he’d probably not get a chance to do ever again. It was the sort of thing that he might have been inclined to do more often, if he’d had the means. The boy had a sense of romance, not that he knew that that’s what it was.

The youth had to resist the urge to pace for fear that someone might have lingered below and might hear his steps. It made it difficult for him, unable to work off his nervous energy as he waited and wondered if she’d decided not to come or something had prevented her. He could only sit on the Professor’s desk and wring his hands, gaze sweeping over his arrangements to make sure that everything was perfect or as perfect as it could be under the circumstances.

When a knock came, he froze in place, almost forgetting to breathe as he wondered if it was her or someone else, perhaps seeking Gus. But no, it couldn’t be. It had been soft and timid, the girl’s knock for sure. Still, he slid off the desk with care and padded carefully towards the door. The familiar sensation of Aurelie’s nexus greeted him and his posture relaxed. Unlocking the door, he opened it enough to allow her inside, beckoning her in, ready to close and lock it behind her.

“Hello there, you,” he greeted cheerfully, keeping his voice low, just in case. There probably wasn’t anyone around but he didn’t want to take any chances. “Sorry, we’re going to be skulking around in the dark, I didn’t want to light a candle or anything in case someone looked up at the window and- Well, I could probably light one if I shielded it right but the moons are almost full and you’d be surprised how bright it is once you get used to it. The Lady’s providing for us.”

Only when she was safely inside and the door barred against intruders would he move to embrace her, to squeeze her briefly while he breathed in her scent. It was strange how much he missed her when he couldn’t do this. Touch was such a precious thing in here and all the more rare between the likes of them.

[Aurelie Steerpike]

Yaris 01, 2719 - After Dark | Professor Keyes' Office

When Aurelie had first heard about the fireworks, she had thought of them a little wistfully. And then she had carefully folded the thought up and put it away, because there was simply nothing else to do with it. There was the Gala itself to think about, after all, and the sudden upswell of work for the passive servants that came with all the celebrations.

Even when she heard that they might in fact be allowed to actually watch the display, she tried to keep her fantasies modest. Aurelie hadn't been too terribly worried about trouble, if Matron gave permission--and they were sure to be very lovely, after all. It would be nice, she thought, if she could watch them at an appropriate distance away with Allie or some of the other women and know that maybe Fionn was watching them somewhere too. That was as far as her imagination had been allowed to go, because if she gave it any more room to work in she wouldn't have been able to think about much else. She already had difficulty enough not turning her mind to the bracelet she now wore, the gift still overwhelming her. No, if she got the chance at all, she was sure she'd be watching the display somewhere crowded, visible, chaperoned--like she was at every other moment for the last ten years.

Not, she had thought, in Professor Keyes' office. After dark. With Fionn. Alone.

But he'd asked her to meet him at the professor's office, after dark, to watch them together. At the time, she had been almost certain her heart would burst. Really, with the prospect on the horizon it was a miracle she didn't ruin the whole thing by getting in trouble for being too distracted to function. The saving grace may well have been her determination to bring something she had made with her to this... This... Oh, she couldn't think of it as anything other than a date. Except every time she thought the word, a funny little grin began to spread across her face and she lost track of whatever it was she had been doing. Meeting? Rendezvous? No, that didn't help at all. She pulled herself together, though--for the sake of her cooking, if nothing else.

Aurelie had carefully prepared some quantity of gingerbread, iced as nicely as she could make them--which, she had to admit, was not particularly pretty. But they were good, she thought. She wasn't sure if Fionn cared much for gingerbread, as she hadn't thought to ask, but she liked it and thought that must count for something. These she had wrapped up in a cloth, a little pouch she brought with her. It had made her task of getting to her destination somewhat more difficult, but she hoped it would be worth it in the end. At least it he hated them she could eat them herself.

Getting to Keyes' office had proven to be something of a difficulty. Aurelie had been there before, but all the Matrons were on high alert in the excitement of the upcoming display. What if one of their charges got it into their heads to do something out of line, after all? Or, Circle forbid, slip away? Which was unfortunately precisely what Aurelie was trying to do. It had taken some careful planning on her end, coordinating so it looked like she was leaving with another group of girls and slipping away from the group. Miraculously, she had managed it in the end. Even if the whole walk over her heart had been in her throat, sure she would be discovered. There was something more nerve-wracking about this journey than the first time she'd come. Perhaps it was the darkness, or her anticipation. Or the bracelet on her wrist, the sweet ache in her heart every time she thought about it. The wonder that Fionn had asked her to come, and anticipation at the opportunity to be alone. To see his face and share something special, together.

As she had the first time, Aurelie stood outside the door a moment. Unlike the first time, the flutter in heart wasn't just nervousness. (Though that was in no short supply, to be sure.) And, she couldn't pace--wary that at any moment someone might see her outside a professor's office in the dark and wonder at it. Aurelie steeled her nerves, took a breath, and knocked. Quietly, and a little shy. She held the breath she had taken until the door opened and Fionn was on the other side.

Oh, it was good to see him--it hadn't been that long, really, but it had felt longer somehow. Aurelie shuffled into the room quietly, not lingering in the hall for a moment longer than necessary. The room was dim, but not completely dark--moonlight managed to come in through the window just enough.

"Hello," she breathed, flustered. The nice thing, she thought, about the dark was that it was easier to hide how she turned red almost immediately. The bad thing was that it took her eyes some time to adjust, and in the meantime had to stand there blinking instead. 'The Lady's providing for us', he said, and she laughed in soft delight. "That's okay, I don't mind. It's, uhm." Aurelie wanted to say something there, but the only adjectives she could summon to mind she was too embarrassed to voice. Abruptly she remembered that she had soemthing in her hands.

"Oh, ah, I brought these. Uhm. For you. Because I--well I like gingerbread, and I realized when we talked about Niamh's birthday I've never… made anything for you. Uhm. Edible I mean. So I thought I would. Er. I'll be quiet now."

The entire speech had been delivered quietly, barely above a whisper. Fionn likely caught very little of it, but the point would surely be clear enough taken together with her holding her little package out in front of her. When he moved to lock the door, she squinted, looking for somewhere to set them. She hadn't found anything by the time he returned, so she just held it out awkwardly at her side and used the other arm to wrap around Fionn.

Aurelie sighed a little into the circle of Fionn's arms when he came to embrace her. It was astonishing how instantly steadier she felt, even though her heart beat faster than it had been before. She had seen him so recently, more recently than usual, but still she had missed him. Missed the warmth and shape of him, the sound of his heartbeat. She could very easily have stayed just like that for the rest of the night, but they'd never see the fireworks that way. And she was looking forward to them.

Aurelie pulled away, slowly and no small bit reluctantly. Her eyes had finally started to adjust to the dim light the moons provided. There were blankets and pillows and so on, arranged in a semblance of seating. And between them on the floor, a… basket, which was puzzling. Aurelie turned to look at Fionn again. She wanted to ask about--about all of this, it seemed like some amount of effort, but she didn't quite know what to say. Instead she just clutched her gingerbread bundle and hoped it would become more clear soon. Or. Or something.

[Fionn]

Yaris 1, 2719 | After Dark
Professor Keyes’ Office

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Gingerbread. She’d brought him gingerbread, made it specially it seemed. Such a small thing really but he found himself beaming, quite thrilled by the idea and not only because it had been many years since he had consumed such a thing. There had been no obligation for her to bring anything with her and it wasn’t as if she owed him anything. Fionn was oddly glad that he had gone to the lengths that he had and gone to such effort because he could feel that the pair of them were comfortably on a level. Not that he had some fear of the young woman upstaging him or anything, he just would have felt awfully mean if she’d gone to such effort and he had gone to none. He really was delighted, especially as it meant that they’d actually be spoiled for choice this evening. Spoiled passives, imagine! It really was going to be quite an occasion or so he hoped. He’d hate for everything to fall flat although Aura would probably be delighted with anything. In fact, his arms encircling her seemed to be more than enough if her soft sigh was anything to go by and he would have been happy to keep her there indefinitely.

Hugging in general didn’t seem as awkward or as uncomfortable as it had once seemed and in this moment with the kitchen maid, it felt completely right — natural. Maybe it was the fact that she fit against him and when he enveloped her, it was almost protective, her smaller stature allowing her to tuck herself beneath his chin. He didn’t feel as crowded as he did when he hugged his sister but Niamh was scant inches shorter than him so hugging her tended to involve a good deal of avoidance. No, this was considerably better, his girlfriend’s head pillowed on his breast above the excitable beating of his heart. No doubt she could hear the double rhythm perfectly, feel his life force vibrating against her ear. He seemed more conscious of it himself, seeming to feel it more intensely as if it was reaching her and bouncing back. Thinking about it made it speed up, a few beats added to its rhythm that were entirely for her.

The redhead pulled away from him and it was his turn to sigh, the loss of her leaving a sense of coolness behind. Her reason for pulling away wasn’t readily apparent though, the young woman seeming to simply take in the state of things in the room. She probably hadn’t been able to assess the situation properly before and the teenager wondered if her eyes had adjusted enough to judge his setup. No doubt she’d understand the purpose of most of the arrangement on the floor but the basket would be a mystery, he had no doubt. Nervousness born of anticipation began to creep into his system again.

“Can I take those or would you like them to keep you company?” he teased softly, poking her bundle. If she permitted it then he’d take it gently, cradling it against his chest. Regardless of whether she held onto it or not, the boy would place a guiding hand on her lower back, encouraging her to follow him to the veritable nest that he’d made for them.

“I won’t ask you to make any promises because I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything but erm… could we uh… try something?” the blond questioned tentatively, glad that things were dim although he felt almost certain that the growing flush in his cheeks was somewhat visible in the moonlight. Surely his cheeks must show up in a darker shade of grey in this monochromatic world of theirs.

“Could you try not to… well, apologise for talking or… say that you’ll be quiet? You shouldn’t have to feel the need to- I mean, I know I do it as well but I thought I’d see if I can uh… avoid apologising for the amount I speak and the nonsense that comes out. I promise to try my best, even if I do end up sounding like a total pillock. Do we have a deal?”

His voice was light, playful but there was something serious beneath it.

“I don’t like it when you say that you’ll be quiet but I do understand it. Funnily enough, it’s not something I do that often, either make myself shut up or apologise for talking too much. There are plenty of people who’d have liked me to apologise or would have liked me to shut my head but I’ve always been a bit of a mouthy ersehole. Aren’t you lucky?”

Plopping down on the floor, he settled himself on the cushions to one side of the basket, the space between them clear for the time being but seriously considering closing the gap so that he could be close to Aura in awhile. When the fireworks started, they’d probably be able to lie quite comfortably beside one another while gazing at the sky. The fireworks would come later though, although honestly he wasn’t sure how long they’d have to wait for them. For now though, the teenager had other delights to share with the kitchen maid.

“I don’t know about you but uh… I had to skip dinner. And I realised that I’d want to do so in advance so I was able to uh… think ahead a bit,” he admitted.

Uncovering the basket, he dipped his hand inside to retrieve his own carefully wrapped bundle, which he set beside it. Opening it, he revealed sandwiches that had been neatly cut in half. Another bundle came out revealing slices of rich fruit cake. Next, came two cups and a bottle that had been carefully wrapped with material as well, the young man unwrapping it cautiously as if expecting it to explode.

In all honesty, it might do just that. He’d kept it upright and he’d tried to avoid jostling it as little as possible but he understood that the contents could get quite volatile and the pressure inside… Well, his sister had assured him that they were made specially for this sort of thing and that the thickness of the glass helped. To Aurelie, it might initially seem like an ordinary glass bottle but even in the moonlight, she would probably see what looked like a bubble in the neck, the glass pinched oddly in places.

Peering at the top of the neck, he pushed his finger down into it, leaning away as he did so, eyes crinkling a little in anticipation. There was a popping and a hiss as the gas was released and something round dropped and rolled around in the bubble of glass inside the neck. Given that the boy began to move the bottle around, it probably wasn’t easy to see the little glass sphere or determine what it was.

“Ta-dah!” he announced proudly, and a little too loudly in his excitement. “Oops! I hope nobody heard that but uh… yeah, I’m a little too happy about this, aren’t I? But… it’s for us! And it didn’t explode!”

The youth chuckled, fingers gliding briefly through his hair before he tipped the neck so he could pour some of the fizzy liquid out, the marble in the neck sliding around in its own little sphere. The drink fizzed out into one cup and then the other, the young man holding out one to his companion, setting the bottle carefully to one side for the moment. He’d need to seal it but he’d do that when his hands weren’t busy.

“It’s uh… it’s lemonade. Fizzy lemonade. I can’t take credit for it—I can’t take full credit for any of this actually. Well, obviously I sorted out the room and this comfortable mess on the floor and that kind of thing but I… uh… erm… what was I saying again? Oh! Yeah, uh… Niamh… helped...” the young man admitted awkwardly, head bowing in embarrassment. Now that he said it aloud, it sounded extremely stupid. Absurdly, he felt like a small child who had gotten help from mummy. He’d been known to steal but he hadn’t stolen a bottle of fizzy lemonade. And he hadn’t technically stolen the sandwiches or the cake, not when he’d walked out rather openly with them. It wasn’t his fault that people had assumed they were for Keyes. Besides, they were his sandwiches because he’d made the clocking things.

“But uh, yes. Surprise? I thought… it’d be nice? Normally, we wouldn’t be able to have this sort of thing being uh… what we are but… fuck that, right?”

The boy might be embarrassed, he might be blushing and feel like a bit of an idiot but he was also pleased with himself, raising his head again to grin at her.

[Aurelie Steerpike]

For once, Aurelie was pleased to be so short. She never considered it much of an asset to her before this... this whatever it was, relationship or-- Aurelie veered away from thinking about that too much, really. No need to put too fine a point on how ridiculously, hopelessly infatuated she was by thinking about it. Really, her height normally made everything at least slightly more annoying. But she was pleased with it now, because they fit together in such a comfortable way. It was easy to tuck herself under his jaw, to hear and feel his heartbeat. To know that at least on this biological level they were on the same page.

When she moved away, she was still clutching her gingerbread like it was a shield against her own excited nervousness. Aurelie had forgotten about it until he pointed it out; she looked down. "Oh. Oh! No, er, they're for you really so. Uhm. Here." Aurelie handed them over and he took them so gently she almost laughed. Not because it was funny, but she was just--touched. Happy. Happier again when he put a hand on her back to guide her to the arrangement on the floor. She followed without protest, happy to have him next to her as her eyes continued to adjust.

For a moment after he spoke, she just studied Fionn's expression. It was harder to do, the moons washing out all color from the room and giving his face a sort of odd flatness. The request surprised her, although he'd asked something similar of her before. Aurelie knew she was prone to apologies, for... everything, really. So often she felt that she owed the world one for taking up space in it. It was just-- people didn't often seem to disagree with her. Her heart did a strange sort of flop in her chest. She didn't know quite what to make of it. It was... nice, she thought. Like she had permission to just be, well, herself. And not feel bad about it or worry it was off-putting. She would worry anyway, but she could try. He had asked, after all.

At last, she smiled, just a little embarrassed. "I'll do my best," she promised. "I am lucky," she added without thinking. Immediately, she regretted it. He was in the process of sitting down as she did it. She was grateful, as that meant he wasn't looking directly at her face in that moment. Despite all assurances, Aurelie was still never sure how much of her feelings she was supposed to allow. The question had never really come up before, after all. Aurelie couldn't lie, this was true, but she barely had reason until very recently.

It was as if, she suddenly thought, she had spent the last ten years in a dream, waking only occasionally when something intruded from the outside she simply couldn't ignore. The inside of her heart had been numb, quiet and still. It was a funny sort of realization to have, standing there in the dark of Professor Keyes' office looking down at Fionn, feeling almost overwhelmed by affection, again. Over and over and over. To know she wasn't hollowed out in that way after all.

In lieu of further processing this epiphany, Aurelie sat down. The space was quite comfortable, she realized. He'd clearly gone through some effort to make it that way. Aurelie was glad she'd brought the gingerbread, and not just because she wanted him to have something she had made. The offering of cookies meant she didn't feel too terribly like she was taking advantage of his kindness. Even if they had been far, far less effort.

"I did, too. Skip dinner I mean." Aurelie bit her lip. Any self-consciousness about the admission was immediately lost, however, as Fionn uncovered the basket and pulled out the contents. Sandwiches, cake, and a wrapped bottle Fionn handled like a dangerous object. Aurelie didn't know what she had been expecting, but this wasn't it. This was better--she had no idea where he'd managed to get all of this. Now it seemed very good she had brought the gingerbread, or she might have started to cry again. As it was, she was trying very hard not to, although she couldn't contain the smile that spread across her face so wide it hurt, just a little. A delighted little gasp managed to escape at each reveal.

And that was even before the bottle itself! It looked ordinary enough, but Aurelie could tell that Fionn was excited about it. The neck of it was strange, pinched and round--Aurelie had a vague thought that she had seen such a thing before, but couldn't remember when or why. Something not meant for her, to be sure. Fionn pushed against the top of it and Aurelie watched with no small amount of interest. The pop and the clink of something against the glass--it was too dark to see what--startled her, a yelp that turned into a laugh at Fionn's pride in the thing.

"No, I'm glad you're so amused by opening a bottle." Aurelie was teasing, but she meant it and it came through in her voice. He was very pleased with it, and there was nothing she liked more than to see him so. Well, maybe some things--but it was certainly very high on the list. Aurelie heard the marble roll around in the neck of the bottle as he poured. Aurelie took her glass gingerly, a little afraid she'd drop it in her own excitement. Aurelie hadn't had even mineral water since she was a child.

Niamh had... helped? That surprised her almost as much as the lemonade. Aurelie hadn't thought--no, she knew Niamh didn't approve. For obvious reasons, and though they made something bitter and angry rise up inside of her, Aurelie couldn't blame the young woman for her disapproval. Aurelie thought about it, more often perhaps than it seemed like she did. That she would assist was... Aurelie felt her emotions pressing hot against the back of her eyes and she blinked them away. She wouldn't cry, she really wouldn't! Her display in the garden over the bracelet had been enough. Aurelie keenly remembered how distressing that had seemed to be for Fionn, and she struggled to keep herself in check.

Instead, she gingerly set her glass down, out of the way to be sure she wouldn't knock into it as she leaned forward and kissed him, fierce with joy. When she drew away, it lit up her entire face. Again she was grateful for the darkness, hiding the rise of color in her face.

"It's wonderful. You," she emphasized the word, her voice light and heavy at once, "are wonderful." That was as far as words could carry her.

This was all so much, so much effort for something so sweet. And for her benefit! Of course they were both here, and it was pleasing for both of them, but--but it was... Aurelie didn't know how she was supposed to control the wild pace of her heart, the aching fondness. Every time she saw him, he did something that surprised her. How much of it showed on her face? How clearly could the path of her feelings be traced just by looking at her? For a rare moment, Aurelie didn't care. This would never happen again, she could barely believe it was happening at all--surely, it was alright to just let herself be happy. Even if he tired of her tomorrow, she would be happy remembering this for the whole rest of her life.

Aurelie drew away, picking up her glass again to reassure herself she hadn't managed to knock it over and give her hands something to do. One day, she thought absently, it would be nice if she could learn to either moderate her actions or at least be more confident in the results. Kissing Fionn had felt like the most natural expression of her pleasure at the time, but now she felt like it had perhaps been too much. Less than crying would have been, but. Well. Was it the way she was supposed to behave? Aurelie still didn't know how these things were supposed to go. Maybe it didn't matter. Still, she looked at him again and knew that she had just the most foolish smile on her face. It was likely to become permanently stuck at this rate.

[Fionn]

Yaris 1, 2719 | After Dark
Professor Keyes’ Office

.

The young man had put some careful thought into this evening’s events, creative thought. There hadn’t been a great deal of time to plan in truth, no more than a few days, but he had certainly put his heart into it. In his mind, that had simply meant that he had given it his focus rather than his actual heart but he couldn’t deny that he wouldn’t have done this for just anybody. The fact was that he cared for the young woman more than a little bit and the proof of that was in the room with them right now.

What he’d done here was an outward sign to Aurelie of his affections for her but she couldn’t see what was going on inside of him. Ordinarily, his face would have been a fair indication of what he was feeling. Thankfully, the moonlight managed to hide his blushes but there was no hope of it hiding his face, the twists of his mouth usually quite expressive although his eyes wouldn’t be giving much away, not when they were unlikely to be more than dark, unreadable pools to his companion.

There was no way she could have known how the boy glowed as she gasped in delight at each new wonder he revealed. She couldn’t feel how his heart skipped giddily in his chest as he opened the bottle and caused her to yelp. He found himself giggling, delighted at her response, overjoyed that she seemed to be taking so much pleasure in this. There was something innocent and childish about it, all the things he’d presented so simple but yet she clearly loved it and she wasn’t faking it either. Could he be blamed for getting caught up in her glee?

He found himself grinning like a clocking idiot but Fionn didn’t care. He would be more than willing to grin until his face split open frankly so long as he got to spend time with the other passive. He’d chosen perfectly it seemed, providing her with an experience that was a unique twist on something that normal galdori teens could have whenever they wanted. Fionn had had to get creative because they could hardly go and sit outside in the sunshine and have a picnic like everybody else so he had worked in opposites. Night instead of day, inside instead of outside, passive instead of galdor.

Evidently, the blond had done everything right, which might honestly be the first time in his life. He didn’t think that he’d ever succeeded in doing all the right things before, far more prone to fucking everything up massively, usually by opening his mouth. So far he’d opened his mouth and said plenty of things and nothing had fallen to pieces! He could decide that it simply hadn’t happened yet, that it was only a matter of time but honestly, it didn’t feel as if anything could go wrong.

The idea that he could grow any more ecstatic didn’t seem fathomable and then she leaned in and kissed him. It was sudden and unexpected, the youth having no opportunity to see it coming before her lips were against his own. He gasped despite himself, shocked but elated, as his heart pulsed so rapidly that it became a single drawn out beat as the individual movements became indistinguishable. It was incredibly swift, the young man hardly having a chance to register what was happening before she was gone, the only signs that it had taken place the faint tingling in his lips and the sense that his heart might soon burst from the exhilaration of it all.

He tried to speak and while his mouth moved and his vocal cords vibrated, the only thing he managed was a soft noise that sounded like ‘hng’, a sound of oddly delighted frustration. She called him wonderful and his face blazed, the young man managing a dazed smile as if she’d whacked him hard over the head instead of kissing him.

“Y-Yeah,” he agreed weakly, leaning back on his hands, which he used to support him so that he wouldn’t flop flat on his back on the mass of cushions and blankets.

His response was ridiculous. It wasn’t as if he’d never been kissed before. The number of times that he’d kissed or been kissed was so high that the young man would have been a bloody long time ticking all the occasions off on his fingers. Godsbedamned, he only had ten digits to work with, he’d be there all night at the very least. A kiss should have been nothing but it had just- Clock the Circle, he really did feel ready to keel over. The youth seemed to have grown a bit lightheaded, his euphoria leaving him floating as an idiotic grin split his features.

When he felt a bit more coordinated, he groped for his drink in order to have something to do. He managed to suppress his grin long enough to glug some of it down, marvelling at the citrus taste that bubbled and fizzed merrily down his throat. Gods, it was good! If he’d had his sister in front of him right now, he might well have kissed her. Well… not uh… not like that. No, in a perfectly normal and acceptably fraternal way. A very not weird and non-sexual way.

He was just rather grateful right now.

His gaze found Aura again and luckily he’d already gotten his drink down or else it might have come spurting out his nose as he started sniggering at her grinning face. The sniggering turned into snorting laughter and the teenager had to press his mouth against a cushion to smother the sound. Gods help him, he couldn’t stop, it was all just so- It wasn’t that her face was funny or anything. No, her face was delightful, it was just all the giddiness in his system right now. He felt like a child who had had too much sugar, who’d been allowed to run wild at some sort of fair.

It was probably rather lucky that Fionn was damn near sobbing with laughter into a cushion at the time because it managed to smother the yelp that escaped as a loud whistling, shriek rent the air. It wasn’t as near as his companion and certainly wasn’t the sort of sound that one expected a person could be capable of but his head rose and whipped in her direction all the same. The succeeding bang produced a bloom of blue sparks, giving the impression of a star exploding in a shower of colourful shrapnel. The initial burst was something that he only caught from the corner of his eye, briefly mesmerised by the way that the blue light bounced off Aurelie’s pale skin, flashing of her teeth as she smiled. Fionn did turn his head to see the shower coming down, the brightness and colour already fading, leaving a vivid after image on the edge of his vision.

“Wow! It’s… Wow… Beautiful…” he breathed, his gaze finding his companion again, awe and admiration lighting up his face. He wriggled down into a more comfortable position that would afford him a better view, patting a spot not far from his own to encourage her to settle down too.

A grumbling growl and a wriggling sensation in his belly reminded him about his skipped dinner. Hunger, yes, that was a thing, he’d forgotten.

A hand groped almost blindly for a sandwich to cram into his mouth, eyes focused elsewhere in anticipation.

[Aurelie Steerpike]

The look on Fionn's face when she kissed him was so completely absurd, Aurelie couldn't help but laugh. Had she looked as silly, when he'd kissed her in the garden? Probably. Likely she had looked even more ridiculous. In the darkness, much of his face was unreadable, but she could see his smile and hear the sound he made when she did it. Aurelie had been immediately unsure of the propriety of the action, but even if the action was forward--although hardly the most forward thing she'd done for, to, and with Fionn--the result was worth it. Aurelie wasn't sure what it was she had done to warrant quite that strong a reaction, but she was more than happy to see it. If only she knew what it was, so she could do it again. She'd kissed him before to less effect, though she liked to think not to none at all. After all, they were here, weren't they? So it wasn't like her affections were entirely undesired. Probably.

Still, still. To get that kind of a response--Aurelie felt a little drunk on it.

Aurelie took a small sip of her own drink, trying to calm herself down. Let it linger in her mouth, sweet and sour and light all at once, until some of the bubbles had burst. Effervescent--that was what the word was, she remembered. She had thought about it before, although she could no longer remember why. This was most likely what she had heard it in reference to, but she couldn't help but feel like it described the feeling and the drink both. A fizzing sort of lightness breaking across her tongue and heart.

Fionn looked at her and burst into laughter. Normally this likely would have hurt, but she just felt so--happy. Yes, that was it. Aurelie was happy, to see him so overcome that he had to smother the sound with one of the cushions. She laughed too, although she was much more quiet. More a soft sort of giggling than the fit Fionn had worked himself up into. There was nothing funny about any of this, of course--well. Maybe a little funny; Fionn seemed terribly giddy. Aurelie didn't think it was just her kissing him that had done it, but it was nice. She did hope she was at least some small part of it. Of course it wasn't possible for him to always be this way, but a part of her wished it was. This was a face she wanted to see, not somber or angry or hurt. Oh but she would tear the whole of Brunnhold down, brick by brick, if that would have kept a smile on his face forever.

Aurelie started at the shrill whistling coming from outside. Too startled even to yelp, she turned her face to the window instead. Her attention was temporarily stolen from Fionn and instead her eyes strained to see the source of the noise outside. There was a bang and then-- oh! Aurelie's eyes opened a little wider, a childish sort of delight taking over at the sight of that blue flower of sparks in the sky. She hadn't been quite sure what to expect, but already this was completely lovely. Although she was happy even without it. The company and the surprise were plenty.

"It is," Aurelie agreed, turning back to look at Fionn again when he spoke. The noise was muffled given their distance; Aurelie was a little extra glad to be here and not outside with the other women as she was certain it would have been quite loud if they were any closer. One of many reasons she was happier to be here than out there, really. Aurelie moved to settle in next to Fionn, her eyes half-trained on the window all the while. This really was very nice, this nest Fionn had made. Aurelie shifted to a position that was more comfortable, stopping just short of leaning into Fionn's body. Which she wanted to do, very badly, but there were fireworks and it was dark and it all seemed like a lot, somehow. She had already been quite forward enough, she thought, for the moment.

There was another whistle, and now she was expecting it and remained firmly inside her skin. As another burst bloomed across the sky--green this time, with a center of gold, she felt more than saw Fionn's hand scrabbling around. It had ended up somewhere in the region of her thigh; she caught his hand and turned to look at him, tearing her eyes away from the display for a moment.

"Are you looking for something, Fionn?" Her voice was quiet, amused. Sandwiches, likely--it wasn't like the noise was so loud inside that she hadn't heard his stomach. But he was still looking out the window and she had gotten distracted looking at him instead, even though she didn't think she was likely to see fireworks like this again in all her life and saw Fionn--well, usually in better lighting, in fact.

Aurelie released his hand to retrieve a sandwich, which she handed to him instead and took one for herself as well. She took a careful, thoughtful bite as she kept her eyes on the window. She was content to sit there in silence broken only by the whistling and explosions of the display. Conversation had never done her much good anyway. This might very well have been the best sandwich she had ever had. Or maybe it was just the circumstances. Absently she gathered up the gingerbread as well, frowning when she realized that he had to have one first.

"You have to take one of these," she said and leaned in with a smile, "because I want one but they're for you." Actually, now that she'd said it, she was also just a little anxious to know what he thought of them. Unlike her embroidery, this was a skill she prided herself on. Accordingly, there was more of her ego bound up in his reception of them. If he didn't like them, she would--she would--she didn't know what would happen, but it would be drastic. Like. Eat them all herself in one sitting. "Er, if you want that is--uhm. You don't have to. Sor--oh. Hmm."

[Fionn]

Yaris 1, 2719 | After Dark
Professor Keyes’ Office

.

Was he staring fixedly at the sky in order to avoid accidentally catching Aurelie’s eye? Maybe.

He’d found himself properly staring at her before and it was strange just how self-conscious he felt about that. It was stupid to feel that way, probably but at the same time, maybe it wasn’t. They were here to look at fireworks and when the damn things had actually started, he’d been more wrapped up in the sight of his companion. He couldn’t say that he hadn’t noticed the fireworks as even without knowing what to expect beforehand, they’d hardly been something that he could easily miss now, had they? The fireworks were something that he might only have a chance to see once in his ill-fated life whereas he’d have more opportunities to see Aurelie and had seen her on numerous occasions already. And yet…

Why had she seemed so different in those few moments when the blue light had burst across her face? It hadn’t been the lighting itself but more like seeing her face for the first time. Fionn knew she was pretty, he’d told her so the first time that they’d met although at the time he’d been more interested in all the little imperfections, the features that would make her intriguing to draw. Honestly, when he’d observed her that first time, there’d been something almost cruel in his appraisal, her prettiness registered in an off-hand kind of way. Since then, had he really looked at her face properly? Had he actually bothered to think about it since or had he merely told himself that she was pretty and left it at that? It seemed strange that Fionn might have been looking at her without really seeing her for the last few months now. But wasn’t it possible to see something every day and not register it until suddenly, in a wild moment of clarity, you saw it as if it had only just materialised? People did it all the time, tuning out something because it was constantly present, an unwavering fixture that blended into the background.

How could you do that with a person while actively interacting with them though? And yet, it seemed entirely true. The teenager had looked the girl in the eye many times, had reached out to take her face in his hands, had pressed his lips to hers and yet…

Her chin was pointed, adding a sharpness to her, a natural conclusion to her heart-shaped face. It was probably something that would be seen as unattractive by many, especially on a woman but how could he think such a thing when it fit so comfortably in his hand when he cupped it? Fionn had never thought that face was ugly when he cradled it, gazing into those big expressive green eyes. The light of the fireworks just seemed to highlight all her fine features, bringing out the vivacity in her awed gaze, illuminating the spray of freckles across the bridge of her upturned little nose and across her cheeks, dotting the skin around her full and smiling lips. Sweet Lady, she wasn’t merely pretty in that moment; Aurelie was beautiful.

Was it any wonder that he couldn’t look her in the eye as his face turned into a furnace, heat radiating from his skin? If he kept looking at her then he might end up staring. Their gazes might meet and she might see it in his eyes. Damnit, if they looked at each other now, he might forget all about fireworks and just take her in his arms.

The servant felt her move closer, her near presence difficult to miss but he continued to stare fixedly out the window, trying to keep his breathing measured. In truth, he should have actually looked to see what he was doing when he went for the sandwich but he really had thought that there was more of a gap and that he knew where the food was; he was wrong.

The teenager felt the brush of something far more solid than the nest he’d constructed. Not just solid but faintly warm—alive. Fionn had his gaze on the gold and green as the explosion fanned out across the deep blue-black of the sky but he did begin to shift his attention slowly to check where precisely on her person he’d touched when she caught his hand. He made his gaze jerk back towards the window, tension in his limbs now with the effort of not looking while he so desperately wanted to do so, his skin seeming to prickle with heat now.

“Maybe,” he murmured noncommittally, licking his lips. The youth was trying to keep his cool, simply focus on the moment. If she hadn’t let go of his hand and deposited a sandwich in his grasp, he didn’t know what he would have done. Lifting it to his mouth, he chewed mechanically, brown eyes sliding sideways so he could sneak a peek, finding her attention directed elsewhere. He allowed his attention to linger, glad that the shriek of the fireworks had a tendency to leave a faint ringing in the ears; there seemed little chance that she’d catch the sound of his heartbeat even though it thrummed loudly within his own hearing.

Gods, his pulse was really racing and it had to do with far more than the fireworks. She was so close and yet they hadn’t touched, aside from his blind groping for food and the moments when Aurelie had arrested his hand. Should he close the gap between them? Encourage her to lean into him, put his arm around her? He didn’t know. If the blond put his arm around her then he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to take it back again.

She leaned near and his breath caught, anticipating that she was coming in for another kiss but no, she’d come closer to offer him gingerbread. Well, order him to eat it actually. He had to laugh, a coughing chuckle as he cleared his throat in his awkwardness, laughing in part at himself and his hope for something sweeter.

“Yes, ma’am,” Fionn responded solemnly, his tone correct but belied by the mirth that twitched at his lips and danced in his vision as he plucked up one of the offered biscuits, his expression nicely illuminated as more explosions went off.

A silver stream of light squealed diagonally across the sky, swiftly followed by another and another, silver giving way to purple, colour sketched brightly across his vision before each individual comet popped in miniature blooms. None of the fireworks had the same intensity as the previous ones, not even when they reached their final burst, but all together, it hardly mattered. The pyrotechnics were really bloody impressive.

Fionn actually was paying attention this time, munching away happily on his gingerbread, the spice tingling warmly on his tongue, eyes narrowing to slits as he hummed appreciatively.

“S’good!” he assured her when he could hear himself again, muffled by the food still in his mouth. He chewed rapidly, making himself swallow. “Sorry, shouldn’t talk with my mouth full. Very rude! I’ll have to have another now even though I should really have dinner before dessert!”

Snatching up another biscuit, he sat up properly, gesturing for her to shift away from him, even giving her a little encouraging shove. Once there was a bit more space, he’d manoeuvre himself so that he was beside her, lying in the space that was still warm from her body with the food on his other side so that she’d have to reach across him for more.

More fireworks punctured the dark, bright flowers blooming in the midst of old ones, blue popping in the middle of fading purple, green exploding in the middle of blue before bleeding outwards and dimming, fresh stars going nova in the dying embers of the old.

With the fantastic light display as a backdrop, the blond would press his mouth briefly to her forehead, unconcerned by the crown of red hair that would surely tickle his lips. Settling himself anew, Fionn would position his arm to drape around her so she could nestle against him, pillowing her head on his chest. A far better arrangement for enjoying the show and taking advantage of her warm and welcome presence, all while he made up for his deferred dinner.

Even with the noise of the pyrotechnics, she'd be able to feel the thud of his heartbeat but he cared less now. She was welcome to count the beats if she could.

"Thank you for this," he murmured when a suitable opportunity arose. "For coming here tonight, I mean. And for the gingerbread. I... I really- Thank you."

[Aurelie Steerpike]

Aurelie had wanted to kiss him again, really, when she leaned in with the gingerbread. The space she'd left between them when she settled back to watch the display had been deliberate, after all. Carefully chosen to keep her from wanting too much, too soon. It had taken some effort to turn back to look at the window. If not for the fact that the display was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for her, Aurelie didn't think she could have done it. She couldn't help but feel that each chance she got to kiss him was the same--it might never come again. So she had to make them count.

And yet, she'd managed to pull away. Even though the light illuminated his face when he took one, tone serious but expression twitched into a smile. Even though Aurelie thought she had never seen a face she wanted to look at more in her entire life. Even though her breath caught, just a little. Silver and then purple. Aurelie looked away.

Her face lit up when he declared the gingerbread good, a warm swell of pride and happiness both mixed together. "I'm glad you like them," she said, voice a little shy. Aurelie took one for herself and bit into it.

The recipe was one she was confident in and enjoyed, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't like them. Oh, she'd told herself that at the very least she knew that she would eat them, but that wasn't precisely the truth. Aurelie was of the opinion that food was for the benefit of other people, not the cook. This went doubly so for food meant to be a gift--like her gingerbread. Aurelie let out a pleased hum of laughter, shifting away when gestured for her to do so. Aurelie had expected him to move the food closer, really, but instead he'd done the opposite: his body taking the place she'd just occupied, basket moved to the other side of him.

What colors had the next ones been? What shapes? Aurelie knew she'd been looking, those bright flashes blooming and fading away. They were beautiful, she thought, and exciting to see. They seemed dim and unimportant when compared to the press of Fionn's lips to her forehead. Absolutely dull next to how everything in her lit up when he pulled her in to rest against him. A more pleasing arrangement by far. Aurelie could hear his heart in his chest, even over the sound from outside. She didn't think as she would ever get tired of hearing it. Aurelie closed her eyes against the bright display for just a moment, taking a breath to steady herself. Her own heart was threatening to escape--it would bash through her ribs if it had to. Aurelie wondered if he could tell.

This was slightly unfair, she felt. Aurelie had been trying her best to keep her attention on other things--the fireworks, the picnic, the gingerbread even. All of it to distract herself from her keen awareness that they were alone together, in a room with a door that locked, where nobody would be looking for either one of them. The last time that had been true, Aurelie hadn't been so sure of the weight of her affections. She still wasn't sure, not really, at least not in any way she was willing to think about. And yet, even then... Well. Certainly Aurelie had thought about it before she got there. Before he invited her even, in some of her less virtuous daydreams. So here she was, doing her best to keep her mind and her heart trained on something less scandalous, and he went and did things like this. Not content to distract her by merely being sweet and well-made and charming, evidently.

"Oh, uhm." His voice startled her out of her reverie, and she felt a little guilty for her line of thought. "It's just gingerbr--I mean, er. You're welcome. Uhm. I mean thank you, for--for all of this. I'm happy. Ah. To be here. With you, I mean. Uhm." Bells and chimes, there she went. It had been a while, she thought, since she'd managed to sound like quite so much of a nitwit. A good streak that had to end at some point--that point was now, evidently.

Aurelie wasn't supposed to apologize for--for talking, she remembered. And she had said she wouldn't, something she took seriously even though he'd told her he wouldn't ask her to promise him. It was just so hard, when she felt like such an idiot. Instead, she busied herself with wiggling in a little closer, as if there were any space left between them at all. This did nothing to help how distracted she felt, sprays of gold and green and red hardly keeping her attention at all. Her arm draped across the both of them, thumb moving without her noticing in small, circular movements.

What she needed, she decided, was another half of a sandwich. That would keep her occupied and maybe she could calm down, just a little. Aurelie wiggled a little, trying not to dislodge herself too much from the comfortable position they had been in. In the end, she tilted herself so that she sprawled halfway across him, reaching out towards the food. It was still slightly too far, and she didn't want to actually leave the circle of his arm to bridge that last inch or so. Aurelie stopped and looked up at his face.

A burst of gold lit up the room in that moment, or maybe it was several all together. It didn't really matter--she wasn't looking out the window, she was looking at Fionn. The light picked out all the warmth in his hair and skin, caught in his eyes and held there. Aurelie's mouth had opened to say something, to ask perhaps for him to hand her something, and she stopped, dumbfounded. All she managed was a sort of half-voiced "oh". She wanted to kiss him so badly in that moment she thought she might die of it, but couldn't seem to make herself move at all.

"Uhm. Ah. S-sandwich... You're very--er. Hmm." That was all she could really manage.

[Fionn]

Yaris 1, 2719 | After Dark
Professor Keyes’ Office

.

She seemed pleased with the compliment about the shortbread, glowing with pleasure and perhaps a bit of pride. It was such a simple thing really and honest too, but he was glad that it had landed so well. The sight of the frank contentment on her features seemed to produce an echo of her feelings in his own heart, something shared between them so that he felt warmed with it. Maybe that was why he chose to shift closer, why he was able to shed his self-consciousness for a few moments while he did what came naturally. He wanted to be close to her, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else in those moments and so he didn’t even mind that she was close enough to sense how exhilarated he was, the frantic rhythm only partially as a result of the beautiful display beyond the window.

It could have been his imagination but it seemed that there was a strong fluttering at his side where she leaned against him, something that might have been her own heartbeat but he wasn’t sure, given that she wasn’t entirely still. He didn’t know if it was his imagination, some projection of his own feelings so that he could feel that they were on the same page. The blond had to resist the urge to allow his hand to creep onto her breast to see if she had a similar thudding in her chest as he did.

It didn’t help either that her hand rested against the side of his torso, thumb moving in soft, subtle circles that sent interesting shivers across his skin. It was almost ticklish, except that he didn’t have the urge to giggle and if he writhed, it would be for a rather different reason. His sides had always been sensitive, a light tracing of fingers certain to produce some titillation. It was a tease really. He’d done it to others many times, allowing his fingertips to ghost over their torsos, a particular sensation produced when it was done over clothing, shirt fabric always managing its own additional shivers.

“I’m uh… h-h-happy too. To be with you. You didn’t- Y-Y-You could have said no,” he explained unsteadily, distracted.

Fionn didn’t believe she was doing it with any particular intent but honestly that only made it worse. If she’d actually been trying to excite him then he could have reciprocated. Instead, he could only swallow repetitively, his mouth seeming to grow parched no matter how many times he tried to wet it. And then she started wiggling and-

The young man was trying to be good right now. Did she not realise that he was trying to be a gentleman. The correct descriptor for what he was attempting to do tonight was to be romantic, but he didn’t know that. All his own words felt childish and inadequate, ‘sweet’ as Niamh had said being the closest that he himself could identify. Regardless of what word he tried to stick on it, the teenager knew in his heart that this was meant to be about sharing a moment together, having something special between them that differed from what he’d been allowed to have in relationships before; the boy didn’t want it reduced to sex. He didn’t mind physical sensations, kissing would be fine, kissing could be quite sweet without it having to be… that. He’d had fantasies of course, who could blame him given the scenario he’d set up mentally. Would he really be a teenage boy if he didn’t at least think about what they could get up to in the privacy of Keyes’ office under the blanket of night? But he’d drawn a line for himself before this, rather consciously.

Drawing lines were all well and good in theory but it was a bit different in reality, especially when the main source of your temptation was fidgeting against you.

The servant was making quite a concerted effort not to notice the wriggling or at least, he was pretending not to notice. Trying to pretend but it was hard, really hard. How could he fake being oblivious when Aurelie was writhing on him, little as she was. The youth tried to focus on the light show but perhaps if he hadn’t been staring fixedly at the bright bursts without precisely seeing them then he might have copped what she was doing earlier. He failed to register that her arm was moving across him because she was stretching to reach the food and instead, he saw it as- Well, he wasn’t trying to focus on it too hard, honestly but it felt like she was trying to find greater purchase on his form.

It wasn’t until she opened her mouth and a string of veritable nonsense came out that he turned his attention to her, the word ‘sandwich’ providing him with enough information to put her actions into some sort of context.

“Oh! You’re small! I mean, you- Your arms- Sorry, I didn’t think about- Here!”

He plucked up the cloth that the sandwiches had been wrapped in, depositing the bundle on his abdomen so it was easier for her to reach. It was a bit of an odd table but it should serve pretty well. The blond smiled shyly, aware that he’d managed to sound stupid and possibly offensive, even though her reach was understandably shorter. It had just been a ridiculously awkward thing to come out with but he tried to lighten things, while also conscious that she’d been trying to say something more. Even knowing that all of the movement on her part had been to do with him being too big to reach around — except for that circling on his side, which hadn’t had any obvious purpose — Fionn wondered if she’d been about to bring up something rather different. He wasn’t sure that he could handle something different right now, not without having all of his hard work fall through and he’d been so determined to be good.

At least until he’d had something to eat. Dessert really shouldn’t come before dinner.

“I’m very… fat? Is that what you were going to say? I’ll admit that I’ve softened up a little since I started working with Keyes…” he joked, chuckling at his own awkward humour as he took another sandwich. He munched pensively, attempting to split his attention between the dazzling rainbow over the Field of Practical Application and the kitchen maid. She’d been gazing at him instead of what they were here to see and he wondered-

Steady now… he warned himself, trying to calm down. Deep breaths and mundane thoughts. Sandwiches! He should think about sandwiches. Couldn’t get too excited thinking about sandwiches. He hoped.

[Aurelie Steerpike]

Could she have said no, really? Aurelie didn't think as she could have brought herself to do so. Not even if she'd wanted to, which she hadn't. Absolutely not. He had asked and there had ever only been one answer she could possibly have given. Why, by the Lady's grace, would she ever have said no?

There was very little she wouldn't do if he asked it of her, something Aurelie was starting to realize. Perhaps if she thought it would hurt him, then she would. Or something simply not within her ability, she supposed, though even then she knew that it was likely she would at least try. Not out of some sense of pressure, or something nefarious--at least, Aurelie didn't think it was nefarious. If it hurt her? Would she say no then? Aurelie wasn't sure. As of now, she'd never been tested on that point. Everything he'd ever asked of her was something she wanted to agree to for her own sake as well. Like Niamh's cake, and like coming here tonight.

She was more than happy to be here, of course. That, she hoped, was obvious enough. She had said so, and demonstrated it as well. Everything he'd done had been so very--Aurelie didn't know what other word to use than "romantic", even as she shied away from thinking it. It was though, wasn't it? Romantic? What else could she use? "Kind" or "sweet" fit as well, but they didn't seem like enough. Even Aurelie, with her lack of experience even thinking about these sorts of things, understood that much. She liked him, she preferred his company to anyone else's in all the University, and he had done all this--what was there to be unhappy about?

Other than the way she couldn't seem to keep her focus on the fireworks for more than five minutes strung together, of course. Her reach across for a sandwich hadn't been as nerve-settling as she'd hoped. The light across his face had trapped her instead, throwing into sharp relief just how hard she was trying to keep from reaching for too much. She had no idea how long the display itself was going to be, or how long had elapsed since the start. Surely it wouldn't be too much longer. Would Fionn want her to leave, when it was over? Would she want to? The sensible thing to do would be to go, of course. Once the show was over, the others would be shuffling back inside. Matrons and Patrons would be checking on them. At some point, someone would notice she was missing. Perhaps--it was very possible that nobody would at all. She was just one wayward passive among many, after all, and not usually worth much notice to begin with.

"Am I? I hadn't noticed," Aurelie teased. Better to respond to that than think about what she had been. She let the joke cover for her feelings, and drew back to her original position at his side when he picked the sandwiches back up. A laugh escaped her--Fionn made a rather unorthodox table. At least that jumble of syllables had communicated something. Aurelie picked up another sandwich and took a bite out of it, trying to focus on that and not the roar of her pulse in her ears.

"Have you? I certainly couldn't tell in the la--uhhhh, that is. Er. I wouldn't know. Seems, uhm. Fine. Er." Aurelie had meant to make a joke of her response, but her stupid, stupid tongue had spat that out instead. Why had she felt the need to bring that up? Now she was thinking about it. Thinking about running her hands along his sides, how he was warm underneath her hands, the texture of his skin, the shape of his muscles that came together to form him. Fionn. Lovely and terrible. Aurelie bit into her sandwich again, savagely.

Clearly, this wasn't the time to be thinking these things, because. Because he hadn't said anything either, had he? Not that he had to--be the one to bring it up or-- that certainly would be easier for her of course, but maybe she was the only one who-- yes. Aurelie was being good, because she could control herself. She was an adult, wasn't she? Not everything had to go... that direction. Even if they were alone in this room lit only by moonlight and occasional bursts of color that made it seem darker somehow rather that brighter. And she was clearly an idiot, because she felt so completely surrounded by the presence of him that she wanted to do something drastic.

Gracious lady, it was hard for her to keep her attention on sandwich consumption. Maybe she should think about something else. Baking, or... Something else, surely, that could keep and hold her attention while her eyes remained firmly out the window. At first Aurelie had been glad Fionn had moved their dinner to his torso, as it kept up something of a barrier between her and any poor ideas she might have had, but then the sandwiches were gone. In fact, Aurelie noted with some despair, she had just finished her last bite. In her haste to concentrate on the food instead of the boy, she had eaten the whole thing rather quickly. Now it was just cloth and crumbs, neither of which were particularly good as a wall.

"How, er, how do you think they--they make all the different... shapes? I don't really know anything about it... Does it take magic, do you think...?" Aurelie didn't really care, at least not more than idly, about how the different shapes of the fireworks were made. She was just sort of desperate. This seemed like the kind of thing that had an academic explanation, and she knew how Fionn could carry on. So she could listen to him talk and it would distract her from her less sensible desires, and that would be good. Aurelie swallowed. That had to be good, because otherwise she was all out of ideas.