escordvi | closed ⚡🪶 and forevermore, i'll be chasing the storm we had.

[A heaviness sets in her chest at his low voice, and at those words—one that makes her heart flutter and a flame ignite in her belly, and it makes it all the way up into that heated stare of hers before she tears it away, pretending to mock him with a laugh.

... Before she loses her focus on her skates and slips.]

Good. Because I might have had to test one of your new "weapons" on you, in that case.

[And catches that look in her eye, holding it until she forces herself away. And then grin a bit when she slips and helps catch and support her.]

Hah. Wouldn't do much on me.

Hmm. I suppose not.

[She grips his hand tight, pretending that didn't just happen. Cool as a cucumber, she is, though she is starting to feel a little cold. And she'll stop them, spin herself to face him, and tug him to her, the people skating behind them being forced to go around.

Her lips come close to his, her breath clouding in the space between them—]

Then I'll just have to find other ways to remind you.

[—before she tries to skate off without him.]

[There's a slight widening of his eyes as he stares down at her, and predicatbly when she tries to skate away he grabs her wrist before she can take more than a "step", pulling her with enough force to drag her back. With one arm wrapped firmly around her waist, his other hand grabs her chin and wrests her face upward where his lips will crash against hers for a rough kiss, holding her there and not caring at all about the stares and awed whispers as people have to skate around them.

Only after he feels satisfied does he release her, smirking.]

Shall we check on those hot springs, then? So you can "find ways to remind me.

[She isn't expecting him to grab her so suddenly and pull her back to him that a small sound leaves her when she finds herself almost immediately face to face with Cid again, right back to where she had been. If she had gotten any further, he might have risked them both and sent them crashing to the ice, but instead, she feels her body curve against his, her muscles yielding and her chin lifting when he forces her to look at him.

Forces her to kiss him.

Another surprise, a bold and daring move considering where they are, and one part of her wants to shove him off and scorn him for putting on such a display in a public place where people are no doubt staring at them as they skate by, while the other wants to lean into it more. Absolutely craves it.

It becomes clear within seconds which side of her wins when she keens into it, pushing her lips back against his firmly, and when she is nearly breathless when she pulls back, her lips burning hot against the chilly winter air.]

... I was starting to feel a little cold.

[A warm breath against her lips as there's that small, quiet laugh as he looks down at her before there's something more of a genuine, playful smile.]

Then let's get you warmed up.

[Only then will he pull back his hand resting against her chin to down her hand and proceed to slowly escort them back to the edge of the rink where their belongings were.]

[And if she wants one more kiss for warmth before they leave? She does chase after him, but never quite gets what she wants as he leads her back by the hand to the edge of the ice to gather their things. It's there that she does steal a kiss before she moves to take off her skates and replace them with her boots.

So, after getting changed back into the clothes that they came in—and you better believe that Benedikta is going to simply take this nice coat and scarf and mitts when they leave—they head back down the mountain on the gondola. And while the springs are back in business, they decide to take a somewhat scenic route back to the inn itself that takes them along the coast where there is a view of both the ocean on one side and the stretch of the springs on the other, climbing up the side of the island.]

This is much better.

[The weather, the view, the salty sea air. It's not too hot, nor is it too cold. Quite perfect, actually.]

... Though I could do without those loud birds.

[Just up ahead is a large flock of penguins, their cries echoing through the air.]

[Cid allows that little steal, smiling with amusement before they make their way down. No funny business from him this time on the gondola ride, mostly because it was far less full so he didn't have as good of an excuse—

But on their little walk, hand in hand, Cid glances up ahead at the flock of penguins. ....Hmmm.]

Can just go around them.

[She just casts him a look, giving their arms a light swing in a gesture towards them without realizing she's doing it.]

They are everywhere, and constantly on the move. There is no getting around the noise they are making.

[No, they're just going to have to walk right through them and keep pressing on.

Her brow arches.]

What are they even doing?

[~~cute~~

His brows furrow as he takes a better look at them. He thought they were just, well, being birds. But...]

...They do seem to moving rather strangely, aren't they? Almost like some kind of...pattern?

In pairs?

[Benedikta narrows her eyes as they grow closer. Close enough that surely those moving nearest them will notice that they have visitors, so she stiffens just a bit, fingers clenching around his tighter.]

Almost looks like a dance.

[Pairs... Dance....

....Oh.]

Hah, I think I know what's going on.

[And he just grins because this is now a bit more amusing.]

What? What do you mean—

[But the thought is interrupted when one penguin waddles up to them, regarding them both with curiosity. It honks at them—or whatever the hell a penguin sound is—and starts tapping its feet.]

Just keep walking, Cidolfus. Ignore it.

[Except as she pulls him by his hand to move around it, it follows her, now flapping its wings.]

Shoo!

[—and now her path is blocked by another that seems interested in what's going on, and she'll just avoid eye contact when she feels it bearing into her soul.]

[Cid is watching, and while a brow does raise at the first penguin... A very noticeable chuckle can be heard when a second appears...]

Here comes another.

[And now a third waddles towards them—or her.]

Are. You. Lost?

[She talks down at the penguins with a bit of a shout, slowly like she isn't sure it understands what she's saying, and that only draws more attention to her as a fourth comes along.]

Go back over there.

[She motions with a hand to the rest of the flock, and tries to pull Cid around the one in front of her, but it opens its wings wide and flaps them, blocking her as it starts to do the same little dance the others are doing. The others cry out at it and follow suit.]

I said go back. Get out of my way.

[What the fuck is going on!!!]

[Cid lets himself be pulled around with a bit of a stumble, arms raising slightly when the penguin starts flapping its wings.

But then as they continue to flap and croon, even undulating their necks as they do while all focused on Benna...

....

Nope.

He can't hold it back anymore.

He snorts and what first starts a chortle turns into full blown laughter as he turns to face her.]

Seems they find you to be quite the catch, love.

What? What do you mean, a catch? And why are you laughing!?

[Nothing about this is FUNNY? She whips around to stare at him, but that only seems to encourage the penguins more, and one of them comes up from behind her and bumps her with its head for her attention, sending her stumbling into Cid.]

Cut that out! Or I will teach you the proper pecking order around here.

[Don't test her, penguin! She will throw down with you!!!

You too, Cidolfus!!!]

Edited 2024-01-17 07:39 (UTC)

[Should he tell her?

He should tell her.

But rip to these penguins once he does...

As he's contemplating, one of the penguins that was trying to croon at Benedikta looks him over and starts making angry squawking sounds, puffing out its chest and flap its wings at him instead. It's a much more aggressive stance compared to what it was doing to Benedikta, one that he can readily understand.]

Oh, wrong move, mate, she's not going to like that.

[She whirls around again, this time to the penguin threatening Cid, and she steps between him and it with a stubborn stance.]

I will blast you all the way to the Naughtilust if you do not move.

[That is the very last threat that she utters before she's grabbing Cid by the hand and pulling him along or trying to... because there is a new penguin who's come over and she is now being blocked by four penguins on one side, and one very angry one on the other. She sidesteps, but they sidestep too, still squawking and tapping their feet. She sidesteps the other way, and they follow.]

Cidolfus, what is—ow!

[One of them hops up to her and pokes her in the belly with its beak.]

[Okay, this had been fairly amusing at first, but—]

Oi, that's a step too far.

[—pecking her in the belly????

NOT ALLOWED.

It will be Cid's turn to pull Benedikta behind him, all traces of humor and amusement gone with that hardened frown.]

They're trying to woo you with their mating dances, that's what.

[How many of them are there now, she wonders, as another one comes running over, its loud cries joining in the choir of them as they all close in around her, and she steps up close to him.]

No they're not...

[First stage: denial.]

Do they think I'm one of them?

[She'll make another shooing motion with her hand when that newest one waddles right up to her and squawks.]

Edited 2024-01-17 18:46 (UTC)

Well you do make for a pretty bird. Can't quite blame them for that.

[But this is definitely....... Getting a bit much.]

But she's clearly taken.

[So he's going to raise his hand and there's just a small snap outward, sparking a thin ribbon of lightning that zips and crackles around the birds to scare them off.]

Now git.

[Now is not the time for compliments or this sexy possessiveness of his that makes her heart flutter. However, the lightning does little to deter the birds, and it only makes them cry out louder, making more heads turn.

At this point, however, she does huff with a small laugh, arching a brow at him.]

Don't tell me you are jealous, Cidolfus...

[Wow, they aren't affected by that? Maybe he should up the charge—]

Jealous? No. Doesn't mean I can't make a statement, however.

[A wry grin before he clicks his tongue.]

But this is getting a bit much and I don't actually want to charbroil them. Mind making us a path, love?

I don't.

[She's just going to eye him for a moment longer before she waves her arms at them.]

Move! [The penguins stop what they're doing and stare at her.] I said move!

[...

....

Alright. So they want to do this the hard way.

A harsh wind cuts through them, blowing them all aside, even knocking a couple of the penguins off their feet so that they roll, and she wastes no time in grabbing Cid's hand and pulling him along.]

Shit.

[...only for the penguins to chase after.]

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