![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
[She holds onto his hand for as long as she can manage while he moves around, finding his movements quite endearing in spite of their current predicament. Not that she will say so, and she proceeds to be a ruffled little bird throughout their "lessons", with Cid reminding her of everything they were instructed to do earlier. Yes, she could have listened, but the man droned on and on that she'd lost patience quickly enough.
At least she is a quick learner when she has a teacher she is more inclined to pay attention to, and Cid certainly has always fit into that role too well.
So she learns from him how to start and stop, how she's supposed to turn and steer herself using her legs and the poles, and how to balance herself when she is sliding down the hill. She does fall quite a few times, and drags him down with her at least once, but all it takes is a few kisses on the forehead to smooth out her feathers, so to speak. It is more straightforward than she thought, but she fears it might be harder in practice...
There is only one way to find out, of course...]
Do you suppose we are ready for some proper practice?
At least she is a quick learner when she has a teacher she is more inclined to pay attention to, and Cid certainly has always fit into that role too well.
So she learns from him how to start and stop, how she's supposed to turn and steer herself using her legs and the poles, and how to balance herself when she is sliding down the hill. She does fall quite a few times, and drags him down with her at least once, but all it takes is a few kisses on the forehead to smooth out her feathers, so to speak. It is more straightforward than she thought, but she fears it might be harder in practice...
There is only one way to find out, of course...]
Do you suppose we are ready for some proper practice?
[He knew she would listen well, and despite the mishaps—and his own slip-ups that send them falling—he just laughs and praises her, doing his best to smooth out those ruffled feathers, before the time has come to put it all to practice.]
Only one way to find out.
[Though even he expects a few falls from this.]
I'll go first, see how hard the snow is when I hit it.
Only one way to find out.
[Though even he expects a few falls from this.]
I'll go first, see how hard the snow is when I hit it.
[She stiffens, the pastry an unexpected surprise, especially when she would like something else pressed to her lips instead—
But she takes a bite anyway, the crust of the tart sticking to her lips as she does.]
You are not running away from me this time?
But she takes a bite anyway, the crust of the tart sticking to her lips as she does.]
You are not running away from me this time?
[She is hesitant now, especially as they come up closer to that little hill that others are practicing on, and he'll feel her hand on his arm.]
Just do not fall too hard. I would not want the snow to mess up that pretty face of yours.
[As she winces when she watches someone else wipe out at the bottom when they don't know how to stop properly.]
Just do not fall too hard. I would not want the snow to mess up that pretty face of yours.
[As she winces when she watches someone else wipe out at the bottom when they don't know how to stop properly.]
I'll try to fall backwards.
[A wry laugh as he also watches before setting himself up.]
All right...here I go!
[Since there was really no point in dawdling around, he crouches a bit and then pushes off!
He does wobble a bit at first, the feel of it much different than expected, and he swerves a bit rather than go straight down. But he manages to right himself and the slope is short enough that he won't risk much more than that, managing to stop just after a few feet.
Seeing how he didn't crash and burn after all that, he stands there a moment a little shocked before he turns and laughs, raising the pole in triumph.]
Hah! Nothing to it!
[A wry laugh as he also watches before setting himself up.]
All right...here I go!
[Since there was really no point in dawdling around, he crouches a bit and then pushes off!
He does wobble a bit at first, the feel of it much different than expected, and he swerves a bit rather than go straight down. But he manages to right himself and the slope is short enough that he won't risk much more than that, managing to stop just after a few feet.
Seeing how he didn't crash and burn after all that, he stands there a moment a little shocked before he turns and laughs, raising the pole in triumph.]
Hah! Nothing to it!
[As if she didn't also run away plenty of times when she saw him nearby—]
Every time you saw me coming, you would find a way to escape before I could reach you. And yet... [She gestures wide and dramatically.] Here you are.
[She knows that she didn't sneak up on him.]
Every time you saw me coming, you would find a way to escape before I could reach you. And yet... [She gestures wide and dramatically.] Here you are.
[She knows that she didn't sneak up on him.]
[She waits with bated breath, her body stiff. She might be a little too worried, but after seeing the number of people fall into the snow, with some not so gracefully, is it so strange to worry about her man? No, probably not, but she's going to be mad at herself anyway.
And when he reaches the bottom without falling once, besides the little wobble at the start, she is filled with many, many emotions. Fear, relief, pride, and lastly, as it comes with an eye roll: exasperation.
Of course he made it down without a hitch. She really was silly to believe it would be otherwise...
She shakes her head, but a smile tugs at her lip as she calls out to him.]
You are sure you've never done this before!?
And when he reaches the bottom without falling once, besides the little wobble at the start, she is filled with many, many emotions. Fear, relief, pride, and lastly, as it comes with an eye roll: exasperation.
Of course he made it down without a hitch. She really was silly to believe it would be otherwise...
She shakes her head, but a smile tugs at her lip as she calls out to him.]
You are sure you've never done this before!?
[She doesn't even think twice—or once—about it as she takes the plate in her hands, only realizing what's happened after she already has it. With a grumpy scowl, she picks off one of the pastries and takes a bite before setting it back down on the plate.]
You've a lot of nerve, Cidolfus.
You've a lot of nerve, Cidolfus.
...
[What in the world is he up to? Her eyes follow him all the way, her suspicion growing. He is certainly acting a little strange, and that does not go away when he comes back... with a glass of water? Alarm bells go off in her head, and she understands why when her eyes dart up to meet the mistletoe.]
What are you—!?
[He blows that kiss her at her and runs, leaving her there once more in stunned silence, holding a plate of food. His plate of food.]
Cidolfus!
[It's a shriek this time, and she throws that half-eaten pastry at him, nailing him right in the back of the head as he escapes her once more.]
[What in the world is he up to? Her eyes follow him all the way, her suspicion growing. He is certainly acting a little strange, and that does not go away when he comes back... with a glass of water? Alarm bells go off in her head, and she understands why when her eyes dart up to meet the mistletoe.]
What are you—!?
[He blows that kiss her at her and runs, leaving her there once more in stunned silence, holding a plate of food. His plate of food.]
Cidolfus!
[It's a shriek this time, and she throws that half-eaten pastry at him, nailing him right in the back of the head as he escapes her once more.]
[Just a dubious look at him. Is he sure that he wants her to aim right for him? Well, alright. Better him than that bank of snow beside him. This should be no different than flying, and most people would find that more terrifying than this, but there is something about having to rely on these thin poles and skis under her feet to keep her upright that she does not like. At least she had full control of her wings, but here?]
...
Alright.
[She calls down to him again in warning before she's using one leg and a pole to push herself over the crest of the hill. She uses them to gain some speed and momentum to send her flying down the shallow decline until she's moving at him at a pace that is more than likely too fast for such a short trip.
Which means that she will have some trouble stopping before she reaches him, and if he does not move out of the way (he had better not!!!), she's going to go crashing right into him!]
...
Alright.
[She calls down to him again in warning before she's using one leg and a pole to push herself over the crest of the hill. She uses them to gain some speed and momentum to send her flying down the shallow decline until she's moving at him at a pace that is more than likely too fast for such a short trip.
Which means that she will have some trouble stopping before she reaches him, and if he does not move out of the way (he had better not!!!), she's going to go crashing right into him!]
[She'd fling every last pastry on this plate at him if she was sure that she would have a good shot, but as it is, he disappears into the crowd as she throws one last one for good measure before she stuffs another into her mouth and sets down the plate with a huff.
Two more glasses into the party (that's four now?), and in that time, she has been caught beneath the mistletoe with three other people. Three poor souls who have to listen to her yell at them to get away. Three poor souls who have made an enemy of her for the night. Kupli has now joined the party along with the other moogles, and she flies around above everyone's heads as best as she can with a mistletoe strapped to her. She seems to be on the hunt for both of them, but Benedikta has been very good at avoiding her, even when she tries to fly over.
It's already been at least an hour, maybe more, and she is much more tipsy than she had been the first time she'd gone to hunt him down, but where could he be this time...]
Two more glasses into the party (that's four now?), and in that time, she has been caught beneath the mistletoe with three other people. Three poor souls who have to listen to her yell at them to get away. Three poor souls who have made an enemy of her for the night. Kupli has now joined the party along with the other moogles, and she flies around above everyone's heads as best as she can with a mistletoe strapped to her. She seems to be on the hunt for both of them, but Benedikta has been very good at avoiding her, even when she tries to fly over.
It's already been at least an hour, maybe more, and she is much more tipsy than she had been the first time she'd gone to hunt him down, but where could he be this time...]
[Whenever he hears her shrieking at a poor soul, he can't help but cringe and glance over. Sure enough, an unlucky victim of the plant. Really he might be teasing her for too long now, and those who have noticed or heard of his scheme say as much. But, for better or worse, it has also kept her out and about, meeting other people (if unwillingly and leaving...interesting impressions). Of course if she knew of his little "plot" she might dump the entire table on him, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her—or him.
Eventually, and after a few more pints of his own, he has made his way to the pinata where he's made a bit of a ruckus. Having schemed with the person putting the blindfold on him, he is able to see through enough to chase people with the bat instead and when she eventually makes her way over...]
Eventually, and after a few more pints of his own, he has made his way to the pinata where he's made a bit of a ruckus. Having schemed with the person putting the blindfold on him, he is able to see through enough to chase people with the bat instead and when she eventually makes her way over...]
[At first he cheers for her as she starts to make her way down, but then...]
...Benna... Benna, slow, SLOW!!
[Of course his words will go unheard until there's another shout as she crashes right into him and sends them both flying backwards into the snow bank behind him.]
...Benna... Benna, slow, SLOW!!
[Of course his words will go unheard until there's another shout as she crashes right into him and sends them both flying backwards into the snow bank behind him.]
[He should feel bad for the people stuck under the mistletoe with her and not for her. She is drunk enough now that socializing doesn't really bother her, and she has spoken with a few people here and there, as well as attempted to cut others off who might be a little too much for her while being tipsy herself.
But yes, if she knew what he was scheming, then she would absolutely throw every piece of food she could get her hands on at him.
If anything, though, she mostly just misses his presence and his company, and it manifests into her being a grumpy old bird when she's had one too many glasses of wine. So here she is, searching for him again, and demanding anyone that ends up in her path tell her where he might be.
Only for her to discover that he is wielding a very large bat blindfolded, and...]
Ci-dol-fus?
[Her voice is a little higher than normal in pitch, the syllables of his words already starting to blend together this time compared to last, but it's more confusion than anything as she tries to parse what the hell he is doing.]
I have come to collect.
But yes, if she knew what he was scheming, then she would absolutely throw every piece of food she could get her hands on at him.
If anything, though, she mostly just misses his presence and his company, and it manifests into her being a grumpy old bird when she's had one too many glasses of wine. So here she is, searching for him again, and demanding anyone that ends up in her path tell her where he might be.
Only for her to discover that he is wielding a very large bat blindfolded, and...]
Ci-dol-fus?
[Her voice is a little higher than normal in pitch, the syllables of his words already starting to blend together this time compared to last, but it's more confusion than anything as she tries to parse what the hell he is doing.]
I have come to collect.
I—am—trying!
[But nope. She's moving too fast, and wobbling too much now for her to get much control of her feet, and she crashes into him first and then sends them both tumbling into the snow, a cloud of white exploding all around them. The landing is somewhat soft, she hopes, broken by the fluffy, fresh snow, but her own is a bit uncomfortable when her face knocks against his chest and buries there.
With a groan, she lifts her head, some snow sliding down from the top of her hair.]
At least I know my aim is still true.
[She exhales deeply, and sends that snow on his chest up into his face.]
[But nope. She's moving too fast, and wobbling too much now for her to get much control of her feet, and she crashes into him first and then sends them both tumbling into the snow, a cloud of white exploding all around them. The landing is somewhat soft, she hopes, broken by the fluffy, fresh snow, but her own is a bit uncomfortable when her face knocks against his chest and buries there.
With a groan, she lifts her head, some snow sliding down from the top of her hair.]
At least I know my aim is still true.
[She exhales deeply, and sends that snow on his chest up into his face.]
Page 32 of 54