(December '17) Prompt #2 - "Happy Holidays." [Archive]

ArtisticVicu

12-13-2017, 04:50 AM

"Here."

He looked up from the book in his hand to the box neatly wrapped in colorful paper proffered to him. He caught her gaze and her smile grew, gesturing with the gift. "Take it. It's not going to burst into flames or anything."

A smirk curled his lips upwards as he took it, countering, "I doubt that, seeing as just yesterday you caused numerous boxes of varying sizes to combust."

Her laughter rang through the room, light and addicting as he slipped his finger under a seam of paper. He took his time, careful to not tear the paper. As much as she enthused that he do so, he liked reusing the paper rather than simply shredding it, not that it stopped her any.

Another thing on the list of things he adored about her.

The box itself was simple and rather common. Bound shut by twine, the knot was easy to undo and the lid slid off without trouble. What was inside, though, was anything but ordinary.

He stared at it in shock, unable to formulate words to react.

After a while, she broke the silence.

"I know it's nothing like what you had described or anything," she confessed, though her voice was steady and sure. He knew she was watching him but he couldn't tear his eyes from the sphere nestled in the depths of blue fabric. "In fact, I'm certain it's too small but anything bigger wouldn't have worked well on a chain."

Finally, finally, he was able to look away from the gift to take in the confirmation that there was indeed an undertone of doubt to her words when it came to the gift and how he was receiving it. He dropped the box into the chair as he stood, reaching for her with his free hand to pull her close. He kissed her, pinning her to his chest as he wrapped one arm around her waist and buried his other hand in her hair. He felt her still just as equally as he felt her relax into the kiss. He tried to kiss away her doubt and knew it wouldn't be enough,

He pulled away, their breaths coming out in soft puffs as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Thank you, Angel," he urged, the words grey compared to what he was feeling. "Thank you so much."

"So, you like it?" she asked, her voice soft, wary almost, yet heartbreakingly hopeful. Stars above she really had been thinking he didn't like it.

"I love it," he gushed, pulling back enough to look at her proper. "I can't even articulate just how much this gift means to me. How did you even get something like it made in this world?"

She was relaxing in his hold and he knew the doubt she held was vanishing. She smiled. "A glass sculpture wanted to repay me for something that I felt needed no payment so we came to a compromise. They offered to make it life sized, which would have made the payment more equal in their eyes, but I figured if you liked it a lot, you'd want to keep it close. In turn, they called in someone that worked with metal to create the clasp and chain so that there was no fear of it breaking under normal circumstances."

"It's perfect," he breathed, turning enough to reach for the box without letting her go. He pulled it close and grabbed the small sphere. The blue fabric that had been tucked around it looked expensive and fluttered as it came with for a short ride before pooling about the box, freeing the silver chain that was attached to the glass. Upon closer inspection, the loop for the chain was a dragon's front foot holding tight to the glass sphere and it made the trinket all that more special to him. She took it from him long enough to latch the chain around his neck.

The sphere certainly wasn't like the originals it was based off and he felt that made it even grander. The small sphere was full of stars that littered the cloud that had been captured within the glass. While the cloud itself was made up of oranges, yellows, and reds, the stars were white and bright against it, hews of blue and green edging the white stars only making them stand out more. The silver dragon claw did nothing to obscure the bobble even as he looked down at it. He touched it with ginger fingers before her hand covered his.

He gripped her fingers, catching her gaze again. "Why?" Confusion and curiosity displayed gently on her face and he elaborated. "Why this? Why now?"

Understanding widened her eyes. She smiled gently. "We've been here for three years now. This world's holidays are upon us soon and, since the traditions around here are still unfamiliar, I figured I'd keep with the ones I learned back home."

"So this is a gift for..."

"Our anniversary." He blinked at her, still not getting it. He even opened his mouth to counter her words but she was laughing. "I know, I know. Our actual anniversary isn't for a couple of months but the anniversary of our arrival here and our first meeting was just a few days ago; though, I could be off by a week or two." She shrugged and he watched the doubt slowly return again. "I just figured it would be nice to keep remembering where we came from and where we're still going."

He kissed her lips briefly before peppering her face in kisses. She was normally so strong willed and fearless that seeing this doubt was unnerving. But, then, ever since they started truly being in a relationship together, he was certain they were both showing colors that weren't normally seen. "You do realize that I have no gift for you," he pointed out between a couple of kisses. "And I really don't want to be shown up on an anniversary gift."

She chuckled and the smirk on her face told greatly of how well she knew him. He didn't back down from challenges and, though her following words were to placate, it only increased his desire to get her something equally as valued as the trinket hanging around his neck. "Oh please. You could make me dinner and walk with me under the starlight and it would be equal enough."

She wasn't wrong and gave him several great ideas. She wasn't one for trinkets or objects like most people were. She preferred practical things or meaningful time spent together, and already he knew how he was going to celebrate their first meeting. He smirked in turn, challenging, "How would you feel about calling in to work for a few days."

Her eyes narrowed at him. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing," he practically sang as he kissed her nose. "Happy holidays, babe."

She swatted at his arm as he moved away. "Happy holidays," was her snarky reply, though her words were more honest than her tone.