MHA #6, Wednesday Evening

[firstofitskind]

To say the last few days had been busy for the two of them would be one hell of an understatement, but that didn't mean Liam was going to let Verity's birthday just go by in the aftermath. He did, however, call JGoB and have them make a last minute change to the cake he'd ordered. Which was sitting in a non-descript cardboard box in the kitchen for now, waiting for the reveal later.

(Yes, he'd promised the mice a not-insignificant portion of said cake in return for their patience, as well as their assistance in holding Verity to her promise not to peek prematurely.)

All they needed now was dinner, and Liam was just about finished taking care of that too- or at least, taking care of paying the delivery person from Outback Steakhouse.

"Food's here," he announced, having finally managed to send said delivery person on their way.

[ooc: for the birthday-haver!]

Comments

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity's brow furrowed as she opened it, wondering what it could be--then cleared as she pulled out the necklace. "Oh, how lovely!" she said, dangling it over her palm to examine. "Simple enough I can wear every day and even under my costumes sometimes."

She examined the symbol more thoroughly. "Does this symbol mean something? Or...?"

[firstofitskind]

Liam nodded. "Sowilo," he said. "The sun rune. It symbolizes, um. Guidance. Purpose. The realization of a goal."

He'd first gotten the idea a couple months ago, during their trip to the isle of Ikea. When she'd mentioned feeling somewhat like she was treading water with regards to the cryptozoology vs. dancing career choice.

This particular rune was also fairly important to Liam, for reasons unrelated to its actual meaning. Hence the nervousness.

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity raised an eyebrow. Because that explanation did not match his body language. "Norse, right? I thought it looked familiar."

She handed it to him, then pulled up her hair and turned his back. "Put it on me?"

[firstofitskind]

Liam undid the clasp and settled the chain about Verity's neck.

"Yeah," he said. "It was also... it was my mother's protection. The rune, I mean. Not this particular necklace."

He re-did the clasp and then went silent and still as he waited for Verity's response. Was this weird? Oh god, it was totally weird.

[arboreal_priestess]

"What do you mean, your mother's protection?" Verity asked, fingers brushing over the metal.

Didn't seem weird to her. Familial protections were an important thing.

[firstofitskind]

Well, yes. He was more worried about the fact that they'd just admitted they were in love, and here he was giving her something that held importance to the one blood relative he'd actually felt a true connection to.

"She placed great stock in the runes," Liam explained. "Looked to them when she had to make important choices. She felt as long as she kept this one close, then her path, her purpose, would always be clear."

[arboreal_priestess]

"I could use some clarity of purpose," Verity murmured. "My path is anything but."

She looked up at him, understanding some of the reasoning behind this: the connection to his mother, the difficulty she was having with her purpose. And she was touched by it.

[firstofitskind]

Liam let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Also," he added, teasing grin reappearing, "each rune has a number of different associations. With flowers, stones, plants... that sort of thing. The plant associated with Sowilo? Is mistletoe."

[arboreal_priestess]

"Mistletoe, huh?" Verity asked, glancing over her shoulder into his eyes. "Does this mean I can use it as mistletoe whenever I want?"

She dangled it from her fingers and stole a kiss.

[firstofitskind]

"I don't think that was the original intent, but- sure, why not." Like Liam was going to turn down a kiss or several.

[arboreal_priestess]

Forget the original intent, the necklace was hers now and she was going to use it to claim as many kisses as she could. Probably not how Liam's mom would have used it (maybe? From what Verity could tell, Siobhan had been kind of a rebel herself), but sometimes even if her overall path was cloudy, the one leading to Liam was pretty well clear,

...She probably should have taken that as a sign of her feelings a lot sooner than she had.

"You know," she mentioned, her tongue playing over his lower lip, "I finished eating..."

[firstofitskind]

"You're ready for dessert, is what you're saying?" Liam replied.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I mean, I have been since you knocked on the door," Verity said with a wicked grin. "...With the cake."

Sure. Totally what she'd meant.

[firstofitskind]

"That so?" Liam drawled. "Well then. I won't make you wait any longer..." He pulled away, somewhat reluctantly, and went over to the counter where the cake box was still resting. A moment later, he was back, and the box was placed on the table in front of Verity.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I finally get to look?" she asked and didn't wait for him to answer, popping open the top.

And then bursting into laughter as soon as she saw the dragon on top.

[firstofitskind]

That was precisely the reaction he'd been hoping for, and Liam couldn't help a goofy grin of his own from spreading across his face. "Thought you'd like that," he said, a bit smugly.

[arboreal_priestess]

"Course I do," Verity said. "Memorializes my grand discovery, putting me on the map as a historic cryptozoologist, as is right and proper."

[firstofitskind]

“They had ‘realistic’ looking cakes, but I figured that would be kind of weird, all things considered.” They liked William after all.

[arboreal_priestess]

"I am not cutting into a realistic dragon," Verity said immediately. "Definitely too soon. This is perfect."

[firstofitskind]

"Glad you like it," Liam said, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. "Now hurry up and make that first cut, I've been looking forward to this all night."

Only partially true. He was looking forward to cake, for sure, but mostly to what they'd be doing after dessert.

[arboreal_priestess]

In fact, Verity cut herself a much smaller piece than normal. Not because she didn't want cake, but because her brain was very firmly fixed on 'after dinner.' "How much do you want?" she asked, knife posed over the cake, but the husky timber of her voice turning it into something distinctly more inviting.

[firstofitskind]

"You're the birthday girl," Liam said, something in his eyes betraying the fact that he wasn't really all that focused on the cake either. "Why don't you decide."

[arboreal_priestess]

Verity cut him a slice a little thicker than hers and then a third slice, a decent chunk of the remainder. "We should set this aside for later," she said. "The the rest..."

There was a handy ritual she was thinking about invoking soon.

She set their slices onto two more plates, and then lifted a forkful to her mouth. "Mmm," she said, eyes closing as the rich flavor exploded on her tongue. "Oh, this cake is good."

[firstofitskind]

Liam watched her appreciatively, lips curling up in a slow grin.

"Hmm. You've got..." he trailed off, leaning forward as his tongue darted out to take care of the dab of icing at the corner of her mouth.

[arboreal_priestess]

Hnngh.

"Did I?" she asked, smearing a little more on his lower lip. "Is it all gone?"