ɢᴀʟᴇ (traps) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-04-28 18:38:00 |
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Catalina Island was a paradise close to home. The luxury of having a ‘getaway’ experience while still being in the same state was quite the perk, and admittedly Leliana had never been. It was beautifully scenic, the mountains were absolutely breathtaking, and instead of a beachfront property rental they opted for cabin lodging settled on a high ledge overseeing the ocean. Palm trees, a botanical garden nearby, the impressive view of sailboats. Not to mention this particular city - Avalon - was saturated with other venues for entertainment. A casino and theatre, plus all the local boutiques for the potential of shopping. Sunburn, too. More than she cared for. Even living by the beach she was never outdoors this much, and the summer sun was now rising and setting - which meant hot temperatures and an even more hot ball of fire sizzling them on this very earth. But aside from the very pink, peeling nose, she was enjoying her more alone time with her soldier without the possible threat of Orange County bestowing something ridiculous or dangerous on them unannounced. Here, they were spared and could celebrate the anniversary of a relationship that started out as ‘naughty cuddling’ and became unexpectedly life-changing. In peace. And without the pack of animals squeezing in bed with them, though she did miss them. Their babies! “Do you think they’re okay?” Leliana was dabbing a little bit of aloe-vera on her face, and it stung in a strange and not so painful way. In the quaint little kitchen was a nook overseeing the living area, and she was sitting on it looking like a red-nosed reindeer. “The animals, I mean. You know Schmooples II starts to chew on himself when he gets anxious, and it gives him an awful rash.” Yes. Their babies. Sometimes treated like actual babies, and she’d worry about them every time they were separated. This place was kind of amazing, did they have to go back? Unfortunately, Gale knew they did - there were jobs to return to, and their house was filled with animals who undoubtedly missed them. Leliana, with her unmistakable accent that reminded him of flowery fondant atop a cake in the window of a patisserie, sounded a lot like a worried parent too. And he couldn’t blame her. Their family wouldn’t be complete without chubby pig-bunnies, a rambunctious chocolate lab, and the sleek-looking ravens. “They’re fine,” he insisted, around a rough chuckle - and he was shirtless, just wearing swim trunks since after that trek back from the ocean below them he was in need of a shower (though he wasn’t sunburned, just bronzed - his skin was immune to burning by now, thanks to months in a desert where he’d turned red, crispy, and remained that way well after he returned from the tour). Stepping closer, he edged in between his ivory-skinned girlfriend’s thighs and examined her sun-kissed face. “Wash is watching them, he wouldn’t let anything happen. You want something else for the burn, by the way? My mom always used to use vinegar. It takes the heat out.” No bronzing for this former bard, sadly. Leliana’s skin was more of the porcelain variety, easily scorched under sunny rays, and a reason why she preferred to stick to the shade. Shadows were lovely. They didn’t make her skin peel. “I know,” she pouted, realizing that her concern was a bit silly but still. Her babies. “But vinegar, hm? You’ll still give me kisses when I smell like a distilled household item?” Gale was ensnared by her legs now, coiled around him like a trap, also to have him in such close proximity to grope those impressive pecs. So handsy, so shameless. There was a lot of romping in the bedsheets that went on, too - it was also nice to touch him in all the naughty ways without paws and bitty nug-hands rapping against the door because Maker forbid the humans be in another room. By themselves. “I do have something for you, by the way,” she told him, a murmur against his mouth as she kissed him. “A gift.” A somewhat unconventional one for an anniversary, but it worked for these trained killers. Not like Gale minded the groping, not at all. He was also shamelessly encouraging it, most likely - and his girlfriend had complete permission to grope any of his muscles, whenever she wanted; he took good care of himself, thank you. Not meeting the body fat standards (meaning, letting yourself hit the donuts too hard) meant that it was a flag on his record and a pain in the ass to get rid of - best to just stay in shape, because fat soldiers weren’t really ideal for serving and protecting. “I’ll give you kisses anytime,” he promised, stroking along the outer thighs that gripped him with a surprising amount of strength given Leli’s softer, smaller physique. As if to prove his point, he left a few - like cookie crumbs - dusting along the marble column of her throat, over her neck. Romping was also appreciated - may as well get in a good amount of it, while they had the privacy-without-animals. Next weekend he had his monthly Reserves training, and then later they’d travel to West Virginia to see his family. It’d feel wrong romping in his childhood home with his siblings and mother so close by. More kisses on her rosebud lips, and he gave her a nuzzle to boot - like he was just a big puppy and not a trained killer. “I have something for you too. Guess I should let you move,” Gale sighed. Keep that up, Mister Hawthorne, there was a chance she wouldn’t let you go. And why would she? This little getaway was theirs to enjoy, much of it involving activities like this but with perhaps less clothing - the location or surface wasn’t something she was terribly picky about, however. Considering their sordid stress-relieving arrangement started out in a kitchen, it was safe to say she’d do it many places. But, yes, gifts. Leliana didn’t expect any on his behalf, but the sentiment was of course appreciated - and she nuzzled him back too in their usual way, nose to nose even if hers stung. Nothing could keep eskimo kisses from them. “That’d be wise for the time being,” she chuckled, drumming her hands on the bum she so loved to bite before her legs unseized him. “I go first, though!” After a shimmy off the counter to hop back on those barefeet (she had one of those little short net dresses over the bikini ensemble), she disappeared into the bedroom for something. Emerging from it a couple minutes later with what seemed liked…documents was somewhat odd, if this was to be an anniversary present, but her intentions were a little more abstract? Or personal, depending how someone viewed it. There was some hesitance before handing them over. “Remember what I’ve told you, about the widow that raised me? A lovely woman, even if her religious views were a little…extreme. But she was very wealthy, and despite our later differences left me everything in her will when she passed.” Hey, for Valentine’s Day, Gale had given Leliana a pair of polished dog tags, his very own identification that he wanted her to have. The meaning behind it was what mattered - and since a gift from a soldier like that meant giving her himself, very few ‘from a store’ presents could compare to how personal that was. So he wasn’t surprised to be handed a stack of papers, but the curiosity washed over him in a wave. “Did she pass recently?” he asked, settling at the kitchen table to look everything over. It was a shame they didn’t get to visit her one last time beforehand - he and Leli had been planning a trip to Paris, but it was one of those far-off dreams. Whenever they could find the time to get away for longer than a weekend. “Are these...what did she leave?” “Years ago, actually,” Leliana clarified, joining him on the table. “There were several estates and villas she owned throughout France, inherited from various deceased family members. By the time of her death there was no one else to pass them down to, so it was left to me. I’ve used them for work purposes before but, well, as you know - the changes and all - they now mostly serve very little use.” Laying out the paperwork, Gale could then identify what they exactly were. Trust funds. Particularly for his siblings. There was no family she had - her mother died while Leliana was still young, and there was not a drop of intel on her father. Cecillie had been the closest relative figure, yet their relationship became strained when Marjolaine entered the picture. But her soldier here, his family was dearly important, and she knew Gale had done what he could to help provide for them. And now they were her family too, so she wanted to do her part. Her relationship with Gale was the forever sort. “Selling them wasn’t difficult if they were advertised to the right people, and all the payments were received in cash - which was then converted into these. For Posy and Rory. For their futures, if they want to attend college or travel. I hope it helps put your mother at ease.” “What?” Gale was...well, he was slightly flabbergasted. It took a minute to sink in, because this was a lot. “I can’t believe - “ The Hawthorne family had never been rich, not by any stretch of the imagination. Hazelle always worked nose to the grindstone, she was a teacher in this life and didn’t have to do the town’s laundry like she did in District 12 (nor was she a housekeeper, like she had been for Haymitch - that was a thankless job) but a teacher’s salary? Nothing really in the six figures. The loss of Gale’s father had hit the family hard - the eldest child started working as soon as he could, and put off college to join the army because that was just what high school graduates from lower income families did. He wasn’t certain he wanted Rory and Posy to follow in his footsteps. Gale was just now considering going back to school, to get an actual college degree - he wanted his brother and sister to have opportunities he didn’t at that age. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, reaching out to draw Leliana closer, his wintry eyes overcome with emotion, the steely grey warmer because of what he felt. Love for his family, and the person who had actually chosen him. Having a career in intel gathering and assassinations paid well, and financial stability wasn’t a thing Leliana ever scraped for - but she never lived all that frivolously, and the massive lumps of cash unused would often be donated. There wasn’t a family she needed to be concerned about back then, but there was now. Taking care of them was a priority for Gale, and it was also now hers. “I’m sure,” she promised, a kiss to that handsome nose. “Whatever happens our way, they’re taken care of - and your mother, too.” Back then their livelihoods were more at risk with their line of work, and while it was something they’ve given up for greener pastures, he was still a soldier and Leliana was far from naive. “They’re my family because they’re yours.” There was one property that was still kept. Cecilie’s most favored villa overseeing the Mediterranean sea, and she remembered visiting it as a young girl. There wasn’t much of her childhood she kept but that was one thing she would keep for the sentimental attachment, and it would be a place to take Gale to in the future. There may have been moisture in those eyes too, because Gale was just so overwhelmed. He sent his mother money when he could, but a trust fund for his siblings was...well, that was huge. They could do whatever they wanted when they finished high school - go to college, travel, see the world. For Rory, it would happen in about four years and be upon them sooner than they thought. And not worrying about limiting their future was a burden that was relieved, like lifting weights from his shoulders where he seemed to carry everything and tossing barbells to the sky. “Thank you,” he sounded muffled when he hugged Leliana, then kissed her. The words weren’t enough - no one ever did anything like this for him before, not even in the dreamworld. All he had was his family, in Panem - and Katniss, until she broke off what was barely left between them. “I love you.” He did, he loved Leliana more than anything - had taken them awhile to get there, to work through the distrust of other people and the fears, but even if putting yourself out there was always a gamble he knew now that it was worth everything. “Just don’t laugh when you see what I have for you,” Gale smirked. It sort of paled in comparison. It was the best way to express she loved him on this day - their day. Better than gulf clubs, or some kind of unnecessarily expensive wrist watch (good thing Gale was never interested in neither). “I love you too,” Leliana chuckled, grazing her thumb beneath his watery eyes. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for him, and she was glad to erase one concern off his mind. He was too young to grey! “And this isn’t a competition, you know, I’d love absolutely anything you could ever give me.” But she regathered all the paperwork for him to safely tuck into the folders. This information would be kept somewhere safe, and copies would be taken to West Virginia once the time came - she was excited to finally meet the Hawthorne family face to face, although they’d had plenty of Skype and phone interactions. “Did you get advice from Posy this time? In all her young wisdom.” “I always get advice from Posy, her wisdom is legit,” A grin cracked Gale’s usual stoic expression at the thought of his sister, who was always happy and smiling for one reason or another, cheerful as the flower she was named after - more people should take advice from ten-year-olds. The gift he had for Leliana, he’d stashed in the living room beneath the coffee table - just on the lower shelf, and he figured they’d be so busy on the beach (and in the bedroom, though it wasn’t like they limited activities to just there) that it wouldn’t even be an issue. But he brought the box into the kitchen, and inside were various colorful and decorative tins - these were filled with treats from France, he’d ordered them specially for her (and she had a pretty prominent sweet tooth). Probably selections from her youth, like the fruit candies, caramel lollipops, lavender and violet l’ami provencal candies. The calissons were in a separate paper gift box, and they were made from a paste of fruit and ground almonds and covered with icing - on the tops, je t’aime was spelled out. “I made these,” he said. “Probably the most complicated work at the bakery I’ve done - let’s just say it took a few tries.” Not only because his handwriting wasn’t the best, but also because the recipe (with orange peel and egg white, how many eggs had sacrificed themselves for this?) was kind of complex. It was so very true; she was an insatiable sweet fiend. If it wasn’t so detrimental to her health then she’d eat decadent things for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. “You’re ensuring I spend the rest of this mini-vacation in a sugar coma,” Leliana smiled, delighted by the display of edible treasures. Sometimes she’d try to get the American imitation of some of these but, well, the candies (especially when it came to chocolate) were all made differently. Mostly likely with all the extra-processed conditions. These were authentic, and then those calissons? Leliana almost couldn’t bring herself to eat them (oh, she would, no doubt there) - all his multiple attempts at getting it right would be inhaled in a gulp, and she took a minute to appreciate them. His script included, because it was adorable. He was adorable. “They came out perfect,” she praised, a peck of her lips to his cheeks - right before they went for the main course of his mouth. “All your hard work will be devoured in about five minutes, I hope you know that. Thank you.” The candies from France were definitely authentic - and boasting absolutely no artificial crap. The French caramels especially, in the beautiful box - the secret was the real salted butter, probably. Once Gale got to Paris for the first time, he’d likely just eat everything in sight and hopefully not require one of those ‘you’re a fattie’ flags on his record. “As long as you like them. Five minutes is flattering,” he rumbled affectionately, and gave the sunburned face more careful kisses - a shower of them, careful not to flare up pain from Leliana’s glow. Sometimes he wished he could afford really extravagant things, like fancy cars or bars of gold - but she really wasn’t into that either, hence why she’d obviously squirreled away her savings. His gifts came from the heart, anyway. “I kinda need a shower?” Not like Gale balked at being sweaty and dirty, but after a day outdoors it just felt nice to rinse off with cool water. “Then we can settle in. Make dinner and actually find a movie to watch. Or whatever you want to do.” No, she didn’t care for the luxurious things in life even if her shoes screamed otherwise. If their home was a hut and toes covered in mud, she’d still be happy - as long as she had him, and the little family of animals they had for themselves. Any gift he’d given her came from love, whether it were the precious plants in teacups, the polished tags, or the sweets he slaved over until they were perfected. Leliana would take all of it. “There’s a couple things I’d like to do in between,” the redhead smirked, running her palms down his bare chest, over those ever so obvious abs. Mmmm. “But I suppose we can make time for all the above, too.” And perhaps treat the splotches of redness the sun smooched her with before the pain set in and it hurt to move. She was a biiiiiit roasted! Yeah, those affectionate kisses from the sun definitely needed to be treated first and foremost. It tended to be painful slamming bodies together in an act of zealous fucking if one was all red and inflamed, right? So Gale would help alleviate that. “I’ll do you in between,” he quipped, even if that made no sense - but then it was his turn to grab a handful of ass before he scooted away to find some paper towels. Apple cider vinegar too, mixed with some water to dilute it a little, and he soaked a few of those paper towels for the purposes of providing relief. “Come here, Tomato,” he beckoned Leliana closer. “You’ll feel better if you put these on your shoulders and back.” He’d take care of that for her, where she couldn’t reach, and would also dab a little on her face. A surprised noise squeaked out at that squeeze to her backside, then a piggy-snort giggle followed. Yes, Gale, doing each other was what she’d been getting at - but perhaps treating the the sunburnt skin was best to do first before they got excitable and pawed at one another. “Maybe we’ll have to find some kind of heavy-duty sunscreen if such a thing exists, so you can rub me down,” she said (and it probably did exist, the question was whether or not her whiteness prevailed), pulling the netted cover dress off; the bikini was underneath, a simple two-piece with the straps around her neck, but her shoulders were also seared red despite what she had on. Sigh. Why couldn’t she just have that luscious caramel tan Bela naturally wore so well? Hm, now that the pirate grazed her thoughts! “We do have some kind of quasi-wedding reception to attend soon, by the way. Whenever those two oddballs elope.” “I’ll run to the shops and find something,” Gale promised, because surely there was a selection in town, there amongst the boutiques and cutesy stores. In the meantime, he carefully set the soaked paper towel across Leliana’s shoulders, along the back of them and also her neck, and he could practically hear the sizzle that meant the vinegar was doing its job and zapping heat. Maybe it seemed crazy to put something so pungent on a burn but it really did work. Amazing how many ailments apple cider vinegar cured, too. Then his girlfriend’s face, dabbing the mixture on her nose and cheeks and forehead. “Oh, right, they’re eloping - “ Gale knew who she was talking about. He knew about all her friends from Thedas. “That’s kind of cool. I mean, if it works, right?” His mother would probably be disappointed if he just ran off and got married, but he did have to admit it’d be easier. “You wouldn’t want to, would you? You’d want a chance to get me into the dress uniform?” It felt so cold and tingly against her skin that she quivered, nose scrunched in a way that implied the sensation was a little...uncomfortable? But if he swore by it, then she would trust him. Really, anything to alleviate the increase stinging. Sunburns usually hurt most the next day. “No, I don’t think I could do a Vegas wedding,” Leliana assured, amused. That was utterly and completely Isabela and Hawke, those two rambunctious scamps that shamelessly cracked innuendos even in the face of danger. Running off together to be joined in marriage was fitting for them. “Your sister privately begs me to let her be the flower girl for whenever the time comes, you know I cannot deny her that.” Something a little more formal would be befitting of them. Nothing grand, but she did want to see him in that scrumptious uniform. Gale was the firstborn of his family, the oldest, and it’d be an important moment for his mother too. Gale just really hoped that Leli didn’t become afflicted with Hell’s Itch. Not everyone who received a painful sunburn got it, but it was a special type of itch a few days later that felt like a thousand fire ants were hatching beneath your skin - it put even hardened soldiers on their knees, sobbing, rolling around on the floor for relief, and the best you could do (aside from using razors to carve an inch or so of skin off or drinking yourself to death) was take a boiling hot shower for opening up the pores and waiting it out. May the vinegar gods smile upon them - and she also smelled like apples now, a little. Sour ones. “Posy would make a good flower girl. Pretty much catatonic with happiness to be asked,” he agreed, removing the now warm paper towels (amazing how fast they soaked up heat) and putting on new ones for good measure. “And you’d be the most beautiful bride. How’s that, Nightingale? Feeling better?” He even planted a kiss on her neck for extra good measure. Those cured everything too, you know. Best to not tell Leliana what ‘Hell’s Itch’ was in the name of everything related to Andraste and all that the prophet was, she’d get rightfully paranoid. Likely, the redness will darken her skin with a couple extra freckles. It was a ginger thing. A caramelized tan was (sadly) not in her cards. “I stink,” she smirked, wrapping an arm around his neck to keep him there. That way she could kiss him; it was in gratitude to her gentle giant. “And I do feel better, thank you.” Vinegar, that one household item (well, alongside baking soda anyway) that could be used for just about anything outside the culinary realm. Hopefully it’d have better success than the typical remedies. “Once we come back from visiting your family, we could maybe discuss the marriage thing a bit more seriously? No elopements, though.” Not that there was a rush, but it’d come up eventually. Her entire lifestyle had been changed to have some kind of future with him. The long-term, permanent kind. “You smell like roses,” Gale disagreed, teasingly, returning the kiss and smoothing his hands down Leliana’s sides. “Yeah, no elopements, and we can talk about it when we get back. Or on the way over - I’m sure my mom will bring it up at some point anyway, trying to be casual.” And failing miserably, but you couldn’t blame Hazelle for being a little nosy. She was eager for her eldest to find happiness and while she knew it was difficult, what with being a soldier (and he was still kind of young, a mere twenty-two), that didn’t mean she wasn’t anxious to spoil some grandchildren. Because that was a thing. He’d just have to find a ring, first and foremost. An actual something nice and not just one that was made of candy, recommended by Posy. And figure out a way to propose - that would come. “I’ll shower and you can find something schmoopy to watch on TV? Not like we’ll get through it, but...” It’d be a valiant effort. Oh, no doubt Hazelle would be drilling them for details. Leliana expected it. And she didn’t mind, either; she knew his mother also wanted to make sure her son’s heart was in good hands. It was the motherly thing to do. All of that could be discussed some other time - again, no rush, they’d get to it one day. Right now she’d focus on the barely clothed soldier she expected to spend the rest of her life with. “I had plans to help you shower, like a good girlfriend,” she purred, already toying with the waistband of those swim trunks because it wouldn’t take much to drop them around his ankles. Something schmoopy would be found on the telly too, eventually. Maybe they’d almost pay attention, too. “I’ll worry about a movie much later.” But as of right now, she planned to take a very long, hot shower with her lover first. |