Lughnasadh - The Festival - Meeting the Hippy 'Rents
Co-Written by Aria and Liam's authors
Aria was thrilled that the festival had finally arrived after a week of preparations and gathering of the different foods from their farms. Lughnasadh was the First Harvest Festival where they celebrated the hard work of the farmers and danced away the summer days to prepare for the change of seasons. Aria always loved the festivals, they had quite a few of them, but the community always came together to make it quite the success no matter what
This festival was special though because Aria was bringing a guest. Her parents and her best friend, Luna (who was now halfway through her pregnancy with her first child with Eades), were excited to meet Liam. Aria had always spoken about him in the most passionate of ways, even when she was a little girl. He was the reason she had begun giving out gifts for Christmas, a holiday she did not celebrate herself. They also remembered what happened after he had to leave Sonora and how Aria’s view on things changed. Thankfully she had been able to pick herself up and the two reacquainted after years of correspondence. And now they are companions, or in his terms, Liam was her boyfriend.
Since the wall side of the community was more complicated to get into, Aria had advised Liam to meet her in the Magical city of Argo so that they could take one of the boats to the community. It was a longer way around, but also rather beautiful and she wanted him to see the beauty rather than a wall in the forest. She stood by the dock at the far end of the city. Her hair did not have the taming potion in it, so it was as wild as ever. Aria tended to keep herself natural whenever she was home. She wore a fitted yellow sundress that came midway down her thighs and her usual sandals. When she spotted Liam, her face broke out into a smile and she ran the distance between them so that she could jump into his arms and kiss him. “Liam!” She had said when she broke the kiss. “I have missed you.” It had only been a week since she had last stayed at his place, but Aria was addicted to him so even a night away felt like an eternity. Her greeting, however, was usually along the same lines of affection and telling him how much she missed him.
Any anxiety Liam was feeling toward meeting Aria's parents (and her former lover) was quickly erased by the sight of her running towards him. It was just like in all those sappy romance movies, and he loved every second of it. He still got stupid butterflies in his stomach each time he saw her, and he kind of liked that too. He wrapped his arms around her tightly as they kissed, and lifted her up off the ground so they could do the appropriate movie spin as well. Once was enough though, because he didn't dare make himself dizzy and accidentally drop her. Liam carefully returned her to the ground, and took her hand in his.
“I've missed you too.” He said with a grin as he slipped his other hand into the pocket of his khaki cargo shorts. “You look...beautiful.” Liam had always had a soft spot for Aria’s crazy hair. He could appreciate it when it was tamed, but seeing it in its natural state was somewhat nostalgic for him. Her yellow dress and blonde hair reminded him of sunshine which was pretty fitting for her role in his life.
“Thank you!” She replied, her voice still with the hint of laughter in it from the spin around. “I was worried you would find it odd that I wasn't as put together as I am when I see you, but I'm more comfortable this way at home.” She probably didn't need to explain but since she typically wore some makeup around him until bedtime when she took it off and had potion in her hair to keep it less crazy, she knew it could be a sight to see and she wanted to ease any objection he might have.
“Aria, I think we both know I like you best when you're, ahem, natural.” He teased with a raise of an eyebrow. Aria gave him a mock surprised face but couldn't hold it before breaking into an embarrassed smile. They did have a habit of ending up in their natural state of being.
“I brought you something.” He pulled a small bouquet of wildflowers out of his pocket. They were ever so slightly smashed, but they weren't too worse for wear considering they had been in his pocket. He'd considered wearing long sleeves so he could perform a ‘magic’ trick for her; but it was still technically summer, and the New Mexico weather was way too hot. The shorts had come in handy on more than one occasion though. Liam was particularly fond of them because you could hide an insane amount of snacks in them when you went to the movies. Magic was still amazing after 11 years.
“I picked these for you.” He'd arrived a little earlier than planned in order to collect them. He'd considered buying some, but then he remembered how funny she'd thought it was back in the day. Plus, there was something about them that seemed to suit her better.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of the flowers. If she weren't already smiling, her whole face would have lit up along with it. “These are beautiful, thank you!” Aria exclaimed. She stood on her tippy toes and tilted his head down toward her so that she could kiss his cheek.
Aria took his hand once more and began to walk him towards the small dock where a couple of small row boats sat. She greeted a few people as they past but otherwise kept her focus. “I take this way every day to go to school since apparating isn't allowed in the community.” She explained, stepping onto the dock and stopping in front of one of the boats. “They are charmed to take passengers to the community and back. It’s about a half hour ride, but you get to see the lake and the mountains as we go, so it's quite serene. And I brought a basket.” Aria indicated the item on the floor of the boat. “So we can snack. I thought it could be romantic?” She stated, looking a little unsure about it.
“You're welcome.” Liam tried to soak up as much of the town as he could as they walked to the docks. It was interesting to him that the community was so isolated from the rest of the world, but he was sure they had their reasons. He'd had a lot of curiosity about it in general since he'd met Aria, so it was cool that he'd finally be able to experience it for himself.
“That's quite the daily commute. I hope you don't get seasick.” He commented letting his gaze drift off over the lake. It was a really pretty view, and he'd become so accustomed to apparating everywhere that he realized he might be taking other forms of transportation for granted. His face lit up when she mentioned she brought food.
“You know me too well.” He said with laughter in his voice. The more he thought about it, the more grateful he became for the boat ride. From what he knew about the community, they were very involved in each other's lives, so he'd likely be sharing Aria once they'd arrive. Liam was glad they'd at least have a bit of time together before then. “Definitely romantic. Well, shall we?” He asked, climbing as gracefully into the boat as he could given his limited experience.
“M’lady.” He said with a smile and playful bow as he offered her his hand with the intent of helping her in.
“Kind Sir.” Aria replied, talking his hand and stepping down into the boat. As soon as she was in, the rope unwrapped from the dock and the boat set off. “Have a seat.” She commented. The seats had cushioning charms in them to feel more comfortable for the ride.
Aria took a seat beside him and pulled up the basket. “We have fruits, vegetables, homemade bread and muffins and juice.” She advised, opening it for him to take. “All picked from our farms for the festival. I know how much you love cheese, so I asked Mr. Martin if he could use some of his milk to make some for you.” They had a handful of cows that were hand milked and cared for. Aria did not eat or drink dairy, but there were plenty who did. “He will bring it to the festival tonight for you.”
“This is quite the spread.” Liam said with a smile as he grabbed a muffin. He'd started munching on it, and nearly choked even Aria mentioned that she was having cheese made especially for him. He'd been on the chubby side as a child, and always loved food. He'd been lucky though, and grew out of it. As an adult, he'd started working out occasionally just to keep his metabolism up. “You're having cheese made? That's seriously the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I'm so in love with you…” He smiled and leaned over to kiss her cheek.
Aria gave a soft chuckle and scratched his facial hair just beneath his chin, something she had picked up doing to show affection towards him. “I'd do anything to make you happy.” She replied, picking up her tin of grapes to eat.
She hoped he liked her home, but she was keeping herself open to the idea that he may not. “Our community is against one of the mountains do when you look out from it, the lake and wildflower fields are to the west, the farms and greenhouses are to the north with the other mountain behind them, and the forest and the wall are to the east. I know when I talk about it, it probably sounds small, but it sits on lots of land.”
Aria looked up at Liam for a moment to see what he was thinking. She knew it was a lot to take in as it had taken her several years to adjust to a life outside the wall. At least the scenery would be lovely for him if he didn't like anything else.
“I'm actually surprised it's as pretty as it is. I always imagined it being more, deserty. I’m excited to see it, I've been curious about your home since we met.” He continued eating his muffin and looked out over the water in the direction they were headed.
“We’re further north, nearly on the border of the state, so our weather’s a bit more cooler, which helps things grow.” Aria explained. “But we also use weather charms to help maintain things, otherwise, we’d never be able to keep certain foods growing.”
“That makes sense.” He said, a little embarrassed that he hadn’t considered weather charms. Outside of his classes, he did spend a lot of time in the muggle world, so some of the less common magical practices tended to slip past him. Talk about weather charms reminded him of Sonora, which reminded Liam that he had some exciting news to share with her.
“Not to overshadow the festival, but we have another reason to celebrate! I got the Muggle studies position at Sonora, so I'm going to be moving to Arizona within the month. It's not the community, but it's closer!”
This time, Aria’s mouth dropped open in real surprise when he told her he had gotten the job. “Liam, that's wonderful!” She exclaimed, putting the tin down so that she could give him a proper hug and kiss. She loved the idea of him being closer to her, of course, but she was so happy for him to have landed the job in his field. “I'm so happy for you!”
Liam smiled, thankful for Aria's reaction to his news and for the affection. “Thanks! My first real adult job. I just hope I can keep you off my mind while I'm trying to teach. It's going to be weird being back without you, you know?” He couldn't help but feel like this was all too good to be true. Just a few months ago he was a single student who was barely making ends meet while he finished up his degree. Now, everything looked completely different.
“I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully there.” Aria advised. Sonora had been a difficult place for her with tiny bouts of comforts through her relationships with Wendy Canterbury and Jade Owen. She had sought a friendship with James Carey as they had gotten along well when they were young, but as they got older, Aria had the feeling that James only tolerated her out of kindness rather than friendship. She hoped that Liam’s time there would be much more enjoyable than her own. “I just hope that you can still see me on the weekends? It’d be a lonely year otherwise.”
“I hope so!” Liam put his arm around her as she expressed her feelings about continuing to see each other. Thankfully, his schedule wasn't terribly pressing given that Muggle Studies was an elective class. He was considered keeping his side job as well, since class was only two days a week, but Aria was definitely his priority. Plus, no one in Arizona would be familiar with his magician persona, Liam the Magnificent, and he'd have to build from the ground up.
“Of course I will. You might even get to come to school functions with me sometime. We could take reverse aging potions and pretend like I'd never left and actually worked up the guts to ask you out.” He smiled and finished up his muffin, swallowing before he began to talk again. “But let's be honest, puberty was kind to me, so maybe we forgo the potions.”
Aria laughed. “I’d rather forgo them as well.” She admitted. “There’s no reason for you to see how I looked as a teenager.” At the time, Aria wanted to stand out and be noticed. Now, she realized how insecure she had been. She still had her moments of doubt, but being with Liam has taught her to appreciate herself because he already did.
“I always thought you were pretty.” He commented as he looked back at her. Seeing her in this setting kind of felt like seeing new parts of her, which he enjoyed.
“You are far too sweet to me, Liam.” Aria replied with affection. “One of the many reasons why I love you so.”
“I can't help it, it's in my nature.” He said with a smile as he pulled her closer to him. He was enjoying the boat ride, and being able to spend time alone with her before they arrived at the community. “So, about how much time do you think we have left?” He asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
Aria gave a sly smile in return of his eyebrow. She pulled her wand out of the pocket of her sundress and tapped the boat exactly three times, signaling it to stop. “As much time as we wish.” She replied.
*****
Aria tied the boat to the dock after she exited it and turned to Liam, “Here we go now.” She said with an excited grin. “We have to walk the path through the fields before we get to the community, which is about a couple miles or so up the way. Is that alright?”
He stepped out of the boat carefully and onto the deck. “I now can truly appreciate all the effort you put into visiting me.” He said with a smile. “I didn't realize you had to travel so far just to leave the community. I should have brought better shoes!” Liam had consulted his sisters when in came to apparel for his visit. He assumed that the people of the community would tend to dress a little earthier than he normally did. Kind of like Aria. He'd decided on his trusty khaki cargo shorts, sandals, and a light blue button down shirt.
“I'm only kidding.” He said quickly to clarify, the last thing he wanted was for Aria to misinterpret his joke and feel bad. “Of course it's alright. Lead the way!”
“Oh, I probably should have told you before hand, I’m sorry.” Aria said. She hadn’t really considered the amount of walking or time it took to get to the community. It was just a daily route for her and running from the community to the lake had been a regular thing for her since she was a child. “Most people ride brooms to the lake to save time. The next time you visit, I’ll make sure to bring some to save us time.” Aria said firmly. “Anyway, at least we get some more time to ourselves while we walk.” She stated, looking up at him with a smile as she entwined her fingers with his.
“It's really not a big deal.” He said, giving her hand a squeeze. “I'm happy for the extra time with you, and I never really got the hang of broom flying.” He admitted. “There was something about it that just seemed, funny. Muggles have a campy, green skinned idea of what witches are like, and they ride broomsticks, and that was a stereotype I wanted to defy. Plus, I couldn't hold your hand from a broom.” Liam lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Also, this way I get all my steps in.”
“Oh.” Aria said, making a face as he depicted what Witches looked like in the Muggle world. “What a strange way of viewing Magical women.” She said after a moment. Aria wondered if Muggles depicted all females in ugly ways. Her train of thought ended though when he kissed her hand and brought her back to the conversation and making her smile warmly.
“Not to make excuses, but they don't know any better. In stories and film they're always portrayed in a weird, spooky light. So, what's the plan once we get there? Is the festival happening right now, or do we have time to meet your parent's first?” He quickly changed the subject, hoping to get away from cartoon witches.
“Preparations are still being completed.” Aria told him. “So, we’ll have some time to see the town and meet my parents. The festival starts at sundown and will continue into tomorrow. With a break for sleeping, of course.” Aria added, so not to make him think they celebrated all night. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to put you to work for a little bit to help with the preparations. Nothing laboring, of course, but you might like getting involved?” She hoped anyway. Aria couldn’t enjoy the festival knowing she hadn’t put in any effort to help. “Or, you can watch me help if you do not wish to. I do not want to make you feel obligated to help. It’s just how my community is. We all pitch in.”
“Oh good. That'll be nice. Not that I'm against being tossed into chaos right away, but I would like the chance to meet them first.” He paused for a moment, considering whether or not he should feign offense at being asked to help with festival prep. He couldn't even imagine what people would think about him if he just sat back and watched Aria do all the work.
“I don't mind at all, I'm happy to help. My mother would kill me if I didn't.” He really hadn't thought about it, because he'd been so wrapped up in the newness of their relationship, but at some point, he'd want her to meet his family too. “She’d like you. My sister's already do. I know this is kind of far off still, but, I'd like you to meet my family too at some point, and I thought it might be kind of fun if we went up for Christmas.” He looked to her for a reaction, a little anxiously. He'd only ever brought one other woman home, plus Christmas was kind of a family oriented time for people. Since Aria didn't celebrate the holiday though, he hoped there wouldn't be a schedule conflict. Plus, it might be interesting for her to experience an Ammon-Wilson Christmas.
Aria was relieved to hear that Liam didn't mind helping because she felt that he would then be more open to it all and that would definitely help with whether or not he would enjoy the festivities or not. Aria glanced up at him when he brought up taking her up to meet his family for his holiday. There was no doubt in her mind that she would meet his family. The way they were connected, she believed fully that their love relationship would be her one and only truth.
“That sounds lovely.” Aria said, swinging their enclosed hands while they walked. “Would there be anything that I would have to do to prepare? I have never been to a Christmas gathering before. What do you do?” She asked curiously even though there was plenty of time between then and now to research the subject.
Liam felt both relieved and thrilled when Aria accepted his invitation. He’d already talked to his mother about it, and it would have been awkward to have to change the plans. Plus, this way, he got to have the best of both worlds. He considered her answer for a moment before replying.
“As far as preparing goes, we’ll have to get you a horribly tacky Christmas sweater, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Other than that, we get to show up, eat a lot of food, listen to Christmas music, exchange presents, and there is this tradition called mistletoe that you might like. We have a big family, and it’s a little chaotic, but it’s usually pretty fun. You’ll get to experience life as a muggle. Oh! And Mom knows you’re a vegan, so that won’t be an issue. Ramona is presently a vegetarian, so you won’t have to feel out of place or anything. Everyone will love you.” Liam realized he’d been rambling a little bit, and he couldn’t help but laugh at himself. “Can you tell I’m excited?”
She wanted to ask him what a Christmas sweater was and why it had to be tacky, but since he said they would handle that later, she figured any questions she had would be answered then. “Oh, I remember we spoke about Christmas songs before!” Aria said excitedly. “They are similar to Yule songs that we sing.” At least, that’s what she remembered, but perhaps she was remembering incorrectly. She laughed when he admitted how excited he was about it despite it being months away. “It’s alright, it sounds quite fun! And you’ll have to come to our Yule Lore Festival, it’s a couple of days before your Christmas holiday, so it shouldn’t interfere at all.” Aria said as she walked.
“That's right.” Liam smiled, recalling the conversation about their celebrations from their second year. “Well, "I'm not sure how similar, actually. Muggles have….Christmas lore, I'll have to fill you in on too.” He laughed as he tried to imagine how he was going to explain Santa, Frosty, and Rudolph to Aria. “It will be! If we do both celebrations, that’ll mean a lot of time together. That's the best present I could ask for.”
“of course we should spent the festivities together. I would spend every day with you if I could.” She added, feeling the need to say that to him.
She could see the buildings of her town coming into view. The path would take them right into the main street of town. “We’re almost there!” She pointed. “Those houses are the community houses. That’s where single individuals who do not wish to live alone, live in group homes together. That’ll lead us right into town. I live on the other side where the single individual homes are. Families live towards the mountain.” Aside from the peculiar housing arrangements, the town itself looked remarkably like other towns. Businesses lined the streets and there was a large park directly in the center where the festivals were held. They had no actual roads, just widened dirt paths that lead through the town and off into either the farms, the fields, or the forest. The only odd building that other towns might not have was the Hall, which was where the community gathered together to eat, tell stories, or had meetings. As they neared the town, voices filled the air and the bustle of the preparations could be heard. “Are you ready?” She asked, looking up at him, wanting to give him time if he needed it.
The community really didn't look anything like what Liam had pictured. It seemed, for all intents and purposes, pretty normal. As they drew closer, he started to feel a weird mixture of embarrassment for the way he'd imagined it, and relief.
He had never considered Aria to be weird. She was interesting, and different, but never weird. Somehow, when he thought about where she lived (and likely because they always seemed to be very in touch with nature and the like) he imagined the houses being similar to those of the communes from the 1960’s. Instead of stores, he was expecting tents and stalls similar to those seen in public markets. This realization made him feel a bad for making assumptions and being ignorant to how Aria actually lived.
He was glad that the community wasn't how he imagined it because over the past few months, and how strongly connected he felt to Aria, he'd been thinking a lot about the future. Their future. He wasn't about to rush into anything, but he knew that Aria loved her community, and was training to replace her mother at some point at as a healer. He couldn't very well ask her to leave that, so knowing her community was a place where he thought he might be comfortable was a relief.
He found it interesting that the housing was separated like it was, but it wasn't all that different from what he was used to.
“Ready.” He said with a smile. Aria squeezed his hand and walked with him as they entered the community.
There were people everywhere preparing for the festival by decorating their yards or the path. A handful of people paused when they realized Liam was a new face, but most simply smiled and waved or welcomed him cheerfully. As they neared the center of town where the main festival, a tall woman with long brown hair, equally brown eyes, and beautifully bronzed skin made her way towards them. There was only the smallest hint of a baby bump beneath her dress despite being nearly six months along. She broke out into a smile as she neared them, “Aria, your mother is looking for you on the orchard.”
“Alright, we'll head that way soon.” Aria replied and the gestured to Liam. “Luna, this is my Companion, Liam. Liam, this is my friend, Luna.”
“I have been wanting to meet you for a long time.” Luna said, when she spoke, it sounded as though she were about to laugh at something funny, full of merry. “Aria has been talking about you for years.”
Of course Luna would be the first person they'd run into. Liam didn't quite know how he felt towards the other woman, and he'd hoped to meet Aria's parents first, but here they were. He knew who Luna had been in Aria's life, and he was a little jealous of her. She'd been her first, and had been able to give Aria things he never could, and it just didn't quite sit well with him. Liam wasn't the kind to make drama though, and it was clear that regardless of their past, Luna still was important to Aria, and he'd have to get over it somehow. Plus, Aria had chosen him, and it's not like he thought she and Luna were going to run off together.
“Hopefully it's mostly been good stuff.” He said with a sincere smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Luna, I've heard a lot about you too.” He couldn't quite tell if the laughter in her voice was because she was just happy, or if she was just amused by the idea of Aria being with someone like him. He hoped it was the former and that he was being ridiculous, but either way, he needed to not let it get to him. The last thing he wanted was to make this awkward for Aria.
“She only ever talks about the sweet things.” Luna replied. “You have made her very happy. I'll let you two go now. Please enjoy the festival.” Luna clasped her hands and bowed her head, Aria following suit, before walking off in another direction.
“We should go to the orchard and help out. I'm sure they are wondering what our delay is.” Aria knew what the delay was since they spent some quality time in the boat, but she didn't feel the need to say so. “This way!” She exclaimed, tugging on his hand and grinning at him. She couldn't help but feel excited with all the bodies moving around her.
Luna’s words made Liam feel more at ease. It was a short, pain free exchange and he was happy when Aria directed him towards the orchards. He could tell she was happy, and if he had any part in it, that was enough for him. He was definitely starting to feel the energy of the community and smiled as Aria lead him through the crowds.
She walked him through the town, pointing at some of the buildings and explaining what they were, like the medical center and the art building. But soon they chose a path that took them away from town and past some greenhouses. “Those are we were grow specific foods or ingredients that need special attention.” She explained. And then they were in the orchard. They were people carrying or levitating baskets full of apples, most were chatting merrily to one another, and others were singing. There were even children dancing around.
“Aria! Liam!” A deep voice called out. Aria turned to see her father waving to them. He was a tall, skinny man, with wire-rimmed glasses and dark brown hair that curled around his ears like a man who had delayed a haircut for too long. His small eyes were grey and squinted from his easy smile.
As she and Liam approached, Kai held out his hand for Liam and greeted him as if they were old friends, “It's good to see you, Liam, I hope the preparations aren't too hectic for you.”
“Nice to see you too, Mr. Yale.” Liam said shaking Aria’s father's hand firmly, but not too firmly. He'd opened his mouth to answer his the second part of his statement when his attention was diverted.
“Come, come.” Ember interrupted, gently nudging her husband aside and pulling Liam into a tight hug. To say that Aria looked like her mother would be an understatement. They shared the same wild blonde curls, light blue eyes, and wide smile. Aria was, by all accounts, her mother's daughter. “Grab a basket and let's have at it.” Ember stated, showing Liam to a tree and indicating how to properly pick an apple using his wand.
“Aria never told me she had an older sister.” He managed as he hugged Ember, who laughed in delight at the compliment, and was quickly drawn away to begin helping with the preparations. He'd expected to be able to sit and chat with Aria's family after their journey, but he supposed that would happen during the festival. He removed his wand from his pocket and did as he was instructed. He only dropped an apple or two when he shifted his attention to see what Aria was doing.
As Liam was whisked off, Aria sent an apologetic look his way, before following and finding a tree nearby with her father. She preferred to use her hands and quickly began to fill her basket with the delicious red fruit. She sent smiles Liam’s way and both her parents chatted merrily around them. “Alright Loves, this should do it.” Her father stated; kissing both girls on the heads and walking with his wife back towards town, their filled baskets floating behind. Others began to follow after them.
“They take some to be made into bread, pies, sauce, or cider and whatnot.” Aria explained. “Not to be done today, of course, those apples were picked throughout the week to be prepped before the festival.” Aria added. She held out an apple for him. “Would you like a bite after all of your hard work?”
“Thank goodness, because I'm not the best baker. I can do macaroni and cheese and that's about the summit of my culinary prowess.” Liam said with a smile as he slipped his arm around her as they walked. He leaned over and took a bite of the apple. Once he finished swallowing, he looked at her with surprised. “That was easily the best apple I've ever tasted. Now I'm even more excited for the festival.”
Aria laughed, “We wouldn't be the one baking them. The bakers and pastry chefs would do that.” She explained. Everyone was good at something and those who enjoyed the culinary arts were able to display their talents at festivals. “I learned some baking when I was in the baking club back at Sonora, but I haven't done it since.” She admitted, walking slowly back up to the center with Liam. “The festival will start soon, so I'll take you back to my place to rest before we head back in.” Aria advised. “My parents will probably want to pull you into everything, I hope that's alright.”
Liam felt a little sheepish. Of course there were people who specialized in baking. Everyone pitched in, but they didn't have to be a part of everything.
“That makes sense! I didn't even know Sonora had a baking club.” He admitted. Though he wasn't surprised, there were all sorts of things about Sonora that he didn't know about our participate in. He couldn't help but smile at the mention of taking him to her home.
“Back to your place, huh?” Liam said with a wink. Normally he might have tried to take advantage of the situation, but having a bit of down time before the festivities was likely a good idea. “That's fine, I mean, as long as I get to be with you, I'm down for anything. I like your parents so far, by the way.”
“Yes,” Aria said with a laugh, “But just to rest.” She reiterated, although she wasn't sure if she would keep herself to that resolve knowing how easily the two of them gave in to their desires, the boat being an example of that. “I would never abandon you.” She told him firmly, wrapping her arms around his torso. “My parents are excited to have you so they want to make sure you are having a good time. I'm glad you like them though.”
Liam laughed and put his index and middle fingers to his temple in the style of the Boy Scouts of America salute. “Just to rest. You have my word.” He had never actually been a boy scout though, so he wasn't sure if he had to actually uphold his oath, but he'd try to. Plus, he had a feeling that Aria wouldn't quite get the reference, but he made it anyway.
“I would hope not.” He said, kissing the top of her head. “I am having a good time, for sure. And I imagine it'll only get better as the evening progresses.”
Aria walked with him back up to town but instead of heading to the center, she turned away and headed towards the forest. Her house was very tiny with a quaint well maintained garden in the front, giving the otherwise plain looking front a splash of color. “I have only been here for a few months and haven't had much time to make it look nice.” Aria explained as she opened the door.
The door opened into an open area that was the living room. To the right was a small hallway that led to the bathroom and bedroom. To the far left was the open kitchen and dining room. It was simple and small but plenty of space for one person. The decor was where Aria’s personality shined through. She had several paintings on the wall that her father had done. The largest was over the fireplace and was of the wild horses that roamed in the flower fields. Another was of the lake and that was on the wall directly across from the door. Bookshelves lined on wall that were filled with all sorts of books and trinkets that she enjoyed. On the mantel stood picture frames that she had made from either ceramic or wood. One was of her parents, one was of her and Luna, and the other two were of her and Liam (one was a duplicate that he had and the other a more recent one on one of their adventures). The furniture was handmade and the sofa was probably one of the most comfortable pieces she had ever sat in. “Welcome to my home.” She said with a smile.
“What are you talking about?” Liam asked as he looked around Aria's little house. “I think it looks great! It's cozy and cute. I like your art. And…” Liam crossed the room to the mantel to get a better look at her pictures. “Who is this strapping young lad?” He asked pointing to himself in their Halloween picture with a grin. “I must admit, we are pretty adorable together.”
Aria relaxed at his compliment. She had been a bit worried that he wouldn't think much about her home. This was just a temporary house as she one day hoped to marry and have a family which would move her to one of the family homes. She laughed at his comment regarding himself and walked over to where he was standing, “Yes, our spirits were meant for one another.” Aria commented.
“I like that way of looking at it. Obviously we are physically attracted to each other, but there's definitely something more. Like fate drew us together initially, and against all odds we reunited years later, because some things are just meant to be.” Liam liked that he didn't feel like he had to censor himself around Aria. Maybe that was another part of their connection. He'd always had a big heart, and somehow it'd always been easy to share his feelings with her. He couldn't imagine saying something like that to any other girl he'd been dating for just a few months, but that was part of what made their relationship so special.
“That sounds like a movie pitch.” He added with a grin. “I'd watch it.”
Aria giggled. “It does.” Some of the weekends that she stayed with him, they watched movies on his black board. Aria enjoyed them even if some of the jokes weren't ones she understood. Thankfully, Liam never seemed upset whenever he had to explain something to her. But more so than that, Aria was happy to hear that he felt the same way about their fate as she did.
Aria threw the finished apple into a bin, she would take it to the compost later. “My father did the paintings and I did all the frames. They were projects that we did together.” She explained. Aria loved being able to her share crafts with her father especially since she worked with her mother. “How would you like to relax? We can play a board game, read, talk, or if you'd rather just snuggle, we can do that too.” Aria wanted to let him decide on the best way for him to relax before going back out to the chaos.
“I guess I didn't realize you were so crafty! Grass dolls aside, of course. Aria Yale, you never cease to amaze me.” Liam considered his options for a moment. “Snuggle, of course. But don't go getting too handsy, lady, I'm not that kind of guy.” He added with a smile. He'd considered asking to see her bedroom, but he didn't want to get too comfortable. Instead he settled himself on her couch, resting one arm along the back. It definitely rivaled his couch in comfort.
“I learned how to make things or the last few years in order to spend time with him. But I also wanted to give gifts to people that were more useful than a grass doll.” She replied with a grin.
“Nothing wrong with that. It's great that you get to spend time with both your parents. I used to help dad change the oil on the van. I use the term ‘help' loosely because there really wasn't much I could do at eight, but it was still fun. It's too bad it's ended up being a skill that's completely irrelevant to my life now, but maybe I could work at a Jiffy Jube, a place that does oil changes for cars, if the teaching thing doesn't work out.” He teased.
Aria stared at him blankly for a moment, “I have no idea what you just said to me.” Aria admitted. “But I'm glad you have wonderful memories of working with your father.” She added.
Liam considered whether to explain it all, but it wasn't super necessary because she understood the heart of what he was trying to say. “So, someone here really made this? You guys must sell these, right? This couch is awesome. I might skip the festival, actually, and just sit here. That's ok, right?”
Aria slipped her sandals off and plopped on the couch so close to Liam that she might as well be in his lap as she did not know personal space with him. “They do sell them in the city across the lake.” Aria explained. Most vendors sold their crafts. “But they give their items freely to those moving into their own home.” Aria snuggled into his side, “Are you sure you aren't that kind of guy?” She asked suggestively.
“That's really cool that they do that, give them to people in the community moving into new homes. I see why you like it here. It's all about the free furniture and comfy couches.” Liam smiled and wrapped his arms around her.
“Of course they do and that's exactly why we love here.” Aria joked. “Who could blame us, just feel this cushion.” She giggled at herself. But in truth, that was what they did. People didn't pay for the products that were created in the community or for the services. Aria would be paid through the community pot every month just like her mother.
He couldn't help but laugh at her comment. Again, she knew him too well. He gasped in mock surprise. “What do you take me for, Miss Yale? A harlot?!” He laughed and kissed her on the forehead. “No, you're right, I am that kind of guy. It's not entirely my fault though. I blame that dress of yours. And your face.”
“Oh, this dress?” She asked, smoothing out the dress to see it fully. “And this face?” She asked, resting her head on his shoulder and giving him an innocent look. She pulled herself up and gently brushed her lips to his. The kiss was just a distraction though because her hands ran up his side in an attempt to tickle him.
“Y-yes!” He laughed, as he attempted to protect himself from Aria’s fingers. “Don’t start a fight you won’t be able to win!” Liam said breathlessly as he tried for her sides as well. “I’m bigger than you, and I am not afraid to pin you down if necessary.” He hadn't intended for his comment to come off as suggestive, but he made no attempts to clarify his meaning either. He was slowly learning to take things as they came, be it an innocent tickle war, or running a little late to the festival due to….reasons.
Aria started laughing under the pressure of his fingers as he attempted to tickle her. “Oh, are you challenging me?” she asked him. She was well aware that he would win against her in terms of strength so any challenge would have her at a loss, but she could not help but put in a good fight. Besides, it was fun and Aria loved how much he was willing to just have fun with it. She tried a little harder this time to reach more spots that were likely to be ticklish as well as wiggle out of the way of his hands to prevent him from being able to tickle her. “I believe I can win.” She said with a hint of mischievous in her voice and smile.
“The gauntlet has been thrown!” He said with a mischievous glint in his icy blue eyes. He was curious as to how she thought she could possibly win, but he was too busy attempting to find the spot that would make Aria yield to focus on it. “You should know, I've won the tickle championship like 8 years in a row.” He managed as he tried to squeeze just above her knee, that was a spot that toppled Lexi, and he figured it was worth a try.
She managed a breathless “Oh?” from her laughter as he proclaimed he had been the champion for eight years. She was sure he was exaggerating such a thing but sometimes Aria wasn't sure what went on outside the wall of her community. Maybe there was such a thing?
Aria let out a loud squeal and jumped as he squeezed her knee. It was both painful and extremely ticklish that she didn't know how else to respond to the touch other than attempt to squirm away. Aria reach down and lightly squeezed Liam’s inner thigh, an area of sensitivity that was usually ticklish. “Your big hands are cheating” She cried out between fits of laughter.
“I-I'm cheating?! Your tiny little...lady...fingers are cheating.” He laughed. When she journeyed to his inner thigh, it was almost more than he could stand. He bit down on his lip, trying to refocus in his own tickle assault, but he was failing.
“Ok, ok! I give up!” He said breathlessly, forfeiting the match and attempting to free himself of Aria's clutches. “The inner thigh….that's just evil.” He said with a grin as he leaned in to kiss her. “I'll give you this battle, but you, my dear, have not won the war.”
Aria laughed, releasing him and kissing him back instead. “What is my prize for winning?” She teased, looking up at him expectantly.
“Hmm...let's see…” Liam scrunched up his face and thought for a moment before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a handful of random stuff and sifted through it. “Looks like two knuts, a piece of spearmint gum, a button to…..something, and my heart. How does that sound?”
“What a wonderful prize.” Aria said, placing her hand on his chest, over his heart. She could feel it beat beneath his shirt. “I love this prize most of all.” She commented, smiling up at him. Aria reached up and scratched his facial hair, running her fingers over the scruff and enjoying the sensation of it. “You know, it’ll be alright if we’re a little late for the festival…”
There was something about when Aria scratched his chin that just melted him. Liam placed his hand gently on the side of her face, tilting it up slightly so that his lips could find hers easily. “I love you.” He said with a smile before kissing her passionately. He returned the contents of his other hand to his pocket so that he could that he could place it on Aria’s knee. “Yeah, I’m good with being late. That way we can make a grand entry. Want to show me your room?” He asked with the raise of an eyebrow.