we could stay in this moment for the rest of our lives

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

Chuckling at Soh's dejected reaction, Zavien felt more than a little smug with his successful guess. It was apparent that he knew her about as well as he thought. His eyes gleamed, still teasing as he pursing his lips around a smile. "Don't sound so upset. I'll be the perfect date partner." He blinked innocently before leaning back to take another sip of his milkshake. 

With the torch passed to him, Zavien considered what he didn't know about her yet. "Mm. What's your favorite Longheat activity?" As someone who currently resided in Torchline, he wouldn't be surprised to know it's a beach trip, but they'd spent plenty of time eating ice cream and he'd seen her at Colt's rodeo, so he knew it could easily be something else.

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

Laughing in spite of herself, Soh loosened her posture and leaned back towards her boyfriend. "Oh, I'm sure you will be," she agreed, her gaze affectionate. "You always are."

Her favorite Longheat activity was far more challenging to determine than her favorite color. "Oooo, that's a good question." It would certainly make sense for her favorite thing to do during the summer to be something beach- or water-related, given where she'd ended up, but her choice of home at the moment had far more to do with who lived there than what she could get into. "I mean, there are all the usual Longheat things: it's a great time to go to the beach, get some sun - although I exclusively seem to burn, can't tan to save my life - go swimming, all of that. But those aren't my favorite."

She paused, thinking. The most obvious answer was traveling, but she could do that year-round. But there was something specific that she seemed to like the most during Longheat. "I enjoy camping. Especially when the weather's nice, and you don't have to bring a tent or anything. Just laying out under the stars. Longheat's the best season for it, except for maybe in Hak Etme or the Feverlands."

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

Taking the compliment, Zavien gave her a playful wink and listened closely to her answer. He laughed as she mentioned burning, looking to his own golden skin. It wasn't uncommon for him to spend hours shirtless in the sun. He didn't remember the last time he'd gotten a sunburn. 

But then she gave an answer he wasn't expecting, and Zavien widened his eyes. "Camping, huh? Where's your favorite place to camp?" He knew the Oerwoud held a special place in her heart, but he found it hard to believe she'd camp out there without a tent to protect her. The Greatwood seemed like another good option, but he didn't know if the trees blocking the stars would play a factor in her decision.

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

Soh followed Zavien's gaze as it flicked to his golden tan and grinned. They were definitely very different in that regard. It didn't seem to matter how much time she spent outside, whether it was while traveling, while lounging at the Wildering House pool, or while strolling down the beach. A tan on her still looked ghost-like, and it was far more likely for her to turn lobster red, especially in Longheat. She'd long since learned to wear sunscreen religiously.

Zavien's eyes widened at her answer, and her lips quirked as she realized she'd surprised him. "Actually, Meadowreach," she said. "Open to the sky, relatively few predators or other threats to worry about, quiet and peaceful." She ticked off each point on her fingers. "And close enough to civilization that just in case I did find trouble, I could probably shift and find help. Although, barring that last point, the Greenwing in Halo is actually really nice in Longheat, too."

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

Meadowreach was a good choice. Zavien was annoyed he hadn't thought of that after their night beneath the stars. It had been nice - peaceful - and he could imagine it was only better when the weather was warmer and there wasn't any risk of shrieking precipitation to interrupt them. 

His smile turned genuine, shifting forward to put his elbows on the table again. "Then we'll have to plan a camping trip sometime. Just the two of us." Unless she preferred to be alone on her camping trips. He wouldn't intrude on her personal time. 

Following on the back of his last question, his head tilting. "What about Deepfrost?" He shook his head, cutting himself off before she had an answer. "Actually, scratch that. What's your favorite season?" They could get to Deepfrost activities after.

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

While Soh had made various friends on her travels, it was rare that she had someone join her on her various trips. More often than not, she simply ran into people by chance. Certainly it was exceedingly uncommon for someone to join her on a camping trip, but that didn't mean she wouldn't welcome Zavien along. "I'd love that," she said, voice soft and happy, like he'd surprised her by his willingness to join her. He just kept proving, over and over, how much he loved her and wanted to be around her - and it was welcome, considering she didn't want to overwhelm him by wanting to be with him all the time.

But as Zavien asked a new question - or two new questions, if she was keeping count, which she absolutely was - Soh shook her head, laughing. "Okay, wait, but what about your favorite Longheat activity?" she wanted to know. Wrinkling her nose at him playfully, she added, "You're skipping ahead." And what was their game if they weren't willing to follow the rules that she was making up as they went along?

But then she softened. "Flowerbirth is my favorite," she said. "All the new life - it's like, new opportunities, you know? Plus, blue might be my favorite color, but the green of all that new growth is pretty great, too. Oh, and the flowers!" She laughed, shaking her head at her own enthusiasm. "And before you ask, I'm not sure I have a specific activity that's my favorite. I just like to be outside, doing pretty much anything. Except for gardening - I do not have a green thumb, for all that I like to look at pretty plants."

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

With trips on the horizon, Zavien laughed when Soh called him out for 'skipping ahead.' He hadn't been aware they were taking turns, but he supposed it was only fair, and he grinned before giving his own quick answer, barely thinking when he said, "I like sparring. The Dragoons used to take trips, like training missions. They were fun." They'd spend hours in the sun, dedicating themselves completely to getting stronger, faster, and more skilled. It had been a great bonding experience, one he'd miss now that they wouldn't see each other as often. He tried not to be sad about it, focusing on Soh's next answer. 

Her enthusiasm was infectious, his smile brightening as she spoke so passionately about Flowerbirth. He wasn't one for flowers himself, he could only name them by color, and he shook his head, as he laughed and openly admitted, "I'm not good with plants either." Despite all his time with Lena, he hadn't picked up any of her nurturing skills. It was something he was sure Soh could have guessed, but at least it was a weakness they shared (along with cooking).

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

Soh remembered the Dragoon training missions, having authorized a few of them herself when she was Stormbreak's Heart. She'd never accompanied them on one, though, which had seemed prudent at the time, when she'd had so little free time to spare. Now she had to wonder if she was missing out - although she'd most certainly have failed horrendously, given her own lack of training. "I am admittedly no Dragoon," she said, "But I'd be happy to spar with you sometime, if you wanted." Gods knew she could use the practice, and she'd never turn down an opportunity to learn more about self-defense.

Zavien's admission that he was no good with plants brought a smile to Soh's face; it was something else they had in common. "We'll have to hire a gardener, one day," she joked without thinking twice. It was seemingly the only way they'd manage to have anything other than just grass in their hypothetical future yard. "Okay, so what's your favorite season? Is it Longheat?" she guessed, purely from how much time it appeared he spent outside, if his tan was anything to go by.

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

Zavien smiled at the offer, pretending to be conflicted about the decision. "Hmm. I don't know. My current sparring partners are hard to beat. You saw how fierce they are." The children were some of his only training partners recently, and although they were small, he rather liked their energy and determination. The giggles made it all the more enjoyable. 

Unbothered by the future plans Soh seemed to be making, Zavien let out another laugh, shrugging his shoulders. "Or just live in a rock garden." It wouldn't be nearly as pretty, but that had never bothered him. 

He nodded at her own question, confirming her guess as he took the last slurping sip of his milkshake. "Mhm. It's always sunny, and there are plenty of things to do. It's hard to hate Longheat." A grin spread across his face, thinking of all the fun people had during the hotter season. From swimming to vacations and barbecues, he could find few things people didn't like doing in Longheat. 

Setting aside his empty glass, Zavien asked, "When's your birthday?"

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

"Oh, definitely. Sparring with me would be a walk in the park for you, after that." Soh tried not to smile and lost the battle, even if sparring her likely would be easy for Zavien. Unless, of course, she used her shifts. That might even the playing field a little bit - that is, if she could get past loving him too much to want to hurt him, or even go up against him in a spar.

She was pleased when her guess was accurate, and she could certainly understand his love of Longheat. It might not quite be enough of an argument to coax her away from Flowerbirth, but she could definitely agree with his assessment of summer. "So is Deepfrost your least favorite?" she asked, curious in spite of her self-imposed rule to take turns asking questions.

As for her birthday, Soh shrugged, nonchalant as she said, "End of Leafchange. You?" Yes, her birthday was coming up. No, she didn't care. Birthdays had never been a big deal for her, so she hardly ever did much to celebrate.

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

His smile continued, playful and bright. "Not if you use that jaguar shift. I doubt I'd stand a chance." It would be equally as difficult for him to fight her, but as long as she kept the claws sheathed, he figured his healing ring would fix any scrapes and bruises they managed to earn in the process. It might even be a bit cathartic for them, a dance more than a fight. 

With Longheat as his favorite, he guessed it was only logical to assume Deepfrost was at the bottom, and he gave a small laugh. "Kind of. The cold isn't great, but LongNight..." The smile faded a little. It had been the season he died, the season Lena died, and the lack of sunlight... Before, it had just been a period of restlessness, a time when he'd have to widen his smile and push through for the two weeks. But this time... Zavien didn't know what it would look like for him. 

Preferring not to think on that, he pasted on another smile to answer her returned question. "Beginning of Flowerbirth - " Her own birthday registered and Zavien sat up straighter. "Wait! Does that mean your birthday is coming up?!" His face scrunched, concentration taking over as he muttered, "Now I'm going to have to plan something..."

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

Shaking her head, Soh laughed. ”I’m sure you’d come up with something,” she argued. He was a Dragoon, after all, one of the best. He was the ex-Commander of Stormbreak. He was the Risen Sun. If anyone could figure out how to best a tide jaguar, he could.

Her next question slipped from her lips without thought, and she winced as it landed harder than intended. Of course he wouldn’t care for LongNight, not after Lena’s death. ”I don’t like it, either.” From when she was a child, and monsters stalked the frigid darkness, and she’d been kept inside for two weeks for fear of what might lurk beyond the front door. Reaching out a hand, she offered it to Zavien to hold, if he wanted the physical comfort before the conversation shifted once more.

Soh made a mental note of Zavien’s birthday, already running through ideas of what she could do to surprise him, when he seemed to realize that hers was soon. ”Well, yes, but it’s not a big deal,” she assured him, looking confused. ”It’s just another day.” Certainly not worth worrying about, or doing anything particularly special for.

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia

I would rather
share one lifetime with you

Soh continued to argue and Zavien gave her a playful grin. "I guess we'll have to find out." Even if it didn't become a frequent occurrence, he didn't find it wildly unlikely that they would train together at some point. In fact, he looked forward to the opportunity to see how she moved.

The mood turned dark as the topic of LongNight arose. He took the offered hand, squeezing it gently as he gave her a somber smile. It was hard to keep the mood light when he was suddenly anxious for the coming season, worried for how he might react and how it might affect Soh. The necklace would certainly help reassure him, but that alone would be enough. Perhaps it was a conversation they'd have to tackle later.

He didn't want to think about it right now. The rare bit of sunlight was out and there was laughter chiming around them. LongNight was a long way off - but Soh's birthday wasn't. Narrowing his eyes, Zavien tilted his head. "Does that mean you don't celebrate?" Considering what he'd heard of Flora's birthday parties, it surprised him that she'd never had a similar celebration.

than face all the ages
of this world alone.

Zavien

I wanna break every clock
The hands of time could never move again

The easiest solution Soh could see for Deepfrost - and specifically LongNight - would be for her to just stay close to Zavien during that time. Of course, there was always the possibility that he would wish to mourn Lena in solitude, which she would understand. But this didn't seem to be the time or the place to discuss it further, and the mood quickly lifted as talk shifted to her birthday.

"I don't usually," she said, shrugging, as though to say this is just how it is. "I guess my parents probably did more, but I got used to, like, a card and a cupcake from Auden, and I didn't have many friends growing up to celebrate with. Then I left home, and I think I can probably count on one hand the number of people who even know when my birthday is, these days." She said it so matter-of-fact that it was clear that this didn't really bother her, even if there was a tiny part of her that wondered what it would be like to be celebrated the way someone like Flora was.

But Soh had never been one to be the center of attention, and even if she did celebrate her birthday, she wasn't sure that a big party would be her style. Maybe it would be nice for her birthday to be remembered, though - and somehow she knew that Zavien wouldn't let her forget.

We could stay in this moment
For the rest of our lives

Sohalia