I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings
Flora winces at the thundering nooo0000000o! echoing up the stairwell, the kind of sound that makes her shoulders rise toward her ears because nothing about it is reassuring in the slightest. Spice is already dispatched and enforcing quality control with the severity of a sentient measuring cup, so there is genuinely nothing else she can do except trust that Kaisel will not set the kitchenette on fire, drown himself in cream, or topple overboard in a marshmallow avalanche on his way up. All three remain very real possibilities, however.
The wheel hums under her palms as she keeps the Sugartide steady, and when his footsteps finally appear on the stairs she glances over, then immediately decides not to be a menace. Just one flick of the wheel would be enough to lurch the whole deck and send him swaying like a drunk deckhand, but the mugs in his hands look like art. Architectural marvels. Engineering feats. Entire dissertations in cocoa, so she behaves. For now.
Her grin brightens as he reaches her, and when he lifts that whipped-cream-laden finger with mischief in his eyes she lunges gently upward, catching his wrist in both mittened hands before it can reach her nose, turning his hand toward her mouth instead. The cream melts sweet and perfect on her tongue as she steals it right off his fingertip, her gaze wicked with triumph. His lips land at her neck in the next breath, warm and absurdly playful, and she dissolves into giggles that tumble like coins across the deck, teeth catching her lower lip as she tries to assert even a little dignity while his raspberry vibrates delight straight down her spine.
"Spice—close the purse!" she calls between giggles. The little dragon perks up, wings fluttering as she hops to the seashell-shaped bag hanging from its hook near the mast. One dainty nudge of the clasp and the enchanted wind inside cuts off; the Sugartide gives a soft, suspended shiver and settles obediently into stillness, floating in the icy air as if someone hit pause on the world.
Freed from the necessity of steering, Flora lets go of Kaisel’s wrist at last and reaches for her hot chocolate, tugging off one mitten with her teeth. It is even more obscene up close with mountains of whipped cream, fudge drizzles, a small blizzard of sprinkles. She dips her candy cane into the molten richness and gives it a languid stir, then lifts it to find it already half dissolved. A delighted sound escapes her as she pops it fully into her drink and then licks the peppermint sweetness from her fingers, one swipe at a time. "Mmmm," she hums indulgently, eyes pressing briefly closed to savour the tangy sweet flavour.
Glancing back to Kaisel, her aqua eyes brighten the way stars catch fire when the night finally drops, excitement pushing colour into her cheeks that has nothing to do with the cold as the Sugartide floats silent around them, the world held in that perfect breath between sunset and deep night. Flora leans in a little, unable to hide the fizzing joy sparking under her ribs. "I know we’re up here to see the auroras," she says, voice low and bubbling with anticipation, "and we will. But..." Her grin stretches, wild and secret and unbearably pleased with herself. "...I also have a surprise."
The wheel hums under her palms as she keeps the Sugartide steady, and when his footsteps finally appear on the stairs she glances over, then immediately decides not to be a menace. Just one flick of the wheel would be enough to lurch the whole deck and send him swaying like a drunk deckhand, but the mugs in his hands look like art. Architectural marvels. Engineering feats. Entire dissertations in cocoa, so she behaves. For now.
Her grin brightens as he reaches her, and when he lifts that whipped-cream-laden finger with mischief in his eyes she lunges gently upward, catching his wrist in both mittened hands before it can reach her nose, turning his hand toward her mouth instead. The cream melts sweet and perfect on her tongue as she steals it right off his fingertip, her gaze wicked with triumph. His lips land at her neck in the next breath, warm and absurdly playful, and she dissolves into giggles that tumble like coins across the deck, teeth catching her lower lip as she tries to assert even a little dignity while his raspberry vibrates delight straight down her spine.
"Spice—close the purse!" she calls between giggles. The little dragon perks up, wings fluttering as she hops to the seashell-shaped bag hanging from its hook near the mast. One dainty nudge of the clasp and the enchanted wind inside cuts off; the Sugartide gives a soft, suspended shiver and settles obediently into stillness, floating in the icy air as if someone hit pause on the world.
Freed from the necessity of steering, Flora lets go of Kaisel’s wrist at last and reaches for her hot chocolate, tugging off one mitten with her teeth. It is even more obscene up close with mountains of whipped cream, fudge drizzles, a small blizzard of sprinkles. She dips her candy cane into the molten richness and gives it a languid stir, then lifts it to find it already half dissolved. A delighted sound escapes her as she pops it fully into her drink and then licks the peppermint sweetness from her fingers, one swipe at a time. "Mmmm," she hums indulgently, eyes pressing briefly closed to savour the tangy sweet flavour.
Glancing back to Kaisel, her aqua eyes brighten the way stars catch fire when the night finally drops, excitement pushing colour into her cheeks that has nothing to do with the cold as the Sugartide floats silent around them, the world held in that perfect breath between sunset and deep night. Flora leans in a little, unable to hide the fizzing joy sparking under her ribs. "I know we’re up here to see the auroras," she says, voice low and bubbling with anticipation, "and we will. But..." Her grin stretches, wild and secret and unbearably pleased with herself. "...I also have a surprise."
and I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this
