Ojalá no te vayas

While the German had freedom, he’d always played too close to the rules, to bind himself to them as a way to navigate the world. Sticking too close to maps when the world had changed too much around him to be useful. This, Ludwig reasoned, is what freedom truly was like. Freedom to choose, to decide where to go with his life. To choose, over and over, to do good and to decide on love and life and happiness. Apparently it took a woman who embodied the seas, mutable and dynamic, to show him how to be free. 

Gazing softly at Naia as she leaned away, his reply was easy. “Now, that would ruin the magic of it, wouldn’t it?” His smile never seemed to disappear, watching Naia skip over to the table, the warm glow of the overhead string lights making the entire atmosphere just that much more cozy. Ludwig follows her into the garden, letting the gate close behind him. 

“I’m glad you like it,” The German replies, moving to scoot her into the table before taking his spot across from her. He’d been planning this for weeks, getting help from Bastian, Mathias and Gemma on the detailing and everything going into tonight. While he wasn’t helpless, he just wanted everything to be as perfect as he could make it. 

Leaning over to a waiting picnic basket, Ludwig opens it up to reveal containers holding their dinner. Since Naia had been in his home for so long, he heavily pestered Toni, Gemma and João on what he should make for Naia. Her favorites from home.

“I don’t think I’m wise enough to turn words into proverbs, Nai. No matter how much it would suit me to do so.” João gave Naia another squeeze and a kiss to the top of her head, smile still firmly planted on his face. 

The sheer joy on Naia’s face only serves to tell Jo that she was being taken care of and loved properly, without restrictions or being tied too tightly down. Much like a plant, she seemed to be showered in love and allowed to grow uninhibited so she could bloom. “Do I want to know why exactly they like digging holes at the beach? That seems a little… Odd.”

Ludwig doesn’t need to say that he’s doing leaps and bound above what was expected of him, of a poor and fractured heart of a man whose life had mostly been drenched in gunpowder and blood up until the 50′s. Fifty years to any of them wasn’t that long of a time, but to someone who was less than five hundred? It was less than a fifth of his entire life that had been spent in peace. 

Her reaction was more than worth it, propping the garden gate open with his foot as he find himself with arms full of Naia, a bright and warm smile on his face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Luddy just leaned down a bit, wrapping her up in a hug and pressing a kiss to her temple, her cheek and then a peck upon her lips. “I hoped that you would,” The German murmured in return, lightly rubbing her back. ”Come on, let’s go sit.”

“You know how I feel about betting on you and Toni.” His tone was not exactly disapproving, but more of a gentle acknowledgement that he prefers not to bet on family. Other people, though, are fair game. “I’d prefer to watch your love bloom like springtime flowers than care whether or not I’m going to lose money for being wrong. Love is never wrong.”

The shy look to the Spaniard just made João smile, a large hand coming up to gently cradle Naia’s cheek, “So long as he makes you happy, then I am happy for you. Thoroughly and fully. You deserve a good person in your life. And if that happens to be one usually grumpy German, well,” He chuckled, kissing Nai’s forehead. “Please bring him to the beach more often. We can’t have him competing for grumpiest face with Toni.”

“Oh I know.” Naia gave a small wave of her hand and a warm smile to Jo. He was sweet to them, kind and gentle and loving and the fact that he won’t bet on family never ceases to make her giggle. “That sounds like some sort of proverb.” Naia laughed, leaning into Jo’s hand to her cheek with a soft sigh of contentment. He was too sweet to her. Far too sweet to her. 

Ludwig mirrors the smile he’s given, though his is a little more shy, a little more nervous. His feelings really had grown in shades, like the transition of summer to fall where one day the trees are no longer green but burning reds and orange and no one can identify when exactly it had begun.

Naia’s little tease made Luddy laugh, leaning down as she pulls on his shirt and letting her plant a kiss on his cheek. He wanted to be what she deserved, and would work to meet that (maybe impossible) goal. He just wanted to be good for her, no matter what that might look like. “Hmph. Of course you would,” He teased right back, pressing a kiss to her own cheek before allowing Naia to pull him along towards the garden.

Unbeknownst to her, Ludwig had snuck in and set up a little dinner picnic for the two of them, classic gingham blanket and basket with jarred, lit candles included. “We can go pick some up tomorrow.” Reaching over the garden gate, Luddy undid the latch and held it open to Naia. “After you, my dear.”

She sees the shyness, the nervousness, the trepidation that seems to reverberate throughout his entire body as he walks alongside her, taking in the sights as the seasons change and along with it their relationship with the colour changing of the leaves.

“Is me telling you a weird way?”

Oh, is that a bit of nerves he sees on his usually very easy-going sister? He smiles softly, taking hold of her twiddling hands. 

“Are you planning to finish that sentence, Nai? Gemma’s going on and on about you two, and you know how she is. We just want to know for sure what’s going on. And no, I don’t have any money in her crazy betting pool.”

Oh God, Ludwig adores her. Loves her, even. He was being bold enough to entertain that yes, he could feel this and it was safe to do so without threat of those he loved being used as weapons against him. His world had long moved past that sort of closed-off fear, where love was just a weakness to exploit. 

The only thing he wants is to keep her safe; to cherish Naia for all that she is. It was not the job of the seashore to control the tides, but to meet them where they were no matter the crest or the trough.

Ludwig just held onto Naia for a brief moment, knowing that he could stand here in the kitchen all day and just watch the sun cross the floor with her and would be content. “I’m as sweet as you deserve.” No, she deserved more than him, which just made Ludwig one very lucky man.

If he notices the dreamy look on her face, he doesn’t mention it as they step out of the house and onto the sidewalk. Ludwig keeps hold of Naia’s hand, fingers interlaced as they start their little journey. The German so desperately wanted to ask her to stay, to tell her that he didn’t want her to go home, ever. 

There’s plans if the weather holds out. You know you’re more than welcome to come along! 

[ Aw, look at that smile on her. ]  ‘Things’? What sorts of things? We’ve heard inklings of things.

Meh, he’ll get over it. You’ve never been one to do anything less than what suited you.

Yeah well you didn’t tell me about it so I can’t go if I have to find out in weird ways! [POUTS.]

[She almost looks flustered now.] Uh, you... uh. I.... Ludwig? He uhm... 

[Now Naia is twiddling her fingers.]

Looking away from the dishes, Ludwig’s face broke into a smile as the darling Spaniard spun in the kitchen.  “Are we going for a walk or are we going out to dinner?” He lightly teased as she took his hand, giving her a little spin. “You look beautiful. I’m sure the flowers will be a little jealous of you.”

Ludwig lifted Naia’s hand and gave her knuckles a little kiss. “We shall.” Snagging his keys from the counter, he stuck them into his pocket before walking out the door hand-in-hand. “It’s supposed to storm tonight, so I figured we could go now before it starts.”

… Nai, love, I’m not going to fight you. You’d kick my butt and then I wouldn’t be able to go sailing this weekend.

[ He’s pouting a little. ]

But, we’ve missed you. How was Berlin?

Wait are you and Toni going sailing...?

[Aw, she wants to go... stop pouting at her.]

In the meantime, Ludwig tidied up the house a bit and fed the dogs, who were just lazing around as per usual. They’d long gotten used to Naia being around, as had Ludwig. With all of the behind-the-scenes details ironed out, predominantly of making sure this was okay and that he wasn’t about to be strung up by his toes and left in the middle of the ocean somewhere, the German could only wait for his dear Spaniard to come down so they could take their walk and he could ask her the question he’s been choking on for what seemed like forever.

He’d gotten himself dressed up a little bit nicer while she’d been in the shower, still comfortable but he’d swapped a tee shirt for a simple button down. By the time she’d come back down the stairs, he was in the kitchen putting some dishes away. “I’m in the kitchen, Nai,” He called back, shutting the cabinets and moving into the living room to meet her. 

So she had given the garden a freshening up, earning a crooked smile from Ludwig as he gently shut the door behind her. “We should; we could do that instead of a proper walk, if you’d like.” But of course she’d want to get washed up; he had no idea how long Naia had been out there. He’d gotten back from work not too long ago. “Do whatever you need, I’m not going anywhere.”

While the German saw little wrong with the bits of greenery stuck to her clothes, he just smiled and nodded in return. "Of course. I have to find my shoes still."

I never said i was going to threaten him! Besides, you’re about as scary as a little bluebird. Even with heels.

Stomp, stomp Joãinho!!! I am scarier than Antonio on a bad hair day! Fight me! 

Oh no. Should I be afraid?

That impulse is really understandable.

[Saima wonders if they should mention how close they’ve actually been to the stars. To the ways that they can and have been wandering among the stars, but would it be too farfetched? Is that information they want to share.

Too many questions, not really enough answers.]

I will say that getting a closer look at them..the stars are just as stunning in their natural glory. perhaps even more so even..

[She spins and stares at them, green eyes wide with wonder and curisoity]

Have you ever been to space, Saima?