Oh...sorry, thought I smelled food...

Cinnamon and Peaches (Reprise)

A soft hum voices his response: No, I’m pretty alright, actually. It was something Ilyana knew well, no doubt; even in underwater pancake houses, she would recognize the absolute bliss radiating off her mage in waves. 

It’s quiet, tonight. Much like that first fire they shared all that time ago.

( Every day spent in agony, should she part. )

When her tummy rumbles, it’s instinct to press his hand against her stomach before she scoots away just a bit to retrieve her basket. Immediately, he’s hit with a combination he never expected to fall in love with. Before everything is unveiled, Morgan reaches for one of those little chocolate pieces, which he happily pops into his mouth before doing the same for Ilyana (fingers lingering against her lips, of course).

He helps to lay things out without a second thought. Everything is close enough to be within reach, but far enough away that as they shuffle around, they won’t accidentally get any food on their blankets or clothes. A few careful moments are spent setting up a tiny s’more station, rationing crackers to chocolate, so they can more easily create their treats upon proper roasting. Soon enough, Ilyana’s back in his arms where she belongs, and Morgan is stabbing a marshmallow of his own.

“I never told you,” his voice is far quieter than usual as he speaks in her ear. (Marshmallow slowly spins near the embers. None of that marshmallow-on-fire bullshit.) 

“That night, by the fire? When you had chocolate all over your mouth? I wanted desperately to lean over and wipe it clean off.” A soft chuckle that shakes his chest—and her alongside it. “And then you wiped your mouth and licked your fingers clean.”

Hex pulls thunder a little closer, chin hooking over shoulder to nestle together as one. “And when you ate out of my hand, I knew I was yours.”

Her first s’more is in her mouth before he even finishes roasting his first ‘mallow, but watching her happily crunch down on that simple little treat… well, he couldn’t not hand over his sandwich upon its formation. Fingers trace her lips before she can bite down (crumbs and all), a lingering sigh in his throat.

“I love you.” And that’s all they need.

ϟ–Little touches have grown so common between them. She doesn’t even think twice when his hand lands on her tummy, or the way his fingertips brush along her arm as she unearths all their goodies. 

A distraction tactic, she soon realizes. Piece of chocolate is stolen before she can blink. Thunder mage prepares to tease her beloved, but when she turns to face him, another chocolate piece greets her. It’s gone in a matter of milliseconds, followed by a sweet kiss to the pads of his fingers in thanks. 

They work together with an ease born of practice. Everything is organized, of course, dishes set out in such a way to avoid any unfortunate spills. He plans it out so carefully as well, finding the most efficient way to prepare everything in anticipation of her ravenous hunger. 

Ilyana finds her place in his arms with a soft, happy sigh. His voice tickles her ear; the crackle of the fire nearly covers his words. She’s never heard him speak so softly. Lips curl up into a smile at the memory, laughing along with him. 

Peaches and the faintest hint of parchment mix with smoke and sugar from the fire. Four very distinct smells, but ones that feel right here in this moment. It’s then, as he continues speaking, that she knows she’ll never forget this for as long as she lives. 

She does move a scant few inches to assemble her s’more, crunching down without a care in the world. It’s gone by the time Morgan puts his own treat together— 

—“…hex boy,” she whispers. Amethyst finds honey, just like that night so long ago. Ilyana accepts his offering, raising halfway to her lips before she lowers it. The kiss is quick, nothing more than a chocolate-stained peck. Slightly sticky hands find his, pressing the s’more back into his grip. “…there’s plenty…to enjoy…” 

Indeed, she reaches for another marshmallow. 

Cinnamon and Peaches (Reprise)

Tiny gestures had become second-nature to Ilyana, but Morgan noticed every single time. She pauses to wipe her face and he smiles, fond. She takes care to inspect her hands before reaching for him and he sighs in audible adoration.

She laughs, and his heart skips a beat every single time.

“’M ready to get the fire started,” he laughs. “It’s cold out, Lya! You really know how to pick the best times to hang out outside.” Leaning down, he nuzzles his nose into the crown of her hair, breathing her in for a few moments before pulling back. For all his teasing, he was quite excited. It’d been a little while since they’ve gone on a proper date. (Read: two weeks.)

They skipped dessert for this exact reason. Well, Morgan did; Ilyana definitely could have stomached both dessert and the treats hidden away in the basket. After making their way to the gazebo, mage finds that even if he didn’t have a single bite of their treats, he’d be happy just watching Ilyana enjoy herself.

Now, they sit at the center of the gazebo, the tables and chairs pushed out to the edges and a particular quilt laid upon the stone beneath them. A makeshift fire pit sits before them, which Morgan lights up to a burning warmth with a simple spell. Another blanket drapes over their shoulders as they huddle together, breath visible in the cold air, but mage had to admit: he wasn’t cold at all.

“Warm enough, thunder girl?” he asks softly, resting his cheek atop her head. They hadn’t even cracked open the basket yet, but he could totally go for a s’more right now. “I can make the fire bigger if you need it.”

ϟ–She’d murmured something about bonfires and his own inner fire keeping them both plenty warm in response to his teasing. This little date is unconventional. But when you’ve both fought gigantic shrimp underwater and then died fighting a five headed monster a year later…Ilyana truly doesn’t care about being normal. 

The feeling burns brighter in time with Morgan’s fire—let others say or think whatever they want. Hooded eyes threaten to droop completely closed with contentment. “Oh…yes, I am…no, it’s perfect…you’re not…too cold?” One hand brushes the fluffy end of the blanket off her cheek. “…thank you, hex boy…”

Thunder mage sighs happily, watching the flames send sparks dancing into the air. Her hungry tummy can wait a minute or so longer. For now, she simply wants to bask in this moment, memorize every tiny detail she possibly can cram into that forgetful head. 

A low rumble breaks the comfortable silence. Their skipped dessert has finally caught up to her. Regretfully, she lifts her head, leaning away from his side to reach her goody basket. Dishes clink softly inside as she hoists it into her lap. Delicate fingers open the top flap, mouth beginning to water from the smell alone. Ilyana detects chocolate mixed with peaches and cinnamon, with a hint of…cherries? 

“Oh, Morgan…they gave us…extra…,” she exclaims with childish delight. She’s careful rummaging through the expertly wrapped dishes, passing them to her fiancé with barely a glance. “…look…cherry turnovers dusted with sugar…ah. S’mores first.” That had been the craving that sparked this entire date in the first place, after all. “They even…gave us plates…and plenty of napkins…”

hungrymage​:

Cooking Mama​

Turning his head, Shannan looks over his shoulder to see who’s wandered into the kitchen. Those large, doe-like eyes seem absolutely entranced by the prospect of whatever is on the stove in front of him. Gotta respect the hustle.

“I’m just cooking up some beef we had. It was towards the back. Was about to go bad, and I didn’t want to waste it.” He would step away, since he can already gather what this girl might desire as well. Opening the hatch once more, he rummages around, pulling out another cut of meat, this being much more fresh though.

“Do you have any preference for seasoning? Or is what I’ve got already going on to your standard?” The hint of some tongue-and-cheek banter pulling his lips up to a grin.

Considering she came here due to his cooking –which was a compliment in its own right– he drops the steak into the same pan, allowing them to cook at the same time. 

Thunder girl nods, brushing her twin tail braids off her shoulders. “Oh…how very thoughtful of you…the kitchen staff…hates food going to waste…” Nor does she mind helping them out with  waste management; day old portions are far from the worst thing she’s ever consumed. 

Subconsciously, Ilyana leans in closer once he puts the extra slice of meat on the stove. It sizzles once it hits the melted butter, a sweet symphony nearly as lovely as the crackle of thunder. Purple head shakes once. “I don’t…have any preference…whatever you’re doing is perfect…” If it’s cooked all the way through with no seasoning at all, she’ll be perfectly content. 

His banter flies completely over her head. Her stomach growls; her last meal was ages ago. (A mere two hours, but whose counting?) 

“Ah…I’m Ilyana, by the way…” Soft voice rises about the sizzling. She finds a stool, nudging it closer with a booted foot before gratefully plopping down. “Do you…cook often? Actually…can you add some rosemary? I’ll get it…” Ilyana sighs, pushing herself to her feet once more. Slowly, she makes her way to the pantry, bottles of spices clinking softly together while she searches. 

Cinnamon and Peaches (Reprise)

All in all, Morgan was glad for the quilt. It was beautifully made and exceptionally warm, but the best part? It was just a little too small for a normal couple to lay side-by-side, so if they both wanted to be under the blanket, they had to cuddle at least a teeny bit.

Now constituted as more than just a teeny bit. With her curled against him, following along as he recites each word on the page as he had time again and again in the past, Morgan couldn’t be more happy.

At one point, he pauses, if only so he can lean down and press a soft kiss into the crown of Ilyana’s head. Gods, he loves her.

She shifts, and he knows without her saying that their reading time is over. He closes the book with a yawn and sets it on their nightstand. His eyes flutter shut as he presses into her touch, a soft mmm of a hum building in his throat before he can stop it.

“A fire, in the middle of winter?” he asks, voice lowering a little with honeyed sleep. Now that he wasn’t focusing so much on orating, he realized just how tired he really was.

“I’d love that. Just the two of us, right? We can—” he cuts himself off with another yawn, “—steal one of the gazebos to do so. It should be safe to make a little fire pit, there.”

ϟ–Lavender head nods. She absently strokes his cheek with her thumb, letting him settle down before she follows suit. 

“…that sounds perfect…I’ll ask my friends in the kitchen…to help make a basket…” Now she yawns, sleep already threatening to pull her under. “Mm…goodnight, my love…” It’s an effort to lift her head enough to plant a sweet kiss to his lips. “Sweet dreams…” 

Ilyana falls asleep to peaches and marshmallows dancing in her head. 

——————————

They’ve been together for what feels like forever, at this point, and yet she can’t stop smiling throughout the day. They have a date tonight. Not to say they haven’t been on plenty—both planned and spontaneous—over the course of their engagement. This one in particular was special; a callback to one of her earliest memories of being with him. 

Classes she usually adores drag on, until finally the dinner bell chimes. Ilyana practically drags Morgan to the dining hall. The sooner they finish eating, the sooner they can have dessert. Her hex boy had already scoped out which gazebo to commandeer, while she had spoken with her kitchen staff friends during lunch to prepare a picnic basket. 

“…are you ready, Morgan…?” Thunder mage asks after dinner, cheeks dotted with crumbs. Belatedly, she remembers to use her napkin, wiping away the last remnants of dinner. “They prepped everything…after lunch…” She inspects her hands to ensure their cleanliness before reaching for one of his own. “I’ve been thinking about…eating s’mores all day…” 

> starter for: @amnesiac-pawn

ϟ–They’re cured up underneath the quilt she insisted on purchasing once winter sunk its icy claws across Fódlan. Candlelight casts their room in a warm, flickering glow, tiny shadows dancing in the corners. 

He reads softly, like normal, arm around her holding her close as she nuzzles further against his chest. Free arm supports the book open on his lap. Hooded eyes drift closed—she has become so used to this feeling of safety, of love. One ear rests over his heartbeat, a constant lullaby she’ll never tire of. 

He’s read this story before, one of his favorites. It’s one of hers now, too, memories of other nights exactly like this brought back to life when he reaches familiar passages. Her mind drifts back to the first night this connection between them began. 

Sticky hands. A bonfire roaring happily. Honey colored eyes. Cinnamon and chocolate on her tongue. Smell of peaches and sand in the air. A featherlight touch on her pinky. 

Thunder mage smiles softly, pleased she even has those hazy memories from that nebulous beach world. There’s a lull; her eyes reopen, head lifting off his chest to meet those pretty honey eyes. Morgan yawns—she rests a cool hand on his cheek. 

“Hex boy…we should make s’mores again….have a little fire after dinner, tomorrow…oh! and peaches, sprinkled with cinnamon…” She’s nostalgic without putting it into words, feeling like she’s on the verge of some change she can’t articulate quite yet. 

ϟ–starter for: @mjolnrr

Bundled in a rather fashionable fur-lined coat, leggings, and scarf, Ilyana feels confident enough to brave the cold weather. 

A move she comes to regret, the longer she practices on the training grounds. The coat restricts her arm movements just enough that she can feel a hitch in her aim. Thunder mage sighs, removing her coat and bracing for a rush of cool air against her long sleeved shirt. She shivers once before draping the garment across a nearby rack of training weapons. Morgan bought it for her once winter began creeping up on fall—she can’t keep stealing his robe, after all. 

She takes a moment to catch her breath, assessing the other scattered students practicing their chosen fighting style. Oh…there’s that other thunder mage…Isla? Hooded eyes watch with curiosity. Isla takes aim at a training dummy on the other end of the hall. Thunder roars; her form is perfect. 

Cooking Mama

Isaach was never known for its spices, yet Shannan knew all too much about flavoring food, if only because Larcei was always a picky eater. Always complained about flavor, and while Seliph and Scathach were willing to tolerate the budget they lived on, they did appreciate the more flavorful meals they shared. All the kids Edain helped to raise were surely spoiled by how well she cooked, and Shannan often watch as she slayed it first hand. 

Rummaging around the cold cellars yielded a fine yet smaller cut of beef that he’d bring out. It was salted, and was a fair few days old. Needed to be cooked or else it might start going bad. 

At least the kitchen was empty right now. To be fair, it was late, the moon was high in the air, and the sky was dark. Shannan had forgotten to eat something for dinner, so it only felt fair that he gets to prepare his own meal. He wouldn’t overuse anything or overstep his welcome. 

That being said, as the salted cut of meat was dropped into the buttery pan, the delectable sizzle that arose was enough to make the mans stomach growl in anticipation. Gods above he was so hungry.

While the steak was cooking, he set about gathering a few vegetables. Onions and garlic, along with some sea salt, paprika, brown sugar, and some black pepper. The veggies are chopped up, and properly stored efficiently, before tossing them in the pan, before carefully spreading the seasoning and spices he’d gathered in with the rest of it. After a few moments, he flips the cut of meat, and all that he can do is sigh, wishing that he was already eating.

@hungrymage​

Endurance and strength training are terrible. Ilyana despises the drills, but she can’t deny she’s beginning to feel the slightest increase in her overall strength. 

It also means an increase in her overall appetite. Extra shifts in the kitchens are politely requested from the staff; now that’s something she can happily agree to. There’s something so comforting about being in a kitchen. (Her cooking skills have grown since first arriving at the monastery. Now she won’t eat every ingredient in sight.) 

Between classes and her new training schedule, she ends up taking her shifts at odd hours—usually when she can’t get a certain dish out of her head and has to eat it. Mage pauses on her way, sniffing the air. Huh. Who else is up this late? 

> starter for: @aubins

ϟ–After the initial shock of being pulled into a book wore off, she explored the town, pestering the townspeople in an effort to figure out a way back to real life. All she ended up learning between displeased frowns was that everyone possessed a healthy fear of the woods beyond the wall. 

(Why is there always a wood? Mysterious, magical, or otherwise, every good tale needs a wood.) 

She wanted to believe the author wrote in such a universal character trait, and whatever inspired such fear has nothing to do with the larger work of magic at play. Her theory seemed to make sense after she spoke with the Knight. One character had to know more than the others, right? 

Now, she finds herself tromping through the aforementioned forest with Yuri at her side. They’d quite literally bumped into each other while she had been searching for a new stash of snacks. It was a relief to find someone she knew trapped here—her little excursion into the forest felt less daunting. 

Mage brushes a stray tree branch aside. Tiny cuts already littered her arms from previous encounters with the wood. Ilyana stares intently at a nearby tree. They…they aren’t purposely trying to harm her, are they? 

So Sylvain does as any freshly ditched man would at an event like this: finds his next mark.

Who just so happens to be at one of the banquet tables as he approaches to find himself something to eat. His new target seems to be dead to the world, focus solely on the food she's got before her, but Sylvain is not a man to be easily deterred.

"Well, damn, hey there," he flashes her the most charming of grins. "Aren't you a sight to behold?"

Ethereal Ball 2022

Morgan has been dragged off to the camera booth, leaving Ilyana to her own devices.

That one strict faculty member finally found something better to do. Mage doesn't see him loitering around the snack table any more, ready to snap at anyone who dares to reach for a second (or third) helping.

No one needs to know Ilyana is well past the single digit mark. Since no actual meal will be served, that leaves surviving on pastries.

Happy little sparks of thunder dart between her fingers. Why decide between a sweet bun and a strawberry turnover when you can have both?

She jumps at the sudden intrusion upon her internal debate over wether she can, in fact, balance the eclair on her plate. (She decides it best to pass for now.)

"Oh....hello....thank you..." Ilyana nibbles on a corner of turnover. Mm, freshly baked dough...

"Hi, Ilyana," she says softly, a small but earnest smile pulled gently across her lips. She holds up her prize on a plate-- a fluffy looking cake of some sort-- and offers it to her. "Here, I got this for you... Are you having a good time at the ball?" Another moment passes, and she shifts her weight from foot to foot. "...Would you like to trade stamps?

Ethereal Ball 2022

No longer is she overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices presented to her at the monastery. If anything, she's now come to expect having a literal feast at her fingertips at any given moment.

Spoiled, hungry girl.

She's filling her plate for the third time that night when a familiar face appears. "Oh...hello, Katarina...how kind...that looks delicious...." She will absolutely regret all the sugar she's consumed tomorrow morning, but for now, she takes the fluffy cake without remorse.

"I am, thank you...how about you...?" Her fork cuts easily into the cake. Eyes flutter shut at the first bite; it's even more delicious than it looks. "Huh..? Oh, that..."

Ilyana gently puts her plate down, reaching into the reticule (not snack pouch) at her wrist. Her stamp card has a few crumbs on it as a result of a near disastrous mix up between snack and non snack related pouches. "...here..."

Ethereal Ball 2022

"What...are these...?" She picks up a set of cat ears, turning the headband over in her hands before it clicks. "Oh...how silly..."

Ilyana turns to the nearest student, pleasantly surprised to find Yahui. "...hello, Yahui...are you enjoying...the ball?" A pair of cat ears are extended to the archer.

"Um." Bernadetta felt awkward handing it off like some kind of ingrate, but. She really didn't like it.

"Would you like this?" Bernadetta holds out the neatly plated dessert to the other woman. "I thought it looked pretty, but it turns out I don't really like the flavor of it. Oh, but if you don't want it, that's okay! I don't mean to be rude! I'm sorry!"

Ethereal Ball 2022

She floats away from the picture booth in search of her fiance and snacks. Her stomach's been growling for the past handful of minutes; where did her emergency snack pouch go?

"Hm? Oh..." A blink. Well, she's certainly not one to turn down free food! Especially the confections at events like these. The kitchen staff consistently outdoes themselves in the dessert department.

"...yes, I can...take it off your hands...and it does look....quite pretty..." Ilyana accepts the plate without question. "You're....not being rude at all...I'm so hungry...thank you..." Lavender head tilts to one side. She'll need a new fork...

" ilyana, it seems that this mystique advancement calls for our participation! ta-da! picture time! "

Ethereal Ball 2022

"Isn't it...such an interesting creation...?" Ilyana peers closer at the box. She'd love to know how it works; was there more at play than simply light magic?

Mage stands as close to Ophelia as she comfortably can, soft smile on her face. Doesn't even feel her fellow thunder practitioner raise their arm.

Only once they are handed their copies of the picture does Ilyana notice the bunny ears. She begins to laugh, a sweet sound filling the air between them.

maidens but eye emoji - & ilyana

hungrymage​:

ϟ–Thunder mage stares at the crude drawing before her, careful not to get any crumbs along the pages. This plan to infiltrate the tower had been a few days in the making; the monastery is eager to end this drama once and for all. 

Ilyana herself holds no opinions either way on if there truly is a ghost or not. Maybe a student has taken their pranks way too far in a jealous rage. Or a ghost truly has come back to enact vengeance for some long forgotten slight. 

Or maybe she’s been reading too many fantasy books. 

Whatever the case may be, she polishes off her handful of crackers, licking the excess salt off her bottom lip. “…They would…still see us if we climbed…and breaking down the doors…would be noisy…” Tilts her head. “If we…patrol once or twice…the guards will…be used to seeing us…we could sneak in, that way…” 

Hooded eyes glance down at her ring. It’s nearly time to clean it; the diamond is beginning to look a little cloudy. “Oh…yes, it’s an engagement ring…Morgan Abank is my fiancé…” Her relationship status was part of the reason she chose to go on this little mission. Since this…phantom targets those touched by love, it stands to reason she would draw its ire. Oh…they may not have to sneak in, after all…

“…the ghost…may be drawn to me…that could make sneaking in…easier…” Ilyana brushes lavender bangs off her forehead, studying the map once more. Her own memories of the Goddess Tower are fuzzy—colored with too much champagne and the feeling of Morgan’s lips on hers. 

“Ah…the ghost probably isn’t hungry…” Corners of her lips quirk up into a tiny smile at her own joke. 

          sharena smiles, wide and proud.   “   ah, i hadn’t even thought of that!   ”   but then as she pulls back the notebook and puts a small ‘ x ’ by both sketches before drawing up another one.  as her pencil moves across parchment, she glances up at the sound of ilyana’s voice; the flush that rises to her face at the confirmation is dark but only with amusement.  no, excitement!  while, yes, that did make the mission a bit more difficult, it was oh so cute to hear about the relationships blooming underneath the monastery’s roof.

          morgan and ilyana… aw, it’s cute.  on one hand, she’s curious on how the their bond began and blossomed, but on the other hand, anna would have scolded her that it wasn’t her business; sharena nods and her smile brightens.

          “   aww, that’s so adorable!!  can i see it?  uh, not that you need to take it off.  i can just… oh, wait you’re right.   ”

          would now be the time to add that she, too, has a crush?  crushes?   it wouldn’t be the same as ilyana though, since unlike her, there was a confession and a title.  did it matter?  she takes an answer in the sudden, quick bouncing of her knee.

          “   we can use that as an advantage!  however that goes, haha.   ”   sharena turns her gaze back down, turning her paper sideways to add a small sketch of ilyana and a ghost; alike the similar style she drew every hero and their introduction cards.  except, this isn’t an introduction and wow she cannot draw rings properly.

          she giggles at the joke, catching it at the last minute unfortunately, but still catching it all the same.  askran princess sets the pencil down and after quickly showing ilyana the entire sheet of sketches, closes and stuffs the notebook into her bag on the floor.   “   we can get ready to go now, but before we do, is there anything we should bring?  like… ghost…. busting stuff?   ”

          would their weapons be useless against a ghost?  no, couldn’t be, there were many phantoms and ghosts that could be bested by iron.

          “   i’m not sure if any other students have tried to get rid of the ghosts with any specific items.  but also, we don’t know if it’s entirely hostile or just pulling jokes… i wouldn’t want to direct the ghost to you because of your relationship in case it is violent.   ”   but ilyana is a mage, one who knows how to cast properly and use magic to her advantage.  surely.  so, sharena isn’t that worried.

          (   more so worried that if things did become violent and they retreated, what she would tell morgan if ilyana had been gravely hurt.  true, ghosts have a limit to what they can do, but also there’s a range of things they can do and people can’t.   )

for @hungrymage​

ϟ–The scratching of the pencil is oddly familiar in a rather unfamiliar environment. Shion scribbles with a vigor Ilyana doesn’t envy. Must be exhausting, being so energetic all the time. Imagine how much food you’d have to eat to keep that up… 

Lavender head shakes to clear the thought. Slightly more important things than food are at hand. Besides, it’s not like she’s starving right now or anything. She’d found a new snack in town a few days ago, crackers shaped like little fish that are utterly perfect for keeping on hand to nibble on when needed. 

“Huh?...oh, of course…” She sticks her hand out, relieved she doesn’t have to remove it. Only when she sleeps does it come off; there’s a little dish on the nightstand specially for all her jewelry to rest. 

Shiroi bounces from one topic to the next. Paper is again turned her way, the basic sketch depicting…the ghost, Ilyana assumes, and herself, based off the large protrusion on her hand meant to represent her ring. 

Papers are quickly gathered and put aside. Wise not leaving them sitting in the open for too long. Strategy is more her fiancé’s thing, but even Ilyana knows it’s naive to leave battle plans laying carelessly around. More fish crackers crunch as she thinks. 

What does one bring to catch a ghost? Blessed water, or iron? Both? Phantoms were not an issue in Daein or Begnion. 

“Oh…thank you…but I will not be alone…” Ilyana replies, completely confident in both her abilities and Sydney’s. “…the old stories…always mention blessed water…or fire…”