100% Pure Aotearoa

No, it’s all made up. You made it all up. [giggles softly as he mentions the wall] No. Wrong. All wrong! [presses her lips to his neck as if she’s gonna kiss him, then blows a GREAT BIG RASPBERRY BECAUSE WRONG]

Well I have to be close in some respect, like you were hidden really quickly a-- FFU--! /THIS IS NO LONGER FAIR CATALINA, YOU HAVE A GROWN KIWI SQUIRMING AND SNORTING WITH LAUGHTER ON THE FLOOR/ WALL! THE WALL! YOU WERE RIGHT BEHIND THERE!

"Hey, it's been a year."

Squealing as he wrapped himself around her, Cat giggled shrilly, delighted in the chacnce to tease her husband. It didn’t arise that often that she could make fun of him, so she had to make the best of it! Quickly though, her eyes lit on his hand instead and she pulled it to her heart, folding his fingers together into a fist and holding it between hers. “Mmm… I don’t like him much anyways. He’s too… I don’t know. I want to say loud, but that’s not it.” Tapping her lips, she squirmed so she was comfortable once again. “Whatever. I’ll brag later, when you can’t stop me.” Sticking her tongue out at him, she grinned cheekily before wiggling up to kiss him lovingly. “Mark my words.”

A wash of relief went through William’s body, so much that Catalina could probably feel him shiver against her as he relaxed over her form, mumbling into the giggly brunette as she continued to nudge and tease him. “I can beat you in an all nighter contest if I have to, just to try and stop you.: Those were his half-hearted words to his lover, warming up as her lips met his gently, slowly leaning into Catalina’s hold. “Oz is a good person, just a little too energetic for some people. It takes some getting used to, but I understand.” He still didn’t want to hear anything coming from said country though, as if living across the ditch wasn’t enough.

Almost guiltily, she nodded in response to him, finishing off her plate. Rarely did she ever take seconds, but she felt so underfed at the moment that she would make an exception. Besides, the food was tasty anyways. “Per favore,” she mumbled, smiling sheepishly as her stomach growled loudly. It had been doing that for a few days now, she realized, and suddenly felt guilty. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

“Babe...” William’s expression changed slowly from amusement to worry, his eyes slowly adjusting to his wife’s features properly and of course she would looked drained, but it was ridiculous how pale she looked right now. Her glow seemed-- dim. “I heard you from here, are you absolutely sure you’re okay? Like, okay okay?” He stood up, debating whether he should lean down to check Catalina out but instead taking her plate up to grab seconds, this time being quite generous with the serving too as he came back to place the plate back down in front of her, kneeling down beside the Italian. “Want anything else in particular to eat? Anything at all?” Anything to bring life to her again, or energy, or even both. 

Giggling, she raised her brows. “I didn’t know that. It wasn’t when they found you the first time, was it?” Fiddling with his shirt, she tipped her head to the side. This was a subject she still didn’t know about. A ship bigger than his forests, huh? She didnt think anyone had ships quite that enormous.

“Don’t laugh, it’s true oii!” he chuckled heartily, fingers drumming against her slim sides with a grin plastered to his face. “When you’re super tiny and only aware of y’know, flat bottomed canoes and stuff, any boat bigger than that is huge to you. Now that I think about it, the ship that landed on Aotearoa was pretty standard size when I compare it to the boats people make nowadays--” Feeling a little nostalgic to his baby days, William couldn’t help but think and chuckle dryly to himself while his eyes wandered the scenery. “Ugh, thinking about the first landing shits me off all of a sudden. Change of topic, your brother comes along and whoever else you decide to invite. It sounds like a lot of fun.”

As they approached the shore, Cat breathed a little deeper, the salt in the air a welcome change from the dust of her office. “Have you been doing that all day?” she teased, pulling the quilt from the branch of a tree as they reached the treeline. “How many times today have you come down here?” The heat rolled off the sand, warming her to the core immediately, and her shoulders fell slack. “I can’t remember the last time I was here.”

William’s tongue pokes out from between his lips as she teases him, a slight tint of pink dusting over his cheeks as he tipped his head to the familiar foliage they passed by. “Yes I’ve been walking up and down all day, and I was here enough times to know the path properly now. I got lost for a while but that’s why there’s a beach with clean salt water we can soak in. It’s all goods now!” Though his voice started out as a mutter, it soon rose in excitement as the couple reached the sands and saw clean waves lapping at the shore. “Cat! It’s been too long if you’re reminiscing about the last time you were here. Let’s get in and unwind, okay?” He beamed happily towards her, arms loose around her waist to draw the brunette into a warm embrace. 

I… Ah… Okay… I suppose. [tentatively takes his hand, a little reluctant to leave the papers just hanging around on the desk] Where are we going? [pushes her hair out of her face, the stress bearing down on her clear in the crease of her brow] 

On the shoreline down at the beach? I know how to get there now, without getting lost. /sounds a bit too proud of that as he tugs her hand and rests his lips over her fingers./ It’ll be nice to relax just a little bit aye, and I know you’ve been itching to dip your feet in the sea water again. /he can feel her stress almost immediately, greens hues meeting hers briefly./ I think it’ll be good for the both of us. 

[gives a faint smile] It’s about time. It’s only been what, three years? [nods a little] Okay, let’s go… [starts towards the door, then stops] Should we swim? [her face brightens oh so slightly at the thought] Per favore?

/he nods and smiles gently, tipping his head forward to peck Cat’s forehead./ Sure thing, we can swim. I don’t see why not. And it’s a little warm too, the water should be perfect.

Stuffing down his pride over something that should be simple by now, the Kiwi ushered his lover out the door and down the path to the quiet enough beach, paying no mind that neither of one had changed into something more-- suited for swimming. “You don’t know how many times I had to walk down here and back up again to remember the path. I only got lost like-- three times a month ago. Now, no more!” he grinned wide, oh so very proud of himself for such an accomplishment while the gentle waves could be heard in the distance.

I… Ah… Okay… I suppose. [tentatively takes his hand, a little reluctant to leave the papers just hanging around on the desk] Where are we going? [pushes her hair out of her face, the stress bearing down on her clear in the crease of her brow] 

On the shoreline down at the beach? I know how to get there now, without getting lost. /sounds a bit too proud of that as he tugs her hand and rests his lips over her fingers./ It’ll be nice to relax just a little bit aye, and I know you’ve been itching to dip your feet in the sea water again. /he can feel her stress almost immediately, greens hues meeting hers briefly./ I think it’ll be good for the both of us. 

[gives a faint smile] It’s about time. It’s only been what, three years? [nods a little] Okay, let’s go… [starts towards the door, then stops] Should we swim? [her face brightens oh so slightly at the thought] Per favore?

/he nods and smiles gently, tipping his head forward to peck Cat’s forehead./ Sure thing, we can swim. I don’t see why not. And it’s a little warm too, the water should be perfect.

Of course, her eyes were closed and so she couldn’t see him. But she certainly could hear the smile in his voice. “What’s with that tone?” Sliding her arms around his waist, she locked her fingers together behind him, content. “Mmm, how about we go over the weekend? We could ah… Maybe we could invite miei fratelli…?” Her eyes opening as she nervously made the suggestion, she looked at the fruit trees behind him. “I haven’t seen Lovino in a long time.”

“The more the merrier, I say. I can’t see any reason why we shouldn’t invite your brother over.” he said so easily with a smile, still on that excited high of his. “Plus, you’ll get to see and talk with him again which is an even better reason to have him come along. Aaaah this sounds like fun~” He smiles once more, feeling the hesitation ebb away from the brunette as he spoke. “I’m just excited because the last time I went sailing was– too long ago I can’t translate it back into English. It wasn’t a pleasant ride either but I like sitting on top of the waves. Oh! And fishing, liked that too.”

“Mmm- Grazie.” She squeezed her arms a little tighter for a moment, smiling. “I bet he hasn’t been out on the water since last time I took him.” Listening, she turned her head to nose into his neck. “If you want to go get the equipment, you can fish off the boat. No promises about how good it will go for you, though.” Moving her hands to his waist, she leaned back to press their lips together gently. “Don’t you like boats? Or was it just bad weather?”

“Aaah, no fishing here. I don’t want to disturb the waters, take what isn’t mine.” he gave a sheepish smile, rubbing circles into his wife’s back gently as he pecked her lips in return. “I was born on the water, so there’s no way I wouldn’t like boats. Just one particular boat kinda-- sorta-- scared me? The first time I saw one as huge as the forest back home? Things happened and I was pulled onto said boat, it was just the strangest thing. And like-- the one problem I had with this particular boat was that it was just all-- white people. That was my main concern at the time. Besides the no paddles thing.”

“Mmhm! I can’t remember the last time I had it.” In fact, she’d probably had it last from Ava, too. Pursing her lips slightly at the thought, she picked up the fork laid out. “How is Ma, anyway? Have you heard from her?” Taking a bite of the fideua, she smiled once more. “Delicioso, amore mio.” 

“Really? Oh Thank God, cool! I’ll start on mine too!” he beamed, picking up his fork to start eating, and with each bite his grin softened to a warm smile. This definitely beats eating junk food again, he missed seafood a lot. “Mm? Mama– ah.” William swallowed his food and downed it with some wine, letting it settle as he placed his hand over his cheek. “Yeah, really briefly I saw her again. She’s getting super busy, but she looks well– uhh, I’m wondering whether I should drop by her place to check on her but then I dunno if she’ll be home or working.” He could only hope to recall his last meeting with Ava, and remembered her surprise at how scruffy he looked at the time. “Ehh– we’ll figure that out later aye? Right now, food and drinks aye love.” He wanted to stay focused on Cat for tonight, let the tiles fall as they may later on.

“Check on her sometime soon, for my peace of mind,” she said softly, unable to recall anytime since the wedding since she’d seen her mother-in-law. “I’d hate to think she could be lonely.” Munching down on the food, she realized how hungry she actually was. She’d been so stressed about money lately that she’d kind of been skimping on the good stuff. “I hope Chiarina is having something tasty at her friend’s house.” Stretching her legs under the table, she lightly stepped on his toes, smiling softly at the Kiwi as she pretended it wasn’t her, despite the glass table. 

His brow rose almost immediately once Cat had stepped over his toes, chuckling slowly while smiling as he continued to eat. “Well, if she’s hungry then there’s some food in the fridge I can warm up for her when she gets back.” He could let his mind wander to the energetic girl, wondering if she’d burn through food just as fast as she played. “You want some more to eat love? It’s still on the stove, I can get you some.”

Of course, her eyes were closed and so she couldn’t see him. But she certainly could hear the smile in his voice. “What’s with that tone?” Sliding her arms around his waist, she locked her fingers together behind him, content. “Mmm, how about we go over the weekend? We could ah… Maybe we could invite miei fratelli…?” Her eyes opening as she nervously made the suggestion, she looked at the fruit trees behind him. “I haven’t seen Lovino in a long time.”

“The more the merrier, I say. I can’t see any reason why we shouldn’t invite your brother over.” he said so easily with a smile, still on that excited high of his. “Plus, you’ll get to see and talk with him again which is an even better reason to have him come along. Aaaah this sounds like fun~” He smiles once more, feeling the hesitation ebb away from the brunette as he spoke. “I’m just excited because the last time I went sailing was-- too long ago I can’t translate it back into English. It wasn’t a pleasant ride either but I like sitting on top of the waves. Oh! And fishing, liked that too.”

I… Ah… Okay… I suppose. [tentatively takes his hand, a little reluctant to leave the papers just hanging around on the desk] Where are we going? [pushes her hair out of her face, the stress bearing down on her clear in the crease of her brow] 

On the shoreline down at the beach? I know how to get there now, without getting lost. /sounds a bit too proud of that as he tugs her hand and rests his lips over her fingers./ It’ll be nice to relax just a little bit aye, and I know you’ve been itching to dip your feet in the sea water again. /he can feel her stress almost immediately, greens hues meeting hers briefly./ I think it’ll be good for the both of us. 

“Mmhm! I can’t remember the last time I had it.” In fact, she’d probably had it last from Ava, too. Pursing her lips slightly at the thought, she picked up the fork laid out. “How is Ma, anyway? Have you heard from her?” Taking a bite of the fideua, she smiled once more. “Delicioso, amore mio.” 

“Really? Oh Thank God, cool! I’ll start on mine too!” he beamed, picking up his fork to start eating, and with each bite his grin softened to a warm smile. This definitely beats eating junk food again, he missed seafood a lot. “Mm? Mama-- ah.” William swallowed his food and downed it with some wine, letting it settle as he placed his hand over his cheek. “Yeah, really briefly I saw her again. She’s getting super busy, but she looks well-- uhh, I’m wondering whether I should drop by her place to check on her but then I dunno if she’ll be home or working.” He could only hope to recall his last meeting with Ava, and remembered her surprise at how scruffy he looked at the time. “Ehh-- we’ll figure that out later aye? Right now, food and drinks aye love.” He wanted to stay focused on Cat for tonight, let the tiles fall as they may later on.

Tittering softly as he scooped her up, she leaned on his shoulder and fiddled with his shirt while he carried her down to the kitchen. As the wonderful scent of seafood filled her nose, however, she lifted her head. It was familiar, almost as if… “Is that fideua?” How long had it been since she’d eaten that? Too long, certainly. Seeing it on the table, she smiled happily. “This is great.”

“R-really? It is?” He was a little bit nervous about his choice in food to be completely honest, thinking maybe she might have preferred something more-- extravagant or maybe simple. Finally taking the cork of the wine bottle though, and catching the smile on Catalina’s face, it was enough to ease William’s worries as he poured her a glass of wine to be ready, settling down in his seat afterwards. “It-- I dunno what this is gonna taste like. I tried it once at mum’s house, finished the whole thing off and then tried making fideua by memory from that alone. It might not be the same though so--” Enough mumbling about the food now, just let the poor woman eat! Straightening up, he took a breath and ushered Cat to start eating first, sipping on his glass of wine slowly. “You start, I wanna see if you like it.”