"First to prove you wrong about me, and then, just," Aerith shrugs, her smile growing shy. "You're captivating."
She can tell the magic helps, and that puts her more at ease. As happy as he's made her, the fact that he's been held prisoner for a week isn't far from her thoughts. She's got a duty to him as the ship's healer, and now, as his future wife.
"Wait," Aerith pulls her hand away and takes one of his. "First, I need to," she guides his hand to rest on his thigh, looking over the rings on his fingers before slipping one off to put on her ring finger.
With a satisfied nod she lets his hand go before sinking into the water to gently settle against his chest. "I needed a ring."
It's so sweet, seeing her shy like that. And now he recalls how often he saw that expression early on, oblivious that she cared for him. He returns it, equally shy in his honesty. "You're the only person whose opinion I cared about in a very long time," he assures her.
He's confused at first when she tells him to wait, but consternation turns to amusement as she shifts through his rings, stealing one for herself, and when she settles against him he cradles her tightly, sighing happily. "Here I was fretting I hadn't gotten you one, but stealing mine suits you better, doesn't it?" And there are no words for how happy it makes his heart to see his ring on her finger, placed there because she wanted it to be.
After wrapping an arm around his shoulders Aerith kisses his cheek with a content chuckle. "They're our rings now, aren't they? If I'm going to be your wife doesn't that mean half of what's mine is yours, and half of what's yours is mine?"
Laughing again she kisses his cheek a second time. "Our earrings too, right, husband?" Her heart leaps at the thought and she can't help but cozy up against him a little more, her lips trailing from his cheek to the side of his neck before she nuzzles against his skin with a happy hum. "I love you so much Balthier. You've made me so happy."
"I should have known," he sighs dramatically, but he can't keep the grin out of his voice. "Just after my things. A true pirate."
He hums as she kisses his cheek and cozies up to him. "I do like seeing you in my things. I suppose I can abide by this." He adjusts his arm around her, squeezing her to him as he settles his head against hers, eyes drifting closed as she kisses down his neck.
"My sweet Aerith," he murmurs, fresh tears at just how much she loves him. "My incredible wife." His chest flutters saying it for real.
"After you and your things," she points out before peppering his face with kisses.
Her arms tighten around him, kissing the spot where his neck meets his shoulder before her head settles against him. Their escape from Piaget felt like a lifetime ago. She recalls too keenly what it was like getting over the nightmares to believe that terror is gone completely, for either of them, but for now, she's the happiest she can remember being.
"Tell me what you want for our wedding. I want small, but I want a nice dress and lots of flowers, and you."
"Mmm well I have been your possession for quite a long time now. I suppose I should hide the earrings I actually want to keep though, hmm?" he asks, smiling into all the gentle kisses on his face. If not for how they got here, this would be a perfect day.
And something about her settling so cozily into his hold, the water easing their aches and shutting out the world as she asks for thoughts of their future, feels almost surreal. "You will have all those things," he promises, tucking his head against hers and settlings his arms around her, fingers trailing on her arm.
"I want music, and somewhere outdoors, and a good meal, and afterwards I want to take you on a trip far away from here and kiss you even more than I usually do." He turns to press his lips to her hair. "But so long as you're there, I'll be satisfied. Assuming I look nice."
"Why hide them? If you're keeping me forever it's not like they're going to go anywhere," Aerith teases in a murmur as she kisses the bridge of his nose.
This has been one of the hardest days they've faced together, but Aerith feels sure they can weather it. They have each other, after all, and even though being apart was never something she considered, the thought of getting married brings the notion of sharing the future with Balthier to the forefront of her thoughts.
"I want all those things, and to dance with you. And you will always be the most beautiful person I've ever seen."
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Date: 2023-04-17 02:38 am (UTC)She can tell the magic helps, and that puts her more at ease. As happy as he's made her, the fact that he's been held prisoner for a week isn't far from her thoughts. She's got a duty to him as the ship's healer, and now, as his future wife.
"Wait," Aerith pulls her hand away and takes one of his. "First, I need to," she guides his hand to rest on his thigh, looking over the rings on his fingers before slipping one off to put on her ring finger.
With a satisfied nod she lets his hand go before sinking into the water to gently settle against his chest. "I needed a ring."
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 02:59 am (UTC)He's confused at first when she tells him to wait, but consternation turns to amusement as she shifts through his rings, stealing one for herself, and when she settles against him he cradles her tightly, sighing happily. "Here I was fretting I hadn't gotten you one, but stealing mine suits you better, doesn't it?" And there are no words for how happy it makes his heart to see his ring on her finger, placed there because she wanted it to be.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 03:29 am (UTC)Laughing again she kisses his cheek a second time. "Our earrings too, right, husband?" Her heart leaps at the thought and she can't help but cozy up against him a little more, her lips trailing from his cheek to the side of his neck before she nuzzles against his skin with a happy hum. "I love you so much Balthier. You've made me so happy."
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 03:53 am (UTC)He hums as she kisses his cheek and cozies up to him. "I do like seeing you in my things. I suppose I can abide by this." He adjusts his arm around her, squeezing her to him as he settles his head against hers, eyes drifting closed as she kisses down his neck.
"My sweet Aerith," he murmurs, fresh tears at just how much she loves him. "My incredible wife." His chest flutters saying it for real.
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 04:24 am (UTC)Her arms tighten around him, kissing the spot where his neck meets his shoulder before her head settles against him. Their escape from Piaget felt like a lifetime ago. She recalls too keenly what it was like getting over the nightmares to believe that terror is gone completely, for either of them, but for now, she's the happiest she can remember being.
"Tell me what you want for our wedding. I want small, but I want a nice dress and lots of flowers, and you."
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 10:38 pm (UTC)And something about her settling so cozily into his hold, the water easing their aches and shutting out the world as she asks for thoughts of their future, feels almost surreal. "You will have all those things," he promises, tucking his head against hers and settlings his arms around her, fingers trailing on her arm.
"I want music, and somewhere outdoors, and a good meal, and afterwards I want to take you on a trip far away from here and kiss you even more than I usually do." He turns to press his lips to her hair. "But so long as you're there, I'll be satisfied. Assuming I look nice."
no subject
Date: 2023-04-17 11:01 pm (UTC)This has been one of the hardest days they've faced together, but Aerith feels sure they can weather it. They have each other, after all, and even though being apart was never something she considered, the thought of getting married brings the notion of sharing the future with Balthier to the forefront of her thoughts.
"I want all those things, and to dance with you. And you will always be the most beautiful person I've ever seen."