Embers of Sun and Flame: Before We Have It (Fuegoleon x OC)

Chapter 41 The one coherent thought

Cool night air lingered outside, under the sky that was painted with various hues of red and purple, ready to welcome the blanket of stars right up above. The world was dimming down, and Solara and Fuegoleon were more tired than they had anticipated to be. But then again, they had also taken longer on their visit than expected with having stopped at the Equinox household on their way back.

It had seemed fitting, to pop in before going home. Arcturus had seemed to find amusement in Fue's formal mannerism and speech patterns, simply due to thinking that they would have moved past it already. But the amusement was good natured and light hearted, while Celeste was still chewing on it. All of it. Lara moving away from Thea and what it meant for Lara herself. Fue could tell that she wasn't happy, not entirely at least, and she had made a point to remind Solara that they'd need to talk. But he supposed it all fair and reasonable. After all, they would need to talk about a lot of things on Thea's end. Though they were married and granted a blessing for it, the alliance, on paper, was yet to be formed.

Now it'd be expected of Thea to aid Clover in some matters due to the marriage, but technically speaking they weren't obligated to do any of it. And while signing official alliance documents, Thea would need to make an announcement to the other ally countries about the formation. Which, in this case, required a lot of thought when it came to phrasing in certain documents that outlined the selection process and events that had been related to the postponing of the alliance.

And he knew that he'd have his hands filled with work again after the honey moon, the short time he'd dare to take off from his duties. Because Julius was still missing. Damnatio was still missing. All of Clover, quite frankly, was on a shaky ground, much more so than he had initially anticipated. So... there'd be a lot to do.

But for now, he wanted to focus on trying to be happy. He really wanted to focus on that, because even this trip had brought forth a lot of emotions that had been less than pleasant. Emotions that he needed to process and things that had given him something to think, but he didn't want to add work related stress on top of it.

It'd be too much, for such a happy occasion. Time. Point in their lives.

So, now, as they were making their way back home, welcomed by the setting sun and all the colours with which it painted the air, the crisp scent of the approaching night, he made a point to simply adore the moment in which he was. The way she took a few running steps, as if to try and race him back into their room.

As if they were both carefree. As if the few boisterous laughs that trickled past her lips, were all that'd be in their future. Like they were the newlyweds that they would have liked to be.

"Come one," she teased as she was at the door to their room, still wearing that wide smile and a twinkle in the corner of her eye.

"I'm not a young man anymore," he commented with an amused smile on his own as he followed, reaching the door only a few steps behind.

"And I'm not a spring... kitten? Anymore myself," she replied with a feigned pout, through which the smirk still protruded as she opened the door.

He looked at her, and perhaps it was the fatigue or the worry that lifted its head within him, but he couldn't help but feel laughter from bubbling from beneath the surface; from somewhere deep within him.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to not burst into laughter, and so it came out as a forcefully composed chuckle, with which his grin grew as wide as it possibly could be.

"What?" She asked, unable to not feel his amusement as her own, but he didn't manage to reply; only laugh while stumbling into their room as she closed the door behind them. "What?" She repeated once it was just the two of them, and he took a deep breath to try and calm himself down.