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Tarrant edges in the door, looking smug, and with his hands tucked behind his
back. He's also looking -supremely- innocent, which is probably proof that
he's being anything but.
Corian is curled up quite nicely on the couch with her fuzzy blanket and her teddy bear and a book and a mug of tea--almost all the comforts of life, right here. And then you come in, and, voila, there's the last comfort. She looks up with a smile, though her brows quirk a bit at that expression. "Hello, cha'trez." Somehow she manages not to ask if she needs to call anybody or fix anything, instead inquiring, "Have you had a pleasant evening?"
Tarrant nods cheerfully, padding over to perch next to you on the couch. He offers something from behind his back, a slim envelope. He's still got something tucked back there however. That devious expression only brightens further with the proffering of the envelope. "Happy birthday, my star."
Corian takes the envelope with a smile of anticipation, though she does take a
moment to claim a kiss before she actually opens the envelope. "Thank you,
cha'trez," she murmurs. She even manages not to look worried at that devious
expression, though that's probably just control, on her part. She flickers a
brief glance at you, then, finally, drops her gaze to the envelope, the
better to pull out its contents.
Inside the envelope is a -very- official looking pamphlet, describing how you're being gifted with a vacation to one of the coldest planets known to have inhabitants in the galaxy. Pictures of tundra are accompanied with drawings of igloos and photos of beaming tourists. The nearly freezing bubbling tubs are even touted. Proof however that this is a gag is a small line at the bottom. 'All pilots fully Microsoft Flight Sim Rated...Even the special hidden mission with the Gar.' Tarrant is -so- terribly innocent.
Corian's brows go -right- for her hairline at her first glance at the pamphlet. She holds her tongue, though, and keeps looking over it until she finds the key and vital line, which does, in fact, make her laugh, and quite a bit. "Very clever, cha'trez," she says finally. "I will most certainly have to keep this somewhere safe." And then she can get one of the scary-cold pictures scanned, and painted on one of the walls or something.
Tarrant brightens at your response, pleased he's not going to get kicked or
anything. He tugs out a box from behind his back. It's wrapped in deep hunter
green and bount in yellow ribbons. "More seriously though, happy birthday.
Don't worry, it's not ski boots or anything."
"Ski boots would probably come in handy, though," Corian quips, as she carefully removes the yellow ribbons, then starts to unwrap the package. "They would be warm, at least. Or perhaps snow shoes would be helpful--except for the fact that we are never going to go to such a cold planet again."
The box is indeed devoid of ski boots. Instead it holds three gifts. The first is a t-shirt folded over the top. It's the same hunter green as the wrapping paper. The print is a soft yellow. In a host of different languages strung together it reads, 'If you can read this, you too are too well educated'. Beneath the shirt is a small rosewood puzzle-box. Each individual piece of the puzzle is cunningly carved to form a cityscape, with windows as buttons, and floating clouds ans shifting panels. The top is mostly open however, and tucked just inside is another envelope. This one involves tickets for what appears to be a real vacation. And it's definately a birthday gift for -you-, as it seems to be to a planet with some sort of massive amusment park, and the universe's scariest roller coasters. Tarrant just fidgets a bit, hoping he's guessed right. He's not good at this, see, but he tries.
Corian takes out the shirt first, with a quiet oh for the color. It'll make her eyes look green, snazzy! As she sees the writing, though, she pauses a moment, then dissolves into quiet laughter. "Now -that- is amusing," she murmurs. She tucks it over her arm, then spots the box, and ohs once more, this time with a touch of surprised pleasure. She runs her fingers lightly over the design, then spots the envelope. Her brows arch just a touch, but she does open it, and looks -decidedly- pleased. "Oh, this looks wonderful--but are you sure, cha'trez? Will you enjoy this as well?"
Tarrant's expression is rather sheepish as he ruffles a hand through his hair.
"Of course I will love. If it pleases -you-...For me the finest thing there
is, is to see you smile. I was hoping this would make you smile. So see, I'll
have a lot of fun." There's a pause and a snicker, "And besides, you can pick
on me for being such the wimp."
Corian shakes her head at that, with a quiet laugh. "Ah, but you are not a
wimp. I think that you will enjoy this as well, once you try it." She
carefully tucks the envelope back in the puzzlebox, and tucks the gifts onto
the table, unwrapping from her fuzzy blanket to reach for your hand. "THank
you, love," she says, that smile finally warming her face. "These are
wonderful gifts."
Tarrant echoes the smile, looking terribly delighted as he intertwines his fingers carefully through yours and shifts closer. "You're welcome, love. I'm only sorry I wasn't here earlier. I got hauled in downstairs to answer some questions on some trip I took years and years back." He settles into the warmth of the couch, letting it take his weight and allowing him to relax.
Corian shifts closer to you, cuddling against you and pulling her fuzzy blanket
over herself and over you. "It is all right, cha'trez. These things happen. I
understand. And I was able to keep myself occupied. Mother and Father commed
as well, and they send their greetings to you." And, yes, as she's been under
the fuzzy blanket, she's pretty warm.
Oooh, warmth, and the fuzzy blanket, and you and...are Tarrant's eyes glazing
over? He's certainly snuggling in closer to you in appreciation of the
warmth. "How are they doing?" Snuggle, ooh, the bear. He reaches over
absently to pet the stuffed toy carefully.
"Quite well," Corian replies, lifting her head to steal a quick kiss. "Father
wants for us to come visit soon, if we are able. I did not promise anything,
of course, but -Mother- even said that she would like us to visit. This," she
adds, her near-laughter audible in her voice, "Is, I think, proof that
miracles can happen."
Tarrant brightens at the kiss, turning enough to grin with lovesick fondness
down at you. "I'm all for visiting your parents, as long as you don't think
I'm likely to traumatize them any. I mean, speaking of miracles, I can try'n
behave. But you know me, sometimes I trip."
Corian shakes her head. "You will not traumatize them," she murmurs, nuzzling
close. "My parents like you. Father even says so, sometimes. And if Mother
doesn't say that... well, she does not even say that about -me-, often. You
do not have to behave any way you normally would not, cha'trez--not for my
parents."
Tarrant attempts to shift his arms around you, apparently wishing to either mooch more warmth or hold you close. Or maybe both. "Your mother's just not a very...demonstrative person I guess. Lots of folks are. She must be awfully proud of you though, who couldn't be?" There's a pause and a snicker, "Well, cepting that you went off and got married to a miscreant."
Corian cuddles closer, perhaps to facilitate that arms-shifting-around-ing.
"You are not a miscreant," she murmurs. "You are a wonderful, wonderful man,
and I love you. And Mother and Father both know that. They just want me to be
happy, and you make me happy, so they like you."
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
"Awww, but that's what Gardener called me today." Tarrant interlinks his fingers, effectively claiming you. His eyes sink shut in a painfully contented expression. "A crazed miscreant no less." He sounds so -proud- of this title. It's a sad thing. "And I was even behaving!"
"Gardener," Corian murmurs, her own eyes closing, "Is rather biased . I suppose that you could be a crazed miscreant and still be the wonderful man that I love, though, if you -really- wish to be a crazed miscreant. As long as I still get to love you, I will not object overly much."
Tarrant is quiet a moment, just turning into a contented puddle. As he relaxes,
his shifts protectively around out of reflex. "Star of my life, I am
certainly not going to be anything that will cause you not to be able to love
me if I can manage to avoid such. You're the most important thing in my life,
quests and lunacy aside. I have always loved living, but it is you that
showed me what living really means."
Corian sighs very quietly at that, a sappy, contented little sound. "I will always love you, though, cha'trez, no matter what you do. You will always be you, and I cannot do anything but love you. You are the person I was always meant to love, after all. It just took us a little while to discover that."
"There is little worth having that is not worth waiting for." Tarrant hugs you
close a moment with a soft chuckle. "Though one thing we might wanna stop
waiting on soon is some sleep, hmm?"
Corian opens her eyes to nod. "Perhaps we should go to bed soon, yes," she
agrees, offering a smile. "Though it really is so comfortable here, and
moving really does not seem all that appealing."
"You've a point there," Tarrant replies in a soft and sleepy drawl. Between
whatever evils occured in the office downstairs and the happy warmth, he's a
cosily sleepy kinda guy. "I'm very glad you interviewed this couch. It's so
good at this."
Corian chuckles very quietly at that. "Mm. Yes. If only it would magically
expand to bed-size, so that we could just curl up here." She doesn't lift her
head, but instead turns it so that she can look at you. "You sound tired,
cha'trez."
"Yeah," Tarrant agrees quietly, but not sounding unpleased. "But it's a
comfortably warm kind of tired. I'm here with you, and I didn't get kicked
for the brochure, and all's well with the world."
Corian lifts a hand to touch your cheek. "We can go to bed now, if you like,"
she offers. Too bad she doesn't do that arm-twisting gesture, this would be
the perfect time for it. "I think I could manage to get to the bed, if it
meant curling up in it with you afterwards."
Tarrant shifts his head to attempt to kiss your hand gently. "Or we could stay here comfortable all night. You won't catch me complaining a whit. After all that time in the cold, it's nice to be able to hold you properly, and be really warm and cozy and not worrying about any silly jobs."
"We could stay here?" Corian echoes. "You would be comfortable?" After all,
it's not like she's going to take up much room. "The couch was not informed
that this would be in its job description, but I do not think it would mind
the additional responsibilities."
"I've snoozed here before," Tarrant notes, eyes opening a bit further as he
grins at you. "And then I thought it was the most wonderful moment of my
life. I'd never felt so content or safe. But then you have amazed me time and
time again. Each moment with you manages to be better than the last somehow."
His eyes drift shut, "Maybe if I offered it a throw pillow or something as a
bribe..."
Corian snags a second blanket, pulling it overtop the fuzzy one, then curls
close once more. "Staying here sounds absolutely wonderful, then," she
murmurs. "And I think that the couch will be fine without a bribe. Or if it
is not, perhaps we can get it re-upholstered."
Tarrant pats at the upholstry a moment before snuggling in all the way and closing his eyes once again. "I like the upholstry," he murmurs softly as he tucks himself around you. "It's soft." He sighs quietly, sounding terribly pleased. He doesn't take up much room, surprising considering how much of the bed he manages to take up usually. "Thank you for sharing this year with me."
Corian is tucked neatly between you and the back of the couch. She's not going
-anywhere-, nope. At your words, though, there's a quiet little sigh, and she
wakes up enough to kiss you. "You are most welcome," she murmurs. "And thank
you for making this year so wonderful."
Tarrant returns the kiss as best he can, as he's mostly asleep already. "Love you dearest...sleep well. Dream sweetly." He settles in, half-smiling in a contented fashion as he drifts into a mostly asleep state.
Corian cuddles a bit closer, and closes her eyes drifting off to her own sleepingness state, after a murmured, "Good night. cha'trez. I love you."
Tarrant is a few moments more before drifting off entirely, murmuring a last, "Only star..." before ending up hard asleep, and terribly content.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.