kairosaether | (no subject)

Kairos Aether is being Sneaky.
Very, very sneaky.
It's not every day that Connor isn't in his smithy, doing blacksmithy things, smelling like smoke and metal and sweat - all things she's come to not-so-secretly lust for, so she's not exactly complaining there.
And it's certainly not every day that Kai finds herself in his shop, looking to unload something she'd made him.

She settles on the anvil.
When Connor sees it, he'll probably recognize Kai's usual heavy off-white cardstock. This time, using Macleod colors, it's decorated with a stylized 495, using some of the scrollwork she's seen Connor use these many months.

On the inside, there's a simple, You didn't think I forgot, did you?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

1stmacleod

In the summer, Connor had the shed doors wide open whenever he worked, partly just to let the excess heat out. This time of year, with snow covering the barren garden and piled up around the shed, it's freezing cold. Sorcha slinks along bumping against his legs for warmth, even though she bounded through the snow on the way there from the house like an oversized rabbit.

The place is dark, and all the metal and stone makes it seem even colder than outside, but right away he spots the square of creamy paper sitting on the biggest anvil like a patch of sunlight. It's clearly from her.

Connor opens it, smiles one of his quiet, honest smiles, and decides there's probably better things to do today than hang around in the forge alone with his dog. Sorcha looks confused when he heads right back up to the house, carrying the card, but she slips right past him into the kitchen when he opens the back door.

From:

kairosaether

Immediately a much, much smaller dog bounds up to Sorcha, yipping happily. Regina loves her bigger little sister to pieces. Kairos is perched at the kitchen island - one of the few things she'd insisted on when they'd renovated the kitchen - flipping through a cookbook.

She turns towards him, already smiling. It gets bigger when she notices the card in his hand. "Happy birthday."

From:

1stmacleod

Sorcha was bigger from the outset, but she's always happy to follow the lead of the older, smaller dog, even now that she towers over her. She goes into a play bow, spins in a circle, and bows again, ready to chase or be chased.

"It is already." Connor smiles and comes over to sweep the hair away from her neck and kiss her there. "Thought I might leave the forge cold for a day, after all..."

From:

kairosaether

Kairos ... well, Kai giggles, and sort of turns into a turtle. "Hey, that tickles.."

"You think? I'm sure we could figure out something to do...like open birthday presents."

From:

1stmacleod

Now that just encourages him, and Connor chases her neck as she writhes, nuzzling for a minute before he lets up. "And be with you..." She gets a squeeze, and he glances at the dogs playing. Taking them for a walk together, and cuddling, and cooking together all sound like an excellent way to spend the day.

"You don't have to get me presents, you know..."

From:

kairosaether

"Mmmhmm. You're always with me, though. It doesn't get tiresome, does it?" No, she never gets tired of him - but she realizes her ... exuberance can be a lot to take sometimes.

"Don't be silly. Of course I do. You're my guy." She nudges him with her elbow. "And we spoil the ones we love."

From:

1stmacleod

"Not always..." He spends plenty of hours alone in the forge, because they each have their own hobbies, and it can only be so interesting to stand around watching him beat up metal all day. The space to do his own thing is exactly what he needs, anyway, but today he'd rather spend the day with her.

"I'm not going to argue too hard." He smirks and nuzzles the top of her head. "Do I spoil you?" He tries. He really does. Having his money back helps.

From:

kairosaether

"Mmmhm." She tilts her head back and kisses his chin. "and not necessarily only in monetarily sort of manner."

From:

1stmacleod

"Money isn't everything, but it's useful stuff." Connor shrugs and closes his eyes, enjoying the attention. He's a very wealthy man, but only through careful investment and saving over time, and he still wears his clothes into holes if she'll let him.

From:

kairosaether

"Oh, I know." Kairos does: Her jewelry and artwork bring in quite the nice living for Kairos, even after she makes her charitable donations. "We should go on a trip, don't you think?"

From:

1stmacleod

"...A trip? Where?" His eyebrows rise a little, because he's not sure if she means a day trip, or something more. Not that he has any big objections. The forge is his work, these days, which makes him self-employed. He can afford to take a break and go somewhere for a change of scenery.

From:

kairosaether

She shrugs a little. "Maybe a weekender. Somewhere different than France."

From:

1stmacleod

Connor grins faintly and rubs the back of his neck. "If you're hoping it'll dull the accent..." It's thicker than it was since she met him, thanks to contact with the locals, even if that is usually just for groceries and other supplies. He can speak a number of different languages, but accents elude him, and always have.

"Where are we going?"

From:

kairosaether

"I happen to like that accent, thank you." So there.

"Don't know. I didn't think that far ahead." She nuzzles his neck. "It's your birthday, so I guess that's up to you."

From:

1stmacleod

Connor gives a quiet chuckle. It's good that she does, since he can't do much about it. He's spent a lot of time in France, off and on over the centuries. It sticks.

"...Not... Scotland." He's thinking, although what she's doing to his neck is a little distracting. He doesn't want to go anywhere that will bring up bad memories, but somewhere a little familiar would be nice, because he can show her some of the things he's seen, give her a glimpse of his history.

"...Ever been to Japan?"

From:

kairosaether

"Can't say that I have, no sir."

From:

1stmacleod

"It's pretty, especially in the wilder places..." He's sounding thoughtful, now. Of course the cities are busy and modern, but there are still rural spots that would be more like what he remembers. Not that he's wholly unfamiliar with the city, either.

From:

kairosaether

"Wilder places tend to be prettier," Kairos thinks. "I take it you don't want to go shopping in Tokyo?"

From:

1stmacleod

Connor gives a mild shrug, because he's aware that's subjective, but wild places are definitely his preference. "We could spend a day doing that, too, but you should see Mount Niri."

From:

kairosaether

"Could be fun," she says in response to the shopping. "Tell me about it. I love the mountains."

From:

1stmacleod

"It won't be quite the same now, but that's where I studied under Nakano, and learned to make good swords..." He'd experimented a little with broadswords, before that, but it was nothing compared to the art of making katanas under an immortal teacher with hundreds- if not thousands of years of experience.

From:

kairosaether

"When was the last time you were there?"

From:

1stmacleod

"Japan?" He rubs his chin briefly with a sound like sandpaper. "Nineteen sixty-eight? Sixty-nine? But I haven't been back to Mount Niri in centuries."

From:

kairosaether

She nibbles a little at his chin. It always amuses her to see him a little distracted. It makes her feel good. "So Mount Niri it is, with a day in Tokyo for shopping." She pauses to grin up at him. "And maybe we can amuse the locals with some karaoke?"

From:

1stmacleod

The nibble brings him back to the present with a tiny smile. "You can do the karaoke. You know I can't sing." Which doesn't always stop him, as he's been known to sing when he's happy, usually old sea chanties. His raspy voice suits the chanties all right, but he doesn't carry a tune that well and when he sings more modern songs it may take a minute listening to work out what he's actually going for.