19 Apr 2024, 04:01
Just Be With Me
It was not all BS @Simon Kincaid
There had been so much to do, but the prospect of having Simon basically all to herself for a week and a half for this year’s spring break put the giddy-up in her go as Grandma Ruth used to say. She spent the first day back with her folks, of course… and Hillary… and visited all of her sanctuary friends, both new and old. She would not see Kendric nor Ainsley until they got back from visiting their families for Easter, so that meant uninterrupted time with the main event, one Simon Ezra Kincaid.
He would not be showing up until Thursday, but the best part of that was that AngelFyre and her family would be traveling to London on Wednesday for Aunt Maggie’s wedding and Simon would be coming home with them the following day. She did not know who invented honeymoons, but she blessed them each night before hopping into bed because Aunt Maggie going away for two weeks meant Simon needed someplace to go. The only good thing AngelFyre could think of that came from Simon’s Christmas visit with his fa- … with Adrian… was that Aunt Maggie was not even the least bit inclined to let Simon go off again to be with his irresponsible vampyric fa-… with Adrian.
Go Aunt Maggie!
Lucky for Aunt Maggie and Simon, he had a girlfriend and family who jumped at the chance to host him while his beloved Aunt entered into her new life of marital bliss. AngelFyre was positively convinced that the upcoming visit with him was going to be as close to Heaven on earth as she was ever likely to experience… at least until they themselves one day ventured off on their very own honeymoon. That happy time was till too many years away to think about right now, even though that salient fact never stopped her from doing so… frequently.
She was busy tidying up his guest room and stocking it with all of the things she knew he might like and need in case his not forgetful self actually forgot something. It could happen. She was certain his mind was rather preoccupied with pre-wedding chores. All she could think about was seeing him on Wednesday at the wedding. His mind had to be elsewhere, juggling a million details. As she stocked his bedside table drawer with a large bag of lemon drops, and the newly updated channel guide for the satellite television channels, she was as happy as anyone had a right to be. He could be busy with all of the necessary wedding details now, but once Aunt Maggie was off, he could finally relax. He could just be with her and together they could figure out all of the details of their own spring break later.
She really did not have a lot planned except for two things. One was a day trip on their anniversary, and the other was Easter services. She did not find a dearth of “events” to be a problem as the two could just as happily sit in silence together and read or talk for hours on end. Stenton Village may not pulse with the same vibrancy as his beloved London, but there was a lot to do here if one was creative. And her fellow knew by now AngelFyre was nothing if not creative. This time around, she expected there would definitely be some sneaking out together.
And at that thought, AngelFyre’s heart started beating rapidly enough that she was certain anyone standing next to her would have been able to hear it.
****************************
28 March, 2024 - Riding the train to just outside Stenton
As she sat next to Simon on the train, directly across from both her parents, she smiled as she thought how far they had come. She currently had her head resting on his shoulder and if he was nervous about it, her boy was keeping his cool. Was a time when he thought twice, maybe thrice or more before even holding her hand in front of her parents. Well, in front of her father anyway, but AngelFyre’s goal was to have him leave Stenton Village and the two of them maybe becoming friends. As her head gently lolled on his shoulder while watching the English countryside speed by, she remembered her time at home before his first ever visit.
“Daddy, do you remember a couple of years ago before Simon first visited us and I would NOT stop talking about him?” Her father lowered his newspaper just enough to peer at her over the top. She could not see his mouth, but she could see his eyes. She knew he was grinning, at least, because his eyes were crinkled in that way she knew all too well. He was in a teasing mood. That was good!
“Indeed I do, lass. I remember it like it was yesterday,” and he lowered the newspaper altogether and turned to his wife. “Annene, correct me if I am wrong, but it was just yesterday, was it not, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the - .…” he asked in an exasperated tone looking at his wife, before turning his head and giving up on finishing the thought altogether before challenging AngelFyre playfully. “Why are you under the mistaken notion that you do not STILL talk about your Prince Charming day in and day out?” and he laughed.
AngelFyre lifted her head and in so doing squeezed Simon’s hand three times. “Now Daddy, you always tell me you want to know what is going on with me, well,” and she cocked her head slightly in Simon’s direction, “Simon is always the most interesting thing going on with me. I was just aiming to please my audience,” and she giggled. Whether he knew it or not, Simon had been holding his breath, and she heard him let it out slowly and felt him finally return her three hand squeezes.
Iain McCubbin then turned his attention to Simon. “After first meeting you, our little girl was transformed. She had not ever been much of a talker, not really, but all of sudden the lass would not, or could not, be silenced. Everything was Simon, Simon, Simon.” Then he turned to look at his wife, shaking his head gently. “It still is laddie. Dinna doubt it. But in the beginning, she confused me one day when seemingly, out of nowhere, she started referring to PS. I have to be honest. I thought PS stood for Prince Simon,” and he raised his forearm to fend off the small pillow AngelFyre flung at him while smile threatening in a low rumble,” “Daaaaaaddddyyy!
“Well, I did. I had no clue who or what PS was, so I asked,” and he tossed the pillow back at his daughter who caught it and set it down in her lap. “When she told me that it meant “Pre-Simon”, I looked her straight in the eye and told her that was a silly designation. If BC was "Before Christ", surely that nomenclature could carry on in this instance and she should consider following suit. She took all of a second to catch on and once she did, her eyes must have grown as big as saucers," and he chuckled. "Daddy!?! Shame on you!" he imitated his daughter's American accent perfectly, even if in a voice too deep to ever be hers. "'Would serve you right if I did adopt it and when questioned about it, I could point everyone right back to you and this moment,' and then we both laughed because she definitely had me there."
AngelFyre then turned to Simon who had a wide grin on his face. ”Grandma Ruth had been sitting by the fireplace and reading a book, or half-reading and half-listening, and chimed in and shared that the whole thing truly did sound like “BS” to her. That really tickled my father's funny bone and when he was able to collect himself, he cleared his throat and nodded in Grandma Ruth's direction before turning back to me. When he spoke, he had adopted a stern, fatherly persona,” and AngelFyre rolled her eyes before continuing.
"'Your grandmother is absolutely right. I want to hear no more about this BS and I do not want to hear you talking BS either, do you hear me lass?' and before I could respond at all, Daddy and Grandma Ruth both dissolved into quite a sustained fit of laughter. My stubborn little self was feeling like my precious Simon had been maligned somehow, somewhere along the way... and I wanted to be upset... but I knew their hearts and their laughter was too infectious, so I joined in along with them. It was my fault anyway. I had likely not uttered three sentences since being back over break that did not somehow have your name in there somewhere, so they all probably did think I was spouting an awful lot of “bull patties” as Grandma Ruth was fond of saying.”
She stopped as her breath caught in her throat most unexpectedly as she remembered that it was just two days later that her father actually met Simon for the first time. All teasing and laughter from Iain McCubbin’s corner of the world on the subject of one Simon Kincaid had stopped immediately upon that first meeting. It was everything that followed the next morning that could rightly fall into the arena of BS, but that was all water under the bridge.
She caught the reflection of her smile in the window and saw that her father was smiling as he picked his newspaper up once again. She rested her chin on Simon’s shoulder and whispered into his ear, “Just so you know, when I do think of life before you, I still think of it as PS and not as BS,” and she could not help but giggle just a little more.
------- ----------- -------
ReducioOOC: Simon and AngelFyre's writers have longstanding permission to godmod each other's characters.
The magic is real.
21 Apr 2024, 04:14
Just Be With Me
Riding the train with @AngelFyre McCubbin and parents
"Quite good to know, love," he said and smiled widely. Yes, for a girl who supposidly didn't talk very much before meeting him, she surely had said quite a lot right there but he loved nothing more than to hear her thoughts and opinions and all the brilliant notions that went on in that mind of hers. Simon often wondered if the sorting hat hadn't made a mistake with her and Ravenclaw was where she belonged but no, absolutely not - it was the Hufflepuff Common Room in which they first met and he was rather certain they were destined to be together so therefore the hat made exactly the right choice.
He was grateful that whatever it was that brought them together, whether fate or by some magical enchanted hat, that they did meet and that they did talk that night despite her not socializing much before hand. They had too many shared interests, too many similarities, and an instant connection that just magnetized them together immediately. Sometimes the most common of days, in the most common of places, could be the start of something so amazing and incredibly profound.
Simon knew he was a better person now than before knowing AngelFyre. He was a little too girl crazy at one point and time in his life. It wasn't that he used them or toyed with their thoughts or emotions or was manipulative, but he just didn't have the steadfast loyalty that he had now.
Taking her hand again in his own, he squeezed it three times and looked out the window. He was looking forward to more time in Stenton and anything that it would bring, not really having a preference for what they did, so long as they were together.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
25 Apr 2024, 02:26
Just Be With Me
In Her Element @Simon Kincaid
She was wide awake well before the crack of dawn…not that she could have ever slept with the overwhelming excitement of having Simon so near. Excitement or not, it was her responsibility and great joy, as well as her privilege, to tend to the beloved menagerie of motley misfits who happily resided at the McCubbin's animal sanctuary. It was Friday which meant it was also Simon's first full day at Stenton. AngelFyre had thought they would stick rather close to home, at least his first day, to give him his first breather from the recent pressures of school exams and essays and patrols which had then been followed by myriad last minute wedding details. She thought he might appreciate at least one day of relaxation before they jumped into anything else they might choose to do over their break, though it suddenly occurred to her, much too late, that this was probably not the morning to have him accompany her on her morning chores if she truly wanted him to relax.
Animal husbandry was just not likely to ever be a relaxation activity for her fellow, but in all fairness, the animal care itself had not been the main impetus for asking him to join her. It was because of something he had mentioned to her the evening before; something he said he had thought about while on the train. He had said he wanted to know everything about her, big or small. She in no way thought it was the first time he had thought such a thing, as they had been together for a good while now, but it was the first time he had ever expressed it to her. AngelFyre hugged him tightly when he had said it because she had thought that no less than a hundred million times herself, but about him. She even chuckled when she confessed jubilantly to him, “Well, I am certain it probably will not surprise you to know that I made it a goal of mine, quite some time ago, to leave this mortal coil with a PhD in all things Simon Ezra Kincaid.”
His smile remained, wide and dazzling, but a sober thoughtfulness shadowed his expression as his gaze also remained fixed on hers. After anchoring a long tendril of her hair behind her ear, his eyes danced in a contemplative softness. It surprised her a bit when he then leaned over to silently enfold her, holding her longer than a typical hug would normally dictate, but surprise did not prevent her from burrowing deeply into his embrace. It was a little moment, but it left a lifelong impression as powerful as any stick of dynamite might, except for all of the right reasons.
So, just what was Simon likely going to get to learn of AngelFyre this morning? He had never gotten to see her actually do one of the things that she most loved to do in the whole wide world, and that was to go down to the barn and the mews and pens and help Hugo Kidd, their on site veterinarian, with the morning chores. Hard as it might be for her city fellow to believe, filling food bowls, hauling water, milking cows, mucking out stalls, bandaging smelly, festering wounds, taking temperatures, logging temperatures, helping Hugo dispense medications, and any other of the hundreds of tasks that may be necessary in any given moment, simply made her heart soar. Once shock, pain, and fear left the animals in their care, expressive joy, calm contentment, and enormous trust emerged. The bonds she had developed with “her” animal family over the years were as important to her as any she had with the two-leggeds she loved, Simon being the one and only exception to that rule of thumb.
As the two walked hand in hand towards the barn with Hillary running slightly ahead of them, the hint of a glowing sunrise was already peeking at their backs. The lights were burning in the clinic, so AngelFyre knew Hugo was there already. All of a sudden, the peace in the quiet hum of the morning was shattered harshly from a commotion off to their left. AngelFyre knew instantly what it was and immediately dropped Simon’s hand, asking him to stop right where he was for a moment. She took about 10 steps ahead of him and laughed as the burro raced to greet her. Whenever Donkey Yoti spotted her, it was his habit to trot over to her, braying like mad. He would press his head into her side affectionately, not roughly, but strongly, curling his lips back until she petted him and cooed to him for a good few minutes. The good news was that he always announced his presence so he was never able to sneak up on her. That meant she could always brace herself for what was to come. Laughing and petting and scratching him behind his ears, she turned back to Simon.
“Remember asking me our very first night what my “thing” was?” she smiled widely at him, feeling lighter than air. “This, Simon. This,” and she leaned down to kiss the top of the burro’s head while wrapping her arms around his neck and laughing.
*******************************
A few minutes later when AngelFyre was able to extricate herself from the attentions of Donkey Yoti, who had since been joined by his sidekick, Sancho Panza, she and Simon made their way into the barn. She led them back to the clinic where Hugo was measuring out some food for a raven with a broken wing. Before she could wish him a good morning, and not taking his eyes off of the scale, Hugo stated, “I think that Donkey Yoti is as crazy about you as Hillary is, and that’s saying something.” Just then he raised his head, smirking, and turned in AngelFyre’s direction but was surprised to also see Simon.
“Simon! Good to see you again. Looks like you’ve grown. How was Maggie’s wedding?" and he was going to update Simon on David Beckham’s health, but just then the man of the hour raced into the room and circle-rubbed around Hugo’s legs a number of times, marking his person. “Well, you can see BILB is doing well. Please be sure to let Maggie know, will you? You can also let her know that my bride, Kalinda, fell in love with him the moment she heard his name, and we have unofficially adopted the fine fellow. His prognosis is quite good, I’m pleased to say," and Hugo bent down to pet the cat under his chin.
“So, how are you? And are you here to work or observe? And either is fine, so long as the answer is to work."
------- ----------- -------
The magic is real.
5 May 2024, 15:29
Just Be With Me
Touring the land with @AngelFyre McCubbin
"Lead the way, Miss Hillary," he said to AngelFyre's faithful companion as they headed across the fields and towards the barn. The furry friend seemed to know exactly where they were going and Simon wondered how much animals really were able to understand of language and it made him glad that he talked so often with Rascal, just in case. The dog's excessive tail wagging seemed to show that she most certainly liked playing guide of the Stenton manor.
Simon enjoyed seeing his girlfriend in her element like this and it was also nice to see the trust that these animals had built with the McCubbin Clan, knowing that they would provide the basic care like shelter, food, and water - but also companionship and comfort and security. That was something beyond just taking care of these animals, that was making them more like family. Honestly, he really didn't expect anything different from this family - but it was interesting to see first hand like this. And as for AngelFyre, her this, her caring and compassion and love in visible evidence was astoundingly beautiful.
Everything about that girl was.
Simon was all smiles as they ventured through the pasture and he greeted each animal as it came up to see AngelFyre and would often glance his way curiously. "Why good morning," he would say to the first one, "and good morning to you as well," he'd say to the other. Their interest in him didn't waiver their attention on the girl they loved so much and were happy to have back for Spring Break and he wasn't offended in the least - he understood quite well how AngelFyre could occupy you like that. She had captivated many.
Once inside the barn, Simon saw Hugo's familiar face and gave him a smile as a greeting so not to interrupt him. He asked how Aunt Maggie's wedding was but a cat came up to him, circling around, and wanting the spotlight for a moment. "Seems he's showing off just how great he's doing," Simon laughed and leaned down to pet the cat. "I'm glad he's found his place." It was nice when these animals didn't just have a place to be, but their place with their family. The cat then made his way back towards Hugo. "Aunt Maggie's wedding was great - not even the smallest of detail out of place." It had been a lovely and peaceful day to celebrate love and the new couple - just as it was meant to be.
"I'm doing well and ready to help out where I can." Where I can was the main part of the statement. If either of them were expecting great feats of animal husbandry there by Simon Kincaid, they would probably be poorly let down. If their expectations were to help out and put in some hard work - he was ready.
Still, maybe he should have read a little bit of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small as a resource.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
20 May 2024, 02:13
Just Be With Me
Boyfriend's Choice @Simon Kincaid
It had been almost a year since Simon had seen David Beckham, and all he had ever known of him was that he had been quite a sick, frail cat. When the very same ran into the clinic's kitchen and wrapped himself around Hugo's legs, AngelFyre was amused at the momentary confusion on Simon's face. She could tell his initial inclination was to think he was looking at David Beckham, but when Hugo referred to him as BILB, uncertainty furrowed his brows.
"Kalinda, much like Aunt Maggie, apparently, is a big fan of a certain football player, but since David Beckham is quite a mouthful of a moniker for such an unassuming feline, she took to calling him BILB, an acronym for 'Bend it like Beckham'. It shortens the name but, kept the flavor and original intent behind it. I love it, actually," she cooed as she bent down next to Simon to scratch BILB thoroughly behind the ears, enjoying the sound of his loud, undulating purrrrrr... rrrrrrrrr.... rrrrrr.
"Be certain to marry a woman with a sense of humor, Simon. That's important. I teased Kalinda one morning and referred to BILB as Bilbo Beggins because he is always trolling for treats," and they all three laughed together. "Yeah. I thought it was funny, too, but not Kalinda. She scooped him up as if I had somehow managed to hurt the kitty's feelings and then she refused to make my breakfast, telling me I could go "beggin'" for it elsewhere. And she was serious!" he said as he shook his head.
Then a huge smile lit up his face. "Here's some news I know you don't know yet, though AF. We found out later that same day her uncharacteristic response to me was likely due to hormonal fluctuations. Turns out my sweetheart is expecting our first child. The baby is due in November. I'm going to be a father."
AngelFyre heard the news and was instantly on her feet and not too soon afterwards in Hugo's arms, hugging him tightly. "No kidding? Our very own Dr. Kidd is going to have a kid? That is absolutely wonderful!" and she started bounce stepping in place like she did when she was particularly excited or happy about something. "I offer my babysitting services right now... free of charge," and looked over to Simon. "Never too soon to start getting some practice in, right?" and she winked at him, thinking it was likely not possible to ever get enough practice if they were blessed enough to have their own family plans come to fruition.
******************
About an hour later they were heading back up to the house. It was daylight proper now, and Hillary was bounding ahead, dancing to the beat of her own drummer and olfactory whims. "I think this is one of her favorite times of day. She knows that when we get back to the house, bacon is in her future. I think after me, there may be nothing she loves so much as bacon, except for what my be directly in front of her in any given moment, like my parents, or you, or Ainsley and Kendric, or an adventure, or a sunbeam to stretch out in, or a puddle to splash in or.. or.. or. She is beyond a doubt the happiest creature I have ever known. She absolutely lives in the moment. I wish I was more like her," and she laughed softly while hip checking her fella.
"So, tell the truth. How awful was it for my city boy? I am glad you are not allergic to hay. Daddy is. When I was little, I thought he was allergic to the actual horses! But that dhampir strength of yours came in real handy hauling those bales to the stable stalls. I just wanted to give you a little taste of where I am each morning I am home and who I am with and some of the things I do. Could have been worse. I could have had you muck out the stalls," and she squeezed his hand three times and leaned up to give his cheek a kiss, "... or we could have gone for a three or 4 hour horseback ride. I have yearned for years to see you in makeup, sans the sunburn, of course," and she burst out laughing. "Oh! I really should ask Clair if she got a picture. You know, I would pay good, cash money for a copy of that," and she bit her lip, trying to suppress her smirk.
"I also hope you took note that I specifically did not introduce you to any of our goats. I get jealous enough hearing about you and your side girl, Cinnamon. I have my limits, donchaknow?"
She steeled herself for, but nonetheless welcomed, the unloading that was likely to come from the mere mention of that momentous horseback ride and the introduction to Cinnamon. She suspected those would be memories that would follow her dhampir all the rest of his days, and by extension, all of hers as well. It was all good though. She could tell he was far enough removed from it now that he did play it up to a certain extent for comic relief, even though she knew his pain had to have been real, on a few levels, at the time.
"What do you think you might like to do today? I have a couple of choices in mind if you would like to hear them. If you have something you would like to do, let me know, but I thought if you were in the mood to just relax after the non-stop month and a half you have had, we can just chill up at the house or in the treehouse or down by the river. Second option is to do some geocaching, which will entail a bus ride and most of the day away from home. I already got permission for that for today or tomorrow. So, it is boyfriend's choice day. None of the above is a viable option, too. Just say the word and it shall be so, handsome. "
------- ----------- -------
The magic is real.
29 Jun 2024, 13:52
Just Be With Me
Ready for an adventure with @AngelFyre McCubbin
AngelFyre's treehouse was fabulous and the two of them had quite an enjoyable time on his last visit starting at the boathouse and drifting down the river in a boat but he was ready to experience something new on this trip. "Hmm, taking a bus ride and being confined in a small space next to my favorite girl to be away for the day and out of the eyes of her parents so I can kiss her any time I want? I think I'll go with that option," he said as he stood there and presented her with only a smile. No kiss for now. For that she'd have to wait.
"I've never been geocaching," he admitted. "Isn't that like a scavenger hunt?" But he had no clue where one even started in finding the clues or if he was correct on his thinking. "Or is it more like channeling our inner Indiana Jones?" he asked, referencing an American movie series that he had seen. Granted, their 'artifacts'/items wouldn't be quite so ancient and they probably wouldn't encounter any rolling boulders.
Simon glanced out the window to a rather cloud covered sky above Stenton and was thankful. Sun wouldn't have stopped him from spending time with his girl but this made it even better. He was ready to go though, ready for whatever their day might bring them. Plus, maybe his orienteering skills could come into play during this adventure but truly, all he cared about was being close to her.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
4 Jul 2024, 20:24
Just Be With Me
Geocaching It Shall Be, @Simon Kincaid
"Geocaching is a lot like a scavenger hunt, and yeah," she laughed at his Indiana Jones reference, "it can sometimes be a lot like channeling that 1940's nerdy, but incredibly attractive, professor/archaeologist living deep within us. Then she stopped for a moment to really look at him and her smile grew ever wider.
"You know, you would look smoking hot in Indy's outfit, though that is nothing new as you look smoking hot in everything you wear. Guess that just goes to prove the old adage that ''The clothes do not make the man'," and then she just sighed dreamily for a moment as that delicious vision continued to occupy her thoughts. "I mean, you already have the satchel, right? We just need the khakis, the hat, the whip, and the jacket, and then..." and she stopped mid sentence to giggle and spoke up again by repeating herself, now quite giddy at the visions parading through her mind. Being playfully dramatic, she suddenly, but gracefully, rotated about 45 degrees "...and then... SWOOOOON!" she trilled out before falling into his arms with her back facing his chest, knowing full well he would catch her before she hit the ground. Her eyes were squinched shut so that he should in no way have thought she had really swooned; he knew her better than that anyway. Still, she craned her neck back a bit to peek up at him out of only one squinched eye, smiling an honest, but equally squinched smile at him, as his strong arms and hands supported her shoulder and her neck, now only about 3 feet off the ground.
She raised her index finger as if anticipating he might say something, thereby cutting him off at the pass. "Give me a moment, please. I want to revisit that vision for just a few seconds more, if you would not mind, so that I may burn it indelibly into my brain?" and then opening just one eye, she winked up at him to see that he was also grinning from one beautiful ear stud to the other and she began to laugh as he raised her up.
As she brushed her hair out of her face and straightened up her shirt collar, she told him, "Actually, geocaching is more high tech these days. We can hurry up to my room and login to my geocaching account to find the nearest one or two locations. I always bring my compass with me, but I know you have yours, so we can use that if we need it. The locations are always given in GPS coordinates though. I inherited Grandma Ruth's GPS device," and AngelFyre smiled a little wistfully, but then got a bit animated as she continued. "She used to tease Mom that she needed it to find her way around that huge house of ours. That always cracked me up."
*************
An hour or so later, after racing him... and Hillary... back to the house (Hillary won, of course, but she always cheats), they had gotten breakfast, had signed Simon up for his own geocaching ID, and had collected the coordinates for their adventure. All packed up and ready to go, they climbed into the back of the SUV and were chauffeured to the Dunbar bus station by AngelFyre's mother. They arrived a little early so her mother made certain they had snacks and plenty of water. "I want you both home before dinner, understand? That will be around 6:00 this evening. And AngelFyre, you phone and/or text me or your father before you get on the bus to come home so we know when to come and pick you up, got it, Sweetheart?" AngelFyre nodded her head in the affirmative as she repeated with conviction, "Got it." And almost as she finished her short sentence, the bus turned onto High Street and the two had soon boarded it and were waving goodbye to her mother.
She let Simon have the widow seat because he always let her have the window seat when they were on the Hogwarts Express. Besides, she had grown up near this coast and had seen the landscape between here and North Berwick Law hundreds of times, if not a thousand. The bus was not empty, but there were only 5-6 other passengers aboard. "The bus trip is not long; maybe 30 - 35 minutes. But when we get there, we will have a bit of a walk. It will not be too bad; only about 2.5 kilometers or so."
While on the bus, they played rousing matches of thumb wars. Simon won most of those, but to be fair, his thumb was quite a bit longer than hers. She was pretty fast though, dhampir reflexes or not, and managed to trap his thumb easily on a number of occasions herself. She did wonder if he let her win those because she also knew he was much stronger than she was, but she knew he knew she detested "wins" of that sort. Either way, she did not ask and he did not tell and they both managed to have quite a lot of fun. Winner of each round got a sweet-n-sour as AngelFyre coined it. The sweet was the kiss and the sour was the passing of a lemon drop between them. After about 3 rounds, the game continued with some good-natured competition between the two, but she found she did not care who trapped whose thumb because the sweet-n-sour made it a win/win for both of them.
When they disembarked from the bus, AngelFyre pointed the way down the lane. It was really a road, but it was not busy, so they were safe to walk it without fear of being struck by a vehicle. "This is going to be fun. We are going to be climbing a volcano this morning, and at the top of that volcano is a fabulous Whale Jawbone arch. The arch that is there now is not the original that was hauled up there back in the early... earrrrrly... 1700's by a farmer's team of local Clydesdales if memory serves. It has been replaced a number of times, but a replica of the jawbone was installed after the last, real one degraded to a point of no longer being safe. That was in 2007 or so. Somewhere up there, I am assuming, is where we will find our geocache. When we get into town, I will enter the coordinates and then turn the GPS over to you so this can be your first, official geocache find," and she was almost bounce stepping with every step she took.
"Oh, and look what I brought!" she exclaimed as she reached a hand into the front pocket of her jeans. "We can each leave these, after signing the cache log book, if you wish to do so. People often bring something to trade for some little token at the cache site. It is not required that you do so unless you take something. I got the badger pin for you to leave and I will leave the Cessna keychain in honor of Grandma Ruth," and she gazed into Simon's eyes, feeling like hers had to be sparkling as well, but not with tears. Not this time. This was going to be a joyous memory for the two of them.
"I mean, it seems the only decent thing to do, to give her her props," and she bumped his shoulder as she chuckled at her own pun. "Airplane props. Get it? It was her GPS unit we are using, after all."
------- ---------- -------
The magic is real.
4 Sep 2024, 14:44
Just Be With Me
Beginning upward with @AngelFyre McCubbin
Simon looked up to the destination of their hike. It wasn't going to be an easy twenty minute hike but it looked like a fun one and he was glad his girl was as adventurous as he was. She looked forward to this venture and so did he, with her guiding him along the way. And when she began explaining how others leave something for those embarking on the same route, he was grateful she thought of him and chose something for him to leave. And he liked that she was bringing some sort of momento in homage of Grandma Ruth. Whether she had something with her or not, Grandma Ruth had been so instilled, especially in AngelFyre's life, but also Simon's that she would always, always, always be with them.
A breeze was blowing and if his ears served him correctly, he could hear water somewhere. Simon gazed up at the grassy mountain, or volcano as she referenced it, and figured it might be about an hour climb if his Scout days served him correctly. Perhaps it would take a little longer if they took a break or wanted to take in a few photos along the way which he figured they would. Something like the hill before them wasn't merely to be conquered, but also to be experienced.
Simon smiled to her. "I've always loved a high vantage point," he said as he wondered what the view was like from the top as they stood at the foot of their journey. "We've got Hampstead Heath in London, a just under 800 acre stretch of land that offers a view over London. You can see some of the buildings that make up the London skyline, Tower 42, The Gherkin, and St. Paul's Cathedral. Still though, most of central London is almost flat."
And it was a shame because they wouldn't have a view there in London like he and AngelFyre would get to experience in just shy of an hour's time. He took out his water, taking a drink of it and offering her one before placing it away so his hand would be free and then offered his out to her. She took it without hesitation and he brought their clasped hands close to his mouth so he could gently kiss the back of hers and smiled. "Allons-y, mon amour," he said, saying 'let's go, my love' in French. At the beginning of 2024, Simon made an unofficial New Years Resolution to learn some French so that perhaps he could be fluent enough to get the most out of taking his girl someday on a trip to France.
The learning was going slow but that was okay - the strengthening of his faith, the building of his magical education, and his learning about magical medicine all took priority at the moment. Besides, he would have guessed from their relationship alone that they were resolute but her vision alone had him assured that she would continue to be by his side. This was a trip they could take sometime before graduation, shortly after, or decades later.
But that was then. Right now, Simon Ezra Kindcaid and AngelFyre Afton McCubbin began hand in hand over the grassy foot of the conical hill.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)