Valentine’s
Hi @goldgalaxytea! I have finally finished your gift for the secret cupid exchange hosted by @thearcanasecretcupid! I am not an experienced writer, this is my first time writing a fanfic, so please feel free to provide feedback. Enjoy!
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It was already dark and the night sky was dusted with fainting stars. The tall Parisian lamps alongside the narrow streets of Vesuvia flickered with pink light. The lightbulbs have been changed in honor of the day of the lovers. The city hall’s members have ordered ten thousand roses of all shades to be planted in the centre square. A string quartet has been playing serenades since six o’clock, and small coffee tables have been set up outside by local cafes for the passersby to enjoy the evening. White doves were perched in pairs on the overhangs of the shops, while cats gathered in couples on the roofs of the houses. The night was to be promising.
Tia was getting ready at the magic shop. This year February was unusually warm, so they decided to wear a dress they have been saving for summer. After successfully applying the eyeliner, Tia excitedly skipped to the wardrobe and got the outfit out. The dress was absolutely stunning. The top part of the dress was made from yellow silk and delicately hugged the slim figure. The gentle v neck allowed for Tia’s new necklace with an obsidian gemstone to be worn. At the waist the ruffled skirt from see-through black fabric was layered in different levels, allowing for the legs to remain exposed and covered at the same time. After putting the dress on, Tia brushed their bangs slightly to the side. This way the hair, that was messily tucked into a braid crown, looked more elegant. Tia completed the look with matching rings and black sandals.
They were to meet with Asra in front of the baker’s shop. Tia was walking down the streets with a basket of gifts picked out for him. For some reason, they felt nauseous. No, those were the butterflies in the stomach, a typical occurrence when you are falling in love. They have been together with Asra for a long time now, but they couldn’t contain their nervousness. Maybe it was because Asra had been away for two weeks on one of his journeys, and tonight would be the first time Tia would see him. The basket contained multiple scented sandalwood candles, which Asra found very relaxing, along with a homemade massage oil extracted from rose petals and black leaf tea, which Tia divided and wrapped in beautiful blue sachets. These goods were gently covered with a pastel green shawl, which Tia picked up from the market place a while ago. It would go well with Asra’s purple eyes.
Tia reached the baker’s place promptly at 6 o’clock, the agreed time. Seconds seemed like minutes, and minutes seemed like hours. They could hear the faint festival sounds coming from the city square. There would be dancing soon, Asra would for sure enjoy it.
Suddenly, Tia felt a light brush of fingertips across their waist and warm breath tickled their bare shoulder. A gentle, whispered ‘good evening’ reached their burning ears. Tia instantly spun around and threw their arms around the magician, who almost stumbled back at the sudden movement. He quickly regained his ground and wrapped his arms around Tia tightly.
«I missed you so much,» mumbled Tia into Asra’s collarbone. They pulled back for an instant to look at the magician’s face. Tia’s trembling palm stroked his tanned cheek, fingers laced with his white curls. Their eyes met, and in a single moment so many unvoiced things were said.
«You are so beautiful,» Asra murmured quietly. As if pulled by gravity, the distance between the two closed. Asra’s eager lips linked with Tia’s, and moved as in a synchronized dance. Tia hungrily kissed him back, deepening the kiss. After a while, they had to break, gasping for air.
«There will be time for this later,» Asra smiled cheekily at Tia, «now, let’s grab some dinner.» Asra intertwined his fingers with Tia’s and led her towards the main square.
Once they reached their destination, Tia’s breath was taken away by how marvelous all the decorations looked. This year the people wanted a grander celebration than ever before, and they have really put their minds to it. Couples were seated at small, black round tables, on top of which stood delicate french candleholders and plates with exquisite thematic meals. Chatter was mixed with laughter and violin sounds.
«Come on,» Asra tugged on Tia’s arm, beckoning them to follow him further. Slightly confused, Tia followed Asra into an alley and into a poorly lit building. As they climbed the rusty spiraling staircase, Tia’s curiosity grew.
When they reached the third floor, a beautiful terrace spread itself in Tia’s view. The terrace had enough space to accommodate about eight people, but would not allow for much movement. It was facing the city hall, so the spectacle that Tia observed earlier could still be seen, just from an elevated position. Along the tiled floor stood massive jars which buzzed with fireflies of different colors. In the middle stood a table set for two, much like the tables occupied by the couples on the square. In the centre stood a basket of fresh-from-the-oven bread, a special delivery from the Baker. A big cheese platter with different jams and honey was the centerpiece.
«Care for some wine?» Asra poured expensive red liquid into a glass and was holding it out to Tia, who stood there in awe. They slowly took the glass out of the magician’s hand, feeling slightly speechless.
«Did-, did you do all this, alone, for me?» Tia finally managed to speak, as they walked toward the balustrade and leaning on it to observe the town. Asra came up to stand next to them, carrying a loaf of pumpkin bread in his hand.
«I wanted to do something special for you,» Asra chipped off a piece of the bread, and offered it to Tia. Tia chuckled before taking the bread out of his fingers with their mouth, making sure their lips brushed his thumb a little. A careless touch. Enough to send Asra’s blood pumping to his ears, coloring his face burgundy.
«Well, let’s get to eating then, before the breads cool down and become stale,» Asra quickly turned away from Tia to hide his blush and excitement. He has been away from them for too long. He wanted to enjoy a conversation with them before he lost any control of his body. They had the whole night ahead of them.
After finishing their dinner, Asra got out a blanket and some pillows and climbed to the roof of the building. It wasn’t very steep, so the Magician skillfully set up the area, and invited Tia to join him. They settled on the colorful blanket and prepared to take in the view - the lively main square just below, the gardens and the towering castle in the distance, the ocean that cradled merchants’ ships on the other side, and the breathtaking night sky above them.
«Where is Faust actually? I haven’t seen her today yet,» inquired Tia. As Asra’s familiar, Faust was always beside him, wherever he went.
«I have sent Faust to check up on Muriel. I did not have time to visit him lately, so I started to get worried,» Asra replied, trying to hide his concern from his apprentice.
«I am sure everything is just fine. We can go check up on him tomorrow, if you want. We could bring some fresh bread with us,» Tia cuddled closer to the magician, doing their best to reassure him. They hated to see Asra in distress.
«That would be great, I am sure he would love that,» Asra smiled warmly at Tia, squeezing their hand as a ‘thank you’. He gently pulled Tia closer to his side, and protectively wrapped his arms around them, stoking their back. Tia nuzzled their face into the cradle of the magician’s neck, planting a soft kiss there. They felt Asra hold his breath at this moment, which brought a cheeky smirk to the apprentice’s face. The night was going perfectly. No, even better than perfectly.
«Oh, before I forget, I wrote you something,» the Magician retrieved a small parchment envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Tia. The parchment retained a nice library smell, which has been adjourned with daisy’s sent. It was carefully sealed with burgundy wax. On the front side of the envelope in delicate black ink stood Tia’s name.
«But it is a magic letter. You can only read it in your dream.»
«What do you mean by that?»
«If you open the letter now, you will see blank pages. I put a spell on the letter so that only the recipient will be able to read it, and message will be revealed to them in their sleep. This way, only they will know, what the letter holds,» Asra smiled at Tia, before planting a quick kiss on their forehead.
Tia was still holding on to the letter, and they wouldn’t let go of it before they drifted off to sleep. The starry sky, the soft violin sounds, the fresh air, and the warmth of their lover. This is everything the ever wanted.
***
My dearest Tia,
So many years ago, I still remember that day. You were at the market, standing next to a cart with fruits. There were so many exotic ones to choose from, many of which I didn’t even know. The wind was strong, I could see strands of hair being thrown into your face from under the blue scarf that you wore. You bought a few apples. I wasn’t following you that day. I was just passing by, running some errands. But I happened to see you later at the port. The sun was setting, and you were sitting on the docks with your apples, starring out into the horizons behind the oceans. At the sudden whiff of breeze your scarf was violently ripped off from your head and shoulders, and carried by the wind, to me. The fabric stuck to my body, the wind urged me to take it. I saw you turn around and look at me with those grey eyes of yours. At that point, of course, I couldn’t see their true color, we were too far way. But my legs, on their own free will, instantly took me to you. You offered me an apple as a thank you. The way you smiled at me - I fell for it deeply. And when I looked at you, I saw the orange and blue colors mix in your eyes. I preferred looking at that version of the world rather than turn around and take it in as it was. That’s what I vividly remember to this day - your cashmere scarf, your sour apple, your smile, the world in your eyes.
If I could choose one day to have on a loop, I would choose that day. Some would say it’s foolish. I didn’t know your name, I didn’t get to hold your hand, I didn’t get to kiss you that day. And wouldn’t it be better to indefinitely be relieving those moments instead? As much as I want to do that, it was not the beginning of our story. None of us knew what we were in for. We wouldn’t realize it for a while either. We were simply in the moment. I would give anything for that brief minute. Because I saw something new, something I haven’t ever seen before. The reflection of the sun and the waves merged together, it was so breathtakingly beautiful. Later I realized, that it was your soul that I have seen. And I felt, like you saw my soul too. Otherwise I wouldn’t have felt stinging shiver seep through my chest, a strangely pleasant feeling. Maybe that’s what they call ‘love at first sight’.
Years later, we are here, celebrating the Lovers’ Day. On the roof, the stars and the night enveloping us. You know this, I have told you many times. But I will tell you once more. I love you.
Yours forever,
Asra
