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[ Cloud isn't the only one whose cheeks are red. It's just the two of them here, yet she feels a little bit of embarrassment, anyway! But Cloud braves it, so she does, too, even if she does move away from him after that bite. ]

Is that something you want to do again?

[ Please say not for a long while... ]

I like the ranch better than the barbecue. It's still good, though.

Down the road? [ A beat. ] Maybe not with chicken fingers.

[ But he can't say he regrets it either. Cloud's also quick to rein himself in again though, leaning sideways against the side of the spring so he can face her. ]

Alright. Rough gameplan... [ The Red Spring wasn't as luxurious a resort town as others they've been to. And it's nowhere near as big as Lystellus either. If anything, save for the lack of mountains, there's something about this little place that reminds him of Nuvei. Still, that didn't mean there weren't things they could do! They can't just sit in their hotel room all day. ] You get to sleep in or get up as early as you want. I'll try and have a surprise for you in the morning.

[ Oh- ]

'Sides your birthday present, I mean. ... We still thinking of those dance lessons? I wasn't sure if that required a suit or not, so...

[ Is Cloud the one sorta rambling now??? asdkfjh ]

You can't surprise me if I don't sleep in.

[ He probably can, but we'll see. Maybe Weiss will just not sleep so she can win. 😈 (That's a bad idea.)

When Cloud brings up dancing, though, it's impossible not to be surprised. Her eyes go wide and she looks at him in wonder, smiling and laughing nervously because she can't believe she just heard him talk about dancing without her bringing it up again. This is the best birthday ever, and it hasn't even hit midnight yet! ]

Oh, would you like to? I'd love to do it! [ And yes, even before he can answer? She's practically throwing herself at him now, her wet arms around his neck as she presses herself against his side. (Weiss, the towel's opening up...) ] Please, please, please? Cloud, please?

There's the challenge.

[ Weiss, please get some rest. That's a terrible idea. (Unless it's Cloud keeping her up. 💦) ]

[ Cloud's mumbled musings wane as he realizes her look has changed completely. Those beautifully blue eyes of hers, so wide with wonder as she starts smiling again. Now he's getting nervous— almost like he was subconsciously anticipating what Weiss was about to do. ]

Nn—!

[ The water splashes around them slightly as he reflexively throws his arms up as she presses herself into his side. Now it's his eyes that are so wide. He doesn't need Chroma to know ~~how nice~~ what it feels like to have the more mature Schnee squished up against his bare side. Even though his arm naturally settles around her midsection, that didn't stop his peripheral vision from catching how her chest swells in her towel top. Funny...not that he was doggedly checking her out or anything, but he could have sworn that he couldn't see this much earlier...

As his hand settles on her back? He feels the back of her towel loosening up too. Oh. Uh oh. ]

Ah- Y-Yeah. S'why I brought it up. Wouldn't hurt to actually be as well dressed as you for once.

[ ~~Not counting the time he was Clara.~~ ]

This is going to be so amazing! I doubt it'll just be the waltz that we'll do. Oh, I can't wait!

[ Weiss really is so excited. She loves to dance! And she wasn't lying when she told Cloud that she'd always wanted to dance with him when they went to the Spring ball. They'd already danced by themselves on their first date, but nothing compares to being dressed up and in a big area for it. There's just something so grand about it.

Chu. ❤️ As Cloud's reward for wanting to dance with her? He's getting one kiss after another. All on his cheek, mind you, but she's far too excited to say anything else now! ]

[ There's something about the way Weiss kisses him on the cheek, getting his heart pumping a certain way. It's not a common word in his vocabulary, but he's definitely thinking it in his head right now... What was it? "Wholesome"? Because he can't help but smile, reactively winking as she repeatedly dishes smack after smack with her lips. ]

Hahah... [ He'd kiss her back if she wasn't going back after him again and again! He's also given up on worrying over her towel. They're in private. And he's more keen on getting more of this affection out of her. The first thought to pop in his head is also the first thing to pop out of his mouth when he hugs her back again, side-eyeing her so she can keep pecking him on the cheek as he speaks. ]

S'like your cashing in kisses for dances.

[ One kiss per dance. How many did she give him already? Four? Five? Still counting? ]

You mean to say I could do that?

[ Uh-oh. Cloud better be prepared for all the kisses, then.

Okay, okay— one last. She lets out a soft laugh after that, resting her head on his shoulder once she's done. ]

You should've told me. I would've done that a long, long time ago.

[ The gentle crimson glow of the warm water, coupled with Weiss resting her head on his shoulder as he gently hugs her against his side is just about all he could ask for. For now, the chicken fingers are entirely forgotten. For all intents and purposes? He could close his eyes and forget about everything for a while. Not falling asleep or anything! But the peace and quiet that they can share in was a rarity. And that's exactly what he does, closing his eyes as he contently sighs through his nose with a hum. ]

Maybe I've been the one holding out. [ How many kisses has she given him over these couple of years? ] At this rate, I'll be dancing for the rest of my life.

[ He couldn't have asked for a better partner. ]

Yeah. A hundred times a day, too.

[ She's going to kiss him a hundred times is what she means! But with his arm around her and with the water being so warm, she can't help but put a bit more weight on him as she bites on the lobe of his ear. ]

Do these also count as kisses?

Hoo boy.

[ He faintly registers her body pressing more firmly against him, a soft gasp leaving his lips when she bites the lobe of his ear. A wave of heat courses through him, from head to toe and leaving him tingling. Cloud opens his eyes, half-lidded but not quite turning his head to face her. If only because... ]

Dunno... Do it again to make sure.

Why? Are you going to start dancing when I do it again?

[ Well, is he? She's going to laugh if he does!

As tempting as it is to do as he says, though, the part of her that always wants to defy is ever present. Cloud is testing her. She should go beyond his expectations. And so, she leans in slowly... ]

Mm...

[ That wasn't intentional, but she does let out a soft little hum when she lowers herself by a smidgen so she can angle herself better. And rather than bite the lobe of his ear this time? She gives it a good suck before licking the very end of it when she pulls away.

She snacc. ]

Maybe.

[ The slight shift lower against his side is felt. That brief powernap they had before must have done them some good, because Weiss is doing a damn good job of making sure he didn't feel tired. When he thinks she's going to nip his ear once more, she sucks on it, eliciting a softer clipped breath from her boyfriend. It's a very telltale sound by now- the kind that says he's trying very, very hard to behave. ...it also means that Cloud's pretty close to failing that self-imposed "behave" command.

Tilting his head towards her, he's not at the right height to return the favor to her ear, but with an arm draped around her shoulders still, his hand slides down her arm, fingers trailing across skin still above water. He kisses the side of her head again. This time however... That's not where he stops. His hand slides up again, gently squeezing her shoulder as he kisses her again. ]

Think that counts.

[ Keep going, Weiss. He wants quite the debt by the time they're done. ]

I found someone cute to nibble on.

[ Uh-oh.

As playful as that sounds, though, it also reminds Weiss of the actual thing she should be nibbling. Her hold on Cloud tightens for a moment as her shoulders ride up. ]

Oh! The chicken!

[ Yeah, who cares about Cloud now? The food's getting cold! ]

We haven't even tasted the strawberry sunrise!

[ Bye. She'll go do that now! Or at least, she's moving towards the edge of the spring to get to the plates when she feels her towel loosen around her. Can't really properly fix it, so she's just using one hand to hold it up???? While one hand takes a chicken fingie to dip it inthe barbecue sauce :9 ]

Me too—

[ "Oh! The chicken!" ]

Ah-huh...?

[ It feels like someone put an industrial fan in his head and blew out all the steam. Because everything feels so clear. What just happened? He could have sworn earlier she was nibbling on his ear, humming so invitingly and licking at his lobe. And now she's suddenly dipping for their chicken and strawberry sunrises?!

But she- He thought- They were—! ]

....

[ Deep breath through the nose now, Cloud. It's her birthday getaway. By the time he's reaching for his own drink, if she looks around to him, he's flush red but relaxed and smiling again. ]

After your chicken finger.

[ It's not like she means it every time she does something like this! That one time when she was a fox and was blonde? She truly did mean to come back! Now? She doesn't want the food to get cold.

It's only when she turns around to face him that she realises— oh! Was she leading him on? That wasn't her intention at all! ]

Here.

[ Say "ah"! She won't even take a bite first. He can have it! ]

Can I just have you for dessert?

[ It's because it's Weiss that he can never be actually mad. But it wouldn't be the first time that she's teased him and things tapered. Maybe the circumstances felt different here in their own private pool on a getaway? She's hitting him with so many things one after the other. Now she's offering him the chicken finger. ]

Om.

[ First bite, done! ... they are still good. Then she suddenly goes right back to another teasing question. Which, he's glad he's already swallowed his bite because otherwise he might have stammered. But instead, he takes a second before replying, ]

If you're still not done nibbling, sure.

[ Look, she's not going to avoid the topic when she's been implying that they're going to get dirty tonight. It's a vacation and Weiss wants a lot of attention because it's her birthday!!! Cloud better deliver. ]

Nope. I want you to owe me a million dances by the time I'm done with you.

[ So yes. She will nibble away. 😌 ]

[ Cloud plans on delivering and then some. He's going to take her dancing, even if it's something that he typically didn't do. He's going to surprise her with breakfast in bed. He's going to hold her, and kiss her, and never let go. What's changed from before? Nothing. Absolutely nothing; he's going to keep going like this. According to Weiss? He's doing right by her, and doing it right. Giving her a little smirk, he holds his drink out in front of him, waiting for her to take her own glass before toasting. She may have something specific in mind?

But for now, he only has one thing he wants to say. ]

Happy Birthday, Weiss.

[ Oh!! It's toast time, huh? Well then, she'll make way to get her own drink and clink her glass with his. No spiral straws or anything— the drink is plenty straightforward. ]

No speech?

[ There's nothing she really wants to say now, but she's always pouring her heart out for Cloud, anyway. ]

Haven't done one of those in a while...

[ No, he's not trying to tease or joke entirely. And while he's not about to lay on something thick or elaborate...well. He can do better. ]

To one of the best things that ever happened to me. And more years of this to come.

[ That, he'll clink his glass to before taking a drink. ]

[ This guy... Well, he did say he's better at showing than telling! It's just funny how much he needs to work on his "telling" to begin with. But the fact that he still said something when she requested for it is more than enough. Something gross or a tearjerker would have been nice—it is her birthday, after all!—but this is more than fine.

She gives him a smile before finally taking a sip and— ah... there's the alcohol. It's orangey! That's the sunrise, she imagines, but she can't help but make a face because of how strong the alcohol tastes. ]

Yang loves this so much... I didn't think it'd taste this way!

[ Then again, she's not much of a drinker to begin with. Whenever she and Rebecca went out for drinks in Lunatia, she'd always order the ones that are fruity and taste like berries. You could barely taste the alcohol in them! This? This is different. ]

[ There very well could be more to come! But more importantly, it just may be when Weiss was least expecting it. They have a whole getaway for him to treat her like a princess. And...well, for the length of said getaway? Act like her prince. ~~As princelike as Cloud Strife can get anyway.~~ His face doesn't twist in the slightest to the drink. It's his first time having one of these, and it's still strong. But not as hard as some of the drinks he's used to. ]

What part? The citrus? Or the strong liquor?

[ Knowing that Weiss wasn't one for drinking, Cloud doesn't pressure her into having any with him- save for moments like this anyway. Even for Cloud, this is the first alcoholic drink he's had in quite some time. Last thing he ever wanted to do was turn to it as a crutch to mask his past traumas. Never again. Back in Lunatia, if he drank, it was either while checking in on Tifa at her job, or back at his apartment when he still shared the place with Panty.

In fact, having toasted? He's already putting his glass back on the platter for now. As far as he's concerned, while one drink won't get him plastered, he's not interested in getting tipsy for her either. ]

The liquor.

[ It's not embarrassing or anything, but it's just weird! Sure, she's also had wine before because she had to learn what goes best with a specific type of dish. Can't really plan events or host events if you can't properly serve drinks at them! The other members of the Atlas upper class would frown upon the Schnee family name if they couldn't live up to it, after all. She's just not one for these sorts of drinks. ]

I'd be okay with it if it tasted more like juice and wasn't burning my throat.

[ Oh well! At least she tried. And as much as she would like not to waste food, she really does not like the taste. Setting it down by Cloud's own glass, she pushes it a bit closer to him, too. ]

You can have it.

Yeah. They can be rough sometimes. Something stiff after a hard day can take the edge off.

[ The trick was? To keep it to that one glass, can or however the individual serving was taken. At least, that's how he treated a drink back on Prismatica. The last time he drank back home was in depression; again? He wasn't going down that road ever again. He'd come too far to take steps back. He blinks, surprised when Weiss pushes her glass a little closer to his.

Well... Probably best not to waste it. There's three more chicken fingers left too. Yet on the other hand... ]

I'll do the one. Mouthwash can only cover up so much.

[ As if he even needed to imply kissing her some more. akfdjhs But sure enough, since their glasses aren't big, he decides to effortlessly finish his own off, setting it back down with a sigh. ]

My father would always have a bottle of the harder liquor ready for guests. He and General Ironwood would share a glass together in his office whenever he was there.

[ And these meetings would take so long! She's never seen him drink fruity stuff except wine. As for her mom, though? Well... she drinks straight out of bottles of vodka. . . ]

That would have been me if I ever took over the company! ... well, it's not like that matters much now.

[ Given the situation in Atlas and all. Then again, with Whitley as the heir, it truly doesn't matter. But he also wouldn't run the company the same way their father did, anyway... ]

And— wait. [ Now she's laughing. While she doesn't think that Cloud is implying that his strawberry sunrise breath would not be appealing, it's what's on her mind when he says that. ] You know if you tasted like it, I'd still kiss you, you know.

... it'd probably taste the best then.

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