cake by the ocean ♛ ♡ [private//rin]

It really had taken her a bit too long to get ready. Normally, she didn't spend too much time messing with her appearance, but today was special! Theo planned to take her on a date today, so she had to look her best! Her hair had been tied up into what she had hoped to be a neat bun, but unfortunately, the bangs that normally rested against her forehead refused to cooperate. In an attempt to keep them in their place, a single pin was used to keep some of it back. The rest dangled annoyingly close to her eyes, almost as if it was mocking her. Deciding to ignore it for now, she rushed to her closet, grabbing the clothes she had set out the night before. Wrapping the dress around herself, she began the long process of buttoning it all up. Why did she have to buy a dress with about 1,000 of them? Grabbing the scarf-like piece of fabric that went along with it, she tied it loosely around her neck, fumbling to make a somewhat decent looking bow. Finally, she stepped into the thigh high stockings she had been dreading to put on, almost falling in the process. These things always had to be so difficult!

Hearing her boyfriend's voice call from the front door, she rushed to the living room, looking for the red shoes she had bought just recently. Lily had said they made her look more fiery! "I-I'm almost ready! I'll be out in a second!" She called back, a smile beginning to form on her face. She was actually really excited for this date! It had been a little while since they had done something like this. Finding the cheeky red pumps, she slipped them on quickly before awkward high heel jogging to the door. As she opened it, her smile grew even wider than it had been before. The sight of her boyfriend and the beautiful scenery made her heart skip a beat. "Oh! You look really nice!~"

The sudden kiss had flustered her a bit. You would think she would have been used to it by now, since surprise kisses were pretty common when it came to Theo. But no, it still managed to get her every time. As he pulled away and spoke to her, her cheeks had begun to turn a light shade of pink. “O-Okay!” She managed to say just before he tugged her along with him. This place they had docked in truly was beautiful. It wasn’t often that she got to see the ocean or the beach. In fact, the last time she saw one might have been when the Sugar Squad had dived down to the abandoned Golden Phoenix guild hall! It had been quite a while since that had happened! Closing her eyes slowly, she took in the fresh, soothing air. No wonder people came to the beach to relax! “We should come to the beach more often!” She suggested eagerly, hoping that he would agree.

Stopping to look up as Theo whistled, rosy pink eyes widened in awe. How was anyone supposed to climb that many stairs? She liked to think that she was in shape, but even after going up and down the stairs in the guild hall she was winded! Just thinking about climbing all of those stairs gave her a crippling feeling of dread! Letting out a sigh and a small giggle, the young woman nodded to her lover. “I don’t even know if I could make it up there without the heels on!” She teased, sending a goofy smile his way. As they continued walking towards the salty smelling ocean, Rin softly swayed their intertwined hands back and forth. Even after regaining her memories, holding hands and going on dates was still incredibly foreign. The closest she had ever come to a date before meeting Theo was occasionally sneaking away from the dorms with Simon back at the camp. More times than not, though, they were caught and promptly punished. But there was nothing to worry about now! She was free to go wherever she wanted with Theo now, and she enjoyed every second of it.

It was nice to hear about her companion’s past once in a while. It seemed as if she had spilled all of her beans to him in the past few weeks, while some of his memories were still concealed. It wasn’t that it bothered her, necessarily, in fact, it made things more interesting when she finally received some of the little details! Like this one. Putting her free hand up to her mouth, she stifled a chuckle. “S-Sorry! I don’t mean to laugh! That’s just so cute!~” She cooed lovingly, imagining what Theo would have been like as a child. Probably just as sweet and derpy as he is now! Perhaps, one day, she would get to learn more about how he was as a child, but for now it could wait.

As they approached the dining area, a warm feeling grew within the pink haired woman’s chest. The sound of the crashing waves was like music to her ears, and the scenery sent butterflies fluttering into her stomach. It truly was a romantic setting for a date. “Let’s go sit over here!” She bubbled, pointing excitedly towards a table that was close to the water. What was the point of going to be beach if you didn’t get to play in the water?! As the pair reached the table, Rin lightly dropped her things and took of the restricting footwear. Releasing her boyfriend’s hand, she bolted straight for the lapping waves, hopping into them. The cool water seeped into her stockings, making them feel squishy and uncomfortable against her feet. But that didn’t seem to phase her at all! Turning around, she flashed Theo a brilliant smile. “Come on! The water feels amazing!” In an attempt to lure him over, she bent down, scooping some water into her hands before tossing it towards him. That was sure to get his attention!

A giggle escaped from peach colored lips as Theo twirled the pink haired mage around. It was common knowledge that neither of them had the coordination to dance, but still they did it anyways. It was actually pretty fun, as long as they weren’t stepping on each other or falling on their butts. Wrapping her arms around him gently, she tried her best to go along with the flow of his movements. The fact that he was talking made it all the more difficult! The young woman really didn’t have a knack for multitasking, especially when it came to things where she had to be hyper cautious about her steps. She had just been about to respond to her companion’s comment about the boat trip, but was interrupted by the coughing butler man. Face crinkling into a pout, she followed Theo to the table, not wanting to spoil their date in any way. He had set up this whole reservation for them, and it would be terribly rude of her to disrupt his plans! Dancing in the ocean would just have to wait until later, it would seem! They even offered it later in the evening. Though, it might not be as fun if there were other people staring at them as they danced. Especially since they both had two left feet!

Taking a look at the menu the man had left for them, she careful debated her options. And boy were there plenty of options! Appetizers, main courses, side dishes, desserts. It was almost too much to keep up with! Rin had always been a simpler kind of gal, preferring a plain, home cooked meal over something fancy. But she would never turn her nose up to it if it was offered to her. It just took a bit longer for her to decide! Squinting as if to get a better look at what was written, she thought about what some of the dishes even were. Even the little descriptions below them didn’t make too much sense. Either she was illiterate, or this place was really fancy. It could have been either, honestly. Peeking over the top of her menu towards her boyfriend, she leaned forward, a devilish smirk replacing the confused look that had been on her face just moments before. “Hey. Do you think it would be naughty if I skipped the main course and went straight for dessert?~” She snickered, giving her boyfriend a quick little wink.

Why was it that he knew exactly how to make her flustered?! All he had done was respond to her flirting. Perhaps she wasn’t expecting him to quip back so quickly? Either way, her face grew warmer, betraying her feelings before she could even respond. “M-Me too.” She responded, not sounded as confident as she had been moments before. Probably because she looked a little bit like Rudolph right now. Bringing her bottom lip between her teeth, she looked down at her menu in an attempt to distract herself. He wasn’t wrong when he said that there were a ton of different options for cake! In fact, there were some she had never even heard of before! That was pretty rare for a sweet connoisseur like herself! Eyes wide with interest, she scanned all of the different options. There were a few that had stood out to her, but, of course, there was one that in particular that called her name. The red velvet cake. Eyes sparkling with excitement, she made her decision. How could she resist a good slice of red velvet cake! Especially from such a fancy place like this! It had to be amazing!

Hearing her name, rosy pink eyes moved upwards once more, meeting the icy blue ones that looked towards her. He wanted her to help pick his cake? A slightly confused look crossed her face for a moment, but was quickly replaced with a reassuring smile. She had almost forgotten that he couldn’t read! “Of course I can!” She cooed gently, looking back down at the menu. There were so many options, that it made it a bit difficult to choose just one thing that her boyfriend would enjoy. Rising from her seat, the young woman decided that perhaps it would be a bit better to read off some of the options to him. Maybe it would help him to read some of the words too! Crouching down beside him, she laid the menu on the table, making sure that it was in his line of sight. “There were a few that I think you would like! There’s this really yummy sounding peach cake. It has a vanilla frosting with sliced peaches on top, and a peach cream filling. If I wasn’t so in love with red velvet, I would probably get that one! I know that you love chocolate and strawberries, though, so I thought you might like this one too! It’s a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sliced strawberries on top and in the middle!” She explained to him, pointing to the words carefully as she spoke. Looking up at him cheerfully, she reached a hand up to move the strands of hair that hid his lovely eyes. As she did, she placed a soft kiss against his cheek. “If those don’t sound good, I can try to find a different one!” It was important to her that he had something that he really enjoyed! He had been so looking forward to this, after all!

“I love you too.” She bubbled cheerfully, trying to express her feelings as powerfully as she could. It was almost impossible to be able to just explain it with words, though. No, they didn’t seem to be strong enough. Feeling the magnetic pull she normally did when this close to her lover, she began to lean in for another kiss, only to be interrupted by that rude waiter. This was supposed to be a romantic setting! Couldn’t he just come back when they weren’t so busy?! As the man took their orders, she found herself pouting ever so slightly. He sure as heck wouldn’t like it if she had barged in while he was in a romantic moment, so why was it okay for him. When he turned and walked away, she stuck her tongue out at him discreetly, making sure that her boyfriend couldn’t see. This was between mustachio man and her!

As soon as he had begun to speak, though, her attention was all his. His words came as quite a shock, actually! Sitting in his lap? It seemed a bit... Well... Intimate for a place like this, but she wasn’t completely opposed to it. The thought of being closer to him made her much happier than having to sit on the other side of the table! Avoiding eye contact as if to not trigger another fit of blushing, she nodded. “I think I’d like to sit in your lap, i-if you wouldn’t mind.” She whispered sheepishly, her voice shaking slightly with embarrassment. Standing up from her crouching position, she ran her hands down her dress, smoothing it out before sitting carefully on her lover’s legs. In an attempt to hide her now red cheeks, she nuzzled her face into his neck, placing light kisses against his skin. “You smell really nice.” She breathed, intoxicated by his scent. If she could stay like this for the rest of the day, she most definitely would.

Of course, that was too good to be true! The sound of clinking plates and silverware jarred her from her dreamland. Letting out a small sigh, she turned to see what the commotion was all about. Her attitude change drastically when she realized what it was, though. Cake! Rosy eyes lit up when they spotted the deliciousness. “Enjoy.” The waiter said just as he had turned to leave. Oh, they would enjoy! There was no need to worry about that! Grabbing them eagerly, she handed one off to the onyx haired man, and kept the other for herself. Well, mostly to herself. It wouldn’t be fair if she didn’t share at least one piece, right? Plucking up a piece onto her fork, she offered it up to him, smiling widely with excitement. “Here! Try a bite!”

Seeing how much Theo enjoyed the cake put a smile on the young woman’s face. Whenever he was happy, she found that she was ten times happier than normal. There was just something about seeing a smile on her lover’s face that made her day better. “You can’t eat both of them!~” She teased, poking his cheek in an almost scolding way. Deciding to take his threat seriously, she dug her fork into his cake, making sure to get a small piece of strawberry along with the soft chocolate cake. As she took the bite into her mouth, her taste buds practically began to sing. It was the perfect texture, soft and moist, and the taste would put anything she had ever made to shame. This truly was amazing! “Mmmm!~” The cry of ecstasy slowly left her lips as she savored the delicious treat. Maybe they would have to come to this little place more often! “I wish I knew how to make cake this good!” She said almost remorsefully. Perhaps it would be a good idea to practice more! How fun would it be to surprise Theo with a cake like this?!

Just as she had been about to take another bite of her own cake, an idea struck her. Her head tilted upwards slightly to look into icy blue eyes, her own rosy ones gleaming with mischief. “You know...” She began, a smirk edging its way across her lips. Before speaking again, she leaned forward quickly, lips pressing against his own. The kiss was deep and passionate, perhaps a bit too much so, considering they were in public. The pink haired woman could care less, though. All she cared about right now was her Theo. Everything else could wait. Reluctantly pulling herself away, the smirk that had been on her face moments before returned. It was almost as if she was taunting him! “It tastes even better on your lips.” A small giggle tumbled in her chest as she turned her face away, looking down at her yummy treat once more.

His threat was thrilling, sending an unexpected shiver up her spine. It was a new aspect of their lives together, ever since she had regained her memories, and she loved every second of it. It put a good twist on an otherwise shitty situation. As they kissed each other gently, her mind had gone into a bit of a daze. She was enjoying the cake, but she enjoyed his lips even more. “I love you” She mumbled in between bites of cake and kisses. The way she felt about him still baffled her. It was something so strong and so beautiful, that it was intimidating in a way. Sure, she had felt something similar towards Simon, but it was never this powerful. That’s to be expected, though. They were both young and stupid at the time. Now, she liked to think that she was a mature woman who understood what all of this was about. It was much more than just sex or some waining feelings. This was love. Something she knew she would still feel for this man years from now.

Once they had finished their treats, Rin rested her head on her boyfriend’s chest, listening to the rhythmic sounds of his heart beating. It didn’t sound completely normal, but that was to be expected after it had literally been torn out of his body. Feeling his hands on her sides, she looked up sheepishly, a smile tugging slowly at her lips when she saw his face. “Okay!” She chirped in response, reluctantly removing herself from his lap. Grabbing his hand, she gently pulled him up from his seat, before leading him slowly into the waves. The water felt a bit colder now that the sun was going down, but not cold enough to deter her from some dancing. Turning to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her body close to his. “You know I’m still terrible at dancing, right? But at least this time I won’t impale your feet with heels!” She giggled, resting her head on his chest once more.

The quiet humming of the music and the rhythmic swaying was really soothing to the young woman. If she wasn't standing up, she probably would have fallen asleep! Letting out a contented sigh, she moved fluidly with Theo's motions. It was such a sweet moment. One that she would definitely remember for the rest of her life. As he twirled her around, she giggled lightly, enjoying the gesture, even if it was pretty awkward and clunky! Though, she wouldn't have been able to do any better! She was graceful when it came to combat, but an uncoordinated gazelle when it came to almost anything else.

After a little while of silence and sappy dancing, Rin felt soft lips against her cheek. Leaning into them, she smiled, loving the feeling of his lips on her skin. It was a feeling she would never fully get used to. Just as she had been about to say something, Theo had beat her to the punch, saying something that she hadn't been expecting at all. "Wh-What?!" She gasped instinctively. She hadn't meant to sound rude or anything, but it might have come off that way. Realizing this herself, she shook her head gently, trying to register exactly what had just been said. He was asking her to move in with him?! In most cases, this wouldn't have been so surprising, but to Rin, it was a big deal. She had never really lived with someone like this before. Sure, Elvira was living with her for a while, but they weren't in a relationship or anything. This was a lot more intimate. Looking up towards her lover, tears had begun to form within her rosy pink eyes. "Y-Yes! Of course I will!" She blurted excitedly, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I-I'm so happy that you asked!" They had been staying together for a while now, but this was a completely different step. A thrilling step. "B-But what about the house? A-And Lily? Can I bring her with me? Oh! And all of my stuffed animals! I don't want them to take up all of the space in your place!"

As she was twirled around, a small squeal left her lips, followed by a fit of laughter. This had to have been one of the happiest moments of her life. The scenery was beautiful, the moment was perfect, and the person she was with made everything brighter. After the twirling had ended, and Theo had explained his plans to her, Rin smiled, stepping up onto her toes to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. It was almost as if the details didn't matter at this point. All she knew was that she wanted to be with him, no matter what. "I'll figure out what to do with the house. It shouldn't be too hard to sell it. It's really cute, after all!" She chirped confidently, reaching a hand upwards to caress her lover's cheek. "And we can find some space for Lily. She doesn't need to know what we're doing all the time." She purred, giving her lover a cheeky wink before pulling herself away from him.

Now that the idea was in her head, she wanted to get going right away! There was no time like the present! "Thank you for the beautiful evening, Theo. I had an amazing time." Her heart swelled as she stared into her boyfriend's icy blue eyes. Grabbing her boyfriend's hand, she began to pull him back towards the table they had been sitting at not that long ago, picking up the heels she had left there. "Come on! Let's head back to the Crystalli!" She giggled excitedly, dragging him quickly along with her as she ran across the sandy beach, heading back to the giant ship from whence they came.