Welcome to Gaia! ::

The garden was empty for once. The chill of the February winds seemed to have chased even the normally hearty Arae indoors. The windows of the tower were decorated with hearts in shades of red, pink, and white.

Inside, Sajhiri was holding a romance films marathon with the Menagerie, and the dulcet tones of Audrey Hepburn echoed through the hallways. Averno grumbled to Arae, both perched on the arm of a couch, "Breakfast at Tiffany's? How many bloody Hepburn movies does she have?"

Arae smiled in amusement and murmured back "Oh let's see, Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, Sabrina..." she began ticking off titles on her fingers, unaware that her beau and Averno's were on the porch.

Averno was only too happy to volunteer to answer the door, so the rest of the myriad creatures in the living room didn't have to miss a moment of the romantic schmoozy ick. She beat a hasty retreat down the hall and peered out the window. Seeing the roses, then Aleric and Silva, she groaned and opened the door.

"Not you guys too. What is it with Gaia and this whole 'Force people to pay for your affections' holiday?" She gestured the pair inside. "Come in, it's cold out there, and you deserve to be subjected to chick flicks as much as we do."

Averno accepted the rose with a grin. "Flowery weaponry, you know me so well..." she purred at Silva. She even deigned to give his ear a nibble for it. "Maybe this holiday doesn't entirely suck afterall. Let me go grab Arae."

She zipped down the hall to retrieve her sister and in a few moments time, the green-haired ancient arrived. Her face lit up upon seeing Aleric. "How thoughtful of you to come visit on such a sweetly romantic holiday, beloved!"

Averno rolled her eyes over the air Feien's shoulder and moved back over to Silva's side. "I bet I could set that under one of the Talaye's rumps and measure how high they jump when they sit on a thorn..." a mischevious grin lilted on her lips.

Averno raised the thorny rose threateningly. "Oh, don't even bring that up, red! I almost ruined my girlish figure with those things." She laughed. "Those were the days..."

Arae smiled and accepted the rose. "Oh, have no fear Aleric, I know my way around flowers of all varieties. I've a great love of them, and it's a ebautiful speciment. Thank you!" She leaned in to kiss his cheek.

Averno smirked and tugged on one of Silva's ears. "Hey, they were good cookies. Mostly I was just trying to wipe out all traces of the gooey sentimental messages on them since Sajhiri had put that notice that they were from me. I'm am anything but gooey and sentimental." She harumphed indignantly.

Arae blushed slightly at the compliment from Aleric. "You are too kind, and sweeter and more beautiful to me than you can know. I do have something for you for the holiday...wait here a moment." Arae cocked her head towards Averno. "Should I get your gift for him as well?" she asked.

Averno shook her head. "Nah I'll get it, it might hurt you..." With a wing to her beau she flitted off down a side hall with Arae, calling over her shoulder "be right back!"

Arae came back down the hall with a cute plushie bear with a sweet but cryptic sentiment on it's tummy, a shade of purple to complement Aleric's markings. "for you, my love..." she beamed.

Averno came back with a plushie too...sort of. It was plush and fuzzy, but about as cuddly as Silva. A snarling werewolf plushy with it's fangs menacing a cute bunny plushie hanging onto a heart shaped balloon. "Nothing says 'I wanna snog like carniverous predators...eh?" she quipped.

Averno grinned. "He reminded me of you, what can I say. Red and bristly, sharp teeth, and a lover of bunnies, albeit more of the Playboy variety in your case."

Arae moved in to embrace Aleric warmly. "The color reminded me of you. It cuddled it last night, but it was a poor substitute for the real thing."