Welcome to Gaia! ::

Once they were out in the open air, Earendil took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Ah," he murmured with a smile. "Somehow the air just smells the best right before it snows."

He put one arm around Lin and held her close. "It's good to have you back again," he smiled at her. "I had gotten to used to having you by my side that for a while I wasn't sure what to do without you."

"It is," Earendil murmured softly. He smiled down at her. "But now that you're back ... it feels as if it was just yesterday that we were together in the Southland."

It was amazing what being back with her again could do to him.

Earendil chuckled. "We are indeed."

He hesitated a moment, then smiled down at her again. "On that note ... I do have something inside that I would like to give you. If I'd known you were going to be showing up today, I'd have had it with me already, but circumstances being what they are ... would you mind if I went to get it now?"

He wasn't sure when he would have another opportunity like this, and he was eager to do this.

Earendil smiled warmly, and he turned them towards the ranch house and picked up the pace slightly.

"You're very good at hiding your curiosity," he teased her as they went. "Though I imagine it might have something to do with trying to keep Miyuki from asking after is constantly."

Earendil chuckled for a moment, thinking she was talking about the musical egg that Miyuki had given him, but then he realized ... she was talking about after he had already received the egg ...

"Other surprise?" he blinked. "You mean besides the music box?"

Now he was confused - and curious.

Earendil laughed again. "Well, that's very sweet of her," he grinned. They reached the house, and he opened the door and held it for Lin to go inside first. "She's really very thoughtful. Thinking of her friends on the other islands, and of me being here alone ..."

Miyuki was just plain sweet, there was no other way to put it.

"And I miss you," Earendil murmured, following her inside. He squeezed her hand, then motioned for her to lead the way up the stairs and to his room.

His room was always the same, now that he had been here a few times.

Earendil chuckled. "Well, considering that I've spent a collective what, six years here? I think it just makes sense. It's no stranger than you having your own room, you know."

He led her to his room and motioned for her to make herself comfortable while he headed to his bag to search for her surprise. "I've been here more often than you have, lately," he added. "What with the time I spend here, waiting for you."