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"I never doubted." Replied Aleksi with a charming smile sent Shierra's way. If anything the mage was good at paying honest compliments, especially if the other fire wielder was involved. Shifting the bottles so that they wouldn't topple and subtly placing one of his favorite white wines at the forefront, Aleksi took the offered cheese and nodded. "Got it." Doing as Shierra instructed the young man took the pan and started to warm it up over the stove while also preparing the vegetables to be diced on a cutting board. "Glad that vegetables are my safety net." He teased with a chuckle before starting to melt the cheese, a wooden spoon at the ready to constantly stir the bubbling mixture so that it wouldn't burn as he shifted to slicing vegetables and tossing them in with a little bit of extra seasoning to help make the herbal cheese taste truly pop. Being away from the city, away from the watchful eyes of so many had already lifted Aleksi's mood and he found himself even whistling as he continued stirring the food. This was nice to be away with Shierra like this. It almost made it tempting to think about doing this more often...not that such a thing could be possible unless one of them....well he wasn't going to ponder that right now. It was much more like him to simply enjoy the moment and he was definitely enjoying this one.

"Having a famous playwright for a father meant a lot of entertaining actors and potential investors." Replied Aleksi with a chuckle at the commentary. "Surprisingly enough they all love drinking in the middle of the woods. Who would have guessed it?" The mage shook his head before removing the cheesy vegetables from the heat and setting them on a holder that he placed upon the counter so that the mixture could cool. "Wine, fish and cheesy vegetables. I should have thought about ordering chocolates at least." He replied with a small grin towards Shierra.

"Though I'm sure I could scrounge up something for dessert with the ingredients they left for us."

[Aleksi 9]

A soft chuckle escaped Aleksi's lips. "Fair enough. Never hurts to have something good to drink around especially in a busy house." Or even a quiet one he supposed since a good whiskey burned away boredom on those colder nights. What was he? A poet like his father thinking such things? Aleksi shook his head with amusement before moving to unpack some plateware, setting the table and pouring the chosen wine with some dramatic flair. "If I were you then I would suggest enjoying the quiet...or however close you can get to it with me around before going back into a busier life. It'll be quicker than you realize." He offered, a small smile trying to ease the conflicting feelings he also felt at the thought of Shierra leaving Belrea.

Still he pressed on with that smile as Shierra teased him. "I'll remember that when we do visit the village. The local candy shop will need to lend us a wheelbarrow." He joked lightly, making certain everything was in place before Shierra finished the fish. "For tonight you'll just have to settle for something a little lighter." He was already eyeing some flour and honey tucked away in the corner, the mage moving to gather all of the necessary ingredients for some simple honey cakes that his mother had taught him to make.

"Okay everything is in place. I can mix it up now or after dinner and get your help making more of a mess."

[Aleksi 10]

"Hmm...so I definitely need to acquire a wheelbarrow now." Teased Aleksi with a small grin. "I would rather not miss an opportunity to entice another visit from you." Honestly, even if they were just teasing the temptation was very strong. It was not as if his family wasn't lacking the funds to do something ridiculous and expensive like that. Aleksi glanced over Shierra, a mischievous glint in his gaze. Perhaps there will be a wheelbarrow brought in, after all.

"Fair enough. If we get too distracted then they can wait until tomorrow as well." Aleksi replied with a soft chuckle. "We have what at least tomorrow before leaving again the next day?" His fingers curled around a wineglass, the hybrid bringing it up for a sip as he pondered things. "I suppose I can't convince you to just stay until your sister leaves, correct? If not then I suppose I'll travel soon...for reasons." Now how much would a visit to Matori cost? Could he actually bring himself to leave behind Belrea? Most of his friends from the academy had scattered into their own careers and Eli had been missing in action as of late...perhaps a trip was exactly what Aleksi needed.

[Aleksi 11]

Days passed and without warning things somehow fell into a rhythm as Aleksi’s life suddenly expanded from his lone wolf routines to include another life and more responsibility. Aleksi had started doing more work, learning about the theater and doing his own work to design the stage and direct the actors, but the most important moments were the afternoon and evening visits with a certain foreigner who had decided to linger in Belrea. Then once another performance had closed for the season, Aleksi had packed his bags and met up with Shierra for another trip to the mountains. He knew that things couldn’t last forever, but it was so hard to not imagine waking up and seeing Shierra lingering around the cabin somewhere. Even now as he dragged himself out of bed, the hybrid barely brushing back the tangle of curls that swept over one side of his face, Aleksi couldn’t help following the smell of coffee and smiling at the sight of Shierra as she made herself comfortable. Leaning against the doorframe, Aleksi not even caring about the unbuttoned shirt that was wrinkled from sleep, the hybrid couldn’t help but to let out a sigh as he teased his companion. “It’s truly hard not to imagine seeing something so lovely like this every morning.” His violet gaze was bright with humor as he slowly glanced away from Shierra to look over the mountains where the morning sunrise was painting everything in pink and amber hues. “Yep, even the sunrise isn’t as enchanting. You’ve spoiled me.”

[Aleksi 12]

Aleksi staggered, a hand playfully pressed against his chest. "You wound me." He managed with a gasp. "After all this time spent together you'd think that you were purposefully spoiling me only to leave me. How cruel." His violet gaze was bright as he finally straightened up from his dramatic lean in the doorway so that he could trace a finger along the cushion of a chair. Theater most definitely was in his blood since the scoundrel was taking his time as if contemplating the question, the costs of the chairs being weighed against the risk of his parents' wrath. Eventually though he simply settled into the one across from Shierra as if testing it before making his final decision. "Hmm...the craftsmanship of this chair is of the finest quality around so it may be tricky. Would there be some reward if I allowed such a treasure to slip away?" He teased lightly, a small smirk crossing his lips at the question. "Even better if the chair just stayed here and you decided to enjoy it permanently instead of trying to lug it across the ocean towards Matori." A bold statement, but he wasn't shy about expressing his feelings. Aleksi was terribly fond of Shierra and horrible at letting anything go, especially someone who made his heart flutter and kept entertaining him every day.

[Aleksi 13]

"Only if your happiness is somewhere I can witness it." Teased Aleksi in return, the mage knowing exactly what he was asking. It was unfair of him to keep trying to tempt Shierra to stay in Belrea with him, but the last few weeks had been so pleasant that it nearly felt like paradise. Some witty conversation, a bit of magic here and there with a few cozier nights and excursions truly had made Aleksi's life a lot more enticing than before. Not that he had it awful, of course, but it definitely was far less boring and he found himself working to be better so that he could bring a smile to those lips each day.

A soft sigh did leave his lips at the return suggestion of him visiting Matori. He did suppose it was only fair, but there was the selfish and childish part of him that worried Shierra would never leave Matori again if she did return. "I'm truly not good at giving up things." He mused out loud, "Would that be a return trip for both of us if I went to Matori? I do hate riding on those airships alone. Took one once before across to the northern mountains and it wasn't the most appealing of experiences, too much flying and not enough ground." He leaned forward, the mage studying Shierra as he got as close as possible considering their current seating. "Maybe if you insist, I'll just go with you when you return to Matori. I do have a few projects I promised to help with at the theater, but after...maybe a vacation is due. Though that will be for the future, what about today? Do you have anything you'd like to do while we're in the mountains?"

[Aleksi 14]

Aleksi raised a brow, a playful grin crossing his lips at the callout against his family's history. "While you're not wrong, most performances only last for a night and end with the curtain call." He replied as he shifted in his seat, leaning back to enjoy the brief comfort for a moment longer since he had the feeling they would be moving again soon. Not that he minded, even if there was a different direction he wanted to try out one day if things aligned. Though the chances of that...well the distance between their home countries was quite the challenge, that was a fact he couldn't completely deny even though he wanted to keep trying.

"If only. A good performance takes a lot of work, plus you can't push up the advertised dates for a show." Aleksi made a 'tsk' sound as if disappointed in Shierra for thinking he could do such a thing. "I have magic, but I cannot make miracles." Unfortunate as it was. If he could just drop everything and visit Matori with her right away that would be amazing, but he had already decided to grow as a person and take on more responsibilities. It would be a shame to toss that away for the person who had inspired him in the first place to shape up more. "However, those hot springs...I can make those happen." Aleksi added as he quickly transitioned from sitting to standing, his steps carrying him right to Shierra. "It would be a waste to not go together, right? I wouldn't want you to get lost in the mountains for a week or so. That would be terrible." He continued with a sly grin, his gaze bright and playful. "Matori will happen, it's just a matter of patience. Hotsprings though? Well it would be a shame to avoid something so close to our current positions."

[Aleksi 15]