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 Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 4:54 pm
Maia followed Toby outside. "To the bakery, then?" She smiled, putting her bag into the car. "Are you excited, love?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 5:07 pm
"Not excited to be older, but excited for our day, yeah," he said. Really any day with Maia was special, but the purposefully special ones were... even better?
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 7:15 am
"I promise not to mention your age, then," Maia grinned. She leaned up and kissed his cheek.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:13 pm
Toby's face fell and he groaned. 76! Wasn't he supposed to be half-dead by now?
"Ugh. Every time you do, I'm going to remind you that you're almost forty. Fair warning."
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:17 pm
"If you do that, I'll remind you you're almost eighty," Maia teased. She was grinning. "Come on, love. You get better with age. Besides, I love you more every day."
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:20 pm
"But that only reminds me that I'm dating a woman almost half my age," he reminded her. "That makes me awesome." He leaned over and kissed her head.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:33 pm
"You are," Maia smiled at the kiss. "Awesome. Kevin says so regularly. What do you want to get at the bakery, love?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:38 pm
"Hell, I dunno. A muffin? A danish? I haven't been there in forever. Maybe we should just get everything. Plus cupcakes."
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:47 pm
"Everything sounds good," Maia agreed with a grin. "Cupcakes yes!" She looked to him and gestured to the car. "Get in," she said. "You're driving."
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:49 pm
"Aw, come on! It's my birthday!" He was only teasing, of course, and hopped into the car to drive to the bakery.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 2:10 pm
Maia climbed in. "I'll work on getting my license before your next birthday," she teased. They were off, then. Once they'd arrived and parked, Maia leaned over the center console to kiss Toby's cheek.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 3:13 pm
It had been a bit of a feat, but Toby had pushed the staff to get them on a plane on the tenth day. It was just himself, Dari and Maia for agents and a trunk of goods for Reese and Holly. They'd added more than the usual care package to the trunk, or at least Toby had, in the days following Reese's call. They had nothing and no way to get anything, so it was up to them to provide what Holly needed for now.
The sprites, however, were buzzing about the cabin, asking excited questions, and staring out the windows as if they weren't naturally flighted. It was pretty charming, actually. They were like children with ancient wisdom, and in that way Toby was pretty sure that they'd get along.
From the airport to the forest it was a truck ride with the sprites, supplies, and agents piled into the back. They arrived just about 3 in the afternoon and entered the forest through a path the house builders had initially made for logging. Since then Reese had been allowed to let the trees beside it grow, but they'd asked him to keep the path for accessibility's sake.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 4:06 pm
Reese was waiting for them, His arms were crossed, but he was grinning. Finally they'd come! Dressed in the same jeans and t-shirt he'd worn last time the agents had visited, he didn't seem to have changed much, if at all.
This was in sharp contrast to the toddler beside him. Holly appeared around two and a half now. "Poppy!" She cheered. "Poppy's here!"!
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 4:15 pm
The truck of course came to a full stop well within the forest before the agents got out. Dari and Toby handled the truck while the sprites poured out into the air. Dari grinned to the young pair, and Toby called out: "Hey, Holly!"
Dari nodded to Maia. "Do you want to introduce them?" Not that anyone but him was expected to remember all of the sprites' names.
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Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 4:27 pm
"Poppy!" The nymph headed towards the truck, watching the sprites pour out. A sprite landed in her hair, and she paused. She tried to turn to look at it. "Hi!" Holly greeted it.
The Sprite responded by leaning down to study the toddler. "It's a baby," it chirped, excitedly.
Maia stepped forward and went over to Reese. "Everyone, this is Reese. He's the forest guardian. He invited all of you to stay." Said guardian was watching the sprites with wonder.
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