mistsplitter | 🌸 seasons inbox

[ The day is absolutely great! It almost feels like there's nothing that could ever bring Ayaka down today. The memories she's made are ones she'll hold dear and treasure forever, and she hasn't even gone to meet her beau yet.

By the time she says goodbye to Ayato as she moves on with her day, the smile she's wearing remains to be the one she put on when the day began. Her cheeks are going to start hurting later on, but she'll worry about that later. ]

Cloud!

[ Ayato likely stays and watches Ayaka leave. Bowing to say goodbye to her brother, Cloud might notice that the elder Kamisato's waving a hand at him to say hello before he goes his own way. The younger Kamisato, on the other hand, looks like there are flowers blooming around her from her happiness as she runs to Cloud. ]

I hope you were not waiting long. [ It's almost automatic, how her hands rest on his chest and she tip toes and leans in to kiss him on the cheek and greet him. ] You must see what Ayato gave me!

[ Once her feet are back on the ground, she takes his hand so she can place her palm on his. There's a cute sakura themed ring on her finger. And if Cloud does a little bit of observing? He'll notice she's wearing a matching necklace and earrings, too. ]

Doesn't it look lovely? I was so excited I had to put these on right away! Hehe. I'm so lucky they match my choice of clothes today.

[ It's a mostly blue and purple outfit, so the pink gems add a nice touch! ]

[ Just as Ayaka's been practically smiling all day, Cloud's own smile lifts up the moment he sees her with Ayato. Waving from his scooter, he takes his sunglasses off and hangs them from his collar. ]

Heya!

[ He leans down after swinging off the parked scooter, letting the engine quietly rumble in idle for Ayaka to give him a kiss on the cheek. His hands already clasp over hers on his chest, giving them a little squeeze before holding them between the two. He's already feeling lighter by the second with her, and it's only been over half a day. ]

Nah. I got here early.

[ Letting her maneuver his hand in hers, he gently raises it a little bit so that he can get a better look of the sakura ring on her finger. There's a calm sense of wonder in his eyes as he takes a genuine interest in her day. How could he not? After Ayaka did everything she could to give him back the same feeling. To make him wish to cherish his own birthdays again. ]

Your bro knows you too well.

[ Sighing wistfully through his nose, he looks down at her with gentle admiration. ]

You look beautiful.

Thank you, my love.

[ Ayato made her beautiful today, Cloud!! She's just so delighted. And it's a miracle she's able to contain all the excitement she feels! ]

I received the photo you sent! Hehe. I could not respond right away though, and before I knew it, we were going to meet already.

[ They're in public, but Ayaka just can't help it. She hugs him tight! They spent most of the day doing their own thing, but she missed him a lot. Seeing him again has made her birthday an even better day. ]

How was your day? I hope you had your meals on time.

[ Nope. Birthday girl hasn't let go yet. ]

No sweat. It's been a big day for you.

[ And because it's her birthday, despite the fact he wasn't so big on public displays of affection (or at least blatant displays), Cloud doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her right back. Enough that when she hugs him tight he even starts swaying with her for a brief moment. ]

Yup. Thought I'd go light on lunch and just had a chicken salad while I was out.

[ ... Nope. He's not letting go yet either. He won't let go until she's ready. ~~Cloud you might be there for a while no. FDSHJKLA~~ ]

Ready for supper?

[ Because they're going to take their sweet time riding together on the way there. ]

Saving your appetite for our date, I see.

[ She gets it! Ayaka is giggling when she finally (!!) lets go of him, and she covers her mouth with her fist for a moment until she's done.

Sorry, she thought she made a funny observation. :( ]

I'm ready. Where are we headed?

Just wanted to enjoy the best parts of your day.

[ Which also means their dinner date food. Home cooked meals are great and all, but the little indulgences of going out from time to time were worth remembering too. That being said, it's also a good excuse to let what Cloud has cooking at home sit just a little longer. He worked really hard on it... Just as Ayaka gifted him with her specialty and personal mochi, he has his own return gift for her. ...a couple gifts, really. The first one is a little taste of home, Nibelheim style. ]

Just a sushi restaurant we've scouted out before.

[ Because while they're there? He wants her to enjoy the best unagi that she can have. Or anything she wants off the menu, really. But now that she's let him go, the sun is still hanging high enough that he's going to need his shades for a little longer. Until they at least got to their first destination, that is. They won't be out for long. Enjoy the dinner, then return home.

Stepping towards the scooter, he mounts it first and looks up to Ayaka with his hand extended for her to take. ]

Let's scoot along.

How exciting. [ Sushi!! :D They're gonna order lots of sashimi and sushi and it will be GLORIOUS. ] Are you thinking of ordering anything new today?

[ And they can talk about that if they can hear each other as they head over there. Once Cloud's all seated and ready, Ayaka takes her seat behind him. It was scary the first couple of times, but she's slowly been trying to open her eyes during the trip! So today, as she latches onto her beau so she doesn't fall, she'll try her very best to keep her eyes open the entire time. ]

Please don't go too fast.

Hmm...

[ The engine rumbles gently now- a far cry from the powerhouses he's used to riding. But Cloud rather enjoys this for getting around the main hubs. It's convenient enough; more importantly, it came from Ayaka. He wouldn't want or trade for anything else even if the most ferocious beast of a motorcycle popped up right in front of him. ~~He'd steal it so he could have both. LJKDSFA~~ ]

Yes ma'am.

[ Sure enough, they find themselves comfortably coasting with the occasional soft acceleration. Since he's not going so fast, it's actually easy enough to hear her as he thinks about the question she's asked him earlier! ]

What's a fish I haven't tried yet?? Maybe...scallop? Sea urchin?

[ Neither of those things are fish, Cloud. ]

Those aren't fish, Cloud!

[ He's so silly. ): But she loves him so much, she'll tease him about it in the future. ]

We can have those, too. But we normally have tuna and salmon, don't we? There are also mackarel, yellow tail, and flounder sushi. Ah, and there is fugu. But only certain restaurants serve it in Inazuma.

I've never tried it before, but... [ Her hold of him tightens a bit. ] I'd rather avoid eating it.

Seafood?

[ That's better. FDJSKLA ]

Really? Why's that?

[ He has no idea about Fugu. But it seems to make her feel uneasy. Bad experience? A bad batch once? ~~You have a bad batch once, Cloud, it's the last bad batch you'll ever have.~~ As she hugs him a little tighter, he places one of his hands over hers. Almost like a comforting gesture as they coast to a red light and stop for a moment. ]

Fugu is a type of poisonous fish. Only chefs who have undergone strict and rigorous training are permitted to serve these in restaurants.

They normally have a license that they are allowed to serve fugu, because of this.

[ So the ones in restaurants are safe! Ayaka is just scared of it, regardless. ]

I like the ones we normally order best.

[ But she may also be biased... ]

Why wouldja even wanna risk that?

[ ... Old Cloud? The one that thought he was in SOLDIER? Might have said something about how sometimes when it came to eating what you could for survival, you couldn't be picky. That sounded like something cool to say about what to do when rations were low, right?

But no. That just sounds...well. Dumb. To him. But he's filtering himself so he doesn't sound like he's insulting the chefs that trained to serve it. He shakes his head anyway. ]

Think I'll stick to salmon. Got a hunch it being way safer makes it taste better anyway.

[ Because you aren't having an anxiety attack while taking a bite of fugu. ]

There is a sense of pride the trained and licensed chefs have. Of course, being able to eat food crafted by such an artisan would also be an amazing experience.

[ Something worth bragging about! Ayaka was never the type to do that, anyway. So she's fine in her safe corner. And if Cloud feels the same way? Then great! She wouldn't have any objections if he wanted to try fugu, though. ]

Then let's order a lot of salmon sashimi and unagi nigiri tonight.

[ They're gonna spoil themselves!! OuO!! ]

Hehe. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

Edited 2023-10-27 05:50 (UTC)

Be that as it may...

[ Cloud smiles, carefully revving the engine before they begin to move again. He coasts at around the speed limit so that they don't have to yell to hear one another, only stepping on it when they hit any kind of street with an incline. ]

Think I'll just put fugu in the maybe pile.

[ "Hehe. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it." ]

You and me both.

🏵️🏵️🏵️

[ The amount of salmon and unagi nigiri that was presented to the young couple could have been considered staggering. It was a proper sitdown Japanese-inspired restaurant. As for their booth? It was quaint and comfortable, complete with closed sliding doors and comfortably cushions they may sit down at. But he wasn't going to sit the opposite side of her this time. They'd take everything side by side.

Even if Cloud would look across the table once, as if he was expecting there to be somebody else there...

He's quick to dismiss any concerns, however. This was Ayaka's biggest day. Start to finish, he was going to do twice the lifting now. ~~Watch him, Zack.~~ ]

[ Cloud only let himself have a couple small cups of sake by the end of their birthday dine-in, seeing as he still needed to safely take the birthday girl home. The ride back was different now, the sun completely set and the road illuminated by street lamps on their way back home. It was uneventful, and yet...that didn't mean there was anything wrong with that, either. For all the trials and tribulations they'd be expected to endure, both together and apart, Cloud was coming to cherish these days all the more.

By the time they coast home, the moon hangs on high, and the breeze is cooler without teetering into shuddering territory either. Loosing a sigh of relief seeing their home, he relaxes as he kills the engine of the scooter. ]

Safe and sound.

[ Once they're back home, it feels as though Cloud has given Ayaka yet one more memory to hold and cherish so deeply, and the day isn't even over! She hops off the scooter and waits for him so that they can enter the house together, eager to greet her parents and Cloud's mother, and tell them about the day she's had. ]

Shall I make us some tea?

[ There's still some things missing with this day, of course. ~~Cloud has yet to give her his present~~Ayaka still hasn't had the chance to give Cloud what she prepared for him today! The dinner was lovely, and she did have some tea there, but she refused dessert in hopes of having it at home instead. ]

I still owe you something, my love.

Yeah, tea sounds good right about now.

[ The tea at the restaurant was nice enough, but nothing quite compared to what Ayaka made from the heart. Speaking of something that came from the heart... ]

Really? What's that?

[ Because Cloud intended to end the night on a high note with his own little gift. It took him some time to track down, but...

In its little box in the house, he thinks that it was something worth saving for. ]

Then I'll make some. But I'd like to give you a present first, if that's okay.

[ She's so excited to give it to him!! They once talked about it over text— about how she was learning how to sew from Thoma. He'll receive the fruits of her labour today! ]

Apart from the mochi, I also made something that I hope you can take with you on your travels.

[ Into the house they go! She'll have to go to her room and get the present for Cloud, so if he doesn't mind that she gets the present first, then she'll excuse herself and head up. ]

[ To that, Cloud can't help but huff a gentle sigh, squeezing her hand as they make their way up. ]

Usually it's the other way around... [ What with who received the gifts, but, judging by the smile on his face as he adds on to that, her beau~~nny~~ doesn't mind. Not one bit. ] I'll never say no.

[ Besides, ]

I've got yours waiting in my room.

[ So Cloud will wait for her to go first, giving him his gift. Before she can retreat though, as they're finally within the comfort and privacy of their own home, he's quick to steal away a quick yet sweeter kiss. All before telling her with an excited hush to his voice,

"Gogogo."

Cloud will wait for her in the living room! ...or, well, he'll go ahead and wash his hands first before heading back for the living room. ]

[ Off she goes then! Up she goes to her bedroom to get a her presents for Cloud: a Book of Bonds, a chocobo charm (which he can clip on his clothes! Or something...), and a box of mochi containing one sakura mochi and one black sesame mochi. All her presents for him are in a blue paper bag, so it's quite heavy! Slipped in between the charm and notebooks and the box of mochi is an envelope.

Her letter for him! Though this time, it is on her birthday where she gives him a letter. One that might be quite a read, and be might want to sit down for this one... ]

I'm so excited to give these to you! [ It's already evening, but it seems as if she still has so much energy now that they're home.

And so, she hands the bag over. There's a gold ribbon that ties it together, but it's easy to untie and open! ]

Thank you for today, Cloud.

[ He watches her go, loosing a sigh of relief as he cleans himself up. By the time Ayaka returns, she'll find him in the living room, not bothering to sit down yet until he's back with her. His brows lift as he spots the rather large blue paper bag in her hands. She really went all out for this year, it seems like. Whose birthday was it really? ]

You didn't-

[ And yet he couldn't dare bring himself to finish that sentence. How she didn't have to go to such lengths for him on her birthday. He had to make sure she knew how valuable his own gift was to her when she was finished giving him everything. As he takes the bag, lifting it up and down a couple times to get a feel of the weight, he smiles as he extends his free hand for her to take. ]

C'mon.

[ They can sit down at the table before they have tea or anything. He'll open everything for her right now. ]

Feels like I should be saying that to you.

[ As he opens the bag with a single tug of the gold ribbon, he pulls out the Book of Bonds first, eyes widening as he thinks he recognizes this from his previous perusals. ]

This is...

[ ... ]

Mm?

[ Setting the book down temporarily...it's the envelope that catches his eye. Usually one reads the card or letter first before opening any of the other pieces of the gift. ]

....

[ Popping it open, Cloud can't help the smile that graces his lips as he mouths the words of her letter, on occasion a breath of his voice coming out as he reads. ]

Pink petals dance free... A fleeting vision of love...

[ He thinks of the words she said to him the night he first confessed that he loved her... Every day. Every birthday. And how Cloud wished to echo this very sentiment for her birthdays in turn. To give her birthdays she deserved now that she could spread her wings and fly more freely. The adoration in his voice as he breathes the words, ]

Eternal in heart...

[ He reads the rest, doing his best to keep his composure despite the faint tremble in his breathing towards the end. Ever since he became more true to himself, he found his emotions being less buried. Especially when he was just with Ayaka. His guard was almost entirely gone. But he manages to rear himself in at the end, sighing through his nose as he holds the letter in both hands like it was the most precious part of this entire ensemble of her gift for him. And when he looks to Ayaka by his side... ]

Edited 2023-11-13 09:21 (UTC)

[ He thought he'd have something more clever to say. Like how he was gonna put a ring on her finger someday. But as he watches her, keeps his eyes on her, his heart swells as he's reminded of what he's been given since leaving the world of Gaia behind. This new path he never knew existed for himself. ]

Thank you.

[ From the depths of his heart. ]

[ It is her birthday, Cloud! It remains her special day! But she only chooses to celebrate it by thanking the people around her, making sure they know just how much they are loved. She would not be able to have such a happy birthday if not for them, after all. ]

I should be the one saying that to you.

[ But she already did. Countless of times, even. In the letter, with the presents, before she gave the bag to him... Her gratitude is endless though. Ayaka could keep saying it over and over, as well as professing her love for Cloud. He has given her so much, after all. It would take an entire lifetime to give it all back. ]

Would you like to have the mochi over tea?

[ It's fresh! So probably best to eat it before it starts growing stale. ]

Mochi sounds good to me.

[ By the time the tea was prepared, they'd risk it not being as fresh as it could be! And if they wake up for any reason, having some tea at a later time of night never hurt! But as he sets the letter down on the table, Cloud has to even the playing field here. It is her birthday. ]

First,

[ Reaching over, he places his hand atop one of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze as he prepares to get back to his feet. ]

Wait here. I wanna get your present.

[ He'll only be a minute! Mochi can wait one minute, right? ~~The food. Not the dog.~~ The excitement in his voice almost harkens back to his younger days, when he would work together with Zack... ]

I'll be in the kitchen, then.

[ Ayaka doesn't think Cloud would be away for long, but it's best to get started and have the water boiling by the time he gets back! She gives him a smile, her hand almost unwilling to let go of his when he gets up. It'll only be for a moment, but after today and everything they've shared together, she didn't really want to let go.

It'll be a minute or two longer before the water's ready, but Cloud will find Ayaka already preparing their tea cups and the matcha powder once he's back down. ]

[ Cloud, having gathered both her jeweled gift and the letter he'd already written out for her and sent out, took a moment to collect himself. A deep breath in...a deep breath out. And when he opens his eyes next, passing his full-length mirror and looking at himself holding her gift, he clutches the box a little tighter.

He has to believe in it...believe that this is right for her. That she'll like it. Don't compare to others. What he sought out was from his heart. It was different from before.

Right. He's got this. ]

[ A couple minutes later, and he returns down to the sound of cups being set as Ayaka busies herself. Soon enough, there would be the familiar yet oh-so-subtle aroma of matcha once it's been poured as well. ]

Heya.

[ Holding both the letter in an envelope, with a cursively written Kamisato Ayaka on the front, he sighs through his nose before joining her side once more. Once they're settled and sitting, Cloud will wait for Ayaka to pour the tea first. He's holding the small box in one hand, and the envelope in the other. ]

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