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Jaina stood on the veranda that surrounded the quaint little cottage, eyes scanning the long dirt driveway while she idly ran her thumb along the gold band of her ring. She could clearly hear the sounds of laughter from behind the cottage. A shriek as someone, most likely Vereesa, was shoved into the lake. It was a perfect summer day to be with friends and family.
Or, it would be, if Sylvanas was there.
Jaina frowned, gripping the railing as a light breeze pulled at her ocean blue sundress, “where are you, Sylv?”
As if in answer, the sound of a car engine cut through the distant laughter as a sleek black car pulled in next to Paineds truck. Sylvanas stepped out, tugging on a brightly coloured tropical shirt. Her ears pinned back at the affront to her personal style, but she smiled all the same. Jaina met her halfway as she walked to the cottage and she was only mildly surprised by the kiss she was pulled down into.
“You're late,” Jaina admonished, “how can you be late to your own anniversary party?”
“Traffic from the airport was a nightmare,” Sylvanas pressed another kiss to the corner of Jainas mouth, “I would never do anything to purposely upset my wife, now would I?”
Jaina snorted, “you go out of your way to upset me all the time.”
Sylvanas grinned, “and yet Sylvanas simply grinned at the accusation, “and yet you still love me.” She wrapped one arm around Jaina and softly touched the piece of the anchor tattoo on Jainas collarbone that wasn’t hidden by the dress. “I really am sorry,” she murmured.
“I have an idea of how you can make it up to me,” Jaina smiled.
“So do I,” Sylvanas’ hand drifted lower to cup Jaina’s ass, only to be quickly swatted away.
“My Mother is already here,” Jaina warned, “behave.” She smirked when Sylvanas looked like she was going to shoot out a smart comment, “she brought Tandred with her.”
At that, the elf groaned, “your brother hates me.”
“He's my brother, it's his job not to like you,” Jaina laughed, lacing their fingers together to start pulling her wife towards the back of the cottage.
Sylvanas’ ears flicked back, “not true, Lireth adores you.”
“I pay him, he has to like me,” Jaina reminded her, “and I’m just better at winning people over.” With that, they rounded the corner and Jaina shoved Sylvanas out into the yard. One side was lined with tents leading down to the beach, the other with tables and several large grills. “Look who I found!” Jaina called, laughing as the twins began to rapidly scramble their way out of the water to charge at their aunt. She stood back as Sylvanas dodged and weaved away from the soaking wet hugs that the twins were trying to give her.
Finally relenting, Sylvanas allowed the twins to wrap their arms around her, thoroughly soaking her shorts. “It's good to see you two as well.” She crouched down to whisper to them when she spied Erasan lounging on the beach, “I think out Nightborne friend could use a hug, don't you?” She grinned wickedly as the pair raced back to the beach to hurl themselves onto the tall elf.
“Look who finally decided to show up to her own party!” Chen laughed, pulling Sylvanas into a tight hug. “We were all beginning to think we would starve before you arrived.”
“You could have started cooking some of the food without me,” Sylvanas said, her ears drooping slightly.
“And risk drawing your wrath? You've been begging me to let you do the cooking for our anniversary since before we were married,” Jaina smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“Well if you had agreed to let me cater the wedding, I wouldn't have had to beg you.”
Jaina rolled her eyes and held out a bundle of pink fabric to her wife, “speaking of cooking. I said I knew how you could make it up to me, your being late. So, anytime you are cooking today, you have to wear this apron.”
Sylvanas took the apron, her ears pinning back at the affront to her style. When she unfolded it, she leveled a glare at her snickering wife, “That is just insulting.” Written across the front, in elegant black font was kiss the cook. When Jaina simply looked at her expectantly, Sylvanas finally put on the apron, “I’ll get you back for this. I know where you live.”
“I’m sure you will,” Jaina rolled her eyes as she pulled a large cooler over to the main grill, “just like you have every other time.” With another peck to Sylvanas cheek, Jaina wandered over to mingle with their guests.
After heating the grill, Sylvanas began to cook. Homemade burgers of one side, fresh sausage in the middle and portobello mushroom caps on the other side. The smell of food had people drifting over to her and she was soon toasting buns and filling up paper plates. She had almost forgotten about the insulting apron. Almost. A sudden reminder came in the form of Kinndy.
“Pained, pick me up!” Kinndy said, trying not to laugh. After the grumbling night elf had complied with her request, Kinndy leaned forward and placed a kiss on Sylvanas’ cheek with a loud smack. She yelped in surprise when Pained jumped back to save her from being on the receiving end of a spatula. “I was just following instructions,” Kinndy grinned, snickering.
“I will poison your food,” Sylvanas snipped, her ears flicking in irritation.
“She’ll do it, trust me,” a soaking wet Vereesa said, coming to her sisters' side. Once the pair had left with their own food, Vereesa moved closer to her sister, “you looked like you could use the company, and maybe a hand?”
“Thanks,” Sylvanas nodded, passing. The bags of buns over. They worked in comfortable silence, aside from the tune that Vereesa was humming quietly, just content to be in each others company. “Where did you get the burgers? They smell amazing,” the elder asked after a time.
“Nowhere, we made them all. My family and I got here early, so did your in-laws,” Vereesa grinned, “so Jaina cracked the whip and put us all to work. You two really are perfect for each other. Cut from the same cloth, mom would say.” Vereesa ears flicked back as Sylvanas moved over to the secondary grill to begin the prep for dinner, “she would be so proud of you. You know that right?” She nudged Sylvanas with her hip while she played up food for her boys.
“She would have been proud of you, too. All of you,” Sylvanas replied quietly, rubbing spices onto the pork ribs, “they both would have.”
“You most of all,” Vereesa nudged her again, “despite everything, look at where you are now. Thriving business ventures, an amazing wife. Speaking of,” the younger elf nodded towards Jaina who was making her way over to them.
“Your boy is getting impatient waiting for his lunch,” Jaina said.
“Which one?”
“Rhonin,” the human laughed, “said he is going to waste away at this rate. The twins are already planning his funeral.”
With a dramatic roll of her eyes, Vereesa took the plates she had prepared and took her leave, mumbling about her husband being a drama queen.
“You just about done here?” Jaina asked, wrapping her arms around Sylvanas’ waist.
“Mmhmm. Everyone seems pretty much done with lunch,” Sylvanas nodded, “just have to finish seasoning the pumpkin pieces and get them and the ribs on. Sauce them every half hour.”
“Wonderful. I would quite like to spend some time with my wife at our party.” Jaina rested her chin on her wife’s shoulder while she watched. The shared spice mix was so fragrant that Jaina could hardly discern the different components. But she tried, “cumin?”
“You’re getting quite good at this,” Sylvanas replied, her ears flicking in amusement.
“You don’t make it very hard,” Jaina smiled fondly, “you put cumin in almost everything.”
“That’s because it is good in almost everything,” Sylvanas said, sealing up the pumpkin and closing the lid of the grill, “there, I’m all yours.”
The apron was removed and tossed over the back of an adirondack chair before Jaina laced her fingers with Sylvanas’ and pulled her towards the lake. “Let’s go for a swim before Tandrid and my mother get back from their ride around the lake,” she had pulled off Sylvanas’ tropical shirt before she could even begin to reply. Her own dress quickly joined it where the grass met the sand leaving her in a seafoam green bikini.
When Jaina made to lift Sylvanas’ tank top, she stopped her, “wait. Just… hold on.”
Jainas brow furrowed when Sylvanas stepped back from her, “you’re wearing a bathing suit, right?” A nod, “and we both know that you can swim, so what’s wrong?” When Sylvanas’ ears drooped almost pathetically and she looked to the sand, Jaina took her other hand and led her away from the others. In relative privacy, Jaina cupped her wife’s face, forcing Sylvanas to meet her gaze, “what’s wrong Sylvanas? Talk to me.”
Sylvanas brought a hand to her own stomach, her thumb following a path that they both knew well. “Scar,” she murmured, “Vereesa… and the boys… they don’t know.”
“Oh,” was all Jaina could say as she brought her hand down to cover Sylvanas’, “I’m sorry. I didn't think about that. I packed you lots of spare clothes, you can just swim in your tank top. Or, if you really don't want to, we can just laze on the beach. Whatever you want.”
Sylvanas tucked her face into the crook of Jainas neck and nodded, “okay. Okay, let's swim.” Hand-in-hand, the couple waded into the water until they were deep enough to properly swim out. The lake was calm and clear and they could easily see the bottom, the few fish bold even to swim around them. It was peaceful.
Or at least, it was.
A splash of water hit them both and spun around to see Vereesa laughing from her perk on Rhonin's shoulders. “Good to see you away from the grill, Sis!” Rhonin grinned. He jostled Vereesa slightly, “how ‘bout a chicken fight? My wife versus yours?”
Jaina let out a yelp as she was suddenly raised out of the water. Sylvanas had swum under her and hoisted her up on her shoulders. Jaina laughed as she caught her balance, “you're on!” As Jaina and Vereesa pushed at each other they gained an audience in the form of the twins on a floaty.
“Get her Aunty Jaina!” Galadin called.
“Dunk them, Aunt Nas!” Giramar chimed, paddling them closer.
“Are you little traitors seriously rooting against your own mother!?” Vereesa looked at them in shock.
“Miss Pained had been teaching has been teaching us about safe betting,” Giramar said.
“And we don't think that you and dad are a safe bet,” Galadin beamed.
“They get this from you. You know that right,” Rhonin grunted. He was about to say more but simply spluttered as Sylvanas spat water at him, “proof!”
Jaina rocked forward, and gave Vereesa a great shove, sending her friend flailing backward into the water. She allowed herself to fall back into the water, sinking down to the bottom. When she finally broke the surface, a few waves had begun to break the crystal clear surface. Pushing her hair out of her face, Jaina watched as her boat pulled up to the dock. Her mother and brother were back.
She watched as Vereesa's dog launched himself off the boat and into the lake, quickly followed by Muffin in his little life jacket. Jaina hauled herself up onto the dock where she was promptly wrapped in a towel and pulled gently into her mother's arms. “Thank you, Mother,” Jaina smiled as Katherine dried her hair. This was something that Jaina was still getting used to, even now. Having her mother sore on her every chance she got. It was endearing, how determined the older woman was to make up for lost time. “How did she handle?” Jaina asked when she was finally free.
“Like a dream, you picked a fine boat,” Katherine complimented.
“And did he behave himself?”
Katherine nodded, “I’m not sure how Sylvanas ended up with such a well-behaved cat, but I must say that I’m impressed.”
“I was talking about Tandrid,” Jaina grinned.
“Hey!” Tandred huffed, as he tied up the boat, “that is rude, Jaina.”
“I’m allowed to be rude, it's my anniversary,” Jaina stuck her tongue out at her brother as she walked back to the shore, leaving her mother to chuckle. Sylvanas was waiting for her, dress in hand, which she took with a grateful kiss, “thank you. Shall we check on dinner?” She pulled her dress back on as they walked, startling slightly when her mother joined them.
“Are you not required to wear your apron now, Sylvanas?” Katherine cocked a brow at her daughter-in-law.
Sylvanas shot a glare at Jaina, her ears pinning back, “you told your mother?”
“I told everyone,” Jaina shrugged, trying not to laugh as Sylvanas sulkily put the apron back on, “how else was I supposed to make sure you wore it?”
“How was your trip home?”Katherine asked as she settled herself in the adirondack, patting her lap for a still wet Muffin to curl up in.
“Not my home,” Sylvanas barely kept the snap from her voice. Her agitation was soothed by the presence of Jainas hand on her back. “I’m sorry, what I meant was, Silvermoon isn’t my home. But my trip was nice. Better than I expected. And your trip to Lordaeron, how was the flight?” She sauced the ribs and pumpkin as she asked.
“I can’t complain about it,” Katherine replied, “not when I knew that at the end of it I would get to see my daughters.”
Jaina nearly dropped the cob of corn she was preparing for the grill when she turned to face her mother, “what did you just say?”
“I know you hearing works just fine, Dear,” Katherine smiled, “you heard me. Daughters. You’re married,” she nodded to Sylvanas, “that makes her my daughter as well.”
At that, Sylvanas smiled. A toothy smile that caused her fangs to poke against her lip, “Thank you, Katherine. That means a lot to me.” They fell into a comfortable silence. Jaina and Sylvanas working away on dinner, while Katherine watched on.
Pouring the last of the sauce over the grill roasted pumpkin, Sylvanas called, “dinners ready!” The speed at which their guests gathered around the grill to be served filled Sylvanas with a sense of pride. She served Jaina and herself last and was finally free to remove the apron again.
They squeezed into the only available space on the edge of the picnic table and tucked in. Turning her plate so she could leave her ribs for last, Jaina took a bite out of her corn cob. Sure, it was just corn, but damn was it good corn. Farm fresh corn always tasted better, to begin with, but the light charting from being on the grill played well with its natural sweetness. Even the butter was better. Sylvanas had taught her how to make flavoured butter and Jaina had been more than excited to show off her new cooking skill, even if it was with something as simple as roasted garlic. Sylvanas seemed to appreciate the effort she put in if the way her ears quivered in delight was anything to go by.
She added her cobs to the growing pile in the middle of the table and turned her attention to the ribs that still sat on her plate, tempting her to take a bite. A temptation that Jaina was more than willing to give in to. There was no proper or ladylike way to go about eating such saucy ribs, so, like everyone else present at the table, Jaina didn't even bother to try and began eating with gusto. The meat was tender and juicy and the sauce was sweet with a kick of spice at the end.
There would be no leftovers if the growing pile of cobs and bones were any indication. That was just fine with Jaina as she leaned against Sylvanas with a contented sigh.
“Full?” Sylvanas asked.
“Very,” Jaina smiled.
“Shame that you didn't leave room for,” Sylvanas looked towards the twins, “dessert.”
“Dessert!” They chimed in unison, “what is it!?”
“Banana boats.” When the twins just stared at her blankly, Sylvanas shot her sister a reproachful glare, “you have denied these boys banana boats?”
“I tried once,” Vereesa's ears flicked back, “but I burned them.”
“Right, I guess I’ll have to fix this,” She stood up quickly, pulling Jaina with her, “come along, boys.” She marched back to the grill, fishing around in the cooler for the bananas she knew she would find there, along with chocolate and little marshmallows.
“You apron, Aunt Nas,” Giramar grinned handing the offending article to her.
Sylvans dawned it with an exaggerated sigh and set to work cutting a flap into each of the banana. “Now, I need you two to scoop out some of the banana so that your Aunty Jaina can fill it with sweets,” she lowered her voice, speaking like she was telling them a secret.
Once the task was down, she sealed each boat and put them on the grill. They weren't on for long, just long enough to melt the sweet and soften the banana. When they returned to the table, it had been cleared and spoons had been gathered.
Retaking her spot on the bench, Jaina opened the foil, crumpling it to form a sort of stand. Each bite was delightfully warm and went down easy. She almost wished for a second one but knew her stomach would protest any more food.
Nomi had already prepared the fire pit, and soon the air was filled with the crackling of the fire, and the soft melody that Chen had begun to sing. It was picturesque. Everyone she cared about, all gathered together. Jaina snuggled closer to Sylvanas in the adirondack that they had chosen to share, pressing small kisses to her jaw. “You're still wearing the apron,” she commented.
Sylvanas shrugged, lacing her fingers with Jainas, “it's grown on me.”
Jaina chuckled at that, “happy anniversary.”
“Happy anniversary.”