Chapter Text
Though brief and almost over, her sojourn in Kugane had done much and more to boost her spirits and outlook on life.
The miqo’te had decided one day that enough was enough and her and Thancred were finally allowed to go on their ‘honeymoon’; though, in this case it was more like a second one, or third… she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, at least not too closely.
Arrangements had been made with the backing of both Lord Edmont and Lady Ameliance and the planning of one Tataru Taru, for an airship to bear the couple to Kugane, where they were informed they had a week-long stay at the Bokairo Inn and its famously luxurious hot springs.
Cid himself had flown them in, citing that he needed to do a long test run of some new modifications to one of his airships and figured a jaunt to Kugane was as good as anything. After he’d dropped them off, he told them that either he or one of his employees would pick them up in exactly a week and bear them back to Eorzea, though it would probably be him in an attempt to escape the ruthless choremaster that was his assistant Jessie.
From there it had been a blissful week of soaking in the hot springs to her heart's content, perusing and buying souvenirs from the many shops along the Kogane Dori Markets, stuffing themselves fit to bursting with exotic and delicious dishes at the Shiokaze Hostelry and seeing the sights and sounds of the city at a slower pace than her norm and allowing her to truly take it all in.
Thancred was also thoroughly enjoying himself, the two of them walking in relative anonymity this far away from home. It meant that they could hold hands in public if they so wished without the incessant teasing of their friends or that he could hold her close to him whenever he so pleased without worrying about the eyes of other people on them. He was only a husband so utterly enamoured with his wife here, not two warriors fighting to save the realm and fix its woes while keeping things utterly professional. They could simply just be and it was absolutely what he needed.
Eirina hummed in contentment from her current resting place, leaning against her husband’s side in the water. A nice perk of letting her all-but-adopted parental figures plan this out was that they had access to some of the nicest rooms that the Inn had to offer and that included a private hot spring.
She was resolved to not think about how much it must have cost them and instead planned to enjoy the benefit to the max such as she was now, the both of them soaking and recovering from a long day of watching watching different kabuki plays and dancing troupes, star among them being Ranaa Mihgo and the performers of Troupe Falsiam at the Mujikoza.
Not to mention a few bouts of very invigorating and amazing honeymoon sex with absolutely no interuptions. When leaving the Rising Stones, the look Tataru had shot the other woman promised painful and slow murder for whoever dared bother the poor couple, even if there was another world ending disaster to be going on. Tataru would make someone else figure it out.
Feeling more like herself and her muscles having enough time to take somewhat of a break, Eirina sidled underneath her husband's arm in an effort to signify she felt cooled off enough for cuddles now.
The sex between was great all the time actually, but she would admit there seemed to be something extra special about the current moment, though she couldn’t pin down exactly what that was. Perhaps it was the relaxed state they were both in. Perhaps it was the atmosphere or something to do with the mood or the setting they found themselves in.
Whatever it was, it was all good to her and was something that was sure to remain clear in her memories for the rest of her life with him.
She began to purr as she sat up and swung her arms around his neck and her legs over his lap and proceeded to lovingly nuzzle her face against his. He laughed into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her in return, her tail coming up to curl lovingly around his wrist.
“Tis good to see you so happy and relaxed. It does my heart well.” He adoringly kissed the sides of her cheeks and was rewarded with a warm giggle as she wiggled about in his lap in an effort to obtain maximum comfiness as opposed to being a bid ro rile him up. Satisfied, she all but melted into him, her head coming to rest against his shoulder.
“I could say the same about you. I like seeing you like this.” His blissful sigh of agreement sounded past her head and he squeezed her ever so slightly tighter to him.
Conversation fluttered off for a few moments as she listened to the comforting thump-thump of his heartbeat, strong and steady and real before she murmured, “I hate to admit it, but this whole trip was sorely needed. I’m just a little sorry it has to end soon.”
She felt him nod against her head. “Aye, though thankfully, we still have a few more days ahead of us. Besides, it’s not like we can’t come back some other time. I do think we’ve more than earned the right and time to now. I wouldn’t be opposed in the least if you dragged me back here to have your wicked way with me in this paradise.”
Oh yes, there would be more time for that later, preferably after she finished getting her cuddles in and they went back to the Shirokaze Hostelry for more of the fried squid that Estinien always raved about.