Chapter Text
"Penny for your thoughts?"
His employer's voice got his attention, and he caught her looking at him curiously as she ate her breakfast. He made a point to look towards the big window in the room that showed a view. "Vegas seems to have a lot to offer," he said with a casual smile, and she gave a hum as she chewed on her food. Just when she was about to cut a slice, she paused.
"Right," she said in remembrance, then continued to cut on the meat. "You weren't working for me yet when I was last here." She resumed eating, and he stood there, thinking how he was going to ask with words that held the least risk. She can be a little...possessive. She craved loyalty like no other. Lan hated using the word, but ever since the first time he finally had the courage to admit it to himself, it would ring in his head whenever the circumstance called for it.
Thankfully, he didn't have to stress on his next words any longer as she looked back at him in realization. "Are you asking for a day off?"
"Well, the day has already started, ma'am. But if I could ask for a few hours..." he treaded carefully.
"I suppose that's no problem, you rarely ask for a break anyway," she started, pausing to wipe the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "But I do need you until that lunch meeting. Then, you may go."
"Of course," he replied, and he had never been so excited to take her to a meeting before.
A while later, he moved towards the door with her bags in his hands to load them into the car in the hotel's parking lot. "Lan," she called out to him just before he could close the door behind him. "Don't leave me," she said casually, but he worked for her long enough to recognize the threat that laced her smile. She may have said the words then, but he knew that she meant it regarding his time off this afternoon.
"I'll be back," he said with a nod, and closed the door.
The lighting was soft and warm, and the entire place smelled heavenly as their noses were constantly met with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. They stood in front of bookshelves that lined the wall in a bookshop café in the city, and he watched Moiraine intently as her fingertip traced through the spines of books. He spent most of his time looking at her rather than actually picking out a book to read, and he had to scramble to do so once she already picked one out for herself.
"You're not even truly interested in that one," she said, catching him in the act after he backed her against a shelf under the pretense of reaching for a book placed somewhere above her head.
"How can you be so sure?" he played coy, looking down at her with a questioning expression. She hugged her book to her chest and grinned at him, the absence of the excess space her book once held in between them making him move even closer.
"If you even actually paid any attention to it, what's the title of the book?" she challenged, biting her lower lip to hold back a laugh as she watched him think really hard.
"Of course I know." He made a face at her, but couldn't come up with an actual answer. When he tried to sneakily look up to read the title, she immediately caught him and placed a hand on his chin to make him look back at her.
"Well, now I'm really not going to pay attention to that book." His voice was low, and a deep chuckle hummed in his throat. She started to think that her own actions backfired on her, but it definitely happened in the best way possible. His other hand went up to brush his fingertips against the side of her face, almost to her ear, light and teasing. Her cheeks were turning a deep shade of red, and she didn't need a mirror to know that it was visible to him even with his shadow ghosting over her face. Her eyes darted down to his lips as he leaned in closer and closer.
He moved his head to the side and grabbed the book right next to her head.
She looked at him with wide bewildered eyes, her gaze following his actions. Once she realized what he did, she scoffed and gave him a shove to his chest, earning a soft laugh from him. He didn't know what book that was either, but he committed to it anyway. He was so happy with her reaction that he didn't care much about anything else.
They ordered their drinks after, an iced one for her and a hot one for him. They settled in a beanbag that fit the both of them in one corner, a small table sitting in front of them where they placed their drinks as they read. She hunched over her book, and he was leaning back to hide the fact that his eyes kept going back to her so often that he had to reread the sentences in his book.
She could feel his fingers on her hair occasionally as he brushed away stray locks that fell on her face so she could continue reading unbothered. She spent the hour reading, and he spent it mostly taking care of her. After a few half-read chapters, Lan closed his book shut and surrendered to the desire to just admire her.
His eyes caught sight of her drink. She had been too engrossed in her reading that she had only drunk half of her coffee, and he could see the volume changing as more of the ice melted into water. She noticed him stand up and disappear from the corner of her eye, but she didn't ask where he would go. Her hand later reached for the drink that she just remembered, bringing it to her lips to take a sip.
It took one sip for her to get distracted from reading, her head moving to look at her watered-down drink with eyes of subtle disgust and disapproval. When she placed it back down on the table, a pair of feet also moved back into her vision. Looking up, there he was—a knowing smile on his face and both of his hands outstretched towards her, one holding a fresh order of her coffee, and the other opened up to take the one she didn't want anymore.
She followed him with her gaze as he sat back down beside her, sipping on her watered-down drink without complaint. "What?" he asked with a chuckle, enjoying the way she was looking at him. "I'm just happy to be here. Keep reading," he smiled, wanting to give comfort to that expression on her face as she looked like she was about to cry.
"Thank you," she whispered, patting him on the leg and keeping her hand there even when she went back to reading, placing her book on her lap and using her other hand to flip the pages. His hand went to knead on the knots on her shoulders, and she briefly wondered how something could be so relaxing and distracting at the same time.
She didn't get to read in that position for long as she felt her neck start to ache. She straightened up and stretched her body out, craning her neck from side to side when she suddenly felt his hand on her forehead coming from behind. He had an arm around her and pulled her head down until it was resting back on his arm.
"What are you doing?" she asked amidst the ridiculousness of it all.
"Helping you." He winked at her then picked up the book from her lap, holding it up to his eye level. Moiraine moved her head to rest on his shoulder, and he lowered his head to her ear, whispering the words to her as he read. He could feel her body shaking slightly as she stifled a laugh, making him join her as he tried his hardest to read coherently. He pressed his lips against her temple, his throat vibrating in deep, muffled giggles. Neither of them really understood what was happening in the book anymore, but they enjoyed it better this way.
They found themselves next in yet another park, but one covered in grass and running kids this time. There were a couple of families having picnics, and there was a teen playing his guitar against a tree. Lan and Moiraine were headed to the movie theater, but decided to take the long way around and through the park to prolong their time with each other even more.
"I'll race you to that tree," she said, tugging on his arm to get his attention. "In those boots?" He nodded at her shoes. "I happen to be very good with these boots," she boasted, slightly raising a heeled foot to show him.
"Which tree?" he pretended to ask as he followed her gaze. Just when she raised a finger to point, he bolted, leaving her a few paces behind with an annoyed gape on her face and a satisfied grin on his. He ran and ran, insanely sure of himself that he would win with his training, experience, and longer legs. He made the mistake of looking back at her, and was surprised that he didn't have to look far as she was almost just half a step behind him now.
He felt her palm land on his back, and an arm wrapped around his middle to tackle him, an action which he unintentionally helped as his dress shoes got caught up and tripped over a bundle of untrimmed grass. He was able to wrap her in his arms for the impact, and they fell on the ground with an embarrassed snort.
"How did you do that?" he exclaimed with a pant, placing a leg gently on top of hers to prevent her dress from flying up with the wind.
"Ashamed that I beat you?" she teased with a wiggle of her head closer to his and turned her body on her side to face him. They were practically cuddling. On grass. In a public park. But neither of them moved away from each other. "I would never be ashamed to bow down to you."
They stayed there for minutes that felt like hours, but it also felt like no time had passed since they were young and secretly in love with each other.
"Is it too early to ask for a second date?" she asked with a hopeful smile that slowly turned into a confused frown as she watched his expression change.
"Moiraine..." He avoided her gaze and his hand anxiously found her cheek, his thumb moving against her skin in mindless patterns.
"Oh, is it?" She moved her head slightly backwards and away from his.
He met her eyes again. "It's not, and I wouldn't love anything more than to be with you again soon, but..." He took a moment to relish the look of her blue eyes before it would show disappointment. "We're flying to New York early tomorrow."
Moiraine kept her composure, but deep inside, he knew she reacted just like he expected. "Let's keep in touch for real this time. Please?" He didn't need to say that word to her, and she felt her heart ache that he felt like he had to beg her twice within two days of being reunited. It's not like she would be able to fully let him go after this either.
She nodded, then ducked her head down to rest it against his chest.
"We should maximize our time together today then," she said when she sat up a few minutes later. She offered her hand out to him and pulled him up with her. Her hand didn't let go of him since then, intertwining their fingers as they continued their way towards the movie theater.
Their steps felt a little heavier this time, each one weighing on them down in an attempt to slow down time—or stop it altogether—and keep them with each other. He held her hand tightly, and a breath got caught in her throat as they reached the theater, knowing that it would be one of their last stops in their date as the day approached late afternoon.
She pulled him towards the side, the two of them getting into an alley beside the theater.
"Maybe you should head back now," she suggested hesitantly, not even sure of her own words but she knew it would be much harder to let him go the longer she kept him with her. "Get some rest before your flight. It's your time off after all."
He looked at her with pity, not believing that she meant a single word easily. She didn't like that she was so unconvincing. People knew her as a stern woman who stood by her decisions and her words, but she couldn't help but leave her heart out in the open for him.
"Go," she said with a whine and a laugh that came out dry as she spun him around and away from her, and gave him a little push. He let himself stumble forward, exaggerating it a little in hopes to make her at least genuinely smile again. It didn't work anymore. They seemed to be past the spark of their reunion, and the time to say goodbye loomed over them.
He turned around to face her from the distance between them, his eyes asking and praying. "Do you really want me to go?"
She backed herself up against the brick wall, silently wishing that it would hold her so she wouldn't run to him. Her mouth opened to say a lie, but something in her held her tongue. She squeezed her eyes shut and put her head down, swallowing down the ache of being a martyr.
When she looked up again, his heart was already prepared to leap out of his chest.
"No," she answered, and the air nearly got knocked out of her lungs when he crossed the space between them in a rush and pressed his lips into hers. The kiss was hard and strong, pinning her against the wall as his hands held her face and his tongue met with hers. Their mouths bridged every distance, time zones, and years apart that came between them.
When she pulled away breathless, they both knew that they would not be content in merely having each other over distant calls and messages from now on.
"Care to see what the fuss is about in Little White Chapel?" she proposed, and he gave her the biggest grin and took her hand in his as they walked over into the street to hail a cab.
He had an arm draped over her as her head rested on his shoulder during their whole ride downtown until they got off at the Marriage Bureau. It was amazing what their wallets' contents and two inseparable people can do at the place.
They sat there with pens in their hands, hovering over the needed paperwork. The high of their kiss wore off, and Moiraine took a moment to reel over the biggest change she was about to make with her life since she decided on her career.
She felt his hand on the side of her face, getting her attention. "It's okay to have second thoughts," he said comfortingly, but one glance at his pen and the form in front of him told her that he was milliseconds away from signing over his name before he noticed her pause. Surprisingly, she wasn't having second thoughts about marrying him. Her mind was wandering to what would come next. He would fly to New York and she would go back to Los Angeles in a few days, and then what? Would their marriage be nothing more than just signatures on a paper?
"We'll figure it out," he said, as if he read her mind. "If you decide to go through with this today, we'll figure out what comes next. Together."
She raised a hand to grab the one that he had near her head, setting it on her lap and interlocking their fingers securely. He smiled back in understanding, and together, they committed themselves to each other through and through.
They walked out of the place giddily with their marriage license in hand. Moiraine went to turn towards one direction, but he pulled her into another. "Where are we headed?" she asked, her eyes full of wonder. "You'll see," he teased with a wink, wrapping an arm around her waist to guide her.
She paused by the glass as she looked at him in awe when he opened the door for her in a jewelry shop. She had thought it would be a hasty marriage with all its materialistic details coming later or not at all, but he wouldn't just miss the opportunity to give her the small wedding she deserved even in a rush. They tried on different styles of wedding rings, and he made sure to snap a photo of her wearing each one. He hadn't seen her in so long, and he desperately wanted to catch up his camera roll with the face he wanted to see everyday for the rest of his life.
"Let me see that," she demanded with a gasp as she saw his phone as they walked towards the Little White Chapel after having a brief stop at a flowershop to pick out a bouquet of flowers. His wallpaper was her photo wearing the foil ring from yesterday. "An unforgettable proposal," he remarked, holding her hand as they neared the doors. "I call dibs on telling the kids all about it someday." She squeezed his hand and hummed with feverish gladness at him already having it all thought out. "We are not making them tonight," she warned, and he kissed the top of her head in acknowledgement.
Weddings in Vegas really were done quickly. One moment, they were standing in front of each other, holding hands as words were spoken and a legal marriage was performed. In the next, they could hardly contain their happiness as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife, their arms wrapping around each other and her back arching in an unplanned dip with how eagerly he was pressing his lips onto hers.
It was still quite early in the evening when they got a quick dinner at the nearest restaurant and then headed to Moiraine's hotel. He opened the door for her after she unlocked it, letting her lead the way. It was their first time being in a hotel room together, and they had just gotten married.
He closed the door behind him and he found her with her shoes already off, her bag and her bouquet now placed on a small table. She opened up both of her arms towards him and looked at him expectantly. He succumbed into her hold, his arms wrapping around her waist as his head dipped down to kiss her deeply. He let her tug at him until her legs hit the edge of her bed. He briefly paused and gave her time to breathe so he could carry her and place her on the bed before immediately settling on top of her and joining their lips together once again.
Neither of them moved to undress each other, but both of their hands went everywhere over their clothed skin. He felt her raise her leg against his hips, and he hooked a hand under her knee to keep it in place as he lowered himself onto her to kiss down her neck. He opened his mouth to give her a gentle bite on the small area of exposed skin where her shoulder met her neck before he looked down at her.
"Happy birthday and happy wedding day," he greeted before pecking her on the tip of her nose. She gave him a contented smile and held his face in her hands. "The best gift I have ever received," she whispered, her lips brushing lightly against his as she spoke before kissing him.
He laid down beside her and she rested her head and her left hand on his chest. His fingers fiddled with her hand, enjoying the feel of tracing the outline of the wedding band on her finger, and occasionally bringing her hand up to his lips for gentle kisses. They held each other for as long as time allowed them to live in the quiet fantasy that they had.
Until his phone chimed and brought them back to reality. Moiraine automatically snuggled closer to him and held him tighter the moment she heard the sound, not needing to ask him as he read the message. They stayed in their position for another minute more. And then another. They finally broke away when a message was sent to him again.
She walked him to the door. "We're married," he reminded her with a smile. He wanted her to remember that, and not this goodbye. Still, he couldn't resist kissing her as deeply as he could, already making up for the time that they were about to spend apart.
"There's no bond like ours," he whispered and felt her nod against his forehead. He left her room with a longing heart, but also a happy one as he walked out of there a married man, eternally bound to the love of his life.