I'm a little less than sold

ira

At least the concept of birthdays are not unknown to her, just that her own has been pushed so far aside over the years it's become more or less irrelevant to her. The close family life she had was mostly between her and her mother and Uldren already knows of the strained relationship she's had with her father ever since her mother passed away. Trying to celebrate one's birthday more or less alone just isn't the same.

Though perhaps she can indeed get used to Uldren spoiling her, as long as it's something he wants to genuinely do and not something he feels like he has to just because it's a birthday, or some kind of unwritten rule of relationship obligations. If it's something that makes him happy to do, she can learn to be happy with him too.

The idea of a picnic does brighten her smile and she nods approvingly. "That does sound nice and I'm sure I can deal with that. You get to celebrate my birthday and I get to show you the best place around here." She laughs softly and finishes her drink around the same time as Uldren is done with the food, then narrows her eyes more playfully at him. "And I shall try to not get too curious and start searching around at home. I'm good at finding things, though." She teases and uses her leg to give his a little tug under the table.

So you can drag me through hell if it meant I could hold your hand

Uldren

At the very least, the picnic idea is a good choice – he can see it in the way that she smiles and he decides perhaps to start he should work on making it a little bit less obvious. A combined effort of compromise when it comes to taking her out and treating her as he wants to, as he’s been taught to, in a way that makes it easier for her to deal with. Not that he blames her for any of it, it’s part of the reason why he loves her – her independence, ferocity, her ability to get whatever done that she wanted with little to no questioning it.

“Guess a picnic it is, then.” He teases her lightly, before breaking into a laugh as he pushes the plates aside after stacking them, waiting for the staff to bring the bill. “You are.” He complains, a soft whine leaving his lips as he tugs her leg back toward him. “It’s a good thing I have quite a few little hiding spots, hm?” He flashes her a crooked smirk, warm and playful in all the ways that he intends it to be.

I wanna get stuck between your teeth like cotton candy
So you remember me, darling

ira

A picnic sounds a lot more fun to her than going to some restaurant anyway, and it allows her to take Uldren out on some more adventures together with her. Going out into some nature and get him away from the damp darkness of the shadows of the Plates also sounds like a good idea in her mind. Now she only has to hope that it doesn't decide to rain on that day.

She sticks out her tongue at him a bit at his whining and tugs at his leg again to bring it back towards her side. "There you go again, more or less presenting a challenge to me." A playful smirk dances over her lips as well and her eyes shine with amusement. "And don't complain about me finding things. I found you, didn't I?"

Another soft laugh leaves her and one of her hands starts moving across the table towards him just before she's interrupted by seeing one of the staff heading their way to check if they are done with their food. She doesn't withdraw her hand, however, and lets it rest on the table while the staff takes the empty plates away and brings them the bill.

So you can drag me through hell if it meant I could hold your hand

Uldren

His leg moves easily toward her side, that playful smile remaining on his face as he watches the amusement reflect on her face. He laughs lightly, nodding his head before hanging it playfully in defeat, tilting it as he leans across the table a little bit closer to her. “You did find me. But, I found you too.” He comments with all the playful air of arrogance – after all, it had taken him literally days of sitting in that booth at her workplace, waiting and waiting for her to show up. And then, their paths finally crossed yet again.

Her hand extends across the table as the staff arrives to collect their plates and bring the bill and Uldren’s hand slips across to take hers into his own, lacing their fingers together as he uses his free hand to reach into his pocket to grab the lasti, trying to figure out how much it will cost before the bill arrives. When it does, he’s done a pretty good job of guessing it, and he lays it out with the bill for when the staff passes by once again to collect it (and the extra as a tip). “So now what would you like to do?” He asks her softly, giving her hand another squeeze.

I wanna get stuck between your teeth like cotton candy
So you remember me, darling

ira

Her smirk softens into a warmer smile. "Found each other." She says quietly, holding onto his hand after he reached out to take hers and most of her attention remains locked on him as the staff comes and goes. It sounded almost a little bit silly saying it out loud, like something she might have read once in some romance novel, but she currently doesn't mind if she's being silly romantic.

When the staff comes by again to collect the lasti, she does manage to pull her eyes from Uldren to look up with a smile to offer them a polite thanks, but then looks back as he asks what she'd like to do now. Her thumb gently stroking against his hand as she thinks for a brief moment. "Normally, I'd take any chance to be out, even if only to walk around aimlessly to see what's going on around the city. However..."

She gets up from her seat after untangling their legs, still holding onto Uldren's hand to lead him out of the restaurant. "Seeing as neither of us is completely recovered yet, maybe just go home? I could make us some warm tea and we can just be lazy and cosy for the rest of the day?" She speaks of concern for both of them, but she's mostly concerned for Uldren's health, as she usually doesn't care much for taking it easy when she herself is ill. Thought difference is that now she can take it easy by being at Uldren's place in his company, rather than having to sit alone in her room back at her own place like in the past.

So you can drag me through hell if it meant I could hold your hand

Uldren

They certainly have found each other, a fact that has Uldren also smiling softer to hear it out loud. That’s why he imagines whatever they do, whatever they decide, that they’re going to work out one way or another. So when the staff appears to grab the payment he also offers a gentle thank you, before standing once Ira’s untangled her legs from his, and takes her hand again as they start to head out.

“Sounds really nice.” He murmurs, squeezing her hand as they step out of the cafe and back onto the road. Hopefully, the trip doesn’t take too long to get home — Uldren having grown a bit more bold given his comfort in how the spice helped offset the pain in his throat, numbing it for the moment and hopefully long enough for them to get home and get the tea started.

I wanna get stuck between your teeth like cotton candy
So you remember me, darling