I have an Important Question.... [Deva]

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Bjorn had been planning today for quite some time. Of course, those plans had been slightly hindered by... earlier events that he did not feel like bring up as they still made his blood boil. But, none the less he's still managed to arrange everything in time. A few days leading up to today, he'd, unfortunately, had to leave the country. Something he'd been doing little of to keep a close eye on Deva. But with her at Hogwarts he'd felt slightly more reassured... plus he had a very important errand to run. So, a few days before he and his crew had headed to Norway. They'd done a lot of work, made a very healthy profit. Most importantly though he stopped by his parents' to pick up a box...

The tenth finally arrived and, for once in his life, Bjorn was nervous. It was Deva's birthday. Everything was in order, everything planned. And yet Bjorn couldn't stop his pacing. He wanted the day to be special. Perfect, even. He'd sent a message to Deva the night before to let her know he had a surprise for her, and that she should dress nicely when she left the school grounds.

Bjorn got to Hogsmeade an hour before the time he'd arranged to pick up Deva. Of course, so that he could have a few of his men sweep the village to make sure they didn't have any unexpected guests (Bjorn had been extremely vigilant since Deva was kidnapped.). Satisfied everything was well, he sent his men back to the ship, leaving him alone to pick up his girlfriend. He felt a bit silly, dressed so nicely. He couldn't remember the last time he wore a suit jacket but here he was. He let out a sigh and reached up to the collar of his dress shirt, undoing the very top button. In his other hand was a bouquet of orchids. The things he did for the woman he loved....

(starting in Hogsmeade but I'm posting it here since this is their destination )

[Deleted]

Deva had been looking forward to her birthday ever since Bjorn had told her they could hang out on her birthday. That he was coming home from business to make sure they could be together on her birthday. Perhaps it was just a small thing, but she appreciated it a lot nonetheless. Ever since he'd saved her from the people that had kidnapped her they'd tried to spend a lot more time together. It was free weekends or evening most of the time but since her class wasn't exactly the most heavy she had more free time than most teachers did. The bigger challenges were all yet to come, without a doubt. Bjorn had asked her to dress nicely when leaving school grounds today and she'd certainly heeded that request. She'd even enlisted the help of her best friend at school (and her childhood friends of many years). He'd told her she looked drop dead gorgeous with a straight face and well, she trusted his judgement. Feeling giddy with excitement she'd left the school grounds with a small purse enchanted to be bigger on the inside and of course, her wand. She had no idea where the trip was going despite a few attempts to find out, but it was fine. Whatever it was, it clearly was meant to be a surprise.

She arrived in Hogsmeade to find Bjorn waiting there for her, looking incredible. For a moment she paused to look, mostly because he looked more dressed up than she'd ever seen him in her entire life. Not that they'd known each other all that long. She couldn't help but smile as she approached, her gait a little slower as she admired him. "You look incredible...." She muttered as she stood on tiptoes to kiss him. She hadn't failed to notice the orchids, her favourite because they were not messy flowers and they allowed themselves to be cared for relatively well. He'd really gone all out for her birthday it seemed. She smiled slightly and looked at him in surprise again. "You're not overcompensating for the mess around Valentines, I hope?" She said teasingly, even though the memory felt like needles in her back. "Because I don't want to start expecting overly fancy dates. I like it if those are more rare and special." She teased him a little, although her hand was already folding into his, wanting to keep him close. No matter what she said or how he dressed, she was just happy she could be spending the day with him on an actual date again. This time without concerns, as she was sure he'd never let anything bad happen to her again if there was anything he could do to prevent it. Or at least, she hoped so. Though his outfit right now suggested that her hopes were matched by reality for once.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Bjorn didn't have to wait to long. That or it didn't matter to Bjorn how long he'd waited when Deva arrived. Because when she arrived? The wait was worth it. He turned towards her, unable to stop his own smile as he finally took in the sight of his absolutely gorgeous girlfriend. She was always beautiful but in that moment? He felt a little breathless as he took in the sight. He moved, taking a step towards her to bend down as she reached him and kiss her back. "I pale in comparison to you." He took a step back to look at her again, still trying to comprehend that this beautiful creature was really with him. He held the bouquet of orchids out to her. He knew they were her favorite, something he'd noticed from the time spent at her apartment.

Deva was mentioned Valentine's day, something he didn't want to think about. Especially today. His expression softened. "Perhaps a little. I didn't get to spoil you then. I have some making up to do." Her hand had found his own and he closed his fingers around her own, pulling her close. "Today is the most rare and special of days," he answered slowly, his voice lowering. He kissed her, slowly, carefully. As if he had all the time in the world. Then he broke away. "Now, if we don't hurry, we'll be late." He squeezed her hand a little tighter then pulled his hand free. He moved his hand to the small of her back, and turned so that she could finally see what was awaiting behind him. A carriage, drawn by two beautiful Abraxan. The driver stepped forward, opening the carriage door for them. "After you, dear one."

[Deleted]

He offered her the orchids and she gladly accepted them, smiling broadly and happily. They were her favourites and absolutely beautiful.  Still she could barely keep her eyes off him, ashis current outfit was stunning and he rarely dressed this fancy. He usually wore practical clothes that fitted him well and no matter how good they looked on him,  the fancy clothes he wore now were spectacular. He clearly had great plans for the day abd she was excited to find out what they were.

She giggled as he said he had making up to do. "You know it's fine. I'm just happy we et to celebrate my birthday together. It's all I wanted as a gift." She said honestly, although she'd never complain about getting more than she'd asked for. A date and her favourite flowers! And not just any date either, as he'd clearly put in a lot of effort. Yet she smiled and shook her head slightly as he claimed it was the most rare amd special of days. "It's just my birthday. Granted, a quarter century is quite something, but I do hope we have many more birthdays to share ahead of us and the start of this one is already quite something." She hoped he had no plans to outdo himself every year beause that would create a right mess. In that case the treasure island that Sev had jokingly suggested would be a painfully real option.

His kiss was slow and magical and she just wanted to melt into his arms and stay there forever. There was no place she felt safer or more comfortable.  Yet he broke the kiss and untangled their hands so he might lead her to a stunning carriage led by two beautiful winged horses. It seemed like she was living in a beautiful fairytale today. She stepped into the carriage, feeling almost as though she had to be dreaming. Things like this didn't happen in real life, only in fairytales after all. She looked at her boyfriend with amazed disbelief. "What are we going to be late for?" She asked almost hesitantly, not sure she'd be able to believe her ears since it already felt like her eyes had to be lying to her. This was too good to be true. After he also entered the carriage she leaned against him as her eyes looked out the window. Would they be flying? She was dreaming, she had to be! She looked at Bjorn again, smiling in wonder and amazement. "How long have you been planning this date?" She asked him curiously. It seemed like a whole lot of effort to have been planned only a week in advance.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Bjorn smiled as Deva tried to downplay her birthday, that she had many more ahead of her, hopefully shared with him. Well, that was the plan. Or at least, his plan. Depending on how things went. It also reminded him that he was several years older then her, though it didn't bother him. "Stop," he chastised softly. "Let me spoil you on your birthday. If I'm only allowed to take you on 'fancy dates' on the rare occasion then you can't complain when those occasions come around," he teased. It wasn't like he couldn't afford it. His line of work was quite lucrative, though that was a discussion for another time, as Deva wouldn't appreciate his less then legal work coming up today. No, today was about her and celebrating her birthday. Though if she was so impressed by his dressing up and the carriage... Well, he was excited (though still nervous) for the rest of the evening.

Bjorn held out a hand to help her up into the carriage, making sure she was settled before turning to the driver and letting him know they were ready to go. After, he climbed into the carriage himself, shutting the carriage door and settling on the seat next to her. He put an arm across the back of the seats, his fingers lightly grazing her shoulder furthest from him. "Late for the rest of your surprise," he explained, though he did not say what the surprise was. No doubt she wouldn't get that information out of him either. He could be quite stubborn and evasive when it came to things he didn't want to answer. The carriage started to move, a bit unsteady at first but the riding smoothing out as the horses found there pace. A few moments later and they were airborne, the horses spreading their massive wings and climbing the skies. The carriage had been enchanted, of course, so despite the chilly April evening, which would only get colder the higher their climbed, the cold didn't bother the couple in the carriage. Bjorn moved his arm, shifting it from the back of the seat to her shoulders, pulling her close. "Do you mean when did I start planning it, or how many hours I spent planning it?" He answered her question with his own, still demonstrating those answer evasion tactics. To be honest she'd been brainstorming ideas since February.... The events of the past few months had made him realize a few things that had changed those initial plans.

[Deleted]

He stopped her from objecting, or that was what he seemed to think it was. She was just actively managing her expectations. Going on romantic dates like this wasn't a small effort so naturally she wouldn't come to expect this as a baseline, even though Bjorn did seem to make a habit out of ensuring they had some truly stellar romantic dates. She had no idea what he'd been planning for Valentines day but if it was even half as fancy as this it was a real shame she'd missed out on it. Maybe he was making it fancier now because of that, something that she wouldn't complain about. She smiled, pretending to pout for only half a second before her smile betrayed her. "I'm not complaining." She reassured him. "I'm just not used to it. I don't know if I'll ever be." She wasn't the type to take things for granted or have grand expectations. Some of the rare few guys she'd dated had put in larger efforts but for the most part they'd been men that chose more simple dates and venues and didn't really make a habit of renting carriages or anything like that. Considering some wore suits by default she wasn't counting dressing up as a factor in his gesture, even though it certainly was.

As usual he didn't really answer any of her questions. While she knew of that habit of his, she was still rather amused to see that he always kept playing that particular tactic when it came to questions that he didn't feel like answering. He never ignored her or otherwise refused to answer completely or just flat out told her he wasn't going to tell her or explain. It was a very gentlemanly way of dodging questions and she never felt like he was shutting her down, which she really appreciated. Still, she grumbled slightly at his first evasion. "Just how many parts are there to this grand surprise anyway? Carriage ride, fancy dinner and a walk under the stars or does it come with more than just three parts to it?" She asked, determined to get at least a tiny bit of information out of him for the fun of it. He was allowed to keep his secrets, since she'd discover all his plans in due time either way. They were not in a hurry anyway, since she didn't really need to get back to the castle before midnight or anything. It was a Friday, which meant she could stay away the entire weekend and get back late on Sunday or even early Monday, as long as she was back in time for her first class. When he asked if she meant when did he start planning or how many hours she narrowed her eyes at him in both suspicion and curiosity. She pursed her lips for a moment as she considered. "Initially I meant when but now you're making me very curious about the amount of hours you had time to put into this. You're making it sound like some sort of grand master plan or scheme, which makes me very curious just how extensive this plan you have actually is. Is a weekend enough time to get through all of it?" She asked curiously, not really expecting a straightforward answer.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Bjorn couldn't help but chuckle. He turned his head and pressed his lips against her forehead. "I will consider it a blessing then that I can still surprise you," he answered softly. Though, he hoped she wasn't thinking that she didn't deserve this sort of treatment. She did, and so much more. He'd give her the world of he could. Because that's what she was to him.

Not answering her questions was both a force of habit, and a necessity today. He didn't want the surprise to be ruined after all! And there would hopefully be many surprises for her. Though she continued to ask questions that she surely didn't expect him to answer. He smirked, tilting his head as he peered down at her. "As many parts as there needs to be. Why put a number on the evening?" He didn't confirm dinner or star gazing either, as that would give too much away. Though it probably was a given that dinner was one of the parts for tonight.

Bjorn laughed at the scrutiny on her expression. He squeezed her shoulder a little tighter and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry. I personally spent a reasonable amount of time planning this evening." Though the way he spoke... Anyone that didn't know him might assume he meant planning the entire thing, but those that did know him? They'd latch onto that "personally" bit quickly and realize that he was blatantly not including the work others had put into it just to continue this little word game of his. "Don't worry, I've only planned the evening. The rest of the weekend depends entirely on how tonight goes." Well... That wasn't ominous.

The carriage was carrying them north, towards the Hebrides Islands. Soon, the lights of the cities started to dim and the stars of the night sky grew brighter. Whatever Bjorn had planned it clearly didn't include a popular city.

[Deleted]

Deva couldn't help but find it difficult to believe that everything that Bjorn did for her was actually happening. It was like a roallercoaster ride, more than she'd imagined. There were highs and at times she was nothing short of terrified. But after the short moments of terror ended the only thing that was left was the exhillaration of the ride and the butterflies that fluttered restlessly in her stomach as he looked at her like she was the only girl in the world. In the end the moments between them were all that mattered despite doubts from her friends or her worries about his job. When she was with him all of that seemed to melt into the background, as he made her remember just why she'd fallen in love with him and how inescapable that feeling was.

The tactical genius of evasive manouvers in conversation was certainly playing games with her today. She wriggled her nose slightly at his refusal to even clear up the matter of dinner. She hummed for a moment as he asked his rhetorical question and she shrugged ever so slightly. "I'll just be disappointed if it doesn't include dinner in that case. I had a small lunch today and made my student do taxes rather than cooking or baking to ensure I'd have plenty of space left for a fancy dinner because I decided to make presumptions that dinner was included based on what time you were picking me up." She said cheekily, knowing that his lack of answers allowed her some liberties in teasing him for his evasion.

His words on reasonable amounts of personal planning didn't escape her notice. By now she'd been with him long enough to notice he had a good crew, some of which were highly loyal and willing to do about anything for the right amount of pay. It wasn't impossible that they'd been part of planning or arranging part of this, or at least if it turned out to be much bigger than a carriage ride to a fancy restaurant. The thing she doubted most about this was his definition of 'reasonable' since she hadn't failed to notice that his definition of reasonable had a lot of flexibility where she was concerned. Capitol punishment seemed reasonable to him for somebody that had hurt her significantly, even though she herself found that to be a very big stretch of reason.

His next words had a nearly ominous quality to them and Deva didn't like that at all. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably for a moment as she furrowed her brow. Had the start of this date been any less extravagant and over the top she might have been concerned he was breaking up with her, but she couldn't imagine what about tonight would change the course of the weekend so drastically. She bit her lip a moment, thrown off completely as she looked out the window and noticed the lights growing sparse. Where ever they were going, it wasn't a city. She looked at him with some concern. "You don't have bad news, do you? We get to spend the weekend together at least? Because I was really looking forward to that." She said, not quite liking how small her voice sounded in the moment. She wasn't usually this concerned, but the events of last month had left her quite shaken and she still hadn't fully recovered. If he had to leave on business.... well she wouldn't really like that. She needed him, more than she cared to admit.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Bjorn laughed at her words, expressing her disappointment if there wasn’t dinner. It seemed she was beginning to learn how to play the answer evasion game he played. It’s taken her a while but she was definitely catching on. ”I’d prefer to call dinner tonight and experience. It’s no simple meal,” he finally answered. At least he was admitting dinner was planned. But his words made it clear this was going to be a very elaborate dinner. But considering the theatrics of picking her up? It wasn’t really a surprise.

The carriage continued to glide through the sky, now over the water that both of them loved dearly. Deva was squirming restlessly and bjorn tightened his arm around her, holding her close so she couldn’t pull away to far. Clearly she was worrying too much over his words and overthinking it. He didn’t blame her. She was a bit of an over thinker. He shifted so he was turned more toward her and reached out with his free hand He placed his fingers under her chin to gently turn her head up to him. ”I’m yours as long as you want,” he answered slowly and softly. He leaned forward to close the small distance between them and kissed her softly. When he broke the kiss he didn’t pull away. ”Stop worrying about the details and just enjoy tonight.” he added after a moment, smiling as he finally leaned back against rh seat and dropped his hand from her chin. ”I promise you there are no surprises you’ll dislike.” He hoped. Oh god he really hoped…

[Deleted]

So at least there was dinner! Well well, turned out that it was possible for him to give answers, although he instantly seemed to promise that dinner was supposed to be more than just a meal. More than just food on the table. If dinner was to be an experience she wondered how on earth he had that in mind, although she knew he'd never actually answer any questions that she had on that point. She'd have to be patient and wait and see. It wasn't quite her natural instinct. She was curious, even if she knew exactly when to let her curiosity go in favour of preservation, a skill others seemed to lack. She chuckled for a moment and smiled slightly. "I'm pretty sure you erased the concept of simple from your dictionary for the rest of today. No simple meal or transport, so if anything about tonight is simple I'll be more surprised by that than anything else." She said teasingly, blissfully unaware of his plans for the night. She had no inkling of what he had in mind, nor did she suspect in the slightest. She had no reason to believe that his plans were even in her future, let alone as close as they were.

He must have noticed her fretting through, as he took a quiet moment to reassure her and promise that he was hers as long as she'd have him. She smiled slightly, feeling relief, even if the promise itself was something that she couldn't quite comprehend. So far he'd been true that promise, but he wouldn't be the first to change his mind unexpectedly. It was impossible to worry as he kissed her and she felt her worries melt slowly as he pressed his lips against her own. He told her to stop worrying and just enjoy the night he'd planned for them and she nodded mutely for a moment, smiling slightly as she felt a blush creep up on her cheeks. No surprises she wouldn't like was something she could accept. He knew her well enough to keep that promise to her. "I believe you." She muttered as she took the hand he'd dropped with one of her own as she rested her head on his shoulder. "If this is the appetiser for the rest of the night it'll be magic, I'm sure." She said with a blissful smile. What more could she want form life in this moment? She was with the man she loved in a flying carriage riding towards what could only be a super romantic destination for a very fancy dinner. It was like a dream come true.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Had Bjorn gone a little over the top for tonight? Most definitely. Did he care? Absolutely not. Considering his plans he wanted to ensure it would be an unforgettable evening. While Deva never expected such acts from him he wanted to do them. Wanted to show her how much she meant to him. How she was his entire world. ”Has simple ever been in my vocabulary?” He asked cheekily. There wasn’t anything simple about his way of life after all! Why should he start now?

It took Deva a moment but she do altl. seemed to be reassured by his words and relaxed. He smiled, hiding his own fears and worries about the night. He’d promised she’d like the surprises but there was on in particular he desperately hoped she’d like. God he felt like a school boy, rhough thankfully he was much better at hiding his nerves then she was apparently. Because If she knew how nervous he was? Well she wouldn’t be so calm.

He shifted so that she could comfortably rest her head on his shoulder. He smiled at her words, still hiding his own nerves. He hoped it was magical. He glanced out the window of the carriage, watching the dark water of the ocean.

The rest of the carriage ride was a comfortable silence. Eventually the carriage started its descent, before gracefully landing on one of the many islands in the Hebrides. ”Close your eyes,” he whispered. Then he moved, getting up and climbing out of the carriage. He kept his hand in her own to carefully help guide her from the carriage, and catch her waist with his other hand when he could to help her descend the step. Then, he turned her around to face whatever surprise was in store. He took a step behind her, hand still at her waist. ”Yoi can open them now.”

When she opened her eyes she would be met by, what he hoped was a magical sight. At least all the women in his crew had said it was romantic. There was a beautiful cottage in the distance, but between them and the cottage was a pergola with a table set in the middle with fine China. The pergola was wrapped in starlight (quite the enchantment, and he was quite proud of it) and surrounded by flowers in full bloom. Like a beautiful secret garden in the star.

[Deleted]

He made a fair point that simple had never quite been part of his vocabulary to begin with and she wasn't about to argue with him on that. She'd never caught him taking a simple road if a more complicated one was avaible and that had been from the first time they'd met. He'd practised self restraint, no matter how much she challenged him to just simply let go and indulge a little. It had been an utter joy to see how crazy she managed to drive him by tempting him, but he'd stuck to his resolution and hadn't broken his restraint until they had met the second one. At that point they had both lost their patience, which eventually had led to the complication of her practically being a stowaway because his sister had gotten impatient. Nothing about their entire relationship seemed simple, as she broke the law she'd been raised to follow where he'd been raised to break it. Everything about them should never have worked, but by some miracle it did. It wasn't simple but ever so complicated. "I'm not sure you even comprehend the concept of simple." She simply said, but she was smiling nonetheless. Things didn't always have to be simple after all.

As they started the descent after what could only be described as a comfortable ride in silence he told her to close her eyes. He guided her out of the carriage, ensuring she couldn't trip and fall. She felt safe but the jitters of curiosity and excitement had her positively buzzing. She felt impatient to see what he'd come up with and as she opened her eyes at his permission she breathed in sharply in surprise, covering her hands with her mouth as her eyes twinkled in delight as they took in the absolutely gorgeous scenery in front of her. The pergola wrapped in wrapped in pure starlight with a beautifully set table underneath them with a small cottage in the background. It looked cozy and utterly romantic. Right out of a romance novel really. She smiled broadly as she approached, touching the flowers in the garden almost tentatively as she admired the scenery like a child in a candy store. She felt like a princess and had felt he'd been right to say dinner would be an experience. She'd be distracted by the decor and the company and have little attention left for the food it seemed. She turned around, her smile still bright as she looked at him. "You... arranged all this for me?" She asked in utter disbelief. It seemed almost impossible to her that somebody would go to these lengths just to make her feel special. Still, this was Bjorn and he'd proved to be a many surprises already. Between the enchantment of the starlight and the lack of city light the stars in the night sky above them and weaved into the pergola the darkness seemed to be chased off in a world lit by the magic of a thousand stars. It was beautiful and she felt utterly enchanted. It was perfect.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Bjorn smirked at her words. He wouldn’t deny it. He was a complicated man who led a complicated life. But to be honest? Simplicity had little place in his life. Though perhaps someday things between them would be simple. If tonight went well. ”I think you like my un-simple ways,” he teased.

Bjorn didn’t move as she finally opened her eyes and took in the sight. Thankfully the women he’d gotten opinions from had given him good advice, as her reaction was exactly what he’d hoped for. He let slip away from his grasp to step forward the pergola get a closer look. Of course these flowers were not natural to the area this time of year but anything was possible with enough magic. While the scene itself was a sight to behold the best sight was Deva. His heart beat a little faster and harder as he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Nor could he bring himself to stop smiling. Finally she spoke, breaking the stunned silence that had fallen as she took in his preparations.

He moved forward, crossing to her and reaching out to press his hand against her cheek. He could see the stars in her eyes as he met her gaze. ”Happy birthday, Deva,” he finally said. Then, he pulled away so that he could step towards the table and pull out a chair, motioning for her to sit. He moved once she was seated to reach for a bottle of wine in the table. From the label it was definitely a very expensive red wine, and he smoothly filled the glasses, before offering one to her.

[Deleted]

He was right of course. She liked every single complication he'd brought to her life and the various bits and pieces of confusion that brought along with it at times. While a few aspects were complicated in ways that were far less enjoyable they also made Bjorn into the man she'd fallen so deeply in love with. She'd noticed he could be jealous and had a bit of a temper but it seemed he'd listen when she told him he was out of line. Although it was rare, she believed it possible for her to ask him to hold back in the more violent parts of his pursuits and show mercy where mercy was needed. Luckily she'd rarely encountered those situations herself and she was determined not to let the crew tell too many stories about him that she'd be uncomfortable with. The murderous look on his face wasn't one she enjoyed, even if the purpose was to protect her. No, she loved the man she got to see the most, the kind and gentle one that loved reading and his family. The one that could be pursuaded to wear a crazy Christmas sweater and bake cookies. The one that could handle paperwork perfectly, even if he didn't often choose to use it. It was like she brought out the best in him and she loved that man to the end of time itself.

He crossed the distance between them after her question and while he didn't answer it directly she could see the gentle expression in his eyes as his hand gently pressed against her cheek in a way that told her he was absorbing the moment and looking at her like she was a treasure he'd long to steal, or more. She smiled, feeling the butterflies in her stomach nearly rip her apart as they fluttered in a frenzied feast of jubilation. He pulled away from her, but only to pull out a chair so she might be seated at the table. She could hear the faint sounds of chirping crickets in the distance as well as the hooting of an owl. The sounds of nature that brought a sense of peace and isolation to the table as he filled two glasses of expensive red wine and handed her one. He certainly hadn't worried about the costs for the date tonight, as she couldn't imagine any of this to have been cheap to arrange. His business was lucrative, even if she disagreed with it.

She took the glass and raised it. "To us and a magical night ahead." She said, raising her glass and taking a sip. It was delicious and she groaned slightly in utter delight at just how delicous the wine was. Now she understood why people paid excessive prices for a good bottle. She took another mouthful, knowing she had to be careful not to drain the entire bottle on her own. Not only would it be rude, she also didn't really want to end up drunk before dinner had even started. Still, the wine was exquisite and clearly meant to be enjoyed. She put the glass down to force herself to stop. "So do we get a menu or did you have a whole ten course meal planned?" She teased him playfully, her fingers absently turning the glass around on the table. She really wanted to keep drinking but she knew she needed to pace herself. She had a whole night ahead to enjoy the bottle if she didn't drink the whole thing in the first fifteen minutes. Surely she had enough self restraint for that. She knew she did, but the idea of giving in was still a little fun to play with from time to time.

@bjorn

[Deleted]

April 10, 2026
@deva

Deva really did bring out a very different side of Bjorn. Of course, the pirate captain was still there. Still ruthless and calculating. But when Deva was around? It always made him pause. As if he was hyper aware of her presence and how he didn't want her to see how ugly life and his line of work could be. It was almost as if he was a raging storm and when Deva was around it calmed to a wind. Still there, still powerful, but restrained and under control. He'd never felt a need for restraint before meeting Deva. And yet he found himself exercising it far more frequently. There were times that she still witnessed his cruel side though, the side that was needed to survive in his world. Though he wished he could always shield her from that side of him.

He smiled as she raised her glass to make a toast and moved to sit down across from her and raise his own glass in unison. Though he wanted to modify the toast to just be to her, he would let this one be. He silently acknowledge the toast before bringing it to his lips and taking his own sip. Wines weren't his preference but he could recognize a good alcohol. Plus, it was much more romantic and fitting for the night then his usual poison of choice. After a few moments of enjoying the drink he set his glass down and leaned back. "It's only five courses," he answered as if the idea of a ten course meal was nonsense. Though a five course meal was rather excessive as well. He shifted, reaching into his jacket pocket to pull out a watch to eye the time. He seemed satisfied. "We're right on time." He was a methodical man, so of course he'd planned the start of the night down to the time. It would merely be a distraction if he had to go notify the chef when they were ready. A few moments later and a man stepped out from the cottage, carrying a silver platter with the first course.

Each course that came out was one he hoped Deva would enjoy. He'd begun paying very close attention to the foods she liked back in February, all so that he could plan this elaborate dinner around her preferences. Of course, also perfectly paired with the wine as apparently that was a factor he had to consider (according to the chef he'd hired). It wasn't something Bjorn would have considered himself, so he decided to accept the expert's opinion on the matter.

Soon though the final course, desert came out. Bjorn finished his rather quickly, and took the moments between the time he finished and when Deva did to ponder the evening's events thus far. It seemed to all be going exceptionally well. Deva seemed to love it, though the later into the evening it got, the more nervous he found himself feeling. He smoothed his hair back, wishing he'd considered tying it back now. His other hand pressed against the pocket of his dress slacks. She finished the desert and the chef cleared the plates away. Now he had to move onto the next phase of the night. Clearing his throat Bjorn rose from his seat and held out a hand to her. "Only one last surprise," he said softly, smiling. Though deep down? His heart was racing. He'd never felt this nervous before in his life.

(I just skimmed over most of dinner probably wasn't too exciting)