The Briefly Abandoned and No Longer Christmassy Mansion In The Woods, Monday Afternoon

[deathsmajesty]

The benefits of leaving for a long weekend to explore their new property in Argentina were two-fold. The first was obvious: getting to explore their new property in Argentina. The second, perhaps not equal in value but certainly close, was giving her steward plenty of time to take down the holiday decorations and put them all away without Liliana either of them being bothered with it. Other than a few very specific ornaments they had taken off the tree and boxed before they'd left, Liliana had expected to return to everything Christmas-related to be properly stored away until the next year.

Instead, they were in the parlor, unexpectedly face-to-face with a giant parcel wrapped in at least three different varieties of Christmas paper, with a tiny little silver bow in the center.

"Another belated surprise, darling?" Liliana asked, eying the package that was more than half again as tall as she was. It didn't seem likely, considering the haphazard way it was wrapped, but she didn't have a better guess than that.

[Also, all fuckin' applause and praise to chef_chocobro for this AMAZING WORK OF ART.]

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[deathsmajesty]

"Don't tell him," she whispered, lips brushing against his, "she's still not quite old enough for a pony yet. We have to get her used to horse etiquette and riding first, before getting her one of her own."

Which, while true, was of less importance than what she did next, which was close even that slight gap between their mouths for a second kiss, just as deep and ardent as the first.

"Truth be told...I'd been idly thinking about a portrait," she admitted when they'd once more pulled away to that half-breath distance. "Though they don't seem to be much of a thing on this plane. Are they moreso on Eos?"

[chef_chocobro]

Idly thinking, she said, as if having oneself immortalized with one's paramour on canvas was just some lightly passing fancy, as if the mere thought of it didn't just send his chest into an aching riot of his heart doing acrobatics against his ribcage. A feeling that was no doubt expressed in the faint grunting quality that his usual sot, thoughtful hum seemed to adopt.

"In certain circles," he answered, "they were; I'm sure you can imagine which ones. But even before the collapse of everything with the Long Night, they were already beginning to fall into an antiquated fashion, just like with here, in the rise and development of photography."

Here, he let out a soft breath of an amused laugh, which surfaced more in his smile than anything, forehead resting against Liliana's. "Ironic, then, that we've a photographer to thank for this one."

[deathsmajesty]

Did you doubt, foolish man, that Liliana would pass up any form of immortality she could trap you in?

"Perhaps, then, we should repay him by having him take a more traditional and formal portrait," she mused, tapping the side of her chin in thought. "And whether we keep to that or pass it along to another artist to commit to paint, it saves us hours of time posing. How terribly efficient, no?"

She was, of course, thinking 'both.' After all, she had how many properties now? And how many more might they add?

"Kiss me," she added, solely for the pleasure of his mouth on hers.

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis was about to comment in agreement to this plan or compliment Liliana in appreciation for her continued dedication to efficiency, but, well...he always had been particularly good at following instructions when given to him, and that one was hardly one she even needed to make. Especially when his mouth on hers was unquestionably the best thing his mouth could be doing in that particular moment.

And so kiss her he did, a kiss worthy of the instruction that inspired it, deep and longing and grateful, to put any attempted depiction of such a kiss, even the spectacular one before them now, to utter shame.