RP:Thy Heart Groweth Thrice Its Size

Part of the Lunar Tides and Silver Linings Arc

Synopsis: Lanara and Tiberius celebrate Yule. Tiber gives the gift of a key to his place which raises all sorts of questions from the witch. Lanara gives the gift of a small city model which opens a door of childhood dreams. The two realize that home is where the other is internally and externally. The night is finished with caroling, cocoa, and story-telling which gives Tiberius an inch forward on his past.

Cenril: Tiber's Loft

(Post 1 of 2) It had been a busy week for the witch, as she had traveled up to Frostmaw to visit with her sister, stopped by her animal sanctuary in Sage Forest, assisted in finding homes and jobs for the Kelvar refugees that had relocated to Enchantment, and stopped by the bakery in Cenril to catch up with Khitti. The witch had also sent a letter to Penelope asking her to lunch, and another to Meri so the women could arrange a puppy play date and so Lanara could visit with Fleur. It had been nearly five days since she had seen Tiberius, but the male had been thought of constantly, and her feelings were mixed on the matter. Lana knows that with each day that passes, its one step closer to that fateful day where she will take her final breath, and there will be no more tomorrows, no more magic, and no more romancing the lycan. Tiber deserves to know the truth, but the –whole- truth would have to be told in snippets of conversation, and like a difficult puzzle he would have to put the pieces together. Lana vows to begin her tale tonight, on Christmas Eve, likely after the couple has dinner and a few glasses of wine. She needed to be careful, however, because loose lips were known to sink ships, and the last thing she wanted to do was push the lycan away.

(Post 2 of 2) Arriving at her apartment, the witch takes the steps two at a time and notices that her door is slightly ajar, causing her to cant her head in confusion. The two men that owned the mortuary obviously had a key, but she hadn’t given them any reason to search her room. The rent had been paid in advance of her stay, and Cinder had joined her on her travels, so it wasn’t like they had heard a noise that needed to be investigated. If she remembered correctly, they told her that they were closing their doors during the week of Yule, as they would be celebrating with family! The witch had been so careful to cover her tracks, going as far as casting a spell so that her scent couldn’t even be traced to this location! No one, aside from the morticians and the witch herself, knew who was renting this particular room. Lana slowly opens the door the rest of the way and takes a look around, shocked to see the complete disarray of the shabby place that she had taken to calling home. Lamps were knocked over, blankets were torn from the bed, the pillows looked as though they were each stabbed violently with a knife, and all of her personal effects had been tossed around the room as though they were sprinklings of confetti. It takes Lanara over two hours to clean the room and return everything to its rightful place, though she notices that one item in particular is missing. The diary of Belgemine Fleck. Tears spring to Lana’s eyes as she tears apart the room that she had carefully just gotten back in order, but the tome was definitely gone, and with it, the secrets that she had been coveting since her return. Of course the bucket list had been committed to memory, but the fact that a stranger had broken into her home and likely planned on prying into her personal life and possibly telling the world what happened back in Kelvar, had left her greatly unsettled. “Frack.” Lana dries her tears, packs an overnight bag, wraps a few presents, and gets ready for an evening with Tiber. Before she heads out, she presses a kiss to the top of the massive chest that had been enchanted to open solely from Lana’s touch. Within, were all of her witchcraft supplies, jewelry, and precious items that she had been gifted from loved ones, or mementos from Kelvar. They had remained untouched, thankfully. “Come on, Cinder! I’m not leaving you here alone tonight; let’s go spend Yule with Tiber and Salem…”

(1/2) Tiber was not sure when the woman would return again, but he knew that Yule was a significant day for the witch, so he knew that he would see her the eve of Yule or Yule day. Or somewhere close, right? The man spent the days working, and the man had still been working with the Rosetts. He was lucky he did not screw that up. Franz and Sylvia took pity on Tiberius when they found out the witch left him. For the past year, fighting through hangovers and nasty cuts, the lycan had odd jobs that Franz gave to him. Even though the blonde slipped from his charming ways, Franz still made sure to make Tiberius the right hand man when it came to executing persuasive tasks. A leader of a small pod of family “soldiers” Franz liked to call them. The man lead the few men in doing the dirty deeds when no one else would: forms of harassment when people did Franz wrong. It was not the lycan’s best moment to inflict pain on others, but one would say that Tiberius Lowell was numb for the past year when it came to others’ struggles. Did Lanara need to know the darkness behind his job that she helped him receive? Of course not. Eventually he would get out of it, but that involved a plan because Franz Rosett did not just let anyone leave, but most knew that Tiberius was a very convincing man when he needed to be.

(2/2) Anyway, the lycan spent the day stalking a man that attempted cheating in a round of gambling with Franz Rosett. Eventually, after stalking the gambler and cheat, Tiberius and gang (Matteo, Juni, and Valentin) jumped the man in a back alley in extortion. Heading home, the Catalian was still able to remain clean and well-kempt in his button up and slacks, and he resided within the four walls for the rest of the evening. Once home, he pours a glass of whiskey and picks up his guitar to strum a few mindless chords. One single small box that is wrapped in brown paper with red twine sits on the coffee table. Tiberius was no gift-giver by any means, but the man had to do something small at least.

Lanara knocks on the door and shifts her overnight bag to her opposite shoulder, as it was getting rather cumbersome with all the necessities, a few sweets that she purchased from the Ginger Snapped Bakery, and of course, Tiber’s present. The witch nearly drops the bag on Cinder’s head, but she catches it in the air in the nick of time, as the shadow cat hisses and gives her a heated glare. No one would think that the woman had spent a matter of twenty minutes getting herself primped for the evening, or that she had been crying and reorganized her apartment twice. Not a silken strand was out of place, her makeup had been expertly applied and covered any under eye circles or tear stains, and she had managed to find a dress that is festive and flatters her figure. It’s another cocktail dress, sleeveless, crimson in color, ending at the middle of her thighs, with a swirly silver stitching at the hem. A pair of silver peep-toe heels complete the look, and the diamond necklace that Tiberius had stolen from Auntie Lou is draped around her slender neck, and the hourglass pendant has been shifted to her left wrist where it dangles from a silver bangle. Lanara smiles warmly at Tiber as the door opens, all earlier worries about the missing diary have fled her mind, and all it took was a look into those heavenly amber eyes. “I missed you, so much!” With a squeal, she literally steps forward and jumps into Tiber’s hopefully waiting arms. This time, the oversized bag does manage to fall to the floor, but she’s too excited to care as it’s the first she’s seen her lycan in almost a week. “Blessed Yule! Did you miss me? What are we having for dinner?” A glance is given around the room, as she tries to locate Salem, “I hope it’s alright that I brought Cinder… There was an incident at my apartment and I didn’t want to leave her all by herself, and that’s actually why I’m so late… I’m sorry about that, Ty.” The lycan didn’t even have the door closed and the witch was already chewing his ear off and prattling on and on about dinner, kitties, and her living situation. “Did you miss me?”

Tiberius continued to strum a few chords until he heard the door. The man stands and easily makes his way to the door without eagerness. The man’s button-up is white and is tucked into brown slacks with loafers like usual. He is not as festive as her in her red dress, but that was typical of him to not play along with the holiday festivities unless he was truly forced. Amber eyes look down on her. Her squeal pierces his ears and throws him off-guard enough to press him back a step or two at her giddy jump. Luckily, those arms do wrap around her in time despite the bewildered expression on his features. His eyes slip down towards her bag before looking back to her with a sly little smirk before letting her step in so he can close the door. Her words are quick, and it is almost hard to keep up with it all, but fortunately he had a good ear for languages, so he picked up her words with a moment of process. “Incident? What incident?” That was the main concern on his stoic face. The man looks down at Cinder with almost a disapproving gaze, yet blinks it away for Lanara’s sake. He would try to put up with it—animals were not his favorite—though Lanara was the queen of the wild, so he would have to. He glances for Salem who is now stretching and wandering out of Tiber’s bedroom at the sound of the witch’s voice. “Um, yes, err.” Well, that was not very confident in the missing her, but his brain had still been stuck on ‘incident’. “Now what incident?” Automatically, he reaches for her bag to bring it in completely for her and put it in a reasonable place. Tiberius, the clean freak. “I can whip up some steaks and veggies. But you better talk because I have something for you that might be the cure to whatever madness happened at your place.” There is a bit of gruffness in his voice due to being miffed at the thought of something not great happening at her place. Maybe his small box of a gift was a good idea after-all.

The hesitancy in Tiber’s words wipes the smile clean off of Lanara’s pretty face, as she had been expecting he would be equally as excited to spend some time together. She blinks, frozen in space, as Tiber retrieves her bag and relents that the cat can stay. “Hey… Salem?” She’s still getting used to the fact that the kitten she rescued was black and short haired, and this was looked the exact opposite, save for those golden eyes. Plucking the cat from the floor, she cradles him in her arms as though he were an infant, “Steak and veggies sound great! I’m happy to help once I give Salem some loving.” Lana spends the next few minutes smooching the feline’s front paws and the tip of his nose, all while Cinder studies the lycan with an unsettling stare. The shadow cat isn’t fond of canines, and she loathes the fact that her mistress chooses to spend her time with this dog boy. Dark purple fur, almost black, and with silver eyes, she could easily maim the entire complex in a few hours, were she in her natural form. But she’s currently a little larger than an average housecat, because Lanara insists that she be present, and because she’s forced to endure Yule with a dog boy and his glamoured cat. What had she done to deserve such treatment? First, Lana abandons her up in Frostmaw with that intolerable and –always- chipper Talyara, and second, she’s whisked off to Cenril, where sand gets stuck beneath her paws and the heat is unbearable. With a huff, Cinder pads into Tiber’s bedroom, likely to use a pair of his expensive loafers as a litter box. The witch finishes pampering Salem, and returns the cat to the floor, before returning her attention to Tiber. “My apartment was broken into… A lot of stuff was broken, the place was trashed, and I had to clean up and reorganize…” She pauses, choosing her next words carefully, “Something very important to me was taken… A diary. It was written by one of the women I had the pleasure of knowing in Kelvar, I will be sure to tell you all about her later, but, um, she basically recorded –every- detail of everything that happened. If that gets in the wrong hands, there are some things that can come to light about Kelvar, about me, about the atrocities that occurred… I could be in serious trouble.” Talyara would never forgive Lanara for keeping such things a secret, involving her niece and aunt. Tiberius would learn that she’s on the brink of death. Not to mention the legal ramifications of what she had done! The murder, the misuse of magic, all things that had placed Lana on trial a year prior. “I’m sure it’s fine… Hopefully, someone just thought it was a bathroom reader or something.” Running her fingers nervously through her sleek long hair, Lana smiles faintly, “You have something for me?”

In the meantime as Lanara gives love to Salem, the lycan pulls out the slabs of meat and the vegetables. A few carrots and asparagus. In the midst, he is side-eyeing the shadow cat. Especially because this was no ordinary feline. Why the hell did Lanara keep bringing cats around the damn apartment? Tiberius seems a little edgy now that he senses the new critter. Now, Cinder is gone. Where did that fat cat go? But he forgets the question as Lanara is filling his ears with details. He pulls out a blade before resting a carrots on a cutting board and slicing them into smaller carrot sticks. His stare does not leave her face when he dices through the carrots. His face was… not happy. Instead of butting-in, he decides to hear her out. A diary? One that she would speak of later. Well why not now? It must have been touchy. He tries his best not to pry. “Who the hell would just steal a diary and not take anything else? That sounds like a poor thief or someone who is… maybe watching you? Especially if they took something so… valuable to you it seems,” he then places the blade down, and on cue, he is going to the coffee table to reach for the small box. “Open it,” he would gently place the box in her hand. “This is the only thing I got you. I know I’m not the most festive Yule person,” he never celebrated and Lanara had been the first one to drag the 'holiday cheermeister' out of him, “but I think now it’s a lot more important that you open it after telling me what you just did.” That her apartment was not safe and stable. Wherever it may be. He was still curious about that. If she unwrapped the paper box and opened it, there would be a small gold key. One that matched his key to the apartment. “Thing is, I thought you needed a key because I wanted you to know my door is always open and you are welcome here anytime without knocking.” Then, the man frowns and creases form on his forehead from distress as he reflects on her housing situation. “I'm not trying to rush you. Gods forbid I scare you away, but I think… due to your ‘incident’, you should live with me. Even if only for a little while if you feel weary about it.” Furrowed amber eyes then lift and begin to search her face for a reaction.

Lanara is a little nervous as she watches Tiber expertly cut the vegetables, while he takes her story in, never once tearing his stare from her face. She feels her cheeks flushing, because she knows her story must sound like sheer madness, and the diary isn’t valuable to anyone, aside from Lanara. It had become a lifeline that she sought after a hard day, it reminded her to live in the moment, and that bucket list kept her focused rather than dwelling on the inevitable. Plus, it was the last attachment she had to Belgemine, and it was a reminder of the strength she possessed, to get through such horrors. “It has my secrets, Tiber… Things that I’m not entirely ready to talk about, but, um, maybe tonight… I can tell you about the beginning.” This is a giant step for the witch and her shoulders slump slightly as Tiber leaves his dicing and goes into the other room. As the lycan returns with a box, she furrows her brows, “We can wait until midnight, or tomorrow morning, if you’d rather…” She’s not waiting, she’s too curious to know what the man had placed in the box, so even if he were to request that they wait, it isn’t going to happen. Confused, Lana lifts the key from the box and quizzically looks into Tiber’s eyes, “I…” How is she supposed to move in with him and hide the fact that she’s dying? Won’t he figure out that she –never- takes the hourglass from her frame, unless she’s bathing? If she says no, he will likely break up with her on the spot, even though he’s assuring her that she can take her time. But, her heart is racing so fast and she wants this –so- much, that she can’t possibly turn him down. Tiber had thought about this, and he had more of a reason to invite her into his home now, because of the break in. Lanara’s slow to respond and her voice nearly breaks as she softly replies, “But… The last time I lived here, it was during Yule, and you wanted to help me get my own place and move out…” The witch had never told Tiberius this, but it had played a small part in encouraging her to return to Kelvar, along with Natianara’s letter. “What changed, Tiber?” Did he really want her to move in, or did he feel it’s what –she- wanted, and he was trying to make her happy? “I’m not scared, I just… You were so unsure if you even wanted me as girlfriend and you pushed me away a lot… And now you’re asking me to move in?” As if on cue, Cinder pads into the kitchen wearing a Cheshire grin, as she had just proudly defecated in Tiber’s shoes. The cat stops as she overhears part of the conversation and sends a telepathic message to the witch, “You cannot seriously be considering moving in with this heathen?! He’s part dog, Lanara!” Meanwhile, Lana shifts her gaze to the floor and shoos Cinder into the other room, as she didn’t need any distractions. Not when things were getting serious with Tiberius Lowell. Finally. The man wants to commit. “Tiber… Do you really want this? Or do you think I expect it?”

Amber eyes still stare at her, and the longer she waits, the longer she hesitates, has his mouth forming back in that frown again. “What changed is that… you ended up leaving Lanara. And this place,” he sort of looks over the interior, “It’s quiet. Thing is, you didn’t necessarily leave and move out, did you? I didn’t know what I had until you were gone. Not to mention, we were going to find a place together for you. It was not like I was not going to come over or keep you out of my place.” The was questioning was slowly making him crumble, and his voice was stern. A hand runs through his blonde, thick waves and he moves away from her. He picks up the blade to fiddle with something, so he continues chopping vegetables. “You know, you can just say ‘no’, Lanara. It’s just a key.” He was avoiding her questioning, and his voice was low and on the defensive side but soft enough where he took the bitter edge off. The lycan then places the knife down again instantly and closes his eyes to get his head straight. Hands lean against the counter, and a sigh is released. Honey eyes open and stare at her again. “I just don’t want you slipping away from me for a third time.” The power of three had been strong. “I just didn’t realize what I had until you were gone, so I waited for you. I even joined freakin’ Meri and Khitti in that stupid adventurer’s club just to see if you would come back which actually seemed to be more beneficial than I thought,” he loses track of thought. His head shakes and then he continues, “And… I know you don’t want the label right now, to hell with me for treating you like crap back then. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such an asshole,” his tone bites, but only at himself and the frustration. What Tiber? It was ‘just a key’. “But I also feel like you are –actually- lying to me about not being scared which is all fine because here I am… still waiting for you.” The man’s tone was ragged—exasperated, but not in an intimidating manner. Just tell her those three words, genius, and it will be fine. His voice now returns to that low and stern tone again. “I just don’t want anyone else taking pieces from you, Lana. And if I’m taking a piece away from you right now, just tell me, and I’ll wait. But for the love of all things holy, Lanara, just say ‘no’ if you want to say ‘no’.” The last statement seemed final on the topic with this stubborn man. Then, eyes trail towards the back hall towards his bedroom door. He smelt something. Not great, but he keeps himself steady and remains in the main room for the witch’s retort.

Lanara remains standing in the kitchen, with the key in her hand, as her eyes study the male having a mental breakdown. The way he’s discussing that the apartment was so silent after her departure is a slap in the face, because she did have a habit of talking way too much. “Oh…” Cinder, the spiteful feline, tosses a mental retort Lana’s way from the other room, “Tell that stupid pup to get a parrot if it’s too quiet!” The witch nearly cracks a smile from Cinder’s comment, but she dares not reply and risk upsetting the lycan any further. Ultimately, this is her decision, even if the male keeps telling her to say ‘no’ almost as if he’s already preparing for the sting of rejection. “Ty, I didn’t say ‘no’ or anything like that, I just…” She quits interrupting as he picks up the knife again, and Tiber’s frustration is palpable, and his words cut like a knife. He knows she’s lying, he claims the gift is ‘just’ a key, and although he’s trying to soften his words, Lana feels as though she’s being attacked. “I need some air.” The witch places the key back into the box and leaves it on the counter, as she all but runs from the apartment and outside into the city of Cenril. She feels nauseas and overwhelmed as she fights to control her emotions, knowing that she needs to tell Tiberius the truth, because if he knows that she’s going to die in four or five weeks then he can try to find love elsewhere. Why waste his time? Lana gulps in the fresh air, her chocolate hues glancing up at the moon, as if she were asking the Goddess for guidance. Tears sting her eyes and as she reaches up to dry them, lest they smear her mascara, she realizes that she’s having another nosebleed. Crimson spills into her palm in a fierce flow, and the woman is forced to helplessly cup beneath her nose, as she heads back into the apartment building and slowly takes the stairs. Lana’s vision is blurry and she’s dizzy to the point where she’s almost falling over, but somehow she makes it to Tiber’s door and she stumbles inside and tries not to stain every surface as she walks into the kitchen. “Um. I need a towel. Please.” Lana’s hands are trembling as she presses the cloth to her face, and after another ten or fifteen minutes, the bleeding subsides. It was her worst nosebleed to date, and if it started again, she would likely have to spend the night at a healing center. Now that the bloody crisis has been averted, she washes her hands and forearms, and she hesitantly retrieves the key. “It may just be a ‘key’ to you… But it means a hell of a lot more to me, Tiber. I know you could just rent our Nadine’s room, or maybe she will come back one day… Or you could even get a pet parrot, since Salem isn’t all that talkative.” Cinder is cat cackling over the statement, delighted that her elf had used her line. “I enjoy spending time in your presence. I am fine with or without a label, but there’s no one else that I want to be with. No one comes close to what I feel for you, and that’s why I’m not scared to say ‘yes’ that I will move in. You… You don’t have to ‘wait’ any longer… I will begin telling you everything that happened in Kelvar. I don’t feel obligated, I feel ready, and you deserve to know everything. Some parts are harder to repeat than others, but I will do my best. And there is one part that greatly concerns you, and is a part of the reason I returned.” Swallowing hard, the witch slowly saunters over to her lycan and pulls him in for a hug, “Your past and my future are intertwined.” Lana can hear his heart beating as she softly smiles, “Let’s eat first, then we can talk, okay? And you aren’t getting your present until midnight.”

The lycan cringes at the witch’s response. Lanara needed some air. He threw her over the edge--again, and this time, he was -trying- to bring his tone down a tick. Still he was aggressive, but the conversation had been heightening new emotions. Rejection. Tiberius was, in fact, feeling rejected. The man with the hard stare watches the woman rush out the door and all he could really do was rub his hands over his face in frustration. Frustration that the woman was upset. When did he not make Lanara Banks upset? Eyes trail to Cinder and he sneers again. A natural instinct since… Cinder was not his favorite breed. While Lanara takes a breath, he finishes cutting up the vegetables before moving to throw the steaks on the stove. An ease washes over him when he focuses more on cooking than what just happened. Until… she stumbles back in with an air that smells of iron. He grasps the skillet which was hot on the handle to move it, “Sss, damnit,” he waves his hand a bit to shake the pain off before addressing her. Her nose was bleeding. Like a child’s did on a dry summer day, but Lanara’s was unusual, but maybe this always happened and he did not know about it? After all, maybe Lanara had a point, he had tried to push her away. Tiberius did not know a lot about her--at least that was what he thought when he was getting into his insecure head. The lycan fumbles for a kitchen towel and reaches to help her. “Are you okay?” There was a glint of concern in his gaze as the blood continued to gush. “Err…” he fumbles for a glass to fetch her some water. After the minutes pass, he continues holding the glass out for her. A silent tense look is on his features. Gaze wide and alert. The witch cleans herself and then snatches the key again. His face is stone when he listens to her, and at her remarks, he loosens his shoulders. “It’s not ‘just a key’ to me,” he softly admits. “It’s… more than that. It’s--I want you here, Lanara.” As she approaches him and wraps her small arms around him, he eases into her and frowns at her words. “My past and your future? My past…?” Though, her words are clipped and short, and he cannot drag out the drear any longer. “Okay, we’ll wait. Eat. You especially, after whatever that was. Reminded me of my, uh, brother.” Tiberius Lowell had a brother. “He used to get these awful nosebleeds from the dryness of weather. They were doozies, but… that was wow. Err, either way,” it is clear that that was all Tiberius Lowell thought. An intense dry heat nosebleed. “Let’s just cook and… eat.” He then places a brief kiss on her forehead before parting from her to continue cooking the steaks and sautee the vegetables. "I don't need any present you know. You know how I hate holidays. Like why is it a thing to get a gift for another? Seems like a lot of pressure to me. Maybe even greediness." Tiberius the humbug.

Lanara’s heart speeds up as Tiber confesses that he ‘wants’ her to move in and that the key means much more than entrance into his apartment. If the nosebleed hadn’t happened, she would have graced his lips with a heated kiss, but instead she finds herself cleaning up and letting his words soothe her nervous soul. She had to come to grip with the fact that Tiberius Lowell had greatly changed during her absence, and in many ways that would benefit their relationship. Why was she so intent on pushing him away and questioning his motives? The lycan had waited a year for her to return, he overcame his battle with addiction, asked her to move in, and he had been much more open with his feelings. Deep down the witch wants –this- more than anything in the world, and she will cherish their time together, even if it’s limited. She just hopes it won’t end horribly, because the last thing she wants to do is hurt the man. After their hug, Lana presses a wedge of ice into Tiber’s palm and closes his hand into a fist. “You alright? I’m… Fine.” A forced smile is given, which isn’t all that reassuring, but it’s not like either of them wanted to talk about bloody noses just before eating. “Honestly, I think it’s because I was at sea for a while before I arrived in the lands, and I have done a ton of traveling the past few days. I was in Frostmaw yesterday, and maybe the altitude played a big part in the nosebleed.” Along with the curse and constant rising blood pressure. Tiber confesses that he has a brother and Lanara wants to pounce on that topic, but she tries to keep her eagerness semi-hidden as the lycan disliked speaking of his past. “A brother? I only remember you mentioning that Nadine and you grew very close, almost like siblings.” The witch sets the table as the lycan sauté’s their food, the pair falling into a comfortable routine, “What is his name? Do you look alike?” It’s hard to imagine another male as gorgeous as Tiber, but Lana likes to know every last detail, so she tries to casually insert questions, “Is he older or younger? When was the last time you saw him?” As they continue to converse, Cinder spies the guitar in the next room and curiously lifts a paw to swipe at the strings, wondering if perhaps it was a rare form of cat grass. The loud ‘STRUM’ accompanied by a frightened yowl, has the woman nearly breaking a heel as she runs to see the source of all the commotion. “Cinder! What the heck has gotten into you?!” The cat is hiding somewhere, likely beneath a bed or couch, and dinner is almost ready, so Lanara decides to grab the guitar and head back into the kitchen. “Mind explaining this? I remember you told me that you play piano, but you distinctly said you do –not- know how to play guitar… Don’t tell me that you’re trying to compete with Nick and learned this to impress me!” She’s teasing, somewhat, but a part of her is wondering just how much has happened in the span of a year. They both had changed, so much. “And! Of course I got you a present! At least I didn’t insist on a tree this year… However! Since you have this guitar? Maybe we can knock on your neighbors doors and do some caroling?”

Tiber gives her a searching stare as she presses that ice into his palm. Her smile is reaching hard to touch her eyes, but it cannot quite reach that point. He lets it go. He knows she is struggling internally. She explains that it’s the travel of sea and winter. The different climates affecting her poor sinuses. The man continues to cook the food as he watches the meat sizzle on the pan. He wishes for the prying questions to stop, but he continues pushing the vegetables in the pan with the meat. “Yeah, well I don’t really talk about before I came to Lithrydel.” It was easy. Not a bite. Just plain words that had a seal as if that chest of memories wanted to stay closed. Then, she pushes further. He remains silent until he finishes sauteing the vegetables. He places the steak on one plate and the vegetables in a casserole dish before moving them to the dining table. He lets the silence drag until he briefly catches her chocolate gaze with his honey one. He skips over some of her questions and continues with whether his brother was older or younger. “Older. I don’t talk about it much because the last time I saw him was in Catal.” Was all he really managed to answer before Cinder strums on the guitar in the living space. “I swear…” he bites his tongue from saying anything else rash. He did not want another episode with Lanara running out the building. As she picks up the guitar, he sort of squints as she holds it up for him to see. Without answering right away again, he moves to sit at the dining table. The lycan begins to dish up anyway. “I lied. I know how to play. My brother taught me, and I just haven’t played in a long time.” His voice is stoic, but his face seems soft enough where he is not upset with her prying question. Perhaps he was admitting that guitar was a touchy subject. Just how she had been a touchy subject for him when she was gone. As she mentions Nick, however, he shoots her a glare. “I don’t need to compete with Nick. Do I have to?” A spike of jealousy hits before he grumbles in slapping a pile of vegetables on his plate like a child. Jealous Tiber. It is brief however as that jealousy turns into a smirk. “You want to carol? I don’t know any carols.”

Lanara can feel that Tiber isn’t comfortable discussing his life prior to Lithrydel, especially anything related to Catal, and she tries to maintain an encouraging smile as the male barely opens up and remains tight lipped. “Oh…” She didn’t get a name, a physical description, or even a status on if his brother was dead or alive. What more could she say on the subject? Lana’s heart is heavy, because she knows that when she mentions the tip she gathered back in Kelvar that tied to Tiber’s past, that the male will shut her out even more. She doesn’t want to ruin their Yule, even if the man does loathe holidays. Spooning some vegetables and a little steak onto her plate, she falls quiet and manages to eat a few bites before Tiber makes the quip about Nick. “It’s not a competition… I’m spending Yule with you, moving into your apartment, right?” Apparently bringing up the past was one way to put Tiber in a very bad mood! The witch is grateful when Tiber smirks and asks about carols, “I do know a few carols… I haven’t gone caroling in many years. The last time was when I was at the Academy… I was supposed to be sent home for the holiday but there was a terrible storm and all of the students had to stay at the school. The professors were terrible to all of us, and since I was kept in isolation, I was often forgotten about… So, I managed to perfect a spell that continuously cast water damage against the eastern wall in my cell. It finally collapsed on the eve before Yule, and I escaped… I also let all the other students out, and we braved the storm and went door to door, singing carols and just enjoying the snow! It was my first real taste of freedom! Of course we were caught and had to return to school, but a little holiday mischief never hurt anyone, and it’s a fond memory that I will always have. It was well worth the punishment.” A sip of wine is taken as Tiber enjoys his meal, and Lana merely gazes at the guitar, “I always wanted to learn how to play… I’ve never been very good with instruments. Dance was more my thing, listening and moving to the music, but I just always wanted to learn to play the guitar.” Odd that she is thinking that now, yet it hadn’t crossed her mind upon reading mention of learning to play an instrument on the bucket list in the diary. “I was thinking of maybe asking Gorey from Sound of Sirens, or someone from the Backstreet Bards, for lessons.” She dares not speak Nick’s name again, as she’s hopeful of keeping things light for a bit, at least until they discuss Kelvar. Cinder makes another appearance to check up on her mistress, and upon seeing the witch making heart eyes at the lycan, the feline hisses and stalks back into the bedroom. Lanara returns to eating her food, “This is delicious!” Once dinner has passed, she rises to clear the dishes, “You cooked, so I will clean up, okay? Besides, you need to rest that burn on your hand.” Nearing the sink, Lana glances at Tiber over her shoulder, “It’s almost time for your present! I really hope you like it!” She had put some serious thought into the gift, so hopefully it wouldn’t backfire.

Tiberius leans back at her defense about Nick, shoulders ease back into his chair again. As much as he wanted to completely shove Nick out of his head, he could not. The man had always been in the way, and it put Tiberius on edge. The lycan remains quiet again and focuses on the idea of caroling. It sounded ridiculous, but the jingles were something that she held dear. The Academy. Amber eyes stare intently at the witch. To the words spilling from her mouth. Isolation. Cells. What the hell had this witch been through? The two were like passionate, distant strangers. It would take time for the both of them to unravel, and he was okay with that. Time. They had time, or so he thought. “Holiday mischief,” he smiles. “I like the idea of holiday mischief,” the man takes a bite of steak. He chews slowly before squinting. “I had no idea that you were locked up for your schooling. I’m sorry, but is Kelvar filled with monsters?” She had been through the ringer. More-so than he ever would. He finishes that mouthful before swallowing and shaking his head. “You want to learn guitar? You’d be surprised how easy guitar is. My brother taught me when I was young. If you want a few tips and tricks, I know a guy.” Meaning himself. “Or you can just always visit the academy up in Schezerade. They have teachers too. But the Backstreet Bards? You really think that teenage-swooning boy band is the best choice? No.” So he thought the Backstreet Bards were lame--there was a conclusion. At least he was not jealous. As they finish their food, and she offers to clean, he tilts his head. “No, you wash, I dry. It’ll get done faster. My hand is fine. Not that bad.” It was true. The man was over the sting. He follows behind her to the sink and grabs a nearby drying towel. “Almost time for my gift? Wow, well, now I’m just curious. Do people always wait until midnight?”

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara can see the way Tiber’s form softens, as the ruffled emotions are smoothed out, after she reassures that he need not worry about Nick. She doesn’t blame the lycan, as the bard had never been shy about his feelings for her, and he often went to such extremes, not caring about the cost, the risk, or the fact that Lanara hadn’t reciprocated in the slightest bit. She considered him an acquaintance, at best, but if one were to ask the delusional bard, he labeled them akin to soul mates. It disgusted Lana, as she always was viewed as some object to the male, but his group often performed at the events she held and Nick’s younger brother was doing some serious time for a crime that she had committed and he had gladly taken the fall. Why was her life always so complicated?! “I…” Snapping back to the present, the witch fixes Tiber with a ‘look’ as she takes slight offense to his inquiry and wishes to defend her homeland. “Kelvar is a beautiful kingdom, of magic and mystery, and sadly, there is always a monster or two roaming about… But, isn’t that the same with –every- kingdom?” She drains her glass of the last few sips of wine, “Yes, I was put away behind lock and key, from the age of three until I had managed to fend off my professor’s sexual advances. Elves age differently… Humans have a birthday every year, and we have one ever seven… So, although I look to be in my twenties, I’m slowly nearing two hundred years old.” By this point, the couple is at the sink, and the witch makes sure that every dish is spotless, before she passes it on to Tiber, to be dried and place in the cupboard. “So, you see, it’s not Kelvar’s fault for locking me up… -I- was the monster, Tiber. My empathic abilities could not be trusted, and so I was only allowed to visit home during the holidays and for a few weeks every summer. It wasn’t a kind childhood, I had, but I appreciate my freedom now and I have complete control over my powers. I had been abused in every way imaginable, but I had the last laugh… The Academy is no more, I made sure of it, and rather than despise everyone and everything for the fate that I was dealt… I learned to appreciate what I have, cherish those I hold dear, and it taught me to never give up on something that I love…” At this, Lanara lifts her head and looks into Tiber’s eyes, growing lost in his dreamy gaze. Perhaps this was why she kept giving the lycan a ‘second’ chance, and maybe this was why he’s the first man that she truly appreciates, cherishes, and loves with her whole heart. “So. Um. Yeah. It’s fine. Kelvar –is- full of monsters now, and I will –never- go back there, no matter what happens.” The tenderness leaves her tone and she nearly drops a glass back into the soapy water, so she tries her best to focus on washing them clean and remains quiet until the two are done doing dishes.

(Post 2 of 2) Lana dries her hands and kicks off her heels, as she proceeds into the living room and takes a seat, her gaze falling on the guitar. “I would love it if you could show me a few things with the guitar… I may not be any good, or even like it all that much, but it’s always been something I’ve held an interest in, so why not? And… Perhaps, I can show you a few dance moves? I used to teach in Schezerade, you know, before the ankle injury.” Being stabbed in the Achilles tendon by a witch hunter had ended Lanara’s teaching career, but she could still dance better than most. “Ballet is out of the question, as it uses far too much balance and puts strain on the ankle, but I can show you any other style of dance.” Sorry Tiber, no tutu’s for you! “We don’t have to wait until midnight; presents are usually opened in the morning, on the day of Yule.” She smirks as she begins rifling through her overnight bag for a plethora of wrapped items, “I never could wait until the morning though, I used to be so excited and wanted to open my presents right away! Taly was always the obedient child, patient enough to wait until after breakfast. But, me?! Pfft. I used to tear little bits of the wrapping paper so that I could see little bits of my gifts, but Mother caught on so she started hiding them around the house. It didn’t do her any good, because I love nothing more than a treasure hunt! So… When Mother went to the market, I would search all over the house until I found presents addressed to me, and I would completely unwrap them… Making certain to wrap them again, after playtime, before my Mother arrived home.” Lanara snickers at the memory, “Before long, Mother caught on, and she would have to leave my gifts at the neighbor’s house, or someplace where I wasn’t wise enough to find them.” The witch places twenty-one individually wrapped gifts, all varying in size and weight, on the carpet, the smile glued upon her pretty face. “Okay, so you have to open –THIS- one first and the others all go along with that gift, so they don’t have to be opened in any particular order. I just… I really hope you like it….” Sliding from the couch, Lana kneels on the carpet beside Tiberius, and like a giddy little girl she watches his face as each gift is unwrapped. The first that she had pointed out would look like a simple piece of heavy duty wood, only to unfold into a massive board, equally four feet in length and width. The other gifts would start to make sense as Tiber would unwrap several small plants, house structures, buildings, various types of trees, pebbles and stones for walkways, miniature pool structures that could be filled with water, many species of domesticated and exotic animals, a few miniature dolls to represent people, and every last object that would be needed to create a city. In essence, Lanara had gifted Tiberius the job of playing a city planner, and she had given him all the necessary tools he would need, from glue and clay to paint and various types of fabrics. “I thought… If you wanted to design Catal, or Cenril, or even a dream land that you imagined up. That way… No matter where you are or end up, you always have a little piece of home with you… I never had a place to truly call my home, at least not for very long, so when I was being tortured and was forced to be apart from you the past year? I kept thinking of ‘you’ as my home… And right here is the only place I want to be, at your side, with you, until the end.” Lanara’s eyes grow moist and she glances away, hoping he won’t think the adult version of lego’s is a stupid present, as it truly came from her heart. “So, um, if you hate it, I can get you something else… And if you don’t want to play with this tonight, we can go caroling, I know a few songs and you have the guitar.” Her cheeks turn bright red as she glances down at her lap, because never before had the witch put so much thought into a present.

(1/2) At the description of Lanara’s homeland and past, Tiberius looks perplexed. Lanara Banks was the monster? Was the empathetic abilities a reason why the witch was always so emotional with him? Not in a bad sense, but one that was alien to him and that he had a hard time carrying. Observing. Understanding. Tiberius Lowell, however, was no spitting image of the perfect emotionless man because he was all over the board, himself, but he would not admit that. Even though it was clearly evident. He was a lycan for the gods’ sake. One would be lucky he was not a psion like Meri because he would lose control in a beat. The man reflects on Catal in a brief moment, and he blinks the thought away. Every kingdom had a monster. But Lanara the monster? Really? He dries the dishes being handed off to him and places them back in the cupboard, and he can only think of one lingering thought when she keeps talking about the Academy in Kelvar. “You are two hundred years old,” how did he not even think about that? He knew about elves, for he was great with geography, species, languages, but why did it not connect that she was that old? A squint in his eyes, and a shake in his head and the thought is gone because there were far more important pieces to attend to. “I’m glad you took a few of the better aspects that happened to you in Kelvar. Destroying that Academy, and I hope that professor got his. If he didn’t, I’ll find him for you.” It was a promise, but he was sure Lanara held her own back then. Honey eyes fall down on her gaze that is so intent and full of… love. He leans down and gives her a small tender kiss before both of them fall into the silence of dishes.

(2/2) Tiber follows Lana into the living room before lounging next to her. “I can show you a few things, but… uh, dancing?” He sort of gives her ‘the look’ which told her that was not his thing. What a turd. She would have to make him one day. “Ankle injury?” There was a lot that the boyfriend was learning tonight, and the more he questioned her, the more he was sinking into the fact that… they had a long ways to go with learning each other. Well, if Tiber would budge on his life and opening up. That brooding man had been a tight closed door. The man lazily leans back into the couch and wraps an arm behind the back of her. As Lanara fishes through her bag, he widens his gaze at the items she pulls out. “Whoa, Lana, uh,” gifts clearly made the man awkward as much as he loved stealing treasures. Perhaps it was a pride thing. The pride of wanting to earn items on his own, and that was how he became so successful. She talks of her childhood and he smirks. The girl liked gifts. Loved Yule. His mind trails to the girl as a child. The spirit and innocence of it all. Little Lana sneaking peaks of treats, treasures; toys. “You really put your mom through the ringer with Yule. And some things never change,” he was teasing her of course with that dopey smile on his face. The smile then fades as she encourages the Catalian to open the gifts that are scattered on the ground. “I don’t know, Lana. It doesn’t feel ri—“ he catches a glimpse of her giddiness. Her small moment of happiness, and he cannot fathom to finish his thoughts about the gifts. He slides down next to her. “Fine,” he smirks. There was an inhale before unwrapping the first gift. Wood. A platform. “Hm,” there was a scrunch in his face, but a smile all the same. Then, several more gifts are unwrapped. Tiny pieces to houses, wildlife, stones, buildings. With each unwrap, the unwrapping only gets quicker to see what the next piece would be. Eventually, all the pieces lay around him and the smile that is on his face is gone. The pace of his heart picks up like a child. “I..” She gifted him a little piece of home. Whether imaginary, or real, home would be with him. She would be with him. The man could have a chance to play pretend. To dream. “I…” love… Tiberius wanted to say what has been on his mind since she disappeared, but he just got her back. Just had her move in although it was a disaster of a process. A heart on a sleeve was an aching thought, and although she loved him clearly, she was so fragile. Questioning his motives. Maybe he did not understand that if he told her what he wanted to, pieces would fall into place. She keeps going on and on, and in a beat he leans forward to place a hand on her face to brush his lips against her own. Lips soft, delicate, and then needing, for in that kiss, he wanted to prove that he was home too. He would pull back briefly, “It’s perfect. Better than anything I…” Better than most treasures, really. He could not grasp onto most words. Tiberius building a city? A dream city. Perhaps it was inspirational even if only a fantasy. "I want to start, but... I also want you to get another Yule wish, so maybe... we should carol a bit." That actually came from Tiberius' mouth?

(Post 1 of 2) The woodland witch fights the urge to roll her eyes as Tiber does the math, only to ascertain that she’s nearly two hundred years old. “Hey. I don’t look two hundred, so that’s a plus, right? Kelvarian Elves stop physically aging once they hit twenty-five, and I’m technically one hundred and eighty-nine years old.” She smirks, not taking offense at his look of disbelief, and were she not on borrowed time, she would have reassured the lycan that elves live a very long time and he need not worry. Lana gives a long pause when Tiber inquires about her ankle injury, and for a moment it looks as though she doesn’t intend to answer, but at last she replies, “About two years ago my sister and I were both captured by witch hunters, and we were kept prisoner for nearly a week. We were both tortured and repeatedly questioned regarding the whereabouts of Valrae… A fellow witch that several of us helped to resurrect.” Lana pauses and thinks about her long lost friend, “Obviously, we couldn’t tell our captors anything because we didn’t know where she went, nor would we have given up our friend. Taly managed to break free of her cell and she freed me, too, when our captors returned and saw that we were trying to escape. As the man lunged at my sister with a pair of shears, I jumped before Taly, and I took the hit… The shears severed the tendon in my ankle and I would have bled to death, were Krice not nearby to take us both to safety. I healed, but my career as a full-time dance instructor had ended.” Lanara lowers her hand to gently scratch Salem behind the ears, earning her a glare from Cinder, “Witches are often misunderstood and mistreated… A few have earned the right to be feared for their power, or to be cast from society, but most of us keep to ourselves and don’t dabble much in black magic.” Thankfully, the topic shifts to something much lighter, as Tiber begins to open his gifts and Lana watches the lycan’s expression, slightly amused. Was the Grinch slowly starting to enjoy celebrating Yule? If only she would live long enough to introduce him to Samhain!

(Post 2 of 2) The final present is opened and Tiberius leans in for a tender kiss, one which the witch is happy to oblige! Leaning closer to the male, she deepens the kiss, and smiles against his mouth, softly giggling, “I’m so glad that you like your present, I was worried that you would think it was silly!” Running her fingers through Tiber’s tousled locks, she wraps her arms around his shoulders, and gives him a tight hug, “I’m so happy that we are spending Yule together, and-“ The words remain stuck as Lana unwinds her arms from around the male’s form, all thoughts washed from her mind, as she blinks and looks into his amber eyes. Did Tiberius Lowell just say that he wants to go caroling? As in, playing a guitar, singing songs of the season, while spreading holiday cheer, to complete strangers?! Swallowing hard, Lana prays that the man isn’t feverish as she stammers, “Ar-Are you sure, Ty? I know you tend to not like anything, uh, festive.” The lycan had never spoken those three words to the witch, but for a fleeting moment she wonders if he’s in love with her, or perhaps her gift meant more than words could say. “I would love to go caroling with you… I even have some red knit hats with bells on them in my bag…” Cinder growls as she hears the mere mention of bells and storms out of the room, as the feline loathed playing dress up, despite how much the wish relished in making her look like a feline fool. “And when we get back… I will make us some cocoa and heat up some of the baked goods I brought, while you work on your project.” Lana glimpses at all the wrapping paper and materials that loiter the living room floor, “And while you do that… I will talk to you about my first day arriving in Kelvar, meeting Natianara face to face, and the tip that connects to your past. Deal?”

(1/2) Tiber was so wrapped up in the gifts, literally, that the explanation for age and her ankle slips past his mind until after the mention of caroling. The man was listening, but for a man, it took him long to connect the dots to what she was saying earlier. Like white noise. “I-I I’m sure,” he mocks her hesitation purposefully and mimics her vocal chords with a grin on his face. “All jokes aside, I’m serious. Not my favorite thing, but I know it’d be yours. And I could use a bit more practice today with the chords. But… uh, I’m not wearing a hat.” Well, at least he was caroling. No matching hats. Tiberius was not going to be –that- couple. The man begins to place each piece on the board, laying them down loosely. He then frowns, “I’m sorry about your ankle, and that was one thing that destroyed one career of yours. Larket is… don’t even get me started,” then again they threw a great duel. “Every moment of grim, you persevere. And… Lana,” the Catalian pauses and his amber gaze is steady on her as he lifts the wood with the pieces on it in balance. “You’ll heal again,” he clips before rising to his feet and moving the set to a place where Cinder nor Salem can reach because Sven forbid. Trust issues.

(2/2) The night went on. A guitar grabbed. Carols sung to at least two doors before a third door opened and told the couple to quote on quote “shut the hell up”. Looks like there were several Grinches that lingered in these Cenril apartment halls. With an almost-brawl, intensity cooled, for it was Yule. The night was full of cocoa, sweets, and paint. The first building was painted. A brick color with white paned windows. Vines that draped the front of the building. Lush with floral. It was odd. To paint something so pretty, but… Tiber had visions of a lush, green city. This was not Cenril. This was not Catal, nor Kelay for Sage did not do quite justice to Tiberius’ visions. All the while, the man would listen to Lanara’s words and story of the return to Kelvar. Natianara. Lanara’s daughter. Strange that Lanara once bore a child. Did she want children? Do not make yourself faint again, Tiberius. Lanara’s story goes on: the plague, death of a dear member of her family Aunt Sharna. Many events had transpired in Kelvar and the witch had told him that it was only the beginning of the tale. However, there was one point that part one of the story would end. Lanara ran into the brother of the man that dragged Tiberius down into The Basement of Venturil’s orphanage. Lanara killed the brother. There had been a lead. A fragment of memory would connect in a slot in his brain to continue piecing the puzzle. There, the color would leave Tiber’s face, and the night would end in a world of red and not the festive kind, for the fury that protruded from Tiberius Lowell would be a sign that someone would have to die next.