#Thena has put the rose petals in the bath water

[softquietsteadylove]

Be Mine

Thena woke to the feeling of something fluttering against her cheek. It wasn't Gil's hair, or his hand, or his shirt against her cheek as she laid her head on his chest. She blinked, finally opening her eyes against the Australian sun. She was covered in rose petals. The whole bed was. They didn't even grow roses in the garden.

The Warrior Eternal sat up, looking around the room. There were bushels of plenty of other flowers around, from sunflowers to azaleas. When Gil had time to do this, she had...well, perhaps she had some idea. The night before had been...

Thena stood from the bed, slipping Gil's shirt on, which he kindly laid out for her every morning. She knew he had heard her get up, by this point, but she padded through the house silently, following the trail of flower petals towards the haven of the kitchen.

They weren't scattered sparsely--every step she took was more rose petal than wooden floorboard. The smell was light, telling that they had been spread out much earlier. "Gil?"

"In here, Sweetheart!"

A soft smile came to her at the pet name. He was feeling particularly good this morning, if he was using cute terms of endearment for fun. She didn't mind it.

It had taken her by slight surprise when he first started using them. It was just here and there, but one day she had asked him about the 'Sweetheart's and the 'Darling's. He had apologised and promised not to. She was the one who insisted that if he wanted to, then she wouldn't stop him.

Gil was already plating up a beautiful breakfast with a wide smile on his face. He looked at her like there was no sun in the sky at all--just her. "Hey."

"Hey," she smiled, still but accepting as he came over and greeted her with a kiss. He really was feeling particularly elated this morning. "What's all this?"

"Well," he grinned at her as he pulled out her chair for her and pushed her in and everything. "It's February 14th, my love."

Oh, yes. Western civilisation had concocted some holiday or another for the day around the 15th century?--or was it the 14th? Either way, she never bothered to keep track of all these newer holidays. "I see."

"So, I was wondering," Gil turned, pulling out yet another bundle of flowers, this time white lilies stuffed into the water pitcher. He presented them to her on one knee, just as handsome and charming and lovable as the first moment she laid her eyes on him in deep space. "Will you be my valentine?"

Thena smiled impossibly wide, a featherlight laugh floating up and out of her. The dust in the air turned into sparkles and she shook her head at him. "We have been out here - married! - for centuries. Are you truly asking?"

"Yes!" he insisted, because Gil liked doing things like this. He liked making romantic dinners just as much as he liked making dinners on hard days, and perfectly ordinary days. He liked picking flowers for her and he liked telling her she was more beautiful than every star in the sky. He scooted closer, pushing the lilies into her hands and resting his on her bare knee. "So?--what do you say?"

Thena set the lilies down so she could use both hands. She held his cheeks, tilting him up so she could kiss him with all she had. She could kiss him like they didn't need air, because they didn't (not as much as a silly human, at least). She could kiss him like she never had to let go--like it was just the two of them in the whole world.

Gil let her pull back, both of them smiling against each other's lips. His hands ran over her back, over the linen of his shirt. He settled his cheek against her palm, where it rightfully belonged. "That's a yes?"

"Yes," she laughed, kissing him again for good measure. She sighed at the taste of his delicious food already on his tongue. "What a terrible wife I am, forgetting such an occasion."

"Oh, come on," Gil rolled his eyes, blushing at her way of pointing out how sweet she thought it was that he did things like this.

Thena feigned a woeful, maidenly sigh. "What ever shall I do for my poor, beloved husband?"

"Mm, I don't think anyone would feel bad for me," he pointed out as he sat next to her, waving his fork up and down at her, "when my wife is this beautiful."

Thena took her time dismissing his sweet talk. She poked her fluffy eggs before taking a bite, "you mean after last night?"

Gilgamesh blushed.

"I could shower you with all the flowery compliments you gift me," she suggested, also in a playful mood after such a sweet gesture (and after that kiss).

"I told you, Sunshine," he freely claimed one of her hands for himself as he shovelled a bite of eggs into his mouth. "When I say 'em, they're true."

Thena's eyes drifted down to her fork in her hand, allowing his flattery just for the special occasion. Gil would describe her smile as small and shy, which she would argue it wasn't. The Warrior Eternal had no shyness to her.

Gil happily leaned forward as his wife held up a bite for him on her fork. He would always accept any small gesture of hers, because they were her way of expressing all the things he put into words. They were her form of flowery compliments and flirtations and pet names. And he loved every one of them.

Thena finished her bite and stood, kissing him on the temple before leaving the table. "Finish your breakfast. Then come find me."

Gil blinked as she pulled her hand out of his. He could complain about it, but he was curious as she started waving a blade around--her way of sweeping up the petals from the floor. "Baby?"

"Leave the dishes, my Sweet," she called back, maybe caught up in his sappiness. She picked up the pile of collected petals on her way to the bathroom.

Gil heard the tap for the bathtub squeak on. He tossed back the rest of his food and all but threw the plates into the sink to be taken care of later. He loved cuddling her in the bath, and she knew it. "I'm on my way!"