regency au } { of returns and delivered gifts

[impetere]

Stiles: [so he will return and go to his chambers to clean up, and then he will head off on a hike into the woods, the book tucked into a pocket in his cloak. He would ride Thor but the horse deserved a long rest. He stopped in the garden for a flower, and then he would follow the now well know path to hunt out Cora]

Cora: [she's sitting on the edge of the river where her mother used to. Not on the bench, but under a tree, her skirts arranged around her and a book in her lap]

Stiles: [and while it's usually hard to sneak up on a werewolf, Stiles is going to attempt it anyway, kneeling down behind her and wrapping one arm around her with the flower]

Cora: [it's easy to sneak up on them when they're not paying attention. Her eyes flicker up when she sees the movement behind her and when she sees the flower, she smiles] You're back.

Stiles: We just rode in after lunch time. You must have just left for the woods before we returned.

Cora: I've been out here all morning. If I had known you would be back today I would have stayed.

Stiles: Well, then I get to surprise you. [and he will shift to stretch out on his side beside her] Have you finished the book yet?

Cora: Almost. I have a few chapters left.

Stiles: Well, then I may have to hold onto your gift until you're finished. [teasing grin]

Cora: [she glances over to him, her eyes narrowing] And why should I have to wait?

Stiles: Because you may want to start reading it and won't finish this one.

Cora: I think I have more self-restraint than that.

Stiles: Okay. [he reached into his cloak and pulled out the brown wrapped book. inside was a book that talked about pressure points and using them as therapy to heal]

Cora: [smiles as she sees it, before reaching forward to open it and letting her fingers brush over the cover] Thank you.

Stiles: You're welcome. I am the biggest fan of continuing your education, after all.

Cora: [she smiles] And I appreciate how you indulge me.

Stiles: [he grinned, and then rolled over to lay on his back, looking up at the canopy of leaves] So what have I missed?

Cora: Not much. Things have been fairly quiet, save for when Amelia is not.

Stiles: Again times I am grateful I don't have the ears the rest of you have.

Cora: She is fairly calm, usually.

Stiles: Except for when she isn't, right?

Cora: [she smirks] Yes. Except for when she isn't.

Stiles: [chuckles, taking a deep breath] I'm glad it was quiet here. The border town wasn't nearly as quiet.

Cora: Did anything interesting happen while you were there?

Stiles: well, we were having to keep the townsmen from harassing the knights from the neighbor lord. There was this one incident with a chicken and pig and a knight and yeah, that could have been handled better.

Cora: [she laughs] The poor animals.

Stiles: I did manage to rescue the pig. Named the little guy Chuy.

Cora: At least he was fortunate enough to be saved.

Stiles: Yes, he will not be bacon anytime soon. Eventually, yes, but not soon.

Cora: [she sighs] I would be sadder about that if I didn't like bacon so much.

Stiles: If you looked into that little pig's eyes, you might like bacon less.

Cora: Unfortunately my wolf nature will win out that argument every time.

Stiles: [sighs] Poor Chuy. I knew you well.

Cora: [she smiles softly] You could try and hide him from the cook.

Stiles: No, he will be a worthy sacrifice for your breakfast.

Cora: I appreciate your humble offering.

Stiles: You are most welcome.

Cora: [she smiles before reaching a hand over to take his] I missed you while you were gone.

Stiles: I missed you too. [he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it before settling them on his chest] I would have written, but I didn't think we would be there long.

Cora: In truth it wasn't long. By the time your letter would have gotten here, you would have been here as well.

Stiles: Which is why... [he reached for the book and opened it to the middle where there was a letter waiting for her.]

Cora: [she smiles at that] Am I allowed to read the letter first, or do I need to wait to read that as well?

Stiles: You can read it first. [it's just a letter about how much he missed seeing her, and her face and how the light around him is duller without her presence]

Cora: [and she will immediately snatch it up and read it because she loved his letters and the way they made her feel, curling back against the tree as she does]

Stiles: [and this one is in his own handwriting now that the Fox was out of the bag. He let her hand go to be able to hold the letter, and instead he just rest is hand on her knee, drawing tiny shapes on her dress fabric]

Cora: [she stays focused in the letter for a moment, before her eyes flicker to what he's doing and tugs at her dress self-consciously] That is very distracting.

Stiles: Sorry. [and his hands will get folded back onto his chest]

Cora: [she's still not used to the way he touches her at times. It's not that she doesn't like it, she just isn't sure how she's supposed to like it]

Stiles: [and he doesn't know what to do to make her comfortable with it, beyond just small doses]

Cora: [small doses are good. And if he was sitting up right now, she would probably be curled into his shoulder and tucked under his arm]

Stiles: [Darn. But she can rest against his chest like a pillow]

Cora: [not really, she's already sitting up against the tree]

Stiles: [he is so much more comfortable than a tree. But anyway, he's going to watch her face as she reads. He loves watching her read them as much as she likes reading them]

Cora: [as she goes a quiet smile will flicker across her features, widening the more she reads on and just lets his words wash over her, almost as effective as if he was saying them himself]

Stiles: [and he sees that look and just smiles back at her.] I missed your smiles the most. When they grow like that on your face.

Cora: [she glances back at him, and a blush colors her cheek as she ducks her head a bit]

Stiles: [sits up, reaching over to brush her hair out of her face] Hey, don't hide it now, I just rode four days to get back to you to see it.