Sword and Snow

“I told you before, Merri, we shouldn’t decide on a date until we have a venue squared away. It’s easier to just let the date be decided naturally by when the venue is available.” Avuri said seriously, as she leafed through several different information sheets on various popular wedding spots in Flowing Dragon City. We were seated on the floor of our main room with sheets scattered around us.

I sighed dramatically while my eyes continued to scan the papers in my hands for intriguing locations. “And like I told you earlier, I understand that, Ri. What I don’t understand is why you feel the need to pick a very expensive place for us to get married.”

I flipped to another page, dismissing the interior of a large merchant’s shop as too gaudy. “Or why you keep insisting on a large venue. We collectively are probably going to invite, what, fifty people? Maybe a hundred at absolute max? We don’t need a place that can seat five hundred.”

Avuri shot me a glower. “First, we have plenty of mortal money to go around. There’s no need to be stingy and pick a tiny venue. Second, I did say I would be willing to go smaller if the place was impressive enough - just for the record. And third,” she paused for a moment to attack me with a very cute pout, “you’re no fun.”

I rolled my eyes as she giggled and we each turned back to our stacks of information. As I continued to flip through all of the pages, I could at least appreciate how easy it was to have these single sheets to look at instead of full on scrolls or the like. The merchants in the City really knew their stuff, and this crafted paper was very convenient.

I shifted a bit closer to Avuri so our sides were flush with one another and leaned into her a bit. “I’m sorry.” I said, “But I really do think that searching for large, impressive venues is a waste of time and effort that we could instead put into finding better food and the like.”

“Oh, we’re getting the Celestial Dragon Pavilion to cater for us. I thought I told you that.” Avuri said off-handedly.

“We…what?”

“Yeah, I was chatting with Lyn about it the other - “

“The Elder?” I asked, flabbergasted.

“Mhm.” Avuri nodded, her eyes still glued to the papers in her hand. “I spoke to her when I went into the City last week. And the time before that.”

It had been all of three weeks since we had our introductory meeting with the Elders. Avuri had gone into the city three times since then for various shopping excursions. “How in the world did you manage that?”

“Well,” she began, “it was pretty simple. I knew from the get-go that I wanted the Pavilion to cater if that was something they offered. So when I visited the city I took a trip there to see if they offered any sort of catering services. Lo and behold, Lyn met me at the entrance and brought me into a private room to talk it over.”

Avuri looked at me with a sly smile. “She actually mentioned it before I even asked. She was so excited because she’ll get to flex her cooking skills. Apparently, the Pavilion’s prices are so high that they almost never get people asking for catering.” She stuck her nose in the air, extra proud of herself. “I even got us a pretty massive discount.”

“A discount.” I said flatly. “Ri, we could probably buy a whole restaurant for the cost of the Pavilion’s catering!”

Slowly, a wolfish grin took over Avuri’s face. It almost scared me, how predatory she looked. It was also a rather sexy look on her, considering how rarely she appeared so dangerous. “Maybe it would be, but the discount I talked Lyn into is pretty significant.”

I stared at Avuri’s expression for a moment, stunned. “Avuri, do you get off on thoroughly dominating a negotiation?” I asked, holding back a laugh.

Avuri froze, and stiffened up, blush creeping over her neck and ears just a little bit.

At that point, I did laugh. “Oh, wow. You do!” I threw an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I’ll remember that.”

“You do not have to remember that.” She muttered quietly and forcefully returned to flipping through her information sheets.

“I dunno.” I said playfully, my concentration on picking a venue completely gone. “We’re getting married, Avuri. I think I should learn these things.”

She let out a dreamy, contented sigh. “Yeah. We are getting married, aren’t we?”

I snorted a short laugh. “Yes. Yes we are.” I cast a sidelong glance in her direction, and one side of my mouth quirked up in a smile. “I have to admit, I would not have seen this coming a year ago.”

Avuri looked up at the ceiling in thought. “You know, I might have. I wouldn’t have bet on it, but I did think you were very interesting and attractive from the get go.” She looked down to meet my eyes, then leaned on my shoulder. “I think I would’ve said yes if you had asked me out immediately after that first tournament match.”

“That genuinely had not even crossed my mind.”

“I didn’t think it would’ve.” Avuri said. “It didn’t cross mine at the time either. But had you asked, I think I was intrigued enough by you that I would’ve at least taken you up on dinner or something.”

“I did just sweep in and out of your life really fast at first. Lots of mystery.”

Avuri nodded. “Mhm, exactly. And then saving Cierra clinched it, I think.”

“You did show up here much faster than I would’ve expected.” I said, placing my papers on the floor and leaning into Avuri for balance. “Which is to say, I didn’t think you’d just show up at all. I wasn’t even sure my message would even reach you.”

“I know I already told you this, but I left so fast after I got your letter.” Avuri chuckled as she wrapped her arm around my waist. “Didn’t even take me a month. You have no idea how boring sect life can be.”

“I have a rough idea.” I said. “But you’re at least right that I was never really a part of a normal sect.”

“Eh, that’s probably for the best. I don’t think you’d do well in a sect.” Avuri responded.

“Oh? And why’s that?”

“I think you’d get bored far too easily to live such a rote life. Not to mention, I get the feeling you wouldn’t do well with listening to your superiors.”

I huffed. “As if I wouldn’t just be at least a core disciple from the start. I wouldn’t need to listen to anyone except the Elders - which I have no problem with, as you’ve seen - if I was simply already in charge of everyone else.”

Avuri laughed and bumped me. “You’re just proving my point.” Her voice carried a lovely sing-song quality to it as she teased. With a wide grin, I shoved her back in retaliation for her bump and her eyes narrowed at me. “Are you challenging your superior, outer disciple?”

I shoved her playfully again, and crossed my arms haughtily. “How else shall I prove my worth to you? If one such as I defeats a core disciple like you, surely I would join your ranks, no? Or perhaps even replace you?”

“Are you challenging me, whelp?” Avuri said, her tone carrying just a slight edge. “You dare think you could best me?”

I met her eyes and narrowed mine to match her glare for glare. “Yes, I do.” I said plainly. “I don’t think you stand a chance against the great me.”

“Well come on then, child. Show me what you can do.” Avuri said and she put her hands up in a mock fighting stance. We were still seated with our legs nearly flush against one another, so this was hardly the position for a fight.

Regardless, I put my hands up in preparation to strike. Avuri appeared to be waiting for me to make the first move, so I did. I jabbed at her a few times with my leading left hand. The punches were probing and weak, more playful than actual punches.

Avuri easily batted those strikes aside, looking bored.

“I thought you said you could best me, disciple. This is a poor showing.” When she next moved one of my strikes aside, her hand darted out and she flicked my forehead.

“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that.” I growled, and drew my right arm back for an entirely over-committed cross punch. The strike was still far too slow to be anything even remotely threatening. But Avuri wasn’t.

She had apparently been waiting for me to throw a cross, because her speedy counter was clearly planned. She deflected my weak punch and grabbed my arm. Using that as leverage, she swung her feet out from under her seated position and pushed me back. It took just a blink for Avuri to pin me on my back, with her face looming over mine. Her pin was even surprisingly firm, as I found my wiggling to escape completely ineffectual.

Avuri’s smile turned a little feral as I tried weakly to escape. “I thought you’d put up a better fight, disciple.”

I pulled against her hold, but didn’t use all that much strength. If I moved too forcefully, I might break the floor before I just escaped her hold, and we both knew it. It was a rather clever move from her. “We both know I could easily get out of here if I wanted too.” I spat out sourly.

Avuri clicked her tongue at me, still playing her character. “Where does this baseless self-confidence come from? You’re clearly beaten, but you still won’t concede?” She smirked down at me, her face just barely out of headbutt range.

“Never!” I shouted, playing up the drama. “No one gets stronger by admitting defeat!”

“The best fighters know when they are in a losing battle, disciple. And they are smart enough to know to retreat to fight another day.” Avuri said, her smirk taking over her entire face. She really was enjoying being in control here.

“Shameful!” I spat. “There’s no honor in running only to live another day!” I shouted, basically proclaiming things exactly counter to what I actually believed.

Avuri laughed aloud. “Shall I just end you, then? Put you out of your misery?”

I glared up at her defiantly. “As if I’d let you!” I shouted, and redoubled my attempts to escape. With my strength still controlled to avoid damaging anything, I really couldn’t get anywhere. I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

Avuri shifted a little on top of me, and I took the opportunity to try to move. It didn’t work as I wanted, and gave her the opportunity to reposition her hands for a better grip on my wrists, which also allowed her to wrench my arms above my head.

She merely laughed. “Still don’t want to give in? This is your last chance, disciple.” Her eyes flashed with something a little more devious as she threatened me this time, and I was pretty sure I had a good idea what might be coming.

I stopped struggling to stare up at her, faux anger all over my face. “Even if you beat me here, I’ll have my revenge one day.” I said seriously. Behind her devious expression, I could see a glint of understanding. She knew I wasn’t kidding, and that I would have my revenge for this.

“As you will, then.” She said, and she crashed over me in an absolutely overpowering kiss.

I was thankful, in that moment, that no one else was in the house because I didn’t really want to have to shove her away.

We didn’t manage to make any useful wedding related decisions that day.