[paris] the sound. [tag; sylvain]

It was cold

Winter had hit Paris and it had hit it hard. While no snow was on the ground, it was positively bitter outside. The wind was brisk and the clouds were heavy but it was still heart-stoppingly beautiful. The avalanche of Christmas was yet to arrive but Lyra had seen the occasional glimmer in shop windows, from festive knits to a little sprinkling of fairy lights. It would be the first time she would be in the capital for the holiday and she was both terrified and thrilled. Her family Christmases were traditional and cozy. She thought French ones might involve more pizazz.

The gardens were also bigger than she realised. Lyra strode through the park, resisting the urge to kick up the crunchy-crispy fallen leaves but no, she couldn't be distracted, she had a date. Her breath came out in little ragged puffs, her button nose pink in the cold as she snuggled back down into the thickly knitted oatmeal coloured scarf that she'd wrapped securely around her neck, tucking her hands neatly into the pockets of her coat.

She was late but not by too much. Sylvain was going to meet her straight from work, which she thought was pretty sweet. Lyra wouldn't have minded walking together here but it also gave her the reassurance that he'd make time for her. Their relationship was new and she was protective of it, like cupping her hands around a flickering flame against the wind.

She'd hoped the cafe would become their place but he said he'd never been before and that was outrageous. They had the most amazing cheese board, pancakes and crepes and he was going to be thrown into it head first. It was chilly as heck but she couldn't resist the cherry ice cream.

It wasn't too long before sunset but the Tuileries Gardens were magnificent, come rain or shine. Rounding the corner, she saw his familiar silhouette and she broke into a run, bouncing along the gravel, her blonde hair billowing behind her. Without saying hello, Lyra practically threw herself at Sylvain, locking her arms around his neck and giving him an affectionate squeeze which probably felt more like a chokehold.

Pulling back, she kissed the tip of his nose, her eyes bright and cheeks pink as she flashed him a dimpled grin. "Hi," she panted as she carefully untangled herself from him, bouncing on the spot as she slid her fingers into his and squeezed. "Sorry I'm late," she told him apologetically, despite Sylvain knowing full well that Lyra didn't always believe that time was linear. "How was your day?" She asked, genuinely interested to know as she gave his hand a tug and began to lead him towards the cafe.

Her walk was slow and more of a dawdle, having no real rush to reach their destination, their hands swinging between each other's bodies as she kicked at some fallen leaves innocently. It had been Lyra's day off and Sylvain had been in work, which was a bummer. It was crazy to her how much she missed him when he wasn't in the apartment with her.  "Are you hungry?" She asked, her pale eyes looking over at him with a smile. "Because if not, we can just get some crepes or something," she suggested with a careless shrug which hopefully belied her desire for cheese and desserts.

[setting: Cafe Des Marronniers, Paris.]


@Sylvain Chéret

Work had been dull as usual. However, Sylvain had checked the clock more often than on other days, knowing that he'd meet Lyra once he'd be free to leave. This prospect had lured an occasional smile onto his face. Félicienne had picked up on it and naturally enquired – who'd blame her anyway, she was stuck at the office doing dull work with him, after all. Reluctantly and only after his co-worker had asked several times, he had confided in her that he was meeting Lyra in the Jardin des Tuileries after work. Félicienne hadn't really needed a lot more to get started on a romantic date she had had there once and Sylvain was actually pleased that she didn't want to hear more from him but was busy reminiscing.

After what felt like an eternity the minute hand was moving up to the 12 one last time. Sylvain felt his gaze glued to the clock. Once the minute hand was at two minutes before 12, he grabbed his coat and said goodbye to Félicienne. At one minute past the full hour he already was in the lobby of the Ministry and not much later he stepped outside.

He apparated to the entrance of the Jardin des Tuileries and walked to their meeting point. The wind was chilly but Sylvain found it quite pleasant. He was walking quickly, eager to get there, to see her.  The prospect of meeting Lyra, his girlfriend Lyra, and the exertion had reddened his cheeks. The wind seemed tease him, making him feel that his freshly shaven cheeks needed some cooling. He chuckled softly to himself. It was amazing how he could play about any scene on a stage without blushing but the prospect of having a date with Lyra made him feel like a schoolboy again.

The sun was standing low already, tingeing the park in warm golden light. It was a beautiful setting despite the comparably low temperatures. He assumed that it would be even more charming in spring or summer but then again it would probably be also a lot more crowded then than it was now. He liked it that he did not pass too many people on his way to the their meeting point. Since his girlfriend was nowhere to be seen yet, Sylvain decided to already take a look at the Café des Marroniers which Lyra had insisted to show him tonight, already taking a curious glance at the menu.

After that was done, he walked back to their meeting point and already saw her running towards him. She looked lovely but then again she always looked lovely in his eyes. She was perfect the way she was with her pretty face and all her cute little flaws. He adored Lyra and he still couldn't believe how lucky he was that she wanted to be his girlfriend.

The way that Lyra threw herself at him made him take one step backwards just to balance himself as he put his hands on her waist. “Hey,” he said softly, smiling widely at her, “don't worry about it. I haven't been waiting long anyway,” he soothed her, moving one hand upwards to put a strand of her hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek as he did so.

“My day was...” his voice trailed off and he shook his head. “It was boring as usual. Nothing worth talking about. The only thing that got me through the day alright was the prospect of meeting you here tonight.” He squeezed her hand and let her gladly lead the way towards the café (where he had already been just a few minutes ago).

“I'm hungry,” Sylvain said, nodding. “I'll be happy with almost anything, though. In fact, I'd really like crêpes today. I'm feeling like having something sweet.” He grinned, stepping in front of her so she had to stop walking. Sylvain pulled her closer now and gave her a kiss on the lips. “Needed that as a starter,” he said and then stepped to the side so they could proceed on their way to the café.

Lyra hadn't meant to rush at Sylvain, she just couldn't help it. She hoped she hadn't winded him as they collided but even if she had, her boyfriend (boyfriend!) seemed to be able to catch her. "Hi," she said again with a goofy smile as she was delicately set down, resting her face into his hand as he fixed her hair, gazing up at him as a wave of affection washed over her. "Oh good," she added, worried. She did own watches and she did wear them occasionally but, like a lot of things, she didn't pay attention. "Hope you're not too cold?" She asked Sylvain lightly, already thinking of ways she could warm him up.

The petite blonde stopped suddenly, her pale eyes wide as a hand came up to her chest. "Aw," she cooed, genuinely touched. "Really?" She asked Sylvain with a grin curving the lines of her lips. "I'm the best part of your day?" She went on, her grin now in full bloom as she laughed, her attention drawn to their joined hands as he squeezed hers. So, this was what happiness felt like.

Sylvain said he was hungry and she nodded in understanding. The cheeseboard and even the sandwiches were shareable. Lyra was about to say so when  she stopped suddenly, almost smacking into him. With her head tilted upwards, she raised her eyebrows in question before she grinned.She leaned on to her tiptoes, her hands automatically slipping under Sylvain's coat as he pulled her closer.  Her cool fingers touched the skin on his back, just below his shirt out of habit - she really couldn't get close enough to him. Lyra liked how Sylvain had pulled her closer. She kissed him back, smiling, only to roll her eyes playfully.

"What are you like," she laughed, giving him a gentle shove before they fell back into step, feeling like she was bouncing on a cloud. Lyra flushed pleasantly, pleased and flattered by his comment as her stomach did a loop-the-loop as tingles ran down her arms.

She liked Sylvain, she liked him a lot, but it dawned on her recently that it was entirely possible that she might love him. Like an epiphany, it came to her the other day in the early hours of the morning. He'd been fast asleep, limbs curled around her. The moonlight picked up the russet highlights in his otherwise curly dark hair and it just clicked, like flicking on a light switch. She didn't know why it had been that moment, with him fast asleep and looking positively angelic, it just was.

Looking over at him, she smiled as they took a seat, wondering if he'd want to stay by the heaters or maybe go for a walk when they'd ordered instead. "Have you ever had the amarena cup?" She asked Sylvain excitedly, reaching across the table to take his hand. She ordered as soon as a smartly dressed waiter appeared. "A scoop of pear sorbet as well, please," she smiled at him. The waiter was polite enough not to mention  his thoughts on them ordering dessert first.

There was coffee on the menu and it sounded fancy. "Do you do hot chocolate?" She asked their waiter hopefully.

“Oh no,” Sylvain quickly reassured her, “not cold at all. I hope you aren't either?” he said looking at her softly. “If you're too cold out here we can go to some other place where it's nicely warm. Not for me, though, I'm happy wherever you are.”

Sylvain laughed softly as Lyra asked him if she really was the best part of his day. “Of course you are. You always are,” he said, squeezing her hand gently and grinning at her. “I'm surprised you weren't aware of it,” he added teasingly. She had to know that her being his girlfriend had made his life remarkably better.

Even if he had tried, he wouldn't be able to make his smile disappear from his face. They had had their struggles on their way to where they were now but Sylvain had almost forgotten about the moments when he had felt awkward around her. When he had wondered if he should move out of their shared apartment and avoid her the rest of his life. It all felt unreal now. They were a couple. He couldn't be any happier. Even his job, which he truly did not like, was less annoying now that he knew that Lyra was his girlfriend.

As the kissed and Lyra's hands went below his shirt, touching him gently he felt a wave of excitement rush through his body. He knew he had goosebumps but they hadn't been caused by her cold fingers and were not unpleasant at all. If there was the possibility to slow down time this would have been a perfect moment for it, Sylvain thought as he deepened the kiss some more.

However, just like every good or bad moment this one couldn't last forever. He grinned as Lyra commented on his bold attempt to steal a kiss from her and shrugged. “Well, you signed up for it, remember?” he teased, sighing deeply as a dreamy smile appeared on his face again. They were a couple and had been for a few months now but sometimes, at moments like this, the realisation hit Sylvain with unexpected force and suddenly the whole world seemed to be perfect. All the things that were not quite so great seemed to evaporate to make room just for this happy feeling that warmed him from the inside.

They had arrived at the café and took a seat now. “No, I haven't,” Sylvain said, amused by the question about the amarena cup and smiling widely at her as she reached across the table to take his hand. He let Lyra order for both of them, she knew the place and surely had some great recommendations. Besides, Sylvain felt quite certain that he'd love whatever she'd pick because in her presence it was almost impossible not to like anything.

He grinned as she started ordering the dessert first, admiring her for being unconventional like this and feeling rather smug that he was her boyfriend. He wondered briefly if the waiter was aware of his luck but it didn't matter enough to linger on this thought. His attention was drawn back at Lyra as she asked if they had hot chocolate and he nodded eagerly. “Hot chocolate would be great,” he added unnecessarily and was pleased to hear that, indeed, they would get hot chocolate.

When the waiter left their table again, Sylvain's undivided attention was on his girlfriend again. “Did I already tell you that you look lovely today?” he asked, almost disappointed that he could not steal another kiss from her as the table was now inconveniently separating them. “Did you have a nice day off work?” he enquired, hoping that she'd tell him a little about her day.

Lyra hesitated. She didn't want to lie to Sylvain but she also didn't want them to head back to their apartment. She loved it there, of course, but hanging out with him outside of their home felt rather liberating- she wanted to show him off. Instead, she offered him a sheepish smile. "I'm a bit cold," she admitted. "But I don't want to go anywhere else," she insisted, bouncing on the spot. "It's one of my favourite places and I want to share it with you," she smiled brightly.

The petite blonde laughed, amused and delighted. "I hoped I was," she grinned back, looking down at their joined hands and resisting the urge to pinch herself. Lyra gave a deep and dreamy sigh. "You're mine too," she added on hastily with a dimpled grin, teasing as she reached out to squeeze his forearm.

"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she told Sylvain with a slow smile, trying her best to ignore the fizzy feeling that swept over her skin. But she was a lady. The physical stuff was great but that wasn't the be-all-and-end-all. But he looked so good and equally as handsome in his suit or his casual clothing. Her bright eyes ran down his frame without thought and she blushed as she caught his eye with another grin. "Sorry," she said but she didn't sound it at all.

"Oooh, it's good," she assured Sylvain with a smile, distracted when the waiter agreed to bring them a hot chocolate each. Maybe it was childish and maybe she should have gotten wine but there was wine at home and it was freezing and hot chocolate tasted way better when she had someone to share it with.

"No," she grinned, seeming to sparkle in the setting sun. "Tell me again," she insisted, teasing, resting one elbow on the table and cupping her chin in the upturned palm, blinking her big eyes innocently. She laughed, lifting Sylvain's hand to kiss his knuckles, momentarily distracted by how small her hands looked in his. He could tell her she looked pretty, a hundred times a day, she'd never tire of it. 

"I did," she told Sylvain quickly. "I had a sleep in," she admitted, not that it mattered. She wanted to be classically romantic and say that as soon as he left, she was unable to settle but she didn't even hear him leave, she went right back to sleep. "Did you know the neighbours have a cat?" She asked him, eyes wide. "A pretty big ginger tom cat," she went on. "Don't know how he got there but he was on the balcony," she paused, looking bashful. "So I fed him. He's pretty affectionate." It made her miss her massive dopey dog back home.

Just about to explain (in hopes of her adopting the neighbour's cat), their ice cream and drinks were placed down. "Thank you!" She called to the waiter with a cheery wave who had clearly seen enough loved up couples to brush her aside. She wrinkled her nose. "Rude," she sniffed, picking up her spoon. "Cherries," she explained, holding it out for Sylvain to try. "It's my favourite," she admitted, wondering if she should actually buy the cherry syrup and save herself some money.

"It's my mum's birthday in a couple of weeks," Lyra went on, using the same spoon to scoop up some whipped cream and eat it. "I'll be going home. Would you want to come with me?" She flicked her eyes up to Sylvain's darker ones and held her breath. She'd said it as casually as she was able to, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. It was fine if he didn't want to. It wouldn't break her heart but it'd certainly bruise it. "If you want to," Lyra tacked on, throwing in a shrug to show that she was easy-breezy. She, however, was a terrible liar.

Sylvain smiled as Lyra said that she wanted to share her favourite place with him even if she was a bit cold. “I appreciate it,” he said softly, “and I can’t deny that I’m enjoying to get out for a while.” Work at the ministry was tiring at the best of times. Sylvain liked to get some fresh air when he wasn’t stuck at the office. These days he only got to see sunlight at weekends and that was quite a challenge.

“I’m glad,” Sylvain couldn’t hide the pleased grin that was spreading across his face. He loved being with Lyra. The prospect of seeing her was what made him endure work a little more easily. Her dimpled smile was so adorable, everything about her was. Sylvain couldn’t really put into words what it was that he loved most about his girlfriend. She was just too cute.

Syvain chuckled softly as he caught Lyra scanning his appearance. “No reason to be sorry for anything,” he said, looking into her bright eyes. He liked the way she looked at him these days. It was reassuring and flattering.

The choice of what Lyra ordered was a little odd but Sylvain didn’t mind it in the slightest. With her around everything would taste heavenly. Besides hot chocolate was clearly an ideal choice for a cold evening like this.

He shook his head, a playful smile curving his lips and reaching his eyes as Lyra teased him to tell her again how lovely she looked. “I adore you,” he said and wished they weren’t separated by the table. He reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly. “You look absolutely stunning and I love how your nose turns pink in the cold.” He laughed now, too, but he actually really meant it. He thought that Lyra was a very beautiful young woman but he particularly appreciated these cute little imperfections that made her even more adorable.

“Our neighbours have a cat?” Sylvain asked, making clear that he hadn’t been aware of it. “I see,” he then teased, “once I’m out of the house you’re straying…” he tutted and then broke into a soft chuckle. “I…” he had intended to tease her a little more but the waiter arrived and interrupted their banter.

Sylvain echoed Lyra and also thanked the waiter who seemed to be in a less cheerful mood than the young couple. “Well, he might be jealous that he doesn’t have such a sweet and beautiful girlfriend,” Sylvain defended the waiter and winked at Lyra.

Trying the ice cream as Lyra offered her spoon, Sylvain closed his eyes as the amarena flavoured ice cream melted in his mouth. “It’s delicious,” he gushed, really meaning it. “I totally see why it’s your favourite.” He smiled at her, thinking that they should make this a regular thing. It was clearly not only the highlight of Sylvain’s day but likely of his entire week so far

“Oh,” Sylvain said, surprised and flattered that Lyra invited him to her mother’s birthday. “I’d love to come with you!” he said brightly. He was both eager to get to know her family and a little scared that they might not deem him a suitable partner for Lyra. “I’m looking forward to meeting your family and see where you grew up,” he said, nodding eagerly. Lyra had demanded that he should be his real self and he was trying hard not to play any roles around her. However, he wasn’t sure if he’d manage to solely be himself around her family. He felt that he wasn’t good enough when he was just himself. However, he still had a couple of weeks to figure this out. For now, he was just happy that his girlfriend invited him to meet her family. It was the next big step in their relationship, after all.

"Good," Lyra said, looking proud as she smiled. She was a big advocate of fresh air and while she didn't consider the air in Paris to be particularly fresh, she could only imagine the drab interiors of the French Ministry to be hard on Sylvain's psyche. She was looking forward to actually going on long walks with someone other than herself. Strolling along the Seine and popping into cute cafes just didn't have the same vibe without a lover.

"Oh, stop," she giggled, swatting her boyfriend playfully. They weren't that far from their flat and there was no shame in kissing in public but she hadn't seen him in almost ten hours and getting carried away was starting to be her thing ---

Sylvain spoke and Lyra grinned, so much that her cheeks began to hurt. "Aww," she cooed, placing her free hand over her heart as her eyes widened. He adored her. What a wonderfully old fashioned word and so much better than saying he fancied her. He spoke about her nose and swiftly, she reached up her hand to cover it quickly. She'd always hated her pink nose and rosy cheeks, she'd always thought it childish. She didn't want to be cute anymore but she did want to be sexy. Her cheeks flushed pink with pleasure this time, instead of the cold. "That's so sweet," she whispered, biting her lower lip as she gazed at him, wondering what sort of stars had aligned to make her so happy. Giddy. Joyous.

"Mmhm," she was quick to assure him about the cat, her eyes widening swiftly at his joke and she gasped in jest. "Hey," she laughed. "You were gone all say and I had nothing to snuggle," she pouted before sitting up straight as the waiter departed briskly, shooting Sylvain a look that clearly said uh-oh.

Lyra snorted, folding her lips together in a thin line in a vain attempt to stifle her giggles. "Maybe he just hates teenagers," she added conversationally as she popped a cherry into her mouth and pulled on the stem, grinning, her smile falling somewhat quickly. "Oh no," she frowned in dismay. "He didn't give us any marshmallows."

Heaving a sigh, she deftly scooped up some whipped cream from her desert before dropping it into her cup, curling her free hand around it for warmth. "Yay," she said brightly as Sylvain said he liked the ice cream. She picked up her hot chocolate and blew across the surface before quickly slurpring, wishing she had more hands so she could still touch her boyfriend and reach for the pear sorbet.

While Lyra had been thinking of asking Sylvain to come back to Switzerland with her, she hadn't meant to blurt it out. It wasn't a big deal (it was) and there wasn't any pressure (there definitely was) but she wanted her family to meet him - properly.

"Oh thank Merlin," the petite blonde let out in a shaky laugh, pressing a hand against her chest as she let out a sigh of relief before she grinned, squeezing his fingers excitedly. Lyra didn't know who she was more excited for Sylvain to meet - her parents or her dog. "You'll love the mountains," she gushed, her pale eyes wide as she wiggled in her seat. "I can teach you to snowboard," she smiled. From what she'd heard, the majority of French people preferred to ski. "I'll let mum know to hide all of my embarrassing childhood photos," she winced, only half joking. There was the possibility that Sylvain might feel the need to invite her back to his family home but since the wedding, things might be a bit...tense. Then again, if Maximilien knew she was coming, he'd definitely leave town the night before.

"Have you got warm clothing?" Lyra asked, concerned, as she licked some cream off the back of her spoon. Grindlewald was a lot colder than Sylvain might be used to and while she was sure he'd have a nice time inside, she wanted it to be equally nice outside, too. "We can sit by the fire," she began as she turned his hand over, her fingers tracing his palm with care. "Go for walks, get some fondue," she grinned, flicking her eyes up to his. "Do you know the legend if you drop your bread off your fork?"

“And I can be replaced this easily by a cat?” Sylvain asked, offering a one sided smile. “That’s a little disappointing.” He was merely teasing and his voice and facial expression made this clear. He might be a good enough actor to pull it off in a convincing way but he did not even intend to convince her now.

Besides the waiter seemed to be interrupting them all the time anyway. He was not to blame, of course. He just did his job. However, Sylvain found himself disliking his presence, feeling somewhat judged by the older man.

“Maybe that’s it,” he said, nodding thoughtfully. “He might not have had a great time as a teenager. Maybe he was one of those boys with acne and greasy hair that never managed to find a girlfriend.” He watched the waiter who was now talking to an elderly couple that was seated a few tables away.

“No marshmallows?!” Sylvain asked not sure if he should be disappointed, surprised or indifferent. He could easily claim to be as disappointed as Lyra seemed to be but he didn’t really feel it. After all, the hot chocolate would be great either way, everything was tonight anyway. All that Sylvain needed was Lyra. Marshmallows were insignificant in comparison to her company.

He drank a sip of the hot chocolate, enjoying how sweet and creamy it was. As Lyra reacted to him saying that he’d join her for her mother’s birthday, Sylvain realised that this was really a big deal – also for her. He was looking forward to it and yet he was feeling a little anxious already. What if he didn’t live up to Lyra’s expectations there? What if her family disliked him? What if he made a fool of himself when Lyra wanted to teach him to snowboard? He would certainly be way out of his comfort zone and he wasn’t sure he could pull this off quite well enough.

It felt reassuring that she squeezed his hand, though and the young wizard smiled slightly. “I’m sure I’ll love it,” he said, not sure what he was meaning by ‘it’ himself. He’d have to figure out what version of himself he should show her family. Did they prefer the reliable ministry worker or the flighty artist? He had more roles to offer but as Lyra wanted him to be himself his choices were limited.

“Oh no!” he said with a wide grin. “Don’t ask her to hide any old photos! I’d love to see them all and I’m sure none of them is really embarrassing.” Well, if he was honest, he would not want to let her see all his childhood photos either but that was nothing he’d admit. At least his childhood photos would clearly reveal that he had always wanted to become an actor – most photos were of him wearing some self-made costumes consisting of bedlinen, his parents’ clothes or whatever else he could find, impersonating some character he had heard or read a story about.

“Warm clothing? Hmm…” Sylvain shrugged. “I have clothing that’s okay for a winter in Paris, nothing warmer than that. I could get a warm jacket and boots before then, though?” he offered.

Lyra’s suggestion of sitting by the fire combined with her fingers tickling his palm made Sylvain smile at her. He could imagine this very well, snuggling with her by the fire, going for walks – just the two of them – having delicious food... It sounded marvellous.

“No, I don’t know the legend. Tell me,” he encouraged her now putting down the hot chocolate and then placing his free hand upon hers.

"No!" Lyra laughed loudly as she gripped his hand, genuinely finding the entire thing hilarious. She'd like to get a pet with Sylvain one day. She was serious about him now so she only assumed she'd be doubly serious about him in a year's time.

She followed his gaze to the waiter and she smiled. "Or maybe he's just Parisian," Lyra offered with a grin, not meaning to be rude but it would explain a lot. Lyra hadn't been here that long but everyone seemed so busy. Everyone was rushing, pushing out of the metro stations, so preoccupied with everything but those around them. Or maybe, their waiter was just having a bad day.

The marshmallow catastrophe was forgotten as soon as Sylvain agreed to come with her and she grinned, her dimples appearing as she licked the back of her spoon. Oh sure, it might be a bit too soon but they'd wasted so much time in Beauxbatons. Things were good between them now, great, even. She wanted to show him off.

With a laugh, she winced, hiding her expression in her mug as she drank from it - he really did not need to see evidence of her in a frilly party dress but she shook her head quickly. Winter in Paris was much warmer than winter in the alps. "You don't need to do that," she changed her mind quickly. "You can borrow some of my brother's. It's just a different type of cold," Lyra said lightly, fully expecting Sylvain to understand that when he arrived. Paris snow was wet and mushy but Swiss snow was deep and powdery.

The petite blonde grinned at him, visibly excited as she shifted in her seat. Sylvain was simply lonely and she had no concerns about him meeting her parents. Except for one - her mother always thought she'd end up dating Maximilien...and now Sylvain was his step-brother. But Max hadn't come back to Grindelwald in almost three years. Her parents knew they'd had a falling out and they'd seen her cry over it but it didn't hurt any more - it was his loss.

"But this is going to be fun," she assured him as she squeezed his fingers affectionately. "There are some great trails and cute little shops and gorgeous views," she said wistfully, wondering sometimes why she left. "And I'll protect you from all the bears." She waited a second before she laughed. "I'm kidding!"

"Well," she began, mirroring Sylvain as she set her mug down, her fingers now trailing up the inside of his wrist with a smile. "First, you have to buy a bottle of wine for the table," she said with a nod. "But then," she grinned slowly, biting her lip. "You have to kiss me." She smiled. "I'm not flirting, that's actually the rule," she laughed, holding her free hand up in surrender.

Sylvain grinned as Lyra gripped his hand. “Well, then I’m relieved,” he teased, his grin fading into a soft loving smile. Whenever she touched him, whenever she was actually close, the young wizard had such a funny mix of feelings - he felt warm and comfortable but also exhilarated and excited.

“Yeah, maybe,” he laughed as Lyra said that the waiter might just be Parisian. It was true that people in Prais were different from people back home in Nice and other places he had seen. Maybe it was the size of the city, the pollution, the fact that there were neither mountains nor the sea anywhere close. He wasn’t sure.

“Oh,” Sylvain said, as his girlfriend said that he could borrow her brother’s warm clothes. It felt odd to do that but he was not going to tell her. If he wasn’t wearing his own clothes he felt he’d be disguised, that he’d wear a sort of a costume and, therefore, play a role and be different from how he really was. He smiled, though, thinking that they’d get to face that little problem when the time arose.

“Okay,” he finally said, after having realised that he had not really responded to her suggestion. “I hope your brother doesn’t mind and that we have a similar size.”

As she squeezed his hand again, Sylvain looked at her with a slight smile. Meeting her parents was a big deal and he hoped that she was right in saying that it would be fun. He wasn’t quite convinced. Didn’t they know Maximilien as well? Had Lyra told them that they were step brothers? Had she told them that they didn’t get along? Had they liked the other wizard?

“I’m really looking forward to seeing where you grew up,” Sylvain said earnestly. “Meeting your family is making me a little nervous, though, I’ll admit that. More nervous than running into bears anyway.” A nervous laugh escaped him as a proof of his words.

As Lyra spoke about the rule of what he’d have to do if he’d drop his bread off his fork, Sylvain smiled. “Feels like a good incentive to drop bread off my fork then,” he stated matter of factly. “Getting to enjoy a nice wine and kissing you sound like rewards to me anyway. I’m glad you warned me. Otherwise I’d be careful not to drop anything and miss out on that.” He now squeezed her hand affectionately and wondered how much longer they’d be at this café. Right now he’d rather hurry home with her so they’d get some privacy. However, he was not going to suggest it as Lyra had been looking forward to this special date for a while already and he didn’t want to spoil it for her.

Lyra shook her head, blonde tendrils swaying in the chilly wind. "You're a little bit taller," she explained to Sylvain. It didn't seem worth it, him having to buy a whole other wardrobe, just for a couple of days. The cold in Switzerland was vastly different than in Paris - he'd find that out soon enough. "All you really need is a thick jumper and a pair of cozy socks so we can snuggle," she said with a grin, her chin resting in an upturned palm.

"Me too," she said with an easy smile. How she was raised and her environment explained a lot about how she'd turned out as a young lady. Everything tended to make sense once Sylvain had seen the chalet. He mentioned he was nervous and her smile softened, reaching for his hand again so she could kiss the back of his knuckles absently.

"They'll love you," she said and she meant it. Lyra didn't think her parents thought she was dating Sylvain out of spite for Max - she genuinely liked him. "You'll be great!" She enthused. "The first meeting is the worst. After that, it's plain sailing. I wasn't nervous meeting your mum," she replied lightly. But this was different. She'd met his mum very briefly at the wedding that seemed so long ago now. She looked beautiful but weddings were blur, Lyra would be surprised if she remembered. Then again, she assumed she'd feel a similar sense of dread if Sylvain asked her home for the same reasons.

She grinned, her cheeks flushing pink. "I'll make sure you get the broken fork, then," she teased with a smirk, using her free hand to eat her ice cream that was now starting to melt, despite the cool temperatures. She was excited. She wanted to meet everyone in Sylvain's life - his mum, his work colleagues, friends, his dry cleaner, everyone.

Lyra drained the last of her lukewarm hot chocolate and stared at him for a moment. In times like these, she wondered how much of a moron she'd been in Beauxbatons. Had she not wasted time, where would they be now? In a bigger apartment, in the suburbs, with a dog, thinking about properly settling down? "Do you want to get out of here?" She asked Sylvain quickly, her bright eyes sparkling. The cold was starting to seep into her bones by this point. And they could make crepes at home.

Great. Sylvain forced a smile onto this face. It was nice that she could borrow Lyra’s brother’s clothes. It was generous and kind and yet it somehow bothered him. He’d look like a clown with clothes too small for him and it was even worse when he thought that he’d be meeting her parents for the first time. He tried to relax, tried not to let these negative thoughts get the best of him when he was actually really happy. He had a girlfriend whom he loved. He was going to get introduced to her parents. He didn’t even have to spend a fortune on warm winter clothes because his girlfriend’s family had things he could borrow. Everything was good.

“I have a thick jumper,” Sylvain said, now genuinely smiling. He had bought one for his first winter in Paris, thinking that it was so much colder than in Southern France - which it was - but it was not really quite cold enough for the jumper he had purchased. He had only worn it on one cold winter day and had felt quite hot. Ever since that day that jumper was on the bottom of the pile, waiting for a really cold winter - or, apparently, a trip to Switzerland.

He squeezed Lyra’s hand softly and the look on his face clearly showed that he wanted more than just to hold her hand now. He was excited that they’d make another step in their relationship and was eager to celebrate this in more private surroundings. However, Sylvain was not going to ask Lyra to go home. If she was enjoying the visit to this café that they had planned for so long, then he wasn’t going to end it prematurely.

“I certainly hope so,” the young wizard said, laughing nervously. Lyra wanted him to be himself, she didn’t want him to play a role. How was he supposed to impress her parents by just being himself was beyond him.

She said that the first meeting was the worst and Sylvain made a grimace. It most definitely was. People relied on their first impressions on others. So if he failed to make them like him within the first five minutes then he was doomed.

“Well,” he said as Lyra mentioned his mother, “that was different though. We weren’t really a couple when you first met her, were we?” Sylvain had asked her to come to his mother’s wedding as his plus one, of course, but they hadn’t been an item then. Besides, Maximilien had been there, too, and Alphonse, of course, whom she already knew. It had been different. He hadn’t been the sole person she knew. He briefly considered saying more but then decided against it. He was convinced that Lyra already understood what he meant.

“I won’t mind that at all,” Sylvain said, relaxing a little again as his girlfriend spoke about the broken fork. He grinned at her, wondering if she’d actually give him a broken fork, after all.

Lyra asked if he wanted to get away from this place and Sylvain’s eyes lit up. “Yes, let’s go. Shall we stop by that deli again and get another bottle of that Bordeaux we had last weekend?”

He quickly finished his hot chocolate and pulled out his purse. He waved at the waiter who seemed to deliberately take his time to get back to them. “He really doesn’t like his job - or us, does he?” Sylvain said a bemused little smile spreading across his face.

"Perfect," Lyra said with a smile, her head tilted as she imagined him in a navy blue turtleneck jumper. The image was sudden but effective. "All you'll need with that is some jeans and a pair of boots." The Hartmanns had a variety of thick jackets Sylvain could borrow, as well as boots and socks. In fact, nearly all of Lyra's winter wear was still there. "I can't wait to see you in it," the petite blonde replied flirtily, wiggling her eyebrows in jest.

Her smile continued as she looked down at their joined hands as they touched on the wedding. It was still a bit of a sore spot and she couldn't believe she hyperventilated - talk about stealing someone's thunder. "So?" She asked, her eyes bright. "I'm still the same person I was then," she shrugged but she understood Sylvain's reservations. Lyra had no such problem meeting people that he did. "Still nervous, though," she admitted. "My usual thing to do is bring a wheel of cheese as a gift when I meet someone," she grinned, flushing. "Maybe that's a Swiss thing," she frowned - wine would be better.

Sylvain was cool with the idea and she laughed, making a mental note before she stood up and drained the rest of her hot chocolate, slender fingers tucking in her scarf as she adjusted her coat. "I'd love to," she said brightly about the wine. Distracted, she looked over at the sauntering waiter before she giggled, too late to stop her boyfriend from paying the bill. "Both, I think," Lyra admitted as she left a tip before slipping her wallet back into the back pocket of her jeans, smiling sunnily at the waiter as he collected things from them.

"He's lucky I'm polite," she joked with an eye roll as she took Sylvain's hand and gave it a gentle tug to start walking. The deli wasn't far and she did like the wine but there was also a shop not far from their flat that they could pop into instead if they just --

Quickly, she turned, a hand on his chest as she leaned up to kiss him. "Should we get the wine later?" She asked Sylvain with a grin as they stepped off the path in the park and into the trees, covered by the setting sun. Without waiting for him to answer and ignoring the fact that they could have had a romantic stroll through the gardens, Lyra apparated them, a hand on his lapel as she pulled him closer to her, leaning against the front door as they kissed.

Fumbling behind her, Lyra managed to open the door and dropped the keys, both hands coming up to cup Sylvain's face as she grinned against his lips. She stepped backwards and nudged the door shut with her foot, shrugging off her coat and scarf as they backtracked through the living room,  her hands in his hair, snorting with laughter as she bumped against the back of the sofa. She could talk about how his day was later on.

[out!]

Sylvain laughed when Lyra wiggled her eyebrows and stated that she couldn’t wait to see him in the winter wardrobe. The young man didn’t care what Lyra was wearing. In his eyes she was always adorable. However, the winter wardrobe did not strike him as particularly sexy. He liked it when some things were still left to imagination (or recollection) but he still preferred lighter clothes that did not make his girlfriend look like a yeti.

He smiled when Lyra said that she was still the same person she had been at his mother’s wedding. That was true, of course, but they weren’t the same. They were a couple now. Officially. Things had changed. The expectations were different, were higher, but at the same time there was more confidence in a way.

“Oh,” he said and nodded, “I’ll need you to help me find a nice thing to bring to your family. I want to make a good impression, after all.” He laughed nervously. The worst thing that could happen was that her parents did not approve of him and told her to break things up. He wasn’t sure how likely that was and if Lyra would let them influence her, but he didn’t want to take any risks. The best and easiest way was that he’d make a good impression. How he’d do that, however, he did not know.

Sylvain was actually quite glad that they left the café once they had paid. He grinned as Lyra said that the waiter was lucky that she was polite. “Eh, maybe he just has a bad day,” he said with a shrug and then squeezed her hand affectionately.

As Lyra kissed him and then suggested that they should get the wine later, Sylvain nodded. He licked his lips and his eyes somewhat darkened as he looked at her. “Good plan,” he breathed.

Lyra quickly apparated them home and they already kissed before they got into their flat. Finally they were inside their flat and the Bordeaux was forgotten as soon as they got out of their coats and kissed. Lyra bumped against the sofa and Sylvain grinned as he gently pulled her against himself, deepening their kiss.

[end]