Another Side

[Mason Talarico]

It was the sound of the ocean waves that first filtered into the man's mind as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Slowly, his senses woke up- the sound of seagulls searching for breakfast, the feel of the pillow under his head, the soft sounds of breathing from his girlfriend sleeping beside him. Mason blinked his eyes, lazily moving across the bed to wrap an arm around Sara so he could drift back to sleep. With his responsibilities thousands of miles away and having left strict orders as to what situations would warrant disturbing him, Mason could finally relax. Planting a kiss on the back of her shoulder, Mason's face remained there as he drifted back into dreamland.

He woke up again some time later, slowly at first and then opening his eyes again to see that the sun had fully risen this time. The man reached both hands above his head, having a good stretch before resting one of his hands on his stomach. It was the beauty of this place that led Mason felt no sense of urgency to get started on his day, no real need to do anything but just go with the flow. It was a wonderful change, and he knew that he was going to miss these Canary Islands when they had to leave. Luckily, they had only just arrived a few days ago. "Sara, what would you like to do today?" he asked, his voice deep and gravelly from having just woken up.

 

[Sara Moon]

These last few days had been blissful. Sara loved her work, and knew that it was important, but taking a break was something she cherished. Especially when said break was with one Mason Talarico. As she lay somewhere between sleeping and waking, she became conscious of movement, of Mason's arm slipping from around her. A small noise of protest left her throat as she turned back toward him, resting her head on his chest. The warmth of the sun coming in through the window prompted a smile, and yet her eyes still remained closed. She didn't want the moment to end, wherein she was completely happy. Mason's question went unanswered for a moment as she considered her answer, and traced a finger along his arm. "I love your voice in the morning."

Opening her dark eyes, Sara propped a hand under her chin as a cushion. "Let's go to the beach, laze about, swim, read and generally do very little." Moving forward, she planted a peck on Mason's cheek. "Good morning." With a sigh, she returned to her former position, in no hurry to move. She and Mason had certainly encountered difficulties, but nothing too trying. At times it felt totally surreal that she could have found him, that they could've moved from a work dynamic to a relationship, and stayed together. It seemed as though forever passed as she lay still, content to simply exist in silence. Eventually, she rose slowly from the bed, glancing at Mason as she did so, and moving to the closet to pick out her clothes for the day. A bathing suit would be necessary, and maybe some kind of sarong. "Though, I do feel like a bad tourist for not doing the historical bit, thoughts?" she mused, as she compared different outfits.

 

[Mason Talarico]

“Do you now?” he replied, the deep rumble mixed with some amusement. He gazed down at her, waiting for her reply about what she wanted to do. Yesterday, he had planned the day which had included jet skiing and then lunch on a yacht they’d rented for the afternoon. So, today it was her turn. Hearing her plan, Mason gave a slow nod. That did sound like the plans for an amazing day, particularly the ‘do very little’ bit. The two rarely had the opportunity to do just that, and it was even more rare that they managed to be doing very little at the same exact time. Their relationship wasn’t easy, but they’d somehow managed to work it out for a little over a year. The time had flown by, and it was to his utter surprise whenever Sara informed him of how long they’d been together. Mason would always have to pause and do the math himself, not because he doubted her but because it was astonishing that it was such a short amount of time. With each passing day, it became more difficult for Mason to remember a time when Sara hadn’t been in his life. Of course, he'd been just fine without her as he was sure she had been without him. Part of Sara's charm was Mason's complete understanding that she didn't need him, but she did want him in her life. Each day, they chose to work on their relationship and to be together, in a way that Mason was sure he hadn't experienced in any relationship prior. It was a challenge, but a stimulating one.

Content to remain holding her, Mason wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his hand running a trail up and down the top of her arm. The silence was comfortable, broken only by the sound of the waves and the soft murmurings of other guests who passed by on the other side of their door as they began their day. As she eventually moved for the closet, Mason remained in bed a moment longer and then decided that he really should get up and at it. He rose, stretching again. “Hmm…the paper did mention showers for this afternoon…maybe a little of both today. The beach while we can and then the village and whatever we find there a little later?” he asked, coming to a stop at the chair where the bathing suit he’d worn yesterday had been laid out to dry. He picked it up, tossing it over his shoulder as he headed for the bathroom. “I heard there’s a museum of…something in the village” he continued to speak as he headed in.

 

[Sara Moon]

This was the first time Sara had felt so comfortable in another person's company. For a long time, she had cared so much about what others thought. If she were honest with herself, she still cared, but things were different with Mason. His opinion mattered so much more than that of the general public. He loved Sara, and so she spent far less time pretending to be something she wasn't. Instead, her focus was on being better, on deserving the happiness she felt. This trip away was the perfect reminder of how lucky she was to have the man who held her. She found it a struggle to pull herself away from him, but Sara wasn't one for wasting weather like this. "That sunshine is a thing of beauty," she sighed as she elected to wear a white two piece, and her green sarong. Sara had far too many clothes, she always over-packed, wanting to be prepared for any and all possibilities. Magic had made this character flaw far less inconvenient. Mason's talk of showers prompted a pout. "Rain on my parade then Mr. Talarico," a laugh escaped her lips as she slipped into her outfit for the day. A simple t-shirt made her respectable for walking about the village if they did so later on. "Oh really? I've always been fascinated by 'something,'" she teased as her boyfriend moved out of sight. The freedom to joke about wasn't a luxury often afforded to aurors, whose occupation meant their focus was on dark and serious matters.

When they arrived, the beach was already populated. The crows weren't enormous, but large enough to create a constant murmur of activity. Lying in the sand, sunglasses in place, book in hand, Sara could almost imagine herself living this life eternally. Lying on the beach, reading at her leisure. Having a handsome man around wasn't exactly torturous either. For her part, Sara was trying not to be too absorbed by her book. She probably wasn't being a particularly attentive girlfriend, but Mason didn't need minding. "Remind me to thank you for this. This is perfect, some time away, no bad guys, no paperwork," Only half of her was focusing on the words she voiced, "Is it terrible to be unsure which of the two is more daunting?" Paperwork was a pet peeve of hers. She was good at it, and pleased when everything was organised, but keeping up to date with paperwork often felt like an impossible task. With a sigh, she placed her bookmark and rested her head against the sand. She'd always loved the feel of sand on her skin, and now found herself absentmindedly running it through her fingertips.

 

[Mason Talarico]

Donning a pair of shades, the man was in the sand, his girlfriend beside him reading a book. He wasn't doing much, watching the waves wash in and out and some boats in the far distance as they sailed on by and a little boy work on a sand castle. It really was as perfect of a vacation so far as Mason had hoped it would be. The two were able to be in their own little world, free from those worries she mentioned. He listened to Sara, a chuckle escaping his lips as she finished. "Definitely the paperwork. We're at least trained on how to deal with the bad guys" he joked. "The paperwork is its own monster." With what had happened with Amauri, Mason and the Magical Law Enforcement department head had come up with some new changes to ensure that everyone kept to standards when conducting investigations, and changes always meant more paperwork for everyone. It had been a terrible situation. He and Amauri had been friendly before then, but they hadn't spoken since. Mason couldn't believe the man's lack of humility, his inability to see where he'd gone wrong. It had been a shame to have to accept the man's resignation. He'd done such great work before that, but it was an incident that couldn't be ignored. It was either resign or be fired, and Amauri had made his decision, a wise one.

Turning his attention back to his girlfriend, Mason watched as she played with the sand. He remained silent, content to watch her. He enjoyed these quiet moments often, enjoyed watching her simply be content with life. It was easy to find those moments too. When Sara read, she was lost in whatever book she was reading, off in whatever world the book held. It was an endearing quality. "I love the beach" he said with a smile. "When I was younger, we used to go all the time, and I'd spend the day trying to make better sand castles than my brothers" he continued, recalling the memories of those times fondly. "And then one of us would inevitably get mad and destroy the other castles" he added with a chuckle, leaving out the part that it'd usually be him kicking over sand castles and starting tussles for his mother to break up.

 

[Sara Moon]

Sara was glad of this break, for Mason's sake more than her own. She knew work had been hard for him in the past while, and while the gruff exterior said otherwise, she knew he felt these things. Mason had many favourable traits, but her favourite was how much he cared about things. He thought a bit too much, she thought, but she had the same flaw so couldn't say much. With Mason, she never worried about whether she was being needy, or asking for too much, because he was her focus, not herself. This was the difference, she felt, with real love. You didn't worry or analyse as much, because the other person was more important than your insecurities. "Do you ever think we're crazy? Aurors, I mean. Other people pick these jobs where they go to work, and come home and live their lives, but out work is often such a big part of our lives. We're, like, gluttons for punishment." The words weren't harsh, or leading, simply the observation of an overactive mind. As soon as she'd learnt about aurors, she'd wanted to be one. She couldn't even remember why it had appealed to her so much, other than the fact that she'd known it was important work. It was something which could translate for her, while being amagizoology or potioneer had never been an option.

A smile fixed itself in her feautres as Mason spoke. She could imagine tiny Mason causing all sort of trouble with his family. Mischievous, that was how she imagined him. "Typical middle child," she teased, sweetening the jibe with a kiss. "I'd say your parents had their hands full with three boys." She couldn't imagine not having a sister, though she and Kate weren't as close any more, and Star was halfway around the world. She'd always felt a bit sorry for Ryan, surrounded by girls. "We used to go on holidays to the seaside in Ireland, and the four of us would run riot. I was forever breaking rules our parents set, going beyond the boundary of how far into the water we were allowed, playing with the older kids." Sara hadn't been a troublesome child, particularly, but she'd always liked to step outside the box a bit. "I remember spending a day climbing trees in the forbidden forest back in first year., with a boy called.. Gil, I think? I could never see why we weren't allowed in there." She'd begun to shape the dry sand into a mound, and sat up to search for shells to decorate the sides, placing them carefully to create a perfect circle.

 

[Mason Talarico]

Mason narrowed his gaze behind his shades as he listened to Sara. He eventually let out a low chuckle, a nod to show he agreed. "Sometimes, I think you're right." The man had certainly contemplated the idea of a more normal job once or twice before, but it had never felt right to him. This work, helping to keep New Zealand a safe place, did. And he knew Sara felt the same way. It was why the Aurors had such extensive training, he felt. He knew part of it was to help prepare them for just a small piece of what was in store. He'd always felt that it helped to weed out those who were interested in being Aurors but who didn't have the right fortitude to do this work. He smirked. "I think we're just the right kind of crazy for this work."

As she sealed her comment with a kiss, Mason raised his eyebrows. "I know. My poor mother" he agreed, knowing that the teenaged Talarico boys had been more than a handful. "Yours couldn't have had it any easier with twins" he teased back, even before he'd heard her story about her childhood. Mason tried to picture Sara as a troublemaker, likely asking why to every request they made of her. He handed over a shell he'd been playing with for a few seconds, watching as she placed them perfectly. She had a gentle touch. "And did you?" he asked as he reached for another shell. "Figure out why you weren't allowed in the forest?" he added, bringing the shell closer. He was going to attempt to place this one.

 

[Sara Moon]

Sara's plan had never involved a career change, but as she got older, and thought about the future, she often wondered if being so stubborn was practical. If she married Mason, if they had kids; would it be responsible for two aurors to rear children. What happened to Nicolas Kind was a perfect example of why their career was a dangerous one. She loved her work, she couldn't imagine doing anything else really, but she knew that there were things she loved more; her family, her friends, the man who lay next to her on the sand. "Perhaps, or maybe we're just danger junkies."

Sara took the shell Mason handed her with a smile, her creation becoming more elaborate, with different colours colliding. His question made her laugh aloud; "I met a centaur in there in my fourth year; the professors never found out I don't think, since I made prefect in fifth." A moment of reminiscing prompted more memories. "I had a habit of going to high up places; I nearly fell off the cliffs once, though I imagine they have protective enchantments in place, well I hope they do. I sat on window ledges in the castle a lot too," as she spoke she drew her knees up to her chest, raising her face to the sun, "Suffice to say, I'm not particularly good with boundaries, which isn't surprising, else I probably wouldn't have fallen for the boss." She blew a kiss to the man in question before standing to stretch. "Hmm, I feel very lazy at the moment, which is a welcome change, but also strange." She found herself kicking out her legs and shaking her arms trying to wake herself up a bit.

 

[Mason Talarico]

"I don't know if I seek danger. Not anymore, anyway. It still manages to find me though" he said, a sigh following his words. Mason lifted his glasses off of his face, wondering a bit where this was coming from. The man knew that Sara had very recently asked him for more work, and he wondered if she was regretting that decision in any way. This conversation had taken an unexpected turn. "Anything we need to talk about, Ms. Moon?" he asked playfully, though there was some genuine concern in there as well especially in his eyes. He had thought that all was well with her and work. He'd taken note of her request and made sure to set his own feelings and his worry of other people's feelings aside to ensure that she received new cases just as often as the other Aurors.

The change in subject was welcome and he settled his glasses back onto his face as he listened to Sara. It was something he could do all day, her accent and manner of speaking utterly captivating. He chuckled at her story and kept chuckling as she spoke about her more recent issues with boundaries. Settling onto his back, Mason watched Sara stand and stretch. "Can't say I'm any better" he admitted, a grin on his face. He really was quite alright with this particular boundary issue. It thankfully hadn't been a huge issue at work. He'd heard some whispers in the department in the beginning, but it appeared that people had gotten used to the idea quickly enough. Or they'd just been more discreet with their whispers. Mason wasn't sure which if he was being honest. "Embrace it, love" he said, lifting his glasses and nodding his head towards some clouds. "Those don't look good. The rain was supposed to hold out until the afternoon" he complained.

 

[Sara Moon]

Smiling, Sara shook her head, "No, you know I love my job, but I never took the time to wonder why I wanted to be an auror so much. I guess this is what happens when I have time to think, I get nostalgic. I just wonder will we always be aurors, whether life will intervene in some way, but that probably isn't helpful thinking." She didn't want to scare Mason off with talk of children just yet. "As soon as I knew about magic and started researching the wizarding world, I knew what I wanted to be, and my sister thought I was crazy." Mason quite probably hadn't had the same problem, given that wizarding families more often saw having an auror in the family as a point of pride.

"Well, we've been pretty lucky with the weather so far, a bit of rain won't do us any harm. I quite like rain, it's comforting; reading weather. You light the fire and curl up. The sound of rain," trailing off she found herself shaking her head at her own words, grinning at the thought of nights as a child when she'd kept her curtains open to see the droplets. Rain reminded her of home. Rain was almost a constant in Ireland, given the winds coming across the Atlantic. She didn't go home enough, but she was so busy here. Shielding her eyes, she took a glance at the clouds which were imminent. "We could go to your museum of something, if you like?" She turned to her boyfriend, still standing and enjoying the feel of the sand between her feet, her tone playful. "It doesn't look like it'll be a particular bad shower, we could just wait it out? What do you think?" As she spoke, she could begin to feel the first drops on her head. It would be a few minutes before the rain began in earnest, and the small droplets were actually quite pleasant, she raised her face to feel the little bits of relief from the heat.

 

[Mason Talarico]

Mason was glad to hear that there wasn't cause for concern with regards to Sara. He was happy to hear that she continued to love her work, in spite of the difficulties that had come with the past few years. They had not been easy for Sara, but she had persevered and fought her way back into active duty. Mason didn't impress easy, but he'd always been impressed by Sara's attitude from the beginning when she'd found herself in a hospital bed, a result of her injuries during a mission. "I just hope if life intervenes, it is because we wanted it to and not because the choice was taken from us" he said, a somber tone that thankfully did not remain for long as Sara continued on. He always forget she was a muggleborn. It was such a non-issue in their relationship, aside from the joke every now and then when she referenced something muggle that completely confused the man whose knowledge of muggles was quite limited in comparison to hers. "Weeeeeeell," Mason raised his eyebrows jokingly as if he was still considering her sanity himself.

As the droplets began to fall, few and far between, Mason shrugged his shoulders. He was fine with either, though it was hard to tell if this was just a passing shower or something that would last for a while. While he considered, Mason stood up, stretching beside Sara, his muscles protesting at having to do work when they'd been idle for a few hours. Other people around them were packing up, jogging for some shelter but here they stood, willing the storm to do its best. At least they had magic, and it was simple enough to make sure that the things that shouldn't get wet didn't. Really, it was only her book that would suffer lasting damage if this rain continued and he took care of that in a quick moment, stepping in front of Sara and wrapping his arms around her. He planted a kiss on her lips before speaking. "I think we should head to our museum of something" he grinned, still holding onto her.

 

[Sara Moon]

Her mouth twisting, Sara couldn't help wishing she hadn't voiced those particular thoughts. She didn't like to create too much reason for Mason to become his serious self. He worked so hard, spent so much time dealing with such complex and important matters. When they were alone, when he could relax, she wanted to make sure that he could do so. His joking tone made her laugh, but she flicked some sand at her boyfriend with the tip of her toe, glad they were back on a more jovial path. "Weeellll, you're the one dating a crazy girl, so.." God, she loved him. If you'd told tiny, little girl Sara that she would love someone this much, she'd have been joyous. If you'd told teenage Sara she wouldn't have believed it. She hardly believed it now. There were times when she felt so content that she imagined she was dreaming or some such.

As Mason stood, Sara was almost oblivious, having raised her face to the sky. The touch of his lips to hers, however, brought her back to reality. "Mmm, maybe," for a moment she contented herself with tucking her head against his chest as he held her. "You should be prepared for me to pay you absolutely no attention once I become engrossed in whatever something is, much as I love you, I have my faults and liking to learn, to a point of being somewhat anti-social is one of them." Taking one more moment enjoying being so close to him, she finally stepped away with a sigh, gathering their things before taking Mason's hand to head toward the village, asking a local which way the museum was, only to learn that it was, in fact, a museum of salt. "Wow, salt. How much can one learn about salt?" She was beaming at this stage, it was such a mundane thing, the thought of an entire museum dedicated to salt made her giggle. Once the man had moved out of earshot she turned to Mason, grinning, "It must be about salt mining, or perhaps salt fields since these are islands, that would make more sense. It must have been a big industry here. Ugh, I love museums!" Her pace quickening, she cared not that she was giddy over the idea of a salt museum; it would be fun!

 

[Mason Talarico]

A storm could have raged around them and Mason would have been content to remain rooted where he was, toes in the sand and Sara tucked against him. He breathed her in as he listened to her words, a laugh rumbling through his chest and out of his lips. "I'd expect nothing less, Ms. Moon" he laughed in response. It was true. Her undivided attention to whatever she happened to be learning was a thing of wonder. He'd never met someone who could get quite so engrossed, but it was a gift that Sara possessed in spades. Mason knew he'd be second fiddle to whatever happened to be in the museum- the man's thick accent had made it unclear to Mason where they'd be heading...and he'd figured it could be nothing too alarming so he'd taken it in stride, figuring it'd be fun regardless. But, what Sara didn't know, or perhaps she did, he was never sure, was that while she was truly engrossed, he would be too, though it wouldn't be in the museum. It would be on Sara, watching her as she watched and learned. It was one of Mason's favorite pastimes. They eventually separated, though their hands remained linked and Mason carried his things and had offered to carry hers as well as they searched for the museum, the rain growing heavier as they made their way. It looked as if they'd made the right decision.

While Sara stopped to ask a local who was rushing by, Mason took a look around, taking note of their surroundings. Small shops dotted the street, full for the moment as tourists had ducked in searching for cover. He blinked at Sara, having only been sparing the briefest of attention as she'd learned the directions. "What? Salt, did you say?" he said, sure he'd heard wrong. He shrugged his shoulders, wondering the very same thing and marvelling at the fact that Sara was still interested, judging by the fact that she was pulling him along to this place. "Are you s-well OK then" he said, as they kept going. He'd spotted the look on her face and knew this was happening, so he had better get on board. It was the large skeleton that Mason spotted first, its shape resembling that of a whale. Figuring that made about as much sense as a museum dedicated to salt, Mason reached for the door to the white building, holding it open for Sara. Ducking in, Mason ran a hand through his hair, droplets flying off in different directions as he took a look around. There were only a few people inside, though an enthusiastic person quickly rushed over to usher them in, handing Sara a map. "I'll catch up. Let me go pay" he said, urging her to begin looking.

 

[Sara Moon]

Sara was soaked through, she quickly cast a drying spell non-verbally on her feet. They wouldn't dry immediately, muggles might notice, but she would certainly dry faster than without magic. Her hair was damp, and falling around her face in a mess of wet curls. As Mason went to pay, she quickly pecked him on the cheek before beginning her trek around the museum. Quickly, she learned there were two aspects to the museum, and indoor exhibit and the outdoor salt fields. As she read the panels, she quickly became absorbed. She barely noticed whether Mason had returned or not "They extract it using natural evaporation, but this place has been used since the 1800s! They definitely couldn't have understood the exact science of it, but still, it's impressive. There must have been an instigator, I mean I know the practice didn't start here per se, but some individual or group who figured it out in the first place." Different photographs and illustrations explained how the different evaporation ponds worked. She knew there had once been salt extraction in Dublin somewhere, she couldn't pinpoint where exactly, her father would probably know. Another panel revealed that the salt here was totally individual. Still not properly acknowledging her boyfriend, she laughed "It's red! Well, reddish. I wonder if you can buy some...." While this mightn't have been the most engrossing topic for most, Sara liked to learn. To her, this was not simple science. If one stopped and thought about all the people who must've depended on these salt fields for a livelihood, for work, for their family. This was human history.

Outside, the rain persisted and as she devoured the information on the walls, she desperately wished it were drier so they could wander out of doors to see the salinas. As she turned to gaze across the maze of rectangular ponds, she could see droplets landing heavily. "I imagine that can't be good for the evaporation process, it probably slows things down," she sighed, finally turning to look for Mason. "I'm going to get some salt!" she announced, smiling as she strode toward the shop. She didn't doubt that her partner was probably amused by her interest, but he'd fallen for the woman who'd spent weeks happily poring over ancient auror texts, he'd known what he was getting into.

 

[Mason Talarico]

Mason took his time paying the suggested donation price for the museum. He glanced back once, seeing Sara already lost in reading the panels next to the exhibits, returning to her side in time to hear the tail end of her conversation with herself. He trailed behind, a look of amusement on his face, giving only a mere glance to each exhibit as he followed. Every so often, he'd murmur a quick 'interesting' as they walked. This wasn't exactly his cup of tea. He liked museums well enough, but a salt museum was a stretch for him. Sara seemed to be enjoying it well enough though, if her talking was any indication. She enjoyed learning for learning's sake. It was one of the first things he'd learned about her, and it was why he kept pushing her to one day consider training other Aurors. He needed Aurors like her, ones who were willing to learn new techniques and keep up with the times of their changing New Zealand. And he knew she'd prove to be a good teacher, if she ever decided it was something she wanted to do. Mason would never force the position on her. She was good in the field, a quick thinker and a resourceful witch. And she still had her best years ahead of her. Sara hadn't even hit thirty yet. Their age was not something that Mason thought about too often anymore. It certainly did come up now and then, him wondering whether she'd one day be interested in being with someone closer to her age. Her maturity made it easy for him to forget that the gap was as large as it was. But, when he looked at her, as he was now, watching her move enthusiastically from one part of the museum to another, it was a reminder of this difference.

"Right behind you, Sara." With a nod, Mason watched her head for the shop. He slowly followed along, entering a small shop off to the side. It was much more crowded than the museum had been, people killing time as the rain continued to pour down. He turned right, sparing a glance at an assortment of salt shaker before making his way to a bunch of T-shirts, most of them alcohol related. Amused by this, Mason kept sifting through as he waited for Sara to finish up. He was glad she'd enjoyed this. Their lives were stressful, so he knew to treasure moments like this when they were able to enjoy things without fear of being called in.

 

[Sara Moon]

Somewhere in her subconscious, Sara was aware that this was perhaps less intriguing for Mason. Her paramour was an intelligent man, no doubt, but she didn't think this was really his cup of tea. As she bought the bag of reddish-salt, she suddenly became aware that she was alone. Where was Mason? Wandering around the tiny shop, she could see no sign of him. A quick trip around the museum bore no fruit either. He'd probably wandered somewhere. It took her a moment to spot the second shop. Stepping through the door, it wasn't too difficult to spot Mason. He was tall, for one thing, but she could've recognised him purely due to his stance. Poised as though he were ready for action at any moment; a common trait among aurors. She worried about him. He worked so hard, and there was so much responsibility on his shoulders. Moving to the side, she hoped he didn't notice her observing him. Leaning casually against the wall, she watched him as he worked his way through the rack of shirts, her head tilted to one side. She'd gotten so lucky. Sara had never truly expected to find a man who could understand her career, her drive and ambition. Yet, here she was, living with one, who not only understood, but shared those values. She knew Mason would've liked her to go into training new aurors. Sara could see why she would suit such a role, and had considered it before, perhaps after she had children. With a start, she wondered idly if Mason thought about such things. Straightening a little, she made her way over to her boyfriend.

She greeted him by wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him from behind, "Hello handsome. I've been neglecting you. Thank you for this, I enjoyed myself, look." She held up the salt with a grin, though he couldn't see her face. She knew the museum visit had been more for her benefit than his, and for the purpose of avoiding the rain. "Mason, do you ever wonder about the future? I'm always wondering about it, what Kate's kids will be like when they're older, when Ryan and Star will settle down a bit." The museum, and watching him, had left her in a pensive mood, not demanding an immediate, or even a serious answer. She couldn't help imagining herself in ten or twenty year's time. It had ceased to surprise her that Mason featured in these daydreams. He was a big part of her life now, one of the most important parts, and she was no longer afraid to admit that she wanted her life linked with his.

 

[Mason Talarico]

It was the mark of an Auror to be far more aware of their surroundings than the average person, so he gave a quick, brief glance to the doorway, noticing Sara come through it. His attention quickly went back to the shirts, comfortable enough in knowing that if anything went awry right now, the one person he'd trust to have his back was there. Mason briefly noted that Sara hadn't reached his side yet, he'd expected to her to be there already, and just as he was about to turn to look for her, there she was, her arms wrapping around his waist. He lifted his arms up slightly, a chuckle rumbling through his chest as he gave her more room to hug him. The man certainly didn't mind the attention and figured he could use her neglect of him to his advantage. "I'm glad" he replied, a grin as he saw the bag of salt they'd be taking home with them. He twisted slightly so that they were facing each other and stared into her eyes for a long moment. As she said his name, Mason gave a small nod to show her that she had all of his attention. Forget the fact that they were blocking the aisle. As she continued, Mason kept his smile, though it froze slightly on his face. Pensive Sara was a dangerous Sara, in his eyes. He wasn't sure what to expect when pensive Sara came out. As he listened on, the smile left Mason's face as he considered her question. The answer wasn't simple for Mason, though he could see that she was speaking more about family. In that sense, the answer was an easy and happy yes. "Of course. I always wonder about my nieces and nephew. My parents and how they're getting older. My grandad" he added with emphasis. The man, Mason's role model, had just spent some time in the hospital. He was doing better but for a little while, it had been pretty rough for the family.

Reaching for her hand, Mason led them to the door and out. The rain had stopped a short time ago, leaving massive water filled potholes throughout the street. The ominous clouds were falling away, moving safely past the small town they were calling home for their vacation. Already people were making their way back into the street, but no one seemed in a rush as they mosied along. Mason walked a bit before he replied, clearing his throat before he did. "And I think about us, of course. And what next year will look like for us and the year after that...and the years after that" he continued as if he'd been talking since they left the shop. For Mason, there was no doubt that Sara was the woman he wanted to continue exploring life with. He'd dated plenty, but with Sara it was like he was experiencing everything anew. Even Sara didn't stop the worst of his future thoughts, however. Mason knew that he and Sara had chosen what was likely the most dangerous career in their world, choosing to put themselves in the direct line of fire against the darkest of wizards. The Scitorari were their biggest threat but not their only one, and there was always the very real threat that one of them not making it home. Mason tried his best to not think about this, knowing nothing good could come from dwelling on such thoughts, but they still lurked in the dark corners of his mind. Forcing a smile, Mason nudged her slightly, happy with the warmth she provided as they continued to walk. "Why do you ask?" he said, trying to keep his tone light.

 

[Sara Moon]

Sara Moon was not a simple woman, she never really had been. Quieting her mind was one of her daily challenges. Surprisingly, however, her relationship with Mason had become relatively simple. They disagreed at times, yes, but problems were aired and they moved on. She'd never thought she would become a person who could communicate that way. In reality, it wasn't easy, but wanting to be with the man she held, meant wanting to work on it. When Mason mentioned his grandfather, she pressed him a little harder, wanting to express support without voicing it. She knew he worried, the man cared so much. She could understand that. Many of Sara's difficulties had stemmed from caring a little too much; her grades dropped when Kate was unwell, her mind had been all over the place when her brother had started acting out. Sara had eventually done the same, though she was back on the straight and narrow now.

Exiting the building, she imagined she might've thrown Mason a bit with that question. They'd never discussed where their relationship was going, not really, but she'd never thought it was necessary. She saw her future with Mason in it. She'd never questioned whether he did too, she'd always assumed so. He'd taken a big risk even beginning to see her in the first place. Mason Talarico wasn't a man who didn't think things through in her experience. As such, when Mason spoke, she wasn't expecting it, and squeezed his hand, smiling at his awkwardness. When he finished his statement, she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "You feature quite prominently in my future plans too," a laugh escaped her as she continued to walk. She felt she may have worried him a bit, and his question, she felt, confirmed that suspicion. "It's just, in the museum, I was looking at it all, and it was interesting, but they're lives y'know? It's not just facts, there were people who relied on that place, people for whom that was how they supported their families, and did they ever think forward? Did one of them wonder if one day people would learn about their craft in the very place they once worked? What was their future has become our past, and someday our future will be our past. Sitting in a rocking chair, old as the hills with grandchildren and thinking back to days like today, or the day we met, or when I blurted out my feelings in the middle of a manic rant, and it's terrifying, but exciting." She'd shown her hand a bit, but that didn't bother Sara. If Mason hadn't seen by now that she wanted to spend her life with him, then he wasn't as intelligent as she'd credited him to be. It was true that she didn't express her feelings particularly frequently, and while it had taken her a long while to say it, she loved the man who held her hand more than she'd thought was possible for her.

 

[Mason Talarico]

Mason smiled, ready to grab her up right then and there. "Good" he murmured, a hint of arrogance in his voice as if he expected nothing less. A much younger Mason would have appeared even more cocky, but age had mellowed the man out quite a bit, though he rarely lacked for confidence. It was really only in this relationship, and only in small moments like this, when his confidence swayed a bit though it was usually quick to recover. In moments when Mason was aware of his age and Sara's youth and beauty, and wondering whether she really, truly wanted to waste it on an old man like himself. Mason had spent the first year of their relationship convincing himself that they would just have a bit of fun and hoped he'd be able to salvage a decent working relationship when things went awry. As the first year drifted into the next, Mason had opened up more hoping they'd at least continue to be friends even if things didn't work out. Now, Mason was quite on the verge of not knowing what would happen. Of course, he'd go on if their relationship didn't work out, he'd have to, but it was a painful thing to even think about. So he chose not to.

Mason listened to Sara with an amused expression on his face. He always loved to hear what was going on in that brilliant mind of hers, and hearing just how she'd viewed everything in the museum made him wish that he'd actually given the place a chance. For Mason, it had simply been a place to stay dry. For Sara, it had been a channel for her to view her own world. She was fascinating. Mason let her words sit for a moment, not because they made him uncomfortable. No, it was more that he was letting the image open up before him, imagining an old Sara and an even older him sitting, having lived their lives to the fullest and happily retired, enjoying the thing they both valued - family. Eventually Mason nodded his head slowly, not only accepting the image that had come to mind but appreciating it as well. "I think I'll enjoy telling our grandchildren that story" he smiled, teasing her. "It'll be the story they hear so much that they'll be able to tell it to us when we're too old to remember it ourselves" he said with a nod, quite liking the sound of that. After another long moment of silence and with the hotel in sight, Mason spoke again. "Sara. One day soon I'm going to propose to you. When I can do it right. A ring, bells, whistles. You're it for me" he admitted quietly.

 

[Sara Moon]

Sometimes, Sara was very aware of quite how different she and Mason were. It wasn't a negative though, not at all. She felt she needed him, as though he calmed her, made her more mature as it were. She'd never been tempted, not for a moment, by another man. She'd known from early on that Mason Talarico was uniquely special to her. Rolling her eyes at his comment, she found herself wishing they weren't going back to New Zealand. These few days had been utter bliss, losing herself in time with Mason without distractions. Realistically, however, she knew she needed the stimulation of the outside world, no matter how much she was enjoying living in a bubble with him. As they strolled along, she stepped in puddles and kicked at the water, not minding her feet getting wet. Sometimes it was nice to just care a little less about all of life's little happenstance moments and focus on what was important, and to her that was the man who walked beside her. When he spoke about their future, she found herself grinning. A few short years ago, she couldn't have seen herself dating someone seriously, let alone discussing the possibility of having a family together. Oddly though, the idea of a family with Mason didn't frighten her in the least. How natural it seemed, the thought of sitting with Mason in her old age and watching a new generation of Talarico's grow.

Mason's next words threw her a bit and she went quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond. She and Mason teased each other, and they fought, but neither of them were particularly expressive individuals. Little moments such as this meant more for that very reason. As she smiled to herself thinking of Mason on one knee, she found her eyes had become suspiciously wet. She was it. Well, so was he. She needed Mason. She could survive without him, she could live without him, but she needed him in order to be the happiest she could be. Raising a hand to her cheek to wipe away the tear that had worked its way down her face, she looked up at him and smiled, "Good," echoing his earlier words. Without uttering another syllable she stepped forward on tiptoe to bring her lips to his. A life with Mason was one she was not only prepared for, but excited for.