“I hope you’re not trying to get me with the same prank twice,” She quipped, the corners of her lips curving into a half mile… "You do know I won’t fall for that trick twice, Harrison," she replied, a hint of playfulness lace in their, adding to their banter that Harrison was more than willing to encourage and continue. “I had known that your brain held more multitudes than to fall for cheap trick twice, that is why, dear aquila, it is a different thing that reside inside,” Harrison lips quirked and his eyes were filled with playful glee. “Maybe instead of insects it shall be a snake or a rat there,” Harrison teased, knowing that what inside the mysterious box was far from snake or rodents, but he knew that Dahlia shall be annoyed at his jests, and Harrison always loved to tease people.
She turned around, a facade of mock annoyance visible on her face and he surrender, hands up in the air as he gave a promise. He held no tricks inside the box, her face had softened to that of a smile and with the next of her words, Harrison could not himself but to tease again. “And what if I broke that promise? Shall you punish me? and I fulfill it, shall you reward me?” He asked, his face closer to her’s as he closed his eyes and smiled, opening it to chuckle. “If I impress you with the gift, can i get a reward?” Harrison asked.
He did not know what exactly he wanted for a reward or if Dahlia shall agree. But he was fond of teasing her and of good friendly banter. Dahlia was always ready to retort to his banter too, instead of shying away and blushing or getting offended, making their play filled with enjoyment. He was glad at the way their relationship had shifted from how it was in the start- after all, he had first known Aquila as Dahlia Thornwood his sister’s friend, that was all she was to him from the start and he seldom interacted with her.
He used to have a tendency to ignore her, and to brush her off when she tried to speak to him, and tended to be quite displeasing. It was not that he had at first disliked her or anything, he did not dislike her, there was nothing to dislike but it was quite complicated and his sister had all so kindly ask for him to not behave with Dahlia the same way he behaved with other ladies, so he did just that- he did not talk much with her. But during celebrations, and during his travels he would still get her souvenirs and gifts
as in his eyes, being his sister’s close friend, she was part of the family. Then after the first gift, and after he had his first conversation with the lady, he had ignored her the next day, simply because he was amused at her reaction and he wanted to jest with her, to see what she shall do.
She did nothing and they returned to normal, till that faithful in which they had become friends. That day, she had no longer simply been Dahlia Arabella Thornwood, but she had also become aquila. A friend of his. His eyes twinkled as she agreed to guess. She was thinking hard about it, and Harrison wondered what were all of her thoughts.
Finally, she had spoke again, drifting from her thoughts as she thought she had the answer. She guessed- a book, a journal, and then a letter and Harrison shook his head. A smile upon his lips, he knew she shall not guess it, after all it was hard to guess. “Wrong, wrong, and wrong” He teased as he began to upon the gift. He opened the box and retrieved a smaller box with her initials in it- D.A.T. written in lavender. “A keepsake box,” He told her, “i constructed it myself,” He opened the brown- keepsake box and inside there was a quill, and many other souvenirs from places he had traveled to. Poetry and novels from different countries as Harrison knew that Dahlia loved to read. There was also olive oil from italy, golden earnings from mali, from flamenco shawls from spain and casnetes and a watch meant for the wrists. Wrist watches where still a new invention, and Harrison owned many due to his fascination with them, but this new watch he was giving to her was a new and expensive silver one he had gotten made in Asia. There was also another watch, a pocket watch instead of a wrist watch. “And before I forget, here,” He reached inside his pocket, giving her two letters- one from Angelina, and the other one from him. It was a small drawing of venice, a beautiful city where his grandparents resided and he knew that Dahlia shall enjoy. “You have never been to italy have you?” he questioned, “italy is very beautiful, especially venice and rome. Maybe one day, I shall accompany you there and you shall meet my grandparents.” He told her.
He had showed her the gifts, explaining all the nations each gift came from and the story behind them, because Harrison always loved to tell a tale, it what he did best, telling tales and riddles. He told her of how he had a strange encounter with a priest from italy, and as a reward the priest gave him olive oil that was ‘blessed by God’ as he said. He told her of how he was in mali and was amazed by all the gold he saw and requested for jewerly to be made for each of his siblings and or her. He told her a lot of information about the gifts, and how he had constructed the box with his hands and equipment himself. “I am a man of many talents am i not? I bet you did not know I was also a carpenter,” He told her, “I learnt it last year,” He continued, not adding more to that or explaining why because it was best kept a secret.
The conversation had shifted to that of romance, and Harrison could not help but to tease her even more because of that. He had told her that perhaps he shall live up to his name as thief of hearts and he shall steal her’s, and she responded with even more jest and banter. “I am a charming man of many words after all. I am quite selfish am I not?” He continued, “I have both the charm, the humor and the looks, i have stolen so many good traits from many men who lack them.” He winked, “Just like you have done the same, have you not?” He said, calling her beautiful, charming and humorous.
He flickered her forehead gently, congratulating her for her debut. She thanked him, referring to him by that nickname and Harrison groaned at that nickname, face in his hands. “have I not told you, to not refer to me as that?” He questioned. “I still do not know why you insists on calling me insecte.” He said as he crossed his arms with a pout. He brought up Angelina, remembering to tell dahlia, what Angelina had made him promise to tell her. “Of course I shall tell her, the household was getting boring without the two of you giggling and entertaining yourselves.”
A lil bit low quality but @Megan - Dahlia