Aetiyu

[The Painted Lady]

Elmyra smiled fondly as Zack moved past with a sleeping Ashlynn in his arms, gently and briefly stroking her hair. It was clear the children were going to be Zack's best weapon of defence.

"Hi Mom," Aerith whispered, greeting her mother with a kiss.

Elmyra rubbed Ynyr's arm gently, before looking up to Aerith.
"I haven't made up the children's beds yet, but they can sleep on yours for now," she said softly.
"Not too long though, otherwise they'll never sleep tonight."

[Tifa Lockhart]

"Sure thing." Zack said softly, kissing his little girl's forehead before he headed for the room that he knew they were usually given to stay in, very gently settling the little girl down and pulling the covers over her before leaning over to stroke her tiny face, a look of fatherly adoration on his face before he finally moved away to let her sleep, offering Aerith some assistance should she require it before moving their bags into the room out of the room.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith carefully lowered Ynyr beside his sister, who immediately curled to the body beside her. Aerith smiled, tucking them in gently before she headed back down to her mother.
"I guess we have a lot of explaining to do..."

"Yes, that you do," Elmyra said, raising an eyebrow.
"We might as well have a drink over it. What would you like?"

"Just tea for me Mom," Aerith replied quietly.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Something alcoholic? Zack was thinking to himself, but he knew better than that and so asked for the same as Aerith with a small smile, "Would you like a hand with that Mrs. Gainsborough?" He offered warmly.

[The Painted Lady]

"If you so wish Zack," Elmyra said as she moved to put the kettle on the boil, not refusing the offer for a change.
"Honey, sugar, milk?" she asked both Zack and Aerith.

"A little milk and honey for me..." Aerith started, trailing off as she heard a call from upstairs. Clearly someone had woken up already.
"I'll get it," Aerith assured, touching Zack's arm gently.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack glanced upstairs as he heard the call, but upon Aerith reassurance he smiled.
"Thanks Angel." He said, kissing her softly before he moved off to help Elmyra with the drinks. He was silent for a few minutes, nervous about what to say, but eventually he chose to speak anyway.
"You look well." He said cautiously, his heart pounding as he tried to think about how he would breach this conversation with Aerith's mother.

[The Painted Lady]

Elmyra looked at Zack strangely. Perhaps she wasn't as intuitive as her daughter, but she could tell when something was out of place.
"Zack, it's me" she said, stopping and placing a hand on her hip.
"If you want to say something, just say it, hm?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack wrung his hands nervously for a moment before he hurried over to the kitchen door, peeking out to make sure Aerith was not nearby to overhear before he pulled the door shut and turned to Elmyra. He inhaled deeply and then shifted from foot to foot, horrifically nervous.
"M-Mrs Gainsborough, I know i'm a little behind b-but... i should very much like to marry your daughter... w-with your permission." He kept his gaze nervous cast down to the floor.

[The Painted Lady]

Strangely enough, Elmyra started laughing quietly.
"You are a little behind, I'll give you that... And really, stop calling me 'Mrs Gainsborough' - it makes me feel frightfully old."
She smiled.
"You make Aerith happy, and that's more than enough reason for me to let you marry her..."
She looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Just promise me these mad things you call 'adventures' will settle down a little. All you two seem to do is attract trouble."
"Be grateful Aerith doesn't have a father for you to contend with!"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack blushed heavily, relieved that Elmyra had granted him permission without too much of a lecture.
"Thankyou Mrs- uh, Elmyra." He rubbed the back of his head with a nervous laugh, "Whenever things like that happen i try to make her stay... but she just wouldn't..." He sighed and shook his head, "I've been trying so hard to stop all the dangerous stuff, but it finds me... you have my solemn word that i will do everything in my power to stop the dangerous excursions... i've too much at stake now." He silently asked permission of whatever men in the lifestream wanted to stake claim as Aerith's father, not wanting to risk anything, even revenge driven spirits XD

[The Painted Lady]

Elmyra sighed.
"Yes, I know my daughter. Sometimes I think that she's attracted to trouble."
"Which would explain why she's with you," she said, looking up to Zack with a laugh.
She paused.
"I know by now that I don't have to ask you to take care of her... but, just do, okay?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack blushed slightly, reminding himself in his head to try and take her comment as a compliment rather than an insult XD He then pressed his fist to his heart and bowed his head, "You have my sworn oath that i will look after Aerith with every fiber of my being."

[The Painted Lady]

"Good, now look sharp," Elmyra said, passing Zack two mugs of tea.
"I can hear the children coming down the stairs."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack took the mugs that Elmyra passed him, and with a small smile he turned to leave the kitchen.
"Enjoy your nap tikes?" He asked with a grin as he passed Aerith her mug and smiled to his children. He seemed a lot happier now, the pressure had been taken off of him when Elmyra had granted him permission.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith received her tea with a kiss, watching as Ashlynn all but ignored her father to run over to greet Elmyra with a hug.

"Hello dear," Elmyra smiled, crouching down to hug her granddaughter back gently.
"I trust you've been good for your mother and father, hm?"

Ashlynn nodded enthusiastically, looking over her shoulder for her brother.
"We've been good."

Elmyra kissed the top of the little girl's head gently.
"Did you two want something to eat or drink?"

"Grandma cookies?" Ashlynn asked hopefully.

Elmyra laughed, looking to Ynyr.
"Do you want some cookies too?"