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Edwina was finishing the last touches on their dinner she was preparing. Usually it was Brettany who cooked more often, but from time to time Edwina didn’t shy from the kitchen either. Especially today she was in a good mood and although she was tired after researching the whole day and contacting people for future videos, it was the good kind of tired after a busy day. Plus she wanted to make food for her partner for a change.
She was feeling comfortable in their Venus merch t-shirt, which she was still mindful of to not get dirty from the cooking, long hair pulled into a loose ponytail that tickled her a little bit on the nape of her neck when she swayed from side to side to the soft tones of the Sarasate’s Spanish Dances playing in the background,.
She hummed the melody along with the radio for a while, when she heard the keys opening the main door, meaning Brett was finally home.
“Hey Win, can you help me out, I don’t want to drop this.” Brettany called from the hallway, and when Edwina made her way to greet them, she saw Brettany was almost invisible behind all the packages and bags they were carrying.
“Hi, Brett- wow, what’s all this?”
“Oh, you know, along with the groceries I also went by this cool shop today and bought some stuff. I couldn’t resist when I saw this in their window.” Edwina finally found their face when Brettany handed her the box that was most difficult to hold, smiling up at her from ear to ear.
Edwina knew how much Brett liked to go thrift shopping and always came home with a bunch of knickknacks - not always useless things, but they could seem like that at a first glance.
No, she knew there was always some purpose why they liked and bought it. And even if they were now financially more or less stable, thanks to their Twoset Viola channel and some of the teaching jobs here and there that they both couldn’t resist taking on, Edwina knew Brettany wasn’t one to spend overly too much money on stuff they didn't need. More often than not, it had some sentimental value to her partner, so Edwina didn’t mind. It was worth seeing them so happy over even the smallest of trinkets.
(Once Brettany brought home a set of three smallest cutest frog sculptures, set them on an empty spot on the shelf beside their wedding pictures with the utmost care, and took a few steps back, admiring them. It was the most adorable and fascinating scene Edwina has ever seen.)
Edwina sighed internally looking down at the box that ended up in her hands as Brettany put the grocery bags on the floor and went to hang their coat and switch out of the shoes, and chuckled when she saw what was it this time that Brett couldn't leave behind in the shop. “Brett? Love, is this a lava lamp?”
“Yeah, it is! It’s so cool, right? I always wanted one.” Brettany stood up on their tiptoes to reach Edwina and greet her properly with a long kiss after a long day spent apart, although a bit awkwardly around the box between them. Edwina could feel the chill of the outside weather still on Brettany’s chapped lips, thinking already ahead she would need to put some lip balm into their bag for the next day, if the weather was supposed to get more cold.
“Welcome home. You’re lucky I love lamp.” Edwina couldn’t help but shake her head at Brettany's new acquisition, but still smiled fondly at them and leaned into the touch when Brettany cupped her cheek (with still a very cold hand), tracing a thumb along her cheekbone, then swept back a strand of her long blonde hair that was falling into her face back behind her ear, placing a kiss on the ear as well.
“Hey, baby. I'm glad to be home again. And I know you love lamps, that's one of the reasons I bought it. It will look so pretty in our living room.” Brettany grinned widely at her. Then their eyes moved towards the kitchen when the smell of food reached her, and back to Edwina. “Do I smell dinner? Did you cook? I thought you were busy with the videos today. I was ready to order us something.”
Edwina looked down almost sheepishly, never used to the amazement directed at her even after four years of being married to the wonderful person in front of her. “Yeah, it’s almost ready, I needed a break and was feeling like cooking today. It’s been a while and I wanted homemade curry.”
“Yay! It smells delicious, I can’t wait.” Brettany took the box back from Edwina's hands, kissed her once more, and made their way to the living room, already in the process of unwrapping the box. Edwina put the grocery bags into the kitchen, and then followed Brett as they set the lamp on a shelf where it would be safe, plucking it into an electric socket to warm up. The colors were warm tones of orange and red hues. Brett watched it for a little while, eyes transfixed on the lamp as the wax inside the glass started to float.
“Okay, I admit, it’s pretty nice.” Edwina hugged Brettany's waist from behind, enveloping their hands in hers to try and warm them up a bit, feeling them melt into her embrace. She left few kisses along their neck where she got access to the skin there not hidden by the sweater.
“Just the right mood for a romantic dinner.” Brettany turned halfway to place a few kisses on Edwina's cheek and lips where they could reach, and wiggled their eyebrows at her suggestively.
Edwina hid her face in their short black locks, shaking her head again at the antics, before unwrapping herself from her partner with a sigh, muttering “The things I do for you.”
After making sure the curry and rice still needed a few more minutes before it was done, Brettany went to take a quick shower. Meanwhile Edwina sat at their piano, lazily playing with one hand the melody of the Saratase dances still stuck in her mind from listening to it before, and watched as the lava lamp warmed up slowly, casting the dimly lit living room around her into a beautiful sunset colors, as well as throwing lazy reflections on the varnish of the piano.
“How was your day, anyway? Did the kids behave?” Edwina asked when Brettany came back, dressed in their favorite pants and baggy sweatshirt, toweling their hair, and started preparing the table for dinner.
Usually on Wednesdays Brettany was teaching a few kids to play violin and viola. They loved teaching, just as much as they loved doing the youtube videos and playing on the instruments when they could and had time. There was something so pure in seeing the child’s joy when they got something right, when they connected the dots on how to progress in learning their pieces, or just seeing the love for classical music reaching more and more people, even online from the reviews and feedback they got under their videos.
Edwina didn’t mind teaching either, but preferred doing research for their new videos and gathering ideas for future projects; carefully designing and analyzing plans and putting together information for future topics they had wanted to create videos for.
Sometimes they liked to play around and have fun just the two of them, playing viola or violins and guessing random things, depending on the game. So often these games ended with one or both of them almost crying from laughter, clutching their belly or sliding down the wall out of breath from laughing so much, their chaotic sides taking on new levels.
Lately, with their more serious videos, they started opening up about intersecting topics, either related to them personally, or relatable to other fellow musicians, often with guests as well, so they could bring better input for the final result.
They didn’t open up about their personal lives much beyond stating the facts that, yes, they were happily together and married for a few years. Edwina opened up a few times about being trans and the journey of discovering herself, but Brettany all but mentioned their preffered pronouns, then gave a nod to the camera and left it at that. Edwina had smiled and gave a nod Brett's way, then a nod to the camera as well, and then they both moved on discussing other things in the video.
They were trying to put more care into bigger videos, compared to the time a few years ago, when they put out shorter skits and videos a few times a week. They rather took time to make more quality content while balancing their lives outside of videos as well - so they still had time to spend together or with their friends and families. And still on top of that Brettany took some time to teach few kids at their local school.
“They were great. I’m exhausted but it was fun. I got a few new applications from kids wanting to learn viola as well. They said they loved our viola recommendation video and loved the sound of the instrument. They were so cute.”
“Aw, that’s awesome, Brett. I’m happy to hear that.” Edwina closed the piano keys lid and went to help Brettany with setting up the dinner on plates and bowls when it was ready.
‘What about you, love? Everything good?” Brettany took Edwina’s hand from across the table when they sat down to eat, eyes only on her, inviting her to speak and letting her know they would always be here to listen. It made Edwina feel -well, precious and known. She rubbed a thumb gently back and forth over Brettany’s knuckles of their smaller hand resting in her bigger one.
“Everything was fine, great even. I managed to contact and confirm filming with few of our friends and the other musicians we picked for the Switch instruments challenge video. Everybody I called said they wanted to join and be part of it. Successful as ever.” She grinned proudly at Brett. “Now eat, before it gets cold.”
“You’re the best. Thanks for the food.” Brettany took a bite and immediately appreciatively informed Edwina it was the best curry they ever had, which happened with every food Edwina made; Brettany always wanted to show their appreciation.
Edwina couldn’t feel happier they got to sit down together, in the quiet of the evening after the whole day being busy and apart, legs tangled under the table and smiles wide for each other. Across the hall in the living room, the lava lamp gave off gentle romantic lights to accompany their dinner.