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Gretchen was glad she had gotten a basket. For as many times as she'd now gone on picnics or afternoon outings, she'd certainly gotten her value from it, and would continue to do so for a while. Well, she hoped so, in any case.

The usuals; fruit, crackers, cheese, and some chocolate chip cookies. They were all tucked into the bottom of the basket along with a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses(not the right sort, but that didn't matter). A folded blanket was laid over the top, then another on top of that, because how many times now had they simply fallen asleep in the open night air?

When it was all packed up, and she'd grabbed herself a Kansas U hoodie to throw in over her shorts and peasant too, she'd hurried out to meet her burly, bearded Viking. Humming an upbeat Journey song under her breath as her sandals made soft, uneven smacks against the path.

She knew with him that giving up the basket to his strong hands wasn't a mark against her own strength, but a preference. It was something he wanted to do, something he enjoyed. He liked feeling useful, and it cost her nothing to let him do things for her. If it was anyone else, any other situation, she wouldn't have allowed it, but whatever she had with Isaac, it just worked.

I bright grin lit up pale features when she saw him, and she rose up on her toes as he took the basket and bent to kiss the side of her mouth, head turning to brush her lips against his cheek.

"Mmhmm, let's go." She reached for his free hand, fingers lacing while they walked.

"How was your day?"

"Kinda boring," she recounted with s him, falling into step beside him as he set their pace. Nice and leisurely, and that was just fine by her. They weren't on anyone elders time but their own, and neither of them was ever much into hurrying.

"Lots of paperwork, which is normal. So that's good, I'd think." Normal might have been boring at times, but it was easier. She liked the routine better than the chaos.

Leaning into his side as they walked, Gretch brought her other arm up so she could play the rounded edge of her nails over his skin. "Do you do anything special for New Years, in Norway? Traditions or things of the sort?" American traditions were pretty straight forward. Drink til midnight, the toast the new year. Straight forward and uncomplicated.

"Would be neat if there was," she responded idly, very nearly swinging their hands as they walked. "Don't think I've seen any in ages." Not for well over a year, if she thought back to it. Not the last fourth of July, but the year before that.

There was a small startled sound as Isaac drew her in closer, a hand on his arm for balance, but she was smiling as he bent to lay a kiss on her head. The dopey sort of smile that came along with sweet little marks of affection from someone that meant a great deal. Smoothing her palm along his arm she leaned into him, temple resting against his shoulder as they continued down the familiar path.

The rest of their walk could lay in comfortable silence. Isaac was a man of few words, and Gretchen didn't always feel a need to make up for it. Especially not when things were comfortable and as close to perfect as she imagined things could get in their lives,

Reaching the cliff where they'd shared their first kiss Gretch reached around Isaac's tall frame to draw one of the blankets free from the basket so she could lay it out for them.