With the table set, and the food prepared, Astraea snuck a few little taste tester bites. The expression she made was hard to describe in simple terms, but it was safe to say she clearly enjoyed it. If one had to describe it, in a word, euphoric.
Ceraunius and Gamelia slow danced off to the side of the dinner table, their magic sparking just right to create the perfect mood for lovers to slow dance, staring into each other's eyes. The way they were with each other left no room for doubt about how much they love each other, and how much they rely on one another.
The sight of the two lovers, loving their company was enough that Astraea, typically ascribing to the idea of abstinence, couldn't help but think they were a wonderful couple. She stood in the doorway to the kitchen, still munching on her little taste testing dish. Her cheeks highlighted with a soft, and warm rosy color.
"Hera has some wonderful children." Astraea accidentally uttered her thoughts.
"Hmm?" Gamelia reacted, almost as if she'd been snuck up on. "Sorry, Lady Astraea, I lost myself in Cera's eyes." She blushed, only slightly embarrassed. Looking over to Astraea she put her head on Cera's chest, and smiled. "I can't help myself when it comes to him."
Ceraunius gave Gamelia a small squeeze, pulling her in closer, resting his head atop hers, also facing Astraea. "I have a similar condition, Lady Astraea. When it comes to my wife, I just can't help myself. I love her with my whole being, mind, body and soul." He explained, with a warm smile, Gamelia nudged into him a little more.
Astraea noticed how much they really did love each other, she could tell they were telling the truth. "Pfft, you're so cute." She said with a smiley giggle, one she stopped a moment later, as she noticed the tears… "I can also see that the past has really hurt you…"
""It has.""
Soon Alise appeared, with her jovial self, flicking her blaze red hair around. "Oh wow, you can make music with your magic!? That's s-s-so cool!" She said with a smile rivaling sunlight. "Total polar opposite of earlier."
"Earlier?" Astraea asked, with a curious eye.
The rest of the familia came from the bath, interrupting the explanation before it started with their individual reactions to the meal presented on the table. Astraea couldn't help but put off the matter for a while longer, enjoying the antics her children had, a decision she made after learning what happened two weeks earlier… She wouldn't spare a single moment of her children's lovable antics, she'd enjoy every last one of them to the absolute fullest. So now they sat at the table, and…
"Ceraunius, what is this!?" Maryuu reacted with joy as she continued eating…
"Seriously this is amazing!" Asta beamed a similar sentiment.
"This is better than Mama Mia's cooking." Kaguya added, with a simple note. "It's better than anything I had in the noble houses."
"Just what are you, Ceraunius?" Iska asked, slamming her hands on the table. "You're so strong, have impressive magic, and you cook better than the best chef in the city?!" She continued, the inner Amazoness urge she'd been actively suppressing for a while now was screaming to be let out. "It's a shame…"
"A shame?" Ceraunius asked, with a curious expression, and a slight giggle.
"Well, you're the perfect man to father my daughters, and yet you're spoken for, and claimed all up." Iska explained, and started shoving more food into her mouth. "What's worse, is I can't even begin to compare myself to Gamelia. I don't have a chance, and I'm so… pent up now."
"Sounds like you'd better start looking for the right man, for you." Gamelia warned with a smile hiding her intent to fiercely defend her position.
"I want to make this clear, I'm grateful for the praise… However, I'm not going to risk confusion by sugarcoating this. I love Gamelia, she is the only woman I will ever express any and all romantic love to. There is no room for anyone else. No woman, no goddess. None could ever supplant my wife."
Iska twitched, and nodded, though her body was screaming to take part anyways. She pushed it down. "I won't try, as long as I can still look forward to this amazing food! I'll still tell my daughters you're their father."
"Pfft, no you won't." Gamelia stated, plainly, and simply.
"Eek, yep, I won't. No need to worry…"
A few moments longer of some casual antics, it really started to feel like familia for them, despite the fact that something was still missing for two of them. They finished dinner, and while the girls cleaned up, polishing off the rest of the food he'd made… Ceraunius took a turn in the bath, with the strongest guard keeping the other girls from trying to sneak a peek.
"Awe come on Gamelia, just one little peek."
"Nope."
"Just a little bit?"
"Nope."
"Please?"
"Down girl. My husband's body is for him, and I alone." Gamelia huffed, crossing her arms.
It only took Ceraunius a few minutes to finish up, when he opened up the door, he was dressed in a spare set of casual clothes he'd managed to bring with him. It was nothing impressive, just a typical Greek tunic, only because it was a bit small on him thanks to his muscles being in the way, he was only able to just barely squeeze into it enough to tie it at his waist. So his perfectly toned upper body was in full view for all to see.
"Sorry about this." He said with a chuckle. "It seems I forgot to increase my tunic's size…"
"How do you forget something like that?" Alise asked, completely red faced, along with every last one of the Astraea familia.
"I-I'd l-like to know why too…" Astraea asked, with a blush, and peeking through her fingers.
"Oh, that's an easy answer. When I'm with Gamelia, there's no need to worry about clothing myself, we share everything." Ceraunius noted. "And the only other outfit I have, Hera's been rather insistent upon embroidering all of my familia's names on it. She really loved the Empress and the other ladies."
"You're Hera familia?"
"Yep, my name made it impossible for Zeus to give me his falna. Gamelia had a similar issue, so she's Zeus familia. But, that matters very little now." He explained.
"I see… Well, I'm sure we can get something for you if you need?"
"If you're uncomfortable, I can put on my adventuring gear once it's dry. Shouldn't be long."
"Well then, let's go talk about the important matters…"
…