A/N: For GryffinRawr (aka the one with the awesome name). Thank you so much for adding an extra dimension to QLFC through the many side competitions that you ran throughout the season.
Lucy lay back on her beach towel, letting the hot sun warm her skin. The light breeze brought with it the smell of saltwater, and she closed her eyes at the sensation. Lorcan was rustling through the shrubbery several metres away, scouring the dense thicket for signs of magical flora for him to collect and study. As frustrating as his unpredictable schedule might usually be, she did enjoy it in moments like this — moments when she was able to get time off work to accompany him to the farthest corners of the world and experience their wonders by his side.
Opening the travel guide she had bought at the local paper shop, she set about planning activities to fill their free time. Since she only had a week until she had to be back at the veterinary clinic — it was almost birthing season, so they couldn't afford for her to be away any longer — she wanted to make the most of it. She knew Lorc would be happy to just wing it, but she didn't want to risk missing anything.
She smiled fondly, allowing herself to be waylaid by thoughts of her fiancé. Her life had always been neat and orderly, whereas his was organised chaos. It had taken them a long time to learn to appreciate that the other person's way worked just as well as theirs did, even if it wasn't suited to them. Even their desks, side by side, were as stark as day and night. She believed it came down to the way they thought. She saw in straight lines and causations and empty space; he saw in clusters and interactivity and fullness. His way distracted her, whereas hers left him feeling blank.
Lorcan went quiet, and she knew that it meant he had found something interesting. He had already gathered samples from several rare plants that she was sure would keep him occupied for weeks to come, so she had learnt to recognise when he was on the verge of a new discovery. Sure enough, she had only just finished reading through the section on local lookout points when she heard his shout of delight.
"I need to go back to the hotel," he said, rushing back over to her with a look of unbridled glee on his face. One of the things she loved the most about him was how expressive he was; Lucy never had to guess where she stood with him. "This specimen doesn't gain its healing powers until a few hours after it's picked, so I want to examine the changes it goes through before then. Do you want to come back with me or stay here?"
"You're going to be observing it nonstop for the next few hours, aren't you?"
"Yes," he admitted, the guilt in his voice warring with the curiosity that still blazed in his eyes.
She didn't hold it against him. It might be a holiday for her, but it was still a work trip for him. While most of his research would take place after he returned home and had access to his top-of-the-line research lab, there were some things that he just had to do on the go. "It's fine," she reassured him. "I knew what I was signing up for when I agreed to come along. I'll make my own way back in a little while."
"Alright." He reached out with his spare hand, and she entwined her fingers with his. They were rough from years spent gardening and exploring, and she ran her thumb along one of the callouses. After a moment, he gave their hands a squeeze and let go, heading back to gather the rest of his instruments.
Smiling, Lucy returned to the guidebook. They would find time to spend together sometime; knowing Lorcan, he would study the new plants until the sun came up the next morning, get a few hours of sleep, and then spend the next day with her because he was too tired to work any longer. For now, she had the waves and the sand and the sun and the promise of more adventures than she had time for.