Backdated Feb 2016
<Jersey> She had been thinking about it most of the evening as she went through her routine, leaving work and getting her nails done. The idea of a traditional wedding bothered her, truthfully. There was nothing traditional about their relationship, about them. It had been something she knew from the start of planning, looking through wedding magazines and brochures. Planning was not something she enjoyed doing.
So, after collecting the right ingredients that he had mentioned into her bag, Jersey returned to the Asylum and headed up to the room. “Peter,” She called out to him as she opened the door and bit her bottom lip. It would be a big push, she knew he didn’t like to sway from his schedule but she came first to it, he’d told her as much hadn’t he? It was time to test it. She came dressed from work, the black dress something she was comfortable and felt pretty in with her red heels, her red lips.
Only pausing to take off her shoes so she wouldn't hurt the dogs, Jersey looked around - it wasn’t the cabin, but she felt safe there. Her bag was left behind for now. “Did you pick up the clover?” She questioned, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.
<Peter Parkman> The room was almost a mirror image of his office at the cabin; there was a fire in the corner, and the shelves were all a warm mahogany, the desk an antique, as well as the chair that Peter sat in. It was one of those old, green leather affairs. The colours kept him happy, made him feel comfortable and at home.
Although he and Jersey had moved back to the Cabin, ever since the attack on Jersey by her own family, Peter had stayed at the Asylum more often than not. It wasn’t only Sean who he saw often now, hanging around in the attic, but Jacey, too. At least if Peter made an appearance, he could say he wasn’t being as reclusive as he used to be. Really, he was afraid that Jersey’s family were only biding their time; he was paranoid, and wouldn’t allow himself to think that the danger had passed.
The two of them had talked about dates for the wedding, but they hadn’t settled on anything yet. Peter was concerned about the invitations; he knew Jersey wanted to invite Kallista and Nakia and the rest, but Peter was terrified they would ruin the day. And he wanted to be perfect.
When Jersey entered, he was editing an article for the History journal. He stopped mid sentence. There was a flurry of movement as the dogs lazily got up to greet Jersey. They were always so excited; they rarely left Peter’s side. At her question, he smiled and nodded. He stood from the desk and went over to one of the bookshelves. The clover was in a box, nondescript. He leaned in to press a greeting kiss to Jersey’s temple before he opened it to show her.
“I paid a little more for it. They tried to charge me an uneven number and I just… couldn’t. I didn’t want it to be bad luck,” he said, smiling. He knew he could be a bit ridiculous sometimes, but he wasn’t going to apologise for it.
<Jersey> She knelt down to greet the dogs, mindful of her dress as she was met with excitement. A laugh escaped past her lips and she greeted them in return, relaxing in their presence. Their constant love was something that cheered her up, always made her smile. They had always been such sweet members of what Jersey considered to be her friends and family from the moment she met them, and after scratching behind Ellie’s ears, kissing Jack on the top of his head, she straightened up properly and walked further in.
She met Peter where he stood, her hand moving to rest on the man's hip once he had turned to face her, her lips brushing his jaw. Her eyes brightened as she saw the clover, a soft grin on her lips as she settled against his side easily. “I think we could use all the good luck we can get.” Her fingertips brushed against his jacket, her gaze lifting to his face while she grinned, “I’m excited, and nervous.” Jersey bit her bottom lip and then looked back down to the clover in thought. “You know… I’ve been thinking.” She trailed off, trying to think of the best way to explain herself.
Jersey stepped away from Peter, pacing briefly before she stopped and faced him, ignoring Bear as he barked at her. “And before you say it, I know you don't like unplanned things, but it’s the fifth. You wanted today, and I can’t plan to save my life. Why don't we just… go, now? You and me.” She inclined her head, her green eyes questioning. “I don’t want anyone to feel unincluded… but you worry about safety, and if no one is included then no one can feel as if they were left out.” She frowned, “And then! We can have a celebration for everyone if they want to attend.”
<Peter Parkman> For all his logic and his seeming obliviousness to most emotions, Peter wasn’t an unfeeling man. Sometimes, he was oblivious. When it came to picking up cues, when other people expected him to know that they were angry or upset or sarcastic, he knew only to read what was on the surface, what was given to him, or what was said. He took everything at face value, often finding it hard to discern sarcasm. Or jokes.
But when Jersey pressed herself up against him like she did now, when her kisses lined his jaw, he could swear he could feel his heart begin to race a little quicker - even though his heart no longer beat. When she uttered her suggestion, that heart rate quickened all the more - but this time it wasn’t solely due to his feelings toward his fiance. It had a lot to do with her suggestion. Both planned and unplanned - neither of them had been able to settle on a date. Maybe it was because neither of them were accustomed to taking control
But here was Jersey, doing her best to take control in a way that was entirely spontaneous. Peter’s mouth opened then shut again. He glanced over his shoulder at the computer, the books open on the desk, the blinking cursor still stuck in the middle of a sentence. In the middle of a sentence. A shudder collided with the shake of his head, another open and close of the mouth before he finally cleared his throat and focused.
“I can see the logic. In … eloping,” he said with a slow nod. “But … right now? Now now? We haven’t got the rings yet…” he said. Surely, they couldn’t get married without the rings. It just was not done.
<Jersey> “He’s always been so handsome.” She thought it with a smile as she settled into him, her mind racing with the idea. He’d wanted the fifth, Jersey herself hadn’t anything specific in mind. But, she also wondered what he’d think, if he'd go along with the idea of eloping. Surprises were more her thing, she knew he didn’t like the concept when it was done for him… but there she was, suggesting one that would be big.
Jersey bit her bottom lip briefly. Her head tilted back slightly to watch him, observe him. Her thumb moved over the floral engagement ring on her finger and then she let go of him gently to twist it nervously in place. “You can do this.” She exhaled a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding and gave a grin as she lifted her hand to softly rest her hand against his cheek.
She felt the shudder, her gaze following to where his had been before she let out a chuckle. “You’ve said I come first to the schedule… this isn’t any different. We’ll work it out, together.” Her hand dropped to his chest where the other would soon join it as she faced him properly. There was a bit of excitement that traced its way up her spine and she inclined her head partially as if considering it.
Peter had a point. But, she'd thought of it. “We can get something on our way. Wedding bands can always be repurchased, engraved.” She gave a soft grin as she looked up at him with a soft expression playing across her features, “Will you marry me, Peter, tonight?”
<Peter Parkman> When Peter sighed, it was the sigh of a man who’d been beaten - of a child, when something didn’t go his way. And yet it wasn’t a stubborn sigh, or that of a sore loser - but instead of the kind of child who was afraid of the repercussions. A nervous kind of huff, because she’d used his words against him. Yes, she came before the schedule - a promise that wasn’t tested until now.
It took him a few long seconds to steel himself, before he nodded.
“Yes. Okay. But just let me finish the sentence,” he said, his fingers closing around Jersey’s, lifting her knuckles so that he could kiss them quickly, before he released them and swung around the desk. He took a seat and re-read the paragraph that came before; he stared at the keyboard for two seconds before he decided on a set of words, ending the clause with a full stop. If it was rushed and imperfect he could edit it again later. At least he wouldn’t have that split sentence and that unended thought hanging over him for the rest of the night - far be it for him to let something so small ruin something so momentous.
When it was done, he saved his work and shut the computer down, waiting for the mechanical whirring to stop before he stood up again, lifting his jacket from the back of the chair and pulling it over his shoulders. He glanced down at his attire, and then over at Jersey’s, admiring her from head to toe and back again.
“Do we need to change…?” He asked. They were eloping. But did she still want to dress up? Did she have a dress in mind? But she was beautiful as she was, and she already looked like she’d gone to some effort to look nice. Peter pushed his fingers through his hair. He felt like he needed a flower in his pocket. Something.
“...or are we going like this?”
<Jersey> As he sighed, Jersey gave a triumphant smile before she leaned up to press a kiss to his lips once, and then once more. She knew the sound and she looked up at him with adoration in her eyes. “This is it. We’re getting married.” It was a different feeling, taking control of something and… oddly enough, she felt secure in her decision.
In her pushing.
“Alright my love.”
She inclined her head, the same smile still on her lips as she let her hands drop and brushed her thumb over her skin. Jersey chuckled and moved to pick up Quentin, the cat purring immediately as she scratched underneath her chin. In her black dress, the woman didn't care that the cats hair would cling to the cloth. She had a lint brush in her purse.
His question had her green eyes lowering to the dress she wore, to the cat in her arms and then to his clothing. “I think we look fine like this, but,” She paused as she set Quentin down on the back of the chair. Her long hair fell over her shoulder as she moved to one of the roses that she had bought previously. Using her nails, she cut two free and tucked one behind her ear and brought the second over to Peter, holding it out with a smile. “Here.”
<Peter Parkman> The lack of preparation had Peter feeling more nervous than he should. It was the only thing that he was nervous about. It wasn’t the fact that he was going to be bound to Jersey - that bit was logical. Though, was there really a lack? The two were engaged, and as soon as they has started talking dates, Peter had done the research. He knew exactly what they needed, and they had exactly what they needed. He knew exactly where they had to go - though he hadn’t yet tested the distance, or how long it would take to get there, or how many steps. He was at least grateful that he didn’t have to cross any large bodies of water to get there.
The rose that Jersey held out to him threw him off balance. He stared at the flower before he plucked it from Jersey’s fingers, holding it tentatively for a few seconds before he simply echoed Jersey - he tucked the rose behind his ear. Peter had been married before. He’d done this before. But there’d been no flowers. Not for him, anyway. Lily had had flowers. The flower girls had had flowers. The guests had had rose petals to throw. But Peter himself hadn’t been given any. Was this what he was supposed to do?
The rest of the ingredients that they required were stashed in the safe that was hidden behind a panel of books. With the rose still tucked behind his ear, he went to the safe and retrieved the canvas bag which held all of the things that they needed - including the cash that the ritualist required.
“Shall we go, then?” he asked, gesturing toward the door, the bag slung over his shoulder, and the opposite arm held out for Jersey to take.
<Jersey> She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this nervous. This happy. There were other emotions felt that Jersey pushed aside for the time being as she bit down softly on her bottom lip and tried to soften her smile. The bright grin on her face, however, ceased to disappear as she brushed her hair over her shoulder. She watched her fiancé quietly, humming before she moved to set her phone down. She didn’t want any distractions, it was their night. Her attention would be solely on Peter and after running through a mental note of all that was needed, checking them off as he got them, she ran her tongue over her teeth.
They were anything but proper when it came to their relationship. It was something that Jersey loved about it, something she had missed during the months they had been apart. With another soft sound, the woman returned to put her heels on and grabbed her small purse before returning to where she stood. Once Peter was near once again, she set her hand on his forearm and leaned up to press another kiss to his cheek. Afterwards, she took his offered arm and curled her fingertips softly over the cloth of his jacket.
“Yes, definitely.”
Jersey wasn’t sure if she was so ready to go because she feared they would fall apart again, or if she was so impatient because she wanted to make sure she would always be his. The blonde smiled warmly towards Peter, taking in his appearance and the rose tucked behind his ear. “Just a few more hours until forever. I love you, Peter.” She knew she said the words often. She always had, but it felt to be a good time to say it now.
<Peter Parkman> As soon as Jersey’s arm slipped through Peter’s, he began to lead them out the door. His feet scuffed to a pause -- how could they not? -- when she told him she loved him. It was something Peter assumed was assumed, something he thought they both knew the other felt. He had to be reminded that it was something people liked to hear, too, and whenever Jersey told him she loved him he was reminded that did indeed love her, too.
“I love you,” he said with a lazy and yet delighted grin, his arm slipping around Jersey’s waist, tugging her close so he could brush his lips over hers.
The night’s hours had been discarded; a new plan was in place. Once outside Peter had pulled up the map on his phone, thoroughly glad that the places they need to go were all on the North side of the river. They had to stop to get rings, first. And then they had to go and find Aeryn.
“It would make sense to go this way,” he said when out on the pathway, pointing to the route that led to the gift shop -- it led over a bridge. Did Jersey know about his aversion to bridges? Surely, she did. Peter pointed to the other route, the long way around.
“We’ll have to go the long way, but then it’s not too far to the mansion,” he said. He’d plugged all the locations into google maps; he loved the app. It even estimated the time it would take to get to each place. He liked to walk each route several times, he liked to prove it wrong or prove it right. Sometimes he even contacted google to alert them to their errors, to suggest they change their calculations. Whether or not they took his suggestions into account, he didn’t know. But it made him feel better.
With the phone in one hand and his other around Jersey’s waist, he began to lead the way through the park behind West Towers -- it was the scenic route, though he made sure to widely skirt the edges of the lake that had gathered by the river.
<Jersey> That night was it. Jersey felt the smile stay where it had been placed across her lips as she snuggled into his grasp. The fact time had made it all the reluctance and doubt she had months before become a laughable memory. Their time together as a couple was something she would never take for granted. The lazy smile sent a sensation of her heart flipping in her chest, the blonde tilting her head slightly as she leaned up to meet his kiss.
She slipped her hand onto his hip, smoothing her hand over the waistband of his pants. Afterwards, she followed his gaze to where the path began on the map. Her green eyes sparkled warmly, not caring about the length of their walk. “It’s not too long, We’ve walked longer together back when I was alive. Or well. You carried me a further route.” Her lips twitched in amusement as she remembered the incident fondly.
“Even if it was a long, treacherous journey,” Jersey paused as she looked up at him with a smirk, “You’re worth the wait.” Humming contently, she followed at his pace, enjoying the evening air. Her heels clicked as they went, the blonde looking up at her fiancé lightly under her lashes as she searched for any signs that he was uncomfortable. Planning things out, she knew, was something he liked to do. She liked surprises, spontaneously doing things at times.
“Are you alright with this?”
She asked telepathically, her red lipped smile unwavering. Jersey knew Peter wasn’t fond of it because he couldn't answer in the same manner, but it was her own little habit. Her own quirk, she supposed. The telepath spent quite a bit of time in her own head during their separation and it showed sometimes, whether or not she liked it.
<Peter Parkman> Peter didn’t want to think about long and treacherous journeys. The one they were now undertaking might be long, but it wasn’t the longest. And it wasn’t treacherous. The path they’d walked thus far, together or apart, had been treacherous enough. They had been through enough, hadn’t they? They didn’t need anything else standing in their way. These thoughts meandered slowly through Peter’s brain, interspersed amongst the numbers, with each step he took. He would know just how many steps they had taken between here and marriage.
There was only the barest hint of a twitch when Jersey’s voice rung, loud and clear, in his mind. He didn’t say anything, this time -- there was no stopping her, and he was slowly becoming accustomed to it. As if in response, just because he could, he reached out to the shadows and tugged them closer, weaving and wrapping them around himself and Jersey. Now they walked in their own personal bubble of darkness. No one would look their way when they passed.
“Yes,” he said.
He was going to leave it at that, but then realised that he wanted to explain.
“You said I’d be worth the wait, even if the journey was long and treacherous. Jersey, our journey has already been long and treacherous. Don’t you think? Not physically, obviously. Well, maybe…” he said, remembering the physical hurts. He’d been beaten into a coma. That was physical enough.
“So really, we’ve already waited long enough. We’ve weathered the journey, and we’ve come out the other end in one piece. We deserve this. We are worth this,”[/color] he said, his fingers closing over Jersey’s hand, squeezing tightly. He smiled down at her.
“Trust me, Jers. You know me. If I wasn’t okay with it I wouldn’t be here,” he said. Which was God’s honest truth. If Peter were stressing to any great extent, he would not have left the asylum. Or he’d have long ago turned back, or collapsed into an inconsolable heap in the gutter. Instead, he walked on, the numbers steadily building in the background of his thoughts, no hesitation in his steps whatsoever.
<Jersey> Marriage had always been something that Jersey hadn’t thought of for the first few months after she'd awoken in the hospital without any knowledge of who she was. She hadn’t thought if she had someone waiting for her, or if she didn't - with the lack of a ring or tan line on her finger, she had assumed it was a safe bet. And when she had fallen for Peter… well, Jersey had almost been positive it wasn’t a possibility due to the fact her instincts were something she could follow.
As she listened to her fiancé, she couldn’t help but agree. The noise she made was a soft hum, at least until she paused at the mention of physical hurts. At that, she gave him an affectionate squeeze followed by a kiss to his chest after she turned her head. “We’ve both been hurt enough to include that.” She murmured quietly. The thought of Peter unconscious, and then nearly losing him… it caused her to push it aside.
“You’re right.” She stated, looking up at him and giving a lazy smile in response. “And regardless of all of it, we’ve come out together, loving and happy.” It was something that made it all worth it, definitely. “I’d go through it all again with you if I had to, knowing where we would be today.” Even if she didn't particularly want to, it wouldn't be done with a moment's hesitation.
A chuckle escaped past her lips. “I know.” She squeezed his hand affectionately, looking down at her engagement ring on her finger. She still found it to be beautiful. “I’m glad you are… I was honestly nervous about asking you. I know you aren't big on surprises and well, I did spring it.” She stated simply.
So, after collecting the right ingredients that he had mentioned into her bag, Jersey returned to the Asylum and headed up to the room. “Peter,” She called out to him as she opened the door and bit her bottom lip. It would be a big push, she knew he didn’t like to sway from his schedule but she came first to it, he’d told her as much hadn’t he? It was time to test it. She came dressed from work, the black dress something she was comfortable and felt pretty in with her red heels, her red lips.
Only pausing to take off her shoes so she wouldn't hurt the dogs, Jersey looked around - it wasn’t the cabin, but she felt safe there. Her bag was left behind for now. “Did you pick up the clover?” She questioned, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.
<Peter Parkman> The room was almost a mirror image of his office at the cabin; there was a fire in the corner, and the shelves were all a warm mahogany, the desk an antique, as well as the chair that Peter sat in. It was one of those old, green leather affairs. The colours kept him happy, made him feel comfortable and at home.
Although he and Jersey had moved back to the Cabin, ever since the attack on Jersey by her own family, Peter had stayed at the Asylum more often than not. It wasn’t only Sean who he saw often now, hanging around in the attic, but Jacey, too. At least if Peter made an appearance, he could say he wasn’t being as reclusive as he used to be. Really, he was afraid that Jersey’s family were only biding their time; he was paranoid, and wouldn’t allow himself to think that the danger had passed.
The two of them had talked about dates for the wedding, but they hadn’t settled on anything yet. Peter was concerned about the invitations; he knew Jersey wanted to invite Kallista and Nakia and the rest, but Peter was terrified they would ruin the day. And he wanted to be perfect.
When Jersey entered, he was editing an article for the History journal. He stopped mid sentence. There was a flurry of movement as the dogs lazily got up to greet Jersey. They were always so excited; they rarely left Peter’s side. At her question, he smiled and nodded. He stood from the desk and went over to one of the bookshelves. The clover was in a box, nondescript. He leaned in to press a greeting kiss to Jersey’s temple before he opened it to show her.
“I paid a little more for it. They tried to charge me an uneven number and I just… couldn’t. I didn’t want it to be bad luck,” he said, smiling. He knew he could be a bit ridiculous sometimes, but he wasn’t going to apologise for it.
<Jersey> She knelt down to greet the dogs, mindful of her dress as she was met with excitement. A laugh escaped past her lips and she greeted them in return, relaxing in their presence. Their constant love was something that cheered her up, always made her smile. They had always been such sweet members of what Jersey considered to be her friends and family from the moment she met them, and after scratching behind Ellie’s ears, kissing Jack on the top of his head, she straightened up properly and walked further in.
She met Peter where he stood, her hand moving to rest on the man's hip once he had turned to face her, her lips brushing his jaw. Her eyes brightened as she saw the clover, a soft grin on her lips as she settled against his side easily. “I think we could use all the good luck we can get.” Her fingertips brushed against his jacket, her gaze lifting to his face while she grinned, “I’m excited, and nervous.” Jersey bit her bottom lip and then looked back down to the clover in thought. “You know… I’ve been thinking.” She trailed off, trying to think of the best way to explain herself.
Jersey stepped away from Peter, pacing briefly before she stopped and faced him, ignoring Bear as he barked at her. “And before you say it, I know you don't like unplanned things, but it’s the fifth. You wanted today, and I can’t plan to save my life. Why don't we just… go, now? You and me.” She inclined her head, her green eyes questioning. “I don’t want anyone to feel unincluded… but you worry about safety, and if no one is included then no one can feel as if they were left out.” She frowned, “And then! We can have a celebration for everyone if they want to attend.”
<Peter Parkman> For all his logic and his seeming obliviousness to most emotions, Peter wasn’t an unfeeling man. Sometimes, he was oblivious. When it came to picking up cues, when other people expected him to know that they were angry or upset or sarcastic, he knew only to read what was on the surface, what was given to him, or what was said. He took everything at face value, often finding it hard to discern sarcasm. Or jokes.
But when Jersey pressed herself up against him like she did now, when her kisses lined his jaw, he could swear he could feel his heart begin to race a little quicker - even though his heart no longer beat. When she uttered her suggestion, that heart rate quickened all the more - but this time it wasn’t solely due to his feelings toward his fiance. It had a lot to do with her suggestion. Both planned and unplanned - neither of them had been able to settle on a date. Maybe it was because neither of them were accustomed to taking control
But here was Jersey, doing her best to take control in a way that was entirely spontaneous. Peter’s mouth opened then shut again. He glanced over his shoulder at the computer, the books open on the desk, the blinking cursor still stuck in the middle of a sentence. In the middle of a sentence. A shudder collided with the shake of his head, another open and close of the mouth before he finally cleared his throat and focused.
“I can see the logic. In … eloping,” he said with a slow nod. “But … right now? Now now? We haven’t got the rings yet…” he said. Surely, they couldn’t get married without the rings. It just was not done.
<Jersey> “He’s always been so handsome.” She thought it with a smile as she settled into him, her mind racing with the idea. He’d wanted the fifth, Jersey herself hadn’t anything specific in mind. But, she also wondered what he’d think, if he'd go along with the idea of eloping. Surprises were more her thing, she knew he didn’t like the concept when it was done for him… but there she was, suggesting one that would be big.
Jersey bit her bottom lip briefly. Her head tilted back slightly to watch him, observe him. Her thumb moved over the floral engagement ring on her finger and then she let go of him gently to twist it nervously in place. “You can do this.” She exhaled a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding and gave a grin as she lifted her hand to softly rest her hand against his cheek.
She felt the shudder, her gaze following to where his had been before she let out a chuckle. “You’ve said I come first to the schedule… this isn’t any different. We’ll work it out, together.” Her hand dropped to his chest where the other would soon join it as she faced him properly. There was a bit of excitement that traced its way up her spine and she inclined her head partially as if considering it.
Peter had a point. But, she'd thought of it. “We can get something on our way. Wedding bands can always be repurchased, engraved.” She gave a soft grin as she looked up at him with a soft expression playing across her features, “Will you marry me, Peter, tonight?”
<Peter Parkman> When Peter sighed, it was the sigh of a man who’d been beaten - of a child, when something didn’t go his way. And yet it wasn’t a stubborn sigh, or that of a sore loser - but instead of the kind of child who was afraid of the repercussions. A nervous kind of huff, because she’d used his words against him. Yes, she came before the schedule - a promise that wasn’t tested until now.
It took him a few long seconds to steel himself, before he nodded.
“Yes. Okay. But just let me finish the sentence,” he said, his fingers closing around Jersey’s, lifting her knuckles so that he could kiss them quickly, before he released them and swung around the desk. He took a seat and re-read the paragraph that came before; he stared at the keyboard for two seconds before he decided on a set of words, ending the clause with a full stop. If it was rushed and imperfect he could edit it again later. At least he wouldn’t have that split sentence and that unended thought hanging over him for the rest of the night - far be it for him to let something so small ruin something so momentous.
When it was done, he saved his work and shut the computer down, waiting for the mechanical whirring to stop before he stood up again, lifting his jacket from the back of the chair and pulling it over his shoulders. He glanced down at his attire, and then over at Jersey’s, admiring her from head to toe and back again.
“Do we need to change…?” He asked. They were eloping. But did she still want to dress up? Did she have a dress in mind? But she was beautiful as she was, and she already looked like she’d gone to some effort to look nice. Peter pushed his fingers through his hair. He felt like he needed a flower in his pocket. Something.
“...or are we going like this?”
<Jersey> As he sighed, Jersey gave a triumphant smile before she leaned up to press a kiss to his lips once, and then once more. She knew the sound and she looked up at him with adoration in her eyes. “This is it. We’re getting married.” It was a different feeling, taking control of something and… oddly enough, she felt secure in her decision.
In her pushing.
“Alright my love.”
She inclined her head, the same smile still on her lips as she let her hands drop and brushed her thumb over her skin. Jersey chuckled and moved to pick up Quentin, the cat purring immediately as she scratched underneath her chin. In her black dress, the woman didn't care that the cats hair would cling to the cloth. She had a lint brush in her purse.
His question had her green eyes lowering to the dress she wore, to the cat in her arms and then to his clothing. “I think we look fine like this, but,” She paused as she set Quentin down on the back of the chair. Her long hair fell over her shoulder as she moved to one of the roses that she had bought previously. Using her nails, she cut two free and tucked one behind her ear and brought the second over to Peter, holding it out with a smile. “Here.”
<Peter Parkman> The lack of preparation had Peter feeling more nervous than he should. It was the only thing that he was nervous about. It wasn’t the fact that he was going to be bound to Jersey - that bit was logical. Though, was there really a lack? The two were engaged, and as soon as they has started talking dates, Peter had done the research. He knew exactly what they needed, and they had exactly what they needed. He knew exactly where they had to go - though he hadn’t yet tested the distance, or how long it would take to get there, or how many steps. He was at least grateful that he didn’t have to cross any large bodies of water to get there.
The rose that Jersey held out to him threw him off balance. He stared at the flower before he plucked it from Jersey’s fingers, holding it tentatively for a few seconds before he simply echoed Jersey - he tucked the rose behind his ear. Peter had been married before. He’d done this before. But there’d been no flowers. Not for him, anyway. Lily had had flowers. The flower girls had had flowers. The guests had had rose petals to throw. But Peter himself hadn’t been given any. Was this what he was supposed to do?
The rest of the ingredients that they required were stashed in the safe that was hidden behind a panel of books. With the rose still tucked behind his ear, he went to the safe and retrieved the canvas bag which held all of the things that they needed - including the cash that the ritualist required.
“Shall we go, then?” he asked, gesturing toward the door, the bag slung over his shoulder, and the opposite arm held out for Jersey to take.
<Jersey> She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this nervous. This happy. There were other emotions felt that Jersey pushed aside for the time being as she bit down softly on her bottom lip and tried to soften her smile. The bright grin on her face, however, ceased to disappear as she brushed her hair over her shoulder. She watched her fiancé quietly, humming before she moved to set her phone down. She didn’t want any distractions, it was their night. Her attention would be solely on Peter and after running through a mental note of all that was needed, checking them off as he got them, she ran her tongue over her teeth.
They were anything but proper when it came to their relationship. It was something that Jersey loved about it, something she had missed during the months they had been apart. With another soft sound, the woman returned to put her heels on and grabbed her small purse before returning to where she stood. Once Peter was near once again, she set her hand on his forearm and leaned up to press another kiss to his cheek. Afterwards, she took his offered arm and curled her fingertips softly over the cloth of his jacket.
“Yes, definitely.”
Jersey wasn’t sure if she was so ready to go because she feared they would fall apart again, or if she was so impatient because she wanted to make sure she would always be his. The blonde smiled warmly towards Peter, taking in his appearance and the rose tucked behind his ear. “Just a few more hours until forever. I love you, Peter.” She knew she said the words often. She always had, but it felt to be a good time to say it now.
<Peter Parkman> As soon as Jersey’s arm slipped through Peter’s, he began to lead them out the door. His feet scuffed to a pause -- how could they not? -- when she told him she loved him. It was something Peter assumed was assumed, something he thought they both knew the other felt. He had to be reminded that it was something people liked to hear, too, and whenever Jersey told him she loved him he was reminded that did indeed love her, too.
“I love you,” he said with a lazy and yet delighted grin, his arm slipping around Jersey’s waist, tugging her close so he could brush his lips over hers.
The night’s hours had been discarded; a new plan was in place. Once outside Peter had pulled up the map on his phone, thoroughly glad that the places they need to go were all on the North side of the river. They had to stop to get rings, first. And then they had to go and find Aeryn.
“It would make sense to go this way,” he said when out on the pathway, pointing to the route that led to the gift shop -- it led over a bridge. Did Jersey know about his aversion to bridges? Surely, she did. Peter pointed to the other route, the long way around.
“We’ll have to go the long way, but then it’s not too far to the mansion,” he said. He’d plugged all the locations into google maps; he loved the app. It even estimated the time it would take to get to each place. He liked to walk each route several times, he liked to prove it wrong or prove it right. Sometimes he even contacted google to alert them to their errors, to suggest they change their calculations. Whether or not they took his suggestions into account, he didn’t know. But it made him feel better.
With the phone in one hand and his other around Jersey’s waist, he began to lead the way through the park behind West Towers -- it was the scenic route, though he made sure to widely skirt the edges of the lake that had gathered by the river.
<Jersey> That night was it. Jersey felt the smile stay where it had been placed across her lips as she snuggled into his grasp. The fact time had made it all the reluctance and doubt she had months before become a laughable memory. Their time together as a couple was something she would never take for granted. The lazy smile sent a sensation of her heart flipping in her chest, the blonde tilting her head slightly as she leaned up to meet his kiss.
She slipped her hand onto his hip, smoothing her hand over the waistband of his pants. Afterwards, she followed his gaze to where the path began on the map. Her green eyes sparkled warmly, not caring about the length of their walk. “It’s not too long, We’ve walked longer together back when I was alive. Or well. You carried me a further route.” Her lips twitched in amusement as she remembered the incident fondly.
“Even if it was a long, treacherous journey,” Jersey paused as she looked up at him with a smirk, “You’re worth the wait.” Humming contently, she followed at his pace, enjoying the evening air. Her heels clicked as they went, the blonde looking up at her fiancé lightly under her lashes as she searched for any signs that he was uncomfortable. Planning things out, she knew, was something he liked to do. She liked surprises, spontaneously doing things at times.
“Are you alright with this?”
She asked telepathically, her red lipped smile unwavering. Jersey knew Peter wasn’t fond of it because he couldn't answer in the same manner, but it was her own little habit. Her own quirk, she supposed. The telepath spent quite a bit of time in her own head during their separation and it showed sometimes, whether or not she liked it.
<Peter Parkman> Peter didn’t want to think about long and treacherous journeys. The one they were now undertaking might be long, but it wasn’t the longest. And it wasn’t treacherous. The path they’d walked thus far, together or apart, had been treacherous enough. They had been through enough, hadn’t they? They didn’t need anything else standing in their way. These thoughts meandered slowly through Peter’s brain, interspersed amongst the numbers, with each step he took. He would know just how many steps they had taken between here and marriage.
There was only the barest hint of a twitch when Jersey’s voice rung, loud and clear, in his mind. He didn’t say anything, this time -- there was no stopping her, and he was slowly becoming accustomed to it. As if in response, just because he could, he reached out to the shadows and tugged them closer, weaving and wrapping them around himself and Jersey. Now they walked in their own personal bubble of darkness. No one would look their way when they passed.
“Yes,” he said.
He was going to leave it at that, but then realised that he wanted to explain.
“You said I’d be worth the wait, even if the journey was long and treacherous. Jersey, our journey has already been long and treacherous. Don’t you think? Not physically, obviously. Well, maybe…” he said, remembering the physical hurts. He’d been beaten into a coma. That was physical enough.
“So really, we’ve already waited long enough. We’ve weathered the journey, and we’ve come out the other end in one piece. We deserve this. We are worth this,”[/color] he said, his fingers closing over Jersey’s hand, squeezing tightly. He smiled down at her.
“Trust me, Jers. You know me. If I wasn’t okay with it I wouldn’t be here,” he said. Which was God’s honest truth. If Peter were stressing to any great extent, he would not have left the asylum. Or he’d have long ago turned back, or collapsed into an inconsolable heap in the gutter. Instead, he walked on, the numbers steadily building in the background of his thoughts, no hesitation in his steps whatsoever.
<Jersey> Marriage had always been something that Jersey hadn’t thought of for the first few months after she'd awoken in the hospital without any knowledge of who she was. She hadn’t thought if she had someone waiting for her, or if she didn't - with the lack of a ring or tan line on her finger, she had assumed it was a safe bet. And when she had fallen for Peter… well, Jersey had almost been positive it wasn’t a possibility due to the fact her instincts were something she could follow.
As she listened to her fiancé, she couldn’t help but agree. The noise she made was a soft hum, at least until she paused at the mention of physical hurts. At that, she gave him an affectionate squeeze followed by a kiss to his chest after she turned her head. “We’ve both been hurt enough to include that.” She murmured quietly. The thought of Peter unconscious, and then nearly losing him… it caused her to push it aside.
“You’re right.” She stated, looking up at him and giving a lazy smile in response. “And regardless of all of it, we’ve come out together, loving and happy.” It was something that made it all worth it, definitely. “I’d go through it all again with you if I had to, knowing where we would be today.” Even if she didn't particularly want to, it wouldn't be done with a moment's hesitation.
A chuckle escaped past her lips. “I know.” She squeezed his hand affectionately, looking down at her engagement ring on her finger. She still found it to be beautiful. “I’m glad you are… I was honestly nervous about asking you. I know you aren't big on surprises and well, I did spring it.” She stated simply.
