<Peter Parkman> Christmas. It was the time of year the gifts should be exchanged - evenly, one thing for another. Peter was looking forward to the structure of it, the peace of an organised event. Technically, the 25th day started just past midnight - the rest of the world would be sleeping. They would not celebrate until they woke up, maybe eight hours from now. Maybe earlier, if they had children who could not wait. Maybe later, depending on how strong the sun was, or the enthusiasm of those involved. Maybe some wouldn’t celebrate at all.[OOC: Backdated to 25/12/15
He had already told Keara that he wanted this half of Christmas with Jersey. From midnight until morning, he did not want to spend it with anyone else, and he hoped that Jersey herself would not have plans. The next night, after the city had been celebrating all day, he might go to Keara. ‘Might’ was not a word that he used often, but he was willing to give. It was Christmas, right? And Jersey might have other plans.
The Cabin had been cleaned. It was their home, now. There was a tree that Peter had planted outside - a big tree, that they had decorated. The lights flashed brilliantly, as did the rest of the cabin. Inside, the decorations were tasteful; there was an order to them that pleased Peter, even if the cats sometimes liked to have their way. Sometimes, he thought that Jersey must teach them to misbehave - just the little things. Just to test him. Just that little bit.
Peter had been out, and he had tended to the animals at the shelter. Just because it was Christmas eve did not mean that they should not be cared for, or forgotten. Instead of going back to the Asylum like he normally might, however, he returned to the cabin early. Jersey was not there, which was what he was hoping. By now, he had the benches lined with candles. From the record player, there played light classical music - christmas music, but it was subtle.
Everything was ready, but Peter was nervous. He took off his coat, only to put it back on again. The dogs were all inside - calmed, so that they would not mess with the candles. Eventually, finally, Peter summoned Jersey. There was no other light but the flames from the dozens of candles that had been set. There was a smile on his face that he could not quite banish, nervous as he was.
“Merry Christmas,” he said. Despite all his dithering, Jersey was summoned at 12:01am, on the dot. Her present was heavy in his pocket, his fingers curled around it, lightly.
<Jersey> After leaving Clover’s apartment, stepping through the fadeportal to Larch court, Jersey tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket and began making her way back to the Wickbridge station, taking her time in getting home. Despite the snowfall and the cooler weather, she felt comfortable in the winter weather and enjoyed the beauty that surrounded her. Because it was later in the evening, there were few people around. It was something she enjoyed with how little foot traffic there was - in places that had yet to be shoveled, she left footprints in the pristine, untouched snow.
After a few minutes, the blonde stepped off to the side and onto the road, checking the road for black ice before she crossed the street. Later, she would return back to this side of the city to finish delivering gifts before spending time with her sire and siblings at Kallista’s apartment, and then make her way to the Asylum to deliver gifts to Keara, Enver and Sean. When she would see her, Jersey would also deliver a gift to her boss of two years, Mora, a woman had given her a chance despite the fact she had no idea of her previous work experience.
The memories of her earlier life in Harper Rock as Jersey Thompson caused her to smile softly to herself, everything different then than it was now.
By the time she reached the station, Jersey checked her phone to make note of the time and mentally went through Peter’s schedule - he’d be heading towards the Asylum, wouldn’t he? The blonde pondered on it as she took a seat and shrugged out of her heavier jacket. Crossing her leg over the other, she reached down to brush some of the cat hair of her legging covered thigh before doing the same to some of the snow stuck to her boot and then leaned back.
She considered if she should stop in Honeymead and go see if he’d be planning on to continue with the rest of his businesses for the evening, but she remained seated. “He’s been taking time off lately for me, might as well leave him be. Maybe he’ll be home early.” She thought with a chuckle. Going through her email, Jersey pulled her cardigan over her long sleeved white shirt closer to her form and deleted what was needed until the transit pulled up to Bullwood station.
With her jacket over one arm, Jersey made it only a block on the walk back home to the cabin when she felt the familiar pull of being summoned. Her green eyes blinked once when she took in her surroundings, but she knew the scents immediately and the voice that followed. “Merry Christmas, handsome.” She smiled warmly, “Didn’t expect to see you home.”
<Peter Parkman> Peter was not surprised that Jersey would not expect him home. Come hell or high weather, Peter stuck to his schedule; this was something that Jersey knew well about him. Except, it was Christmas. He shrugged. “It’s customary for people to take time off at Christmas. Specifically Christmas day,” he said, pulling his hand from his pocket only to glance at his watch. Even though he knew exactly what time it was, the gesture was a signal for Jersey. “It’s officially Christmas day,” he said, using the same hand to tug at Jersey’s hip, pulling her close for a greeting kiss.
Now that Jersey was here, he became a little more anxious. He wanted to do the gift-giving first - at least, then, the question of whether Jersey would like the gift or not would be out of the way and they could move on with their night. He didn’t question Jersey - about whether she had plans to be elsewhere, or if he’d pulled her away from something important. She seemed happy enough to be there. If she needed to be someone else, she would tell him. Right?
“Do you remember when I summoned you to the Asylum? And we caught up with Keara?” he asked, his fingers curling around Jersey’s hand so that he could tug her toward the couch. The couch that was right in front of the lightly crackling fireplace, the warmth spreading throughout the room. It was the same couch as he’d always had - he didn’t want to get rid of that couch, and he never really understand why. Until now.
“I got the idea, then. Of what I’d get you for Christmas,” he said, coaxing Jersey down onto the couch with him. he sat on the edge, digging the box out of his pocket. It wasn’t wrapped in Christmas wrapping. Peter thought the box itself was wrapping enough. He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he held it out to Jersey, now suddenly worried that he wasn’t saying the right thing. But he had practiced this. He had to keep going. He couldn’t deviate from his plans, now.
“We were apart for… months. We spoke… rarely. But we still loved each other. And now that you’re back, I realised how much I missed you. How much I think you belong here, with me. This… I think it’s the logical step,” he said with a nod.
“I would like to marry you, Jersey. If you’ll have me,” he said, opening the box to reveal the rose gold and diamond, floral themed ring within.
<Jersey> She chuckled at his words and gave a nod, “Well, either way. I’m happy you’re home.” The word caused her to smile even more and she looked down as he glanced at his watch. A laugh escaped past her lips when she stepped closer at the tugging, leaning up and into the kiss to return while her free hand lifted to cup the side of his neck. “And so it is. I thought you’d go and check to see that everything was fine at the other businesses, then come back early.”
Afterwards, she leaned into the man lightly before she looked around to take in the candles around the room fully. It created a romantic feel, but added to the decor within, and she loved it. She felt his hand before she heard him speak, catching onto the fact that he was as he mentioned summoning her to the Asylum. Jersey nodded and tossed her jacket lightly to the ground beside the couch - a purposeful action as she paused to remove her bag so that she could repeat it as she followed after him.
“Of course, love. There aren’t many times I can count when you summon me without warning.” She teased, dropping her bag carefully. There was a soft thud from the journal that she kept within it, but there was nothing breakable inside. Jersey squeezed his hand, “Not that I mind when you do.” She distracted him enough, and lately, she had rather enjoyed pulling him away from his work often.
For a brief moment, she was confused as she took a seat beside him on the couch and crossed her ankles as her legs stretched out in front of her. The blonde reached up to remove her hat, setting it on the seat behind her. A smile crossed her lips as she saw the box, finding it to be pretty before her green eyes lifted back up to Peter’s features as she traced her thumb along the design. “Oh?”
There hadn’t been a day where he hadn’t crossed her mind, and she since had admitted it over time. But, as he continued speaking, the smile fell where surprise crossed her features and she felt her jaw fall just a small amount. Silence took the place of words, her eyes widening while she blinked and looked down at the ring.
She found it to be beautiful and wanted to ask if he was sure, but all that came out was a squeak. She knew about his late wife and his past. But, she also knew that Peter didn’t do anything that he wasn’t sure of, it was something that she had liked about him from the beginning. Jersey then wet her lips and tried again, “I’ll always have you, Peter. It’ll always be yes.”
<Peter Parkman> It was a good thing, that Jersey didn’t ask Peter if he was sure. There were plenty of things that he could have said to convince her, but it wouldn’t have been romantic. It would have been logical. There’d have been calculations of days spent together and days spent apart. There was research he’d done about the benefits of having someone else in one’s life, especially when one suffered Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A lot of thought had been put into this endeavour. But the idea had come to him on a whim, and that had been enough. That single idea was what had spurred the research, and the consequent search for a ring.
That was yet another thing that he didn’t particularly want to go into.
At first, he couldn’t properly decipher the expression on Jersey’s face; for a few moments he was concerned that she would shake her head and say no. That it wasn’t right. Not yet. Not ever. That she wasn’t sure she would want to spend the rest of her life with someone like him. But he wasn’t given long to panic. There was that one squeal before she said yes, and a grin broke out across Peter’s features. He immediately and gently pulled the ring from its snug position in the box, and held out a hand for Jersey’s. He’d also done the calculations about the size of her ring finger; he’d been stealthy about it, but he had achieved what he had needed to achieve. He was ninety-nine percent sure that the ring would fit, when he slid it onto her finger. And once the ring was upon her finger, he tugged at the very same hand, shuffling closer so that he could press his lips to hers. The dogs flurried, a few of them gathering and pressing against their legs. The happiness, and the excitement, was infectious.
When Peter pulled away, it was to admire the ring as it sat against Jersey’s skin.
“Do you like it?”
<Jersey> He had asked her to be his wife. Even after she had said yes, the idea still stunned her as she looked down at the ring. Breathless, surprised. She felt excitement bubble through her slender form as she considered what it meant, both for them as a couple and for her. “We’re going to be married.” A soft giggle escaped past her lips and she looked up at Peter with adoration. She slid her hand into his reach, looking down to see the ring being placed onto her finger which made her wonder when he'd gotten her measurement and where her attention had been. Chalking it up to just be one of those things he could do while she was distracting herself, Jersey brushed her thumb idly over the ring.
Her hand enclosed over his as she leaned up to meet him into the kiss, happy. She scooted closer to Peter until she, too, was on the edge of the couch and let her lips linger against his. It was a way to simply enjoy the moment, to remember it and as they parted, she leaned into him before following his gaze to the ring.
She reached down to scratch absently at one of the dogs with her freehand while studying it. At his question, Jersey nodded. “I love it.” She looked down at the box that still rest in her lap, her thumb rubbing against the ring. “And I love you, Peter Parkman.” Her green eyes lifted to meet his as she grinned softly. It took a lot of her self restraint not to get up and spin, or to cheer out loud, so instead she moved her free hand to his upper thigh and gave a squeeze. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his once more to kiss him. When she pulled away, she ran her tongue along her bottom lip briefly. “How long have you been planning this?” The question was curious as she looked at the candles and then back to the man beside her.
<Peter Parkman> As Jersey scooted closer, Peter wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her closer even as the kiss lingered. Tonight was not a night for inhibitions. Tonight had been planned well in advance. The only way it could have been ruined was if Jersey had other plans, but she didn’t. And now that she had said yes, now that the present had been given and happily received, Peter let go of all his stress and anxiety. It shuddered from his body, washed away by unadulterated happiness. There was nothing else that Peter had to do tonight, but be with Jersey.
“Since the third of December,” he said. Of course Jersey was going to get a precise answer. Peter even remembered the exact time. “Keara said it was nice to see us both. She meant separately, I think, but in that moment I realised how good I felt to be there with you. It was a Eureka moment. When… all of the numbers aligned, and the equation finally made sense,” he said. While he spoke, his gaze had drifted, dreamily staring at one of the ornaments across the room. Now, it shifted back to Jersey, and the gleeful glow that radiated from her features. Peter was no good at reading other people, but there was no way he could not understand the expression now settled so steadfastly upon Jersey’s features.
“The next night I factored in some time to do some research. And on the fifth of December I want to the jewelry shop and commissioned the ring. I paid them a lot of money,” he said, and he blinked. A voice in the back of his head twitched - perhaps he shouldn’t tell her how much money he spent. That wasn’t a done thing, was it? He shrugged the voice away. He wouldn’t elaborate.
“They got it done quickly. I picked it up on the twenty-third,” he said, and then grinned. This was something that he had been very certain about.
