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 Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 9:37 pm
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After the very accidental love confession, Marcus had been very... cautious around Cass. Insisting that yes, he did love her and yes, he was ready to face whatever that entailed, her skittishness with attachment included, he'd done his best to remain respectful and not push towards them being 'an item'.
Even if they had been already just without it being official.
But he wanted to make this work, to be there for her and show that he cared and he wasn't the type to just give up on their relationship for the sake of 'not hurting when they broke up'. She had something in her past that wasn't his business, and to the man who thought that flu shots were ways for the government to inject tracking devices into you, he was actually quite fine with the whole secret past thing.
Still, he wanted this, he wanted them, to work. And the first step was to not gloss over what they could be. More than just '******** buddies'. Something more than lovers.
And so it would start with a date. A simple late spring picnic in the park, enjoying the warm sun and cool breeze while they talked and just relaxed. He even brought a nice bottle of wine and flowers, intent on showing her that he was serious, he wanted to romance her.
Though, after he set up their little picnic spread, he wondered if the flowers were a BIT much for their first 'official' date.
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 10:00 pm
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Okay. They were gonna try a real date. A real date. One where she cared about dressing up and looking cute and maybe letting him try to woo her properly instead of accidental. Cass briefly wondered if her shorts were too short, then wondered if Marcus would even mind. He'd probably just have been thrilled to see her with bed head and PJs with eggs all over them on.
He was just wonderful and liked her even when she was a mess. She at least couldn't pull out a stop for make-up, barely throwing on chapstick for the occasion before heading off on her way. To the park of crossing-over, but maybe it would be kind and let her actually enjoy a picnic.
She'd actually shown up before him, but didn't want to seem too eager, instead hiding herself away in her car with a deep sigh. Yes. She was actually excited to go on a real date. One with a boy she wanted to smooch,, not one with a man who she'd accidentally called Dad and nearly cried all over. Time with Jeremiah was nice - important even - but time with Marcus was special.
Ultimately, she waited a whole 6 minutes after their agreed upon time to actually find the spot in the park where they'd arranged to meet, taking a moment to admire the spread before she walked up behind him and leaned up to kiss his cheek from behind.
"Waiting for someone, handsome?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:43 pm
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As Marcus could explode small things with his mind, he was always very glad that he didn't do it at every instance of being shocked or scared. Had that been the case with that power, he would have never left his house.
And never met Cass.
Or gone on a date with her.
Or been able to spin around and grin like a loon while presenting her with a colorful bouquet of flowers that he'd been assured meant 'I love you'.
"Yes!" He replied a bit louder and overly excited.
"Ah, erm, I got these for you." He shoved the flowers towards her, red flush coloring his cheeks and neck.
Swallowing some of his nerves, his hand motioned to the blanked, the traditional red and white checkerboard pattern almost comically cliche for their date. But, he also wasn't sure how else to go about this business of romancing someone who feared romance.
"And before you ask, no seafood today. I figured it would be good to spice things up a bit." Nerves or not, he leaned over a kissed her cheek.
"Thank you for coming."
He wasn't so stupid to not know how much this must have demanded of her.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:58 pm
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The look on his face made her heart flutter as he turned to face her, taking a single step back to keep either of them from awkwardly thwapping each other. There was a quiet moment as she stood there, holding the flowers and looking down at them fondly, a somewhat shy, but happy smile crossing her face. "Man...it's been a long time since somebody gave me flowers," she murmured.
Graduation from middle school to be exact.....she'd never gotten to High School after that. Still, she enjoyed them for what they were, lifting them to her face to inhale deeply of their scent.
"Did you have the custom order the blanket?" she teased, leaning into Marcus when he leaned in to kiss her cheek, smiling as she rested a free hand against his shoulder.
"No? You're sick of crab already?" she asked as she pulled away, easily settling down onto the blanket contently, crossing her legs and holding the bouquet gingerly to her. "Then what have you got in store for me? I am excited to see what all you planned up."
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Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 9:07 pm
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"They have a specialty store for this?" she asked, sounding surprised, but also somehow accepting that it was a thing the moment he said it.Of course they had a specialty store for picnic gear (most likely).Of course he'd gone out to find it. She watched with a smile as he started to produce things from his cooler.
All sorts of things. He was fumbling awkwardly, but it was part of his charm. Cass sighed, allowing her hands (and the flowers she held in them) to rest in her lap.
"Well. I've never had strawberry salsa before. What do you eat it with? Is it like cranberry salsa where it's best with cream cheese and crackers?" she asked as she looked at the plate of sandwich fixings. "I'll admit I'm fairly boring on the sandwich front. I typically just like ham, swiss, some mayo, and a little mustard. Occasionally lettuce, but..."but it definitely wasn't a fancy sandwich. She hadn't even specified bread.
"What about you?" Cass tilted her head, just offering him a smile. Lord, he was wonderful, even if he wasn't sure what he was doing.
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 5:29 pm
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On the occasional interval, Marcus would simply watch Cass with a look of obvious happiness that most would attribute to being love struck. Yet it wasn't necessarily love he felt. It was a calm, a peace he had never really remembered having before but didn't make him giddy or exited just-
Happy.
Watching Cass just enjoy food he'd prepared was one such moment where he felt calmly happy.
"It's okay. If I get drunk it's from you." Where did that come from. Pulling back he coughed understanding that he'd gone from a 3 of romantic to an 11 heavy liner.
"Sorry, I well." He closed his eyes and leaned back.
"I'm glad you said yes. To the date. To me." He kept his gaze averted, trying, (poorly), to hide his embarrassment. "To try this with me." To stay and play at being a couple, an honest to god couple.
Red flush, he fumbled, pulling out two slices of bread.
"Okay, ham, mayo, mustard- what else?"
He was focusing on the soon to hopefully be made sandwich, not his girlfriend because Marcus was very sure he'd just go off staring like a fool.
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 5:55 pm
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Something about his awkwardness simply charmed her. Usually a stare as long as his would have easily sent her running for the hills with everything she thought was worth keeping tucked in a single box in the back of her car - or maybe in her hammerspace. Man. That thing was going to make moving so much easier.
"Well darn, I guess I need to get out the cuffs and arrest you," she teased, though cuffs were definitely used - just not in public. "No need to apologize. I like that about you."
He was descending into more awkwardness and she just smiled back at him. "You're more awkward about me sitting here in a park on a date than you were about me pinning you to your own couch with no pants on because I thought it would be a great arrangement," and it definitely had been. No regrets. An awkward date, but no regrets.
She looked at the bread, then up at his face. "Just ham, mayo, mustard, and swiss." she repeated. A very basic sandwich.
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:30 pm
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She loved it when he looked at her like that and Cass leaned back, smiling coyly. She was nothing but an image of pure innocence, after all.
She took the sandwich when he offered it, smiling at how similar his own taste in sandwiches was. They were pretty much two peas in a pod - despite her own attempts to keep it from being such. Cass spent a good few minutes just staring at him, unable to contain the smile that grew on her face. It was hidden by a few bites of delicious sandwich.
"I hope that's a promise," she winked.
Cass considered Marcus's inquiry for a moment. "Well, I've had a few strange side trips on my way to work, I pulled a bird out of a glitchy thing, it's..a fairly common occurance. I actually need to go check on my little bird friend at some point, but only if you'd like to go with me." Was that a second date? Maybe.
"How about you? Noticing it's fairly random and only when nobody is looking?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:53 pm
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His brain to mouth filter was clearly not working at that moment as his answer was a very firm and loud. "Yes."
He froze, cleared his throat again, and took a large mouthful of food to cover the wave of embarrassment that came with his blatant attraction. He'd thought he'd be over this by now but no, he was still the same man she'd met picking up forks in the freezer isle.
"I can't say about commonality or glitchy birds, but I'd be more than happy to go with you." He had hoped in a way, she'd not be involved with that which could kill her, (as well as something in other Ashdown could him too), he just-
It was that dumb masculine part of him that just wanted to keep her safe and close and happy. Being separate from magic was just that, safe. Relatively anyway. Even if the natural theoretical state was one where magic was the reality.
"Lately I've just been keeping my head down. With as much activity that's been going on, I'm surprised the ah-" he paused, "-powers that be haven't taken greater interest in Ashdown. Much goes unnoticed but at the same time, it is noticed. Once you can see, it's hard to ignore whats in front of you."
Blue eyes looked up at her, a smile ghosting over his face. Kind of like how loved worked. Was love a type of magic? Maybe. It was a nice thought.
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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:37 pm
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He still gazed at her with besotted eyes, Marcus smiled as he answered her question. "No, but where you go, I'll follow. We can look together." Reaching over he ran his fingers over her cheek, smile widening.
"After lunch, we can go door hunting. It's a nice day, so hopefully not raining or overly foggy on the other side. It can be.." He hummed.
"Like a magic date."
Suddenly he pulled back, face flush as he finished his though.
"Though every date with you is magical." It was so very cheesy, but it was also true. She made everything just seem better. Was this that dopamine effect? He'd look into what the body did chemical wise when in love later.
Smiling, even eyes adverted of his corny pick up line, Marcus nodded.
"It's likely they're afraid of Ashdown. So far, nothing big has happened, but the potential is there. Acting on fear could trigger something, and with more than a few people under the eyes, protection, and beholden to those of the more magical nature, if anyone were to step in they'd risk damaging the fragile balance." Another bite, he chewed and swallowed quickly.
"It's good though, because it means they won't come for us. Or you." It was the first allusion to her habit of running.
"I wouldn't let them. Take you that is.i - I mean, unless you really wanted to go. You know... go."
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