"Wish" update! *finally!*5-12-10

[mellie]

I love it, and will wait until you can post more. =)

[Mars]

more's on the way! if it's not up by this weekend, something should be posted after the 21st ^_^ Spring Break! Wooo!!!

[Mars]

Saturday. I woke up and realized it was raining. Not sprinkling, not mist, but pouring. Oh, CRAP!
It was disappointing but I decided to get over it. I mean, weather’s pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things, especially when I had a date. Now THAT was a bright side!”
Picking out clothes took a bit longer than usual. I wanted to look nice. The problem was, I couldn’t find anything but jeans at first. Paint-covered jeans, too. Yikes. Not good in this situation. So I had to dig around for a while.
Somehow, by some complete miracle, I managed to find a skirt and shirt that matched pretty well and exceeded my ‘nice’ expectation. The skirt was a little shorter than what I usually wear, but I had the feeling he wouldn’t mind.
He didn’t. He took one look at me and grinned instantly.
“Wow.”
I can’t explain why but one little comment made me feel incredible. Downright giddy, too. I hugged him. So what if it wasn’t exactly the most dignified thing to do? I sure didn’t care.
“It took forever to pick this out.”
“I’d say time well spent. You’re beautiful.”
“Th-thanks.” All I could think of saying. I pressed my lips against his cheek and just savored the moment for as long as possible. Then, as it had so many times before, his voice brought me back to reality.
“Let’s go.”
*
Minutes later we were on the road. He drove, casually as ever, while I tried to start a conversation out of curiosity.
“So, um..what are we doing tonight?”
“Going out.” He responded with a perfectly straight face, betrayed only by an intense sparkle in his eyes. Teasing again!
“I kinda figured. Where to, though?”
“First, we’re eating. The restaurant’s different, but I know you’ll love it.”
“Promise?” If he could goof around, so could I.
“I promise.” Now he was smiling. He wasn’t looking straight at me but that really didn’t matter. Still charming, still sweet. “After that I’m taking you to the best club in Seattle. You should fit right in.” A left turn. He glanced at me for a split second and stroked over my fingers with his thumb.
Here’s the thing. I’m not exactly the most social girl on the planet, never have been. But at that moment he seemed so sure that I couldn’t help believing (and, of course, trusting) him.
“I hope you’re right. Don’t let me do anything crazy, okay?”
“Deal.” Said while in the process of parking. Then he turned his full attention to me with a big smile. “Ready, ‘Lise?”
“You bet!”
As usual his enthusiasm was contagious. If the buzz of excitement in the air was any indication tonight was going to be great. Good times, good food, great company…that was all perfectly fine with me.

[mellie]

Loved it. Waiting until the next chapter. =)

[Mars]

Private. Secluded. Elegant, yet still relaxed.
Apolo was right: I did like this restaurant. I liked it a LOT. The atmosphere felt natural. On top of that the setup was downright beautiful.
Even after we sat down I kept glancing around, taking it all in.
“Not bad, huh?”
“No, not at all. This is amazing.” Out of excitement I tapped on the table. Then I noticed what I was doing, blushed, and stopped myself. “Sorry.
I’m just really happy. I mean..” Before I could finish he stopped me by putting his hand over mine.
"I understand. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels like a five-year-old at Christmas right now." Priceless smile. I'd never really though about it,
but such total honesty was another reason why I loved him so d**n much. From the beginning I had felt like I could tell him anything, and knew that
everything he said was 100% sincere. Having so much trust in a relationship was pretty new for me...but it was a nice, welcome change.
"I'd say this is more like Christmas and a birthday combined. Maybe with a little bit of Easter thrown in, too. That makes sense, doesn't it?" I wasn't
sure. I thought it sounded a little ramble-ish. What would he think, though? I had no idea until he responded.
"Yeah. I get what you mean. Candy and cake makes everything better." He grinned and poked my nose. "Speaking of food, though, what are you hungry for?"
"Um...Steak sounds really good. What do you think?" I gave him my full attention, even squeezed his hand for emphasis. He considered the question as he
glanced through the menu, then smiled.
"I think you're right.That does sound good."
"Cool. I, uh, guess great minds really do think alike." Oh crap! As soon as I said it I winced and he noticed.
"What's wrong?"
"What I just said sounded kind of silly. Sorry."
"It's not silly if I agree with you." There it was again, the smile that dared me to argue or complain. I couldn't. I mean, the conversation was just
plain silly to begin with. So I giggled, which only made his smile widen.
"Touché. Good point." I had exactly enough time to stifle my giggles before a server came and took our orders. Apolo glanced at me for a few moments,
long enough for me to notice, blush, and shift my free hand to my cheek. As soon
as the server left I had somehow managed to work up the courage to voice my thoughts."Y'know, I..never thought I'd see you smile like that. Especially
not at me."
"Really." A statement, not a question. The sparkle in his eyes intensified. "Well, Marlise, let me say that it's definitely deserved."
That was when he kissed my hand. The gesture was very gentlemanly, but more importantly very sweet. It made me more aware that tonight wasn't just about
hanging out, partying, and having fun. Tonight was also about enjoying a little bit of private time while we had it. At the same time I knew, deep down,
that I wasn't going to let anything ruin the night. No way.
---
More after Easter break! Bonne weekend! =)

[mellie]

Loved it. Can't wait for more after Easter.

[Mars]

As the night progressed the air of energy and excitement lingered. We ate, talked, joked around,
and flirted like high schoolers. Definitely not a bad way to spend an hour, I mused privately,
unable to resist smiling. That big smile was still on my face when we went to the club.
We walked in hand-in-hand. I followed his well-trained lead, smiling brightly and occasionally waving when it was appropriate. As had happened so many times before I found all the reassurance I needed in the touch of his hand.
"Want something to drink?"
"Sure. Surprise me." Said with a smile. He grinned back at me then went to flag the bartender down.
This gave me a few minutes to glance around and take everything in. I felt more than a little out of my element but I didn't mind at all. I looked around and saw nothing but beauty. Glowing lights, fresh paint, and glamorous people all demanded my attention while a familiar yet vague song blasted in the background. I remembered what Apolo had said earlier about fitting in and felt considerably flattered.
Within a minute, though, I felt irritated. Some unknown person tapped my shoulder while I was looking around. I turned and saw this guy I had never seen in my life staring right at me.
"Hey, babe. Come here often?"
"Uhhhh.. No, actually." I flashed a smile. Fished my phone out of my purse and pretended to be engrossed in it. Anyone else would have taken the hint and walked away. Not this guy, though. Unfortunately.
"That's cool." He glanced down in a not-so-subtle attempt at an eye-grope. Yuck! I had exactly enough time to send Apolo a text asking for help before the creep continued. "Could I get you a drink?"
"Nah. I'm good. Thanks, though."
At that exact moment, right when I was about to throw my phone at the guy, I felt an unmistakably familiar, wonderfully warm arm slip around my waist. He glanced at the guy for no more than a second before turning to me, kissing my cheek.
"Hey. Who's he?" Casually.
"A fan, I guess." I shrugged and took a sip of my drink. Meanwhile our guest was coming fairly close to freaking out. His eyes were wide and his face was downright incredulous.
"Sorry. I-I didn't know. I'm not trying to cause trouble or anything."
"It's cool." Aah, gentleman-mode, complete with a smile. "No harm, no foul."
"Right." I couldn't help chiming in. "Have a nice night."
"Okay. See ya!" With that the guy backed off into the crowd. As soon as he left I sighed, blowing a few bubbles into my glass.
"That...was crazy."
"That was cute. Don't act like you don't like it when guys pay attention to you."
"I do. Thing is, the only guy I WANT attention from is sitting riiiight here." On the last word I poked him gently.
"Good answer. Anyway, though...What do you think?" He made a gesture indicating our surroundings.
"I like it. This was a good plan, although I -do- feel a little overdressed." I grinned and fought back a giggle. I knew we had both seen the group of girls nearby who apparently thought they could pass large belts off as skirts.
"I disagree with that. There's definitely a line between skanky and sexy." He took my hand, smiled, and I felt blood rush to my cheeks.
"S..sexy? Me?"
"Yes, you. Never doubt it, Marlise. Not even for a second." With each word his tone and smile softened.
"Oh, I won't. Especially not when you're around, Apolo." I leaned over and hugged him. It was one of those silly little impulse moments but it paid off. He hugged me back with a smile and a gentle chuckle.
"Glad to hear it. Want to dance, though?"
"I guess. As long as you don't mind a few smashed toes." He definitely knew that I was kidding around, going by the look on his face.
"I can spare a few for you. C'mon." His fingers traced smoothly over my hand. The truth is, I was more than willing to go along with him. I mean, seriously, what was the worst that could possibly happen?
*
So we danced. I'll admit it, I was having fun, and so was he.
...A least, I was until I got a random headache. It wasn't serious, just irritating. He was holding me close during a slow dance when the monster struck. I shrugged it off at first, but once the song ended I couldn't ignore it.
"Crap...I, I have to sit down." He didn't ask questions, only nodded and led me to a booth.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah. I'm fine, except for this headache."
"Let's get out of here, then."
"No...Apolo...we don't have to. I mean -" Before I could finish he shook his head.
"Listen, I seriously don't mind leaving now. It's not a big deal." A genuinely concerned expression. His eyes never left mine as his fingers traced gently, soothingly over the back of my hand. "I don't want you to be miserable, 'Lise."
"Okay. You're right. Let's go." I was happy to agree. The whole night had been beyond amazing. Now, though, I wanted nothing more than to relax with him for a while.
Getting rid of that headache wouldn't be bad, either.
--
More soon....fingers crossed! lol! =)

[mellie]

Great chapter. Poor Marlise getting that headache. Patiently waiting for more.

[Mars]

About half an hour passed. Maybe it was a little longer than that. I'm not sure. Anyway, we changed into more comfortable clothes and were now side-by-side in the old patio. He was sitting while I was leaning into him and using his shoulder as a pillow. It was still raining, but the sound was peaceful. Very, very relaxing, in fact.
At one point there was a pause in our discussion. He glanced down at me and brushed his fingers gently across my forehead.
"Feeling better?"
"M-hm. Much. I'm sorry we had to leave so early, though."
"It's cool. If you want we can stay longer next time."
"I'd like that." I sighed and shifted closer to him. "Y'know, sometimes I still can't believe we're so close now."
"Me neither, but I'm not complaining. Remember when we met?"
"Yes! I was so friggin' nervous!" Call me nostalgic. I couldn't help smiling at the memory.
"I know." A cute smile. "Want to know a secret, though?"
"No. Not at all." I rolled my eyes, then smiled at him. "Of course I do. Shoot."
"I was every bit as nervous as you were at first." His expression and voice were just plain beautiful as he reminisced. With each word he ran his fingers through my hair. The sweetness of his words didn't take away the impact of his words, though. Not by a long shot.
"Wait...I made -you- nervous?"
"Believe it or not, yes. I was watching you for, like, ten minutes before I said anything." A very small part of me couldn't believe it. The rest of me was touched.
"Aww, that's so sweet. I had no idea." I leaned even closer and quickly side-hugged him. "Your secret's safe with me, though."
"Good. I don't think I could stand it if people thought I was some kind of whiny wuss." Hearing the laughter in his voice made me smile.
"Wuss? You? Sorry, Apolo, but somehow I can't see that." I glanced at him and touched his knee tentatively, almost cautiously. He regarded the contact for a second then flashed me a sweet smile.
"You're fine."
I took his words as a cue and relaxed my hand. His muscle structure fascinated me. Hell, -he- fascinated me. Anyone with eyes could tell he was strong, but at the same time he had this sweet, gentle side that I just plain loved. Once again I was struck by how complex he was.
Beautiful. Just friggin' beautiful.
"You're amazing.." Half sigh, half yawn, all honesty. For a second he looked like the comment took him by surprise. Then, though, he smiled and quirked his head at me.
"C'mere."
"Huh? Why?"
"I want to hold you, that's why."
How on Earth was I supposed to say no to that? Honestly? His expression was irresistable, a cute smirk paired with big, sparkling eyes that were looking right at me. I couldn't resist. No. Way.
"Okay..." The response had barely left my mouth when I felt his arms wrap around me. Perfect? Almost. Not quite, though.
In a moment of random impulse I nuzzled my head against his neck, closed my eyes, and sighed happily.
There. -That- was perfect.
"Now this is what I call amazing. Want to stay here for a little bit longer, Marlise?"
"M-hm. Sounds great." Just above a whisper. I heard him laugh softly, which made me sigh happily again. I was more than happy to spend some time just relaxing with him.
In that sense it really was perfect.
--
More asap =)

[mellie]

That was just plain sweet. I lol'd about the wuss comment. Patiently waiting for more.

[Mars]

Soon it was very early on Sunday morning. I had been perfectly content sleeping, like any sane person would at such a hideously early hour. Then I noticed motion nearby, and opened my eyes in time to see Apolo stretching and yawning.
"Heyy, where're ya going?"
"Working out. Same as every morning." An indifferent shrug was betrayed by another yawn.
"Apolo, it's -Sunday-. Skipping one morning won't ruin your physique." I reached over and started rubbing his shoulders in an attempt to change his mind. "Please?"
At first he didn't respond. After a few seconds, though, he sat down and yawned again.
"Okay, 'Lise. You win." He was trying to come across as grumpy. His voice matched, but when he looked at me a definite smile reflected in his eyes. He laid back down and immediately pulled me back into his arms. The smile softened but didn't fade as he kissed me, first lips then forehead. I leaned my head on his chest and let my right hand rest over his heartbeat. Mmm, hypnotic. I loved it.
"Apolo?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. What for?"
"I dunno." Yaaaaawn. "Being epic, I guess." I kissed his warm skin and closed my eyes.
"Epic, huh? I'll definitely take that." A sleepy chuckled as he pulled me a little closer. Just a little. "Love you, Sleeping Beauty. Sweet dreams."
"Love you too. 'Night." ...Or was it morning? I suppose it didn't matter, not really. I heard him snore softly and just let the sound lull me back to sleep. The day was extremely young, after all.
--
More soon!
Kinda OT, but your ava's hypnotic =)

[mellie]

My ava is hypnotic.lol

Another sweet chapter.

[Mars]

uber-short! A considerably longer post's on the way!
**
One of my favorite aspects of any weekend is the opportunity to sleep in. This particular Sunday was no exception, much to my total delight.
The first thing I noticed when I finally woke up was that the pillow my face was buried in smelled almost exactly like his hair. Not surprising, but certainly not unpleasant.
Then I noticed something else. I was being nudged. Repeatedly.
"Whaaat?" A half-yawn as I glanced up at him.
"It's eleven thirty, that's what." There was no anger or negativity in his tone. In fact he sounded pretty amused."You said you wanted to take a shower this morning, so I thought I'd wake you up." He ran a hand through his damp hair and smiled at me.
Wow. He'd remembered some silly little remark I made before I fell asleep. It wasn't really a big deal, but it was pretty sweet. So I got up and hugged him.
"Aww, thanks, Apolo." I wanted to say so much more, but didn't have to. He hugged me back and I knew he understood.
"You're welcome, Marlise." A quick yet sweet kiss. He smiled, then patted my lower back in his usual 'go ahead' gesture. "Take your time."
"Gotcha. See you in a bit." I kissed him on the cheek, reluctant to let go, then grabbed my clothes and headed to the bathroom. I wanted to wash up, but more importantly I wanted a few minutes to just think and reflect.
Apolo understood that part of it as well, and I was grateful.

[mellie]

Short but sweet. =D

[Mars]

I spent some time lost in my own thoughts. I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between us. It wasn't bad. Far from it.
Ever since that first 'fight' I'd noticed a distinct, positive shift in our relationship. Kind of like we had progressed into something stronger, if that makes any sense. I couldn't put the feeling into words, so I settled for embracing it.
Feeling refreshed, I got dressed, towel-dried my hair, and moved on.
When I found him, though, I was taken by surprise. I shouldn't have been. I mean, I've witnessed Apolo's pensive, reflective side more times than I can count. Why was this so different? I have no idea.
He was leaning against the window, casually glancing out at the rain. One hand was resting in his pocket, while the other ran lazily through his hair.
His expression was just plain amazing. His eyes were clear, focused on the view. His mouth was unmoving but I noticed traces of a definite smile. When he noticed me the smile finally emerged.
It took less than five seconds for our hands to meet and give the impression of being fused together. One touch was enough to set off a massive butterfly attack. To be honest, though, I didn't mind.
At first we didn't say anything, simply enjoying the contact. A minute or so later he shifted his gaze down to our hands, examining the sight with interest.
"What's happening?"
"Nothing, besides noticing how warm your skin feels."
"Oh. I..that's probably just lingering from the hot water."
"Huh. Maybe you're right." The focused expression remained while his hand shifted up to my cheek, taking a moment to graze against my shoulder. Right away my heart started pounding. Not fluttering, but flat-out pounding.
"Ap..Apolo?"
"Yeah?"
"That's not just from the water."
"No. Definitely not." A pause, long enough for him to move closer and quirk his head at me. Comprehension was clear in his eyes. "..right now?"
"Y-yeah. Last chance for a while." Nervous? Me? ...Yes. I'm sure he noticed, but didn't mention it.
"Ahh, good point." Another head quirk. This time he made sure we were eye-to-eye. My breath caught in my throat and I had exactly enough time to wonder if he was trying to torture me. That was when he kissed me. I was faintly aware of hearing him whisper something that sounded like 'love you', and feeling the warmth of his hands against my back, but didn't really think about it. There wasn't much (or any) focus on thought at that point.
===
Peace, bliss, and the feeling of being totally content were all noticably present. We were arm in arm and nose to nose, pretty much just enjoying each other's company. Our conversation was mainly affectionate comments mixed into a series of random topics. That was perfectly fine with me. Fitting, too.
Then, though, I remembered his imminent trip and instantly felt tears well up. It took less than a second for Apolo to notice.
"What's wrong, Marlise?" His voice was tender, sweet, so understanding. One hand caressed my cheek gently.
"This week, it...It's going to friggin' suck. Apolo, I'm going to miss you so much." I stopped, took a breath, and wiped tears from my eyes. "God, I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
"This. I feel like an emotional wreck right now."
"You're fine, baby. Perfectly fine." He took my hand in his and kissed my fingers. "If it makes you feel better, I'll call you every night."
"I like that idea." I didn't even need to think about it. He was right. That DID make me feel better. Like, a lot.
"Glad to hear it." A quick kiss, then he looked at me with a smirk that was cuter than words. "C'mon. We should get ready."
It sounded like he was up to something. He probably had some kind of plan for the afternoon and I was more than just a little curious.
"Okay. Fine. On one condition."
"Well -that- depends on what the condition is." He kissed my nose with a goofy grin. Teasing again. Greeeat!
"Answer me this: What're we doing today?"
"Exploring. Don't ask where, though. I want that to be a surprise."
"Surprise, huh? I can definitely live with that." We shared one last tender kiss and lingering hug, then got ready for the day. Before we left, though, I realized something pretty important. I honestly didn't care where we went or what we did.
Any time we were together was going to be time well spent.
---
More soon, possibly by Monday. If all goes well the next posting should be considerably cute. Something to do with the sea, maybe....?