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

[Mars]

Five minutes later the dryer clicked off. Yuki didn’t say anything, just handed me a mirror. I turned it over and peeked at the reflection.
Shorter. Layered. No visible split ends. Subtle highlights, blended to match my natural dark blonde.
“Whoa…” I knew this was the ultimate understatement. I mean, no words could describe how I felt. Ecstatic and overjoyed came close but still missed the mark. “This…it’s…-wow-. Thank you!”
Yuki looked genuinely pleased. Definitely a good sign, I thought.
“You’re welcome. Now, smile.”
“No problem.” I was already grinning from ear to ear, ready to join that little voice that was cheering triumphantly. Somehow I managed to sit still long enough for him to take a picture with his phone and hit ‘send’. Then I looked into the mirror again, lifting my hand to touch my ‘new’ hair. This was so…so surreal. Wow. To think that this morning I had been terrified, only to realize that it was pointless fear. That Yuki was every bit as awesome as his son. I should’ve figured. I mean, duh! Apolo had to get it from somewhere.
“Apolo will like it.” Yuki’s comment, casually spoken, pulled me out of my daydreaming haze.
“I hope so.” I stood up and grinned again. “Thanks…again.”
“You’re welcome. Again.” Yuki smiled. “It was nice talking to you.”
“You too.” We shook hands and exchanged farewells. As I left I felt especially blessed. I had an epic new look. More importantly, I had the love of an amazing man whose father didn’t hate me or think I was insane. Yeah, all in all, I was definitely blessed…
---

Can you tell I got bored this summer? Ha ha ha =)

[Mars]

Last one for now. I really gotta go get something to eat.. *stomach roars* Like I tweeted earlier, this 'chapter' contains one of my favorite moments in the story so far. I hope you all like it =) Ciaos for now! *waves again*
---
Thursday and Friday did not fly by. They crept along at their own leisurely pace, much to my irritation. Apolo’s phone calls were my only consolation through those slow days. As usual we talked about random things. The topics didn’t matter, though. All I cared about was getting to talk to him.
The days crept, but didn’t last forever. On Saturday morning I awoke feeling giddy. That euphoric feeling lasted throughout the morning. By the time I drove to the airport I was downright psyched. The scene felt almost exactly like our second meeting. Giddiness, anticipation, even a little uncertainty. I glanced around, trying to spot him through the busy crowd.
At first my search was unsuccessful. Then…Ah, the incomparable joy of glancing up at the perfect moment. Our eyes met. Apolo grinned, bit his lip, and waved for me to come over. I –bolted-. Moved as fast as I could towards him without running or knocking anyone over, then jumped into his arms. He laughed, spun me around, pulled me into a hug, and kissed me.
“Welcome back, Apolo.”
“Thanks, Marlise.” The hug lingered for a moment, until he stepped back and smiled. “I like this. It suits you.” Each word was soft, sincere. “Dad sent me a picture, but that wasn’t as good as seeing the real deal.” His eyes sparkled. He lifted a hand and brushed his fingers through my hair. I melted. God, how I wanted to tell him I loved him, that I’d missed him, and how glad I was that he was back, but I couldn’t. I was just too choked up. So I went for a suitable alternative. I hugged him, more than happy when he hugged me back with a whisper.
“Let’s get out of here.”

[Mars]

A while later we lay side-by-side, enjoying each other’s company and the clear night sky. Apolo’s arm was snug around my waist while my hand took its usual spot on his shoulder. We were talking, but this time the conversation WASN’T random.
“Does Dad still make you nervous?”
“Not nearly as much. He actually kind of surprised me.”
“Really? How so?” He turned to look at me, eyes sparkling and taking in everything I had to say. I shifted closer to him without even thinking about it. There. Better.
“Well..I never realized how much you took after him. You know, same confidence, same smile…plus you’re both really easy to talk to.”
Suddenly the sparkle changed. I noticed a mix of pride and affection. His free hand brushed against my cheek and instantly my knees tingled. Wow. Good thing I wasn’t standing, huh? I would’ve faceplanted on the spot.
“You surprised him too, y’know. He said you told him something but wouldn’t tell me exactly what it was. I’m pretty curious about that.”
Ohh, crrrrap…I knew exactly what Apolo was talking about. Of course, knowing didn’t make it any easier. So I bit my lip and went for it, thinking “no harm, no foul” the whole time.
“Okayyy…” Gulp. “We were talking about you and me. Like, our relationship?”
“Right. Go on.” Shoulder squeeze. That was all the motivation I needed.
“Well, Yuki asked how I felt when I’m with you, so I told him the truth. That you make me feel happy. C-complete, too.”
“Complete, huh?” His smile, complete with a raised eyebrow, was just plain cute.
“Uh-huh. I also said that…that I honestly felt like I’d found my other half. Y-you, I mean.”
Words couldn’t express how scared I was at that moment. What if I’d said too d**n much? The smile remained, but now his face looked…well, almost serious. There was even an intense glint in his eyes.
“I get what you mean. It’s funny, but I’ve been thinking about the same thing lately, when I had any time to think.” A genuine smile. “The other day, I realized something crucial, though. ‘You and me’ doesn’t really exist any more.”
…?!

[Mars]

“What?” I pulled away, sat up, frowned at him. “Apolo, what the hell are y-“
Before I could finish he put a finger on my lips.
“Sssh. Please, Marlise, let me finish.” I relaxed…a little. “What I mean is, somewhere, somehow, ‘you and me’ turned into ‘us.’” He took my hands into his, not letting his gaze leave mine. “A few months ago we were ‘just’ boyfriend and girlfriend. Now, though, I see you as a part of my life. Maybe even my future. The thing is, all I care about is –“
Now it was my turn to interrupt.
“Making the most of the present?”
“Exactly.” Now he was positively beaming as he pulled me into his arms. His eyes were still intense. As he looked at me I honestly felt like he could see past my eyes and into my heart, but he didn’t say anything. Just smiled, giving me that view of freckle and eyelash that always made my breath catch in my throat. Then…he kissed me. Finally.
Epic. Knee-weakening. Electric. Everything I had missed for the past week. When we broke away I felt refreshed, even though I was breathless. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed.
“Butterflies?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Me too.” Barely a whisper. “I love you.” With that said he held me closer, like he didn’t want to let go.
“Love you too.” My voice sounded exactly how I felt: Hazy and lazy. He brushed a hand over my cheek and shoulder before moving to my back. Butterflies again. Shocker, huh?
“There’s something I want to do tonight.”
“Huh? What?”
“I want to dance with you.”
“Like, right now?”
“Why not? Noone else is around, and I have a lot of music. More than most DJs.” Said with a smile. “D’you want to?”
“Definitely.” Feeling goofy, I kissed his cheek. His amused smile widened as he helped me to my feet and walked to his car. Playing with the stereo, I mused. I sighed and glanced back up at the sky. No clouds, only stars with the full moon lurking behind the trees. It really was a beautiful night. Peaceful, too.
That was as far as my thoughts progressed when the music started. I had never heard the song before. It was slow, sweet, with just the right hint of jazz. I liked it.
Apolo turned, smiled at me, and held out a hand.
“May I have this dance?”
“Of course.” Said with a grin bordering on giggles. He squeezed my hand, then put both of his hands on my waist. Taking that as a cue, I slipped my arms around his shoulders.
“Follow my lead, alright?”
“Gotcha.” Gulp. I fought the urge to keep glancing down at his feet. Instead I focused on his expression. The moonlight intensified the sparkle in his eyes. And his smile? WOW. Proud, pleased. Genuinely happy. Absolutely friggin’ beautiful, in other words. Privately, I thought he could smile at me like that all day if he wanted to. I definitely wouldn’t stop him.
---
more ASAP! Possibly tomorrow morning, time permitting.

[mellie]

LOVE IT!!!!! Patiently waiting for more.(^_^)

[Mars]

His steps were smooth, graceful, easy to follow. He made me feel comfortable even though I was –really- out of my element. I had a mental image of dancing like this in public, and couldn’t help giggling out loud.
“What’s up?”
“I had a funny thought, that’s all. If we were professionals I don’t think this would work. Everyone would say I’m too tall for you.”
“They’d be wrong. You’re not.” Laughter in his eyes and voice. He dipped me down. Gazed into my eyes. Smiled, then raised us both back to full height. Now THAT was epic.
“I see why you won. You’re insanely smooth on your feet.” In general, too. I didn’t say that part aloud, though.
“Thanks, ‘Lise.” His smile became lighter. Definitely more amused. “I think some people just voted because they thought I was hot, though.”
Teasing and flirting. Oh, how I had missed them.
“Thought? Apolo, there’s no thinking involved. You –are- hot!” I moved my hand to his cheek then kissed his nose. “Amazing all around.”
“That makes two of us.” Then he kissed me, one of those soft and indescribably amazing cheekbone brushes. “What do you want to do tonight?”
“Nothing special. We could, maybe, watch movies and relax. Forget about life for a while, I mean.” I shrugged, trying to sound casual.
“Good plan. One more dance first?”
“You bet.”
So we danced under the clear sky. I can’t explain why, but the whole evening felt…perfect. It was a good feeling, one I thought I could get used to. In fact, I think I already was…

An hour or so later the feeling stayed intact. We set a bunch of snacks out on my coffee table, then I went to change into pajamas. When I got back Apolo was holding a framed photo, examining it with this cute nostalgic expression.
The picture was taken at my last birthday, the first one I celebrated in Seattle. Apolo had pushed my face into the cake, then kissed the frosting off my lips. So, in this picture, we were both covered in frosting and grinning like a pair of goofy lovebirds.
“You got it framed.”
“Uh-huh. That’s one of my favorites. I had such a good time that night. Hell, everybody did.” I sat down and hugged him. He hugged me right back, squeezing my shoulder affectionately. Instant gratification.
“Good times come pretty standard with us. I can honestly say I have never been bored with you around.”
“Me neither. Well..” Mental head slap. “Y’know what I mean.” Before I could say anything sillier I grabbed the remote and started the movie. Apolo smiled, then put his hand on my knee. Why? I had no idea.
“Whatcha doin’?”
“Nothing, really. I noticed you were kind of limping earlier. Are you alright?” Gently, oh so gently, he started rubbing the skin.
“Y-yeah. That knee’s just funny. Most of the time it’s perfectly fine but sometimes it kind of hurts. Like tonight.” I sighed, shifted my leg closer to him. “That feels really good, by the way. Thanks, Apolo.”
“You’re welcome, baby.” Every single time he called me “Lise” or “baby” I melted. This time, he kissed my knee, which only made the situation sweeter. He leaned back beside me, the smile never fading. Once again I felt impulse kick in. I moved my hands to his shoulders, intent on helping him relax. I knew this had been a rough week for him. If his shoulders were any clue his muscles were tired and tense. Apolo was amazing but he wasn’t invincible. I figured he’d like a little pampering.
I was right. He shifted so I could sit closer comfortably, then exhaled, quirking his head forward. I took the hint and let my fingers work on his neck.
“d**n…” Another exhale. “I really needed this. Thanks, Marlise.”
“You’re welcome, Apolo.” I wanted to kiss him, badly, but settled for keeping the massage going. I also wanted to keep the conversation rolling. “So, um, got any plans for tomorrow?”
“None at all.” He shrugged. “We could do what we usually do if you want.”
Since tomorrow was Sunday this meant skating around, getting lunch, and possibly going to a movie. I know this sounds simple but he always managed to make it interesting. Different. Just plain fun, in other words. I didn’t even have to think about my response.
“Sounds great to me.” I smiled, then kissed his cheek.
“Cool. For now, though, I believe we have a movie to watch, my dear.” My dear? Where had that come from? I didn’t know but didn’t really care. It was pretty sweet, though.
He quirked his head again. This time he was gesturing for me to move into his arms. I nodded, moved closer as silently directed. I couldn’t help thinking about how easy it was with him, how much comfort I found in his arms. I loved that feeling. Cherished it, in fact. Sure, it was relatively new but I knew that it wasn’t going to fade anytime soon.
I wouldn’t let it.
---
More soon!!! =D

[Mars]

When I woke up the next morning I felt serene. Apolo was already awake. He had one arm curled around my waist, while the other was tucked under his head pillow-style. Our eyes met and he smiled.
“Morning, beautiful.” He brushed some hair away from my face with his free hand then kissed my forehead. Blush spread to my cheeks. My heart fluttered.
Good morning,” I whispered as I snuggled my head against his neck. “..you really think I’m beautiful?”
“No, Marlise. I –know- you are. There’s a difference.” Now his free hand was on my back, his hold wonderfully protective. A couple minutes passed and nothing was said. Nothing really NEEDED to be said, I thought. My finger traced lazily over his chin while his hand stroked over my back. Nothing fancy, but sweet all the same.
I felt his arms shift down slowly. A touch, a sweet touch. That’s all I thought it was. I was wrong, though. Oh, BOY, I was –so- wrong!
The caress was sweet, true. I’m not contesting that. It was also a distraction. One hand slipped under my shirt and the next thing I knew Apolo was tickling me. I squealed and tried to roll away, but couldn’t. His arm was still around my waist. Unbudging. So I giggled, squirmed, and giggled some more. There wasn’t really much else I could do in this particular situation.
Suddenly, though, the tickling onslaught subsided. I braced myself. What on earth was he up to? For all I knew he was preparing to tickle me again. Thankfully, though, he didn’t. He relaxed his hand, letting it rest against my back.
“Y’know, I love hearing you giggle.” He kissed my nose. That was when I noticed his smile. Soft, a little amused, enough to bring a sparkle to his eyes. “And I love you.”
“I love you too, you Olympic goofball.” Another giggle. Out of impulse I kissed him. Given the conversation, it felt like the right thing to do. Apolo didn’t complain. Instead he moved his hand up to my cheek, tracing a finger over a loose strand of my hair.
“Ready for today?”
“As ready as I can be, I guess.” I yawned, dimly noting how casual I felt and sounded.
“That’s good to hear.” He kissed my cheek before continuing. “Let’s go. We’ve got a great day ahead of us.”
Experience had taught me that any time we spent together was going to be a blast. I knew today wasn’t gong to be an exception.

[mellie]

Okay loved the new chapters. Waiting patiently as possible for more.lol

[Mars]

Last one of the night....pfwaaaah, Mars is tired e.e
**
Sometime overnight clouds had rolled in. Would it rain? Possibly. Hell, probably. This –was- Seattle, after all. Rain was pretty much a given on most days ending in ‘y’.
It wouldn’t mess up our plans, though. No friggin’ way. If it rained so much we couldn’t skate, oh well. It wasn’t a big deal, not really.
At first we glided, breaking occasionally so I could catch up. During one break I made a suggestion that surprised even me.
“Want to race?”
Immediately his eyes widened…but to my surprise he didn’t laugh or roll his eyes. He actually smiled.
“If you want to, sure. A race sounds fun.”
He squeezed my hand. Right away I felt butterflies going crazy around my stomach. I also felt a little anxious. Holy CRAP! What on earth was I getting myself into this time!?
---

[mellie]

OMG! I can't wait to read the outcome of the race.

[Mars]

First an announcement: I am officially giving up sleep lol. I'm surprised I could even function this morning! Ha ha ha =)
---
Okay, breathe. Chill, Mars, chill. After all, this is just for fun. Right…I kept that in mind as we took off.
Apolo was a rocket, while I was more like a paper airplane tossed into the wind.
Honestly? I didn’t care. Trying to catch up to him was fun, even if it –was- an obvious long shot. He won the race, of course, and waited for me at the end of the block with a cute smile. As soon as I crossed the finish line I felt something grab my arm. I almost panicked…until I realized the something was his hand. He spun me around, then pulled me closer and kissed my nose.
At that exact moment it started raining. Apolo took my hand and smiled. We took off again at a considerably slower pace, gliding hand-in-hand until the steady rainfall became a downpour.
“Let’s go,” Apolo suggested once it was too wet to continue. I nodded and cautiously followed him to his car. A random question came to my mind, but I filed it away for now. It was a curiosity question, not exactly important, so it could wait. No rush, really....

[Mars]

I finally got the chance to ask during lunch, thanks to a pause in our discussion. Ever since our race he had seemed distracted and I thought I knew why. So I swallowed a mouthful of cappuchino and went for it.
“Apolo?”
“Yeah?” He flashed me a curious smile.
“Do you miss it? Competing, I mean.” I’ll admit it. I felt shy asking, almost like the topic was none of my business. I know that’s irrational, but it’s how I felt.
For a second his face went blank. Then, though, he glanced at me, took my hand, and nodded.
“Every day.”
“D’you want to talk about it? Maybe, I don’t know, reminisce a little? I promise you won’t bore me or anything like that.” With the last sentence I giggled, which in turn brought a smile to Apolo’s face. He stroked his thumb over my palm, and that irrational shy feeling evaporated on the spot.
“I’d love to talk about that. Especially with you, Marlise.” Before he said another word he leaned forward and kissed my fingers. My heart seriously skipped a beat at that moment.
“T…that was just for the hell of it, right?”
“Yep. It was. So. Where shall I begin?” His eyes sparkled, matching his smile perfectly.
“Anywhere, I guess. Maybe you could start right before Torino. Turin. You know what I mean, right?”
“Yeah. You’re fine. It’s the same thing either way.” He paused for a moment, gazing far away like he was trying to get a clear glimpse of the past. Then he smiled and turned his attention back to me. “I’ll start with 2005, the year you graduated….”
“…and the season before your second Olympics?”
“Right. It was an important year for both of us. I went into that season determined to succeed….”
Apolo talked. I listened, completely mesmerized. Magical? Yes. Very much so. His hand never left mine as he spoke. I felt closer to him somehow, like I understood him better than I had that morning.
I had always thought understanding and love went hand-in-hand, with more understanding leading to more love. Now I had proof that I was right.
When Apolo finished his last story we left hand-in-hand like a pair of lovestruck teenagers. He held me close through the movie and even snuck more than a few kisses when I wasn’t expecting them.
The movie ended and he took me home. He walked me to my door, ran a hand through his hair. Then, right when I was wondering what to do or say, he hugged me.
“Thanks for listening earlier, Marlise.”
“No problem.” I threw my arms around him and nuzzled further into his hold. Which, by the way, was warm, protective, supportive, and downright welcoming. “I always enjoy listening to you, Apolo.”
He laughed softly, eyes sparkling more than ever. Then…he moved his hand to my cheek. There was exactly enough time for two whispered “I love you”s before he kissed me. My lips tingled. My head buzzed….but I wasn’t complaining. No way!
We let go in stages. The wonderful kiss shifted back to a hug. The hug became a hand clasp, which was let go reluctantly. I flashed the “call me” gesture. He nodded, smiling as if to say “definitely,” then waved and walked off for the night.
I stayed awake for quite a while that night reading his book. I couldn’t help imagining that he was laying next to me, whispering every word into my ear. When I managed to fall asleep, though, there was a big, happy smile on my face.

[mellie]

Oh I liked it lots.(^_^) Will wait patiently for more.=Þ

[Mars]

Three weeks passed. No more, no less. We got together when we could, and called or texted when we couldn’t. There was one thing Apolo refused to talk about, though. That ‘one thing’ was his plans for our anniversary.
As the fateful weekend crept closer his mouth remained shut. I wasn’t mad. In fact, I was pretty intrigued. He told me to dress up on Saturday night…but that’s about it. Every time I tried to press the subject he just smiled, squeezed my hand, and said two words.
“You’ll see.”
--
Saturday came soon enough. Was I nervous? Hell yes. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. Still, I wasn’t about to let that nervousness show. I took my time. Showered, dressed, dried my hair, got all made up. When I saw my reflection I smiled. For the first time in my life I felt mature, classy, even sophisticated. Part of it was the dress I was wearing. The rest of it? That had to be love, plain and simple.
I glanced down and touched my butterfly charm, reminiscing over the last year. Even now I still had moments when I had to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. All I needed to do was touch the butterfly. I rarely took it off, unless I absolutely had to.
In the midst of this reflection my doorbell rang. Oh, crap, here we go…I thought, noticing the flurry of butterflies in my belly. I applied another layer of lip gloss, took a deep breath, opened the door…and was immediately handed a bouquet of roses.
“Um…Hi?”
“Hey, Marlise. Happy anniversary.”
“Thanks, Apolo.” I ran a finger over each flower. Twelve red, one pink, all in perfect condition. “Wow..these are beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like them. There’s one for each month, plus one more. Y’know, to grow on.” Almost shy, absolutely sweet. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. The blue-grey of his shirt reflected in his eyes, the same eyes that watched me put the bouquet into a vase, add water, then continue stroking the petals. “By the way, you look amazing. No pastel dust this time, huh?”
“Nope. Not tonight. I wanted you to be proud of me.” I fidgeted with an earring, hoping he didn’t think I sounded like an idiot. He didn’t. In fact, he hugged me.
“I already am, even when you –are- covered in dust or paint.” Gently, tenderly, he kissed my cheek. “Let’s go. I have a few surprises for you tonight.”
“Gotcha.” I grabbed my purse and followed him outside. After I closed the door I glanced around…aaand immediately noticed my driveway was devoid of any additional cars. No beemer, no caddy. Nothing. Very, very curious, though!
“Apolo? Where’s your car?”
“In my garage.”
“So are we taking the lexus?”
“Nope.”
“How are we leaving, then…?”
“Look on the road.”
I did, and immediately gasped. There was a sleek black limo parked in front of my house.
“Y…you rented a limo?”
“Yep.” Another eye sparkle as he draped his arm over my shoulders. “Do you like it?”
“I LOVE it. Thank you.”
“No problem. Now, c’mon. Our chariot awaits.”
“Gotcha. Lead the way.”
The moment we got into the limo I felt like a star. Maybe it was the mood of the evening. Maybe it was the limo. Maybe…just maybe it was all him…
---
More soon!

[mellie]

Oh he's such a sweetie to her.*sigh* I will wait patiently for more to come.(^_^)