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 Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:30 pm
Billy had called earlier that day to wish Ladon a 'Happy Love Day' - as he refused to say 'Valentines' - and inform him of when he would be coming over to sweep his boyfriend off to something special. There wasn't too much thought put in to it all. More preparation than thought, really. The first step had been locating the perfect greenhouse, subduing the owner for the night (remarkably though non-lethal means...) and then making the purchase of some good fresh bread from the bakery rather than a cheap $1 loaf of regular bread, and some good Deli meat and anything else that might have been desirable on a sandwich. He also bought some drinks (juice boxes were cute and acceptable, right?) and some chips. All this was packed into a cooler and hidden nearby a little while before Billy made his way to Ladon's apartment. Billy had also hidden a bag with a couple pillows and a blanket.
Just what was Mr.Arrogant planning for Love Day? Ohoho! Well, soon Ladon would find out.
The sun was just beginning to paint in warm tones. By the time they got to their destination, the dark of night will have fallen. It looked like it was going to be a clear night, too. Perfect. He knocked on the door.
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:48 pm
He was nervous. He was beyond nervous. He was in a no man's land of nervous that they hadn't even discovered it yet and Ladon was sticking a flag to claim it. This was his first Valentine's day where he wasn't just glaring at tacky bears and feeling out of the loop. The first one where he was thinking of maybe getting some discount chocolates or baked goods from the bakery the day after, or thinking of how he didn't want to see couples tying tongues in the middle of the street. For once, he was involved, and that blew his mind into fragments of dust.
Part of him had been worried he wasn't going to be called. Who knew how guys did Valentine's day when neither one was a girl, and he wondered if he should just blow it off and not care if he wasn't called, or have the right to be upset. Then again, he would never get upset with Billy. He was just happy to have someone to care about a day – but he worried.
When the call came, he gave rather short, high-pitched responses, and hanged up, out of breath when he realized he was holding it and not remembering how to breathe. After that point, Ladon was working to figure out what to wear and spent too much time to decide on just wearing a dress shirt, slacks, and nice shoes. He didn't know if he should be dressing up for something, or dressing down for something comfortable and casual. As usual, he went for overdressed, and hoped he wasn't being a dork.
After deciding what to wear, he paced around, holding his arms and feeling sick to his stomach. He hadn't eaten only because he didn't know if they were going to eat and when, and he felt sick with nerves that he didn't feel as if he could stomach anything down. He paced his small apartment like a caged animal, making things neat but not wanting to really clean because he was afraid he would get his clothes dirty and then have to spend another eternity figuring out what to wear. So he paced and moved and over thought everything.
When there came a knock at thee door, he jumped and slowly came to his door. He checked the peephole to see if it wasn't a mugger, then fought with all the locks before opening the door. "Hi Billy!" He said, and mentally groaned at how high his voice sounded. He needed to calm down. "Did you get here without any trouble?" He asked, always worried about anyone traveling to his house. It wasn't exactly a friendly area.
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:14 pm
Billy gave a 'pfft.' "People? Give me trouble? They wouldn't dare~."
In the recent while after his life-changing run in with Tanzanite, Billy had taken his 'graduate early' option, and 'moved in' to his paren't attic. Neither defunct parent knew, and the decision was only made after Billy had donated some of the things in said attic to Ladon's new apartment. All in all it was the cleanest part of that house, and the only part of it he could stomach to see. Neither his father nor his mother knew he was living up there or saw him go in or out. He was living quite simply up there - a pallet on the floor, a lamp, shelves that had been emptied of their previously empty contents to make room for other things. He even had one of those old fashion Victorian face-washing bowls with the large pitcher that he was using as a sink. And he had all his old clothes now. What would fit him anymore, anyway.
All that to say, he was dressed different than usual. He had some black slacks, a rather nice vest with pretty buttons and a rather ornate cross with two guns design on the back, over a silky maroon button-up shirt. The cuffs were left unbuttoned, and it wasn't tucked in, but all together the style seemed to work for Billy. Casual yet dressy-sexy.
As he was greeted, Billy gave Ladon a look-over and a smile, "You ready to go? I got a little somethin' planned for us~"
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:51 pm
Knowing what really lurked in Destiny City and fighting it more than several times, Ladon always had to fight a laugh at how confident Billy was in handling any sort of trouble that might come his way. It was cute in a completely clueless sense, but he left the boy puff with macho-pride in no one and nothing daring to challenge Big Bad Billy to anything. Secretly, Ladon puffed with pride that if he had to really compare them, Ladon would have been able to deal more damage than he could.
"I'm ready." He said, having been more than ready for a while now. Smiling, he reached for his jacket, a thin black peacoat that didn't go past his hips, and grabbed his keys. His phone and wallet were already in his jacket pockets incase he needed it, and he walked out with Billy and locked his door.
Stepping out, he breathed deep. Valentine's Day had come with him trying to make a vow that he would be more flirty and affectionate to his boyfriend, who had been nothing but patient. Today seemed the best day to try something other than waiting for the other boy to make his moves, and seeing as they had already been close before, he edged closer to Billy and, breathing deep, took his hand. "You…look nice." Not exactly flirting, but baby steps being what they were, he was trying.
Nervous about his comment and what Billy would think, he looked dead ahead. "Where are we going?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:06 pm
"You too," He returned the compliment, and once hand in hand, brought said hand up between them and placed a light kiss on the knuckles before returning to how they were before.
"You'll see when we get there," Billy said once they began walking. Oh, he wasn't going to spoil the surprise. He just hoped Ladon would like it. There really was no reason the boy shouldn't. It was private. Warm. As close as they could get to being at a park in winter. And hey, it made up for not bringing flowers. Not that Ladon would have wanted flowers in the first place? Ah well. He had his bases covered anyway.
"I apologize for being so busy lately, m'dear. My work has finally caught up with me. Procrastination is a two-headed beast-" he laughed the excuse, when in actuality... It wasn't art that was keeping him busy.
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:43 pm
Ladon brushed it off, not too concerned. He was currently too happy just to have had his little comment so well received, and was once again thinking about that kiss on his hands. It was nice, having someone on Valentine's day for once, and being part of the in group of couples. To be involved in the holiday instead of what was automatically considered the bitter singles club. "That's okay. A friend of mine got sick, so I was taking care of her for a few days. She's doing much better now, but I wouldn't have been too much fun thinking that she wasn't doing well." Not to mention he had been recovering from his own wounds. Luckily, he managed to rest and eat enough energy orbs that he could take off the bandage from his chest and remove the stitches. It was a good thing they hadn't been too deep. It also gave him time to take care of Aree, who had been in much worse shape. Even the nick on his brow was gone thanks to a orb the night before. He had tried hard to look as normal as possible considering Valentine's day was coming up
"You should watch that about procrastinating. It's a bad habit. You're going to get overwhelmed if you push things off." He mildly lectured, but dropped the topic all too quickly. Today was too nice to lecture. "So why all the secrecy?" He asked, smiling to the pink-eyed boy. "Will I like it? This surprise place?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:56 pm
The mini-lecture on procrastinating didn't phase him, since his excuse had been a lie anyways. Instead, he smiled back over to Ladon, "I hope you will. I can guarantee it is nothing like anyone else is doing today. It is also private, and completely innocent."
Ah, maybe that was enough teaser for the poor boy. He'd likely burst with anticipation if he teased him any more. And Billy didn't want to build it up too much, for Ladon to be disappointed.
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:07 am
There was little Billy could do to upset Ladon. So much as saying a clique line or a brush of his fingers could make the dark-haired boy float a few feet off the ground, and he was more than thrilled just to be out with someone on Valentine's Day, especially someone who cared for him. While the world was decked out in paper hearts and hanging cherubs, he had been wondering what sort of expectations Billy had for him and what he was supposed to do to meet those expectations. They had been slow in their relationship and considering the fact that Ladon already knew that Billy had gone "all the way", he felt he was being the anchor holding them down. A prudish, lame, inexperienced anchor that hoped he wasn't being a bore.
Nodding to the idea of waiting for a surprise, he held to Billy and walked quietly with him, looking about at passing couples and Valentine's Day signs, and smiling. He felt lighter than air and yet his insides were uneasy with nerves. The idea of a private place made him think of locked hotel rooms and whispering in bedrooms, but the innocent part made him feel better. Safer, though distantly wondering if he was being handled with too much care.
Again, over-thinking on his part, and he tried to just relax and concentrate on the hand holding his.
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:19 am
Eventually their walking would lead them to a nicer, more aesthetically pleasing part of town, somewhere near or between the park and ocean front. In fact, they seemed to be coming closer to a quaint building overlooking the ocean on a grassy hill, although the hill itself had been cut in to and turned into a lovely beach front.
The building was dwarfed by the unmistakable greenhouse beside it. The green-tinted glass glittered with the last few rays of sunlight. Within the glass confines were many, many plants. Centrally located was a large flowering tree, probably a tulip popular, or some other like-wise tree. The glass above it was large and domed, and on the floor around it was white tile blocks, smoothed and polished. The floor was done likewise. In other place there were rows upon rows of potted flowers, bushes, vines climbing lattice arches...
As Billy opened the door of the maison de verre, he flipped a switch and the lights illuminated all the wonderful sights. There was the warmth, the scents, and an overall feeling of spring.
"Here we are~" He announced.
Beneath the large poplar tree was the cooler, and the pillows and blanket spread out before it.
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:39 am
He noticed the change in scenery of trim trees, massive lawns, and beachfront properties. It was a stark contrast to where his apartment was on the other side of town, and it was strange to know this sort of place was not far from where he lived at times. What he wondered was why they were here. It could have been a restaurant, but Billy mentioned private. Of course he was wondering about any places or things he had seen in movies or Valentine's Day commercials that could happen here, but he was coming up blank.
It was then that they arrived as a rather posh house overlooking the water, and he was intimidated by the sheer expense of it. What was even more impressive was a shimmering dome of glass that held a life of greenery inside that could barely be seen. The rainbows of flowering plants and greens were barely seen with the reflective warm hues of the setting sun. It was getting colder, and he was glad for his jacket as he held it a tad more tightly than before. Being thin meant the cold cut through him easily.
They didn't move down to the beach, and he hoped whenever they were going, it was indoors. Having a romantic walk on the beach was cute but a bit chill. Instead, they moved up the walk and he was surprised they were headed to the greenhouse. He gave a confused look to the boy, and then the door was opened. He stood there, hesitant and looking around, before slowly entering and being over welcomed by a rush of tropical heat, fragrant smells, and a enclosed wilderness of paradise colors.
Blinking, he looked about and then his head started to slowly look up more and more at the lush canopy. A massive tree sat at the center, vibrant green with blossoming yellow flowers, and just below was a welcoming blanket set on the ground and a cooler. It was a picnic!
He turned quickly to Billy, eyes sparkling. For a boy who was swept off his feet whenever the boy just said a nice line to him, he was completely blown away. "This – This is amazing!! How did you even pull this off?!" Of course he knew of Billy's financial state so he knew he wasn't loaded. Not enough to afford a place like this. Though even as he said he, he continued to look around, eyes wide. He could only care a small percentage about how this was capable, too taken to the scenes around him. "It's so pretty." He said, awestruck.
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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:30 pm
Billy was rather pleased by Ladon's reaction.
"With some...persuasion. A little bargaining..." That was putting it lightly. In the end, Bismuthite had gotten the keys for the place, some energy for his quota, and sent the owner packing for the week. Ladon didn't need to know that though.
"I thought that since it is too cold to go to the park and stargaze, this is the next best thing. And of course, a light dinner. It's nothing fancy but...it is memorable?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 3:34 pm
He stood staring around, too overwhelmed by the beauty of it all, the grand display of romantic scenery, and the rather cute picnic set for them. It was adorable in it's boyish charm, not rich or elegant, but simple and downright thoughtful. Billy must have been very persuasive, something Ladon felt was true considering how many times he said things that just touched him deeply, or dumped a lot of cash, which also made him want to touch his chest considering how strapped for cash the boy already was. It was all overwhelming, and he didn't know what to do with himself.
Breathing deep, he went over and hugged the other tightly. "This is the best, Billy. You're so thoughtful, and I couldn't even think of anything great for you." Just some stupid gift-card to a art place because he didn't know what supplies the boy used and knew he liked to paint. Oh, what a cheap, sad comparison that gift was to this. "I don't even ....you're way too thoughtful.....and you did it just for me.......for us." Okay, maybe he was a little overwhelmed. He needed to find a little composure. No one, NO ONE Had done something like this for him. It was a new experience to take in.
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:34 pm
Billy let his arms encircle Ladon, no where near as tight as the boy was hugging him now, but they were there, and he looked down at him, eyes able to only see that shiny black hair, and he chuckled lightly.
"Well, neither of us really had to do anything. After all, this is kind of an over-rated holiday anyway. Still...I couldn't just not do anything for you." He pressed his lips firmly, yet gently, to the top of Ladon's head, and nuzzled in to that dark hair. Ah, he had Ladon so enamored, didn't he? it was somewhat, hmn,..endearing.
Eventually the embrace ended and Billy led Ladon over to the blanket, and once both were seated..
"Dinner now, or a little later?"
The sky still wasn't dark enough yet to see the stars clearly, what with the glare on the windows, especially...
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:06 pm
He pressed his eyes closed at the kiss to his brow, and looked up. It was the closet that Billy had kissed him aside from the hands, and he turned pink as a rose but retained a small smile. Sure, Valentine's Day was clique and cheesy, largely commercialized, but being the romantic that he was and certainly less bitter now that he had someone, he wasn't about to say it was all that bad. He certainly liked this, and he grinned all the same. "For someone who doesn't seem all for valentine's Day, you sure make a amazing effort for the holiday." With all that the pale-haired boy had said to him in the past, he knew he was a big sap just like he was, and he was delighted by the idea.
Moving with him, he slowly sat down and looked around, still taken in pure awe at the warmth, the lush flowers, and the slow setting sun in the distance. It was as if they were in their own little globe, and nothing could touch them. Not a snow globe, frigid and cold, but one holding a miniature paradise. He turned to look at the cooler and thought of eating. "Dinner now sounds good." Before it got too dark to see. As it was, he sat close by Billy, wanting to sit nearby.
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:24 pm
The cooler was opened, and first out were the kaiser rolls, then the little boxed slices of deli meat, cheeses, condiments, and juice boxes. Billy still felt the juice boxes might have been somewhat childish, but they were convenient. There was a decent selection of meats and cheeses, because he wasn't exactly sure what Ladon liked, but there it lay now before them.
"The effort wasn't made for the holiday. I did it for you," then it was time to add in more enamoring comments; "You've been busy taking care of your friend, you deserved some time for something special for yourself. It's merely a bonus that I could be here with you."
Billy did enjoy Ladon's company. Ladon was very empowering. It was easy to empress the boy, and Billy soaked in the compliments like a sponge. Soon it would likely to become a true, honest, desire to do for the boy out of love than out of trying to boost his own ego. Billy was still rather self-concerned though. His greatest goal was to make a name for himself and to be remembered through out time. That was the kind of immortality he wanted. And if he was not remembered for the good he'd done - like ummm, trying to protect the earth from senshi, perhaps? - then he'd be remembered for being a complete douchebag.
Where did Ladon factor in? Well...
Either way, Ladon was something special. Though, at the moment Billy didn't know just how special the boy was, or how special he'd become to him.
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