It's never been so hard..

[neutralbyforce]

Who: Vash and 202
What: A romantic dinner...and something more
When: Pre-dated to December 25th
Where: Vash’s house
Warnings: PG-13 for IIFS (Imminent and Immense Fluff Smut)
Status: In Progress

Comments

[unit_202]

202 shifted uncomfortably, hesitating with one hand poised to knock at Vash's door. It all just seemed so... Odd. He'd sounded so tense about asking her over, which didn't add up-- It wasn't as though they'd never eaten together, after all. And yes, Vash was always a little high strung, but... Perhaps some new discovery had been made regarding their imprisonment. Yes, surely, that was it.

Pausing to smooth her hair as the wind kicked it into a loose flurry around her, the blonde straightened up and squared her shoulders. Whatever it was that had made her lover so uncomfortable, standing around outside wasn't going to clarify it. That hand dropped, knuckles rapping gently twice in quick succession before moving to join its mate in trying to collect her hair. She had the key, of course, but manners were manners--Especially in light of what seemed overall to be an entirely bizarre situation.

[neutralbyforce]

Even though he had been expecting it, Vash nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the knock at his door. Taking a second to calm himself down, he took one final glance around the dining area to make sure everything was in order.

Well, here he went.

Opening the front door, the nation smiles warmly at 202-- well, as warmly as one can while looking nervous as he does.

"Hello, 02."

[unit_202]

Later it might occur to 202 how rude her initial response to the sight of her nation was, but upon seeing him so starched and pressed she couldn't quite restrain a blinking double-take of surprise.

"The last time I saw creases like that, Vash, I was on a parade deck. You didn't invite me over here for inspection, did you?"

The thought of that would have paled her scant months before, looking every inch the civilian as she now did in her casual clothing, but the joke was plain enough in her voice to negate those sorts of thoughts. And, hopefully, to lessen the tension that was so plain on the nation's face.

"You do seem awfully... nervous."

[neutralbyforce]

It took Vash several long seconds to register what she had said at all, then a few moments more to accept it as a joke. His reply was a rather odd smile, at least half of his muscles not getting the message to relax in time for it to be truly considered of the same breed.

"Nervous? No. Not really. Do I seem like I am?" All this was said in one hurried exhalation of breath, not really doing much to verify his claim. "Please, come inside."

It took him a further few seconds for him to actually move aside to allow her to do so and to allow her to see the scene set in his normally better-lit home.

[unit_202]

Doing as requested, 202 made it only a step or two inside the threshold before stopping again, looking distraught. The rest of the scene went unnoticed, at least for the time being, when she took note of the candlelight.

"Oh, dear... Vash, why didn't you tell me your power was still down?" Knocking the snow from her boots at the doorway, she turned as if in search of the small toolkit they'd used when putting the finer finishing touches on Vash's new home. "It's probably just an overloaded breaker due to all the extra draw your house requires, but you know how dodgy the city's workings can be... I'll have a look for you."

[neutralbyforce]

"My power..." Vash blinked a few times, glancing around. It took him a few seconds to realize what she was referring to. "Oh! No, 02, my power is working fine. This is intentional. I was trying to make it... erm... special."

Well, this was off to a flying start. Recovering quickly, the nation held out his hands with a small smile. "May I take your coat, m'lady? Then we can progress back to the dining room. I'm afraid the meal I made isn't much, but it's filling and warm, at least."

[unit_202]

Her only response for a long moment was another blink of surprise, followed by a look of confusion. 'Special?' How was eye strain supposed to make things more special? But, if it made him happy... She turned, dutifully shrugging out of her jacket and tugging it straight before allowing Vash to take it.

"I'm sure it's more than sufficient, Vash, please... We both know it's guaranteed to be better than anything I could offer you."

[neutralbyforce]

As he took her jacket to hang up on the coat rack by the door, Vash allowed himself a small chuckle. Now that 02 was in the house he was at least a little calmer.

"That reminds me, the young troll Terezi offered to give you cooking lessons." He smiled fondly at his lover as he gently took her hand to lead her back to the dining room. "She was appalled at how much smoke seemed to accompany your efforts to cook for me when I was recovering."

The dining room was similarly lit and decorated with mountain lilies much like those he had given to her months ago. On the table is set a fondue pot, surrounded by the various things one uses to eat such a meal. Moving to pull out a chair, Vash indicates it with a small flourish. "For you."

[unit_202]

202 didn't bother to restrain a small frown at the implications behind that offer. If he'd rather eat somebody else's food he was more than welcome to, but taking a dig at her efforts at something she'd never been taught...

"It isn't a crime that cooking isn't my forté, you know. Not all of us--"

Whatever her retort had been intended to convey, it never came. Her words fading to nonexistence at the sight of the room thus prepared, she spent several seconds simply staring at the elegant transformation provided by simple white flowers and candlelight. What had previously been dismissed as an arbitrary change of lighting suddenly made its reasoning abundantly clear... In normal lighting, it might have looked staged and bizarre, but illuminated by the candles...

"Vash, this is..." Proceeding to the offered chair, she turned a warm smile on her lover and brought one hand to rest on his shoulder. "Words fail me. You never fail to amaze me, my Vash."

[neutralbyforce]

Mentally kicking himself, Vash bent to kiss her cheek sweetly. "...Forgive me. I didn't mean it as an insult to you in any way, 202. I was trying to joke and... well, my joking is far, far worse than your cooking. The fact that you tried so hard for my sake even though it wasn't something you were comfortable doing... It makes the act all the more special." He gave her a small, tentative smile. "Do you like how I decorated?"

He took a seat across from her, gesturing at the spread before them. "As for the food, I thought I'd treat you to one of my favorite dishes... One of the dishes that reminds me of home... I mean, I'd like to share a part of me with you..." The only thing that kept him from just giving up right there was how important this whole affair was to him.

[unit_202]

Smiling as she tilted her chin to lean into the kiss, 202 nodded after the gesture was finished in response to his question.

"I do... It's almost like you've managed to turn your home into something out of a storybook. But I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised, given who I'm talking to."

Breaking into a small grin, she paused to let him continue while she curiously eyed the dishes laid out between them. Hearing her lover beginning to trip over his words, she interrupted with a gentle chuckle. Whatever it was that had him so flustered, she couldn't help but find it... Well, sort of sweet. Reminiscent of their earliest days together, really, back when Vash would just as likely blush as make eye contact.

"Vash, breathe. I'm very excited to learn as much about you as I can, you know that, but I can't help but feel the experience will be ruined somewhat if you pass out before we even eat."

[neutralbyforce]

"...I'll do my best to not faint, then." Vash managed a small chuckle as he took a deep breath

[unit_202]

While the poor nation staggered through his words with a gracelessness beyond even his usual levels of shy befuddlement, 202 restrained herself. She really did. With admirable patience, even. Admirable, but not limitless. Making it as far as his final qualifying 'I don't know why you would...' she finally gave in. Her words were a laugh and a sigh all at once, loving but strained with her mounting curiosity.

"Vash, please!"

His next words, though, and the actions that accompanied them, silenced her. Her eyes widened at the sight of him taking a knee before her, and then widened still more at his words. That sweet hesitation in his voice, that disbelief at his own boldness... This was her Vash, in all his awkward, blushing perfection.

"Vash..."

Gaze flicking incredulously between his tense face and that delicate box he was offering to her in trembling hands, she swallowed around the lump in her own throat and reminded herself that a reply was, at least traditionally, called for.

"...What on Earth for?"

[neutralbyforce]

Being who he was, Vash had prepared for any number of responses on her part-- which really boiled down to only two with the outside chance of three: "yes", "no" and "I need time to think about it" which really meant "no but I want to think of a polite way of breaking your heart". What he hadn't been expecting, though in hindsight he probably should have, was that incredulous look on her face coupled with that question

[unit_202]

Unable to keep that incredulous smile from growing while Vash spoke--Not that she tried to, naturally--202 watched her sweet nation's face while he spoke. He was so open and sincere, so nervous in a way that she hadn't seen for a long while, not since... Well, since the last time he had asked her permission for something entirely unnecessarily. It wasn't as though he'd ever wanted anything of her that she wasn't happy to agree to, and this time was no exception. Why could he never seem to see that?

When Vash finished speaking and paused to breathe, she reached out one hand to smooth affectionately over his hair. Without withdrawing it, she eased off of her chair and moved onto her knees before him so they were more or less eye-to-eye.

"I wasn't asking because I didn't know the protocol, Vash... Even I'm familiar with the basic procedure of matrimony."

Smiling again, she moved both hands now to cup gently around both of his.

"I was asking because I didn't understand why you thought it would be necessary. Vash... You're the only man

[neutralbyforce]

"..." Without bothering to respond with words, Vash leaned forward to kiss her tenderly. As he pulled her closer to him, the nation slipped the ring over 02's finger, where it fit perfectly. Some things were just meant to be, after all-- and it helped when the "meant to be" was aided by some sneaky measurements on the sly.

"You have made me the happiest man in the world, my 02." Vash said after their kiss ended. "But then, you've been doing that since the first day I met you..."

Here they were, kneeling on the floor again. It seemed like all the happiest moments in his life these days took place like that.