Ballroom!Verse Outtake.
Title: The Proposal.
Who: R/J
Rating: R
A/N: Because sometimes Thalia calls me while she's driving and gives me plot bunnies. Spoilers for the end of Rhythm of Life if you haven't finished it yet.
Jaden had always been used to sharing his space; for as long as he could remember Kameron had always been there, then when he was just three, Zander had come along -- and they had shared a bedroom until Jaden was ten.
Touring the circuit, he had either shared a room with Zander or Dmitri, sometimes both depending on where they were. Sharing his space, living with someone, he was used to that. Still it shocked him how quickly Ramona wormed her way into his life.
She had spoken with a woman looking to rent her Brownstone, had taken every step in securing the place, but they had both known from the second she had stepped into his apartment she would never take it.
It took him a few days to get accustomed to the long, dark strands of hair appearing in his bathroom drain; the cups left on the counter, half full of stale coffee or tea; or the designer shoes spilling from his now cluttered closet.
Of course, there was good to balance out the bad; like the fact that his flat always smelled like gardenias and orange blossoms, and that there was someone who would do the grocery shopping as long as he cooked.
Above all else there was one thing that single-handedly outweighed the bad and trumped the good. Every morning, with the glow of the rising sun creeping through the blinds, he could roll over and find Ramona there. Somewhere during the night she would have migrated to his side of the bed, curling against his side, arm thrown over his chest and the blankets wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Her hair would be spilling across his pillow and hers, her obscenely long lashes fanned across her cheeks, and her lips parted ever so slightly as her chest rose and fell with deep breaths.
Most mornings he would carefully roll onto his side, bury his face in her neck, and kiss her awake. Her eyes would flutter as she clutched at his shoulders, and make a noise somewhere between a moan and a whimper. That, that single sound, was enough to erase the years of frustration, longing, and sheer stupidity; she was there, now, and she loved him.
They carried on that way for several months, happy to be with each other. They left for competitions together and came home together. When Autumn arrived, they were afforded a slight break, and took full advantage of it.
One lazy morning in late October, Jaden decided to make pancakes for breakfast. He had wandered to the kitchen, dressed only in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, and set about his task. Half-way through Ramona had shuffled out, her hair a tangled mess from sleep, wearing one of Jaden’s dress shirts; the sleeves rolled up several times until her hands were free, the hem hanging to her knees.
She stopped in front of the coffee maker, grabbing two cups while waiting for it to finish brewing. She filled up the cups, doctoring one with cream and sugar, the other remained black. Placing one next to Jaden as he mixed the batter, she kissed his shoulder, then turned and slithered onto the island counter, watching him while she sipped her drink.
Jaden drizzled the batter into the pan, picked up the spatula, waiting for the edges the brown. Running a hand through his hair, he turned around to Ramona on impulse. She sat there calmly, both hands wrapped around the large mug, dwarfed in his shirt, watching him with sleepy eyes.
“What d’ya say we get married?” he asked.
Ramona blinked twice, her eyes going wide. Her face slowly went from shocked to glowing as a smile spread across her face. “You mean that?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “We already wasted enough time…. besides, all this” -- he shrugged and waved his hand, gesturing to the apartment -- “has been working out pretty well.”
She bit her lower lip, her smile barely contained and nodded her head. “Alright, let’s get married.”
He grinned at her lopsidedly, and turned back to the pancakes, flipping them just before they burned. As he turned the last one, Ramona spoke again.
“Let’s just do it.”
Jaden turned around with an eyebrow quirked. “You mean like elope?”
Ramona nodded. “What is the place in Scotland? Isn’t that where society women went to marry the lower class men they loved?”
“Ha ha!” Jaden turned off the burner on the stove, and sat down the spatula, moving toward her. He stood in front of Ramona, hands on her hips as she sat down her coffee cup, looking into her eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You want to go to Gretna Green.”
“Yes.” She nodded and looped her arms around his neck. “Like you said, why wait?”
“Alright, when?”
“Mmmm.” She looked up, pretending to give it great consideration. “Tomorrow. I will have time to pack.”
“You won’t have a proper ring.”
She shook her head gently, her eyes never leaving his. “I don’t mind.”
“You’ve never met my mum and dad. Or Gran.” He frowned. “I’d thought they’d come here when we got married.”
“Do you care? We could wait.” She tilted her head, raven hair spilling over her shoulder, tickling the back of his hand still resting against her hip. Her lashes fluttering against her cheeks as she blinked at him, waiting for a response.
Jaden leaned forward and kissed her. “Nah,” he muttered against her mouth and pulled back. “You’ve met Zander and Kam already, if they haven’t scared you off already, mum and dad won’t.”
She laughed and shifted a bit closer to him, her arms tightening around his neck. “We’re getting married then, tomorrow?”
“We’re getting married tomorrow.” Jaden shook his head, smiling as they both fell silent. For the span of three heartbeats they simply looked at each other, then, as if reaching the same conclusion, they leaned forward.
The kiss was not slow or gentle, it was a frenzied meeting of the lips, their teeth nipping and biting. Jaden’s hands slid up from her hips, arms snaking around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Ramona arched her back, pressing into him as her fingers raked through his hair.
She leaned back, and Jaden was forced to cradle her weight, her fingers clutching at his shoulders. As he trailed kisses along her jaw, she let out the same early morning moan and he had had quite enough.
Straightening up, Jaden took Ramona with him, hiking her up as she tightened her legs around him. He stumbled out of the kitchen and made it into the living room. Ramona licked his neck, right at the pulse point and he knew he couldn’t take anymore.
They tumbled onto the couch, Ramona sinking into the cushions under his weight, both frantically pulling at the other’s clothes; her fingers tearing at the drawstrings of his pants, while he fumbled with the buttons of her shirt.
Skin met skin with a feverish rush, his hands running up her sides, her nails raking down his back. The kisses grew more heated, intense, as they moved together in a well practiced dance, their hearts beating out the rhythm.
***
It was several hours later before they surfaced again, wrapped in bed sheets like togas. They sat on the kitchen floor, side by side, eating cold pancakes with too much syrup. Ramona laid her head against Jaden’s shoulder, looking at their outstretched legs, her plate sitting on her lap.
“I cried.”
“What?” Jaden craned his neck, trying to get a look at her face, concerned.
“The night in Madrid. I went back to my hotel room and cried because I loved you so much, and I thought you didn’t want me.”
“Would you feel better if I said I went back to mine and jerked off because I really did want you?”
Ramona pulled back, screwed up her face and slugged him as hard as she could in the arm. “Don’t do that, don’t joke about serious things.”
“Ow, I’m sorry.” He rubbed his arm, frowning slightly. “Fine, I went back to the hotel room I was sharing with Zander and acted shitfaced so he wouldn’t ask questions. Then I pretended to pass out, but actually spent most of the night wondering what it would’ve been like to kiss you.”
Jaden sighed, grabbed their plates, sitting them to the side. He shifted to face Ramona, reaching out to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of her lips.
“I’m sorry I made you cry.”
“I’m sorry you’re an idiot who believed the entertainment rags,” she quipped.
“Point taken.” He laughed and kissed her forehead. As he pulled back Ramona grabbed his hand, cradling it with both of hers, her finger drawing circles on his palm.
“You really want to get married?” she muttered, her focus on his hand rather than his face.
“I asked you remember?” Jaden leaned to the side, trying to see her face through her curtain of hair. “I mean it wasn’t the best proposal--”
“It was wonderful.” Her eyes darted up to meet his then went back to his hand.
“What is this?” He twisted in his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. Ramona sighed and sat up straighter, shoulders back. She looked away from him, her eyes focusing on a cabinet door.
“I hate this, you are the only person who makes me feel insecure.” She looked at him, dangerously close to pouting.
“Because I made you cry?” he ventured. She nodded.
“And you think I’m going to make you cry again?” She nodded once more.
“Oh, Mona.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, hauling her onto his lap, and kept a firm hold. “I will undoubtedly make you cry again because I am an idiot.”
“You give me such high hopes.” She rolled her eyes.
“It’s true though! I will make you angry, I will fight with you, I will forget anniversaries or important dates. At some point in the future you will most likely cry because of me, and I’m sorry for that. But that’s the thing, it’s the future. Our future. Because we’re getting married tomorrow.” He grinned. Ramona pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.
After a moment she let out a breath. “I’ve just spent so much time trying to be things, putting on personas for people; my father, my coaches… Martino.” She sighed again. “But I don’t with you and that’s scary. I feel I should be something… something more; like I should put on another mask, only I can’t, not with you. Because of that I feel insecure, exposed.”
Sitting curled on his lap, her shoulders hunched and staring at her hands, she looked incredibly vulnerable. Jaden gathered her close, hugging her tight.
“I’m glad you don’t,” he whispered against her hair. “I know the real Mona, and I love her a lot.” She let out a strangled noise and buried her face against his neck.
“Did I make you cry?”
“No,” she said, voice muffled. She pulled back and placed her hands on either side of his face. “You are a good man and I love you.”
“Aunque yo soy estúpido?“ he asked.
“Si.“ She laughed and kissed him, slow and gentle. Ramona leaned back, pulling Jaden down with her onto the kitchen tiles.
Who: R/J
Rating: R
A/N: Because sometimes Thalia calls me while she's driving and gives me plot bunnies. Spoilers for the end of Rhythm of Life if you haven't finished it yet.
Jaden had always been used to sharing his space; for as long as he could remember Kameron had always been there, then when he was just three, Zander had come along -- and they had shared a bedroom until Jaden was ten.
Touring the circuit, he had either shared a room with Zander or Dmitri, sometimes both depending on where they were. Sharing his space, living with someone, he was used to that. Still it shocked him how quickly Ramona wormed her way into his life.
She had spoken with a woman looking to rent her Brownstone, had taken every step in securing the place, but they had both known from the second she had stepped into his apartment she would never take it.
It took him a few days to get accustomed to the long, dark strands of hair appearing in his bathroom drain; the cups left on the counter, half full of stale coffee or tea; or the designer shoes spilling from his now cluttered closet.
Of course, there was good to balance out the bad; like the fact that his flat always smelled like gardenias and orange blossoms, and that there was someone who would do the grocery shopping as long as he cooked.
Above all else there was one thing that single-handedly outweighed the bad and trumped the good. Every morning, with the glow of the rising sun creeping through the blinds, he could roll over and find Ramona there. Somewhere during the night she would have migrated to his side of the bed, curling against his side, arm thrown over his chest and the blankets wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Her hair would be spilling across his pillow and hers, her obscenely long lashes fanned across her cheeks, and her lips parted ever so slightly as her chest rose and fell with deep breaths.
Most mornings he would carefully roll onto his side, bury his face in her neck, and kiss her awake. Her eyes would flutter as she clutched at his shoulders, and make a noise somewhere between a moan and a whimper. That, that single sound, was enough to erase the years of frustration, longing, and sheer stupidity; she was there, now, and she loved him.
They carried on that way for several months, happy to be with each other. They left for competitions together and came home together. When Autumn arrived, they were afforded a slight break, and took full advantage of it.
One lazy morning in late October, Jaden decided to make pancakes for breakfast. He had wandered to the kitchen, dressed only in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, and set about his task. Half-way through Ramona had shuffled out, her hair a tangled mess from sleep, wearing one of Jaden’s dress shirts; the sleeves rolled up several times until her hands were free, the hem hanging to her knees.
She stopped in front of the coffee maker, grabbing two cups while waiting for it to finish brewing. She filled up the cups, doctoring one with cream and sugar, the other remained black. Placing one next to Jaden as he mixed the batter, she kissed his shoulder, then turned and slithered onto the island counter, watching him while she sipped her drink.
Jaden drizzled the batter into the pan, picked up the spatula, waiting for the edges the brown. Running a hand through his hair, he turned around to Ramona on impulse. She sat there calmly, both hands wrapped around the large mug, dwarfed in his shirt, watching him with sleepy eyes.
“What d’ya say we get married?” he asked.
Ramona blinked twice, her eyes going wide. Her face slowly went from shocked to glowing as a smile spread across her face. “You mean that?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “We already wasted enough time…. besides, all this” -- he shrugged and waved his hand, gesturing to the apartment -- “has been working out pretty well.”
She bit her lower lip, her smile barely contained and nodded her head. “Alright, let’s get married.”
He grinned at her lopsidedly, and turned back to the pancakes, flipping them just before they burned. As he turned the last one, Ramona spoke again.
“Let’s just do it.”
Jaden turned around with an eyebrow quirked. “You mean like elope?”
Ramona nodded. “What is the place in Scotland? Isn’t that where society women went to marry the lower class men they loved?”
“Ha ha!” Jaden turned off the burner on the stove, and sat down the spatula, moving toward her. He stood in front of Ramona, hands on her hips as she sat down her coffee cup, looking into her eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You want to go to Gretna Green.”
“Yes.” She nodded and looped her arms around his neck. “Like you said, why wait?”
“Alright, when?”
“Mmmm.” She looked up, pretending to give it great consideration. “Tomorrow. I will have time to pack.”
“You won’t have a proper ring.”
She shook her head gently, her eyes never leaving his. “I don’t mind.”
“You’ve never met my mum and dad. Or Gran.” He frowned. “I’d thought they’d come here when we got married.”
“Do you care? We could wait.” She tilted her head, raven hair spilling over her shoulder, tickling the back of his hand still resting against her hip. Her lashes fluttering against her cheeks as she blinked at him, waiting for a response.
Jaden leaned forward and kissed her. “Nah,” he muttered against her mouth and pulled back. “You’ve met Zander and Kam already, if they haven’t scared you off already, mum and dad won’t.”
She laughed and shifted a bit closer to him, her arms tightening around his neck. “We’re getting married then, tomorrow?”
“We’re getting married tomorrow.” Jaden shook his head, smiling as they both fell silent. For the span of three heartbeats they simply looked at each other, then, as if reaching the same conclusion, they leaned forward.
The kiss was not slow or gentle, it was a frenzied meeting of the lips, their teeth nipping and biting. Jaden’s hands slid up from her hips, arms snaking around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Ramona arched her back, pressing into him as her fingers raked through his hair.
She leaned back, and Jaden was forced to cradle her weight, her fingers clutching at his shoulders. As he trailed kisses along her jaw, she let out the same early morning moan and he had had quite enough.
Straightening up, Jaden took Ramona with him, hiking her up as she tightened her legs around him. He stumbled out of the kitchen and made it into the living room. Ramona licked his neck, right at the pulse point and he knew he couldn’t take anymore.
They tumbled onto the couch, Ramona sinking into the cushions under his weight, both frantically pulling at the other’s clothes; her fingers tearing at the drawstrings of his pants, while he fumbled with the buttons of her shirt.
Skin met skin with a feverish rush, his hands running up her sides, her nails raking down his back. The kisses grew more heated, intense, as they moved together in a well practiced dance, their hearts beating out the rhythm.
***
It was several hours later before they surfaced again, wrapped in bed sheets like togas. They sat on the kitchen floor, side by side, eating cold pancakes with too much syrup. Ramona laid her head against Jaden’s shoulder, looking at their outstretched legs, her plate sitting on her lap.
“I cried.”
“What?” Jaden craned his neck, trying to get a look at her face, concerned.
“The night in Madrid. I went back to my hotel room and cried because I loved you so much, and I thought you didn’t want me.”
“Would you feel better if I said I went back to mine and jerked off because I really did want you?”
Ramona pulled back, screwed up her face and slugged him as hard as she could in the arm. “Don’t do that, don’t joke about serious things.”
“Ow, I’m sorry.” He rubbed his arm, frowning slightly. “Fine, I went back to the hotel room I was sharing with Zander and acted shitfaced so he wouldn’t ask questions. Then I pretended to pass out, but actually spent most of the night wondering what it would’ve been like to kiss you.”
Jaden sighed, grabbed their plates, sitting them to the side. He shifted to face Ramona, reaching out to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of her lips.
“I’m sorry I made you cry.”
“I’m sorry you’re an idiot who believed the entertainment rags,” she quipped.
“Point taken.” He laughed and kissed her forehead. As he pulled back Ramona grabbed his hand, cradling it with both of hers, her finger drawing circles on his palm.
“You really want to get married?” she muttered, her focus on his hand rather than his face.
“I asked you remember?” Jaden leaned to the side, trying to see her face through her curtain of hair. “I mean it wasn’t the best proposal--”
“It was wonderful.” Her eyes darted up to meet his then went back to his hand.
“What is this?” He twisted in his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. Ramona sighed and sat up straighter, shoulders back. She looked away from him, her eyes focusing on a cabinet door.
“I hate this, you are the only person who makes me feel insecure.” She looked at him, dangerously close to pouting.
“Because I made you cry?” he ventured. She nodded.
“And you think I’m going to make you cry again?” She nodded once more.
“Oh, Mona.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, hauling her onto his lap, and kept a firm hold. “I will undoubtedly make you cry again because I am an idiot.”
“You give me such high hopes.” She rolled her eyes.
“It’s true though! I will make you angry, I will fight with you, I will forget anniversaries or important dates. At some point in the future you will most likely cry because of me, and I’m sorry for that. But that’s the thing, it’s the future. Our future. Because we’re getting married tomorrow.” He grinned. Ramona pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.
After a moment she let out a breath. “I’ve just spent so much time trying to be things, putting on personas for people; my father, my coaches… Martino.” She sighed again. “But I don’t with you and that’s scary. I feel I should be something… something more; like I should put on another mask, only I can’t, not with you. Because of that I feel insecure, exposed.”
Sitting curled on his lap, her shoulders hunched and staring at her hands, she looked incredibly vulnerable. Jaden gathered her close, hugging her tight.
“I’m glad you don’t,” he whispered against her hair. “I know the real Mona, and I love her a lot.” She let out a strangled noise and buried her face against his neck.
“Did I make you cry?”
“No,” she said, voice muffled. She pulled back and placed her hands on either side of his face. “You are a good man and I love you.”
“Aunque yo soy estúpido?“ he asked.
“Si.“ She laughed and kissed him, slow and gentle. Ramona leaned back, pulling Jaden down with her onto the kitchen tiles.