Owner	Pose
Cael Becker	Cael's borrowed a car from SHIELD's vehicle pool so she, Jon, and Bear can all fit in the vehicle together - her Corvette having grown increasingly impractical after having acquired such a large dog. She pulls into the empty parking lot at the nature reserve - most people having opted to avoid it in the freezing cold weather - and she buttons her jacket closed in preparation for stepping out from her heated vehicle. "The party was nice," she remarks, just before reaching behind her to pop the back door and let Bear out. The pup bounds out, vestless, a large rope toy in his jaws for Cael and Jon to throw. Before she gets out as well, though, she leans over to give Jon a brief kiss along his shaved jaw, a fond smile on here face.     "Sorry I didn't exactly... mingle. It was more people than I'd expected, if I'm being honest." She pops open her door, stepping out, and watching with amusement as Bear bounds towards her, and then towards a large, grassy area, an expectant look on his features. "We're coming, we're coming. Ya mutt."
Jonathan Sims	"That's alright," Jon replies, leaning in to return the kiss briefly before he climbs out of the passenger side of the car. "Mingling was not required. You were there, which I think was good enough for Phoebe." He's got a heavy coat on over his cardigan, because he's cold a /lot/ these days. He lost a lot of that padding.     He fiddles with something in his pocket as he follows Cael and the dog into the park. Martin's taking him out for dinner, but that's later; for now, he focuses on Cael. "I'm sure Bear was happy to get treats."
Cael Becker	"He'd eat the whole lot at once if I let him," Cael agrees with a quiet laugh. As Bear bounds back to her one moe time, she wrestles the rope out of his mouth, and flings it for him to pursue, before shoving her hands back into her pockets for warmth. "It was kind - and unexpected. Though one of Phoebe's friends had no idea what a service dog was." It's been eye-opening to see just how many people don't understand the concept of a service dog - having one with you can make that stunningly clear.     "She was nice enough, though."
Jonathan Sims	"They're good kids," Jon agrees, with an amiable smile. "I'm rather fond of them. I hadn't met Mary." Though she's clearly on the roster of assassins with all the rest. He watches the dog bound off for a moment. "Bart's a good kid, especially. I wish I had more time to talk to them all. Maybe when this business is done."     He hesitates a moment, then says, "So... you had a decent time? I did better than I thought I would. Even with all those people, well... the Gotham sorts are oddly comforting, to me."
Cael Becker	"Maybe we'll all have more time - when this is done," Cael remarks. "...I'll add race car driving to Agnes' set of skills," she adds in a teasing tone, flashing Jon a grin, before looking back to the dog again. He's shaking his rope viciously back and forth - apparently incapacitating his 'prey.'     Doofus.     "I had a decent time. It was nice to get away fro a while - and the noodles were good. It's- ...it's nice seeing people just having fun. Just enjoying themselves, celebrating a birthday... maybe it's a good reminder for us, you know?"
Jonathan Sims	Jon rolls his eyes. "Yes, I heard about you taking her shooting. I suppose she'd need to learn sometime, but she's /thirteen/." He shakes his head.     "But... it /was/ nice, yeah. To just celebrate, and try not to... talk about things. Try not tot hink about them. Just enjoy a special occassion." He smiles.     "Speaking of special occassions..." He huffs out a breath, then, and pulls something out of his pocket--a small box wrapped in gold paper. "Happy Valentine's Day," he says as he offers over the box.
Cael Becker	"She's living with a pair of SHIELD agents, Jon. In the Triskelion. With a third SHIELD agent often around... I think it's better she learn gun safety, and that we demistify the whole thing sooner rather than later. You make something tabboo - and teens want to do it all the more," she points out simply. "And she enjoyed it. And she did well, honestly."     She takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly before she agrees with a quiet, "It was nice."     As the box comes out, she turns and stares at it - surprise showing on her features first, followed quickly by //dismay//. "Oh, Jon, I didn't- I didn't think- I didn't realize- I've never-" she fumbles awkwardly, before admitting more quietly, "I didn't get you anything."     Still, she reaches out to take the box, her fingers tracing over the paper, feeling the shape of the box. She hasn't celebrated my holidays - not for a while, and certainly not Valentine's Day.
Jonathan Sims	Jon shakes his head. "I know... I didn't even know if you'd care... I mean, some people actively don't /want/ to celebrate holidays like that, you know? I mean..." He laughs, flushing a little. "I didn't point out that that night on the rooftop was our one-month anniversary, but I was... aware." He shrugs.     "Anyway, I didn't get it because... I just saw it, and I thought of you. I wanted you to... to have something, physical. Concrete. I mean you're going to eat a /live bug/ for me," he says with a grin. "I think you've got me beat on romantic gestures for a while yet."     He hesitates a moment, then reaches out and runs his fingers through her hair. "Besides, you did this. You've been taking care of me. I just... appreciate it. I thought of you. That's all. So... go on?" He's nervous, clearly.
Cael Becker	"I just didn't- I haven't celebrated Valentine's Day since elementary school," Cael admits with embarrassement. She tilts her head towards Jon's touch as she adds, "I told you. The hair is for the LA Rams." Actually, she's mentioned a //different sports team// every time it's come up. She's made a game of it, clearly. A very teasing game.     Looking down at the box in her hands, however, she starts to open it, carefully undoing the paper (who knew Cael would be one of the people who don't just tear through it?) before opening it to reveal a wide leather cuff, with butterflies painted with teal and blue wings, and golden bodies. Tears spring to her eyes immediately as her fingers tighten around the box - and a small smile grows on her lips. "Oh... Jon..."
Jonathan Sims	"Ay, mariposa," Jon whispers, reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind Cael's ear. "I thought you could use the reminder that even if we fly apart, we'll reunite."     He smiles, blinking back his own tears. "So... you like it? You like it." He sounds relieved. "I thought... it seemed more the kind of thing you'd wear than something more delicate."
Cael Becker	"I love it," Cael answers - fingers still clutching to the box, as she leans in to kiss the man - a lingering, heartfelt kiss on his lips, as a few tears streak down her cheeks. "It's... it's perfect, Jon," she adds when she pulls back, her gaze locking back onto the bracelet in the box. "You really found it? It almost looks like- like something you'd've had to commission."
Jonathan Sims	"I may have asked if the bodies could be painted gold," Jon says with a smile. He'd returned the kiss, gently, and then pulled back. "But given that I was willing to pay a little extra for the work..." He shrugs, then reaches out to pick up the bracelet from the box. "Wasn't that hard of a lift."     "Put it on?" he asks. "I mean, not that I'd expect you to wear it all the time, but I... well. I'd like to see if it fits."
Cael Becker	Cael holds out her left wrist obligingly - using her right hand, if necessary, to help Jon with the clasp as they get it into place. Then she turns her wrist this way and that, admiring how it looks - and utterly ignoring Bear, who's been drawn in by their heightened emotions to walk circles around the pair, tail wagging happily.     "Maybe not all the time," she says quietly. "But I think I'll wear it often enough. Thank you, Jon. It's beautiful..."
Jonathan Sims	Jon grins with relief. "Oh, good. I... worried, a little. I didn't want to... overwhelm you, you know? I know this is new, and you're not the sort that's been sitting around moping about being single on Valentine's Day or anything." He reaches up to rub at the back of his neck. "I... maybe over-think things, though." No, really? Him? Never.     "It looks perfect," he says, tilting his head to look at the bracelet a little better. He hums happily and leans down to kiss Cael, gently, before pulling back.     "Everything's going to work out," he says. "I know it will. Trust me?"
Cael Becker	Cael returns the kiss, letting one hand go to the back of his neck, gently holding him to her - and slipping down his arm to hold his hand as the man pulls back once more. "I trust you, Jon. I do. This has just been... a lot," Cael admits.     "But this song - it's honestly been helping me. Even before you turned yourself over to Michael, I- letting go is hard, but the song started to make it alright. That things are happening for a reason, that we will be together, that everything will be alright. I'm trying to believe it."
Jonathan Sims	"Well, I believe it. I don't know why I'm so... I should be so much worse than I am. Angrier, sadder, but I'm just..." Jon sighs. "I'm just happy to be home. Not that it's been easy." It's been anything but easy; he's definitely had his moments. "But easier than I thought it would be."     He squeezes her hand, and says, "If Bear's going to get much time to play before I need to go home, you'd better throw that rope for him. Should I start calling you mariposa, hmm?"
Cael Becker	"I was so afraid," Cael admits quietly, "Of the shape you'd be in after you came back. I thought, after three days that- how much of you could be left? After how much was done to me in- in just a few hours, and then you said it'd been 40 days..." And she'd started to unravel. Truth be told, she was a little ashamed of how she'd behaved under the tree that day.     "It's okay not to be okay after all this, Jon," she adds a bit wryly. "But I'm glad it hasn't been as bad as either of us expected." She takes a deep breath in, squeezing Jon's hand as she adds, "You're the Butterfly. I'm just... me."     Reaching down with her free hand, and starts tugging and pulling at the rope while Bear growls at her playfully, his tail wagging away.
Jonathan Sims	"I don't know if I'm okay," Jon admits. "I certainly don't know if I'll be okay, after everything. But I think... I was a lot /less/ okay, before. Or at least less willing to admit to it."     He peers at her a moment. "You're changing too, though. You admit we're family. You say you love me without fear--or at least without showing much. We'll both change, through all of this."
Cael Becker	Cael finally wrests the rope free and tosses it, with Bear turning to dash after his toy, while Cael turns back towards Jon - offering a small, encouraging smile. "We'll be okay eventually. It just takes time... and help."     At the word 'family' though - Cael looks down and away, discomfort conveyed by her expression, and the tension in her shoulders and spine. She may have hinted at it, she may have written it in that message to Phoebe. But as for openly saying it? ...that's another matter. Her right hand clamps around the bracelet now on her risk as she remarks softly, "I do love you. I never thought I'd have anything like this - and it's still strange to me."
Jonathan Sims	"Well, hopefully it won't stay strange forever," Jon says softly. "Hopefully someday it'll all just be... normal." He reaches out to place his hand on Cael's back, comforting, or trying to be.     He watches Bear dash off. "I hugged Lydia. Let Phoebe touch my shoulder. It felt... I don't know. I'm still skittish, but maybe it was because I was expecting it? Mmm. Maybe it won't be bad forever."
Cael Becker	"Maybe," Cael agrees softly. "As... silly, and new-agey as it sounds, when I just let myself be //present//? It's nice. It's afterwards I start feeling like it all must be some sort of cosmic error. But maybe someday..."     She turns her attention back towards Jon as she adds, "Your friends care about you. They want to be there to support you, too. I hope it won't be bad forever - for you, for them..."     Bear tries offering his rope to Jon this time - tail still wagging furiously.
Jonathan Sims	Jon takes the rope, tugging on it for a moment before pulling it away from the dog and tossing it away, hard. "I know they care. A lot of people care. I'm less... bitter, than I was." He chuckles. "Or maybe I'm just over-thinking things less."     He smirks, watching Bear run after the rope again. "That's typically the way of things. Being present, and mindful, /is/ a good idea. It's just... hard, sometimes, for most people. Don't feel bad, that it's difficult to hold onto. It's hard for me most of the time."
Cael Becker	"All I know is that I love you, and I want to be part of your life. I want to support you, like you supported me when I needed you. I mean- ... I still need you," she admits in a wry voice. "And I know that really being there for you, really being part of your life, means..." There's a few moments of silence as she struggles to find the right words. "Means finding my place with the people important in your life. Making them a part of my life, and figuring out how we... fit. And that doesn't really happen overnight."
Jonathan Sims	Jon nods, kneeling down to take the rope from Bear again as he returns. "We'll figure it out," he says with confidence. "We'll finish this business and become whatever we're becoming... and then we'll figure it out. Alright, mariposa?"     He eyes her for a moment, then starts to sing, softly. "Dos oruguitas enamoradas... Pasan sus noches y madrugadas..."     Yes, he learned the song. In Spanish, evidently.
Cael Becker	"Fine, fine... Oruguita," Cael counters, leaning in for a momentary kiss, just before he begins to sing. She listens in silence, leaning in against him - watching Bear as he shakes his head to 'viciously maul' his rope. On the chorus, she joins in (yes, in Spanish) simply enjoying being there with Jon - while her fingers trace the shape of the butterflies she wears on her wrist.