Owner Pose
Jonathan Sims     When Jon woke up from his astral projecting, he stumbled to the bathroom (yes, there's a bathroom in the Velvet Room) and threw up. A lot. Then he and Cael went home, with Jon informing her that he'd likely sleep for more than twelve hours and not to worry too much. He wasn't terribly forthcoming beyond that, but he looked absolutely dead on his feet. Once home, he managed to get his jeans and shoes off before collapsing into bed, and slept like a rock.

    It's past noon Monday when he wakes, so fortunately Agnes is at school. He squints against the sunlight coming through the windows and turns over, away from the windows, curling up into a ball on the bed. It really is amazing how such a tall man can become so /small/ when he wants to.
Cael Becker     After getting Jon tucked into bed, Cael had put a reuseable waterbottle on his side of the bed - along with a puke bucket as a precaution. She didn't think even the urge to puke could wake him when he was in this sort of state? But it was better to be safe than sorry. She'd snuggled in beside him for several hours - then woken to have a simple breakfast of coffee with a scone, clotted cream, and strawberry jam - they were out of lemon curd, apparently. Now she was on the floor with Bear, her head pillowed on his bulk as she played a video game on Agnes' switch.
    The sound of sheets rustling earns her attention, though, so after finishing out a battle - she pauses the game, lowering the little handheld console. "Jon?" she asks in a quiet voice - pitching it low enough to avoid disturbing him if he's still asleep.
    At least she hopes.
Jonathan Sims     "Can you grab a coconut water from the fridge?" Jon's voice sounds raspy from disuse and dehydration. He'd started drinking the stuff as a less cloyingly sweet alternative to most electrolyte drinks when he came back from being tortured by Michael, and now always has a few bottles in the fridge.

    Having asked that, he turns over to lie on his back, staring up at the ceiling. "Gods," he groans. "I am /famished/. And exhausted. And just... ugh. Ugh. Everything is /ugh/."
Cael Becker     "Absolutely," Cael remarks. "There's water right next to you if you want a sip, though." She pushes herself to her feet before she adds, "I could grab you a scone as well if you want? Unless you want something else that's, uhh, easy to grab? Yogurt and granola with your strawberry jam?"
    She only waits long enough for his reply before she moves off towards the kitchen to fetch his requests - Bear looking after her, then up at the bed. He hefts himself up his feet - then jumps up onto the California King sized bed to crawl towards Jon, licking at his arm - and then his cheek.
Jonathan Sims     "Of course I want a scone, Cael," Jon says, half-whining. He gets like this when he's hurt or tired, as if letting his guard down and letting himself be vulnerable turns him into an overgrown child. "And /clotted/ cream. Lots of clotted cream."

    He takes the licking with splutter. "Ooof, you foul creature, stop that!" But it's said half-laughing, as he goes to pet Bear. "I know, I know, I'm sorry if I worried you. It was just a /really/ bad night."
Cael Becker     Bear's tail thumps on the bed while Cael is busy filling a tray with a scone, clotted cream, strawberry jam - and the requested coconut water. She carries it all back in, and rolls her eyes at Bear. "Budge over, you. Scoot. Bear, scoot." She nudges the pup over, so she can get between Jon and the dog - mostly to make sure Bear stays out of Jon's small meal. No one wants hair or slobber in their food.
    Once she's settled into place, she lets her fingers trail gently through Jon's hair as she asks quietly, "Everything alright?"
Jonathan Sims     Jon gives Bear one last scritch and then scoots himself up to prop against the pillows, even as Lady's wandering into the room to see what's going on. She hops up on the bed and curls at Jon's feet, peering at Bear and Cael with large doggy eyes. Not begging, really, more keeping an eye on everyone.

    Jon opens the coconut water and takes a long drink. "Last night was... a /lot/. There was this... hmm. There was an attack on a theatre in Greenwich, appeared to be witches that had been tasked with pulling people's spirits from their bodies, ripping them into pieces, and then shoving them onto the Astral Plane. Then they were sort of... mushed together into a giant ball that was compelled to head toward Dr. Xavier's sanctuary. He had to evacuate the spirits already there to the Archive, and we were fighting to keep the spirits away and hold them in place to try to heal them, and..."

    They sigh, taking another drink of coconut water before spread clotted cream and jam on the split scone. "It was a lot. A /lot/. I had to pull on a lot of Ma'at's power, and the Archive... it's fine now, but the /initial/ strain of all those spirits was a lot, and then I was summoning Ma'at for /hours/."
Cael Becker     Cael leans over - pressing a kiss to Jon's temple, and then settles back against the headboard to continue idly toying with Jon's hair. "It does sound like a lot. Will those people be alright - after everything that was done to them? That sounds... traumatic to say the least." She's not entirely clear, still, on what a spirit is, and how it relates to the human body, and if it can be healed - it was all so much simpler when she believe they were just the result of firing neurons in the brain.
    "I'll admit I was a bit worried when you went and threw up like that."
Jonathan Sims     "I hope so," Jon says with a sigh. "People are talking about making sure they get counseling after, which they'll definitely need. The pain they've gone through..." A long breath. "I would normally be very much against the idea of wiping people's memories, but maybe this is a case where I'd accept the idea. It has to be /awful/."

    He stares down at his scone. "Some people's bodies are dead already. Some of them... are going to be moving on. And it's... ugh. It's just... I'm never going to forget this, you know? Not... ever. This whole thing."
Cael Becker     "Oh, love..." Cael says quietly, with sympathy and concern in her voice. It was the sort of tone she used to rarely in public, or around other witnesses - when she prefered to keep up that facade of a brusque, more distant personna. "I'm sorry there's not more I can do to help. I know you're doing everything you can for them. That's just how you are." She twirls her fingers in Jon's hair idly as they continue to talk - then she reaches over to break off the corner of his scone - and nibble at it.
Jonathan Sims     "Yeah. At least I'm not really the lead on this. I'm just working on it, and the Archive's being used as temporary storage for the spirits." Jon sighs, and leans in to Cael's touch, not arguing in the slightest about her stealing a bit of scone. Instead he just takes a long drink of coconut water and sighs again.

    "How've you been? Sorry I worried you. I just... it was... gods, it was a lot. It's some of the worst stuff I've seen, and I've seen some /bad/ things, you know?"
Cael Becker     "Yeah," Cael agrees quietly. "We've seen some bad things." She rests her free hand on Bear's head - which he's inserted into her lap, while her other hand continues to play soothingly with Jon's hair, occasionally rubbing at his scalp. She knows how calming they find that.
    "I've been alright. I mean... A lot of stuff has happened since December, but... I'm as well as I can be, and getting better all the time. Yeah?"
Jonathan Sims     For a long moment Jon doesn't say anything. Instead he just sits there letting Cael rub his scalp and run a hand through his hair while he eats, letting the food settle his stomach. "Think I need a live statement soon," he mutters, frowning. "Everything's starting to taste a bit stale."

    He sighs, then and adds, "...You /sure/ you're okay? You've been kind of... mmm... you've been really..." How to put this? He hates confronting her, a lot of the time, after all. "You've had a really short temper, of late. Everything okay? Need some time away?"
Cael Becker     "Have I?" Cael muses quietly, her head resting against Jon's as she considers his words. "...because I broke the chair?" she finally surmises.
    "I... I don't know," she admits quietly. "Right now, all I want is you, here with me. Maybe... maybe it's just grief somehow, or- I mean. We've all been under a lot of stress."
Jonathan Sims     "You broke the chair, yes, and last night you were... awfully short with Bear. You've /been/ awfully short with Bear. Which reminds me..." Jon puts a big of clotted cream on two chunks of scone and offers one to Bear and then one to Lady. There.

    "That's what really... has me worried. Being short with Bear. There's... I don't know, there's more anger in your aura, and I'm not certain... maybe it /is/ just grief? I just..." He sighs. "I'm worried. That's all."
Cael Becker     "I've been lax with his discipline, is all," Cael remarks - a hint of a frown on her features, as she watches Jon feed the treat to Bear. She doesn't try to stop him, however. "Begging for food is a bad habit. He just //expects// it now. And what if he'd broken the little doll?" she asks, her hand still resting on Bear's head - but her fingers tightening in his fur for a moment - before relaxing again.
    "I mean- he's a good dog. Of course he is - but he... forgets his manners sometimes, is all."
    Letting out a frustrated sigh she adds, "I'm fine, Jon. Really."
Jonathan Sims     "Cael," Jon says slowly, "you /broke/ a /chair/. Do you... do you need more sessions with Caldwell? Or... look, I've been... is it... I know you said you want..."

    He sighs and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, love. I'm... I'm just... I don't know. I suppose I'm worried that moving in together is triggering something in you. I've noticed you itching more, so I thought maybe you were allergic to something, but... look, you /can/ take a night away if need be. I'll be okay. If you need the space."
Cael Becker     "Do you want me to go?" Cael spits out in irritation - before her brain can catch up with her rising volatility. She lets out a frustrated sound, and her arms pulls back from around Jon's shoulder, as she shifts her weight away from them. That was- uncalled for. Wasn't it? Should she be saying things like that to them?
    "I... got mad. Jean-Paul is talking about him just- murdering prostitutes, and every vampire he meets - with Lydia standing right there, you know - and I //know// he's you're friend but you just- you just... act like it's no big deal. Same way you act like everything Chas did-"
    She bites off the rest of her words, her fingers clutching at the fur on Bear's shoulder as the pup lets out a quiet whine, and nuzzles at her chest.
Jonathan Sims     "I'm not--I don't know what's been going on with Jake lately. I don't know whether he was always like that and I just didn't /notice/, or whether the strain of not having his bloody /therapist/ anymore is making things more difficult for Marc. Either way, I fucked up, and I need to figure out how to /fix/ it, and getting angry about it isn't going to /help/ matters. But it's like you're... you're judging /me/ for what other people are doing."

    Jon shakes his head. "Jake isn't my friend. He's someone my friend happens to share a body with--but we still have to figure out how to /deal/ with him. And Marc didn't bloody tell me /any/ of this, and of /course/ he didn't, because I took that away, I took away his whole..."

    He stops, and reaches up to run his hand through his hair. "Why are we fighting about this? Why are you bringing up Chas? I'm not... I'm not saying you don't have a right to be upset. I was upset too. I wish... I wish you could see my aura, so you'd know... just because I'm not breaking chairs doesn't mean I'm /okay/ with things, Cael."
Cael Becker     "I don't know, Jon! You're the one who wants me to leave, apparently!" Cael fires back - before letting out a frustrated sigh. She pulls Bear closer, scratching at his shoulder, and hugging the dog to her chest, as she tries to breathe, slowly and steadily to calm herself.
    "I'm angry," she finally admits quietly. "I feel... angry." And she can't really put her finger on the why. "He just- the things Jean-Paul said- well. I //told// you what it made me think of."
Jonathan Sims     "I don't want you to leave, Cael! I want you to do whatever you /need/ to do! I'd love to have you here every night for the rest of forever! But I /know/ you need space, I /know/ you need time, so I'm trying to be understanding!" Jon grips his hand in his hair. "Gods, do you think I don't /feel/ every wasted moment in my /soul/? I'm going to outlive you, Cael. I'm /certain/ of that. You are going to grow old and die and I'm... not. And someday you'll be gone and Martin will be gone and I'll hand the Archive to Agnes and go do whatever Ma'at needs me to do and at least I'll have Lydia around but... but in the meantime..." His tone is shaking, his /arm/ is shaking.

    They stop, and close their eyes, and take a deep breath. "I know why you were upset," they say, tone more stable. "I /know/. That's why I said 'maybe you need to see Caldwell more often.' Maybe working with Chas has you on edge. I don't... I don't /know/. But I'm not... I don't... I don't know why you think I... gods, it's like you think I /condone/ murderers just because I think we shouldn't prop them all up in front of a bloody firing squad."
Cael Becker     Cael doesn't answer immediately, as she just hugs Bear tight - periodically pushing his snout away as the pup tries to lick at her face. She concentrates on breathing instead, as she keeps her face turned away from Jon.
    "Maybe it does have to do with Chas," she finally admits. "Maybe I have been pushing myself too hard. I know it's important to you, and I wanted-" She lets out a heavy, frustrated sigh. "I know you're not okay with murder, Jon. I do."
Jonathan Sims     Jon pulls his hand down out of his hair. "I really appreciate you trying, with Chas. I /really/ do. And not just for my sake--for your own. If I could bring back the old Michael just to punch him in his smug face again, it'd be /just/ for fucking up what ought to be a good relationship for you both."

    Then he reaches out to wrap Cael up in a hug, summoning up the emerald arm finally just so he can do so with both arms. "But we've got time. As much as I fret sometimes, about... mortality, we've got time. No need to push unless you want to."

    They sigh. "We'll take care of Jake. One way or another..." They swallows. "It's my fault," they say softly. "Whoever Jake killed, that was on /my/ watch. So I'll fix it."
Cael Becker     Cael is stiff in Jon's arms - but she doesn't push him away, and she seems to relax, little by little, with each breath she takes.
    "We'll fix it," Cael answers quietly. "You know you have my support. Somehow... we'll figure it out. And //we'll fix it."
    "I'm going to be fine, you know, Jon. I mean - even if I do- get worse sometimes. That's- that's just how it goes sometimes, yeah? It's not always... better and better and better. It's better, and better, and worse, and better... I'm gonna be okay."
Jonathan Sims     Jon laughs softly. "I know, love. I know. Trust me, of all people... I know. But sometimes, when it starts to get worse, that's a point to evaluate whether what you're doing is working or not. When... when Mr. Knight appeared, I should have... "

    His lip quivers, and then suddenly he's crying. "It's my fault. I... I didn't want to... I /liked/ Marc, I didn't want to push, the way I should have, even gently. And he trusted me to help him, and... and now people are dead. And he doesn't talk to me anymore, because... because I'm not..."

    He buries his face in Cael's hair. "Sorry. Sorry. It's just... this is so fucking hard. Maybe... maybe I'm worried... gods, it's so stupid. I know you're okay. I know I'm helping. I just... ugh. Never mind."
Cael Becker     "You help me," Cael promises him. Her voice is still quiet - but it's firm, and unyielding. "You do. You aren't my therapist, but you help me more than I can ever explain. And- and you don't have to be Marc's therapist to help him, either. But... yeah, maybe you should help him find a new therapist as well, love. Maybe we can suggest Caldwell, huh?" she suggests. She's leaning back into Jon now - letting him support her weight, while her finger brush through Bear's fur.
    "If you need to cry for a bit... that's okay, you know."
Jonathan Sims     "He said... he was alright. He said..." Jon squeezes their eyes shut and just lets themself cry, soaking Cael's hair a bit with the tears. They actually make a bit of noise, sobs coming through their normal attempts to keep a reserve. Maybe they're just relaxing more, crying around Cael.

    After a few minutes, they seem to have cried themself out, at least for now. "Sorry," they gasp. "Sorry. It's just... it's just... m-maybe... maybe he was right. Maybe I was a /terrible/ psychiatrist. Maybe I never should've..." Deep breaths. Slow, deep breaths. "I helped you," they murmur, like they're reminding themself.
Cael Becker     "You were //not// a terrible psychiatrist, Jon," Cael says firmly - it's the voice she uses when she'll tolerate no arguements to the contrary. "You were... the first person I could really talk to. I mean- I, uhh- I might have resented therapy at first? It was- they sorta wrote it in as part of my deal. I didn't think I needed it, I definitely didn't want it. But you- I don't know. I don't know. You helped me. You were //good// at it, Jon. You still are." She turns her head back towards him - though she isn't able to see his face, with it buried in her short hair.
Jonathan Sims     Jon pulls back a little as Cael turns, to peer down at her with tear-streaked face. "Are you sure? I mean..." He laughs. "You /sound/ sure. I just... gods. I don't know. I want to believe you, it's just... look at me. I'm /dating/ my last patient, and the patient I treated the longest wound up getting /worse/ with treatment."

    He sighs. "Even if the problem is that I got too fond of my patients, didn't keep detachment... that's part of what you /have/ to do. Otherwise you can't think objectively."
Cael Becker     "I'm sure," Cael says firmly, turning far enough, and freeing one of her hands from Bear to place it on Jon's cheek. "Just think what sort of mess I'd be, after what happened to me, with you there. Would... would I even still be here?" she asks - a small, sad smile on her lips.
    "You know what you're doing. You know how to help people. You //are// good at it. I'm as certain of that as anything in my life. I'm sure, Jonathan Manuel Sims."
    At least she went with a fairly normal middle name this time.
Jonathan Sims     Jon rolls his eyes at the middle name and leans down to kiss Cael's forehead. "There's a difference," he murmurs, "between being a good and understanding boyfriend and being a good... doctor." He sighs. "I have to fix this thing with Marc. I have to at least /try/."

    Then they take a deep breath and say, "But... you. Your anger. Do you need to see Caldwell more often? Run it off in the gym? Do more racing? Or are things going okay, and this is just... getting worse before it gets better?"
Cael Becker     "You've been both, in turns," Cael insists firmly. "You were a good doctor. You are a good boyfirned - even if I do blow up sometimes." She lets out a sigh, then leans into Jon again, resting her head on their shoulder. "I have an appointment with Caldwell tomorrow. I can talk about it with her then. And... if you want, I'm sure it'd be alright if you came in for the start of it, to share your perspective, and your concerns. I'm sorry about the chair - but if that ends up being the worst of it then.... well. It'll be alright." She takes a deep breath in, letting it out in a sigh before repeating, "It'll be alright."
Jonathan Sims     "There's something weird in your aura, love," Jon murmurs. "I don't know if it's just... intimacy issues, or Chas, or something... else, but I suppose I should bring to Caldwell. If you're okay with that. I mean... I mean it's just..."

    He furrows his brow. "It just... it just seemed odd. Different. The way you were talking to Bear, it... it stuck out. That's all. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I'm just... jumpy and on edge. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, as I perpetually do." A smile. "And if Caldwell thinks it's not much... then I won't worry. Okay?"
Cael Becker     "Alright," Cael agrees. "You're welcome to come - if it'll set your mind at ease. Okay? But even if there is something... we'll get through it together. There's nothing we can't get through together - even the Gods are pulling for us, remember?" she reminds Jon with a wry smile.
    "...fuck I sound delusional when I talk like that."
Jonathan Sims     "Not to me you don't. Perspective, love. To me, it seems that with all of your experience, continuing to refuse to believe in the existence of gods would be the delusional thing. Trying to explain them rationally and scientifically? Reasonable. But denying they exist /at all/?" Jon shakes his head.

    "All too often 'rationality' is an excuse to stick to a particular worldview, one that is, quite honestly, rooted in a certain kind of capitalism that encourages people to think of themselves as separate from all around them, all evidence--including scientific--to the contrary. My point being... nobody's entirely /right/. It may well be that some scientist could come up with a scientific and mathematical explanation for the gods, one you'd accept and understand. That doesn't mean I was wrong, just like the gods existing doesn't mean /you/ are wrong to demand evidence and rational explanations. It just means we're coming at things from different angles."

    A pause, and then, "...Kind of like Jake. You look at him and it reminds you of what you went through, and it makes you angry at him. I look at him and see evidence of my failures, and it makes me angry at myself. We're both angry, for the same reasons. We both want to fix the problem. We're just coming at it from different angles. Like the other day, when we both got the Cups. Using that power of emotion in different ways."
Cael Becker     Just mentioning Jake has Cael stiffening for a moment - before she lets out a frustrated sigh. "Stop rationalizing, love. It's your worst trait," Cael remarks - trying to keep her voice light and teasing, to shake off the irritation she was feeling again, aimed towards Jake. "I'm sticking with 'it sounds ridiculousl.' Even in a world where the Gods exist... why would they care about who I love? It's a very- ...egocentric way of thinking. You know?"
    She lets out a huff of air before adding, "Except that they do - because I heard them talking about it. But I think that's more for your sake than mine."
Jonathan Sims     "Rationalizing is /my/ worst trait?" Jon raises a brow at Cael. "Who's the one that believes in gods and magic, no questions asked, hmm?"

    They smile, though, and lean in to kiss the top of Cael's head. "Probably more for my sake, yes. What did they say? That I'd be unstable without you? Probably true." They sigh.

    Then, slowly, "...You /really/ think that's my worst trait?"
Cael Becker     "No, love. The self-doubt is your worst trait," Cael replies wryly - giving Jon a kiss, perhaps in the hopes that it'll take any sting out of words. "I was joking about the rationalizing. It can be... tiresome sometimes, but rationalizing isn't a //bad// thing." She brushes her hand over Jon's cheek for good measure, watching his features for his response to her words as she does.
    "Alya was the one who was most direct. That I was good for you. Thoth... thought you'd been through enough pain, and Ma'at... just wanted me to look after you. As if I wouldn't, as if that weren't already my intention, but-... yeah. They seemed to think I'm good for you, I guess."
Jonathan Sims     Jon quirks his mouth to one side and wrinkles his nose for a moment. "Sorry. I know I'm terribly troublesome to put up with. Don't know why you bother, really." They say it with amusement, but there's a hint of something vaguely lingering there. Jon really does wonder, sometimes, why of all people in the world Cael fell for /him/.

    A pause, and then, "We, umm... yesterday was our six month anniversary. Don't know if you... cared, but... I suppose I should've said something, since I care. Somew--" He chokes on it. "Fine. A lot. I care a lot. /Gods/." He rolls his eyes.

    "/Anyway/. I was thinking... well... okay this is going to sound /stupid/, but... umm... I was thinking we could... check out the dining concourse at Grand Central? Since that's where we... started. Just... fuck it. Take the day off, spend it together, since I'm exhausted and you're angry and all the rest."
Cael Becker     "I think that sounds like fun," Cael agrees. "It'll be nice to see the place- well. Alive again." She pauses for a moment then adds wryly, "And I may have picked up something for you. One of the, uhh... bonuses of having two addresses is I can have packages sent - and you ahve no clue," she teases.
    Then she adds more seriously, "You know why I bother - yeah? Because I love you. Because... I'm better with you. I'm stronger with you. Because you calm me, like nothing and no one else can. I mean, and because you are a good, kind, brave person. Because we stared down the end of reality together - and came out the other side. Because of a lot of reasons, Jon."
    There's a momentary pause before she asks, "What're you counting from, anyways? The day I, uhh... kissed you, and started freaking out?"
Jonathan Sims     Jon flushes dark at all Cael says, right to the tips of his ears. He hadn't been fishing for compliments, but they're nice when they're delivered. Clears his throat. "Yeeees? Should I not be? Should it be the 7th instead? It could be the 7th instead."

    Then he clears his throat. "/I/ have something for /you/ too. So... there." A wink. He's clearly a little more relaxed, since Cael agreed to go with him. He really was worried it'd sound like a stupid idea.
Cael Becker     "...what happened on the 7th? You telling me that I'm not a homewrecker?" Cael asks - amusement in her voice. "Look, it's- fine. I- the exact date doesn't matter all that much to me, you know? Just- just so long as... I don't know. Whichever date makes the most sense to you," she agrees.
    There's a brief pause before she asks, "Do you remember the dates because... because you always remember everything? Or because you... wrote it down in a diary or something? Or...?"
Jonathan Sims     "Because it mattered to me, Cael." Jon says this earnestly. "I suppose it's the same sort of thing as writing it in a diary, though I don't need one. Not everything I remember is front of mind, all the time; it can't be or I'd be terribly distracted. But those dates, they're... pinned to the metaphorical fridge of my mind, so I'll always remember. You kissed me on the 5th. I said I love you on the 6th, though I was in a daze. I said it again on the 7th, and sang to you, and we agreed to be... something. I just always counted from the 5th since that was... it stands out in my mind, bright and shining. The day I realized Cael Becker loved me, etched into my very soul."

    They peer down at her. "I remembered, even when I had decided not to come back. I didn't think I deserved a second chance, and the sight of the gods was blinding me, but I remembered."
Cael Becker     "The //moment// is important to me. The... when of it? The exact date? Less so. But I guess... Keeping track of years, or- whatever. It does matter. Just not as much as the memory."
    She's silent for a moment before she adds, "Pretty sure six months after January fifth, though... Is July fifth, love. Did you take math classes when you were getting that fancy medical degree?" she asks teasingly. "Or did they skip those?"
Jonathan Sims     Jon gapes at Cael for a long moment. /Gapes/. His eyes go wide. He looks down at his hands and /counts on his fingers/, mouthing months aloud.

    Then he puts his face in his hands.

    "Oh good lord," he mutters. "I have been /agonizing/ over this and I was a /month early/! Fuck's sake." He shakes his head, tone one of deepest despair. "I just... June is the sixth month of the year so I just..."

    He peeks up at Cael through his fingers. "...So we can go to Grand Central for our /five/ month anniversary?" He sounds sheepish.
Cael Becker     "Sure love," Cael replies with a laugh, kissing them on their sheepish, astonished mouth. Any tension, or anger she might have been carrying it gone now - with the mirth of her amusement. "We go to Grand Central for our five month anniversary. Should we hold onto the gifts until our six month anniversary, though? Hrm?" she asks, tapping Jon playfully on the nose.
Jonathan Sims     Jon throws his hands in the air. "I don't bloody well know! Why does six months matter more than five anyway! Because it's half a year, well, half of /this/ year was practically a bloody lifetime!" But they laugh, and wrap Cael up for a moment, kiss her soundly, then pull back.

    "Let's go out, and give each other gifts, and to hell with the precise amount of months. We've made it this far. That's what matters, right?"
Cael Becker     "Sure," Cael agrees, amusement in her expression, returning the kiss, and relaxing into his arms. "Let's do that. As long as you don't expect me to find another gift in a month," she teases. "Like I said. The date - the time - none of that matters all that much to me. Not as much as the memory. And not as much as... the fact of what we have. Not as much as you being here with me... right now."