with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair

[notverywise]

Logically speaking, Jenny knows she probably shouldn't be so nervous. The thing about it having taken so long — though it isn't as if she knew before yesterday that there was something to take long at all, regardless of how much sense it makes now that both of them have admitted to harboring feelings — is that she knows Cameron, she's comfortable with him, more so than probably any other person on the island. Before, to have gone out together would have been something perfectly normal, during which she'd have kept any thoughts of something more to herself. Now, everything's changed, even if nothing has at the same time. It's absolutely thrilling, leaving her as anxious as she is exhilarated, and certain that this is the happiest she's been since showing up here.

Because the thing is, she hasn't done this before, not really. When she went out with David, nothing ever officially changed; it was just one thing one day, and gradually, other things began to happen, too. She thinks now that that might have been the point from the beginning. So often there were others there, too, Helen and Danny, and even that could be part of the appeal. The more she thinks about it, the more she wonders if it was David she wanted or the life he could give her, and she's fairly certain it was the latter. With Cameron, it's entirely different. She's known him longer and she knows him well, and while it helps that he's so many of the things she'd have gravitated towards back home, it isn't just about that, especially not when so much of that would be irrelevant here. It's just him, and she's wanted him for so long now that this has so much more weight to it.

However much time he waited, she's glad it's now, anyway. Not all of the island's changes are things she's taken to well, the whole idea of moving backwards entirely at odds with the way she approaches most things, but it's certainly convenient for this, giving them actual things to do for a proper date (and just the thought leaves her biting her lip, trying to hold back a smile, though there's no reason for it yet). Now there's nothing but to wait a little longer, which shouldn't be difficult when so many months have passed. Pacing her flat and waiting for him to get here, though, feels a lot more difficult than that ever did.

Comments

[makeafairfight]

"You mean for us or in general?" Cameron asks, grinning. As they get closer to the fair, he can smell any number of foods and spices, though he's holding out until he can take her to dinner. Still, they ought to take the time to enjoy this while there's still light out. "I'm all for either one. I think we can pull it off."

[notverywise]

"Start with us, maybe," Jenny suggests, head tipping to the side, thoughtful. "Move on to in general after that. I agree, I'm sure we can manage it." They're good together, they have been since long before they were a couple. Now that they are one, she thinks that can only be even more the case, a thought that's about as comforting as it is thrilling.

[makeafairfight]

"Well, when you have so much confidence in us, how could we not?" Cameron smiles and shakes his head at her. He does, too, of course, when they've been nothing but perfect as friends. That may not always translate to a strong basis for a romantic relationship, but in their case, he thinks it does. "I'm pretty sure we could take on just about anything."

[notverywise]

"Anything," Jenny echoes, the thought of it exhilarating in the best way possible, corners of her mouth twitching a little higher. "I like that." It may be an exaggeration, especially here, but who knows? They did manage to survive a stuffed animal attack, and remained unaffected when the island was turning other people's lives upside down. Maybe they could after all. "Still, this first. Definitely a good start, if you ask me."

[makeafairfight]

"Well, I mean, who else would I ask?" Cameron points out. "Yours is the only opinion that counts at the moment." Of course, though his taste and hers don't always intersect, she's generally expressed approval in the past of any plans he's made or offered (and her suggestion of the Halloween party really would have been a lot of fun if it hadn't been invaded, no matter how ridiculous the costume she found him). His chances of that holding true now were always good, but that makes it no less of a relief.

[notverywise]

"Oh, I should hope so," Jenny laughs, shooting him a teasing grin. "I don't see why anyone else should have a say in it." All teasing aside, she likes that, the sense of security that comes with knowing this is entirely theirs, no one else's business at all, consequential but not enough to impact how they're thought of. There's nothing else riding on this, just the two of them and their own happiness (so little at stake when they already know they work well together), and it's refreshing. She could get used to this, she thinks.

[makeafairfight]

"They don't," Cameron says, letting go of her hand only to slip his arm around her waist, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. He wants to do a lot more than that, but he keeps it to himself for the moment, willing to wait in order to get this right. When he kisses her, it won't be here, in front of a bunch of strangers who are barely even real. That, too, will be theirs and no one else's. "Come on, let's get something hot to drink. It's freezing."

[notverywise]

"God, it really is," Jenny agrees, not hesitating to lean into him, the gesture requiring far less thought than it would have even a day or two ago. He's always made it too easy to stay close, but free from the weight of having to over-think everything, it's that much more enjoyable. Shivering exaggeratedly, she tips her head up to smile warmly at him. "I do feel a little better already, though."

[makeafairfight]

"Good." Cameron turns to press a kiss to the side of her head, leading her over to one of the stands so he can order a couple of hot ciders. As bewildering as it is to him that there's still no money here in a city like this, it does, at least, spare him from having to take off his gloves to dig through his pockets or let go of Jenny. He grins, fond. "I'm still going to stand here and keep you warm, if you don't mind."

[notverywise]

"Oh, I think I could be alright with that," Jenny teases, keeping close as she shrugs the shoulder farthest from him. She can't keep up any pretense for very long, though, and she wouldn't see any reason to. This, all of it, is completely lovely, but it's being here with him that means the most. Head still tipped up towards him, she says, "I think you're better for it than the cider will be, anyway."

[makeafairfight]

"Oh, really?" Cameron grins, head leaning briefly against hers, though he pulls away again a moment later to get the cider when it's ready. He's crazy about her in a way he's not sure he's ever been about a girl, and though he's not inclined to go overboard with the public displays, he doesn't mind who knows it either. If anything, though, he almost wishes they could go back to her place and have a little privacy, not for anything in particular, but just to enjoy each other's company in this new light. "Well, you get both."

[notverywise]

"Even better," Jenny says, reaching for her own cup and leaning back into him as soon as she can. Now that they've been out for a while, the cold really doesn't bother her all that much, but she's hardly about to make a point of saying so when, really, she wins this way. They've been close before — she remembers too well the way he held her after she told him everything, and being tucked against his side as they walked around the carnival — but this means so much more, and it's not to be taken too lightly. He's as wonderful as she thought he would be. "Here's to... to something."

[makeafairfight]

Cameron lets out a laugh, raising his cup carefully to hers. "To us," he says. "If that isn't too cheesy for you." If their past friendship is any proof of future success, they won't need any luck for this relationship to go spectacularly well. He hopes desperately that's the case, at least; if they don't work out, he would hope for things to come to an end amicably, but he can't imagine it would be easy to be just friends when he can no longer hide how much more he wants.

[notverywise]

"No, I think it's alright," Jenny says, swallowing a laugh, after a moment of feigned consideration. "The occasion probably calls for it." Cheesy or not — and it is, horribly so — she thinks she likes that, if only for now, just because the term really is applicable now, and that's wonderful. She hates thinking of herself as the sort to harbor crushes, too far past that, but she can't pretend she hasn't wanted this for ages. "To us, then."

[makeafairfight]

It is absurd, but that doesn't make Cameron like it any less when she says it. He steers her gently away from the booth to make room for other people, blowing on the top of his cider as he hides a smile. It's ridiculous, but he doesn't really care, not at the moment. It feels like the first time other than when his brother arrived that he hasn't minded the island, hasn't wanted just to go home. She wouldn't be waiting for him there, and he isn't ready to let go of her yet. "Cheers."

[notverywise]

"Cheers," Jenny echoes brightly, taking a careful sip of her cider, pulling a face anyway when it winds up being warmer than her gloved hands led her to believe it would be, though she's laughing as she does. There's no real harm done, and she probably ought to have known better, something that would bother her if it were anything more serious but right now doesn't at all. "God. That really is warm."

[makeafairfight]

Cameron laughs before he can stop himself, hand moving to her back. "Are you alright?" he asks. "Didn't burn yourself, did you?" It's deeply unfair that even this is adorable to him, a sign he's probably in too far over his head with her. He can't say he minds that, though. He would hardly classify himself as a romantic, but it isn't like being crazy about her is going to ruin his sense of restraint, and with that being the case, what isn't to like about caring deeply for someone who cares about him in return?

[notverywise]

"No, I'm fine, I'm fine," Jenny says, laughing more because he does than anything else, though it was amusing already, not so bad that she can't see the humor in it. She likes hearing him sound like this, though, lighter than she thinks most people get a chance to witness. His seriousness is something she enjoys, too, but this feels like something all her own, not unfamiliar but to be held on to even so. "Took me by surprise, is all. I should have thought before I had some."

[makeafairfight]

"Hot drinks are unpredictable like that," Cameron says. It strikes him as painfully ridiculous as soon as it's out of his mouth, but it's too late to take it back now. Guiding her along the path, he heads in the direction of the fair's rides. "Shall we see what's down here?" Whatever it is, it won't be as modern, clearly, as the amusement park on the island was, but he's hoping the outcome will be less dangerous.

[notverywise]

It's all Jenny can do not to laugh at what he says, endearingly ridiculous as it is. She gets distracted from it easily enough, anyway, nodding as she falls into step beside him, keeping close all the while, the warmth of him far more enjoyable if not more effective than the drink in her hand. "We shall," she says brightly, close to teasing. "I'm sure there's got to be something good."