» [m] the very thought of you., Tag: Andy / Avery

God help him, he was trying. He had gotten off work early and gone home, stopping at the grocery store on the way. She wanted a quiet night in, and she'd get one. He showered in five minutes flat, scrubbing furiously and then darting to get dressed in a plain black shirt and jeans, anxious that she'd come home before he was set up.

He had gotten cut sunflowers, put then in the center of the kitchen island - their table, really. Nolan placed the alfredo recipe so the end was held in place by the microwave resting on top of it, and started to cook, trying to time everything right. He didn't need to be done by the time she got home - but he wanted to be well along. Chicken and homemade alfredo, over pasta. Garlic bread. And grape juice, since she couldn't exactly drink wine.

He stirred the sauce, keeping an eye on the clock, and willing the water to boil. Everything looked nice, and he was a little excited at the prospect of surprising her. Maybe he was getting soft. Maybe.

God help him, he was trying. He had gotten off work early and gone home, stopping at the grocery store on the way. She wanted a quiet night in, and she'd get one. He showered in five minutes flat, scrubbing furiously and then darting to get dressed in a plain black shirt and jeans, anxious that she'd come home before he was set up.

He had gotten cut sunflowers, put then in the center of the kitchen island - their table, really. Nolan placed the alfredo recipe so the end was held in place by the microwave resting on top of it, and started to cook, trying to time everything right. He didn't need to be done by the time she got home - but he wanted to be well along. Chicken and homemade alfredo, over pasta. Garlic bread. And grape juice, since she couldn't exactly drink wine.

He stirred the sauce, keeping an eye on the clock, and willing the water to boil. Everything looked nice, and he was a little excited at the prospect of surprising her. Maybe he was getting soft. Maybe.

She was running late. Avery's professor had wanted to talk to her after class so she stayed for an extra 20 minutes. By the time she was leaving it was rush hour and she got stuck in gridlock. She wasn't even expecting anything, so she didn't hurry. When she walked in, expecting the apartment to be empty, she found Nolan cooking, instead. "What are you doing home?" She asked, not angry, just curious, though her smile was bright.

"Birthday dinner?" He said, a little shyly. He turned to smile at her, still stirring the cream so it didn't congeal in the pot. It was starting to smell garlicky in the kitchen.

"Birthday dinner?" He said, a little shyly. He turned to smile at her, still stirring the cream so it didn't congeal in the pot. It was starting to smell garlicky in the kitchen.

Avery grinned, walking into the kitchen and leaning up to kiss his cheek. "You didn't have to do that" she told him, trying hard not to get emotional. She cried at the drop of a hat lately.

"Wanted to." He said, accepting the kiss, but keeping the stirring going. He felt like he was trying to impress some girl he'd been after, rather than the girl he'd been sleeping with for months, the girl that was having his child. "Garlic bread and garlic alfredo sauce. I read that garlic was good for pregnant women." He did his homework, sometimes. "And, um. It'll ward off vampires."

"Wanted to." He said, accepting the kiss, but keeping the stirring going. He felt like he was trying to impress some girl he'd been after, rather than the girl he'd been sleeping with for months, the girl that was having his child. "Garlic bread and garlic alfredo sauce. I read that garlic was good for pregnant women." He did his homework, sometimes. "And, um. It'll ward off vampires."

She smiled, turning away and noticing the flowers on the island. It was sweet, and the whole thing made her heart pound; he cared. He wanted to surprise her and he looked up what was good for her, and... It was just so wonderful. But she didn't let herself get fanatical about it; Avery constantly had to remind herself not to get too carried away, not to let him back in so easily. She wanted to, but she didn't want him to think grand gestures would mean she forgave him right away, no matter what he did.

"Well I do hate vampires" She answered him, hugging Nolan from behind again. "I need to go shower" she said as she kissed the back of his neck as high up as she could reach. He smelled good. And this whole thing was so sweet. She couldn't help but to be kind of in awe - even if she was trying not to be.

She smiled, turning away and noticing the flowers on the island. It was sweet, and the whole thing made her heart pound; he cared. He wanted to surprise her and he looked up what was good for her, and... It was just so wonderful. But she didn't let herself get fanatical about it; Avery constantly had to remind herself not to get too carried away, not to let him back in so easily. She wanted to, but she didn't want him to think grand gestures would mean she forgave him right away, no matter what he did.

"Well I do hate vampires" She answered him, hugging Nolan from behind again. "I need to go shower" she said as she kissed the back of his neck as high up as she could reach. He smelled good. And this whole thing was so sweet. She couldn't help but to be kind of in awe - even if she was trying not to be.

"Then go shower." He said, smiling slightly. "This should be closer to done when you get out?" He wanted to let go of the wooden spoon and hug her back, but... the food. He couldn't do that to the food.

"Then go shower." He said, smiling slightly. "This should be closer to done when you get out?" He wanted to let go of the wooden spoon and hug her back, but... the food. He couldn't do that to the food.

She couldn't seem to stop smiling. She loved surprises, and Nolan surprising her wasn't expected, really. He impressed her so much that she was always surprised when he went out of his way. She let go of him almost reluctantly and nodded. "I should walk Peanut, too" she said as she walked off towards the bathroom, realizing that with all the cooking he was doing Nolan probably hadn't.

"We can do it together, later?" He asked. At the word 'walk', Peanut looked up at the two of them, eyes bulging, underbite showing, and pink tongue sticking out. "Simmer down, P."

"We can do it together, later?" He asked. At the word 'walk', Peanut looked up at the two of them, eyes bulging, underbite showing, and pink tongue sticking out. "Simmer down, P."

She smiled down at Peanut's bulgy little eyes, then bent to scratch him behind the ears. "Sure, later" She nodded. Then she set off to shower, feeling a little giddy. He was being so wonderful. She almost didn't know what to do; on the one hand, he was being wonderful and it was just another reason to forgive him. On the other? She didn't know if she could ever forgive him, even though she did love him wholeheartedly.

She smiled down at Peanut's bulgy little eyes, then bent to scratch him behind the ears. "Sure, later" She nodded. Then she set off to shower, feeling a little giddy. He was being so wonderful. She almost didn't know what to do; on the one hand, he was being wonderful and it was just another reason to forgive him. On the other? She didn't know if she could ever forgive him, even though she did love him wholeheartedly.

He watched her go, and then leaned over to the recipe, to check to see that everything was coming out okay. So far, so good. Wasn't that a thing you weren't supposed to do - make a new dish for a date? - maybe he was supposed to have tried something that he'd made before. But he'd never had such a disposable income to spend on food before.

He finished the sauce and set it aside, before starting to fry the chicken cutlets and start boiling the pasta. Almost there.

He watched her go, and then leaned over to the recipe, to check to see that everything was coming out okay. So far, so good. Wasn't that a thing you weren't supposed to do - make a new dish for a date? - maybe he was supposed to have tried something that he'd made before. But he'd never had such a disposable income to spend on food before.

He finished the sauce and set it aside, before starting to fry the chicken cutlets and start boiling the pasta. Almost there.

She showered slowly, not wanting him to feel rushed by her being home, and taking the time to think about all of this. Her life had changed drastically in the last year - and in the next year it would undoubtedly change even more. She still wasn't sure how to feel about that - or what to do about it, either. It set in that she had no guarantee of Nolan even being with her on her next birthday - and her heart, previously beating a million miles a minute because of how sweet he was being, was suddenly sinking into her stomach. He'd left before, what was stopping him from leaving again? Nothing, that was what. She scrubbed every inch of herself, trying to make the thought of him leaving her again go away, and even washed her hair twice. He was being sweet. He bought flowers. He was cooking. He was staying, he promised he was staying. She just needed to believe it.

Avery realized she was crying and stood in the shower until she had stopped and sufficiently calmed down before stepping out of the bathtub and toweling herself off. She was fine, overreacting. He hadn't done anything to deserve the speculation. She was trying to forgive him, wasn't she? She got dressed - even reapplying her makeup, since he'd gone to so much trouble - and padded out into the kitchen again wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt. "Smells good," She noted as she sat down on one of the stools, watching him.

She showered slowly, not wanting him to feel rushed by her being home, and taking the time to think about all of this. Her life had changed drastically in the last year - and in the next year it would undoubtedly change even more. She still wasn't sure how to feel about that - or what to do about it, either. It set in that she had no guarantee of Nolan even being with her on her next birthday - and her heart, previously beating a million miles a minute because of how sweet he was being, was suddenly sinking into her stomach. He'd left before, what was stopping him from leaving again? Nothing, that was what. She scrubbed every inch of herself, trying to make the thought of him leaving her again go away, and even washed her hair twice. He was being sweet. He bought flowers. He was cooking. He was staying, he promised he was staying. She just needed to believe it.

Avery realized she was crying and stood in the shower until she had stopped and sufficiently calmed down before stepping out of the bathtub and toweling herself off. She was fine, overreacting. He hadn't done anything to deserve the speculation. She was trying to forgive him, wasn't she? She got dressed - even reapplying her makeup, since he'd gone to so much trouble - and padded out into the kitchen again wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt. "Smells good," She noted as she sat down on one of the stools, watching him.

"Thanks, babe," He said, straining out the pasta. It had finished cooking by the time she was out, and everything was almost ready to serve. He looked over his shoulder to avoid the billowing steam. "Um. Do you like the sunflowers?" He asked. Some girls didn't care for the simpler flowers - some preferred roses. He'd hoped she'd be happy with these.

"Thanks, babe," He said, straining out the pasta. It had finished cooking by the time she was out, and everything was almost ready to serve. He looked over his shoulder to avoid the billowing steam. "Um. Do you like the sunflowers?" He asked. Some girls didn't care for the simpler flowers - some preferred roses. He'd hoped she'd be happy with these.

Babe. Her throat felt tight like she was going to start crying again, and Avery started to gently run her fingers over the petals of the flowers. She wasn't sure why, but the pet name that had always made her smile, and feel butterflies in her stomach, had just given her a sense of dread, like he was just using it to make her feel like he cared - like all of this was just a hoax, just some cruel trick and he would go and hurt her again. It was so ridiculous, such an absurd idea - but she couldn't stop it. As the tips of her small, still pruned from her shower, fingers ran over the silky petals of the sunflower in front of her, she hoped he couldn't tell that she was worried.

Her eyes met his as he turned his head and strained the pasta, asking her if she liked the flowers. Avery smiled at him, a genuine smile, because, well, she loved them. "They're perfect" She assured, looking down at them again. "Thank you, for all of this"

Babe. Her throat felt tight like she was going to start crying again, and Avery started to gently run her fingers over the petals of the flowers. She wasn't sure why, but the pet name that had always made her smile, and feel butterflies in her stomach, had just given her a sense of dread, like he was just using it to make her feel like he cared - like all of this was just a hoax, just some cruel trick and he would go and hurt her again. It was so ridiculous, such an absurd idea - but she couldn't stop it. As the tips of her small, still pruned from her shower, fingers ran over the silky petals of the sunflower in front of her, she hoped he couldn't tell that she was worried.

Her eyes met his as he turned his head and strained the pasta, asking her if she liked the flowers. Avery smiled at him, a genuine smile, because, well, she loved them. "They're perfect" She assured, looking down at them again. "Thank you, for all of this"

"You're welcome." He said, letting the pot sit on the counter as the pasta sat in the strainer. He pulled the cutlets out of the pan and on to a plate, before getting more plates and utensils down for them. He set her space at the island and then his, placing each plate and the forks and knives down carefully, before getting down two wine glasses, and placing them in the appropriate spots. "I got sparkling grape juice, since.... no wine." He explained, getting that out and setting it on the table, before leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"You're welcome." He said, letting the pot sit on the counter as the pasta sat in the strainer. He pulled the cutlets out of the pan and on to a plate, before getting more plates and utensils down for them. He set her space at the island and then his, placing each plate and the forks and knives down carefully, before getting down two wine glasses, and placing them in the appropriate spots. "I got sparkling grape juice, since.... no wine." He explained, getting that out and setting it on the table, before leaning down to kiss her cheek.