My Valentine [[Katie!]]

[Matthew Jerrolds]

February 14

Matt led Emerald through the streets of Paris, having blindfolded her after the carriage ride had ended. He squeezed her hand gently to let her know he was still there and said,"I know, you're probably wondering why you have to be blindfolded, but it's a surprise! I hope you'll like it, though. It took me a while to get it for you." He held her hand as they walked, smiling at a few people who looked at him. They just smiled back, not asking questions because it was so obvious how much he loved and adored her. They arrived at the restaurant, and he opened the door. He held it open with one hand and led her in with the other, careful to not let it shut until both of them were completely inside.

He then walked up to the hostess at the front and squeezed Emerald's hand again. He sat her down on a cushioned seat in the window and said,"Okay. Wait here. I'll be right back... Promise." He kissed her cheek and walked over to the hostess, whispering,"Matthew Jerrolds." She nodded and said,"Two, correct?" He nodded, and she turned to the man beside her, who was wearing a coat and bowtie. He nodded and came over to Matt. "I will take you, sir." He smiled at him, and then Matt walked over to Emerald and took her hand to help her up. "Okay. Let's go..." He led her, following the man, and smiled to himself. He really hoped she would love what surprise he had in store for her!

Once they were at the table, he led her to her chair, helping her to sit down. Once she was seated, he pushed in the chair and sat in the one opposite her. He then leaned across the table and untied the blindfold, letting it fall into his hands. He smiled at her and said,"Hey there, beautiful. Surprise?" The man that had led them to the table set down a menu before each of them before turning to Matt and saying,"What would you like to start your evening off with, sir?" He thought for a moment and said,"Bring me your finest wine, please. And a glass of water for each of us. Thank you." He nodded and retreated, leaving Matt to turn to Emerald. "Well... Do you like it?" He smiled, waiting for her to speak. God, he hoped she liked it!


((Meh. Crap. But hey, it works, right? And I hope you didn't mind the blindfolding thing... I thought it would just make it perfect, and it was so Mattie. xD))

[Charlotte Darcy]

When Matt sort of explained why she had the blindfold on - because 'it's a surprise' kind of counted - Emerald had just nodded soundlessly, unable to keep her mouth from twitching into a constant smile the entire time. That was what the girls did in the movies, right? Smiled, trying to guess what the heck was happening, and concentrated on looking beautiful as they did so.

Of course, for her, maybe you could cross off the 'concentrating on beauty' but. But whatever.

Emerald knew nothing at all as to where they were other than it was through a door, as she'd felt the wood brush her arms slightly as he led her inside. Also, it was some time away from the school, as if it wasn't, the romantic little carriage ride wouldn't have been at all necessary. The Fina girl wished that she had taken the time to memorize her surroundings and what was near by after they exited the carriage, as she might have had some sort of idea as to where they were headed.

It was too late to wish about that, however, as she suddenly found herself sitting down. On a chair, she sure as heck hoped, as she tucked her dress beneath her so that it didn't get creased and sat more comfortably. She giggled girlishly at his words as he took of the blindfold, and didn't really look around her, at first. At him, only at him. "Hey," she then whispered back. "Yeah, it sure is a surprise." The last part was said in agreement, and then she watched his brief conversation with the fancy-looking waiter.

Finest wine? What the...? That would surely cost a lot. And this place... the waiter called him sir. Sir! The restaurant must be somewhat pricey. They didn't charge for water, did they? And, again, what about the wine? Emerald looked from Matt to the waiter, confused and about to say that it was fine, it was just fine, she wasn't thirsty at all, but then he was gone and she couldn't say a word. Matt was speaking again, anyway, and she was hardly going to speak over him.

She looked around the place with wide blue eyes, and replied, "I love it, Mattie." She nodded enthusiastically, before adding, "... but isn't it expensive?" She'd never been on a date with someone that would actually spend this kind of money on her. Any money at all, in fact. She was accustomed to a bag of chips and a chocolate frog in the park, not a place such as they were in now. What was it called again? Minuit à Paris. Even the name suggested somewhat high prices.

[Matthew Jerrolds]

He smiled at her and said,"Nothing is too expensive for you, sweetheart. Besides, I got it covered, okay? Don't worry. Just sit back and enjoy." His smile widened into a grin as he said,"Let me pamper and spoil you, okay? Because I love to do that. You deserve it, too. So just enjoy yourself. Don't worry about the price; it's already taken care of. And no, I won't be broke or selling anything." He smiled and said,"Let's just say that's what a job is for." He then looked up as the waiter appeared holding a wine and one of those little things with ice you put it in. He never could remember the name of those things, but it really didn't matter to him. There were already two glasses in front of them: one wine flute and a water glass.

He watched as their water glasses were filled with ice-cold water before the waiter offered him the bottle. He looked at it and nodded before indicating that it could be poured. The waiter smiled and opened it, pouring a little into each glass. He then placed it into the holder to keep it cool and looked between Matt and Emerald. "Ah, we'll need another moment, okay?" He smiled and said,"Of course. I shall return in a few minutes, sir. Madam." He bowed and turned on his heel, striding away to go check on other things. Matt turned to Emerald and gestured towards the menu. "Choose whatever you would like. Appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert." He smiled and added,"Tonight, it's your choice, and I'll have whatever you are having. Don't hold back, Emerald, okay? If you see something you want, go for it. This is your night."

[Charlotte Darcy]

At Matt's words, when he pretty much told her that, yeah, it was expensive but it didn't matter, because he had it covered and she was worth it, Emerald bit her lip. She thought for a second before she fully accepted Matt's explanation, and she smiled. "'...Kay." Before the waiter arrived, she murmured, "Love you," across the table, before her attention was stolen again.

The waiter poured their drinks - that was new, she was used to pouring and making everything herself or with Adeline - and Emerald looked surprised, and kind of excited. She'd never really been taken to a place like this before, and certainly not by any boyfriend. "Thank you," she gushed to the waiter before he left, and then lifted the menu to take a look.

WHOA, PRICES. That was the first thing she noticed, glancing up at Matt over the menu and then back down again. As she scanned the page, she desperately tried to not go for the cheapest, but still she was drawn to the things with the lowest prices. "Uhm... I'm not feeling that hungry, so I'll go without a starter." This was true. Well, mostly. If she was insisted she'd have a soup. Actually, that looked quite nice... NO. EMERALD. PRICES. "For my main, I'll have... the fillet mignon, deep fried prawns and mashed potato, I think."

The girl's eyes flicked down to the desert part; she might as well choose then. "Oh man," she murmured. "They do cherry pie for desert. That's awesome." She hadn't had pie since she was in America, with Adeline. Especially not cherry pie.

{YAY PIE. BOO MY LAME POST. xD}

[Matthew Jerrolds]

He smiled at her, knowing when she looked that she was immediately going to try and choose the least expensive things, so he waited for her choice. When she said she wasn't going to have the starter, he refrained from speaking until she was finished. The waiter returned, and he smiled at him as she told him what she wanted. He then spoke and said,"I'll have the same. And, on that note, we'll also take a soup." He smiled and said,"Will that be all, sir? Madam?" Matt nodded and said,"Yes. Thank you very much." He bowed and took their menus, turning on his heel and leaving them behind. Matt looked at Emerald and explained,"I thought you might change your mind when you saw it..."

He then lifted his wineglass and took a small sip, his eyes looking down for a moment. His eyelashes fanned out on his cheek as they slid closed completely before he set the glass down and they fluttered open to look at her. A smile curved his lips and he asked her,"Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart." He grinned and took her hand in his before saying,"I told you not to worry about the price, okay? It's not that bad. Really. I make plenty from the bar, and... Well, let's just say my parents sent me their final goodbyes in the form of some money, so it's fine. This is nothing, and even if it was, I would rather be broke from making you happy than have all the money in the world." He smiled and whispered,"I love you, Charlotte Darcy, and you are my world."

He pressed his lips to her knuckles before turning her hand over and kissing her palm tenderly. All the time, his eyes didn't leave hers. In truth, he was rather stunned, amazed at how lucky he was. And in one sudden burst of love and happiness, he couldn't help but let a breathy laugh escape his lips. "Seeing you tonight, God, I felt like I was never going to breathe properly again. And I think my heart nearly stopped, because you are so gorgeous. And for the life of me, I can't think of a single reason why I deserve someone as amazing as you. But you're with me, and when I think about that, everything just sort of falls into place. Because even though I'm not worthy of your love, you love me and you are with me. And that, my beautiful princess, means more to me than any amount of money..."

He smiled and said,"So please, for one night, let me pamper you like you do for me every time you kiss me, every time you tell me that you love me. God, every time I see you. Just let me show you how much I love you tonight, okay? It's important to me." He reached his other hand over and gently cupped her face in his hand, his thumb stroking her cheek lovingly. "You are important to me." He let his hand fall back onto the table before he laughed a little and said,"Geez, you've turned me into a softy, Em." He grinned at her, teasing her with every word, because in truth he didn't mind it. He didn't mind any of it, because it was Emerald. She was his world, his best friend, his only love... She was his Emerald, and for her...

He would do anything.

[Charlotte Darcy]

Emerald couldn't help but let out a silent laugh and look down at her lap, shaking her head in disbelief, when Matt ordered them the soup that she'd wanted too. Could he, like, literally see right into her head? "Thank you," she said to the waiter, nodding as he left them, and then turning to Matt again. "I swear you can read my mind." No point being dishonest and saying she didn't want the soup, right? "How did you know I wanted it?"

Then he went on, and she replied with a grin, "Happy Valentine's Day, too, Mattie." She smiled at his words. "You don't need to, though. You know that, right? I'd love you even if you chucked all your money in the lake and we lived in the streets." At his last sentence her smile grew and she glanced down. Aw. He really was sweet to her.

But hey, what he'd said then was nothing. Not compared to what came next. When he told her that she was gorgeous and that he didn't know why he deserved someone like her, she glanced downwards. The Fina definitely wasn't used to compliments like that. "Then let me give you a reason- we fit. You know? Like when you're doing a jigsaw, and you just can't find the right piece to fit the frame, and when you do you feel that awesome kind of... relief. Because you've filled that space. You've found the bit that fits."

Aw. He was her jigsaw piece.

When Matt told her how she pampered him, Emerald scooted her chair further around the table until she was close enough to kiss him, and she did just that. Then she pulled away, after just a few soft seconds, and looked at him. Then she murmured, "I love you." Moving her chair back to face him, she grinned. "'Kay. Now you can pamper me all you like." She still couldn't keep the unsaid, 'but watch the price' statement from entering her head, but she kept it quiet.

"Geez, you've turned me into a softy, Em."

Emerald giggled, and watched him. "No kidding." It was true. When he was like this, the Fina girl could barely believe it was the same cheeky, flirtatious Intermise that she'd been straddling and playfully arguing with in the pool of the waterfall so long ago. She could hardly believe that it was Matthew Jerrolds, the no-commitment guy that she'd fallen in love with.

[Matthew Jerrolds]

He grinned and said,"And I intend to do just that. Pamper you, that is." With a smile, he lifted his wine glass to his lips and took a few swallows. Satisfied with the taste, he set it down and looked up as two soups appeared before them. He thanked the waiter before lifting his spoon and having a bite, blue eyes flicking up to Emerald to see if she had tasted it yet and what she thought. He paused after half of the soup was gone, setting the spoon down after he realized something: his bladder was really full. Okay, so maybe he should have taken care of that before they arrived? Maybe. But hey, he was just a bit distracted, okay? So much to think about, and just look at the beautiful girl in front of him. Who wouldn't be distracted?

He cleared his throat and muttered,"I'll be back. Uh, my bladder's reminding me of the last time I was in a toiletry." He grinned at her and offered teasingly,"Of course, you could always join me. I'm sure we could find something amusing to do in this fancy bathroom..." His eyebrows lifted up and down a few times before he grinned at her and winked, getting to his feet and smoothing her hair down as his lips brushed across her forehead. He then whispered,"Be back soon." He then turned and walked to the restrooms, intending to take care of this business before taking care of the next order of business. Afterall, one thing at a time was best, right? At least for him it was; much easier to keep up with.

Exiting the bathroom after washing his hands, checking his reflection in a mirror in passing and fixing a few wandering hairs before smiling, taking a deep breath, and stepping back out into the restaurant. He came up behind Emerald, for the bathrooms were somewhere behind the two of them at their table, and placed his hands on her shoulder, kissing her cheek and whispering,"Back." He moved one hand, letting the other skim just lightly over her shoulder before he sat down once more. He returned to his soup and had soon finished most of it off before the waiter appeared with the salad. "May I take your dishes?" He nodded for his and looked at Emerald as a salad was placed in front of him and the other waited patiently on the tray.

[Charlotte Darcy]

Emerald rolled her eyes jokingly and grinned, her eyes flicking to the waiter as he appeared with their food. Well, their soup. Her glittery, pale green painted nails brushed against the metal of her spoon as she lifted it and dipped it into the soup, bringing it back to her mouth and sipping from it. "The soup's as good as I hoped," she said, the words aimed at both Matt and the lingering waiter. "Could we have some bread with this, as well?" the blonde asked tentatively, glancing at Matt before the waiter sped off.

The girl nodded absently when Matt said he was off for a bathroom break, but her eyebrows raised ever so slightly when he added that she could go with him, if she wanted- which she kind of did, actually. Grinning and letting him kiss her forehead, she replied with a deciding kind of tone, "No... I'm saving the amusements for later." Her pale lips stretched into a smile. "Hurry back." The table would be awfully lonely with just her and her food.

She'd eaten most of her starter by the time she felt a pair of lips on her cheek, and she giggled ever so slightly, letting her head move closer to his before he moved around her and sat back down again. "I'm glad," she said in reply to his 'back'. Then the waiter was there and she finished off the soup with one more spoonful before saying to the waiter, "Sure."

She lifted her bowl and handed it to the waiter herself, looking very much as if she wouldn't mind going back into the kitchens and washing it herself, just to save the poor man some time. The restaurant was extremely full after all - it seemed quite a popular place - and she wondered if it was short staffed. She also wondered what it would be like to work as a waitress; pretty bad, she decided, as she watched a man with a large black mustache and many rings on his fingers bellow at a waitress in an apron because she'd brought him the wrong wine by mistake.

The Fina felt incredibly sorry for the young girl- she looked new and, if Emerald could be honest, close to tears. Working at a restaurant must really suck.

"Thank you," she said again, as the salad was placed in front of her and she snapped out of her daydream about the poor waiters and waitresses. She lifted her fork and played with it for a moment as their waiter whizzed off to do something else while they ate their food. She did hope he wasn't screamed at by anybody as his colleague had been.

[Matthew Jerrolds]

"Of course, Madam!" He left promptly to get some bread, returning shortly after with a small fresh loaf of a lightly seasoned bread. He placed the plate of bread between the two of them before disappearing for a few moments, leaving the two alone. Matt dipped the bread in the soup, enjoying the taste. It was pretty good. "Great suggestion, by the way. It tastes amazing. And it's fresh, too..." He grinned at her, finishing off his piece rather quickly before leaving for the restroom. When he returned, however, he managed to finish off the rest of it before the waiter appeared to take it away. He thanked the man, of course, once he appeared with the salads, before he disappeared once more.

He looked at Emerald as she played with her food, having seen and heard the shouting match. Wincing, he muttered,"Poor girl..." As she returned to the table with the right bottle of wine, she hurried away from the man before he could say anything else to her. As she passed their table, Matt stopped her. "Excuse me, miss?" She paused, a slightly frightened look in her eyes as she looked at Matt. "I was wondering... Do you think you could bring us a small plate of chocolate covered strawberries? It would be very much appreciated..." She nodded and sped off for the kitchen. Matt had a plan, though, and it would hopefully make her day a little better. If not much, at least it might give her some hope.

As she returned a few moments later, he accepted the plate and said,"Thank you very much." Offering her his hand, she slowly took it, and he shook her hand, glancing at her name tag before meeting her eyes. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Isabelle. There was something else, though, that I was wondering..." He got to his feet, stepping away from the table for a moment as the waiter returned to question Emerald if she was enjoying the salad and if she needed anything else. "Do you think that, oh, say in about an hour, you could possibly bring out a clear vase of red roses, light these candles, and bring a small silver platter with a cover on it, with this underneath it?" He showed her a small black, velvety box.

Her eyes widened, and a smile crossed her features. Matt was careful to keep his back to Emerald, making sure she couldn't see what he was doing or hear what he was saying. Isabelle's eyes seemed to sparkle, as she realized what he was doing, and she looked down at her hand, seeing what he had deposited in it. It was a wad of cash, and a generous amount as well, which brought her close to tears. She'd needed some money desperately to keep her apartment, and he'd probably just saved her. She nodded, still a little stunned, and assured him she would, slipping the ring and the box into her pocket, making sure Emerald couldn't see. "Of course, sir. I would be more than happy to! I won't tell a soul!" He smiled, and she hurried away.

He sat back down as the waiter hurried off to take care of other customers. He then began to eat his salad and looked up at Emerald. "Is it good?" He smiled at her before taking another bite. However, this time something in the salad flipped and splattered a few droplets of dressing onto his nose, and he blinked a few times before laughing, setting his fork down and picking up his napkin to wipe it off. "Well, I suppose I couldn't keep my klutzy self hidden much longer, huh?" He grinned at her and took another bite, deciding that this place had some amazing food, great service, and was so much better just because it was the place he was going to make Emerald his forever.

[Charlotte Darcy]

The bread had been quite a decent suggestion of hers; back at home, there had never been soup without bread. It had been what made the whole meal, with their family. They'd always sit together with a loaf and usually always eat their way through the entire thing; though that wasn't surprising. It would have been one of the only things they'd eat all day.

"I know," Emerald muttered. "I couldn't be a waitress. I'd have picked up the bottle of wine and smashed it over his head. I swear, I could not put up with treatment like that. I'd have lost this restaurant a whole lot of customers, if I worked here. Ugh, just watching him having a go at that girl makes me wanna go over and put him in his place." Her face was contorted in disgust as she watched the man, who barely seemed to appreciate the new wine that he'd been given.

The Fina blinked in surprise as Matt stopped the poor waitress, and she caught the slightly afraid look in the other's eyes and offered a warm smile, as if to tell her 'this is my boyfriend, and he's a good man who won't scream at you like a banshee over something as pointless as alcohol'. Emerald's smile grew, and she glanced at Matt when he ordered something else. Chocolate-covered strawberries? Alright then.

The waitress was gone and then back again with Matt's little order before Emerald could blink, and then he was getting up and walking away with the girl a little. Emerald's head tipped to one side slightly as she wondered what he was doing, and she threw questioning looks at his back as she ate. That better be explained.

Matt returned to his seat in front of her, and Emerald started to speak. "What was tha-" He cut her off, however, asking her how the food was, and she picked up her fork again, replying with a little laugh, "It's really good. Like everything else is here, pretty much." Her laughter increased slightly when Matt flipped some salad dressing or whatever it was onto his nose. "Aw, I was waiting for it to. Your klutzy side is one of the most adorable things I've ever seen. Plus, it makes me laugh." As if in proof of this, she let out another giggle.

His words with the waitress were forgotten in her mind- for now.

[Matthew Jerrolds]

He grinned at her and said,"Well, I'm glad that my klutziness is able to amuse you." He chuckled a bit, wiping the dressing off, and took a sip of his drink. He then took her hand and kissed it, smiling and saying,"I love you." He ate more of his salad, and a little while later, the waiter appeared again and took away their salads, replacing them with the main course. Matt smiled at him and thanked him, and he bowed before disappearing. Matt had set the plate of chocolate covered strawberries to the side, and now he picked one up and looked at her for a second before biting into it, looking into her eyes and smiling the whole time. He finished it off, leaving the green topper on the side of the platter.

There weren't too many of them, only two, but they were pretty big and absolutely delicious. He smiled and said,"The other one is yours, if you like. But you'll have to wait until after dinner." He winked at her before taking his silverware and cutting into his meal, taking a bite and savoring the flavor it held. He continued eating, not really speaking all that much, but he was careful to listen in case she had something to say or there was something he needed to reply to. He may have been hungry, but she still came first in his book, and he'd be sure to make sure of that if it was the last thing he did. It wouldn't take him long to polish this off, and hopefully she would be finished soon, then they could have dessert and he could give her his gift.


((Short, crappy, but it's there. Trying to speed things along. xP))