• We're Alive •

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

The day had finally come. After weeks of packing, pushed back move-in dates, and furniture shopping, they were moving into their new penthouse. Bella was elated, to say the least, and had been buzzing around all day as things were toted in. Small boxes, large ones, and even some she didn't remember packing, all floated in through the door and filled up the seemingly spacious apartment. Now, stocked up with cardboard to be unpacked, it looked more like their first place the day Bella had arrived. This time though, Marc and Laurence were there to share in the excitement with her - or they were at least supposed to be. She hadn't seen them emerge from their man-cave since the moment Laurence had picked which room he'd be calling his, and which would be turned into their game space. It didn't matter, however; it just gave her more say in how the rest of the new home would be looking.

And, boy, did she have fun bossing around those movers. Maybe it was the small amount of Clairice rubbing off on her, or maybe she was happy to be giving orders instead of taking them for once; but, either way, Bella enjoyed playing boss while the men around her laboured away. It gave her back that feeling of being a spoiled rich girl that she'd been teased about so many times.

Through her pacing and polite yelling, Bella was watching for one special delivery. Marc's birthday was around the corner and she planned on doing something big for it this year in thanks for him saying yes to "her" penthouse. Plus, she'd had this particular gift in mind for awhile after watching the tall and manly Marc walk around New York with the very tiny and girly Gemma. She only hoped he'd be up for training a puppy once again. He would be, though; she knew him well enough to know he loved dogs. And, having another one would help keep Gemma from getting into too much trouble. Er, she was hoping for that, anyways.

Bella gave the movers her best smile as they carried up what they claimed was the last of the truck. It looked like everything was here; it was all checked off on her handy clipboard. She dismissed them, tipping them as they all headed for the door. After she closed and locked the heavy piece of wood, she couldn't help an excited sigh. Her penthouse was really hers now. And Marc's and Laurence's, but, y'know.

Her eyes turned to the huge, colorfully wrapped box hidden in the corner. There were air holes cut into it, both for its occupent and so she could slip food in periodically. If anything worked to keep a puppy quiet, it was most definitely food. Bella smiled at it once, then moved towards the far end of the penthouse which held the bedrooms and, now, the boys' gameroom. It'd be a miracle if she could get them out of there for anything other than food. Her hand rapped on the door twice before she waltzed in, completely unconcerned with whatever they'd done to the room. It was theirs, afterall. She just wanted her boyfriend for a few minutes. "Everything's moved in," she announced proudly. "Care to come take a look for a bit? We have to start unpacking some time." Bella turned her big, pleading eyes on him, but there was mischeif sparkling in them now, too.

• • •

WORDS: 605!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc was hoping this would be the last time he would have to move in a while now. No one but army brats moved as much as he and Bella had done in the last year or so. It was exhausting and Marc was looking for a place where they could call home now and where Laurence could grow up. This penthouse seemed to be the place, but he had to keep smirking at Bella every time she accidentally referred to the penthouse as ‘hers’. He had joked once or twice about keeping their old place and letting Bella having some ‘alone time’ with the penthouse he had signed for. It made him happy to see her so happy and after everything they had been through in recent months he hoped that this was the chance that they needed to get back on track and live happily ever after again, like he had promised to her back in London.

The second Laurence had chose a room for his own and the first of his boxes were placed in their to mark it officially, the two Delabarre’s had slipped into their game room and began to unpack and organise their little den as they liked it. Marc figured it was the best way to keep Laurence out of the way whilst Bella and the movers arranged the rest of the place. A six year old running around probably wouldn’t be helpful and Marc was secretly loving the chance to put his mark on this little room that was their own. In fact, the second the boxes of game consoles and technology arrived his hands were delving into the protective wrapping and pulling them free. They still had to install shelves and a decent entertainment unit to store everything in, but Marc was too excited to keep his hands off of hard-drives, wires and controllers. The screwdriver in his back pocket came out and he began to toy with the things he adored best and the things he was mostly talented with.

Laurence was piling the games up in order, talking to his father in fluent French with excitement as they discussed each game in detail, laughing about high scores and new releases. If there was ever going to be a miniature version of Marc in the world, it was definitely in the form of his son.

A few days off work and a chance to really make this place a home was exactly what Marc needed and finally Laurence could get off the sofa in their own place and into a bed of his own. For the last few weeks he had heard idea after idea of what Laurence wanted in his bedroom and it ranged from cowboys, to space ships, to space cowboys and to Buzz Lightyear. It was going to be entertaining for them to try and restrict him to one theme, but it would be worth it to see the grin on his face once it was all finished and everyone was settled in and life was rolling again.

He grinned up at his girlfriend with the screwdriver between his teeth and then pulled himself to his feet as Laurence ran from the room, eager to see what was happening outside now. His English was only slowly improving, but he seemed to sense that Bella’s arrival meant that the penthouse was free to roam in. “Ah, oui. I shall give you a ‘and out zhere first.”

[/color] As eager as he was to get their game room set up, Marc was more of a gentleman than that and wanted to help them arrange the rest of the place first. They needed to have somewhere to relax other than the beanbags and gaming chairs he had bought just two days before.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 680
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES! I‘ll fix the colours later. I‘m too lazy to open photoshop and get them now.<3 <3 <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

Bella was ecstatic for the painting and the rearraging and the room planning. They'd been doing bits and pieces of it as they'd packed up their "old" apartment, but now it was time to get a move on things. There hadn't been too much of it with their first place, which made this move so much better. It was a lot easier than her and Marc's last one, of course, but it was still the same in many aspects. The point was, they were still moving.

Yes, Bella called the penthouse "hers" more often than she'd ever admit. She'd wanted it since the day she'd seen pictures of it in the newspaper, though she'd never voiced that until a chance arose to claim it. And, finally, it was hers. Marc's name may've been signed on the papers, but it was very clear he'd only agreed to the place because he knew it'd make her happy. It only made her love him all the more for it. While the penthouse was, without a doubt, hers, Bella would gladly call the suburb homes his. She'd also happily tease him that he always gave her what she wanted, but the same was true if the situation was flipped. It was hard for her to figure out what it was that her boyfriend "wanted" when he'd hardly ever talk about it, though she managed the best she could. The only time she hadn't been so willing to give in was when it came to houses. There was no way she was moving back to the suburbs if she had a chance to escape it.

She laughed as Laurence ran from the room, smiling fondly and calling after him, "Soyez prudent! Ne touchez à rien!" With her luck, the little boy would ran straight for the shiniest and most interesting box of all; the one that his father didn't know was sitting out there. Bella shook her head at the screwdriver in Marc's mouth, gently pulling it from between his teeth and pecking his lips. "I'm sure your gameroom can spare you for an hour or two," she teased playfully. "Now, c'mon. I've got a surprise for you," Bella beamed up at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him quickly from the room. She laced her fingers through his, winding around the various stacks of boxes until she found the one she needed. It was definitely not one they'd packed, as was given away by the shiny wrapping paper and big bow, and she couldn't contain herself as she grinned up at her boyfriend. "It's an early birthday gift." And, with that simply explanation, she lightly pushed him towards the box.

• • •

WORDS: 490!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: "Be careful! Don't touch anything!" <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc knew that he would have some fun trying to control both his son and his girlfriend, who seemed to have turned from rising actress into interior designer wannabe. He was sure that trying to compromise with both of them would lead him into a state of exhaustion over the next few days and even the weeks that followed, but he would grin and bear it; eventually both of them would back down slightly to make all of this a little easier on him. Also, he didn’t want to think about what Bella had in store for their bedroom; Marc was envisioning a fort of shoes surrounding their bed and the thought was only strengthened by the amount he had seen her pack. She didn’t need that many, he was certain of it, but he knew better than to argue with a woman about her unnecessary need for shoes in every shade and style.

At least he had his man cave to retreat to. If Bella tried to have any say in what that room looked like she might find herself being thrown into their swimming pool, which Marc was still baffled by. He understood that they were living in a penthouse, but was the addition of the pool really necessary? At least he could teach Laurence how to swim when things were a little more settled, but he would draw the line at pool parties for a housewarming idea! There was still so much to do, despite their move finally have taken place after what felt like an eternity of house viewings, furniture shopping and trips to the DIY store to start looking at other things too, like paint, more shelving and changing the handles on drawers to make them better. It was all surreal in a way, but he was glad now that they could stop thinking about it all and just get on and do it now.

Marc chuckled as Bella called after Laurence in the language he understood best. She had adjusted to Marc’s situation with his surprise son a lot faster than he had planned on, but that could only be a good thing, right? There was still a long way to go before they could laugh about what had happened at JFK, but things were definitely a lot better than they were to begin with and this penthouse was just another of many signs to prove it. “Please don’t tell me zhat you bought another apartment or a holiday home.”

[/color] He joked as he allowed her to pull them around their new home, weaving their bodies around box after box. It’s really only after you move that you see just how much stuff you accumulate over the years, all hidden in boxes and more boxes and then that one bag that little bits just got thrown into at the last moment because exhaustion was setting in and it was already well into the early hours of the next day.
However, this box was not one that Marc had loaded into the truck that morning and he smiled at Bella but his eyes held the confusion as the creases appeared in his forehead as he slipped into thoughts, wondering what on earth could be in the box. “My birthday eez not until zee end of zee month.”[/color] He said, kissing her gently before running his fingers over the shiny material of the bow. He examined it briefly, before pulling off the bow and slipping his fingers down to prise off the lid. The excited bark as he did so startled him and he almost tripped over the surrounding boxes before peering back inside his birthday gift. Marc grinned as he realised what it was specifically and he reached in to pull the puppy out, holding it gently in his arms as it pawed at his chest and licked his forearms. “Another puppy?! Eez eet a boy or a girl?”[/color] He asked, almost as excited at the six year old bouncing around nearby. “’Ave you already named zhis beautiful little thing?”[/color] His question altered tone as he cooed to the dog as though it was a baby. Marc loved dogs, and his family had always had one, but this was the first time he really had one of his own. Gemma was Bella’s, no matter what way he looked at it.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 760
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES!

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

Bella hadn't yet decided what she wanted to do for her and Marc's bedroom. She wanted it to be "them," something they'd both be happy retreating to after a long hard day of work. And, she didn't want to have to decide on it all by herself. He had as much say in this as she did. The way she figured it, they'd settle Laurence into his room, whatever he chose for it, and then get to work on their own. The living room, the kitchen, and everything else would come with time, plus they'd already picked out furniture for most of them. It was only a matter of placing everything where it belonged and giving the room that "homey" feel. Their bedroom, however... that had to be special. They had space to work with now; a romantic little balcony, the master bath, closet space galore. Bella wanted it all to be perfect, but she had no clue what this perfect would end up being. She'd had ideas, googled pictures, snuck glances at bedroom sets while they toured furniture stores. Nothing had spoken up though. Hopefully, something would soon, or they might end up in a plain-white room for awhile.

Winding through the stacked cardboard maze was no problem for her. She had a list of where everything was in the spacious family room, and what box would get moved into what room later on. If anything, she was organized. She wouldn't be happy if a box got lost, especially if it was one of her dozens containing clothes. Bella loved her shoes and purses, and, no matter how much Marc teased her, she wouldn't give them up, not even to lazy movers. "No to both, though the holiday home is a good idea," she joked back. A holiday home... they'd have to look into that one. It'd be nice to get away when Laurence had off of school, or even just for weekends on occasion. An escape from city fumes would do them all good, plus, it was a perfect opportunity for tanning, something Bella found herself severely lacking in the last few months. And, besides, she'd get to try out any new bikinis, something she knew Marc would be happy to judge.

"I know," she shrugged, accepting the kiss with a happy smile. Bella could see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to guess at what she'd bought him, but she doubted he'd be able to. No hints had been dropped at all, and the box was definitely too big for a new game or game console. This gift was a shot in the dark, which she knew, but she was hoping with all her heart that he'd love it. The grin spreading across his handsome features was enough to set her nerves at rest, and she couldn't help smiling herself as she saw how excited he now was. Bella stepped closer, scratching the fuzzy blonde head before answering Marc's questions. "I figured you needed a more manly dog," she teased as the sound of Gemma's tiny paws scampering across the floor echoed around them. The yorkie had been kennelled most of the day, though she was guessing Laurence let her out the moment he ran out of the gameroom. The two "kids" seemed like best friends now. Bella scooped her puppy up before a jealousy-fueled fight ensued between the dogs. "He's yours; why would I name him?" she laughed, cuddling Gemma closer. Bella continued to joke, playfully adding, "Personally, I'm thinking something along the lines of 'Giant' because that's what he'll be in a few weeks."

• • •

WORDS: 655!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc was eager to get everything sorted and not just the unpacking. He wanted the rooms to be ready with furniture, freshly decorated walls and far too many photos and trinkets for the place to handle. He wanted the smell of fresh flowers to invade their home once more. He always bought Bella flowers, but obviously with moving and packing, it was hardly logically for them to move the fancy bouquets he often picked up on his way home from work and now, more than anything, he wanted to go out and splurge on some gorgeous display of red roses for the love of his life.
It would take time, but Marc’s patience was weaker than his enthusiasm and he was struggling to approach all of this realistically. He only had a few days away from work and it simply wasn’t viable to try and get everything done in that short space of time, but he wasn’t thinking that way now; right now he wanted everything to be perfect as quickly as was possible.

He weaved through the boxes, following his girlfriend and making sure that he didn’t trip over his long legs or the boxes that his feet seemed to keep clipping. It was easier for Bella, given that she was considerably smaller and more elegant than the Frenchman, but this was hardly something for him to moan or complain about. Instead, he shot her a look and frowned. Let them move into this place and get settled back into their hectic lives before they start considering holiday homes and vacations. “Bella…”

[/color] He began warningly, though he shook his head affectionately. “’Ow about we leave zhat until ve ‘ave at least unpacked?”[/color] He said, bending down to kiss the top of her head lovingly.

Marc was overwhelmed by his surprise gift and he cradled the puppy close, laughing happily when the creature licked what skin he could reach excitedly. His eyes glanced over to Gemma in Bella’s arms and he laughed warmly. “Let’s be honest. In comparison to Gemma, anything eez a giant.”[/color] He teased, though he did reach out to scratch the small dog behind the ears, just the way he knew she liked it. Then, his attention was back on the sandy coloured dog squirming in his hold. “And vhat about you little champ? Vhat shall ve call you?” [/color] Marc looked down at his son, across at his girlfriend and then back to the dog that was now his. “I know. I am going to call you ‘Arcade’.”[/color] He glanced at Bella with a sheepish expression. “Which may just be zee name of an awesome video game character who reminds me so much of myself…”[/color] He confessed, clearing his throat at the end of his shameful confession. “But, zhis one can also be ‘Arc’, for short.”[/color] He touched his nose to the damp one of the little puppy and laughed at the small yap the dog seemed to give in response. He leaned down to kiss Bella lovingly and then he pulled back, his hand moving to linger on the small of her back as he shifted the weight of the puppy before the little scamp climbed over his shoulder and plummeted to the floor. “Do I need to go and buy things for ‘im?”[/color] Whilst he knew they had everything and more for Gemma, he didn’t think Arcade would enjoy sharing, nor enjoy drinking water out of a pink bowl.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 583
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES!

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

This was the first time the couple were really moving "together." Last time, it'd been her throwing things up where she wanted them when she arrived, and they'd pretty much stayed that way for the course of time they'd lived in the old apartment. Now, however, they'd get to do this all together and also have two puppies and a kid to handle at the same time. To say the least, it was going to be an interested time while they got settled.

Bella was used to weaving through the boxes by now, though she knew she did have a bit of an advantage over her taller, much less graceful boyfriend. The dancing class Clairice had forced her into was really paying off, both with her balance and the fact that she'd been losing weight once again. Since she'd moved to New York, the extra pounds had been appearing as if by magic. Her jeans were tighter than usual, and some of her dresses would barely zip up these days. Bella hadn't said anything to Marc, but she had been eating less and trying to go for a jog between work and bed. For once, she wasn't dieting for a role and her body seemed to be working against her now.

Pulling Marc closer to her side, she smirked up at him. "You're the one who brought it up, not me," she reminded with a peck to his cheek. "I guess our pool will have to do for now," she teased, giving him a mischief-ridden smile. The two of them were definitely going to have some fun with that pool and their new luxury bath once Laurence was in bed. After they were moved in, Bella was hoping they'd get back some of their alone time. They hardly got to see each other these days, and it wasn't only because of Laurence. Both of them had created lives for themselves in New York now, and a good portion of their worlds were away from each other. While one was teaching at a college campus, the other was off chasing dreams on Broadway; the only time they met in the middle was at night when they curled up next to each other in bed.

A huge grin was on her face at Marc's reaction to her little surprise. She had wanted something big and spectacular for this birthday, especially since he'd made her last few so great. The dog seemed to have been perfect, and it made her feel that much better. Finally, she had gotten one of his surprises right.

Bella had to hide a snicker in Gemma's fur at his explanation of the name, laughing more at Marc's expression than the actual confession. She knew he loved his video games; it only seemed natural he'd name his dog after something in one. "Nerd," she teased lovingly in a whisper, kissing him back with a smirk on her lips again. "I like it. But, I may still call him giant by accident." Bella moved to steal another kiss again, Gemma ruining the motion by yapping wildly at the bundle in Marc's arms. The puppy growled, giving both Marc and Arcade an angry, calculating glare. She liked Marc, and always had; being replaced in his attentions did not suit the little dog at all. Bella cooed to her, cuddling her closer to her chest and running a gentle hand over her fur. "Someone's a little jealous, huh?" she laughed, setting the dog down. Gemma gave the guys another glare, then bolted off towards Laurence, yipping at him for attention. "I didn't know what you'd want so, yeah. It's going on my card, though, even if I have to steal your wallet so you let me," she threatened with a warm smile, giving the squirming Arc a scratch behind his ears.

• • •

WORDS: 693!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

New York was still like some crazy adventure for Marc and it felt as though they hadn’t slowed down since arriving. He knew that soon they would need some sort of holiday or weekend escape before they worked themselves into early graves, but between their hectic jobs, the arrival of Laurence and all the moving they seemed to be doing it hardly seemed viable for them to escape suddenly and take off like he used to do with Bella, back when their lives had been London based and a few days off never hurt either of them. Still, he was enjoying it for now, his youth working in his favour as they moved and changed and switched their lives until they found the routine and the decisions that would make everything work again.

He had no doubts that they could do it. They had overcome so much in recent months that it seemed impossible for something to tear them apart now. There would always be arguments and Bella dramatizing a lot of their life together, but Marc could handle that and he had his own hobbies to keep him busy when she was away working and he was at home with his son. Those boy times were going to be mayhem, he knew it and he wouldn’t be surprised if Bella returned home to find them both wired on sugar and battling zombies in their games room that Marc was eager to get up and running, though this new puppy was distracting him right now far too much for his mind to be focused on Playstations and computer systems.

“Our pool vill do just fine for a long time.”

[/color] He told her, deliberately ignoring the double meaning in her words. There was far too much to be doing without needed Bella distracting him with flirtatious glances and double edged words. She would have to be careful; Laurence’s English was getting better and it wouldn’t be long before the young boy understood every word that was being said between the two adults. The last thing they needed was Laurence innocently repeating something he had heard when it actually was part of a flirtatious innuendo!

The dog in his arms was far too cute for words! The grin on Marc’s face was starting to make his jaw ache, but it was worth it for Arcade; even if it did just emphasise how much of a nerd he really was. He chuckled at Bella and shook his head. “’Ee vill knock you over.”[/color] He joked, trying to imagine Bella handling both dogs on a walk through Central Park. Marc watched as Gemma grew jealous and then laughed when Arcade tried to struggle out of his hold to sniff Gemma’s tiny face, yapping excitedly at the small dog, wanting nothing more than to play with her than anything else. “Silly girl, ‘ee vants to be your friend.”[/color] Marc laughed, reaching out to scratch her ears again before Bella placed her on the ground and she ran off to her new best friend; Laurence. “I may get carried away getting ‘im things though.”[/color] He said with a worried look. He knew they both had money, but he didn’t want to waste Bella’s even if this was her gift to him. “I should get ‘im ‘is stuff before zee store closes today.”[/color] The thought of having to have the new carpets professionally cleaned because he was late getting to the pet store was not a good one and the quicker Gemma and Arc found their territories, the easier training might be.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 600
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES!

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

LATER THAT NIGHT

It had been a long day; an exciting one, though much too long. Boxes were now sorted into rooms, major pieces of the new furniture were in their temporary places, and the remnants of the take-out dinner had been stored safely out of the dogs' reach. The penthouse was still in an organized chaos, but Bella was refusing to deal with the rest of it until tomorrow. They still had a day or two before everyone needed to be back at school or work, and it made no sense to work through the night when they were all exhausted.

Marc had gone to put Laurence to bed on the mattress still without a bedframe that sat in the middle of his room. Gemma had snuck off with him, presumably to curl up by her new best friend and keep Arc off of "her" property. The yellow mass of fur was asleep in the new bed the boys had bought for him, leaving Bella alone in her bedroom. The place was still too bare for her liking, but a couple pieces of furniture had been moved in and their TV sat in its box along the wall. At the moment, however, she wasn't concerned with that. Her attention was on the cardboard box sitting on the floor in the bathroom, filled with candles and bubble bath that she'd bought and hidden. After the day she and Marc had had, it only made sense to enjoy one of their new luxuries together. Plus, she needed some time away from the worries of broken picture frames and where everything was going. A warm, sudsy soak in the huge tub was the perfect escape.

She worked quickly, placing the couple candles out and lighting them while the tub filled with hot water. Pouring the bubble bath in, Bella shoved the box back into the main part of the room, grabbing her robe out of a suitcase and stripping out of the day's clothes. The soft plush of the robe wrapped comfortably around her as she brushed out her hair and tied it up into a bun. Sneaking back to check on the bath, she flipped the lights off and smiled at the romantic atmosphere the still-white-washed bathroom had now taken on. It was wonderful and relaxing all at the same time! There were definitely going to be more nights like these.

Bella walked back out into their room as Marc came in, a smirk now on her lips as she went over and kissed him. "I think it's time we made use of that bath tub," she whispered, eyes twinkling with fun as the candles glinted on the otherside of the bathroom door that she'd left ajar. Maybe today would be fun afterall.

• • •

WORDS: 479!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Once his son was asleep with Gemma loyally tucked up at his side, Marc turned on the nightlight and left the door, leaving the door ajar slightly in case Gemma needed to venture to her water bowl during the night. He took a moment to go into the games room whilst Bella was settling things in their new bedroom. This room was just as far from finished as the rest, but Marc knew that if Laurence woke up early he would be more entertained with something in here and he and Bella might get a bit of a lie in. They probably needed one after the day they had had moving things back and forth and finding strange things they never even remembered owning. He plugged in the television and the Playstation console, quickly hooking everything up and making sure that it worked when the right AV channel was turned on. He left some of Laurence’s favourite games in a pile away from the wires and threw one of the beanbags down ready for when his son would undoubtedly sneak in there before breakfast. Usually, Marc might mind, but Laurence’s toys and everything else was still hidden away in boxes and it was safer letting him play Sonic Olympics than having him route through all the boxes for something else.

Pushing himself back to his feet, he turned the lights off in that room and made one more detour to the kitchen. It was still kind of early, but after the day they had had he figured they’d probably relax in the bedroom and just talk or read. Bella might get him to hook the television up in there too, but it would take him no longer than twenty minutes. He checked that the dogs had food and water, bent down to scratch Arc behind the ears and then opened the refrigerator door; pulling out the wine he had cooling and grabbing the flute glasses he had found earlier and put in one of the top cupboards. Relaxing was definitely on the cards tonight, but he had to grin when he stepped into their bedroom and slowly began to piece together what Bella had planned.

His grin widened and he kissed her back, his arms slinking around her waist as he pulled her closer. He kicked backwards with his foot, closing the door gently as he pulled his lips away from hers. “Zhat sounds vonderful.”

[/color] He whispered, pulling away to find his suitcase and his clothes. His fingers worked the buttons of his shirt and he left the material hanging open as he searched through his side of the room for his robe and lounge clothes. The quicker they got organised, the easier life would be! “I vill be through in a minute, Ma Cherie.”[/color] He said, reaching out to pull Bella back for another kiss.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 509
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES!

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

Bella was looking forward to setting up their new home. It might be a little tiresome with Laurence darting between their feet or demanding attention, but she was quickly adjusting to having the kid around. Actually, she kind of liked him. He was a lot more like his dad than he realized, and it made her laugh every single time he did yet another thing to mirror his father. Video games, nerd wars, computers; the whole nine-yards. She wouldn't let him call her "Mom," though, not in a million years. Even if she was accepting the idea of him being around, the "mommy dearest" act wouldn't be happening for a long time. For now and probably the rest of his life, she was Bella; just Bella, the mother-figure who wasn't actually his mother.

Tonight, she didn't want to have to worry about Laurence. He had been a dear most of the day, but, unless you were a saint, children wore heavily on patience and nerves, and she was very ready for a break. It wasn't his fault, however; it was the stress of moving in general. They'd had a hard while packing and now unpacking. Tomorrow, hopefully, would be a lot easier. That would be more taking things out of boxes and placing them in their new homes; that could be relaxing and fun.

For now, she was going to enjoy spending alone time with Marc. They'd hardly gotten a lot of it without having to whisper to each other for fear of Laurence hearing, and both of them were usually too exhausted to do much before bed. Now that they had space to themselves and a task at hand, maybe they could spend a few extra moments with each other before a dog or little boy interrupted.

Bella couldn't help a happy smile as Marc kissed her back, her hands on his strong chest as he pulled her closer to himself. She laughed quietly, pecking his lips again and grabbing the wine and glasses from his hands before he went for his clothes. "Oh, aren't we fancy tonight? Wine and candles and luxury baths," she said, lips still in a smile as she went to set everything on a clean towel next to the bathtub. She came back out, the door fully open now as she leaned against the frame with her smirk returning. Her light eyes studied him, one blonde eyebrow quirked. "Going all sexy-nerd. I like it," she laughed with a shake of her head as she turned back to the bathroom and went to check that all her hair was up safely out of reach. Though, with Marc, it probably wouldn't be staying tied up very long.

• • •

WORDS: 476!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

It did feel like forever since Marc had had some alone time with his girlfriend. With moving, his job and settling down with Laurence in his life, he had barely had a moment in which there wasn’t something going on. At least now this new home came with the promise of stability. Laurence would have his own bedroom, Bella had the pool she “needed” and Marc had the chance to keep everyone happy again, as well as being allowed to convert the spare room into his own little den where he could live up to his full nerd potential without getting in anyone’s way or interrupting anything else that might be happening in their apartment.

At least now everyone was settled for the night. Laurence had seemed exhausted from the earlier excitement of a new dog and a new room and the dogs themselves were surprisingly quick to simmer down this evening. After the afternoon of chaos, Marc was expecting more of a challenge from them all, but he wasn’t about to question a stroke of good luck. A quiet, relaxing night with Bella was exactly what he needed to make this day perfect and it seemed as though she had been thinking the same thing.

“Vell, I think ve ‘ave deserved eet after today.”

[/color] He said with a charming smile, even if his intentions for tonight would surpass wine, candles and a hot bath. Peeling his shirt off, he turned to Bella with a cheeky smirk and winked at her. “Zhere eez going to be a lot more of eet now zhat ve are finally ‘ere.”[/color] It did seem as though it had taken them an awful long time to move into this place since they had officially chosen to sign for it. In reality, it just felt like a long time because of all the packing and rearranging and everything else that needed to be done beforehand. Marc was looking forward to getting it all out of the way and the second Bella mentioned moving again, he would probably throw her in the pool and lock her out, or something equally as crazy. This had drained him more than he had expected, after all. Grabbing his clothes, he threw them on the bed and stripped down before pulling his robe on, just for modesty until he got into the bathroom. Once inside, he slipped his arms around Bella’s waist from behind and pressed a delicate kiss to the column of her neck as his finger teasingly pulled at the belt of her robe. “Don’t vant zhat vater getting cold now, do ve, Ma Cherie?”[/color] He whispered next to her ear, pressing another feathery kiss to her temple.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 483
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES!

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

The alone time they'd been so accustomed to back in London seemed like decades ago. Their life together there seemed so simple compared to the chaos that had befallen them in New York. Kids, jobs, social lives, dogs, bills; it was more complicated now than it'd ever been before. Bella missed the days where she'd get a call on Friday after class, and the next minute she'd be packing her bags for some romantic weekend away from the grime of the city. She missed surprising Marc with lunch when she knew he'd forgotten his, and she missed being able to drop everything just to be with him. New York had taken that freedom from them and, while she didn't regret it, she did wonder what would've happened if she'd said "no" to Clairice.

Would they be engaged by now? Planning a wedding in France with their honeymoon somewhere just as romantic? Would they be mapping out their future and not worrying so much about fate's attempt to tear them apart? Would they be happy? Bella was happy in New York; wasn't she? She had Marc and her career and, now, an adopted son who was becoming more like a real one every day; she was happy. They weren't behind on their bills, none of them were sick, and things were taking a turn for the better. But, what would've happened if she hadn't uprooted this relationship and transplanted it across an ocean? Bella didn't have the strength to dwell on it.

Hungry eyes watched Marc as he stripped, but Bella didn't move from the doorway. Before anything happened, if it was going to, she really wanted to enjoy that bath and the relaxation it would bring. "We'll have to get a sitter for Laurence one night. This place has to be christened; every inch of it," she smirked in return, her eyes darkening even more with the lust blazing through her veins. They hadn't had any "adult" time since taking on the young boy and, suddenly, Bella wanted them to have more of it. While their relationship didn't center around sex, she also didn't want it to fizzle out because they didn't set aside time to be with each other in more ways than a "good morning" and "good night" as they rushed through a day.

Bella leaned back against his chest, closing her eyes in bliss as his lips found her soft skin. Her eyes closed while she savoured the feeling, tilting her head to expose more of her flesh for him. If there was one thing she loved more than actually kissing him, it was the feeling of his warm lips pressing against her neck. The smirk found its way back onto her face at his words and she reached down a hand to fully untie her robe, the fabric slipping down below her shoulders. "I made sure it was boiling. I know how you like things hot," she said, letting her robe dangle loosely from her arms as she turned to undo his. Her fingers roamed his bared chest, tracing it as she tried to remember that they couldn't let this bath go to waste. Or could they? Bella stood up on her toes to kiss him, mumbling, "You, sir, are much too distracting."

Reluctantly, she pulled away again, letting her robe fall to the floor as she slipped into the bath water. It had gotten cooler now, but it was plenty warm and Bella couldn't stop a satisfied sigh as she leaned back against the edge, eyes closed and a content smile playing on her lips. Tonight was going to be perfect.

• • •

WORDS: 643!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc surprisingly didn’t miss all of the free time they used to have together. Sure, it would be nice to be able to take Bella out and surprise her with lunch every now and then, but they were happy with how their lives were now. The busy lifestyle just came with a future in New York and Marc had expected it when he had agreed to accompany Bella across the ocean. Laurence had been the one thing he hadn’t expected, but things could be a lot worse than they were; despite a few hyperactive moments with Gemma, his son was polite and well-behaved. His mother had warned him that the young boy might act up after Daphne’s death and with Bella coming into his life, but Marc spoke to him about it a lot and he understood. He had almost been brought to tears when Laurence told him that he was just happy to finally have his papa in his life. Had he known sooner, he would’ve been there for his son, but there was no use in dwelling on the past now.

Bella still managed to distract him at the most inappropriate of times though. She had a way of walking into a room and taking his breath away without even trying. There really was no other woman out there for him and Marc had never been so sure of something in his life. The way she looked at him now did indescribable things to his imagination and he wanted to forget about that bath and just toss her on the bed. It really had been too long since they had the time and the energy to be together and Marc was starting to reach the end of his patience when she was pressed up against him most nights when they slept. “I am sure Bridget vould not mind ‘aving ‘im for zee night.”

[/color] He said with a grin, very much liking the idea that Bella was suggesting. It really had been too long for a young couple like they were.

In the bathroom, Marc only found himself more distracted. His tired muscles longed for the bath but he longed for Bella. His lips continued to dance across her neck and down to her shoulders as her robe slipped. He wasted no time in dropping his to the floor and instinctively pulled Bella closer to kiss her passionately. He had a feeling that tonight would be a long night – in the good sense. “I could say zee same about you, ma Cherie.”[/color] He whispered huskily when he pulled away slightly breathless too. He watched as she slid into their large tub and followed suit, lowering his body under the hot water. He leaned closer to his girlfriend and kissed her sweetly before leaning over to grab the wine he had brought through for them both. If they were going to relax then they were going to do it properly.

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• • •

TAGGED! Bella <3
WORDS! 540
OUTFIT! Phwoarr!
LYRICS! Guys and Dolls- - - …Guys and Dolls!
NOTES!

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

Bella didn't have a single doubt about being with Marc for the rest of their lives. As a couple, they'd survived quite a few ordeals, and it was surprisingly easy to live with him. After the months they'd spent together, she'd almost feel lost not coming home to his computers, gadgets, and games scattered across an apartment. It was always hard for her to leave in the morning when she'd rather stay snuggled under the covers with him, and his meals were to die for. Plus, he'd been her rock through a lot of college and, now, the ups and downs of New York. Even if they'd had a temporary split, they weren't damaged by it, which made her more proud than ever to call him her boyfriend. Though, "boyfriend" was starting to sound a bit childish for the man she knew he was.

The warmth of the water tickled her skin as she slid into the tub, but it wasn't long before her muscles were untensing and relaxing. Bella stayed still for a long moment and closed her eyes, picturing many more nights like this one in their future. Once Laurence went to bed, it'd be the perfect escape; he wouldn't be disturbed by them, and they wouldn't be worried about him walking in on anything "inappropriate." A smile tugged on her lips and she opened her eyes, taking the wine from him. Shifting closer to him, Bella held up her glass and smirked playfully, saying, "To new beginnings. Again." She tapped her glass against his and took a sip, grinning contentedly. Candles, wine, and him; there wasn't a better combination on the planet.

Relaxing further into the water, she opened her mouth to speak again, frowning as she heard barking and a high-pitched voice in the hallway outside their bedroom door. Her eyes turned quizically towards Marc, having thought he put his son to bed already. "Isn't Laurence asleep? The dogs were when I checked on them last," she said, already searching for a towel in the empty bathroom. If there was one thing they didn't need, it was trouble with either the kid or the dogs.

Before she could get out of the water, the bedroom door was flying open and a flash of black was streaking across the floor, followed by a larger ball of yellow, then a head of hair that matched Marc's perfectly. Bella let out a frightened shriek, grasping for towel the wine had been on as the parade came barreling into the bathroom. Gemma whimpered and clawed at the bath tub, trying to reach her owner while Arc let out his booming barks. Bella barely kept her profanities from slipping out as she snatched up the towel and tried to cover as much of herself as she could. She scooped up Gemma and looked at Marc helplessly, hoping he'd know what to say to the kid who'd just seen them both naked.

• • •

WORDS: 519!
TAG: Her Darling <3
LOCATION: The New Penthouse, New York
OUTFIT: Sweet 'n Classy!
LYRICS: "Young" by The Summer Set
NOTES: <3 <3 <3