• Watch The Lights •

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

Arabella could already feel the sparks in the air as she climbed out of bed. Today, her boyfriend would be flying to New York to begin their new life together in the big apple. Actually, he was probably already halfway across the ocean. Every minute he was getting closer to her. That thought alone made Bella's heart do a little skip. She'd missed him terribly, even though they'd been constantly talking to each other for the past month. It'd been hard for her to adjust on her own, especially when the homesickness kept getting worse and worse as the days dragged on.

The thoughts of home dimmed slightly when Bella felt a wet nose nuzzling her bare feet, which were peeking out of the covers at the end of her bed. She smiled brightly down at Gemma, who looked almost as excited as her owner. The puppy had been Bella's best friend and only physical comfort the past month, but even she seemed to know that something was up. Afterall, she loved Marc almost as much as Bella did. Almost.

Just thinking his name made Bella's entire face brighten. She really was in love with the French man, and had been for awhile. The feelings had only increased during the small parting, making each second sweeter because it meant he would be here sooner.

Bella forced herself not to look at the clock, knowing that she shouldn't begin the countdown until after she'd eaten something for breakfast. Her body knew it was later than usual because her stomach was growling loudly. She'd taken the whole day off of work so she wouldn't be exhausted when she went to meet Marc at the airport that night, much to her boss' dislike. That woman had never been in love, which was quite obvious to Bella. She pitied her slightly, but then remembered all the temper tantrums and fits she'd thrown over the last thirty days. That hardened her heart. It made her cherish her relationship with Marc all the more, however, for she knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. A love like theirs didn't happen every day, and it rarely happened to everyone on the planet. Just think if it could! The whole world would probably be a thousand times happier.

With thoughts of Marc swirling around her mind, Bella went to grab her slippers from under her bed. Gemma was already at her feet again, looking up at her expectantly. Apparently, her stomach wasn't the only one who knew they'd missed breakfast. "Chill out, Gems. I'll get you your food in a second," she sighed with a laugh, running a hand through her messy hair and sliding her feet into her fluffy slippers.

She walked out of her room and into the kitchen, one she hadn't dared to use at all. Cooking was definitely not one of her talents. Bella prided herself on being able to make toast, so using a stove or oven for anything seemed nearly impossible. Plus, her boyfriend could cook. A strange twist of events if you asked the classic housewife, but the truth, none the less. She'd never needed to learn how to cook, especially since she tended to go out to eat instead of stay home. It just worked better with her busy life. The fridge was already full of half empty boxes from various places. There were a few things of Chineses, some leftover mexican pasta, and who knows what else.

Leftovers were usually her breakfast. That, or a quick pop tart as she rushed out the door. Gemma, on the other hand, wouldn't settle for those, so Bella quickly went over to the little cup board she stored all of the dog's food in. She easily measured a cup of food out, dumping it into the little pink bowl that lay on the floor nearby. Gemma practically attacked the dish, causing Bella to laugh again as she closed the cup board's door.

She made her way towards the fridge, eyes catching on the clock hanging a little ways away. Her eyes widened when she realized it was nearly one o'clock. Had she really slept that late? Maybe. She'd been up talking to Kari or Marc most of the night, if she remembered right. The time differences really were difficult to manage these days!

Bella opened the door to the fridge, running a hand through her tangled hair as she looked over the cartons of food, trying to remember what was in each. She stood like that for a moment in complete silence, the only noise being Gemma's chewing. When the sound of her new doorbell rang, Bella jumped, instantly waking up again. Who was here now?!

She let out a frustrated breath, not caring that she was still in pajamas as she went to answer the door. She unlocked the two inside locks, pulling open the door and opening her mouth to snap at whoever had dared to try and talk to her on her day off. The moment she saw who was on the other side, however, all thoughts of anger fled her mind.

"Marc?" she gaped at him, just staring as if he was a ghost. "Y-You... why... h-how... Marc?" she stuttered lamely for another moment. And then the romantic, fairy-tale-loving side of her kicked in. Her arms flung around his neck, tightening and pulling him as close as possible to herself.

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 950!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: The beginning of epicness x3 <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

It had taken a lot of planning, and it was a big decision, but Marc knew it was the right one. New York would be the first place where he didn’t have family, but he had told Cyril before that he wouldn’t be around forever. Sure, he never thought he’d be flying out to NYC to start a new life with Bella, but he knew that a time would come when they’d not live together anymore. Cyril had gained his independence and in the capable hands of Reggie, Marc knew his brother would be okay.

The actually planning was a lot harder than it sounded. He had to hand his notice in at work and finish off his contract with the company whilst looking for another job (although freelance computer maintenance was looking like a great idea) and he had to pack up all of his belongings and find a time to get a plane to New York.
However, that was where he hatched his grand plan. He knew, from the late night conversations with his girlfriend, that she was a little stressed and that adjusting to New York alone had been difficult for her. Marc hated it that he could go and cuddle her, cheer her up with a surprise at the theatre or anything like that, so he hatched a plan.
He spoke to Bella’s older sister, Kari and the pair of them organised the whole thing. He told Bella that his flight would land sometime in the afternoon. He even made a fake itinerary on photoshop and emailed it to her, so that she wouldn’t forget. Then, Kari provided him with the address of what would soon be their new apartment.

In reality, Marc had feigned tiredness whilst talking to Bella the day before and “gone to bed” meaning that he took a taxi to Heathrow Airport in London and then boarded a plane. Whilst his darling girlfriend would have been sleeping, he was flying across the world, butterflies in his stomach at the thought of being reunited with her.

Marc was completely in love with Bella and this move was simply a necessity. He couldn’t have stayed in London without her and New York was an exciting place with plenty of opportunities for him as well as for her. The truth was, if Marc was to admit it, he had already envisioned his future with her; sitting in a garden, grandchild running around whilst they sipped ice tea or lemonade on their rocking chairs. It was a little idealistic, but then Marc was a hopeless romantic. His whole approach to life was based around that and this plan to surprise Bella was just another way of showing her his love. He had been worried when she first mentioned the move that there would be no room for him in her life anymore, but he was incredibly wrong and before he knew what was happening, Cyril was telling him to go, Reggie was moving into his old apartment and even Bijou was bringing him things to pack into cases.

The plane journey seemed to take forever, but Marc knew it was just his impatience to be reunited with his Bella that made it feel longer than it actually was. He was pretty much the first person off the plane when it landed and he was pouncing on his luggage when it came through at the gate, tossing it all onto a trolley and almost racing out of the airport in his eagerness to see her again. He couldn’t wait to see her expression when she opened the door and saw him standing there.

He jumped into the first taxi he saw, taking a second to have a dorky celebration over being in a yellow cab as opposed to one of the black London hackney cabs. A crumpled piece of paper was pulled from the pocket of his jeans and handed to the driver who just about managed to make out his Jane Austen-esque handwriting. It was still early and Marc hoped that Bella would be awake when they arrived at the apartment. He was excited to see her, but didn’t fancy waking her up for it!

As the cab moved through the city, Marc peered out of the window at the sights all around. He would definitely have to act like a tourist for a day soon, but first, he had to spend some time with the love of his life.
The taxi pulled up at the apartment complex and the driver helped Marc unload his things from the trunk before smiling happily when Marc tipped him more than normal. Money wasn’t an issue and Marc didn’t care about the conversion right now. He was too busy staring up at the building and trying to guess which apartment they would be in.

He was about to move closer, when he got another idea. Dragging his cases and bags behind him, Marc moved further down the street, spying a flower shop just before the taxi turned. He spotted it, and after running like a madman across the road, entered, purchasing a dozen red roses which he placed on the top of his case before retreating to the doors of the apartment building again.
He checked the number on the paper and then proceeded, checking every door he passed, just to make sure he didn’t walk too far from it. A grin spread across his handsome features when he found the door and he took a second to fix himself, smoothing out his casual attire and picking the roses up from the top of the case before pushing his finger against the small button.

As he heard the locks turn, his smile widened and the moment he saw Bella, he felt like life was perfect. Her expression was enough for him and as she pulled him close, he felt like he never wanted to let her go. “I don’t believe I ‘ave a key yet ma Cherie.”

[/color] He smiled, handing her the roses, before noticing her attire. “Is zhis zee common daywear in New York? I may ‘ave packed zee wrong wardrobe it vould seem.”[/color] He joked, smiling, just happy to have her back in front of him.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1078
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

One of the most selfish things Bella had ever done was ask Marc to move with her. At least, that's how she viewed it. She pretty much asked him to give up his entire life just for her, just because she couldn't bare the thought of being without him. Just imagine how horrid she felt when he actually agreed to move. Of course, she was overwhelmingly happy and surprised that he'd actually said yes, but she also couldn't keep the twinge of guilt from her mind. What reason did she have to steal him away from his family, friends, promising job, and much more? She hadn't dared to ask Karilena, knowing she'd recieve an "are you insane?!" stare and a harsh remark. With Marc, though, she hadn't known what to expect. Would he break up with her on the spot for being so selfish, or would he actually think about it? It bounced around her mind for almost a week, and then she'd finally asked.

She didn't regret it, however, and didn't plan on ever feeling it. Her and Marc had been going strong for a few years now, so the living together just seemed natural, to her. Of course, living on the other side of the world was a bit unexpected, but, hey, it worked either way.

Plus, Bella already knew how hard it was to be so far away from him. She'd learned that hard lesson quite well, and she didn't ever want a repeat of it. Not having a strong pair of arms to snuggle into whenever she felt over worked or extremely tired had been difficult, though Gemma had tried to make up for it in any way she could. Puppy kisses just weren't the same as Marc's tender ones. Nothing could ever compare to those. Honestly, nothing could compare to him.

But, she really shouldn't be day dreaming so much. She had to go take a shower yet and find something to wear before she took off for the airport. By now, Bella had adjusted from London's traffic to New York's. She been late for work numerous times because of accidents on the few streets she knew, or because she'd forgotten to give herself more spare time. Getting up at five in the morning usually presented her with that problem, the forgetfulness. Could you blame her, though, when she'd been up on the phone for most of the night?

Her phonecalls last night had been cut a little short by Marc saying he was tired, something that didn't prick Bella's interest too much. She worried, sure, like any anxious girlfriend, but that was about it. He was as busy as her with packing, work, and who knows what else, so it didn't seem too abnormal. And, really, she should've been asleep hours before they hung up. She just couldn't bring herself to say good bye to him, she rarely could. Hearing his voice calmed her in ways no one else's could, so it was natural for her to want to listen to it as much as possible.

That voice was one she hadn't expected to truly hear for another few hours, and she tried to console herself with the thoughts about it. It wasn't too much use, even though she could practically hear him scolding her for eating all the fast food while he wasn't there to cook for her. She'd gone over to his and Cyril's house numerous times for dinner or lunch while they were in London, not that she minded. Actually, it was quite fun for her to watch Marc cook and she knew she could spend days doing it. Then again, that might've been the homesickness speaking.

Bella shoved all those thoughts away as she opened the door and stared at Marc, listening to him speak in utter shock. All she could think was "Why the hell is he here!?" Even those thoughts disappeared, however, as his arms went around her. She cuddled into the embrace as best she could, savouring the feeling as much as possible. "That would be because its sitting in a box in my room, one I was going to give you at the airport," she answered, still staying pressed into his chest. Moving seemed nearly impossible right now. "But apparently that's not happening now."

The smell of roses greeted her nose in the next moment and she couldn't help laughing. "I thought you didn't like red roses. If I remember correctly, you think they're plain," she smirked up at him, glaring playfully the moment after when he commented on her pajamas. "If you stay up half the night talking with your boyfriend, then yes it is," she laughed, smile widening even more.

Forgetting the roses, Bella reached up and kissed him, her heart on her lips as she pressed back into the warmth of his chest. She stayed up on her tip toes, resting one hand on the side of his neck as the other one clutched the flowers. Her lips brushed hungrily against his, absorbing the taste as much as they could. God had she missed him!

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 911!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: D'awwww! <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

When Bella had first asked Marc to move to New York, the word ‘oui’ had passed his lips before he even thought about it. He knew that he’d do whatever it took to be with her and he didn’t want to lose her. Even if he was flying back and forth for years, he would have done it, just to see her. It was nerve wracking when he sat down with Cyril and tried to tell him. He was worried that his brother would think he was abandoning him or giving up on him, when it was nothing like that at all. Cyril had wanted to gain independence since he was a kid and the original move to London was part of that for his younger brother and luckily for Marc, that was how he saw it this time too. Marc, being the older, caring brother, had worried about it for a while, but Cyril was reassuring him that it was alright and Reggie was moving her things in before Marc was even gone.
He knew they’d be alright, but he’d certainly worry about them both for a short while once he was settled in New York.

As the moving day approached, Marc found himself more and more excited. He had friends in work, coaching him on his pronunciation of English words so that the transition would be easier and that the new people that would soon be in his life could understand him a little clearer. He was looking forward to the new chapter in his life and he was elated that it was with Bella. He had been so worried that she wanted to be alone, start anew and find someone else to replace him.

He savoured her touch, hugging her back tightly. He’d been imagining this ever since he had said goodbye to her at the airport weeks ago, but it was so better to have her in his arms now. He kissed the top of her head, inhaling the soft scent of the shampoo he knew she used. Marc had missed all the little things like that and he was grinning as he discovered them all over again. The smell of her hair, the touch of her hands, her soft skin, the sound of her voice when it wasn’t over a phone…It was exactly like he remembered. Gosh, it’d only been a few weeks, but in his mind and heart, it seemed like it’d be forever.
Marc felt like the knight in shining armour, who, on his gallant steed had crossed oceans, deserts and forests in order to reach his princess. He had mastered the sky, fought his way past the greedy villagers, tackled the yellowback dragons and climbed the stairs to the tower before getting past the locked door to reach her. Now, he had her and if this was a fairytale from an old book, this would be the part where they lived happily ever after.

He grinned, holding her tightly and wishing that they could stay like that forever; caught in a moment of perfection, in which nothing else mattered. Who would’ve thought that they’d be standing here now, overjoyed to be together, when it seemed like only yesterday Gemma had brought them together in the park in only a way that a curious young puppy could.
“I ‘ad to surprise you ma Cherie. Eet vas irresistible.”

[/b] He gazed down at her with loving eyes. “Even your sister, Kari, vas in on all of zhis.” He said with a soft smile, ecstatic at how his simple plan had played out. The look on Bella’s face was priceless when she had opened the door and Marc was sure that it was one he wouldn’t forget for a very long time. He’d probably bring it up when he was teasing her too, something that he often did whenever he was in a playful mood. He’d chased her about his old apartment with flour covered hands before, retelling the tale of how swept her off her feet at a theatre built for small people. It was a little weird referring to London as ‘his old home’ where he lived in his ‘old apartment’, but being here in New York, with Bella in his arms, felt so much more than right. Marc couldn’t even think of the word to describe how he felt, standing in the doorway with Bella’s arms around him once more.

He laughed at her comment about the roses and then raised an eyebrow in a charming manner, a lopsided smile gracing his features. “You remember vell, ma Cherie. ‘Owever, zee only florist I could find vas abysmal and, regardless of my opinion, red roses are and probably alvays vill be, the international flower of lurve”[/b] He emphasised the last word and wiggled his eyebrows dramatically, tickling Bella’s side just a little in a boyish, playful manner. He tilted his head in a thoughtful fashion and sighed dramatically. “Ah, oui. I often spend many a night talking vith a dark, tall, handsome man. I do believe ‘ee may be zee love of my life.”[/b] He hadn’t joked with her in so long that every fibre of humour in his body seemed to be coming out now.

The kiss was something he’d been craving for a long time now and as her lips met his, a smile automatically appeared on his face. Marc pulled Bella closer, lifting her off her toes altogether as he deepened the gentle kiss. He could happily spend the day kissing her like this and the sparks that were always present when their lips touched coursed throughout his body, making him shiver a little. Reluctantly, he put Bella back on the ground and slowly, slowly, he pulled away from the kiss, pecking her lips once more as he did so. “Zhis may seem an odd question as I do in fact live ‘ere, but may I come in? I don’t believe our neighbours vould appreciate our affection in zee same vay zhat ve do.”[/color] He whispered, his forehead resting against hers, dark eyes gazing into hers as his hand brushed up her arm to her neck, where he rested it, kissing her softly once more.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1076
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

The fact that Bella was now back in America after being gone for so long was still a little hard for her to believe. She'd lived there for most of her childhood and the beginning of her teenage years, so the customs, holidays, and slang weren't too new to her. But, she'd also lived in London for a good chunk of time, too. Her voice had easily slipped back into the terms, words, and accent she'd been raised with, but it still held an English polish to it that not many people had. It would take awhile for the two different accents to rule one another out, meaning that she'd be stuck switching between English and American terms quite frequently. She would never truly be an American again, however. She had the London taint to her now, and even a little French thanks to the fact that she was dating a French guy who just happened to speak, sing, and cook like he was back home. She'd never had a problem helping him "learn the lingo" in London, and she guessed she'd be doing it again in New York. The whole language basically changed again for him, as it did for Bella even though she had a bit of an advantage over her. True, New York was nothing like Milwaukee, but their cultures were still closer than London's was to either.

Thinking of "home" was a little confusing to Bella nowadays. Truthfully, her home was Milwaukee, but she now had to include London in that. They'd both been her homes, though London was probably her favorite because it brought her and Marc together. Now, however, her home was New York. It was with Marc in their new apartment, one that was still full of her unpacked boxes and bags. In now time they'd have things rearranged to thier liking, which Bella knew. She purposely hadn't gone into decorating yet, knowing that Marc would probably want a say in the matter because he was living there, too. If it was up to her, they'd end up with orange and purple walls, a neon green couch, and probably some funky pieces of brightly colored art work on every wall. But, it was part of the new "team work" thing they had to work on. If you asked her, they'd already nailed it awhile ago by compromising various things for each other. For her, it'd been extra-extra play rehearsals or nights spent with the cast to study lines again. She had to admit, seeing him was a lot more fun than running through a script, which made things easier for her.

Seeing him at all was better than anything in the world, as her reaction to this big surprise proved. Bella had been longing to physically see him for half of forever now, ever since he saw her off at the airport. Most of that flight had been spent in her curled up on her seat, face buried in her knees as she thought about him and London in general. A gloomy way to start off her life in New York, and a cloud that had hung around her ever since she got off the plane.

It vanished now at the simple feeling of Marc's arms wrapped around her body, crushing her to himself. A brilliant smile lit her face as she felt his lips touch her hair and she couldn't resist burying her nose in his shirt, inhaling just as deeply as he was as the familiar things about him came flooding back to her. His cologne, how safe she felt whenever he held her, the general facts that seemed to have slipped her mind in their long absense. Now that she was able to feel, see, and smell them all again, she couldn't help a contented sigh. This was where she felt happiest, stuck in a single moment with Marc. He was what made her happy in every sense of the word.

She tilted her head a little to look up at him while he spoke, eyes sparkling with love and excitement. "This is by far my favorite surprise out of the hundreds you've given me," she replied back softly, returning his smile warmly. "Even if my sister was involved in it." Her lips quirked into a small smirk, understanding now why Kari had wanted the apartment's address. At the time, Bella had thought it was to send some forgotten article of clothing or sheet music over, but her boyfriend was definitely a much better gift.

The topic of roses was always something Bella had to laugh about. Honestly, she didn't like the red roses any more than he did. She much prefered the elegance and grace of white ones, though they held no color like the bright bouquets she was used to him buying for her. They also were used in weddings, an event in her own life that she often dreamed about these days. Those thoughts were distracted by the feeling of him tickling her, an action that always caused her to squirm, which she knew he knew from experience. She giggled, playfully swatting at his hands, "Stop it! Five minutes and you're already using my weaknesses against me!" She laughed more at his expression, smile brightening at the fact that their playful relationship hadn't died in the least. It was a comfort to Bella who had worried about him finding someone else while she was gone.

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow now at him as he spoke of talking to a "dark, tall, handsome man" half the night, like she'd been doing for so long now. "Is that who you've replaced me with now?" she said, feigning a shocked expression. Her acting skills didn't last too long, however, because her entire attention was caught up in the electrified kiss happening between them.

She'd been awaiting this part of their hello, and had been dreaming about it since their good bye kiss back in London. It was a lot better than she'd imagined, and she found herself becoming completely engrossed in him. The world faded from around her as she slid her hand up his neck, tangling it into the dark curls she loved so much. She smiled as she felt her feet leave the ground, letting him take control over the kiss as she teased her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. The familiar, and much missed, feelings of being on Cloud 9 came back to her and made her smile even more.

By the time Marc set her back down, her breath was completely gone. What could you expect? She touched her lips back to his when he pulled back, meeting him halfway when he went to peck her. A breathless laugh fell from her lips after he spoke, her smile softening when he put the emphasis on "our." She opened her mouth to reply to him, but was distracted by the feeling of his fingers on her skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. And then his lips were back on hers and she couldn't even think about speaking.

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1240!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: Someone's having fun... x3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

The move to New York would require time to adjust to the big city and the new culture. Marc would also have to adjust to living with Bella. It was what he wanted, more than anything and when they had discussed sharing the apartment, his heart swelled with glee and his eyes lit up. He had wanted to live with Bella for a while by that point and their relationship was growing stronger each day, so it only made sense.
However, it would be much different to what he was used to. In Arles, they had pretty much everything done for them. Marc helped out as much as he could, but eventually the hired help would banish him away. London was also different again. He did everything for himself and for Cyril, but, when locked in the safety of their obscenely neat apartment. He also had a habit of wandering about in the strangest attire, or the lack of it, mainly because Cyril couldn’t see him. Bella’s vision was perfect though, but Marc doubted that he’d realise that at 6am in the morning when he was getting up for the day. Also, he usually spoke fast and fluent French, especially if he was shouting something to his brother, or mumbling to himself about something
They were only little things, but Marc knew that they’d be the things that would potentially cause a bit of awkwardness or confusion within the new home. Then again, he was sure that Bella would also have some little habits that he would find a little strange or unusual to begin with.
There was one definite thing though that Bella wouldn’t have to worry about in the slightest, and that was Marc being a slob. He was one of the neatest, tidiest guys around and aside from the hectic style in which he cooked, there was never a trace of him left when he vacated a room.

Marc raised his hand, pushing her soft hair away from her face as he smiled down at her. It was like he was seeing her for the first time all over again. His dark eyes took in every eyelash, the small dimples that formed when she smiled, the way her hair fell over her shoulders…every little detail that there was…it all came flooding back to him like a long lost memory and his heart seemed to beat rapidly with excitement as he realised that this had been the moment he’d been waiting for and thinking about for weeks now. He was back with Bella. There was no more long phone calls or emails to wait for, no need to time when and where and definitely no need to drive past UAL or the theatre and have flashbacks of their time together, which only made Marc miss his love even more than he already did do. No, he was with her now and this would be the beginning of their life together. Neither of them had to wait any longer. “Vell, zhere vill be ‘undreds more to come, now zhat I ‘ave you ‘ere.” He swept her into his arms and faked a villainous cackle, before smiling across at her. “Eet just vouldn’t ‘ave been zee same if I did not surprise you.”

[/color] He confessed, lowering her down gently once more, also thinking of how his plan reunited them earlier. His impatience to see her was probably the reason why the master plan was hatched. Kari had thought that it was wonderful though, quoting that Bella would love it, which was another excuse for Marc. In everything he did, he only ever wanted to see Bella happy. He knew that his little surprises, catching her off guard most days, were just one of the many ways that he could bring a smile to her beautiful face, which was why he did it so often.
Making her laugh, well a little tickle usually did the trick and his lips curled into the biggest grin conceivable when Bella squirmed at his touch. Another boyish smirk crept in though and he leaned against the doorframe, attempting to pull off a smouldering look and bad boy persona. “Eet’s kinda ‘ard Bella, vhen, after all, I am your biggest veakness. You take one look at me and I bring you to your knees. Five minutes? More like five seconds.”[/color] The impression failed totally, and Marc laughed it off heartily when he finished, shaking his head at how stupid that sounded when he actually spoke it. Part of him had imagined Marlon Brandon or James Dean speaking that line and when it came out in a French twang it seemed to lose all of the cool dramatic effect he had been trying to achieve.

He felt a bit like a child on Christmas morning. Part of him wanted to jump up and down in excitement at being with Bella once more and another part of him wanted to run around like he was on a sugar power drive and see and do everything possible. His playful nature was definitely unavoidable in the current situation and despite flying across time zones and not even knowing what time it was now, Marc felt like he had enough energy to run around the city five times. Oh, he wanted to see, do and deal with everything and anything. His eyes fell upon the empty boxes in the apartment and he suddenly wad overwhelmed with an urge to unpack them all and make the new apartment a true home for them both. “Oh Bella, ‘ow could I ever replace you? You are perfection in my humble French eyes.”[/color] He smiled again, this time being serious. He really did think that about her and he wanted no other girl in the world. Just standing here with her now brought a huge grin to his face and he couldn’t recall a single person who’d had that effect on him before.

He could’ve gladly stayed there, holding Bella and melting with her kisses, right there in the doorway, but the sound of another door opening a little further down the hallway made him reluctantly take a step back. He adored Bella and would gladly share that with the world, but full on public displays of affection only made him feel a little out of place. He had never managed to figure out why. Besides, someone catching them in the hallway in a youthful and giddy loving embrace may not be the best way to make a first impression with the neighbours. He grabbed the handles of his luggage again and stepped past Bella, dragging everything he had with him into the apartment, parking it neatly next to a pile of boxes for the time being.

Marc turned back to Bella and grinned, rubbing his hands together. “First things first. I must cook my beautiful girlfriend breakfast!”[/color] To him, it felt like dinner or some other meal, but he worked with it. Glancing around quickly, he located the kitchen and without waiting for Bella to reply he was in it, looking at the fixtures and fittings before pulling open the refrigerator door, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion at the amount of containers in there. It took him a few moments to figure out what they were but then he turned to Bella with a playful glare. “Ma Cherie, leftovers from a take away? Zhat eez eet. Ve are shopping, buying real food and I vill cook you zee most exquisite meal you vill ever enjoy.”[/color] He said, closing the door over and walking back to Bella, wrapping his strong arms around her again and planting a sweet kiss on her forehead.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1320
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! I love them! <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

By now, Bella had no doubts in her mind that Marc was the only guy on the planet for her. They'd been together for a few years now, longer than her and her last boyfriend. She could've told you the exact number of days, months, and specific years they'd been dating if you asked, but she thought it seemed just a bit clingy. It probably was, but she was just that in love with the man.

The moving in together had been dreamed about, as had the prospects of a real acting career. Having both of them happen at the same time was a little much, but a chance Bella wouldn't be complaining about. Sure, the surviving on her own for a whole month had been hell, especially since she'd never really been to New York before. But, she'd settled in somewhat with the verbal encouragments of her boyfriend. About ninety percent of her boxes were still packed, though she'd learned how to (somewhat) navigate the few streets she had to take to and from work. She'd also located all the nearest coffee shoppes, along with the local shoppes where she knew she'd be spending a lot of time. A good chunk of her wardrobe had been left back in London for Karilena or her some of her closer friends, some donated for costumes to her college. She knew she'd be buying new things in New York, anyways, and probably a lot more fashionable ones, at that. New York was a big fashion hub, one thing that definitely excited Miss Style. Money was not an issue with her, even though the conversions would be a bit of a pain for awhile. She still hadn't had all of her cash turned over, and probably would save a bit as a reminder of home and her family. Not that she could ever forget them, especially with the pictures she already had all over her room. Some were of her and Kari when they'd first moved out, most of which Bella looked like a total goof in next to her professional-seeming sister. Others were from graduation, an event she would forever cherish because it'd been where her parents had "offically" spent time with Marc. Obviously, she'd dragged him along to the party her family threw just so he could win over her parents, and father specifically. That man was insanely against his daughter moving in with her boyfriend, much to Bella's dislike. It was probably because there was a "higher chance of her getting pregnant," not that she planned on that for awhile yet. Having a baby with Marc wouldn't be too horrid, though, as his tender embrace right now proved. Bella knew their love was strong, and hoped it would eventually lead to a long and happy life together. Right now, however, she had her own dreams to chase, some of which had been planned since her childhood. She couldn't give those up, not even for Marc.

Bella leaned her face gently into his touch, enjoying the way his skin felt against hers. It made her entire body spark in ways that she loved, even if he was just holding her hand. Her eyes looked back up into his as he studied her face, looking over him in return. He hadn't changed at all since they'd last seen each other, and yet he looked so much different to her hungry eyes. There was happiness written across his features, as well as love. Both were expressions she knew her own face wore and it made their meeting that much sweeter.

Their romantic lull ended up with her in his arms, much like a princess in her knight's, and she couldn't help laughing. Her hands clung tightly to his shirt while he scooped her up, smile widening even more as he looked over at her. She placed a light peck on his cheek, relaxing against his chest while he held her. "Good. I'll be expecting them. But, it'll be pretty hard to top this one," she teased back, nuzzling his neck before he set her back down on her feet. "You know, I probably should've expected this or at least something along the lines of it," she added with a shake of her head. Yes, she probably should have with how many surprises he'd sprung on her throughout their relationship. She'd been too caught up in excitement of actually seeing him to even factor in his surprises, however, so the idea had skipped her thoughts. It was for the better though, because opening her door and finding her boyfriend on the other side was definitely an amazing surprise, and one she wouldn't soon forget.

Said boyfriend seemed to have gotten a bit cocky in her absense, a fact that made Bella laugh all on its own. She guessed he was physically incapable of being conceited, but he had a pretty good chance running for him with that little speech. It was insanely true, however, which she knew. He was her greatest weakness and most prized "posession." "I see you've been getting big headed while I was gone, Mr. Bad Boy," she smirked back at him, lightly hitting his chest. "I'll have to get you trained again. And fast," she laughed, eyes twinkling as she smiled up at him. Bella reached up on her tip toes, leaning in close to him and letting her voice drop to a soft whisper, "Even though every word you said was true." She moved like she was going to kiss him, ducking the last moment and pecking to corner of his lips, then pulling back and standing on her feet again. When she wanted to, she could tease just as well as he could.

A light blush rose to her cheeks at the unexpected compliment and her answer was to bury her face back into his chest, pressing her lips to it once. She then went back to hiding, letting her hair conceal some of her burning face from him for a few seconds. Bella knew it wouldn't work, so she looked back up at him with her gentle smile still in tact, "I'm no where near perfect and you know that. But thank you." Whenever Marc said little things like that, Bella couldn't help her heart from soaring just a bit higher. It always meant so much to her when he said "I love you" at the randomest times, or gave her compliments. They built her fragile self confidence up, a task she struggled with, though most wouldn't have guessed it.

Bella pouted cutely when he pulled back from the kiss, but knew it was probably a good thing. The neighbors already thought she was a bit queer, staying up all night on the phone, blasting foreign music, and almost always coming home with take out. Speaking of take out...

Crap! she screeched at herself mentally when she saw him heading towards the kitchen. Fast food had been her saving grace for the past couple weeks since Marc hadn't been there to force her into eating something else. She had planned on going grocery shopping either sometime before she picked him up, or on their drive home. It would've made for a good joke, but she knew she was in for it now. "It's actually more like lunch," she said slowly, cringing inside as he went to open the fridge. Bella chewed her lip while he looked over its contents, shrugging sheepishly when he glared at her. "I haven't had a très talentueux amie here to cook for me," she replied, coyly using a bit of French to get herself out of trouble. That usually worked with him, which she knew perfectly well and had used as an escape many times in the past. Plus, she really couldn't cook. She'd tried back home, had even attempted to learn a thing or two from him. Both had been in vain though, so she'd given up on the task all together. Paying for a quick salad was a lot easier than spending hours laboring over a hot stove. "Besides, that is real food... just not as healthy as what you make," she laughed, wrapping her arms back around his neck when he walked over to her. Bella's fingers tangled into the hair on his neck, as always, and her eyes closed while he kissed her forehead. "Don't you want to unpack before we go shopping? Or at least have a tour of the place?"

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1514!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: She's sweet talking her way out of trouble, haha: "A very talented sweetheart." XD

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Whenever Marc though of Bella, he envisioned forever. He couldn’t comprehend being with anyone else anymore and Bella had become the only person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He had no plans on doing anything official soon, but he had found the ring that he was going to propose to her with when the right time came. However, there would be quite some time until that happened. The move and the new city would be stressful for a while first and Marc knew that their relationship would be tested over the next few months as they grew accustomed to living together and found their feet, not only in the apartment but in their chosen jobs too. Plus, everything had to be perfect when he proposed to her and Marc intended on putting a lot of time and effort into getting it just right; he wanted it to be a moment that she would remember for the rest of her life, much like the one she had when Marc had been standing in the open doorway minutes before.

Marc was a traditional kind of guy, which also meant that he had to ask Bella’s father for permission first too; a task he knew that could require a lot of hard work over a long period of time. He’d met the proud man for the first time when Bella graduated and he sensed straight away that the man didn’t trust him with his daughter. He understood that though and no father wanted their baby girl to grow up. His own father, when present, was the same with his only sister, Celeste. She had a long way to go until she stepped out of the family home and moved in with a boyfriend though, but Marc had noticed his father’s protective eyes cast over her whenever she spoke of visiting friends or attending a party.

The graduation had been a nice day all around. Watching Bella get her degree was not only a proud moment, but it also reminded Marc of his own graduation, in London; a memory that he had forgotten all about in recent years. The moment the degree was in his hand, his grin grew on his face, heart swelling with pride. University was a big decision for anyone. Four years of their life would be given away and more time than ever would be spent hunched over textbooks and papers, revising, repeating and memorising every little detail, despite never needing to know half of it again once the exam was over. Marc had known so many people to drop out from the pressure or the stress mid semester and so, knowing that he’d done it, was probably the proudest moment in his life so far.
Bella’s family had been very welcoming too. He already knew Kari from when he had picked Bella up from her apartment when they were dating back in London, but the other relatives who he met that day were all very polite and warm to him. Even the firm handshake of her father didn’t wrack his nerves one bit.

He had overheard Bella and her father discussing the move later that same day and smiled at the overprotective tone in his voice. Bella was a stubborn girl and would have none of it from him, but Marc respected it all the same. He didn’t want to come across as the guy who was stealing the daughter away, but at the same time, it was Bella’s decision to make. He was sure that it would take some time to convince her father differently, but Marc was determined to make the effort and win him around so that he may one day propose to the girl he was completely in love with.

The contents of the luggage that he pushed against the wall was pretty much everything he owned. The biggest suitcase, seemingly carrying clothes, actually only had two shirts on top and everything underneath them were computer components, games consoles and a ridiculous amount of actual games and gaming accessories. Marc was never big on fashion and his wardrobe mainly consisted of nice jeans and shirts-usually stripy. He only owned four pairs of shoes and that was how he planned on keeping it. Despite coming from a wealthy family, Marc wasn’t in the slightest bit materialistic. Most of his money went on buying things for his home, family and, of course, Bella. The only time he ever indulged himself was when there was something that caught his eye in one of the many computer magazines and guides that he picked up monthly.
Bella hadn’t seen the extremity of Marc’s passion yet. He could spend hours sitting in front of a screen, especially if he had just bought a new videogame. Plus, being the nerd that he was, Marc had a habit of taking apart every piece of technology that he owned, examining how it worked and then reassembling it again, never missing a piece. Since they were moving in together, that meant that new technological pieces would be purchased and, when Bella was at work, Marc would be able to get his hands on her laptop.
He never did anything with the devices. He just opened them up, looked at the condition of everything and put it back together again. It came in useful whenever anything broke because he usually knew exactly where and what the fault was and was instantly out in the shops or online, finding the required parts needed to fix it.
All Marc could say was that he hoped that Bella would quickly grow accustomed to seeing wires and hard drives in drawers around the apartment. He liked to stock up on them and as a personal hobby, would often pick up the pieces and build a whole computer from scratch, completing the programming and the coding himself. Then, he usually disassembled it and started again. He just couldn’t get enough of technology and if Bella thought she was dating a nerd already, then she hadn’t seen anything yet! The young actress would be in for a serious shock once they were completely settled and Marc had some spare time on his hands!

He felt the tug of her fingers on his shirt and smiled, holding her closer to his body. “I vill find a vay to top eet. I ‘ave many a surprise up my sleeve.”

[/color] He smirked, the cogs already beginning to turn in his brain as to what his next surprise would be. He already knew what he would do to top this, but it would be a long way off yet and hopefully, it would catch Bella completely off guard, making it even more memorable that it would normally be.

Marc had always been a kind of confident guy. Not so much that he boasted about it or used it to his advantage, but he had been raised to be independent and part of that was learning how to deal with different situations and handle them. Also, living in different places, especially those that didn’t have French as a first language, meant that Marc had to be ready to speak up for himself a lot more.
Bella’s joke about him being cocky made him shrug but a quick reply sprung into his head, beyond the thick, dark curls. It was a little sneaky, and somewhat of a prank to play on Bella, but he was familiar with the kind of teasing he was about to subject her to, mainly thanks to his four siblings. “I am only repeating vhat Kari told me zhat you said to ‘er and vhat she overheard you saying to Gemma.”[/color] He acted casual about it, hiding away the smirk that threatened to give up the game. “Trained? Bella, ve ‘ad enough problems vith Gemma. Surely, you are too exhausted from all of zhat to go through it again?”[/color] The puppy may have brought them together, but it was hard work helping Bella to train the little thing. She was always scampering away at the command ‘stay’ and jumping all over them when they tried to get her to sit!

Marc smiled down at the top of her head when she hid in his chest. He loved how bashful she could be at times, despite how confident and powerful a presence she held on the stage. He kissed the top of her head again, lowering his head to hers, lips brushing her ear as he sweetly and earnestly uttered, “You are perfect to me, ma Cherie.”[/color]

His arms felt cold as he moved to the kitchen, but he knew that he would have plenty of time to cuddle Bella later. Right now, he wanted to cook for her. Cooking was another of his passions and one of the only times he ever played rockstar, usually singing into a spatula or ladle. “Lunch?! Quel l’enfer? I think zhis time change eez going to mess vith my ‘ead a little.”[/color] He said, staring at his watch and flicking his eyes to the clock in the room. In all the excitement, he had completely forgotten the time difference now.
His dark eyes scanned over the boxes in the fridge. He was slightly amused by the discovery, remembering only too well Bella’s inability to master the simplest of recipes. He listened to her trying to sweet talk her way out of trouble and couldn’t help but smile. He turned around, almost menacingly slowly, and then shook his head, chuckling a little. “Eet’s a good job I love you Bella.”[/color] He joked, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

He kissed her gently and then smiled. “A tour vill do for now. I shall unpack later today…tonight?”[/color] The time thing was really going to take him some time to adjust to.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1680
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! A very confused “what the hell” <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

Weddings. Just the word sent a small shiver down Bella's spine. She'd dreamed about getting married, falling into a romance much like the one she was in now. But, she'd also dreamed about traveling the world doing what she already loved: performing. Both of those plans for the future were being tested now in a battle that was driving her near insane. Her acting had been winning for the past month, only because the love wasn't physically there to drag her away from work. He'd quickly be conquering again in no time, which Bella was planning on. Giving up her first passion seemed hard, especially if Marc planned on having her be one of those stay at home moms sometime in the future. That would kill her, both from the loss of being on stage and the boredom that overcame some young mothers. She hadn't had her entire fill of acting yet, and was just starting to experience some of it now with the new job that put her as close to the spotlight as possible for the moment. Besides, 21 was still young. She had plenty of time before she had to start worrying about having a family, or rather forming one. Plus, Marc and Gemma were her family for now, an arrangement that suited her just fine.

Being away from her "real" family had made Bella sigh in relief once she finally reached New York. No little brother popping up in her apartment when she got home from school, no more listening to her mother lecture about how she shouldn't be wasting her talent in a college, and no rolling her eyes at her vicious father. Being the music of the family, or the "talent" as that man so politely put it, made Bella his especial pride and joy. She was another reason for him to boast to his co-workers, and, while she had the typical love of a child for him, she could also hate him at times. It felt like prospective fame was all she was wanted for at home.

That was one reason she had readily sprung at the job offer. She could be free in America, could live her life how she wanted without worrying about ridicule from her own parents. Sure, she'd miss Kari and her younger brother, but she'd survive without them somehow. And Marc was the best substitute, no matter how many times her father accused her of only moving in with him because she was secretly carrying his child. That pissed her off to no end, mainly because it hurt her that her own dad thought she was so stupid as to lie to him. In all honesty, she had only had two real boyfriends in her whole life, and she hadn't even had sex with the first one. Definitely not the track record for a hoe or lier, right? And, it also meant that he didn't trust her choice for a guy. Okay, yeah, the first one had been bad, but Marc wasn't at all, which Bella had begged him to understand numerous times. But, alas, it was all in vain. She loved him, but Bella knew that he was being a little rediculous about this whole situation. Shouldn't he be happy for her? Excited, even?

Marc's excitement made up for it though, so Bella didn't have too much to worry about her horrid parents. Whenever they had talked about the apartment back in London, her heart would swell with how ecstatic he looked. It set her nerves to rest, and made it a little easier when they parted at the airport back there. She hoped he was as anxious as she was to start their new lives togehter. There was a part of her that did still freak out, though, and that was her heart. She'd be gone for a whole month, wouldn't be able to check in on him all the time. It meant that the rest of the female population in London might be able to get their hands on him and it made Bella nervous. She couldn't bare to lose Marc, not now when their plans were so amazing and their future bright.

She snuggled comfortably into his arms while he held her, returning his content smile. A feeling of calm washed over her, soothing her racing heart beat for a short moment. He was like the ice to her fire, cooling her off whenever things in her life overheated. Now had been one of those times and she'd never been more thankful for her nerdy Prince Charming. "I'm not surprised you do. What next? Rebuilding my laptop again while I'm gone?" she teased, smirking right back. She had debated numerous times about finding someplace to lock up her electronics after he got here. In London, he'd already taken apart then, somehow, had her beloved computer back together again within a day and working better than ever. She could only blink at him in shock while he tried to explain though, remebering just how different their ideal jobs were. And how anti-stereotypical it was for an upcoming actress to be dating a nerd. Thinking of that always made her laugh.

Her playful smirk vanished in the next moment when he spoke of talking to Kari. Bella could swear that the girl lived for embarrassing her younger sister, especially in front of Marc. It was inevitable not to trust her though, especially to Bella who needed the confidence in someone. Swooning to Marc wouldn't be too great, and Karilena was the only other person who she could truly trust. "You seriously need to stop talking to my sister," she muttered, cheeks flaming. But, she'd talked to Cyril plenty of times, too, so it was only fair. Actually, she'd snuck over some of his music. Of course, he'd been more than happy to give it up, since he had taught her how to play most of them. She'd figured it'd be a nice surprise for Marc one night, even though she hardly had the piano for it. Unsurprisingly, she'd conned him into letting her bring a keyboard over, having proposed her baby grand piano at first. That didn't go over too well because there wasn't enough room in the smallish apartment, but Bella couldn't live without her music, so she'd then gotten the idea for a keyboard. It was one of the only big boxes that she'd actually unpacked. She'd been using as much as possible, not allowing her cherished skills to die at all. "Mm, but rewarding you is a lot more fun than it was with her," she laughed. "And, besides, you already behave pretty well. A little more work and you should be back to being my very charming gentleman again."

Marc's voice came in first every time on her list of Favorite Songs, and a small shiver ran down her spine as his breath brushed her ear and the side of her neck. She couldn't help melting into his chest as he spoke, cheeks darkening half a shade. Bella turned her head to kiss him, smiling against his lips as her thank you for the compliment. He was the only one she needed to really be perfect for, no matter how many times Clairice told her she had to be "flawless" on stage.

"It'll take awhile, and probably end up with you getting up around two in the morning while I'm trying to sleep, but you'll get used to it," she teased with a small giggle. It'd taken her awhile to adjust, too, and she stil wasn't completely on track.

Bella smiled brightly up at him once he turned around, "Why would it be bad?" She swatted at his hand when he went to ruffle her hair, knowing her locks were already a complete mess. The reality of horrible she probably looked didn't occur to her until now. She was in pajamas, hadn't brushed her hair, or even her teeth. Ugh. How could he stand kissing her when her mouth most likely tasted disgusting?

"Tonight," she reassured with a smirk, ducking out of his arms the second after. One of her hands ran through her hair, fluffing some life into it. Her other hand laced through one of his and she pulled him into the little living room with a huge smile. "This would be our nightly cuddle spot," she joked, nodding at the shiny new couch that sat along one wall. It was across from an expensive-looking TV, which had been brought over from her old bedroom in London. Her keyboard was over by a window, sitting next to a fancy desk that could only belong to Marc. Bella usually kept her laptop in her room, which was where it happened to be now, so the office-like corner was empty besides having a desk chair parked in front of the actual desk. "Your place to play computer-geek," she smirked up at him, reaching up to peck his cheek. He was her nerd, and she wasn't ashamed of it. That didn't mean she couldn't tease him about it, though.

She stood there for a moment, letting him look around. The sound of paws on a hardwood floor made her jump back to attention though, and she blinked as Gemma came sprinting out of the hallway that led to the bathroom and their bedroom. The puppy ran straight to Marc, yipping and yapping excitedly as she went to scamper around his feet. "I guess I'm not the only one who missed you," she laughed, reaching down to scoop up "her baby" as Gemma tried to tackle Marc.

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1700!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: So adorable <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc, being the hopeless romantic that he was, had imagined his idea of a happily ever after wedding and the years of eternal bliss that would follow. He knew, of course, that every relationship had hiccups regardless of how great it was, but he also knew that if the love was true and the romance never died then those hiccups were nothing more than a trivial issue. He had no doubt that him and Bella would be together forever and he also believed that they’d have a wonderful life together, especially now since they were moving their relationship to the next stage; living together.
This would have a huge impact on the life they were used to living in London. Bella would be around to distract him more from his work and Marc knew that there’d be times when he too would try to coax Bella away for a few hours. It was part of their nature and their relationship that they longed to stay together as much as possible and, especially as it got colder, Marc knew that he’d be trying to keep Bella snuggled into him for as long as was possible, without her risking her dream job.

He knew how much this all meant to her, which was one of the reasons why he made the move to New York with her. From before the moment he met Bella she had been passionate about acting and performing and as tempting as it could be a times, Marc didn’t want to keep her away from what she loved and did so well. He could never dream of doing that to her. He’d seen her perform numerous times before and she got such a glow from just being on that stage, that to take it from her would be cruel. Even with his traditional values, Marc wasn’t the type of guy who believed that after marriage and children, his wife should stay at home. He thought it was stupid idea in a modern society and particularly in this fast paced culture. No, Marc thought that everything should be shared out; a balance between the couple. He thought that the balance was almost vital to a relationship and that if it leaned too much on one person, then that was where infidelity became more than a temptation and where family became the second best. He wouldn’t ever dream of having an affair though. He’d rather tell a person about his feelings before ever going out and acting upon them. Admitting them to your partner could be damaging enough, but he felt that honesty would always be the best policy. Plus, there was a better chance at fixing the relationship and rekindling the romance that way. If a person was caught in bed with someone else by their spouse then it was harder to recover from it and, in some countries, law stated that being caught in the act of infidelity could be used by the cheated partner as a defence against murder!
How could he ever cheat on Bella though? He was crazy in love with her and couldn’t even look at another girl in the same way. Sure, there were nice girls out there but he would never find one as perfect for him as Bella was and he never wanted to.

Marc couldn’t even begin to imagine where he would be without Bella. If he ever lost her, he’d probably break down himself and he was pretty certain that the majority of things he lived for would just die along with his broken heart.

He was a few years older than Bella, which was a legitimate reason for thinking more about the future than she probably was. Marc would never pressure her to rush into anything and he wouldn’t stop her from living her life first. He was content with how they were right now and he had already decided that he would wait until Bella was ready for everything before he tried to jump into it, regardless of how excited he was thinking about their potential future, complete with the big wedding and the happy children. He was lucky, as a guy, he never had to plan things out and getting married and having kids at an older age wasn’t so much a big deal for him. His older brother was far from settling down and Marc knew people back in Arles who couldn’t care less for it, so he was in no rush either. The day he found a grey hair, maybe then he’d panic slightly, but hopefully, that day was a long, long way off.

This would be Marc’s first time without any Delabarre within driving distance. He was old enough to cope, but there was something a little saddening about knowing that he wouldn’t hear his brother banging into a table or that he couldn’t hop in his car and be in the family home later that same day. It would take a while to get used to, but he knew that he’d be visiting them often when he found the time to do so. They were a close family even though they were scattered across the globe now and Marc knew that if he needed them desperately or they needed him, a plane would soon be boarded and someone would be flying to New York or Arles without a moment of hesitation. It was all part of being raised to respect family and how important they could be.

Marc smiled and shrugged sheepishly when she mentioned her laptop. He liked his technology to be up to date and effective and Bella’s laptop back in London had been running slower than a turtle in his eyes, but after a quick clean up and restoration of the hard drive, things were better than ever once more. He was always doing it and people at his old job would often bring in their personal laptops and Macs for him to update and clean up for them. It was a rather simple procedure but for someone who wasn’t as technological adept and trained like Marc was, it could sound like nonsense and Bella wasn’t the only person whose eyes had glazed over whenever he had tried to explain the method to them. “Your laptop may need fine tuning at this point. Eet vas a long journey and I’ve not been ‘ere for a month. Eet may ‘ave viruses and system errors.”

[/color] He said, trying to convince Bella that it was the best idea and in her best interests to let him play with the laptop when she was out one day. He’d probably do it anyway, and then tell her that there was a virus, even if there wasn’t. He just loved playing with technology, maybe a little too much.

He laughed, pretending to pout. “But Kari eez my new best friend!”[/color] He exclaimed, amused that Bella thought he was being serious. Also he began to wonder how much Bell had told her sister about their relationship and whether it was so easy to get the information out of Kari. It was something that he’d have to try whenever he next had the opportunity to talk to the older Curtis sister. It could prove to be fascinating and he could use it to playfully torment Bella for months. Maybe he’d mention things that Kari knew and scare Bella, making her wonder how he knew such things and then he could convince her either that she herself had told him or that he was simply psychic. Boy, the flight was really starting to hit him now if that was what was running through his mind by now. He smiled, bending down to kiss Bella sweetly on the lips. “I am alvays your charming gentleman.”[/color] He said with excess of charisma. He loved goofing around with her and it was something that he didn’t get to do with anyone else other than Cyril. A lot of people expected him to be somewhat serious and very traditional; a reputation that came with the family name of Delabarre. They were usually very surprised whenever they came across the siblings alone and away from the rest of the family. None of them were very serious and aloof like their parents and it was nice that they were all able to appreciate life and the different things in it, despite being raised to be the best and to be proper gentlemen and, in Celeste’s case, lady. It was hard work impressing their parents, but it earned their love and it was always nice to spend time with them, especially with their busy schedules. It didn’t bother Marc as much now with him being twenty four and away from home. However, when they were kids it was hard to feel accepted by their seniors because they only appeared when something amazing happened, like Jean Paul making soccer captain or Marc acing all of his exams, Cyril being a musical genius or Leo dating the daughter of a French politician or Celeste winning a dance award. They were an unusual family when compared with the likes of Bella’s family or even Reggie’s.

He shrugged at the sleeping comment. “I may just stay up until I just ‘appen to fall into sync vith zhis place. Eet sounds like too much effort.”[/color] It probably wasn’t but Marc would have time to finish setting his things up if he did that and could possibly even phone Cyril, just to see how things were going back there with him.

“Vell, eet could be bad if you did not love me back.”[/color] He said, tilting his head to look at her. He loved how natural and relaxed she looked right now. This possibly was one of the best memories he would have of Bella and now they were living together he’d get to see this even more. She looked so comfy and he knew that it made a change from some of the awkward costumes she had to wear and even had to diet to get into them. He hated it when she did that, but he always fed her the fattiest meals afterwards, just to get her healthy again. She was too small to be skinny as a model. He was afraid that if he touched her, she’d break.

He followed Bella around the apartment, remaining silent, but nodding as she showed him all the different things and areas. By the end of the day, the desk would be hidden under gadgets and computers and various other things that Marc enjoyed tinkering with. He looked down as Gemma began to run wild around his ankles. Once she was in Bella’s arms he reached out and scratched behind her ears, cooing to her in French as he did so. He’d missed the hyperactive little dog and was glad there was one in the apartment to replace Bijou. He was too used to stroking a dog whilst he watched television, so Gemma would soon find herself with all the attention in the world.




[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1884
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

Bella was nervous that this entire idea of living together would turn out poorly. She knew of a few marriages that had fallen apart because the couple couldn't stand living together. And, even if her and Marc weren't actually married, they would still be facing the same struggles of newly weds. It'd be a series of tests and trials, ones that set her on edge. Their relationship was strong, yes, but could it with stand all the weight that was sure to come at one point? If they eventually fell out... she couldn't even think what she'd do. This whole plan of moving to New York would seem like a complete failure if the part involving Marc crumbled. He'd helped her to pick the apartment, helped to keep her going while she was over in the strange city by herself. He'd already lightened some of the heaviness in her heart from the whole ten minutes he'd been in the apartment. Without him there doing what he was, making her heart skip every time he said hello, she didn't know how she'd keep going. She could always throw herself fully into her acting. It'd been suggested by Clairice numerous times already. Actually, she'd been saying that since the moment mentioned Marc and how he'd be moving in with her at the end of the month. Clairice was single, and, apparently, "loving it." Bella had had those days, too. She'd thought that she could just marry her career, much like Clairice and many other stars had done. No distractions, only the work she loved. Marc proved her wrong in so many ways though, making her believe that her happily ever after could include both the things she loved, not just one or the other.

If she really had to choose, she'd pick him, hands down. He gave her one thing that acting or singing couldn't: true peace. Whenever he held her, Bella knew she was safe and insanely comfortable. Acting was a fleeting thing, Marc wasn't. Even with her different worries, she knew that. It set her at rest. She didn't have to really worry about looking perfect around him, or pretending to be something, or rather someone, she wasn't. She could just be herself and be told how perfect she was, or how much he loved her. A script couldn't ever do that, and neither could the foot lights that shown on her life. They also couldn't snuggle her, or dry away her tears when she came home flustered and angry. Again: Marc could, and he'd proven it countless times. She could name more than one occasion where she'd gone to him, practically sobbing, because she couldn't nail a solo and she'd stayed up three quarters of the night trying to, forgetting that she had classes or lectures in the morning. He'd cuddled her and made her feel better with his gentle caresses, sending her off with a rainbow in her sky instead of storm clouds.

Bella was at a bit of a loss when it came to Marc's love of technology. She wasn't one of those people who had no clue how to work a phone, but she couldn't tell you the first things about what was inside a computer, like he'd done with her countless times. She'd tried finding new video games and such, knowing he was a bit of a geek about them, but had always ended up calling his brother to find out just what her boyfriend would like. With her luck, she'd either get one he already had or one he hated with an outright passion. Both outcomes weren't what she was looking for, and any amount of help she could find was welcomed. She wasn't too keen about video games or the like, but she could sit on her laptop for hours surfing the internet or looking up new music. That would probably be happening a lot when Marc got a new game, as she'd figured out back in London. There had been days where she'd been bascially kicked out of the Delabarre's apartment because Marc was too busy with a game to spend time with her. It stung a bit, until she remembered she'd done the same thing with him while she was in "performance mode." She turned into her character almost 24/7 while they had final performances, and she knew it annoyed a lot of her friends/family. It was just a quirk the girl had, one that couldn't be cured, just like her cooking abilities.

She laughed when he shrugged, unable to stop herself from it. Bella wouldn't protest against it, except playfully, because the thing ended up working better anyways after a visit with him. But, she was planning on getting a new one for Christmas this year thanks to hints from her sister. The Curtis girls' mother had almost directly said that they'd be presented with new ones this year, and, while it was a bit exciting to Bella, it wasn't one of the best gifts she'd ever gotten. Her current one was only a few years old, even if Marc called it a snail, and there were a lot of photos, journal entries, and who knows what else on it. Moving it over to a new device would be a pain, but it'd give her boyfriend a new toy to mess with. "Do whatever you want with it. I'm getting a new one next month, anyways, so you'll get to play with that one once its shipped over from London," she giggled, giving into him without a second thought. Computers were his thing, and, while it killed her to see so many complicated looking pieces lying around, she'd give him whatever piece of technology she owned if he asked.

"I thought I was your best friend!" she pouted back at him. Her face transformed into a cute puppy dog pout, one that turned into a playful glare the next moment as she realized he was probably joking around with her. Kari wouldn't go off and just start repeating her younger sister's swoons to her boyfriend, right? Eh, Bella hoped. She knew Marc would laugh at some of the little things she loved about him, like how his curls frizzed in the cutest way on some days.

Bella smiled against his lips when he kissed her, reaching up a bit on her toes to deepen it. "That's very true. You are mine." She beamed up at him warmly, falling back on flat feet again as their lips broke apart. It was nice to say that out loud though, that he was hers. It was even better to hear him actually admit to it, which she had to admit herself.

"I'd offer to stay up with you, but I'm working tomorrow at eleven. Clairice was 'nice' enough to give me off until then," Bella sighed in annoyance. She rolled her eyes when she said "nice," having asked for another day off to help Marc settle into the apartment. "But, I'll be home by six. Then we can unpack boxes together, if you're still awake." She may have been there for a whole month, but that didn't mean she'd made any progress on the boxes that contained the elements that would make up their home. Heck, a lot of the kitchen utensils hadn't even been brought out yet! She'd been using plastic silver ware for awhile not, avoiding the task of doing dishes as often as possible. But, things like flower vases and rugs were still boxed, as well. Bella had wanted Marc there to help "set up house" with her because it was, afterall, his new home, too. Why should she get all the fun of decorating the place?

Her smile softened as she looked up into his eyes, hers sparkling. "Of course I love you, and I'll say it as many times as you'd like," she replied quietly. If he really wanted, she'd go shout it from every rooftop in the city, just so the whole of New York knew that she loved him. Bella wasn't afraid to say it now, and hadn't been since the first time they'd exchanged the three tender words.

Bella kissed his cheek as he cooed at Gemma, watching the little dog lick his hand as it ran over her fur. She bit the inside of her lip as she thought about the next room she planned on showing him. Their bedroom. It sounded a little weird to her, especially since she'd never had to share a room with someone before. Her and Kari had had completely different rooms, and even bathrooms, back in London, and she'd never had to share while living under her parents' roof. Having Marc as her first room mate ever was just a little frightening. "Did you want to see our room?" she said after a short moment, burying her face in Gemma's fur as the puppy squirmed to get closer to Marc. Obviously, she'd had enough of Bella over the past month. That didn't stop Bella from cuddling her though as she tried to hide her somewhat burning cheeks.

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1630!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: :) <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc had spent the whole flight, wondering about how life in New York would turn out to be for the both of them. The day before he had left London, his father had called him to make sure that his son knew what he was doing. Marc did know and was very aware of all the potential outcomes of the move. Living with someone was completely different to dating them and he knew that regardless of how long he had been together with Bella, there was every possibility that once they moved in together, things would change and not necessarily for the better. His father wanted to remind him of that. New York was a completely different place compared to London and there was every chance that Bella would find her new career more appetising that their relationship. He knew that she would be working hard and possibly days would pass where they’d hardly see each other, but then his parents did that all of the time, which made him think that it would be alright. He was just scared in case she fell in love with another man, maybe some Broadway actor that she would be working with.

He knew that he didn’t have a lot to offer, other than being able to fix anything broken and a wealthy background. He couldn’t act or sing in the same way that the guys Bella knew could. He’d also been told in the past that he could be a little too over the top with some of his surprises and romantic gestures. Bella hadn’t complained thus far, but living together may change all of that. If Bella wasn’t part of his life then there wasn’t much reason in Marc remaining in New York. He’d made the move for her and for their relationship and if they didn’t exist then, he’d have nothing here other than heartbreaks and bad memories.
He didn’t want any of that. He wanted the fairytale and the happy ending that he had read to his sister when she was still a little girl. He wanted to be Bella’s Prince Charming and he wanted to be the old couple that you saw in the park, holding hands still after so long. Everyone looked at that couple and smiled, longing for it to be them one day. Marc had already them to be him and Bella one day, strolling in the park, still as in love as they were now.

Marc was amused constantly at how different they were. Bella craved the stage and he craved a hard drive. She loved to sing and perform and he loved computers and video games. It was a rather odd attraction, considering neither could ever come close to competing with the other. Maybe that was what made them work though, their differences. They could be themselves and tell stories that weren’t remotely similar to the other’s. Marc knew that he could get caught up in his video games, but Bella could get caught up in her acting too. When she was busy preparing for a show, he usually bought a new game, to keep himself out of her hair when she needed to be alone to rehearse. He’d always be there for her though, after a bad or a good day. He’d share the laughter and he’d wipe away the tears if she needed him to.

He couldn’t help but get excited over the mention of a new laptop. He wondered what model it would be, how far the graphic card could be pushed, what capacity the memory would be and the speed at which it would run. He loved finding all that stuff out and much more. The things that could be improved, he would improve them and he’d make sure that the laptop was as near to perfect as he could get it. It was always good to be a computer science and technology graduate in the twenty first century. Marc, being the nerd he was, was capable of fixing something as small as an ipod to something as big as a computer server. It was handy for both personal life and for a career. “You know I don’t just play vith them. I make them vork better.”

[/color] He said, feigning annoyance, throwing his head haughtily into the air and crossing his arms across his broad chest.

“Hehehe, you are, ma Cherie. I think Kari just vanted me to stop harassing her vith questions and queries. She understood the time difference more.”[/color] He shrugged, pushing his hands into his pockets. He smiled when she call him hers. He wanted to be hers forever and would be willingly, if she would have him for that long.

He waved her away. “I vill be fine vhen you are avay. I vill set up my computer and gadgets.”[/color] He said with a soft smile. He’d miss Bella when she was at work, but he had things to keep him occupied for now and by the time the apartment was officially finished, he too would probably have a job and then it wouldn’t be a problem. “I’ll be awake. I vill make sure I am, so zhat I can see your beautiful face.”[/color] He reached up, resting his hand against her cheek and smiling lovingly down at her.

He couldn’t hide the cheesy grin crossing his face. He loved hearing her say those three words. From the moment they had first left her lips they had the ability to brighten his whole day up, even when he felt like he was at rock bottom with no way out. He loved her entirely, with every fibre of his being and hearing her say it back to him made him feel like he was on cloud nine. There wasn’t a greater feeling in the whole world, not in Marc’s eyes anyway.

Our room… It sounded perfect to Marc. He was a little more comfortable with sharing than Bella seemed, but they had never shared a room before and it was still a little daunting to the Frenchman. However, he couldn’t wait to wake up to see Bella’s beautiful smile every morning of every day, hopefully, for the rest of their lives. “Oui, lead the way, ma Cherie.”[/color] He smiled, raising her hand to his lips, planting a soft kiss to the skin.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1209
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! Bleh >.<

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

Arabella wasn't one he looked for materialistic things in a reltionship. Sure, the constant gifts from Marc were extremely nice and she always loved them, but they weren't important at all to her. She loved them because he gave them to her, not because of the large price tags some of them wore. If she had really wanted to, she could've gone and bought half of the jewelry and trinkets herself. Money didn't mean too much to her for she'd had so much for so long, so the fact that Marc had some didn't phase her at all. It only made her realize their love was a bit more true seeing as he couldn't be dating her for money. That was one of her secret fears; that someone would only pretend to date her because of the money her father provided the Curtis' family with. Part of her had thought that was good. Money meant fame, and fame meant better chances at getting her own name out there instead of her dad's. The other part wanted to do everything by itself, relying on no one. Yeah, the cost of school and her feminine need to look good would be supported by her family, but she wanted her talent to be all her own.

That proud dream had been one reason she didn't want to invite Marc to New York. It was one of the only ones, though, and it hadn't stopped her from how selfish it seemed. She wanted her full independence, wanted to be completely relying on nobody but maybe Gemma. The thought of losing Marc quickly doused that however, and made her realize she would in fact need a bit of help if she wanted to achieve this plan of hers. She needed someone to go cry to, someone to hold her up when she felt like the whole world was pushing her down. Marc had proven himself worthy of the job, making him irreplaceable in Bella's eyes. Plus, she couldn't live without kissing him at least once every day, even if it was at the end. The electrical sparks and tingles were just too amazing to live without now that she'd experienced them. Her body never failed to react like that, and she doubted it ever would, no matter how old she got.

It was weird though, how one person could hold that much of an affect on her. She'd never felt it before, and she figured she never would again with someone else. Her current relationship was just too special to ever find a duplicate of! Besides, there was only one other person in her plans for the future now, besides herself. Could you guess who? She'd be able to describe him almost perfectly from memory if you really asked, which many peopel didn't dare to do. She could list off quotes that he'd spoken, most of which would made you laugh with how romance novel worthy they sounded. And his smile... she could go on for days about that. Or his hair. Whichever you really wanted to hear more swooning about worked well enough.

Bella laughed at the obviously fake annoyance, knowing exactly what to do so he'd grin at her again. He may be the one who was constantly surprising her, but that didn't mean she couldn't have her moments, too. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You wave your magical, techy wand over anything electronic and it works better than before. You don't need to start bragging," she teased, smirking. "But, I will give you my old laptop to destroy - I mean improve, once the new one's here." Her parents wouldn't want it back, and Kari was getting her own. Her little brother most likely was, too, so he wouldn't be asking her for it either. Might as well make someone happy with it, right? And who better for her to make smile than her boyfriend?

She placed her hands on his forearms, reaching up to peck his cheek. Her fingers tapped aimlessly on his skin while he spoke, enjoying the feeling of touching him again. While it may have seemed a bit creepy, Bella missed being able to run her fingers through his hair, or trace the muscles on his arms while they cuddled. "Good. Kari taking my place is just... ugh," she shuddered, making a sour face in the process. Her older sister was only a year older, closer to Marc's age by just a smidge. Bella had heard countless stories of one sister's boyfriend cheating on her with her sibling. She definitely didn't think that would happen, especially since Kari tended to stay clear of the love birds whenever possible, but it didn't keep her from worrying. "Even though you're insanely computer smart, you sure can't get time zones down," she laughed, remembering times where he had called her in the middle of the night, which would've been his morning right before dashing off for work. Bella had groggily had a conversation with him for about ten minutes, then passed out without hanging up. He'd, of course, teased her about it later it, but it back fired because he was the one who had called her while she was sleeping!

"You'll have Gems to keep you company, too. She doesn't like coming to work." Bella's voice was cheery now, but a small smirk tugged at her lips. The last time Gemma had come to work, she'd chewed through a pair of, apparently expensive, shoes that had belonged to no one other than Clairice. Bella had laughed for about an hour once she got home, but had politely offered to pay for the wrecked shoes. And, Gemma had gotten banned for awhile until she "learned to behave better." "I'll look more tired than beautiful by then," she sighed, a smile still on her face. Bella had no doubt that he would be awake for that reason, even though she'd end up making him unpack boxes instead of gaze at her. Hopefully, they'd be unpacking a few of the boxes in their bedroom later that night. Bella hadn't done much to the space, not knowing what Marc would like to see every night before he went to sleep. She had her vanity set up in one corner, all her cosmetics neatly put away in their corrects drawers and cases. And she'd chosen one of the closets, stuffing as many of her clothes into the space as she could. There were still cases of shoes, dresses, and much more lying in the living room and kitchen, but she figured she'd find something to do with those later.

She carefully set Gemma back on the ground, watching the little creature pout at her all the while. Bella smiled when he kissed her hand, gently running her fingertips against his cheek and jaw before lacing them with one of his hands. "I'm warning you now, it's nothing special. I wanted to wait until you were here so we could decide together on what to do with it." She pulled him towards the hallway Gemma had raced out of moments before, walking up to a white door. It was opened just a crack, one big enough for a tiny Yorkie to fit through. Bella bit her lip hard, counting down in her mind. One... two... three. Her free hand pushed open the door, revealing the room that was to be theirs for the remainder of their time together in New York.

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: The Boyfriend Who Shouldn't Be Here Yet <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1327!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: :) <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc was hardly a materialistic guy. None of his family was. They had been raised to understand the value of money and whilst they often did wear expensive items and drive fancy cars, they kept what they did have until the material or the engine were falling to pieces. He had known people throughout his life who had similar levels of wealth to the Delabarre’s and they had blown their money on a new bag for a new week, or a new pair of shoes for no reason other than they saw them and wanted them.
Marc spent his money on presents for the people he loved and on things that furthered his knowledge of computers and technology, as well as video games when he saw ones that he liked. His wardrobe wasn’t an impressive size, he owned four pairs of shoes and drove the same car that his parents had given him when he was eighteen. He didn’t believe in spending money just because he could. His parents had always told each of their children than money couldn’t buy happiness and that the money they had wouldn’t last forever. That was one of the reasons why Marc worked. He didn’t one day want to wake up with not a penny to support himself or his family. Plus, working gave him something to do, something to strive for.

The Frenchman only really wanted one thing: for Bella to want him. Ever since their relationship began, he had only ever wanted to be the guy to hold her, wipe away her tears and treat her like she deserved to be treated. He wanted to be such a part of her life that they were almost unable to cope without the other. It may have sounded a little weird to anyone else if he had ever voice that out loud, but Marc was in love with Bella in a way that words couldn’t describe. When she was gone; rehearsing or studying, he felt like something was missing, almost like he was missing a limb. Sure, the thoughts of her made him happy, but they couldn’t compare to the felling of holding her in his arms, like right now.
Bella had slowly edged into his life before becoming it. He would do anything for that girl and if she had left him in London, his whole world would’ve shattered around him. Losing Bella was a thought that terrified Marc and he honestly couldn’t imagine life without her anymore. It was every little thing about her that he loved; from the scent of her shampoo right the way down to the little dog she often scooped up in her arms. He would give her independence and he’d never stand in the way of her dreams, but Marc needed Bella in his life more than he needed oxygen in his lungs and a motherboard in his daily life.

He smiled at her attempt to do such a thing. He couldn’t help it. Even with a brand new computer or laptop that was top quality, Marc had to peel away the layers and install new cards and chips to make the computer faster and smoother. He went overboard on occasion too, installing unnecessary things, like voice recognition on his sister’s laptop. It had come in handy to stop Leo from looking at her private things, but it wasn’t exactly vital to the functioning of the laptop. “I bet, I can make your old laptop just as good as your new one. Vhen it gets ‘ere of course.”

[/color] He liked a challenge. Marc had often disassembled a whole computer, only to time how long it took him to rebuild the entire thing.
His record was 2:06.

Her touch made warm shivers travel through his body. Regardless of how long they had been together, Bella still had that effect on him, and he grinned when she kissed his cheek. “Zhat could never ‘appen, ma Cherie. Kari eez great, but she scares me a little.”[/color] He glanced around, acting secretive before stooping to whisper in Bella’s ear. “And you are by far, more beautiful zhan she eez.”[/color] He told her, his voice barely audible, breath washing over her skin.
Marc shrugged. Time zones had been the last thing on his mind when planning his own move to New York. He was far too excited by the prospect of seeing Bella again to actually care about what time it was in their apartment. Now, he was still too excited to care. “Computers, they ‘ave no time zones. Besides, I did not change my watch.”[/color] He glanced down at his dark metal accessory that was still ticking away at London time. He’d have to change it before it made him late…or early…for something.

Marc smiled, his dark eyes looking down at the excited dog. “Ve vill ‘ave a vhale of a time to keep ourselves busy. I shall also train ‘er vith a paint roller.”[/color] He was, of course, joking about the last thing, but he was convinced that Gemma could be extremely beneficial to the moving in process, if she was trained correctly. Flashbacks to her first training session however, convinced Marc exceedingly quickly that the dog, near paint or anything of the kind whatsoever, would probably result in a disaster that he didn’t have the time to be dealing with. He planned on getting quite a bit of the unpacking and arranging done when Bella was at work, so that she could simply relax upon returning to their apartment. The very thought of it brought a smile to Marc’s face every single time without fail.
Bella’s next comment only made him want to do it more. “Bella, my love, you could be riddled vith zee bubonic plague and I vould still find you beautiful.”[/color] He smiled, wrapping his arms tightly around her for a quick cuddle.

Marc smiled down as Gemma’s feet found the floor again before turning to Bella, her touch causing those familiar shivers again. He squeezed her hand lovingly before nodding. “Ve can decide vhat to do vith it now zhen, if you like?”[/color] He suggested with that familiar smile of his. He followed her towards the room, waiting for her to push the door open when they got to it. It seemed strange to think that this would be where they would both sleep, every night, from now on, but at the same time, it was something Marc was looking forward to; being able to hold Bella as she dreamt.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1229
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

DROP EVERYTHING NOW, MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN
• kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain •

Arabella had thought about what she'd like to do with the bedroom she would soon be sharing with Marc, and had imagined countless nights that would occur after he arrived. The first night... it made her nervous. She'd never slept with anyone before. Well, not a male. All girls had their sleepovers where they ended up sprawled across each other on a couch, but that was a lot different than sleeping with your boyfriend. Bella knew she loved Marc with all her heart and soul, but she just couldn't bring herself to get over that fear of him leaving her someday, finding another "foreign" girl and running off with her instead. That was what held her back whenever their romantic moments started to get heated. She didn't want to give her once in a lifetime chance out to just anyone, but sharing a bed with someone would probably break her down eventually. It wasn't that she would mind having sex with Marc, she was just scared of what might happen afterwards. And, especially with them living together, she didn't want anything to go wrong. She didn't have anyone who she could go cry to, any place else to hide. Her only real and fully trustworthy friend (for now, at least) was Marc, and her only place to run was their apartment. Not good options if they ever got into a fight. But, hopefully, that would never happen to a severe extent. They had their little hiccups like every other relationship on the planet, and Bella knew it was inevitable, especially when she was in a bad mood. She tended to snap at people then, even if she did love that person to death. Usually, she caught herself afterwards and would apologize as quick as she could, even if it was a blow to her pride. She'd gotten that from her father, and almost hated losing it as much as he did. The key word was almost.

A bright beam lit her face when he smiled, an automatic reaction. Marc could always make her smile, even if she was having one of the worst days in history. His teasing, playfulness, and constant surprises brought out the love struck teenager side of her personality, something nobody else had really been able to do. She didn't have to worry about being seen as childish, despite the few years age difference, thanks to the fact that he acted as immature as she did ninety-nine percent of the time. "I have absolutely no doubts about you winning, so I'll pay you up front," she giggled, smiling wider. This laughing and giggling was something she'd missed a lot, and she was glad that she was doing them now. Her sunshine had been gone for a whole month, and she'd lost her healthy glow during that time. Bella was glad he was back to keep her safe and healthy, and to make living in New York a hell of a lot easier.

Bella loved the fact that she could make him smile. Or, at least she thought she could. A warm grin graced her lips as he spoke, and she turned her head to kiss him when his breath washed over her neck and cheek. It eased her nerves just a little to hear him say that Kari was scary. The girl definitely was. But, then again, what older sibling wasn't at times? Especially when they're younger sister was moving to the other side of the globe with her boyfriend? It was a legitimate reason to be frightening and over protective. All of that fled her mind when he lips touched his, and she internally smiled as the familiar feeling of flying came back to her once more. " Don't let her hear you say that. She'll be even scarier," she smirked, her lips hovering just above his while she spoke. Bella pulled back from him, smiling widely as the topic changed to him and his time zone issues. Bella teased, "Still. And change it soon. Mr. Punctual can't be late." She could believe why he'd forgotten to fix his watch though. This surprise had probably involved him running around airports and a brand new city, both of which had been overwhelming even for her, who had traveled numerous times before. She could easily imagine him running through an airport just to come and see her.

"Ha, good luck! She'll probably be more interested in taking a nap or rummaging through my closet again," Bella laughed when he spoke of him and Gemma doing a training session. The puppy still liked to burrow into her clothes and fall asleep, though she'd sort of laid of the shoes as of late. Bella didn't mind too much as long as nothing got too destroyed, and she figured that was where her darling would end up if Marc even mentioned the word training. She could hide amazingly well for a dog, even from Bella who thought she knew all of her hiding spots!

The feeling of Marc's arms slipping around her made her smile, and she relaxed against his chest, snuggling into the embrace as best she could while standing up. Her hands rested on the front of his shirt and she tucked her head under his chin, blushing a light pink after he spoke. "Stop it! You're making me blush on purpose now!" she accused playfully, burying her face in him to hide her cheeks. Bella couldn't resist peeking out to thank him, however. "I love you," she whispered, nuzzling him before shielding her face again.

Once she set Gemma down, Bella began to play with Marc's fingers, loving the warmth of their hands being intertwined again. "Aren't you tired, like, at all?" she laughed, smiling back at him. "But, yeah, we can whenever you'd like. We've got a lot of work to do around here." They really didn't, besides repainting a few things and unpacking a seemingly-endless amount of suitcases and boxes. It would involve teamwork, though, and both of them compromising things for the other. They'd mastered both of those awhile ago, if you asked Bella, so she was just looking forward to the quality time all the activities would involve.

Bella's hand pushed open the door slowly, revealing the nearly empty room that was now theirs. There were two other doors in the room, one of which was almost overflowing with clothes. Obviously, they were closets and the stuffed one just happened to be hers. Her vanity was over on that side of the room as well, leaving a whole closet and wall for Marc. Their bed sat in the middle, dividing the room in two. It had a small couch at the foot, and a TV hung neatly on the wall the bed faced. Bella had hired someone to put it in, though she figured Marc would scold her when he found out about it. She wanted her TV at night, however, so she'd taken the risk of being tickled to death.

She pulled him inside, smiling as Gemma emerged from Bella's closet, dragging a piece of clothing behind her. Bella brushed it off at first, opening her mouth to say something witty before she realized just what her puppy had pulled out. It was one of her black lacy bras, the strap having gotten caught on the dog's tail. Bella flushed a bright red, diving away from Marc to go and shove the thing back inside her closet and glare at the troublesome dog. Couldn't she have just one time where she didn't get embarrassed in front of her boyfriend?

GET ME WITH THOSE BROWN EYES AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN
• give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around •

TAG: Mr. Punctual <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1343!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: The beginning of epicness x3 <3