• Watch The Lights •

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Bella had nothing to worry about. Marc was completely in love with her and his gentlemanly manners also meant that he didn’t even look at another girl with lust in his eyes. Hell, he didn’t flirt or imply anything more than friendship with anyone since they had been dating and Marc never intended to do it either. He loved Bella more than words could ever express and even the hottest woman in the world came in second to her. She had his heart and he’d wait forever for her.
He was a little older and admittedly, he had shared a bed with girls before, but he’d only ever slept with one of them; Daphne. However, at most parties he was the guy that they trusted which meant that he had occasionally been forced to sleep on one side of the bed whenever the girl wouldn’t hear of him sleeping on the floor with a thin sheet, even though it really wouldn’t have bothered Marc. He had never been the type of guy who wanted to have sex with every girl who came his way and his friends at college had found him a little quirky whenever he simply helped a drunken girl home, gave her a drink of water and made sure that she passed out somewhere safe with a bucket. He was a romantic by heart and nature and meaningless flings and one night stands weren’t something he was even vaguely interested in. He also wasn’t a guy who believed in jumping into bed on the first, second, third or even tenth date. In Marc’s opinion, he would rather wait until the mood and the relationship was right.
Marc had often worried if that was a good thing though. He never made any moves that were too ‘forward’ and he was curious as to whether girls respected that or took it as a sign that he simply wasn’t interested in them. Bella had stuck with him though for long enough, so that had to count for something, right? He just hoped that she’d stay with him. It’d be awkward if they broke up suddenly and there was every chance that Marc would find himself alone in New York with no one to turn to and no one to talk to. He wasn’t a proud guy, but it’d kill his self-esteem if he had to return to Arles alone. London would be out of the question if Cyril and Reggie were together; he couldn’t be a third wheel.

Despite being the older one out of the pair, Marc was able to act as immature as Bella most of the time. He usually put it down to the ‘nerd inside’ and the amount of video games that he played. A lot of people didn’t expect a twenty four year old, computer technician from a wealthy family to sit in front of a TV screen, cursing in French and hammering away at the poor buttons on a controller for hours on end, almost forgetting about the rest of the world around him. “Zhen I vill take my payment in kisses and a tour of zhis city.”

[/color] Marc demanded, but in a playful manner. He was never rude. Ever. Not even to people who deserved it. He could imagine his mother’s alarm bells ringing in her mind and her jumping on a plane to wherever he was just to scold him for it. It was a terrifying thought. His parents were good people and very nice, but they expected their children to act in a dignified manner and if any of them slipped, even slightly, they’d find themselves being punished for it. Marc usually wasn’t allowed his video games for a weekend if he was ever caught.

Marc never had any issues with protective older siblings, but then again, he was the second eldest and a boy. Jean Paul didn’t really see any reason to protect him and that was understandable. No, it was their baby sister and the only girl, Celeste, who had them prying into her life every time a boy came on the scene. Marc usually just advised her when she asked for it, but Leo and Jean Paul got very involved; Leo making sure that the boy had no criminal past or bad habits. The whole thing was normal and Marc didn’t blame Kari for acting the way she did, not one bit. After all, he was the guy who had basically stole Bella away her family and now he’d moved to New York to be with her. “It vill be our little secret zhen. Although, I did ‘alf expect ‘er to turn up at the airport vhen I vas leaving.”[/color] Marc didn’t quite know why, but he honestly thought that he’d see Kari running across, either to warn him to take care of Bella again or to give him something that Bella had left behind. He glanced down at his watch and nodded, pulling quickly at the clasp and sliding it off his wrist. “Vhat time eez eet now?”[/color] He asked, pulling at the small stud that allowed a person to change the position of the silver hands. If he didn’t change it now, he’d forget again and that could lead to some problems. On the way to New York, Marc had been going off the time on the airport clocks and the screens that they had dotted around. Hell, it could’ve been the middle of the night for all Marc knew; he raced to their apartment so fast that he didn’t even stop to consider where she was or what Bella might be doing.

He nodded and shrugged. “Naps are good.”[/color] He stated simply, before smiling. Marc knew that he’d probably spend most of his time hunting the dog down and trying to make her behave. Unpacking would be chaotic with a small dog darting between their legs and the boxes. He had visions of Gemma getting tangled in tape and bubble wrap and trying to bite her way out of it, knocking Marc off his feet in the process and generally just causing trouble. The image brought a small smile to his face and he chuckled to himself.

Marc let out a whole-hearted laugh when she spoke again and it just made him hold her closer, his arms wrapped firmly around her frame, which was considerably smaller than his. “But you are so very cute vhen you blush.”[/color] He kissed the top of her head affectionately and then smiled lovingly down at her. “Moi aussi, je t'aime, Ma Cherie.”[/color] He rested his head atop of hers when she hid her face again, before delicately whispering, “Je t'aime, de tout mon coeur.”[/color] He took a moment to realise that his French would be used less now that he wasn’t living with his brother. Most of their conversations were in their native tongue when they were together and it’d be a while until Marc remembered that he wouldn’t be sitting in the other room. He hoped that Bella wouldn’t mind too much if he started shouting French questions to her on occasion when he forgot.

He rubbed the back of his neck; it ached a little from the travelling, but he’d be fine once he was moving around a little more. “Not at all. I slept like a log on my last night in London and I drank a few espresso’s vhen I vas vaiting on the plane.”[/color] He had done it deliberately so that he didn’t collapse the moment he arrived. Sure, he’d crash later and it’d take more than a worldwide emergency to stir him, but it was worthwhile for now.

Marc’s dark chocolate eyes panned the bedroom. It was very nice and he smiled at the part that had clearly been lived in. The bulging closet made him smile even more and he realised that he’d probably find himself sharing the other one with her, once she realised how little room he would need in it. Apart from his shirts, suit jackets and trousers, Marc could live happily out of drawers. His eyes eventually fell on the television hanging on the wall and he pointed to it before glancing down at Bella. “I need to fix zhat. Eet eez not adjusted properly. I can tell.”[/color] He couldn’t really tell, but it was another electrical goody for him to play with.
His eyes travelled to Gemma when she emerged, his eyes widening when he recognised the item of clothing attached to her tail. He was a gentleman, but he couldn’t help but let out an immature snigger and a silly, boyish comment as he watched his girlfriend dive to retrieve the bra. “I do not think zhat eet eez quite Gemma’s size, ma Cherie.” [/color]
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1506
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! “I love you too” “I love you with all my heart” <3 <3 <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

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

Confidence was something Arabella had a considerable amount of. But, that level depended on where she was and when. On stage, she was powerful and demanding, easily making sure the attention was drawn to her. It was what actresses did, especially when they were one of the leads. They needed to be the center of everyone's focus while on stage to keep the show going. Off stage, though, Bella tended to be almost the complete opposite. She didn't burst out in hysterics every time she heard harsh words about herself, but she did lay off the whole "dive" act while around her friends. She wouldn't dare to act like that around them, and especially not around Marc. What you practiced, you became, and Bella most definitely did not want to become a Clairice. A bossy, self-centered drama queen who did absolutely nothing but bend other people to do her will. Plus, Bella doubted Marc would ever stay with her if she turned into a monster like that. She was already competing with a bunch of college girls who Marc would be teaching, and she knew a lot of them would be able to talk about the same things he could. Computers, video games, nerdy things in general. It was all above her head, and she worried that Marc would want someone who could actually understand him when he started rambling about hard drives or whatever else. She had gotten through school with decent grades, but she'd never been the super-amazing kid who could answer any and everyone's questions within three seconds. Bella often felt like doing more research on his hobby, just so she could talk to him about things related to it. Then again, it would disrupt the "opposites attract" relationship they had going. Besides, she liked to watch Marc talk about technology. He got all excited and bright eyed, and just... happy. She ended up focusing more on his expressions than on what he was actually saying because they made him even more handsome than he already was. Smiling usually did that to a person, however, especially when you were in love with them. And Bella just happened to adore it when Marc graced her with one of his gorgeous beams.

She reached up on her tip toes, planting a kiss on his nose when he demanded his payment. "You'll get as many of the first as you'd like, but the second one will have to wait for awhile until we're both free and can spend time being tourists together," she smiled brightly, falling back onto flat feet. The statement made her realize something that she hadn't before. Just because they were living together, it didn't mean she'd be spending a lot of excess time with her boyfriend. He'd be starting his job soon enough, though he'd be the one at a college instead of her now. She'd be darting around town for her boss, staying out late a lot to get a few precious moments on the stage she so longed to be in the center of. Of course, they would be sleeping right next to each other now. Bella wondered if Marc would wait up for her whenever she was home late, just so he could cuddle her while she fell asleep. She'd probably do it for him when he wasn't home by the usual time just so she could snuggle into his chest as she dozed off for the night. The comfortable feeling of being in his arms was one she loved, and had often longed for back in London when she was stuck with a fluffy blanket and a squirming puppy. Now she'd get to experience it every single night, hopefully for the rest of her life. Bella couldn't bare the idea of being in New York without Marc. He'd only been there for a very short time, but already the sun had seemed to shine brighter and the air tasted sweeter. Maybe that was just because his taste lingered on her lips from the various kisses, though. Either way, she wouldn't be complaining about it any time soon.

A laugh slipped past her lips when he mentioned Kari showing up at the airport. She had to admit, it would've been like her sister. Bella knew she'd left quite a few things back in London, some of which she hadn't meant to forget. Some of the boxes hadn't been correctly marked because Bella and Marc had ended up throwing pens at each other and annoying the heck out of her sister, who had gone and written "Take" or "Leave" on things as she saw fit. It screwed up the process, but, at that time, all Bella had been able to focus on was laughing and kissing her boyfriend. "I wouldn't have been surprised if she did with how many times she'd threatened to delay your flight by making chaos in the airport," she replied with a shake of her head. It had been sibling teasing, but Bella knew what her sister was capable of and how much money she had access to. With the right check, the older Curtis could've easily stalled the younger Curtis' boyfriend from leaving the country. Not that that would've mattered seeing as said boyfriend had departed on an earlier flight than planned, so a delay wouldn't have been suspicious at all to unsuspecting Bella.

Her head tilted towards the clock in the kitchen when he asked for the time. She didn't even know now because she'd been so overwhelmed and distracted by his appearence. "Check over there," she said, watching him fiddle with the watch on his wrist. Bella hated wearing watches, and usually used her phone to check the time instead. Watches were handier, yes, but they also got in the way of her wearing bracelets. Besides, she could just ask her always handy beau for the time of day. And taking a nap with him sounded like a pretty good idea, even if she had just gotten up. It was getting late back in London, though it was only late afternoon here. A nap would help the both of them prepare for a possibly awkward first night sharing a bed. "Once we get you somewhat unpacked, I'm sure you'll be wanting one," she playfully said. Cuddling up with him on a couch sounded pretty darn nice though, even if Gemma would insist upon being crammed in between them so she could enjoy the warmth and snuggling, as well.

It looked like she'd be getting plenty of being in his arms now, however, if he kept making her turn as red as a tomato. Bella buried her face more in his shirt, inhaling the familiar cologne she loved. It didn't make her cheeks fade, but it did distract her for a quick moment. "I didn't realize you thought tomatoes were cute!" she giggled. A warm smile graced her lips as she felt his kiss, and it widened when he whispered in French to her. Her eyes slipped closed for a moment and she relaxed against him, enjoying the tender embrace they were locked in. "Toujours et a jamais," she whispered back to him almost silently. Her French had gotten better as their relationship continued, though it was still nowhere near being as good as his. Bella knew it never would be, though she could try her hardest to catch up. She figured his culture was more lost here than it had been in London where he'd had someone there to act all Frenchy with. Here, he had the culturally-confused girl who he just happened to be dating.

Bella's eyes zeroed in on his neck when he began to rub it, and she gently wrapped her arms back around it, her hands moving in soothing circles on his skin. "And on the plane? Did you sleep at all? It wasn't a short flight, I know that much," she said, her fingers continuing. Personally, she hadn't gotten much sleep. It was hard to sleep on an airplane, especially when you knew absolutely nobody else on the entire flight. That alone put you on edge and made all thoughts of sleeping flee from your head. Bella was guessing that was how tonight might end up being. No sleep, only them trying to adjust to sleeping next to each other. It wouldn't be too hard, hopefully. They'd fallen asleep while curled up on a couch, watching some movie or other in their apartments. This wouldn't be too different, right? She had to push the thoughts away as she entered the bedroom and faced the reality that this apartment was really going to be shared now. She also realized that she wouldn't hear the end of it if she said someone else had put the TV in for her. "As long as you don't take it down, you can do whatever you'd like to it," she replied with a small laugh as he looked down at her. Bella liked to listen to the TV while getting ready in the morning, or just as background noise when she came out of the shower. Silence irked her on occasion, and that had increased more in the past month since she was all alone. Gemma was occasionally a guard dog, but she slept like a rock and rarely heard much unless compeltely awake. The slightest bit of sound from the wind had made Bella flinch, so she'd used the TV's sound to keep anything but loud, hopefully imagined, noises from being heard.

The puppy may not have been an amazing watchdog, but she sure could embarrass her owner. Bella quickly scooped up the pile of lace, cloth, and wire and tossed it back inside her closet, closing the door tightly after. She'd thrown some of her clothes on the floor last night when she'd gotten out of the shower, having planned to do a cleaning spree before she went to pick up Marc. Look how well that turned out. She shot a playful glare at him when she heard his words. "She likes to play dress up, especially with things she wishes she could fit into," she smirked back at him, walking over and flopping back on their bed. This little incident probably wouldn't be the last of its kind, despite how much Bella wished it would be. They were sharing a living space, which meant they'd both be seeing more of each other's "personal" things than ever before. Just another thing to get used to. "Your closet's over there, and that wall is yours," she smiled from her perch on the covers. The bed wasn't exactly made neatly, like it would've been if this would've been a normal day. Bella had wanted the place to look spotless when he first saw it, just so she could show off how well she could survive on her own. It was a big step for her, especially since this would be her first real time away from her parents. They were halfway across the world now, so she had to make sure she knew how to survive by herself, even if she knew Marc would be there by her side as soon as he arrived. Everybody needed their independence.

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: 1983!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: "Always and forever" <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc wouldn't know how to describe himself other than with the word 'nerd'. His old professors who had provided him with references in the past had mentioned that he was a very confident young man, but Marc didn't know how that applied. He didn't speak to people that he met on the bus nor did he feel excited when it came to public speaking or presentations. Sure, he didn't mind doing them, but like most people he felt sick to his stomach before they began and sometimes even stuttered when he first started talking. In Marc's opinion if someone was confident then they wouldn't feel like that, nor would they breathe a sigh of relief when it was over. He always imagined someone who oozed confidence to stride into a room and simply get on with it, making eye contact every time and not stammering, wavering or stuttering.
Marc was no actor by far and regardless of who he was with or the situation he was always himself; the typical "what you see is what you get". He didn't wear a facade like so many people today and he didn't pretend to be someone that he wasn't. With Bella, he was a little cuddlier and romantic, but even people who he had only just met, could tell that Bella was his life.

Marc pretended to pout and sulk a little. He knew Bella was busy with her job and making a start on her career and he understood how much work had to go into that. He had spent almost an entire year being a solid nerd, proving just how much he knew and making his first steps into the fast paced industry of computer technology. He had to finalise a job here now, but he already had credentials and resumes that listed a long line of qualifications and achievements, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get settled and to be accepted. When you’re a newcomer it’s hard to be taken seriously, even if you do have the skills and the talents. “You vill ‘ave to find some time avay from vork. No rush though, just expect me to call vhen I get lost!”

[/color] He joked, smirking playfully.
He knew that living together, ironically, would mean that they’d see less of each other, but Marc knew that they’d make the precious time they did share, worthwhile. He’d probably have marking or something to do most evenings, but he’d push it aside for his beloved anytime. It would be weird, being back at college, but in an opposite role. He was eager to share his knowledge with others and he was looking forward to the whole ‘teaching’ thing. He just knew that it would be time consuming and he’d have to do a lot of planning away from the classrooms and the computer labs, but he’d try his best to squeeze it in before Bella got home. That way, he could cook her dinner and spend some time with her before it was time to retire to bed; their bed.

Marc could definitely imagine Kari causing a hold up in the airport. She had threatened it before, but if it had come down to that, he already had hatched a backup plan. He’d board the Eurostar instead, land in France and get a flight from there. If he couldn’t pull the strings himself, his family probably could. They had the means and the connections to get him on a flight if it boiled down to it. Nothing would stop him arriving in New York today and he was like a man on a mission as he made his way to where he knew his beautiful girlfriend would be. If anything tried to stop him, Marc was semi-certain that he’d resort to drastic measures and law breaking actions. He smiled down at Bella and held her closer still. “Not even Kari could stop me coming ‘ome, to you.”[/color] It didn’t matter where they lived on the planet; Marc knew that so long as he was with Bella, anywhere could become his home.

He reluctantly stepped back to check the time and get his numerous clocks sorted. Once he was unpacking, he’d change the time on his laptop and other gizmos and gadgets. He liked to have all his clocks flashing the same time. He got paranoid when one was a few minutes out and then he’d spend ages trying to find a reliable clock in order to certify if he was early or late. If he set them up properly though this time, then he shouldn’t have to change them again for a while. Clocks and time could wait until later though, right now he wanted to spend time with Bella and get settled into their apartment.
Marc wasn’t feeling all that tired right now, but once the excitement had worn off and once he was actually unpacking and moving around with his belongings, exhaustion would probably hit him like a heavy brick and he’d sleep for probably twelve hours or more. “Right now, I just vant to spend time vith you and settle in. Sleep can vait.”[/color] He smiled down at Bella.

A twinkle appeared from his dark eyes and a lopsided grin spread across his lips. The numerous witty remarks that were circulating in his mind were almost too stupid to say, but, being Marc he found one that he deemed suitable. “Ah, but of all the fruit in zee world, zee tomato eez zee perfect addition to any recipe. Zhey are, indeed, my favourite.”[/color] As the French words rolled from her tongue, Marc’s grin turned into a softer smile. He loved it when she spoke his language, even though he never expected her to. He’d love her all the same even if she only ever spoke English. His was improving now, but the French accent lingered all the same; it hadn’t faded in the slightest since his original move from France to London; something he was most happy with. He liked being ‘different’ and he adored his heritage. He could think of no reason to hide it away, shamefully or hope to sound like some of the brassy people who had been on his flight.

His eyes closed as Bella’s delicate hands began to gently rub his aching neck. It felt good and was exactly what he needed after the long day or night or whatever he had had. However, it was probably also the one thing that would send him straight off to sleep if he let her keep at it for too long! It was just so soothing. At the mention of sleeping on the flight, he scoffed and opened his eyes to look down at his beloved. “Bella, flights are not made for tall people. Zee experience vas like zee theatre on our first date all over again!”[/color] He joked. The leg room had been a little more bearable, but it was still difficult for the tall Frenchman to get comfortable amongst the midst of the strangers on the plane. They were filled with mumblings, snoring, complaining and various banter of every other kind. If he hadn’t been preoccupied with excitement and thoughts of being reunited with Bella, then Marc would have been overwhelmed with relief the moment he had stepped off the adjoining steps.
His eyebrows raised in a look of disbelief. After all this time, did Bella not know what Marc was like? The television would be coming down and redone until perfection, but Marc knew better than most men and would simply wait until Bella was out at work or somewhere else before he took the contraption from the wall and fixed it, wiring it safely and correctly. Maybe the person who had installed it had done it well, but Marc felt safer once his own skilled hands had toyed with the device. He’d have the television mounted again before Bella would even notice it had been down.

Marc still couldn’t stop the laughter and every time his eyes fell on the happy puppy, it brought on another bout of hearty laughter that threatened to bring tears to his eyes. He had missed the silly moments Gemma provided them with and despite always having Bijou at home, the way the dogs embarrassed their owners and made him laugh were vastly different. Bijou was usually distracted by things that led to Cyril walking into the objects that she was supposed to protect him from and Gemma…well, what the dog had just done was almost a perfect example of her curiosity and innocent nature. “She gets zee love of dress up, from you. Zhat’s for sure.”[/color] Marc managed to say in between his outbursts of laughter. Anyone overhearing would’ve thought he was a madman!
He finally calmed himself down and looked at where Bella was pointing, nodding in response, too scared to talk in case it brought on the laughter again. He took a deep breath, rubbing his sides as they were aching so much from the laughter. Finally, he dared to speak, fairly confident that he wouldn’t giggle again now. Nevertheless, he kept his eyes away from Gemma, just in case. “I vill go and bring my bags in. Zee quicker I start, the quicker I can relax vith you.”[/color] He said, smiling and kissing Bella softly on the cheek and her lips before leaving the room to retrieve his luggage.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1746
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

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

Arabella and clothes just kind of... went together. She loved to shop, and the fact that her father never stopped her or her sister from their sprees only helped the hobby to grow. It was insane how many pairs of shoes the girl had, and even crazier how many her and Kari had when combined. They both had their different tastes and styles, but some things crossed between and the girls used to share clothes back in London and even in Milwaukee when they'd lived there. Of course, Bella's closet had been decently bigger than Kari's because of the need for costume space, though she rarely brought those home from the theatre. Bella just used it as an excuse to get more room for her endless amount of skirts, jeans, and dresses.

When she'd begun packing for New York, it'd been a difficult decision on what to leave and what to bring. If she'd had it her way, she'd have brought every single piece and just put out of season articles into storage. Her mother had warned her though about the new clothes she'd most likely be eating up once she arrived in New York. Plus, she'd need new things for her job closer to Broadway. She'd need to look more professional and less like the fun loving college kid she'd been in the last year. Growing up was hard to do, especially fashion-wise, but Bella knew she had to if she wanted this whole arrangement in New York to work. She'd need to learn the pains of rent, food bills, and not having a sister to confide in. She'd also have to find a way to cram all of her clothes into one space without too many of the more private things waving in the wind. Back in London, there hadn't been too much fuss if one of the girls found a bra lying around. It was an apartment of two girls, after all. For the past month, Bella also hadn't had to worry about it. Now though... it'd be a lot more than awkward for her. She had tried to keep everything besides her big, expensive outfits tucked up in drawers. Pajamas and whatnot had their space in her vanity, which, hopefully, Marc wouldn't have to go near.

Arabella smiled, shaking her head at him when he started to pout. She wished she could spend the rest of her days frolicking around cities or countries with Marc, and she probably could've if she'd been a typical sit at home and do nothing rich child, but she had a job to work, had people depending on her besides her boyfriend. "I'll get a day off. Eventually," she sighed, cuddling into his chest. "Text me, though. I'll ignore your calls if I'm busy," she smirked at him, pecking his lips again. He was better off sending her a text, though. A lot of times, Clairice screamed when Bella took personal calls while in front of her. Texting worked better because Bella could hide her phone inside her purse or behind a folder. If he really needed her, she would run off to take the call, even if it would cost her her neck. Her boyfriend getting lost in the new city was a little more important that checking the location of Clairice's script every five minutes.

She grinned up at him when he said nothing could stop him from coming to her. "Next time, come when you're supposed to so I can look half decent," she teased back, smirking once again. The tender remark suited her, but she would've liked to have gone through with her plans, as well. She'd had the perfect outfit picked out, and had made arrangements for everything to go smoothly. But, his magically appearing on her doorstop had put a kink in the plans she'd worked so hard over. It wasn't that she minded his surprise at all. Actually, it was the complete opposite. She loved his romantic side, especially since she got to see and experience the best of it. The seemingly endless bouquets, constant new ideas for dates, and beautiful gifts never failed to make her grin, no matter what mood she was in. From her point of view, he was never too over the top. After all, she was an actress. Dramatic anything was her love and passion.

When he stepped back to change his watch, Bella took advantage of the short moment to go throw her flowers in the kitchen. She set them on the counter, planning on diggging up a vase for them later. There had to be one somewhere around here, in some box or other. The question was, what room and what box would such an item be in? She smiled as she came back over to him, "We can spend time sitting and watching a movie. Then I can make you popcorn and say I've cooked for you." Her smile brightened as she finished speaking. Microwave popcorn was one of the very, very few things she had mastered mainly because it was a good "on the go" snack for her. Sometimes, it even had to suffice as a meal when she was running late around lunch or dinner. Throw a bag of popcorn in, feed Gemma, grab the bag, then run back out the door. That had been the course of her evening on more than one occasion.

Bella sighed when he started making cooking references, shaking her head at him with a playful smirk. "So you're saying you like fruit more than me?" she pouted at him cutely. The expression vanished, however, when his smile warmed. She'd been hoping for a reaction similiar to that at her change of language. She herself loved it when he spoke French to her, especially when it was "I love you" or her still existing pet name. The American words were just so... plain compared to those of Marc's native language and Bella had been quite quick to discover that. Another thing she was pretty good at detecting was pain, especially in those who were closer to her, and specifically in Marc. She would be the one to sit and cuddle him when he'd had a hard day at work, or spend a half hour massaging his neck after he'd been bent over hard drives for six or more hours. Those were some of her favorite times with him, though, because they would just sit and talk or joke around, even if both of them were exhausted from their daily tasks. A few precious moments with Marc always seemed to wash away tedious hours spent in lecture halls or auditoriums. She smiled gently as his eyes closed, running her thumbs along his jaw and cheekbones softly. "You need to sit down and relax," she chided with a hint of worry in her voice. "Another reason for you to come take a nap," she laughed when he spoke of the horrid plane ride. Bella knew how hard the flight had been on her, and she hadn't been cramped into a tiny seat.

The moment his eyebrows rose, Bella's own furrowed. "Don't you dare take down my TV!" she threatened, feigning a dark expression. It was one of the only things she really needed to have up in the apartment. He could take down her artwork or pack up her key board, but she wanted her TV. But, knowing him, he would probably find a way to mess with it while she was at work. As long as it was back up by the time she arrived home, she wouldn't need to chase or pester him until it was returned to its place of honor on the wall.

Her cheeks darkened a little as Marc continued to laugh, and she glared at her puppy once again. She smiled at him though, laughing herself a few moments afterwards. "No doubt about that." Gemma was a bit spoiled in the case of clothes. She had her own little wardrobe, but she tended to squirm out of the outfits Bella put together for her. It didn't stop the stubborn young lady from trying again and again. She nodded when he spoke again, kissing him back when he kissed her lips. "I'm going to change quick. Stay out of my closet," she answered, glowering at Gemma when she said "my".

Once he was out of the room, Bella quickly ducked into her closet, closing the door tightly behind herself. It was actually pretty big, for an apartment, at least. Definitely nothing compared to her huge one back in London, but it was better than living out of drawers or suitcases. She pulled out the clothes she had planned on wearing, changing out of her pajamas as fast as she could. Reluctantly, she grabbed the bra Gemma had so kindly borrowed, and slipped into the rest of her clothes. With a content smile, she walked back out into the bedroom, going over to her vanity just as Marc came back in.

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: 1570!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: New outfit hehehe! <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc had never really been into fashion. On his first ever date he had simply worn black trousers and a red shirt left open over a white vest; and that had been the first thing he’d pulled out of his near empty wardrobe when he was fourteen. Not much had changed since then. Marc still favoured plain shirts and a few t-shirts over anything too fancy. He didn’t wear things that were too bright or too flashy. He didn’t like shirts that had a very low neck and he wasn’t a fan of anything too tight either. He kept his fashion style simple and plain; there was nothing that made him stand out in a crowd. When it came to shoes, Marc only owned the necessity; one black dress pair, a pair of black converse, one pair of running shoes and a pair of flip flops-for those trips to the beach. Marc couldn’t understand how Bella managed to own so many clothes and how on earth she even managed to find the space for half of them. His gut told him that the moment all of his things were unpacked and his wardrobe still pretty much bare, Bella would move her overspill into the vacant space.

Maybe it had been the way in which Marc and his siblings had been raised, but the Frenchman had always dressed in the same style. He was always smart, well groomed and without creases on any of his articles of clothing. His mother had been very pernickety about that sort of thing. When he was a teenager he dressed a little older than most of his classmates and friends, but Marc had snuck one or two sci-fi shirts and video game tops into his wardrobe. He usually wore them beneath unbuttoned shirts during school, quickly fastening them up again once he was on his way home, worried about his mother panicking about the effect the small pixelated characters on the screens were having on her son.
That was probably why this particular Delabarre had always been taken seriously in college and in job interviews; looking and acting the part was elemental to actually making it in the world. Luckily, he was used to being independent and New York may have been a new city and a new home for him, but almost everywhere was the same when it came to surviving and Marc was already prepared, trained and willing to give this his best shot. The only thing that would be different this time would be the fact that he was sharing all of this with his girlfriend, who, obviously, was a girl. Even back home, he’d never had to share anything with Celeste and Daphne was the kind of girl who kept her bedroom and personal space off limits. Sure, Marc knew that Bella would have girly things with her and he wouldn’t be surprised if more ‘intimate’ items came to the surface when laundry day came around or when they stumbled accidently across each other during the morning routines. It would take a bit of time before both of them settled down and became familiar with the bits and bobs that the other carried in their pockets and drawers.

Soon, Marc would be at work too and then life would fall into a simplistic routine that would be broken with his usual surprises for Bella and the dates that he would drag her on whenever they got a chance to. He knew that moving in together could lead to the relationship becoming stale and the spark between the two simply fading into nothing more than a static shock. Marc knew that it would be hard to begin with, but until they had found their feet in the chaotic city, they would have to try and make this work as best as they could, then the pieces would fall into place and the happily ever after would be only a hop, skip and a jump away! “And vhen you do, I am goin’ to treat you to zee best day of your life, Ma Cherie. Ve vill ‘ave a picnic in zee park, ‘ave dinner in zee nicest restaurant I can find and zhen ve vill dance under zee stars until zee sun comes up.”

[/color] He playfully twirled Bella around and dipped her romantically, a huge grin on his face.
He nodded, acknowledging what Bella said. He understood that work was one of her priorities now and that it wasn’t like he could just swing by like he had done when she was in college to pick her up for a long lunch. Granted, his job would prevent him from doing that anyway!

Innocently, Marc’s eyes roved up and down Bella’s body. “You already look better zhan ‘alf decent. You look perfect.”[/color] He liked the fact that he had caught Bella so off guard. It was nice to see her when she was still dishevelled and unprepared for the day. In his eyes, she always looked beautiful, no matter what she was doing or wearing, but today, she looked extra nice, mainly because Marc enjoyed how casual she looked; like the ‘raw’ Bella. He understood that girls liked to make themselves up and play with powdery make up and hot electrical objects that looked very much like torturing devices to him. However, he liked it just a little bit more when they were bare from the additional substances and their hair lacked the volume they worked so hard to achieve. It was like a rare bird sighting and he adored every moment of it. Seeing Bella like this more often was going to be one of the highlights of living with her.

A small smile graced his face when Bella suggested the plans for the day. It had felt like forever since they had lounged around watching movies and eating junk food. The simplicity of the day’s plan seemed more than perfect and Marc nodded before slowly placing his hands gently on her hips and opening his mouth to respond. “Zhat sounds vonderful. ‘Owever, I still insist on cooking dinner at some point zhis evening. I vill need to run to a store before we settle vith a good movie.”[/color] Cooking for Bella was one of the things that he enjoyed most in life. He loved cooking in general, but cooking for her in particular made the whole hobby even more enjoyable.

He put on an ‘all knowing’ expression and looked down at Bella with warm, chocolate eyes. “Vell, fruit eez probably healthier for me zhan you are.”[/color] He tapped the end of her nose playfully, “But, you vill alvays be my favourite out of everything.”[/color] Possibly even computers. It would seriously depend on what was happening in life, but his love was held solely in his two biggest passions; computers and Bella. It was a rather odd combination, but all the same, it pretty much summed up Marc to a complete stranger; a computer nerd to the core and a hopeless romantic who aspires to be the real life incarnation of prince charming.
He didn’t think that prince charming was ever forced into taking naps though. He rolled his eyes playfully and then flashed Bella a warm, reassuring smile. “I ‘ave my whole life to relax and I probably vill later. Right now, I vant to unpack and simply ‘ang out vith my amazing and gorgeous girlfriend.”[/color] He told her, hoping to make her blush again so that she’d try to avoid the subject of naps.

Stealthily, Marc crossed his fingers behind his back and feigned innocence a little too well. Maybe all the time he was spending with the young actress was improving his own abilities in the area. Usually he’d end up stammering and begging to play with the TV as he was physically unable to lie, but it this little move had come too naturally for him and it had to be thanks to watching and helping Bella with her performances from time to time. He wasn’t a liar though, not by a long shot and he doubted that any harm could come from him reinstalling the TV with a few new wires and adapters added to improve the quality of the electronic device. Bella probably wouldn’t even notice it. “Zee thought never even crossed my mind, Ma Cherie.”[/color]

Back in the main apartment, Marc’s hand gripped his luggage and his eyes panned around the new apartment. There would be a lot of work and changes put into this space over the following weeks for them to make it more homely and more importantly, ’theirs’. He wanted bits of his life on the shelves and bits of Bella’s life next to them. A few photographs were carefully wrapped and hidden somewhere in the boxed fort that he was stepping around, as well as many over little trinkets that he’d wrapped and packed with Bella’s things to make the shipping process easier and done in one swift movement, rather than two separate loads. For a guy who didn’t like shopping all that much, he was scarily looking forward to taking Bella out to buy new things for their apartment.
He wheeled his bags into the bedroom and noticed that Bella had changed and was at her vanity. “Still beautiful.”[/color] Marc said simply, hauling his biggest case onto the bed and unzipping it, wondering where to begin.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1644
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

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

Arabella tried not to care too much about what she ate. She liked to pig out on raw cookie dough at midnight, or snack on popcorn as she worked. But, of course, this only happened when she wasn't dieting like crazy to fit into one costume or another. She hated doing that for more reasons than one. Obviously, it limited what she could and could not eat. More importantly though, it was a low blow to her self confidence level. Every time she was told she was "too big" to fit into an unchangeable costume, it was like an entire cast of people telling her she was fat. Not exactly what a girl wanted to hear. It made the actual dieting that much harder, especially when she had certain people trying to tempt her with everything under the sun. Like her boyfriend. Bella loved that he was concerned about her constantly varying eating habits, but it was part of her job to fit into costumes. There wasn't much she could do about it. Well, not until she was famous and could be the one telling people what to do. After the show, though, she'd eat whatever the heck he put in front of her. She was back to her "normal" weight within about a month, with help from her friends and Marc.

With the job she had taken on, it meant no more dieting for awhile, not until she actually nailed another audition and was back to the rollercoaster ride the stage presented. But, that was probably a good thing. She already had a hard enough time remembering to eat, or actually eating something that wasn't ninety percent sugar. That was as bad as not eating. She couldn't gain too much weight, especially with her body being used to losing and gaining it so much. It wouldn't take much to put on a little extra fat. She'd already put on a couple pounds from stress and from what she was actually eating. With Marc here, though, hopefully that would be changing. She'd be back to having a somewhat stable diet that consisted of more than coffee and Starbucks muffins.

Bella needed that stable routine back in her life again. She'd been all willy nilly the past month, trying to unpack things, work her new job, and talk to people back home all at the same time. She also hadn't taken a real break since stumbling off the plane, and it was starting to show on her tired features. In London, she'd been used to being spoiled on weekends when Marc didn't have to work, taking little day trips around the town and relaxing with one of her favorite people. But, that hadn't happened since she'd left. She'd gotten glimpses of tourist attractions when she drove past them, but she hadn't physically gone into a lot of them. Clairice was a very demanding boss, but an excellent teacher, and one Bella couldn't be away from. She was learning a lot while making a decent pay, both of which were quite useful until she was finally rewarded for her endless hours of studying and numerous daily coffee runs.

"I already had the best day of my life when you said you'd move here," she smiled warmly back up at him, laughing and pecking his lips while he dipped her. Bella nuzzled his cheek softly before planting a soft kiss on it and standing up. "But, a break sounds wonderful. One where we're not unpacking things." The next couple days she did get off would probably be spent in unpacking or buying things for the apartment, which wouldn't be too horrid as long as Marc was with her. The two of them in a department store would be quite interesting, anyways, even if it wasn't a romantic picnic in the park.

Bella's eyes rolled playfully when he said she did look better than half decent. Really, she looked like a college kid who had finally woken up from one of their coma-like sleeps. "I look like a sleepy slob," she replied with a laugh, shaking her head. Costumes and make up were her thing, and she felt a little naked without at least some eyeliner on. Of course, she hated been stuffed in to certain costumes, but she did like to have one of her classy outfits on, especially around Marc. Bella liked to look nice for him, especially when she hadn't seen him in half of forever.

She leaned against him again when his hands found their way to her hips. It felt nice to be cuddled like this again. Bella rested her head on his chest, laughing softly when he persisted in trying to cook for her again. "We can go shopping later, then. Even though I'd be fine with ordering a pizza," she smiled sweetly up at him, kissing his chin. Really, she wouldn't have minded some take out again, even if she'd eaten at almost every place in New York in the past four weeks. On the other hand, Marc's cooking was amazing. Bella felt a little seflish for letting him cook on his first night here. She'd missed his cooking, yes, but she could wait another day until he hadn't just gotten off a tiresome plane ride and didn't have hours of unpacking to look forward to. Plus, a pizza sounded good. She'd had Chinese and salads lately, no pizza.

Or, she could eat some fruit just to tease him more about it. That sounded good. Not that she had any of it in the apartment... Bella's smile warmed as he spoke and she touched her lips to his gently. Her nose crinkled a little as his finger tapped it. "I'm so glad I'm liked better than fruit," she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Mm, I love you." Her voice was a soft whisper now, and her lips hovered above his as the words fell from her lips.

"Now you're fishing, babe," she smirked at him as he tried to weasle his way out of a nap. The New York pet name came to her lips a lot faster than the London 'love'. The city really was having its effect upon her, especially with all the American slang at its fullest. It was bringing up her roots again, and quickly at that. The fast food, less than perfect dialect, and quirky fashion tastes were taking over some of the classified ways London had given her.

It looked like she wasn't the only one who was changing in little ways, however. Bella caught sight of him moving his hand behind him and one of her eyebrows rose at his expression. "You are quite horrible at lying, Mr. Delabarre, I hope you know that," she said, laughing. Lying was her specialty, naturally, as an actress. Bella wouldn't dream of using that against Marc, though. She couldn't stand the thought of secrets between them, not even small ones. Their relationship was too perfect to be messed up by a silly lie.

Bella's hand carefully brushed her light makeup on. She wouldn't go all out today, knowing that Marc wasn't a fan of when she looked like a darker haired version of Barbie. So, she threw on some brown eyeliner and a bit of mascara, finishing off with a light shade of lip gloss. When he came back in, she couldn't help smiling in thanks. She tucked her things back in their drawers, going to flop down on their bed next to his suitcase. "Am I helping you or lounging while you unpack?" she grinned up at him, kicking her legs back and forth aimlessly. Gemma hopped up on the bed with her, sitting on the small of her back and staring interestedly at Marc's bag. If Bella and Marc didn't watch her, the puppy would be buried in the contents and have disappeared.

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: 1400!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: Sorry that took so long :) <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Marc loved his food. He could happily spend hours in the kitchen preparing and cooking a delectable meal that consisted of three courses. When he was away from computers, cooking was his second passion. He loved playing with flavours and trying new recipes. It was more a nightmare for Bella though if she was on one of her Marc-frowning diets, to have to come home to an excited Frenchman trying to force a wooden spoon into her mouth to get her opinion on whatever concoction he was stirring up in the kitchen.
He enjoyed junk food too and Marc had a fantastic habit of being one of those people with a fast metabolism, so he could have days where he could snack away without needing to worry about his trousers the next morning and whether they would fasten. His biggest weakness was vanilla ice cream and crunchy sprinkles.

Marc knew only too well about his girlfriend’s eating habits and the sight of the refrigerator upon his arrival only provided proof about that. However, he knew that things would probably change now that they were living together. Back in London, Marc cooked dinner for himself and Cyril every night and never got bored of it and that was a ritual that came with him into this New York apartment. Even if Bella protested, he’d put a plate in front of her and if she tried to much on a cookie or something whilst he was preparing dinner, he’d shoo her from the kitchen, speaking in French about how she’d spoil her appetite.
He believed very strongly in eating three good meals a day, even if the breakfast was just some toast or a bagel. When he came across it during his unpacking, Marc would place his French flag apron in the kitchen, so he could throw it on at any time and then start cooking away to surprise Bella with a romantic candle lit dinner when she returned from her long days at work.

Luckily, his new job was fairly routine and he knew that the majority of the time, he’d be home by five and even earlier than that on some days. So he had plenty of time to clean the apartment if they’d left it messy, run Gemma out to the park for a quick walk and prepare dinner without feeling too much of a strain on his life.
He was never the most organised of people, but Marc did enjoy being in a routine for the day ahead and in his opinion, it was better than being out of sync and rushing everywhere. He’d need a week or two to develop a new routine once his job begun in a little over a week’s time, but he was confident that it’d be pretty similar to the one he had back in London, before the sudden, romantic fuelled decision to pick his life up and move it across the miles to New York.

Marc pulled a face of almost disbelief and he slinked his arms around Bella’s waist, kissing her lips delicately before dramatically tipping her backwards over his arm. “I am sure ve can do better zhan zhat though, now zhat I am ‘ere.”

[/color] He said, the romantic cogs in his brain already turning and generating numerous ideas for the perfect day. He’d wait until everything was settled and their lives less chaotic first though. The next month would probably be a whirlwind of directions, unpacking and basically finding their feet in the large, busy city that was so different to both Arles and London. Marc enjoyed the change though and was excited for the challenge of finding his place in the ‘big apple’.

He shrugged and acted like everything was normal. He’d be seeing Bella in this state a lot more now that they lived in the same apartment, so it was really something that they’d both have to get used to. Marc found it easy and honestly did think that Bella was adorable in the sleepwear of her choice. “I ‘appen to be attracted to sleepy slobs.”[/color] He said, acting like it was common knowledge, but with a playful spark in his eyes. “And I vould still love you, Ma Cherie, even eef you vere vearing a garbage bag.”[/color]

He furrowed his eyebrows together before quirking one, looking down at Bella with mischief in his dark eyes. “I am sure you vouldn’t mind ordering a pizza. Zhat vould make it ‘ow many since you came ‘ere?”[/color] He said playfully. Nothing would stop him from cooking tonight. It had felt like forever since he had been able to treat Bella to a homemade meal from his kitchen and now it was the one thing he wanted to do more than anything…as well as unpack, see the city and make the apartment a true home for them both. Okay, so the Frenchman was a little giddy, but it was to be expected considering he’d spend the last few weeks packing up his life in London and had been forced to watch Cyril and Reggie begin their life together too. It was hard, knowing that Bella was so far away that he couldn’t just pick up the phone whenever he wanted to because of the time zones or appear magically at her door with flowers and tickets for the theatre.

Marc chuckled and hugged his girlfriend close. “You are liked much more zhan fruit. Even eef you are not as ‘ealthy as eet eez for me.” [/color] He rubbed his nose against Bella’s playfully and kissed her softly again, his lips barely brushing hers before he spoke once more. “I love you too.”[/color]

He shrugged his broad shoulders and smiled sweetly down at Bella, his eyes twinkling lovingly. “Ah, I reeled you in pretty vell. I can do zee same zhis time.”[/color] He mimed fishing, tossing out the line and then struggling with a big catch before reeling it in. He was enjoying the freedom that he had to move now without being cramped on a small plane or the back of a yellow cab.

“Some of us are not lucky enough to be professional liars.”[/color] He teased, implying Bella’s chosen career as an actress. He trusted her never to lie to him and so far, everything had followed that suit, which he was more than grateful for, but it was worrying that Bella could lie so easily. What if one day she did lie to Marc and he couldn’t tell? He hoped it would never happen, but who could guarantee the future but fate herself?

Marc began to lift the clothes from the case, opening the closet and the drawers before dividing up the items into categories and sliding them into the correct place of his choice. He smiled at Bella and then chuckled at the dog perched on her back, watching as her brown eyes stared into the open case of clothes. “You can lounge if you like, Ma Cherie. I do not ‘ave as many clothes as you.”[/color] He pulled a cheeky smile at her and continued to fold, hang and tuck his clothes into their new homes.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1252
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! <3 <3 <3
[/size]

[Arabella Marie Curtis]

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

Bella often played the part of a princess on stage. She got the whole cake then, especially if she just happened to be in a Disney production. Terrible background story, some exciting trial with a villain of sorts, and then she got rescued by a handsome, dashing Prince Charming. Those were some of the rolls she actually liked best, only because she could compare them to her own life and make even the gloomiest of days seem brighter. Marc was her daring Prince, with his curly brown hair and winning smile. She was Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, awaiting the day he finally came galloping into her dreary life, like what had just happened today. It was a pleasant story in her head, though she figured everyone else on the planet would think it silly if they ever found out. She was a bit naive when it came to her dreams, however, and most of that came from acting roles in better than life worlds.

Bella often caught herself having mindless, romantic daydreams, especially as of late. She'd envision a happy future with Marc, maybe some ten years down the road. Their wedding, their first baby, the trials of raising a family. It all seemed so real sometimes that when she woke up, she expected to see Marc right there next to her, smiling and playing with her hair while he waited for her to wake up. Can you imagine her disappoint when she discovered that wasn't the case? All she had was a snoring puppy and the crazy sounds of a typical midnight in the city that never slept. It made the 'predictions' look even more idealistic, and Bella had found herself wishing they were already true. She wanted the first couple months to be over with, the awkwardness vanished into thin air. She wanted a nice routine down, one that included her and her boyfriend cuddling together every night and talking about how both of their very different days had gone. She wanted to renew her relationship with Marc and spark back up that flame that hadn't been able to truly burn while she was so far away from him.

Bella didn't want to lose him, not even a little bit. He was the one person who could shatter her, who could ruin her completely. And, the being apart had made her a little more than paranoid that something, or rather someone, could begin driving a wedge between the happy turtle doves. Everything had been too perfect as of late, if you asked her. She was just waiting for that one even to go wrong, for one bag or another that was actually important to be lost in the sea of luggage on the ride over here. Or, worse, for Marc to start falling for one of his new students over at the college. That alone made Bella more nervous than all the gorgeous super models that practically scoured New York for guys like hers. Bella herself was just out of college, not much older than anyone who he'd be teaching. There was a chance, a magnified one in her eyes, that Marc's heart could change from loving her to another young woman, maybe one who was a lot smarter or prettier than Bella. She didn't like the jealousy mainly because she'd gotten enough of it in high school and the beginnings of college. Plus, she'd seen it ruin seemingly perfect relationships. The thought of that happening to her and Marc was too horrible to bear. Bella needed her techy geek to come cry to after failing at an audition, or to snuggle with when she'd had a hard day. He had a habit of cooling even her hottest moods, and she didn't know what she'd do without him there to help pull her out of a rage. Call it an actress thing, but Bella could pitch a pretty mean fit when she pleased, and, unless the right person was there to calm her back down, things usually tended to veer out of hand.

Just another reason she'd been ecstatic when he'd said he would move out to New York with her. It had been one of the happiest moments of her life, mainly because the outcome had been the complete opposite of what she'd expected. Bella had figured Marc would want to stay with Cyril, and closer to his home though he wasn't too near it. She didn't think he'd give it all up, basically his entire life, for her. It had overjoyed her to hear him say yes, and it wouldn't be too easy to top, not even for him. "You'll have a hard time of it, even if this was pretty high up on the list as well," she smiled up at him, resting her hands on his chest and brushing her lips back gently against his. She gasped slightly when he bent her backwards, narrowly keeping her balance as she clung to him and laughed. "You're gonna break me!" she whined playfully, kissing him again and grinning wider when he shrugged. Bella loved that about him. He didn't expect her to be dressed up like a fashion model every time he saw her, though she quite preferred it to her pajama's and bed head. She rose an eyebrow at him, smirking and teasing, "Is that something you're saying you'd want to see?"

Bella bit her lip, buttoning a button on his shirt so she had an excuse not to meet his eyes. She knew she'd be getting in trouble for all the fast food, and part of her had revelled in the fact that she could eat it without Marc there snatching it away from her as soon as he saw her. But, now that he was here, she figured it'd be awhile before she visited another trendy cafe or McDonald's. "I've only had pizza a couple times!" Bella laughed, reaching up to kiss his chin. "I feel bad for letting you start slaving away for me the mere second you arrive," she sighed jokingly as she beamed up at him. Bella was quite excited to get to enjoy a real meal, though, even if she was frowning upon the idea of Marc cooking for her already.

She relaxed into his cozy arms, resting her head just under his chin. "I should hope I am. Computer are the only thing allowed to rule me out," she teased softly with a tiny smirk. The feeling of his nose nuzzling hers made her eyes close, and her smile warmed as his lips met hers yet again. Bella's heart did a little flip as her four favorite words left his lips and she smiled wider. His returning smile made hers grow even more, and his joke produced a giggle as she nestled back into his arms after being 'caught'. "Quite the outdoorsman for a city boy," she teased in return, brushing a stray curl out of his face and smiling up at him, her face practically glowing with how happy she was to be back in his arms once more. "Some of us are lucky enough to have girlfriends who they should pick up a thing or two up," she argued playfully, pinching his cheek very lightly as her smile returned once more.

Bella simply watched as he went to put his clothes away, and she stuck her tongue out at him when he spoke. "There'll be more soon. And, besides, we can go shopping for you, too," she teased, reaching back to pull Gemma around in front of her. The puppy flipped over onto her back, lying belly-up in front of Bella and giving her a 'look' that clearly implied she wanted her tummy rubbed. Bella laughed softly, scratching her darling's stomach. "Is your other case full of clothes, too? I'll go grab it," she offered, smiling brightly back up at 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: Her Personal Cook (And Boyfriend) <3
LOCATION: Their Apartment :D
WORDS: 1400!
MUSIC: "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
OUTFIT: hurr!
NOTES: Phew. Finally. <3

[Marc Dominique Delabarre]

Whilst Marc was of no royal heritage whatsoever, he could easily pull of the role of the dashing Prince at a moment’s notice and when around Bella, that was often what he did. The chivalry that was fading fast from society lived on in him and even the little things; like holding the door, or pulling her chair out, made Marc a happier man. He adored treating Bella like the princess he often saw when she was on the stage; the perfect role for his perfect girl. He was used to family and friends mocking him for his romantic ideals and his high hopes for his own love life, but ever since he met Bella, it was almost as if those dreams that were once laughed at were slowly starting to come true, blossoming right before his chocolate brown eyes. Right now, life had never looked better for him and knowing that this was the next chapter, the next adventure, for him and Bella…well, he’d been unable to hide the sappy, love up grin from his face for weeks now.

The last few months had been trying. Marc was excited about making the move to New York and embarking on the next part of his life with her by his side, but the transition between her leaving and Marc following was almost torture. Every time he sat down with nothing to do, his mind wandered to idealistic dreams of what life could be like once he crossed the Atlantic. He could imagine taking walks with Bella and then, when she wasn’t busy with work, whisking her off somewhere for a romantic weekend away. Every possibility swept through his mind, from waking up next to her in the morning, dashing around each other as they prepared breakfast and raced off to work, and then coming home to cuddle her in his arms after a long a gruelling day in the real world. There would be a necessary adjustment period, of course, for them both, as they stumbled through each other’s home lives, walking into the bathroom during showers, finding the more intimate belongings during the laundry sessions and finally picking up on those pet peeves or niggling habits; like snoring, biting of nails, wheezing, sleep talking…it would become another part of their adventure together.

Things had been perfect for the couple, and usually, by this point, something happened to rip them apart or to shatter the rose tinted glasses that clouded their vision of reality. Marc was thankful that nothing of the sort had happened thus far. If some dreamy hunk of an actor had swept in before he had arrived and stole his Bella from him, the Frenchman honestly didn’t know what he’d do. Hew York was full of beautiful people who could offer so much more than he could. A famous actor with a jaw chiselled by Michelangelo himself just had to be more appealing to a girl like Bella than his dark, wayward curls and uncontrollable need to geek out at the slightest opportunity.
It was the one thing that he loved and hated about himself. Hand him a computer or any piece of technology and he was content for hours, but at the same time, that obsession and passion had chased away many people before who thought he was too ignorant to appreciate them being in his life. So far, Bella hadn’t minded his need to repair, upgrade and examine every piece of electronic equipment that his fingers would land on, but they hadn’t been living together before and Marc had worried that the geeky novelty would wear off fast and he’d be left alone and in such a large, strange city.

He grinned, beaming down at the girl in his arms. “Challenge accepted.”

[/color] There were so many romantic tricks up his sleeve, all of which he was dying to try out on Bella, but his logic kept reminding him to be patient, to save the best for the times that needed them the most; the hard days, the bad nights, the tiring weeks. Whenever Bella felt down, or exhausted, he wanted to be the one to pick her up and make her smile again.
Marc smirked, meeting Bella’s eyes and touching his nose to hers. “Maybe eet eez.”[/color] He whispered, running his hand down her arm, his fingers lightly brushing her skin.

Marc noticed her attempt to avoid him. He had to smile at it. She was adorable, and he wasn’t really angry at the fast food that stocked the fridge, but he didn’t want Bella falling into unhealthy habits that would make her ill or worse. Pizza, Chinese and burgers weren’t that bad every once in a while and Marc wondered if he could get her to compromise with a fast food night each week. Whilst he loved cooking, Marc’s workload would increase tenfold once the semester started up again and he would soon find himself wanting to indulge in the occasional container meal. “I am ‘ardly slaving away for you, Ma Cherie. Eet eez something zhat I enjoy doing.”[/color] He reminded her with a nonchalant shrug.

He smiled, holding her close, but remaining silent. Computers and Bella would leave him a happy man for a very long time if life could be so simple. He laughed, pulling her closer to his chest and wrapping his arms around her; now that he had ‘caught’ her, he wasn’t going to let her go. “Arles eez on zee coast of France. Vhenever my family could drag me avay from zee computer and zhier own busy lives, we often fished on my grandfather’s boat.”[/color] He confessed to her, remembering his childhood memories fondly. “Eet ‘as been years since zhat, though.”[/color]

He laughed softly. Surely she had no room for more clothes! He would never understand the need for new outfits, but he could do with picking up a few new shirts before college started back up again and he had to start dealing with the stress of the exams that would approach faster than anyone cared for. Marc looked up, his eyes falling on Bella as she asked her question. “Uh, no. Eet eez just all of my gadgets and gizmos.”[/color] They’d find their homes soon enough once Marc was more aware of the layout of the apartment and the best places to put them.
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• • •

TAGGED! Bella, AKA, Marc’s gal <3
WORDS! 1113
OUTFIT! This number
LYRICS! Wherever You Will Go - - - The Calling
NOTES! Finally! <3 <3 <3