Time after Time IC

[angrydurf]

It had been a rough month, from the revelation of Zoes parentage to the inevitable aftermath and the recovery from mistakes made there-in. The whole thing had been a mess though Mike was infinately glad no permanent harm had been done. Granted the administration hadn't been to happy about the path of casual if minor destruction he had left on his way to the quad. His friendship with Mark had been repaired and it seemed that Erin had known from the begining how he felt for Alex and was truely ok with how things had worked out. Mark and Alex it seemed even had managed to end things cordially despite the unpleasantness that predicated the breakup.

Though of course that left Alex and his relationship somewhat ambiguous. Of course they both knew they had feelings for eachother but they hadn't really changed anything. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was on his shoulders to move things forward, which was a good thing becasue Mike was no genius. He was however claver and knew Alex better than just about anyone. So he came up with a plan. Maybe an overly ambitious plan, but it was a teens perogative overdo it.

He started simply enough with a single day lily and a clue, a faded picture of his back yard with her directing him to stack the blocks higher from when they were toddlers was left on her pillow after her morning shower.

[alderwitch]

Alex floated up to her bed to examine the picture and flower, a smile tugging at her lips. She picked up the picture first, her fingertips smoothing the faded edges fondly. Alex could recall the day with perfect clarity, from the scuffed toes of her white and pink sneakers to the slightly lopsided bangs from Mike's most recent home hair cut.

The picture had captured them both perfectly. Alex's baby rounded face had been utterly serious as she studiously handed the blocks up. Mike merely looked fondly indulgent as he'd floated up to construct it ever taller.

Alex's fingertips brushed the picture once more before she picked up the flower and twirled it. Pulling the clip out of her hair, Alex tucked the lily behind one ear. The faded picture went carefully between the pages of one book.

Humming contentedly, Alex slipped her backpack over one shoulder and went out to greet the day.

[angrydurf]

Most of the mornining proceded as usual. Mike was glad to see her with the flower later crossing the quad and he hurried to prepare his next surprise. He carefully tucked the presses buttercup betwixt thier first and perhaps worst attempt at her helping him with homework. The delicate script of the alphabet no match for his own cookedly scrawled name at the top. He slid the entire packet carefully into the textbook for Dark Stars class he shared with Alex. Taking her books as they headed to class he was carefull to return the book with her next surprise rather than Alexes own before begging off, "I'll see you after class, I got a meeting with Marquez." He lied poorly before hurrying off in preperation of his next planned surprise.

[alderwitch]

Alex blinked as he hustled off, a faint frown on her face as she juggled her books. Mike was almost never deceptive about his motives and she could see the awkwardness in his face and posture that clearly denoted the lie. Of course, Mike's white lies were always benevoloent. It was possible he was merely a little shy about the earlier flower...

As her thoughts trailed off that way, Alex realized she was holding Mike's book rather than her own. Her books were always a little less ragged around the edges than the ones that Mike tossed around. Also, there was something stuck between the pages. Stopping by the stairwell, Alex set her books down and flipped the pages open until she came accross the little surprise at the center. If he was asking for help with his home work, it was certainly a sweet way to go about it. Somehow, Alex thought that there was more to this than that.

She smiled all the way to her next class.

[angrydurf]

Erin had been non-plused about Mikes sudden arrival at her and Alexs door but had let him play his parcel on Alexs bed with a shake of her head. He carefully laid the newspaper clipping, one of the few articals regarding the incident that ever made it to print, on the bed along with a small bundle of daiseys. He thanked Erin somewhat embarassed and left the room to prepare the next in his series.

He carefully spent the remainder ofhis time until lunch crafting a small oragami box out of copies of thier intake papers from the institute. It was somewhat crumpled but he managed to mostly center the smiley face she had scrawled across his in an effort ot cheer him. He carefully tucked a single pink zinnia blosom inside and held it gently in hand as he crossed to the cafeteria to await Alexs arrival.

[alderwitch]

Halfway expecting the little bundle of flowers this time, Alex collected the flowers from her pillow and tucked them into a cup on her desk. She tucked the newspaper clipping with the photo and homework safely out of the way.

Once it was clear Erin wouldn't be showing up for lunch, Alex jogged down the stairs to catch up with Mike. The sparkle of her powers flared occassionally as she took the steps two at a time.

[angrydurf]

When Alex arrived at the cafeteria Mike was already seated and chewing nervously on a lighter than usual meal. He smiled as she set her tray down and seated herself. This was one of the trikier hand offs he had planned, well perhaps planned was too strong a word. He wasn't sure if she would ask what it was all about or what to say if she did but it was too late to back off from the face to face hand off now.

He gently pushed the slightly crumpled box across the table with a smile, "You look nice today." he said with a slight coloring of his cheeks.

[alderwitch]

"Thank you," Alex said with a sweet smile as she accepted both the compliment and the box. She touched the faded marker on the top of the box, somewhat surprised on everything he had saved.

Not only was Alex patient enough to let Mike get to things in his own time, there was a small part of her that wasn't going to make this any easier for him. She was only human after all.

She lifted the box lid gently before lifting out the flower inside. Alex turned to him expectantly and held the flower out and asked him a question she rarely bothered with, "Will it look silly if I put it in my hair too?"

[angrydurf]

Mike smiled and gently took the flower from her threading it delicately through a button hole on her shirt. "There," He said with a satisfied smile, "You could be Fluer de Joie's sidekick." He said with a wink. Spending time with Mark had at the least kept Mike better apraised fo assorted supers and their powers.

He wa quiet through most of the rest of lunch, answering questions monosylabically but in a friendly tone. He was trying hard not to give away the 'surprise' this was all leading to. As they finished eating he gave her a quick hug, "I have extended sessions with Archer this afternoon." He said with a grimace, his little display in the quad hadn't been completely without repercusions fromt eh powers that be after all. "But I'll see you for dinner k?"

[alderwitch]

Alex blushed at him as he tucked the flower into her shirt before giving him a beaming smile, "Okay, I'll meet you for dinner then. It'll give me a chance to get some homework done."

Probably an even mix of homework and daydreaming truth be told. Alex flashed a quick smile at him and then scampered off. Her usual schedule had her attending language lab before heading out to the tree on the quad to do homework.

[angrydurf]

Mike did have extra sessions with Archer this afternoon, but that wasn't going to tie up his whole afternoon he ahd a few more things to take care of first. Thanks to his superhuman speed he was easily able to beat Alex to her language lab and leave the next present. He set a small wreath of violets, these he had had to purchase of course, on her desk embracing a small felt box with assorted knicknacks of their favorite childhood games. He nearly ran into her on his way out but was able to duck around the corner before she noticed he hoped. Not that who it was from wasn't obvious at this point but there was a certain pricipal to be maintained.

[alderwitch]

Alex shielded her face with her hands as a gust of wind blew by. One hand covered the lily tucked behind her ear protectivelly. Figuring that it was a speedster running late, Alex shrugged and slipped into her room.

She pulled the flower from her shirt to tuck it in with the daisys on her desk before noticing the small box.

Alex looked through the contents, pulling out a worn pair of dice and a half melted stub of a crayon. To anyone else they'd look like a collection of childish junk but each toy had a hundred fond afternoon memories. Mike had always patiently listened to her reader's digest of the rules for any new game.

Alex fingered the worn metal top hat (hers) and little dog (his) that had been pushed around a monopoly board who knows how many times.

Carefully, Alex replaced the lid on the box of memories. She sniffled once or twice as she collected her homework before scrubbing one sleeve across her eyes to brush away any sentimental tears before she headed down to the quad.

[angrydurf]

Mike had left her another surprise under the tree, a set of fragrant orange blossoms next to a framed copy of the picture her mother had taken of them infront of the entrance to the school on their first visit. After leaving that he had to hurry to prepare the remainder of the evening. But between flying and superhuman speed he was able to get everything in place, if barely.

When Alex returned to her room there was a single red tulip and a note pinned to the door, the note said simply 'lets skip the caffeteria tonight. If you would do me the honor of joining me, I hope you remember the place.' He had quite purposefully left out one of thier more signifigant childhood memories he could only hope she had caught the hint.

[alderwitch]

Alex pulled the tulip and note from her door, stuffing the latter in her pocket. The riddle was a simple one. Of all the memories Mike had picked today, he'd left out her stubborn insistance on learning how to fly. It wasn't something they could have done in the backyard, of course. The government would have had a fit, to say nothing of Alex's mother. Instead they'd snuck off to part of the forest with an unusual amount of rebellion for them. Which meant there was only one place Mike could be.

She jogged down the steps to the quad before taking off in a shower of sparkling energy. Flying always put a smile on Alex's face. Today, however, Alex was beaming brighter than the setting sun as she zipped through Freedom City's sky and down to Wharton Forest.

[angrydurf]

Mike had finished his preparations mere moments after arriving thanks to his terminus enegy enhanced speed. Atop the knoll overlooking the city and the sea where Alex had taken her first stumbling steps into the air he had set up a picinic dinner. The bright plaid blanket easily seen from the sky had a partially unpacked dinner set out slowly cooling in the autum air. His speed however left him far more time to worry that Alex may not come then really he should have had and the relief was plain on his face as she came in to land.

Perhaps even more shocking than the rather elaborate spread was mike himself. Gone were the baggy jeans and worn t-shirt of earlier that day replaced by crisp pressed slacks and a deep blue fitted turtleneck sweater. His had gotten his hair cropped into a tidy spit curl that afternoon and looked everybit the boyscout as he extended the small boquet of flowers, all the ones he had given her earlier plus red roses. "I'm glad you could make it." He said with a nervous smile.

[alderwitch]

"Of course I made it. There's no place I'd rather be, silly." Alex landed in front of him with a good deal more grace than her first attempts in this clearing. She looked up at him with shining eyes as she accepted the boquet.

"There's a flower for just about every color," She enthused with what was one of her highest compliments. Alex always thought things lacked enough color. She glanced up from the flowers, her cheeks pinkening as she looked him over and smiled, "You look handsome. I like the haircut."

[angrydurf]

Beaming at her reply and blushing slightly at her complement he took her hand and gently guided her to sit ont he blanket seating himself on the other side of the basket. He offered her a small tray of crackers and cheeses. "Well I'm still glad." He said with a grin.

He took some food himself and offered her a drink, he had laready opened a sparkling lemonade for himself but he was betting she would preffer the strawberry one, she had always had a weakness for the sweeter things. "You look really nice tonight too." He said blushing once more. "I figure we can do the traditional dinner and a movie for the next date, but this seemed nicer for the first."

[alderwitch]

Alex settled herself on the blanket, tucking her skirt around her legs. Her smile twinkled at him playfully as she teased, "I should have dressed up then. I didn't know what you had planned - I didn't peak. This is perfect."

She shifted to accept the glass with a smile of thanks, "It's all perfect."

[angrydurf]

Mike looked somewhat chagrined for a moment, "I hadn't even thought about that." He said with a small laugh, "I'm glad I managed a surprise anyway."

He smiled over at Alex and took her hand, "I just want to say right now that this isn't about Zoe, or the future or whatever." He sighed and shook his head, "I still don't really get what any of that means, but I know I want this." He said earnestly. He could only hope she felt the same way.

[alderwitch]

"I know it's not about Zoe. I'd kinda like you to explain why this. Why now. Why me." Her voice turned wistful. Alex had always known his emotions, as well as everyone else's. It was both a gift and a curse at times.

She set her glass down so that both of her hands were free to gesture quickly while she spoke. "I mean, I want to hear it from you, you know. Please?"

[angrydurf]

Mike shrugged as he glanced away, not the most in touch with his feelings even by teenage boy standards this was a tough question.

"Well it at least it'll let me pretend it was a surprise to someone other than me." He said with a self depricating laugh. He looked back to Alex with a smile wide on his face, "Because it feels right?" he replied, clarifying, "I can't imagine not having you around, and not like its too terrible so I refuse too, but I literally can't picture my life without you in it."

He stopped to guage her reactions, why now? why her? it all seemed so clear in his head but he didn't really know the words and why not? seemed both lame and mildly insulting.

[alderwitch]

"I'll always be in your life, Mike. We don't have to be more than friends for that." Alex reached out to touch the back of his hand, "No one's going to come between us. No one could."

It was honest and heartfelt, her brow furrowed with concern. The last thing she wanted to do was push him towards a step he wasn't ready to take. "I mean, I know what I feel but I can keep waiting, you know. I don't mind."

[angrydurf]

Mike looked slightly hurt and confused for a glimmer of a second, then looked concerned to Alex, "Well I guess I could too but I don't want to." he replied somewhat more intensely than he intended.

Mike softened and took her hand, "I don't see a point in waiting, but if its too soon after eveything for you I will." he said solemly.

[alderwitch]

Alex shook her head so firmly she almost dislodged the flower tucked behind her ear. With it dangling at a bit of a cock-eyed angle, she slipped her hand into his, "No, you don't understand what I'm saying. I just don't want you to jump into something just because its what I want. You know? I mean, I've been waiting for years so it's not a big deal to wait longer. That's all I was saying."

[angrydurf]

Mike smiled at that and replied, "Oh you think I'm so pliable do you?" with mock offense. He looked deeply into her eyes, "Alex, why would I want to wait? You're everything I want, I don't know how to say it any more plainly." He took a deep breath, "I love you." And he leaned in gently pressing his lips to hers as he pulled her slender frame into his arms.