Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters except for my OCs
"Finally perfect!" Even with those words, Quartz ran her fingers over the wrapped box once again to make sure there were no loose paper. It was almost the anniversary of when she and Gray started dating and it was custom to give one's partner a gift on such an occasion. It was something she didn't understand but she couldn't help but take great care when picking his present. She wanted to give him something he needed and for a husband prone to lateness that was a watch.
She thought of all the times he would run out the house late for a meeting or something of that nature. He took on so many projects and she didn't understand how he was able to remember them all without a detailed system. He said he took on so much work because he was bored but she knew there was more to his short answer. She didn't obtained her PhD in the social sciences by being stupid.
She looked over her wrapping again. All the folds were symmetrical and there was not a crooked edge but her keen eyes fretted over the tape. Did she use too much? Presentation was important and she would have nothing less than perfection.
She glanced at the clock and knew that Gray was going to arrive home soon so rushed to find the perfect place to hide it. Though the mess on the table bothered her beyond words, she would have to clean the mess after hiding the present. She searched every corner of their bedroom for the best place to hide it and resigned to hiding it in her purse. While Gray was eccentric, he was also a gentleman so she knew he wouldn't go into her things.
She heard the door open and was about to call out to him when she heard his frantic steps rushed up the stairs, confusing her. He threw open the door, out of breath from the short run, and let out a relieved breath when he saw her. He slumped to the ground and she was by his side in seconds.
"I saw a mess on the table and thought that someone broke in," Gray explained before she could ask. It was Quartz's habit to have everything in a certain order so even the slightest change would catch his attention. "I'm just glad my Princess is safe."
Quartz rolled her eyes at the nickname he had given her but she had long ago stopped correcting him. He pinched her cheeks and asked her with a grin, "who are you and what have you done to my Princess? Her OCD won't let her leave a mess like that and she always correct me when I call her 'Princess'."
"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't have OCD? I have not been diagnosed with it so I refuse to claim to have it without a professional opinion." Quartz pinched his cheeks in return. "And I am not a spoiled princess unlike a certain prince I know! I will have you know that hiding your present took precedent over cleaning the table today."
"Don't be like that Princess," Gray laughed at her pout. "I'll help you clean the mess."
"Gray, the shower is free." Quartz came out of their on suite to find their bedroom a total mess, almost giving her a heart attack. It wasn't entirely a surprise to see Gray poke his head out of the closet but she could only gawk at him and he knew her busy mind was working on ten different ways to kill him. She didn't attack him, instead she picked up a discarded shirt with shaking hands. "Fold once then twice-"
"I'll clean it up," Gray placed his hands over hers to still them. He knew that despite everything she says, she hated things to be out of order. "You go and relax in front of the tv. I'm so sorry so let me fix this!"
"No!" Quartz gathered the rest of the shirts littering the floor. "Why did you even cause this mess?"
"Because I was an selfish idiot," Gray sighed and got to work folding the blankets. "You usually take half an hour in the tub and I thought that would be enough time to find your present. I guess I got a little carried away."
Quartz didn't answer him, instead went to work on organizing the closet. Her wide eyes broke his heart and he pried the shirt from her hand. Then took her into his arms. She barely moved as he rubbed his nose against her hair. He knew that she showed signs of having OCD but neither of them had consulted a doctor about it because it didn't seem to affect her that much.
"I'm sorry so let me make it up to you by cleaning this up just the way you like it. We've lived with each other long enough for me to know your system. I fold once and then twice, right?" He nudged her chin so she would look up at him. She let out a shaky breath before she nodded. But she immediately amended.
"I'll help. You do the shirts and I'll do the pants." Together, they organized the clothes. It was mostly silent and Gray stole glances at her. While her movements were precise and controlled, her gaze didn't seem to focus on the pants she was folding. Gray thought carefully about how to start a conversation with her as he added a folded shirt into his pile.
"I know I shouldn't have reacted like that. It must be inconvenient for you to have to follow my system just because I can't help feeling uneasy about these things."
"We're living together. My father always told me that I need to make compromises in a relationship. Your system has actually helped me keep track of all my projects."
"But the extent I go to isn't normal." Quartz clutched her hands to stop them from shaking. "What if I really have a mental illness? If a doctor diagnose me with a mental illness... How can my students trust me if they think I'm-"
"Your students love you. Your family loves you. I love you." He set aside the clothes and pulled her onto his lap. "Nothing a doctor can say will change that. I fell in love with everything you are, Princess."
"But you can't love a mental illness away." She said solemnly into his chest. "They're caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and there's nothing you can do to right that with something intangible like love."
"But I can support you and help you through it. No matter what, I'll be by your side so you don't have to be afraid of anything changing for the worst. We'll adjust. You know that's what I'm best at."
Still, she didn't look convinced. "I know people look at people with mental illness differently."
"I won't. Anyway, I already know all your quirks and love them." He tapped her nose and laughed when she made a funny expression like he knew she would. "Now let get back to cleaning this mess I made."
"Thank you, Gray." Quartz's heart felt lighter and she went back to organizing the room. She watched Gray from the corner of her eyes and smiled as he left her purse untouched. "You really are a prince."
"A spoiled one?" He teased her with the insult she would often use when they first met.
"Yes, a spoiled one. But you're also my Prince Charming."
Man, I haven't written with my OCs for a while now. But i have a bunch of shorter fanfics with them but they're all unfinished. I was thinking i might finish the ones I really like between making mep parts.
