"I've got this completely under control," Rory promised over the phone, putting the finishing touches on the dining room table. "I've already set up a romantic, candle-lit dinner for us tonight, with all her favorite foods and some champagne I sneaked out of my parent's liquor cabinet. This is the first Valentine's Day Amy and I have spent as a couple, and I want it to be absolutely perfect."
Mels, humming distractedly on the other end of the phone, couldn't suppress a laugh. "She's not going to dump you if you don't go all gooey on her, you know. Have you ever thought you might be trying too hard?"
"Not at all. Why?"
"It's 9 in the morning and you've already prepared dinner."
Rory frowned, looking at the romantic meal he had in front of him, and facepalmed. "I'm doomed. She's going to dump me and go out with some leggy Italian football star…"
"She is not. Amy is crazy for you." Mels considered how she could help her (father) best friend. "She's coming over in a bit. I could casually ask her what her ideal man would do for Valentine's Day… for a price."
Rory groaned. "How much?"
"20 quid."
"10."
"20."
"15 and a back rub?"
"17 and a foot rub, and you've got yourself a deal. In the meantime, get rid of that stupid dinner and find something more Amy's speed—maybe tickets to a concert? You know she'd go wild at a concert."
Rory hung up and quickly put away all the dishes and candles, scrambling to find last minute tickets to some remotely cool concert.
x—x—x—x
Mels called again an hour later. "She's in the bathroom—I casually asked her what she'd think of going to a concert, and she's not feeling it tonight."
"Are you kidding? I just bought tickets to a jazz band 10 miles out, and they weren't cheap!"
"Give them to me, you prat, and I'll pay you back. I've got no hot date tonight, anyway. So, maybe try chocolates?"
"Chocolates? Are you sure?"
"Hold on," Mels whispered, taking the receiver away from her mouth. "AMYYYYY! Do you like chocolates?"
A muffled voice could be heard from behind the bathroom door. "Of course I do, you numpty. Who doesn't like chocolate?" Amy paused. "Why do you ask?"
"Can't a girl get to know her best friend more?" Mels faked indignation. "Ask me a question now."
"Erm…do you like chocolates?"
"Yes, I do. See? We're learning so much about each other!" Mels shouted back. She whispered quickly back into her phone. "Go for chocolates."
"Right, thanks!" Rory replied, promptly hanging up.
x—x—x—x
Rory called yet again with an hour to go before he had arranged to pick Amy up from Mels' apartment, confident that he'd finally come up with something half-decent for Valentine's Day.
Mels rushed to the bathroom to take his call, leaving a slightly confused Amy behind. "Did you get the goods?"
"A heart-shaped box of 20 gourmet chocolate-covered peanuts. Dark chocolate, because I know she hates milk chocolate." She could almost hear his proud grin on the other line. "Tell me how I could possibly mess this one up."
Mels covered her face with her hand, about to be the bearer of bad news. "Well, you got one thing right. Amy loves dark chocolate."
"But…?"
She bit her lip. "Rory, she's allergic to peanuts."
There was a pause on the other end. "You're kidding."
"Remember 3rd grade at the science fair? She blew up like a bloody balloon. Had to spend two days in the hospital. It's what got you started on deciding to be a nurse. How can you not remember that day?"
Rory groaned. "I have ONE HOUR to find something perfect for our first Valentine's Day together, and if I don't come up with something, she's going to break up with me and date some other bloke with a better nose!"
"WILLIAMS!" Mels hissed into the phone. "Pull yourself together. I'll come up with a Plan D."
"NO! I'll figure this out on my own. I'll be there in an hour. Don't tell her anything!"
x—x—x—x
Amy was primping in front of Mels' full-length mirror, tugging on her skirt and fiddling with strands of bright red hair. "D'you think Rory planned anything for Valentine's Day? I wasn't sure what to do for him—I haven't planned anything at all."
Mels sighed from the bed. "At this point, I really have no idea."
"I'm just afraid that he'll be disappointed that I didn't come up with anything, but I'm complete rubbish at romance! And then he'll break up with me and date some supermodel with a better nose."
"What's wrong with your nose?"
"I dunno. It's like a pug's nose."
"It is not."
The doorbell rang and Mels sprinted to get it. "What did you come up with?" she asked as she let him in.
Rory smiled. "Let what goes on between couples stay between couples, eh, Meddling Mels?"
"Oh, come on, I tried to help! Tell me what you got Amy!" Mels whined, but Rory ignored her and walked into Mels' room to meet his girlfriend.
Amy hid a blush with a breezy, confident smile. "Ready to go, Mr. Williams?"
He jokingly bowed. "Milady. Shall we?"
The young couple ignored Mels' mewing and whining and walked to Rory's car. Amy buckled herself in and admitted, "I didn't get you anything. I wasn't sure if we were doing anything, and I didn't want to seem desperate or girly, since I know most blokes hate Valentine's Day, so…I didn't really know what to do."
He chuckled. "I know how you feel. Lots of pressure on us guys. I had a bit of trouble figuring it all out, but I think I found something you'll like." He started the car and handed Amy something small.
Amy blinked at the folded piece of paper in her hand and opened it up. A sweet smile spread across her lips as she saw the construction paper heart, with a paper doily glued to the back. "You made me a valentine?"
"Remember back in primary school, when we'd have Valentine Parties? I used to spend hours and hours on yours to impress you, and you always lost it."
"I'm sorry," she frowned. "I didn't know you did that. I was such an idiot."
"You were an eight-year-old girl. I've long since forgiven you. But I figured I'd keep up with the tradition."
Amy grinned and read the careful cursive on the heart.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
You're the most beautiful thing in my life
I'm rubbish at rhyming.
Thank you for being my valentine (finally!) this year. You don't know how much you mean to me, but I hope this card gives you a clue.
Love, Rory
Amy blinked back an errant tear and kissed Rory's cheek, even as he drove. "Thank you. It's beautiful."
"You're beautiful." He nodded to the open road. "Where do you want to go? Your choice of a date. We're doing what you want to do."
Amy considered her options. "Just keep driving. Let's go on an adventure. Somewhere we've never been."
"Sounds about right."
"Hey, Rory?"
"Yeah?"
"I didn't get you anything."
" 'S fine. You know I don't mind."
"I didn't get you anything, but at least I can tell you this." She closed her eyes and said the scariest thing she'd ever uttered. "I love you, Rory Williams."
The car stopped in the middle of the empty Leadworth street.
"Should I not have said that?"
"No!" Rory gulped, trying not to cry or hyperventilate or do something stupid. "I mean, if you're—if you're just saying it because you didn't get me anything, or something—"
She hit him in the arm—hard. "Rory, I wouldn't just say that. I really mean it. I'm in love with you." She rolled her eyes and pulled her boyfriend by the front of his jacket, kissing him squarely on the lips. "Does that prove it to you?"
Rory relaxed and grinned. "Well, you kissed me once because you were to lazy to get the chips and you wanted me to move for you, so there's not a lot of honesty in your kisses."
"Idiot."
"Oh, come on, I love you, too. You already know that. I've loved you from the moment I first met you. I've loved you more than anything for years and years."
She smiled. "No pressure. Come on, Mr. Pond. Along we go."
He took his foot off the brakes and continued to drive. "Mr. Pond?"
"Yeah. I'm going to marry you someday, you numpty."
Rory's smile would have put the sun to shame. "I like the sound of that."