Robbie fixed the way the metal sat on his frame one last time, looking at himself critically in the mirror. Stephanie had invited him to a party held by her Uncle for Hallowe'en, which she was only able to attend because of her classes being cancelled that week due to a teacher having unexplained issues. She just took it as a blessing, since it allowed her to be at his first time going to the town's celebrations, which allowed the children the ability to trick-or-treat and stay safe at the same time by being set in the school building. This also allowed for a grand dance, which was the reason he was wearing the elegant armour that night.
When Stephanie asked him to name the first tragic couple that came to his mind, he thought of Romeo and Juliet from William Shakespeare's play. When she brought him the film 'Romeo + Juliet' to watch, he understood why she had asked. Although he didn't regret it at first, he came to realise that it was harder to wear armour than he originally thought. Of course, it wasn't hard to make the armour, just hard to wear it for long periods of time. Although he didn't have much trouble with the metal mesh shirt, since he wore a black shirt and pants, but he was finding that the chest plate wasn't the easiest thing to wear.
He had yet to see Stephanie in her outfit, although he did make her wings, as college was keeping her from that task, and had delivered them earlier to the Mayor's home so that once he arrived, she would be ready. Seeing it was almost time for this shindig, he began climbing up the ladder to get out. It was quickly evident that he would have to take off the armour to get out, which gave him some relief. Once out, however, he decided he would keep it off until he arrived at the party, that way he could better prepare his body for the task ahead.
As Robbie walked into town he was met by the blue-suited jumping-bean, waving a friendly hello and somersaulting over to where he was. Upon closer inspection, the knight noticed the Above-Average Hero wasn't in his tracksuit, but a ninja outfit in his trademark blue shade.
"Who got you to wear that?"
"Pixel. He said that I moved like a Western Ninja, and should dress as one for tonight's party. Do you like it?" The way Sportacus spoke, he felt unsure about the whole thing.
"You look fine, and I agree with the digital menace actually. You do seem very much like a ninja sometimes. Although you don't use weapons." They began walking toward the school.
"Ninjas use weapons?"
"Some have been known to, but samurai are more known for using weapons than ninja."
"Well, that's good. I don't approve of violence."
"How noble of you."
Although Robbie spoke with some sarcasm, both men knew he was joking. Ever since their exchange of words when Stephanie first departed for college, they had come to a mutual agreement. They may not become close friends, nor enemies, but they were two people of quiet acquaintance. As they neared the auditorium, Robbie reluctantly put his armour back on, wishing he knew a way to make metal lighter. Seeing as that wasn't bound to happen any time soon, he quickly pushed the idea out of his head, steeling his senses toward more productive goals, like enjoying this party.
However, when he saw Stephanie in the white dress, with her hair put up the same as in the film, his breath was caught in his throat and all thoughts left his brain. And he noticed that she put the pendant he gave her on a longer silver chain, the Mother-of-Pearl rose sitting right over her heart instead of at the top of her collarbone. Unlike the actress in the film, his beloved filled the dress well, her cleavage showing tastefully in the rounded, plunging neckline. He had to fight his natural instinct to take her into a closet to have his way with her, and was surprised that he could.
Stephanie could tell he was controlling himself well. Of course, she was also controlling herself, as she wanted to ravish him right there in the gym. And with the songs that were playing, both romantic and heavy dancing, played up their passion until neither of them could stand it. Every time they touched one another, it was as if they were on fire, heated by their attraction. During a very loud song, Robbie lead her away, and no one missed them. No one also noticed when they entered once again, cheeks flushed and eyes glazed.
When the party was finally over, and they all were departing, Robbie lead Stephanie again, only this time as a gentleman, and kissed her briefly on the lips as means of affection and goodbye.
"So you leave extra early in the morning?"
"If I didn't have to, I would go home with you, or invite you in."
"It's all right. College is important. You're just lucky you have afternoon classes instead of morning."
"Yes. Will you try and visit sometime?"
"I'll have to see. I have a deadline on this new invention, and don't know if I can get all the materials delivered on time to finish it."
"Well, even if you don't visit, don't forget to email, okay?"
"Ah! those little bits of data are the light of my day." She blushed once again that evening. As she smiled, he took a few steps back.
"So this is goodbye?" He took a few more steps.
"For now." And a few more.
"I love you." She opened the door to the house.
"I love you too." The final thing she saw as she shut the door was his wave and smile.
Stephanie walked up to the billboard, her red dress swishing and swaying as she did. She had never worn a dress with such a large and multi-layered petticoat to it, yet she enjoyed the feel of the fabric as she moved. Of course, with her arms bared, she felt the chill in the air a lot sooner than she thought she would, and pulled her shawl tighter around her, which wasn't much help when it was made of a solid, yet gossamer feeling fabric. As she knocked on the metal entrance, she couldn't help but think how glorious an couple they would look together, the Prince and his Bride.
Of course, the couple they were dressing as was her idea, having discovered the anime she plucked it from after seeing the series in her digital network's extras. She was surprised he agreed so readily, but when Robbie began making references to the series, she knew he had looked it up or watched it himself and agreed with her choice. Now that they were engaged, this couplet made perfect sense for them, and she knew they would be the best looking, most passionate couple at the party.
Even though she had the hair colour for the Prince, she dyed it to the purple needed, with wash-in-and-out dye, for the Bride, and also set her hair into the same kind of bun, with the gold-plated crown headband sitting behind her fluffed bangs. She wasn't surprised when Robbie gave her the crown, or the dress and its adornments, to wear, having fashioned it all himself, but was thrilled to see he also made her the gold tear-drop earrings she needed for the role she was playing that Hallow's Eve.
The hatch's door opening brought her out of her thoughts, and she turned her head in time to catch a very comely view of Robbie's behind in tight red spandex as he stepped down the ladder to the ground. Turning around, she got a good look at him, as he had his arms out for presentation. He had a silk pink rose in the pocket, as if ready for a duel, and even the red socks and white trainers with their red bows and black foot were all perfect for the outfit. She wondered, briefly, how he was able to get them to look so much like the characters. The colours of the outfit weren't changed from the Duellist uniform, and he even had a pink wig on for realism. She was slightly amused to see he was going for the full cross-dress, fake breast included, to make it all work.
"You look exactly like Tenjou Utena."
"If only you were a few shades darker, you'd look exactly like Himemiya Anthy."
"Well, you're the Master of Disguise, don't you have some make-up to fix that?"
"Why, I think I do." He pulled out a small case from the hatch, as if he anticipated her little quip, and motioned for her to come closer. She only had to take three steps and she was right beside him, and once she was, he took great pleasure in getting her ready. He started on her face, smearing the make-up on, colouring her skin to a nice tan. While he worked, they talked.
"Is this safe to put on so much skin?"
"This is specially for colouring skin like this. You know I only buy the best products. I bought this from a company that supplies theatres with their make-up, and this has no toxins or chemicals, and is completely safe."
"I'm glad you're prepared. I would never have though of this. What about the little dot she has on her forehead and her glasses?"
"Eyebrow pencil should take care of that, and they are right here."
They lapsed into a comfortable silence while he finished her face and neck, placed a pair of wire glasses with large round frames around clear glass lenses on her face, and started on her left arm.
"I've never worn make-up before."
"You've no need for it, so I understand."
"What do you mean, I've no need for it?"
"You're stunning without the aid of make-up, and I much rather prefer you natural than all dolled up." This caused her to blush, and as he finished her left arm, she held our her right arm to him.
"Aren't you a bit chilly in those spandex shorts?"
"Not really. They are thicker than normal, so I can look more like a girl and everything is hidden."
"That means you have to control yourself better this year?"
"How observant of you, but I think I will do just fine. Last year I had you looking like an angel, this year I have you as my Bride, even if in promise."
"Yes…" She stole a look to the engagement ring on her finger. It still amazed her to look at it, and sometimes at night, she would kiss it, hoping he felt her lips on his cheek instead. Noticing a gleam in her vision, she turned her head to see the ring on his finger. It looked identical to hers, and also complimented his attire.
"Your ring…?"
"Yes, I have one exactly the same. I thought that if I did that, it would show my devotion better. I find it silly that some men think they can only wear bands."
"Of course it isn't silly for men to wear feminine rings, it's just strange that you and I are wearing the same ring."
"It fits though, as we are engaged, for us to wear the same ring to show the engagement. How else am I supposed to flaunt to the world that you and I are headed toward marriage?"
"If you put it that way, it makes perfect sense." He finished with her right arm, letting it go and he began to clean up his own hands.
"I thought so." He put the kit back into the hatch, and took out a sword in a scabbard.
"Is that the Sword of Dios?" He handed it to her to inspect. She noticed that it looked as if the anime had become real, with all the details, including the green glass bulb of the handle and the metalwork red rose at the end all perfect.
"I made it exactly like the one in the show, even though I found out it looks many different ways in this series." She handed it back, and he tied the scabbard around his waist, under the overcoat and its ruffles.
"Different ways?" They began walking toward the town, and the school where the annual Hallowe'en party was being held.
"There are differences between the manga, the anime, and the film. And when the anime came out, the creator made manga art that tied into that, which lead to there being four different ways I could have made the Sword. I chose to stick to the anime, since that's where we took our inspiration for these costumes."
"Makes perfect sense. My, Robbie, you're the sensible one tonight."
"Must be me channelling Utena Tenjou."
"Yes, Miss Utena." He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her to him intimately.
"And you're very complacent Anthy. Not planning anything, are you?"
"Of course not Miss Utena, I wouldn't dream of it." They walked in silence the rest of the way, holding hands delicately.
Everyone loved their outfits, and they choose not to tell who they were, just let people see them as they were, which appeared to be a lesbian couple dressed as a Prince and Princess. When one person made mention of this, they said it was based on something they had seen on television, all questions stopped, and they let everyone guess. So long as they knew who they were dressed as, the Duellist and the Rose Bride, they were happy.
"You know, Miss Utena, we could wear this to that anime convention that's in Seattle every year."
"Do you think we could win the costume contest?"
"I sure hope so. Unless someone dresses as a more complex character from another series, we could at least get in the top five."
"When is it?"
"May or April, I'll have to check."
"Well, you can count me in."
"Goodie. I'll make all the arrangements, and while we are there, you can stay with me in the apartment."
"Yes, sounds like a plan." And he kissed her.
They danced the rest of the night away, and near the end, Sportacus, who dressed as a blue-suited pirate, had a mock duel with Robbie over Stephanie, who both stayed in perfect character. Once the party was over, and they were out of sight of everyone else, did they stop hiding their passion toward one another, and began rushing to get back to his home. Once in the bunker, he threw the glasses off her face and began washing off the make-up on her arms and face, taking his time to get every bit so that he saw her the way she truly was. While he did this, she took his pink wig off, throwing it in the direction he threw the glasses, and ran her hands through his hair until he got to her hands. As he finished each finger, he kissed it delicately before moving on, and once finished with her whole hand, he kissed her palm. When he finally had all the make-up off her skin, he took off her crown, then released her hair from its bun, then placed the crown back, taking care to put it on as if she were the Rose Bride.
"My Rose Bride," He whispered as his lips touched her, and he pulled her to him.
"My Prince," She mouthed, her voice missing with her breath, as she lead him to his bedroom and began the task of undressing him, but he stopped her.
"Leave it. Just the shorts. I'm too impatient to undress us both."
She just nodded, and helped him with the scabbard and red spandex shorts. Once unclothed, he picked her up and set her carefully on the bed, moving the skirt and petticoat of her dress out of the way. They started out slowly, pushing and pulling on one another, building a rhythm together. His lips were on hers, fighting to keep her attentions on him that way, instead of everywhere else. At one point, she had a hold of his fake breast chest plate as he had a hold of her real chest, causing a break in the tension. Thus the overcoat came undone, while the chest plate was thrown to the side, and she relished in running her hands down his exposed flesh, feeling his stomach clinch as she got lower, then relax when she grabbed his hips. This allowed her to speed up their rhythm, and soon they were reaching, reaching toward completion, toward that bliss. Once there, they were stunned, left with their rushing heartbeats and heavy breathing.
"What does this role-playing mean for our relationship?" She couldn't help but voice the thought as it came to her mind.
"I would think it would give us a stronger bond, since we are easily able to make some of the series' subtle meanings apply to our relationship." He pulled them into the bed completely, and fixed her petticoat and skirt so that it covered her legs again, while she buttoned his overcoat back up.
The candy-coated holiday fell on a Sunday that year, causing many of the townsfolk to decide against the almost annual party at the school, causing the two love birds to stay in the bunker all weekend and watch films. Robbie and Stephanie decided to show one another more of themselves through films, and between films they would kiss, pet, sometimes go all the way, and nibble on some of the food that she had brought with her from a speciality store in Seattle. However, the night that was usually filled with children's laughter wasn't so joyful when Stephanie had to leave early that evening to get back to her school life up north. She left reluctantly, and cried a little as her Uncle drove her back.
He called her just as she should have been getting home. Over the last few months, he had gotten to know her schedule, and was able to have her mobile ringing the moment she would be getting into her apartment, so long as the buses were running on time. Every so often he would be early, while the buses had traffic or construction work causing her to arrive a bit later than she wanted. If he didn't catch her, she called him the moment she got home. Today, strangely, was the first Hallowe'en since they began seeing one another that they weren't able to be together, and he now regretted not travelling up to see her that weekend. It made his Monday all the more depressing than it normally was. It wasn't very long after he tried calling her that his phone began ringing, signalling her arrival home.
"Which one was late?"
"The one getting into down town. Stupid road construction. Why can't they work at night, like they do with the Interstate?"
"Don't ask me, I don't live in that county."
"Yeah, well, travelling is harder now that the Tunnel is closed for work. It's harder for me to get to places like the International District or Safeco Field, were I inclined to watch baseball."
"You aren't interested in watching sports?! Someone call a doctor, I think there is something wrong with the pink-haired cheerleader."
"Oh, stop! I enjoy playing games, not watching them. I've never been able to enjoy a sport unless I'm a part of the action."
"Yes, that sounds more like the loud brat I fell in love with."
"So glad I've not caused you a stroke or heart attack."
"That would be a shame?"
"Yes, of course it would. I love you, you wretched man."
"Ah, flattery will get you everywhere dear."
"If only you were here…"
"Well, I'm not, so my voice will have to do for now."
"Hey, do you want to come up next weekend?"
"Why?"
"Well, my class was given tickets to the Experience Music Project, which are good until the beginning of next week, and I have an extra one. I thought you would like to come see. Remember, we forgot to go this past summer? I thought that, maybe, we could make a weekend of it and see all that acculturative history."
"Well, let me check my calendar and I'll get back-"
"What could you possibly have planned?"
"Would you kindly stop seeing through my sarcastic ploys and let me banter with you, please?!"
"So will you come?"
"I'll be there Friday, around the time you should be getting home."
"Goodie! Oh, and I'm sorry that I couldn't spend today with you. Which reminds me, I've been meaning to ask you what makes Hallowe'en so important to you Robbie?"
"It is Samhain, the day where the veil between our realm and the next is the thinnest. It's the day when you should try contacting those you love who have passed, and hope they try responding."
"That doesn't explain why you put so much stake on today."
"I'm trying to forget the person of my past who has died because I don't want to be haunted by the memories I have of them. Maybe it's because I know what today means, but my memories seem more alive when I think about them on Hallowe'en. But when you're around me, when I can hold you or just take your hand, all the tragedy of my life fades away."
"That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard you say."
"Well, it's the truth. You asked me to be more frank with you, and I'm trying. You don't know how much I practised that before calling you."
"I bet you wrote it down so you could memorise it."
"You bet right."
"Well, if we weren't getting ready for this one dance, I would have visited this past weekend."
"You always seem to have a dance that's being worked on around this time."
"I know, and I'm sorry. This is my last year, so it's more important than the other three years I've been here."
"What about next year?"
"Next year I planned on being back in Lazytown, and I've yet to worry about where I would live. Oh, and I'm currently also taking some biology classes, so that I understand the human body better when teaching aerobics and for my own health in dance. The teachers all seem to approve."
"Sounds like you've thought it through very well."
"Yes, but because I'm basically taking nursing classes, I'll be here for two more years, which means I'll graduate in June of 2008."
"That's wonderful!"
"Why?"
"Because then you have that nursing degree means you can get State approval for your dance studio."
"Why would I need State approval for my dance studio?"
"So that you can be approved as an alternate form of physical therapy, in case the need arises."
"I hadn't thought of that."
"Yes, well, it just came to me, so don't feel too bad."
"Do you think people would really come to Lazytown just for alternate physical therapy?"
"Considering how much bigger we've gotten, and how the town is just far enough from Puyallup."
"Then I shall consider that more thoughtfully."
"Good. Now, enough of this talk, it makes me depressed."
"Why?"
"Because I have an Engineering, Technological, and Applied Sciences masters I've done little with because my inventions have sustained me well enough that I don't really have to work, and hearing about your college experiences also reminds me of our age difference."
"How many times to I have to tell you that twelve years is not that much of a bloody difference?! You could be twice my age, I wouldn't care any more than I do about twelve stupid years. It is you I love, not your age, and it will be you I love the day either of us die, and beyond. So please get over this insipid issue you seem to have a need to hark back to every-so-often."
"I will try, but sometimes it doesn't seem as insipid as you say."
"I know Robbie, I know."
He was lounging on the leather couch when she walked in, his face covered by a magenta wide-brimmed hat. She also noticed that she knew this outfit, and yet had never seen him wear it before. Lightly, she grazed her hand on the fir trimming that the suit jacket had, noticing it was tinged magenta to match the suit. She felt it best to leave him be for the time being, and prepared herself something to eat. When she came back into the main room some time later with a bowl of curry rice, she saw he was still asleep. She didn't know how long he had been there, and wasn't about to ask the men downstairs for fear that they would ask her to have him stop coming. So she just ate her meal and watched him sleep. Suddenly he snored, causing her to jump, and gratefully waking himself up.
"Oh, you're home."
"Yes, I'm home."
"How long?"
"Only about a half-hour, I think. I'm not quite sure really. Hungry?"
"Yes." She handed him the bowl in her hands, and he began eating as if he hadn't eaten in a week. She watched, bemused, until he finished what she couldn't, and he dutifully took the dish to the kitchen to clean. One thing she adored about him was that he was clean, meticulously, and that suited her just fine. While he was gone, she had an idea, and when he came back in, she took her chance.
"Stop!" He froze, in mid-step, with a deer-in-headlight look on his face. "Stand straight and let me get a better look at you."
He did as he was told, but couldn't help watching her walk around him, lifting an arm, feeling the fabric of his suit. He stood by, enticed, as she unbuttoned his jacket, and took in the suit he wore underneath. Her roaming hands ran up and down his clothed chest, until her fingers found the pull to the zipper and brought her hand, and the zipper, downward, toward the growing heat that had been building as she examined him. It was at that moment, as she reached his navel, that he couldn't just stand by any longer, and stopped her hand's progression.
"What?"
"You've looked enough. If you want to have me without this suit, lead the way. Otherwise…" He didn't get any farther, as she began pushing him toward her room.
"Why in such a rush?"
"Shut it. It's your fault you look so delicious in that suit." She closed her bedroom door with her foot behind her, and shoved him a bit more roughly onto the bed.
"Don't you have some homework?"
"I can do that once my primal urge is fulfilled," And she pounced on him.
Another midweek Hallowe'en, and another trip for Robbie to make north, to see his beloved. After the horrible beginning and middle the month had been, with almost constant rain, and flooding of plenty of local rivers, he was surprised that this pagan holiday wasn't hashed by the rain. What surprised him more was that it was a nice, mildly clouded, mildly tempered day, with the sun peaking out at the Puget Sound after so many weeks spent hidden by the gloom of cloud-cover. While he watched the scenery go by as the bus travelled, and listened to his mp3 player, a present the previous Christmas by the woman he was going to see, he thought of many things he hadn't thought of since the dinner with her parents in that small nautical town.
He thought about the silly things, like their age difference and his self-induced insecurities. He thought about the important things, like their home, which still needed a few more permits granted before he could have the construction company the go-ahead to build, and their upcoming wedding, something he was making sure to hint to her for plans, since he knew she was busy in her last year at college. He thought about how much she meant to him, and how he knew one insecurity he would never get rid of was losing her, no matter how his nightmares played it out to him. He didn't think he could stand losing her just as much as she couldn't stand losing him.
This thought fuelled him until he got to her penthouse apartment, and it only deflated for a moment, because he noticed he had just enough time to get his surprise ready before she got in. He only had half of the surprise set up when he heard the elevator going back down, and began rushing, almost clumsily, to finished. Just at the elevator ding told of someone arriving did he finish, and when he saw Stephanie's face, he knew he had her by complete surprise.
He had set up black, orange, green, and white streamers throughout the apartment, draped in scallops on the walls, between the wall and ceiling, and a few that fell just from the ceiling, creating semi-doors in certain places. She noticed a few arrows that pointed toward her bedroom, and dutifully followed them. What she found on her bed when she entered, having to move an almost solid streamer curtain, surprised her most of all. Robbie laid out on the bed wearing only a loincloth covering his most private area, and was spread-eagled before her.
"Are you trying to tell me something?"
"What do you think the message is?"
"You're not supposed to answer a question with another question."
"Well, my question leads to the answer to yours, so if you want an answer, what message do you think I'm sending?"
"That you're amped for sex, if you must know. That you want me to service you."
"Then you'd be wrong. This year I'm here to service my Bride, and I thought I would show you how much I am at your mercy by laying in this vulnerable position wearing something that barely covers me at all."
"You're at my beck-and-call?"
"Precisely."
"Oh, my dear Prince, putting yourself down for the Sword…"
She walked over to him, stripping slowly as she went. By the time she reached the end of the bed, she was in only her bra and panties, a loose pink satin and lace set, matching her hair colour, that she wore in expectation of his visit. She didn't realise he had this planned, but the instant he gasped at the sight of her, she was glad for her forethought. Crawling onto the bed, between his legs, she slipped her fingers into the strings of the loincloth and began pulling them off. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, and was fuelled by that fervour he had for her to continue. As she pulled it off, she brushed his saluting member with her hand, causing him to moan, long and loud.
In all their times of intimacy, not once had one of them been totally submissive to the other, and that was mostly because he wasn't comfortable with the idea of either of them giving in that way. While she had respected that, she couldn't believe that he was the one to give into her first, to let her control him however she wanted, and it scared her a bit. She didn't know what to do as the sole dominate, so she told herself that they were in this together, and that everything she did he was participating in completely. Which was true, to a point. The thought that bothered her the most was that she felt she was forcing him, even though her mind kept telling her he was willing.
That was only reinforced by his unconscious movements, like the buck his hips gave as she slid the only clothing he wore off, and it made her feel better about her overall position over him. Once she had the distracting piece of fabric off, she threw it over her shoulder, then proceeded to take the last bits of clothing off herself, and turning her attention on everything but his sign of affection. She climbed up his body, kissing her way up from his abdomen, taking him into her hand as she captured his lips. He gasped into her mouth, causing her to smile and put a little pressure on the tender flesh she held. Yet with that tug, she let go of it, and pulled herself upward so that she was straddling his hips.
Still keeping up the battle with his mouth, she impaled herself upon him, beginning a steady rhythm. Sitting up, his hands instantly wrapped around her waist, pulling their bodies all the more together, giving her ample chance of wrapping her legs around his back, giving them better leverage in their dance. Both his hands roamed her body, one trying to stay on the small of her back for support, as he broke their kiss and began worshipping her upper body with his lips, while she relaxed her head, throwing it back, and moaning loudly. The sound of her approval goaded him onward, speeding up the pace of his thrusts, until finally he felt her muscles tighten around him, milking him as she whispered his name.
Once relaxed, their bodies slick with sweat, he carried her into the bath, set her on the closed toilet seat, and started up the bath. Seeing as the bath in her room was large enough for the both of them, he made the setting cosy by lighting a few candles that were around the room. She watched him, a bit dazed by the amazing sex she had just had, and when he picked her up again and got them both into the tub, she allowed him to without protest.
"That was wonderful Robbie. May I ask why?"
"I just thought you deserved to have me at your will for once, to see how you felt about being dominate."
"Well, it's interesting, but I don't think it worked."
"I think you're right. You have a way with me that makes it so I just cannot keep my hands off of you."
"You sound like that's a bad thing."
"It was while I was trying to treat you, be subservient for you."
"I'd rather you didn't, takes all the fun out of it."
"Fair enough."
That year's Hallowe'en was the most different year, seeing as Stephanie was completely finished with college, and they spent the day working on plans for their Christmas Eve wedding, and taking care of their little bundle of joy. For some reason, this year, Robbie didn't care that much about the holiday, nor really noticed it in the least. His lady love even asked him about that evening when they were getting ready for bed, and for the first time in his life, he was faced with the wonderful truth that this pink-haired woman who had come into his world had changed him in every way possible, and he loved her all the more for it.