All of us are sitting outside on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, you know, just hanging out, having some beers, sitting under the stars. It's been a really long time since all of us have been able to get together like this. You know, without a dagger, metronome, plague, impending doom, riots, astrolabes and countless stuff going on. Artie went to the Warehouse for bedtime, leaving the five of us hanging out together after hours. Pete's throwing some more burgers and hot dogs on the grill; I'm pretty sure he and Steve can pack away, like, an entire package of cookies, hot dogs and chips. Each.
We're all out on the porch and patio, just hanging out and being normal for once.
Oh man, I'm dying here. The adorability, the cuteness, the cuddles, the everything. H.G. and Myka are the cutest couple. Ever. The two of them are sitting on the ground, H.G. leaning against the chair where I'm sitting with her arms wrapped around Myka who's leaning against her. Seriously. These two. They're never like this when Artie is giving orders, never all coupley when the Regents are around. I look down at H.G. with one arm across Myka's shoulder, the other playing with the hem of her shorts. The two of them are smiling and laughing at a story Steve is telling about his days at the ATF.
"I got more burgers ready. Anyone?" Pete asks.
Myka and H.G. are muttering something between them. "We'll split one." Myka says as she raises an arm in the air.
"Split...a burger? They're not meant to be split." Pete's floored that they want to share something like a burger. "It's a burger."
"Well, we want to share."
Pete lets out a huge sigh and tosses a napkin-wrapped cheeseburger to the ladies. Myka catches it, peeling back the tissue around it and takes a bite. Once she has some, H.G. goes and takes a bite. They keep on doing this until the burger is gone and Myka has to toss the wrapper back towards Pete. Eventually, Myka gets up and goes to get a wet wipe or something to clean the grease from her hands. She uses it and then gives it to H.G. to use when done.
Walking back towards me, Myka plops herself back down against H.G., resting her head against her shoulder. H.G. totally just plants a huge kiss on Myka's cheek once she's settled in.
I can't take it anymore.
"OMG, guys. You're too frakin' cute. Seriously. I can't even."
H.G. turns to look at me, somewhat confused to my lingo, never taking her hands off Myka. "I'm not sure what all of that means."
"Uh, it means, you guys are cute together. Seriously cute whenever you're doing your couples thing." Myka blushes and curls closer to H.G. at this.
Pete turns around to look in our direction. "Yeah, Claudia's right. You two are totally 'that couple.'" he adds, using his hands to gesture "that couple." H.G. lets out a hearty chuckle, giving Myka another quick kiss on the cheek.
"Pfft," Steve butts in, "go hop on a plane to Massachusetts or Vermont and get married or something already, yeesh."
Myka and H.G. stop laughing and get really, really quiet. Oh God, Steve went too far.
"Actually..." H.G. begins.
"...we already did that." Myka finishes and shows off her hand with a gold band around it. How did I not see that before? Right, well, Myka's the observant one and if the observant one is not divulging then there's no way I'm going to notice things like that. "Remember we went to New England back in February? It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I mean, we were planning on it..."
"Wait, you were engaged and stuff?" I say.
"Yes, right when Helena got back." adds Myka.
"Where are you registered?" Steve asks.
H.G. laughs. "We're not."
Pete doesn't add anything, just walks over to Myka. He holds out his hands and Myka puts hers in his as he pulls her up. He hugs her for a long time, whispering something into her ear I can't hear. H.G. turns her head to look at me, smiling. I hear a couple sniffles from Pete when he lets Myka go and returns to his domain of the grill.
She settles back down next to H.G., this time sitting next to her rather than in front of her. Myka nudges her arm and the two share a smile.
I let out a huge sigh. "Seriously, you guys are too cute."
So unfair.
