#3. Grand Gesture
Author: Nat-chan
Rated: PG13
E-mail: natalie. http/oceansofnat. Standard
Author's Notes: This might be the raciest thing I've written
and I've been heavily debating whether or not to post it. I
certainly don't want to offend anyone. But I tried to write this
premise as tastefully as possible ;;;;;
eeks. nervous er...hope you like? If I get all kinds of bad
feedback I'll take it down.
Darien was reclining lazily on the couch with
Serena draped over him. It had become, by far,
his favorite way to spend the afternoons.
Usually he had a book under pretense of
studying but in reality it was to give his hands
something to do lest they wander where
his mind was sometimes wont to go.
Serena was younger than him. He
constantly reminded himself of that
fact and felt he must protect her always
from every terrible thing that might happen
to her because of her youth and innocence.
That included himself.
He had worked very carefully at
keeping things slow and careful between
them. It seemed to be the right thing to
do because for the first month or so
that they were together Serena was quite
content to simply kiss and hold hands
and sit close to him. She still seemed
thrilled and overwhelmed by the merest
touch. If he put his arm around her when
they were out he could feel her hold her
breath.
But lately he had noticed a disturbing
shift in their usual pattern. Now when
she climbed over to kiss him she lingered
much longer and pressed much closer
and...let her hands wander. At first they
had only wandered into his hair, which he
had to admit, he really liked. Then they
had started slipping down his neck and
gripping his shoulders, which had given
him a shock the first time but he'd quickly
settled in and still managed to keep himself
in check.
But now her hands had started wandering
into his shirt, fingertips stroking his back
in insistent patterns, then gripping tighter
when the kiss changed to something she
really liked.
It was making him crazy. He didn't want
to tell her to stop because it would seem
like rejection. But he'd had to pull away
more and more lately. Especially today
when she'd ventured her mouth down
to the hollow behind his ear. It had been
his turn to stop breathing as her hands
had continued torturing him beneath his
shirt. He would have given anything at that
moment, to let his hands wander under hers,
but he just couldn't justify it. He had carefully
turned the mood back to low and now they lay
comfortably.
In fact, he was quite sure she was asleep.
But as he reached out for his book she suddenly
spoke.
"Darien, do you love me?"
He looked down at her abruptly, "Of course I do.
Why are you asking me that?"
Of course, poor Serena had been working up
the courage to make more moves on him for weeks
and when she finally did, he seemed to pull away.
She assumed she was doing something wrong,
or that he did not love her as much as she loved
him.
"It's just that...you don't often show it." she didn't
mean it unkindly but Darien was quite horrified,
immediately searching his mind for examples
to the contrary.
"Sometimes you seem so distant and your life
seems so uninvolved with mine. "
"Serena," he chided, "How can you say that? You
are the love of my life. We already know we're going
to get married and spend the rest of our lives together."
"But that's just what I mean," she persisted, "I know you're
sure that it will happen in the distant future--but what
about right now? You don't seem in any hurry to get to it."
Though it occurred to Darien then if she only knew...he
bit his tongue.
"What kind of gesture are we talking about here?" he asked
carefully.
"I don't know," she said thoughtfully, "Something that tells
me I'm a part of your life, that you love me in a way I can't
doubt. Something new you're offering me that you didn't
before."
Her cheeks were burning at the obviousness of what
she was saying but Darien was totally oblivious.
That night he walked her to the door, lingered in a
goodbye kiss and then went to sit on the couch and
muse about it.
A grand gesture. His mind was a total blank.
Something that told her she was a part of his life.
He looked around his apartment. He had no family
to introduce her to. He certainly couldn't PROPOSE.
What did that leave? How did guys show their
girlfriends that something that kept them satisfied?
This new area of skill was beyond him. He needed
advice. He needed...Andrew.
"A part of your life? A way they can't doubt?"
Andrew's voice was tinged with bitterness for
the first time to Darien's recollection,
"They must get together once a month in
some kind of CLUB and decide this stuff!"
Darien gave a low laugh. Obviously
Andrew had been through this before.
"So, what do I do?" He asked.
"Do about what?" asked a chorus of voices and
he was suddenly surrounded by Serena's girly
group of friends.
"Er--nothing." he said quickly.
But Andrew, who already had his solution
ready but felt it truly unfair that he wasn't
going to suffer at all the way HE had with
Rita, saw his chance to even the score.
"He's trying to think of a grand gesture
for Serena, to prove he loves her and
she's a part of his life now!" he told them
with a smile.
Darien shot him the most betrayed look
ever given from one guy to another.
Some year and a half later when Darien
got his revenge on Andrew, Andrew
remembered that look and learned a
valuable lesson about crossing his
best friend.
However, back in the present, the last
laugh was his.
"GRAND GESTURE!" shrieked a delighted
Mina, "WHAT FUN!"
Even Rei looked excited to come up with
ideas. Ami was already typing into her
palm pilot.
Darien looked bleakly into his coffee.
"You could get them to dedicate a song
to her on the radio one night--or you could
have them write "I love you Serena!" on the
billboard at a local sports game--OR you
could have a plane write it in the sky..."
Mina stopped briefly to sigh with Lita over
the sky writing idea.
Darien just shook his head, "Uhhh that's not
really what I'm going for here."
"How about baking her something sweet
and spelling out 'I love you' in icing?" Lita
suggested helpfully.
Darien chuckled uncomfortably, "I don't
think so."
He was never telling ANY of them that he
had already baked a batch of bunny shaped
cookies and done just that for their three
month anniversary!
"What about filling the entire apartment
with candles?" suggested Rei, "The next
time she comes over for the evening?"
Darien smiled smugly, "I've done that one
before!" he boasted with satisfaction.
Ami had finally compiled her list and started
firing off the classics,
"Dressy evening out at a fancy restaurant?"
"Done." he replied.
"Romantic date movie followed by star
gazing in the park?"
"Done." he smiled.
"Rowboat for two on the lake with
a surprise picnic lunch?"
"Done." he grinned beginning to feel
very pleased with himself indeed. What
was Serena's problem anyway? He was
a FANTASTIC boyfriend!
"Ami, those are all just romantic gestures,
not GRAND gestures. Darien's looking
for something that shows Serena she is
part of his life now."
Darien's feelings of good boyfriendness
began to fade. Hadn't he shown her that
she was part of his life already? What more
could he do?
Rei faced him, "Look, Serena isn't looking for
some flashy gimmick I think. She wants you
to offer her something real and personal that
tells her, without trying to, that she belongs
in your life."
"Like what?" he asked looking blanker
than she had ever seen him look.
All four of them smiled kindly at him
then and he found himself a little
annoyed at their pitying understanding.
"You know, she never mentioned the
candles," Rei said, "But that day you
took the afternoon off work because she
was sick, she went on about that for
weeks!"
Darien was left feeling more confused
than before, "How am I supposed to
come up with something like that out
of the blue?"
"Don't listen to Rei!" scoffed Mina, "I
say, fill the apartment with ROSES!"
The girls and Darien all rolled their
eyes. He'd already thought of that
and of course used roses with just
about everything he gave her. But
he was saving the apartment full of roses
for a "bed of roses" he intended to build
for another, more important first.
Thankfully the girls left soon after this
and Darien turned back to Andrew with
an expression of faux calm.
"You'll get yours." He promised quietly.
Andrew just laughed.
"So what do I do?" Darien asked again.
Andrew leaned over the counter,
"Hands down, jewelry is the best way
to go."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You see, it's impossible
to create a planned spontaneous
gesture. Jewelry serves as the
shock and awe of the relationship
world."
"Shock and awe?"
Andrew smiled, "More like
dazzle and distract."
"Ah." Darien replied with a smile.
"You just have to pick out something
that has a special meaning to you
both. Something that symbolizes
a part of your relationship."
Darien smiled broadly. This was
going to be easier than he thought!
"And remember, diamonds are forever!"
teased Andrew as Darien got up to leave.
After he'd gone Serena wandered in
looking quite downcast. Andrew smiled
since he already knew what it was about.
He made Serena a milkshake and told
her as she took a long, depressed looking
slurp, "You should know Darien's out
hunting around the city for some kind of
grand gesture for you as we speak."
He expected her to squeal with glee
and jump around but instead her face
reddened and she muttered "Oh no..."
Her eyes met his in shame, "H-he told
you about that?"
Andrew frowned, "He told me you wanted
some kind of grand gesture that told
you he loved you and that you were a
part of his life--something he hadn't
offered you before."
Serena looked more and more embarrassed.
"Oh Andrew!" she exclaimed covering her
burning cheeks with her hands, "And he
thinks I want some kind of gift?"
"Uh, yeah," replied Andrew, "Don't you?"
She looked around the empty arcade
and leaned over, "Er...no...I just...that is,
I was...we've been together a long time
now and I...you know I trust Darien and
I feel so comfortable with him that I...I..."
He watched her grow completely incoherent
before understanding finally dawned on him
and he gave a low chuckle.
"Serena, you're saying you're ready to
take the relationship a little further?"
"A little further...yes." she squeaked,
feeling totally humiliated and worried
that Andrew now thought she was a
hentai.
But Andrew just smiled kindly back at her,
"Trust me, he won't need very much
encouragement!'
But she shook her head and forgot her
shame as she blurted, "No, that's not
true! I've tried making more moves but
he always pulls away! Do you think
I'm doing it wrong? Or maybe I'm just
more...more in love with him than he
is with me?"
And now Andrew understand why
she had asked for a gesture...instead
of what she really wanted. He shook
his head. He knew Darien well enough
to know EXACTLY what was going
on.
"Serena, you've got to trust me here.
The problem is not you or Darien's
feelings for you. He is only trying to
be a gentlemen and wait until you
are ready--or until he thinks you're
old enough to be ready."
She frowned moodily, "I think I'm
old enough." she muttered.
"Well then, keep at it. It won't take
much more to break him, trust me.
He's not pulling away, he's trying
desperately to keep control of
himself!"
She blushed bright red, "Really?"
Andrew nodded heartily, "Really."
Serena's entire face lit up then,
"Thanks Andrew! You're the best!"
She skipped off plotting her next
strategy and Andrew shook his head,
grinning like an idiot.
Darien, was about to have a very good
night.
And so it came to be that Darien had a
black velvet jewelry box, nestled in a gift
bag full of rose petals tucked away for
Serena on their next evening in together.
He hadn't done anything with the
apartment. No romantic flashy feat.
Just snacks, movies to watch, and the gift.
He smiled to himself and headed for the
bathroom to shave. But as he reached
for the towel it fell behind the sink.
Grumbling he reached down for it and
stuck his hand...in a bag of Serena's
"feminine" products. He blanched and
yanked back his hand as though it were
burnt.
That's it! He thought, I've had it with this
stuff! I'm going to do what I should have done
months ago!
Much later he met Serena at the door. She
looked fresh and happy, her eyes
actively searching out whatever it was
he had done.
When she couldn't see any obvious signs
she resigned herself to waiting for what
she hoped was going to be a surprise
when she least expected it.
She dropped her coat and bag and called
out to him in the kitchen, "I'm just going to
the bathroom, be right back."
Darien arranged the snacks on the table
and set up the movie. He tucked the bag
just behind the chair, in arms reach at the right
moment.
Suddenly Serena came rushing out, eyes sparkling,
her hands shaking with happiness, "Oh DARIEN,
it's just PERFECT! I love it!"
Darien frowned, "What?"
"The basket organizer you made me in the
bathroom! You cleared a whole space for
me and I even have my own toothbrush and
cup set!"
He stared at her in disbelief. He had done
that in ten minutes, with $10 and the cornerstore
downstairs, in a fit of annoyance.
She watched his face cloud with real annoyance
then. It was so adorable. He so rarely got angry
or even out of sorts.
"You think," he said slowly, "That THAT is a grand
gesture?"
But now she looked even happier, "You mean that
wasn't it?" she exclaimed in glee.
"OF COURSE IT WASN'T! WHAT KIND OF GRAND
GESTURE IS ORGANIZING THE BATHROOM!"
But she was laughing and sprinted over to him where he
sat perched on the arm of the couch, "Can I have the
real present? Please? Please?"
But he crossed his arms and sulked like a little boy.
"I don't think I WANT to give it to you." he huffed.
"Please? Pleeeeease?" she begged humbly, though
her giggles gave her away.
She kissed him all over his face but he was immovable.
Her hands tangled up in his hair and sent goosebumps
down his neck and back but he ignored them.
All that work today, all that agony and it didn't matter at all!
But Serena was really ready this time. She wrapped
herself around him and kissed him quite thoroughly,
pushing him over the arm of the couch so that they slowly
slipped back together. And he let her, though he still
pretended to be angry.
When she pulled away he was breathless but he managed
to narrow his eyes and grumble, "I'm still angry."
She smiled and sat up, pulling him gently with her. Then
she kissed him again, doing that torturous thing with her
hands under his shirt until he finally responded and wrapped
his own arms around her to hold her there.
She finally pulled away, smiling dreamily at him. How she loved
him. Knowing he had spent time and effort to please her only
made the feeling stronger. It didn't even matter what he'd
picked.
His eyes were glazed nicely but she knew he still wasn't
going to offer it to her. So she executed her plan. This,
she thought, was the perfect moment.
With one deft movement she reached back, unclasped,
slid down and pulled her bra out one of the short
sleeves of her shirt. It happened so quickly Darien
had no time to react. One minute she was reaching
behind her back, and the next she was holding her
pink cotton bra up for him to see before dropping
it with a soft sound to the floor.
She watched him go quite still, his eyes looking unblinkingly
at her before he reached behind the chair and pulled
out the bag, "Here," he said hoarsely, "You can have it."
She grinned delightedly and took it from his
hands, "YAY!"
He just shook his head, trying to swallow over his suddenly
parched throat.
She opened the bag and rustled delightedly through
the rose petals, leaning down to smell them with a smile.
He found himself smiling too. Especially when she found
the jewelry box and opened it with a gasp. It was her
turn to freeze.
"D-darien...are these...are these diamonds?" she finished in
a whisper.
He smothered a laugh, "Of course."
He leaned over and pointed, "The circle is earth, for me,
and the crescent one is the moon...for you."
The little diamond moon cradled the circular one and
Serena found she could not speak. Darien took it from
her shaking hands and fastened it about her throat. Then
he took her face in his hands, "I love you." he smiled down
at her, then kissed her.
Serena wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed
him happily back. Then giggled as she felt him lean
her eagerly back on the couch, hands wandering first
into her hair until her buns were a mess of half-curly hair
all over the cushions, then down to finally go where they had
both wanted them to...