Like A River

by The Last Letter

Take my hand/Take my whole life, too/For I can't help/Falling in love with you

The song mentioned in this is Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love. Trigger warnings: very brief mention of marijuana use

This was inspired by art done by thecaroliner (on tumblr!) so go check that out and don't forget that you can find me on tumblr: we - are - all - of - legend - now!

Happy reading and happy Valentine's Day!

~TLL~

The wind rushed around Jake's ears and he glared out into the never-quite-darkness of New York City. He couldn't control the weather but he wished that he could. He couldn't afford for there to be wind or rain tonight. He needed clear and beautiful skies because, at this point, there was no way to change his plans, even if he wanted to. And he definitely didn't want to. He had set it all up – it was all picture perfect. Everything was better than he had hoped that it would be and he hadn't known that he had it in him to pull it off.

Jake turned in a slow circle, taking in the rooftop that had been completely drab this time yesterday and nodded smugly to himself.

Perfect.

Now, all he needed, was the girl.

(-.-)

"Pink or blue?" Rose anxiously held up the two sweaters, staring at herself in the mirror.

Her identical twin sister, Emma, crossed her arms over her chest, the blue sweater adhering to her every curve, and she glared flatly at Rose. Rose nudged Emma's shoulder and Emma gave a good-natured roll of her eyes.

"I don't care about your clothes or your boyfriend."

"You love Jake."

"I like Jake. If I loved him, we'd have a problem."

Rose laughed and then went back to fussing with the pink sweater she was wearing. It was a much looser fit than the one that Emma was modelling for her and Rose wondered if it was the right choice. Valentine's Day put a strong emphasis on being flirty and sexy and Rose felt like, maybe, she should. But Jake always said that he liked her best when she was wearing his t-shirt, fighting him over the last piece of the pizza. He'd seen her in just her bra before, of course, and he'd reacted like any seventeen-year-old boy in love would. But the fact that he kissed her with morning breath and bought her sweatpants two sizes too big because he knew that's how she liked to wear them comforted Rose about the fact that Jake saw more to her.

"I think it should be the pink one," Rose said. It dipped off her shoulders and made her feel pretty and feminine without making her feel like she should be putting on a show.

"So you dressed me up like Malibu Barbie for what?" Emma griped but Rose saw the way that she gave a little twirl to check out the black skirt that had been paired with the blue shirt.

Rose looked herself over, feeling confident in the ripped grey skinny jeans she'd paired with her cozy pink sweater.

"So that you could check out your butt," Rose said as Emma kept swishing the skirt around her thighs.

"I'm the only one," Emma scoffed but Rose wasn't sure that she believed her. Emma had been texting a little too often for someone who wasn't going to be going out on Valentine's Day. "But, enough about me, let's get some jewels on you."

"I don't need jewels," Rose said but she was powerless as Emma guided her into the chair of what was supposed to be their shared vanity but mostly belonged to Emma.

Rose knew the basics of make-up. Every so often, she liked eyeshadow that shimmered and lipstick that made her look like a silent movie star, but most days it was a struggle to remember to put on the facial moisturizer Emma said she needed. Emma, however, loved the tips and tricks of contouring every visible inch of herself and had more bottles of skin things and nail things and hair things that Rose would know what to do with. Next to the vanity was Emma's towering jewellery pile, half of which was so tangled together that it was unwearable. The whole area intimidated Rose and she often needed Emma's guidance when she wanted to wear a full face of make-up.

"Just a little bit of glamour," Emma insisted. "I won't go crazy, okay? I promise."

"If you're going to be accessorizing me, will you cover my zits too?"

"Only if you throw mascara in the mix."

"Deal," Rose said, grinning at Emma. "Thanks."

Emma kissed the top of Rose's head, the thing that she had been doing their entire lives. "That's what sisters are for."

(-.-)

"I don't care about your clothes."

"But you do care about my girlfriend. Come on, Haley, I can't ask Mom without Dad overhearing and he dresses like, well …"

"Dad?" Haley supplied. "Fine. Show me the options."

Jake threw three shirts on his bed and immediately Haley flicked the green one to the ground.

"Hair and shirt? Too much, Jake."

Jake nodded, like normally he would think about it. He glanced at the clock as Haley held up the purple sweater and the red plaid to his body, trying to judge. He couldn't be late, not for Valentine's Day. It was the day, the big day, the one day where Rose let him go as absolutely ham and overboard as he wanted, and every year, he had to do more to make it perfect. He was already worried for himself next year, because he already had no idea how he was going to top this.

"Red," Haley said, tossing the plaid at him. "It's your colour and it's on theme."

"Thanks, you're a life saver."

"Two more tips, big brother," Haley said, pausing in his doorway. "Brush your teeth before you go and do not put on anymore cologne or you'll gas her before you even get to start dinner."

Jake laughed. "Thanks, Haley, you're a life saver."

"Remember that next time that I want something," Haley said before flouncing off.

Checking the time once more, Jake quickly brushed his teeth and gargled mouthwash for good measure. He wasn't going to get there on time by walking or on skateboard so he sprouted dragon's wings and flew off, intent on beating Rose to their date.

(-.-)

Rose looked around, feeling unsure. In the city that never slept, in a world where you were never alone, this corner of New York felt eerily quiet. There wasn't even the sound of rats, something that she would have anticipated in this area. She checked the address Jake had sent her on her phone for what seemed like the thousandth time since the cab had dropped her off, repeatedly asking if this was the place. It was. But she didn't see how this strange, warehouse district without many apartments or houses, was the place for their Valentine's Date. Last year, he had taken her to a restaurant way too fancy for two teenagers on their budget, and he had promised to take her back when they could try out the wine list.

Rose's breath formed a fog as she exhaled and she wished that he had warned her to dress warmer. If she was going to be spending all night outside, he was just going to have to give her his jacket. She didn't make the rules, she just enforced them, and that was Girlfriend Rule Number Two: Girlfriends must not be cold. She was on the verge of calling Jake and admitting that she had either screwed up or was lost, neither of which she wanted to do, when she saw a strange light coming from one of the darkened doorways. She approached it carefully, her instincts coming in from all sides to tell her that this was probably a trap.

When she got to the door itself, though, Rose just had to laugh, because she knew that she was in the right place. Scratched on the door, with probably a careful dragon's claw, was the outline of a heart and, inside, was written: RH+JL 4EVER. Smiling to herself, Rose placed her palm on it for a moment, savouring the sweetness of it, and then she pushed the door open, not sure what she was expecting inside. Immediately to her left was a heavy red curtain, blocking off what was behind it. Out of curiousity, she took a quick peek behind the curtain – Jake wasn't here to tell her not to, after all – but it was just a cavernous, dark, warehouse room. Somewhere that was not going to be the centre of romance and she let the curtain fall back down, looking up the stairs that were straight ahead of her.

They were straight and steep but they had been decorated with big puffs of pink and white tulle leading up the railing. There was a red carpet down the stairs, covered with white rose petals. It was something that would have made Rose giggle with the cheesiness of it if she'd seen it in a movie but since it was all for her, Rose just felt herself tearing up. She took a deep breath and dabbed under her eyes, making sure that she didn't disturb Emma's make-up job before Jake at least saw it, and then she ascended the stairs.

At the top, the stairs opened up onto a rooftop, and even though it was just a warehouse, in a not so great part of town, Rose's breath was taken away. Jake had draped more of the heavy curtains around, blocking out the worst of the wind while keeping the best of the view. There was warm candlelight everywhere, making the whole thing seem extraordinarily cozy, and Rose no longer worried about being cold. The only electric lights were the ones that were strung high over their heads, almost too far away to actually provide any light. Rose looked up and then she started picking out the details of constellations. All of the constellations that she had learnt about in astrology last year, that Jake had gone out night after night with her to help her find a place in the city to see the stars properly. And he had brought them to her!

She felt like her grin was too big for her face, but Rose couldn't stop it. She didn't want to stop it. Her gaze dropped from the makeshift constellations to Jake's face. He was standing next to a low table, heaped with food and sparkling ciders, a cuddle chair that she suspected he had either stolen or borrowed from Trixie next to the table, heaped with blankets.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Jake crowed, spreading his arms wide, showing off everything he had done for her.

Rose ran into his arms, no matter that she had seen him less than a day ago. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips immediately. She wished that she had all the words to tell him how loved he made her feel, how much this all meant to her, and how grateful she was to be here with him.

(-.-)

Jake heard Rose's footsteps on the stairs and it took all of his strength not to run down the steps and greet her. He made himself hold his position because he had done a damn good job, if he said so himself, and he wanted to make sure that Rose got the full effect, without his excitement tainting it. His legs trembled and his knees went weak when Rose appeared, dressed so simply but still so beautifully that he felt like he couldn't breathe looking at her. He wanted to bury his hands in the soft material of the sweater, touch her waist, and pull her close. His gaze followed the neckline of the sweater, dipping off her shoulders and tracing her collarbones.

A sense of smugness came over Jake when Rose gasped at seeing the room. She'd said that she didn't want anything big for Valentine's Day, just a dinner with the two of them all alone, but Jake didn't know how to do things for her halfway. It was go big or go home and all of it was worth it when he saw her smile. All of the hours with his mother in the kitchen, putting together the perfect menu for their romantic dinner and cooking most of it on his own, even though Susan did have to help him with the tuilles. Jake never wanted to see another tuille again. Ever.

Rose jumped into his arms and Jake spun her, kissing her like he'd never kissed her before. He'd never get tired of kissing Rose.

"Do you like it?" he asked when Rose was back on her own two feet.

"Jake! How could I not? Look at this place!" Rose swept her arms out like he had built her a palace. "You didn't have to do all of this."

Jake took her hand. "Yeah, I did."

Jake felt warm from head to toe when she met his gaze and then kissed his cheek. Rose had to know that he would do anything for her, have to or not, the same way that she would for him. It was the comfort and the beauty of it all.

"Now, come on," Jake said, tugging her, "let's get to the food before it gets cold. I made it all myself you know."

He was only a little stung at the sheer surprise on her face.

"What! I used to help my mother in the kitchen all the time."

"When you were five and sticking your fingers in the batter bowls," Rose responded slyly.

"And after that," Jake said, "remember, she taught me how to make the best brownies."

"Because you and Spud wanted to put weed in them."

"Details," Jake teased. It felt like so long ago that he and Spud had went on that experiment, but fifteen was only two years ago.

Jake took Rose's hands and settled her into the cuddle chair, arranging her pillows around her and draping a blanket around her shoulders, because he would never hear the end of it if she got cold.

"Would you like a drink first?"

"I'd love one."

Jake popped the top off of the sparkling the cider with as much fanfare as if it were true champagne. He had even swiped a couple of proper champagne flutes on his way out the door, tucking them safely into the food basket. Susan might not notice that he took them, but she would definitely notice if he didn't bring them back. When they had both had full glasses, he sat down next to her and raised his glass.

"To Valentine's Day."

"To loving you," Rose said, and they clinked their glasses in a toast.

"What do you want to try first?" Jake asked, unpacking the food. "I have this, like, bruschetta dip, thing, because I didn't want us to have soggy crostini. Nothing worse than a soggy crostino."

Rose giggled, but Jake knew that she agreed with him.

"And then I got some crab cakes and then I made some dumplings because I had to have dumplings and then I did those mushroom cap things of Mom's that you really like and then I did little chicken skewers and –" Jake stopped as Rose's giggles increased. "What? I made a bunch of appetizer things so that you could have your choice of everything you wanted!"

"And how many desserts?" Rose asked.

"The most important part," Jake agreed. "Well, I have chocolate covered strawberries because how could you not have chocolate covered strawberries on Valentine's Day."

He saw how her eyes lit up and he reached for them immediately, setting them on the table between them.

"Dessert first. It's Valentine's Day."

Plus, they still had the puddings and the cakes to go. There would be plenty of dessert for after. They clinked their strawberries together in another toast and then they curled around each other, Rose tucking her feet over Jake's lap, like he knew she would, even though they both had to twist around to reach for the food. He wouldn't have her any other way. He liked to have her hand on her knee, toying with the rips in her grey jeans to touch any bit of skin that he possibly could. They fed each other any combination of foods, the desserts and the appetizers surprisingly tasty back-to-back.

Rose tilted her head back, tracing out the constellations in the fairy lights and marveling over them in the way that he thought she would.

"When did you have time for all of this?" she asked. "This is so accurate!"

"I always have time for things when they're for you," Jake said, not wanting to give away his secrets, or the morning hours spent in complete frustration because it wasn't working out the way that he had pictured in his head.

He also didn't want to tell her that the construction of this rooftop, for this one night, had taken weeks. He had to drag the furniture and work with tulle and keep it all a secret. He had been dipping in and out of thrift shops and antique stores, trying to find the thing that would be the perfect Valentine's Day gift. He knew what Rose was going to say when he offered her something other than the dinner and the rooftop but Jake didn't think that anything was ever enough, not for her. He had eventually found her something and, though the necklace was beautiful, it didn't seem like the perfect fit. His mother thought it was a beautiful gift and told him not to worry if it didn't seem perfect because Rose was going to love it. Jake thought that he could give Rose a skunk and she would love it because it was from him but that didn't mean that he was going to give her a skunk. Especially not for Valentine's Day.

Jake offered her the last chocolate strawberry and Rose took it happily, following it with the last of the sparkling cider in her glass. She sighed happily and stretched her arms out to Jake. Jake took her hands, knowing exactly what she wanted, and pulled her into his arms. Her legs slid on either side of his lap, and her forehead pressed to his.

"Are you happy with your Valentine's Day?" Jake asked her.

"Yeah," Rose mused, kissing at his cheeks. "But …"

"But, what?"

"Where's the string quartet?" Rose asked. "The music? Hmm."

Jake had thought about it. He just didn't want a bunch of musicians horning in on their private moments.

Jake gripped Rose by her hips and lifted her onto her feet. She wanted music? He'd give her music.

(-.-)

Rose put her head down on Jake's shoulder, falling into his warm embrace. She dangled her hands around his neck, playing with the hair on the back of his head. Jake held her tightly as they started to turn slowly, like they were dancing for the first time in middle school all over again. He hummed slightly under his breath and then his voice was in her ear, creating the music for them and making goosebumps rise on her arms.

"Wise men say

""Only fools rush in"

"But I can't help

"Falling in love with."

It didn't even cross Rose's mind to accuse him of being cheesy. She felt like she was going to turn into a pile of mush in the most delightful way as Jake turned her into a long spin and she twirled back into him. She couldn't take her eyes from the intensity of his gaze, leaning into how it made her feel. She hoped that she could make him feel like that with just a look.

"Like a river flows

"Surely to the sea

"Darling, so it goes

"Some things are meant to be."

Rose pressed a kiss to the side of Jake's neck, singing the last lines with him, although under her breath. She knew she couldn't sing and she didn't mind so much when they were just blasting music in the car, the radio to drown them out. But, here, on the quietness of the rooftop, she wanted to join him, but she also wanted to listen to him at the same time.

"Take my hand

"Take my whole life, too

"For I can't help

"Falling in love with you

"For I can't help

"Falling in love with you."

The quietness of the rooftop seemed all encompassing once Jake's voice faded. His fingers came up to the bottom of her chin, tilting her head back so that he could kiss her deeply, his hands in her hair, messing up all of Emma's handiwork, and Rose couldn't care less.

"I love you," Jake whispered.

"I love you too," Rose whispered back, her hand resting on his chest, feeling his heartbeat against her palm. "Do you want your Valentine's Day present now?"

Jake grinned, playing coy. "A present? You got me a present?"

"If you don't want it, just say so." Two could play that game.

"No, no, I want it!" Jake insisted, like she knew he would, but she still liked to tease him.

Rose went to her small clutch purse and pulled it out the gift that she had gotten him. She hid it in her palm, her stomach starting to flutter. She wasn't nervous about his reaction to the gift but she was nervous about how to present it to him.

"Wil you come sit with me?" she asked.

Jake plopped down on the cuddle chair with her and Rose nudged into him so that their knees were touching. He was already looking at her strangely because normally she sat with her legs flopped of his so that he could put her hands on her knees and rub up and down her thighs.

"Is this a serious present?" Jake asked.

Rose shrugged because, on one hand, yes. On the other hand, no. Just because they were who they were and they were who they were together.

"I love you," Rose said, the words coming out in a tumble. She wasn't one for ceremony. Jake was the one with the theatrics. "And I want you to know that I'm always going to love you and I want us to always be together so we can love each other."

Jake was slowly starting to smile, but there was still confusion in his expression. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

Rose laughed, the butterflies dissipating. "No, that's your job."

"Noted, noted," Jake said, tapping his temple. "In the vault for when it's time."

"It's not a proposal but it is a promise." Rose opened her hand, showing off the gold ring that she'd went and gotten for him. "A promise that I'm always going to be here for you, even if the worst thing happens and we don't end up together, I'm still always going to be a person for you. I promise that I'm going to do everything I can to make you feel loved."

Jake picked the ring up out of Rose's hand and inspected it.

"What do you think?"

"I think this also means you promise you're going to marry me someday," Jake said cockily, putting the ring back in Rose's hand, making her heart clench. Then, he offered his hand to her. "Well, put it on!"

"Promise rings traditionally go on the middle finger," Rose said, sliding it on and breathing a sigh of relief that it fit. "What do you think?"

"I think I love you," Jake said, "I think I'm always going to love you."

"Well, I know I'm always going to love you," Rose bragged. "I put a ring on it first."

Jake spun the ring on his finger. "And I love that you did."

Jake leant over her, kissing her. Rose felt back into the cuddle chair, letting his weight settle over her body. She pushed her fingers under his shirt, feeling him shiver as her cold fingers rested on his stomach. She pushed up against him, ready to fall into a deep and satisfying make-out session that would smear her lipstick across both of their faces. Jake kissed her tenderly, in the way that teased her and set her on fire. She parted her lips and then he –

Sat up?

Rose pushed herself into a sitting position indignantly as Jake got off the cuddle chair.

"Where are you going?" she asked, trying not to sound like she was pouting and disappointed but not quite accomplishing it.

"Two seconds. I have one more thing for you."

"Jake, you've done more than –"

He pressed a finger to her lips and she couldn't help but glare at a him a little. He knew that she didn't like to be cut off.

"I already have. So, wait here."

"Two seconds," Rose mumbled.

"Three tops," Jake swore, kissing her forehead, and then he disappeared down the stairs.

Rose flopped backwards and stared up at the makeshift stars, counting down the seconds until he came back by tracing the constellations he had made for her.

(-.-)

Jake ducked behind the curtain at the bottom of the stairs where he had hidden away his supplies for the evening and Rose's gift. He pulled the necklace out of its hiding place and looked it again. It was beautiful, bought from an antique shop because he knew Rose loved things with history, with a small heart pendent hanging from it. He held it in his hand, watching it rest against his new ring. His new ring which was a symbol and a promise of everything that they meant to one another, all of the dreams they were going to have together, the fact that one day, she would be his wife. And he wanted her to have that. A necklace wasn't enough; he knew that it wasn't the right fit.

But it was what he had.

Jake looked up, knowing that Rose was probably snacking and drinking the cider out of the bottle, despite the champagne flutes, just waiting for him to come back. He could rush back to her or he could take a chance on making it perfect.

He was going to take his chance.

He worked the pendent off the necklace and then took a deep breath, summoning his fire, hoping that he didn't just burn the metal or melt it so fast that he couldn't do anything with it. He worked quickly, shaping and rolling, and crossing his fingers that he knew Rose's fingers well enough that he could make sure that it fit. Jake quickly put the pendent in the centre. It wasn't perfect; it was a little too big for the ring itself and the point of the heart and the rounded tops stuck out a little and he hoped it wouldn't bother her. He would fix it, if it bothered her. He would get her something brand new if it bothered her. Anything she wanted, if anything at all bothered her.

Jake worked until he was satisfied, until there was no trace that it used to be a necklace at all. The metal was smooth and the gem of the heart shined beautifully. He pressed a kissed to it, crossed his fingers, and then bounced back up the stairs. He knew that she was going to call him cheesy and probably a copycat and he didn't care. He felt like he was lighter than air, like was flying but a thousand times better. Was this what it would feel like when they were actually engaged or actually getting married? Could that feel even better than this? He was suddenly filled with an impatience to find out but he was going to make himself wait for that. At least for another year or two.

"That was longer than three seconds!" Rose yelled out the second he stepped foot upstairs, as he knew that she would.

"Sorry, I had to make a few adjustments to your gift."

Rose's head popped up off the top of the cuddle chair and she placed the bottle of the cider back on the table.

"Adjustments?" she asked suspiciously. "What kind of adjustments?"

"Ones I hope you love."

"I've loved everything else about tonight, haven't I?"

"Not sure, you haven't said."

Rose leant up on her knees, grabbing the sides of his plaid when he was close enough and tugging him to her. "I've loved every moment of tonight. I'm so lucky to have you."

"And you're going to have me forever. And I want to have you forever."

"You're going to have me forever," Rose said. "That's why I gave you a ring."

"And that's why I'm giving you one back."

Jake couldn't help it; he had to get down on one knee.

"A ring? You –"

"Am a copycat," Jake agreed, cutting her off before she could say it. "But this is what feels right. We'll have our promise rings, and then I'll give you an engagement ring, and then we'll have our wedding rings. That's all coming for us, but, for now, I want you to have a symbol of all that promise, in the same way you gave me one. Is that so bad?"

"No," Rose agreed, grinning so widely that Jake could see every one of her teeth. "I don't think that's so bad at all."

"I made this myself," Jake said. "It wasn't originally a ring so if it doesn't fit or … we'll find one together."

"You made it?" Rose said, gasping as she picked up the ring. "What? How?"

"Dragon's fire can do wonderful things. Can I put it on you?"

Jake held his breath as the ring met a little resistance sliding down her finger and then it settled into its spot, fitting perfectly.

"Jake," Rose whispered. "I love it."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Jake lifted from his knees, gathering her in his arms and crashing his lips to hers. They wrapped around on e another, falling into the embrace of the cuddle chair, their worlds consisting of nothing but each other, the clinking of their new rings providing the soundtrack to the perfect end of the evening.