Life at Inventions Incorporated returned to its usual pace a week after Brutus' visit. Wiress hummed as she fitted a gear into place for her prototype model of a digging machine for District One. "Wiress?" Beetee asked. He smiled as her large eyes met his. "When you're done, can you run to the market center for me?"
"For wire?" Wiress asked.
"Ah - yeah - and - gears, I guess." He blushed as Wiress giggled at him across the table.
"You usually have a precise list -" Wiress began looking at him puzzled.
"Oh yes, here it is." Beetee said pulling a sheet of paper out of his notebook. "I'll give you some money out of my fund." Nodding, Wiress put the paper in her pocket before returning to her work.
"Beetee, I'm leaving -" Wiress began two hours later. After changing from a button-up shirt and cargo pants into a dark green knit dress, grey tights, black mid-calf boots, and her black heavy coat, she took her cloth shopping bag and the bag of Beetee's money set aside for this excursion. Humming, she left the shed and began thinking about how the different components would be incorporated into Beetee's invention. Over the years, they began to play a game called "Guess where I'll put it." Grinning, she knew Beetee would spread the purchases across the metal table, and Wiress would need to guess where each component would be used.
As she thought about their little game, she thought more about them. Since the age of ten, Wiress had known Beetee as a protective older-brother type figure. As a ten year old, she had a school-girl crush on him. Notions of a fluffy love-story were shattered at age thirteen when she was taken over and over by Capitol men. In her broken state, she viewed Beetee as her strength - the one who was determined to put her pieces together. However, she wondered if she was too broken to return the love he had given over the years.
She reached a large shed labeled WALPart. The name was short for Warehouse Altered and Liquidated Parts. Basically, any piece of machinery that became obsolete was shipped there for dismantling. The parts were then sold to the rest of the District. Wiress and Beetee were perhaps their biggest customers. "Hello there, Wiress!" One of the many salespeople said. "What are we getting today?" Wiress smiled and showed her the list. "Well, I'm sure you know your way around, dear." Humming, Wiress picked her purchases and paid for them. Walking back, she stopped by the bakery to get a bag of rolls.
"Oh, Beetee forgot the rolls?" The baker asked chuckling. "He was in here earlier." He added answering the confused look Wiress gave him.
"Yes - he must've forgot -" Wiress mused before returning to the shed. "Beetee, did you forget -" Wiress began as she opened the door. However, her thoughts trailed off as she observed the inside of the invention shed. The overhead lights were dimmed and the wooden table was completely cleared of their books and papers. A lamp with a stained-glass shade was in the center along with a boquet of fabric flowers in a glass vase. Beetee was dressed in black slacks and a button-down light blue shirt. His back was toward the door as he finished cooking by the stove. Placing spaghetti and tomato sauce on two new ceramic plates, he brought the meal to the table. "Oh -" Wiress gasped.
"I had to get you out for a bit so I could work on my surprise. Dinner is served, my dear." Beetee said smiling. Coming to the door, he closed it before helping Wiress out of her coat. Taking the rolls, he put several in a basket lined with a simple cloth napkin. He returned to Wiress and took her by the hand to escort her to the table.
"Oh - Beetee -" Wiress managed to stammer as she sat on her stool. Beetee sat down and reached across the table to take her hands in his. "Thank you. It's so - lovely." Beetee's heart melted as Wiress smiled at him. Her face lit up in happiness like he hadn't seen in years.
"Wiress, you are a special person and I've known that for a long time. I would like this to be our first date. As boyfriend and girlfriend." Beetee said gazing into her large eyes filled with awe.
"Yes, Beetee." Wiress said smiling. She blushed. "I always thought - you were cute." Beetee chuckled as they began eating. "You still are."
"I never stopped seeing you as beautiful. From the moment you came to see me off to the Capitol when you were ten until now." Beetee admitted as Wiress smiled. As they ate, small glances and smiles were exchanged from across the table. They continued smiling at each other as Beetee took their plates and did the dishes. Later, as they sat on Beetee's mat with his back to the metal wall and Wiress curled up in his lap, they continued getting to know each other.
"Favorite color?" Wiress asked as Beetee stroked her hair.
"Favorite color, hm? You know, I can't believe we never asked each other these before. Black." Beetee answered. "The color of dreamless sleep. And the color of your hair." Wiress giggled. "You?"
"So many." Wiress whispered. "Color - light - happiness." She sighed pressing her face against Beetee's chest.
"That's good to know." Beetee murmured. "Are you falling asleep already, my dear?" He chuckled watching her doze in his arms.
"I forgot how this feels -" Wiress began. "Safe." Carefully, Beetee set her on her bed. Stripping down to his boxers and undershirt, he climbed under the covers before she buried her face in his chest.
"Wiress, do you think you'll like being my girlfriend?" Beetee asked as he held her and ran his fingers through her hair.
"Yes." Wiress whispered. "Very much." As she drifted off to sleep, Beetee placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I like being your boyfriend very much already." Beetee whispered as he fell asleep next to the young lady he loved.