Hey! Prompted by Rebecca! I love you Becs, and I'd forgotten how much I loved that song!

Anyway, the prompt was "You think I'm pretty, without any make up on. You think I'm funny, when I get the punch line wrong" It comes from Katy Perry's song, but the name escapes me, I think it might be Teenage Dream. Anyway, thank Rebecca if you like it! Blame Rebecca if you don't! :)

Enjoy!

"What are you doing?" Jerome asked, fiddling with his cufflinks, Mara slid in her earrings, sitting in front of the mirror. She wore a deep blue, floor length skin tight dress, her hair up in a messy bun. Jerome smiled genuinely when he saw her "You look beautiful,"

Mara smiled, glancing at him in the reflection "And you look like perfection, as always," she opened a drawer "I think I'm probably gonna need some artificial stuff, to look like I belong with you," and she dropped out a few bits of makeup, mostly unused, except from special occasions. She picked up a tube of mascara, unscrewing the lid, only to have her wrist gripped by Jerome, as he spun her around on the chair, eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" he exclaimed

"Um..." Mara frowned, with a confused laugh "Putting on mascara?"

"Why?"

"To make your lashes look longer and darker-"

"Why?"

"To enhance your eyes-"

"Why?" he pressed again

"To look prettier,"

"No," Jerome took the mascara from her, closing it up. "No, you would not look prettier with something fake on your face. You're the most beautiful woman in the whole world when your 100% Mara, not 97% Mara, 3% cosmetics,"

"Jerome," she cocked her head with a small smile "As sweet, and as flattering as that is, I think it's a confidence thing, and I'll feel more confident if I wear it-"

"You don't feel confident when I say I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world?" Mara blushed, but took the mascara from him "You should be the most confident woman in an room, all the time! You would win a thousand beauty contests," with a sigh, Mara placed down the mascara, and pushed the rest back into the drawer where it belonged.

"Fine, Jerome, fine," she relented "For you, Jerome."

He smiled brilliantly.

And she was filled with a new confidence.

Line Break

Jerome was leaning against the wall, gripping the railing for dear life as he laughed so hard tears actually formed in his eyes. They were at this party, a reunion, with their school mates, and she was talking to a little group of people, and for some reason, he couldn't even fathom, she began telling jokes.

And what awful jokes they were. All science based and terrible.

I was gonna tell you a joke about Sodium and Hydrogen, but NaH

Sadly, all the good science jokes, Argon

Then something terrible about h2so4, and Jerome could feel his sides splitting, as the people stared at Mara blankly, as she laughed at her own jokes. Finally, realising she was getting nowhere, face in flames, Mara scurried over to him. "Jerome!" she hissed "Why didn't you stop me? I made a total fool of myself-"

"M-mar-Mara," he managed, still doubled over, laughing so incredibly hard "You are hilarious." Mara rolled her eyes, smiling slightly

"Are you drunk?"

"Not in the slightest," he whispered honestly "W-wh-who..." he had to stop as he laughed for two minutes straight "Who in their right mind starts telling science jokes at a reunion? O-only you ahahahaha..." and he burst out laughing again, wiping his eyes. And his careless laughter was contagious, and Mara found herself, not embarrassed, but laughing with him.

Line Break

"Jerome," Mara whispered, turning, wrapped up in a white blanket, Jerome was still reeling with ecstasy, eyes shut, his bare torso, glistening abs there for all the world to see "You really think I'm pretty, without any makeup on?"

He turned to face her, his head propped up on his elbow, and he shot her a dazzling smile "Would I say it if I didn't mean it?" he brushed her hair back "You're beautiful Mara, you don't need makeup,"

Mara smiled, biting her lip "And...you think I'm funny, even if my jokes are just...the lamest thing out there?"

Jerome began chuckling, simply remembering earlier that night "Mara, my dear, you are hilarious," he drew her closer, fingers trailing down her back. "Now let's sleep, and I'll wake you in the morning with a kiss,"

"See you in my dreams," she whispered, Jerome smiled, kissing her forehead.

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