Long Overdue

[ngm_parents]

Luíz Adriano Alencar da Silva was visiting New York City once again. It had been a long time since his last visit, but this visit was a bit more personal than business. He hadn't seen his son in awhile, and there were things he needed to look into about his son. Particularly this woman he had been dating.

The flight in had been long, and though he was greeted warmly by his son, he was getting too old to spring right into action after a flight. Luíz begged off meeting Stephanie until he was more presentable.

Before a quick nap and exercises in the hotel's gym, Luíz used his pull and influence to get a nice, quiet table for three at Eleven Madison Park. He sent the time for Marcelo and his girlfriend to meet him and got ready.

He tried to be a little early, so he could watch how his son and his girlfriend interacted as they approached. Over two years with one woman was certainly a record for his son. That he had not proposed marriage was slightly worrying to the Brazilian father considering the last relationship before Marcelo left for the States. For now, Luíz needed to meet and learn.

Then he would start asking questions.

Comments

[pyroprincess]

"Marry you?" Stephanie looked at him, articulating that which he could not. "Yes. I do want to marry you." She looked at him evenly. "Because neither of us knows how long the other will live, what's going to happen in the future. I want us to be together for a long time, but whatever else may happen, I want to be together. With you."

"And as much as I love living in sin, I like the idea of having things formalized. You are mine, and I am yours. I want the world to know that and get used to it. I would like to be Stephanie Shaw da Silva. To wear a ring to prove it."

She actually smiled slightly. "And that is what I want, Marcelo."

[vesper_verde]

His head was spinning. He blinked a few times to try to clear it, but the shocked wooziness was sticking around.

"Did you just ask and accept?" He didn't know if he needed to sit down or not. "Not that I mind, but... you know what being married means? To me? Because we should have that clear if you want to put a ring on it."

[pyroprincess]

"I know full well what that means." Stephanie replied. "In its various legal and other ramifications." She looked at him for a moment, letting out a small sigh and then looking back at him evenly. "I have something. Wait for a moment."

She wheeled about and went off towards her space in their apartment, intent on finding a safe she'd installed soon after moving in.

[vesper_verde]

"I... wha..." He let out a breath. While Stephanie disappeared into her space, Marcelo walked a little unsteadily toward a chair and slowly collapsed into it. Oh, what has his father spurred into action. He had to admit his old man was sneaky.

He shifted to sit forward with his elbows resting on his knees. He hung his head as he tried to catch his breath and his mind out of a panicked spiral.

[pyroprincess]

Stephanie came out with a slightly oblong box, itself rather elegant, lined in gold and silk. She strode towards him, eyes showing all manner of emotions, though it seems that the worst of the anger was gone.

"I thought, I thought it was sort of silly, the custom that only one partner wears the engagement ring. So, I ... I went and had a pair made. So we could both wear one. If you would." She laughed, a little nervously. And got down on one knee.

"So ... I'm going to say it formally. Marcelo, will you marry me?"

She opened it up to show the rings. Elegantly made, the stone sizable but not gaudily ostentatious. Clearly made to custom and not purchased.

[vesper_verde]

Marcelo has raised his head to see his girlfriend down on one knee in front of him with a jewelry box in hand. He looked at her, at the ring box, and back at her. His eyes widened. He wasn't quite sure if he was imagining this.

So he pinched himself and then winced.

Yes. This was real. Stephanie Shaw wanted to marry him. How was he supposed to take that?

"Sim, querida. Você é o amor da minha vida." English had utterly fled him.

[pyroprincess]

"Como tú eres mío. El amor de mi corazón, la luz de mi vida." Stephanie replied, finding that English didn't quiet express it himself. She took one of the rings and provided he didn't resist, slipped it on his finger.

"Eres mía."

She held out her hand for him to put the other ring on hers.

"Y yo soy tuyo."

[vesper_verde]

He didn't resist her putting the ring on his finger. Though he did look at it for a brief moment and wonder if it would help his punches any.

His hand shook a bit when he took her ring from the box. If she snatched her hand away and ran away giggling...

... he'd wonder who the hell replaced his Stephanie and where the real one went.

He slid the ring on her finger despite his nervousness. Then he leaned over and kissed the ring on her finger.

"Quero estar contigo para sempre," he said with a lopsided grin as he straightened up.

[pyroprincess]

Well, there was really nothing to do but to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him like they just got engaged. Which is exactly had had just happened, as crazy as it all was to contemplate.

"I'm not mad at you anymore." Stephanie said brightly, unable not to grin once she parted from his lips. "I think lunch with your father tomorrow is going to be very interesting." She laughed.

[vesper_verde]

The kiss was expected, but thoroughly enjoyed. He tried to pull her up onto his lap. He thought it would be more comfortable than the floor.

"You could still be mad at me. I deserved it," he admitted a little ruefully. "I just... don't think of her. At all. Why would I need to when I have a better woman?"

He gave Steph a gentle squeeze. "Though I should probably head off one more minor secret revelation..."

She wanted to share her life with him, Marcelo had to learn not to keep so many secrets.

[pyroprincess]

It was true. They were going to be husband and wife, and secrets were not good. For either of them. She settled into his lap, arms still wrapped around his neck.

"All right. Reveal away." It was clear that she was too happy to consider too seriously what it may be.

[vesper_verde]

Good thing she was happily on his lap, this demonstration worked best within 6 feet of him.

"Well, as Vesper, you've seen me do some things. Not all of it's equipment or trained skill." He put them in a silence bubble. He spoke words bu no sound came out. It was supposed to sound like 'But my powers aren't all that great in comparison.'

[pyroprincess]

"You have powers!" Stephanie burst out, though no sound came out, it would have been clear enough what he said. "Not mutant ones?" Her next words were carefully spelled out, by lips as well as words.

The total silence was sort of astonishing. No sounds from the fridge, the clock, even their own hearts hammering away.

[vesper_verde]

He dropped the silence when it was obvious Stephanie got the full effect of his powers.

"Not mutant ones," he answered. "Lab accident back home with bio-medical chemicals. I can put up a limited silence field. It was how we didn't get caught on the balcony at that one gala." Sometimes he tried to protect that public image Stephanie valued. "And then I have enhanced hearing. I can hear things up to two miles away. Helps with surveillance. And despite that, really loud noises can't deafen me. Which is how I escaped from Stahlman that time I ended up in the hospital."

[pyroprincess]

"That would be rather useful with those jet engines as well. I've wondered how you were able to deal with that noise before." Stephanie leaned against him, frowning a little when he mentioned Stahlman. She remembered that far too well.

"But yes ... very useful for boring society galas." Her finger trailed slowly down his chest. "Speaking of ... I think we've some celebrating to do." She grinned wickedly.

[vesper_verde]

He glanced down at her finger trailing down his chest. He grinned before leaning in for a kiss.

"Careful celebration," he murmured when the kiss ended. "Minha noiva has had an emotional two days."

Which was an understatement with her father coming back from the dead, her father then telling her how her life went, meeting his father, finding out about Helena, and proposing to him. Marcelo thought they might need a vacation soon.

"You need to be able to move to have lunch with my father. Though that can probably be done even if I still make love to you all night."