nextgenerationmarvel | I Find Myself Alive (Stephanie)

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I Find Myself Alive (Stephanie)

There had been a time, back when she was in high school and her early days of college, when Brooke would come to Central Park, armed with a bag filled with a mix of cracked corn, barley, oats, and peas, and feed the ducks while losing herself in thought. It was something that she hadn't done in a very long while but found herself wanting to do that day.She was seated on her bench, legs crossed demurely, floral skirt spread out just so, painting what she was sure was quite the pretty picture. There was a warmth emanating from her, a contentment, that gently affected all who passed her. Even Sharona, Brooke's maid, who was sometimes exasperated by the demands Brooke made of her, was perfectly content to stand behind the empath, holding up a parasol so as to block Brooke from the sun.

On the bench next to her sat two fresh cups of coffee and a little sack filled with chocolate croissants from her favourite coffee shop. She'd invited Stephanie to meet her out here this morning, since they had a lot of catching up to do, including some news to share with her best friend. News that was best told in person and not uncovered over an announcement in the society pages. It wouldn't be proper. Besides, this wasn't the sort of news one could break over the phone. Not to their best friend.

Brooke reached into the bag and drew out a handful of the feed, spreading it out in front of her. Watching the ducks feed, she smiled in contentment.

Mrs. Brooke Aaron, she thought to herself. I love the sound of that!

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Stephanie could feel the vibe from a considerable distance. Whatever Brooke wanted to talk about, it was something that made her very happy indeed. Reflexively, she started considering what that could be. Surely nothing so mundane as a business deal. And some social advancement wouldn't cause this sort of happiness, more of a smug satisfaction.

Alexander. It had something to do with him. They'd already slept together, so it wasn't that.

She eased her way over to Brooke with a soft smile. It was a little heady being around her in this mood, a bit like drinking a few glasses of a particularly excellent red wine. She immediately went to hug her friend.

"Brooke, something's making you very happy. You simply must tell me what it is. And no making me guess or anything!"

Brooke ought to have realized that Stephanie would have guessed that something was up. After all, whether or not she was aware of it, she was currently a bright beacon of happy, joyous emotions.

She hugged Stephanie back. "You're going to think this is insane," she said before she pulled away. "Certainly, in some ways, it is. I can hear the gossip now, but I assure it, it's not a shot gun thing. I'm not pregnant." Not that she thought Stephanie's mind would go there, but sometimes, things needed to be said. "Honestly, Alexander surprised me with this - for a moment, I thought he was going to break up with me, because what else do the words we need to talk usually mean, but that wasn't it at all."

She lifted her hand, then, and showed off the thin gold band with the large, princess-cut diamond. "He asked for my hand!"

Oh.

Oh wow.

Brooke was engaged. Alexander had asked her to marry him. And clearly she'd said yes. And wasn't pregnant, according to her own testimony anyway. The effects of Brooke's radiated happiness combined with the shock of the moment made it difficult for Stephanie to think what to say. What was there to say? Probably a great many things.

"Have you set a date yet?" Stephanie finally settled on asking. Wow. They hadn't been together for that long. But Brooke was so happy, which meant that Stephanie couldn't help but catch that wave of happiness, which was seriously affecting her ability to think.

Brooke didn't realize the sort of her effect she was having on those around her. Oh, she knew she was emanating something, but it was a far more powerful thing than she realized.

"No, not yet," Brooke said. "But we both agreed that we don't want a long, drawn out engagement." She reached into the bag and pulled out another handful of seed for the ducks. "Five months," she said. "It's a very short courtship, I know. Not even a full half year. But..." she trailed off, deep in thought for a moment. "I do love him. And he loves me. He's a great prospect who could offer me so much in the future." Power. Riches. Eternal beauty. Love. She reached out and took one of Stephanie's hands in her own. "Please say you'll be my matron of honor?"

"Long engagements have always struck me as a little silly. Unless there are dire life or death reasons to delay a marriage, of course." She looked over at the ducks, who looked very fat and happy indeed. She wondered idly if they picked up some of her emotional vibe. Could she affect animals?

She had questions, even in her happiness-addled mind, deeply pertinent ones about Alexander, about Brooke's readiness to marry. But they weren't really appropriate to bring up now, even if she'd felt like it. Alexander had never been anything but an absolute gentleman as far as Stephanie had ever seen. And he was quite a prospect from most perspectives.

And how could she refuse that request? She couldn't. There was no way.

"Of course. I'd be honored." Stephanie replied with a warm smile. She laughed slightly. "It's strange to hear myself be referred to as a 'matron' of any sort."

But she hadn't been a 'maid' for some considerable time, either.

As far as Brooke knew, she had no effect over animals. But then she'd never really tested that theory out.

"Thank you," she said. On the surface, it may have seemed as though Brooke was thanking her for agreeing to be her matron of honor. But it was deeper than that. Brooke expected questions, doubts, worry. A short courtship, a quick engagement. It was rushed, even she realized that on some level. But here Stephanie was, taking the surprising news without putting a damper on the occasion.

It was kind of her. And loving.

But they were best friends, and Brooke knew Stephanie. In occasions like this, she wouldn't do the inappropriate thing. It was maybe a good thing that Brooke was just inappropriate enough.

"Stephanie. This must be weird to you. Shocking. Insane. You have to know if there's anything you want to say or ask, I'm not going to be offended. Not by you."

There was something that Brooke had mentioned that cut through the thick haze of swirling positivity that Brooke had around her. Eternal beauty?

"It's a surprise, I will admit ... you aid something about eternal beauty?" It took real effort to concentrate on anything other than the ridiculously positive vibes that Brooke was sending out. "I have a feeling you don't mean being immortalized in art."

"At some point, he'll go from being a demigod to being a god. He wants me to be his goddess. Literally." Young and beautiful forever? That wasn't the reason she was marrying him, but it was a lovely perk.

She knitted her brows together as she studied Stephanie. She seemed...a little off. "Hey, are you feeling alright?"

Edited 2014-12-08 01:39 (UTC)

"Oh yes. Wow, that's incredible." She could scarcely imagine it. She was barely in her twenties, but she knew that one day she'd grow old and die. In a best case scenario, she might live another eighty years or so. But perhaps far less. One never knew.

She laughed at Brooke's comment. "It's ... you're so happy, it's kind of intoxicating. I feel a bit drunk. It's hard to think!" She smiled. "It's good to see you this happy, though. You deserve happiness. So much."

This was probably the least snarky Brooke had ever been in Stephanie's presence, it was true.

Brown eyes widened, and a handful of feed went scattershot as Brooke realized what Stephanie meant. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed.

In and out.

In and out.

She felt it, everyone who she was affecting in the area around her. It was...not a small amount of people.

Carefully, she pulled herself inwards.

That bright beacon of emotion she had been faded to more of a gentle candle glow.

"There. Is that better?"

Stephanie nodded. "It wasn't that it felt bad it's just ... a little overwhelming." Her thoughts swiftly unmuddled themselves though as the emotional aura dimmed considerably in intensity.

She waited for a moment before taking one of Brooke's hands in her own. "Are you ready to commit to what could be literally eternal?" Of course, there were ways of dissolving a marriage but Stephanie was old-fashioned enough at heart to believe marriages should be contracted with the intention of being together for life. "And do you know that he is?"

She hoped that it sounded open-ended like it was supposed to be. She didn't want to pass judgement on Brooke or Alexander. But marriage was a serious commitment, and one to a demigod was even more so. She couldn't fault Brooke for wanting to marry sooner rather than later, but she also felt that Brooke needed some time to consider the ramifications of marriage to an Olympian.

Edited 2014-12-08 02:08 (UTC)

"I've had a similar effect on my proximity in the past," Brooke agreed. "Once, when Alexander and I...well, you know." Her first time had been a Big Deal. "And then yesterday, when he proposed. I may or may not have sent a shockwave through the school." These were things she was going to need to learn to control, one way or another.

"I know. Forever here...the meaning is a lot different, isn't it? Than what one usually means?" Brooke smiled down into her lap. "For the longest time, I wasn't sure I'd find anyone who would love me. A suitable match, sure, but someone who loved me for me? For all of my...you know." Brooke was, after all, a special person, as far as these things went.

"I believe he is. I know he loves me. I can feel that much. And I love him too. If I hadn't, I wouldn't ever have...you know." Because that had been a very big deal for Brooke. "You know how all we ever want is someone stable, but someone who can still surprise us and keep life interesting? I mean, what's more stable, but still mysterious enough, than a demigod?" She paused. "It's a big step, marriage. I'm not even sure what one would look like. Mom wasn't married to Father. Not really. And my grandmother was long gone by the time Mom had me." She looked back up at Stephanie. "But I don't know if I can imagine my life without Alexander in it anymore."

"I can only imagine." Stephanie replied with amusement. Certainly, had she had similar powers, there would have been some 'feedback' with people within her proximity as well.

"Marriage is a huge step." Stephanie confirmed. "But it's a wonderful life to be in." She could not help but feel a little doubtful of Alexander's ... not his love. But his ability to remain in love with her. Didn't immortals and gods have a way of becoming infatuated and then becoming bored? Weren't the Olympians notorious for their wandering ways?

But he had made Brooke happy, and that had to count for something. A lot. "I know I've said it already, but I've got your back, Brooke. I'll be your matron of honor and help and support you any way I can. Because you're my best friend. And it's wonderful to see you happy. It really, truly is."

They did, and Brooke generally wasn't the sort of woman to turn the other cheek if her paramour were going outside of their relationship for a little something-something.

Or a lot something-something.

But Brooke believed in Alexander enough to be certain that he wouldn't be that type of man. Sure, he may have been Roxie Danvers' brother, but that didn't mean that he couldn't stay faithful in a relationship, did it?

Brooke squeezed Stephanie's hand. "Any relationship, any big step, comes with its what-ifs. This one has a lot more than others, it's true. There's so much uncertainty. But I'm certain of his love for me." As an empath, at least she'd know if Alexander was...straying.

And then she might do something about it.

If it came to that.

But it wouldn't. She was Brooke Wyngarde. How could you not love her?

"Thank you. For being on my side. And supporting me. I know I don't need to say it, but it means a lot." Stephanie was the closest real thing she had to family, after all. "Because I have no idea what to expect in the coming days."

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I Find Myself Alive (Stephanie)

Happy Brooke is like drugs, basically.

Re: Happy Brooke is like drugs, basically.

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