will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He bit his lip. “O-over in the bedroom. I’ll, um, I’ll go get it.” From the way he was stuttering, it was clear he was uncomfortable – these days, he almost never stuttered when he and Katelynn were alone together. 

Setting the gifts down, he disappeared into the bedroom, and retrieved the item hastily wrapped in red tissue paper. 

Falling back from the spike of joy, Katelynn’s demeanor became somber as her hands lay in her lap. Knowing her fiancee, she could read his body language and wondered if any of her gifts were awful enough to get such a reaction out of him.

“O-Okay..” Looking at the gift in his hand when he returned, she turned concerned eyes to him. “Is everything a-all right?”

Jack’s gaze fell. “Yes, Katelynn. I love all these gifts. B-but you got me so much, and all I have for you is this.” He showed her the present. It was about the size of a sheet of paper, but thicker. 

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

As he opened each bag and found the wonderful gifts inside, Jack felt his delight turning to shame. Katelynn had done so much for him, and he’d only prepared one gift for her this Valentine’s. It was a gift from the heart, but it was still only one, and now it didn’t seem like enough – especially after last year, when he’d proposed to her. 

“… Thank you,” he whispered, finally. “Katelynn, these are amazing. I, er …” he hesitated. “I made you something too.” 

“Really?” With the direction diverted away from her own embarrassing gifts, she bit down on her bottom lip to keep from squealing too hard. She bounced a bit in excitement and looked around the room as if it would reveal itself. “W-Where?”

He bit his lip. “O-over in the bedroom. I’ll, um, I’ll go get it.” From the way he was stuttering, it was clear he was uncomfortable – these days, he almost never stuttered when he and Katelynn were alone together. 

Setting the gifts down, he disappeared into the bedroom, and retrieved the item hastily wrapped in red tissue paper. 

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack’s eyes lit up. He’d seen that she’d bought a lot of things, but he hadn’t realized so many of them were for him. It was a little overwhelming, to tell the truth. 

“Oh, Katelynn …” he breathed. “I can’t believe you did this!” He looked from bag to bag, eager as a child. 

She had tried being creative with each gift, choosing non typical Valentine ideas as she had last year. One bag had a bunch of new paint brushes tied together in a bouquet while another was a small canvas she had tried painting herself – with horrible failure – of a heart with their names on them. From His and Her mugs that came together to hand made sock puppets of themselves, Katelynn had gotten several personalized items.

And each one had her blushing harder and harder.

As he opened each bag and found the wonderful gifts inside, Jack felt his delight turning to shame. Katelynn had done so much for him, and he’d only prepared one gift for her this Valentine’s. It was a gift from the heart, but it was still only one, and now it didn’t seem like enough – especially after last year, when he’d proposed to her. 

“… Thank you,” he whispered, finally. “Katelynn, these are amazing. I, er …” he hesitated. “I made you something too." 

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Okay, okay!” He backed up as she nudged him out, but couldn’t help smiling. “I’ll be in the living room when you’re ready, all right?” 

The blue man took a seat on the couch to wait for her. Stella had been dozing in her favorite nest among the cushions (they’d tried to teach her to stay off the couch as a puppy, but quickly given up), but she woke up enough to come cuddle with him. 

Sighing in relief, she took everything out with a hurried pace, glad she hadn’t bothered to unpack a few things. The surprise was probably ruined for some items. Getting out a few gift bags, she put each item in and fretted about his reaction to everything.

“Okay, love,” she sighed, coming back out with several gift bags in hand. “I couldn’t really..decide on anything so I just got nearly everything..” She showed him the various bags in several shades of red, pink, and white with things on them like “I love you” and “Happy Valentine’s Day”. She placed them at his feet before sitting down next to him and being mindful of the growing Bulldog. “S-Sorry,” she giggled, hands on her knees.

Jack’s eyes lit up. He’d seen that she’d bought a lot of things, but he hadn’t realized so many of them were for him. It was a little overwhelming, to tell the truth. 

“Oh, Katelynn …” he breathed. “I can’t believe you did this!” He looked from bag to bag, eager as a child. 

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

He soon joined her in the kitchen. The crinkle of plastic bags hadn’t escaped his ears, and he was curious. “Looks like you did some shopping while you were out.” 

“Ah!” she cried, turning around quickly in an attempt to hide the evidence. Very few of her gifts were wrapped as stores only offered wrapping service for Christmas. “Y-Yeah…”

Her face was as red as the lingerie she had bought, bounding forward to gently nudge him out of the kitchen. “Not r-ready to show you…”

“Okay, okay!” He backed up as she nudged him out, but couldn’t help smiling. “I’ll be in the living room when you’re ready, all right?" 

The blue man took a seat on the couch to wait for her. Stella had been dozing in her favorite nest among the cushions (they’d tried to teach her to stay off the couch as a puppy, but quickly given up), but she woke up enough to come cuddle with him. 

will-never-be-a-swan:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack had been in their bedroom, trying to get Katelynn’s present wrapped while she was out of the apartment. But now, through the open door, he could hear her coming back. Frantic, the blue man hurried to tape the last of the tissue paper in place. 

“Oh, y-you’re home!” he called, quickly shoving the wrapped package under the bed. 

“Y-Yes!” she called, trying to move past the door to hide the evidence of her shopping spree. Nothing in the bags was for her but she supposed he would be astonished by the amount. “Nothing like a g-good walk around town.”

She giggled nervously as she entered the kitchen, placing everything delicately on the counter to avoid breaking anything. Fretting about, she began unpacking it all.

He soon joined her in the kitchen. The crinkle of plastic bags hadn’t escaped his ears, and he was curious. “Looks like you did some shopping while you were out." 

will-never-be-a-swan:

How am I going to top last year? she fretted, hauling several heavy bags in her arms from various stores to their apartment. I couldn’t decide on anything. I hope he likes some of this…oh dear..

Cheeks red, she opened the door and kept her head low while hiding the bags behind her and trying to sneak by. Of course none of the plastic bags allowed that.

Jack had been in their bedroom, trying to get Katelynn’s present wrapped while she was out of the apartment. But now, through the open door, he could hear her coming back. Frantic, the blue man hurried to tape the last of the tissue paper in place. 

“Oh, y-you’re home!” he called, quickly shoving the wrapped package under the bed.