maskormenacelogs | [CLOSED] i'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways.

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[CLOSED] i'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways.

WHO: Raina and Chilton
WHERE: An evening out on their yacht.
WHEN: February 14th
WHAT: Valentine's Day sappiness.
WARNINGS: None, for once!

[ When Raina thought of Valentine's Day before arriving in this world, she found the whole thing a laughable ploy by the retail industry to cash in on love and to make the people without lovers feel even more alone in their pathetic lives than normal. She had never been affected by it. She never really paid much attention unless it worked to her manipulating favor. But this world had changed things, hadn't it?

Thanksgiving. Christmas. She missed New Years, but had at least wished Chilton a happy one. And now Valentine's Day, perhaps the holiday she had been looking forward to spending with him the most. It may have been the most commercialized holiday, but she didn't care. It was a celebration of them.

When Raina met Chilton at the docks, she had her purse with her containing a few gifts for him. And she couldn't help the smile on her face when she saw him -- hurrying forward and greeting him with a kiss. ]

I was thrilled when I heard your idea for the evening. I've been waiting for the chance to spend more time on this yacht with you.

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It is quite lovely. A beautiful vessel, I'm still amazed that you bought it for me.

[He flickered a smile at her, though his eyes kept roving back over the sea rounding their horizon. Chilton wasn't set to be steering the impressive yacht -- he had hired a captain for the evening, thus liberating himself and Raina to engage intimately below deck (as it were). They had about fifteen minutes on the dock before the captain would bring the ship broadside, and Chilton had a wrapped jewelry box for Raina.

And along with that, he had some disturbing news.]

But it isn't as lovely as you, of course.

[Chilton glanced down, taking her hands in his. He was reluctant to discuss the human organ he had found a couple days prior, reluctant to disclose that darkness now -- but given the heat from his book's press release, it seemed all the more pressing.]

[ Her hands molded to his instantly, fingers tangling with both affection and possession. ]

Nothing could ever be as lovely as me. But the boat is a step in the right direction. Our life of luxury.

[ Raina glanced off thoughtfully. ]

We have the boat, a large sum of money, and you have the burgeoning fame. Don't you think it's time we moved from our current home to something a bit better suited to our needs?

[ She spoke to him once about a large house, plenty of yard for a garden and a koi pond. Raina had, at the time, simply been playing up some romantic fantasy when she didn't believe they would last terribly long together. And yet...many months later, here they were. ]

Fair point. [It would be nonsense to contradict her -- mostly because Chilton believed what she said.]

-- Something better suited? Grander, you mean? [And further away from his office, he wondered.] Well, I would be happy to hear your suggestions. You of all people have an exquisite taste, I would be a fool to doubt it.

[He wasn't about to doubt it.]

Are you thinking, perhaps, a place that might remain... Unlisted?

[Harder for couriers with human hearts to find them.]

[ She nodded with a smile, wrapping her arm around his back and leaning her head against his shoulder. ]

I was thinking something unlisted actually. Something Will Graham cannot break into again. Especially not if he's sending you human hearts.

[ Chilton didn't private that conversation. And it should have been common knowledge by now that Raina read every conversation he had that was not private. Her head lifted toward him. Chilton had accused Will Graham at first for a reason. And in Raina's mind, he was guilty until proven otherwise. She might have given Will the benefit of the doubt before because he was so sweet and a friend she never had.

But then December happened. ]

Has he lost his mind?

If he indeed was the one who had sent... That to me, then yes. Or lost something that had previously been inherent to his self-reflective identity. Perhaps there is another influence at foot. Will's empathetic disorder makes him intensely susceptible to the mannerisms and ideas of other people.

[Chilton held her close, feeling the warmth of her embrace. It was comforting, to have her like this.]

He said he would meet with me. We will talk. If this is someone else's antics, Raina, I believe Will Graham can hunt down the individual.

Is it wise to employ his aid again? After what happened? I mean, ultimately you know him best, but I can't help but think perhaps he shouldn't be your go to in times of need any longer.

[ Her fingertips brushed along his side, soft and gentle. ]

I don't think you are in the wrong in any way. [ Of course she didn't! He was perfection. ] You didn't get him killed and you had every right to continue forward with your project as planned. But what if he doesn't view it that way? What if he tries to get revenge? Or worse yet -- allows someone else to get revenge? What if you can no longer put your trust in Will Graham?

While he can certainly be petulant at times, Raina dear, he is nevertheless from my world. We have both endured Hannibal Lecter, both been entwined in his mechanisms. While Will would... Send organs to people, if he had been subconsciously influenced like I had suggested, I cannot be sure if he would even be in control of that.

[He kissed her, his fingers stroking through her hair.]

But just as he is the only one from my world, I am the only one from his. I am the only one who remembers Hannibal as precisely as he does, who knows Abigail Hobbs in her natural environment. [Even if it was just from reading the papers, having never met her properly.] He needs me.

[A glance to their yacht, ready for boarding.]

Shall we, now? I would rather talk about how imaginative you can get in the bedroom on a seaborn yacht than that of Will Graham.

[ She was appeased by the kiss. Momentarily. But now that the yacht was ready, she walked toward it. ]

I only worry for you. Perhaps a little overprotectively so. But especially now -- when your book has caused this controversy. I mean, I'm certain that it will boost your sales. Saul Goodman was an idiot to try to go toe to toe with you. And you effectively made him look the part.

But I worry the problem that came from my world will cause problems for you simply because she believes she should and partially to hurt me in the process. I worry about what Jesse Pinkman has been filling Skye's head with.

And mostly I worry that our happiness will not come without complications.

[ She headed down beneath the dock to the master bedroom in order to set down her overnight bag, imagining that they would at least enjoy the fresh air of the sea before confining themselves there for the evening. ]

[He listened to her, his expression clouding. Jesse Pinkman wasn't a name he wanted in the weather of their Valentine's night, but there was little use in avoiding it now. After all, Raina had to confront her own counterpart to the pair: Skye. An antagonist from Raina's own world, no less, and that was problematic in of itself.]

Complications seem almost routine at this point.

[He followed her into the bedroom, his eyes roaming.]

Have you seen anything? In your visions, I mean, have you had any portends?

I haven't. Not anything in regards to you or us.

[ Which Raina took to mean that things were going to go smoothly. Little did she realize how wrong she would be. She unzipped her bag and pulled out three wrapped gifts. ]

I wasn't sure what theme to go with for Valentine's Day. So I got you something sexy, something practical, and something sentimental.

[ She gave him the presents so that he could open them himself. And if he opened them in the order of what she said, this was the sexy gift, the practical gift was a regular looking tie pin but Chilton would be able to notice upon close inspection that there was the tiniest wireless camera embedded into it, and the sentimental gift was something of a scrap book -- all of the articles she could find of people praising Chilton's psychiatric work, the glowing reviews about his current book, and all of Chilton's achievements were peppered with highlights in their relationship -- ticket stubs from events they had gone to together, pictures taken from their vacation in Maui or their Christmas holiday together, pamphlets from the Swears Ins they attended, and little thoughtful love notes written in the ledgers. ]

All you have to do to activate the camera on the pin is to tap the lens. I have the app it attaches to on my tablet. I just figured it might be a good idea to have additional eyes. Just in case.

[ Raina did worry about this man so often. But the other two gifts needed no explanation. ]

Edited 2016-02-17 02:26 (UTC)

[The top tips of his ears turned coral, when he opened the sexy gift. It wasn't a hue born from embarrassment, no, but rather anticipation. A quick glance at Raina reassured her wise choice -- control was attractive, especially when exuding from his girlfriend. He took his time examining the tie pin; at first glance he took it for just that, a perfectly acceptable tie pin. A quiet eyebrow raise indicated that he knew what this was about, that Raina's feeling of Chilton's propensity to attract enmity. He couldn't help but think that this was the other face of Raina's control tendencies, the overtly protective visage.]

Ah.

[A warmth crept against his lips. His fingertips traced over their linked names in the paper clippings, his book, their ticket stubs that Raina had kept. It was difficult for him to verbalize how touched he was, difficult to admit that vulnerability. But Raina, of all people, could see it in the crinkle of his eyes and the sudden softness of his lips.]

Your mind is as beautiful as your physicality, Raina, these are all so thoughtful.

[Of course her mind was gorgeous. Chilton wouldn't have anything less.]

And -- for you.

[From his pocket he pulled an iconic little box. Within the wrapping was a sapphire scale bracelet that the doctor wouldn't have been able to afford without his inheritance from Walter White. He thrust it towards her, beaming, acting like a little boy who had picked his neighbor's rose garden for the benefit of his crush.]

[ She didn't realize how worried she was he wasn't going to like the gifts, especially the last, until she saw his reactions and heard his verbalized approval. It filled her with relief, and she let out the breath she had been holding. Yes. It all spoke to her control. Even the sentimental gift was a way of staking claim. Should there ever come a day when she went home, the scrapbook would still exist for his next girlfriend to find. A little reminder that there would never be another woman to fill the role Raina had taken. ]

We are the rarest of individuals, aren't we? As clever as we are attractive. [ Raina leaned in, peering over his shoulder at the scrap book. ] You'll notice, though, there are still many more pages for us to fill. This is only the beginning of our story.

[ And when he offered her, her present -- Raina accepted it gleefully, opening the box and looking at the dazzling bracelet in awe. Removing that glorious piece of jewelry carefully, Raina turned it in her hand to watch as each gem caught the light. ]

Oh, Frederick. This is incredible. [ She pulled him in for a brief, appreciative kiss -- separating inches. ] I love it. It really is a rare find to have a man know the exact sort of jewelry you will like without even needing guidance. But you have from day one. I truly am the luckiest woman in the world.

I simply observed your tendency of style.

[Expensive was her style, he had determined. An accurate estimation, if her reaction was any indicator. Chilton smiled back warmly, the corners of his mouth darting towards his eyes, and he leaned over to steal another kiss while she was distracted by the shimmering glean that those sapphires wrought.]

Luckiest woman, well, I won't deny that. But also the most beautiful, the smartest, the most powerful -- should I go on?

[Rhetorical. He assumed she'd ask him to continue regardless.]

I've never met anyone like you. I know I must have said that before, but it remains as true as ever. [He pressed himself against her, enjoying her touch and heat.] You are undiluted in your uniqueness.

[A quality he especially favored.]

[ Raina pried her eyes away from the bracelet in order to return the kiss, setting his gift down on the dresser before wrapping her arms around his waist. ]

I certainly love that gifted tongue of yours -- so adept at stringing together the perfect words of praise.

[ There was a grin on her face. ]

You are the only man worthy of my love and affection.

[ A beat. Raina's expression became somewhat distant -- warm and a bit forlorn. ]

My Grandmother would have loved you. For one, you're an American man. A Doctor at that! [ Her expression was teasingly playful before it faded to something more affectionate and adoring. ] But more than that, she would have been able to tell how much you care for me.

[ Leaning her head against the center of his chest, Raina listened to the steady thump of his heartbeat. ]

Do you think your parents would have liked me?

My -- my parents? [Chilton had enjoyed a rather stable, loving environment as a child. It was typical, normal, even slightly above average -- both his parents were ambitious, both had careers of their own, both expected great things of their only son.]

I don't see why they would not have. You're beautiful, respected in the community, intelligent. I had always been anticipated to make a match equal to my own standing. [Equal or greater, but he wasn't about to dismiss himself in such a sentence.]

Though truth be told, the emphasis was always on my career. My parents were also highly educated, they saw power in academia.

[A light shrug followed. Perhaps his mother and father had understood what an acquired taste their son was and had always supported his strengths, rather than focus on a family of his own.]

[ It made her happy to have little conversations like this. It gave depth to their relationship -- this thought of the idea of either of them meeting each others family. She had in her mind a mental image of what Chilton's parents looked like, of what it would feel like to sit down to a holiday meal with them and boast about what a wonderful son they raised. Of course, her ideas were something akin to a Hallmark channel movie, but really -- she had nothing else to base it on. ]

They deserve credit, really. For creating the perfect man. I wish I could have the chance to thank them for that much.

[ She reached up and dragged him into a sweet kiss. A sweet kiss that turned impassioned and then grew downright wanting. Separating for a breath, Raina's eyes flickered from his mouth to his eyes. ]

You are the best thing that ever happened to me. And I want you to always know that.

[ If only Raina knew that this would be their last moment together before they were ripped apart. If only Raina knew this would be the last time he could gaze upon her with both eyes. She might have done more or tried to make this a more memorable moment -- one that even three years from now wouldn't tarnish or make fuzzy. But for the first time, she didn't know their future. And as she kissed him again with only the desperation of wanting and not the desperation of making a lasting memory, with no sorrow to taint their enjoyment of one another, Raina would find that ignorance was bliss. ]

[The kiss was a surprise. A very, very appreciated surprise -- but one nevertheless. He had been in the midst of discussing his nuclear family, and Chilton was not anticipating an embrace so downright sexy to be sprung upon him. But that was, in part, the glory of Raina: she could be just as spontaneous as she was precise.

He stroked his fingers down her cheek, his eyes netted in hers. The warmth of her words glowed upon his face, and he felt it like a physical impact.]

Perfect words from the perfect woman. I want you to know, Raina, that I will always be with you.

[He had no right to say such things.]

Now, let's delve into the evening. Your ship is waiting.

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[CLOSED] i'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways.

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