crisp hair slips beneath the cuffs of his jacket, nipping at the skin tucked beneath a layer of fabric, one hand holding a pink carnation while another is stuffed in his pocket, revealing in warmth. the longer he stayed on this planet, the more he was convinced that it got colder every century as winter approached. pale optics gazed down at his watch carefully, taking note of the time. two ‘til six p.m. he was arriving on time, precisely where they said they would meet before they had parted ways a few nights before. a knot suddenly rose in his stomach when he saw her across the street & he brought himself to a complete halt. DON’T DO SOMETHING STUPID. ( you’re there. you’re there. ) the writhing in his gut was unfamiliar. it felt as though it all twisted & pulled at him like he was nothing but taffy; goop; stretched beyond his limits & brought back only to start the process over again. although a part of him, a more sentiment part of him, felt as though it wanted to flutter rather than flee. ever since he lost emma, john had been particular about who he had let into his life. this would be the first time since her death that he allowed himself to even consider the possibility of having more, of trying again. though every part of him that tried to make any sense of this decision screamed “no! don’t do it!”, john felt it was best to listen anymore. for reasons unknown to him, he found it easy to trust her; to open up about more & be him. something about her felt different.
hands curl into fists; nails sink into chilly, rose tinted palms. ( you’re there. he didn’t think you would come. a part of him hoped you wouldn’t come. ) a smile lifts the corners of his mouth when he finds the courage to move forward, carrying himself across the street. you made it. he stops for a moment once he’s reached her, lingers, he doesn’t know what for, but he does. god, it had only been a day & already he found himself counting off & searching for the things he missed about her. finally, a switch flips & the flower is offered. ❝ uh ... there’s a flower cart just around the corner from my place and i couldn’t resist. i didn’t know what you liked, but carnations were highly recommended. so, this is for you. ❞ forgive him if he’s a tad rusty, being out of the game for 80+ years does a damage not a lot of people can fix.
❝ and before i forget, i’ve changed my mind about where we’re going. i have something i want to show you that i think you'll like. is that okay? ❞