Joanna was startled, her brain finally catching up with her words. Well, it was too late to take it back now. "I… um, I said… I love you." She repeated in a soft tone, flicking her gaze down to her hands.
"I- I shouldn't have said that… that was stupid." She mumbled to herself, starting to get up from the couch. Feeling like an idiot, she couldn't keep from cringing at what she had said. Why had she let herself get caught up in the moment? What had she been thinking? 'That's just it, I wasn't thinking.' Joanna snapped at herself, rubbing her temple as she stood in front of the fire place.
Arsen grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down next to him. He turned to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her full in the face, completely serious.
"I have been wanting to hear you say that for a long time. The truth is, though, that I love you too. I was just… too much of a coward to say it." He gave a wry smile. "It's okay if you don't mean it, but seriously, I love you too, so, so much."
Her green eyes were wide as she glanced between his face and her hands, that were folded in her lap. Joanna was quiet as she sat there, not sure how to take in this information. She had been thinking this for months. Had she really not said it?
"I- I'm sorry… I didn't know." She whispered softly, keeping her eyes trained on his face. "I really do love you… I promise, I do. I've loved you for a long time, and I guess I never said it."
"It's okay," Arsen said with a chuckle. "I didn't say anything, either, so I'm just as much of a coward, if not more." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and smiled at her, lightly kissing the top of her head. "Now we know that the feeling is mutual."
With her smile softening, she curled up close to rest her head on his shoulder. It was so nice, to be here with him. "Yeah… though that sounds so blunt, for something like this. It seems weird to think of it as just another emotion." Joanna responded softly, glancing up at him from her place.
"It does, doen't it? It seems… more than that. I don't know what, but it does." Arsen leaned his head on top of hers.
"When do you want to meet Luna?" He asked after they had been sitting like that for a while. "Because I'll have to see when she's availible." He laughed slightly. "Living with Jake hasn't changed her abrupt changings at all."
"Mm… I dunno." Joanna responded softly, starting to trace circles into his chest. Her thoughts were distant. She barely even heard and comprehended what he had asked her. The gentle motion was soothing- to her actually. Just mindlessly tracing into his chest, feeling his soft heart beat. "Sometime soon. But if you'd rather wait, I understand."
"I think the sooner, the better," he said, leaning into the touch. "Luna can get very impatient. You probably couldn't tell, from me telling you about her."
He chuckled. "Would Saturday work, maybe?"
Joanna smiled a little, nodding in response to his question. "This Saturday works for me. If possible, evening time would work best. But if not, that's fine too." She replied in a light tone, resting her hand flat against him.
"In all honesty, my schedule is pretty flexible. The only day that won't work is Friday."
Arsen nodded and yawned. "Well, good. Because I don't think Luna actually eats lunch or even breakfast." He grinned. "So, Saturday, then? Do you want me to pick you up?" He sounded like a hopeful puppy.
Joanna smiled softly, nodding a little at his enthusiasm. "Mhmm, if you're alright with that. I've got some family stuff in the morning, so you could pick me up from my uncle's house."
"Will do!" Arsen nodded. "I will pick you up then." He smiled slightly and nestled his nose into her hair. "For now, we'll just keep cuddling. And not think about it anymore."
Three days later…
Arsen knocked on the door to Joanna's apartment, taking deep breaths to calm his frantic heart. This was the day. Sure, he would be going with Jo and Luna and her husband, and Joanna would finally meet his sister, but this was also the day that he was going to propose to her.
And he was really nervous.
Straightening his tie, he took another deep breath and waited patiently for her to answer the door.
Joanna jumped a bit at the sound of a heavy knock on the door, quickly pulling her sweater around her. What she was wearing wasn't exactly… inappropriate, per-say. But definitely not very modest. All in all, she wasn't exactly expecting company so soon, having assumed Arsen would be a little late.
Quickly she made her way to the door, and pulled it open. When she saw his face, a look of confusion spread over her own.
"Um… hey, babe? Everything okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, everything's fine," Arsen said, smiling reassuringly at her. No, it's not, his brain said, but he tried not to let that show. "I just finished getting ready early, and so I decided to wait here for you to get ready." He gave her a pixyish smile.
Joanna watched him hesitantly, nodding a little. Holding her sweated in place, she stepped aside to give him room to walk in through the door. "Um, right. Well, please, come in. I'm sorry it's a mess, I really wasn't expecting anyone to come over." She stated simply, shutting the door behind him. When he wasn't looking at her, she started fixing and adjusting the things in her path.
Arsen laughed. He knew how much of a disaster she could be, and to tell the truth, he didn't really care. "It's okay. It's not like I gave a warning, anyway. I came unannounced." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Besides, it's not like I'm gonna break up with you for having a messy house. Have you seen my room?"
"Actually, I don't know." Joanna admitted, shrugging a little. "I'm assuming it's a disaster, though?" She asked lightly, tossing papers in the trash. Knowing Arsen wouldn't really care, Joanna dropped the sweater off her shoulders as she headed down the hall. "I'm gonna get dressed real quick, you can come in my room or just sit on the couch." She called out, tossing the sweater on her unmade bed.
”Yeah, it’s a mess,” Arsen said with a small laugh. He leaned against the wall. “I’ll wait on the couch.” He sat down, and waited patiently, although his heart was pounding fast inside his chest.
Joanna smiled, calling out a soft "alright" to him when he responded. After a couple of minutes, she was carrying a nice black dress in one hand, and a simple dark green dress in the other. Of course, she had a pair of leggings and a tank top on for modesty.
"I dunno what I should be wearing. You're pretty good with this kind of stuff— what should I wear?" Jo asked, holding up both of them to him. "Any opinions or thoughts?"
"You should wear the green one," Arsen said instantly. "It will look better with your eyes." He grinned at her.
He was very good at styles and colors, because Luna was always asking him for help. He, of course, had to get good at it, or face her wrath.
Joanna gave him a sweet smile, nodding her agreement. "That's the one I thought you'd say." She hummed lightly as she leaned over to kiss him. Turning on her heel, she disappeared down the hall, nodding her head to a song she had been listening to before he had come.
After a little while, Joanna came down the hall in the green dress, her makeup and hair also done. "Alright, I'm ready."
”You know, every time I see you, I think, is that beautiful woman really my girlfriend?” Arsen grinned at her. “You look gorgeous, as always.”
He stood and offered her his arm. He felt the pressure of the small, square box against his leg and smiled slightly. “Shall we go, then?”
Joanna laughed, rolling her eyes a little. She had a little smile on, before kissing him and taking his arm. "Mm, I'm ready if you are." She hummed lightly, picking up her purse from by the door. "To your sister's house, then?" Joanna asked with a little smile, coming up to the front door.
“Actually, we’re going to a restaurant. It’s one of those boring rich people places, but Luna doesn’t want me to get her house messy. She says it like I’m a walking disaster.” Arsen gave a mock offended sniff, helping her out the door, and into his car.
"Oh really, now? I wonder why she would ever say that." Joanna teased him, ducking down into her seat. "I don't understand why she would— or even could— think that." She continued, taking his hand and kissing the back of it with a smile.
