Maris was always a little bit nervous before all of Rory's birthday celebrations. She always wanted her fiancee to have the best day possible, for things to go right so she could spoil and dote on her the way she deserved, but the stakes were a little higher this time.

She had never pulled off such a big surprise before. Technically it was a joint effort. She'd been in communication with Rory's grandmother for weeks to make sure she could meet them halfway from their vacation destination and her home.

If anything, it had taught her that Europe really was smaller than it looked and that if she and Rory really did set up house there, a world of easy travel opportunities would be open to them.

Maris wanted a specific house. They both did, but it was the furthest thing from her mind as she got ready, taking her turn in the tiny hotel bathroom.

She always liked to look nice, but she couldn't help but feel more fussy than usual that night. She'd only met Rory's grandmother once before, after all. She wanted to make sure the other woman's impression of her was a good one, which is why she decided she needed another coat of mascara to look just right.

Rory's phone rang while she was rummaging around her make up bag for it. Since it was only a few feet away, Maris stopped what she was doing and handed it to her, too preoccupied to notice that Louisa's name was on the display before she disappeared into the bathroom again.

She narrowed her eyes at her reflection and smoothed down her dress before deciding she was satisfied, her trek into the other room having been for nothing. She took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down before going to check on Rory.

Rory loved birthdays, big shocker. Be it hers or someone she loved, a birthday was an event. There had been times when she planned things every day of the week surrounding her birthday, which admittedly was a little extra. She'd been elated that Maris wanted to take her to London and they could wrap everything around her birthday that felt like they were just launching into the next steps of their lives together.

She had specifically not packed a dress for the birthday dinner, knowing she'd want to buy something at Harrod's on their inevitable shopping trip. After her shower, she kissed Maris and went about her routine of getting ready. She sat in her bra and underwear getting her makeup ready, humming a song stuck in her head until she scrutinized her job enough that she felt satisfied enough to put her dress on.

"Thank you!" She nearly tripped over her own shoes as she hopped over to Maris and grabbed her phone. Rory was in such a rush she didn't look at the caller ID either, so when she answered it to Louisa's voice, her stomach did an immediate flip. "Yes, hello..." They'd done such a good job at finding distractions, that she hadn't allowed herself to sit by the phone waiting. But now she felt woefully unprepared for this phone call.

Rory was silent for a long time, Louisa began with a congratulations but Rory felt completely stunned, she couldn't do anything but cover her mouth with her hand, and nod along as Louisa noted the next steps, and how she'd make sure to keep them looped in with the real estate agent they'd found as well. "Congratulations!" Louisa said again, and Rory burst out into a little sob of laughter. "Thank you, we'll talk tomorrow." She echoed and hung up the phone.

Her eyes were welled with tears already (dammit, makeup!) as she looked up to Maris. "We..." She started, her throat tight with emotion as she just stared at her fiancee. "We got the house."

Maris had never been one to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but notice the lack of conversation happening during Rory's phone call. It coupled with her finacee bringing a hand to her mouth seemed like a bad sign. Maris' stomach almost immediately clenched with worry that something had happened. Rory's laughter should have been a relief, but it was sort of too late. Maris was sure something was wrong.That they'd have to cancel dinner, maybe even their entire trip and then...

They got the house.

Maris was flooded with more than just relief although it was what hit her first.

There was shock, but mostly joy as she immediately pulled Rory in for a kiss, a little rough and ungrateful in her haste. She was so excited, for the first time in their relationship, she nearly missed.

"Don't cry," she said as she pulled away, but Rory's emotion was making her emotional too. She grinned, kissing her again before pulling her into a tight hug, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. Eventually her hands slid down Rory's body, the fact that her fiancee still hadn't gotten dressed yet definitely not lost on her. When she kissed her again, there was a hunger there that hadn't been there before, a need to celebrate this moment before they did the same for her birthday, to soothe Rory even though her tears were happy ones.

In truth, Maris sort of forgot there was someone waiting for them, hand sliding up to unclasp Rory's bra as she pressed her hips into hers.

Rory could be a bit overly emotional about any number of things; she was sensitive about certain things, strong about others. One of the things she hated most was that she was an angry crier as much as she was a sweet or emotional one. This might have been one of the best moments to get a little weepy. The house was theirs.

She embraced Maris so tightly as she came to her, kissing her intensely and barely pausing for proper breath. "Oh my god." She laughed, a little breathless, a little shocked.

"I love you." She said as though it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world, but Rory had to say it. This was it. A little scary, mostly exhilarating. There could have been any number of things to fall through, financing or just someone else more interested. But this was it.

Her arms slid around Maris' frame, pulling her in tighter and kissing her almost desperately. She hummed a little sound as Rory unclasped her bra, her body heat rising by the second. Her own hands moved down Maris' hips and gripped her ass to squeeze. She couldn't wait to truly make a home with the woman she loved so much.

Maris was just as shocked as Rory. It was more than surreal that a house she found scrolling through some real estate website while halfheartedly watching The L Word was suddenly their home.

Her fiancee had done the real work of course. Rory had been amazing (and amazingly hot) through the whole process. She had gotten it for them, something Maris was willing to spend the rest of her life thanking her for.

Her mind was spinning. Her heart was racing. Maris felt giddy in a way she rarely was.

Except around her.

But that giddiness had shifted to want and on some level, a need to show her how much this meant to her too.

How much she meant, really. Because even if they had gotten better at talking, Maris still didn't think she was good at getting things out when feelings were involved.

She technically hadn't said anything about how happy she was that the house was theirs, but she knew Rory knew the feeling was mutual. It was in every kiss, every touch, every soft sigh as their bodies brushed.

Maris still thought horoscopes were a load of crap, but maybe there was something to the notion that Scorpios were physical creatures.

She definitely was.

Even though their dinner plans were the furthest thing from her mind, they did have time for this. Maris' slight nervousness over meeting Rory's grandmother again caused her to start getting ready a little too early because being late would definitely start the evening off on the wrong foot.

She pushed Rory's bra off her shoulders, her mouth barely leaving hers even though they had to part so it could land on the floor between them.

Her eyes were dark when she finally puled away and shoved Rory onto the bed, slightly rough in her eagerness. After stepping back for a moment, her hands made quick work of the four buttons holding her dress closed because they made it too snug to really move around in. She let it hang open, black bra and boyshorts on partial display as she joined Rory on the bed. Hungrily kissing down her lover's throat, her hand slid down her stomach before slipping into her panties to stroke her.

This felt like a dream, like the pair of them might wake up and be back in Maris' home without this whole new journey to embark on. Not that that would even be a terrible thing. No, this was just something different, something better, even.

Rory had taken the lead on this whole ordeal, yes, and it felt good to flex those muscles of what she'd learned and remembering things to ask about, allowances to insist upon. It helped to have someone to back her up professionally when she didn't know all of the crossover terminology and rules for the UK. God, it just drove home that they were actually doing this, they were going to make their home in a new country.

She didn't need Maris to wax poetic about this, and she actually felt like she couldn't, either. She was overwhelmed by her excitement and her emotions, she couldn't think of more to say either.

Thankfully they really did communicate in any number of ways, and it just so happened that their bodies coming together was a favorite one.

Rory felt flushed already, her hips arching to press into Maris as she was rid of her bra, her own hands greedily helping Maris with what she could reach of her dress. They had dinner plans, she had been told, but she couldn't exactly be bothered to think of that just yet, or how she'd have to gather herself after thoroughly making love to her fiancee.

Laughing as her back hit the bed, she reached out for Maris, pulling her in for that kiss. Her mouth parted against hers, tongue sweeping over hers as she parted her legs to draw Maris in between them. Maris' name was on her lips, a hushed tone only because of the desire racing through her body. Her hips shifted instantly to Maris' touch, her arousal apparent as she moaned and bowed her head to steal another heated kiss from her love.

Once she realized just how ready Rory was, Maris' hand began to quicken. Her panties became more and more of a hindrance, so she stopped for a moment to tug them off, tossing them over her shoulder into parts unknown.

Seeing Rory naked, waiting and wanting underneath her, hit Maris hard. The wave of warmth that washed over her had her quickly shrugging her dress the rest of the way off. She let it join Rory's underwear on the floor, immediately getting back to work. She rubbed her with her palm as she kissed her, her mouth eventually making its way down her throat, collarbone and breasts, a soft, slightly noisy line of kisses that left an increasingly faint trail of burgundy lipstick in their wake.

The way that Rory and Maris expressed themselves like this would always strike Rory as something she felt unique unto the two of them. She was consistently in a state of want with her, but any moment that felt big, good, bad, anywhere in between, she just needed to be touching her, kissing her.

Her body had an immediate reaction to Maris' touch, her hips lifting off the bed and into her hand as she gasped against her lips.

A grin flashed across her face as Maris tossed her own dress off, her hands immediately reaching for her, smoothing up her body and palning her breasts as she gave a little soft whine while her hips rocked into her palm. She didn't stay long however, as she moved down her body and slipped her hand in between Maris' thighs and let her own palm grind against her. "Fuck," She gasped, craning her neck to the side as heat raged through her body.

Maris' breath hitched as she was finally touched, though turned into a low groan that buzzed against the curve of Rory's neck as she started to rock her hips. She kissed her way down her neck, lips gradually migrating up, then inward, brushing her throat with a teasing feather light touch.

Struck by a need for more and an ache to be even closer, Maris groaned softly as her hand and hips stopped. "Wait," she murmured. "Fuck, wait, I want to feel you."

She lifted her hips to slide her panties off, pausing for a split second before unhooking her bra too. It seemed like a waste of precious seconds to lose it, but if their news had brought one thing home, it was that they were about to spend their whole lives together.

Maris knew that this, that Rory was it. Once Jess was out of the picture, she never had a single doubt that her fiancee was going anywhere. She knew they'd stay together even before the engagement made things official but something about the house had her a feeling a sort of...permanency that had never really been there before because she knew they would turn it into a home.

After the last of her clothes joined the ever growing pile on the floor, Maris slid between Rory's legs again, gripping her lover's hip and using it to help adjust their position before starting to rock against her in earnest.

Though she was rocking hard, steady with intent because what could be better than chasing this giddy feeling with even more bliss, the sounds Maris made as they found a rhythm were soft, her hands as tender as her gaze as her fingers slid down Rory's cheek as if she was tracing it for the first time. She swallowed hard for a moment, her hips starting to slow.

The mood shifted as she let their noses brush, the fingers gripping her hip loosening, then sliding inward to lightly stroke and tease her inner thigh as they moved together.

Rory had always been a complete sucker for the sounds that Maris made, and that only grew every single time she earned another one. From their very first time, she could remember having the thought that she could spend a lifetime listening to the sounds Maris made when she kissed her or touched her. Now, she actually would make good on that thought.

"What?" She said suddenly, a little dazed as Maris stopped, taking a full moment to register what Maris meant. She was suddenly very worried Maris had just realized they were running out of time. But her lust-filled gaze settled on her fiancee and she breathed a sigh of somewhat relief as she saw her just peel the rest of her clothes off.

She flashed a grin and cupped her face in her hands, drawing her in for a kiss - albeit a quicker one. Every time she kissed her fiancee, she didn't take it for granted - which had to be saying something, considering how often they did. Having Maris back in her life truly had felt like she could fully breathe again. She could be herself, in the best version of herself at that. Fate had finally been kind to them, and they had taken full advantage.

Rory was ready for her the second she slid between her legs, her thighs spreading for her and eagerly lifting her hips to meet her. "Oh fuck." She bit her lower lip hard, a thrill of pleasure racing up her spine as she rocked back in a steady rhythm as Maris gave her.

As frantic as their first movements were, she moaned as they slowed down. Her hands moved up Maris' spine, holding her closer as she felt her breath on her lips. "I love you," She murmured, almost more of a moan, as though it weren't the most obvious thing in the world. She kissed her quickly, as she lifted her hips just enough to angle herself to rock fervently against Maris. The sound their bodies made had her moaning again, as a thrill of pleasure made her fingers shake as she held onto Maris.

Rory wasn't the only one whose body was buzzing. Maris was caught up in all of it too, the soft slap of their bodies crashing together again and again coupled with the even softer sounds they couldn't seem to stop making was her favorite song, but hardly the sort she could put on their ever growing wedding playlist.

Her fingers splayed across Rory's thigh, Maris continued to rub, stroke, tease even as her pace became frenzied once more. Hearing that Rory loved her always hit hard, never losing its impact even though they said it more often these days.

But it had a way of making Maris want to remind Rory why she did. To show her lover just why she had chosen her.

Twice.

Her fingers started to press, then dig into Rory's thigh, eager for some sort of leverage as her pace quickened.

"Ah, fuck me," she gasped, slightly breathless because there really was no better descriptor for the sudden turn things had taken.

They were fucking.

Maris had gone soft for a moment but this was raw, animalistic...

It was bliss. The sort that had her feeling dizzy enough slap a palm against the headboard in an attempt to anchor herself to reality as she ground herself into Rory as hard as she could.

It went without saying, truly, just how insanely sexually compatible Rory and Maris were, and had always been. From that very first night together, nothing even remotely compared to the way they fucked or made love to each other. The way their bodies moved and voices echoed each other felt like their very own language, and one they spoke fluently.

Rory whined a sharp sound as her hips continued to rock beneath Maris, using whatever leverage she could garner to buck and build their rhythm together. It took effort, but the kind that gave her this heady feeling of working to bring her lover pleasure.

"Oh that's my girl," She groaned through grit teeth, her hands moving quickly to clap on Maris' ass, squeezing hard and pulling her down onto her all the more. She rocked into her with frenzied movements, the wet slap of their bodies crashing together again and again sending as much pleasure through her as the friction they built with their pussies rubbing together.

Rory couldn't help the bright grin that flashed across her face as Maris anchored herself above her, managing to lift her head enough to press quick, haphazard kisses across her chest, her tongue swiping over one of her nipples, and then the other one. Her hand clapped against her ass again, a little harder, her grip more eager as she bucked her hips and pressed harder against her. "Oh fuck right there," Rory cried out, a shudder rushing through her as a telltale sign she was close.

Rory's mouth on her chest elicited whimpers and soft sighs, but they was nothing compared to the sound she made whenever her lover's hands made contact with her ass. She hissed and shivered with pleasure, the second, harder one earning a sharp cry of pure joy, her grin only widening when she felt Rory buzz against her, a sign she was apparently as good as she got.

"Harder," she all but growled.

Maris' brain was functioning on a very base level at the moment. She wasn't sure if she was telling herself or Rory to put a little more work in.

Or if she was even asking for another, rougher spanking because the sting of her last one was starting to fade.

But she never really got a chance to figure it all out. Before she knew it, she started feeling a telltale jolt between her legs and a buzzing deep in her spine. A string of ahs, each one a little louder than the last spilled from her lips as their bodies collided even faster than before. The bed frame creaked as she pressed her palm against it even harder and Maris found herself working for her own pleasure as much as Rory's. She couldn't really tell who came first, it hardly mattered. They were both warm, wet and buzzing as she kept rocking, not wanting to waste even the tiniest of aftershocks, her voice hoarse from all the moaning she'd done moments before.

As insanely close as they were, Rory wanted - no - needed her closer. Her fingers dug into her ass, even harder when she heard the cry come from Maris. Her teeth flashed in a grin, mirroring Maris' look. It never ceased to astonish Rory how they could peak and valley in softness and then switch to a more primal, urgent fuck, only to wind down into coos of love and adoration. Maris gave her everything she could ever possibly want.

Rory didn't hesitate at Maris' growling demand, her hand coming down hard to slap Maris' ass cheek and squeeze again, using that leverage to buck her hips to grind harder into her fiancee's pussy with her own.

She was panting by then, gasps and moans with every insistent movement that crashed them back together. "Oh babe," She managed to get out, her words a pathetic whimper as she gripped at her lover, pawing at her, drawing their bodies so close she didn't even think there was an inch between them. Her orgasm hit and it hit hard, the kind of loud cry that would have roused neighbors - oh well. Rory leaned up and stole open mouthed kisses from Maris' lips, breathless and with soft sounds in between each one. "Fuck!" She gasped with a laugh as she collapsed back on the bed, her hand coming down to swat much more playfully against Maris' ass that time just before another aftershock made her shiver. "We should buy houses more often, babe."

"Oh, we'll just go pick one up tomorrow after we go out to lunch," Maris said somewhat breathlessly, letting out a laugh as she swiped some hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear.

She knew buying a house was big. It was a huge step for them, one she knew she wanted to take, but she was a little surprised by how hard it was hitting her even when she took Rory and everything they were building out of the equation.

She had never been a homeowner before, not really. Her grandfather's house, while a wonderful, amazing gift that she could never thank him enough for, never felt like it was really hers.

She hadn't earned it. She hadn't chosen it. Her distaste for Maine meant she had never really settled into it. Until Rory moved in a few months before it had never really felt like home.

Somehow she knew that feeling, as wonderful as it was, would pale in comparison to the one she felt when she was in theirs: a home they'd chosen together, something that would belong to them from the very start.

She felt strangely...accomplished. Like she'd hit one of those very adult milestones she'd never really cared about.

She couldn't stop smiling.

"We have a house," she repeated softly, pressing a quick kiss to Rory's lips, playfully pressing her body to hers because skin to skin contact was still very much a necessity.

But the sound of her phone buzzing on the nightstand reminded her they had dinner plans too.

Maris' stomach sank around the same time her heart went into overdrive.

On any other night, she would have thrown the whole idea away. She and Rory would have had another round and gotten dinner at a later time or even another restaurant. Or she would have done away with the idea of going out entirely, ordering Chinese or pasta to be eaten in bed between kisses and chats about the future. They'd gotten caught up in each other before, leaving plenty of ignored dinner reservations or abandoned plans to go see a movie or grab drinks in their wake, but they had someone waiting and Maris was hardly about to let Rory's grandmother down.

"Shit," she cursed, raking a hand through her hair before lifting herself off Rory a bit. "Baby, we should go."

Maris was off the bed and shimmying back into her underwear before she even realized what she was doing, an image Rory had seen plenty of times before when she was rushing to get dressed after they'd gotten a little carried away during a free period at work.

But there was a slight panic in Maris' movements (and voice) that had never really been there before. She paced the room a little, then snatched a bra out from under the bed, cursing under her breath once she put it on and realized it was Rory's.

"Oh good," Rory was just as breathless, the wide grin on her face not in any jeopardy of subsiding in the slightest. "We'll be dual homeowners by breakfast."

Rory's hands smoothed over Maris' thighs as she gazed up at her, the laziness settling in at war with her adrenaline. It all came together in pure bliss, and for the moment, she'd forgotten they had other plans, and even that it was her birthday.

They were going to start off their marriage in a home they had chosen together. That felt somehow bigger than even just coming home to Maris' home they now shared. It had been so natural to gravitate towards the home Maris had been gifted, and while she loved her house in Maine, it felt less and less like she belonged in it when everything she loved was ten minutes down the road.

"We have a house." Rory echoed against her love's lips, smiling into them and pressing a succession of noisy kisses to her mouth. Her arms slid around Maris' body, holding her in close, her fingers tracing down her spine and up again. It was almost silly just how much she loved holding this woman - naked or otherwise.

Dramatic as it was, Rory whined a pathetic noise when Maris pulled away from her, but as she dragged her fingers through her hair and got a good look at her fiancee, she really couldn't complain. "You really should have thought about this before you fucked me so good my knees are like jelly." She was giggling as she got up though, standing just fine and kissing the back of Maris' shoulder as she made her way to collect her things. "You can wear that if you want." She chuckled, grabbing another bra from her open suitcase. Underwear and bra were put on before she moved over and retrieved her dress to slide into.

"Oh god, my hair is a mess." She laughed a little, grabbing her brush and running it through her hair a few times to make it semi presentable for the outside world. She definitely needed to reapply some lip gloss as well.

"No, I have my own bra," she grumbled. Even if she and her fiancee were pretty much the same size in pretty much everything, adjusting your bra to fit right was something of an art. And something of a struggle. She wasn't about to throw away all the work she'd put in to get hers just so. She handed Rory hers, grimacing as she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Lipstick smeared and mostly gone (because most of it had been left on her lover's chest and thighs) and hair a mess, Maris was in a state, one she would have been horrified by if she didn't have plans to meet up with someone she wanted to make a good impression on.

But she didn't have time to be fussy. She wordlessly borrowed Rory's brush, taming her hair one handed to check her phone. Luckily it wasn't Rory's grandmother, just jenna sending a photo of her cat, a fluffy tortiseshell named Lucy that Maris had been mildly obsessed with before she got a cat of her own. A look at the time told her they weren't late yet, but she also had no way of knowing how long their trip to the resturant would take. There wasn't a second to waste. Once she had her dress (and face) back on, she turned to look at Rory. She meant to ask if she was ready to go, but she was struck silent for a moment, even though she had been there (and even offered an opinion or two) when Rory picked out her birthday dress.

"That really does suit you," she said softly, sliding her arms around Rory's waist and dropping a kiss on her shoulder.. The fact that it was white hardly helped matters. For a moment, Maris felt like she was getting a glimpse of the future even though she knew Rory's wedding dress would be even more amazing than her current one.

Rory was just grinning as she got herself dressed, amused by Maris' rush as much as she was her grumbling about the mix-up. It was pretty hard for Rory not to be in a peak good mood, thanks to their big news and their big celebration. Rory had to spend a little time with a makeup cloth fixing her own makeup, and wiping kiss smudges between her breasts ... but ultimately left one that was on the side of her breast, just covered by her dress. That was for them to know about.

"Thank you babe," She said just as softly to Maris' compliment, a slight blush coloring her cheeks as she felt warm under her fiancee's gaze. She liked that it had no similarities to the dresses she was narrowing down for her wedding dress ... but the color alone had a certain vibe to it. Rory leaned back into Maris, smiling at her in the mirror before turning her head and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You sure we have to go?" But Rory was grinning, and gave her hips a little bump with her butt before turning in her arms and pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

"Let's bring some extra dessert to go, shall we? I'm sensing I might get a sweet craving during our middle of the night rendezvous."

"We have to go," she said with a bit of a sigh, knowing on any other night, they wouldn't.

Maris smirked at Rory's request, pleased they were keeping up their 4 AM tradition even when they were technically on vacation. "Oh, I've got something real sweet for you," she said with a smirk before letting out a laugh at her own cheesiness.

"Yeah, sure. It's your birthday. Can have all the sweets you want."

Maris just hoped the restaurant would have the cake they promised her. Reading that they served chocolate raspberry cake for dessert was half the reason she'd booked a table there in the first place.

She and Rory grabbed a taxi, figuring it would be the easiest, most direct way to dinner with the least amount of opportunities for failure. She was as quiet as she usually was on (technically) public transport, especially since they had a male driver, but she kept her hand laced in Rory's and her head on her shoulder, a strange sort of fully clothed, post sex cuddle.

Maris had thought about taking her fiance to an Italian restaurant for dinner, but considering their guest, she thought better of it. She'd heard plenty of stories about picky Italian grandmothers, after all. Maris wasn't about to risk taking Isabella to a place with doughy bread sticks or under seasoned sauce.

The French restaurant Maris had chosen had cozy decor that had kind of sealed the deal. She may not have liked the "rustic" kitchen floors in what was now officially their house, but the aesthetic was charming here, because they really had gone all out.

She gave Rory a quick kiss to soothe her nerves (and she was pretty sure she wouldn't feel bold enough to do so in front of her fiancee's grandmother before slipping inside).

She gave her name and let the hostess lead them to their table, grinning once she saw that Rory's grandmother was already seated and waiting for them.

"Oh fine." Rory couldn't even pretend to pout as she slid on her jacket. A pointed look was turned over her shoulder at Maris, her lips in an ever-there smirk. "Oh I'll take that sweet, believe you me."

Rory had once thought they'd probably do away with their little middle of the night traditions when they got too tired or life got back to normal, and sure some nights that was true, but the majority of times they stirred awake together, seizing extra hours in their day together. She was a bit of a hopeless romantic, and it felt as much in those moments.

The whole ride to the restaurant, Rory had a smile on her lips, ever enjoying the nearness of her fiancee. She even scooted out of the same door as Maris, in some attempt not to put any space between them at all.

"Ooh babe, this place looks so nice." She exclaimed once they stepped out in front of the restaurant, taking in the cute decor and charming atmosphere. She chased after Maris' kiss with a quick second one of her own, squeezing her hand as they made it inside.

Rory was a bit in her world, taking in her surroundings, so when she first saw the regal woman otherwise known as her grandmother sitting at the table, it took her a full moment to actually register. "Wha ..." She halted, but she was beaming already, an astonished look on her face going from her grandmother to her fiancee and back again. "Nonna? What are you doing here?" She asked as if it wasn't painfully obvious, Rory held tight to Maris' hand until she was scooped up into a hug by the older woman. "Cara mia," Isabella was looking at Rory as she took her face in her hands, that Berlanti smile on her features as she kissed both of her cheeks.

"Your amore called me to ask me to dinner for your birthday, of course! Maris, good to see you." Her accent was wildly thick, but ever the hostess type, Isabella made a concentrated effort to speak English when family and friends around did not speak the language. She'd told Rory (in actual Italian) that it was very rude to do so. Rory beamed at Maris, tears in her eyes as she reached back and took her hand again. "Well I'm absolutely stunned. I had no idea. I think I'll keep her."

Maybe it was because they were both such big planners, but Maris and Rory usually didn't do surprises. She was extra nervous as they approached the table. There was another person tossed into the equation, the added pressure of making sure her fiancee's birthday went off without a hitch and maybe even a little more now that they'd sealed the deal on the house. It seemed important to keep their streak going, to make sure the day continued and eventually ended on a high.

But time seemed to slow a bit when the big reveal came, Maris, hardly made of stone, especially when it came to grandparents given her relationship with her grandfather, found her throat tightening at the hug and even more when she saw just how much of an effect her surprise had on Rory.

"Yeah, well, I figured she was kind of in the neighborhood so..."

She shrugged, attempting to sound nonchalant, but there was a smile on her face. A swell of pride at a job well done meant Maris was standing a little taller than she had been moments before.

Maris was charmed by all of it. The Berlanti's tender reunion, Isabelle's sort of quiet glamour and thick accent, the way the older woman peppered her sentences with random Italian endearments (even though she'd occasionally had a smidge of trouble understanding her over the phone while they tried to put their birthday plans for Rory into motion).

She couldn't help but feel a tiny pang for her own grandmother, even though Maris never had a chance to meet her since she'd passed a few months before she was born. When they were planning Adam's memorial, her father said he was glad Maris had come along when she did. The joy of a grandchild had helped ease some of his grief. As close as she and Adam were, Maris had often wondered about the other half of her grandparents. What she was like and if they would get along just as well. Another female presence would have been a welcome addition to her life. Especially since she heard she hadn't been quite as overbearing as her Aunt Ramona.

Maris and Rory slid into the booth, letting Isabelle have the chair across from them. Figuring she should allow the two a bit of time to catch up, Maris let herself take in the decor since she'd been a bit distracted upon arrival. It was nice, even better than the photos let on, especially at night. Fairy lights and candles gave the place an even cozier feel. Mostly couples were scattered around the room and Maris could see why. The atmosphere was wildly romantic and she made a mental note to bring Rory back if the food was alright.

Because she could. The idea that London was about to become their stomping grounds made her feel a bit dizzy. They'd have to find work, friends, grocery stores, bars and restaurants to frequent. A whole new world, a whole new life was waiting for them and Maris should have been scared or at least overwhelmed given everything else they had going on, but she couldn't be anything but happy, excited for what would happen next because wasn't a bit of smooth sailing exactly what they deserved after everything they'd gone through to get to this point.

Maris' French was spotty at best. Since she'd taken German in school, she'd never really needed to bother with it. Grateful the menu had descriptions of what you were ordering in English underneath, she pulled her glasses (the comically over sized frames looked just a little silly with her prim, tailored dress) out of her purse to get a good look at what was on offer.

"Good to know I'm being kept," she murmured dryly, a half smile on her lips. Since half her attention was on reading, she didn't look up from her menu. Her lips twitched into a genuine smile when she finally did. "Are snails as gross as everyone says? That is the question..." She mused aloud before she grinned at Rory, not entirely sure she was teasing because she was sort of curious as to what they tasted like.

The thought and care that Maris had to put into this plan absolutely floored Rory. Getting her grandmother to come up to begin with, hiding it from her, braving the kind of family interaction that it would have taken to have those phone calls -- that meant the absolute world to Rory.

The neighborhood. It was a little reminder of just how much their lives had changed in the last hour, even. She suddenly had dreams of long weekends in Italy, lunching with her grandmother or meeting up in Paris for a quick shopping trip. Their lives had become immeasurably more glamorous in just one phone call.

What made her heart soar even more was how her Nonna regarded Maris. Isabella had always been very supportive of Rory; her career, her achievements, her loves - but it meant the world to her to just see in her face how much she approved of Maris. Actually, this whole gesture probably did wonders for that, too.

Sliding into the booth with Maris, she reached over to her and squeezed her knee, still a picture of being just floored and delighted. "See the thing about the French..." Isabella began, as if she were about to school the pair of them in something brand new and fabulous. "Everything is about butter. Butter in this. Butter in that. Butter butter butter. So you poach a snail in butter ... it's favolosa." Rory grinned at her grandmother then back to Maris. "It's actually ... really delicious. And yes I hate myself a little bit for admitting that."

"We will get some starters. And wine. A toast!" Isabella's declaration was a bit of magic bringing their waiter over, but Rory and Maris couldn't get a word in - Isabella was ordering a table-full of food. In perfect French, of course. Rory smirked, slyly eying Maris as Isabella took the lead. "She'll let us order our own meals." She said quietly, close to Maris' ear as Isabella was asking about the wine selection and of course wanted to try first.

"Now, what made you two decide for this birthday trip to London? I so rarely see you more than twice in a year, Aurora." Isabella leveled her gaze at the pair of them, as if she knew there was more to this story. Twice in a year, true, especially, Rory didn't say, with a global pandemic taking some of those months away. But it was yet another reminder of their imminent wedding. "Well, you know we've always really loved London, and we've been thinking about making some big life changes once we're married..." She turned to Maris, raising her eyebrows as if to ask if she wanted to drop their today-news bombshell.

Feeling more comfortable with the idea when Rory and Isabelle confirmed that snails weren't so bad, Maris made up her mind to place the smallest order possible just in case they were.

Maris smiled, sort of honored that Rory was letting her be the one to share their big news. "We're moving here. To London. The realtor called to tell us we got the house we wanted right before we got here." Although Rory's grandmother hardly needed to know what happened immediately after. "It's a little big for just us but... too much room is definitely better than the alternative. And Rory's right. We have plans."

Including ones to start a family. Maris couldn't help but wonder what Isabelle thought about that. Their children would become a part of the Berlanti clan, after all. Maris would too, once the wedding was over and done with.

She hadn't told anyone, family nor friends that she and Rory were thinking about children. Well, Ramona maybe but her aunt had always had a sort of sixth sense for juicy gossip, an insatiable thirst for other people's business. She rarely kept her mouth shut once she became privy to a really good story, which is why Maris was sort of shocked she hadn't pulled her father into a conversation about their future children. But maybe Ramona assumed John already knew.

He and Maris were nothing if not close. Maris had a feeling she shared more with her father than most daughters did, then again she'd never really had a choice. Their closeness was sort of inevitable when they were basically all each other had.

"Show her, Rory." she said, nudging her fiancee with her shoulder. She knew full well they both had the listing bookmarked on their phones.

This was big. Rory's grandmother would be the first person they actually told. Of course, their families knew by now their vague plan, but she was still convinced her mother was sure this was a big joke and they'd never actually do it. Rory was practically giddy as Maris began talking, her eyes darting from Maris to Isabella's face to gauge her reaction.

"We're so excited." She blurted out before Isabella could get in a word. The regal woman who was her grandmother seemed surprised, but little else at the start. For her part, Isabella always was the sort to really take in a situation, figure out all of the parts, and then choose her words. Any other time, when it wasn't a big moment, she'd prattle on like a complete cliche Italian.

Rory quickly pulled up the listing, handing her phone to her grandmother as she chewed on her lip, waiting for whatever she'd say. "Oh, bellissima, ladies." She said after spending some time looking at the pictures. "I love this room, hm, neither of you are artists though?" She waved her hand as the thought passed, already onto another photo. "You'll want to do something with the yard, yes? I know a couple of people I can refer you to. Oh. This is so very exciting." There she was, as she got more into the details of the idea, Isabella's face lit up, her speech grew quicker, and Rory knew it was only a matter of time before she forgot her manners and more Italian slipped in.

"It'll need just a little love, but we plan to move after the wedding. My house in Maine is already on the market and we're looking into schools to teach at here." She had grabbed Maris' hand, holding fast to it as her own free hand gestured wildly like her grandmother's. "This is the place we knew we wanted to start our life together, and start a family."

Maris' stomach knotted up as she watched Rory's grandmother swipe through photos of the house. They had never really shown photos of it to anyone before, but there was more to it than that. She wanted her to like it, but she couldn't help but feel like more than just her taste was being called into question. Isabella was warm, lovely. Their conversations had helped Maris feel secure that Rory's grandmother really did like her, but as potentially irrational as it was, she couldn't help but feel like she, everything, the life she wanted to give fiancee were being judged in that moment because their home would be the setting for all of it. Didn't everyone want to know their loved ones would be provided for?

Her insecurity was silly. Strange, really considering Maris was probably a bit too full of herself. Bright, beautiful and witty she'd always been desirable, but there was a huge difference that and being girlfriend or wife material.

And she (and more than a few former love interests she'd left in her wake) would be the first to admit she hadn't always been the latter.

But Isabella really did seem to like the place and the Berlanti's excitement (though Maris was especially charmed by Rory's for obvious reasons) was contagious, even though she felt a second wave of nervousness over Isabelle's opinion of them starting a family.

She sipped her wine, grateful she could since their plans to do so were pretty far off. Although, seeing the empty nursery in their place had made Maris want one a bit more than she had before. She was telling the truth when she assured Rory she didn't have baby fever, but seeing something so tangible had filled Maris with a sort of longing that hadn't really been there previously.

"There's really not much we need to do outside of tiny cosmetic things," Maris said with a nod, slightly eager to change the subject in case Rory's grandmother did have some sort of less than stellar opinion on them adding kids into the mix. In truth, she would have been more than happy to move in to their place as is. The house was one of the most gorgeous she'd ever seen, let alone lived in, but making it theirs... well, that was the whole point, wasn't it?

It was going to be fun.

If Rory and Maris had sat down and dreamed up some perfect specifications for their dream home, Rory had to think that the house they'd found would be pretty close. Actually sharing it with someone else made it feel all the more real, especially someone whose opinion Rory really respected. She hadn't grown up with Isabella as close by as her mother would have liked, but she had come to stay with them for a full year after Rory's father left. That's when she learned quite a few curse words in Italian, before she could speak the rest of it. Isabella was one of those formative women who made Rory who she was, and she always knew that she could count on her if she needed anything. Her approval meant the world to her.

Rory sipped at her own wine, still a mess of smiles behind her glass as she thought about their new home, the life they would build together in it. It hadn't entirely been a selling point that Rory had even thought of, but having her grandmother nearer by felt like it was meant to be in a way.

"I want to put in a garden." Rory chimed in with a nod, as she turned her attention to the menu because she figured a French restaurant would probably frown upon indecision when the time came.

After they'd ordered, Rory was well on her way through her glass of wine, a kind of giddiness settling over her that just wouldn't go away in the slightest. Isabella was regaling them with the story of when Rory insisted she could jump off the bunk bed and fly, only to be caught seconds from launching off by her grandmother. "Probably saved my life, actually." Rory laughed, leaning into Maris a little bit.

"I don't know if I told you, Nonna was actually the first person I came out to." Rory remembered the day vividly, every second of it. Isabella was nodding, her kind gaze on the pair of them. "And I said brava Aurora. Men are not worth the headache."

Maris softened at Isabella's story. It did little to help curb her urge to start a family with her fiancee sooner rather than later. "I can see that," she said wryly. But Maris' scenario involved her standing in a no longer yellow nursery, coaxing a little girl who looked very much like Rory off the edge of a twin bed before disaster struck. She often wondered if she would have more patience for their children than she did her students. Her little daydream, even though nobody knew how they'd react to anything until tested, gave her the tiniest bit of hope.

Because it left her feeling happy rather than annoyed.

Her lips twitched into a full on smile at the Berlantis' revelation. "I did not know that." She suddenly realized she'd never told Rory her coming out story either, but since it was slightly less wholesome because it involved being caught thanks to raging teenage hormones, she figured she should save it for another time.

"Well, that's my motto," she teased with a smirk, finishing her glass just as their appetizer arrived.

Maris was slightly hesitant once the plate of escargot was placed in front of her, but Rory and her grandmother were right. They were drenched in butter, which she hoped would make up for any less desirable tastes.

Eventually she bit the bullet (or the snail as the case may have been) brow furrowing as she wrestled with the chewy texture, though it raised ever so slightly toward the end. "Oh, okay its like a clam," she said once she swallowed. "I can handle clams," she grabbed another with her fork. "Oysters, not so much. I feel like they always have sand in them? I don't like that in my teeth."

For as much of a little daredevil Rory was as a child, that had properly been scared out of her by the time she was a pre-teen, at least in the reckless adventure kind of way. She was no longer launching herself off of high places and thinking she could fly, or running in her house and running into the big glass doors that her house was comprised of. Her mother had actually taken to putting stickers on the windows, just so the girls could see when the glass was shut. It made Rory wonder what little things she'd do as a mother, the things that might come naturally to protect their children, solutions to problems, activities to stave off boredom. Knowing she'd have Maris with her every step of the way just made her happier than anything.

Rory made a mental note to tell Maris the whole story of coming out to Isabella later. It was a bit surprising to her to realize she'd never told Maris, but by the time she had met Maris, she was so beyond that time of her life, where she thought so much about coming out to her family.

"My grandmother is extremely wise. So is my fiancee." She grinned, before finishing her own glass.

More wine was poured and Rory reached for a different appetizer, but didn't take a bite as she was far too interested in Maris' reaction to the escargot. "I honestly don't know who the hell cracked open an oyster and thought 'yeah, I'll just eat this raw and see what happens.'" Rory made a face, never quite understanding that one either. "They're supposed to be an aphrodesiac, Rory." Isabella chimed in with a slight 'tsk' tone to her words. Rory shrugged, smiling even still. "Do you really think those are a thing, or just a placebo effect?"

Isabella considered Rory's question for a moment before waving her hand as though to dismiss any other thought on the matter. "I suppose it only matters to the parties involved." Rory nodded, supposing she was right. "Nonna would regale us with stories of her lovers throughout the years, much to the embarrassment of my mother, and chagrin of my grandfather." She laughed at the memory, but Isabella just laughed as well, her back straightening a little as though it were a real point of pride.

"Oh, I'm sure she had a ton," she said, shooting a cheeky grin in Isabella's direction. Her fiancee's grandmother was beautiful, obviously where Rory had gotten at least some of her good looks from. People often said to take a glimpse at your loved one's family if you wanted to see what they were going to look like as they got older and if Isabella was any indication well, Rory was going to be a babe forever. Even though Maris sort of already knew that.

She had no trouble believing Isabella was the sort of woman who never wanted for admireers and probably had them lined around the block.

"I wouldn't mind hearing a story or two sometime," she said, not entirely teasing. "My family is...well, a bunch of nerds. We're kind of lacking in the spicy stories department."

But the look she gave Rory once the waiter blocked her grandmother's view to refill her wine told a different story. Maris and by extension, they had more than enough stories to keep the Forresters little clan of historians and bookworms interesting.

Although she kind of had no idea just how much of a firecracker her mother had been and that she and Maris were probably more alike than not.

Isabella and the waiter started talking and Maris seized the moment to tell her (okay, maybe repeat) something she'd been thinking all night.

"You look so good tonight," she whispered in her ear, giving Rory's knee an affectionate squeeze under the table.

"Oh god, don't get her started." Rory laughed, dramatically butting her forehead against her palm. "She'll tell you each of their names and the story to each of them." Isabella simply shrugged, her lips turned into a proud smirk and her nose held a little higher. "I've always said it's very important to remember each one's name. Something distinct. Else you brand yourself a troia." Rory rolled her eyes, it was something she'd heard before. "Slut sounds very pretty in Italian, but it's still outdated, Nonna." It was Rory's turn for a little bit of a scold, but nothing seemed to delight Isabella more than that. She simply laughed and sipped her wine. That picture alone would forever be Rory's exact memory of her grandmother when they were apart.

But Isabella wasn't finished yet, and her attention was turned to Maris. "Oh, now this is how I know my Rory has chosen well. Nerds, as you say..." Rory chuckled to herself, amused at how the word repeated sounded on her grandmother's lips. "It means you're passionate. And smart. Never boring." Rory was grinning as her grandmother deduced the nature of her fiancee. "I have to agree with you on all counts."

Rory was glad for the moment of privacy the waiter had allowed them - and for her grandmother's gift of making any short conversation a long one. Rory leaned into Maris a little more, her head bowed to hear her words that, while making her blush also caused goosebumps along her arms. "Thank you baby." She whispered back, taking the opportunity to press a kiss to her cheek just by her ear. "I can't want to get home with you." Home being their hotel, sure, but the implications of being truly alone again. She smiled broadly, gripping her hand under the table. "This is an amazing surprise."

"Surprises aren't over yet," she murmured back. Eventually their meals came, the three sharing fairly pleasant, lively conversation that Maris now felt completely comfortable to jump into now that she was sure she had Rory's grandmother's approval.

She tried to save a bit more room for what was coming next, but Maris ate every bite of her beef bourguignon, something she'd never tried before but had been curious about since she'd seen a certain Amy Adams movie.

The chocolate cake they brought out was well, cute. Just big enough for each woman to have a decent sized slice. Sugar dusted raspberries lined the edge and there was a single sparkler in the middle.

Even though her voice was pleasant Maris had always thought of herself of more of a musician than a singer. Her rendition of happy birthday to Rory was soft, but definitely loud enough for the woman beside her to hear before she sent a shoulder into her side, coaxing her to make her wish.

Rory only had time to raise a brow quizzically at Maris before their food came, a thrill of excitement over just what other surprises her fiancee had for her lingering throughout their meal. Maris was undoubtedly Rory's favorite person, but having another one of her favorites with them, and vibing so well between the three of them felt great.

"Chocolate and raspberry!" Rory exclaimed a little too excitedly, but she'd had plenty of wine and had that warm buzz going through her. She unabashedly kissed Maris' cheek after the song was over. The singing meant a lot, considering she knew neither women were particular hams about singing.

What to wish for? It was sappy as hell, but Rory didn't entirely know what she could possibly wish for when she had everything she wanted. A new house was just the latest on her list. A fiancee she was madly in love with, her family happy and healthy, their life to embark on. Eventually she thought of something, and without too much wax melting, and blew out her candle. "Thank you both for making this birthday so special." She was beaming, maybe a little emotional, but dug into her cake before she let that get the better of her.