[new year's]room at the end of the world [wen]

Serikbek had put a lot of effort into this night. He'd gone out with Jane, picked out the perfect dress for Wen, picked out a suit for himself. The room was booked, the reservations at the fancy restaurant made and double-checked. He'd been to a barber this afternoon and he had a fresh shave and undercut. He'd left a note for Wen that morning, telling her that she had an appointment with her hair stylist, another at a nail salon for a manicure and pedicure, and to wear the new and glittery dress he'd left out on the bed with whatever heels and jewelry she wanted. His Wen would know what went best with the outfit. It was New Year's Eve, and he and his kitten were going out for a very special night.

Beka knocked on the door to their apartment, waiting patiently for Wen. In his note, he'd told her he'd pick her up around 8pm. This gave them plenty of time to eat dinner and then hit the night spots Beka had planned. Despite his cool and calm exterior, his body buzzed with excitement. Tonight was a night he hoped his kitten would never forget. He double-checked his pockets, making sure he had everything they would need for the night.

@Morwen Rhydderch

Morwen was kind of excited. It wasn't often that Beka made plans for them that she wasn't privy to, and this meant that he had a surprise planned. She was eager to see what kind of surprise this could be.  It seemed that he had thought of everything, going so far as to make an appointment with her stylist and for a mani/pedi. She kept herself pretty well groomed, but she guessed he wanted them to be extra refreshed. After her morning exercises, she took a long shower and then got herself ready to get herself all dolled up.  She got her hair lengthened to mid-back with a potion from her hair mistress, dyed a darker ash blonde with a platinum balayage.. Her long locks were curled, and her bangs were trimmed. She chose a short pointed matte black nail with silver detailing, and the same on her toes. She felt special and refreshed when she went home to get dressed.

The dress he had bought her was gorgeous. It was so sparkly and silver, she had wanted her hair and nails to match. She wore something fancy underneath. She knew she would be cold so she wore a black leather jacket and some nude thigh-highs with it. Surely Beka wouldn't leave her outside too long, right? They'd go right into whatever (warmed) place he had plans to take her. She put on her eye makeup like usual, then added a nude lip. She didn't want her mouth to compete with her smoky black eyes.

Hearing Beka knock on the apartment door was funny. He lived there and had a key, but she went to open it for him anyway, feeling fancy and pretty, and hoping he thought she was, too. She was a little giddy when she saw him all dressed up. “Oh wow, Beka. You clean up pretty nice, don't you?” She teased. She grabbed her clutch and put on a bit of perfume. “Is there anything else I should do before we head out, or have you taken care of everything?”She wondered. It seemed like he was doing all that he could do.

The past few months felt like a dream, ever since Beka and Wen got together. She had waited for him for so long. To finally have him be hers... that was incredible! She couldn't stop staring at him and she felt like the luckiest girl on Earth. She put her hand on his arm, sliding it down the soft fabric of his suit jacket. She leaned in, wanting a kiss before they left. There was a part of her that just wanted to stay in and enjoy a quiet night at home, but she knew she'd love the glamour and glitz of New Years on the town.

A slow smile like warm honey spread across Beka's face. It wasn't that he'd never seen Wen all dressed up before, because he had. It was just that every time he saw her, it was an experience like nothing else. It didn't matter if she was in something fancy, hair styled and make-up perfect or if she was rolling out of bed with nothing but one of his t-shirts hanging off her slim frame. To Beka, Wen was a staggering beauty in anything she wore. She was also a knock-out when wearing nothing, but he couldn't think about a naked Wen right now or they'd never leave the apartment.

"You don't look too bad yourself, kitten," he teased back, following her into their apartment. Beka grinned, shaking his head. "I've taken care of everything. You don't have to worry about anything. I just want you to enjoy yourself." He loved treating Wen, being able to do things for her. That said, he wasn't exactly rolling in sickles. But, there were some perks to working at the Wizarding world's most well-known paper and also being a popular club DJ. He'd called in a number of favors and made quite a few promises about working weddings and birthdays to get the two of them into the places he planned on taking Wen without breaking his bank account. He would have beggared himself to make tonight perfect, anyway.

He smiled, leaning in and returning the kiss with a gentle affection. Beka knew Wen liked to relax at home with him. His kitten had been working hard, and deserved a night out. Besides, he had things planned for tomorrow which he was sure would help her relax as well. Tonight was for the shine and the sparkle of a new year and new beginnings. "Hold tight." Beka wrapped Wen securely up in his arms before apparating them to the place he'd scoped out a few days before. He led Wen from the small alley where they'd reappeared around to a tiny garden. To anyone, it would look like a rundown section of London, but Beka didn't look perturbed. Walking slowly, so Wen didn't turn an ankle on the uneven cobblestones in her incredibly sexy heels, he pushed aside the low-hanging boughs of a weeping willow to expose an oak door with the number "743" in shiny gold.

Beka knocked twice, and the door opened. He walked Wen in, and a smartly-dressed man bowed to them. "Zhanalin, party of two?" The man asked, and Beka nodded. "This way sir, miss." The man took them through the entrance hall, into a room with marble flooring and high vaulted ceilings where constellations chased each other across the heavens. "Your table," he said, indicating a small round table in an intimate alcove. "The sommelier will be with you shortly." Beka pulled out Wen's seat for her, sitting himself once she was settled. He grinned at her, hoping she liked the restaurant.

"Well?" He asked quietly. "You like it?"

Wen was very excited to see what all Beka had planned for her. She held tightly onto him as he apparated them, and didn't think twice about the area of London they seemed to be in. She grew up in downtrodden cities and felt used to it, but she knew him enough to know that this must be a cover for some wizarding place that was really nice. It might even be secret or exclusive. When they reached the oak door, she knew it to be true. He was taking her somewhere she hadn't even heard of. It was so fancy they needed a reservation just to be let in the door. She felt special. She wasn't the type of person who usually went out to fancy places, even now that she could . She saved most of her money and lived below her means. Hell, she even bought her own broom just because she wanted to have a firebolt for personal use. She sometimes forgot that she was famous, but nights like this she remembered. She felt like a movie star, and it was all Serikbek's fault.

She looked up at the ceiling that looked like a night sky and felt awed. She smiled over at Serikbek as they made their way to the table. She really should keep to her diet tonight, especially if she planned on drinking. Chicken and vegetables, then. Maybe seafood. No butter or oil, brown rice. She nodded, thinking about this. “This is beautiful, Beka. How did you even find out about this place?” She wondered. “I've never heard of this place, but it's gorgeous.”

She looked over at Beka, and sighed as she looked at him. He was so handsome. He was amazing, so thoughtful. “Thank you for bringing me here. I can still barely believe the last few months happened, you know?” She still felt like they were still just best friends, but they were so much more now. They were lovers. They were boyfriend and girlfriend, committed.

There was nothing Beka loved in this world than Wen's smile. He knew she would have been happy with a night at home, snuggling together on the couch with take-out but her wonder at the location was more beautiful than anything. That one look was worth every sickle he had spent on tonight. He had wanted this to be memorable and he hoped it was only going to get better.

Beka chuckled, grinning. "I work at the Prophet. I have my sources." He gave her his most mysterious look, which was honestly a little silly. "I'm glad you like it." The sommelier arrived quickly, asking what kind of wine they would care to have. Beka was not a great judge of wine, so he decided to rely on the expert's opinion because that's what he was there for.

"A white wine for the lady, something that pairs well with fish," he said with confidence, knowing Wen's training diet well, "and for me, a red that will pair well with steak." Beka was not on a diet, although he watched his weight. He planned on drinking significantly less than Wen tonight, and he could splurge on his food.

The man bowed, and left but was quickly replaced by their waiter who asked for their order. Beka knew the place had only a few set menu items and he'd done his research. "The lady would like the chef special white cod and steamed vegetables with wild lemon rice and I will have the porterhouse steak, medium rare, with the fire-roasted root vegetables."

Once he was gone, Beka focused on Wen. "I never thought I could be this happy," he told her softly, taking her hands in his. "And it's all because of you, kitten."

Wen blushed, despite herself. She wasn't good at romantic moments. She always felt a bit out of sorts, like the other person was speaking to some right over her shoulder. With Beka it was still just as embarrassing and unexpected, but she knew he meant it. They'd been so close for so long, they moved in sync, like a married couple. He knew what she would order before she'd even looked at the menu, and he'd done a good job. She knew what ever movement of his hand meant. She could also tell that he was a bit out of sorts at a fancy place like this, too, despite trying his best. She thought it was cute the way he didn't even pretend to know wine. She liked that he wasn't pretentious. He was absolutely perfect for her.

She took his hand and sighed. “Don't get all mushy now, Bek, you'll make me ill before the vegetables are even here.” She teased. It was a bit out of place, but she never liked serious talks. She always tried to interject disgust or humor there. She tried to control herself, though. Beka was trying to be romantic and she knew he wanted her to be there with him. She gave his hand a squeeze. “Sometimes I feel like these past few months have been a dream and I'll wake up in my old bed, drooling on my body pillow, and we would've never gotten together.”

She didn't like that thought. The past few months had been bliss. There had been no fighting, no discomfort, just love all the time. They fell into relationship as though they had always been doing it. They had even converted her old room into a gym, now that she shared his bed full-time. She thought to herself that this could actually, maybe, sorta... work. Not that she had ever really doubted it. She would've married him the moment he moved to the United Kingdom if he would've asked. He hadn't, but still. She always knew they were meant for each other.

"It would be a shame for you to miss out on the food," he teased back. "I guess I'll just have to eat it all." Serikbek was a country boy at heart, growing up on a farm, living as frugally as possible after he's graduated. This kind of place was definitely not his scene, but tonight was supposed to be special, after all. Neither he nor Wen really had a deep desire to dine at super fancy restaurants. They both preferred Thai take-out and pub foods when Wen was on her cheat days. Other than that, Beka made sure their kitchen was well stocked with steamed vegetables, brown rice, and grilled chicken breasts. He ate pretty much what she ate when they were together. It was easier that way, and showed Wen that Beka supported her lifestyle and her nutritional needs during the season. Not that he wouldn't get something more greasy or starchy if he wanted it, but he was watching his diet too.

Beka chuckled. "I can pinch you later, if you want," he purred, just loud enough for Wen to hear. "I can think of a few things I could do to prove that you're definitely awake." Honestly, seeing Wen all dressed up had Beka all worked up, but tonight was about more than their insane physical chemistry. It was also about how perfect they were for each other. Wen was his match, his ideal mate. The fire to his stone, the fight to his calm. He could conceive of no one more complimentary for him than his kitten.

Their food and wine arrived shortly, on fancy china nestled under silver domes to keep the food warm. The waiter removed the lids and cloud of steam billowed up, smelling heavenly. The man bowed, leaving them to their meal. Beka cut off a small slice of his steak, holding it out to Wen. "Here," he said, offering her his first bite. "Have a little taste so you don't get a tummy ache dreaming about it." He teased, smiling at her lovingly.

Wen reached over and let him feed her a bite of his beef, moaning happily at the taste before settling in to enjoy her meal. “Very good.” She smiled. She watched him as he ate, still blushing slightly from his comment about knowing ways to prove she was awake. She could think of a few, too, and wondered how many overlapped what he was thinking. If their romantic chemistry was ridiculous, their physical chemistry was off the charts. She could barely comprehend how perfect of a match he was to her. It made her head ache thinking about it, so instead she decided just to feel it.

She made quick work of her fish and vegetables, watching him and chatting happily. Her hand slid over his on the table and gave him a few quick affectionate squeezes. Later on, her hand found his knee under the table and teased his thigh a little bit, playful. “So what all do you have planned for tonight, then?” She asked. “Fancy dress, fancy dinner, you're really going all out. Whatcha going to do, ask me to move in?” She joked.

She made a grab for the check when it was finally brought over. She knew Beka could handle it, but she knew she made more money than him and often enjoyed treating him to nicer things when she could. He batted her hand away, though, and she let him. She would get dinner next time.

Beka tried to giver her his best implacable face, but he could feel the slight tugging at the corner of his lips which meant he was smiling. He was just too excited about tonight. "Surprises," he replied mysteriously, but caved to her need to know a little bit. Also to brag about where they were going. "Next stop is a club I played at while you were out touring. They're having a rooftop dance party and I got us on the guest list." Wen loved dancing, and it was good cardio for both of them. Not the best cardio he could think of, but he hoped to indulge in a bit of that later tonight once the New Year was here.

He walked her to the door, getting their coats from the check, then offering her his arm as they walked a few blocks away to the club. He'd never brought Wen to this one, it was a relatively new gig so she just hadn't had the chance yet. It was in an industrial area in a building Muggles thought was an abandoned warehouse. There were three floors, plus the roof which was the exclusive level. You only got rooftop access if you were somebody, or knew somebody. Honestly, Wen could probably get VIP treatment all on her own, but tonight Beka was using a good bit of his capitol to make himself seem a lot cooler than he actually was.

The guard at the door checked for their names on the list, then directed them to the stair leading up to the roof. The place looked incredible, lights and sound booming from the dance floor and an area spelled to keep noise out so people could rest from the intense beats.

"So, what do you think?" He asked, kissing her neck as he spoke into her ear. "Not too bad, huh?"

Wen shivered as Beka kissed her neck, and she looked out at the rooftop dance floor. It was so... COOL! She grinned widely, bumping him with her arm. “It's awesome. You know how much I love clubs. The only thing is, the DJ is never as good as you, and if you're DJing, I have to dance all by myself.” She teased, pulling him out onto the dance floor to grind against him. She was a bit full from dinner, but she didn't care. She was getting into the music. She danced with him for a few songs before she decided she needed a water. She took him by the hand and dragged him up to the bar. The water bottles were even more expensive than the cocktails, so she ended up with a vodka soda with lime rather than the water she had originally wanted, but hey, she was good at dinner. This would be fine. She downed the drink quickly before going back to the dance floor.

Beka looked so good tonight, she could eat him. He smelled good, too, even when they were both hot and sweaty. He somehow managed to be impervious to B.O. She didn't know if she had the same luck. She pressed herself close to him and kissed his nose, then his lips. She made out with him on the dace floor for as long as she thought he would allow, then pulled back, eyes dark. She took his hand again, and twirled herself into his arms, her back to his chest.

In that moment, under the starlight and the bright spotlights, she felt like she'd found heaven. She was exactly where she wanted to be, with exactly who she wanted to be there with. She smiled and tugged at him. “Let's go somewhere a little more private.” She suggested, frisky.

You didn't get into the club scene without learning at least a few dance moves. Beka wasn't as bendy as some of the other people around them, but he was tireless. He had to be, if he wanted to keep up with his all-star Quidditch girlfriend. He would never win any competitions, but he could hold his own on a dance floor. At the very least, he knew how to move to a beat. He and Wen moved together, bodies grinding against one another in ways that were probably against the law to do in public. Beka didn't care. He knew Wen loved it when they could dance together.

At the bar, he bought himself a whiskey sour and drank it down as he watched Wen to make sure she wasn't going to get dehydrated. He knew she would be fine, liqueur-wise, since they'd just eaten. He just didn't want her passing out before the end of the night. He had more planned.

Back on the dance floor, Beka indulged in kissing his drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend under the flashing lights as the beats pounded through them. He grinned softly as she twirled herself into his arms, always glad to have her pressed against him. When she tugged on his hand, asking to go somewhere else, he knew by the tone of her voice what she had in mind. He smiled, kissing her with heat. "I have someplace all lined up," he replied mysteriously. "Let's get out of here." He walked them over to the designated apparation corner and whisked them away to the next destination.

The London Eye towered above them, shining brightly. Ususally it was closed on New Years, too close to the fireworks to risk anyone inside getting hurt. But Beka knew a guy who had arranged for him and Wen to have it all to themselves. He approached the man waiting for them at the base of the towering Ferris wheel. He helped Wen into the hanging cart before stepping in himself. The attendant closed the door and started up the wheel. The view going up was spectacular and they had it all to themselves.

"So, private enough for you?" Beka teased, his hand slowly sliding up Wen's leg, stopping just short of the hem of her dress. "I have one more surprise." He reached into the pocket of his jacket and gripped a small black velvet box tightly in his his hand. He carefully got down on one knee in front of Wen. "Kitten, I've loved you since I saw you walking towards me in the airport that first time we met. I've loved you from across continents, across oceans. I will love you for all of my life, with my every breath." He opened the box he held to reveal an engagement ring and wedding band. His eyes held all the love in the world for the woman in front of him.

"Morwen, will you marry me?"

When Wen had suggested somewhere private, she had meant a dark alcove or something to that effect, but this was much better. It was so romantic! She smiled widely as he ushered her onto the giant wheel, snuggling into him. Then, he did something she didn’t expect. He began talking about his love for her. She felt herself tearing up a little bit. Serikbek was so stoic, it was hard to know how he felt about anything. She knew he loved her, but he didn’t say the words as often as she would have liked to hear them—e.g. all the time. She blushed a bit and smiled… then he got down on one knee and Morwen felt her head explode.

This wasn’t happening! This couldn’t be happening! He was—he really was proposing. Then she saw the ring and about dropped dead. A leopard print wedding band… How well he knew her. She basically flung her left hand at him. “Took you long enough!” She teased. “Yes, though. Absolutely completely yes.” She leaned in to kiss him deep. When she pulled away, she was all smiles.

“I’ve loved you since I was like…. Fourteen or fifteen. When we met, it was instant, though. I knew you were the one, then.” She promised. “I didn’t care that I was too young for you. I didn’t care. I just knew….” She was so excited she could barely stand. This was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Beka smiled as Wen shoved her hand at him. He slipped the ring on and of course it fit perfectly. There was no way he couldn't know Wen's ring size, not when he'd been planning this so carefully for the last few months. Beka had even enlisted the help of Wen's best girl friend and sometimes lover, Jane. He'd arranged for everything, right down to the outfit that Wen was wearing. It was almost a foregone conclusion that Wen would say yes, but even still he definitely felt a weight lift when the words were actually out of her mouth. "You know I like to take my time with things," he teased back. "No need to rush into it." Beka was nothing if not extremely methodical.

He gently swept Wen into his arms, sitting her on his lap as he settled them back onto the seat inside the Ferris wheel cart. "I loved you before you stepped off the plane," he murmured softly into her hair. It was something he'd kept to himself, but right now seemed like the right time to share it with her. There could be no room for doubt or secrets when it came to their relationship. "When I first held you in my arms, I never wanted to let you go." Beka combed his fingers through Wen's hair, a soothing and loving gesture. "You have no idea how tempting you were. Having you my bed every night, it was almost like torture."

"I love you Wen. I love your temper, your spirit, your fire. I love your softness and your kindness. I love the smell of your perfume on my pillows. I love the way you came into my life like a hurricane and changed everything I thought it could be."

She was not crying. She was absolutely not crying. Okay, so she was definitely crying, but how could she not after all this? Serikbek had proposed to her. He’d always loved her. He’d been planning this for how long, and the night was absolutely perfect. She snuggled into his lap and leaned over to kiss him, deep. “I love you.” She breathed again, into his lips as she held him tight. He was perfect, and this night was perfect. She wasn’t yet thinking of all the work that was to come, all the planning and drama and expense. She was just thinking she was the luckiest girl in the world, able to keep the most perfect man to be hers and hers alone.

After that, she sat in silence for a minute, just savoring the feeling and holding tightly onto him. She closed her eyes with her head on his shoulder and tried to dry her tears. She was so embarrassed, really. She never cried. She wished she could be stoic like Beka, but that just wasn’t who she was. Wen rarely cried, though. She showed mostly anger and annoyance, and never seemed satisfied except with Serikbek. It was as if everything he did was perfect, seemed perfect. She finally opened her eyes after a few minutes and looked out from the carriage to see London. It was beautiful, but nothing held a candle to this moment. She snuck a peek at her ring to make sure it was real. It was still real.

“I cannot wait to get you home, mister.” She teased him, turning around in his lap so she was facing him. “You’re not getting out of bed for days.”