From Here to Maternity

Vera trailed after her friend with a lazy sort of gait that she was growing accustom to using. It was in part that she found moving quicker ever so slightly more troublesome with the added weight of another being, but mostly it was because she had found she could get whatever she wanted - usually from Brock - by using it in combination with the plea that was about to follow.

"This heat does not make walking for two people any easier you know." Huffing slightly, she ran a hand through her long hair, and sent her friend a glare that didn't have much force behind it. "You should really be more considerate of pregnant people's needs."

There was a grumpy nature to her tone to be sure, but the heat made Vera unbearable in a normal mood. Add in a small person growing in her, the fact that none of her favourite clothes (or any of them for that matter) fit her any more, and she had been forced to steal clothing from other members of her household (not that she was complaining on that front. The shirt still smelled like Brock, and she was rather enjoying that), and she was bordering on impossible.

At least she actually liked Juliette. God forbid someone she had no patience for decided to cross her path. Vera felt she would not be to blame for whatever might result from such a meeting.

As it was, a window display of a shop they had passed was receiving her - somehow still attractive - glare.

"Maternity clothes are always so... quaint. I hardly think I'm that... quaint."

Every few moments, Juliette would glance over her shoulder, an amused grin dancing across her face at the sight of her friend. She couldn'thelp it. There was something entirely too funny about how disgruntled and annoyed Vera was with the world.

Merlin, she was so glad that would never be her.

Grinning brightly to herself, she skipped down the streets, her necklace bouncing against her skin with every step. "But walking's good for both of you, Vera-Bera," she called over her shoulder. "And I'm only doing this for your own good. Remember the clothes!" She raised her arms up, extending them towards the sky.

Bounding back to her friend, being careful that her speed was humanly attainable, she linked her arm through hers, tilting her head at the display. "Quaint's not bad per se. It can look cute, if worn with the right thing, you know." She hummed softly. "And sometimes you are, when you're not scowling at the world."

Vera scoffed at her friends tones, eyes narrowing suspiciously at her friend, and shaking her head, "I'm not so sure about that. See the way I see it is they just want us to think that, so they can laugh as we torture ourselves."

The girl wasn't always so against exercise, nor the world in general but there was something about today. Her friends increasing proximity was both helping and not.

"I have clothes," she waved her hand to the ones that she had one, "They even come pre scented." Smirking slightly she cuddling closer to it for a moment before looking at the display again.

"You're only here, cause I trust you. If you pick out horrendous outfits, all trust that we have will be voided." Bouncing slightly she walked passed her friends and grabbed the door, "You coming, or not?"

Juliette laughed softly, but quickly clapped her hands over her mouth, looking sheepishly over at her friend. "Sorry," she whispered through her fingers. "I'm not laughing at you. Well - you're amusing like this." Her hands slowly pulling away from her face, she let out a nervous laugh, reaching over to awkwardly punch the woman's shoulder.

Nodding, allowing her arm to fall to her side, she glanced around them. "See? No one laughing." The only people who were laughing were far too far away to be laughing at them. Peering down the street for a moment, she watched the two of them for a moment before glancing back to Vera. "You know, I really do like that ring of yours." Grinning, she nodded towards the sparkling ring on the blonde's finger.

"You can't wear them forever, you know." A corner of her mouth curled upwards into the beginnings of a smirk. "He'll want his clothes back sooner or later." She could smell the Brock on the shirt almost as easily as if he was standing right beside them.

She nodded, humming softly. "And that's entirely valid the other way." Grinning, she slid past her pregnant friend into the store. "You don't even need to ask, Vera-Bera."

Rolling her eyes, Vera kept her comments to herself, though the vaguest hint of a scowl was still on her face as she looked at her "Not laughing" friend. However, for both their benefits, Juliette's ploy for distraction was actually successful. Though it was such a foolproof one that it would work any time.

Vera simply could not look at the ring, and all that it implied, without smiling, "It is nice isn't it."

"You don't understand Brock," Following her friend into the shop she smirked and snuggled the shirt closer again, "I can most definitely wear his clothes forever. However, since I like some variety, I suppose..." she hummed and trailed off slightly as she fiddled with a white shirt. It was awful she supposed.

Shirt

"It is." She nodded, a tiny smile worming its way onto her face. She was happy for Vera. Her and Brock worked well together, they really did. "Do I get to be your maid of honour at the grand wedding?" She nudged Vera softly, laughing.

She liked weddings. As long as she wasn't the main event - hell would have to freeze over before she got married - they were wonderful things.

Glancing down at her own ring, she frowned, twirling it around her index finger.

Looking back up at Vera, Juliette smirked, shaking her head. "Whatever you say. You're the one getting married to the man." Making her way back to the woman's side, she tilted her head at the shirt. "Not bad, not bad. But it's well - boring. Let's go for something a little more fun." Grinning, she bounded away, rummaging through racks of clothes.

Vera nudged back, a grin of her own still in place, "I don't know if there will be a 'grand wedding' - what do I need all those people gawking at me anyway?" Vera really didn't care about a large wedding with friends and family. Although social, she hardly had any friends that she would call close, and as for family... by blood that had sort of failed her, and the pack was the pack. All Vera really wanted was Brock - it was in the end all she ever wanted. "But I suppose if you're nice to me, I'll let you be the maid of honour at whatever kind of wedding occurs. Only if you're nice though."

Rolling her eyes at her friend, she took the shirt anyway. It was nice, Vera liked nice, "Your face is boring." Taking a moment to almost grimace at her reflection - adoring Scarlet as Vera did, the growing child in her undeniably made her look... well fat. "Fine then, you find something then."

"But it's a wedding, Vera." She grinned brightly, positively bouncing on her heels. When the idea of work had been a possibility many years ago, a wedding planner had been high on those lists. Knowing that people were going to be happy because of something she'd done had seemed like a great idea.

But then she'd realized that there was so much more to life than working.

"Weddings are supposed to be special and large and magical." She spread her arms out wide, stretching towards the sky. Glancing sideways at her friend, Juliette nodded firmly, "Deal."

Running her fingers through racks of clothes, she smirked ever so slightly at the comment, calling over her shoulder, "There are many men and woman who'd dispute that claim." Her smirk becoming a grin, she turned back to the clothes, her expression becoming more determined. "Challenge excepted."

Rubbing her hands together, Juliette began, eyes scanning and hands running over fabric, adding more and more clothes to a forming pile in her arms. Minutes later, she was returning to Vera, holding out the handful. "Here you go."

Spoiler:

Vera laughed slightly at her friend, shaking her head, before following after her slowly, running a hand through the clothes which only looked appealing with further look that at the moment Vera didn't care to give, "You have the ideas there Liette, but one of your things are not like the other thing."

Twirling slightly around one of the racks, she ended up beside her friend, leaning on the metal bar the clothes were hanging from as the woman who enjoyed shopping more did the browsing, "I don't need big to be special, or magical. I just need Brock. I just want Brock - a bunch of people I don't really know, don't really care about me and I don't really care about them, just people, won't make it any more special. I think it will just take away from what I want, from what weddings are supposed to be."

Turning her head she let that statement hover before she grinned slightly and mirrored her friend's words.

"Deal."

Staying where she was, Vera watched Juliette move about the shop with curiously amused eyes, figuring she'd be best on her own, and would wait to be given what she found. Picking gingerly at the items she eventually pulled out two things, a long black shirt, that almost looked more like a wrap, and a dress. The dress was certainly very... 'quaint'... but Vera though perhaps..

"I suppose these two aren't horrid."

"Of course I have the idea," Juliette teased, sniffing dramatically. "I always have the idea." She tapped the side of her head, grinning. "I'm a smart one." She supposed that she'd inherited her brain from her mother. She lacked the drive to do anything with it, but she was still smart.

Resting her head on the rack, she hummed softly, nodding slowly along to Vera. "I guess that makes sense." Whenever she'd imagined weddings, they'd been large affairs, filled with hundreds of people.

She wondered what that was like, to want and need someone so much that nothing else mattered. The only person she'd ever felt that way about was herself. As much as she loved her family and friends, they weren't her world.

"You're lucky to have him," she said softly, twirling a strand of her hair around a finger.

Watching Vera pick through the clothes, Juliette gave her head a little shake. "You gotta be a little more positive than that, Vera. You'll be wearing these for a while."

Rolling her eyes she continued to walk passed the other woman, "Of course it makes sense smart one. Besides its my wedding." As her slightly raised voice got a questioning look from a more ... lets say prudish looking, customer, Vera merely gave the woman a wide grin, leaning obnoxiously over to get into her personal space and waving the ring under her nose, "Simply gorgeous isn't it? Its too much really, he was probably trying to over compensate though. You know, what with not being the baby's biological father and all. Men can be so funny about that can't they?"

Leaving the woman in such a huff that she didn't even know what to do with herself, Vera continued walking, chuckling to herself as she reached a change room. Her amusement softened as the woman slipped from her mind, and Juliette's words replaced them, "I know. I've always known. Even before he... I always felt lucky to just know him, to have him in my life. To have him love me too... at times it feels like more than I deserve."

Before her friend could contradict her, or make any more statements to that nature, she disappeared behind the door, changing almost reluctantly. The warm scent that Brock's shirt held was hard to let go - and it disappeared as soon as his shirt did - and slipped on the dress. Not even allowing herself to look in the mirror, she stepped out to grin at her friend instead.

"Okay. Go on, say it. I can take it."

Immaturely sticking her tongue out at Vera, she followed the blonde's gaze to the woman. Letting out a little snort of laughter, she covered her mouth to fight against the inevitable giggles. Some people just never got with the times. People like that would still be prudes, she supposed, even when years and years passed.

Making sure to 'accidentally' trip the woman as she passed, Juliette flounced after Vera, glancing back over her shoulder with a satisfied smirk as the clothes in the woman's arms spilled onto the floor. Turning back at the sound of her friend's voice, she nodded, a little smile flitting across her face.

Yep, she'd never felt that way before. Her smile becoming much more bitter, she rocked back and forth on her heels, fiddling with the ring on her hand as she waited for Vera.

Glancing up at her friend, her expression quickly becoming one that betrayed none of her thoughts, Juliette smiled amusedly. "It's not bad, Vera-Bera. Not bad at all." Humming softly, she gave the dress an appraising nod, moving around Vera to admire it from all angles.

"I like it," she said finally as she faced her pregnant friend again. "I really do."

"Now now 'Liette, be nice. Abusing the dear lady isn't going to get us anything." Vera's tone was light, barely reprimanding, though she supposed tripping might have been a little too far.

Looking in the mirror she spun slightly in the dress, watching it move in response to the movement. Smoothing her hand over the fine lines of the dress, and the way it just feel around her bump. It wasn't hardly as noticable as it had been before.

"I suppose it's okay," she said a little grin pulling on her lips, "But it doesn't smell like Brock. That's certainly a major down side."

"But it'll make me happy," she said with a large grin, brushing strands of her hair from her face. "And my happiness is important." Nodding to emphasize her words, her grin brightened. If she was going to live again, it was important that it was a happy life.

Because really, what was the point of living if you weren't happy? She'd been happy, and she supposed that was one of the million reasons that she would've done anything to survive.

A hand absentmindedly wandering to her side, she frowned down at it for a moment before pulling it away. She wasn't dying, not anymore. Giving her head a small shake, she glanced back up at Vera.

"You could always make him wear it," she suggested, trying her best not to laugh. "Take pictures too."

Vera just shook her head, thinking that as impossible as it seemed she managed to find the one person in the world who was worse than her, and befriended them. She wondered briefly what that said about herself, before heaving a sigh and brushing off the thought. What good would those thoughts do? And besides she had good friends - even if at times they were worse than her - and a fiancée, and a child. Surely she could accept that her life, and her personality were worth something, if she managed to get all that.

A devilish smirk crossed her face at her friends suggestion, eyes darkening as she got more amused by time image that she saw in her minds eye, "I don't know if anyone could love me enough to do that. Still..."

The idea was too attractive, and Vera knew she was letting her imagination get out of hand. Finally deciding to reign it in, she twirled away back to her change room, to put on the loose black shirt, and modified jeans instead.

"Outfit numeral, two - if you will."

Stifling a laugh as she watched Vera's expression change, the vampire clapped her hands over her mouth, her pale green eyes sparkling above. She could already tell that her friend was planning just how to make this happen. Pulling her hands away from her mouth once she was sure she wouldn't burst out laughing, she said, "Please, it's Brock. He'd walk to the end of the world if you asked him to."

She shook her head, grinning. "He's smitten by you, Vera. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you." If anyone would wear maternity clothes for Vera, it'd be Brock, hands down.

"Alrightie, then." Nodding her head, she flopped down in a nearby chair, peering down at all the baby magazines beside her. "I'll be waiting."

Vera tugged at the new clothes as she came out, raising an eyebrow at her friend before leaning against the wall, purposely making no effort to show off or even look good in the clothes. Not that they looked bad, they were simple clothes that one couldn't really make look bad - particularly when you did have natural luck in the looks department as Vera did - but she wasn't bothering to make herself look any better either.

"Smitten huh?" her amused grin was softened by an almost smitten look herself. If either of the pair had been prone to using that word in the past, it would have been Vera. She kind of liked hearing it the other way around. "I guess that's one way to put it - still, I don't think he's going to put on a dress for me. There are some limits to what even a pout and the bat of my eyes can do."

She let out a laugh and held out her arms in a lazy gesture.

"Alright, let's have it."

Tilting her head slightly, she absentmindedly flipped through the first magazine in front of her. The images of all the young children surrounded by their parents brought a small smile to Juliette's face. Though children weren't something she wanted - she physically couldn't have children, after all - there was something about them that she found endearing.

Just as long as they weren't hers. Even when she had been able to conceive, the idea of having to take care of someone for seventeen years just sounded like far more than she wanted to go through. She didn't have the slightest idea how her parents had managed to put up with her for 23 years.

Blinking up in Vera's direction as she appeared, she observed her friend for a moment, nodding her approval at her attire. Simple, but elegant.

"We'll just have to try and see, won't we?" A smirk lit up the vampire's face. "Tell me how it goes, Vera-Bera, because I'm pretty sure he'll do it." She nodded her head to emphasize her words.

Humming softly, she took a long look at her friend. "What's there to say?" A little grin began pulling her lips upwards. "You look good, Vera. Very good."