By now most would assume that the butterflies would have stopped fluttering about or that hearts would stop skipping beats but that wasn't the case for Perrie. He and Willow had been together for some time but he still felt like he did in those early days. He was still floating high on cloud nine. At this point, he was convinced there would never be a day when he didn't feel this way. He'd take flustered red cheeks from compliments any day. "Am I at least a tasty snack?" he laughed and tugged her closer. His joyful smile melted into a smirk once more as Willow became bashful. He was happy he still had that effect on her as well. "All good things to love - especially the sweaters. I've got a great collection going that seems to dwindle every time you come over. Oh, right how could I forget that I agreed to that." Perrie gave a knowing grin with a fond eye roll. "You'd need at least four books I'm sure. I might bug you to read them just so you know." Muscle memory kicked in the moment her fingers brushed his and he grabbed Willow's hand. "I'll get my own journal and fill it with things I love about you so you can read it when you need it."

Willow remained suspiciously silent when Perrie mentioned his magically disappearing sweaters, both of them knowing full well who the culprit was. "Who said they're for you to read?" she wrinkled her nose at him, playfully bratty as she leaned away from him, trusting completely that he wouldn't let her fall. Beyond the jokes though, she loved the idea. It wasn't like it was a secret how smitten they were but there was something so intimate about reading something they'd written while thinking of each other. "I'd love that," she finally gave up with her fidgeting, coming in to rest her chin on Perrie's chest and look up at him with a contented sigh. "The only thing that would make us more insufferable is if one of us knew how to play guitar," she laughed.

"You know what, you might be onto something there. I gotta put myself in the headspace." He touched his neck before laughing. "Camp Rock escapee? Oof, that was a good one. Anyway, considering Colette's ex boyfriend is a dancer I think I'll shelf that idea. Now singing that's a whole other thing but between me and her we might have to battle it out. Or maybe we'll be able to get someone else. Like I don't know...you think Kacey Musgraves would answer my DMs? But uh, hey since you're here, you know I've been reading about all the proper ways you're supposed to ask people to be in your bridal party and I already told Aiden but would you be my best man? Woman? Best sister in the world?" He had wanted to be more smooth about it but he was so excited he just wanted her to know that he wanted her involved if she could be. "You'll have to stand next to Aiden while he's sniffling the whole ceremony but you have full agency over what you want to wear. Marnie is pretty set on being the flower girl."

"Maybe a little bluetooth headset while you're at it," she pressed two fingers to her ear while wondering if bluetooth even existed back in the times of The Wedding Planner. "When it comes to roasting you... I'll be here forever." If his sister couldn't be counted on to keep him humble, who else was there? And if her expression when he suggested singing was anything to go by, she might have been too good at that self appointed position. "That'd be very John Legend of you to sing at your own wedding. Save money though," she pointed out with a cheeky smirk. Despite not thinking it egotistical to assume he would want her involved in his wedding all things in their lives considered, it still struck her silent when he actually said it out loud. She could have made any number of her standard sarcastic jokes but instead chose to soften. It was hard sometimes considering she'd grown up having to bolster that protective shell at every turn, but she had to remember that Brodie was her safest space. "Are you sure? I mean, you have so many friends..."

"You know I gotta say JLO really played the shit out of her role in the wedding planner because she made that look so much easier than it is." Brodie of course knew he wasn't doing it alone and they had plenty of time but that hadn't stopped himself from buying far too many wedding magazines. "Also..choreographed dances at weddings, yay or nay?"

"I'd suggest that your issue is that you don't have a wardrobe full of turtlenecks, for a start. She was rocking those, true style icon." Willow surveyed the scene before her, eyebrow raised in curiosity and definitely a dash of judgment. She knew her brother, knew he was the type to go into something one hundred and ten percent or not at all, so she supposed she should have expected it. While Brodie was spontaneous and unsusceptible to the opinions of others, Willow had always leaned toward the reserved end of the spectrum. "I'd politely decline to participate but if it's what you and Colette want it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I'll still love you even if you act like a Camp Rock escapee in front of the whole world."

"I did willingly move back and I don't regret it. Rosewood is a vortex and I simply let her pull me in." returning to his hometown after getting out was not what Perrie had anticipated when he left for Columbia. As much as he loved New York and would return one day to the city his heart was in Rosewood. "Oh, I'm the snack?" his tone was teasing. perrie tried to play it cool but couldn't deny the blush fighting its way to his cheeks. after all this time the smallest of compliments from his girlfriend still left him flustered. "Damn, here I was trying to become this intimidating figure. All that work for nothing." he sighed dramatically before breaking into a smile. "What else do you love about me? You know, if we're listing things." his attention turned to the journal in Willow's hands. Perrie's fingertips grazed the paper and nodded to himself with a satisfied look. "oh that's the good paper. It's beautiful. Thinking this could hold your next best seller? I can only imagine what you'd fill with it."

As much as she joked about it Willow was one of the few who seemed content where she was. She'd seen other cities and countries but never had the urge come over her to leave her home. Chaotic as it could be, the good had always outweighed the bad, even more so with Perrie home. It was a total ego boost every time he reacted to her flirting, which only spurred her on. Despite having been together for years by that point it felt like they'd started their relationship half way so she was catching up on the things they'd missed. Like shameless flirting to see if she could get the tips of his ears to start smouldering. "Mhm, my favourite one," she pinched her lip between her teeth, meeting his eyes for a moment before she too got shy and focused back on the journal in her hands. As much as she liked to play that game of chicken she wasn't exactly a master of it yet. "I love your smile... and your heart... and your sweaters... and that you're going to take me to get pizza when we're done here..." Playfully, she walked her fingers across the page to touch his, and wondered if he was right with his observation about what she might put in the journal. "Maybe I'll fill it with all the things I love about you. Might need a bigger one though..."

"That's not what I was thinking." She returned Willow's pointed look, corners of her mouth tugging up in a smile. "Not unscathed but yeah, we lived. I know someone else who could join him too," she joked, though she didn't have much issue with the aforementioned blonde, not anymore. "I like your sticky notes," she nodded down to some of the stationary in her hands, all very Willow.

"More the merrier, right?" she sucked her teeth, allowing herself a moment of bitterness before she let it pass. It had been a long time and she was happier than ever, she liked to think that felt better than praying on anyone's downfall. "Why thank you, they're sticky and you can write notes on them." Willow wiggled her brow, goofing around even if October wasn't really the type to play along. "I, uh, I saw some cool letter openers over there," she gestured, figuring they'd be more up her friend's alley. "Looked like tiny swords. We can swing past those and then go if you want."

October followed her gaze out the window, watching the snow as it fell with no intent of letting up. "Are they?," she countered at Willow, unaware that she even had enemies. "I think the last time we got snowed in I was with my parents, Axel, and my ex-boyfriend, so, couldn't get much worse than that."

"Would just like to clarify that I'm not so egotistical to truly think I have haters," she gestured to October pointedly, needing her to believe her. "Ouch, really? That sounds... and everyone lived to tell the tale? I'd probably start keeping a snow shovel on me at all times after that. I mean, to bury Travis alive, obviously."

Jess took a sip out of her disposable take out coffee cup nonchalantly, shrugging as she gazed out the window. "It's less nerve wracking to face the unexpected when more people are scared of you than you are of them." She pursed her lips as she looked Willow up and down for a moment. "People should be weary of you too, it's always the quiet ones who can sneak up on you when you least expect it." She chuckled. "I wouldn't worry too much though. I imagine getting snowed in anywhere so close to Valentine's Day would be enough to set off one of the richies to send the National Guard over."

Willow eyed Jess back, more of an attempt at self defence than anything. She didn't quite have the expression down the way Jess did though. "We get snowed in and have to resort to eating each other I'm taking the first bite to assert dominance," she snorted a laugh, wrinkling her nose at the absurdity of the idea that they'd ever find themselves in a situation so dire. Then again... she had been buried alive for 'fun' so who could truly be sure? "Can anyone see a Chadwell? A Chadwell, anyone? Our only hope..." she craned her neck and looked around, coming back to Jess with a smirk that said she was done with her moment of nerves. "You say that though, as if you don't have a burly man who'd dig through a snow drift for you..."

"You get stuck in one snowstorm and you're scarred for life." perrie teased. Willow wasn't exactly wrong. If perrie had to be snowed in anywhere it would be in the comforts of his home rather than the outside. He had willow to keep him company so it wouldn't be all that terrible either. "I always have a few snacks on me in case you run out and if your enemies are here you can use me as a big scary boyfriend shield." he paused. "boyfriend shield at least. I don't think I'm all that scary." he leaned over to kiss the side of her head. "it'll be fine. it's just clouds."

"Hey, you willingly moved back here, you've got no room to talk, Stockholm Syndrome." Willow shot back with a sly raise of her brow. As much as she teased him about it though, she was more grateful than she could express to have him back permanently. "Mm, you are the snack," she mumbled to herself, still watching the snow. It was a beautiful sight out of the shop's huge windows, she told herself, nothing but a pretty view. "You're not scary at all, but I love that about you so..." she made a pleased little hum when he kissed the side of her head, like she'd been recharged, and pulled her attention from the window to show him the journal she'd been looking at. "It's pretty, right? Feel the paper..."

"I think you worry too much." Lana let Willow know, waving her hand off to dismiss her friend's worry in that moment. "But if you and I were to get snowed in, at least we'd have each other." She told her and honestly, there's no one else she'd want to get snowed in with in that moment. "Plus, I don't see my father in law so I can guarantee that at least my enemy isn't in the room with us." Lana said with a playful roll of her eyes. "Any particular reason for the abundance of stationery?"

"So I've been told," Willow mumbled absentmindedly, turning her attention away from the window and back to shopping. "Oh, we'd have so much fun. It's just like, the law of Rosewood that these things never happen when you're in a room with someone you like. I mean, come on universe, couldn't snow me in with Perrie even one time?" She paused, looking over at Lana from the two notebooks she was comparing. "Gotta be prepared for the apocalypse? I don't know, some people collect expensive shoes... I collect notebooks and pens that write nice."

Part of Tara wanted to call him out on his reaction to guy who had just skulked off, the self conscious part of her wanting to know what he had meant. And also to see what it mattered to him. What she did was her business. She didn't have to explain herself to him. But she bit her tongue at the risk of ruining one of their few calm moments. After all she was sure they would end up fighting again for dumber reasons in no time. "I know you of all people isn't commenting on anyones social skills right now." Tara remarked, smirking at her own jab, genuinely having fun talking to him for once. "I don't know what's scarier. The idea of him rubbing off on you or you rubbing off on him. Where did broody Chan go? Let's bring him back." She shook her head.

"They're really pretty. Next time you can let them know that they don't have to do all that. I dance all the time. They don't have to make a big deal about it." She said in a resigned voice when she noticed the displeasure on his face at the mention of the flowers, the atmosphere obviously shifting. By now it was pretty clear she wasn't one of his favorite people to be around but she didn't expect the awkwardness that ensued after her question either. So she tried to break some of the uncomfortable energy by playing it all off as no big deal, like she had been lately. All things considered, she thought she had been pretty blase about things after the new year's kiss, chalking it up to just being in the moment and everyone else around them doing it. But maybe more space was the right call. Getting along and actually supporting each other didn't seem to be something they could do so it was probably better to keep that wall up before either of them actually hurt the other. "Yeah, I guess a nice dinner softens the blow of everyone celebrating i'm not completely useless anymore."

Chan was dead eyed at Tara's joke about his social skills, but that in itself was enough to know it had hit the mark. "You know that's not true," he pressed the corners of his mouth together, regretting the insinuation that he must have charmed her to some degree if New Year's was anything to go by. He certainly couldn't picture how kissing him could have been boiled down to convenience because they were sure as hell anything but convenient to each other. "Fine, I'll go scowl over there," he cocked his chin and raised two fingers in a casual wave to a couple of girls a little way away who were clearly trying not to be openly giddy at the attention.

"Your family loves you, what bigger deal is there than that?" While he'd turned into someone of few words it didn't mean he didn't have any depth. If anything he was bursting at the seams internally, he just couldn't remember how to express himself. Being around his mom and sister was helping, and maybe even Tara too. Letting off steam was a necessary part of life as well, he supposed, whether it was running until he puked or picking an argument with the one person he knew wouldn't back down. "We could skip it," he shrugged, "just tell everyone you're tired. Pick up something to eat and I'll drop you home. I know how it goes... you'll just upset everyone and make it weird if you're not happy enough."

As far as Tara was concerned there wasn't much to celebrate. The performance she gave was not at all up to the standard she knew she could deliver, and if she was being honest with herself it hadn't been since she had started dancing again. She had just been so desperate to perform again and not be left behind as a result that she cut corners in her recovery to at least make it easier to bear the trauma her body would have to take again in order to return. But no one else seemed to notice any of that. They just gave her the default congratulations and complimented her on some random part of her stage outfit. But that was to be expected, in typical middle child fashion, she was often overlooked. Unlike when she was younger though, and strived to be the center of attention, she had grown to appreciate blending in. Especially at times like this. It made it easier to break off from the rest of them to pop a pain killer before she killed the vibe. It definitely made the conversation her dance partner struck up much more bearable when she joined the rest of them again.

They had hooked up a couple of times so it wasn't completely out of left field for the guy to get a bit handsy with her, distracting her from the whispers and giggles from the other girls as they fawned over Chan. It wasn't until he cleared his throat that she noticed him, stepping over to put distance between her and her partner. Not that she cared if Chan had seen them getting cozied up but the last thing she needed was to give him more things to annoy her about later. What he said clearly had put the other guy on edge enough for him to see his way out of that hallway but not without bumping Chan's shoulder as he stormed off. "You know half of his stories are just shit he makes up so he doesn't lose his edge, right?" She rolled her eyes slightly, at her dad's embarrassing antics. Even though none of the Mikami kids hadn't completely let him in again Tara was definitely the one giving less pushback. "He showed up though. I'm still not sure what to make of it. He's kind of embarrassing. I forgot that about him. I'm not sure what to make of you showing up either." Tara shrugged as she took her hair down from the bun she had it in before pointing out the flowers. "Are those for me?"

Chan's eyebrow arched as Tara's friend bounced off his shoulder. And there he was thinking he and Tara were the most childish people in the room. "Him? Seriously?" he shook his head to himself in disbelief before he realised he'd reacted out loud and quickly shifted his attention back to the topic of her father. It was a sensitive one for sure, but if anyone was going to get it... not that she knew he'd had a falling out with his own father but at least they had the realm of divided families to fall back on. "So? He's a good storyteller. Zero social skills but hey, at least he didn't bring a sign," he smirked, clearly insinuating that he was going to suggest it to Polo for next time.

He hummed when she noticed the flowers, looking down at them while he had an internal tug of war about how he actually wanted to approach her. It was annoying that he was even thinking like that to start with, all because of a stupid new year's kiss, but he didn't want her to get any ideas. Arm's length from him was the best place to be. Still, he wasn't heartless. "Must feel patronising, everyone celebrating the fact that you managed not to break anything."

"Yeah? Okay hell yeah. Let's do it then. Yeah I get it. I mean what family is functional, really? But he's welcome to spend as much time as he wants with us." Brodie had interacted with Diego mostly in recent times because of Marina and because of how much Marnie liked spending time with Marina whenever she had some time off from school. She would know when she had been around Diego because she would come back asking him random questions about history. "But I wanna do something that's not jus the cheesy red and black flannel, you know? We're not lumberjacks. We need something with some drip to it, you know?" He laughed at his owns words, finally flipping over the beef, keeping a careful eye on it so he didn't take it off too early or too late. "But nothing like glittery, that would be corny, you know? Fuzzy socks can also be included. You'll have to text me yours and Perrie's sizes so I make sure I get them right when I order. I mean Marnie is gonna have final style say of course but I'm trying to narrow it down or she'll have us all wearing the brightest most glittery shit possible."

"It's the whole orphan thing, he gets it," she shrugged, skipping over the fact that their dad was actually still alive though they tended to act like he wasn't. "Something with drip? Okay young father who is hip and cool with the kids. As long as it doesn't have some stupid pun on it I think I'll live. Saw a guy wearing one the other day that said JINGLE BELL ROCK with a picture of Dwayne The Rock Johnson on it and I just... Yeah, no corny allowed. Perrie? Extra large. His arms are getting bigger," she twisted her lips, looking away and clearly trying not to smile at the thought of her boyfriend and his arms. Especially in front of her brother of all people. "If it's what the princess wants, who are we to argue, right? If anything it'll just be ammo to bring out at her 21st birthday, that's how I'm looking at it."

"Hey! If I had these up in June I would have gotten yelled at for disrespecting Halloween. My tiny Skeleton had to shine this year." there was a lightness in his tone that was only reserved for Willow. His face was hurting from how much he found himself smiling since returning. Perrie had missed this. Doing the most mundane activities with his girlfriend and having her in his space was something he couldn't take for granted. "ah, yeah sweater weather is great. my collection has seemed to dwindle," he gave her a knowing look. Perrie knew all too well the sweater she was rocking was his. he couldn't help but smile fondly at her as she showed it off. "Paint watching isn't as fun as this. oh, you'd deal with one of the most boring activities known to man for me? yeah, i'd appreciate it."

"This is true. You can't commit that kind of blaspheme around these parts. Some sort of committee might actually banish you and I don't know about you but I'm actually not interested in uncovering Rosewood's Illuminati." Willow was casual, but only just. The pair of them were clearly over the moon about surviving past graduation, their biggest hurdle to date behind them. It almost felt like everything was new again which had her a little giddy as she came over to help untangle him from his lights. "You're so cute," she sighed, helping him in looping the lights over and under and around in an attempt to straighten them out. "And that's not me trying to butter you up for another sweater. I'm just... I don't know, I think I'm seeing the future for the first time."

"So I'm thinking matching pjs for all of us. Even Perrie. I mean imagine how cute the photo would be? Frame it and send it out to everyone." Brodie wiggled his eyebrows as he sat across from her. As they both got older their time together shifted but Brodie wanted to get better at making sure having their own lives didn't stop them from still spending time together. If he started talking about what it felt like to watch her grow up and become her own person he would probably get weepy and he didn't want to ruin the korean bbq buffet they were currently indulging in. "Speaking of, is it too soon for me to get him a gift? I can say it's from Marnie. Or is that weirder?" @willow-balcoin

"He'd love that," Willow chuckled at the thought, then paused. "I'd like it too." Not the concept, that was a given, but the idea of a family photo. Sometimes it was hard to grasp the reality that it wasn't just the two of them anymore, that they had people like Colette and Perrie on their side. Occasionally she missed the days where she was Brodie's sole priority but mostly she was proud of the dedication in which he'd undertaken being the head of their family, in nurturing it into something worthwhile. She kind of wanted to say something but she knew it would make him get all glassy-eyed and as much as bullying her big brother was her favourite hobby she decided it was too early in their meal for that. "You're weird enough as it is," she shrugged, a delayed smirk rising on her features. "If you want the full family experience this year, then okay, let's do it. No offence to them but Perrie's family isn't exactly the most functional so I think it would be nice for him to feel more included in ours."