Dinner for Two - Val & Blake

Upon entering the pod, Val would find that dinner had been set up just like her breakfast burrito had been. There was lit candles around the pod, and Blake had red roses delivered and sitting on the coffee table. If she looked under the tray, she'd find baby back ribs, smothered in honey BBQ sauce as well as a loaded baked potato, and a small bowl filled with rolls, and lemon garlic green beans. There was a bottle of wine with a purple bow, and there was a little note next to the rolls that said "these are not my buns" and she'd find chocolate moose for dessert.

Three shots of Bacardi and a shower later, Blake was waiting in the pod with his dinner. He rubbed his hands together nervously, hoping that the shots would have calmed him down, but they only sort of helped. He smiled when he heard her come in. "I miss your lips too." He chuckled. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling his hands began to shake again.

Despite the major anxiety he was experiencing, Blake smiled at hearing Val's excitement and settled himself on the floor. His back against the glass wall as he slid the coffee table over to him.

"Everything but the rolls. Production had to provide those because I didn't have time, but otherwise, yes." He informed her. "Is this the real life, is this just fantasy..." He sang quietly. "I'm already down here." He chuckled. He ran yet another hand through his hair. He smiled weakly at her comment, and fiddled with his fingers, picking a fork up he moved his green beans around but didn't start eating.

"How um...Did it..." He started. His voice would give away the fact he was nervous, but also that something was off. He took a sigh, and stabbed some green beans before shoving them in his mouth. He chewed and then swallowed. "Fuck Val, I'm a nervous a wreck." He confessed. "I should have brought the whole damn rum bottle in here." He mumbled.

Blake didn't know what was so funny, but it did make him relax a bit. He loved Val's laugh and it brought a smile to his face hearing it. He brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs, while he listened to her, resting his forehead on his knees.

His arms tightened around his legs at hearing she loved Parker, but there was clearly an inside joke there he was missing. He couldn't help the smile from appearing on his face then as she quoted Parker. He let a sigh out. "I'm gonna tell you something." He said slowly. His voice just barely audible for her to hear him.

"I was really afraid you'd dump me for Parker. And I...I just want you to be happy, and there's a part of me that is still in disbelief this is even happening and real, and that you want me." He said in a rush. "I've never been wanted Val." His voice cracked. "My own parents, some of the foster homes, I was never adopted or really felt real love, and then when I thought I found it, I found out she was cheating on me. She used me. It's a shit feeling." He struggled to speak around the lump in his throat. "But you make me feel like I can get that love. Like I have it already. I'm never gonna forget that time in the maze. In fact today was the best fucking day in my life because I got actually hold you." His voice cracked again and he reached up to wipe his tears away. "I'm scared, Val. No, I'm freaking terrified I'm going to wake up and find this was all a dream." He confessed. "I don't deserve you."

Blake sat there wiping at his tears. A small smile appearing on his face at hearing Val reassure him in the way she did best. Some of the tension eased out of his shoulders and he sighed. "Hey you have a good ass too." He chuckled softly. "I'm going to insist I give you all your physicals." He said.

He chuckled again, and then wiped the rest of his tears away. "I gotta tell ya Val, Parker and I have a blossoming bromance. He's a really good guy we practically avoided each other when we got done with the maze." He confessed. "I feel bad, and selfish for wanting you when I know that knucklehead has feelings for you." He told her. He reached over and nudge some more green beans. "But it really makes me happy you chose me." He mumbled. "I love you." He said bit more clearer as he finally made himself eat. "I don't know if I'll love these rolls. I'm particular about my bread." He laughed.

"Alright, is there anything else I should know about you that might drastically change my decision in doing you know what?" He chuckled.

"Maybe..." Blake chuckled around a mouthful of potato. "Whenever you want babies babe, I'll happily help you make them, and I love cooking almost as much as I love you, so both is fine." He told her. "You gotta wait just a bit longer, and the next one will be a 100x better than in that maze." He told her.

"Are you challenging my cooking skills again Valeria?" He asked in mock surprise. He grinned and then wiped his mouth on a napkin. "So uh, when you say to scare you off, how deep do you want me to go?" He asked hesitantly. "Because I got lots of stories." He informed her.

"Ring tattoos would be metal as fuck. I'd have to take my ring off at work too. Don't want it slipped off into someone or spreading infections possibly." He said. "So uh, gotta question while we're talking about tattoos. Do you think it's too girly for a dude to have wrist tats?" He asked.

"No ring in food got it." Blake laughed. He blushed as she said she'd fallen in love with him, and pushed a green bean around his plate. "No ex's names." He laughed. "I'm not going anywhere. You're just as much stuck with me as I am with you girlfriend." He told her.

"You're darn tootin I can. It's going to feel like fireworks once we can see each other. I know it." He told her confidently. "V-Val!" He sputtered, nearly choking on a bite of potato. His face flamed red, and he took a few moments to cough, and then bead on his chest to clear his airways. "Damn Woman." He said hoarsely. "Do you know how hard it is to be a gentleman when you go around saying things like that?" He asked chuckling. He slowly shook his head. "You're going to be the death of me." He said laughing lightly.