Oculus | J. Todd ✔

[23]

A week after her surgery, Evelyn was called again for a follow up visit by the doctor and her reports came positive. She was to take care of her eyes from dust, harsh light and water for a month and after that she could lapse into her normal routine.

She had taken leave from the Gotham Institute of Arts as well but as she felt considerably better, she rejoined her classes teaching piano to her students just like before.

Jason had accompanied her on the first day at the institute and all her students were glad to have her back. She too was very excited to see all of them and in the first half of the class most of the time passed with Evelyn guessing the students' names and getting most of them right.

Before that she had only differentiated in between them through their voices but by then she could clearly see them all and it felt nothing short of a blessing to her.

With her classes becoming regular and things slowly adjusting for her, Eve's mood was always bright and cheerful and seeing her like that made Jason feel relieved. Tim used to visit often and even Jay would sometimes go out as Red Hood in order to keep his hold over the drug dealers and make sure they weren't straying from the deal they had struck with him.

And ever since that night when he had almost gotten himself, Batman and Joker get killed, Batman had stopped interfering with whatever he did in the city. And it worked for him because he did not want to explain anything to Bruce.

He probably did not want to see him again either.

But he occasionally met up with Richard and once even met Barbara at the Library. Neither of them mentioned him coming back home and for that he was grateful. He did not want to think about that just yet.

The only person from his former family he hadn't yet met was Alfred.

And though deep down he wanted to meet the sympathetic and kind man who had always been more of a parental figure to him than anyone else could be, still he kept himself at a distance from the Manor because that was the only place here he could meet Alfred for certain. He wanted to meet Alfred but he did not want to face Bruce.

But Bruce himself was rather busy those days due to the case involving Deathstroke and the League of Shadows. Jason had found out that Bruce had another son though biological that once and not through adoption; Damian, who according to Tim was a literal gremlin that could bite people's toes off when enraged. Other than that Jay had no idea what the rest of his family was up to.

Nor did he want to find out.

He rang the bell at Eve's door and shortly after she opened it, a welcoming smile taking over her features upon seeing him. She was wearing a beautiful red dress that reached her knees and had a sweetheart neckline, leaving her shoulders and arms bare.

To say that she looked ravishing would be an understatement. Her petal like lips matched the shade of her dress and the red seemed to reflect on her rosy cheeks as well while her wide azure eyes sparkled. He stood there as if stunned, enraptured completely by her breathtaking beauty.

And seeing him as such, the smile on her face widened as she flung her arms round his neck bringing him in and closing the door behind him.

"Is today a special occasion?" He asked at last, his fingers entwining through her delicate hand.

"You could say that," she smiled, "want to take a guess?" 

He paused thinking for a moment, "it's not your birthday, I could never forget that." 

"Yup, there are still a few months to go before that," she remarked playfully.

"And it's not my birthday either..."

Her eyes sparked in amusement, "go on, got any more guesses?"

His brow furrowed, lips puckering into a small thoughtful frown, "I don't remember... Shit, I really have terrible memory."

She shook her head, laughing a little, "it's our anniversary. It has been one month since we got together."

Realization dawned on his features and he nodded, "I'm so sorry I forgot... I didn't even notice that a month passed."

She shrugged off his apology, the smile on her face not faltering for even a second, "but I didn't and I have set up a lot of surprises for you tonight."

"Oh really?"

"Really," with his hand still held in hers, she led him in to the kitchen where the breakfast counter was decorated beautifully, candles placed in the center and a vase of roses resting at the marble countertop.

It seemed as if she had prepared a rather special dinner as well and seeing that though Jason was touched, he spoke up, "Eve, you were supposed to stay away from heat even now. You shouldn't have worked in the kitchen."

"I know, I took all the safety precautions," she replied, "besides it wasn't that hot in here. I'm fine."

His palm had fitted across her cheek, bluish green eyes flickering towards her red lips as if thinking whether or not to kiss her just then. A light chuckle escaped her as she realized what he was thinking and at that he bent down, connecting their lips together.

"I love you, Eve," he mumbled when he pulled apart and noticed her beautiful smile widening as she nodded in reply, her fingers weaving into his dark hair.

"Anyhow, dinner is getting cold so why don't you freshen up first?" She suggested, retrieving her hands from him, "after that you have me all to yourself."

A smile broke out on his face as he kissed her again then pulled apart, heading towards the bathroom to freshen up.

Evelyn looked around at her little set up, the smile dancing on her face still as her thoughts drifted towards Jason again. She wanted that night to mean everything to the two of them. She wanted to thank him for all he had done for her and to let him know that she loved him just as much, or probably eve more than he did.

She had been hesitant at first to go with her idea of setting up everything for their anniversary all by herself because she didn't know whether he would approve or not. Jason was at times unpredictable and his mood was quite usually volatile. Even though he always remained soft and caring towards her, she didn't want to risk anything.

Ever since Jason had returned to her, he had been very different from how he used to be. Something had happened to him that had shaken him up badly and though she didn't know what he had been through, she had a clear idea that it had been traumatizing.

But she did not want to think about it at the moment so she pushed those thoughts away, focusing only on all that she had planned for that night.

When he came out of the room, she was lighting up the candles and he took a red rose from the flower vase, bending down on one knee before presenting it to her, "to the loveliest woman in my life who owns my heart."

Her cheeks blushed crimson as she accepted the rose, "I hadn't known you were such a romantic."

"I forgot it was our anniversary today, that's the exact opposite of romantic," he remarked.

Her eyes sparkled in adoration, "oh so you're making up for that, are you?"

"Guilty as charged. Bestow upon me whatever punishment you see fit."

She laughed cupping his face in her hands and capturing his lips with her own, "oh come on... I don't have such a stern heart to do that."

"I believe that's very fortunate for me then," his stormy eyes glinted in amusement and she pinched his nose, as he pulled her down for another kiss.

"You know what, I love it when you are in such a good mood."

Pulling apart slightly, he offered her a genuine smile, "who could ever be in a bad mood around you, Eve? Not I, for sure."

***