April 29th, 1985
Between their busy work schedules, actual date nights outside their flat were pretty rare for Karin and Solon, but ever since their engagement, Solon had made certain to try and make them a priority, even if it was something simple. Eating the last of his chips, he pushed it basket to the side. "We have to come here more often," he told her, wiping his mouth and brushing off the crumbs. "The fish and chips is really good!"
"It is," Karin had to agree. She'd had a long day at the Ministry dealing with paperwork and was quite happy when Solon had suggested going out for dinner, meaning that she didn't have to cook. "And it's weird, because we've passed this place a million times before but haven't come in until now."
"We were definitely missing out," Solon decided.
"I think we have to make this a regular place, yes?" she asked.
Solon nodded. "Definitely! I wonder what other places we've missed!"
"I think we may have to start investigating these things on our nights out, what do you think?"
"A new place on our next date night!" Solon agreed.
"I have to say, I'm really glad you decided we should make these happen more often," Karin said, smiling.
"Me too! Date nights are fun!" Solon said, grinning at her.
"They are... It's nice to get a chance to relax like this."
"And neither of us has to make or clean up dinner!" He said, reaching for her hand.
"Leaving us more time for other things," Karin replied, giggling a little.
"Exactly!" Solon replied. "Which is so brilliant."
Karin laced her fingers with his. "Definitely, if tonight goes as well as last week-"
"And so far it is," he said, grinning at their hands.
"Well, you did also surprise me with flowers when I got home from work..."
"They reminded me of you," Solon told her, squeezing her hand.
"Nearly everything reminds you of me," Karin teased him.
"Only the nice stuff!"
"Well that's a relief!"
"No bad stuff ever reminds me of you," he assured her.
"And let's hope it stays like that!"
"I think it will," he told her confidently.
"Well, you have been pretty good with your predictions so far!"
"You think so?"
Karin nodded and sent him a smile. "At least when it comes to things involving me!"
"What else have I predicted?"
"I don't know, you're pretty good when it comes to anything food related," she teased him.
Solon grinned. "I like food!"
"So I've noticed!"
"But I love you more."
Karin blew him a kiss. "I would hope you do!"
"Forever!"
Karin smiled at him. "...Gods, I can't wait until September."
"Me either," Solon said, returning her smile. "It's going to be so great!"
"Of course it is!"
Solon was practically beaming. "Do you want to go for a walk or something before we go home?"
"I'd love a walk," Karin admitted.
Solon reached into his pocket and put a few coins on the table to cover their meal. "Sounds great to me too."
"I thought it was my turn to pay!" Karin said, nudging him as they got to their feet.
"You can get the next one!"
“I’m holding you to that, okay?"
Solon slipped his hand into hers as they walked away from their table. "If you say so!"
"I'm just saying that you don't need to pay all of the time, " Karin told him.
"I like paying for you," Solon told her. "It makes me feel important!"
Karin leaned over and kissed his cheek. "And I suppose a girl should enjoy being treated by her fiancé..."
"You should," Solon said as they headed out onto the sidewalk.
"I do, don't worry!"
He squeezed her hand. "Date nights are brilliant!"
"They really are... I'm glad we're making time for them again!"
"Me too," Solon smiled at her. "We should keep doing them after we get married too!"
"Oh, I think that's a given!"
"Yeah?"
"I may insist on it..."
"You can insist on anything you want to," Solon told her with a grin.
"Oh I can, can I?" Karin asked, giggling a little.
"Any time," Solon nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind..."
"You're going to be my wife! You're totally allowed!"
"That certainly has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
"It has the best ring," Solon told her.
Karin smiled at him again. "Yeah, I definitely can't wait to be called Mrs. Jorkins!"
"Karin Jorkins! I like it!" He said, returning her smile.
"Yeah, you better!"
"Best name ever," Solon promised her.
"Kingsley won't even be able to tease me anymore!"
"Nope!" Solon grinned. "Because it'll really be your name!"
"Although, knowing him, he'll still find something else to use-"
"Probably," Solon agreed with a nod.
Karin leaned into him as they walked. "I'm crossing my fingers it'll be fine, though."
Solon let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "At least he's not too mean about it?"
"Thankfully!"
He kissed the top of her head. "I kind of like that he called you Mrs. Jorkins," Solon teased her.
She giggled a little. "Yeah?"
"Yeah, because I love you!"
"I love you too, so it didn't really bother me all that much-"
"I'm glad to hear that!"
"It just got me thinking if you were ever going to ask me to marry you," Karin said, grinning. "And, thankfully, you did!"
"Really?"
She nodded. "I just didn't say anything about it because things were really good with us!"
"I didn't want to mess things up either," Solon told her. "But I always knew I wanted to marry you! Definitely since we left school and moved in together and everything."
"Since that long ago?" Karin asked, a little surprised.
Solon nodded. "Since that long ago!"
"Wow, I had no idea!"
"Well, you've been my best friend for a long time and you know me better than anyone else," he told her. "I couldn't even think about not having you in my life."
Karin slowed them both down so she could kiss him properly. "Luckily, you don't have to," she murmured.
Solon wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so glad about that."
"You'd have a difficult time getting rid of me, anyway," she joked.
"Yeah?" Solon asked, beaming down at her.
Karin nodded. "And who would I get to eat all of those waffles I make every weekend?" she asked, grinning.
"Your waffles are so good," he told her honestly.
"I've perfected my recipe thanks to you!"
"Happy to help!"
She laughed a little as they started walking again. "And happy to eat second and third helpings, too."
"Well I can't let brilliant waffles go to waste!"
"I know that's true... I lost track of how many you ate when I made them for your birthday!"
"Not enough?" He joked.
Karin made a face at him. "I don't know how you didn't get sick!"
"Because they were so good!"
"Well, I certainly won't underestimate you next time-"
Solon grinned. "Can we always have waffles on my birthday?"
"Oh, I think I could arrange that!"
"And I'll bring you breakfast in bed on your birthday," Solon promised.
"Yes, yes you will!" Karin told him.
He grinned. "And surprise you!"
"You better not forget!"
"I won't," Solon promised. "Really!"
"Good, because we'll be married by the time my birthday comes around again!"
He smiled. "I like that thought. My next birthday too!"
"And the next Christmas, and New Years-"
"That's the best!" Solon decided.
"I know, right?"
"We get to spend all of our next holidays married. I really like that," he told her.
"Me, too... Oh, part of me doesn't want to wait anymore!"
"Me too," Solon admitted. "But we better or Fiona and our mums will be so mad at us!"
"I know... I really don't want to face their wrath," Karin replied, giggling a little.
"Me either," he said, shaking his head.
"Well, Fiona I could probably handle, but definitely not our mums!"
"Definitely not," Solon agreed.
"I guess we can hold off for four more months?"
"We've already waited this long," Solon agreed. "Plus, I want to see you in your dress!"
She grinned at him again. "Which I now have, by the way..."
"Can I see it?"
"Not until the wedding, silly!"
"But I'll see it if it's at our flat, right?"
"Ah, but it's not at our flat, that's the whole point!"
"It's not?" Solon asked, looking surprised.
"Nope! It’s at my mum and dad's... Reason being so I won't be tempted to take it out and so that it'll still be a surprise for you!"
"I do like surprises," Solon nodded, biting his lip with a grin.
"Trust me, you'll really like this one," Karin said, giggling a little.
"I bet it will be the best surprise ever!"
"I hope so!"
"I don't know how anything could be better," Solon told her.
"Right now... not a whole lot!"
"Nope," Solon agreed, kissing her cheek.
"It took me a while and several trips to find it!"
"What's it look like?" Solon asked.
"It's white," she replied, giggling.
"Of course it is silly!"
"Well, you asked!"
"No other hints?" Solon asked.
"Nope!" Karin replied, still giggling. "I want it to be a total surprise!"
"Okay," Solon smiled. "I'll wait for my total surprise," he promised.
"Trust me, you'll like it!"
"There's no way I won't!" Solon assured her.
"Yeah, I think I'd have to worry a little bit if you didn't end up liking it!"
"That's not possible," Solon insisted.
"You do have a good track record so far, so yeah... I'm not worried!"
"You shouldn't be worried about anything," Solon said, keeping her close as they walked.
"Well. At least not with this part of my life," Karin replied.
"Because everything is good here!"
"Work, not so much, but here... definitely," Karin agreed.
"Here is the best," he said, kissing her cheek.
"I get to be with you, so of course it is!"
"We have fun," he grinned.
"I wouldn't change a thing!"
"Except I'd have us married," Solon teased.
"Well, obviously, yes-"
"Because then it would be the absolute best!"
Karin leaned over to kiss him again. "...You want to head back to the flat?"
Solon nodded, kissing her again. "Yes please!"
"It's a nice night out, but I think I want to go home..."
"Fine by me," he told her. "We've had dinner and a walk, so I think we've done a good job for date night!"
"All we are missing is dessert... which I think we can get back home."
"You think so?"
"Let's just say I have another surprise," Karin told him, giggling again.
Solon raised his eyebrows. "Really?"
"Yep! C'mon, let's go find the Apparation spot."
"Okay!" Solon said, steering her towards the closest one he could think of.