Not Over the Top in the Slightest (Jane, casual)

[ZANDER “ZEUS” DEVEREUX]

Sitting in the back of the very expensive town car, Zander smoothed out his hair again, thinking – not for the first time – that he was a genius. It wasn’t bragging, it was just fact...and if it was bragging, he was well entitled to it. After all, he had managed what he thought was the impossible – he had a date with miss Jane Bear or Cher or...oh what did last names matter. He had a date with Jane, the spunky charity lady who had sent him home with several pieces of art instead of going home with him. Now that had wounded his pride some, but he was nothing if not patient.

Well, no he wasn’t patient, but he was persistent. And his persistence had paid off.

For weeks he had been trying to woo the woman with extravagant gifts and gestures of affection. He supposed that buying the entire flower shop and sending it to her may have been a bit much, and following it up with a giant cookie in the shape of a heart delivered by Jeffry reciting love poetry in a Cupid costume hadn’t gone over well, either. He’d even hired Barry Manilow to serenade her with his own backup dancers and she still had turned him down. It seemed utterly impossible that she would ever give him a chance, but that’s where his genius had come in. Seeing as how she turned down all the usual things he did to woo women, he’d taken a page out of his father’s book and gave it one last go with an origami rose in hand and the most earnest expression on his face that he could muster.

He would have saved a lot of time and energy if he’d known it would have been that easy. Live and learn, he supposed.

So that was how he found himself to be in the back of the least expensive town car that he owned, driving through Brooklyn on the way to where Jane lived. They’d agreed he could pick her up and take her to dinner as long as he didn’t do anything ‘over the top’. He had a feeling her definition of that didn’t quite match up with his own, but she’d come around to his way of thinking. He had a magical night planned all for her and she was going to enjoy herself or he was going to...well, he didn’t know what he’d do, but it probably involved Jeffry going on an ice cream run.

When the car finally pulled up outside the ramshackle little building, Zander stepped out of the car and into Brooklyn with a corsage in hand, making his way inside. When he climbed enough stairs and found the right door, he knocked gallantly, straightening his collar. He knew he looked perfect, not over the top in the slightest.

So he waited, trying to look casual, knowing that when the door opened, it would be to a vision.

[JANE EYRE]

Outfit

At first, when Zander had begun his wooing, Jane had been alarmed. So much money and so little thought was put into all of the gifts she received that it made her question why Zander was doing it in the first place. She did recall that he came across as...well, ditzy, frankly. Jane resisted the advances the best she could, knowing that she'd never return whatever feelings Zander happened to have for her. Even thought she was reluctant to admit it, Jane couldn't ignore that fact that her feelings were growing for a certain dark haired man down at the pier.

Jane knew that she wouldn't be to keep on saying "Thank you for the gesture, Zander, really, but I'm a bit busy" whenever a lavish gift appeared on her doorstep. Luckily, the problem resolved itself when Zander appeared with a small origami rose and the most ridiculous expression on his face. Jane said yes, with an amused smile, and decided that it would be best to nip this in the bud.

Even though it was a date, Jane was going to make sure it was anything but. She wanted to talk about the charity and ways to streamline it, she wanted to talk about art and the process of creating art. No matter the topic, though, Jane was fairly certain that she'd be able to get her point across in a way that even Zander understood.

Jane ran a hand through her hair and double checked herself in the mirror. Happy with how she looked, Jane opened the door and greeted Zander with a smile. "Hello!"

[ZANDER “ZEUS” DEVEREUX]

When the door opened, Zander was prepared for her to be wearing anything, so he wasn’t surprised that she was in a stunning black dress. What he wasn’t prepared for was how Jane just opened the door and lit up the hallway around him. He wasn’t stupid – he knew that she probably only gave into a date to shut down his lavish money spending on her, but she seemed genuinely happy when she opened the door. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but happy was good.

“Hello!"

“Well, hello,” Zander replied, a smile spreading across his face in response to hers. “You look beautiful.”

It wasn’t so much the clothing as the woman herself, but Zander knew better than to go spouting off about that on the first date. His mother had raised him with some sense after all.

“This flower,” Zander offered, holding out the simple orchid corsage. "Is nearly as beautiful, but if you wore it, perhaps it would reach that same loveliness."

Now, he had thought to be romantic and make her an origami one, but he’d given himself a million or so paper cuts in the attempt, and getting it to stick to the corsage ribbon was tedious at best. He’d even let Sidda try and help, but that hadn’t gotten him very far. Sidda had no patience and ended up just buying him the corsage, insisting Jane would like it. He hoped so. He didn’t get a second first date, after all. That only ever happened in romance novels and terrible movies about women with amnesia.

“Are you’re ready? I’m very much looking forward to taking you out. I have a whole evening planned that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.”

How could she not – he’d planned it, after all. And all things considered, he was great at sweeping women off their feet. He could manage to at least impress this one.

[JANE EYRE]

“Well, hello. You look beautiful.”

Jane smiled and ducked her head, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. It was strange to hear that sort of thing from someone, but with Zander, Jane knew that he seemed to thrive off of charming women so she took it with a grain of salt. She didn't want to buy into something that could, very easily, be as weak as Zander's memory for names.

“This flower is nearly as beautiful, but if you wore it, perhaps it would reach that same loveliness."

Biting her tongue to keep from commenting that flattery like that would do very little, Jane simply took the flower with a smile and attached it to the front of her dress. "It's lovely, Zander, thank you." Jane stepped out of her apartment, her bag under his arm and turned, locking the door.

“Are you’re ready? I’m very much looking forward to taking you out. I have a whole evening planned that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.”

"I'm ready." Jane looped her arm around Zander's. "I'm excited to see what you've cooked up."

[ZANDER “ZEUS” DEVEREUX]

Zander was pleased when his comments caused Jane to duck her head and smile like that. It was gratifying to know that he was doing something right. Flattering women was what he was good at, but he never knew what he was going to get with Jane, which was half the reason why he was so interested in her. She didn’t act like the women he normally went for, which made her different, exciting, interesting, intoxicating, and other alliterations.

"It's lovely, Zander, thank you."

“I’m glad you like it,” he commented, preening just a bit, even if Sidda had picked it out. He was the one getting the praise.

"I'm ready. I'm excited to see what you've cooked up."

Zander placed his free hand over hers, patting it gently as he began to walk her down the hallway of the still far too small and smelly apartment building.

“What I’ve cooked up? Well, I am sorry to disappoint, but I’m not the one cooking tonight,” he commented, smiling at his own jest.

Oh, he knew what she was talking about. He wasn’t so sure he liked the idea of ‘cooking’ things up. That made him sound kooky. He didn’t want to be kooky in her eyes. He wanted to be suave and interesting and charming. Well, he would just have to make up for it with his wooing ways.

“As for our evening, I’ve planned something I’m sure no one in the history of New York City has ever done for a date,” he replied, guiding her down the stairs. “Nothing over the top, per your request, but still something that appeals to my personal standards for a date.”

It wasn’t over the top in his view of things, but it would be interesting to see what Jane thought of it. After all, she was from a completely different world. He knew she had money, but Brooklyn...That was just wrong. Poor people lived in Brooklyn. The people with means should leave the affordable housing to those who need it.

“I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time,” he offered, hoping that would be the case.

[JANE EYRE]

“What I’ve cooked up? Well, I am sorry to disappoint, but I’m not the one cooking tonight,”

Jane laughed politely, not letting Zander know that she thought the pun was a bit on the lame side. But he earned a laugh for his effort. Jane let Zander lead down to the street, knowing that he disapproved of her current neighborhood. Jane happened to love the small, slightly worn-down building with its peeling walls and spotty floor. It had a lot of character.

“As for our evening, I’ve planned something I’m sure no one in the history of New York City has ever done for a date. Nothing over the top, per your request, but still something that appeals to my personal standards for a date.”

Jane suppressed a sigh. If it appealed to Zander's personal standards, then it was sure to be far too much by Jane's. She had been foolish to assume that 'not over the top' had the same meaning for both of them. Jane preferred very small, quiet moments and she knew that Zander liked the luxurious, flashy ones. Jane scolded herself, reminding herself that Zander had good taste and that she should trust him.

“I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time,”

"I'm sure I'm will. And I hope you enjoy yourself as well."

[ZANDER “ZEUS” DEVEREUX]

When they arrived back on the street level, Zander guided Jane over to where Driver (and no, he didn’t remember the man’s name, despite the fact he’d probably given him six or seven in the last year alone) was waiting with the back door open. Seeing as how driving was all he did, it was a descriptive name that fit perfectly.

"I'm sure I'm will. And I hope you enjoy yourself as well."

Zander couldn’t help but beam. Oh she was kind. Very few of his dates cared whether he enjoyed himself or not. It was refreshing. This was why he wanted to take her out so much. No one in his world looked beyond his money.

“I am sure I will, as I have such charming company,” he replied, helping her into the car before jogging around to climb into the other side. He never bothered to wait for Driver when it was faster to just do things on his own, after all. “I’m looking forward to it. I almost want to tell you now, but that would just ruin the surprise.”

He signaled to Driver, feeling the car move as it made its way out of the neighborhood and back to civilization – also known as Manhattan. Zander hummed a bit, sure that if he spoke before they got there, he would just spoil the surprise he had for her. It had taken a lot of work, but he’d managed to have a section of Central Park rented for the night. He’d spent the day directing things, recreating a scene from his childhood in Louisiana that was a thing of pure beauty. Little fairy lights were hung in the trees like fireflies, a violinist would be on hand, and the cuisine...He was sure Jane was going to adore it.

It was just keeping himself occupied enough so that he wouldn’t spill the surprise before they got there...

“Champagne?” he asked, pulling the bottle out of the ice bucket waiting. “There’s caviar, as well, and some type of cut fruit.”

Cut fruit? Who thought that went with caviar and champagne? He pulled the tray over, glaring at the strawberries.

“I have much better food waiting,” he assured her with a shrug.

Fruit...what a terrible first date impression. Well, at least he had something to keep his hands occupied with, which would certainly keep him from spilling the beans.

[JANE EYRE]

Jane got into the car, thanking the driver with a bright smile. Jane would have been fine with walking but clearly Zander thought the car was the better choice. Looking around, she saw that the interior was just as luxurious as she expected it to be, and there were even refreshments in the corner.

And Zander said he wasn't going to go over the top.

“I am sure I will, as I have such charming company,”

"You're too kind," Jane said with a smile. She buckled her seat belt and rearranged herself so she comfortable on the lush seat. She politely refused a glass of champagne and helped herself to some of the fruit. "Fruit's delicious, never doubt it." Jane really enjoyed fruit so she stuck to that, avoiding the caviar. Se never did quite develop a taste for that. It was far too salty and bitter in her opinion so she avoided it.

Looking at the set up in the car, Jane could only imagine what was waiting at their destination. It seemed like Zander really went all out for this, even though it wasn't a date, not really.

"Look, Zander, I really appreciate that you're going through so much effort...but we are clear that this isn't a date, right? You're a very nice man, any woman is lucky to have you, but I only see you as a friend. You know that?"

[ZANDER “ZEUS” DEVEREUX]

Zander shrugged a bit when Jane actually put on a seat belt. He supposed this was what happened when people didn’t ride in luxury vehicles. He would have to treat her out to rides more often. And She apparently liked fruit but not champagne. These were all interesting observations to make, after all. Perhaps he’d remember some of it for their next date.

"Fruit's delicious, never doubt it."

“I shall take your word on it,” he replied, snacking on some of the caviar. It was a terrible waste if it didn’t get eaten, after all. And he was hungry. All this planning was giving him an appetite.

"Look, Zander, I really appreciate that you're going through so much effort...but we are clear that this isn't a date, right? You're a very nice man, any woman is lucky to have you, but I only see you as a friend. You know that?"

Zander glanced up from where he was eating crackers, tuning in a little. He hadn’t caught most of that, but the intonation of a question caught his attention. Something about friends and him being a very nice man. He couldn’t agree more – he was fantastic.

“Oh, yes, I completely understand,” he replied, waving off the comment. “But let’s focus on important things, like enjoying the evening.”

He glanced out the window, feeling the car stop and couldn’t resist the sigh of relief at the sight of Central Park.

“Thank god, we’re back in civilization. How do you feel about a walk in the park?” he asked. “Or, if it’s not over the top, we could take a horse drawn carriage.”

He was sure that it was one of those over the top ideas she was talking about, which is why it was an option. She didn’t have to know that he had one on standby.