Minutes and hours ticked by, though Percy wouldn't have been aware of the passage of time if not for the sun on its way to sink below the horizon, out somewhere beyond the water's edge. Sitting beside Marguerite, Percy watched as the sunset painted her in all its colours, something that was prettier than he could have imagined. He had never had a romantic eye for things, always trying to be somewhat practical and critical with the way he viewed things. That was the product of his upbringing and his schooling, but it seemed like that artistic side of him awoke in moments like this.
Now that nearly all the light from the sun was gone, Percy knew it would be time to leave. Though he wanted to linger in this moment for longer, Orange County was too unforgiving to risk staying out after dark; it was dangerous enough during the day. Even so, he was reluctant to start them on their way. Just a few more seconds of this, because he couldn't say what time he would have once he started the real work on the case, taking it to trial. Their time together would be limited until there was a final ruling, and Percy found himself, for the first time, not too eager to start such a long, gruelling case.
Standing up, Percy held out a hand to Marguerite. Most of the things that had been taken out of the basket had been replaced, leaving very little clean up to do. Percy took care of what he could see, dumping it into the bin a little ways away from where they had set up.
"If only the sun had set slower," he commented with a small smile when he stood by her again. Reaching out, Percy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning in to kiss her.