#AND THE FOLLOWING LINE TOO “he always worried about the silliest things .. but me” OH MY GOD . | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

longassr1de · 6 years ago

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Heaven

Pairing: Mark x fem!reader

Genre: Smut/fluff

Work count: 4.2k

Summary: In which pretending to get laid actually ends with a good lay. or In which you spend more than just seven minutes in heaven with your crush.

Warnings: oral (female receiving), fingering, riding/cowgirl. can’t think of much else tbh, it’s pretty tame. not yet proofread, i apologize.

A/N: This turned out a lot fluffier than originally intended ..but hey, that’s what happens when you write while you’re in your feels :,) side note, I think I finally wrote smth that isn’t a pwp so..yay! though i was sleep deprived when i wrote this & it’s like 6am as i’m posting-

Ah, the sweet stench of sweat, alcohol and vomit. Typical traits of a college party, and if you were being honest, you weren’t all too sure how you allowed yourself to be persuaded into attendance. It could have been the fact that you really needed to let off some steam after finals, it could have been that you were bored at home and needed a change of scenery, or perhaps it was because a little birdie had informed you that your crush was likely to show up tonight. But surely, it was because of the free booze, no?

Lying aside, it wasn’t as large as a typical frat party; a fairly average one as far as you could gather from your experience, given that it was being held in someone’s home. Your friends had split in all directions almost as soon as you’d arrived, looking to find drinks or companions or old friends, of which you weren’t very concerned with. Jelly shots and heavy bass EDM wasn’t your ideal Friday night, but it would have to do for now.

After your fair share of drinks (a beer, some jello shots, and a supposed margarita that tasted more like tap water than alcohol), you decide to venture inwards, trying your hand at a spot on the makeshift dance floor. You’re having fun in your own little world until you accidentally bump into someone while trying to break free for some fresh air, almost spilling your drink over the unfortunate passerby. Turning to apologize for your inebriated clumsiness, you’re greeted by none other than your classmate, Mark.

“Oh hey,” Mark calls out to you, smiling at a familiar face, “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Neither did I, until tonight,” you joke, but there’s a hint of truth behind your words.

“Did you also happen to be abandoned by the people you came with, or are you lone wolfing it?” You chuckle at the way he words his question, not missing the way he tries (and fails) to subtly check you out in your gorgeous emerald dress.

“Lone wolfing it after my abandonment, if they left me, they can stay gone.” A smug grin plasters itself on your face as you take a sip of your drink.

“Ahh, I feel you. The guys ditched me the second they found the cheerleaders and beer pong.” Mark rolls his eyes, following suit and taking a swig from his beer. Leaning closer to him, you find yourself having to speak up due to the music.

“In all honesty, this conversation is great, but I can barely hear you,” Mark’s eyes crinkle as his telltale laugh lines form, “so if you’d like to continue, can we move somewhere quieter? Unless you were just saying hi, that’s fine too.”

“Someplace quieter sounds great right now, after you,” he gestures vaguely, insinuating that he would simply follow your lead. You try your best not to let yourself linger over his appearance, but you know damn well that in the back of your mind, the image of Mark in a button down and jeans will be embroidered there for the better part of the next month. Minimum.

Conversation flows smoothly as you both enjoy the breeze on the balcony, catching up on life events, intermittent with preposterous tales and the silliest of jokes. That’s how it always felt when you were around Mark though, like you could be yourself without a care in the world, his free spirit and funny personality letting conversation flow through so easily you’d hardly noticed how long you’d been missing.

The balcony door suddenly swings open, making you pray it wasn’t some horny couple trying to get it on in the fresh air. Instead, you’re met with one of the friends you came with, claiming she’d frantically been searching for you everywhere. When you ask why, all she answers with is that they need people for truth or dare, to which you roll your eyes at but begrudgingly accept your fate. As you’re dragged by the wrist, you shoot an apologetic glance at your companion; he only shrugs in response, opting to tag along due to his unwavering curiosity.

The game commenced after the first person volunteered, and whoever was seated clockwise from them had to go next. So far: someone had revealed they were secretly a porn actor, someone had to lick the bottom of someone else’s boot, someone had confessed they once had a wet dream with a clown, and someone was dared to prank call the local pizza joint asking if it was the krusty krab. Not too far out of a game, but also not exactly anything normal, as far as you were concerned. You find your heart starting to pound, hand sweating as your friend goes, watching as she does a belly shot off one of Mark’s friends; perhaps his name was Johnny, but you’re not too certain. All you can hear is the pounding of your heartbeat in your ears, immediately regretting picking dare when you see the way your friend’s eyes light up with malicious intent.

“I dare you... to a round of seven minutes in heaven,” she pauses for dramatic effect, effectively jamming your heart into your throat when you notice where her eyes land... to the boy sitting right next to you. “With Mark Lee.” Everyone in the circle cheers, having only witnessed a reluctant make-out earlier, they were ready for some fresh blood, and it would appear you were the sacrificial lamb.

You swallow hard, the way Mark stills in his spot going entirely unnoticed. He stands up first, trying to act unfazed as he holds out his hand to help you up, walking over to the closet with you in tow, hanging your head low. You damned the drinks for starting to wear off, knowing you were much shier without the alcoholic assistance, and much better off with it.

“And the timer starts... now!”

your friend yells as she locks the closet door, leaving you both in a relatively dark, cramped space. You swear to get your vengeance on your friend for tonight, she knew damn well about your crush on Mark, and she was going to force it out of you one way or another, it would appear.

“God, I’m so sorry you got dragged into this,” you run your hands through your hair, once again failing to notice as Mark’s throat runs dry, eyes raking over your appearance with heavy gaze.

“Don’t worry about it,” he says after clearing his throat, “it’s not like any of this is your fault, anyway.” Even in the pale glow of the light through the lines of the closet door you can make out his beautiful smile; it’s a smile that you would know anywhere.

“So... seven minutes locked in a closet. Hope neither of us are claustrophobic,” you try to make light of the situation, pretending that you can’t feel the heat radiating off his body. You try to raise your hand to find the wall, instead finding Mark’s chest, apologizing as you pull your hand back as if it had just touched a hot iron. He laughs at your reaction, finding it adorable how opposite your actions were to your appearance tonight. A tight emerald dress paired with black heels and smoky-eyed makeup to complete your ensemble had you looking like you’d devour the first person to speak to you, but instead, here you were blushing at every slight action. The boy had no idea that was all his effect on you, thinking you were just very shy all the while.

“Hey, I just got an idea,” Mark grins deviously, causing you to furrow your brows in concern. “Hear me out, ok? Have you ever seem Easy A?” You nod, wondering where this was going. “Do you remember how she would pretend that she slept with someone, just faking the noise?” Your eyes widen as what he’s hinting at registers in your brain, elevating your nerves and skyrocketing your pulse. The mere thought of it had you feeling a little damp, wondering what pretty little noises would be leaving his mouth.

“I’m... not too sure about this,” you start off, chewing on your lip. He assures you that he won’t force you into anything, just found it to be a fun, harmless prank to play. “Yeah sure, let’s get on with this, then,” and you pray that for the second time tonight, you don’t regret your decision.

It’s a lot harder than you initially thought, you ponder, trying not to laugh as you both slap the walls and make the most absurd of noises. If that was really how he sounded, you don’t think you could ever sleep with Mark without laughing your ass off; but then again, you certainly weren’t true to form with your overly exaggerated fake moaning either.

It’s when he suggests that you both make it sound more real that things take a turn. You suddenly find yourself all too close, drowning in his scent, tempted by his presence and tainted by desire. You’re all too tempted to just lean up and kiss Mark’s beautiful pouted lips when he catches you staring, stopping dead in his tracks mid-fake moan.

“Something tells me that look on your face definitely isn’t fake,” he whispers, voice a hushed whisper lulling past the dull thudding in your eardrums. “Please tell me it isn’t fake, that I’m not imagining the way your eyes are just eating me up.” Mark sounds breathless, almost as if incredulous at your attraction towards him. You can’t help but think he must be dense to not have noticed by now... but so must you if you never caught his shy glances or lustful staring.

“Oh it’s real alright, and so could these noises if we just stopped playing these games already,” you hadn’t noticed you’d said the second part aloud until you saw firsthand the shift in his demeanor. Mark’s entire face screamed want as he brought a hand up to cup your face, the other landing on your waist.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks, searching deep into your eyes as if to find out that this was a bad joke all along.

“About as sure as the fact that I’m glad my underwear is matching tonight,” you tease, unknowing of where this sudden urge of confidence was coming from, entirely grateful nonetheless. Mark leans in softly, slowly, as if worried he might scare you away, and it takes everything in you not to drag him to you by the collar in one hurried tug.

His plush lips feel wet, likely from running his tongue over it one too many times, and slightly cracked, probably due to chapping. But that’s the least of your worries as it feels like he’s sucking the air out from your very lungs, pausing to nip or suckle on your bottom lip before losing it entirely when your fingers tug at his hair, slipping his tongue past your lips. You’re startled by the sudden noise, followed by more light than your eyes could properly get used to on such short notice. There stands your friend on the other side, the room mostly empty now, with just a few stragglers.

“So did you two fuck all that tension away yet or was that all just for show?” She quirks a brow at your bruised lip, wondering if you’d been kissed anywhere else tonight.

“Was working on it, til you showed up, actually.” Mark’s brazenness leaves you floored, but surprisingly only serves to fuel the fire he’d ignited deep in your belly.

“By all means then, don’t let me stop you,” she leaves you with a wink, mimicking a phone with her hand as she tells you to call her tomorrow with the details. After she disappears from view, you feel Mark’s hand slip though your tresses, bringing you back to reality.

“Hey, I was totally joking to get her to bug off, but... the offer stands,” he lets out hurriedly, almost as if he was scared you’d shut him down.

“Well, what did you have in mind?”

“We can either go grab a late dinner and pretend this never happened or we can go back to my place? And I’ll treat you to breakfast. It’s all in your hands though,” he smiles nervously at you, eyes pleading what his heart is too scared to show.

“You must be confident,” to which Mark quirks a brow in response, “assuming I’d stay until morning come.” You jest, watching as his mouth gapes but fails to come up with an actual reply. “I’m just kidding, lover boy. Let’s get back to your place then, I’m sure you’d like more than just an answer in my hands.” He audibly groans at that, feeling his pants tighten as he follows you out the front door of the party residence, calling for an uber as you trail a line of teasing kisses across his jaw.

The ride back to his apartment is filled with mindless conversation, neither of you daring to go farther than sneaking kisses or placing a hand on each other’s thighs. The moment of arrival, you swear you could’ve kissed the pavement from how relieved you were. You both made out for the duration of the elevator ride, with your hands in his back pockets as his find purchase at the base of your thighs, just under the hem of your dress. When the door opens, he walks backwards with you in tow, stopping to suck a lovely bruise into your collarbone before slotting the key into the lock.

No sooner than the door shuts behind you are you being pressed up against it, jumping up to wrap your legs around Mark’s waist. It’s the first time you come into heavy contact with the stiffness in his jeans, letting out a muffled noise into the heated kiss. He’s stumbling to carry you as he blindly makes his way around, nearly tripping over a cord as he opts to set you down until you’ve reached the safety of the bedroom. Laughing it off, you follow Mark to his quarters, taking in the sights of his room as you wrap yourself into his backside.

“Time for you to put your money where your mouth is,” you tease, spurring him on to turn around and run his hands down your sides.

“Oh, there will be plenty of time for me to put things in my mouth, baby. But for right now, as gorgeous as you look in it,” he stops to stare at the way it hugs your curves, “I just want you out of this damned dress.” You chuckle at his impatience, turning around so he can tug the zipper down, feeling Mark place kisses down your spine as the dress pools around your legs at the floor. He pulls back only to be pleasantly surprised by your earlier statement, you actually were wearing matching underwear, and white lace at that.

“I can’t tell if you’re an angel who’s come to me or the devil who’s luring me,” he sighs, breathless, “but either way I’m worshipping you tonight.”

“Does that mean you’ll be on your knees for me?” your tone flirty and light, taking note of the way your words have such a hold on him, the way his face gives away every one of his emotions.

“If that’s what you want, I’d be more than happy to oblige.” And so you find yourself sitting up against the headrest, Mark’s button down joining your dress on the floor as he tweaks your nipples, kissing his way down your stomach. His hands slide to part your thighs, taking in a deep breath at the scent of your arousal as your underwear joins the heap. He spends countless minutes pulling sounds from you with his tongue and fingers, not failing to let you know how mesmerizing he found you (and your moans); all the while not so subtly humping the bed to help give some friction where he needed it most. You’ve already come once and feel yourself starting to build up to a second when Mark pulls away, drawing out a whine from you as you tug at his hair.

There’s an almost sleepy smile on his face, no doubt tired from a long week of finals as well. “Tell me to stop at any time and I will, ok?” he says as he places multiple kisses on your lips, still in disbelief as to how he managed to get you to come home with him after weeks of being unable to work up the courage to just ask you out. He’d have to thank liquid courage for that one, actually.

You lean up on your elbows to watch as Mark undresses, then produces a condom from his nightstand, pinching the tip and rolling it onto his length.

“You ready, sweetness?” Unable to help crinkle in your nose, or the giggle that bubbles in your throat at the name, you lean up to tug him down to you; taking the time to enjoy his slow, deep kisses before moving on to the main event, uncaring if you could taste yourself on his lips. As you two part, a trail of saliva follows, which he wipes at with his thumb, rubbing it across your bottom lip gently.

“You’re absolutely sure about this?”

“I’m sure, Mark. No regrets,” you mutter more to yourself than to him, wondering how the human brain can choose to psych itself out at the worst of times. He flips you both over, having you straddle his lap as he places both of his hands on your sides, pausing briefly to litter your neck and chest with butterfly kisses, half of which you’re sure will blossom into a constellation of love bites.

“Feeling lazy now, are we?” you attempt to tease him once again to help settle your oncoming nerves.

“I’d rather you take it at your own pace, babygirl,” one of his hands moves up to run across your jaw, “I wanna learn what you like, what you don’t like, what makes you tick. If tonight’s the only shot I have at impressing you, so be it, but I’d love to take you out sometime... maybe do this all again someday.” Mark’s confession flows out naturally, but it’s obvious you’re not the only one feeling like you’re in over your head here, which makes you feel much more at ease.

“Look at you, Lee, I didn’t peg you to be someone to do things so out of order,” you tsk. “Isn’t it supposed to be a date first and then sex?” He unconsciously pouts at your teasing, bringing you to press another kiss to his lips, this time with the sole intention of pulling his jutting lower lip with your teeth.

“We’ll go out on a date wherever you want tomorrow, I promise,” he slurs into the crook of your neck, almost shy in his words now. It’s as if the admittance of feelings has made the night much more personal than either one of you intended, and yet, neither of you can find it in you to complain.

You slowly lower yourself onto his cock, shutting your eyes at the sheer pleasure beginning to build up again. Mark lets out the softest of whines despite his deep voice, absolutely enamored by the way your warm walls seem to just trap him right in, making him never wish to leave the paradise between your legs.

You start to find your rhythm the more you bounce yourself in his lap, shifting from grinding down slowly to humping into him with fervor. Mark tries desperately to quiet his moans by meeting your lips with his, only for it to not work out quite as intended when your noses bump into one another. You two simply laugh it off, his hands sliding down to your thighs and back, head falling back as it resonates with the headboard.

“Fuuckk,” the word escapes Mark’s lips in a drawn-out drawl. “You feel so good baby, so.. so fucking good,” he grunts as he thrusts up into you, checking for your reaction until you nod, giving him the green light. Mark doesn’t hold back anymore after that, meeting your hips with his own, hitting even harder now, much deeper than before.

“Looks like I might be staying until breakfast after all,” you pant, dropping yourself into his lap, exhausted. Mark chuckles into the break he’d been sucking at, nudging at your chest with his nose to get your attention.

“Want me to take over if you’re too tired?” His voice was far too sweet for the way he was still shallowly thrusting into your heat, too needy to think straight but still focusing as much of his attention as possible on your own needs. You nod before leaning to place your forehead on his shoulder. Duly noted, don’t skip leg day.

Mark picks up speed with renewed fervor, holding your hips in place as he thrusts upwards at an angle that fills you up deliciously. He thumbs at your clit, eager to get you off before he cums, already racing you towards your orgasm whether he wanted to or not.

“Ok this is going to sound kind of embarrassing but you’re so fucking hot and you feel amazing, I don’t think I can last much longer,” Mark admits openly, honestly.

“That’s fine by me, I’m fucking exhausted,” you two stop to laugh at the double entendre before rutting yourselves into one another in search of release. You’re only allowed a quick warning before you feel him cum into the condom, the pulsing of his cock being the final trigger to your orgasm.

You whimper and whine in his lap as Mark keeps rubbing your clit, eventually stopping him when it gets too much, feeling too sensitive for any more. He tilts his head to press a kiss onto your forehead, cradling the back of your head with one arm as the other encircles your waist. Both of you start to slip from your current position as Mark slowly slides down, pulling out with a hiss and parting from your entanglement of limbs to dispose of the used condom.

“Man, that was lame,” Mark breaks the silence, almost making you worry before adding, “I wasn’t supposed to come before you did.” He drapes an arm over his head after his statement, rejoining you on the mattress now. It’s adorable how he’s beating himself up over something you found so trivial. After all, it wasn’t like you didn’t come, in fact, you’d come twice tonight.

“Mark, please don’t worry about that. It’s fine, baby,” you coo at him, leaning up on an elbow to play with his hair. “You did wonderful, and it’s not like I was dissatisfied, so please, don’t be so hard on yourself.” Mark, ever the perfectionist, opts not to answer, but rather vows to do better next time. Oh, how he hopes there’s a next time.

“So, about that date tomorrow...” he changes the subject, falling hard for the twinkle in your eyes as you two discuss your plans for the following day. He’s almost shocked at himself with how domestic he was already acting around you, how gentle he was and how carefully he wanted to treasure you. You stop halfway into your rambling when you notice the silly grin plastered on Mark’s face.

“You haven’t heard a damn thing I said, have you?” You stop stroking his hair, nose huffing as you realize you were wasting your breath. Mark simply pulls you down into his chest, wrapping you tight into his embrace, too bashful to say things like these to your face.

“I was just busy thanking all the divine beings for shoving us into that raggedy closet tonight,” he muses, mulling over his words carefully. “You know, I’m not so sure I would have had the courage to finally ask you out if it wasn’t for that little stunt tonight.” You’re almost shocked at his confession, but find you can only nod as you’d been in the same predicament just hours prior.

“My friend is never going to let me heat the end of this,” you groan as Mark laughs at your pathetic struggle. He brings his hand under your chin, tilting it until you’re looking up at him.

“Those were definitely more than seven minutes in heaven,” Mark purrs, “and these moans were definitely not fake,” he smirks at the light rose color dusting on your cheeks. You slap weakly at his bicep, it’s all you can do to stop yourself from spontaneously combusting.

“And I’d like for nothing more than several years in heaven with you,” Mark thinks to himself as you snore softly in his arms, blissfully ignorant of the lovesick look in his eyes yet again.

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just-some-gt-trash · 5 years ago

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13.-Vacant

The prompt list was made by @hiddendreamer67

First | Previous | Next

AN: I really love this and it’s very fluffy and cute even if the beginning is trash but it’s worth it in the end I swear

Thomas took a deep breath as he opened the doors of the throne room “King Emile, I have news for you” Dee growled as his conversation with the king was interrupted “Would you mind? We´re in the middle of something”

“It’s okay Dee, we can continue later” Emile looked from Dee to Thomas “Did king Remy replied already?” “It´s better than that your majesty” Thomas turned to the door “You can come in”

Patton walked into the room, wearing the wig and outfit from before, officially impersonating Roman.

Both the king and his advisor gasped simultaneously “Roman!” Emile stood up and ran to ‘his son’ to hug him “Don’t you dare to ever do something like that again, I was so worried”

The human sized borrower got startled from the sudden movement, but he hugged back after some seconds “I’m sorry for running away, it wasn’t the right choice”

Emile broke the hug and looked at Patton “promise me you’ll talk to me when something bothers you”

Thomas noticed Dee´s mad expression “What’s the matter, aren’t you relieved prince Roman is back?”

“Of course I am” he lied.

“This means prince Logan’s visit is still on foot right?” asked Thomas.

“Of course!” said Emile smiling “But right now I want to hear everything about how you found Roman”

Thomas smiled “I’ll be glad to share every detail”

Emile, Patton and Thomas got out of the throne room and into the dining room while Dee went to his son’s room, he had to make sure this was not a scam.

”Now tell me, where did you find my son Thomas?” Asked Emile as he sat on one of the chairs, being followed by the other two men.

”I wanted to deliver the letters for King Remy and Prince Logan myself, to explain the situation better, I found him on the way to their kingdom, he wanted to talk to the prince, right Roman?” Lied Thomas.

Patton nodded ”That's right, he always gives me good advices, and I didn't want to disappear without him knowing”

The king smiled softly and cupped Patton's cheek with his hand ”Oh hun, I can't believe I didn't notice something was bothering you, I'm such a terrible father”

”No” said Patton, not even thinking on what he was doing ”Of courses you're not, you have always been there for me, I guess I'm just pretty good at hiding how I truly feel, and I promise I won't do it anymore, you're an awesome father, never doubt it again”

Emile smiled and did his best to hug his son once more without standing up ”My god since when are you this wise? You have really grown up a lot”

Patton smiled back, he couldn't remember the last time he had a dad who loved him, if felt king of nice.

The rest of the day was normal, Patton had the best dinner of his life, there were tons of plates and food, he even felt bad when he didn’t finish part of his food because he was hungry, even if Thomas told him it was fine.

Then he went to sleep, he wanted Thomas to stay with him, he was a little afraid of staying alone in a place so big as Roman’s room, once again his teacher reassured him everything was fine and he was right, Patton slept like a baby on Roman’s huge bed.

The next morning, one of the maids went to leave the prince’s breakfast to his room, waking Patton up “All of this for me?” Asked Patton and the maid nodded “B-But, don’t you want something?”

“Me? I could not your highness I just-“

“Please, there’s a lot of food, here” Patton took one of the pieces of bread and handed it to the maid “take it”

She smiled slightly as she took it “Thank you” the maid was about to go but turned around when she got to the doorframe “Your bath is being prepared, do you want bubbles, mineral salts or flower essences?”

“Everything!” said Patton smiling.

After having breakfast and taking a bath, Patton got dressed and waited for Thomas to appear, he knew prince Logan was coming today and he didn’t want to mess it up, he waited for hours and nothing “C’mon Thomas… I can’t do this without you”

There was a knock on the door “Come in” said Patton, but his hopes of being Thomas who was behind the door went away when he saw the royal advisor, Dee, he remembered he was called.

“Good morning your highness, the king sent me to escort you to the throne room to meet with prince Logan”

“He’s already here?” Patton asked and Dee nodded “Alright” Patton took Dee’s arm and they walked to the throne room.

Dee opened the doors “your highness, Prince Roman”

Patton walked inside, he saw two more people than yesterday, who he assumed where king Remy and prince Logan, since Patton wasn’t wearing his glasses, Thomas asked if he could see without them and he could even if everything was a bit blurry so they decided to leave them while he was supposed to be Roman, he didn’t notice a small bump on the carpet and tripped, almost falling to the floor if it wasn’t because someone caught him.

“Since when are you so clumsy Roman?” Patton looked up, blushing when he noticed he was just a couple of inches away from Logan “You have to be more careful”

“I’m sorry” Patton stood straight but didn’t let go of the others arms “Thank you for catching me”

“Prince Roman” said king Remy “The last time I saw you, you were just a kid, I can’t believe how big you are now”

Patton chuckled slightly and got apart from Logan “It’s a pleasure to see you again too king Remy”

Emile smiled “King Remy and I need to arrange some issues, so we’ll leave you two alone” he stood up and guided Remy out of the room.

“I want to show you something” Logan grabbed Patton’s hand and took him to the music room, in the middle of it, there was a huge white and golden piano “Remember when we stayed here after our music lessons, we wrote the silliest songs”

“I do, it was fun” lied Patton.

Logan sat at the stool in front of the piano “well, I wrote a song for you, It’s not quite silly, but I hope you like it”

The prince let his fingers dance trough the keys of the instrument, a sweet melody could be heard as he accompanied it with his serenate yet beautiful voice “Once a guy met a lad, you're a gentle one, said he” he looked at Patton, as quoting something Roman had said before “In my heart I'd be glad, if you loved me for me”

Patton looked at Logan’s eyes as he sang, resting his arms on the side of the piano and leaning on them “Could I be the one you're seeking? Will I be the one you choose? Can you tell my heart is speaking? My eyes will give you clues”

Logan had closed his eyes on the second verse “What you see may be deceiving, truth lies underneath the skin, hope will blossom by believing, the heart that lies within” He opened them and blushed slightly as he caught ‘Roman’ looking at him.

“I'll be yours” he continued as he moved to one side of the stool, making space for the other one to sit “together we shall always be as one” Patton sat next to Logan as he continued singing, his eyes never left the prince’s.

The human sized borrower rested his head on Logan’s shoulder, closing his eyes and singing the next line with him “if you love me for me”

Logan smiled and lifted Patton’s chin delicately with his finger “If you love me for me” they sang together before kissing.

Their lips touched and their tongues danced on each other’s mouth delicately, both of them trapped on a sweet and innocent but still passionate kiss.

Patton got away from Logan’s lips, the only thing he wanted was to go back to them and continued, but Logan wrote, played and sang that for Roman, not for him, Logan loved Roman, the person he was pretending to be, and he started to wonder if it really was the best choice, he started to regret taking Roman’s vacant.

To be continued...

Here’s the song in case some of you don’t know it (I ommited a couple of lines(and yes, barbie princess and the peuper again))

Taglist:

@snekky-boi

@brain-deadx0

@agentblackkat

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historake-a · 5 years ago

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@nohysterlcs said: five times kissed / ok that sounds cute as fuck

FIVE TIMES KISSED.

The first time you kissed. It had been a night in. It wasn't a new scene, to stay up until god knows what hour, either him reading up on a particular subject or them playing through an entire video game in a day. A sense of normalcy among your hectic lives ( ever since Jessa disappeared, you new things were happening, things she couldn't explain or wave off ) it would be like those nights in which you two would stay up past 12, hyped up on sugar, watching cartoons until either one gave in && passed out, where the other would follow. There has always been a connection between the two.

So Jeff strummed his guitar while you doodled in your notebook, a sense of... dread, really, pooling in your gut, whenever your eyes would flicker up && watch him lean his head back, even if the songless melody of his guitar set a calm, comfortable tone. Should you do this ? What if you messed up ? What if, everything changed because you did exactly this ?

Stop, don't think about it. Just fucking say it, Jessie !

" I-I want to be more than friends. " It comes out a little louder than intended && of course your voice breaks at the very end, but you see him stop, you can see his face slowly turn a lovely shade of crimson && oh- He's taking some time to respond, he doesn't like you ! Crap ! Alarms are going off in your head && you're shutting your sketchbook, ready to apologize, but he interrupts your thoughts, ‘ really ? ‘

Of course really ! You want to point and shout, how could you not develop feelings for someone like Jeff ? Someone who always knew how to cheer you up, get you out of your head, someone who was always by your side, no matter how little or big the situation was, anytime anything happened you would call him ! It's always been Jeff !

‘ I'm cool with that... If- you are. '

So yes, the feelings that you had for him, they were once of pure friendship, but lately ( a little over a year or two ) you'd lay in bed, looking at the pictures you'd sneaked of him, wondering how it would be like for him to look at you && kiss you, how it would be like if whenever you looked at him, he would look back && smile, because he would know, he would know that the sparkle in your eye, it's not a common thing, not normally, but it's permanent near him, but now ? Now it seems like your feelings are returned && you forget how to breathe for a second, a grin threatening to break your face.

You're snapped out of thought, when you feel his hand cup your cheek, immediately leaning against the coolness of it, before big, chocolate orbs flicker up to meet his matching ones. ' Was I really obvious ? ‘ a soft laugh, not teasing, not like you always do, no, it's amused, " you have no idea how scared I was to tell you- You're a great actor. " Or you're the densest person on earth, because deep down, you do recognize a few instances where it had been clear as day, but you ignored it, fear of rejection blinding you.

But now ? Now it's real && now you're so close to him, you don't even think about it, should you ask ? Probably, but your lips are already merely millimetres apart, so you lean in, your lips touch, lids fall && your chest feels warm, it's liquid happiness, that's what's injected into your bloodstream as you kiss him, your hand comes up, cupping his cheek, thumb tracing the barely there stubble, skin warm thanks to the blush sitting at his cheeks, out of all the times you'd imagined being this close, kissing him silly, nothing could compare to the real thing. You pull away, looking at him with a smile you haven't really shown in some time, it reaches your eyes && shows off your teeth, you can't help it, he brings a joy impossible to play off. " You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that, actually. " Count the stars && you might be close, maybe.

---- You'd been crying, bawling your eyes out, it was a silly little thing, something you thought you'd left behind in High School, something that you were sure you were mature to ignore. You love your family, you really do, but they have the tendency to speak their minds without thinking, without caring if whatever they said would affect someone.

During Passover dinner, your Aunt had commented on your extra helping of mash, hey, it was a holiday && you had been taking care of yourself plenty, you could let yourself indulge in a little extra warmth ( your grandmother's mashed potatoes were like crack, addictive ), you're sure she didn't mean any harm, but that one comment, " I'm not sure you wanna get more, Jess, honey... I see you're already filling out that dress, we don't wanna have chipmunk cheeks, do we ? " && After laughing && nodding, you decided to leave the plate for later.

That entire gathering you'd been holding it in, smiling, laughing along, having a good time ! If not for you, for your Grandma, she loved having the family together, so you were not about to ruin it for her.

You cried on the way home, parked around the corner, bawling your eyes out, as to let it all out in case your dad was home, you didn't want to answer questions about why you looked in pain, just let it out before you got home.

Coming home, a hoodie over the dress you've picked out, the one dress you thought you looked good in ( hoodie been pulled over it in the middle of the night, when you noticed you could see the curve of your stomach && how maybe your aunt Rose was right && you should start losing more weight, watch everything closely ), you saw someone at the entrance, at the porch, your heart skipped a beat or two when you realized who it was. Jeff.

Hands quickly moved to wipe at your eyes, they were puffy && mascara was smudged under them, nose a bright red, but you hoped he wouldn't notice, not when it's so dark out, " what're you doing here ? Have you been waiting long ? I had a.. thing with the family. " You're forcing a smile at him, when he stands to greet you.

Foolish of you to think you could ever hide anything from him.

' what's wrong ? '

Two words && the tilt of his head, the concern evident in the way he approaches you, tentatively, worried. He was worried, you were worrying him over the silliest thing. Selfish of you, really, " nothing, w-why do you ask ? " You know it's obvious you’re lying, the crack of your voice gives it away && his arms wrap around you, tightly, securely. You let out a sob. " It's so stupid - I swear it's nothing serious, I'm sorry. " You manage to whimper against his chest, you really don't want him to worry over your stupid sensitiveness, he had so much more to worry about other than Jessie being Jessie. So why are you holding on to him as if he was your anchor ? As if, were you to let go, you'd lose yourself ?

' Talk to me, Jess... Nothing about you is stupid. '

A sniffle. You're looking up, pulling away only slightly, wiping at the fresh tears with a sleeve covered hand, " I- well... My Auntie Rose said I was getting fatter- I know it's stupid for me to get like this, but she said it as if me gaining weight would turn me into this... troll - && then I realized holy shit I did gain a bunch of weight && I don't know- I just hurts, it hurts to be seen as this gross monster just because I'm.. fat. " The words keep on coming from your mouth, word vomit the closest thing you can describe it as, && even as you spill everything, his gaze never leaves you face, as if, this tiny, trivial issue, really did matter to him, because it mattered to you. " I guess- I guess she just got me in a kinda weak spot && it's pretty stupid but I just.. " Lips press tightly together, into a thin line, " I think you should have a prettier girl with you, you're just so handsome && smart && just everything to me-. " He's frowning. Oh no, did you say something wrong ?

He cups your cheeks, looking down at you intently, the weight of his stare, how intently he looked into your eyes, it causes a blush to cover your face, it spreads quickly, && the peck on your lips, sweet && short, it only deepens the color of your face. ' You're beautiful, Jessie, I don't care about your weight, if you're happy then I will be too. ' He means it, you can hear the honesty in his words, before you start to cry again, you pull him down for another kiss, it lasts seconds more, three soft words whispered into the air, for only him to hear.

It's the first time you tell him you love him.

---

You don't know when, but you've pretty much zoned out this entire time, fixating on the tiny little details of the latest creation, it's not your best work, but it's the most you've done in a couple of months ( ever since your grandmother died, you knew you had to double down on investigating about the thing in the woods, before it got to any of your friends, so focus has been on finding any type of info you could about it ), your eyes burn && you can feel a yawn threaten to spill from your lips, eyes leave the page, decorated with tiny details ( a sort of sketch for a bigger painting, a gift for the boys, their portrait ) && your eyes falls on Jeff.

You have to stop, manually remember to breathe. He's curled up on the couch, if your phone had any charge in it, you'd take a picture, since he's very much hugging your Squirtle stuffed animal, using it as a sort of pillow ? You don't know, but he looks adorable, it makes your heart swell with a feeling you could not describe other than, well, love. Slowly, with the stealth of a ninja ( not really, it's just the carpet absorbing any sound ) you scoot to his side, watching him. Deep eyes scan his features, from the chestnut color of his hair, -you could spot a few reddish strands, maybe even some blonde ones- to the stupidly long lashes his eyes were framed with, just slightly curled over his cheekbones, high, strong, he had the quality of a model, at least, to you he did, the shadows under his eyes only added to his charm, even if you nagged him about getting more sleep. It was Jeff's charm.

A smile pulls at your lips, reaching for him && his hair, now porting an adorable curl, is pushed back, if anyone else were to see you right now, or even walk in, you doubt you'd notice, right now it was only him, " hey... Jeff... " You hum, waking up is not on your top favorite things to do, but he's too tall, you know him being curled up in the tiny space will be actual torture for his back. He stirs slightly, you lean in, pressing a soft kiss, to his forehead, lips lingering against the warm skin for a couple of seconds, until he stirs once more, you pull away && now you're left looking into his sleep dusted eyes, a sleepy smile on his face. How many times have you gotten lost in them ? Incidents are in the five digit numbers, probably. " You fell asleep, but I'm not about to be responsible for your back issues, so- Let's go upstairs. "

-----

You're still a bit breathless when you walk out of the studio. Cheeks are bright red blotches && you can feel your bangs sticking to your forehead, christ, to be in front of such talented people, watching you audition, all of their attention on you- Amazing you didn't just empty your stomach right there && then, even if nothing would've come out, you were too nervous when you woke up to even take a sip of the coffee Jeff had greeted you with. You see him, leaning against the wall, headphones on && he's nodding to a tune you've probably heard before, has he seen you ? No, you don't think so.

The sun hits him in a way.. it almost makes you think he's the one shinning, not reflecting, his hair looks like it's made out of gold && you can see a sort of calmness you only catch a glimpse of in a few occasions, seems like in New York, even nervous Jeff could get lost in, you reach into your pocket, fumbling with your phone before you hold it up, a click, you capture the moment && he still hasn't seen you, he just looks... at peace, enjoying the scenery, students walking past him, not paying any mind, he blends into the crowd but still manages to stand out.

How could someone love another person so intensely ?

You put your phone away, making a mental note to change your background picture, hey, if the whole acting shtick didn't pull through, you would always try photography ? Even with your old flip-phone, the picture looked pretty good, then again, might be a biased look at it, given that your boyfriend was the main focus of it. " Hey - ! " You're calling out, running to him, a wide grin covering your face, " it's done ! " When he turns && meets your smile with an even broader one, you forget to breathe for a second, ' you see yourself as a Julliard student ? I can see it, you mingling among the art kids. ' To think, he'd taken the time to take you to the appointment && wait until your audition was over ? You're reaching up, pulling him down by the collar of his hoodie, lips meeting his in a tender kiss, it doesn't last long, pulling back before he has the chance to respond to the kiss, after all, you were in public, PDA was not okay, but you could always make an exception for him, " thank you- for believing in me, I dunno what I would do without your support. " A laugh, it reaches your eyes && forces them closed, hiding the tears that threatened to leak from warm, chocolate orbs. Instead you bury your face in his chest, hugging him tight, " you're amazing. "

----

You've already said goodbye to the others. Steph, Evan, Vinnie & Alex, though, keep in mind you've said goodbye about half an hour ago, now you both sat in the driveway, your car's keys sat in your hoodie's pocket, you knew you had to get going, before it got too dark out but you'd miss him, you weren't even sure if he was doing okay, they all felt extremely odd, almost... scared ? " Are you sure you guys don't need me to stay ? Cause I can, I'll just call my dad & tell him I'm saying with you, he never worries... " Though you already know the answer, it plays in your head before he says it himself, ' no worries, Jess, we're good. You should get some rest. '

A little frown. There's no way of changing his mind once it's made up, so you just take a couple of steps forwards, wrapping your arms around his middle, your cheek pressing against his chest as you let out a little sigh, " fine- okay. But promise me you guys are going to the Cabin this weekend. We'll just hang out, eat junk food && watch lame movies. " Your head tilts up searching for his gaze, " I'm supposed to get a response that day so... I wanna open it with everyone present. " You feel his hand at the top of your head, gently scratching at your scalp, an approving hum falls from your lips, " I wanna hear the yes- I'm not leavin' until I get a solid yes from you.. " You can hear him laugh. Thank god, you were starting to worry. ' Okay, we'll go, you can text us the address & we'll meet you there. ' A little pout, it would've been an even more fun idea to arrive together, but you figured you could set everything up before they arrived.

" Okay, it's real easy you know, cabin 4. Cabin with the raddest vibes. " You tease, nodding, but eventually let go. It's a couple of seconds, not awkward, it's your mind, it's racing, he still seemed troubled, but he wouldn't talk to you, tell you exactly what was wrong. " Mkay- I'm gonna go now, please take care of yourself, okay ? " Head tilts to the side, searching his eyes before you pull him down, gently, for a soft, see you soon kiss. You can't help yourself, for some reason, your body screams at you to make the kiss last, only this one time, so your arms wrap around his neck, his hands find your hips, carefully settling against them as the kiss deepens. A few seconds go by && you force yourself away, cheeks a bright pink hue, your eyes search his, noting the adorable flush of his face before you nod, " see you soon, mkay ? " He nods, smiling.

That's the last time you kiss him.

#i tried to do a thing where I changed the pov ASDFGBHDSA #don't judge me #but ANYWAYS THIS LITERALLY TOOK ME ALL DAY MY ADHD BRAIN COULD NEVER #nohysterlcs

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superfreakerz · 6 years ago

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TDDUP 25

"Til Death Do Us Part"

Reincarnation/Immortality AU.

Summary: There are immortals and there are those who reincarnate, but it's best to keep these things hidden. Lucy is attending college and meets Natsu, a mischievous boy with pink hair, a devilish smile, and a body that never ages.

Rated M for smut and heavy themes.

Read earlier chapters on FF.net

Chapter 25

Home

After spending the day packing her things, Lucy was all set for her trip back home. She had already let her teachers know she was going to be gone for a few days, made reservations at a motel, and booked her flights. All that was left was one thing.

Looking over her shoulder to make sure nobody was around- she already knew she was alone in her apartment, but it was just instinct to check- the girl lifted her mattress and retrieved her old locket. A nostalgic smile swept over her face as she ran her finger over the ragged edges. Opening it, she found the picture of her and her first set of parents.

Releasing a shaky breath, Lucy put the necklace on and tucked it underneath her shirt. Now wasn't the time to cry about it. She had plenty of time to do that over the next few days. Gray and Natsu were waiting outside for her, and she couldn't keep them waiting.

Making sure to lock the door behind her, Lucy found Natsu and Gray standing outside of a black car.

"I put your suitcase in the trunk," Natsu said once he saw her approaching. "Is there anything else you need on your trip?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, that's it. Thanks, Natsu. And thank you, Gray, for the ride. Whose car is this, by the way?"

The raven-haired boy shoved his hands in his pockets. "It belongs to a friend of mine."

"He sure is nice to let you borrow his car!"

Gray and Natsu shared a glance. Laxus wasn't necessarily nice, it was more like he owed them a favor.

"Anyways, we should probably get going," Gray said. "Don't wanna be late for your flight."

Lucy nodded, moving to sit in the back seat. Natsu slid in next to her, his fingers fidgeting to distract himself of his impending doom as Gray started the car. He took a motion sickness pill to lessen the effects, but they never lasted long for him and they didn't completely calm his stomach.

Lucy frowned as she watched Natsu fidget in his seat. She felt bad for putting him in this situation, but he had insisted on dropping her off.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"For now," Natsu answered, taking a deep breath. "Don't worry 'bout me. Just think about your trip! You're gonna have to see your dad. Are you ready for that?"

Lucy nodded. In truth, this trip wasn't to see her father of this lifetime. "Uhh, yeah. We probably won't even see each other since he'll be busy with work and I'll be at the grave."

"How long are you stayin' there anyways?" Gray asked, glancing at the two in the rearview mirror.

"Only two days. I didn't want to take too much time off from school since finals are coming up."

"And you get there tonight?"

"Yep! Then I'll have a full day there tomorrow and then leave the day after."

Gray let out a whistle. "You're payin' a lot of money for a short trip."

"Yeah, but it's worth it," Lucy replied, her fingers grazing over the chain around her neck. She would need to bury the locket soon.

Natsu's eyes zeroed in on the small movement coming from the girl beside him. He'd never seen that necklace before. Hell, he'd never even seen Lucy wear a necklace. Before he could question it, Gray turned on the radio, blasting a hit song from the past. Just like that, the thought was out his head as the three of them bolted the lyrics.

Reaching the airport, Gray parked at the drop off zone. The three stepped out of the car, Natsu moving to grab Lucy's luggage.

"I'll see you in a few days," Gray said, ruffling Lucy's hair.

She huffed at him, fixing her hair before replying, "Alright. Thanks again for the ride."

"Don't mention it. Yo, Natsu. I'm gonna go find a parking spot."

"'Kay," Natsu replied. "I'm walking her inside. I'll be back." Rolling the suitcase behind him, he followed Lucy into the airport while Gray drove off. A frown rested over his face. He'd always hated airports. Not only were they crowded, but the fluorescent lights hurt his eyes. Not to mention it was a place specifically made for transportation. There was nothing to like.

Lucy grabbed her ticket before leading the way to TSA. Since Natsu couldn't be in the line with her, he stayed on the outside of the barriers, walking with her to keep her company. She was going to miss him for the next few days.

"Thanks for coming to drop me off," Lucy said. "I know you get motion sickness, so I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," Natsu replied with a toothy grin. "I really wanted to see you off."

Her lips curved into a playful smirk. "You're really going to miss me, aren't you?"

"Psh. Whatever. You're the one that's gonna miss me."

"Yeah, I am," Lucy said with a shrug. There was no point in trying to hide it. "But I'll be back before you know it!"

"Good," Natsu replied, reaching over the barricade to grab her hand. "I don't know how long I can last without annoyin' you each day." His eyes traveled to the necklace around her neck. "Oh yeah. That a new necklace or something?"

Lucy's eyes widened as Natsu reached out to touch the locket. Jumping away, she grabbed the pendent and tucked it beneath her shirt.

"It's nothing," she said, knowing that he wasn't going to believe her after that.

Natsu eyed her. "What? Is it made of real gold or something and you're scared I'm gonna break it?"

"It's nothing, Natsu."

"Doesn't seem like nothing."

"It's just important to me, okay?" Lucy said. She squeezed his hand. "It was given to me by my mother. I just don't like other people touching it. I'm sorry."

Natsu studied her before shrugging. "Okay. I won't try to touch it again." Usually, he could read the girl like an open book. This time, however, he couldn't tell if she was lying to him or not.

Lucy stifled a sigh of relief. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she nearly broke out into a sweat just at the thought of Natsu finding out the secret behind the locket. Luckily, whether he believed her or not, he didn't question her about it further.

As they were just about to reach the front of the line, Lucy let go of his hand with a frown.

"This is it," she said.

Natsu shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, guess so." Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Have a safe flight, Lucy. And make sure to text me when you get there, okay?"

Lucy nodded. "Okay. Bye, Natsu. I'll see you in a few days!"

"Later, Lucy."

Lucy groaned, nearly collapsing to the floor as she stepped off of the plane. It was nearing four o'clock in the morning, and she didn't manage to get a wink of sleep on the plane ride thanks to an upset toddler who wailed the entire time. It didn't help that there weren't any layovers, so she was stuck sitting in an uncomfortable chair for almost ten hours.

"I can't believe I have to go through that again in a couple days."

Living up to her word, the girl fished her phone out of her pocket and sent Natsu a quick text to let him know she got there safely. With that out of the way, she grabbed her luggage before leaving the airport. She flagged down a cab to take her to the motel, where she immediately plopped onto the bed with a sigh. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, probably Natsu texting her back. Too tired to pick it up, she let her eyes drift closed. She could call him tomorrow. For now, she was going to get some well-deserved sleep.

The next morning, Lucy woke up with a groan. Her body ached all over, and stretching didn't help at all. Dragging herself out of bed, Lucy grabbed her phone from the nightstand, expecting to see texts from Natsu. Sure enough, he had texted her once, letting her know that he was glad she got there safely. To her surprise- and upmost chagrin- there was also a text from her father's assistant.

"What can Father possibly want now?"

Opening the text, her eyebrows shot towards her hairline as she read it.

Miss Lucy, your father requests your presence. Please see to it that you will be here within the next few days. You will be accommodated for your ticket.

Next few days? Why did her father want to see her so soon? Not to mention so suddenly. She was already planning to go there over winter break. If there was one thing she knew about her father, it was that he didn't do anything without a reason. What reason did he have this time?

Her brows furrowed. This trip was about her first parents- her real parents. Now her mood was going to be dampened as she mulled over what was to come.

With a heavy sigh, Lucy grabbed her phone to switch flights. Instead of going home tomorrow, she would fly over to her father's place for a couple days before heading back to Magnolia. She didn't care if she had to pay extra for changing her flight. After all, he did say that she would be accommodated.

Lucy checked the time. Being in different time zones, Natsu was probably still sleeping. She'd have to let him know the change of plan later. For now, she had more important matters to tend to.

Heading into the bathroom, Lucy jumped in the tub for a quick shower. The pressure of the water was much too light for her liking, but it would have to do. She cut her shower short, as she had a big day ahead of her. Getting dressed and doing some finishing touches, she was out the door.

A wide grin settled over Lucy's face as she walked through town. Even though it had changed in the last decades, the simplicity of the small town remained. The family-owned bakery that her family used to go to every Saturday was still up- though, the owners she had known before had passed, the shop being passed down in the bloodline. Her high school had gone through some renovations. It was now a little bigger to accommodate for the slightly growing population.

She had so many memories in that school. She could still remember sitting at the lunch tables with her friends, chattering over the silliest of things. She could picture her favorite teacher, Mr. Wilson, who had always helped her with her writing. She could hear her old friends' voices telling her of a party that they were going to drag her to.

It was a fun life, one that she wished she could've lived longer.

Lucy walked to the outskirts of town where the cemetery was located. Much to her relief, there was nobody around. Not that it really mattered. Everyone from her first lifetime had passed away, and there were no remnants of her first lifetime left behind. She was safe, just a stranger passing through in the eyes of everyone else.

Stopping just in front of two tombstones, a smile spread over her face. Swallowing thickly, Lucy sat on the grass, sweeping her hands over the cold marble and the engravements of her parents' names. Her eyes stung with fresh tears, which she didn't bother holding back. Her fingers flew up to her locket, wrapping around the pendent.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," she said, her voice hushed under the pressure of her emotions. "I'm sorry it's been a while. You know how it is." Releasing a shaky breath, the girl craned her head back to stare up at the grey sky. "At least it isn't raining this time. That means I can spend more time with you guys."

Her hand tightened around the locket, its ragged, worn edges digging sharply into her palm.

"I miss you guys so much," she said, her voice cracking. "I think about you guys every day. I wish you were here with me. I want to introduce you to all of the friends I've made." Her cheeks pinked as she continued, "Especially Natsu. He's my boyfriend. It's shocking that I have one, right? With everything that happened, I really thought I was going to be alone forever. But I'm not. I'm not lonely anymore."

A warm smile stretched across her face. "You can thank Levy-chan for that! She's super sweet, you guys would love her. Smart, too. Like, insanely smart. She loves reading, just like me! That's how we met. Then she introduced me to her friends. There's her boyfriend, Gajeel. He hated me at first. But once I got to know him, I learned he's just a softy at heart.

"Then there's Erza and Jellal. They're married. Jellal's super kind and reserved while Erza is strict but caring. She can also be clueless at times, which is surprising to others. Oh, and there's Gray and Juvia. They're dating. I can totally see them getting married eventually, though. Juvia's really sweet. Protective, but sweet. And Gray's like the brother I always wanted. You know, it's weird. I've lived four lifetimes now and I still haven't gotten a brother! What is up with my luck?"

Lucy laughed, tears welling in her eyes again. "Remember how I used to always beg you guys for a brother? You would always tell me that raising me was like raising ten kids. Well, if you met Natsu, you would see that I was a very calm kid. I may not have known him when he was a kid, but I can already tell he was a wild child. He's rambunctious enough as it is.

"He used to break in through my window to hang out with me. Oh, but I promise he's not some serial killer or anything like that. He's just weird. But he calls me the weird one. I do wish you guys got the chance to meet him. He's sweet and always makes me laugh. And don't worry, he treats me right. I love him, and you guys would have too."

Releasing a shaky breath, Lucy brought her knees up to her chest. This was how her visits always went. She would tell them all about her new life, wishing to hear them reply. And just as she expected, they never did.

She used to feel alone sitting in front of their tombstones. But with the thought of her friends waiting for her back in Magnolia, she didn't feel so lonely this time.

Reaching the motel, Lucy plopped onto the bed with a sigh. Grabbing her phone, she found missed texts from Natsu. Calling him, she brought her phone up to her ear, listening to the dull rings before he finally answered.

"Yo, Lucy!" his cheerful voice rang out. "How was your flight?"

"Exhausting," she answered, rolling her eyes as she remembered the child that hadn't taken a breath between wails. "How are things over there?"

"Ehh, boring. But who cares 'bout that? How're you holdin' up?"

"I'm fine," Lucy said with a smile. And she meant it.

"Have you seen your old man yet?"

"Oh right, about that. I'm going to have to stay a little longer than I thought. Just a couple days more."

"What? Why?"

"I guess my father has something important he wants to talk about. I bet it has to do with an arranged marriage."

"What!? Do I have to fly over there!? Because I will, Lucy!"

A laugh slipped past her lips. "No, no. I've got it covered, don't worry. He's been trying to push me in that direction since high school. He can't force me to marry anyone, and I fully intend on telling him about you."

"Good."

"Well then again, the guy will probably have money."

"Luuucy!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" She cracked a yawn. "Anyways, I'm pretty tired. I think I'm going to go to bed now."

"Wait, don't hang up!" Natsu replied. "Can we just leave the call going for a little longer?"

"But I'll be asleep."

"I know."

Warmth spread through the girl's body, her face flaring. "Aww, do you miss me?"

"Psh. No way," Natsu replied.

"Mhmm. Well, I'll leave the call going for a while. Goodnight, Natsu."

"Night, Lucy."

When Lucy woke up the next morning, she wasn't surprised to see that the call had been ended hours ago. Jumping out of bed, the girl quickly got ready for the long day ahead of her, packing her things before flagging down a cab to take her back to the airport.

Her feet felt like bricks as she walked through the airport. She hated flying, and she especially hated the destination she was headed to. She could already picture her father's disapproving frown over her clothes.

The only thing that made the situation better was that at least she didn't have to go to her father's place over winter break anymore.

Boarding the stuffy plane, Lucy rested her head against the firm headrest, willing herself to fall asleep. She needed to be well-rested for what was ahead.

Stepping off the plane, Lucy raised her arms above her head in a stretch. Her spine satisfyingly popped. This flight had been much better than the last. There weren't any crying kids, her chair was slightly more cushioned than the last, and the food they provided was much better. Still, she wasn't looking forward to her next flight back to Magnolia in a couple of days.

Heading to the baggage claiming area, Lucy's brows furrowed in annoyance. She shouldn't have been surprised that nobody had put in the small amount of effort to meet her inside. Her father's assistant was just as much of an ass as he was.

Grabbing her suitcase, Lucy stepped outside, the night air cold against her skin. She spotted the sleek car that was parked for her among the sea of dented, banged up cars around it.

As she approached, her father's assistant stepped out. His hair was jet-black and slicked back. His brows were slanted as he gave her a disapproving look-over.

"It is nice to see you, Miss Lucy," he said, grabbing her bag and storing it in the trunk.

Lucy rolled her eyes. He didn't even put an ounce of effort into sounding sincere. "Yeah, you too."

"Are you ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

The car ride was strenuous as she was forced to sit in silence with a man she detested. He wouldn't even turn on the radio, claiming that it would deter his attention from the road. Lucy had a feeling that the real reason was so that she would have to suffer even more. Oh well, she had to get used to dealing with assholes since she was going to be seeing her father soon enough.

Arriving at the mansion, Lucy took a deep breath to steel herself. She was sure that a battle of yelling was what awaited her. That was how her visits always turned out.

Heading inside, the girl was immediately swarmed by the staff, all of them weeping as they threw themselves against her and bombarded her with questions.

"Lucy!" Spetto wailed. "It's so nice to see you again!"

"It's nice to see all of you too," she replied with a warm smile. The staff were always kind to her growing up, acting as her family when even her father wouldn't. They snuck her some treats she wasn't allowed to eat, they got her out of boring lessons, and above all, they kept her company.

"Have you been eating well?"

"Yes, thanks to you teaching me how to cook!"

The older woman opened her mouth to reply but was cut short by Jude's assistant.

"I will take you up to your room. Your father expects to see you bright and early tomorrow morning, so do look your best. The maids have prepared your outfit for you already. You will wear that, and not these rags. You will be respectful at all times. Do I make myself clear?"

Lucy glared at him. "Crystal clear."

"Good."

After being escorted to her room- Lucy wanted to give a dry laugh that she had to be escorted- she sat on the bed. She took in her room. It was exactly the way she left it. Bare.

Grabbing her phone, she sent Natsu a quick text.

"I'm heading to bed now. I'm sorry I can't call. I don't want people listening."

His reply was almost instant. "It's okay. You talk to your dad yet?"

"Tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to it at all."

"Just channel your inner-Natsu!"

That brought a smile to her face. He always knew what to say. "Thanks, Natsu. I'm heading to bed now. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Alright. Night, Luce."

"Goodnight, Natsu."

Lucy was about to place her phone on the nightstand when it buzzed again. Unlocking it, she found another text from Natsu.

"I miss you."

Her lips curled into a smile. "I miss you too."

With that, her anxiety was gone.

Lucy's stomach churned with each step she took closer to her father's office. Her ankles felt chained to iron balls, making her feet drag behind. Even though Natsu managed to calm her nerves last night, there was nothing he could do now that the moment was upon her.

Huffing as she nearly tripped over her large gown, Lucy stifled the urge to tear the damn thing off. It was so stuffy and thick, it felt like she was being suffocated.

Stopping just in front of the doors that led to his office, Lucy took a deep breath before knocking once.

"Father, it is Lucy," she said, trying to speak as formally as she could.

"You may enter," his frigid voice called out.

Taking another deep breath, she swung open the heavy doors, finding Jude sitting at his desk. Papers were piled high but stacked neatly. The bookcases were filled with large, boring textbooks. His room was cold, just as he was. While many fathers kept pictures of their families on their desks, there wasn't a single picture of her in sight.

"How are your studies coming along?" Jude asked.

Lucy bit back a frown. As always, he skipped over any form of a greeting. "My grades are great."

"Straight A's, I presume?"

"Yes, father."

"Good," he replied, stroking his bushy mustache. "As you know, I cannot have you making me look bad."

"You do that all on your own," Lucy thought bitterly. Instead of voicing her thoughts, she replied with, "Of course. May I ask why I have been called here so suddenly?"

"Yes, well, I have finished arrangements for you to marry the son of the Jullenel family." He turned his back to her, gazing out the large windows. "Marital ties with the Jullenel family will lay the foundation for Heartfilia Railways' southern expansion. This marriage will establish our future and our happiness.

"Happiness…" Lucy mumbled, her hands balling into tight fists at her sides.

Her father continued without skipping a beat. "And you must produce a boy. An heir to the Heartilia line. That is all. You may return to your room."

Lucy's brows furrowed as she glared daggers into her father's back. Was she, his own daughter, not worthy of his gaze?

"I refuse," Lucy said. Finally, he met her gaze, his dark orbs gleaming with anger.

"Lucy-"

"No. I refuse to let you choose who I marry!" she shouted. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and not in the good way. Her body trembled with anger. "Why is it that every time you want to see me, it's because you want something from me?"

"Oh? Like you are one to talk," Jude replied sharply. "You are an ungrateful child who only contacts me for money so you can keep going to that school! I would suggest you bite your tongue!"

"I won't! I am sick and tired of you trying to control my life just so that you can make more money!"

"Lucy! Why don't you understand that everything I do is for the both of us!?"

Lucy stared at him incredulously. "For the both of us? How is any of this good for me!? If you really cared about me, you would've tried spending time with me! You would listen to my needs! You would treat me like an equal instead of some robot you can control with the push of a button!"

"You are naïve!" Jude shot back. He rounded the desk, looming over her. His face was etched with fury as he shouted, "You have no idea what it takes to make it in this country! You have never grown up poor thanks to my efforts! I fed you, put a roof over your head, and always made sure you got the best education possible!"

"Did you ever stop and wonder what I want?"

"Your wants are irrelevant to your needs! What you need is a stable future, one where you can support yourself!"

Lucy rolled her eyes with a scoff. "How is marrying some rich stranger supporting myself? I don't need someone else to take care of me! I don't need money or fancy dresses, I just need people to know me for me. I'm not Lucky Lucy Heartfilia, I'm just Lucy!"

Jude snapped his mouth shut, mulling over her heated words. In a voice softer than she was used to from the man, he replied, "Lucy, you may not think that money is important, but it is. Your mother and I grew up poor, struggling to make ends meet."

"I know the story."

"Yes, but you don't truly know the experiences."

Lucy reluctantly closed her mouth. It was true. In all of her lifetimes, she had been lucky enough to be born into financially stable families. Sure, the others weren't as wealthy as her family now, but they did just fine. She never had to grow up poor.

"Okay, you're right," Lucy said, the words leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. "I don't know what it's like. But isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course it is a good thing," Jude replied. "Which is why you need to do as I say so you never have to experience it."

Lucy's eyes widened a fraction, her mouth parting. Was this her father's way of showing affection? If so, he had a long way to go. Still, it was the most compassion she had ever sensed from the man.

"I would rather be poor than chained to a life of unhappiness," she said, staring up at her father. Fiery determination burned bright in her brown orbs. "I'm not marrying him, Papa. I won't have my happiness chosen for me. I'm going to get it myself."

"But Lucy-!"

"There's no changing my mind. For once in my life, I can truly say that I'm happy. I've made friends, I indulge in hobbies that I enjoy, and I even have a boyfriend."

Jude's eyes went wide. "A what?"

"A boyfriend," Lucy repeated without falter. "His name is Natsu. He may not be the kind of guy you picked out for me, but he makes me happy. I love him."

"Is he-"

"No, he's not rich."

Jude gave an exasperated sigh. "Do you love him enough that you are willing to throw away what you have?"

Lucy didn't need a second to think it over. With a bright smile on her face, she nodded. "Yeah, I do. I don't care if you stop paying for my school or my apartment. I don't need money for a happy life. And you don't either."

Knowing that Jude wouldn't warm up to her decision overnight- or perhaps ever- Lucy turned her back to him. Usually whenever she left his office after a chat, her shoulders were slumped and tears were streaming down her face. This time, her shoulders were squared, her eyes gleaming with resolve.

She reached for the doorknob when her father's voice called out to her.

"Lucy," he said, his voice grave. "That isn't the only reason I had you come home so suddenly."

Arching a brow, the girl turned to face him again. "What do you mean?"

His face creased as he frowned. "I am ill."

Lucy's face grew pale, her mouth dry. "Y-You're what?"

"I suffered a heart attack about a week ago."

"What!? How come I didn't hear about this?"

"Everyone agreed to keep it under wraps from the press. I didn't want anyone to know that I was sick. It is bad for business."

"Business? You had a heart attack and business is all you can think about?" Lucy gritted out. Her hands trembled at her sides.

"It is nothing too serious, the doctors said I shall be fine anyways with the proper rest," Jude replied, waving her off. He averted his gaze, the lump in his throat bobbing as he swallowed thickly. "It's just… I wanted to make things right in case things do not go well. You and I may not be close-"

"You think?" Lucy replied sarcastically.

Jude glared at her before continuing, "But I want to make amends. That is why I was pushing for those marriage arrangements. After my heart attack, I'm no longer able to work the way that I used to. If you marry into the Jullenel family, you will be taken care of even after I die."

Lucy furrowed her brows, her hands balling into tight fists as she shook her head. The lump in her throat caused it to constrict. Her eyes stung with fresh tears, but she refused to let them fall.

"Instead of trying to marry me off, we should be trying to get to know each other," she said. Every word burned in her throat, speaking made difficult thanks to her pent-up emotions.

Part of her told her not to forgive him. He always managed to make her life hell, and it wasn't like they were close anyways. But the other part of her, the part that was perhaps too forgiving to a fault, knew that it was the right thing to do. He was her father. Hell, even if he wasn't, she probably still would've done the same thing. That was just who she was.

"I won't let you decide my life," Lucy said. "But if you're willing, then I wouldn't mind trying to mend the bridge between us."

Jude's eyes softened a fraction, barely even visible.

"I understand," he replied. "I agree to your terms."

Lucy let out a quiet chuckle. Even now, he was speaking like a businessman.

Making amends with her father was going to be tough. She wasn't even sure if it was going to be possible. But if there was one thing that she had learned from experience in this lifetime, it was that people can change.

#fairy tail #nalu #lucy heartfilia #natsu dragneel #ftfanficton #tddup #til death do us part #super writes

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journal-of-an-outlaw · 5 years ago

Text

Price to be Paid

AN: This was my favorite chapter to write so far! So many of the ideas I’ve been sitting on and just waiting. And I’m so glad we’ve all agreed to just say this song was written in the late 1800′s lol.

Chapter 5

The long day had taken its toll on you, but you were excited to relax and have a party with the gang. Abigail helped you find a new shirt and took your blood covered one so you didn’t have to think about it. She was a blessing through all of this, even if she was preoccupied with John and Jack most of the time.

Although you had just washed in the lake on the way back to camp, your skin itched with the thoughts of what you had done. One of the wash barrels was close to your tent and you spent a few minutes washing and rewashing your hands and arms, desperate to rid yourself of whatever was making your skin crawl.

“Washing like that don’t help much. I’m afraid those stains on your skin can’t just go away.” Arthur grabbed your arm, red from the pressure of the cloth you were dragging over and over. You sighed and released it, watching it slip under the surface of the water.

“He was an awful man. I know I couldn't have just walked away without him killing me, but how do you justify taking away a life?”

Arthur nodded and continued to move you away from the barrel. “None of us are especially good here, but we try. Don’t kill nobody who don’t deserve it. Sounds to me like he got what he deserved. Was that your first -” but he stopped talking as Jack ran up.

“Uncle Arthur! Mama said Hosea needs help moving something into camp. Big boxes!” He stretched his arms up to show the two of you just how big the boxes were. You laughed, and Arthur turned before taking Jack’s outstretched hand.

“You’ll be okay then?”

“Yes, Arthur. Thank you.” You watched the two of them walked off and Jack broke into a run. Hosea was moving boxes of liquor for the party and the kid was right, they were big. Whiskey, beer, and various other liquors were being spread over the camp so no one had to walk very far for a drink.

Dutch shouted appreciatively in the distance and ordered where everything should go. Ms. Grimshaw had a tent all set up for Sean with his things, and he emerged a new man after changing out of his old clothes.

Someone handed him a beer, and he walked over towards the ledge to face the small crowd.

“Oh, no speeches, please!” Karen shouted at Sean. He didn’t seem to mind the friendly banter and continued anyways.

“Uncle Sean is back! And don’t you worry, Ms. Grimshaw, I’ll keep them girls in line. If I have to whip em, I will!” He stopped to take a big pull from his bottle while the women in camp shouted back. “I’d like to see you try!” “Will you drop already?” “Put him down! Somebody needs to.”

After wiping his mouth, he continued, “And don’t you worry Mr. Pearson you drunk old shit bag, it’ll be nothing but the finest game in the pot, now that Dead Eye Macguire is here! I love you bastards, have fun. Have loads of fun!”

Sean stumbled forward and into the group, the party in full swing. Someone at the campfire started singing and playing guitar, and you walked over to find Javier plucking away. You didn’t know the one he was playing, but it was an upbeat tune that many people joined him for. After listening to the words for a moment, you realized just how lewd the words were.

“In Louisville I met a maid, mark well what I do say,

And she was mistress of her trade, it was diddle-diddle-diddle all day!

I put my hand upon her toe, mark well what I do say,

She says ‘young man you’re rather low’, for a diddle-diddle-diddle all day!

I put my finger on her knee, mark well what I do say,

She says, ‘young man you’re rather free’, for a diddle-diddle-diddle all day!”

The songs continued on, and as the drink flowed freely people slurred and got louder. It was a lot of fun, and you knocked back the last sip of your gin before heading to grab another bottle.

Dutch called out to you, “Miss Moore! You said you could sing, why don’t you lead the next one.”

Your heart jumped to your throat. Javier motioned you over and asked which songs you knew.

“Umm...how about The Mountain Shine? No, alright then. The Boy Livin’ Down Under? From This Valley? Perfect!”

Javier scooted over on the log so you could sit with him. The guitar started up hard and fast, and you came in with the first verse.

“Oh the desert dreams of a river,

That will run down to the sea.

Like my heart longs for an ocean,

To will wash down over me.

Oh, won’t you take me from this valley,

To that mountain high above?

Oh I will pray, pray, pray, until I see your smiling face,

Oh I will pray, pray, pray, to the one I love.”

Javier picked up the second verse with a rich voice that fit well with yours.

“Oh the outcast dreams of acceptance,

Just to find pure love’s embrace.

Like an orphan longs for its mother,

May you hold me in your grace.

Oh won’t you take me from this valley,

To that mountain high above?

Oh I will pray, pray, pray, till I see your smiling face,

I will pray, pray, pray, to the one I love!”

People around the fire were whistling and dancing along, some even joining in to sing. The song always reminded you of home and the dance hall downtown that opened its doors after the fishing boats returned from the last big sail of the year. The big skirts twirled and swished about in the most marvelous way.

“Oh, the caged bird dreams of a strong wind,

That will flow ‘neath her wings.

Like a voice longs for a melody.

Oh, Jesus carry me.

Won’t you take me from this valley

To that mountain high above?

I will pray, pray, pray,

Until I see your smiling face.

I will pray, pray, pray,

To the one I love!”

The song concluded after you and Javier timed the last verse together, trying to harmonize and failing but laughing along anyways.

“Thank you, Javier and YN! What an excellent tune to get folks on their feet and dancing.”

You stood up and walked over to the group around the alcohol. Whiskey still made your stomach turn and you couldn't stand the stuff, so you rummaged around for the gin bottle you had eyed earlier. The nerves from performing for a real crowd were still shaking out and you knocked over a bottle while trying to read the label.

“Dammit,” you muttered under your breath. Karen stumbled over looking as happy as a clam. Rumor was her and Sean were lovers not too long ago so she must be excited to have him back safe at camp. “YN! Hand me that one, will ya?” she motioned in the general direction of the bottles so you handed her the half empty one and hoped she didn’t notice. She did not, and put it high in the air to dance around with. Sean called her back to the table and she sat in his lap, ignorant to everyone else around them.

John walked into camp and clapped Sean on the back. The two laughed and exchanged a few words, then Arthur joined John to walk over for drinks.

“Ms. Moore! I don’t believe we’ve actually met. Abigail said the two of you met back in Blackwater and she talks enough that I feel like you and I are old friends. How are you holding up in camp?” John was younger than you thought, and it made you question how old Abigail was too. His dark hair was long and shaggy. The cuts on his face seemed to be healing although he would always have a wicked scar from his encounter with the wolves.

“Abigail is wonderful! Nice to see you up, Mr. Marston. I’ve been doing just fine. I think,” He had a kind smile and met your gaze when you shook hands. You grabbed two bottles and gave one to him and the other to Arthur.

“Hard to make friends when you keep getting hurt, Marston! Although probably best to keep that ugly face in the tent so you don’t go scaring people.” Arthur laughed heartily at his own joke, then took a pull from the full bottle. He must have taken Sean very seriously when he said to have fun from the looks of his flushed face. “You should see this one hunt, makes it look easy to use a bow.”

“A bow? Do you hunt much with Charles?”

“Just occasionally. But he’s much better than I’ll ever be.”

The three of you drank and chatted for a few moments, but were interrupted by Mary-Beth coming to grab Arthur’s hand.

“Arthur! Come dance with me. Dutch is playing that awful record player but I love the song.” He obliged and followed her over, leaving John and you alone.

John chuckled while watching the crowd. “That girl is the sweetest, silliest one here. Tilly and Karen can be nasty if they need to, but Mary-Beth don’t have it in her. Wants to be a writer some day.”

Mary-Beth was smiling up at Arthur as they spun around. “They with each other then?”

“Who, Arthur and Mary-Beth? God no! She’s a little sister to him, like that with everyone here.” You told the voice inside your head to be quiet but the gin made it impossible to listen.

“He, uh, sweet on anyone else then?”

John gave you a puzzled look for a few moments, then something clicked. “Nah, not anyone here. Don’t think he’s had them ideas for a long time.” He looked around the camp as the song ended. “Abigail! Get over here, woman. I’m gonna dance with you.” Abigail pretended she didn’t care but the small smile and blush told you she was thrilled. Mary-Beth had left to go back to the fire, and John called out, “Arthur why don’t you dance with that nice girl? She’s hiding back by the drink.”

Arthur looked your way and motioned for you to come. You sheepishly walked over, insistent that he didn’t have to keep dancing if he didn’t want to. He ignored your protests and held up his left hand, waiting for your own.

You stepped forward and placed your right palm in his and your left hand on his shoulder. He stood a good head above you, even in your heeled boots.

“Miss Moore, I can’t dance with you if you stand that far back now. Promise I won’t bite.”

After you stepped closer he put his hand around your waist and the two of you began to twirl around. Nearby Dutch and Molly had joined the group, and you swore this was one of the first times you had seen her smile and laugh.

“If you insist I call you Arthur instead of Mr. Morgan, then you know I’ll say the same. Call me YN.”

He chuckled and agreed, moving you over by Abigail and John. The two of them were laughing as John tried to keep up with Abigail’s feet but kept stepping on her toes. He started to make a game of it and chased her feet around with his.

“John! Oh you silly man. Stop it now! Well, don’t the two of you make quite a sight,” she looked over at you and Arthur. You shook your head, “He’s just being nice and putting up with me while I try to dance a bit better than John.’

Jack ran over and wanted to dance with his parents. He startled you all and you tripped forward, but Arthur caught you. “Thank you, Mr. Morgan.”

“How many times I gotta tell you, call me Arthur.” Without thinking he tucked the hair that had fallen free back behind your ear, lingering with his fingers in your hair. A flush spread across his cheeks as he dropped his hand to your shoulder and played off the intimate moment.

“You okay there, Mr. Morgan?” you asked. He sighed playfully, “I guess that won’t change even if I ask a hundred times.”

The song eventually ended, and the two of you broke apart. Arthur tipped his hat in thanks and headed back over to the group at the campfire and poking fun at Karen and Sean who thought they were flirting secretly.

“Now that is something I ain’t seen in a long time, Arthur Morgan, flustered and blushin’,” John said quietly as Abigail left to find Jack.

“Mr. Marston, it was nothing I promise. Just a harmless old dance.”

A burst of laughter ripped from him. “I’ve heard that before! And two weeks later, she’s telling me I’m gonna be a father!”

Much later in the night everyone gathered around the campfire swapping gunslinger stories. Dutch’s strange opera music still floats on the warm night air around you, but him and Molly haven’t been seen in a few hours and some other members of the camp had begun to drift off to bed. Whether that was face down in the dirt or their actual bedrolls depended on who you asked.

“I swear, it was the biggest bear I’d ever seen!” Sean elaborately told how he escaped some manner of beast, and it’s changed from killer wolves to bears and back again a few times in the same sentence.

“Must have been, yay high. Chasin me down the road. My heart nearly burst from my chest! But ol’ Dead Eye Maguire never runs from fear! So I hopped off my horse and tried to shoot him up. O’ course he was right behind me so it bowled me over. Tumblin’ down, over and over, until I finally landed on my feet like a cat, and pumped him full of shells from my trusty shotgun!” Sean jumped on to the table to demonstrate how he landed and swayed around until Pearson grabbed him by the collar.

“Not a word of that is true and you know it!” No one seemed to care as they were all laughing away at Sean.

“Darlin, you ever held a shotgun before?” He questioned Karen who had kept up with Sean in terms of drinks through the evening. He leaned over her shoulder and prepared to teach her how it was done.

The look she gave him was pure murder. “‘Course I handled a shotgun before! You think I don’t know how to shoot it? Shit, I’ve jerked enough dumb men around I reckon I can cock it one handed.”

Beer somehow shot out of both your nose and mouth simultaneously as the entire group erupted with laughter. Karen stood up and demonstrated how this could be done and it got funnier each time she pretended to shoot. Finally Sean tackled her to the ground and they recreated the bear/wolf fight with Sean as the attacker. They both stumbled around so hard no one could move more than a few feet.

You tipped your bottle up and drained the last few drops and took that as your sign to turn in for the night. The group was still rolling with laughter but you knew you would regret the gin in the morning if you stayed up much later. You waved and smiled to the group as you left to find your tent. The cot was just as uncomfortable as you remembered. After debating with yourself, you drunkenly decided to camp out on the ground near the overlook and a tree. It wasn’t comfortable, but the fresh air felt good on your skin. Slowly sleep overtook you, and you somehow dreamed peacefully of dancing bears that sounded like Dutch telling you to point your feet when you ran through a field.

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nezanie · 6 years ago

Text

Remembrance

Summary: Catra's acclimatizes to life at Bright Moon and plays a playful prank on two unsuspecting princesses. The queen remembers and sees the image of a good old friend in the girl.

Fic live on Ao3 and Patreon

Pairing: Glimatradora (fluff!)

xxx

Catra didn’t like to wear her heart on her sleeves, she played with words and slipped around the people closest to her which meant she usually managed to evade any concerns. Theirs and her own. Adora was easy to please but relentless never one to give up. She stuck close to her and her support was both endearing and somewhat cumbersome. Catra struggled to get used to the soothing atmosphere in the bright moon castle. Often the tension of war was palpable and to the ex-horde soldier a comfort at times. She did feel a little bit guilty about that, years of training and familiarising with weapons and warcraft couldn’t just be forgotten. Even Adora would sometimes slip back into the exercise drills when left to herself and admittingly Catra would join her more often than not for some semblance of normalcy she was used to, in a vain attempt to keep up with all the changes around them.

Time was not on their side though, Hordak lost his second in command, and fortified his defense and soon would double his efforts to take Bright Moon. While the tension with Catra was still high he needed to strike fast. The princesses remained wary of her and Catra let them be, it made more sense to her to stay out of the way and enforce the idea she wouldn’t bother them if they did the same. She lied to herself like that. It had worked well enough and the battles remained at a stalemate, neither side relenting their areas to the other.

It didn’t last long, the more they fought together, the more all of them got used to each other’s presence. The first one to approach Catra was the archer boy, it was amusing how he fumbled through small talk and she offered some offhand remarks that seemed to please him. Bow, or so he introduced himself as, didn’t stay too long and always knew when she wasn’t up for it. In the coming days, he’d look for her more often, and she gradually got used to his presence. On the battlefield, she made it a point to have his back, after all they were the only two who weren’t princesses. Soon after that, it was the queen’s daughter that approached her and the outcome was rather messy. She knew exactly who had pushed her to try, ‘Meddlesome boy,’

Catra snorted remembering the black eye she sported for the coming days, Glimmer was not so keen to remember the event as fondly, her face had been scratched up and itched for days on end as the narrow lines Catra caused healed. Their fights became a sort of common event, always comical and bombastic, and the other princesses often teased them about the silly arguments they had. It pushed them to talk to Catra a little more openly, and in a strange turn of events, she found herself fitting in with the girls in her own way. They were more than just fancy royals, the girls were all their own quirky as heck person.

And soon enough, as fate and some coincidences, Glimmer and Catra were paired up and found themselves working well together even if the circumstances forced them to. Secluded and alone, they had talked finding their own worries overlapping. Coming to an understanding meant accepting one another and Ctra was surprised to feel that she didn’t mind. The anger she was used to bottling up in the horde wasn’t as ever present anymore.

The weeks turned to months and Catra’s favourite past time turned to messing with the princesses. She played the silliest of pranks and it offered her a way to destress without having to confide in her new gang. It was one of those slow, quiet days in between attacks when Catra spotted Adora and Glimmer chatting and laughing, enjoying the peace while it lasted.

Cocking her head, ears flicking an deliciously mischievous idea sprang to her mind. At the very last second before she called out to the unexpecting duo, nearly slipping as her hand had already sprang up to greet them before impulsively changing her mind, she slid between some columns examining the area at hand. The corridor was vacant save for themselves, or so she thought, too enrapt in her games to notice anything but her prey. The Queen frowned at the spectacle before her, noting how her daughter and Adora seemed to be the targets and with a sigh she prepared to call for the feline girl. The words died in her throat as Queen Angella blinked at the self satisfied smirk Catra wore, a suppressed chuckle escaping her every now and then. The cheekiness something she had been familiar with, a trait shared by another she called a friend long ago. Angella’s mind spiralled into the possibility that seemed to reinforced day by day as she got used to the presence of the ex-Horde soldier. Perhaps it was time to face that plausible connection and trust the new generation with the past of Etheria not just it’s future. That was how the Queen found herself a spectator to Catra’s latest antics, nostalgia gripping her heart painfully.

They didn’t have their backs to Catra, both Glimmer and Adora were angled towards one of the many murals depicting the history of Bright moon, it was easy sneaking around to one of the statues by their side. She’d have the time of her life teasing them about how they hadn’t even noticed her climbing up on the pedestal and looking down at them from her perch. Whether she was on the good side or not, it always felt glorious having the higher ground. It took merely a second, though they had been trained to expect the unexpected at any time Catra went unnoticed. She wiggled her tush, the queen suppressed a laugh letting the tomfoolery unravel. With an expert eye she managed to aim her jump just before a sparkle of recognition lit up in Glimmer’s eyes. By then Catra was already airborne and freefalling.

“FOR the glory of epic dive bombs!” she cried spreading her arms wide and gloating in the sounds of the shrieks beneath her. It did a number on her ribs but it was certainly worth the aggravated expressions she was given

The trio was flung to the floor, Adora had slipped and couldn’t hold them and Glimmer in her shock forgot she could even warp away grabbing onto Adora’s jacket and pulling her down along with Catra’s entire being weighing them down. Adora was the first to react shoving Catra’s legs off and glaring at the grinning fiend. “Catra!” they both cried in perfect unison. Music to her cat ears! Glimmer groaned grumbling under her breath and teleported from beneath Catra’s upper body causing her to welp and fall on her back. Adora was onto her the next second, her hands grappling her in an attempt to submit her into a headlock.

She shrugged in the hold feeling pretty confident, “It’s not my fault you guys are the slowest princesses in Etheria,”

“You bloody…” Adora growled, smiling and taking it up as a challenge right away. Oh how they missed the good old days and scuffles.

Catra managed to slip away laughing mockingly, wearing the smuggest expression she could before hearing a pop above her. ‘Oh Dang!’ The next thing she knew, she was on the floor once more, hands ruffling her hair into an even scruffier mess.

She cried indignant, “That’s cheating, twinkles!”

“HaHA, all is fair in friendly squabbles!” Glimmer replied squishing her cheeks and being as obnoxious as possible. Catra made it a point to shove her away, elbowing her, hand in the princesses face and all. She mewled when she felt a pinching sensation on her side.

“Adora, that’s foul play!” Catra swatted the hand away but Glimmer made it all more difficult messing with her hair and face. Adora gave Glimmer a nod who winked back. They were ganging up on her.

Adora grinned wickedly meeting Catra’s warning stare full on, “As if that’s ever stopped me before,”

Glimmer gushed as Catra couldn’t help but laugh out with Adora’s well aimed pokes getting more and more tickly. Glimmer went in for the kill aiming for her neck. Catra promised divine retribution for exploiting her weak point, but then again, she might have deserved it just a tinsy bit. Feathery touches reaching her most aggravating spots and reducing her to a mewling, giggly mess. Catra was sure she must have broken somebody’s rib with all the thrashing around she was doing and eventually she managed to grab Adora’s collar and pull her down. The empty corridor was filled with the laughter of the three teenagers as they rolled around trying to get the better of one another.

“I give, I give,” Catra dramatically huffed and puffed, although she really did need to catch her breath.

Glimmer chuckled by her side waving her hands in excitement, “I can’t believe you’re-”

“AH uh, don’t finish that sentence, I can barely take this knucklehead-,” Catra pointed her thumb to her other side were a satisfied Adora stretched her arms raised high above her head, “-using it against me,”

Glimmer rolled her eyes, sitting upright accepting a well earned high five from Adora, beneath them Catra stuck her tongue out at them with quite a vocal ‘Bleh’. The three burst in chortles feeling liberated more than anything, up until they heard the clicking of heels close by them.

Catra jumped right up to her feet as the Queen of Bright Moon approached them. She felt the woman’s eyes on her more often than not, and she couldn’t really blame her. She accepted the suspicions that came from switching sides especially as the move had done nothing to mellow her sharp tongue. Adora and Glimmer followed glancing at her in question. They were mostly sympathetic, specially Adora who had been subjected to the same wariness. For Catra, it wasn’t that simple, there was something else beyond the doubt in those watchful eyes.

“I see you’re having fun,” Queen Angella smiled at them, cocking a brow at Catra’s tense posture, “At ease, we’re not soldiers here...Catra,”

Catra nodded trying to slouch a little, she couldn’t really relax, the queen had a similar kind of feel to Shadow Weaver and although she knew they were two completely different individuals it still proved a little unsettling to be addressed by the queen. The fact Angella used her name didn’t go unnoticed..

“We were just playing around Mum,” Glimmer cleared her throat a little bit embarrassed, she nudged Catra’s arm and gave her a supportive glance ‘It’s just my mum,’ she seemed to say. Catra shrugged nonchalantly, it did help a little especially since she could feel Adora’s shoulder touch her own on the other side.

“May I request your presence for a little...talk?” Queen Angella asked softly. Catra didn’t notice she was being addressed until the queen’s brow furrowed clearly looking straight at her. She awaited her reply and not her daughter as she had assumed.

“Eh ah sure?”

The vague reply seemed to please her enough, a soft smile gracing the queen’s lips, her wings fluttering as she turned around expecting to be followed.

Catra glanced at Glimmer and Adora who could offer no explanation and instead a few pats on her back. Catra leaned down to whisper in Glimmer’s ear, “Your mother’s a vegetarian I hope,”

Glimmer snorted but added encouragingly, “It’s okay her bark’s scarier than her bite,”

Adora shook her head at the exchange but gave her a quick thumbs up. It seemed she couldn’t count on her to make up an excuse this time.

“Somehow that doesn’t reassure me,” she exhaled exaggeratingly and followed the woman making it a point to stay two steps behind her all the way. The implication that there was bite to the Bright moon ruler’s wasn’t comforting. The queen looked back at her and smiled warmly, Catra felt herself flush due to her own childish antics. And in a way, it was a blessing, back in the Horde, there wasn’t really any time left to be a child amidst the adults.

Catra stared at anything and anywhere from the brightly lit murals, the clean, pastel columns and didn’t notice Queen Angella had slowed down her pace until she glimpsed her by her side. She must have flinched because a hand found the small of her back and patted it.

“It’s alright, take it easy,” she mumbled clearing her throat. The awkward effort effective to Catra who nodded and found herself appreciating what she considered a prime brownie point tactic more than anything because it was new to her.

“Is this about my pranks? I was just playing,” she laughed nervously. ‘Way to keep your cool, attagirl,’

Angella shook her head, bemused, “No, it’s about your roots, if you would listen to the rambling of an old royal stick in the mud,”

Catra grimaced, remembering her very exact words describing the queen before she had defected.

“I jest,” the teasing tone elicited a smile from Catra. And the atmosphere around them felt just a tad less tense. Who would’ve guessed, talking to others did do something other than tire her out. The offer still hung between them in the silence that followed.

Her roots, huh. She had always been curious about them, were there others like her? Had the horde taken them out, did she have parents, actual real parents, not fake ass guardians who played with her head and pitted her against others. Glancing at the queen, she wondered if her mother had been anything like her. Pretty, hard working, regal, a little bit clumsy with her daughter but full of love.

“I’d like that, the root exploring thing, i mean,” Catra said quietly. If it meant she could find her own place in the word, outside of being someone’s right hand man, and getting her own goals in this war. It was worth the effort.

The queen’s wings ruffled and she clapped her hands enthusiastically, “Well, then, where to start?!”

#spop #she ra #she ra fanfic #fanfic #glitradora #rave fanfic #catra #adora #glimmer #queen angella #glimatradora

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dreamscapesin1582 · 7 years ago

Text

Chapter T W O

Word Count: 2807

Reading Time: 10+ Minutes

Tagging: acrispyapple , masamunesmistress , that-otome-potato

Trigger warning: Mentions of death/suicide.

[ edited 07/16/20 ]

Who could fall asleep at a time like this?

Katsumi rose from the futon and rubbed her temple. She sighed in distress and gradually came to the decision to choose to bear the headache.

She rose from the futon, planning to observe the layout of the room. No wirings, no outlets, nothing modern. She inspected the hanging scrolls, finding it so authentic. Roughly intricate brush strokes. Traditional art.

And then she found herself facing a shoji door, as her finger traced the lockless wooden handle. Her brow furrowed, worrying if people of the Sengoku had any privacy at all.

Then she slid it open, and the moonlight washed over the room like a tide.

The moon was still shining and beautiful in the unbroken dawn.

A small smile crept to her lips upon remembering a certain someone. That’s right. That kid loved the moon. He always claimed he would one day catch it and keep it safe in his hands. He wanted to preserve the pretty thing, and she didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was impossible. Although she enjoyed seeing him happy as he gazed at the sky almost every night.

Almost.

Until he stopped.

Gradually approaching footsteps from outside removed her from her reminiscence. Her smile disappeared upon hearing an unfamiliar voice behind the paper screens.

“I’m entering.”

And a man appeared on the other side of the door. Beautiful, if not dangerous. Like Sasuke, he had the image of someone straight out of a historical drama… except that they were actually in that sort of timeline.

But what would an armed person want with her?

Kenshin didn’t bother schooling his expression as the thin line on his lips remained. “You’re shivering, woman. Close that door if it’s cold.”

Words failed her, of all times. Her forgotten fear reared itself out. Unnoticed, all at once, without warning. She could only hug herself and step back, carefully watching his every move.

In her mind, she begged those thoughts gone.

He took a step forward and she instinctively took a step back. If he had taken five more steps, she would have fallen off the balcony. Kenshin stopped and stared. The night was behind her, yet the shadows the lurked within her expression was darker. Grimmer. It was almost familiar to him, like a mirror.

What a troublesome woman.

“Stay here,” his voice was commanding, making her flinch at his words, “and wait for me.”

She was feeling cold, he assumed—or what he convinced himself to assume. He turned back to the hallway and went to find a haori himself. He couldn’t leave it to the maids because it was already time that they were asleep.

But he couldn’t seem to get his mind out of that expression on her face. It was like looking at himself. Or were his demons too convincing now that it was able to project itself to the woman?

It took him a while to find one that actually fits her and started to go back, trying to erase the mere memory of that certain face while he’s at it. His eyes were narrowed with displease all the way down the halls. He reached her room once again and found the door open.

She fled.

Panic surged inside him like a hurricane. Just as he was nearly saved from his complicated emotions, the darkest of thoughts mocked him in this time of vulnerability, followed by an inconvenient reminder of his weakness. He turned around sharply and his feet was in a hurry to go to the stables.

He encountered Sasuke along the way and he almost yelled at the poor boy. “Search around the whole castle! The woman escaped!”

“What?” the ninja managed to say, but Kenshin took no time to stop and hear his response and swiftly got on his horse. Sasuke grew worried and began to search around.

Kenshin secured the haori on the saddle and glanced at the heavens. The moon is still up. There was still time. And yet the pounding on his chest has yet to cease. For the first time, the God of War prayed for a stranger to be safe in the grasps of the evil unknowns lurking in the dark.

With a snap of the reins, Kenshin left Kasugayama once again.

Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me alone.

It was noiseless, but Katsumi was desperately covering her ears as she ran away from the castle. She kept muttering to herself as she ran, ran, ran to wherever. As long as she keeps her distance away from… something. That something. That freaking something that came back without consent nor warning.

It wasn’t because of that man. It wasn’t because he was armed, or because he had this dangerous imposition, or because she didn’t know him. No. It could’ve been anyone. Anyone could have made her feel helpless all over again and right now, she just wanted it gone.

Gone forever.

“LEAVE ME ALONE!”

A shuffle of leaves followed as startled birds flew away. Her breaths gradually turned softer as the image of her brother appeared between all those thoughts that slowly clawed at her sanity. And then, silence. Just like that, again.

And it was outright more deafening than the voices on her head.

The tall trees and its dozens of leaves were filtering the moonlight, sprinkling it like stars on her feet. She breathed out, glancing around to find herself in a forest. The headache was gone, but her reverberating heartbeat remained to drive her insane. Her knees collapsed.

All kinds of sound was blocked from her ears, except from her labored breathing. She laid her body on the grass and just retired there. She felt like caring no longer. Tired. Unmoving. She couldn’t even hear the approaching men that was watching her ever since she entered the forest.

She closed her eyes. And just like every time, her brother appeared in her mind with the silliest smile. It was bright, too bright. Perhaps it was salvation, if only it didn’t appear every single time she just wanted to—

“Why can’t you just let me die?”

And her eyes shot open upon the sound of metal briskly clashing against metal. She immediately sat up and gasped. In front of her was a beautiful white horse and the equally beautiful man regally sitting on it, the blade on hand giving off a dangerous glint in the face of light.

“Touch her once and a body will fall.”

Kenshin couldn’t understand a lot of things that happened this evening. It was eventful in a way he couldn’t put words to describe it. Everything he did, everything he was doing, everything he was about to do… it was all just a whim. Instinct. Unexplainable things. So he just surrendered to it, with no rationalizations whatsoever.

What he does know, however, is that his blade is more than willing to see blood.

“You again?” The bandits flinched as he recognized them. Kenshin alighted from his horse to face them in fair ground, but the men found themselves losing the fight in them.

Katsumi couldn’t see it as Kenshin had his back turned against her, but if looks could kill, a massacre would have taken place in this very moment. It took her a while to realize that they were surrounded by men who were almost completely concealed in the dark, if not for the malicious glimmer of their dull, rusty blades against the limited moonlight. Bandits that meant to capture the conflicted woman and sell her to whoever.

He glanced behind his shoulder, quickly scanning her to see any injury. None. He turned back to the surrounding men. “Woman. Close your eyes.”

In the face of the God of War, the bandits valued their life more than anything else in the world… except for one. That foolish, young man. He charged blindly towards the angered warlord and in an instant, blood was spilled. Katsumi quickly covered her eyes, finding herself unable to scream from shock.

“Fool,” Kenshin shook the blood off his sword nonchalantly, “I meant to end this quickly. I don’t have time to kill for you. So either you come now or I come to you. Either way would end the same.”

With a disappointed click of his tongue, a man, perhaps the leader, called for retreat. Leaves shuffled again and silence followed. Kenshin waited a few moments, sighting the whole place before finally sheathing his sword back to its scabbard.

He walked towards the woman and knelt to her level. “Are you hurt?”

Katsumi reluctantly took off her trembling hands from her eyes and found herself looking straight into Kenshin’s eyes. She was rendered speechless for a moment, unable to process everything that just happened. Then her horrified eyes moved to look behind him, seeing an unmoving man laid face-down on the grass.

“…D-Did you kill him?”

His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Why would you want to know?”

“People aren’t supposed to be killed just like that.” She looked at him as if he lost all common sense. Kenshin did the same.

“He could have harmed you.” He said it like it was a matter of fact. And it was. “Are you saying he isn’t allowed to die, but you are?”

If I told the truth, what would you do?

Katsumi sealed the answer with a purse of her lips. Kenshin stood up.

“You are really troublesome,” he narrowed his eyes at her, “I told you to stay and you leave. Now I ask you a question and you stay silent.”

Unable to answer that, she turned away. Kenshin turned to his horse, getting something from the saddle.

“…and you know it is cold out here and you dare to leave without something to keep you warm.”

He returned to the woman and quickly wrapped something around her shoulders, his fingers gently brushing against her sleeves. A haori?

“You will return with me to Kasugayama,” he said it like a declaration, “and I will not allow you to willingly face harm again.”

Something softened in her chest. Was it the warmth of the haori, or this stoic man’s words? Was he even aware of what he’s saying?

Is it another façade? A lie? A little white lie?

“…I-I don’t understand you.” She whispered, eyes falling back to oblivion where it once were. “Why are you doing this?”

Oh, how he wanted to admit that it was a question he wanted answers to, as well. But right then, something just clicked. Something he wanted to forget. Something he wanted gone.

But he still remembers.

God, he still remembers. All of it. All over again.

Her eyes turned to his and she caught her breath on her throat. Just now, it was like they swapped expressions. She could almost see herself in him when she looked up. The very same ghost of misery haunted the soul behind his dual-colored eyes.

He blinked once and suddenly he looked as if he never had that sort of face a while ago. It disappeared just like that. A snap.

“Stand. We’ll leave at once.”

She couldn’t. Well, she could, but she didn’t. His frown deepened.

Castles. Bandits. Swords. Warring States. Those kinds of words echoed in her ears. She remembered what Sasuke told her. It felt weird somewhat, believing someone in a whim and eventually knowing he was telling the truth. She almost couldn’t recognize the feeling.

Question is, would it be worth it to try that again?

“If you are so afraid of people, then tell me so.” The warlord eyed her impatiently. Still, she remained silent. He almost went in to grab her, but his mouth had other ideas and decided to ask permission like it was a normal thing for him. “Do you need me to use force?”

Katsumi felt like walking to a trap. Problem is, the haori wrapped on her shoulders was saying otherwise. The mismatched eyes that looked at her may seem like those of a killer, but in that moment, she saw otherwise.

No. Someone like “them” would not have that kind of expression.

“See you tomorrow, Onee-chan!”

She sighed at the voice that echoed on her ears like a reminder. How the hell is she going to meet that boy if she’s dead?

“I’m not scared of people,” she finally looked back to him, “I just dislike having others enter my room in the evening. Do you think that’s negotiable?”

Now she’s talking. Kenshin certainly didn’t expect her to have some spunk in her words. He could almost laugh, if he wasn’t feeling tired of it all. He just wanted it done. “Fine. No one shall speak with you or visit your chamber unless you invited them to. In exchange for that, you will return with me back to the castle, where you are safe.”

Her eyebrows raised a little. “That’s all you want in exchange?”

“I do what I want.” He was growing more and more impatient. He uncharacteristically disliked the atmosphere inside these woods. The impurity of it. “Do we have an agreement now?”

She still couldn’t understand him.

…But she bet she was just as impossible to understand.

When she nodded, he grabbed her wrist and made her stand, almost dragging her to his horse. She couldn’t utter a complaint since she knew she was acting childish. Though she managed a little squeak when he suddenly carried her up to his horse, and got on himself.

Trapped in the confines of his arms, the reins made another snap and off they went. Surprised at the speed, she held on to his chest.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of the fallen body on the grass again as they passed through. Kenshin noticed this and let out a distressed grunt. “If he’s fortunate, his companions will come back for him and he should live.”

“How do you know that? He’s unconscious.”

“The wound I gave him was not fatal enough,” his displeasure of not killing him was evident in his voice, “I believe he passed out from great fear. The young fool. It was wiser to retreat if they valued their lives.”

“…So you didn’t kill him.” She exhaled. There she was again, feeling relieved for someone that wanted to harm her. And here was another fool.

“He was not worthy to be slain by Himezuru Ichimonji.”

She looked up to him. “You refer to yourself by your whole name?”

Now Kenshin was confused, for the umpteenth time this day. He pressed his lips together, the horse finally reaching the clearing, and he glanced down to her. Funny how she looked almost too innocent in the face of moonlight, but that doesn’t change the fact that he looked at her like she has grown insane in the matter of seconds.

“Himezuru Ichimonji is the name of my sword,” he turned his eyes front, “My name is Uesugi Kenshin.”

Kenshin. The name repeated itself on her head. She tried to remember Sasuke mentioning that name, and how she has heard of that name a lot of times in the past. Kenshin. Kenshin. Kenshin…

Until it dawned at her, whereas she glanced at his profile in awe.

…History books never told us the God of War was this good-looking.

She hasn’t given it that much thought, she didn’t have the time and effort for that, but she admitted that it did cross her mind when she met him. That explains his expertise with the sword. Might also explain his way with words. His commanding charisma that just lures one to follow him.

But why would the God of War want someone like her to return to his castle?

“I accepted your deal but,” Katsumi paused, “I really would like to know why you are so desperate to take me back.”

Now he didn’t glance back at her. He thought about it for a moment. The hooves of his horse occupied his ears along with the moans of the wind.

…Ah. Of course.

The answer was right there. And it was simple. And it was… tremendously foolish.

Fate. It was fate. His unyielding curse. His immovable nightmare.

“…You remind me of someone.”

It was something he didn’t plan on saying, but it escaped his lips like a melancholic sigh. She gazed at the brief flash of emotion he showed and her heart ached somewhat. This man had the saddest expression she has ever seen behind beautiful eyes. Her fingers curled on his clothes, clinging to him. A frown tugged at her lips as she hung her head low. They both remained silent during the short trip back to Kasugayama.

If I remind you of someone that makes you do that expression, then why do you want to keep me near?

It was a question she left unsaid.

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#ikemen sengoku #ikesen #Ikemen Sengoku: Romances Across Time #cybird #ikemen series #ikesen kenshin #uesugi kenshin #kenshin uesugi #fdwl #fdwl project #fdwl fanfic series #from death with love #from death with love series #ikemen sengoku fanfic #ishino katsumi #ikemen sengoku fanfic series #fanfic series #ikesen fanfic series

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jamesniall · 6 years ago

Note

Hey I’m not the anon that u talked about but I follow u on twitter and wanna let u know that don’t worry!!!! That happened to me a few days ago too djdnxjsn. Are you posting today?

ahhh HI OMG thank u for understanding :’)

IT WAS SO FRUSTRATING bc i got it all written but there’s lil things to edit and words to change a bit but it was basically done and then the power went out and refused to come back for 7 hours :/

as soon as it came back i got to it but im sleeeeepy and i have a family thing tomorrow morning (basically today wow it’s 4 am) so i can’t post it until the afternoon :( BUT YES TODAY IT’LL BE POSTED FINALLY. NOTHING WILL STOP ME FROM POSTING IT TODAY.

if u want, and for the other super patient and lovely anon as well, here’s a lil preview of it; the first out of the 5 + 1 things of this fic!

(as i said, it still needs to be proof read again so if u find mistakes pls pretend u didnt, im gonna get to them tomorrow sdkfhds but yeah there u have 1,5k of this monster of a fic that took over 2 months of my life lmao what started as a lil hurt/comfort fic ended up in a 18k monster of developing relationship hurt/comfort and angst with a cHEESY ending wow)

Having the night shift at the E.R onFriday nights it’s always a chore. Harry always tries his best to change itwith one of his colleagues, even if he has to take Monday’s morning shift whereeveryone comes with the silliest symptoms to get some excuse to get out oftheir jobs for a couple days.

This time, however, Liam has a familything he can’t get out of and Harry has to cover the night shift.

It goes as he expected it.

Drunk college students with alcoholpoisoning are the most common gig of the night, followed by guys withconcussions and broken noses that can only be attributed to bar fights.

It’s around 10 pm when he’s making a roundthrough the new arrivals when he sees a guy sitting in the waiting room withwhat seems to be a scarf wrapped around his left arm and a guitar tightlyclutched in his right hand.

He looks downright miserable. Soaked tothe bone – though Harry doesn’t recall it raining when he started his shift –hair plastered to his forehead and a bruise in his right cheek that he can tellit’s gonna swell and hurt as fuck tomorrow morning.

He takes a look around the room andfigures he’s the most interesting case he can get out of the night.

“Hello there, I’m Doctor Styles. Did thenurse give you the triage paper?” He asks, looking down at the brown hairedguy, who startles at his voice.

“Oh, hi, yes, uh,” he searches around hispockets for a bit, hissing when he disturbs his homemade bandage, Harry doesn’tknow if he’s hiding a broken, burnt or cut arm, but he’s sure the scarf it’snot wrapped up properly for none of those situations.

He finally finds a yellow crumbled uppaper in the pocket of his jeans, “thought the red papers got attention first.”He says, looking up to Harry and handing him the paper.

“Yeah, Friday nights are usually full ofyellow ones, though.” Harry says, scanning the paper quickly and seeing Niall J. Horan, 25 year old male, reportedbar fight, probable broken wrist, no signs of concussion, vitals on order, pain8/10. “How’s your pain right now?”

“Out of ten? It’s been simmering between 8and 9 for the last hour,” Niall replies with a shrug. “Nurse told me x-rayswere necessary but that I’d have to leave my guitar outside,” he continues, “Irefused, because have you seen the people around this place? They’re all drunk.No way I’m leaving it out here only to find it broken, so if you can tell mewhat to do or what to take for the pain I’d appreciate it so I can go home.”

“You could have a broken wrist, judging bythe pain I’m pretty sure that’s the case, isn’t getting the x-ray moreimportant than a guitar?” Harry asks, an amused smile making his way through asNiall splutters and shakes his head.

“’Course it’s more important, she’s one ofa kind. Actually my arm might be broken because I fell out of the stage toprotect her.” He states. A stubborn frown taking over his face.

“Alright,” Harry nods, “You can leave itin my office while we do x-rays and get you proper treatment. That way both ofyou will be safe.”

“Really?” Niall asks, “Hey, thank youmate! I hope it’s not a bother.”

“None at all, just follow me and we’ll getit done quick enough.”

Half an hour later Niall’s sitting in astretcher as Harry wraps up his broken wrist properly. His guitar restingbeside him. “I cannot help but ask, what did you mean you fell out of a stageto save your guitar?”

“Oh,” he laughs, “well, you see, I play inthis bar on Friday nights, to help a bit with the bills, you know? Being ajust-graduated-nutritionist doesn’t give you much, so I was there, justchilling, getting ready to finish the set, when a bunch of assholes startedfighting, throwing punches and chairs and tables went flying. My guitar was inthe direct line of fire.” He says, pausing a bit to swallow harshly as Harrymoves his arm to check the blood flow is alright and the bandages are justtight enough. “So I try to yell at ‘em to be careful but just as I was about toreach the guitar and leave a guy was pushed over, I can only guess he was deaddrunk, because he didn’t even try to slow down the fall, and I could only seehis ass was for sure gonna land on my guitar, so I jumped head first to grab itand he fell on me, I fell on the corner of the stage, thus the bruising.”

“Is that why you told the nurse the reasonof all this was a bar fight?”

“Well, technically it all started with abar fight, but as I was about to explain it all she just went and rolled hiseyes and gave me a yellow paper.” Niall says, a sour look on his face, “realrude of her, you know.”

“Yeah, you’ll have to forgive her,” Harrysays with a small smile, “we don’t get much of anything other than bar fightson Friday nights.” He continues, handing Niall a sheet of paper with hisprescribed pain medication.

“Do I have to come for you to take a lookat it again? Like, remove the bandage or something?” Niall asks, looking a bitforlornly at the piece of paper.

“Oh, yeah but not here, exactly. You cancall this number,” he says, handing Niall a small card that just says Liam Payne and two phone numbers. “He’sthe best orthopedist you’ll ever find in this hospital. He’ll do an x-ray,check everything’s alright and in about 4 weeks you’ll be bandages free.” Hefinishes, smiling despite the fact that Niall looks kind of sad. Disappointedeven. “He really is the best, you’ve got nothing to be scared of, he’ll takegood care of you.”

“Not as good as you,” Niall mutters underhis breath as Harry turns his back on him to open the curtain that wasseparating them from the rest of the E.R.

“What was that?” Harry asks.

“Oh, nothing, just. Thinking out loudabout whether I should try to find a bus or just walk home.”

“I can call you a cab if you’d like.”Harry offers. Helping Niall gather his guitar, papers and card without losinganything.

“No, that’s alright. I left my jacket atthe bar so I have no change with me, just my very loyal Oyster card and twowell-functioning legs.”

“It’s really late, Niall, really. I canlend you some, it’s no trouble.” Harry says, searching in his pockets for hiswallet, “I’d be no good of me as a doctor if I fix you up only to let you walkhome at two in the morning. Cab is the safest option.”

“Also the most expensive,” Niall remarks,“we’re in an alright neighborhood and I live like half an hour from here, it’llbe alright.” Then, with a bit more of spark in his eyes, he says; “If you wantyou can give me your number and I can text you as soon as I get home.”

Harry seemed too busy looking into hiswallet to notice, though, “Here, just a couple of bucks. Just in case youdecide your house’s too far and you’re too tired or cold to keep walking.” Hesays, handing Niall a couple of folded bills. “Or in case you have nothing inyour Oyster card. Can’t never be too safe.”

He’s just finished talking when a beepcomes from his pocket. Eyes opening wide when he sees a red alert from hispager.

“Well, look at that. You can have a couplered cases on Friday nights too.” Harry says, shaking his head, “Have a niceevening. Don’t forget to pick up your meds tomorrow morning. What I just gaveyou we’ll be enough for the night but it might get really achey if you movearound a lot.” Harry says, walking fast towards the nurses’ station. “No guitarplaying, for at least a week, let you hand heal nicely. If there’s moreswelling, your fingers get really cold, dark or you can’t feel them or there’sany fever at all, please come back to the E.R immediately.” Harry says in arush as he checks the new triage papers. “Any questions?”

“Thank you.” Says Niall. “Really, you werethe nicest doctor I’ve ever met and I promise when I come back for that check-upI’ll hunt you down and pay you back.”

“No need,” Harry replies with a smile,“I’ve got to run. Have a safe trip home!”

And with that he leaves, back towards theentrance of the E.R where an ambulance is pulling in someone in a really bloodystretcher.

With a shudder, Niall turns to leave, notbefore looking back at Harry for the last time and saying to himself, “nexttime I’ll get his number.”

#IM A MESS #Anonymous #idk how this ended up being almost 20k words #but proof reading it has been A MESS #bc there are words that i type in spanish to translate them later and then when i do they dont FIT RIGHT in the sentence #so i have to rewrite the sentence and then that one doesnt FIT RIGHT with the next one #and yeah i basically rewrote a whole scene #it's been 5 hours since the power came back and im halfway through editing it and making it alright #but it's almost 5am now #and i have to be up by 9 for a family thingy #so i'll have to finish tomorrow :(#IM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT #i considered posting it like...chapter-y #like posting the first 3 chapters that are sort of done and then tomorrow the rest #but i hate chaptered fics skdjfhsdkf #I'LL POST IT TOMORROW (today) AS SOON AS I CAN #I PROMISE #I LOVE U ALL #THANK U FOR BEING SO LOVELY AND SWEET AND PATIENT #i hated how the first scene of the fic turned out so i hope you're not disappointed #i think the rest it's alright and i actually loved writing it #but yeah

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indecisiveunderachiever · 7 years ago

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Spoiled

This is for Corriander Week, Day 6 - Surprise

“And now, I believe we’re done.” A male voice could be heard from the interior of Castle Krakenburg. “If you’ll allow me, I shall take my leave.”

The Nohrian advisors were just wrapping up their weekly meeting with their majesties, King Xander and Queen Kamui. They would echo the voice of the people to royal ears so that their rulers knew how to right all the wrongs left by Xander’s father. That meeting had gone, like all others, perfectly well, however Kamui could see in Xander’s posture that he wasn’t as attentive to the counselors’ words. And she had been noticing that unusual demeanor in the last couple of weeks as well. Nobody but his own wife would be able to notice those simple details, such as his discreet glances towards the window, and a peculiar fidgeting of his fingers.

She was wishing their visitors a safe return while Xander had already left the room without any final words, as it was expected from someone in his position. Kamui didn’t even get a chance to inquiry him on the reason for so much haste, but that didn’t mean she would not look for answers. In fact, she already had a card up her sleeve...

It took her a couple minutes to collect all of the written papers left on the round table. While still alone in the meeting room, she called for someone. “Jakob?”

Immediately, a silhouette of a man could be seen approaching the door. “Yes, milady?” the silver-haired butler replied, with his eyes unable not to look into hers, but he still managed to close the door behind him.

“Did you see where Xander left off to?” she asked, while making one of her hands busy pulling some hair behind her pointy ears.

“Of course I did, milady. Earlier today you asked me to follow him from the moment he left this very room. And so I did.”

She giggled. “I can always count on you, can’t I? Very well,” she said with all papers already arranged under her left arm, “where did he go?”

“I’m afraid I cannot tell you, Kamui.” he said with a smirk not-so-well hidden in the corner of his mouth. He cleared his throat before continuing, trying to produce a deeper voice, “It is a secret. I can assure you I mean no harm to Kamui, but you must give me your word you will not tell her anything about this”. He couldn’t help but let out a little laugh and close his eyes in delight as she tilted her head in confusion.

“Um... is that what Xander told you?” She asked, a finger resting on her lips.

“Yes. I gave him my word. Whatever am I to do now?” He blinked very slowly, amused at the situation.

“Oh, Jakob. You’re so silly sometimes.”

Both of them were giggling as they left the room together.

The next week, on that very same room, Xander and Kamui were sitting in their usual spots while the advisors would let them into the most concerning issues outside of the castle walls. This time, Kamui was unable to catch any signs of Xander being worried about that. She was glad, and so was he.

Once all matters were discussed, they both accompanied their visitors to the front door, where two servants of the castle were ready to take them to their gates outside. Xander and Kamui humbly thanked them as they left, and as soon as they were not in their line of sight, Xander broke the silence.

“My dear Kamui, would you mind joining me on a walk to our private quarters?” he asked, extending a corteous hand towards his wife. “There’s something I would like to show you.”

“Oh? Why, of course, Xander.” She took his hand and smiled at him, while his cheeks reddened a bit. “Is something the matter?”

“Definitely not,” he said, leading them both towards their destination. “It’s just... I... have something for you.” He tried to continue the conversation, but his entire face was redder than Kamui’s eyes and he was finding it hard to find the words he so eagerly wanted to say. Kamui smirked for the split second that Xander took to look away and try to compose himself.

“Xander... What is this about?” She asked, with a serious tone. Or so she tried. She was trying so hard not to burst in laughters that she couldn’t keep a straight face for too long.

Her husband, however, was too embarassed to notice. “I have... prepared a surprise for you, little princess.” His ears were now boiling with anticipation. Why am I so nervous...? Steel yourself, Xander!

“Really?” Kamui inquired. “Well then, please lead me to it! You’ve got my attention.” Hee hee hee... “I wonder what it is...” She almost whispered her last sentence, before Xander shook his head to try and recompose himself, giving her the silliest grin.

“You’ll see. Soon enough.” His hands, however soft as they were, were now covered by a thin layer of sweat. Kamui could easily squeeze out of his grip but she was enjoying her husband’s tension too much to try and calm him down. She knew there was no reason for that behavior, for she already knew what was about to happen.

"Here we are, my love,” Xander said as he opened the door to their room.

Xander let his wife in first, and closed the door behind them. Kamui turned around multiple times, trying to scan their room in hopes of finding something different between their possessions. “What is it that you have for me, Xander? I can’t seem to find it...” And I guess I won’t, will I?

He took a very long gulp before he could answer. “It’s nothing you can appreciate with your eyes, I’m afraid. In fact, I think you’d rather close your eyes for this.” She lowered her head sheepishly and stared her big, curious eyes at the numerous drops of sweat that swept through his temple. Xander took a second gulp as he extended his hand towards her. “Mayhap you’d like to take a seat, too.”

She took his hand once more, with a expressionless face. She was trying to look curious yet wary, but couldn’t stop letting a giggle every now and then. Somehow, he was too nervous to notice those and was totally falling for the act.

As he guided her to their bed, he caressed her head and allowed her to sit down, both eyes closed. “I have written something and I would like you to hear it. It’s from the bottom of my heart, and I hope you thoroughly enjoy what it has to say.”

The laughted had ceased completely as Kamui nodded in acknowledgment. She was just waiting for her husband’s words. Xander took her silence as a sign for him to finally begin.

However, it took him a couple minutes to control the sweating of his hand, or else he wouldn’t be able to read the words from the little piece of paper that he drew from his pocket.

He also cleared his throat countless times. Kamui was, during all that time, motionless, her eyes never opening. As he started reading the paper, he noticed he had already memorized it all, so he sat beside Kamui, closed his eyes alongside her and uttered his work.

“’Tis been so long since we’ve met

and many battles did we brave,

but know that not once did I regret

Since our hearts to each other we gave.

Every night I pray to the stars

and thank them for what they’ve done,

for regardless of all the scars,

You and me together have become.

And I shall, forever, bless

that day so full of glee

when you answered me your ‘yes’

And tog--”

“And together we’ll always be,” Kamui interrupted.

Xander opened his eyes in surprise. How is this possible? He looked at his wife, but her eyes were still shut.

Kamui kept both hands tucked between her legs, and slowly raised her head to her husband’s eye level. “Jakob.”

“I should have guessed. That little...” Xander lowered his brow in annoyance as he turned his sight to the door, but Kamui’s giggling got his attention back. It was then that Xander realized that her lips were gently giving way to the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He could tell that, even though she seemed to be laughing, she was very thankful for what he was trying to say.

Suddenly, he felt all of his anxiety wash away as the only thing in his mind was the perfect wife he had married with.

He had been trying to hard to find the right words to convey his feelings of true passion for having married the love of his life... Those simple lines took him more than a month, because whatever he wrote, he never felt like it was enough. And yet, after so much work, he failed at surprising her as like he wanted to. However for him, it didn’t matter - she was grateful for it, and that was his ultimate goal.

He held her head with both hands and caressed her cheeks. They were lightly blushed, enough to make his hands feel her warmth. He really wanted to surprise his wife, but in the end, she was the one who surprised him. Not with words. Not with presents. But just being her. The person he fell in love with, and with whom he will gladly share the rest of his life.

The King stroked his wife’s hair gently with his fingertips. They were face to face, eye to eye, and mouth to mouth. She wrapped him in her arms and gently touched his lips, feeling no resistance. They both shared a passionate kiss before Xander moved away, just to say “I love you, my little princess” before kissing her again.

And again.

“I love you too, my king.”

#corrianderweek2017 #fire emblem fates #kamui #xander #fk jakob

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tanya-sen-blog · 8 years ago

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tu aasman, main teri zameen + aaranya au

general notes; honestly should i just start tagging these as “meera and i need to be stopped?” here comes another cutesy au from us, one where tanya is a nanny for rich chef aarav’s children and his failing marriage brings them closer ;)

Tanya paused to look at herself in the very large mirror of her new employer's guest bedroom, wondering if she looked alright. She had dressed in a pair of old jeans and a nice blouse, her hair clipped back in a half up, half down style. Her gaze then fell to the broom in her hand and her mood dropped, as did her shoulders. She turned away from the mirror, bending down with the dustpan so she could sweep under the bed. Oh the things you do for medical school. For not the first time, Tanya cursed her mother and the woman's uncanny ability to lose more money than she made. The buzzer sounded which was followed by the sounds of footsteps and Tanya knew that the children had arrived. She too rushed down the stairs, depositing the cleaning tools back in the closet before she entered the kitchen, ready to greet the kids. "Hi," Tanya breathed out, her heart pounding in her chest, blood rushing to her ears. A duo of hi, hey were shouted back to her and she sighed in relief. More than a week at this job and it didn't get any easier. She busied herself in the kitchen, glancing at the instructions on the fridge before making the snacks that Madam had told her the children liked after school.

Aarav had been a young child who had grown up in a very middle-class family and had always imagined that money equaled happiness. And that's why he'd strived so hard to achieve a great level of success in the one field he was good at; cooking. Aarav Roy was a well renowned chef who had done exceptionally well for himself. That was why he was living in a very beautiful bungalow with his wife and two children. Aditi had continued her career in interior designing and was doing quite well and so Aarav had chosen to stay home to help raise their children, and even now he owned three of the most booked up restaurants in the city which meant they had a very steady income to keep their lifestyle intact. But Aarav was rich, he had the 'perfect' life, and yet--he was unhappy. He had picked up his girls from school and was parking in the garage when the girls ran in, like normal when they needed their afternoon snack. The Roy's had recently employed Tanya Sen, someone who could take care of the kids and the house whenever Tanya and Aarav needed to attend other commitments. But in reality, it was more for Aditi's social schedule because Aarav was incredibly happy being at home with his kids. However, he entered the kitchen and saw Tanya taking out the celery and made a face before looking at his kids who were not looking very happy sitting on the bar stool. "Pakhi and Ahaana aren't really fans of celery, just like me." He laughed before moving towards the fridge himself and pulling out carrot sticks with ranch dressing. And then he took out some apples for his youngest who had a very big sweet tooth. "This is more what they need," he took the instructions off the fridge and read through them while Tanya readied their plates.

Tanya moved back, plate pressed to her chest when she stood next to Aarav. She often forgot that he was usually home, and that he was also a very hands on dad. It made her wonder sometimes why they had hired her when it seemed as if Aarav could pretty much handle everything himself on the home front, but Tanya had been hired to work and not to answer questions. She placed the celery sticks back inside the fridge, a protest on her lips, "But that's what it say on the lis--" Tanya cut herself off, realizing she was about to get into an argument with her boss: not exactly a good idea, especially since she needed the money. She took his counter offer and began cutting the apple into slices so that it would easier for Pakhi to eat them. "Here you go guys," she whispered, having organized the carrot sticks and ranch dressing in the shape of a face: a man with a mustache. A glance at the clock and Tanya knew she needed to clean the pool. Her footsteps were hurried and she would have made it out of the room if she hadn't bumped into Aarav. "I'm so sorry!"

Aarav smiled when he heard Tanya try to rationalize her choice thanks to the list Aditi had left for her. He watched her go ahead and cut the apple and ready the carrots and just smiled, she was being more attentive than Aditi ever had been. That's not fair. Tanya gets paid to be this attentive. He headed towards his library when he bumped into a rushing Tanya who looked a bit harried. "Where's the fire?" He steadied her by the shoulders before moving away so that she could go ahead and head to the pool. Aarav didn't exactly agree with Aditi's decision to have Tanya be a nanny/housekeeper because he felt like it put way too much pressure on her needlessly. "You okay?" He moved with her towards the pool, knowing the girls would still be eating their snacks for a little while so he wasn't too worried about them. If Aditi was here, though, then she'd have chastised him for conversing with the 'help', but Aarav hated that hierarchy behavior she possessed and didn't believe in it.

Tanya wished that he would disappear. He made her so nervous, so so nervous that she often stumbled and fumbled - not just with her words too. "I"m good thanks," she managed to get out. However, she was not good thanks, not when the contraption used to clean the pool was so big and heavy. For the second time that day Tanya cursed her mother, and then her college for having an absurdly high medical school fee. She had cruised through her bachelor's degree, but now that it came to paying for medical school - she was stuck. Her friends were already starting their first year, and Tanya was stuck in this menial job; at least it paid enough so that she would have enough money for next year. That was the only silver lining in this situation and she intended to hold on to it.

Aarav nodded at her words, silently amused at how she was struggling with the pool net and watched her take it out of the shed. However, once she came closer to the pool and looked extremely lost in some heavy thoughts, he took it from her. "Let me handle it," he effortlessly swept the pool, cleaning out all the ridiculous bugs and random branches that were stuck in there. "Do you mind, actually--going back in to take care of the girls?" He knew they wouldn't be done but with their food yet but he just wanted to have an eye on them, especially Pakhi. She was younger and disappeared at random moments only to be found somewhere in a corner with her favorite stuffed animal. He was worried about her, but every time he mentioned it to Aditi, she refused to even take notice--choosing instead to point out the things wrong with his perfect little girl.

Tanya watched, her arms crossed and bottom lip bitten on, as Aarav did her job for her and felt a strange sense of shame wash over her. How was she to be a housekeeper when she couldn't even do one job without the man of the house having to do it for her? "I could have done it Sir, aapko mere liye karne ki zaroorat nahin thi," she mumbled under her breath before nodding at his words and disappearing back inside the bungalow. She was an idiot, how could she talk back to her employer like that? Oh Tanya you're so going to get fired tomorrow and you know that Amma is going to kill you if she finds out! With that dreadful thought, Tanya went back inside to where the girls were just finishing up their snack. "Miss Tanya can we watch some TV?" Ahaana looked at her expectantly and Tanya shook her head. "We have to finish homework first, and then you can watch TV." Ahaana huffed before grabbing her bag and moving to the living room. Tanya smiled, recollecting how she had been exactly the same at that girl's age. Pakhi still sat the kitchen table, looking at Tanya. "Hi little one, aapko kya karna hai?" No response. The girl only sucked on her thumb, looking at Tanya shyly. "Okay, how about you help me wash the dishes?" At Pakhi's enthusiastic nod, Tanya took her plate in one hand and lifted Pakhi up in her arms with the other. Seating Pakhi on the countertop next to the sink, Tanya let the water run before handing the younger girl washed plates so she could dry them.

Aarav heard her words and simply waved his hand, ridding her of any of her comments. "It's not a big deal, you're--it's hard for you to handle something of this size." He hadn't meant it in an insulting way, and he just hoped she didn't take it otherwise. Once he was finished, he moved back into the house, ending up in the doorway that let him watch over both the kitchen and the living room, so he could keep an eye on both his girls. Ahaana was going through a tough time, just acting out over the silliest things while Pakhi was so emotionally restored by her mother that it broke his heart. He wanted to protect his little baby girl from all the things Aditi would say to her but he wasn't always around. But he ended up watching the way Tanya tried to engage Pakhi in little chores and could actually see his little girl smiling and looking happy for the first time in a long time. That's when he moved ahead to sit with Ahaana. "So, what do you think of the new nanny?" It was one little question but it had his eldest launch into how much she really liked her, and how she was so cool and nice and Aarav could only smile--glad that they'd found someone both their kids were happily accepting.

Tanya blew soap bubbles at Pakhi who only giggled before trying to pop them all. "Miss Tanya, more, more more!" Tanya only laughed before complying to what the little girl had said, going as far as giving herself a soap bubble beard, raising an eyebrow at Pakhi who laughed before swashing the beard away with her hands. "You look prettier without the beard Ms. Tanya!" And Tanya beamed, for a compliment from a child was a genuine compliment - at least that was what her mother had always told her. Tanya lifted the girl into her arms, tickling her tummy. "Ab kya karna hai Pakhi ko? Do you want to play with your toys?" She had noticed a few things about the youngest daughter of the Roy family, the most important being the fact that she would rarely speak and while Tanya was no child expert, she was sure that children her age were pretty impossible to shut up. She seemed almost afraid too, of saying the wrong thing. It worried Tanya, but she knew she had no right to. This was not her child after all - so she would keep her worries to herself, and just hope that she could make somewhat of a difference. "Ahaana, I can hear your favorite show coming from the TV. I told you to finish at least two pages of homework. You have that big history quiz coming up too!" Tanya called out as she moved past the living room and up the stairs with Pakhi still in her arms.

Aarav looked at Ahaana with a grin that basically was very conspiratorial, all because he'd been the one to turn on the television while she sat there and actually did her work. "Sorry Miss. Tanya!" She yelled back before laughing with her dad, who tugged her in for a hug. This was mainly why he chose to brush away all the problems he'd been having with Aditi. Both their girls were still young and impressionable and he couldn't have them growing up in a broken family home. "How about you finish your show AND three pages of your homework, while I whip you up some quesadilla's for dinner? I know how much you and your sister love them." And Ahaana agreed, before asking about Aditi. But as usual Aditi had a dinner with a client, which Aarav really knew meant that she was spending the night at some hotel, but chose to feign ignorance, his worst quality. And so that's why he was in the kitchen, cooking up a storm when Tanya walked in, obviously looking ready to start on the evening meal. "Oops? I promise I'm not trying to take over your job," he chuckled before tossing her an apron: she could work on cutting the veggies now that she was here.

Tanya flustered, nearly dropping the apron from her hands when she heard him chuckle. The sound sent a shiver down her spine and she glared at the floor, dispelling these insane, and irrational feelings she was not supposed to be having. "That's not a problem sir, it's your house." She wrapped the apron around herself, reaching her arms up so she could tie her hair back nicely. She made her way to stand with him behind the kitchen counter as she began chopping the vegetables. Of course the proximity between them was making her heart race, especially when their shoulders brushed, an accident which forced Tanya to blush and apologize before shifting a few steps away from him to avoid her heart racing that same away again.

Aarav made a face, his nose wrinkled when he heard her call him sir as if he was thirty years older. But in her little sentence there--she was right about something, it was his house. "Excuse me, Miss. Tanya," he was about to take the knife out of her her hand but he knew that might have been dangerous and so he just cleared his throat. "You're right, it is my house which means I'm allowed to veto the idea of you calling me sir." He heard her apology and ended up frowning, waiting until she put the knife down before he put his hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him. "You don't need to say sorry every time we bump into each other. It's human nature," he shrugged before noting how she seemingly got very nervous around him for no reason.

Tanya looked down at the hand that was on her shoulder, and already knew the second he would let go - the spot would tingle. "But Aditi madam said that is how I have to refer to you." She didn't like her employer, or at least the woman. Aarav Roy seemed a lot nicer, a lot more normal than his wife did. Aditi on the other hand seemed as if she would be the kind of woman who was too caught in the trappings of society. Tanya turned then, continuing to chop the vegetables before clearing her throat. "Sir-- I mean Aarav-- I can call you Aarav right?" She turned to look at him, mild fear in her eyes. Oh she was definitely going to get fired. "Why did Madam hire me if you uh... stay at home?" She wasn't sure if he had a job, and so decided not to assume - hoping that she would still have a job at the end of this week.

Aarav retracted his hand pretty quickly when he noted the way she looked down at it. He went back to the stove where his beans were still cooking and that's when he heard her words and looked back. "Of course tum mujhe Aarav bula sakhti ho." He gave her a grin before he listened to her words, but when she called Aditi, madam he didn't realize how much it bothered him, mainly because it just didn't sound right. "Hmmm, your Madam ji hired you because--well she doesn't trust me with my own kids." He looked at her scandalous expression and laughed. "No no, I'm kidding. I work as a chef, but I also own three restaurants, so sometimes even when I'm not there--they call for backup when they need it. And with Aditi's social schedule being so incredibly packed up, we needed someone here to watch the girls." He ended up leaning against the countertop before looking at her, "does it bother you that I'm always around? Because I can always--stay in my library or bedroom if you'd prefer?"

Tanya shook her head at his question, commanding herself not to let her gaze travel down to where his shirt had raised slightly giving her the view of a strip of unblemished (and extremely toned skin) skin and the top bit of his boxers. He's married Tanya, get a hold of yourself! She cleared her throat then, "No no. Ghar aapka hai, aapko jo karna hai aap please kariye. I was just asking, curious and all you know," she trailed off, cursing herself for being so embarrassing. And then cursing him for being so good looking that it affected her this deeply. She continued to chop at the vegetables, trying very hard not to think of Aarav, which meant that of course she would be thinking of Aarav. It was this very thought that forced her distraction and she ended up cutting the knife against her own skin. Tanya pulled away from the cutting board immediately, hissing in pain as she wrapped her apron around her hand, watching the way red bled through the white fabric.

Aarav smiled at her, loving the soft way she spoke. "Makes sense, but I just--main aapko uncomfortable nahi karna chahta, that's all." He had noted the way she looked down and tried so hard to avoid looking into his eyes, which was pretty--normal in conversations but he still found it strange. He was about to say it to her, wanting her to understand that she didn't need to be scared of him or even Aditi for any reason but that's when he watched Tanya cut herself. "Fuck!" He rushed over to her, putting more pressure on her wound while he led her towards the sink, knowing that water would help stop the bleeding--at least he hoped so.

Tanya cried out when he placed her hand under running water, biting down on her bottom lip so harshly it drew blood. She felt queasy already and she remembered a story her mother had once told her. Tanya had been ten, going to get her ears pierced when the blood from the prick in her ear had caused her to pass out. Considering she felt lightheaded right now, she was pretty sure this was going to go this way too. "Aarav I--" she started, but her words were starting to get slurred as she ended up leaning against him, forcing her eyes to stay open but there wasn't really a point, not when all of it was hazy anyways.

Aarav winced at the way she cried out, praying that his girls didn't come in right now. Pakhi was very very sensitive to blood and would no doubt act as if this was a murder scene, while Ahaana would find it intriguing and would probably start asking too many questions which would have him undeniably distracted from taking care of Tanya. He heard her start to speak but her eyes were rolling to the back of her head which meant she was probably three seconds away from fainting and sure enough, he felt her weight against his body and turned off the tap. Hoisting her up in his arms, he made his way up the stairs and into her bedroom. He was glad there was an ensuite so he could get a damp washcloth and press it against her forehead, trying to ensure her to calm down and hopefully regain consciousness. In the midst of this, he looked down at her finger and was relieved to see that the bleeding had stopped, but he still got it bandaged to be safe.

Tanya was in the midst of an absolutely fantastic dream. There once was a handsome prince, fairer than any of the other ones but he was engaged to a witch. A witch who had tricked him with the promise of children. There was a princess too, a princess whom the prince loved deeply but could not express his love because of the witch's spell. Then one day, the princess had fallen off a horse, her head bleeding against the rocks where she'd hit. The prince had spotted her while riding on his horse and gotten off, taking her in his arms. He'd taken her back to his palace, nursed her back to health and then there it had been - true love's kiss. It had been the true love's kiss that had resurrected the princess and broken the prince's spell. A prince who looked awfully similar to her employer. Tanya jerked awake, blubbering when the washcloth fell from her forehead to her eyes. Then there was the strange feeling again: the warmth and shivers simultaneously running through her body that reminded her of Aarav, of how she felt around him. Tanya slowly sat up, looking around before frowning. "What happened?"

Aarav had contemplated calling a doctor but that was one of those things Aditi called him out for--he was very paranoid, and he jumped to conclusions a lot. And so he'd sat down on the edge of her double bed, one book in his hand from her nightstand while he read through it, but of course there were knocks on the door and both his girls stood on the other side, wanting to know what happened to Miss. Tanya. He reassured them that everything as okay, and they should both head up to their bedroom and thankfully, both his girls obliged, leaving him to take care of the woman who'd be taking care of his girls. When she woke up though, he shuffled off the bed. "Sorry, uh I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You cut yourself," he said first, gesturing to the bandage on her finger. "And I guess you're like Pakhi, and blood makes you queasy." He laughed lightly before shrugging. "You fainted, so I brought you up here. I hope you--don't mind?"

Tanya looked down at the small cut on her finger and blushed, giving him a sheepish smile. "I hope you don't mind, I mean-- I must be the first girl you've seen who fainted because of a small cut on her finger," Tanya apologized, but then she remembered that he must have carried her up the stairs and the smile grew slightly bigger. Was her dream coming to life? Shut up Tanya, her conscience warned and she knew it was right to; she couldn't fall in love with him, he wasn't only married, he also had children. Children who referred to her as Miss Tanya, because she was their nanny. She needed to reel this crush in before it got any worse. Tanya crossed her arms, before setting the washcloth down on the nightstand. "Thank you." Her gaze of course fell to the book he was reading, and the color came back to her cheeks. It was a copy of The Great Gatsby. It had been second hand in the first place, but under Tanya's care, it was now floppy and dog eared, its pages worn and on some pages there were dried tear stains, some pages there were smears of chocolate. "Have you read it before?"

Aarav shook his head at her, standing and shoving his hands into his jeans. "Honestly, it wasn't a problem. I was a little surprised, I'll admit but mishaps happen. If it helps--I've seen a lot of men cry in the kitchen when they cut themselves." He laughed quietly wondering why in such a simple casual situation he couldn't help but remember the way her body had curled into his when he'd picked her up. Instinctively her arms had wound around his neck and he'd remembered feeling something that hadn't happened for a very long time. It was a sense of curiosity and anticipation. Both of which needed to stop considering who this woman was and why exactly she'd been brought into their family and household. Who cares? Aditi cheats on you with her 'assistant' all the damn time. And it was true, but Tanya didn't know that and so even if he did approach her or anything, in her eyes he'd be a married asshole looking for some action on the side. Not to mention, their girls loved her, and he didn't want to ruin that. Aarav nodded at her question about the book and smiled before placing it back down. "Was one of my favorites actually. But I've got to admit, I'm one of those who believes the book is always better--but I haven't even watched the movie so I guess my judgment isn't completely valid." And he didn't mention it, but reading through the novel, had him gain more of an insight to who Tanya was when she wasn't their nanny and housekeeper and it didn't help at all that he wanted to learn even more about her.

Tanya raised an eyebrow at him before shrugging her shoulders. "Actually I'll agree with you, in this case the book was better than the movie. I think it's only redeeming qualities were as usual the beautiful Leonardi DiCaprio and that it was directed by Baz Luhrmann. If anyone else had directed it, it would have been a mess." She frowned at the way he had stood, and patted the bed once more. Careful Tanya, her conscience heeded; a warning she did not listen to, because she was just being friendly. Nothing more. "And was? Is it not your favorite anymore?" She didn't want to admit it but it felt as if she were Gatsby in this situation, where she would never have Daisy (read: Aarav) because she was too attached to Thomas her husband (read: Aditi) even if it was only for societal and financial reasons. Except in her case, there was no shining green lantern, no affair to ever occur between the two of them. Tanya's hand went to the edge of her shirt as she twisted it in her grip, looking at Aarav with interest.

Aarav heard her discussing the positive things in the movie and smiled before going ahead with what she said without speaking and sat down on her bed, twisted so that he was on the side and able to really listen to her. "Was," he nodded with a shrug before he flipped it over in his hand once more. "Only because I don't understand the way Thomas despite being a cheating bastard still held onto Daisy and yes maybe Gatsby and Daisy should've have had that affair, it still was true love between them..you know?" He shook his head, wondering why he was unleashing all his pent up emotions about a book he'd read in high school. But when he looked at back at Tanya, the way she was looking at him--was making him feel things once more than he didn't understand.

Tanya shrugged her shoulders once more, seemed like she was doing that around him a lot lately. "They were from a rich society, now you probably know more about rich people than I do but I think he held onto Daisy because well -- it's okay if he cheats and he keeps it under wraps because he knows that he will never go to the other woman but when he realizes that Gatsby and Daisy had the affair... he feels threatened. Threatened because Gatsby is ten times the man that he is, because he knows that Gatsby will treat Daisy better than he could - because there is a chance that Daisy will leave him for Gatsby." Tanya exhaled slowly, wondering why the room felt so charged, why she was so drawn him to him. "That's why he holds onto Daisy, because if she goes with Gatsby he loses his standing in society and therefore loses everything. As for Gatsby and Daisy... sometimes true love just isn't enough. There are hundreds of things that tear true love apart, that's just life." She looked down at the book, running over the painted design of the eyes on the cover, fingers tracing over the lettering of the title.

Aarav hadn't realized how small double beds really were and he still hadn't, even while he listened to Tanya explain the way she saw and interpreted The Great Gatsby. Aarav had shifted closer to her, listening to the way she spoke about the true love that they shared and how it didn't really matter because ultimately they were torn apart. He smiled at her though before he took a deep breath. "I guess, it makes sense that he wanted to hold onto Daisy, but, there was no way she was ever happy in that marriage." Of course, that wasn't fair to assume because even Aarav didn't realize it, but he'd been happy before with Aditi and only for the last four years had he begun feeling like everything was spiraling down. "But true love is definitely worth it. Because only some people are lucky enough to experience it." He looked up at her, a question in his eyes that he couldn't help but ask. "What about you? Tumne kabhi woh pyaar mehsoos kiya hai?"

Tanya stared back into his eyes, feeling swayed by the look she could read in them. Careful, her conscience heeded for the second time that day and she exhaled, shaking her head. "Kabhi nahin, kabhi koi mila hi nahin aisa." Except now she was looking at Aarav Roy, and she felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach, her heart beginning to race. She wondered if this was what true love felt like. She looked down at her hands before exhaling. "Sometimes people are in marriages not because of happiness, but because they have to be. Sometimes its because of status, of wealth and sometimes... it's because of the children."

Aarav didn't know he'd been holding his breath after he asked his question. But it was upon her answer that he felt relieved. The problem was--he didn't know why. This was nothing, this was just an employer having a conversation with someone who he'd see in his daily life more than he even saw his wife--that's all. But he was lying to himself and perhaps he would've kept lying if she hadn't called out all the lies he'd tell himself every single day. When he'd smell another man's cologne on his wife, when he'd see the marks she'd try to hide from him, he'd continuously try to cover it up all fo the sake of his little girls. Aarav wanted to reach over, to see what it would feel like to have her hand in his, but that wasn't allowed and yet he didn't know how to exactly murder the urge he'd been having. "You're very perceptive," Aarav finally said even though he knew she wasn't calling him out specifically. "I can't say if that's right or wrong, but children--are important, don't you think so?"

Tanya smiled, staring down at her own hands. She let out a soft scoff, "They are very important. Just some people don't tend to think so, and I don't think those people should be parents," her words were soft, as she stared down at her hands, thinking of her own mother. Thinking of how she had to raise herself because her mother was either always drunk, or gambling away the money she earned. "I think you're a very good father, those girls are very very lucky to have you." She realized her own hand had somehow moved closer to his during the space of this conversation; they were now next to each other and if Tanya moved her thumb a little bit, their fingers would brush against each other. She did it despite her conscience warning her against this idea, and felt her cheeks flush at the sparks that flew through her skin.

Aarav had realized during this conversation, just how long it has been since the last time he'd had an intellectual stimulating conversation with another adult--more specifically a woman. Her words were reminding him of thoughts he'd had regarding Aditi and while he was itching to vocalize them, he knew he couldn't do that. Making other people privy to the turmoil that was his marriage wasn't entirely right or fair to Aditi. But that was before he caught the way her thumb had closed the few inches it needed to be close to his own hand. And then Aarav decided that holding hands wasn't bad in any way, he could hold her hand. And so he did. Turning it over slightly, he let his fingers run down the back of hers before interlacing them, instantly feeling the heat from her palm before he looked up to see her with her rosy cheeks. "Beautiful," he whispered in an airy tone, one so quiet that he wasn't sure if she'd heard him--and if she hadn't, that would be better for everyone. But Aarav Roy didn't want that, he wanted her to have heard his comment, wanting to know just how red she could go.

Tanya didn't know it possible but her cheeks had flushed a darker shade of crimson at his words and she looked down at where their hands were intertwined. Every fibre in her being warned her against it, warned her that she was about to be the plaything for a bored, rich man who was just looking for something on the side. But what if he wasn't? Her heart of course had the uncanny ability of tugging her back to where she shouldn't be. After all, Tanya was perceptive; she had picked up on the slowly crumbling marriage, on the way Aditi madam would come in at late hours, the way she would disappear at a man's call to the house phone. Maybe not her but her boss, this man in front of her certainly deserved a lot better than his current wife. At the sound of footsteps however, Tanya yanked her hand out of Aarav's grasp, getting out of the bed. "I'm coming Pakhi!"

Aarav had noticed the flushed cheeks that he was loving every time more and more but before he could say anything in praise this time, she snatched her hand away--and instantly moved away from him. Aarav simply sat there, watching her retreating form and the way the door shut once more when she bolted out of there and shook his head. What had he been thinking? This woman was his daughter's nanny, she was not someone he could fall for with no repercussions. Besides, he was married, though he supposed that only applied if his own wife could remember that they were married. Still, a guilt began to gnaw at Aarav for being so idiotic and grasping her hand like that. God knows what she was thinking; a harassment lawsuit was probably going to land up on his doorstep tomorrow morning.

Tanya groaned as she lifted her head up from the pillow, gaze falling to the nightstand. Her hand fumbled around for the bottle of water, only to have it crash to the floor. That could only mean one thing. Tanya groaned as she got out of bed, pulling on her faux silk robe over the tank top and shorts combo she wore to bed daily. She loosely knotted it, allowing for most of the outfit to be seen - it was just a formality, everyone was probably asleep. She could get into the kitchen, get herself some water and then come back to the bedroom. Tanya went down the stairs, two at a time before entering the kitchen. She was about four steps in when she realized that the lights were on, as was the kitchen radio, the familiar sound of the cooker spreading around the room. Tanya wiped the sleep out of her eyes, suddenly wishing she'd had the sense to tie her hair up before coming downstairs. "Sorry, I thought everyone would be asleep. I just need-- some water."

Aarav couldn't sleep and so he did what he knew best when he couldn't sleep--cook. It's not even that he was hungry, but it just helped him destress. That's how he found himself in the kitchen at 2am, cooking up a storm. He'd snuck past the garage, but there was no sign of Aditi's car still so he tried not to dwell on it tomorrow. Aarav had the radio on, a soft number playing that he couldn't help but sing along to, until of course he heard steps coming down. He'd assumed it would be one of the children but instead, it was Tanya wearing a very short silk robe over what he could see was a pair of shorts and a skin tight top. But what really has him speechless was her loose flowly hair with its natural curls, he couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like running through his fingers. Aarav swallowed uncomfortably before clearing his throat and turning back to the grill he had bread on. Bruschetta was one of his comfort foods, especially with a little bit of Spanish rice on the side. "No problem, I uh--couldn't sleep. And cooking when I don't sleep is a habit of mine," he cleared his throat once more before realizing he was blocking the way to the sink and he moved past, knowing that she'd still have to brush past him to get there.

Tanya looked at the space between Aarav and the kitchen sink, wondering if it was even worth it. If she could even fathom crossing that distance and bumping into him. The dryness in her throat gave her the answer and she slowly moved towards the sink before pausing at the sight of the food. "You know usually when people can't sleep, they make mac and cheese. You made a five star restaurant wala meal." At least that's what Tanya assumed would be served in a five star restaurant; the closest she'd gotten to one had been a part time waitressing job during her undergraduate degree. Still Tanya braved the rest of the journey, her heart stopping, breath catching in her throat when her shoulder brushed against his.

Aarav followed her gaze to the bruschetta mix he'd whipped up for the bread before laughing. "What can I say? You can take the chef out of the kitchen but you can't take the need to create a masterpiece out of him?" Aarav wrinkled his nose before shaking his head. "Nevermind, that sounded really bad." There it was again, that ease of conversation with her. Here he was, a married father who couldn't find the time or energy to talk to his wife, but with the nanny, he found it hard to keep distance and keep quiet. "Besides, if I made mac and cheese, those rugrats of mine would someone figure it out and head down here," he smiled before freezing up when she brushed against him. "Sorry, I'm in your--way." The last word was said when they moved a bit more so that now they were both standing directly in front of one another, him noting the height difference better now.

Tanya snorted at his attempt at a joke, covering her smile with her hand. "Well we can't be good at everything, cooking is your thing. Words might not be," she teased, cautioning herself. He was a married man, she couldn't engage in whatever this was so easily, without a single care. She laughed, nodding at that. "That they would, but they've had mac and cheese quite often this past week so maybe they're a little sick of it you know." She moved forward when he moved to the side, completely defeating the purpose of getting out of the way and she laughed, shaking her head. "It's a narrow aisle." Tanya looked up at him finally, at the tired lines under his eyes and felt a surge of sympathy go through her for him. It seemed sometimes as if he were raising the children on his own, as if he were a single father.

Aarav shrugged at her words before nodding. "That's probably true, but if it is--then what's your thing Tanya? What are you amazing at?" Don't GO there. His mind was yelling at him to stop because really Aarav was just going down a path that would have her running away just like the last time. And so he just looked at her, suddenly surprised by the concern he saw in her eyes. "I'm fine," he said instantly out of routine, any time he saw someone being concerned about him, that was his immediate reaction. But the truth was, he couldn't lie to her--she was living with them, she saw his reality. "Aditi's not home.." he took a deep breath and shrugged, wanting to turn away from her because of how guilty and ashamed he felt at letting out what he was thinking. "And it should bother me, and I feel so terrible that is just doesn't. I'm upset about it for my kids, but for me? I don't care anymore."

Tanya had been about to call him out for lying to her, that she could obviously see he wasn't fine, when he retracted his own statement. She only stepped closer to him, noticing that his hand was shaking even as he rested it firmly on the wooden surface of the kitchen island. Could she? Against her better judgement, Tanya's own hand came over his as she looked up at him. "Sometimes people have to do things for their children. That's really brave-- what you're doing, for your children. How much you care for them." If there was a hint of wistfulness in her tone, she hoped he wouldn't pick up on it. Tanya certainly wasn't in the mood to launch into the darkened hallways of her childhood.

Aarav looked to the side when he felt her hand on top of his own. It took him back to the moment in her bedroom when he'd intertwined their fingers. It had felt so comfortable and now again, that same comforting softness was back. He could feel his anxiety start to subside as well, the nerves calming down when he ended up listening to the words she was saying. "I'd give my life for them if I had to," he whispered before shrugging and turning to look at her. The words she was saying weren't hollow and he could hear something there that maybe she hadn't wanted him to realize. Still, he cleared his throat and looked at her before gently keeping his hand on her shoulder, "if there's something you need to talk to someone about--I'm here." He shouldn't have said that, he never should've said anything.

Tanya exhaled through gritted teeth and a shut jaw when she felt his hand come down on her shoulder. Tanya was pretty sure she was feeling a completely different type of lightheaded now. Shivers ran down her spine at the soft way he'd expressed desire to be her shoulder to lean on, and the words bubbling at her lips threatened to spill. "Maybe I'll--I'll take you up on that sometime," she whispered, cursing herself. What are you getting yourself into Tanya? Her conscience screeched, but it was easily ignored especially now that she was lost in his eyes. Tanya needed an out, she needed somebody to save her before she did something stupid like reach up on her toes and kiss him. He was married. Then just like that, Pakhi appeared at the doorway, rubbing her eyes, holding her elephant by the ear. "Papa, bura sapna." Tanya stepped away from him, her throat even drier than before. "I should probably get my water." A weak laugh as she finally brushed past him, turning on the tap.

Aarav nodded at her words, smiling at her. He was happy to know that she'd want to talk to him, but a part of him was thinking maybe she'd only said it because he had offered. And that's how he felt the urge to close the gap between them, to erase the sadness he could see her in eyes. It was strange but Aarav could feel himself leaning in slightly until he heard his daughter's voice and he instantly drew back from her. He quickly turned off the stove and gave Tanya an apologetic smile before scooping his little girl up and pushing her messy hair out of her face. "Come on babygirl, we'll get rid of all the monsters and nightmares. Aaj raat Baba aapke saath aapke kamre mein rahenga, theek hai?"

Tanya often wondered if Aditi Roy had hired to be a substitute mother, so that she could go off and do whatever it was that she was so interested in. So interested that she left her children and her husband home for hours upon hours, sometimes returning days later. She chalked it up to being things that rich people did, things Tanya could never understand. Of course today was one of her off days and so she'd settled on the couch in the living room, painting her nails a bright salmon pink as she watched some random show on television. There was a magazine in her lap, and the homeless puppy that the Roy family had adopted over the month ran around the coffee table, trying to convince her to play fetch. If she shut her eyes, she could pretend that this was her life.

Aarav had just dropped the girls off for their sleepover's, Ahaana was on her sixth one, but for Pakhi this was first ever. That's why Aarav had arrived home, with his phone still fully charged because he was almost quite certain that his daughter was going to call him up at 11 pm requesting to be picked up. And with those thoughts, he kept his keys on the side table, expecting the house to be completely empty but he could hear some sound coming from the living room and so he ended up in the doorway expecting their little puppy Pluto, (so lovingly named by Pakhi because 'then his name has a P like mine Baba!') but instead, he found Tanya sitting there with the tv on and a magazine in her lap. "Well, you look comfy." And she did, almost enough to make him jealous because he'd attended a silly meeting earlier in the day and was still in his slacks and button down light green colored shirt.

Tanya looked down at herself and then back up at Aarav. The apology bubbled on her lips, "I'm so sorry! I'll just get up-- I'll go back to my room, I didn't know when you'd be back so I thought..." She wondered if he would tell Aditi; then she would get fired and her law school plan would be pushed back for two more months. Tanya moved the magazine out of her lap, before standing up, closing the bottle of polish. Of course in her haste, she ended up tripping over Pluto and crashing into Aarav, her head against his chest. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Aarav frowned at her when she apologized, he was really going to have to work on that with her. Explaining that she had absolutely no reason to apologize this frequently, especially with him because he didn't care all that much, but it was different where Aditi was concerned. Still, he shook his head and told her to relax but she'd already gathered her things up and stood. "Watch out!" But his warning was too late and sure enough, he felt her collide with him, the magazine falling to the side as he gathered her in his arms carefully. "You okay?" He whispered while Pluto slunk off to some other side. Tanya was flushed and looking just as beautiful as she always did when she was blushing, and that made him want to reach out, his fingers finally trailing down her skin with a smile. "I make you uncomfortable, or nervous--or both, don't I?"

Tanya shut her eyes when his fingers trailed down the extent of her bare arm; she exhaled shakily before looking up at him. "Nervous," she finally choked out, the smile on her features extremely wobbly. "Very nervous," Tanya laughed, only knocked closer to him when Pluto bumped his head against her calf, forcing her knees to buckle. Tanya had never felt this way before, not like this at least. She had never imagined she would have a fairytale-esque romance, or even a romance that was remotely similar to those in romance novels. And yet here she was, her heart racing and part of her just wanted to tell him to kiss her already, but maybe the wait would be worth it.

Aarav had to admit that when she said he made her nervous rather than uncomfortable, it gave him a little hope for the fact that maybe he wasn't the only one who was attempting to allow himself to really feel something. But when he fell towards him thanks to some very good meddling from Pluto, he just secured his grip on her. But instead of letting her up, he just kept her closer to his body before matching his breathing to hers without even realizing. There was something about him being able to feel her heartbeat through her shirt, that had him notice just how it sped up as soon as his hands wound around her. Aarav could only smile, and for the first time--he was the one chuckling nervously. But he didn't want to say anything to ruin the moment and went ahead and did something that he would probably regret, and jeopardize their working relationship but still did anyways. Aarav kissed her, and it was probably the most chaste kiss he'd had in so long. He closed his eyes and leaned in, his lips pressing against hers, and it really was worth the wait, but Aarav was sure he was about five minutes away from being slapped and sued for sexually harassing the nanny.

Tanya felt her eyes widen when he kissed her, and she remained unresponsive for a grand total of two seconds before continuing the kiss in kind, her hand resting on his cheek. She reached up on her toes so they would be level, so that the kiss would move from being something on Disney Channel to a much more HBO like quality. Tanya let her hand drop from his cheek and instead let her arms wrap around his neck, gasping when he tugged her even closer. There was a part of her that told her she needed to put an end to this, that it would only destroy her job prospects in this house, but her heart was racing and Tanya hadn't done anything for herself in so long, she felt as if she were allowed this.

Aarav hadn't realized that she was kissing him back so aggressively until her hands wrapped around his neck and she pulled him towards her. He could feel Pluto playing around by their legs but his attention was still on this woman in front of him. Aarav knew he was supposed to stop this kissing considering he was her employer and this was wrong on so many levels but he didn't know how to convince himself to stop something he hadn't felt in so long. Being with Tanya was reminding him of what falling in love used to feel like. But that's not what this was, it couldn't be, could it? Maybe it was, but the reality was--Aarav could not allow himself to get ahead especially when he had no idea what was going through Tanya's mind.

Tanya allowed herself to be seated on the couch, her hands sinking into his hair and she let out a nervous little laugh when he stumbled, pushing her deeper into the couch. If she kept her eyes shut, she could pretend that this wasn't her employer, that he wasn't married. She could pretend that he was hers. It was only when her butt began to vibrate that Tanya yelped, pulling away from the kiss and rummaged for the device. It was Aarav's phone, an unknown number flashing across the screen. Tanya laughed nervously, her cheeks turning red as she handed him the phone. "It's for you." She allowed Pluto to jump into her lap, her hand running through his fur as she watched Aarav walk around the apartment, phone pressed to his ear.

Aarav was surprised at how much he missed the simple act of just kissing someone and not feeling them pull away, or deciding they were tired and just wanted to get away from you even if he knew that was always just Aditi's excuse because she was tired from everything else she'd been up to with the other men in her life. But when he felt Tanya move away, he was almost breathless but he didn't know what to say until he watched her pull out his phone. "Oh," he laughed quietly before holding it up to his ear. "Hello?" "Baba? Pakhi. Mujhe nahi rehna yahaan raat ko. Anjali ke closet mein monsters hai!" Aarav smiled at the fear in his daughter's voice and the unspoken request. "Aap chahti hai ke Baba aake aapko lejaiye?" And his daughter instantly agreed and so Aarav told her he'd be there super soon, but now he was left to look back at Tanya and wonder how to approach this with her. "Uh, Pakhi doesn't want to stay the night..but I promise you won't have to take care of her tonight," he took another step towards the couch, a small frown forming on his forehead wondering if this should be something they talked about, but before he could say anything more--he heard her speak instead.

Tanya nodded at his words. "I think you should go," she reaffirmed, smiling behind her hand. It was only when he had started to move, gathering his keys amongst other things that Tanya shoved Pluto off her lap, ignoring his sad growl before taking quick steps towards Aarav. Her fingers curled around his wrist before she tugged him back, reaching up on her toes to press a soft kiss to his lips. Tanya smiled as she finally let her feet plant firmly to the ground once more, her fingers still locked around his wrist as she looked at the floor, her cheeks turning a dusty pink.

Aarav spent the entire car ride to Anjali's house thinking about their kiss, not the first one--but that last one. The one that happened when they two of them weren't entirely caught up in the moment. It had been soft and sweet, almost like a normal relationship wali kiss. And it left him wanting more. But Aarav had always been rather rational and practical which meant his mind was always ahead by two steps which had him thinking about what this would mean for their future working relationship. By the time he had his daughter sitting in the back of the car on the way home, though, his attention was diverted to her once more which was why they'd arrived home with a tub of ice cream for them to share while they watched one of Pakhi's favorite movies. "Okay Pakhi, you go change into your PJ's and we'll watch the movie okay?" Pakhi nodded before running upstairs while Aarav turned to Tanya, wondering if she'd stay with them because he really wanted her to spend some time with them.

Tanya stared at the tub of ice cream in his hand before shrugging. "It's like you're bribing me to stay. My favorite ice cream flavor, what next? You're going to pick my favorite movies too?" She had taken steps closer to him with each word until she was standing right in front of him, the tub of ice cream being the only thing separating me. Every fibre of Tanya's being warned her against this relationship, warned her that nothing good could come out of being involved with her employer but she pushed those thoughts aside. All her life she had done things for other people, just this once she wanted to do something for herself.

Aarav simply raised his eyebrow at her before watching her come closer, before placing the ice cream tub on the coffee table and taking hold of her hand. "I don't know, that depends on if you're a fan of Inside Out, because that happens to be Pakhi's favourite." He gently rubbed the back of Tanya's hand before smiling. "Plus, I already know your favourite book, so I mean it's a good way to get to know you na?" He noted his daughter bouncing down the stairs and so he reluctantly let go of Tanya's hand before scooping her up and bringing her to the couch where Pluto was by their legs. He sat down on one side with Pakhi between them while Tanya sat on the other side.

Tanya took a seat on the other side of Pakhi, looking over the little girl's head at Aarav. Yet he seemed so invested in the film that Tanya looked away and tried to focus her attention on the film. She couldn't, not when her senses were so heightened. Of course when she felt his hand rest on her shoulder, she leaned her head to the side so that her head would be resting on his hand. Tanya took the tub of ice cream from where it rested in Pakhi's lap, trying to eat the dessert to hide the tears that were steadily dripping down her cheeks.

Aarav had seen the way Tanya was watching him through his peripheral vision and wondered if she knew just how much he wished they could continue where they left off. Not only that, but his nerves were all on edge because of what had transpired between them and he just wasn't sure on how she felt about it, and that's why he wanted to talk about it with her. But Aarav couldn't resist and so his hand stretched over the back of the couch, resting right atop of her shoulder, but it was when he felt her head lean against it that he smiled. Aarav was about to look back at her but that's when he heard Pakhi's voice, "Are you crying Miss. Tanya? Don't cry." That's when Pakhi pulled the ice cream tub away and handed it to her father before crawling into Tanya's lap. "Don't cry," she raised her tiny chubby hands and wiped away the fear tears she could see before looking back at Aarav. "Baba, aap bhi kahiye na Miss. Tanya ko, she shouldn't cry." And so Aarav, obliging to his daughter's wishes, ended up scooting closer to the two of them, his hand that had been on her shoulder was now wrapped around her so that they were sitting next to one another while Pakhi looked at them both with a smile.

Tanya sniffled when Pakhi deposited herself in her lap and only wrapped her arms around the little girl as Aarav's arms came around her. "Miss Tanya isn't crying Pakhi, she just has something stuck in her eye." The laugh that came from next to her though made it clear that Tanya's attempt at a joke had been successful. She wanted to lean into Aarav's touch, to rest her head on his shoulder but she knew she couldn't, not with Pakhi sitting right here. "Alright come on little one, time to get you to bed." She lifted Pakhi up in her arms, looking at Aarav over the girl's head, the promise that she would return evident in her eyes before taking the girl upstairs and tucking her in, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Hi," she whispered once she had reappeared in the living room, leaning against the doorframe.

Aarav had to chuckle softly at the way she used the age old line in the book of having something stuck in her eye, and he could see that she was smiling too which was a good sign because he hadn't wanted to offend her. When she spoke about taking Pakhi to bed, a tiny protest was on his lips because he didn't want her to end up going upstairs as well only to never come back, but then she looked back at him and he knew from the look--she was coming back. He ended up putting away the ice cream before straightening out the cushions on the couch, unsure of why he felt the need to keep busy. Because if you don't, your mind will go into overdrive. He ended up dropping a pillow when he heard her voice and turned around as well. "Hey," he held his hand out for her to take if she crossed the four steps between them. This was new for both of them and so he understood the hesitancy, but the truth was--he didn't want to put too much thought into this or else his practical side would undoubtedly ruin everything.

Tanya looked away from his face to the hand he had extended and moved towards him, placing her own hand in his. And just like that, it felt as if she'd finally found the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Her heart raced in her chest, thumping, beating, slamming against its confines. Her breathing too picked up, chest constricting abnormally when she looked into his eyes. His impossibly brown eyes and Tanya swallowed thickly, grip on his hand tightening. "I really," she started, trying to gather the right words so she wouldn't make a fool of herself, "liked that kiss and I--I really like you." Tanya looked down then, her cheeks flushing once more. This was it; he was going to kick her out now. Her crush on him was a conflict of interest, and not only that: he was married. Yet the way he hadn't let go of her hand made her wonder if maybe she wasn't wrong in thinking what she'd just said.

Aarav couldn't help but mentally self five himself for the way Tanya reached out and slipped her own hand into his. It made him feel as if whatever he'd been feeling and experiencing for the last few weeks wasn't entirely in his head. Sure she'd kissed him, but he'd been worried it was just a moment of weakness. However, the way she came close, the way she spoke--all of it pointed in another very positive direction. "I really liked that kiss too, but more than that--I think I like you too." Wow, this felt strange. Aarav had always believed in love and when he'd met Aditi he had fallen head first in love with her, or so he believed. None of that had ever left him feeling so breathless and alive the way he did with her right now. He felt exhilarated and they were only holding hands, that had to mean something more. "Sit," he tugged on her hand before collapsing into the plush couch, laughing when she fell right alongside him.

Tanya laughed when she fell with him, her head immediately nestling on his shoulder, her hand still in his grip. There was something comfortable about the silence, as if she didn't have to speak for him to understand her - for them to be together. Except when Tanya looked at Aarav, her eyes darting up, she reached up to kiss him again. She knew from history that Aditi wouldn't be back until the next day so they were safe, for a few hours at least. Her concscience dragged her down another path however, reminding her of the conversation they'd had in her bedroom - the one about Gatsby. She was once again Gatsby in this situation, and Aarav was Daisy. It may have all seemed rosy now, but there would be an end, one which would shatter her. Except with Aarav's lips on hers, Tanya didn't feel like the ending would hurt that much. She wished she'd never thought that.

Aarav didn't realize just how happy he could be. It was strange, considering in hindsight not much had changed in terms of his daily life but rather his schedule and Tanya's had merged. He'd convince her to go with him to drop the girls off for their classes, and then he'd end up taking her out to his favourite places that were away from most prying eyes. Even at home, asides from the sporadic phone calls from Aditi, he was much more accustomed to believing he'd always lived this life with Tanya. Both the girls were upstairs right now and he'd smelt the delectable scent of food coming from the kitchen and made a beeline there. Seeing Tanya in the kitchen just worked in a way sadly Aditi never had. "Hmm, hi," he murmured before kissing her exposed neck while his arms slipped around her waist. He'd never been more glad for her ponytailed hair while she cooked--gave him very easy access.

Tanya shivered when she felt his lips at the exposed skin on the nape of her neck and squirmed in his grip before setting the knife down so she could turn and kiss his cheek. "Hi to you too," she murmured before directing her attention back to the cutting board and the basil leaves she was chopping. There was just something about this relationship that allowed her to slip into with ease, as if she could pretend this had always been her life. It was only when she retired to her own small bedroom and he moved to the master bedroom that Tanya would be hit with a momentary pang of guilt. This was her employer. Engaging in this with him would subconsciously mean she was being paid for the other services she gave. Right now however, with the kitchen radio belting out a fast song and the soothing sounds of the stove and the oven timer, his arms around her - Tanya was perfectly content.

Aarav knew that while he gave off the impression of being completely relaxed and composed majority of the time, the reality was quite different. He was in turmoil every single night and every morning, not because he was cheating on his own unfaithful wife, but mainly because he felt as if he was disappointing Tanya somehow by not giving her the title she was deserving in his life. Aarav had never believed love could happen quickly but he supposed it really did depend on the type of person you were falling for. Because with Tanya, it hardly took any effort. "What are you making?" He let go of her reluctantly before taking a seat on the bar stool. That was another thing he loved, how unthreatened she was by his skills in the kitchen and still made the most delicious meals for them and his daughters as well.

Tanya glanced down at the chicken that was on the stove and shrugged. "Just some sauteed chicken and rice." She turned then, one hand on hip, other brandishing a kitchen knife. "Unless," Tanya pointed it at Aarav, "you would like to take over Mister Chef." She giggled before setting down the knife and taking a seat in his lap, hands winding around his neck. "Where were you today? Did the restaurant decide they absolutely could not live without you?" Because that would make two of us, her conscience supplied and Tanya swallowed. That much was true; the more time she spent with Aarav, the deeper and harder she found herself falling for him - a road that could only end in pain and heartbreak for her. It was something she was trying very hard not to think about.

Aarav laughed at her pointing the knife at him before shaking his head. "Don't think so, you're the queen of this kitchen, unless of course I'm making one of my famous midnight meals." He let her settle comfortably into his lap before letting his own hands wind around her back to make sure she stayed in place. His midnight meals had also turned into moments reserved just for them, sure they spent a lot of the day together--but that was time when no one else could interrupt and he loved it. "Haven't you realized? I'm very hard to live without jab meri aadat par jaati hai, at least for some people." With a smile, he forced himself to ignore the annoyance at him being stuck in this sham of a marriage with his wife when the prospect of actually building something real with Tanya was so much more appealing. "Why? Did you miss me?" He'd missed her a lot, especially considering there was this new sous chef at the restaurant who looked similar to Tanya but her personality lacked the sparkle that was significant to his girl.

Tanya blushed at his words before brushing her nose against his in an upwards fashion, resting her forehead against his. "I did, I missed you a lot," she confessed, shutting her eyes. It was growing increasingly difficult each day for Tanya to wake up in the morning and not kiss Aarav, to not be able to hold him the way she wanted to because he was married. He was still married to Aditi and yet engaging in this with her. If Tanya had told Raina, she already knew what the woman was going to say: he's using you T. Tanya knew that she would deny Raina's statement too, not wanting to believe that Aarav would do that to her.

Aarav honestly hadn't expected to find this with Tanya when he and Aditi had seen her about the job for the nanny and housekeeper. Well, that wasn't all true. Aditi had merely scanned through the various resumes before handing the ones she liked to Aarav who made the final call. The reason he'd hired Tanya had never been because of her looks, though, it had been because he'd seen her interacting with his children and that had sealed the deal for him. It was also why he was leaning more towards the side of him that was telling him over and over that his children would understand and they'd hardly seen their mother as it was. But the problem stemmed from the fact that they were both still young and their affection could be bought with expensive toys and trips the way Aditi frequently did. But he knew Tanya would never do that, despite her aspirations to be in med school, she seemed to be the type of person who'd be able to balance their time for the ones they loved. Was that was this was Aarav? Love? And he really wanted to say that yes, it was. "I missed you too," he sighed before pressing a kiss to her hair. "Woh ghar aayi thi aaj? She said she'd come for Ahaana's practice recital at the school because I couldn't go but I somehow--don't think she did." Aarav, unfortunately, missed picking up his daughter for the one day today, and Tanya couldn't go because of Pakhi's schedule which had him resort to Aditi but somewhere he was sure that Aditi had merely sent a driver, but still needed to hear it from Tanya.

Tanya frowned the second he mentioned Aditi, her back stiffening slightly. She exhaled slowly before shaking her head. "Nahin aayi, unke liye ek parcel aaya kisi... kisi Samar Mehra se. I didn't open to see what it was," Tanya informed, wondering if that man was one of the many lovers Aditi attended to. It seemed as it she attended to everyone's needs but her own family's. She buried her face in his neck then, pressing a kiss to where she could feel his pulse. Tanya hated when Aarav got sad, this was her most foolproof method of distracting him, unfortunately it only came into play when the kids weren't around.

Aarav could see the frown on Tanya's face when he mentioned his wife and he really wished he hadn't but the truth was Aditi was tied to his children and those girls were his priority, and he knew somewhere Tanya had to understand that. But when he listened to her speak about Samar Mehra, he was just incredibly amused because the man and Aarav once used to be friends, of course, that was around the time he and Aditi had gotten married and now Aarav was just curious to know if perhaps this had been something that happened since that time. A part of Aarav wanted to open the parcel, find what it was Aditi thought she was hiding but he realized he didn't care. As long as she wasn't hurting his children, he didn't want to know. Aarav let out a soft moan when he felt her kiss his neck before his one hand traveled up her back to her neck, gently thumbing the soft skin there before he looked down at her. "I wish I met you sooner," he admitted the thought he'd been having for a couple weeks now.

Tanya chuckled at his words before shaking her head. "You wouldn't have." The words pained her to say because she too did wish that she had met him before, only Tanya knew how that would end. They would meet, fall in love and then something or the other would pull him away from her. It always happened like this and if they were the novel by Fitzgerald, then it didn't matter when they met - they would always be doomed.

Aarav pulled away at her words, his eyes scanning her face for what she was thinking and he could see the sadness take over her eyes and found himself feeling worse somehow. "We don't know that," he murmured before tilting his head wishing she could try to be positive about this even though he knew how much he was asking from her. The thing was if this all went to hell--Aarav would be the one who stood to lose everything, but even Tanya would have to face so much. It's why he'd been thinking of alternatives only to stop himself because each time he thought of something--he'd be facing the possibility of losing the ability to see her every day, and he didn't think he could do that.

Tanya sighed, taking his hands in hers. "We do Aarav, you and I... maybe it is love you know? And not just any kind of love, maybe its big love. The kind of love that consumes you, but you know what happens to that love Aarav. It's always torn apart, even if we'd met earlier-- we would have been forced apart." She shut her eyes then, hoping he didn't catch her unspoken words; she hoped he didn't realize that this, no matter how amazing, was doomed too.

Aarav heard her words, but more than anything--he could hear the reality in her words that she wasn't quite ready to say. If that's truly what she was thinking, why were they engaging in this dangerous game? Because really--his heart was becoming hers and if she believed there was no point to doing so when they were meant to be torn apart--why were they doing this? "That's really what you think? That this is meant to be torn apart?" He swallowed, deciding to look down at their hands, wishing she could say what was in his heart because he was going to make this work--they both deserved it. "It is love, it's the kind of love that helps the other grow."

Tanya could feel tears pricking at the back of her eyes, at the sadness she could hear in his tone, at the heaviness that seemed to have encompassed them. She had been about to speak when she heard the sizzling from the stove and stood up, slowly disentangling her hands from his. She wiped at her tears, rushing over to where the stove was but Aarav's words rang in her ears. Love. He loved her. Yet the happiness in her chest seemed shortlived, it made her antsy and forced her chest to constrict. What would she do with this love? Especially considering he was still married.

Aarav watched her move towards the stove once more, feeling her drift away almost and it hurt. It really hurt. He watched her brush at her eyes and knew she was letting out the pain he was feeling in his heart. He was in love with her, he really was and he wanted this love to last a lifetime. But if Tanya was having doubts about the longevity of their relationship, he didn't know what to say. "You don't think we're going to last." It wasn't a question, it was a full statement that he knew she agreed with and that hurt him because he hadn't expected these doubts to appear in their relationship until so much later.

Tanya leaned against the countertop, turning to look at him, head in her hand. "Aarav it's not that, it's-- you're married." The words sizzled between them, burning Tanya as if they were acid. "You're married and you have children so I know you can't break up with Aditi because of them, because she's their mother and you can't do that to them and I'm your nanny!" A sob escaped her then and Tanya bit down on her bottom lip, wanting to shove her fist into her mouth so no more would come out. "You can't-- I want us to last, I want us to last so badly but... All the signs point otherwise." She didn't tell him that it didn't matter to her, that she loved him and she would take this doomed relationship to its very end if he was with her. "I love you."

Aarav looked away from her, his attention on the fridge for some reason just because it was better than looking at her and feeling his heart ache because of the pain she was in. "You think I don't know that?" He sighed quietly before getting off the stool and moving towards her. "You don't--Aditi means nothing to me and I'll be honest, before you, I never wanted to break up with her because of our children but, then you showed up, yes--as my daughter's nanny, but you know, that had you come into my life and I couldn't be happier." He took her in his arms once more, his hands on the small of her back before he pulled her in. "I want us to last too, you have no idea how much." Aarav looked at her, the vulnerability in her eyes clearly evident. "There are no signs here, except that you love me, and I, love you too Tanya Sen." He smiled before nudging his nose against hers. "I don't want to lose you, and I don't want to lose this."

Tanya sniffled, both her nose and eyes puffy and red. She smiled when he nudged his nose against hers before resting her forehead against his chest. How could she tell him of the worry in her chest, the worry that almost never left her? He had loved before, but Tanya? Tanya had never been in love, not like this. She'd thought it was love plenty of times but it had never actually been love. She'd never felt this intensely towards anyone before, and she knew that if this ended badly - it would ruin her. "Okay," she whispered softly, snorting before she let out a watery laugh, her finger tracing over the spot where his heart would be. She would trust him; just this once, Tanya would let somebody else control her heart.

Aarav had seen the way Tanya had admired this necklace when he'd taken the girls shopping over the weekend after Ahaana insisted that her brain would combust from too much studying. Pakhi, being her little supporter had also decided she needed an outing and seeing as Aditi was again not home, Aarav took the responsibility of taking the girls out--along with Tanya. They'd all been inside a jewelry store because Ahaana decided she was a big girl and wanted something big girls wore. She hadn't chosen anything but Tanya had, with her eyes at least. And that's why he had a blue box tucked into his pocket while he held a larger gift in his hand. It was just about time for their midnight escapade and so he'd give it to her then. The only difference was--he'd taken her to her room since that was where it'd be the most significant. Now they were seated on her bed, much differently than the last time they'd been in here when Aarav finally handed over the large box that wasn't hidden like the jewelry in his pocket. The box contained a first edition of The Great Gatsby, inscribed with a note from Aarav inside the front cover, one that she might not even notice because somewhere he knew Tanya and knew that she'd never open this one, choosing to keep it like a prized possesson. "So--do you like it?" She'd been speechless since she caught sight of the book.

Tanya hadn't expected this. She had expected a quiet night considering that they were on her quite small double bed, pressed up next to each other, his arm around her shoulders and her head against his chest. It was only when the box landed in her lap, his eyes urging her to open it that Tanya had pushed away her pride, her pride that clawed at her, telling her she couldn't accept such lavish gifts. Her fingers ran over the first edition, tracing the lettering on the cover and turned to look at Aarav, eyes wide. She was breathless, almost unable to answer his question and so gently setting the book aside, Tanya wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I love it," she whispered in his ear, not letting go. From this angle she could hear the steady lull of his heartbeat, and found her own matching his. "I love it so much." Finally pulling away, Tanya carefully put the book back in the box, covering it with the butter paper wrapping once more and placing it inside her drawer. She wouldn't let anything happen to that. She would preserve it.

Aarav knew from the way her eyes were so wide that she loved it. And he was so incredibly glad to know that she was accepting it from him. He wasn't squandering all his wealth on her but he enjoyed spoiling her with things that made her smile. He felt like though Gatsby was depressing in the long run, it was a symbol of their first real conversation and that made it symbolic. But he was more concerned with how she'd react to the second much smaller but more expensive gift. "Ek aur bhi hai," and reluctantly moving away from her, he dug into his pocket and pulled out the robin's egg blue coloured box. He knew she'd recognize it but he just hoped she understood why he enjoyed giving her these gifts--her smile, the gratitude in her eyes was so special to him.

Tanya stared down at the small box in Aarav's hands, her bottom lip quivering as she finally looked up at him, surprise in her eyes. She had recognized the packaging of the store, and her heart raced in her chest at the thought of what was inside the box. "Is this..." Tanya started, unable to complete the sentence, in true awe of Aarav, of the fact that he wanted to splurge on her. She popped open the box only to reveal the thin silver chain, the blue topaz pendant shining up at her. Her jaw dropped and she looked up at Aarav; part of her wanted to refuse this gift but she couldn't, not when she could see the hope in her eyes. Tanya cleared her throat, her voice heavy, "Will you put it on?" She turned then, her back facing him as she pushed the hair away from the nape of her neck.

Aarav nodded eagerly at her request, so secretly thrilled that she hadn't returned it to him. He knew it was a lot to give someone but he didn't think she remotely even understood that when he said he was in love with her, how true and deep the meaning of that love was for him. Aarav woke up every morning happier because he could look forward to seeing her, he got to spend the day with her, discovering her little habits and nuances. He was absolutely in love with this woman and while the circumstances weren't ideal, he knew they'd make it through. She could think about it as rationally as she'd like--he was going to remain idealistic for them--knowing that ultimately he was coming closer to the decision of divorce anyways. At least before, Aditi attempted to be there for the kids--now that Tanya had arrived, she'd give them a call sometimes, but otherwise it was almost as if she had never existed and Aarav preferred it that way.

Aarav: got all lost in his thoughts so I realize he didn't put it on, you can god mod and have him do it, probably with him kissing her neck too..

Tanya shivered when she felt the cool metal brush against her skin and then felt a tingle go down her spine when Aarav kissed the back of her neck, the spot right under the clasp. Her hand came up to where the pendant was and she clutched it between her fingers. It was in moments like these where she could pretend that their relationship was conventional, where she wasn't still the nanny to his children, or that he was still married to another woman. Albeit a woman who was hardly ever around, who didn't care for her children, who was cheating on her husband. Tanya turned then, leaning in to kiss him softly. "I love it," she whispered, "thank you."

Aarav smiled when she turned towards him and kissed him. He could try to believe that in that kiss, he could feel her belief in them and that their conversation that day in the kitchen never happened. But Aarav understood it as well, why she believed they were doomed. He let his left-hand trail down her back as he shuffled so that she was pressed right up against him. "I love you," he murmured back before his right hand pushed back the loose tendrils of her hair. "I know you don't believe in the cliched thoughts such as 'fate' and all that, but somewhere this has to be it. Why else would we choose you among ten different candidates?" He let his head rest against her's before he took a deep breath. "The girls have a sleepover tomorrow so I think that calls for a date night especially for you. Kya khaane ka maan hai aapka?" He was actually thrilled at the prospect of cooking exclusively for her.

Tanya shut her eyes when he pressed his forehead against hers and shook her head. "Because I was the prettiest?" She ended on a higher lilt than when she'd started, hoping that he would get the joke. These days she especially hated when Aarav would begin to talk about fate, and destiny and what was in store for them - it only served to bring her down. All Tanya wanted to think about was how much she loved him, and all she knew was that she wanted to live in moment because it was theirs. This moment right here in her bed was theirs, and absolutely nobody could tarnish that, absolutely nothing could take it away. "Mere paas ek idea hai," she whispered, her fingers trailing down the buttons of his shirt. "Why don't you surprise me? You are after all a bigshot chef na, make me something special."

Aarav gave her a smile before he heard her joke and rolled his eyes before shaking his head. "Secret batao? There was actually one girl who was a former Miss. India, so you know--she was really beautiful," Aarav nudged his nose to her's before he laughed. "But sabse achi, bachon ke saath sab se natural tum hi thi." But he knew she didn't want to discuss this judging by the look in her eyes. He knew why she chose to behave like this, but the problem was if she didn't stay positive, he was terrified that she'd let that break them. His relationship with Aditi was dead, it never really lasted past Ahaana's birth, but Aarav had convinced for another baby, and he knew it was wrong but it was his last desperate plea to save their marriage only for it to fail miserably. He looked down at her, raising an eyebrow at the way she was very obvious in what she wanted. "I could do that," he grinned before his own hands rid her of the cardigan she'd been sporting.

Tanya smiled when his hands pushed the cardigan off her; so he had caught onto her drift. Part of her worried that they could be snuck up on, that the children may suddenly come knocking on her locked door with some emergency, or go to their father's room only to not find him there but her gaze went to the clock as she was moving backwards on the bed, her head pressing up against the headboard. They were always fast asleep by this point, which meant there was a very rare chance that she and Aarav would be interrupted. Besides, her small room was on the top floor, next to the attic - so nobody would even catch on. With that thought, Tanya leaned in to kiss Aarav, her hands undoing the buttons of his shirt before pushing it off his shoulders.

Aarav couldn't help but smiled when he caught the way she shuffled backward underneath him while he kept the book and box to the side. Aarav didn't know if this was the right time, and maybe it was all part of Tanya's live in the moment concept but he didn't want to jinx it. He let the shirt drop to the ground before he let his hands slip underneath her tank top. Aarav wasn't ashamed of his body, but he hadn't been this intimate with someone since Aditi and so he was a bit--surprised. He kissed her back eagerly before pulling her on top of him so that he was on his back even on her tiny little bed. "Are you sure--I mean..." he didn't say anything but he was surprised at how fast this was going tonight even when they both knew that they'd have plenty of time before Pakhi decided to wake up at 6am on the dot, every single day.

Tanya huffed when he pulled away from her, and barely managed to bite back the groan that was bubbling at her lips. She knew he wasn't trying to kill her buzz; she knew that he genuinely wanted to make sure she was fine with this. Tanya smiled before pressing a kiss to his nose. "I don't know, let me think," she stalled, her words a soft drawl obviously meant for amusement's sake. Her gaze dropped down to Aarav's jeans before chuckling as she looked up at him. "Maybe we should ask you," she teased, squealing when he turned them over, pressing her down on the bed. There was something so airy about being with Aarav, something so fresh; she'd never felt more like herself than she did when she was around him. She didn't want to lose this.

Aarav knew she was upset at the way he pulled away considering how it was in the middle of them getting closer and with fewer clothes. But once she kissed him and he heard her words, he merely shook his head before tugging her closer, their lips pressing together before he caught the way her gaze had traveled down and couldn't help but smile. "You're playing evil," he laughed before turning them over and pressing her into the mattress. "Asking me--will not do us any help," he kissed his way down her jaw and neck before pausing at the neckline of her tank top. "But really, I mean--yes we both love each other, but God Tanya you're young so you probably have been with other guys younger--and more athletic or what not." He frowned, his eyes now on the headboard above them while he spoke. "And I just--well it's been a long time and I guess I'm just a bit nervous?" The words sounded so much better in his head than they did hear in person.

Tanya frowned when he suddenly stopped kissing his way down her body and opened her eyes to notice him talking to the headboard. "My eyes are here," she whispered, waiting for him to look at her before she spoke. When he did, Tanya's hands reached up to frame his face and she sighed. "I have been with other guys, and yes I'm young but I-- I love you and I want this with you." She understood his fear, knew where it stemmed from and didn't blame him. She just wished he would believe her. Tanya would not have embarked in this relationship altogether if she didn't want him, every single part of him. She knew that there was at least eight years between them, but she didn't care. Not when she was in love with him, not when she didn't know if this relationship was even going to last. "Don't be nervous," Tanya whispered, arching up so she could kiss him. "You have me, you don't need anything else."

Aarav rolled his eyes at her comment before looking down at her, smiling at the way she cupped his face. He leaned into the touch, wondering why he found it so off-putting when she did mention being with other men, even though he was the idiot who brought it up in the first place. "I want this with you too," he cleared his throat but still not quite believing how she'd have chosen him. At her words, though, he found himself nodding and leaning down to kiss her only to have her meeting him halfway. Her whispered words were all he needed to continue. So layer by layer, their clothing was discarded while he found himself connecting once more with someone in a way that surprised him because of just how meaningful it was. "You're amazing," he murmured wondering how he could've fallen into this with someone like Tanya when she still had her whole life ahead of her.

Tanya laughed before turning to face him, her hand resting against his chest. "You're not bad yourself," she responded, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She didn't want this night to end, she wanted it to go on forever; she wanted him to love her forever. There was nothing that Tanya wanted more in this world than she wanted him and for the millionth time she wished that they had met before, that their circumstances were different - because if it were, maybe they would last. Maybe they wouldn't be living on borrowed time.

Aarav had gotten Tanya to drop off the girls for their sleepovers this time around, mainly because he wanted to get a headstart on surprising her with a specially cooked meal. It was nothing too extravagant mainly because he knew Tanya and while she'd thankfully accepted the super expensive gifts he'd gotten her--none of that mattered to her. Instead, he'd opted for a stirfry with a mousse cheesecake that was positively sinful and would be for later when they ended up in a more comfortable position. The door opened then and he heard the keys get tossed to the side before he called out to her. "Welcome back! I've been expecting you." "Really?" And just like that--his world shifted. Aditi Roy peeked her head into the kitchen, a smile on her face while she came in and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hi baby, I missed you." But Aarav knew better than that, this just meant that no one else was around and so she was back to their house and this life. But he just pulled her arms away from him before moving away from her and back to the stove where the wok was cooking the veggies. "What are you doing here?"

Tanya had never been more excited as she was in the moment; she hadn't really been on a date with Aarav despite the fact that this had been happening for the past few months. She had experienced being tugged into the freezer of one of his restaurants because he just couldn't hold himself back from kissing her; she'd gotten him tugging on her wrist in the kitchen and pressing his lips to her neck; she'd gotten slow dances while the radio played in the kitchen at midnight; and after last night, she'd gotten a night of amazing sex. Her heart raced in her chest, breath caught in her throat as she quickly unlocked the door to the house. She'd been about to call out to Aarav when she saw Aditi with him in the kitchen. Just like that reality came crashing down around her and she pulled her hair down, hiding the earrings he'd gotten her, trying to get her hair to cover her neck so the lady of the house wouldn't see the expensive necklace Tanya was now sporting. "Hi Aditi madam," she greeted meekly before moving straight ahead to the storage closet so she could pull out the mop, avoiding Aarav's eyes.

Aarav hadn't ever had to see both women in the same room before and hadn't realized before how his heart sped up at the sight of Tanya and how every instinct inside of him had him wanting to go near her to gather her into his arms. But he couldn't do that. Instead, he watched awkwardly as Aditi barely acknowledged the woman who was taking her kids every single day and night while Aditi was out doing God knows what. "You could at least talk to the girl properly." Aditi raised an eyebrow before attempting to get closer to Aarav once more. "Oh, are you going to teach me how to talk to the help now Aarav? Please, I don't think it matters. But did you see those earrings she was wearing? They looked real!" They were real. Aarav had bought them two weeks ago, wanting her to have some token from him that she could be wearing all the time. "Why are you really here Aditi? Is Samar/i] busy?" And thankfully his wife had a little shame and so she flushed before retracting her arms. "I wanted to see the girls, where are they? Ahaana! Pakhi! Come down princesses!"

Tanya had mopped the living room, and the dining room and every other room on the first floor, leaving only the kitchen. Her heart hammered in her chest; Aditi Roy was like a hawk. She would pick up on any sign of weakness, anything out of the ordinary. Tanya vowed to herself she wouldn't even glance at Aarav as she moved the mop around the kitchen, but her heart wouldn't have it and so she glanced up when she was sure Aditi wasn't looking, her heart speeding up at the sight of Aarav. Except it was different now; it came with a certain heaviness, as if she knew this was soon coming to an end. It was easier to pretend she was doing nothing wrong when Aditi was absent but with her here, the guilt pierced through Tanya. She pushed her hair away from the back of her neck, sweeping it to one side when she felt her back starting to sweat, moving through the kitchen with ease, completely forgetting about the token of Krish's love around her neck.

Aarav informed her about the kid's schedules and how maybe it would've been better if she'd just called instead of showing up when the girls weren't even home. Aditi, however, disregarded his taunt before taking a seat to watch him cook. She used to do this, earlier on in their relationship but it'd stopped for the last 6 years and so he was actually wondering what she'd had up her sleeve before his attention went back to the stove, watching Tanya out of his peripheral vision until he caught sight of the pendant and the way Aditi was staring at it, possibly recognizing it. "Ek baat batao Aarav,?" "Hm?" He was certainly not in the mood to deal with her silly conversations. "Do you leave a lot of cash around the house?" Aarav actually rolled his eyes before looking back at her. "No, why?" Aditi clasped her hands before waiting until Tanya exited out of the kitchen. "Then explain to me why she's got that necklace around her neck? We don't pay her that much and I know for a fact that pendant is extremely expensive." Aarav was too stunned to react until he realized what she was insinuating about his present to Tanya and frowned. "Are you actually thinking that she's stealing? You've got to be out of your mind. Tanya ould never do that."

Tanya pressed herself against the wall outside of the kitchen, wanting to listen in on the conversation. Of course what she heard, only served to break her heart. It's better than her assuming you're having an affair with her husband, her conscience reminded and Tanya thanked her lucky stars that wasn't the assumption her employer had made. Of course with the way Aarav was defending her, with the way they gravitated towards each other like two magnets, the way she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame would be instrumental in tipping Aditi off, Tanya was trying not to focus on that. Instead, she stepped outside into the backyard, ready to clean the pool once more. Except this time, she was struck by the memory of Aarav taking the pool mop from her. And then of the memory when they'd taken a midnight swim, fully clothed, only to spend most of their time kissing with the full moon shining above them. She shut her eyes, grip tightening around the mop until her knuckles turned white.

Aarav noticed how Aditi had been polishing off that bottle of wine entirely on her own when she decided to head upstairs, something about a web chat with someone or the other being in a couple minutes. Aarav ignored her while finishing off the meal and keeping it in the oven to ensure it stayed hot while he went off in search of Tanya. He knew Aditi would be knocked out for the next few hours and while he had an inkling that Tanya would probably want absolutely nothing to do with him, he still had to make sure she was alright considering they'd both had a rude awakening. He found her outside at the pool and shook his head with a fond smile, remembering their first moment of proper interaction out here. "Let me," Aarav held out his hand for the mop but the look on Tanya's face made him question what she was about to stay.

Tanya kept her grip tight around the mop, afraid that if she would let go - Tanya would crumble to her knees. It was the only thing keeping her upright. "Why is she back?" Her eyes shut then as she pressed her forehead to the cool metal of the mop. Aditi coming back had destroyed every inkling she'd had of wanting to take this relationship further. It was as if God was punishing her for sleeping with a married man by bringing his wife back into their lives. Maybe it had been a test, a test that Tanya had failed. "What are we going to do now?" Despite her better judgement, Tanya let him take the mop before burying her face in his chest, needing his warmth, his steady heartbeat to calm her own.

Aarav gently let the mop fall into the pool to avoid the metal hitting the cement and causing a loud enough sound to wake Aditi and alert her to what was happening here. He wrapped his arms around Tanya, wishing she wasn't feeling quite so shaken up by all of this--even if he completely understood it and felt it as well. "She says she came to see the girl's but I'm just guessing none of the men she wants to be with are around." He frowned, wondering exactly what that meant for the sleeping arrangements because he'd sleep on the couch outside but he would not be sharing a bed with Aditi again. "We're going to be fine. You trust me, don't you?" And this answer was what their entire future was banking on. If she didn't trust him, he had no reason to try and protect them, but if she did--well, if she did, he was going to do everything in his power to protect them and speed up the papers he'd requested his lawyer to draw up for him finally.

Tanya knew what he wanted her to say; she could feel every cell in her body trying to convince her to say those words he wanted to hear. And she wanted to say them. God, she wanted to say them so desperately but Tanya had never been one for lies, and she certainly wasn't about to start now. She'd very nearly gotten her elder cousin in trouble once, unable to lie to her aunt about where Leela had disappeared to at such an odd hour if Leela had not walked through the door at that very moment. "No," she whispered, her heart breaking with that one syllable as she stepped away from him. A single tear rolled down her cheek as Tanya looked away from Aarav. She needed to quit; she needed to leave this job immediately. After all, her mission had been accomplished. She'd gathered enough money for medical school; there was no reason for her to be here any longer.

Aarav hadn't realized that whatever conflicting emotions he felt during the whole estranged period with his wife had never been heartbreak because the love there had been incredibly hollow. But right now as he felt her one answer through his entire body, and watched her step away--he knew he was breaking inside. She'd said it so directly as if it had all meant nothing. The fact that she couldn't trust him--left him feeling like an utter failure. He'd truly believed that this entire time he'd ended up convincing her to remain positive but it was obvious that hadn't happened. "Well, I guess--if that's how you feel.." his voice cracked on the last word and so he turned on his heel and headed inside, this time going up to Ahaana's bedroom, away from both the women in his life; the one he tolerated--and the one he loved with his entire heart.

Tanya felt her own heart shatter when she heard his voice crack and it was only when he'd disappeared back inside that Tanya allowed herself to fall to her knees, burying her face in her hands, trying to stop the tears that spilled from her eyes. She took in huge gulps of air, trying not to hyperventilate as she cried. He must hate her now; he probably thought that she was heartless but he wouldn't understand. Aarav wouldn't understand how that was the hardest thing Tanya ever had to do. Wiping away at her tears, she packed all of her things back into her suitcase, bidding adieu to her small bedroom before making her way down to the bedroom where Aditi was. The woman was thankfully awake, scrolling on her phone and Tanya quietly told her of her resignation, not even surprised at the way she waved her off - as if Tanya was some irritating pest. Once outside the house, she looked up at the house. She was leaving, but knew that she'd left her heart behind in the hallowed halls of the Roy bungalow, with the one person she knew would take care of it.

Aarav had awoken the next morning earlier than he normally did mainly because he wanted to sneak up to Tanya's bedroom to apologize and ask her to reconsider. This time he'd tell her everything. He'd tell her about the divorce papers he was preparing and how everything would fall into place for them soon enough. But she wasn't there, nor was she downstairs in the kitchen, or in the living room. It was like she was...gone. Aarav had his phone out so that he could at least try and reach her this way, because maybe Pakhi had called and needed to be picked up, or maybe Tanya had errands to run. But the phone kept ringing--until it just abruptly stopped without a chance for him to even leave a voicemail. "Have you seen Tanya this morning?" He asked Aditi when she came down the stairs only to have her stare back at him. "Who?" Aarav had to control every urge in his body to prevent him from throttling her. "Tanya Sen. Our nanny and housekeeper?" Aditi nodded before shrugging. "Oh her? She quit last night. If you ask me, she should've given us those earrings and that necklace she was wearing--because I still think she stole something from this house."

Tanya yawned, trying to keep her eyes open while the lecturer droned on and on about some part of the human anatomy or other. She'd started college just two weeks ago, having kicked her mother to the curb. Frankly, it was something she should have done years ago - not because she hated the woman, but because she was tired of doing things for other people, never anything for herself. The same way she'd walked away from Aarav, in hopes that he would salvage his marriage, that she hadn't destroyed anything. Especially since she had lost her heart to him. Even now she still wore the necklace, the earrings however had been retired to her dresser. The pair together was too fancy, and besides the pendant fit snugly against her chest, against her heart. Shoving her books back into her bag, Tanya shouldered it before stepping outside of the building, making her way to the gates. It was then she saw a very familiar car and a very familiar face. She had to be dreaming, that was the only explanation. Tanya pinched herself and then bit down on her bottom lip because fuck, that had hurt. Her skin throbbed and she sighed before stepping outside, taking only a few steps. She stopped, a sizeable distance between her and Aarav as she pressed the spare books to her chest, looking him dead in the eyes.

Aarav had just gotten the papers filed with his lawyers who told him that thanks to Aditi's agreement to settle their divorce, it'd be finalized in the next two days. Of course there had been problems when they'd both decided to tell their daughter's but Pakhi had just touched his cheek and smiled telling him softly how she just wanted her Baba smiling like he was a few months before. When Tanya had been in his life. Ahaana had of course taken all this as a personal attack even though both Aditi and Aarav had explained it to her over and over, telling her how it wasn't her fault that her parents had somehow fallen out of love. But there had been only one person Aarav wanted to rush to as soon as the papers had been signed. Tanya. He'd managed to use some contacts to find out her medical college and had now shown up there with a bouquet of roses in the car while he himself stood outside waiting for her, knowing from her expression that she wasn't at all impressed. "I'm not a complete stalker, especially because I mean--I've got some news for you. Did you hear the second installment for The Great Gatsby? Apparently this version has Daisy and Gatsby ending up together, their doomed love got double eclipsed which ended up with them being able to confront their feelings and not lie to the other just so he'd try and save his failing marriage." Aarav was aware that his words, while starting out correct--had completely turned and twisted now that he was done. He blamed that on seeing her again, her face almost void of any reaction. "I uh--got my divorce. Just sent the papers over to the lawyers."

Tanya despite giving Aarav a blank expression, was dying on the inside. The smile threatened to burst at her lips and it took everything in her to not smile. He'd gotten divorced, he wanted to be with her. She cleared her throat, adjusting the weight on her foot. "How can there be a second installment when the author is dead?" Tanya raised an eyebrow at him, hoping he'd realize that she was playing hard to get. Except she'd lasted for a grand total of three seconds; her heart hammered in her chest and she allowed her books to fall to the ground with a thud as she jumped into his arms. Her arms wound around his neck and she buried her face in the crook of his neck too, hoping to god that she wouldn't cry. That would frankly just be embarrassing.

Aarav didn't know how many seconds or minutes had passed as he waited for Tanya to say something, anything but when she did--he was still almost stumped. Aarav was about to give her an answer when he felt her jump onto him, her books flying to the ground while he grabbed her back with the same gusto. "God, I missed you so much," he confessed as he smoothed down her hair, not really letting her go until he did it only to cup her cheeks. "Do you know how much it killed me to know you left without even saying goodbye?" But before allowing her to answer, he dipped back into the car and pulled out the bouquet of two dozen red roses and handed them to her. "These--are for you." There was a joke behind the red roses as well, considering that Aditi had never really been around in the house and so Aarav had opted the real flowers for silk ones until Tanya had come in and decided that there should be fresh flowers everywhere--and since roses were her favourite, it seemed right.

Tanya had slowly moved off of Aarav, smoothing her clothes down as she cleared her throat, gaze flitting around to make sure nobody had seen her almost lose it at the sight of the man she loved. She glanced down at the roses and then back up at Aarav before the color fanned along her cheeks, painting them a dusty pink. She smiled, biting down on her bottom lip before reaching up on her toes so she could kiss his cheek. Tanya didn't want to acknowledge his other words, didn't want to remind herself of how hard leaving had been in the first place. "I missed you too," she whispered. She hadn't expected to come for her; she hadn't expected him to love her in the same capacity that she felt for him. Tanya let out a soft, choked laugh, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes and she freed a hand to swipe at them. "I can't believe-- I can't believe you really came."

Aarav shook his head at her words before cupping her cheeks and drawing her in closer to him. She'd missed a few of her tears and so he'd done the gentlemanly thing and wiped them away before giving her a soft smile. "How could I not come?" He wanted to rehash everything, remind her of the faith he'd had in them since the beginning and how she'd been the one who said she couldn't trust him but he knew this wasn't the time--nor was that something that needed to be said. "You know how much I love you, it was all real from me Tanya, I mean--I had already started divorce proceedings before that night, but I hadn't wanted to tell you until it was final." And he tugged her closer once more to hug her closely before kissing her cheek slowly. "I know most people don't want to be a readymade mom, but if you are ready--I have to tell you just how ready Pakhi is for her Choti Maa,, she hasn't stopped talking about you for even two moments." And that was Aarav's casual way of letting her know that he'd already told his kids how much he loved her. And while Pakhi was absolutely on board--Ahaana had reservations but Aarav was already sure of Tanya being able to turn those reservations into adoration. After all, when things were just meant to be--nothing else could come in the way.

#{ ☆彡 PARAGRAPHS. ☆彡 }

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