A caged bird [cw]

”I need to get you to a hospital”
“No!” Hope groaned, trying to move, but the pain was overwhelming, and she had to lie down again. The operation to take out the fetus hadn’t gone as plan. Even with an experienced witch, there hadn’t been enough blood to transfuse to her through the process and now the wound wouldn’t heal even though they tried with magic and remedies. “Sometimes magic isn’t enough Hope, I need to get you to a hospital, or this will kill you!” a soft cry left the fairy that normally was so good at keeping her feelings under wraps, despite when it involved a certain vampire. Couldn’t keep from showing just how bad this was, her face riddled with the pain that blossomed from her abdomen. “Just let it kill me” she finally cried up, closing her eyes. She felt how tears pressed down her cheeks. Mixed with sweat forming on her forehead and the back of her neck. “That’s it, I’m getting you help” once again Hope yelled no. But the blond witch was out of the room and already making the arrangements to get her on her way.

She didn’t remember much after that. Flashes of light, how she was falling in and out of consciousness. How she had been left on the parking lot by the emergency entrance to Grounds of lily’s hospital. She felt how arms folded around her, shouts of getting her into the OR. The feeling of something so familiar near her. Ace? Her eyes forced themselves open thinking that it was him. Another scream of pain left her as they moved up on a stretcher. “I’m sorry” a small whisper left her “I'm so sorry” she whimpered, and then everything went dark again.

She had no idea how long time she had been in the hospital room when she came too. As she opened her eyes, she saw her mother sitting by her bed. Tears streaming down her face, as she saw that Hope finally woke up. Smothered with hugs and kisses, she couldn’t help but notice once again how empty her heart felt, even though family was around her. Clearly caring for her wellbeing. It was first, when her eyes landed on a small bouquet of daisy’s standing beside her bed. Her mother just shook her head when she had asked if they were from her. A soft smile playing on the older fairy’s lips. A small card was attached A.A. Once again Hope felt tears well up in her eyes, and she turned her head outside the window. Maybe he would come visit her? But the day came and she could go home he hadn’t come to visit her.


“Hope?” Andrew whispered pulling her back out of her small flashback to what had happened a few weeks ago. A soft hum left her, and she took her hand out of her small purse, where her fingers had folded around the small daisy that she had dried so it would never truly die. “Are you sure that you are up to this?” he asked lifting one of his brows and she slowly nodded giving him a reassuring smile “yes of course” she added. Her arm snaked around his. It wasn’t because she really wanted to come to this event once again. But the first hack hadn’t worked just as well as she had hoped. So here she was again, reminding her of the first kiss that she had shared with Ace. Why. She shook her head and turned towards her new ‘date’ playing the blood bag role once again. This time to a vampire Sarah had helped her find. One that had helped her many times with finding artifacts and other seals that she needed for more powerful spells. He seemed like a genuine guy. Almost just as controlled as Ace. Stop. She almost groaned by the fact that he managed to creep into her mind all the time. A tray of champagne walked past her and she quickly grabbed one to take a sip.

Work was always busy. He had been working for so long, and he had finally been allowed to have a break when someone appeared with a fairy on the parking lot calling for help. A couple of nurses put away their biscuits and Ace followed in a slower manner – at least until he could smell who it was. Hope. He was the first to be by her side and support her while the nurses arrived with the stretcher. She whimpered, but as of right now, he didn’t care about the words leaving her mouth. He cared for her surviving this. She had promised she would get things fixed, and this was apparently where it had let her.

When the fetus had been removed it had been transported to a place where it would be taken care of for good. After all, it wasn’t just that easy to kill a vampire fetus. She was closed up, with no sign of wounds of having been at the hospital at all, besides from the drop in her arm and the wristband with her identity on it.

As soon as he was off duty and she was stable, he spent a while trying to calm the family member down and everyone else who cared for her. As that had been done, he made sure to order flowers to hope with a card only with his initials. Hopefully she knew that he still cared for her wellbeing. It was daisies, as a wish for her wellbeing and new beginnings. They symbolized hope. Hope. A name she should remember him by.

Ever since Ace had appeared at the blood fest, Aria had been on his neck, longing for his presence and begged, begged and begged for him to join her. To get some piece of mind, he had said yes and had been dragged off with her. She had even arranged that he got dressed in something nice. Aria had dressed herself like a less sparkling disco ball. Her body was coved more and it was less shimmery. But the clothing Aria had chosen for Ace made him easy to spot. He was wearing a red tuxedo with a lighter blue shirt underneath. Even though it didn’t really look like it, Ace was being pulled by Aria to the small dance floor, where she tried to dance with him. The younger brother just simply didn’t feel like it – like always – and didn’t move a muscle unless Aria took his hands and dragged him around. The scent of a daisy hit him and he pulled his hands away from Aria and looked around. He was probably just hoping that she would be there. Wishing that the daisy was a sign. At first he couldn’t really spot her, but then he noticed how a young vampire stood with Hope. “Ace? Ace? Hey, Ace!”
He didn’t really care that his sister called for him as he moved away from her, leaving her alone. It wasn’t until she noticed that his former blood bank stood with another vampire that a smile spread on her lips. Jealous, huh. He was just like his father at some point.
Ace passed a tray of champagne on his way and grabbed a glass. He didn’t even take a sip of it. He finally reached up behind the couple. “Evenings,” he greeted to get their attention. “Are you enjoying the evening?” he looked at the vampire and tried to figure out whether or not he should grab the big spoon and get the vampire out of the way, or if he could simply ask the vampire to talk to Hope alone.

She felt how Andrew’s hand found its way around her and placed it on her hip. She had to take in a deep chunk of air to not just push it off her. They had to present the exact air that her and Ace had performed the time they had gone. Which was hard, because everything with that other bloody vampire had been so easy. Until it hadn’t been anymore. Andrew leaned down and placed his lips towards her ear to whisper something in it, as a voice was heard behind them. Hope froze for just a second, when she realized who it was. Ever so slowly she turned around, Andrew doing the same looking at the man standing there in a bloodred suit, matching Hope almost to perfection. When he was standing there in an almost boring black tux and matching dress pants. “Evening” Andrew calmly spoke, and then gave a tight nod when asked if he was enjoying his evening “Yes, thank you, hope you are as well” the blond-haired vampire pulled Hope a little closer, with the hand on her waist pressing her flush up his side. She had to closer her eyes to collect her thoughts and then looked up at Andrew with a warm and polite smile. He gave her a nod and then she turned her attention towards Ace once again “It’s more magnificent than last time, hope you are enjoying the evening too” a soft whisper left her, and her eyes travelled down to the floor once again. Every voice in her head was screaming about the touch, that Ace was standing right in front of her. There was many things that the strong woman didn’t appreciate, but had to bite her tongue not to blow her cover.

Yes. Jealousy.

No, Ace didn’t think that Hope was his and only his to touch but something about all of it simply disgusted him and he wanted to rip the arm of the younger vampire. He wanted to tell the vampire to get better at reading the situation, air, and body language of the one he was helping. Hope was clearly not comfortable. Wait, why was she here again?
The vampire greeted him back and Ace gave him a slight nod. The way the vampire pulled her closer made his stomach turn on her behalf. He could almost sense how she wasn’t feeling comfortable. The way she closed her eyes told him everything. He looked towards Hope as she looked up at the vampire she had arrived with. He noticed how the vampire nodded. Same story. Interesting. What did she owe this man?
“I would enjoy the evening even more-” he changed his gaze from Hope to the vampire, “If I could ask for a dance with her?” he said pulled a slightly wider smile, even though he really didn’t feel like smiling at the guy nor dancing.

When Ace asked if he could dance with her, she couldn’t conceal the small smile that formed on her lips. Somehow it meant more that he tried to get out of the situation, clearly seeing she was uncomfortable, and the fact that she also remembered that he liked to dance where no eyes could follow. Even if it was best with a partner. But she also had a job to do, which was why she was here. Though she would have preferred to go with Ace once more, but that was a bridge they had decided no longer to cross. Hope looked down, and then felt how Andrew turned his head and pressed his nose against her cheek letting his lips touch her ear. How she remained calm and didn’t show her true emotion in her face, maybe it had something to do with the medication she was on.  Helping her keep her cool for an hour or two. His lips moved, asking if she would mind. But she also felt how his voice in her head asked if it would ruin more than do any good. Telepath had been one of the reasons she had been so appealing to bring along. If it hadn’t been for the fact that he was a little to touchy. She gave a small nod and felt his kiss press against her skin just under her ear. His teeth slightly grazing over the skin. She knew why he did it, to show that she was hers, and she wanted nothing more to push him off and tell him they didn’t need to fake it in front of Ace.

Andrew then let go of her “Please bring her back in one piece” he joked and turned towards one of the trays with blood goblets to take one of those drinking it. Hope then looked towards Ace “So” she sighed licking her lips “Want to actual dance, or just find a corner to talk?” she asked him, titling her head a little as she pulled her handbag a little closer. Her fingers longing after finding the small, dried daisy in it.

He noticed the small smile. He reciprocated it even though he wasn’t meant to. The smile on the other hand was only there for a short second. Was it because he realized that he shouldn’t smile back at her or because he saw how the vampire leaned down and talked to her, he didn’t really know. His face remained somewhat emotionless even though he felt like the vampire was pushing it by kissing her and let his teeth graze over her skin. Had Ace had a heart to beat with his emotions, everyone in the room would know that it made him furious. He just kept telling himself that it was a play. They were acting, just like they had done not that long ago.

When the vampire let go of her, he could feel how is muscles lost some tension. God. Hope had really gotten the better of him. Why the hell was he so jealous of acting? Ace chuckled shortly as the blonde vampire told him to brin her back in one piece, “Sure,” he said, even though the reply wasn’t with as a friendly voice as it had been earlier. He was disgusted by that man. He was glad that he left. Ace offered Hope a true gentleman’s hand to lead her. He exhaled softly, “Some would almost think you knew me those suggestions,” he said and couldn’t really contain the small smile on his lips. He didn’t lead her directly to the dancefloor, but towards one of the quitter areas where they could stand by themselves. He noticed how she tried to pull in her handbag. “Daisies?” he asked and glanced towards her handbag, simply curious about if he was guessing right… And something in him longed to know if it was one of those he had given her while she was recovering. Besides from that, he was wondering how she felt both on a physical and mental level. Why was she here, and why with that guy? The questions kept on like an endless circle.

“Know you?” she couldn’t help the small smirk form on her lips, as she let her arm find its way through his, so they could walk together to the destination that he was choosing for them. “I’m not sure I’ve ever met you before” she let out a small whisper, almost as if it was a handout to start all over. Letting her glide out of his arm and turn so she could stand in front of him. In her high heels she was a little taller than him. She looked down as he asked her about the daisy in her handbag. She pulled the small delicate flower out. “Daisy” she corrected him letting her blue eyes find his dark brown. They almost shinned in the light of the candles all over the room. “Given to me by a very special person” she then put it away. Her head titled to the left and then she put her hand out “Hope Minerva” she presented herself, if it wasn’t for the medication calming every nerve in her body. She could have sworn her heart would have picked up speed just by the simple gesture. Even more so if he decided to take her hand in his.

He glanced towards her as she repeated his words. Hadn’t he spoken clearly? The smile on the other hand proved to him that she was just toying with him – but why? She then explained, without him asking. She had never met him before. Why did she make him smile that much? This was nothing like him. If Aria saw him like this, what wouldn’t she think? “Exactly. It’s odd,” he said. His voice had a hint of joy in it.

She stepped in front of him, and he noticed how she was a bit taller than him. Cute. His hands followed her gaze to the handbag where she pulled out a single delicate flower. She corrected him and he nodded a little. He looked back up at her. He noticed how her eyes shined and he could feel how the warmth spread in his chest once again. All the way to his fingers. God, she had really unlocked the door to his heart, hadn’t she? A sign of appreciation and affection showed in his face as she mentioned that the daisy was from a very special person. “It must be a very special person since you’re carrying it with you,” he spoke softly. Jesus. The warmth was spreading way faster than he was comfortable with, but it didn’t make him pull away. She put away the flower and handed her hand to him. He took her hand, but instead of a handshake he bowed, turned her hand, and kissed the back of it. “Ace Adwell,” he presented himself and straightened back up. He could’ve sworn they never had presented themselves by their surnames. “You look stunning,” he complimented her. There was a first to everything, right? His eyes didn’t leave hers. Something in him panicked a little. He wished to ask so many questions, but now that they started somewhere new, he didn’t want to open the unhealed wounds. “Do you know anyone here, but you master?” he wondered, continuing in the play of her having followed the blond vampire to get inside, and curious if she had seen her friend.

“He is and reminds me that even though we parted ways rather quickly he still has a special place in my memory” she directed the wording around her heart, knowing that it might be too much for him to hear. But she also knew that he would pick up what she had meant, by the small inhale and exhale through her slightly parted lips.  Even though the pain was still very fresh just how badly things had ended. But this was good, this was nice even.

Her eyes closed, but this time it was to savor the feeling of his lips pressed against her pale freckled skin. She let her hand fall down the side of her body, as he let it go and straighten back up. “Nice to make your acquaintance Ace Adwell” she hummed in a warm tone of voice. Her head pulled away, hoping it would mask the bashful smile and the slight tint of warmth in her cheeks. Horrible man.

Her gaze fell back into his eyes as he clearly wasn’t about to let their conversation go without eye contact. Her tongue parted her lips and slit over the bottom lip before returning. “No, sadly I haven’t seen anyone I recognize yet” she told him quite honestly, before her eyes drifted towards the dancefloor. She wanted to tell him that she had missed him, that she still let her mind travel back to when they had danced alone in his studio. How she longed for his touch, and the way his lips felt pressed against hers. But she none of it, she didn’t reach out like she yearned for. Keeping herself and her hands very natural, being extremely aware of their distance, not to step over his boundaries once again. Because honestly, her heart wouldn’t be able to bear another rejection.

A smile quivered on his lips as she agreed that it was someone special, since she carried it with her. He noted that he had made a special place in her memory. Never to be forgotten. He also knew that she might have specifically chosen not to mention her heart – which he appreciated for now. “I can only say the same,” he said as she told him it was nice to make his acquaintance. He noticed how her cheeks seemed to get just a slight bit of color from his compliment. It made her look so alive, way more than when he had been drinking too much from her not that long ago. He was simply happy that she was feeling somewhat better.

Their eyes caught again. He felt like he was swimming in an ocean when he looked into them. He wasn’t afraid of the waters, but cautious of what could be hiding in it. It was exciting. Adventurous even. He pressed his lips a bit together as she mentioned she hadn’t seen anyone that she knew. It was a shame. Was her friend even alive anymore? He knew very well himself that if a vampire was indeed hungry, they could empty a ‘bloodbank’ quite quickly, after all that was what had almost happened to Hope.

Even though he couldn’t care less about the people she knew was attending, he had a feeling that it was one of the greatest reasons to why she was here. “We can go look for them?” he suggested taking a step closer to her. In here, people knew she had been with him once, so people wouldn’t think that much of him being close to her – and if they did, he was sure they wouldn’t comment on it anyway with his aura. Besides, he wanted her to be done in this mansion. It wasn’t safe to wander around this often here even though she had a vampire by her side. Sooner or later one of the greedy vampires would push through. If she could finish her job it would… Ease his mind.

Her eyes flickered up and down his body as he took a step closer to her. Feeling how her heart was begging to beat even faster, but luckily for her the medicine kept her rather calm even with his presence so close to her. “Yes, that might be a good idea” she answered back, this was too dangerous standing so close to each other. Even though she had given them a chance to start over, didn’t mean she had forgotten just how much he had hurt her. Making her think it had all been her fault that it had gone so horrible wrong as it had. So, starting over was to be civil, to stay, friends? She wasn’t even sure if that was possible anymore, but he was much greater company than Andrew had been, so for this time being walking around with Ace instead, trying to crack ship case, would be preferable. “Let’s go then, I found out my friend would be in one of the private rooms, if she is still here” it was hard trying to talk without really letting people know what they were talking about. Especially being near creatures that all could hear so much better than any other race.

He noticed how her eyes flickered. It made him wonder why her heart wasn’t acting up like her body language, but somehow, he was already quite clear that it had to be some kind of drug, medicinal or not. Was it from the abortion or was it something she had taken purposedly to calm herself? His brown eyes rested on her. “Sounds like an adventure,” he said and pulled on a fake smile. His words and facial feature were only put up to cover how Hope had explained where she believed her friend might be. He presented his arm for her to take, so he could escort her towards the private rooms.

As they walked along the private rooms, he kept his senses up for blood and odors. “Human, right?” he wondered and started to slow down at one of the rooms which had the smell of sex and human blood – but there was no heartrate or heat. The human in there was dead and had been that for a long time now, an hour maybe. Were the servants that slow to clean up or had the vampire who had killed the human not mentioned it? He didn’t really know if he should tell her that it probably was this room if it was a human. How would she react if she saw her friend dead?

Her arm snaked into his once again walking out of the big all to travel down the halls to get to the private rooms. She noticed how Andrew followed them with his eyes, before turning to talk to the person standing next to him. Hopefully all of this would make sure she could get out of the mansion quicker than first believed. “yes” she answered as he asked if it was a human they were looking for. A soft, but fake smile formed on her lips as a couple walked past them, not that they even gave them a time of day. She was quite sure it was because they were afraid of Ace walking beside her. It had its perks finding someone as old as Ace was.

They walked past a room where Ace slowed down, Hope turned towards him. “What?” she asked, making them stop as she saw the look on his face. She had been together with him to many times, to not now something was up. She let go of his arm and stepped around him pushing the doors opened. And there on the floor her friends were lying. Her mouth pressed together as she contained her anger and sadness overflowing her. She slowly closed the doors again closing her eyes. Don’t pity the dead, they are not here anymore. She remembered herself, she couldn’t do anything for her friend anymore. She had been to slow to get her out of here, and now she had to live with that knowledge the rest of her life. “Well, not the outcome I was looking for” she looked towards Ace giving him a pained smile “Seems our meeting was shorter than first believed, I’ll go back to Andrew now” she let him no, stepping back and turned around to return to her ‘master’.

Hailey

He was about to stutter a sentence when she chose that his pensive manner meant something was up. He didn’t even manage to stop her from entering the room. She saw her friend on the floor. Dead. Even Ace couldn’t even do anything. He couldn’t transfer blood or turn someone who had been dead for so long. She closed the door again. She turned to him and addressed how she had been disappointed by the view. He swallowed once. I’ll go back to Andrew now.


He could feel how when she was turning around to head back, that every bit of warmth was leaving him yet again. It was so could without her. And now he stood alone right in front of the private rooms. He was about to call her name when a blonde fairy swung her arms around his torso. He looked towards her and could see how there was blood close to her mouth. Someone had been feeding her their blood to arouse her. He tried to support her to stand up straight. “H-Hope,” he said and let his eyes dart towards her, “A little help here?” he wondered. He knew she didn’t have to help, but he felt much better about letting her help than any vampire, and besides from that she was the one who wanted to help the poor people out, so why not this one too?

How every fiber in her body was begging him to call her, to walk after her and pull her back. There was also a small voice in her head telling her this was for the best, that she couldn’t keep doing this to herself over, and over. Hoping for a different outcome. Because it would never happen, he didn’t want her, he had made that very clear again, and again. And then, a voice was called out to her, and that spark of hope ignited in her heart. But as she turned around, and he asked for help to get the very aroused and drug induced fairy off him, that flame was drenched in water. Of course, he didn’t want her back because he didn’t want her to go. He just, wanted her help to get this clingy woman off her.

She rolled her eyes and walked back, quickly redirecting the person trying to get Ace attention. “Not today honey, find someone else to throw your love at” she raised a brow making sure that she put her body between the other fairy and Ace, being so tall really did have an advantage right now. A small sigh left her, as she leaned in letting her fingers glide down her temple making the girl a small illusion of desire so she would walk after it into a room that hopefully didn’t have anyone in it, nor have a dead body. “There, all better” she turned towards Ace giving him a fake smile “Now, anything else I can do for you?”

She got back to him. The warmth was already crippling behind his ribcage. The only thing was, she didn’t seem that happy to help. She told the fairy to find someone else to hang onto. It wasn’t like he cared about the fairy girl, but something about how Hope made her walk away as if it was nothing twisted something about the mindset, he had had about her. Would she just let the girl walk away? Of course, he didn’t know exactly what Hope had made for the girl, and he wouldn’t know unless he asked, but before he could say anything, he looked into Hope’s eyes as she asked if there was anything else she could do for him. And a fake smile. He had spent enough time with her to know what kind of smile was fake or not. He took a slightly deeper breath in and let his eyes wander away from her a moment, “You can throw away that expression,” he said and looked back at her a little dry. Why was he rubbing salt in the wound? His expression went from dry and unamused to somewhat apologetic. He looked her up and down trying to find the words he was looking for, but somehow everything had gotten complicated. How was he going to twist his words to be what he felt, and not seem like he was soft for her? The other vampires shouldn’t start getting ideas of how to bug him. But if he sounded possessive that might just be too much for her…

“Stay,” he exhaled and let his hand find hers. If he could, he would pull the hand up towards his cheek and near his temple. Yes, he actually invited her to take a look into what he wanted the most, “Please,” he almost whispered. What he wanted the most right now, was to be close to her. To go back to his studio and just be the two of them. He was willing to put that aside for now, and help her if she needed anything else from the mansion, but that could be a discussion for later.

The fake smile disappeared right away after he told her to throw it away. Her facial expression becoming stoic much like the first time he had met her. Not emotions, nothing to find as she just looked at him. But she could swear, even though she didn’t give anything away. You could hear her heart breaking into a million pieces. She didn’t even believe the apologetic look he send her, why should he suddenly be this nice? He hadn’t had any problems throwing her out or telling her to leave in the past.

Stay

She was about to walk away when he asked her that, her body half turned away when his hand caught hers and somewhat pulled her back. This time the confusion she felt washed over her face, not understanding what his end game with all of this was. Then he lifted her hand, and as she didn’t refuse it was placed against his cheek and his temple. Just like she had touched the fairy before. It wasn’t necessary for her powers to work, but she could feel the desires better. Almost as if they bobbled underneath her fingertips. But she quickly closed off his, remembering that he had told her to never use her powers against him again. Even if he was inviting her to do it now, she didn’t trust it. Just like she shouldn’t have trusted the fact that he had gone those extra miles with her, clearly regretting the whole situation after it had happened. Unable to take it back. “Why?” she asked, feeling pain almost spreading from the tips of her finger, up her hands, shooting through her arms to her heart. “You can’t just throw someone away, and then expect them to stay when you finally realize that is what you want” she stepped closer, not pulling away. “You broke my heart” she could feel how pain almost made it unable for her to speak probably. “And the worst thing was, that you blamed me, for all of it, regretted it all, knowing that you and I was in the same waters, drowning. But while you found your safe little lifeboat, you left me to drown” she pulled away her hand and shook her head. “I can’t do this right now” she blinked away the tears threatening to escape her. Almost hearing him telling her to stop whining. Turning around once more to walk away.

She spoke. Asked him why and told him what he had done to her. He was about to hush her, but the fact that she had stepped closer made him shut his mouth for a moment. He could easily use whatever power he had, but he wasn’t that type of person. She pictured it for him, if he couldn’t imagine it by himself. She removed her hand and she went to walk away. But he didn’t want to let her leave like that.

It hadn’t been like this before with her. Her choosing to leave. It awoke a piece of his heart. The one which had gotten so tired of hoping for Michelle to come back. The piece that had given up on anything about love. Stopped, locked itself away for no one to find. But Hope had found the key and locked herself inside, and now she was threatening to throw the key away again.

With a swift movement he stepped closer and grabbed her hand and pulled her back. He wrapped his arms around her. He hushed her shortly, hoping that she wouldn’t protest or fight against him. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled ever so quietly towards her ear. “I’m not letting you walk away like that,” he whispered. Being close to her didn’t provoke his hunger right now. “I got scared. But please… Stay,” he continued, “Just a little.”

A small sound of chock left her as he pulled her back. She couldn’t disguise the feeling being confused by his action, but as he hushed her, she didn’t step away once more, not letting him get too close to her. It was hard making the small voice in the back of her head stop telling her that he would just get scared and pull away again. But the words, I’m sorry, took her breath away. Closing her eyes, she took a couple of steps back, feeling how she managed to get them into a corner of the hallway they were standing in. Mostly so they wouldn’t get to many looks of people passing them by, nor disturbed if anyone got that idea instead. Opening her eyes slowly, she angled her face, so she was close enough to feel his breath cascade over her lips. Feeling how a tingle glided down her spine, making her long for the pressure from their lips connecting. She knew that he had gotten scared, and that had been alright if it hadn’t been with the consequence of him treating her like he had. For all she cared he could have asked her to move to another room so he could have gotten his bearings. But he had asked her to leave, right after he had woken up.

“Okay” a soft whisper left her, as her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him closer. Pressing her cheek against his, yet again closing her eyes and just stood there. “Okay, I’ll stay, just for a little time” being this close to him came with the cost of how a wildfire started building in her body, making it so difficult to keep it down, when all she wanted was to stay here. If possible, forever. But the fear of being pushed away again, was enough for her not to do anything else than just hug him.

She didn’t pull away, but she backed them into a corner so they could stand a little more alone. She opened her eyes and tilted her head. His eyes observed how her hair fell along her face. Her presence was wanted. He felt more at home when she was near, and it simply felt like she fitted into the broken pieces in his heart. It was scary, because how did one simply trust another with their heart? It was a fragile thing to do, and it was incredibly how scared one could be to hand it over. And how fast it had been going, even though they had met up a couple of times. It was still so fast, and it had been going so wrong – because he was scared of getting hurt – so he had hurt her. So stupid.

She agreed and let her arms snake around his neck. It almost felt like he was crumbling under her touch. As she pressed her cheek against his he let his arms wrap tightly around her. Don’t go. “Thank you.” He was still processing the words she had said. Throw someone away and expect them to stay. He had blamed her. They had been in the same waters, and he had let her drown all alone because he got too scared and took all the life west and told her there wasn’t room in the lifeboat. Though Ace had his problems with understanding feelings, with so long without having to actually think about it, the way she pictured the situation made it quite clear. “I’ll was selfish,” he breathed out in a low mumble, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you to leave like that,” he said and turned his head a little against her cheek. Even though he didn’t have to, it just made the smell of her intensify.

She couldn’t hold in the soft hum of appreciation as he told her that he shouldn’t have let her leave like that. It was always easy to tell someone after it had been done. Of course, it was big of him to even recognize some of his fault in all of this. It was so natural for her to react with a soft exhale as he turned his head, and she could feel his nose press against her cheek. Waves of emotions washed over her, and she was reminded of the time where they had danced around in his private studio. How her powers had acted up and let them dance around in what had felt like the fifties. She slowly turned her own face, letting the bridge of their noses touch, lips only a fraction from each other. But not contact. “I know you want me to stay, but it’s going to raise suspicion if I don’t get back” her voice barely a whisper as they glided over her tongue. It was almost like an invisible force that was begging her to lean the rest of the way and let their lips touch. She could feel that pull in her stomach build up, pulling warmth around her pelvic region. And she just knew that she couldn’t let herself take another step. And yet she didn’t pull away either. Even if though in this situation might have been the best.

As she turned her face to let the bridge of their noses touch each other he could feel how split his body was. His heart wanted nothing more than to love her with every fiber in the body, but his brain was trying to fight against it and wanted to pull away. It was going to be a tough fight because he knew his brain wouldn’t just give up and would remind him time and time again how things had gone last time he had been in love.
Their lips were so close to each other and his heart almost couldn’t contain itself, even though it didn’t beat. It’s going to raise suspicion if I don’t get back. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn’t want to let go of her yet, but his hands slowly loosened until they only hold onto her hips. “At least let me follow you back,” he said. His brain was almost partying by the thought of getting away from the chemistry. The short party on the top of his head, gave his heart a free pass to lean in and give her a gentle peck on the corner of her mouth, almost on her cheek. “I promised to deliver you back in one piece after all,” he said and pulled on a short smile. He simply hoped that he would deliver her back in a bigger piece than he had taken her in and that she would allow herself to visit him – after all he didn’t really know where she lived. He could of course hunt her down – but he didn’t want to save her life again because he couldn’t contain his thirst. “You can meet me the sixth of November in the bottom of the pedestrian street in north of Aston,” he said and licked his lips a little. He moved his lips towards her ear, “Dinner date at six o’clock. Don’t be late,” he leaned back and slowly pulled away. A date? You gotta be nuts! He licked his lips a little trying to calm the frustrated thoughts. He let his hands find her elbows, sliding down them to the fingertips, before he offered his arm to guide her back to the other man. She didn’t have to reply to him. She could meet up and they could have a nice evening, or she could stay away, and they could part their ways or meet another day. Now he had given her the chance to pick up the staff.

It was like a fight was going on between them, but not against each other, against their own minds and bodies. It would take a fool not to see just how sparks fly around the two people standing in the corner of a poorly lit hallway. “Okay” she gave in that he could at least follow her back, what she hadn’t expected was the way he leaned a little closer. For a moment she was about to let her face angle so his lips wouldn’t find the corner of her mouth, but her lips. Instead, she moved her face the other way so he wouldn’t get as close to her mouth but rather a peak on the cheek. Only driving her to the edge of wanting more, this was bad.

Then something even more unexpected happen, the way he was about to lean out and then leaned in again. Lips against her ear, telling her to meet him at a certain place and date. What did he want? Dinner?. Six o’clock. This time even the medication couldn’t stop her heart from beating a little faster and then skip a beat to how he was treating her right now. But at this point she wasn’t sure if it was of fear or excitement. As he leaned back, followed her arms with his fingers before he finally let go. She breathed out, feeling how some of the stress left her shoulders before she snaked her arm into his and started walking back to the main hall. She didn’t comment on his invitation, she hadn’t decided what she wanted to do, so she picked another topic for the walk back. “What are you even doing here tonight?” she asked, letting her eyes travelled towards his face. “Wait, no, let me guess, Aria?” a soft chuckle left her as she looked down at her shoes, then she noticed just how painfully slow she was walking. Was she seriously trying to stall this as long as she could? Damn it Ace, what the hell are you doing to me.

This whole evening her heart had been so still, but now, when he suggested to take her out for dinner, it was like she was sat on fire. He could hear how her heart was beating a little faster. She got her arm snaked under his and he started to follow her back, but they were not busy. He didn’t want to stress her reply to her attendance for the dinner, because it should be completely up to her. Then she picked up at topic which let him pull a little smile and tilt his head a little, only for her to guess. “You guessed it,” he revealed. “She dragged me here as if her life depended on it,” he added. Compared to her, he didn’t let his gaze lower, but kept his eyes up. “But I think I might eye an opportunity to leave while she is distracted,” he continued and eyed Hoped. He certainly didn’t want this to end, but he really wanted to get out of here.

Hope made a small and gentle push with her hip as he told her that Aria had pulled him here, as if her life depended on it. “She just really wants to spend some time with her brother” she whispered, which didn’t mean that she didn’t understand that he wanted to leave and go home. No, that she understood better than most. They walked into the big hall and Andrew was quick to walk towards them. She felt how her smile slowly left her face as she looked at him. Now he had done her a great service, but that was all that was needed off him. So, she would take her leave, even though, she would much rather go with too Ace and let him show her his studio again. Dance around for a couple of hours and then take her leave. But that wasn’t in the cards tonight. She glided out of his arm and turned towards him. Deliberately turning her back to Andrew, knowing that it would make him stop walking towards them. She took a small piece of paper out of her purse and blew on it while whispering a small spell. A golden stream of magic glided around it and lit it up before it faded. She stepped forward and gave Ace a soft smile and placed the paper in his breast pocket. “Thank you for tonight” she whispered, even though it hadn’t been all good, she could appreciate he still had taken the time to find her and talk to her again. Even though he had been the one asking her to leave. Maybe they had a chance of a new beginning, maybe the wounds would never heal enough. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss towards the corner of his lip. She then turned around and walked back to Andrew’s arms. A man that, even though not needed, pulled her a little possessively closer to him. Whispering something in her ear, before she glared at him and quickly said something and they started walking towards the exit.