“Hank? Are you busy?” she asked knocking on his
office door.
“Salutations,
Cindy, what can I do for you?” he asked smiling at her.
“Brought you
lunch,” she replied and he looked down and saw her good arm cradling a plate
filled with food, “Do you have any tea?”
“Why ye-ye-yes I
do,” he stammered allowing her to enter his messy office.
“Wow, do you
need a secretary? I’m good at organizing
things, if you want,” she replied setting the food on a clear spot on his desk,
“then again you probably have your unique scientific way of filing things.”
“You would do
that?” he asked surprised and she grinned at him.
“I’m bored,” she
replied with a shrug, “I was a secretary before coming here, and I need something
to keep me out of trouble since I can’t train.”
“Well, um,
sure,” he muttered uncertainly, “I could use the help in organizing. Thank you for lunch, you didn’t have to.”
“There’s
twinkies in there,” she said with a grin and his face lit up causing her to
giggle.
He made the tea
and happily munched on the twinkies on the plate and she took two-halves of a
sandwich. She watched him move around
the office, and was amazed at how agile he was around all the piles of books
and papers that littered the floor. She
ate her sandwich, carefully picking up the fallen pieces from her napkin and
eating that as well.
“Here you go, my
dear,” he replied setting her tea next to her.
“Thank you,” she
said with a grin, setting her sandwich on her lap and took a sip of the tea.
“How did your
class go?” he asked careful of how he was eating.
“It went
well….for the most part,” she replied.
“For the most
part?” he queried curiously.
“We sort of had
an accident,” she said with a grin, “everyone is okay, no worries, just had a
little fire problem.”
“What happened?”
“Cassie got a
little frustrated and lost control of her powers,” Cindy remarked, “and that
caused a chain reaction with the paper she was folding, then all of the paper
in the room burst into flames. Storm
called in the rain and stopped it before it got too bad and the little girl ran
out embarrassed.”
“Was she ok?” he
asked.
“Yeah, she’ll be
fine, she’s a tough kid. I’ll keep
teaching her the arts until she can patiently control the paper to do what she
wills, in doing so she’ll learn how to manipulate her powers,” she replied.
“It sounds like
a meditative and visual exercise,” He said with a nod and a worried look struck
him and he took her wounded hand into his own, “I need to redress your wounds.”
“Can we just
enjoy lunch now?” she asked him and he nodded, “so how has your day been?”
“Long,” he
muttered and returned the attention to her, “is that why the Professor
suggested you teach origami?”
“Well, he didn’t
know I was teaching the kids until after some of them showed improvement in
their ability to control their powers.
Since then I’ve been teaching them as soon as I learn a new animal or
thing,” she replied with a shrug, “He’s making me teach Logan the art, along
with the rest of the team members and that includes you.”
“Oh, I doubt
I’ll be able to do that, my dear, my hands are too big and powerful for the
paper,” he stated.
“I’ll
accommodate you,” she said, “I need to get more durable paper, but you’ll do
it, I’m sure.”
“I highly doubt
that, my dear, but thank you anyway,” He replied standing up.
“Don’t give up
before you even try, Hank,” she said taking his large hand into hers, “Please
don’t.”
All he could do
was stare into her brown eyes, he had no words to convey what he needed to say,
then his mind told him he didn’t know what he wanted to convey, so he just
stood there. She grinned up at him and
stood up, discarding her trash in the can.
“Come on, big
guy, I need your help casting my arm again,” she said leading him towards med
lab.
“Yes, I’ll scan
it again to make sure it is healing properly,” he replied clearing his throat.
She hopped on
the table and was kicking her feet out, looking around the room as if she has
never been in there before. She looked
at the screen and found to her relief that her arm was healing quite well.
“I’m going to
clean your arm before I put the plaster on again,” he replied, left her alone
for a moment, and returned with a bowl of water and a sponge.
He began to
clean her arm gently and with ease of a doctor.
She enjoyed it and found herself slowly lulling to sleep.
“Cindy? Are you okay?” he asked and she blinked a few
times, smiling sheepishly.
“Sorry, just got
a little too relaxed,” she looked down and was surprised that he was already
finished, “wow you are good.”
“Why thank you,
my dear,” he replied with a slight tilt of his blue head, grinning slightly,
“Now do try and avoid water, ok?”
“I’ll do my
best,” she promised and stood up, grinning, tilting her head up at him
thoughtfully, “I think you will do quite well at the art.”
***************
Cindy was
sitting on the floor of the rec room.
Soft music played in the background and she softly sang along as she
folded paper into new shapes, not paying attention to the pain in her left arm. It was the same song on repeat and for once,
she was glad that no one was there to bother her, especially since it was a
Friday night.
Finally, she switched
cds taking out the Matrix soundtrack, immediately missing Dave Matthew’s sexy
voice crooning to her about “when the world ends”. She sighed, pushed her hair away from her
face, put in Depeche Mode, and skipped the song.
“The Love
Thieves” began to play and she immediately began to think of La Femme Nikita,
it was a great show. How she loved
Michael and wished that his relationship with Nikita wasn’t such a complicated
one. She sighed as she folded the red
paper into a rose; life was complicated though despite it being on television
or real life. We can’t all have what we
want, it doesn’t work that way.
“Love needs its
martyrs, needs its sacrifices. they live for your beauty and pay for their
vices, love will be the death, my lonely soul brothers, but their spirits shall
live on in the hearts of all lovers, love will be the death of my lonely soul
brothers, but their spirits shall live on in the hearts of all lovers,” she
sang along softly, pretending to not notice that someone was out in the hall
way.
She skipped the
song to “It’s no Good” and sang long, “I’m going to take my time. I have all the time in the world, to make you
mine. It is written in the stars above,
the gods decree, you’ll be right here by my side, right next to me. You can run but you cannot hide. Don’t say you want me, don’t say you need
me. Don’t say you love me, it’s
understood. Don’t say you’re happy, out there
without me, I know you can’t be, cause it’s no good.
I’ll be fine,
I’ll be waiting patiently till you see the signs and come running to my open
arms. When will you realize do we have
to wait till our worlds collide? Open up
your eyes you can’t turn back the tide.
Don’t say you want me, don’t say you need me. Don’t say you love, it’s understood. Don’t say your happy, out there without me, I
know you can’t be, cause it’s no good.
I’m going to take my time, I have all the time in the world to make you
mine. It is written in the stars above. Don’t say you want me, don’t say you need
me. Don’t say you love me, it’s
understood. Don’t say your happy, out
there without me, I know you can’t be cause it’s no good…”
The song ended
and she folded another sheet of paper, making a frog. Finally, she could no longer take it and
said, “I know you are out there. It’s
rude to allow me to sit here by myself and you out there in the hall way when
we could easily spend time together.”
An embarrassed
Beast entered the rec room apologizing, “I do apologize, my dear, I did not
mean to divert your attentions from what you were doing.”
She grinned up
at him and said, “It’s okay, why don’t you sit and keep me company? My music wasn’t too loud was it? That wasn’t what brought you out of your lab
was it?”
“Oh, no, I
decided to take a break in reading,” he said as he took a seat on the chair and
watched her deft fingers fold delicate paper to form a bird, “the music led me
here, I thought everyone was gone for the night.”
“I was invited,”
she said with a shrug, “I didn’t feel like going to the movies. The kids wanted to learn something new so
I’ve been working on that instead.”
“May I see it?”
he asked motioning to the bird she just finished.
“You can have
it,” she said handing him the silver bird, “it’s a swan.”
“Thank you, it
is so beautiful, Cindy,” he said as he held the bird delicately in his large
hands.
“You are most
welcome,” she grinned at him.
“So…how long did
you know I was out there?” he asked despite his better judgment.
“Let’s see, I
think I noticed around the third time I played “When the world ends”,” she
responded, quickly making a bear, “I was wondering how long it was going to
take you to enter.”
“How did you
know? I wasn’t made aware of increased
senses,” he muttered a bit embarrassed.
“I can sense
your presence, I might not have super hearing or olfactory capabilities, but it
does not mean I cannot sense your presence,” she said looking him intently.
“You can sense
my presence?” he asked not sure what she meant and wondering if there was an
underlying mutant talent that the Professor might have overlooked.
“Hmmm,” she
paused and leaned against the couch, “I’m not sure how to say it.”
“Just say it, I
won’t judge,” he replied soothingly.
“Well, humans
emit a form of energy,” she started and he nodded in agreement, “they are all
different and sometimes even a form of emotions can be the energy. I’m sensitive to it, I don’t know I guess
I’ll call them auras. You have a strong
one, like Logan and I can sense you guys before you even come in the room. I just feel…your energy. I sound kind of crazy, don’t I?”
“Not necessarily,
a lot of telepaths have that ability, well for the most part,” he replied as he
gently set the bird down on the coffee table, “so you can sense all of the
X-men or is it just me and Logan?”
“All of the team
and the students,” she replied and shrugged, “It’s something I had to learn
when I was living in foster homes. It is
how I determined whether or not if I could trust a person.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, I’m
sensitive to negative emotions, emotions that could lead me to harm,” she said,
“one of the foster families I stayed at…felt like they were cold and dead. I
ran away with the other kid they had.
The kid told me that they were into some kinky stuff. I went to the police, got the kid to testify,
and stayed with him for a while in another foster home before I was put
indefinitely in a state home. Didn’t
like it there though, the orderlies grossed me out.”
“Did they ever
do anything to you?” he asked as gently as he could feel anger boil beneath his
skin.
“No, they
wouldn’t mess with me or any one else I protected,” she replied grinning
humorlessly, “they were too scared I would hurt them, I made idle threats and
at one point had a shiv before I had issues with my mutant powers kicked in
anyway.”
“You know most
people in your circumstances would not end up the way you did?” he said and she
nodded.
“I’m a tough
chick when I need to be,” she shrugged and changed the subject, “Are you going
with anybody to the Halloween Banquet, by chance?”
“Um, no, why do
you asked?” he asked suddenly finding it hard to breathe.
“Maybe you would
go with me? We don’t have to go as a
couple or anything, I just want someone to dance with,” she said almost shyly.
“You-you-you
want to go with me?” he asked in shock and she giggled.
“Why not? We
live next to each other, I spend a lot of time with you, I like you, Henry, and
I would love it if you would go with me to the Halloween Banquet. It would be easier to feign interest if I’m
with someone I’m interested in, don’t you think?”
“Are you sure?”
he couldn’t believe what was happening.
“For a brilliant
man, you can be slow sometimes,” she teased and went on, “If I wasn’t sure, I
would not have asked you, besides I figured you wouldn’t do it.”
“Why do you say
that?” he asked indignantly.
“You spent
thirty minutes outside in the hall listening to me sing along with the cds
instead of coming in, Hank, you tell me why I would say that,” she retorted,
“so what do you say, tiger? Want to go
with me?”
“I-I don’t know
what to say,” he admitted sheepishly.
“Say yes and
make me happy or else I’ll pester you by zapping you on the bum until you do,”
she stated with a mischievous glint.
“Yes, I will go
with you,” he said with a sigh.
“If you don’t
want to go with me, you don’t have to, you do know that right? I was just kidding about me pestering you,”
she said seriously her grin faded.
“Oh no, it isn’t
that, I would love to go with you, honestly,” He said, “I was just surprised
you would want to.”
She stood up and
tilted his head so that he could look her in the eyes and said, “You have been
battered and bruised for so long, Henry.
It is time to heal those wounds.
Anais Nin said “And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight
inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom”, you are that
bud…you cannot stay inside for so long.
I am determined to see you, the real
you that you hide within self-pity and insecurities, but only when you trust me
of course.”
She did it
again, she shocked him, all he could was stare into those warm, safe, brown
eyes. She smiled softly at him and
caressed his furry blue cheek and she gently spoke, “You are the most beautiful
man I ever saw, Henry McCoy, such a
beautiful mind, heart, and spirit. I
hope one day you’ll see that too.”
In disbelief, he
murmured, “Why? Are you tricking me?”
“Do not doubt
me, Hank,” she whispered her face closer to his, her luscious lips barely
brushed against his own before finally pressing them against him firmly.
She left him
sitting there dumbfounded to the song “It’s No Good.” After a while, he listened to those lyrics
and wondered if she left them on for a reason.
He grinned a few minutes later, feeling good for the first time in
months.
*************
“Hank? Can I sleep with you?” a soft voice whispered
in the darkness.
For the first
time Hank was actually asleep without any problems and was awakened, he was
irritated until he realized who it was, “Sure, come in.”
A petite figure
with glowing violet eyes entered his sparse room scattered with papers and
books. Eventually, she crawled over his
large muscled body to snuggle against his right side.
“Another
nightmare?” he whispered, brushing her hair away from her face.
“Yep,” she said
softly, “did I upset you earlier tonight?
I’m sorry if my actions were uncalled for.”
“Did you regret
kissing me?” he asked hoping she would be kind enough to lie if she did.
She propped
herself using her bad arm and leaned against him so her face and eerie eyes met
his own in the darkness, “No.”
“Lay back down,
you are hurting yourself more,” he admonished gently, settling her down beside
him.
“You didn’t
answer,” she murmured against his chest.
“I rather
enjoyed it,” he admitted glad that she couldn’t see in the dark, “can you see
in the dark?”
“Yeah, only when
my eyes glow, why?”
“Just curious,”
he said, So much for blushing in peace.
“What are you
going to do for the banquet?” she asked him, her hand idly running along his
blue furred chest.
“Depends on what
you are going as,” he knew what she meant.
“I’m going as a
fairy,” she said grinning, he could feel it.
“Well, I refuse
to do that,” he murmured and she giggled against him and he joined her in a
quiet chuckle, “I was thinking of just going as I am, if you don’t mind. I know that it is customary for couples to
match but…”
“No worries,
sugar,” she said giggle some more, “You’ll be glittery enough with me on your
arm as it is. One fairy well be
enough. I’ll be a fairy with a cast on,
unless I can take it off early for the night…”
“No, we are not
going to risk your arm just for some silly banquet,” he replied stroking her
hair, “I absolutely will not allow it.”
“I thought I
would give it ago,” she said slightly shrugging.
“Good night,
Cindy,” he whispered.
“Good night,
Hank.”
***********************
Hank worried
about the way he looked, it had been a week since Cindy admitted her attraction
and since then they were rarely apart for long.
When he became consumed with work, she would stop by, drop some food and
his favorite snack, and eat with him. He
was truly touched by her, she wasn’t afraid to shower him with affection, even
if the other team members were there. He
remembered how Trish would unwillingly submit to taking his hand in public, she
never liked to be kissed or hugged unless it was absolutely necessary.
Cindy didn’t
care. He and he solely captivated her
alone. The only thing that really
bothered him was the frequency she would have her nightmares. But he was also thankful for those horrible
dreams because it would lead her to his bed, where he could hold her all night
and wake up with her in his arms.
At that very
moment, he decided to give up on his costume and put on a tuxedo, sure they
wouldn’t match but that was all right, she said as much. She wasn’t into the “let’s match to show the
world we’re a couple” thing. He did have
his doubts though, she could have anybody and yet she wanted him, it was like a
dream to him. And if it was a dream, he
hoped to god that it would never end.
****************
“So…?” Jubilee
said as she shimmied into her cat print leotard.
“What?” Cindy
asked as she dumped a vial of glitter over her head.
“Did you two do
it?” the firecracker asked bluntly.
“No! We haven’t done it yet,” Cindy blushed, “I
want it to be special when we finally do it.
I don’t want to ruin things.”
“Yeah, you
probably should take it slow with him.
He’s been really burned, like he was burned and then she scattered his
ashes everywhere after burning his ashes for the third time,” Jubilee said.
“I know,” Cindy
sighed and sat on Jubilee’s bed.
“Do you love
him? Do you honest to god love him, Cindy?”
“I love him so
much it hurts inside,” she replied her face instantly glowing when she thought
about him, “He makes me feel so loved and safe.
I just wish I could do the same for him.”
“He loves you,
I’m sure he does,” Jubilee replied hugging her friend, “he’s just
uncertain. He was in love with that
bitch and then she did that to him. I
wanted to kill her when I saw her after she broke up with him. He was horrible, we were all worried about
him.”
“I wish I could
kill her myself,” Cindy said vehemently, “no man like him deserves to be hurt
the way he was. How are you and Logan
going?”
“Going like
rabbits,” Jubilee said blushing this time.
“Good,” the
Japanese girl said with a grin and looked at her reflection, “I hope Hank
thinks I look ok in this get up.”
“He will, you
look gorgeous, you make a great fairy,” Jubilee replied standing up to look at
her own reflection.
“We will knock
the socks off the feet of our men,” Cindy paused and thought for a minute,
“well, I’ll knock something off of Hank, don’t know if he’s actually wearing
shoes or not.” They both giggled as they
applied the finishing touches to their costumes, promising their significant
others that they would meet them outside the banquet room.
****************************
Hank was floored
when Cindy finally showed up with Jubilee.
His beloved was dressed in dark purple tube type leotard with little
fabric gathering horizontally on her petite form and a purple ballerina’s
skirt. She had on fairy wings, ballet
slippers, tons of glitter, butterflies in her hair and flowers. She was a beautiful fairy.
She grinned up
at him, cocking her head a little so she could get the full effect of his
costume, “You are handsome, Hank, I am happy I persuaded you to join me.”
“So am I,” he
replied somewhat shyly.
She stood on her
tiptoes and kissed his chin, “I really need to wear heels so I can kiss you
properly.”
He leaned down,
kissed her like she wanted to, and she sighed with happiness. He carefully put his large hand on the small
of her back and led her to the banquet, totally oblivious to
“Oh, Hank,” she
cooed, “it’s beautiful, you didn’t have to do this, thank you.”
“I wanted to get
you something, love,” he said softly and placed corsage on her right wrist.
“It even
matches,” she grinned and pulled him down so she could kiss him again, “thank
you so much.”
“It was my
pleasure, my fair fairy,” he said and she giggled, “may I have this dance?”
“Yes you may,
kind sir,” she curtsied and took his hands as he led her in a slow dance the
proper way.
Eventually he
gave up on the ideal of dancing properly, liking the idea of pressing their
bodies together and she obliged him, sighing against his chest, “I don’t want
to sing tonight, Hank.”
“What’s
that? You’re singing?” he asked
surprised, pulling away a bit.
“Professor
requested I sing a particular song for the evening. Just one, really elaborate though,” she said
softly, pulling him close to her, “it is suppose to help with my nightmares,
make me relive everything and work on it…I don’t know I think he just wants me
to cry in public.”
“Why singing
though?” he was thoroughly confused.
“He thinks it
will make me tap into my emotions,” she shrugged, “it does sometimes from those
acting classes I had, but I really don’t want to do it tonight.”
“Perhaps you can
explain,” he started to say.
“Too late, he
told me this morning that everything is set up and gave me the lyrics and the
cd to learn it,” she murmured forlornly and changed the subject, “I have a
surprise for you tomorrow.”
“What’s that,
pet?” he asked curiously.
“It’s a
surprise, tiger,” she said and giggled, kissing his large hand.
He just looked
at her, he loved doing that, he wanted to memorize everything about her just in
case… He smiled back at her, pulling her
into a tight embrace when he saw her.
Of all of the… he
thought as he stiffened, why must she
torment me like this now?
“What’s wrong?”
Cindy asked pulling away the second she felt him tense.
He clenched his
jaw and did not respond, so the Asian woman looked in the direction he was
peering at, it was his ex and she was alone, staring at the two of them.
“Do you want me
to zap her for you? I’ll do it, just
give me the word,” she said vehemently, that was the woman who hurt him.
“No, that won’t
be necessary,” he finally said pleased by her reaction in the darkest part of
his mind, “Let’s just go get some refreshments, shall we?”
“Okay,” she
reluctantly agreed, his large hand maneuvering her through the pulsating crowd
of people in costumes, her wings and toes getting in the way, Last time I’m a fairy and this close to
people.
Hank numbly
handed Cindy the green liquid and she sipped it, studying him carefully. He was not at ease, she surmised, and it was
because of his ex who was looking at him and solely at him. I must
be stupid, she thought to herself before saying, “Maybe you should talk to
her, Hank.”
“What?” he
exclaimed surprised by her reaction.
He didn’t have a
choice in the matter though, Trish, the reporter for the local station dressed
as a belly dancer walked up to them. The
brunette ignored Cindy, who huffed indignantly.
“Hi Hank, you’re
looking good,” Trish said with a soft smile.
“Thank you,
Trish,” he responded with a tight smile of his own, “so do you. What are you doing here?”
“I was invited
to go, you know, as a reporter,” she replied brushing her short hair away from
her face.
“Right,” he
nodded curtly, “well it has been really nice talking to you but Cindy and I
must go find some friends of ours.”
“I miss you,
Hank,” Trish said ignoring the comment he made and Cindy growled softly but
understood this needed to be done.
“I did miss you
for a while, Trish,” he responded truthfully, “but that changed. I’m with Cindy now and last I heard you were
with that baseball player Derek something or other.”
Trish finally
looked at Cindy, the gothic faery and scoffed, “She can’t love you the way I
loved you, Hank.”
“That’s right,
she can’t,” Hank agreed making Trish smile, “she loves me unconditionally.”
“That’s a lie,
you’re a freak, a monster! How could
anyone love you?!” Trish shouted starting to attract a crowd.
“You are the
freak and the monster,” Cindy retorted, “what you did…was ruthless and you did
not deserve the love of Henry McCoy.”
Trish huffed,
not knowing what to say. Cindy took the
opportunity to drag the numb Hank away from her, zapping the belly dancer’s
butt in the process. She stopped in a
corner, where no one was at and looked up at the blue man dressed in the tuxedo
a small purple flower in the lapel.
“Will you be
okay, Hank?” she said rubbing his hand against her cheek in worry.
He sighed
resting his forehead against hers and replied, “I must have been so stupid to
have loved her like I did. I don’t know
why I ever loved her now…the way she treated me. She couldn’t love me the way that I am…she
didn’t like to be seen with me in the public unless it was on the compound. No hand holding, no hugs, no kisses…I had to
beg for it. She treated me like an
animal. I’ll be okay, I’m almost
spectacular with your love…you are so special to me, Cindy, I’m sorry that
there was a scene.”
“I’m sorry I
didn’t zap her worse,” she mumbled and pulled his lips for a kiss, “I love you,
Henry McCoy, never forget that. You are
not a monster or a freak in my eyes, but a beautiful, brilliant man.”
He looked at her
in surprise and before he could utter the words he longed to say she was called
onto the stage. She kissed him briefly
and scampered away like a doe.
Trish booed at
Cindy as she got on stage, that boo turned into a yelp when Jubilee took the
opportunity to paff her, making Cindy grin and wink at her friend, who cheered.
Electronic
guitars started the song and Cindy let the music flow, “Catch me as I fall, say
you’re here and it’s all over now.
Speaking to the atmosphere, no one’s here and I fall into myself. This truth drives me into madness, I know I
can stop the pain if I will it all away…if I will it all away.
Don’t turn
away(don’t give in to the pain), don’t try to hide(through they’re screaming
your name), don’t close your eyes(god knows what lies behind them), don’t turn
out the light(never sleep never die) die…”
She was blowing
the X-men’s clothes off with her emotional performance. She was quite the actor on stage, doing the
right motions to punctuate the song and then tears started to pour out of her,
smearing her black eyes shadow, leaving streaks down her pale cheek as she sang
on as memories assaulted her, “I’m frightened by what I see, but some how I
know there’s much more to come.
Immobilized by my fear, and soon to be blinded by tears. I can stop the pain if I will it all away if
I will it all away….
Don’t turn
away(don’t give in to the pain), don’t try to hide(through they’re screaming your
name), don’t close your eyes(god knows what lies behind them), don’t turn out
the light(never sleep never die) die…”
Cindy fell to
her knees as she half sang-half spoke the next part, “Fallen angels at my feet,
whispered voices at my ear. Death before
my eyes, lying next to me I fear. She
beckons me, shall I give in? Upon my end
shall I begin? Forsaking all I’ve fallen
for, I rise to meet the end…I rise to meet my end.”
The song was
made more dramatic by the recording of the chorus singing in Latin and the
guitar solo where she stood up and danced, “Don’t turn away(don’t give in to
the pain), don’t try to hide(through they’re screaming your name), don’t close
your eyes(god knows what lies behind them), don’t turn out the light(never
sleep never die) die… Don’t turn away(don’t give in to the pain), don’t try to
hide(through they’re screaming your name), don’t close your eyes(god knows what
lies behind them), don’t turn out the light(never sleep never die) die…”
She bowed,
panting for breath as more tears fell down her cheeks. The crowd screamed, her students, her
friends…amazed by the emotions and power she had. None of that mattered to her, she just wanted
to find him. She wanted his arms around
her. She leapt off stage precariously
and landed in his waiting arms. She kissed him and he hugged her tight against
him as the crowd “aaawed” much to their chagrin.
“I am so glad
that I attended this…” he whispered against her lips, and some how she knew
what he said, “You were remarkable!
Better than that you were a goddess shining forth and calling the crowds
to do your bidding.”
She blushed and
he set her down gently, “Thank you.”
“Let’s get you a
drink and clean you up,” he replied taking her small hand into his larger ones
and guided her to a bathroom.
She whistled, “I
knew I should have worn waterproof make up, although the goth effect was
created quite nicely.”
“You are
beautiful,” he whispered and kissed her head, taking a wet paper towel and
handed it to her.
She wiped off as
much of the make up as she could until she looked presentable, “well, I must
admit, I feel a lot better for some reason.”
“You probably
worked everything out through the song,” he suggested as he tucked an errant
strand behind her ear.
“I don’t mind
the nightmares if it means I can be in your arms,” she said smiling at him.
“I do, I don’t
want you to grow dependent on me…” he started to say but she cut him off with a
searing kiss.
“I do,” she
whispered against his soft lips, tickling them, “Now let’s go back in there and
have some fun, even if we have to pretend the rest of the night. By the time we’re done you’ll have all of my
glitter on you and I’ll look a little puffy from crying.”
“Oh my, I didn’t
think about the glitter,” He mumbled near her lips, capturing it with his sharp
teeth and gently pulled at it making her moan, “but we’ll go back to the party
none the less.”
He broke away
abruptly from her tempting lips and she grinned up at him innocently just as he
imagined a nymph would. He just loved
her so much and he noticed how much she loved him in her comforting brown
eyes. He took her hand and led her back
to banquet.
*************