Yayyy, an update. 😊
Enjoy...

The weeks following our return went by in a blur. Dimitri spent more time at work so I convinced him to get me a tutor so that I could further my education instead of waiting around for him to come home. The notion of being able to understand how things worked, why they worked a certain way - the sciences - intrigued me. Of course, the fact that I would need to leave the premises or have someone come over in order to receive said education did not sit well with Dimitri and that did sit well with me. And so we argued and argued about it until I threatened to leave so that I could "escape this patriarchy for once in my life" only then did he feel obliged to allow a tutor to come see me. He or she was yet to visit and give me an introductory lesson.
"When is the tutor coming?"
"Next week." Dimitri replied in a manner that reminded me of a young child forced to swallow a bitter pill. I smirked at his sulkiness, how could I not revel in my victory?
"I'll miss you when you're gone today..." I cooed to cheer him up as I stood from my chair and pulled his seated figure towards me so that I could squish his face against my chest with my forearms and rest my chin on his soft hair. He liked this kind of thing; the corny, flirtatious back and forth seen in the movies. He liked to be the little spoon when memories of missed opportunities with his father brought him to tears, and liked to rest his head on my lap while I braided his hair into scruffy looking cornrows, and tease me about how "big" my hair is as he tried to style it for me after I had 'styled' his then he'd end up loosing unnecessarily used bobby pins in the curls. I assumed he had always secretly wanted what he used to frown upon as "weak shit for pussies" and now that he had me he was excited to try it all. A secret romantic whose toenails were currently painted blue to match his eyes. I wasn't into the cheesy, cringe worthy part of our relationship as much as he was though. For me, it was more so the notion that he liked to be smothered by me that I took pride in. The fact that he 'loved' when I told him about how much I missed him and how much affection I felt for him made me love doing it in return.
I smiled to myself as I enjoyed his body warmth when he struggled to manoeuvre himself within my grip to be able to wrap his arms around my waist, never once complaining about how uncomfortable it must have been to have me squishing his face against myself like that.
"Me too." He replied finally. "I bet it gets lonely, huh?"
"You have no idea..." I chuckled sadly. "You should show all your friends those toes." I teased after I had lessened my grip and held him more gently, as if I would hurt him if I held on to him any tighter once more.
"No ways." He protested, getting serious almost.
"Pfff, but you look nice."
"You painted my skin!" He playfully accused.
"You moved your foot."
"I was asleep."
"I think I did a good job though." I smiled. He laughed.
"Imagine that... The heir to the throne, current Chief in Command of all armed forces, son of King Bartholomeo has his fucking toenails painted blue and routinely receives head rubs from his girlfriend - who is human, might I add. My people would make a feast out of this... no pun intended."
"Don't forget the part about that particular body piercing you're not supposed to have." I mumbled with raised eyebrows to draw attention away from the fact that he called me his girlfriend.
"Oh, don't even go there..." He chuckled.
"Where? Here?" I innocently asked as I bravely placed my hand over his crotch. His hand followed immediately to remove mine.
"Fucking tease." He grumbled. "I need to leave in ten."
"Hours?"
"Not again..." He groaned.
"Please stay...?"
"You know I can't... Everything I do or don't do is under the scrutiny of the entire continent. People will wonder why I suddenly skip work twice in a row... Then they'll find out about you, then we'll be vulnerable."
"I feel like a nappy haired Rapunzel. This is ridiculous." I sighed and sat on his lap.
"I'm sorry."
"Its okay... I just feel like you're working towards your dream, with the coronation and everything coming up soon, while I'm here. Sitting in a castle waiting for you to come home everyday. What about my own dreams?"
"We'll get there. I swear." He assured me sounding so convinced my independence would indeed come into fruition that I almost believed him. Almost. "The tutor will come every weekday, and we'll move houses after my coronation... You choose which house..."
I gazed into his hopeful eyes and sighed.
"I'm sorry you have to hide because of me. It will be safer for us when I have the crown." He continued, eagerly trying to appease me by showing his understanding of my frustration.
"Stop apologising." I buried my face into the crook of his neck and held him tighter.
"I have to go..." Dimitri mumbled but he did not move.
"Okay." I whispered but I didn't move either.
"I love you." He began to detangle himself from me then lifted me onto the kitchen counter and stood between my legs like he normally did. I pulled him back towards me and brought my lips to his.
"I love you..." He whispered again as he pulled away. I smiled and placed a quick kiss on his neck.
"I know..." I said with my fingers woven into the hair at his nape.
"Ask Evelyn for anything you need."
"I know." I repeated right before he kissed me and walked out of the kitchen. Watching his broad shoulders slump a little as the distance grew between us, I couldn't help but feel shocked by the fact that I was actually falling in love with Dimitri. I tried not to think of him as the vampire prince of dystopia slash murderer like the way I used to. Instead, I thought of him as merely a man. A man who had tied his soul to mine and told me he loved me every day. Maybe I felt inclined to forget the ugly side of him because of this. This revelation scared me so much so that I rushed to the bathroom and threw up the contents my stomach.

Ahhh... Love is in the air.
Thank you for reading.😍😍 It may seem a bit boring now but I'm not in a rush to ruin the honeymoon vibes these guys have going on just yet. Anyways, please leave a vote and comment and what not. Please show extra love because I entered the Wattys this year, please spread word and tell everyone about this book. Be kind, spread love. Adios 💙💙