● AUTHOR'S POV

"Does it hurt?" Ava couldn't help but be a little concerned, she felt like there was something different about Xanthos, he seemed serious, and not in the manner he habitually is.

Xanthos shifted his detached stare to look at her, his gaze now focused on the night eyes staring intently at him. Xanthos raised his hand to meet Ava's and clasped her fingers with his own, moving it closer to his faintly bruised cheek, he brought its back in contact with his skin.

"A lot." he whispered.

Hearing those words something clicked inside Ava, she felt defensive, she felt irritated, the outrage in her was like a reflex, and all for the person sitting beside her.

"Who was it?" the words came firmly, echoing in the silence of the night. Ava felt an inexplicable mixture of emotions, she did not fancy the idea of Xanthos having dealt with something of that sort, though she hadn't realised it yet, but; someone else did.

"You will fight them?" Xanthos queried only to get replied back in a wink, "Yes."

Xanthos' hand plopped down on his leg, whilst holding Ava's, and a chuckle erupted in the hushed surroundings of the playground park.

"Why... are you laughing?" Ava questioned monotonously.

"It's jus--" but before Xanthos could finish, Ava cut him off with an agitation squirming through her words.

"Why are you like this?" she asked silencing Xanthos, and having him just stare at her.

"Why do you act like that, every chance you get? Why? Why do you always pretend that your pain isn't worth bothering over? Last time in this same playground you acted so ignorant of yourself and now again. I'm surprised you accepted, it did hurt, but only to be the same nonchalant man you always are, and not for anyone else, but only for yourself. Why must you act tough and let it all just go, why don't you take your pain seriously! What is stopping you, is it some ego thing?" Ava had a rush of words just flowing out, whilst her mood worsening with each passing second.

Her black eyes had rage in them, but it felt a little different, soiled with ache perhaps, or maybe displeasure, it was something Xanthos was trying to figure out.

"Why must you be cruel, why can't you be kinder to yourself? You hold onto others in need, then why not yourself?" her words sounded more like a plead than a question.

For the first time, Xanthos had absolutely nothing to say, he had a burst of emotions that swept across his body, and all he wanted to do was savour this moment, as the woman he loved, had just 'yelled' at him for not being 'kinder' to himself.

Ava stared back at him and after a second or two, stood up fixing her dress.
"It's late, I should be heading back." she said dully, and turned away.

"Alone?" Xanthos stood up almost immediately, "It's gotten too dark to head back alone." he added, his eyes staring intently at Ava's loose hair, covering her back.

She turned around but before she could answer, she saw something unfamiliar lingering in the eyes looking back at her, something that almost pleaded to her to hold onto him, for a very long time, perhaps for forever.

A warmth spread through Xanthos' body as the woman he adored came closer and wrapped her arms around him, her grip gently narrowed, he didn't hesitate in reciprocating the act, nestling his face in her neck, he breathed into her scent.

A moment of haste, a rupture of emotions, the mesmerising night sky, or perhaps something quietly brewing inside of her, for sometime now; Ava couldn't comprehend which one was it, that made her leap towards the tall man that stood before her, and embrace him in a manner as if promising the world to him.

A moment to be savoured, a wish, an answered prayer; Xanthos understood what the embrace meant for him, and now he had no intention of letting the warmth he felt, escape, ever.

Ava slowly pulled back her head meeting Xanthos' eyes, who had distanced his face to see and take in this moment as much as he could. There was an electricity, that ran through their bodies, numbing the sensations of everything else around them, making them only be aware of each other.

Xanthos' face inched closer, his lips came nearer to the woman's, whom he had too often thought of painting, in his version of 'red'.

Ava heard his slow breaths, and felt their warmth, she thought she must be crazy doing all this, with this man, but was it truly that 'crazy'?

Xanthos' lips were dangerously close to hers, but it was as if in this moment he was asking something, and Ava understood what it was, she had a rush surging inside of her, she was stuck between a stream of dos and don'ts.

"I give up." A gentle whisper that made its way upto Xanthos' ears, before Ava pressed her lips against his.

He smiled whilst her lips pressed against his own, before she pulled back, as the one he loved had accepted his feelings, he felt his heart racing, the effect she had on him, by a mere brush of lips, was 'grand'.

The hug broke momentarily before Xanthos raised his hands placing them on either sides of Ava's face. "My happiness is mine now.... all mine." he said before softly kissing her cheek, he kissed her other cheek before leaving a quick peck on her forehead.

His lips came in contact with hers, kissing her with such passion and love, as if she was the most precious gem in the world, which wouldn't be wrong, because she was the most precious gem in 'his' world.

Ava's hands gripped onto his shirt for support, her knees felt weak, she didn't think a mere kiss could make one feel that way, she had been kissed by Xanthos before, not on the lips, but nevertheless she was, though this time the ravishing intimacy was different, there wasn't any hesitation or holding back, from either sides.

One of his hands moved lower to support Ava's back, when he felt her pull on his shirt, and the other remained placed on one side of her face. He pulled back only to kiss her again, he couldn't help but want more.

Xanthos' lips moved from her lips to her neck. "Ah." A little gasp escaped Ava's throat as she felt a little pinch on her neck, and Xanthos raised his head, looking back at her with a naughty glint in his eyes.

Ava's hand instinctively raised to cover the area she felt a pinch on, and she looked back at Xanthos as if asking 'Why?'

"Why not my love." he replied to her obvious query and pulled down her hand, tilting his head he lowered it a little and kissed on the mark he had left behind.

"There should be a memento of this night." Xanthos remarked taking hold of her hand, and kissing its back, ever so gently.

'As if one could forget all that happened.' Ava inwardly replied staring back at Xanthos, whose thumb was now rubbing circles on the back of her hand, and eyes, gazing at her neck.

---

Xanthos had unwillingly dropped Ava off at the place she was currently staying, it was a modest hotel, offering living commodities at affordable prices. If it wasn't for Ava's insistence, Xanthos would have spent the night wrapped in her arms surrounded by the creaking swings.

All that happened today felt like a strange dream to her, but a melodious one nonetheless, she took a shower to try and clear her head, yielding no significant success in the matter.

As she headed towards the bed, she decided to pack her things from the quarters tomorrow, she had been living in the hotel using the things her mother got for her for the time being.

"First thing's first." Ava said as she grabbed her phone from the bed-side table and plopped down on the bed.

"Can't believe I'm actually doing this." she whispered to herself as she typed 'How to get rid of a hickey at home, quick.', into the search bar.

---

It was the next day and Ava was seated before her mother in a luxurious penthouse; that her mother had rented for her stay in Samwill.

Ava was staying at a separate place, her mother did not get into the specifics, but did say that it was necessary they took certain measures to avoid potential complications, Ava reasoned that perhaps staying separately was one of them.

"You're done packing everything Ava?" Ava's mother queried sipping on her tea.

The entire situation was still too surreal for her, Ava would often go silent pondering over it, or would appear to be in a daze at times, but she was getting better with the passing days.

"Yes, there wasn't much to pack anyways." Ava replied making her mother's hand halt for a moment. She realized that her comment might have sounded like an indirect mockery and she hastily tried bringing up something else to ease the atmosphere.

"I had a little night out with my friends yesterday, it felt... refreshing." Ava said, as she picked up a macaron placed infront of her and gobbled it down.

"That is great. A little while more for the things to settle down properly, and soon you'll have plenty more occasions to enjoy yourself at." her mother replied and Ava could not help but feel warm inside, she felt so full in her heart, having her mother there to lean on, and be cared for by a parent, was something Ava didn't know she still needed even after all these years.

She believed she wouldn't feel much different as she had been alone for most part of her life, and a parent showing up might cause change, but Ava never thought it would be the kind that she was experiencing, a few simple words that would otherwise seem formal, coming from her mother made her feel so complete and secure.

She smiled to herself, and then raised her hand to grab a pink macaron placed on the fine porcelain infront of her.

"I was hoping to discuss something important with you, before we'd leave for Wallsky the day after tomorrow. Since you are already here, I do not see a point in delaying." Ava's mother smiled at her and Ava placed down the half eaten macaron back on the porcelain plate, before shifting her attention towards her mother.

"Ava, you cannot indulge yourself intimately with Mr. Aldine." Ava's mother said catching her off-guard.

Confusion visible from Ava's perplexed look, as her mother continued, "What I'm saying is that, you cannot be in a romantic relationship with him."

Author's Note
I know the update took me some time, I had some things going on and I really did not feel like I had that good writing motivation, Iam winging this story so even I don't know what's gonna happen next, so I write when I think that I can perhaps even a bit grab my readers' interest with what I'm about to put out. I wrote a long chapter today so you all can feel a bit satisfied, hope you all liked it, if you have time do comment if you're still interested and want to read more, it really boosts my esteem and makes me wanna update faster.
Vote and comment if you have time and stay safe and happy.
Thankyou.