Seraphine

forty nine

Seraphine

Damien is the first to speak, or whistle, when she steps out. Seraphine quickly whirls around and shushes him, but he's grinning widely and the whistle is cut off by his smile. 

"Damien!" 

"Seraphine!" He teases with just as much enthusiasm, and she can't help but smile back. His face turns more serious, and he makes a spinning motion with his finger, one that makes her blush but she complies, doing a quick turn. 

"Slower." Nico commands, and Seraphine's eyes snap to him, but he's not smiling. She blushes harder and slowly turns for them, showing them the tight shorts and the soft tee falling over them. 

"Good. Next outfit." Nico says, satisfied, and Seraphine's shoulders drop, relieved she'd gotten his approval. 

Nico, ever observant, instantly notices this, and his eyes darken. Seraphine whirls around on her feet and quickly ducks back into the room before he, or any of them, have the chance to say anything else. 

A few more pairs of shorts later and she's moved onto jeans, and Enzo voices his approval for the pair he'd picked out. Seraphine admits they are her new favorite pair, and he lights up like a Christmas tree. 

The pair Nico picked out is especially small, and she can't fit them around her thighs. She gives up with a sigh and slides them off, folding them neatly for the worker to put away before gathering up everything else and stepping outside. 

"Hey!" Nico stands up, stepping up to her with his eyebrows furrowed. Seraphine gives a sheepish smile and motions to her thighs. 

"They were too small, Nico. I couldn't fit in them." She says, looking down in shame. Tears prick the back of her eyes, all of his approval sifting through her hands like sand. 

"Hey." Nico lifts her chin with his fingers, pulling her gaze to him. His eyes are so filled with sincerity and apologies that she can't help but let a few tears fall. "Seraphine, dove, you are absolutely perfect the way you are. I'm sorry I picked out a pair that was too small. Can I make it up to you?" 

Seraphine's eyebrows furrow, and she shifts her clothes to gain a free hand, one that she uses to wipe her tears away. "You don't have to--" 

"I want to." He stops her with a kiss on her damp cheek, and she's nodding. 

"Okay. Thank you, Nico." She gives him a small smile, and he grins down at her, pecking her cheek once more before taking the clothes from her and marching to the register. 

"Did you find everything okay, sir?" The same girl from earlier stares up at Nico with those same lustful eyes, and Seraphine turns away, not wanting to see it. 

Unfortunately, Nico grabs her arm and tugs her into him, right into his chest. He rests his chin on her head and hums, the vibrations soothing Seraphine as they travel from his body to hers. 

"Hm, yes, my wife and I did. Thank you." He grins as Seraphine gasps loudly, trying to get away, but Nico's grip on her arm is too strong. 

She hears snickers coming from Enzo and Damien and shoots a look at them over her shoulder, but that makes them laugh harder. Even Luca has a small grin on his face, and Seraphine burns bright red. 

"Nico, you--you--you!" Seraphine hits Nico's shoulder over and over again as they exit the store, grateful that Enzo opted to carry all of her bags so she has two free hands. Nico just smirks down at her and swats her hands away. 

"Me, dove," he leans in close to her, his eyes glinting in the light, and Seraphine turns away, her cheeks a bright red. 

"You can't just say that," she murmurs, folding her arms across her aching chest. 

She wonders if the burn is coming from Derek's abuse, laughing for the first time in what feels like forever, or what Nico said. 

My wife. 

Why did that make her so giddy? 

"Oh, but I did, and it's been said, and I made it up to you, and now we're off to the next store." Nico loops his arm through hers and tugs her along, making her stumble into him. She laughs in spite of herself, and he grins down at him. 

"Okay, okay! I'm coming, slow down, Nico," Seraphine pulls on his arm to make him slow down to a pace she can keep up with, and once he does, she tightens her arm around his, locking him in place. 

"Can we stop at Urban Outfitters? I used to love that store," Seraphine asks politely, and Nico instantly turns on his heel, searching for the store. He takes off with a new purpose once he finds it, tugging a laughing Seraphine behind him. 

It feels good to laugh with them, Seraphine thinks. So good. 

~~~

After a few more stores, Seraphine is exhausted, and ready to go back to the manor. She's sleepily leaning into Damien, who has his arm wrapped around her shoulders, when her eyes find a new store and she lights up with a new excitement. 

"Damien, is that an art store?" She lifts a hand and points to it, drawing all four of her professors' attention, and the one she'd spoken to squints before nodding. Seraphine moves to go to it, but she remembers all of the bags everyone is carrying and stops herself with a sigh. 

"No, darling, let's go," Damien suggests, starting to walk towards the store, but Seraphine shakes her head. 

"I've already spent so much of your money, I couldn't possibly--" Luca steps in front of her then, carrying a few bags himself, and starts heading towards the store with Nico and Enzo in tow. 

"Either you're coming with us or we're picking out things for you, sweetheart," he calls over his shoulder, and Seraphine narrows her eyes at his back. 

"Fine. But I'm only buying a few things," she bargains, and Damien shakes his head with a chuckle before leaning down to press a kiss to her hair. Her insides melt and the glare slips off her face, turning into red cheeks and a small smile. 

"We'd buy the whole store for you, Seraphine."