...Comes From Some Other Beginnings End (Chris Evans A/U)

.7.

Chris POV

  "I don't like it.," I mutter under my breath as I carry the first box of Opal's stuff into the Inn.

  "What was that, babe?" she calls from behind me, pulling up a box from the trunk. 

  I pause, unlocking the door before pushing it open. I hold it in place until Opal has gone through. "I don't like it," I repeat more clearly than before.

  "What don't you like?" She climbs the stairs up to the one room we've managed to finish. 

  Thanksgiving with our friends gave us the small push to really get things moving. Now two weeks into December and one room is completely remodeled and ready for its first occupant: Opal. 

  "You being here and not home with me." 

  Opal stops in her steps once she reaches the landing upstairs. "We've talked about this, Chris. I was never meant to move in with you at all remember. Maybe you should be thankful for the weeks we had together rather than begging for more," she teases as I reach the top step in front of her.

  "Baby, we've talked about this," I repeat her own words back to her. "I will be begging for more of you until the day I die."

  She quirks a brow, walking to her new bedroom. "So what you're saying is you're ready to be put out of your misery?"

  "You being away from me is my misery, so yes, whenever you're ready to drop this boyfriend/girlfriend charade and let us begin our next chapter," I pause, setting down the box next to her dresser, "I'm ready." I leave her to her thoughts and head back out to the car for another box.

  If it had been up to me we'd have been engaged again the day I pulled her over when she was looking for the new Inn. If it had been up to me we'd have gone ahead and gotten married at the court house while our friends were here for Thanksgiving. 

  And yet, it's not up to me. I can only push her so far because a very real, very large part of me is still terrified of her getting spooked and leaving me again. 

  I know we'll get there, and I believe she knows it too. Just neither of us knows when that may actually happen. So until then the ring now sits in the glove box of my car, hidden away from snooping eyes.

  Grabbing up the next two boxes, one on top of the other, I almost falter as I feel her hands wrap around my waist while I'm still hanging over the trunk. I drop them down immediately, reaching around to bring her chest to mine.

 "I love you," she whispers, her brown eyes gazing intently into my own, giving me the reassurance I need to know that in time we won't be saying goodbye except for when leaving for work.

  I use both of my hands to cup her face, pulling her lips to mine. "I love you too, Ope." 

  "Are you mad at me?" she asks, taking a step back from the car as I resume grabbing the boxes. 

  "Not hardly, baby."

  "You might be when I tell you that I forgot I have an appointment to go to with Laura," she hesitantly tells me. "I'm sorry."

  I roll my eyes at her nonsense. "It would take a lot more than that for me to be mad at you. When do you need to go?" I ask her over my shoulder as I make my way up to the porch again. 

  I don't hear her footsteps behind me, making me pause. Turning around I see her grinning at me almost painfully. "Like, now." 

  "Give me two minutes and I'll finish unloading your car," I huff, setting the boxes on the porch. "You're lucky I love you," I tease as I go back to her car again, she sticks her tongue out at me as I pass. "Easy with that. I like to bite," I point out, but just as I do she pops me on the butt with her palm.