What Once Was

Chapter 39: Art Deco

"I don't deserve you, (Y/N)".

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"Promise your eyes are closed?" I shouted from my bedroom.

"I promise". Eddie shouted back.

"Pinky promise?"

"(Y/N), I pinky promise". He giggled.

"Okay. I'm coming out! You better keep your eyes closed!"

I checked myself out in the mirror one last time. I'd bought a dark green, velvet ball gown that afternoon. It had a corset-style midriff and came with a matching pair of gloves. I'd spent the past few hours styling my hair using my mother's old rollers. For the first time in a long time, I felt... pretty. Well, as pretty as I could feel with a giant scar on my shoulder.

"Ta-da!" I exclaimed, arms out theatrically wide as Eddie opened his eyes.

"Oh..." Eddie's jaw dropped to the floor. I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"You don't like it..." I dipped my head, suddenly feeling very insecure.

"No! God no, (Y/N)... Jesus... it's just.. you look... incredible". His eyes welled with tears.

"You really think so? It's not too much, is it?" I smoothed out the wrinkles of the fabric covering my thighs.

"No. It's... perfect. You're perfect. You're... breathtaking".

"Eh... this old thing? I just threw it on". I teased.

"What did I do to deserve a woman as beautiful as you?" Eddie gently placed his hand under my chin, like I would break into a thousand pieces if he used even the slightest bit of pressure.

"Eh, enough about me! I left your suit on my bed, go try it on!" I pushed his shoulders in the direction of my bedroom.

"Promise you'll keep your eyes closed?" He teased.

"I pinky promise". I laughed, screwing my eyes shut.

I stood waiting with my eyes closed in my living room for what felt like an eternity before Eddie finally shouted from my bedroom.

"Ready?"

"Very". I shouted back.

"Voilà!" I peeled my eyes open only to be met with the most beautiful man I had ever laid eyes on. I'd bought him the most expensive black suit I could afford. With a white shirt underneath, his look was finished off by a green velvet tie that matched my dress perfectly.

"Holy shit... Edward Nashton, you scrub up very well, if I do say so myself". I felt myself now welling up at how good he looked. But mainly, it was because he looked... different. He looked confident. I'd never seen confident Eddie before.

"You think?" His cheeks flushed pink from embarrassment.

"Damn right I do!" I reached up to kiss him on the cheek. Even with heels, he still towered over me.

"Thank you, (Y/N). For this... for everything".

"Don't sweat it. Anyway... c'mon, let's go! We don't wanna be too late".

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"Maybe we should just... I don't know... maybe we should just go back to your place. We could order take out and share a bottle of wine an-"

"Eddie, you're okay. You can do this". I cut him off, fixing his tie as we stood outside the Palace Theatre.

The truth was that I felt like a fish out of water and I damn near needed the reassurance just as much as he did.