𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 || 𝘳.𝘢.𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

145. calm before the storm

    "Another thing." Regulus takes her hand in his, quickly pulling her away from the glass and she smiles as he leads her outside of the aquarium, seeing the large Ferris wheel along with other small fairground rides and stalls along a pier. "Thought you might like this too."

   Maria smiles, the dimple in her left cheek appearing and making Regulus' heart melt as she yanks him quickly behind her, hurrying towards the pier.

    The wind is strong from the sea and over the loud music being played on the pier they can hear the waves crashing onto the rocks harshly in the chilled October wind that comes along in gushes. The wind always makes Maria uneasy, as though a storm is headed their direction and nature is warning them. Whatever storm that may be.

    They spend over an hour just wandering around and trying out the stalls and Maria dragging Regulus onto some fair rides. Lastly, Maria tugs Regulus towards the Ferris wheel with a cheeky smile and the Black simply sighs, accepting his fate.

Clambering onto the carriage, the door shuts behind them and Regulus sighs, looking around as the ride begins to move and they slowly ascend around the wheel. Maria smiles happily, completely content as she leans into his arm, squeezing his hand in hers gently.

"I really love you." Maria whispers softly and Regulus nods his head softly, bringing her knuckles to his lips softly.

"I love you." Regulus mutters and Maria closes her eyes as he presses a kiss to her temple. "Look."

Maria looks over the town before them and sees the glow of the city lights as they reach the top of the Ferris wheel.

"It's beautiful." Maria breathes, awestruck.

"I know."

Somehow the two of them knew that he wasn't looking at the miraculous view before them.

[][][]

Maria is groaning loudly as she and Regulus exit the restaurant, a hand over her stomach as Regulus rolls his eyes at her exaggeration, tugging her down the pavement. Rain begins to pour down on them as they reach a bridge making Regulus groan now, sighing exasperatedly as they stop in the middle of the bridge.

"I wanted to show you the swans down the river." Regulus sounds annoyed after having his plans for Maria ruined as he drapes his jacket over Maria's shoulders quickly since she's only wearing a thin cardigan.

"It's okay." Maria shakes her head, shivering slightly in the pouring rain and Regulus shakes his head. "Hey—this is better, okay?" Maria smiles at him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it gently.

The bridge is over a river that's currently vacant of any people, there's dim street lamps either side of the bridge that don't do a lot as the sun begins to set over the trees. The sky at the horizon is a wonderful orange colour whilst the grey, angry clouds above them try to distinguish the light.

"Maria." Regulus says to her softly, tucking a piece of wet hair behind her ear gently. "I've loved you ever since that day at that stupid ball when we played twenty one questions and I asked you stupid things and we shared champagne. Honestly, that was the best I felt that whole summer. You're the only person who could truly distract me from my dysfunctional family. You're the only person to ever really understand me, and all those times after that night when I said I hated you were lies. Because I loved you. And I still do and I will love you until the end of fucking time so I'm saying all this now because I want—no I need to marry you, Maria."