Our Love's Desire || Greta Van Fleet Oneshots

Love Like Ghosts pt. 2 - Jake (witch AU)

You walked and walked and walked, until uneasiness began to scratch at your skin. You weren't sure how long you'd been out there. Your heartbroken longing to see him had rendered you blind and without common sense. You hadn't even bothered to keep track of the passing minutes. You stopped in your tracks and cast your gaze upwards. The moon had moved further down the night sky.

Just then, you heard the snap of a twig. You brought your head down so fast you could faintly feel the ache of whiplash radiating up the side of your neck. You scanned the forest, looking for any sudden movements, any unbelonging figures, or familiar eyes.

Your heart sank; the woods looked as ordinary as they could in the middle of the night.

"Jake?"

Your only answer was the call of the crickets and the rustle of leaves being taken by the wind.

Why isn't he here? What if he doesn't show up? You corrected yourself with a shake of your head, he wouldn't do that to you.

You forged ahead, despite the anxious weight settling deep into your stomach.

After a little while, you reached a clearing, small and roughly shaped like a circle. You glanced over your shoulder at the trail you'd come from. The trees had formed somewhat of a gate across the opening, scantily blocking the path. With furrowed brows, you shone your flashlight through the trees.

Jake's soft voiced sounded from behind you, "Sweetheart, I'm right here."

You whipped around. There he was, in all of his cruel, enthralling glory, smiling that smile of his and opening his arms. You crushed yourself into his chest with the intent of feeling his heartbeat through your clothes and skin.

He kissed the top of your head, before inching away and holding your face in delicate hands. He connected your lips so sweetly that you could feel his love coursing through your veins, bringing you back to life as if you were a wilted flower and he were water. You soaked him in, melting into his embrace and praying desperately to whatever, whoever was listening, that he'd never leave you again.

"I brought you something," he whispered into your shared air. He backed away and pulled something from his jacket pocket. "May I see your hand?"

You offered your hand up to him and he chuckled softly, "Your left hand, my darling."

With flushed cheeks, you held out your other hand. He fit a ring onto your fourth finger. It was absolutely striking; made up of pretty, silver vines that wrapped around your finger to support a blue gem that shimmered radiantly, even in the dark of the night. Etched into the bands were symbols you couldn't decipher.

"What does it say?" You asked, tracing your finger along the winding bits of metal. You tried to twist the ring, to see the bottom side of it and find more symbols, but it didn't budge. You weren't concerned, you wouldn't have ever taken it off, anyway.

"It's a declaration. A promise."

You marveled at the piece once more, "It's beautiful."

"I love you," he said, then tilted your head upwards with his fingers beneath your chin and kissed you. "More than you'll ever know."

You returned the profession with a choked murmur, hardly trusting your own voice to depict the emotion without breaking.

The trees had opened themselves up again and revealed the path, so Jake hooked your elbows together and you began walking back the way you came. You didn't need your flashlight; the steadily rising sun illuminated the ground just enough for you and Jake to be able to find your way. You were sure the forest looked ethereal, that the sunlight was streaming through the leaves so beautifully, but you couldn't even be bothered to cast it a glance. Instead, you gazed upon your Jacob.

You weren't sure what time it was when you returned home. Jake's sly, little black cat greeted him with a delighted mew and you, with a blink of her eyes. He reached down and gave her a scratch behind the ears. Your heart had grudgingly softened for the thing since your last encounter. She didn't return the sentiment, because she hissed when you held your hand out to pet her. Jake huffed a laugh at your little pout.

"Come lay down with me?" He held a hand out to you.

You took it with your left--just to look at the ring one more time--and he led you to the bedroom. With adoring hands, he slid your jacket from your arms and your jeans from your legs, leaving you in only your t-shirt and underwear. He undressed himself similarly, before pulling you into bed and tangling your limbs beneath the heavy comforter.

You tried so hard to keep yourself awake, focusing on the pattern of his breathing and running your fingers along the soft skin of his side, but the lost hours of sleep were making your eyelids heavy. He could tell and you knew, because he began stroking your hair in slow, soothing passes. You let out a breath and your shoulders relaxed; you couldn't help it.

"Sleep, my love, I'll be right here."

And, you did.

When you woke up, he was there, just as he said he would be. When you fell asleep later than night and woke up the next morning, he was there. And the next day, and the next day, and the day after that.

You let yourself get used to seeing his lovely face every morning. It was bliss being with Jake every day, unburdened by fear and bitterness, and free from the enticing cry of the forest. You were able to do everything with him that you hadn't allowed yourself to do before. You shared a mirror with him when you got ready in the mornings, you went grocery shopping together, drank too much wine at night and giggled at stupid jokes, argued over what color the curtains in your bedroom should be.

There was still that ghost of doubt lurking in the shadows of your home. You ignored it as much as you could, asking Jake to repeat his promise to you when it became too dark, and you needed to turn the lights on. Sometimes, they'd flicker.

You'd occasionally find him awake in the dead of the night, plucking at his guitar out on the patio. He'd gaze upon the wood line as he played, gentle eyes filled with a longing unlike you'd ever seen. That familiar ache would settle into your chest, then, because you knew that no matter how much he told you he loved you, no matter how much he showed you with his body or otherwise, he never once looked at you that way when you were tangled up in bed together and he was telling you he had to go and promising his return with only half of himself.

Jacob was yours, at least for a little while. You tried your hardest not to count the days he was with you. You knew, that in time, the wail of the woods would become too loud for his weak-willed heart, and he'd slip from you in the night to heed the call, never to return to you.

You would be content, until the day you'd wake up to an achingly empty bed, with only your fleeting memories and a ring to remember him by.