All for the Plot

f i f t y (part two)

Vittoria's eyes were wide as she took it all in. I could see her fingers twitch, like she wanted to touch everything but didn't dare. I couldn't help but smile at that. She always had this way of being curious about the world, wanting to understand it in a way that went deeper than most people ever did.

Niobe motioned for us to sit at the small table near the window, where the light filtered in just right. Vittoria moved carefully, like she was trying not to disturb anything. I watched her closely, taking in every little movement, every expression that crossed her face.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Niobe asked, her voice as soothing as ever.

Vittoria glanced at me, a little unsure. "A while," she said, then smiled, "but it feels like longer."

Niobe nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. "Time has a funny way of stretching when you're with the right people."

There was something in her tone that made my heart skip a beat. I could feel my face heat up, but I didn't want to look away from Vittoria. She was focused on Niobe, but there was a softness in her eyes that I hadn't seen before.

Niobe leaned back in her chair, her eyes moving between us. "So, are you two...?" She let the question hand in the air, her smile telling us she already knew the answer.

Vittoria blushed, and I could feel my own cheeks burning. "We're figurine it out," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. It was the truth, but it was also more complicated than that.

Niobe chuckled, the sound warm and full of life. "The best things in life aren't figured out--they just happen."

Vittoria smiled at that, and I felt something shift inside me. Seeing her here, in this space that meant so much to me, I realized just how much I wanted her to be a part of it.

The conversation flowed easily after that. Vittoria asked questions, Niobe shared stories, and I found myself just watching them, soaking in the moment just watching them, soaking in the moment. The way Vittoria's eyes lit up when Niobe said something particularly wise, the way Niobe seemed to understand her without needing to ask too much. It all felt... right, like this was the way things were supposed to be.

And as I sat there, watching these two women who meant so much to me, I knew that this was the moment I'd carry with me forever.

Niobe's cabin was steeped in a kind of quiet that made everything feel more significant, like each word spoken would echo in the walls forever. I could feel the weight of that as I sat there with Niobe and Vittoria. But then Niobe's eyes met mine, one brown, one white, and I knew she had something else in mind.

"Cirus," she said, her voice gentle but firm, "why don't you help me make some tea?"

It wasn't really a question, more like a soft command. I nodded and stood up, my chair scraping against the wooden floor. Vittoria looked up at me with a small, curious smile, and before I could say anything, Niobe turned to her.

"Would you mind gathering some rosemary from outside, dear? You'll find it just by the left side of the gnome."

Vittoria nodded and got up, giving me a quick glance before heading out of the door. I watched her leave, a part of me wanting to follow her, but Niobe's voice pulled me back.

"Come one, boy. We've got work to do," she said, already moving toward the small kitchen area.

I followed her, my heart thudding in my chest. As we started preparing the tea, Niobe was quiet, her hands moving with the kind of practiced ease that comes from years of doing the same thing. I tried to focus on what I was doing, but I could feel her eyes on me.

"You love her," Niobe said suddenly, her voice breaking through the silence like a stone dropped in water.

I froze, my hand halfway to the kettle. The words hit me like a punch, knocking the breath out of me. How did she know? I hadn't even admitted it o myself, not fully.

I turned to look at her, my mouth dry. "How... how do you know?"

She smiled that knowing smile of hers and tapped her forehead with two fingers."The earth took one eye and replaced it with the all-seeing. You know that."

I stared at her, feeling the truth of her words settle in. Niobe always had a way of seeing things, things most people missed. It was one of the reasons I trusted her, even when I didn't understand her completely.

"You need to tell her," she continued, her voice soft but inconsistent. "Don't let the world talk away what you take for granted. The earth is patient, but it also teaches lessons."

I swallowed hard, her words sinking deep into my chest. She was right, o course. But the thought of telling Vittoria how I felt... it scared the hell out of me.

Before I could say anything, the door creaked open, and Vittoria stepped back in, holding a handful of rosemary. The sunlight caught in her hair, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

"I found it," she said, holding up the rosemary with a smile.

Niobe took it from her with a nod. "Good, dear. Now, let's make this tea."

The conversations shifted then, the intensity of the moment slipping away as we focused on the task at hand. But even as we talked about the land, the history of Niobe's cabin, and the life she had lived here, I couldn't shake the weight of her words.

As we sipped out tea, Niobe told stories--about how she same to this place, how the land called to her, even about her eyes and the way she'd learned to see the world differently. Vittoria listened intently, her eyes never leaving Niobe's face. I could see her admiration growing with each word, and it made my heart swell with strange mix of pride and fear.

Eventually, Niobe turned to conversation to Vittoria. "And what about you, child? Tell me about your family."

Vittoria hesitated, and I saw a flicker of pain in her eyes. But she didn't shy away. Instead, she took a deep breath and began to speak, her voice steady even as the words carried the weight of her past.

I watched her, my heart aching with how much I wanted to protect her from all the hurt she'd been through. And as she talked, I kew that Niobe was right. I couldn't let fear keep me from telling her how I felt. Not when the world could talk her away from me in a heartbeat.