Persistent Tree

7. Counting in Seconds

"Go on," he said, panting a little. "I don't want to see what I saw the other day. Hurry."

I laughed. "Onyx, I'm not getting a migraine," I said.

Onyx's expression turned from urgent to mystified. "What? But you said..."

He shot me a confused look, and it was unbelievably adorable. I very nearly started cooing. "I said I have a headache. When I get migraines, my vision gets fuzzy - but I can see that pretty face of yours very clearly."

He looked sheepish as he put the pill and the bottle away. I tried not no laugh again as he did that, because I was inches away from pinching his cheeks. "Sorry," he muttered as the tips of his ears turned pink. "I don't usually freak out like that, it's just - whoa!"

His cry was lost in Champagne's yelp as he stepped on her tail. He tumbled backwards as Champagne trotted away, and the next moment there was a crash as he fell against his desk. "Ow," he whined.

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing as Onyx pouted plaintively, surrounded by papers ans stationery. I heard the door open and Onyx's secretary come in, but for some reason, when she saw the scene in front of her, she simply smiled to herself and shut the door again. I shrugged off the strange behavior and knelt next to Onyx, ready for the assault his eyes were about to launch on me.

"Don't make big sad eyes at me," I said as I looked into his wide black eyes, filled with a heady mixture of fake sorrow, mischief and amusement. "Not going to work. I have enough practice with Champagne."

"So it's not working at all?"

"Not even a smidge."

"Dammit."

That set me laughing again. "Oh, you're so sweet!" I squealed, pulling his cheeks as I did so.

Onyx swatted my hands away, but then he was serious. "You think I'm sweet?" he asked.

I nodded. "I know you're sweet. You've done so much for me since I've met you..." I sat down properly to relieve the pressure on my heels. "Thank you for that. You didn't have to do it."

Onyx shrugged. "Hey, I was there, so I did it. It's what friends do."

I gasped. "You just friendzoned me," I said, my tone accusing.

"What? No, I..." Onyx waved his hands around as he tried to recover. "I didn't mean it that way - "

"So I'm not even your friend?"

"I don't mean that either! What? You just accused me of - "

"Thin ice, mister." I leaned forward so my face was inches from his. "Very thin ice."

"Oh, really? I think that this - " he pushed aside my scarf, revealing the hickey that was still fading - "is ample proof that you are very far from the friendzone."

"People change their minds," I argued.

"Not in this case I don't." He traced the shape of the hickey with his finger, and I had to suppress a shudder. "Nope. Not even for a second."

I reached up and caught his hand in my own. "I'm glad you feel that way," I said, weaving my fingers through his.

"Do you? Feel as I do?"

"I didn't give you a hickey, so no."

"I'm serious, Amethyst."

"Alright, alright. I do like you, Onyx - and I will never let you forget that I was the one who said it first - but don't you think it's too soon?"

"Sometimes, I do. But then I realize that I am counting in days when I should be counting in seconds. And when I do, I realize that I have cherished each and every moment spent with you. And there's a lot of moments."

I smiled. "How do you speak like that?" I asked him. "Half the time, the stuff you say makes me want to melt into a puddle."

"Just speaking the truth. Being eloquent is easy when I'm with you." Something sparked in his eyes. "Which is why you should be my date."

My brain came to a screeching halt. "Say what?" I said stupidly.

"There's a charity ball I'm going to this Friday, my company is donating and I'm making a speech. Be my date."

I very nearly started jumping up and down in joy. A wide grin spread across my face, and Onyx smiled too, and for that one moment, everything stopped. And then that moment ended, and reality hit me with all of its enormous momentum.

"I would have loved to, Onyx, but I can't. Everyone knows that our families don't get along and that you're planning my sister's wedding. It isn't proper."

Disappointment colored his expression and his shoulders hunched. "Oh," was all he said, sounding crushed.

"Onyx, please, don't be sad."

"I don't know since when you started caring about propriety. We've been hanging out a lot outside of our professional relationship. It didn't seem to bother you then."

"You're right, it's not the propriety that really worries me."

"What is it, then?"

"I'm afraid of what being seen with me would do to you. To your image."

Onyx looked at me with an appalled expression. "Don't you dare worry about that!" he exclaimed, taking my hands in both of his. "Don't you dare! Amethyst, I don't care what people are going to say then. No matter whom I take with me, stuff is going to be said. And technically, our informal relationship is older than our professional one, so we aren't doing anything wrong."

"Older by an hour."

Onyx shrugged. "It's still older," he said.

I wasn't going to lie - the thought of being Onyx's date was exciting. But I was still worried about hurting his public image, and I didn't want him to resent me.

"I understand, Onyx, but..." I began.

"Please don't say no, Amethyst. Please." He brought my hands up to his chest and pressed them against his rapidly beating heart. "Don't be so afraid. I won't let anything happen to you - or to me. Please."

I sighed. I looked into his eyes, pleading and hopeful. Who was I to deny him that happiness? He had done enough for me, couldn't I bear a little judgement and accompany him for one evening? I wanted to go with him as much as I was. It wasn't like I was protecting either of us by saying no - doing that was going to hurt both of us anyway. There was no way that going with him would actually be worse than staying home.

"I'd love to come," I said, smiling.

"Again with the - wait, what?"

"I'll be your date, you adorable dork."

"I'm not adorable!"

I giggled. Onyx beamed and was on his feet in a flash, dragging me after him. He lifted me into his arms and spun me around, whopping with joy and making me squeal with laughter. He laughed too, and by the time he decided to set me on my feet, we were both dizzy and out of breath.

"Alright, we gotta celebrate," Onyx panted. "I was ready for a lot more convincing, begging and pleading - but it went better than expected. So come on - lunch is on me."