Tell Me Ariel, Are You Mine?

Chapter 25 - Silver Magpie's

Sometimes, you could see whatever you wanted to see in something so simple. And yeah, maybe I was seeing what I wanted to see, but the sight of the sun combing the view made things seem that much more symbolic. That we were going to attempt to make this thing work, that he was going to try for me because to him, I was worth it.

Through country we drove, silent and completely conscious of each other. I'd let my head fall back against the headrest as I'd closed my eyes to the daybreak settling on me, seeing flashes of warm red and cold darks through my lids where the flare beat through air and then trees. A new day was here. The same tomorrow Dante had said he didn't want to see if I weren't there with him.

I knew he didn't want to admit to fear, not many men do, but there was something he'd also said to me just before we set off that gave me the impression he was even scared to love me. He didn't know where this would take us but he was willing to take the chance.

He'd held my hand and lifted it to his lips as he reassuringly kissed the back of my palm, and though he shot me a quick smile, again I could see there was something else behind it.

I lingered ahead, and Dante would cast fleeting looks over me before directing his eyes over the road, I would be aware of every little movement he made. I'd catch him at the corner of my eye as he took a moment to look twice quickly. It was as though he wanted to ask me a question, maybe to tell me something, but hesitated. I could see the action but I kept looking ahead and noticed that he was trying to build himself up to say something to me, but he huffed to himself, shook his head and kept his eyes on the road. That didn't last long though.

"You're staring." I said, my eyes fixed ahead of me. I could totally see him in my peripheral whenever he turned to me. He was doing it pretty frequently.

"You're distracting. What can I say." without looking at me too.

"And if we crash because you can't keep your eyes on the road?"

"I wouldn't be that reckless with you. But atleast you'll be the last thing I see."

I looked over to him when he said that, and watched as he kept his eyes ahead, all stern and remote. His hand sure and steady at the wheel. My eyes lowered, I think he was forgetting I knew I could never be the last thing he sees. I already knew he couldn't just...die like that. Or maybe he didn't know I knew. After all, Nate told me. Malcolm too.

Something wasn't quite right which unsettled me but I did the same as he did; fixed my eyes on the road ahead, then I felt his hand take mine from my lap and interlace his fingers between mine, his thumb caressing the back of my palm.

I breathed hard, happy to give my hand for him to hold, momentarily peering through my side of the window. I realized I wasn't sure I welcomed the sunrise or dreaded it because it represented both the beginning and the end. The end of all that had come before, the start of all that would be ahead. It was saying the night had ended, it was over. Despite Dante's slight withdrawal, and his attempt to rectify it right now with a display of closeness, I took comfort in the sun's hope, in its promise to see things brightly. I mean, after all, we were here; we'd made it past last night. This signified so much.

He and I sat there looking our separate ways but holding onto each other's hand except to change gears. Looking over the horizon I was left to think how the world could be so beautiful when in the quiet innocence of a new day, and with that new day you never did know how it was going to end. You just had to get through it.

----

So, this was it. This was what we'd wanted. It had been near enough three weeks now since Dante and I had been living together. Officially living together. Yes, I know right? Living together. Give me a moment to say that enough times in my head so that it could at least feel real. It was crazy to me. I almost couldn't believe it if I hadn't been looking at his toothbrush next to mine in the en suite every morning. We'd packed up the last of my things as I took a moment to say goodbye to my flat and I'd moved into his in record time.