A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 57

"And then I was seized with the sudden urge to kiss her, and I did." {Jacob Portman, pg 144 book 2}

Once Aurora had readjusted Bronwyn into a more comfortable sleeping position she was approached by Bekhir's wife. The woman had a bundle of fresh clothes in her arms and offered Aurora a bath. They had a wagon with a washing basin in it and Aurora looked down at herself wondering how bad she looked. Without Millard's jacket you could clearly see what used to be a white shirt but was now red from Millard's blood and pink in several places where the sea water had begun washing the blood away. She knew she probably still had dried blood in her hair as well and was quick to take the kind woman's offer.

It was the only luxury the menagerie had lacked and Aurora scrubbed her skin until she felt clean again, removing the layers of blood, sweat and dirt that seemed to cover her body like a second skin. She used a lumpy bar of handmade soap and a small bowl to pour water over her head to wash her hair. The water was warm and helped soothe her aching muscles and relax her.

Then she heard the door burst open and covered her chest with her washing cloth – an unnecessary action since the edge of the basin was high enough to cover her, but still – and she turned to see Millard. He had taken off his jacket and was in a clean shirt and pants, he stuttered as he tried to explain himself.

"They said I could find you in here. . . I didn't realize you were. . . I can come back later. . . " he turned back to the closed door but Aurora stopped him.

"It's been seventy years Millard, I trust you." She said and he halted slowly turning back to her.

"It still isn't proper, I shouldn't be in here while you're –"

"What did you mean?" she asked hesitantly, his mention of what was proper bringing her mind to a conversation they had what seemed a lifetime ago when the reality was it had been maybe a week? She lifted her arm out of the water and rested it on the edge of the bath, further covering herself. "Back home, when you said you weren't ready?" she asked knowing it wasn't the right place or the right time to ask. But there had been so much going on she hadn't had time to think before, now that they were safe – at least for tonight – and they had a chance to breath and figure things out, it had just cropped it's way to the surface of her thoughts. "That night? It's just. . . you seemed ready."

There was a long pause where neither one said anything. Aurora could tell Millard was blushing – he always did when it came to this subject – and the room felt like it was getting hotter.

"I just don't want to." He finally muttered, his cap tilting as he looked down at his shoes. Aurora felt her heart break, just a little bit, like it had turned to stone and someone tapped it with a chisel.

"Oh. . . " was her only reply as she also turned her gaze downward and started playing with the bubbles in the tub, trying to distract herself. Millard must have looked up and seen her disheartened expression.

"No! Darling! I didn't mean it like that!" Millard said in a panic realizing how she had misinterpreted his words. He rushed forward and knelt beside her, his need to comfort her more pressing than his earlier concerns about being proper. "It's just that –" he cleared his throat – "it's difficult for me to explain. It's so inappropriate to talk about."

"Even with me?" she asked looking up from the soapy water.

"Yes." He replied seeming to have trouble getting the words out, "It's just. . . when I. . . have you I don't want there to be any doubt in your mind."

"I love you Millard, nothing about me doubts that."

"I know. I'm just afraid if we. . . did. . it, you might wake up in the morning, and without any lust fogging your mind you might wish that we hadn't, and by then it'll be too late to take it back."