Years To Luna [#1 Gifted Luna Series]

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"But nothing heals
The past like time.
And they can't steal,
The love you're born to find.
It's gonna hurt for a bit
Of time.
It's never easy to walk away." - Dean Lewis - Be alright
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"I don't usually do this so bear with me," I began as he finally relaxed and leaned into my chest.

"My name is Aurnia Calista Adonis, I was born on the twenty-eighth of February nineteen ninety-nine on a small island called Mauritius..." I heard him chuckle at my small introduction, but I continued anyway.

"Most of my childhood was spent there, where I learned to climb trees to pick mangos and play with my neighbours' kids on the streets. Yes, that was a good phase of my life - the best." I stopped remembering my best friend Vanessa.

She was always the polar opposite of me; wearing her joyful smile, her gentle eyes attracting all the kindergarten boys, being friendly and energetic all the time.

But I guess that's why we were inseparable - she accounted for my lack of friendliness and I stood up for her when she was in trouble. After I moved to New York, we still stayed in contact with one another.

Our parents were very good friends, so it wasn't so hard to arrange times of when we would call each other.

Unfortunately, as we grew up we also grew apart but not strangers. We still chat sometimes, she knows what happened to them, she was there for me when I needed comfort and I think that speaks volumes already.

"So, can I call you little island girl?" he mused snapping me out of my daydream; I simply nodded with a shy smile.

"You could but it would just be weird. Anyway...when I was ten, my parents decided to come back to Manhattan, much to my dismay. But I understood it was for the best. I found new friends, a new home and an unfamiliar environment, but..." I stopped myself abruptly.

Was I ready to tell him what really changed me? Why the autopilot was switched on in the first place?

"That's all you'll get for now, Othello. I can't tell you more but if you need to know, I'm allergic to cashew nuts and hate red meat. Like really despise it." I blurt out trying to send him the message that I wanted to open up to him but not at that moment.

Then I heard him mumble: 'Thank god you fainted before the cashew steak came.' I burst out laughing, falling back on the mattress whilst clutching my stomach.

My eyes were tearing up from the force I was putting into laughing - soon enough though, I sobered up and sat back up.

I nearly fell back into a laughing frenzy when I saw Othello's face. He kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish out the water, his eyes glistening in awe and adoration.

"What?" I giggled slightly.

"Y-You just...laughed. Like, a real laugh." He stuttered still looking stunned.

I, too, realised my outburst and again, a strange warmth enveloped my cheeks and I looked sideways in embarrassment.

What was happening to me? Too much oxytocin? Maybe...but it was kind of worth it.

I shook off my embarrassment and kneeled on the bed, hands neatly on my lap, looking up at him expectantly.

"Your turn." I pushed.

He snapped out of his trance and crawled over to me to place his head on my lap - my hands automatically played with his shiny and soft locks.

"Okay...well my name is Othello Diavo Stravos, I'm half Puerto Rican and half Italian but was raised and born in New York. I don't have a fantastic childhood like yours, but it was not bad. Although I was always trained to be the leader that I am now by my mother, I also had time to evolve emotionally and tried not to be a working machine. She made sure of that. I was supposed to be stronger than most, well I am, but you know...there's something amiss." He struggles to make me understand what he meant.

"You mean the lack of...love?" I hum softly but couldn't help my voice from choking up at that wretched word as I stopped stroking his hair for a fraction of a second.

He lifted his head to look at me - his hard eyes softening ever so slightly - as he reached to stroke my cheek.

"Exactly, I thought that she didn't want me to find that. But I guess I was wrong..." he continued to stroke my cheek in admiration.

This sort of tenderness amazed me every time; he could go from dominant businessman to soft tender male when he was with me.

And why me above everyone? Why am I so special?

Last time I checked I was a class-A introvert and cold-hearted girl.

But then again, he could be like him.

It's been a while since I last thought of him, my first love.

The only one who I let in and started caring about after they passed, the only one I wanted to live for, the only who made my already crushed world burn to cinders and who dared stump on it like filth.

I promised myself that I would never allow someone to have this much power over me ever again.

"Aurnia, are you still with me?" Othello waved his hand lazily in front of my face trying and succeeding at getting my attention.

I nodded not trusting my voice to speak at that moment.

"Thought I lost you there for a second." He smiled droopily. Then I noticed how sleepy he looked.

Stupid as I am, I must've kept him awake all night, worried sick about me. I gently placed a pillow behind his head and draped the quilt over his bulky body.

He furrowed his droopy eyes at me before leaning deeper into its softness. I stood up besides the bed making sure he was well covered.

"I need to feed you Aur-"

"I can feed myself. But you need to rest." I whispered softly but the stubborn man whimpered lowly as his eyes struggled to stay open.

"I dont-"

"Sleep." I spoke with finality in my voice and his eyes thanked me by closing and after a few seconds a low purring was heard.

Purring? This huge testosterone mammal purred?

As weird as it sounded, it was also very cute. He looked like a little cub snuggled up in heaps of fabric.

I chuckled silently as I tip-toed to the door, opening and closing it as quietly as I could. With great timing my stomach growled loudly.

Ok time for some food.

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Heeyyy guys!!!!

Hope you liked this chapter!

So what do you think happened to change Aurnia?

Theories?

Anyway...love y'all❤

~Nextdoorgirl101