WitchBite

Contented

I stretched over the table planting a slow, chaste, kiss on his lips. It didn't physically last as long as I wanted it to. But that heat, that confidence, immediately left the moment I leaned back into my chair. My hand still clutching onto his; as a cool calmness fell upon me, a rebellious smile creeping between my reddened cheeks, the realisation dawned on me that nothing bad had happened. The sky didn't fall, and the people of the cafe we sat in did not rally in mutual disgust. They didn't care. Nobody cared but us in that one electrifying moment and that was freeing.

He laughed sweetly as he watched me smile to myself in a flustered manner, as he released my hand and went back to his coffee. I wished I had his confidence, like he hadn't a care in the entire world. Although I suppose confidence comes easily when it would take the equivalent of ten, fully grown men, to physically be able to over power you. So the myths say anyway.

We spent the day basking in each others presence, laughing and giggling. I'd even been so bold as to clutch his hand with both of mine while we walked through the streets and various shops. It was a good day. I'd barely known this man for more than a week, and I was absolutely smitten. He left me feeling warm and flustered at the slightest glance he shot my way. His eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief as they are want to do.

Even when we went to part ways to go home, it was all in my power to leave. I wanted to linger. We kissed once more. Deeper and fuller than the one we had in the cafe. We held each other close, pushing my chest into his as our lips danced with one another, I wanted to breathe him in. We parted sweetly holding each other, with our foreheads rested on one another.

"Avery I--" I cut him off, with a gentle hush and placing my fingers softly onto his lips. I couldn't have been certain in what he wanted to say, although I had ideas. It was much, much too soon for that. Even if the idea caused my chest to flutter with an igniting spark, I couldn't. It was preposterous.

"Tread carefully... Your teeth are sharp" I whispered quietly. Opening my eyes only to see a very confused look upon Aramis' face, and I felt a certain sting of embarrassment that succeeded in turning the back of my tongue sour. I pulled away slightly in disgust at myself. I was a fucking idiot.

"What? See? I told you were funny" He giggled, pulling me back closer to rub his face into my neck, causing me to laugh at the ticklish sensation as his stubble scratched lightly. "Anyway" He continued as I pushed him off me. "Now don't hate me for this; but I want you to come over to my place again... To meet my family, properly this time..."

I hesitated to respond. A prickling of nervousness swelled up within me at the thought of seeing Bethany again. At seeing his mother again who, judging from our last meeting, did not view me as pleasantly as when she first met me. It was gut-wrenchingly sickening.

"Do they know?" I managed to splutter out after a mini panic attack had somewhat subsided.

"They know about us and that we're dating, yeah. Why? Is that bad?" He asked. I hadn't even thought of that. Of announcing that we were somewhat a couple. Even though we hadn't labelled or officially said anything to each other, it certainly made sense looking back on it, and I hadn't even the stomach to tell anyone that I'm even interested in someone, let alone partaking in regular lip-locking sessions with them. It brought a whole new realm of feelings bubbling together, and unforgettably, guilt.

"No, no. I meant about the thing that happened... Between me and Bethany?"

"Oh..." He said quietly, pausing as he mulled over his next few words. "Yeah, they know that too. They're not too bothered about it to be honest. Well... I'm sure Bethany is... But my mom is eager to move on, and has had several stern talks with Beth about it. The rest of them--"

"The rest of them? There's more than you three in that house? Vampires I mean?" I gawked, again kicking myself that I had yet to even think of the possibility that it'd be more than just those three.

"Well of course! We're a whole clan. It's a big house just for the three of us, dummy. But most of them are pretty cool. Bethany wasn't exactly discreet with her interest in Witches, and she certainly wasn't discreet about how she was wronged, and cheated, and tricked, and all that dramatic stuff. A lot of them actually think she deserved it. But you know, in general, they don't really care. When you have such a long lifespan, even nearly getting murdered to death tends to look pretty small on the grand scale of things. I'm not going to lie to you, if she had died, it would be an entirely different matter. But she didn't. So nobody cares, I promise. You have nothing to fear I swear." He said, trying to reassure me with gentle hands on both of my shoulders and craning his neck down to try and meet my gaze, that was ultimately trying to avoid his while I was in the middle of a meltdown.

I eventually did lift my face up to meet his. Pressing against his lips if only to stop the quivering of my own, although really, I was only doing so in the hope that it would siphon off some his boundless confidence and transport to me as courage.

"Okay..." I replied, barely above a whisper. "I'll think about it, okay? Give me some time to think about it... It's probably a yes. But don't take it as that right now, please?"

He smiled gently, doing his best to restrain a surge of unbridled joy that I could quite easily see was beginning to swell within him. Aramis pulled me into a tight hug, which I found myself melting in to. It would be okay. As long as I have this, it's going to be okay.

We eventually did part ways for real this time. Stealing a few last minute kisses as we walked home. Despite the inner turmoil that was currently reeling through my mind, I found them completely at odds with a warm tingling. Like a literal battle between the two was waging fiercely in there. When a surge of panic at facing my would be murderer rose up and threatened to spill over, the thoughts of the day and Aramis would wash over them like the sun-drenched waves of a paradisal beach, lapping gently at the shoreline.

I couldn't remember the last time I was so happy...  

A/N: Woo, more set up! As I'm writing this, I am kinda loving how they're interacting with each other. It's adorable, and I'm surprised it's actually coming from me. Anyway, don't forget to consider commenting and voting! It'd be super appreciated. Thanks for reading!