[ Narrator ]
Y/n L/n had been staying with the Fairchild's for 3 months originally. It had been 2 years and her parents failed to show up. She couldn't blame them anymore though, not after the paper the governess had given her.
Her parents had been murdered in their hotel room by a man who had then proceeded to jump off the roof. She was angry at the world, to say the least.
She was angry she didn't get to see her parents, angry the man who killed them then himself, angry she didn't know sooner. She cried a lot during that time, something that was unusual for the girl. She didn't like the feeling of crying. She felt weak, fragile.
She hadn't gotten close with her hosts, she hadn't tried. She and Miles would cross paths daily, as if he wanted it to happen. Once she even woke to him standing next to her bed. She stared at him for what felt like hours until he turned and walked away. She pushed the occurrence out of her mind and didn't think of it till morning.
Y/n had always found Miles to be quite handsome which might've been why she felt so comforted by him. She would find herself glancing at him while he did tasks throughout the day.
She'd watch his eyes as he read, his hands as they delicately picked up a spider, his hair as it bounced when he road the horses, his shoes as he ran after Flora, his lips as he mumbled to himself. His lips... She wanted to know what he tasted like so badly.
She wanted the feeling. She craved it. She wanted his tongue against hers or his lips traveling down her neck. She wanted his arms to hold her closely as she woke from one of her nightmares.
She wanted him but had no clue how badly he wanted her.
Miles would stalk her throughout the day, following behind her silently. He wanted to push her up against a wall and run his fingers over her sensitive lips as she whimpered from his touch. He wanted to hold her closely as they slept, their legs a tangled mess while her head lay on his chest or in the crook of his neck. He wanted to pull her into the shadows and kiss her passionately. He wanted her. He wanted to protect her too. That was the problem for him. He was already protecting her.
He was protecting the girl from the monsters that crept in his shadow. He was protecting her from his mind as dark as the ink he wrote his love letters to her in. The love letters she would never get to see... He put his feelings into the letters, then locked them into his drawers. By now there were dozens of them, all written in jet black ink by his careful hand. He wished so badly that he could give her his heart but he was afraid that in order to give the girl his heart, he had to have one. The two kids were so lost and in love, the pair was afraid there was nothing they could do...
[ Y/n ]
My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the bright light shining in though my window. I held my hand over my eyes, sitting up slowly. I looked around at my room in confusion.
It was still dark.
I looked back to my window to realize the light was the moon. I shook my head at my silliness for thinking it was already morning when I had just fallen asleep. You see, I was so stressed, I just didn't know what to do. Earlier today, I went into Miles room to call him out for dinner but, he was asleep on his desk. It made my heart race as small snores came from his mouth.
I walked over and took a glance at what he was doing. It was a letter, a letter to me! My heart practically skipped a beat as I read and reread the first line, 'My dearest Y/n,' I went to step closer to read the rest but my shin knocked into an open drawer. I looked down to see lots of papers, neatly folded but messily strewn about in the drawer. The only thing in my mind right now was how my name was on the front of all of them.
I grabbed a handful and quietly stepped back into the hall, rushing back to my room. I shoved the letters into my pillowcase and took a minute to breathe. When I stepped out, Miles was standing outside of his door, rubbing his eyes. I let out a squeak and he turned to me.
He had an ink smudge on his cheek.
We stared at each other for a minute or so before I pointed to my cheek. His hand went up to the mark and I nodded to him. He went back into his room and I took another breath, making my way down to the kitchen.
I pulled the letters from my pillowcase and shuffled through them. I stopped on one where my name was written sloppily compared to the others.
'Dearest Y/n,
I haven't very long before I must go to play with Flora but you looked so beautiful in the stables today. I hope that one day you and I might ride a horse together.
Yours,
Miles'
I smiled at the fact that he had written 'horse' instead of 'horses', meaning he wanted me to be in front while his arms reached around my waist to hold the reigns. I set it aside and opened the next letter.
'Y/n,
Today is Valentine's Day and I pretend not to know. It is a silly tradition but I have a bouquet of the finest roses from the garden for you here with me. I know it would be obvious if I left them by your door so I will leave them on the table. You will not know why they are there or who they are for but I will watch as you admire them. Your smile is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, some would even say it's angelic. You are truly beautiful.
With love,
Miles'
I put a hand to my lips as I thought back to the day the roses appeared on the table. I had thought they were absolutely gorgeous and stolen one for my room. I glanced over at my vanity where the, now dead, rose sat in a vase that once had water. Miles thought I was beautiful... My smile widened as I set the letter down, reaching for the next.
'My darling Y/n,
You have one of the roses I cut for you in your room. When I saw it as you read on your bed, I was so happy I almost told you it was mine. Instead, I went and punched a mirror. I got scolded by Kate and you asked if I was okay. I wasn't lying to you when I said I was fine, please do not worry about me. I couldn't stop smiling as Kate picked the glass from my knuckles and now she thinks I need to see a shrink. It was one of the few times I actually smiled but if you were mine, I would smile at you every day.
Forever yours,
Miles'
I couldn't help but laugh a little at the end. I was so happy, truly happy for once. Before I could read another, a voice broke me from my trance.
"I believe those are mine."
I looked up at the shadow that stood in my door. He let himself in and shut the door, slowly approaching my bed. "Well, I think they're mine." I held them close to me. "Why would you think that?" Miles skin shone beautifully in the moonlight.
"They're addressed to me." I held one up and pointed to my name. "Yes, well, you stole them so if I could just get them back you can go to sleep and I'll be on my way." He stepped closer and I held the letters a little tighter, afraid to crumple them.
"Miles these letters are lovely, why haven't you ever given me any?" He stood there, I wondered what was passing through his head. "The feelings aren't mutual so it would be disgraceful for me to hand a love letter to a girl who doesn't have feelings for the author." A smile peeked onto my face, making his twist into confusion. "Are you laughing at me?" My eyes widened at his comment. "No, no, no! I was smiling because you were wrong! The feelings are mutual! I like you as well, Miles!" I looked away bashfully, a little upset I had just spilt my feelings to the boy.
"Hm, yes well... You do seem to act like it." I looked back at him, he stepped closer again. "Miles, I mean it. You're writing is beautiful... You make me feel so special." He sat down on the edge of my bed. "Well, you are special... You're you." His tone was more hushed and I watched as his eyes flickered from my lips back to my eyes.
My own eyes fell onto his lips momentarily as well. There was a certain tension in the room, it was almost suffocating. Our heads slowly moved towards each other. I licked my lips just before our faces collided. His lips moved in perfect sync with mine. I set the letters next to me and let my hand fall onto his.
I was almost positive Miles had his eyes open but it was too perfect for me to care.
We finally pulled back, I reopened my eyes. "Sorry for stealing your letters Miles." I whispered softly. He shook his head, standing up, my eyes followed him to my door, "Keep them, you'll get the rest tomorrow and more to come. As for now, sleep well my love."
Before I could say anything he was gone just as he came. I bit my lip to hold in my excited squeals. I put the letters into the drawer next to my bed, saving the rest for the morning. My lips were still warm from the feeling. I shut my eyes for a moment before jolting back up at the sound of a mirror shattering.
Unlike the first time it had happened, I finally understood why.