Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]
Logan was discharged from the hospital and although the doctors advised him to rest, he barely could afford to do that. He had to make frequent trips from college (to catch up on notes), his job, police station for enquiries and Joy's house where he finally felt like home. At the station, the cops were searching for the criminals based on Logan's descriptions about them.
Logan wanted them to be punished, but he didn't care any longer. He knew karma wouldn't let them get away or his cruel uncle. He also knew that because of the police investigation, his uncle wouldn't dare to touch him for some months now. Besides, he felt invincible, like no force on earth could even blow a strand of his hair. The power in him was more spiritual than physical and all the events leading him to the brink of death taught him that stressing out caused him to only die a little bit everyday.
For the first time in his life, he truly believed that he was strong.
Logan ate the leftovers of the chicken curry that Joy's mum had sent him, quickly washed the dishes and sorted out his little apartment. He cleaned his bedding, scrubbed his bathroom and let sunlight fill the place. Finally, he took out the trash and proceeded towards Joy's house.
How far he had come from the start of summer! His counsellor, David appreciated him repeatedly about his progress and now he understood what he had meant. That attempted murder had made him realize how badly he wanted to continue living and do his best as long as he could. He valued this gift of life and wanted to cherish it thoroughly.
Tears welled up in his eyes each time he remembered that Joy's gift wasn't big enough.
He wished for a miracle, for Joy to wake up one day and start cycling around the town like nothing had happened. For her to arrange flowers in the shop, water them, help them grow. For her to build sandcastles with him.
Balling his hands into fists, he strode up the lane, burying his fists deep in his pockets. Just when he was about to ring the bell to Joy's house, the door swung open. Her mum emerged out, dressed smartly in a navy blue suit.
"Ah, I was waiting for you. Glad you're here, I had to go out for some work," she said, pleased. "Call me if you or Joy need anything."
"Of course and the curry was delicious."
"Oh, that's nothing." She waved her hand dismissively, then looked up at him. "You're a sweet boy Logan." She gave a small pat on his back and he awkwardly stood there. "Thank you for being there for her."
He shrugged. "I love her Mrs Jones."
She only nodded, conservative enough to not discuss her daughter's love life.
"Well, she will be happy to see you." With that, she gave a brief smile and left.
Logan stepped in and closed the door behind him. He didn't linger around the empty house and headed straight upstairs to Joy's room. He knocked on the door patiently. Once. Twice. Thrice. There was no reply.
He opened the door and gingerly went in, thinking that Joy would be asleep. But there was no one sleeping on the bed. Only the sound of tap water running caught his attention.
"Joy, you in there?" he called out, standing outside the bathroom.
The water ceased to flow. "Logan?"
"Yeah, it's me, the flower thief. Your boyfriend." He chuckled to himself and heard her soft laughter.
"I recognize him. He can come in," she said, her voice light and airy. There was a long silence since Logan was baffled. Had he heard her correctly? "Come in dummy, I'm not joking."
"W-What?" he stuttered, then mentally smacked his forehead because physically it would hurt as the wound from the fight was still there. He shook his head. "I-I'm waiting outside."
"No, come in," she insisted from inside. "I'm serious Logan, just come in here."
"Are y-you . . . Alright," he mumbled and nervously stalked in. His cheeks became scarlet when he saw her, unabashedly stretched in the clear water filled in the bathtub, as naked as the day she was born. Her blue eyes wide and shiny. "I-I . . . "
He lowered his eyes to the tiled floor.
"W-What happened?" she questioned innocently. "Am I not attractive enough to look at?"
"Jesus, no," he said in frustration, his eyes flickering to her, but not looking below her head. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I-I shouldn't . . . "
"Relax, it's not like we're going to do anything," she said coyly, then let out a breath. "I wanted you to see me like this, see all of me."
"I see you, I always have." He awkwardly shifted his weight from one stiff leg to another, then let his eager eyes wander down. Her thin, pale body looked delectable perhaps more underwater, her bare skin enticing that he wanted to kiss her everywhere- her round breasts, her protruding ribs, between her thighs. An excited feeling stirred in him and he sighed, his shoulders sagging. "You have no idea what you're doing to me Joy."
She grinned mischievously, bending her legs and wrapping her arms around her knees, hugging them which covered her body. Logan wished she hadn't done that. Noticing his disappointment, her grin widened.
"Come in, I made space for you," she offered. "Don't worry, no one's at home and they won't come for two hours or so."
"I . . . I . . . " His throat felt dry as he stared at her wordlessly. He was embarrassed because he didn't want her to see what she was doing to him down there. "I should wait out."
"Don't leave me alone, please," she said quickly, her voice wavering. Logan looked at her eyes which reflected an odd emotion- one he hadn't seen a lot of times in her. Fear.
"What are you afraid of Joy? I love you," he began fiercely. "I will never reject you, no one will. God, you're beautiful in and out. It's not you that I'm going away . . . It's erm . . . You're making me . . . Uh . . . "
"Oh." She realized, hastily nodding in understanding and closing her eyes sincerely. "I won't peak, I promise. You can come in."
Laughter overtook his body as he fumbled with the buttons of his shirt and discarded his clothes until he was naked too. His skin turned a bright shade of red as he clumsily got in the tub. He too wrapped his arms around his bent legs, the water or her making him shiver.
Her eyes fluttered open, boring into his. "No more hiding?"
"No, you see me just the way I see you."
"Good." The corners of her mouth twitched upwards, Logan knew what she meant. She wanted him to be honest with her in the days that followed, not hide things like he had done before about the death threats from his uncle. He stared at the little drops of water which torturously trailed down her throat as he suppressed the impulsive urge to trace her tantalizing skin. She had a drunken look in her eyes as she asked faintly, "Do you want to kiss me?"
"I was hoping you would ask," his voice was husky as they both quickly unwrapped their arms from around their legs and leaned forward. Logan delicately rested his one hand on her thigh and his other hand held her chin firmly. Her body came alive when pressed so close to his and he shuddered. His lips hovered over hers in anticipation and delicious hunger, looking at her through hooded, half-lidded eyes. "You make me feel strong and weak at the same time Joy."
"And y-you're killing me, you're killing me thousand times faster than my illness ever did, but this-this is the good killing," she whispered shakily and parted her lips.
They both trembled as they kissed ferociously, trying to quench their thirst and letting their tingling hands roam in the most vulnerable parts of each other's bodies until they were so overwhelmed that they couldn't take it anymore.
Their faces flushed as they pulled away.
He was burning in the cold water and saw that she felt the same way too. There were goosebumps all over her body and her skin felt warm as her feet touched his. They only gazed at each other, waiting for the fire to extinguish from each other's eyes, but it never did. Only the flames died down, but the hot ashes were still there- would always be no matter where their interwoven lives tore apart.
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A/N :
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