[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]"yeah," she mumbles.

i need you.

the boiling pot goes mostly ignored.

"it's selfish to ask you to not go."

don't go.

she tries to look at him, tries to smile... it all falls flat.

please stay with me.

ALEXANDER STONE

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]they could run. in fact, every ounce of her being wants to.

obligations keep them tethered. and she knows, deep down, neither of them can leave people to die. him, most of all.

understanding doesn't make this any easier.

"why're you sorry?" it's a soft question. careful, contained, quiet. probing without prying is an art she has never fully mastered.

and she wants to go toward him but god, her feet won't move from the tiles they're on.

ALEXANDER STONE

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]the question goes unanswered, dying out beneath a wall. she doesn't quite catch on but the result is simple: the mask he has always worn returns with a vengeance. and didn't he always promise he'd never use it with her?

practiced movements embody alexander stone. even as he smiles, even as he cooks... it's all precise, taught, learned.

and she's nothing more than pure emotions, soft and tender.

it's why she drops the knife when the question comes, why it clatters to the countertop with a sharp metallic clang, why the blade knicks her skin as it goes. and she swears beneath her breath, abandoning the veggies to look for a hand towel.

the distraction is good, maybe...

"i," she starts, stops, and flushes. the next step seems so small compared to the coming war. and yet, it's more terrifying than anything. "are you sure?"

ALEXANDER STONE

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]warmth floods as he steps into her space, as he takes her hand, as he dabs the towel into skin. and she watches it slowly turn red, blood seeping into cloth.

she avoids his eyes at first and simply stares down at her hand, at his hand around hers and the stained towel. the next step... it's the first of many, she supposes. it's correct to go in order: dating, moving in together, and finally, a little sparkling band on the second to last finger of her left hand.

and yet, there's still a fear gnawing at her insides. insecurity bleeds into thoughts and threaten to overwhelm. what if he grows tired of her? how does he want to see her every day? what if one day, he doesn't come back? what happens if he leaves her behind?

"okay," she whispers. and each wisp of fear is swallowed back, eased away with a soft puff of pink mist escaping her mouth. insecurities are beaten back for a moment, placated until they return to eat her alive.

"i'll move in here," a pause, a vulnerable smile. "i'll move in with you."

ALEXANDER STONE

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]he moves to embrace, to usher her into the safety and warmth of his body. and she lets out a laugh, squishing herself into his chest.

it's delicate, soft, tender. and so fucking fragile.

they couldn't hear the cracks in their agreement, the rifts forming in the foundation. and maybe if they could have heard the fates laughing at them, things would have been different.

instead, she nuzzles her head closer into the crook of his neck and holds a little tighter. a weight feels as though it drops right from her shoulders. the bubble persists and she doesn't dare break it with talk of war.

"excited?"

ALEXANDER STONE

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she flushes a warm peach as his hands rise and drift to her cheeks. it's a tender sort of hold. soft, affectionate, him.

and it's easy to mirror his smile, to feel it curl into her features until it aches. faintly, she wonders if this is what happiness is like... if it's warm, with green hair and loving eyes.

yes, she muses when he speaks.

"our future." it makes her giddy just thinking about it. and she's certain...

this is bliss.

"you're amazing," she murmurs. it's familiar, that sentiment, and she seals it with a soft kiss pressed to his lips.

ALEXANDER STONE

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]it'll pass, sure, but she knows their bubble will hold. and within it... bliss always comes so easily. being with him is almost as easy as breathing.

he pulls her closer and she sighs into the kiss.

her body, however, stills slightly at the statement. three little words. it's incredible how much power they can hold over her. and she has known he loves her, has felt it but to hear it confirmed... her grip tightens slightly before she's snuggling closer.

"i love you too." soft, tender, genuine. she steals one more kiss from him before slowly peeling herself away.

they're supposed to be cooking. unless?

ALEXANDER STONE