herophine - Trouvaille

Chapter 29. Part II

Crosby, Liverpool - England, 2026

Hero is sitting on the bed staring in silence at Jo, who walks around the room putting all her things back into her suitcase. 

Josephine swears she can feel the electricity inside the small hotel room, which is not charged with tension, but with heat.

The situation looks very similar to when they used to spend their free time together inside his or her room at the Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia. She reminds it scorching, and it would be a nice deja vu if they weren't in the situation they are now seven years later. 

For that reason, Jo feels she should keep the distance.

- Thank you. - She finally says after a while. - For everything.

Hero doesn't answer. He looks engrossed in his thoughts, and he only pulls a small grin. Josephine stares at him quietly, asking herself how would he remember those days together in the 24th floor of the hotel. 

- Remember Sofía? - Suddenly he asks, as if he had been reading Jo's mind. - Not Sofía Sofía. - He tries to explain without saying "Sofía, our daughter" or "Our Sofía". - I mean Sofía, Bulgaria. 

- Yes. - Josephine nods surprised. 

- One of the nights we were there, we talked about how much you wanted to visit London. - He says and Jo listens carefully standing in front of him. - Then, I invited you to come visit. I remember being very excited... and nervous. - He chuckles. 

- I wanted to be a real tourist around your city. - She smiles, remembering perfectly the conversation they had that night.

That trip was going to be their first one together, not as co-stars from a movie. It was their way to start something together, even they still didn't know how to name it.

Josephine doesn't understand why he is bringing this memory, until she does. 

- But, you hated me for what I did. - She states.

Hero slips a hand through his hair, a common gesture of him. He can't believe that he is really telling her this. 

- Of course I hated you! But, I also loved you... - He spits. - And, from the first day I was in Perth when Sofía was born to the day I flew back to London, I was so desperate to find any connection with you or to leave you any clue that would help you find your way back to us. - He admits with some frustration in his voice. - Such an idiot of me!

It was dumb, he knows. Though, it is true that he was very desperate at that time and heart broken. Part of him wanted to grab her by her shoulders and shake her, until he got any reaction from her. Part of him had considered kneeling and begging her to tell him that what they were going to do was a terrible idea. The part that won was the one who collected all the braveness thinking he was saving her, and walked away leaving a very dark path of clues with the hope that she would find them. 

Hero believed that her wanting to visit London and her knowing that he was a homey, were enough clues for Josephine to know where they were. Because of this, he had tried to stay in London with Sofía, although finding a job was an important variable in his life and he then moved to Crosby. Josephine knows that even if she would have had more than two clues, during the first years she wouldn't have been capable of reacting without a medical help. However, it touches her heart that Hero has had tiny hope in the middle of that disaster.

Josephine doesn't want to apologize again for not coming back. She feels that there is a limit of times that someone can say the same word without losing the real value of its meaning. Therefore, Jo decides to take a risk with her own tiny hope.

She walks to him, who is still sitting at the edge of the bed, leans forward while holding his cheeks with both hands and then kisses him. 

And they discover things with that kiss.

Josephine discovers that his lips still are soft and warm, and that he might be more nervous lately due to the intense mix of peppermint and smoke in his breath. Furthermore, she confirms that he still turns her on.

Hero discovers that she still tastes as he remembered and her hair still smells to vanilla. He also discovers that he is not able to stay still if she kisses him and he cannot avoid wrapping his arms around her waist bringing her closer to him. Furthermore, he confirms that he still has feelings for her. 

Both of them discover that their bodies in touch can still produce spontaneous combustion. Jo's goosebumps and her body parts that get tighter are more easy to conceal, but Hero's are not. It is immediate and brutal.

Hero pulls apart quickly. It shouldn't be that way.

Jo looks at him and tries to understand. 

It is too much for him and not enough for her.

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Hii,

now you get to understand Hero a bit more, dont you? He chose London as a first option, because he thought that he was giving hints to Jo so she could go back to them (even though she didnt).

enjoy this part II🤭