herophine - Trouvaille

Chapter 33. Part I

Crosby, Liverpool - England, 2026

Jo would have sworn that he was going to kiss her in the middle of the hall, with their daughter just a few metres from them.

However, she rationally knows that it is not going to happen.

Hero has an enormous heart, who has let her enter into his life and most importantly into their daughter's life. Even so, it doesn't mean that he is going to let her enter into his heart again. 

Josephine awaits sitting on the bed until he returns. She doesn't want to lay down for fear of being trapped by the smell that his pillow releases. She probably will end up the night sleeping on the floor or crying for hours while smelling the bed sheets.

Incapable of staying still, she stands up and strolls around the bedroom. Although it is the master bedroom, it is quite small and the decoration is pretty simple: light-grey walls, the closet, a couple nightstands, plus the bathroom. On the left nightstand there is a lamp, a bottle of water and a picture frame where Sofía appears. When she opens the closet, Jo smiles to see that his dressing style hasn't changed much either. Many plain t-shirts, hoodies, and maybe he added more jeans and sweaters these past years. 

Perhaps later she will steal a hoodie or sweater to better withstand the cold.

For the old times.

Suddenly, she hears him knocking on the door and runs to it as a spring. It isn't good for her to stay alone in that room much longer, otherwise she will start imagining what is not.

They walk downstairs in silence, Hero behind Jo. He is quiet, but inside he is praying to a God he doesn't believe anymore, asking for strength to stay away from her tonight. He knows what he wants, he wants to invite her into his bed and to happen whatever it has to happen.

He remembers what he felt the other night, when Josephine kissed him. He remembers the spontaneous combustion, immediate and brutal. And he can only imagine what would happen if their naked bodies touched, instead of just their lips.

Nevertheless, he also knows what he needs. He needs to run fast and keep himself safe, because Sofía is the priority right now and they have to put aside their love issues. Therefore, he needs to be strong for half an hour more. Maybe later he can go to the backyard to have some fresh air, or maybe take a cold shower without the rest of the house knowing.

Hero leaves Jo alone in the living room for a couple minutes, and takes out the presents bag from the same hidden spot as every year. When he comes back, he is surprised to see her with her own bag. 

- I didn't know you had bought presents. 

He should talk to her, because Sofía shouldn't have too many presents. The slight irritation he feels towards the fact that Josephine didn't consult him first, helps him to get distracted from his previous thoughts about her.

Jo takes out from the bag two identical small gifts and then a bigger one, before leaving them under the tree. 

- I thought that she would like a new puzzle. The Bulgaria one is already finished. - She puts a strand of hair behind her ear timidly. -  The other two are just a detail. I didn't want her to realize that we didn't had any presents. - She shrughs. - There are ony Christmas socks, don't expect anything fantastic. - She says giggling.

Every year Hero also buys himself a pair of socks for him, and puts them under the tree. The fact that Jo had the same idea, produces him an insoportable tenderness.

After some minutes, they finish setting all the presents and turn on the lights from the Christmas tree. Before they go, Jo insists that they should leave a bitten carrot and the window a bit opened, so Sofía doesn't doubt that Santa Claus' reindeers have been in their living room this evening. While she argues about why this is an amazing idea, Hero can't stop looking at her bright and excited blue eyes.  

- Wait a second. - Hero interrupts her with a grin in his face. - Let's ignore the fact that the sledge doesn't enter through the window, isn't Santa Claus supposed to go down the chimney?

Jo stops in her tracks. She looks at the chimney, then at the window, then at Hero. And, begins laughing. She tries to hide her laughter behind her hands and not being too loud. Along with Sofia's first words, her laughter is one of the best of sounds he has ever heard.

Something happens afterwards, when their gaze stop in each other. Josephine remembers perfectly his hungry look, and seeing it again it makes her salivate. There are good reasons for not wanting to happen anything, but without words they communicate.

Jo turns around and walks to the stairs quietly. Hero doesn't think that she is running away or that she is leaving him with eager. She is just giving him the option to decide. If that's what he wants, he will be well-received in her bedroom. If he decides that it is the worst of ideas, he can just go back to Sofía's bedroom. Hero knows, without any minimum doubt, that following her is the worst of ideas. Yet, he starts walking and follows her upstairs.

He finds her sitting on the bed. 

They should talk before anything happens, they need to clear things out before there isn't turning back.

But, he sits down next to her on the bed. He gently puts his hands around her neck, lifts her chin up, and kisses her.

_____________________

Hii,

finally, huh! 🥰

let me know your opinion!! things are about to get 🔥🤭.

Xx.