Raison D'être

Blades and Tango

Anastasia

"Alright, so before we start I think you should change into something more comfortable." He hands me a sports bra and basketball shorts. "I got what looked like your size, as for the shorts you can just keep 'em."

"Thanks."

"Lockers are over there, I'll change somewhere else."

Folding the waistband a couple of times, the shorts land way below my knees. The sports bra shows more cleavage than I would have liked, and I roll my eyes at Niccolò's doing.  As someone who is insecure of my body, I always wore an oversized shirt to cover the slightly visible ribs, the lack of waist, and the small pouch I had. Carla always assured that those were obliques and not my ribs, and the little pouch had to exist for my organs. Thank God for Carla or else I would have been even more harsh in my body.

After my pregnancy, believe it or not, I was at my best. I would eat in healthy increments and my body felt great, especially walking everywhere, but once she was taken, I lost too much weight. Those were the days I looked almost as bad as the night Will-.

I never looked as bad as I have that night.

Now that I live with Lorenzo, his Italian dishes have packed me full of carbs, in my favorite form: pasta.

Looking in the huge mirror, I can really see myself. Usually, I never look in a mirror, the few times that I have were always the times I felt the worst, and whatever I felt I would see. But now, as I look at myself I look kind of... good. I still felt a bit exposed, but I didn't feel what I have always felt when looking in the mirror. Ugly.

Walking out of the locker room, she sees Niccolò wearing basketball shorts. Just basketball shorts. Gulping, she examined the man's body. His shoulders were broad and toned. His obliques that trailed to his abs were just as sculpted. His shorts hung low, exposing his adonis belt was tempting enough. He had a much leaner, more toned frame than Lorenzo.

She watched as he held the knife. His finger trailing the blade, as he applied a little pressure to the tip, "you'll get hurt."

"It's okay to feel a little pain once in a while piccolo." [little one] As he turns to face her he takes in her body. This time it was him eyeing her. She wears his shorts as they rest on her wide hips making her toned pelvis visible. His eyes follow the outline of her small waist, up to the slight cleavage, following her protruding collarbone and the nape of her neck before looking into her rich mocha eyes.

As she watches him eyeing her, a little bit of confidence creeps in. His lips part as his eyes scan her, but his stoic manner remained. "If you're done gawking now, can we start?"

He laughs a deep laugh, "hai il corpo di una dea" [you have the body of a goddess]. "What is it they say these days, your waist is snatched?" he smirks, raising a brow.

She laughs, "You must be blind, but I think you used the term correctly."

"You don't know the slang either now huh? To think I'm more cultured and irresistible..." the slight tease is noted in his voice. Rolling her eyes, he chuckles. "Didn't you give me a look, no? I know I'm irresistible..." as he continues teasing her.

She breaks into laughter, "please."

"Alright, fine," waving her off. "Come, we'll start with my favorite."

"Knives?"

"Yes. You need perfect balance," she watches as he picks up a knife balancing on his index and middle finger, tossing it in the air and catching it, "in order for the execution to run smoothly." The weapon leaves his hand and lands at the head of the target, where the forehead of the victim would be, "and Anastasia, all things good are in balance." His poised manner returns after his shoulders drop slightly, turning to face her.