MR.SIRIUS

HEALING (28)

ALL I'VE GOTTA SAY IS THAT IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LONG AND IF YOU'VE STILL STUCK AROUND... IFLY.

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"No fucking way..." Olivia held her hands over her mouth as her eyes widened with surprise at the news. 

"Yes, fucking way! I've never been happier, he makes me feel complete," Fawn gushed, a jubilant smile painted over her face as she bounced a little giddily on Olivia's bed.

"Xion...really?" her eyes widened even further.

"Shut up!" Fawn chuckled as her right hand smacked Olivia on the shoulder. 

"No, I'm just surprised but happy, super happy for you," she rushed out with a laugh of her own.

The two best friends spent the entire day together, catching up. They were having a nice lunch out at one of the cafes near Olivia's dorm when a suddenly anxious Fawn looked at her friend with an uneasy smile. 

"What's wrong Fawn?" Olivia questioned, biting the straw to her vanilla milkshake. 

"I just, I just want to apologize again. I shouldn't have butt in your life and your relationship with Alexander -"

"Let me stop you right there. You're my best friend. In fact, I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I'm glad you told my parents and forces me out of that situation. I loved Alexander but the situation was abusive and toxic as fuck now that I'm looking at it from an outsider's perspective. I was too young for all of the trauma Alexander and our relationship left me with, I'm just happy I'm able to move forward now," She concluded with a small sniffle.

Fawn's watery eyes took in her friend with a proud smile before she rushed over to hug her. They both laughed and spent the rest of the day just soaking in each other's company.

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It had been a week of a blissful reunion for Olivia and she was certainly sad to see Fawn leave. She was only wallowing in sadness back in her dorm when a message from the Italian she just couldn't get out of her head. She smiled brightly at his invitation to meet him at the beach. It'd be nice to see him instead of missing Fawn's presence, she justified the sudden rush of exciting joy that took over her.

They walked, hand in hand, trekking across the shoreline. The salty wind picked up slightly, jostling her chocolaty stands. Her right hand carefully lifted up the vanilla cone Marcio had just bought her and took a tentative lick instead of the massive chunk her heart was goading her into taking so as to not embarrass herself. She turned her gaze towards the tanned Italian on her left and admired his, handsome face as he spoke about his passion for cooking animatedly. His forest eyes sparkled with vigour as usual and she couldn't help but wonder how someone could be so full of life, she loved how expressive he was. His sunglasses rested a little above his hairline and his white-sleeved dress shirt was rolled up to his sinewy, mouth-wateringly muscled and veined arms as he leaned closer to her, she half-hoped half-dreaded an incoming kiss however he surprised her when he took a big chunk out of her ice cream just as she had wanted to. 

A surprised giggle broke through her shocked state. He shot her a brilliant smile before winking at her and continuing to tell her about the various dishes he had been trying out recently. She couldn't begin to fathom how patient he was with her, they were friends and he hadn't crossed any boundaries to change that; it was odd, she knew he wanted her but despite that want he put her desire to find herself, mend her relationships and just explore life without being attached to a man above everything else and she had never felt such intrinsic comfort before, it was... odd. 

"What sparked this love for cooking?" Olivia asked once he stopped, she wanted him to continue talking. His voice made her feel safe and cared for in a visceral way.

His body tensed for a second before his eyes met hers and he gave her a soft smile, the stiffness in his body melted away as if he decided to open up, revealing another piece of himself to her. "My mother," he replied simply with a faraway look. 

She squeezed his hand in return, "I'm sure she must've been an amazing cook," 

"Ahh, the best," a mirthful chuckle escaped him, the crinkles near his eyes deepening as the smile on his face grew, thinking about his mother. "She used to make this one dish, it was this aubergine dish with cheese. Oh, I'm telling you tesoro stella there's nothing that all these well-celebrated head chefs have made that even comes close. That woman's hands held some sort of magic. I miss her cooking dearly... I miss her dearly," 

She smiled at him, biting her bottom lip to keep it from trembling, the way he spoke of her indicated that she wasn't with him anymore and he loved her dearly, it made her glum to say the least.

He sighed deeply and turned to face her once more, upon seeing her face a twinge of pain pinched his heart as he took in her countenance. A small for him and the pain in her eyes, that too for him. She was so earnest with her care, emotions and general sentiments for him that his hands automatically cupped her cheeks in a show of gentle affection rather foreign to him. He knew she was young, far too young for him but it was this naively caring nature of hers that drew him in. He wanted to kiss those pouty, full lips he really did but he denied himself for her and lightly pecked her cheek instead in an effort to release all of that affection almost suffocating him.

"You're a good person tesoro stella," he murmured close to her ear, his breath tickling her causing goosebumps to form across her exposed skin.

She moved her face slightly to the right in order to face him, their eyes peered into one another's. A small smile climbed onto her lips as he mirrored it, it was different but nice... The sudden quickening of her heart was familiar but the feeling of dread that usually came with it wasn't there, in fact,  it felt like everything that's comforting, safe and warm.

The dripping of the cold melting ice cream over her fingers jolted her out of the weird haze settling around them and she giggled shyly before moving out of his ensnaring gaze. Dropping the ice cream in the sand with a 'plop' she looked at Marcio guiltily ahead of running forward with another loud laugh. She turned back but that didn't stop her from moving forward, "That was mighty rude of you Ms Colton, you just dropped my gift, my poor heart. I think you ought to be punished," Marcio uttered with a mock glare. 

Olivia pouted prettily before a mischievous sparkle lit up her eyes and took his breath away with a surprising 'woosh'. Her pale coral sundress fluttered with the wind, her tresses following the same pattern, her arms folded behind her back as she kept moving further away from him. "You'll have to catch me first won't you Mr Bianchi?" she questioned innocently. With that being said she took off running, happy giggles following her. 

Marcio let out a besotted sigh before taking off after her, a happy laugh escaping the depth of his soul as he felt lightened from his childhood burdens for the first time in many years.