Sepulchre There by the Sea - A Fairytale Green fanfiction

More Than Love - Part 12

Hi. It's been a couple of months. I'm sorry, life got in the way, I've felt pretty uninspired, and altogether have been unable to write. Thankfully had some time and inspiration today and decided to write you guys an update. You'll be seeing a second update sometime this week. I love you all, thank you for being patient!

Recap: Tyler cheated on Ella, she ran out in the middle of the city crying, Stone picked her up and the chapter ended with him driving her to his place.

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I woke up to eyes of burning coal gazing intently at me and a warm hand gently brushing against my forehead. Emotion was splattered over Stone's face like a crime scene; anger, sadness, and love chaotically spread over his features.

He blinked furiously when he realized I had awoken. "Ella," he breathed and grasped my forearms to help my tired body sit up. He handed me a glass of water and watched me drink, his eyes not leaving my face once. When I had returned the glass, he bit his lip and looked away for a moment, before looking back at me, the anger in his eyes replaced with care. "What happened?"

I felt a lump grow in my throat. Flashes of what I had seen last night appeared in front of me. Tyler cheating on me, my outburst, the pouring rain. I remembered being cold, so, so cold. The iciness of the air and the warmth that had left my heart suddenly, leaving me shivering on the side of the road.

I didn't want to tell Stone. I didn't want to think about what he would do to Tyler. I didn't want to admit that someone who was supposed to love me wholly- didn't. I didn't want to speak it into reality.

But with Stone's pleading eyes pounding into my soul, I couldn't stay silent.

"Tyler cheated on me," I said quietly, my eyes cast downwards.

Stone was silent. I didn't dare look to see his reaction.

My fingers fumbled with one another. "I think it was because I haven't been there for him. It's been a while since we've... done anything with each other and I've been distant in the relationship, I've been keeping secrets... I don't blame him. I just- I don't know, I was happy when I got back from Ren's proposal and then I walked into my apartment and Tyler was just cheating on me with his step-mom and I yelled at him and saw no guilt or regret on his face. It was like a different person had taken control of his body or his soul. Or maybe it was the same person. Maybe I've just been blind in all the years of my relationship with him- maybe he's never loved me. And I get it, I know I'm difficult to love, and I come with a lot of cons, but does that mean nothing was real? Did I waste every fucking second of time that I spent with him? I know I've been emotionally distant with him recently, but I'd never dare to cheat. And maybe I was planning on breaking up with him, but being cheated on hurts so fucking much. It's not about what he did it's about the fact that the years of good we had was worth nothing. I don't know... I don't even love him, maybe I'm being stupid-"

I was cut off by Stone's hands grasping the sides of my face firmly. His thumbs moved to wipe the tears that had escaped my eyes. When I found the confidence to meet his gaze, my breath caught in my throat and I nearly drowned in the overwhelming emotion I saw in his obsidian eyes.

"I'm going to fucking kill him," Stone started.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Stone shook his head.

"No, Ella. I told you once that if you truly wanted to stay with Tyler, that if he made you happy, I would leave you alone. I was contemplating leaving you. After I picked you up last night I called up Finn to ask what had happened. He told me about the proposal and that he noticed you looked down. I thought you were sad because I was ruining your chance with Tyler to get married. As much as I fucking adore you, I would never stand in front of you and your happiness- even if that happiness isn't me. I started to allow myself to trust Tyler. To trust that he'd keep you safe, happy, and secure for the rest of your life- since that was something you wouldn't allow me to do."