Stubborn Love

A Kiss To Feel Better

Bernard hadn't known that Allie was so clumsy.

As the days went on, she seemed to get hurt more and more, and Bernard was confused and worried at the same time. No matter where she went, or what she did, she was always falling or bumping into something. He did remember seeing a few bruises on her in the workshop, but he didn't think that it was from her falling every time she took a step.

They had gone for a walk, heading out of the village and into the small forest. It was a beautiful sight, and even Bernard couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful the snow covered trees were. They saw the occasional animal, and Allie had gotten distracted by a cardinal couple. She was staring it was wide, excited eyes, and Bernard turned back to watch the path.

"Watch out for that branch!" he called out, but it was too late.

Allie stumbled over a particularly gnarled root, her small frame tumbling forward with an alarming grace. With a sharp gasp, she landed on her hands and knees, a slight grimace lighting up her face. Bernard dashed to her side, barely able to contain his exasperation. "You okay, Allison?"

Wincing, she nodded, brushing stray strands of hair from her face, revealing a smudge of dirt on her cheek. He helped her up, dusting off her dress. "I didn't know you were such a klutz."

"It's not my fault! The ground just hates me," she retorted, a playful smile tugging at her lips, despite the embarrassment.

Though he couldn't help but chuckle, he felt a familiar tug of concern. This was the fourth time in two hours that he had to pick her up after one of her mishaps. It was almost as much of a talent as it was concerning at how she could make simple walks feel like an obstacle course.

They finished their walk, and Allie found herself playing around in the snow, nodding absentmindedly as Bernard told her he would go make make hot cocoa and start some soup. 

Finally, when her gloves were soaked, and her toes were cold, she shook the excess snow off of her, and found herself stumbling into the house.

"Hey, Bernard!" Allie called out, pulling her gloves off. "Is the hot chocolate done?"

Just as she took a step into the living room, her foot caught on the edge of the rug, sending her tumbling forward. Bernard, who had been walking out of the kitchen, barely had time to react, springing forward to catch her as she collided with the ground.

"You really need to watch where you're going," Bernard said, exasperation lacing his voice as he helped her up, brushing off the snowflakes that clung to her coat. Allie giggled, rubbing her nose.

"My bad! I can be a bit...clumsy, you know?"

"A bit?" he muttered, half amused and half worried about how many times a day he'd have to pick her up. But as she flashed him a bright smile, any irritation melted away like the snowflakes on her scarf.

As the day progressed, Bernard's estimate of Allie's clumsiness defied logic. She nearly slipped on the carpet again while walking to the kitchen, stumbled over a misplaced chair, and almost knocked over a stack of books. Each time, Bernard was there, catching her and cleaning up whatever mess had unfolded. The more he thought about it, the more impressed he was at the tenacity with which she faced her mishaps.

But it was during one of these moments, when Allie had went to stand up from the couch, though her limbs got tangled in the blanket she had on her lap, hitting her face against the coffee table.

"Ugh!" she groaned as she hit the floor, the air knocked out of her. Bernard rushed over, worry etched on his brow. "Allison, are you okay?"

"I think my jaw might be broken," she whimpered, but the comedic flair in her voice was apparent. Bending down in front of her, Bernard gently grasped her chin, brushing his fingers over the growing bruise.

"You're gonna have a bit of a bruise for sure," he said. "But at least nothings broken."

"Great, just another for the collection," she joked, the pain evident but always softened by her humor.

As Bernard tended to her, a sense of calm settled between them. In that moment of silence, the world outside seemed to fade.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about," he began hesitantly, his fingers curling around her jaw. "uh, you know, what happened when—"

He cut himself off, and Allie's brows furrowed a bit, her blonde hair was tucked behind her ears, looking like a halo. "When what?" Her voice was confused, and Bernard couldn't help the light smile that appeared on his face.

"You know," Bernard said again, swallowing hard. "maybe...maybe we can finish where we left off. You know...before Charlie interrupted us.

"When?" She questioned, thinking about it. "When we were...oh."

Bernard's ears turned red, and he stared at her with hesitation. Great, he had gone and ruined everything. "You don't want to?"

Allie's eyes began to twinkle with mischief. "I didn't say that."

"So you do?" He asked.

Allie nodded, a shy smile illuminating her usual spark. They leaned closer, drawn by an invisible thread that had bound them since they had met. Their hearts raced as they closed the distance, each breath filled with anticipation. And then, amidst the flickering firelight and the halo of snow outside, they shared their first kiss—a perfect climax of years spent together, threaded with hatred, friendship, laughter, chaos, and an undeniable pull that had finally found its release.

When they finally pulled apart, Allie's grin was bright, her eyes swirling with emotions.

"Look at that," Bernard chuckled, "you didn't even fall this time."

"Shut up," she said, her laughter mingling with the soft whisper of the wind outside. In that moment, Bernard realized that perhaps Allie's clumsiness was more than a source of exasperation; it was simply a part of who she was, a vibrant, undeniable force that kept his world spinning beautifully during those chaotic winter months.