Cinderella and the Beast

VIII

There was something astonishingly intimate about bringing someone else to Gragas' Tavern as it used to be Viego's favorite place to go since middle school, where he fled from his duties to instead work on his lyrics and test them during open mic nights, but neither Isolde or later Seraphine needed to know that.

After all, that was the first place where Viego had felt seen in the most cathartic sense of the word, even if the one to do it was a drunk man who allowed an eleven-year old boy enter his bar (although Gragas never allowed him to buy or accept any alcohol until he was sixteen). And it was also the place where he met his first guitar teacher, a woman who only asked for fries in exchange of the lessons, before Viego found the courage to ask his father to change fencing for music. Yet, even after it was done, he kept coming to the bar and paying for more lessons. He never learned her name, no one did, but he still paid his respects at the tribute Gragas organized after her passing, full of melodic ballads and gallons of beer, just like she would have wanted it.

A part of Viego was scared that Seraphine would deem the surroundings too intimidating, but he later apologized in his head as she immediately made herself at home, seeming more starstruck than anything else, even after Gragas slipped how long they knew each other. But at least no further embarrassment was done, and for all the wildness the man was known for, he still knew how to keep his comments to himself, even thought a few known faces would still not-so discreetly turn to his and Seraphine's direction, as to make sure they weren't mistaken and that indeed it wasn't Isolde the one who accompanied him.

At least he could cover that up and make her believe the attention came from their wardrobe, but in all honesty no one really cared about what other attendees wore. The general audience ended up being leather wearing rockers and middle aged ex-rebels in their youth, but the thing that really united the public was the appreciation for the owner's party animal tendencies. And his perfect original brews, of course.

"So you really hang out in other places" Seraphine had muttered without a thought, drinking a sip of soda after realizing she had gathered Viego's attention "I mean- you only invite me to the mall and parks. I'm glad to know other places you're into"

"I didn't want to impose myself" He answered, and started to wonder if holding back so much had been a mistake.

"Sharing what you like isn't 'imposing' anything! And I like knowing more about you" She hoped saying that would clear things up, and after looking at Viego's face, Sera pressed a kiss on his knuckles after holding and bringing his hand towards her lips.

Once Viego had suffocated his beloved with the intensity of his desires, but it took all this time and conversations to realize that doing the opposite was not the answer. He hated to admit it, but he was truly afraid of ruining a second chance of felicidad, happiness , yet the rotten core hidden in his heart wished that it was exactly what he would do. Viego had a great love once, but he was too monstrous to keep it. He didn't deserve a second chance, not when he couldn't let the first go. Not when he truly started to open himself to another person, and every day that felt less like a betrayal.

It wasn't simple to change so much in so little time, even more since the other person wasn't even aware these changes were happening, but as the days went so easily after the other it had become simply too difficult to deny they were happening, and to do them at all. To embrace, to flatter, to kiss and even hold himself from going overboard. He did this for her, for his Serafín. And Viego almost dropped his guitar when realizing that was the name that indeed came first to his head, as it drifted during a jam session to find the melody for the last song from his new solo album. The one that had Seraphine's outputs and approval in every single track, not that she was aware of it, but those were the facts.