A Sharp Sensation

14

The words 'let's talk' reverberated in your mind and you couldn't help but feel like a student being reprimanded.

"I apologize for all the trouble I have caused," you start.

Aesop shook his head. "No, I apologize for leaving you in the dark. I just... I don't want you to get hurt."

"I am a capable Witch Mister Sharp, I won't let some wolf devour me," You say with a roll of your eyes. Now that the initial shock has passed, you had no fear of the man before you.

Aesop looks at the crackling fire. "That's not what I meant."

"Well what did you mean? I am no legilimens, I can not read minds," You bite, slightly annoyed with all this mystery.

Instead of explaining himself, Aesop says "Let me show you something."

In a flash, the fire was extinguished and you realized for the first time that there was a hidden room behind the flames. He gestures for you to enter and you unceremoniously crawl through, coming to face with a strange painting.

"Why does this lion have a woman's head?" You ask.

"It actually depicts a woman with lycanthropy," Aesop says, crawling in behind you. "She was the first of her kind."

She looked like a lion, but you decide not to argue. Aesop jabs a thumb over his shoulder and you follow him up a winding set of stairs. At the top there was another painting on the wall, an elaborate Hippogriff.

"It's beautiful," you muse.

"You think?" Aesop asks. "I painted it myself."

You glance back it him, you didn't think it was even possible to be any more surprised by this man yet here you were.

You look to your right and see an annex full of art. Drawings of the castle, paintings of trees and flowers. You walked further in, noticing a sketch of a stary sky above the Quidditch pitch, but you stop short at one painting in particular.

"This is where I go to forget it all," Aesop says quietly. "To forget my condition, to forget my woes, to forget everything... But I can not get you out of my head."

A portrait that couldn't be described as anything but magnificent stood before you. You had never seen yourself in this way, no mirror had ever shown you the beauty before you. Your own eyes stare back, curious and enthralling. Rosy lips split into a grin, you hair tousled by some unknown force.

"Aesop..." You murmur. "It's beautiful."

Aesop blushes, looking away. "You are," he murmurs.

You flinch. Did he really just say that? Was this some silly dream? Were you going to wake up to an unbearable disappointment?

"Never, at least not since the accident, have I ever wanted to bring someone into this chaos that I call my life," he says quietly. "But with you? I long for your companionship, I want to steal your time, to talk to you day and night, to hear you laugh and to teach you things you've never learned. It scares me (Y/N)."

You felt a rush of some unidentifiable feeling wash over you. He said your name, no Miss or anything, just your name. You turn to look up at him, surprised to look him in the eye.

"Im afraid," he says. "I don't want you to get hurt, by me or the wolf. You deserve a magical life, you deserve happiness and I'm afraid I'll only hinder you. This is why I have been avoiding you, to selfishly protect my own heart."

Your eyes began to sting and you blink back hot, angry tears. The man before you bared his soul; there were no secrets, no more confusion.

"Well I get to decide for myself, hm?" You stammer. "I think I have a say in this."

"What do you mean?" He asks, the lamplight illuminating his features with a heavenly glow.

"Maybe I want your companionship too, y'know?" you say, your cheeks burning. "I get a say in this, you can't just decide everything on your own when it pertains to me."

For once Aesop was the one who was surprised. "You... don't find me repulsive?"

You scoff. "I find you enthralling, infact, I've been drawn to you ever since we first met."

Aesop swallowed, the sound contrasting with the rapid heartbeat pounding in your ears. "I'm too old."

"Aesop," you murmur. "I want you too, I don't give a kelpie shit about lycanthropy or your age, I want you. All of you, every aspect."

Aesop looked as if he were frozen, unable to comprehend the situation before him.

"Aesop Sharp," you say, more certain this time. "I've fallen in love with you and there's no going back now. I'm not willing to pretend we've never met just because you're scared. I'll be brave for both of us."

"Wh-" Aesop starts but you cut him off, standing on your tippy-toes, placing a shy kiss on his lips.

Aesop stares back at you in what you hoped was only shock and not horror.

"(Y/N) (L/N)," he says slowly. "Are you sure? As you've said, there's no going back now. If you make this choice, I can not promise I will be able to stop. If you let me love you, I intend on loving you for the rest of my life."

You set your jaw, you had never been more sure of anything in your entire life. "Funnily enough, I was going to say the same thing to you. Do you think you can handle me?"

Aesop smirks, he's eyes wondering down to your lips. "I think I might just be able to."

He closes the gap between you, cupping your cheeks in his rough hands. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"I'd want nothing else," you reply, getting lost in his brown eyes.

Aesops pupils dilated and he fiercely captures your lips in his own. You felt your knees weaken as an intoxicating feeling grew inside you. Fire fought fire, his lips opening im response to yours. An insatiable feeling ate at your gut as you kissed the man, his scratchy stubble awakening your senses.

After a while you broke off, gasping like a teen who had never been kissed. Well, one of those was true.

"I think it's safe to say you're stuck with me,",you say once you caught your breath.

Aesop grins. "There's nowhere I'd rather be."