Delicate

1 - Welcome to Paradis

This feels home

I've been wanting this silence for a long time now. No flashing lights, just the sunrays beaming on my face. No voices and endless nonsense questions, just the sound of the waves hitting the rocks on the sea and the breezy wind blowing through my hair.

I mean, I've been to places like this before, but nothing felt like home. No one felt like home-except him.

"The first time I went here was with Grandpa. I was 4. He brought me here because my parents were fighting over something stupid. He didn't want me to hear them so we went to this place and stayed here until sunset," I listened attentively as he started telling me his history with this special spot.

Please slap me if I seem like a pathetic little girl gushing over her crush but I can't help but smile just hearing his wonderful manly voice. He sounds so majestic with every word he utters. Damn that accent. It gets me every fucking time.

"They were searching for me like crazy when I got back. I swear, their faces were bloody hilarious, but at least they stopped bickering," he giggled like a child and his dimples became very visible. I tried not to get distracted by it.

"I'm guessing you kept doing that every time they started fighting," I jokingly said.

"I mean, it worked, still works. Not as fun as hiding with Grandpa though."

I couldn't take my eyes off of him as his childish smile slowly turned into a bitter smirk and I know why. He probably misses his Grandpa who passed away just a few weeks ago.

"This is my secret place, haven as they call it. I go here whenever something happens, either bad or good. And uh... having someone else here with me aside from Grandpa feels great, you know," he smiled at me and I immediately looked away processing what he just said.

Does that mean I'm the first person he brought here besides his Grandpa?

"Look," I turned my gaze to the direction he's pointing. "Sunset looks perfect from here."

"It does," I softly replied and realised I wasn't looking at the sunset anymore. I was looking at another perfect view.

If poem was a person, it's him. My mind is flooded with countless beautiful words to describe this human being. It's been four months since the first time I saw him and every day, he gets more gorgeous in my eyes.

I never hoped to be in a serious relationship with him so we decided to start a friendship like I never had with anyone else. It's deep, and that's more than enough for me-I guess, I hope.

He's too precious to be caught up in my messy fucked up life. I won't let that happen. No matter how much I want us to be more than this, I don't want to destroy the normal life he built despite being a talented and renowned actor.

But God, I want more

"So, uh... I'll catch you tomorrow? I'll be waiting outside the flat or uhm, apartment, alright?" He said not letting his eyes off me. I looked away trying my best not to blush in front of this man, or hoped he wouldn't see it. He sounded too cute trying to sound like a Marleyan, like me.

We walked our way from the seashore to the parking lot nearby for about five minutes. He just talked about how seeing the sea calms him and how he adored the view. I mean, I get it. His ocean blue eyes give me the same feeling when I look at them. And dear God, I just love listening to his stories. It makes me feel like I wanna write a whole book about him.

"Armin, it's fine. We've talked about this, I don't want you to get involved. What if someone sees you? You know how much they can make up their own story and spread rumors about it."

"Then stay at my place."

I gulped.

Why is he making everything difficult for me? How can I just forget about wanting him to be mine when he keeps pulling me in.

"Please? Annie? I honestly wanna spend more time with you." He gave me his puppy eyes. Oh please. He knows this wouldn't work. I'm a cat-person. This definitely won't work.

"You know what," I looked up at him as I put my hands on my hips. "Okay, you win. I'm staying."

He smiled as if he won a lottery.

"And you actually kinda look like a cat..." I whispered and started praying to every god that he didn't hear it.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

I swear I tried my best to hide it, but it's overflowing, It's too much and I can't contain it. I also want to be with this person for much longer.

The next thing I realised, I was smiling from ear to ear.

"Welcome to Paradis, Annie. Now, now... you don't have to pretend here, it's just the two of us."

"Excuse me?" My eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I know how badly you want to stay here... with me." His playful smirk almost made me fall onto my knees. He looked directly into my eyes like he knew all the things that's running through my head.

Now, you've done it

Well then, Armin Arlert. I'll give you a game that you won't forget for as long as you live.