Jamais Vu

Chapter 7

"You didn't have to escort me back to my place," Ominis protested, but he had a smile on his face. It was endearing that she wanted to continue to be in his company, to make him feel less alone.

"I hardly think it's fair that you know where I live, but not the other way around," she joked. He chuckled, adoring both her compassion and lightheartedness. She marveled at the glass elevator. "Not to mention, this place is amazing! I heard you have to be invited to live in a flat here."

"I've heard that too," he mused, leaning back against the elevator railing. "But, again, being a Gaunt opens a lot of doors, so I didn't have to know the process."

She put her hand on his arm, knowing that he felt shameful about his name. He gave her a grateful look, and soon the elevator doors opened. They walked out and down the hallway to his flat.

He turned to face her. "Thank you again, Poppy," he said with a small smile. "I'm sorry our second date was more serious and painful than we wanted or expected."

She shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile in return. "Don't worry about it. It's better that you told me about it instead of keeping it to yourself and faking smiles and such for a date." She sighed deeply. "Besides...it was kind of cathartic to me. I got a lot off my chest, so, thank you as well."

He pulled her into an embrace, relishing in the warmth and comfort he felt from her. She held onto him tighter, as if she needed this as much as he did. He felt like if this were a dream or memory of his, he would have whispered "I love you" into her ear or something.

He hurriedly closed his mouth, realizing he almost did out of instinct. He gently pulled back, staring down at her, feelings of adoration, love, gratitude, and wonder whirling around in his heart. He knew he could say those three words and mean them with every fiber of his being, but was that too fast?

Ominis reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, and he grinned at hearing her be very affected by the gesture. Then he lowered his head and kissed her, caressing her lips with his. Even if he didn't say "I love you", he hoped with a fast-beating heart that she knew he did love her through this kiss. His eyebrows furrowed as he still felt that small feeling of something missing, but his thoughts ceased when he felt Poppy bury a hand in his hair. He didn't know how great that felt, and something deep in himself was burning with passion. Muscle memory of sorts was telling him to bring Poppy closer, and his hand that cupped her cheek moved to hold the back of her head. His other hand automatically reached down to the middle of her back, pushing her to him. He must have done something right because she responded with fervor, her other hand going up his back. He felt like he was on fire, but a more pleasant, desirous one. One he was perfectly fine with, even wished for more of it.

A need for air arose, and he broke the kiss, panting hard. He felt lightheaded, having never dealt with a sensation like that before. He looked at her, making sure she was alright, and she looked completely dazed. A sense of pride surged in his heart as he saw her dilated eyes and slightly bruised lips, making him grin in a lovesick way.

He was starting to think that those three words are easier to say now...

Poppy softly cleared her throat. "Well, that was certainly different," she jokingly mused.

He chuckled. "It certainly was." He leaned down and pecked her lips, intoxicated by and addicted to her. He stifled a laugh when she pouted when he kept the kiss chaste that time. He cupped her cheek again, his thumb lightly stroking her cheekbone. He stared into her eyes, seeing a golden shimmer in the brown.

"I don't want to rush into anything," he whispered, "but I do want you to know that..." He hesitated, wondering how else he could put all his feelings into words.