She-Alpha

Chapter twelve

We were back in our room in a blink of an eye. I hadn't realised time could pass by so quickly, but it felt like it was running faster than I'd ever had before.

Ares let go of my hand once we enter the room, heading to the closet. I sit on the bed with a big smile on my face as I raise the flower bouquet to my nose, smelling in its strong scent before removing it away in a second. Iverene hated the strong smell, but I was feeling over the moon. As if the strong smell was some kind of drug that raised me high up into the sky only to leave me floating around the stars and the moon.

When I'm finally done with staring at the flowers helplessly, I walk to the dressing table, laying the flower bouquet on it slowly and carefully as if it were a baby I would hurt if I did otherwise. I, then, stare at the next thing in my hand. A white envelope that looked old was sealed shut tightly, and the date written on the bottom with a black pen. This was seven years ago.

I think hard of whether I should read it now or not before I finally decide to place it safely in the drawer, wanting to put the flowers in a vase of water as fast as I could so they would stay as beautiful as they were for as long as they can.

I descend the stairs to the kitchen, still barefoot in my dress, only to notice that the kitchen was now filled with groceries and didn't seem as empty as it was earlier.

I borrow an empty vase from the living room, filling it with tap water, and going to the room again.

Ares was sitting beside the window, staring out into the dark night. He was wearing black plaid shorts that were paired with a grey t-shirt.

I take that as my cue to finish my task and head into the closet and bathroom next since he was done.

I choose one of the pyjamas sets that were already in the closet before I unpacked my stuff earlier, some of the stuff he's already bought for me. I chose a set in particular due to the colours, black and pink, which I felt would match Ares's pyjama best.

I take off the dress, hanging it onto my side of the closet, before wearing my shorts and tank top.

I walk out of the closet, my hair and makeup still the same as the outing, so I walk to the dressing table while looking at Ares who hasn't moved since I entered.

"Are you okay?" I ask jokingly while going through my stuff, to brush my hair and start removing my makeup.

He turns to look back at me, pausing his sentence and although I was staring at the room, I could feel his eyes travel on my body before he turns away, looking back outside.

"Of course, I am." He replies with his voice hoarse. I ignore it, realising he was acting awkward.

I walk to the bathroom to get ready for bed, washing my face and teeth in the process. Coming out of the room, Ares seems to have not twitched a single muscle, staring intently into the window as if he was analysing the sky, studying the stars and the clouds.

"Are you sleepy?" I ask, walking deeper into the room as I try to reach for him. I knew he definitely did not look sleepy due to his concentrated gaze.

"Are you?" He turns the question back at me, not responding.

"I am. But we don't have to sleep now, if you don't want to." I say, and once I let that sentence out, his shoulders sag in relaxation and I see him turn to look at me.

"I'm sleepy, too."

"Alright, well, are you not going to go to bed?" I joke. I didn't understand why he was so tensed earlier, but now I think I might have a clue. Seems like he didn't want to get to the bed first in case I wouldn't like that.