mayven didn’t even have to find guy; he found her first.
she’d barely made it halfway down the garden path when he appeared from behind a hedge like a rogue in a bad play.
“you really have to stop sneaking up on me,” she said, clutching her chest dramatically.
“but where’s the fun in that?” he replied, leaning against the gate with his usual smirk. “besides, i heard there’s a damsel in distress out here.”
“oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “you’re about as much of a knight as i am a damsel.”
“touché,” he said, bowing slightly. “but i do have a gift.”
she raised an eyebrow as he produced a small, slightly crumpled bouquet of wildflowers from behind his back.
“where did you even get those?” she asked, eyeing the assortment of daisies, clovers, and what might’ve been weeds.
“don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to,” he said, handing them over with a flourish.
despite herself, she smiled. “you’re ridiculous.”
“and yet, you keep showing up,” he teased, falling into step beside her as they walked further into the garden.
---
the sun was setting, casting the garden in a warm, golden light that made everything feel softer, quieter.
“come on,” guy said suddenly, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward a small clearing.
“what are you doing?” she asked as he spread out a blanket he’d clearly stashed there earlier.
“making the most of the moment,” he said, sitting down and patting the spot beside him.
she hesitated for a second before relenting, settling onto the blanket with her bouquet still in hand.
“you’re oddly prepared for someone who thrives on chaos,” she said, glancing at him.
“chaos requires planning,” he said with a grin. “otherwise, it’s just a mess.”
“that’s… unexpectedly insightful,” she admitted.
“don’t get used to it,” he said, leaning back on his elbows and gazing up at the sky.
for a while, they sat in comfortable silence, watching as the stars began to peek through the fading light.
“you know,” he said finally, his voice softer than she was used to, “i don’t think i’ve ever been happier than i am right now.”
she turned to look at him, surprised by the vulnerability in his tone. “really?”
“really,” he said, meeting her gaze. “and it’s not just because i’m sitting under the stars with a beautiful woman—though that helps.”
she laughed, shaking her head. “you’re incorrigible.”
“maybe,” he said, reaching for her hand. “but i mean it. being with you… it feels different. good different.”
her heart did that annoying fluttering thing again, and she hated how easily he could disarm her with just a few words.
“you’re not so bad yourself,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
“oh, i’m much worse than bad,” he said, grinning. “but i’ll take the compliment.”
she rolled her eyes but didn’t pull her hand away when he laced his fingers with hers.
---
they stayed like that for what felt like hours, talking about everything and nothing as the stars filled the sky.
“you know,” mayven said at one point, her head resting on his shoulder, “this is the kind of thing people write poetry about.”
“do you want me to write you a poem?” he asked, his voice full of mock seriousness.
“absolutely not,” she said, laughing. “i can only imagine how terrible it would be.”
“hey,” he said, feigning offense. “i’ll have you know i’m an excellent poet.”
“prove it,” she challenged.
he cleared his throat dramatically. “ahem. roses are red, violets are blue—”
“oh no,” she groaned.
“mayven is smart, and i love you,” he finished, grinning.
her laughter rang out, loud and genuine. “that’s terrible!”
“you said to prove it,” he said, shrugging. “besides, it’s true.”
her laughter faded, replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest. “you’re impossible, you know that?”
“and yet, here you are,” he said, leaning closer.
she didn’t pull away.
“here i am,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.
and then he kissed her, slow and sweet and full of all the things he couldn’t quite put into words.
it wasn’t the first time they’d kissed, but it felt different—like something shifting, falling into place.
when they finally broke apart, she didn’t bother trying to hide her smile.
“okay,” she said, her forehead resting against his. “maybe i do love the chaos.”
“i knew it,” he said, his grin wide and triumphant.
“don’t let it go to your head,” she warned, though her tone was more teasing than serious.
“too late,” he said, kissing her again.
and as the stars twinkled above them, mayven couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, chaos wasn’t so bad after all.
YOU ARE READING
𝙘𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙧
Romance"don't," she warned, though the word came out more like a plea than a command. "don't what?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "don't do that thing you do," she said, her heart pounding. "what thing?" he asked, leaning closer. "that thing...
