Once Upon a Story [ INCONSISTENT UPDATES ]

Bad Blood III

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 864

Another sleepless night, she sighed, rubbing her hands together. She had been alone in her room again for the sixth night in a row. Lucien was attending a gala with his mother, and, worst of all, Roman had been on a mission since the beginning of that week. He had called her Sunday evening, another time Tuesday morning, and now she anxiously looked at the last conversation on her call log.

┌─ ─┐

𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧
𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟑𝐫𝐝, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
𝟏𝟔:𝟒𝟗

└─ ─┘

P: Hello?
R: Surprise.
P: Roman! Are you okay!? Is everything going well?! Should I ask Lucien for backup—
R: Princess, princess, slow down. It's okay. I'm perfectly fine.
P: O-Okay. Yeah, ah, sorry about that.
R: Don't be. You're doing your best, and that's what matters, okay? How are you doing?
P: Uhm, I'm okay? I'm doing better on days you call me. Other nights, I uh can't really sleep. But you don't have to worry about me! I'll be fine. It's just...a bit empty without you.
R: Lucien isn't with you?
P: His aunt is visiting, so he's been at his second villa all week.
R: That brat. I told him not to leave you alone this week. Can any of your friends stay over?
P: All busy. But it's okay—
R: It's not okay, Pearla. I'm not negotiating this with you. Look. I'll be back as soon as I can, alright? Just wait for me.
P: I will. Promise me you'll be careful?
R: I promise, Princess. I'll be back on Saturday. You have my word.

It was nearing midnight, that said Saturday. She hadn't heard any news from Roman or his team. When she asked Lucien, he'd told her Roman couldn't make it by then. The more she listened, the more she feared Roman wouldn't return at all.

"Roman is a special case," Lucien started. "Even with a knife through his chest, he wouldn't utter a sound. That's how he is."

"Don't say that!"

"I'm sorry, Pearla. I'll be with you in the morning, alright. Get some rest."

That was how that phone call ended. She had cried enough to give her a headache, and puffy eyes and her frustration grew as she forced herself not to pick her skin. Even when she dumped the box of fidgets on her bed, going through each one to curb the craving, she wasn't able to calm herself down.

She picked a first edge. Then another. And a third.

Her sobs slowly stopped with each flake that came off. Even when a sharp sting forced her to stop, she used her teeth, biting the piece off. She did so until blood touched her tongue. That was her stopping mark.

Damage.

She did her best to clean and wrap her shaking hands. "It's okay," she told herself. "He's coming back. He promised."

She repeated the words, again and again, forcing herself to accept them as truth. Then a knock broke her thoughts. She rushed to the door, bandages messily tied, and swung it open. There he leaned against the door, breathing heavily like he'd run all the way to her. Blood caked his clothes, face and hair, but there he was.

Like he promised.

"Ar—Are y— ok—kay?" Pearla fumbled between her tears.

"You should see the other guy," Roman replied, slowly catching his breath. "He's going to have an expensive hospital bill to pay."

"Bu—t you're bl—eedi—." She held his face, looking at the small bruise forming on his jaw. He faintly grunted, and she accidentally brushed her hand on it. "You—hurt."

He gently grabbed her wrapped hands, mindful of how sensitive they'd be and held them to his chest. His heart beat steadily and strongly.

Roman was alive and well.

"How are your hands?"

Pearla held them together and shook her head. "I couldn't stop. I'm sorry."

"May I?" She unwrapped her hands, and Roman took time to clean them again and cover the dry skin in salve. He freshly wrapped everything up and kissed each hand.

As he locked eyes with her, they filled with regret. He had promised her to arrive by Saturday and indeed kept his word, but...

Her hands are scratched bloody again. After swearing he'd never let her grow so anxious after Lucien's mess-up, he placed her in the same situation.

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything, Roman."

"I did; I hurt you." She didn't understand. To her, she'd done the picking, but to him, it was like he'd ripped off her skin. "This could've all been prevented if I had been faster."

"It's okay. Really."

Roman shook his head. "Never. Even if it meant breaking myself apart, I should've returned faster. My job is to worry about you, not have you worrying about me... I'm sorry, Princess. I'm no better than that brat."

"You are, Roman... You are." She leaned against him, hands clinging to his shirt. "I can wait for you. I don't mind. I know you'll never break your promise to me."

Roman embraced her, eased by her forgiveness. "Thank you, Princess."

The fact that Lucien was supposed to be the original endgame. I changed my mind real quick ✨✌🏽😗