The Beast

Chapter 23

Xavier's POV
I heard small stumbling feet clumsily pitter patter over the floors as I moved around the kitchen trying to prepare something for Raine to eat.

This clothing was surprisingly comfortable, but something I hadn't worn in years, this place had never felt like home. I loathed spending time here, it made the loneliness I always felt come to the surface, the utter despair my heart was shrouded in would win, and I would lose, going further into the darkness, allowing myself to feel the misery. I always tried to stay out of the house and with my businesses, it wasn't hard. Most nights I didn't even return home, staying out all day and night was much better than coming home to a completely silent building and falling asleep knowing no one would be there when I woke up.

Having Raine here made this cold lonely building fill with the warmth that she seemed to take everywhere she went, it made me want to spend time here.

The soft footsteps got closer, and I let out a chuckle as I heard Raine mumbling to herself, another one of her adorable quirks, she was the most precious thing, the most important thing to me. It had been years since the last time I'd cared so wholeheartedly about someone. I didn't know why that was, I was lonely, and yet I had never let anyone get close, nobody had ever even tried, perhaps it was because I was scared. But Raine was far too good of a person to be able to intentionally hurt someone. She was innocent, more than what was good for her, but that was what attracted me to her. There was no malice in her, I knew she would never purposely hurt me, I needed somebody like that in my life, somebody I could trust.

I stuck the cookies in the oven, she had turned one of the most feared men to Betty Crocker. I checked on the hot chocolate to see it boiling, and I panicked, I didn't cook a lot but I had been taught how. A part of not coming home meant no home made meals.

The footsteps got closer until I felt her behind me, keeping her distance as always. I dealt with the hot chocolate before I turned to look at her, and my eyes widened.

I had never seen a sight this beautiful. She was absolutely endearing in my clothes, she looked even smaller and more adorable drowned in my clothes. My tiny angel in my clothes, I had to contain a growl at the thought of that, nothing could ever please me more than her in my clothes, it brought forth the suppressed fantasies of us being together, of her feeling for me what I felt for her.

She stumbled towards me adorably, the pants much too long on her, but if she wanted I could carry her, the thought of her in my arms, cuddling close to me. This tiny angel in the arms of a monster like me, it could never happen but it was something that I fantasized about, something that I wanted more than I could say. I wished for her to stop fearing me, even her considering me an acquaintance would be enough, although I wanted so much more I didn't deserve it. I was a beast, and angels don't fall in love with beasts.

I couldn't get my eyes off her, this tiny girl had become my world. From the moment I had seen her, she had me captured, captivated by those shining chocolate brown eyes, enchanted by her chiming giggles, enamoured by her easy smiles, but now I also longed to have her in my arms, to hear her rant to me. She was quiet usually but I wanted to be the one she could speak to, the one that after a tiring day of work and school she would stumble into the arms of. I wanted her to stay forever, but I cared for her too much I would have to let her go. I couldn't damn her to a life with me, I was the darkness and she the light, she would never want me. Something so innocent could never want something as evil, as destructive as me. I didn't deserve all of her, but I would cherish the short amount of time I had with her.

She was so precious, meant to be cherished and protected, I would devote my life to her but it would never be enough. She was everything while I was just a beast, she wouldn't be happy with me, and her happiness was above all else. I had never believed in love at first sight, you shouldn't love for appearance, and if souls existed then surely hers was far too pure to be matched with mine, but I was falling for her. The more I got to know about her, the more time I spent with her, the closer I was to falling head over heels for her, it would be so easy to love her. But it would be painful when she left me, although if that pain kept me connected to her in some way, I wasn't opposed to it.

"I hope you don't mind cookies and hot cocoa." I said to her and she looked up, her eyes brightening, the nervousness fading at the thought of cookies. She was adorable the smallest of things could make her happy.

"I love them." She said softly in her melodic voice.

"D-did you bake them?" She asked as she sniffed the air delicately, smelling the chocolate in the air.

"Yes." I answered stoically, due to my intimidating looks no one ever thought I was awkward, but really I had far too little experience interacting with others in casual conversation. She bit into the inside of her cheek and my stomach dropped. Did she not like baked cookies? I thought those were better then the packaged, but if she wanted I would go get those. I would get her anything she wanted, give her anything to make her happy. She had me wrapped around her dainty little fingers, and yet she had no idea. This monster kneeled in front of this angel, he was at her beck and call, and he would forever be.

"I smell something burning." She said and I dropped the towel in my hand rushing towards the oven to see what once had been twelve spheres of cookie dough, but were now basically coals.

I looked back at her devastated, it was horrible she was probably hungry and I had ruined her snack. Why would I try to make something I didn't know how to? I should have stuck to the things I was taught. I clenched my fists around the handle of the oven in frustration, my poor Raine was hungry.

I ground my teeth together until a soft hand came onto my clenched fist, and I looked up, the pleasant feeling of her soft hand on mine, made me release my hold. She led me away from the oven and I followed after her, like a lost puppy. It was her first day here, and I burnt her food, she probably already wanted to leave.

"It's fine, I'm not very hungry." She said reassuringly, and I wanted to take her into my arms and hold her close. It had been years since someone had spoken to me in that way. Having her near me chased my demons away and I craved the feeling, the feeling that Raine brought along with her.

"Raine, you need to eat something, would you teach me how to bake cookies?" I ask her wanting to ensure she eats, and keep her close to me for as long as possible. As soon as the danger was gone, Raine would leave, never to return.

"Yeah, sure." She says, pulling up her shirt nervously as it fell from her shoulder, our proximity making her nervous.

She was the most stunning woman I had ever seen, and I the luckiest man in the world to get to spend time with her.