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| dark chocolate |

Rue shot daggers at him.

Avery gulped.

She broke a smile.

'It's nice to see you again, stranger.'

Rue saw his form relax. She wanted to scare him a bit at least. But for now, she would console him and support him. Maybe later, she would scold him and scream. But for now she would be his friend.

He smirked and she realised how well he hid his emotions.

'Didn't think you'd chase me all the way to London, sunshine.'

She walked up to him, a few steps across the marble floor of the foyer. And then pushed into his hands, a basket: filled with a variety of chocolates.

His eyes lit up.

'Merry Christmas, you loner.'

They stared at each other, while she stood awkwardly, unsure about what was going inside that head of his, until he gently placed the basket on a nearby table. She saw him suck in a breath, before pulling her into his arms, squeezing her body against his.

Rue almost yelped.

Almost.

She could feel the warmth spreading from his hands to her back, as his chin sat upon her head.

'Why did you come so far?'

'I told you, I won't let you spend your Christmas alone.'

'Well, he's technically not alone, you know,' came a third voice. Rue felt Avery tense up as he pulled away, turning around so swiftly that the air turned cold.

She looked up in front to see a man an inch taller than Avery. He looked very young, but dressed in a crisp black suit, she could tell that he wielded authority and fear.

'Haven't you introduced who I am to your associate here, little brother?'

Brother.

'Rue, meet Xavier Black, asshole of the year.'

She'd never heard him speak like that, with so much venom in his voice.

Xavier chucked, thoroughly amused by this.

'That's quite harsh don't you think? Well tell me, who is this lady? Another one of those lowly people you call your "friends"?'

'Excuse me?' Rue exclaimed, repulsed by Xavier's sugar coated poison.

'Come on,' Avery added, pulling her by the arm to the corridors. The floor was covered entirely in soft carpet, while the walls were decked with portraits and expensive looking artefacts.

He guided her to a room which she assumed was his own. It was unmistakably his. She could say that with assurance after seeing all the blue.

She sat down on the bed, next to him.

'I'm sorry you had to meet him.'

She waved him off. 'Anyways, what's going on with you?'

'Hell.'

'Okay, then...' She muttered. 'Care to elaborate?'

He sighed.

'I have a month. To convince the company to put their trust in me. And I have no idea how to do that, Rue.'

She placed a hand on his shoulder. All these words, these business terms, were unknown to her. But whatever it was, she knew that he would do his best.

'You'll figure it out, Avery. I know you will. You have to do what you just did. Call out on your brother,' she smiled. 'But in a slightly more polite way?'

He smiled back. It was good to have her next to him. He wished it could be like that all the time.

'Rue, I'm so sorry. For everything. For hiding myself and this whole past. For running away. I didn't know what to do, I... I was so terrified and I didn't...'

'Shush.' She replied moving closer.

He stopped breathing for a second.

'I know you are. Now let's get you out of this mess, alright? And for now, let's just relax. It feels like ages since we've been "normal".'

'You and me can never be normal, sunshine.'

'Why?'

'Because we're better.' He grinned at her.

She laughed before asking another question. 'Also how come you've started calling me "sunshine" now?'

She was half afraid of the answer.

He settled his hands closer to hers.

'Because that's what you are to me.'

'Shut up, you liar.' She said as she threw a pillow at his face, trying to hide her own tinted cheeks. For the first time, she thanked her stars that she was dark skinned, because if she had been any lighter, the blush would've looked like a bright red hue across her face.

After an hour, it was time to go.

Avery had to leave for a meeting; she convinced him to go. She was just about to leave after him. Rue pulled on her boots, sitting down at the foyer. Footsteps. And a familiar air.

'Thank you for bringing these chocolates, Miss Hawthorne.'

She got up to see Xavier breaking off a corner of a dark chocolate bar and plonking it into his mouth.

She smiled.

'Oh, no need to thank me, Mr. Black. I'm afraid you won't be able to enjoy it anyway.' She paused. 'I don't think your lowly tastebuds will be able to appreciate the love that they have been made with.'

She could see him gritting his teeth as she left.

'Have a good day, Mister.'

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