• One Lifestand [BxB] •

10

Zales PoV:

"Zale, dinner's ready!" I hear Charles call from the kitchen to my utmost dislike. Why was I letting him push me out of my comfort zone again anyways?! Didn't the last time prove how that would end? The blind date should have been enough of a lesson.

Determined to stand my ground this time, I ignore his call and instead go back over to my bed and bury my small body into the hill of pillows and blankets. What can I say? I'm stubborn and gay.
Smiling slightly to myself about what I deem to be a rather good idea I close my eyes and just pretend to be asleep or whatever, while secretly listening to the radio playing from the other side of the room.

As expected it didn't take more than two minutes for my stupid best friend to come bursting into the room, half annoyed, talking long and deep breaths for the lecture I'm sure to get from his stupid self.
After the one night stand I forgave him for not putting me first at the date, but not after ignoring him for three days and only stopping after he came to my place with my favorite pizza and a movie, practically begging for forgiveness.

"Zale Brian Lionheart" he huffs, using my second name, that he just made up to sound more serious, which had me giggling underneath the heap of fabric. "We had an agreement that you would get your head out of your ass and face a guest like a queen is supposed to face her guests!" He announces like the strict mother he could never be to me. After being the crybaby all our lives he can forget about the mature part in our friendship.

"Babes, I suddenly feel very sick. The rainbow I ate for breakfast must've been too much" I mumble, barely audible with the pillow covering my mouth.

" Oh lord no! You will not get away with your childish comebacks today!" Charles screeches before pulling at my left ankle and all but hauling me off the bed, along with my pillows and blankets in the blink of an eye, making me land on the floor with a sickening crash.
I glare up at Charles who is standing over me, a satisfied and evil smile on his face, and am about to counter attack when the door is suddenly thrown open again and in rushes a panting and worried looking Mario.

At first he didn't see me and I kept quiet hoping he would drop the sound and just disappear again, but my pleas are once again ignored by the invisible force responsible for ruining my life. As soon as Mario sees me laying on the floor covered in a mass of pillows and blankets he visibly relaxes and a small smile crosses his face. "Are you okay angel?" He asks, crouching down to my mess on the floor. 'I would if you could just leave me alone' I think while moving away from his hand that is slowly coming towards me and duck my head back under my magic power wall of indestructible fabric.
Yeah, right Zale ... With your luck and skills in magic this is surely gonna help, I think to myself not even a second after, but I choose to ignore my smart side and instead opt for believing my naive thoughts.

"If you do not come and eat with us voluntarily, I will make you with my own hands, do you hear me? Of course you do. So you better get your unicorn ass out into the dining room" Charles orders sternly, but rather pathetically if you ask me.

"No. You know exactly why!" I retort like a rebellious kid that refuses to eat his spinach at the family dinner, trying to make Charles feel guilty in order to get my way. Am I the only one getting treated like a stubborn three years old here? Because I sure as hell do not appreciate it in the least. I'm a grown man, even if I do not look like it and I can pretty much make my own decisions. And anyhow, what stupid agreement?! He had decided that on his very own without my consent, just like the fact how he let Mario- mind you- THE MARIO, the one who's been stalking me for weeks now! into my appartment without second thought!

I just want to be left the fuck alone!
Mario Vanstone- the wealthiest man in New York... could someone please be so kind to tell him to just find someone else, he shouldn't have the slightest problem finding voluntary partners. No need to harass me.
I ignored him for two weeks straight after our one night stand, there's a limit of patience one should have in such a situation.

'Just give up already' I grumble to myself.

"U-uh..." Mario's voice hits my ears from somewhere next to the blanket hill, sounding rather regretful and devastated unlike expected, "I... I'm sorry if I said something wrong or scared you away... " He finally speaks up, his voice unsure and careful, before continuing "I just want to get to know you better ,please?" He adds pitifully, but not heartbreakingly enough for my stone cold broken heart to care enough and risk my life once again.

"Nothing's gotta happen, promise!" He adds after I don't respond and i inwardly cringe at the broken hope in his voice.
Wait, what am I feeling sorry for anyways? Not like I lead him on with a 'please marry me' sign around my neck. I should've done everything necessary to keep him away from me with all my pretty harsh rejections. Does he really need a written invitation to fuck off?

Not wanting to have a conversation about feelings with Mario, who is a perfect guy don't get me wrong, but scarily persistent and nothing I need in my life, I stumble to my feet and make a run for the dining room to get away from the dreading conversation that would either end in me having a break down or me getting into even more trouble. Therefore I rather prefer my current position at the table, the deliciously smelling mc n'cheese in front of me, making my mouth water.

I hear quiet mumbles coming from my room, followed by a set of footsteps that soon reveal the tree of a man stepping into the living room space and heading for the table.
Although Charles is responsible for Mario's unwelcomed intrusion into my apartment I'm kind of glad my best friend is here with me at least. I don't even want to think about how I would react knowing this thread was in my apartment alone with me, I would probably have another panic attack or worse. At least I can pretend to hold my composure this way, even though with Mario now just a few steps away from me on the opposite side of the table my heart is racing 50 miles per hour and my hands start to tremble underneath the table. Luckily no one seems to notice.

Rule number one: Never let them know you're weak. Kind of ridiculous given the fact that I'm smaller than most woman and have such a small and skinny build. My inferiority is obvious at first glance, and I'm not sure sassy comebacks can help much, but there's nothing that I can do about that.

My eyes land on the muscular, well built man looking at me from across the table, his face scrunched up in what seems to be hurt, however I can't find it in myself to understand why he would feel hurt while I'm the one being forced to live my biggest nightmare. As fast as I glanced up I cast my eyes back down to the empty plate in front of me again, wringing my shivering hands covered in sweat on my lap.

"Okay, can you both please relax now and just eat before it gets cold?!" Charles scolds sterly next to me.
I slowly lift my eyes a glare set in them directed at Charles, my panicing heart beating so fast I can hear it pound in my head, a constant thrumming vibrating through my whole body.
Saying I am afraid is a total underestimatement!

If I was 6 years old I would pee myself right here and now before bursting out in tears. Even now it is hard not to mentally break down. The care that is written across Marios face makes everything even worse, Elvis's face appearing in front of my eyes instead of Marios even though I don't close my eyes to blink.

Keeping myself from crying at the image before my eyes takes so much of me, I can't breath in fear of bursting out in tears in front of this threatening man. 'Don't let them know you're weak' I chant again in my head over and over. As a result I can feel my lungs contracting, begging for some much needed oxygen. If I keep holding my breath any longer I might just faint, but I can't let my guard down in front of Mario, who knows what this man actually intends on doing to me. Tehy never let you know until it's too late.

Thankfully I get a little distracted when Charles serves everyone some food, and I can finally take some big gulps of air into my lungs. Charles Mc'n cheese are the best, because although he can't cook much the things he can are really good.
Nevertheless I can still not look away from the man seated across the table from me despite all the screams in my mind telling me to do just that, our eyes still firmly locked together.

I can see how much he likes me from the way his pupils grow bigger while looking at me and how his eyes sparkle, not missing a single beat, staring at me the same way I stare at him. To everyone's incredulity I absolutely don't feel at peace knowing someone was this obsessed with me though. Instead I am slowly breaking out into a cold sweat not even understanding why he would start liking me in the first place when all I tried was be as despisable as possible.

Fate had a cruel way of always giving me what I especially prayed not to get.

Mario Vanstone, what are your intentions?