Believe in Revolution ©

XXI

After dinner, Alexei couldn't just avoid thinking what his uncle had told him. Maybe he was thinking too much in the information.

He had shared with his uncle the story of that day and had even followed it until the present day.

When he had finished, he had seen a slight smile in his uncle's eyes.

"What's that smile for?" he had asked

"The Grand Princess and you are pretty close" His uncle had said

"Umm... Yeah, I suppose" He had replied

"You talk about her pretty good and your cheeks get a bit red" His uncle had said "Don't you think that means something?"

Alexei had felt his cheeks slightly burning to his touch.

"It doesn't!" He had jumped

"Don't deny" Ernst had said "Well, in reality, you're just lying to yourself. But you should recognise it"

"Recognise what?" Alexei had said "I think we aren't talking about the same thing"

"Oh, really?" His uncle had said "We're talking about love, my child" A smile formed in his lips "Or you'll say you don't have that sort of feeling towards the Grand Princess?" He had remarked the word don't.

Alexei had felt his cheeks burning and becoming red. He had in mind that his whole face had to be now a red tomato ready to explode due to heat.

"I...I..." He had stammered "I think I...I do" His voice had been just a mess.

"Well, that's good. But I'm sure you're" His uncle had said and put his arm on his nephew's shoulder. Alexei took a deep breath.

"And probably I am" His voice had sounded calm "But... I don't know what to do" He was now being sincere. He did felt that.

"You should try... I don't know... Telling her?" The thing had sounded so obvious in his uncle's voice.

"I'm not sure..." Alexei had shrugged his shoulders. He didn't want to ruin everything.

"You won't lose anything in trying" His uncle had said "You shouldn't give up with love" He had sighed "You wouldn't be here if my dear sister had given up with love just because Grandmama was against the idea"

"Grandmama... you mean Queen Victoria?" He asked

"Yes, although I think that her future parents-in-law were also against"

The Russian pondered everything. Her parents had challenged everything for their love. Why wouldn't he? "I'll think about it..., okay?"

During dinner, he couldn't stop thinking. So, he ended eating pretty slowly.

And well, now... He was still thinking. And overthinking, he supposed.

"I should have a good rest" He thought "I have to stop thinking"

But after some hours trying to sleep, he woke up. Damn, he couldn't sleep. He looked into the clock. Half two in the morning.

"Черт" He cursed. He tried to sleep again but was useless. His uncle had hit a good topic and now he couldn't get it out his mind.

He got up "Maybe some fresh air will do me some good" he said to himself.

He came out of his room, not minding the fact that he was walking on his bare feet. He went towards the balcony.

He saw the window doors opened, the cold breeze entering the palace. He looked up to the starry night sky where the crescent moon was shining slightly.

He took a deep breath. That was feeling just great. But not for long.

"Alyosha?" He heard Gabri's voice. "Great" sarcasm poured in his thoughts "that's exactly what I need now". The person he didn't want to think of was there.

The German was sitting in one of the two deckchairs that were in the balcony. She was so quiet that Alexei hadn't noticed she was there, until she turned and talked.

"You couldn't sleep?" she asked

Alexei got near and sat down in the other deckchair "No. And you?"

"Neither" Gabri said

"Is something troubling you?" He asked

"No, I'm just... Thinking about everything, that's all" she said "I just needed to order my ideas" She looked at him "And you? Why couldn't you sleep? Troubles or just thinking?"

"Well... A bit of both" he said "Overthinking a problem"

"It has to be a great trouble then" she said "What it is?"

"It's nothing important" As he was going to say something about it...

"If you're overthinking that much, it's important" she said "You just don't want to tell me, do you?"

"Well..." he said. He didn't want to say. No, he wanted but didn't know how. He felt his cheeks getting redder and starting to burn furiously. He turned his face, he didn't want her to notice. His trembling hands turned into fists.

"Aly?" she said, her voice sounded so close to his ears. He shuddered "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing" His voice trembled but he was already blushing intensely. After all, he was feeling her breathing close to him.

"I do too" she whispered in his ear.

"You what?" he asked, confused. Gabri laughed slightly "What are you laughing at?"

"At nothing. Just at the fact that I can't believe you aren't getting it" She said

"Getting what?" Alexei asked, confused

Gabri laughed "Innocent" she said, getting even closer to him. Her eyes fixed in his. Their faces were just no more than two centimetres away. And her lips crushed into his.

At first, Alexei didn't have a clue of what to do. No, even worse, he didn't know what was happening. He closed his eyes until he didn't feel her lips. That's when he opened them.

"Need another clue?" she smiled.

"No" he said "That was exactly the solution to my problem" he smirked "You knew I was... Well...?"

"That you were in love with me?" she asked "I didn't know it but I've read lots. I know blushing is a symptom of love" she laughed

"Didn't know you read love stories" he smirked "It doesn't suit you"

"Who said they were love stories?" she said "I read adventure ones but there's usually love in them"

"Alright, that suits you best" he said "But... That was my first kiss, you know?"

"Who said it wasn't mine too?" she laughed shyly.

He let her swirl his hair strand "Я люблю тебя" It sounded shyly.

"What does that mean?" She said

"You sure know" he smiled "I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how"

"I also didn't know, I just... Acted" she said "Now words come easily, right?"

"They do" he smiled "Now we should get some sleep, shouldn't we?"

"We should" she said "Ich liebe dich" she gave him a kiss in the cheek and left to her room. Alexei rose his eyes to the moon and smiled, before going back to his room.

Я люблю тебя/Ich liebe dich = I love you (Russian/German)

Черт = Damn (Russian)