What If Our Life Threads Bind?

Chapter 46

Despite the heaviness in my heart, it fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his. I sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the small gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, my heart within its walls seeming a little less bleak and shattered.

As if holding me wasn't enough, he had to feel every ounce that I am press into. Every ounce of him. I hug him back but then irritation courses back through my body, and I shove him lightly.

"Right..that totally explains why you left me in the carnival?"

He doesn't reply for a few minutes and then frowns. "Honey, left you? I couldn't find you when I got back...I thought you got pissed off and left without me."

"Yeah right. You clearly didn't ask me to stay right there, did you?" I say, sarcasm etched in my face and then he hugs me back.

"I am sorry. I guess, I lost my way back to you." He said softly and I pulled away, closing the door behind me.

"Okay, I forgive you." I say and he gasps.

"Your eyes are sea green." He says in a soft calm voice and I flush, and looked away, heading straight to the bedroom.

The clothes that Austin bought for me after visiting the rides from the carnival were neatly stacked up on the bed. I opened one of them and found the black tee-shirt and a denim short skirt. Quickly, I undressed myself and shimmied the clothes on myself, and looked at myself a minute too long in the mirror.

My eyes were still green but the black spot is getting bigger. A rush of panic washes over me. I have committed a sin. I am in love with a mortal.

And then surprising myself, I burst out laughing. It didn't sound like a good happy mood laugh but it was more of a hysterical what-the-fuck-is-even-happening-in-my-life laugh. I blew some air out of my mouth and tried to calm down, biting down the edge of a smile, a vain attempt to keep my creeping grin at bay, and then burst out into giggles again.

I was practically rolling over the floor at the idea of love when I saw Austin standing at the door, his eyes confused and narrowed in a funny way but the corners of his lips fighting a smile. I quietly looked away before that ridiculous mischievous look of his spread. I swear, his exuberance for trouble is a contagion.

But before I can strengthen my resolve to be aloof, I have already glanced back at him. In a few seconds, his ridiculous grin is on my face too and we both start guffawing our arses out. My laughter exceeded to a weird level that we both almost crawl on the bed, giggling and rubbing our bellies.

"Why are we laughing?" He asks, still laughing and I start cry-laughing, if that is even a thing, I just created a word.

"Why are you laughing when you don't even know?" I wipe my eyes, still giggling.

"Because yours sound funny." He says and we continue to laugh. I had started to feel that pain one feels when stomach muscles involuntary contract because of laughing too much, and I groan.

"Ouch." I say, gasping. "You are hurting me." I giggle and try to stop myself.

"Not yet, I ain't." He says with a playful smirk and I smack his arm. The laughter dies out but we keep staring at each other, still smiling. Staring isn't quite the word for what Austin does to me. His eyes rest on mine and not unblinking but slowed. Perhaps it is his lips that give away her intention, not quite smiling but tilting as if they mean to.

"Okay, lets celebrate this."

"Celebrate what?"

"That I almost lost you but you came back." He says and I let out a small laugh.

"How?"

"I'll grab the drinks from the fridge." He said, getting up from the bed.

"I better stay sober." I sigh. "The last time I got drunk, I lost a tapestry and almost lost a friend to a misunderstanding." I blurt out and realized I have been through so much since that. Staying sober is a good idea, indeed.

"Hey." Austin stands in front of me, his knee between my legs as he looks down on you. "This time you are with me. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." He said and pecked my forehead. I blushed.

"I'll go get the drinks." He repeated and I nodded.

So I think I am safe here. I have already been through so much, right. I need a break. I'll celebrate whatever this is. I'll celebrate my new found love for him.

When he disappears into the kitchen, I check my phone and realized that I almost forgot texting Tarren about the council meeting. Quickly, I opened his chat box and typed in a quick message about deciding on a date to hold a council meeting somewhere. Maybe at Augury's place? Well, we'll figure that later.

Austin appears with two bottles of Blacks Spiced Irish Rum and I shake my head at him.

"Let's play a game!" He says suddenly and I stare blankly at him. I don't know any games.

"Oh, er...what game?"

"Suppose I get the turn, I'll ask you a question and you have to answer and make a confession on your own. Then you ask me the question and I'll answer it and confess something. Ready?" He says pouring rum in two glasses.

"Okay." I smirk. Let's do it. "Ready." I say, taking a sip.