then ~ RUEL FANFIC~

Ruel's POV

When I get up she's already awake, making coffee. 

"Alira! I said I'd bring you breakfast In bed!"

"I know, I know. It doesn't matter, we can make breakfast together. Don't sook about it."

"I'm not, I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"Well, you still can. Tell me what we're doing today. You make the plans."

I lean against the bench and make it up on the spot.

"Picnic lunch in the park. Maybe we can go to the art gallery. Then someone's having a party later that we can go to, if you want."

She smiles. "Sounds great. I'm going to go get changed."

"Ok, let me know if you need anything. What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know. Make lunch. Pack the car."

"I'll do that."

She smirks and then walks to her room. I stand in the kitchen for a minute just smiling and then grab a shopping back and fill it with food. Chips, crackers, fruit, soft drink. That should be enough. By the time I've gone to my room, got changed and gone Back to the kitchen, she's standing there in a green summer dress dotted with daisies and rummaging through the bag.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing. But you didn't pack any of..." she pulls a bottle out of the pantry. "This."

"Vodka? Come on, Alira, it's a picnic, don't pack vodka."

"Ok. I'll pack something more cultured." She reaches in again and pulls out a bottle of wine that coco gave us when we moved in 'to be saved until we were of legal age'. That obviously won't be happening. I shake my head but put it in the bag.

"We ready to go, then?"

"I don't know, you tell me. Oh, and shotgun not driving."

"Fuck you!" I say jokingly.

We get in the car and drive. And drive. And drive. It's a nice warm day and lots of people are walking with dogs, little kids on scooters.

"Where are we going?" I ask. She's giving me directions from her phone.

"Don't worry. Just keep driving."

"We're going into the city right now. Royal botanic gardens, right?"

"Right in one. Keep driving then, idiot."

"I mean, there wasn't many other possibilities. But I'll take it as a win."

When we get there the gardens are fairly empty because of the time of day. We got here earlier than Planned and now have the liberty of sitting wherever we want. Alira goes ahead and chooses a spot next to one of the flower patches. I lay out the picnic rug and sit down.

"Don't let anyone see the wine. We can't have it, remember." I whisper.

She raises her eyebrows, pulls it out of the bag and puts it next to us in plain sight.

I shake my head and laugh, and lie down on the rug.

Alira kneels next to the flowerbeds and picks little purple blooms. When he has an armful she uses the stem of one to tie them all together and then puts the bouquet on the rug.

"Want any wine?" She asks, cracking open the lid of the bottle.

"Sure."

I watch the look of concentration on her face as she pours the burgundy liquid into a wine glass from the bag. 

"Stop staring at me, I'm trying to focus." She mutters. It makes me smile and I close my eyes.

I wish I could freeze this, now and forever. The sound of water swirling around the harbour. Rustling of leaves in the light, cool wind. Warmth of the sun  peaking through trees onto little patches on my face. The smell of red wine and pollen.

"Let's stay here." I whisper.

"Forever?"

"Yeah. Forever."

"Ok."

I open my eyes and look at her.

"You wouldn't mind? Staying here?"

"No. Not with you, anyway."

I shut my eyes again.

"We can't stay here, you know." She says quietly.

"I know. I didn't mean it literally."

"Yeah. You have to... get back out there. Do more."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then we can get jobs. Go to uni. Or tafe. Find something to pass the time."

"I don't want to do that either. I just want to lie in the sun."

"You should keep writing songs."

"No."

"Why not? You love it."

"I... I do. I just can't."

"I'll help you. You can start it all again, don't worry about it. You can do it."

"I told everyone I was leaving though. Permanently. How can I suddenly go, 'oh, whoops, it was a joke, I actually really love my career and well here I am.' I cant do that. There's barricades on every side. Once I'm back in there's no leaving again."

"That's not true. You can just do little gigs at pubs and stuff. There's nothing wrong with change."

"Fine."

"You will?"

"No promises. But I'll try. You have to help me. You can't leave me here again."

"Last time I didn't have a choice.  But I won't. I promise."

"And we can try and make things the same again."

"No. That won't happen. We just need to start over. Rewind." 

"Ill... we'll try. Everyone's trying. We're getting there."

"I know."

"And then..." I break off and look up at her sitting in the sun.

"Then?"  She smirks.

I grin. "Then we can stay here. Forever."

Both of us laugh. 

"Sure." She responds. Kisses me on the forehead. "If you say so."