Vermish Fluff-fest (The Order - Vera Stone x Hamish Duke)

stop looking at me with those eyes

His gaze lingered every time. It was unnerving. His eyes, they were undeniable forces of nature that she would almost miss if she allowed herself to desire them. They had this intensity about them that she never thought she would ever be able to experience in her lifetime. But still, here they were; here he was.

He would always direct a certain look at her. The idiot would be grinning proudly at the mere sight of her and it would always take so much effort for her to stop herself from smiling back or losing focus on whatever work or announcement she was supposed to be doing.

It was something he only gave to her that even she knew that and could admit it no matter how much force it took for her. She'd call it something like a secret that only the two of them share if it was that even at all. She knew that it didn't take much to recognize that the way he has been staring at her was unusual for an acolyte but more so recently. Ever since one of the idiots brought up the idea of them being together, she knew it was becoming too apparent.

She was unsurprisingly afraid of the repercussions, but because there was never a moment in her life where there was an absence of fear (especially after her promotion), she didn't know how this could be different or significant. She did fright losing her position and her credibility, but it was hard to choose between what she's always wanted from what she's always needed; even when that was an extremely difficult truth to face.

She paced back and forth, awaiting his arrival or maybe even just a sign that he was already outside her house. They needed to talk, she repeated over and over again to herself, refusing to get distracted. As soon as his car became visible from her glass walls, she waved her hand impatiently in front of the door, magically opening it.

Once again, he stared at her the same way he always did, and all of a sudden, the urgent agenda of the night was forgotten.

An hour had passed and she just knew that he still looked the same way he did an hour ago despite her head being pressed to his torso whilst they lay down. "If I were you, you'd stop looking at me like that in public."

"Um, excuse me? Like what?" His grin could be heard from his words.

"Like that. You're not exactly being very subtle."

"About what?" He mocked. "Oh, do you mean that- that thing you said about me and Randall? That this wasn't a regional theater and we weren't auditioning? That it?"

She was confused at the peculiar way he was acting, but she couldn't help but be intrigued by what he was scheming.

"Or is it what he said about you being my girlfriend?"

"Oh, goodness, no!" She shuddered in horror. "Goodness gracious, don't you ever use that word to describe me again. EVER."

"I agree. It doesn't quite suit you or whatever this is. Of course not. You're a woman and not just that, you're a strong, wonderful woman." His tone, while still the same teasing sound, was mixed with a hint of sincerity.

She knew what was coming next and she gladly could verify that she deliberately left the part out where she would normally be in denial.

"Just to clarify, you didn't disprove, right? You might have disliked that word, but you don't disagree?" She chose to remain completely silent, letting him work out her answer himself. "You are whatever that word meant to me?"

Regardless of her best efforts, she still muttered, "Do you really expect me to confirm that?"

"Ah, don't worry. Honestly, that's confirmation enough for me." He placed a chaste kiss on the top of her head. She could practically sense the huge smile on him as his mouth touched her hair. "So, should I look for a better word then? Partner, maybe?"

She huffed in feigned exasperation. He was indeed an idiot. But that was precisely why he had this effect he had on her.

"We're making progress, aren't we?" He nodded to himself, not even expecting her to respond. "Yes, we absolutely are."

All urges to destroy the mood she denied because, for years, she's never let herself be this carefree. So she just closed her eyes.