Soulmates

Fenris & Fiona / Part Eight

The car came to a stop in front of a house that she now recognized as she place she was once held captive. They got out without saying a word. The street looked deserted and the house was cloaked in darkness.

She had walked so far only to be driven back in town. The car smelled of him. A whole ride in silence. Fiona watched the scenery around them change and from time to time she'd snuck a glance at him. However still he was and however composed, she could tell he was... different. The sadness was painted over him and she admired him like a long lost masterpiece.

The two stood quietly in front of each other on the sidewalk right outside his house. Little puffs in between them, slowly merging together before fading into nothing. Fiona thought about leaving and she thought about staying.

'Time-out?' He finally said in his usual deep, raw voice. Fiona stared deep into his eyes. She nodded.

'Time-out.' She repeated more sternly than him. It was his sign. He leaned in and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him to the house.

He switched on a light that barely did anything for the room. His eyes remained focused on hers and his hand never let go. She felt the warmth of his skin fill her up. Fiona came closer, bringing her free hand up to his chest and placing it right at the bare skin just under his neck. She followed a cord that hung from his neck, pulling it slowly from under his shirt and tracing it to the little round object that balanced of it. She turned it once or twice over in between her fingers before looking back up at him, smiling softly.

A button. He had a cord around his neck with a button at the far end. Not just any button. Fiona knew instantly that it was one of the missing buttons from her favorite dress. The dress she'd been wearing on that one particular day.

She lifted herself up to her toes and let her hand find the nape of his neck. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her. Their lips found each other midair. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs eagerly around his waist, allowing him to carry her to the bedroom. Fiona never would've guessed that finding herself in the arms of this man would feel so good, so wholesome. Before the thoughts could take hold on her she was placed gently on the bed and he leaned over her, stroking a strand of hair out of her face before kissing her cheek, her neck and her lips once more. His hands slid under her shirt, finding her skin which caused a sensation deep within her. She copied his movements and slid her own hands under his shirt. Warmth greeted her and a deep moan escaped her lips. What followed was a very unexpected sound. Laughter.

Fiona lost all sense of time by now. She lay curled up into his arms, her head rested on his chest and the sound of his heartbeat steadied her own. Her fingertip made small circles on his skin.

'What were you burning?' she asked without much hope for an actual answer.

'Photographs.' He said calmly. There was a thick accent layering this word. She expected it but hadn't heard it before. Maybe that had to do with the lack of sentences he uttered to her and the dire circumstances under which they always seemed to meet.

Fiona lifted her head so she could look into his eyes. He met her gaze with softness. 'Whose?'

'My mother,' he replied. 'She died yesterday.' Fiona expected him to look away at any given moment now. She expected him to go dark and silent again but he didn't. Their eyes never lost focus. Not for a split second.

'I'm sorry,' she said quietly then the two fell silent for a couple of minutes, speaking only with their eyes before Fiona continued. 'If I fall asleep now, will you promise not to kill me?'

'We are in a time-out right?'

'Right.' She sighed before resting her head on his chest once more, allowing the sound of his heart to lull her to sleep.

Morning was inevitable. Fenris and Fiona stood opposite each other in the living room. The night fresh in their minds. Fiona quickly glanced around the room and took from the dining table a small foldable knife. One she had seen up close quite a few times. She walked up toward Fenris. Did she see a flicker of worry shoot across his eyes? Probably not.

'We'll be going back to normal now, aren't we?' She took in her hand his shirt and flung the knife across it. Fenris looked down frowning. 'Now we're even.' She smiled, turning the black button around in her hand and then she left, running, because their unexpected time-out was officially over.