Chapter 88: The Gift Of You
Rhydian;
I watch a blush colour his cheeks, and I smile proudly at his reaction.
"You’ve started saying a lot of rubbish too." He mumbles as he reaches for the food and grabs more fish.
I just watch in silence as he eats, avoiding eye contact.
Silence stretches as I watch him eat, and he finally looks up at me.
"Stop staring at me. You’ll make the food go down the wrong pipe!" He scolds, and I look away from him.
I didn’t realise I’d been staring.
"Aren’t you hungry? Eat too. This is too much for just me." He adds, and my brows knot as I look over at the plate.
Too much?
"Elián, this is a healthy portion. You’re going to need to add some weight if you’re going to carry a baby. Besides, you need a bit more skin on you; otherwise, everyone will think we don’t feed you right." I reply, and he hums between mouthfuls.
Is he even paying any attention to me?
Alana is right. This little man is a big foodie.
"That’s the first time I’m hearing someone say being fat would look better." He mumbles, and I tilt my head as I stare at him.
"Chubby or not, you’ll still look perfect," I whisper, and he pauses.
He looks up at me and points the spoon at me.
"What do you think this is? Some cheeky romance novel?? Slow down with these comments. They make it difficult to think!" He scolds, and I am forced to bite back my smile.
He’s doing it again. Using sass to hide how he truly feels.
From how his cheeks and ears have picked up a shade, I can tell his blushing. Furiously at that, too. And I must confess. This is a sight I can get used to.
He eyes me before bending to bite into one of the big pork pieces, but his hair keeps getting in his eyes.
I watch him furiously brush it away three times before deciding to step in.
I quietly rip the hem of my coat, taking a piece of the fabric, and he blinks at me in confusion.
I move closer to him and hold his hair up before wrapping the makeshift ribbon around the secluded section.
He stares at me in silence as I use the ribbon to hold up the front section of his hair from him.
His eyes are clearer to see now, and with that section sticking up like that, he looks like a unicorn. An adorable one...
I pause to marvel at his beauty, and as I pull my hand away, he suddenly grabs it. Staring at it like he just saw a sixth finger on my hand.
"You burnt yourself!?" He scolds, and only then do I notice that he’s talking about the burn mark at the back of my hand.
"It’s nothing!" I exclaim as I pull my hand away, and he stares at me in shock.
"Did you get that while helping me get the food?" He questions, and I eye him, desperately looking for a way to change the topic.
"It’s just a small burn, Elián. I can do it again if it ensures you don’t go hungry." I reply, and he blinks at me in silence. His cheeks got brighter by the second.
"I don’t like you." He mumbles before returning his attention to his food, and I can’t help my laughter.
"Aww... and I thought we were on the way to a beautiful friendship," I reply, and he scowls at me.
"Shut up." He grumbles in reply before picking a piece of pork out of the soup, and as he places it in his mouth, a bit of it stains the tip of his nose.
It’s either he doesn’t feel it, or he’s too engrossed to care.
"So, will you eat or not?" He suddenly questions me as he holds out a piece of blueberry to me. The second bit of food he’s offering to feed me today.
I smile at his tiny fingers and let out a breath.
He stares at me as I move, visibly bracing himself for my mouth to come in contact with his fingers again, but I have something else in mind this time.
I lean over the food, and his eyes widen as he tries to back away.
"What are..." He begins, but he’s cut off by my lips closing softly about the tip of his nose.
My tongue wipes off the smudge of soup, and when I pull away from him, his eyes are wide, and his whole face is furiously red.
"You’re being a messy eater today," I whisper, and he struggles to swallow the food in his mouth as he looks at me.
He tries to drop his hand, but I grab his wrist and take the blueberry from him with my mouth. I didn’t think his eyes could grow any wider, but they did when I decided to lick his fingers clean.
I finally let go of him and reach for the food. I take a scoop of soup and hold it up to him.
"Since you’re so bent on feeding me, it’s only fair I reciprocate," I note, and he blinks at me. His eyes travel down to the spoon, over to his hand, and then back up at me.
He suddenly scrambles off the bed, and I watch in confusion.
"You... you are insufferable!" He snaps at me.
"G...go away. I can’t enjoy the meal with you here. You’ve... you’ve done enough!" He rants before turning away from me and rushing for the bathroom.
I smile to myself as he leaves and pick another blueberry from the bowl.
I get off the bed and walk over to the bathroom with a huge grin on my face.
"Alright, Elián. I’ll be in my chambers. Don’t hesitate to come to me if you need something... or if you miss me." I say teasingly, and his annoyed voice follows.
"Go away, Rhydian!"
I chuckle softly before backing away from the door.
"Alright. But finish your meal. If I find out you didn’t, I’ll hand-feed you every bite of your next meal." I reply, and I’m met with silence.
I stand with my hand in my pockets as I stare at the shut door, my smile still not leaving my face.
I may never have felt like I had much... but now, o feel so rich.
I’m grateful I got to spend such time with Elián. That I got to know him... the way I do.
Koda is lucky that he gets to start a family with him first.
I’m aching to mark the young man and make him mine in every way.
The door slowly creaks open, and his big, doe-shaped, red eyes peek through the cracks.
"The door is right behind you." He says with a pout, like he’s afraid of coming out to meet me, and my smile grows.
I bow softly at him before turning around and walking to the door.
I take hold of the doorknob, and just as I open the door, I look over my shoulder at the young man who’s silently stalked out of the bathroom and is standing in front of it in his slightly oversized cotton robe.
"Thank you," I whisper to him, and he stops forgetting with his sleeve as his brows crease in genuine confusion.
"For?" He questions, and I just smile at him.
"The gift of you," I reply, and his jaw drops.
I give him a small wave before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind me.
My smile doesn’t fade as I begin my journey to my chambers with Nothing but the image of his flustered face replying in my mind.
********
Elian;
I blink at the door, still in awe of the things that just happened.
I stare at the mirror across the room, and I just stare at myself.
The little lock of hair sticking up on my head like a mushroom where Rhydian tied, and my red face that still hasn’t settled down.
"The gift of you," I whisper as I slowly take my finger to my nose where he... kissed.
He called me a gift. Me...?
Aren’t I just a troublemaker who makes dumb decisions and ends up in trouble before I realise it?
When even my own parents see me as a massive mistake... he calls me a gift?
Why does that...why does it make me feel so warm... and soft inside?
He’s changed a lot. But why do I like that side of him??
This soft... caring side of his. And he’s been smiling a lot, too. He even laughed today.
I never thought I’d see him do any of those things.
At least not for me.
I look over at the meal on the bed, and I smile. Walking over to my bed, a series of thoughts floods my mind.
I was afraid of coming here because I thought I’d be unwanted. Once again tagged a burden. But Rhydian isn’t doing that. If anything, this is the best I’ve felt in a long while...
I pick up a blueberry, and as I put it in my mouth, I remember the feeling of my finger enclosed in his warm mouth.
Like some demented pervert, I push two of my fingers into my mouth and suck gently on them.
I don’t know why I did it.
To get an indirect kiss?
To taste him??
I don’t know... All I’m certain of is that now I... I can’t stop thinking about the buffon.
Why did he have to change so suddenly?! He’s making me feel all weird and twinkly inside.
The stupid Alpha...
"I’m thankful for the gift of you, too..."