made up of moonlight

“rae   … ”   it   came   as   a   breath,   and   oliver   gently   shook   his   head.   there   was   nothing   to   worry   about,   simply   a   man   that   had   needed   a   moment   to   think   —   working   at   the   morgue   brought   a   heaviness   that   he   hadn’t   expected   ;   fresh,   cool   air   against   his   face   would   do   him   a   world   of   good.   “i   was   always   going   to   be   okay,   come   on.   don’t   say   you   were   actually   worried   about   me ? ”   the   words   hung   in   the   air   as   he   looked   at   her,   pale   blue   eyes   focused   on   her   features,   smiling   as   they   settled   beneath   the   blanket.   together.   “it’s   nice   not   to   be   alone.   thank   you.”

“you’re my best friend. of course i worry about you.” and yet, the femme knew her concern reached beyond the bounds of simple friendship. there were moments when she felt the truth settle on the tip of her tongue, but the risk of losing him and fracturing what they already had was enough to keep her silent. instead, rae rested her head against his shoulder, her gaze drifting out across the slow, rhythmic pull of the waves. “i’m glad i can at least offer you good company. would you prefer silence or conversation as i can provide either?”

effortlessly   he   curled   into   her   hold,   as   though   he   was   coming   home   after   a   long   day.   a   steady   breath   escaped   him,   and   for   a   moment   that   was   all   he   could   bring   himself   to   do   ;   to   hang   in   her   embrace,   to   feel   the   warmth   of   another   body   after   days   of   isolation.   it   might   not   be   a   permanent   fix,   but   it   was   something   —   a   night   where   the   eldest   living   rietveld   could   live   like   a   normal   person   for   a   few   hours.   “dinner   and   music   sounds   perfect,”   eddie   admitted.   slowly   he   pulled   away,   and   he   moved   like   a   ghost   through   the   room   towards   the   record   player   in   the   corner.   he   lowered   the   needle,   a   dulcet   melody   starting   to   throb   from   the   speakers.   thoughts   raced   through   his   head,   but   he   pushed   them   all   aside   ;   his   focus   was   rae,   and   rae   alone.   “what   are   you   thinking   for   food   ?   ”

the femme held onto him as though the moment she let go, he might vanish entirely. rae took a few steadying breaths before she allowed him to slip from her grasp, though her attention never wavered from him as he crossed the room toward the record player. the soft hum of the melody filled the space and she found herself echoing it under her breath as she reached for her phone to order food. “there’s a new place just around the corner. they do all kinds of noodles and the portions are generous enough that we’ll have leftovers for days.” the redhead knew how easily he could fall back into old habits, skipping meals without thought and hoped that something simple to reheat might be enough to keep him fed. drifting back toward him, she placed her phone in his hand so he could look over the menu, then settled against him once more, resting her head lightly against his chest

there   was   nothing   else   to   do   but   let   out   an   almost   bark   of   laughter,   a   surprised   reaction   to   her   sudden   disappearance.   he   stared   at   the   closed   door,   wondering   what   she   could   be   doing   behind   it,   considering   peeling   away   and   returning   to   his   own   apartment   to   try   again   later.   just   as   he   was   about   to   turn   on   his   heels   he   heard   the   click   of   the   latch,   the   familiar   voice   of   rae   once   again.   ephraim’s   tongue   ran   against   the   straight   pegs   of   his   front   teeth,   the   corner   of   his   mouth   ticking   upwards.   “you   know   what ?   i   think   that’s   a   great   idea.   i’ll   clear   my   diary,”   but   there   was   nothing   more   important   in   that   moment   than   her,   and   he   walked   into   the   apartment   as   though   he   was   being   pulled   by   a   magnet,   “you   better   get   it   on   quick.” 

rae knew she shouldn't be yet she still found herself surprised by the interest he took in watching her try on her latest purchase. “i’ll be right back.” the femme disappeared down the hall and slipped into her bedroom to change, still wondering if ephraim was merely indulging her or was there genuine interest behind his attention? the process took longer than she had anticipated, the delicate fastenings far more intricate than they had seemed at first glance. the redhead paused at her mirror, drawing in a steadying breath as she looked herself over, willing her nerves to settle before she made her way back out to the male.“i’m not entirely certain about the color. there were other options so i could always exchange it.”

IT SOUNDS MUCH MORE glamorous than it truly is. the castle halls are vast and often empty, the royal family stowed away in rooms with councils and lords and dukes, discussing matters theo has no part in. he understands that he has no place at a politician's table, that he is lucky to work at court at all. « i have worked with the royal family for some years now. i cannot say i know them intimately, but they are good people. the crown prince has always been perfectly polite, you will find him to be good company. » he stops himself before he chatters away his task at hand. « it is quite the expansive list here. i must admit i did not take him for such an enthused reader. »

though the royal family lived their lives in the public eye, rae had already learned that true understanding came only with proximity, through quiet observation and time. for that, she was grateful theo was there to guide her through it all. “then i look forward to meeting him in the morning. i do find myself wondering whether these books are meant for leisure or instruction. some of these titles seem interesting if their purpose is purely educational though i suppose i am hardly in a position to judge. i know very little of what it takes to govern a kingdom. that is precisely why i confine myself to running a shop instead.” a small pause followed before she added, “what else remains on our list?”

WHAT USE IS A DEAD BODY to him, much less hers ? in the grand scheme of things she is only a casualty, a commoner who's gotten tangled up with the wrong people, and sawyer unfortunately has never learned how to let go. he runs his thumb absentmindedly over her arm, her skin warm underneath his touch. « wrong. you're mine for life now, darling. you decide how long you want that to be, » he warns, though his tone is playful, amused. « your family is safe. their safety is tied with your survival though, so you may want to stick around for a while, » he adds with a grin, tugging her with him as they leave the crime scene behind. « think you can play nice ? »

his touch was gentle, almost tender in nature, yet it sent a chill down her spine. the sweet words sawyer whispered did nothing to ease her fear, gaze flickering instead to the devastation he left in his wake. the femme did not resist when he pulled her along, understanding that her defiance would only lead to her body being added to the piles behind her. and for now, her family remained safe so long as she complied. “did you ever love me, sawyer? or am i nothing more than a game to you? a diversion to occupy your time until you get bored?” although rae did not want to provoke him, if she was to remain at his side for as long as he saw fit, she needed to know the truth.

"god, there's nothing like a girl and her favorite conspiracy."

"it's not a conspiracy! it's more of an unconfirmed idea."

" i just --- i don't know what it is that you want . "

"i want you to actually listen to me. not just nod along and pretend."

“ i'm not leaving until i know you're okay. ”

"i told you i'm fine. why are you so concerned about me anyway?"

“i was starting to think you’d give up, but it looks like you made a new friend. have you given them a name yet?”