26: Apparently, we're dating
**Lucien**
She felt tiny in my arms as I clung to her warm body. My reason for suddenly embracing her- well, the reason I'd given her- was only partially true. In all honesty the moment she brought up her parents I could tell that all she wanted to do was cry, despite her emotionless facial expression and her firm stance. It was all hidden deep within her eyes which were cast down to the floor. Every inch of green was consumed with unspoken sorrow and unshed tears, and so when she asked why I'd embraced her, I had no choice but to avoid revealing the entire truth. It was clear that the topic of her dead family was something she still held onto, but something too painful for her to fully face. The thought made her seem almost fragile to me. As though she were just as lost in this miserable existence we called life, as I was. And so, I decided then and there to make it an effort to reassure her that if anyone, I'd be the one to protect her, to keep life from causing anymore scars and anymore pain, because the truth is that I wanted someone to promise me the same. I wanted someone to promise to protect me, to keep me safe and to try their best not to let life hurt me the way it had. And so, I gave her what I’d never been given, because like it or not, Tristan now belonged to me, and I planned on keeping her as close as I possibly could, even if I was now only beginning to develop a sort of strange attraction and liking towards her. I didn't want her to feel as alone as I always did.
I held her a few moments more, letting the silence of the secluded area consume us comfortably. Surprisingly, this had been the first time I'd felt so warm and comfortable. Her arms fitted around me perfectly, and the sound of her soft breaths sent calming ripples through my body. And as I stared down at her, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander towards her lips. I could kiss her right now, and I knew she'd let me. In fact, I was just about leaning in when I caught a hold of myself, remembering my promises. I respected her too much as my mate to steal a kiss from her when I didn't even love her. I'd keep all intimacy strictly bordering meaningless pleasure, and nothing else.
Eventually I heard the subtle grumble of her stomach and decided that it was time I made good on my promises.
"Let's go and get you something to eat," I said softly.
She nodded and I let her go, but if she thought she was free from having any more physical contact with me, she was horribly mistaken. Just as I pulled away from her, I grabbed her hand in mine and began walking. She gave me a questioning look, to which I responded with a small shrug.
"My hand was lonely..." I joked. She scoffed and rolled her eyes but made no effort to retract her hand from mine.
***
**Tristan**
The coffee shop was emptier than expected, and so we were next in line in the queue the moment we arrived. My hand was still in Lucien’s, absorbing the heat from his skin.
"What are you having?" Lucien asked as we arrived at the counter.
I looked up at the menu, browsed the options for a moment and then decided on an Americano and chicken and mayo sandwich. Lucien ordered it for me and then began the task of his own order.
"...I'll take a mocha Frappuccino, a chocolate chip cookie, a donut and two slices of banana bread."
"Y-you're not going to eat real food?"
"Did I order fake food?"
"No, I mean, you only ordered sweet things. Are you not going to at least eat something else?" I asked.
He shrugged and then said, "Why when I can eat something sweet instead? I'm not really a fan of anything that isn't sweet."
It was official, my mate had the tastebuds of a five-year old.
Lucien began scratching for his card in his pocket, and as he did, Kevin, the young man who had taken our order, stared down at our intertwined fingers and asked, rather curiously, "Are you two dating?"
"No!"
"Yes."
These two different responses were said at the exact same time, and I found myself astound at Lucien's "yes". He, on the other hand chuckled before leaning in and whispering to Kevin, "We're keeping it on the down low, so don't tell anyone."
Kevin nodded and then took Lucien's card carefully.
I stayed silent, adamant that I'd be yelling at Lucien once we were away from the ears of Kevin. And so, the second we got to our table and placed our food upon it, I began my yelling.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!"
"What? I buy you food and still you're ungrateful?"
"It's not the food! Why did you tell Kevin that we're dating?"
He paused for a moment and blinked dramatically before answering, in a rather "duh" tone, "Because we are."
"Since when?"
He raised his brows, chuckled and then said, after sipping from his Frappuccino, "Since the night you came over for dinner and got your fair share of dessert as well. Or did you forget? Does *daddy* have to remind you?"
My cheeks flushed red at his words, but I still couldn't bring myself to move on from my confusion. "So, we automatically began dating the moment I came over for dinner?"
"No, dinner was just an ice breaker. What sealed the deal was the fact that you actually called me daddy."
"I'm not sure I follow your logic. I was not informed of this."
"I'm informing you of it now though. But if the thought of dating me really irritates you, then we can call this a probation period."
And it was then that my mouth decided to speak before my mind had time to think. "I didn't say it irritates me." At that point I imagined myself jumping off a cliff to a peaceful death.
Lucien's lips immediately developed into a bright smirk. "Then it's settled. We're dating."
He tricked me... again. Was there no end to the games Lucien played?
"I... we're not dating."
"Does *daddy* have to prove to you that we are?"
I stayed silent, knowing that Lucien could really prove anything he wanted the moment his skin was on mine. So, it was settled. Apparently, we were dating. It seemed my task of seducing the man was slowly becoming easier by the minute…. Or at least, that was what I thought.
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