Secret Lives (Taken)

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Unsurprisingly, yet in a spark of feelings she closed the gap. This time it seemed that it was not just a light brush of their lips but the kiss of a couple caught up in the moment of their feelings. Her hand found it's way to the back of his neck. It was so warm, although her hand was nothing compared to the warmth that her lips produced. The feeling of her lips on his was amazing, indescribable, and it seemed to feed these new emotions which were steadily rising within him. And then, before he knew it, the moment was over. She had pulled away after what seemed an eternity. Her words, once her lips were free of his own, were soft and filled with love. And while the kiss was over Brandon found himself in some ways satisfied. Filled with a new sense of purpose and direction which revolved around Aeroa.

"It's my pleasure, Aeroa..." he said, trying to come up with something clever, something far more witty, or intelligent. Nothing came. His head was still spinning and his mind in the clouds where her kiss, her simple touch had taken him. There was little else on his mind but Aeroa. And for that, at least in his mind, he thanked the moon. Once he'd accepted that he had nothing more to say on the matter at hand he simply resigned himself happily to wrapping his arm once more around her waist and scooting himself closer to her. Wanting to hold her close and share in these beautiful feelings which still lingered through the air like a woman's perfume.

They spent around an hour, just sitting there, enjoying each others company as they drank in the nature that surrounded them. The music of the festival, barely audible, still played in the distance. Then Brandon stood and helped her to her feet and they walked back to his home, arm in arm, with their fingers intertwined. He opened the door to his home for her and watched as she walked inside, following quickly he then led her up to her room. It seemed that all good things must come to an end and the end was upon them. "Aeroa, that was the most amazing night of my life. Thank you," he said with a smile as they stood out in front of the door of her room.

The thought that the end was upon them scared him and excited him. It scared him that he might wake up tomorrow to find that this was all a dream and that Aeroa was nothing more than just a servant to him that had no interest in a romantic relationship. Like there was some sort of magic which was hanging over them that would disappear once they had parted for the night. And yet it excited him to know that tomorrow was a new day to spend with the one he'd proclaimed his love for, a new day to hug, kiss, and enjoy one another company. Perhaps he could take her back to the shop to work...
 
Aeroa could only smile as Brandon had scooted closer to her. It was his pleasure. Aeroa's senses seemed skewed, it couldn't really all be happening. She gave a small laugh, and the feeling of his arm on her waist made everything reality for her. It wasn't just her imagination, it wasn't just some dream she had conjured up. He was sitting next to her, together, they had kissed. There were fiery emotions inside her for Brandon. A deep affection. She was connected to him. Which made her smile widen. Nature made its way into their perception as the night wound down.

They sat there for what seemed like forever, she let her head fall onto his shoulder once again. Aeroa couldn't have guessed the time if she had wanted. How much time had passed? Slowly Aeroa felt the crisp air around her, and her own sleepiness arise. She gave a small yawn, but she did not wish to leave. Not just yet. After what felt like an hour, as far as Aeroa could tell that is, they slowly made their way back to the home. Along their walk their fingers stayed intertwined. Almost inseparable. Aeroa's gaze rose to the moon as they walked the pathways home. It was big and brilliant, shining a bright silver, and bathing them both in it's glory. She smiled as she thought about how she asked the moon to keep the men from her life, and how so far, they were no where to be seen. She whispered a small thank you, one that even Brandon shouldn't have been able to hear.

Once they had entered the house they made their way back upstairs. They paused in front of her room. It seemed like a habit now. She stood there with him for a little, watching him as he looked lost in thought. "It was the most amazing night of my life too..." She admitted, as she blushed, "So, thank you." And with that she leaned in, giving him a small, quick, light kiss. "Good Night, I hope you sleep well.." Aeroa couldn't seem to get herself to pull away from him. Their fingers were still intertwined. She almost had the nerve to ask him into her room. To lay with her. To just sleep, in his arms. She smiled and shook her head, her hair moving slightly. "Good night." She said softly, as she kissed his cheek and walked into her room.

It was a pain to get undressed, but after a little struggle she managed to get the dress off, intact. She let herself into Brandon's old blue shirt, and gave a small laugh. She walked over to the balcony, and looked out at the beauty that she was out in. It gave her a feeling that she should be out there. Still. In nature. She shook the feelings. She was here now, with Brandon, but after going out to the lake, she realized how much she missed the forest. She would go back sometime. Maybe for a walk one night. Maybe Brandon would go with her. She smiled, and slowly walked over to her bed. Upon laying down in it, she let herself imagine everything that had happened that day. It all felt like a dream, and she almost felt like she was going to wake up from it tomorrow. She missed the feeling of Brandon beside her, maybe tomorrow he could sleep in the same bed as her.

"Good night." She whispered to herself and sleep overcame her. Tomorrow was going to be a day dedicated to her work. She couldn't let it go undone.
 
"Goodnight Aeroa, sleep well..." he told her, his mind was still reeling from the two short, sweet kisses which she had bestowed him with. He felt honored to have her kiss him and those were the only words which had come to his mind. They seemed appropriate though, kisses that were meant to end the night on a note of love and affection which the two of them held for one another.

He watched as the beautiful vision of his affection slipped into her room and shut the door behind her. Walking back to his room he felt lighter then air and for a strange reason felt like yelling to the world the announcement of their love for one another. He still felt the tingle of her lips upon his lips and the ghostly feeling of her lips also lingered on his cheek. Warming him from his face to his toes. Opening his room he gave a little twirl as if in triumph over how well the evening had gone! It would be a wonderful day tomorrow, perhaps he could come home early from work. He hadn't had a day to relax in a little while and it would be nice to spend yet another day with Aeroa.


Walking to work the next morning was a breeze, his entire thought process was on the night before. The dancing and the way that it had felt, like they were the only ones there. Holding her hand and sharing those small looks and laughter. Watching her in her new dress, observing her quiet and undeniable beauty. Especially however the moment that they'd shared at the lake. The show of affection which had seemed to last a lifetime. Granny Sophie was very proud of him and thankful she made sure to give him some more chocolate for Aeroa.

James noticed the rare mood that Brandon was in, he remarked on it several times before Brandon finally told him how the night had gone. James only smiled and laughed, "When you get a chance, maybe later tonight... come back to the store, to my studio, and you can look at what I've been painting." He told him with a smirk of satisfaction that a man had when he knew something that the other didn't.

It reminded Brandon that he had never found out what it was that James had painted, yet it didn't seem so significant anymore. However curiosity would continue to eat at Brandon as they worked and while he wanted to return to Aeroa the idea of knowing what James had painted was almost more then he could bear. The respect that he had for his friend was the only real reason that he hadn't jumped back there to figure it out for himself just what it was. James knew that and decided it would be best to just send Brandon home for the day telling him to return later that night to see it.

Brandon reluctantly began to return home around midday, it would be a surprise for Aeroa and hopefully a welcome one. As he walked away from the shop the idea of the picture became less and less clear and the picture of Aeroa's face replaced it with increasing intensity. He smiled as he walked through the streets, looking down at the delicate chocolate he was bringing home to Aeroa. Perhaps they could go for a walk together and enjoy their time, they could probably both enjoy a little walk into the woods.

Approaching his home, Brandon placed his hand on the door and realized that something seemed off. He couldn't tell just what it was at the moment but he quickly opened the door and looked inside. "Aeroa?" He called out.
 
That morning Aeroa woke, and when she did she wanted the first person she saw to be Brandon. Which was kind of funny, because she knew he had probably already left for work. So with that she carefully picked up some clothes and walked over to get a bath. It was short, enough to clean herself and wash her hair. The water she bathed in reminded her of the clear water at the lake. The shimmer beauty it had. And ultimately led her mind to Brandon.

She felt distracted as she walked downstairs. She looked around, everything still seemed pretty clean from before, but she went ahead and swept the floor. She hummed a simple tune as she cleaned. She simply dusted a few things and swept the well-trodden areas. Sure to get the stairs and hallway with the bedrooms. Aeroa stepped outside, and took in a breathe of fresh air. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the little animals could be seen playing around. She almost felt the urge to go and find them, attempt to play with them which would be weird, because she was a big human to them.

Aeroa carefully examined the fruit, more would be ripe within the next couple of days, but for now, she had picked the trees and bushes clean from before. It made her day pretty easy. There wasn't really much to do, and little had been done, just a few tidy-ups. When Aeroa stepped inside she went to inspect the kitchen, but as she did she heard the door open and close. She heard footsteps, a smile crossed her face. Brandon, he had to be home. So early, just for her?

Aeroa happily stepped out into the kitchen and she was greeted by three men. There was tall one, taller than the other two, one she recognized. And two smaller men beside him. They had started to make their way into the kitchen, obviously hearing her. So when she stepped out, she wasn't far enough away for comfort.

"Oh, look who is home!" Said the tallest man, the one that had claimed her as a mate. "Looks like your lover isn't here to save you this time. How naughty of you to have an affair. I don't take kindly to disobedient mates." He said as his tan skin slowly transformed, his body form changed, he went from two legs, to four legs. Fur made it's way across his skin. His face elongated into a snout. The other two held weapons, spears. Aeroa took a step back. She had been so careless. How could she let herself stay here? For so long? Long enough to attract them? "Leave." She said, her tone shaky as she tried to muster up authority. There was no way she could take these men like this. She almost panicked, but stopped herself and took a deep breath. She just had to get them out of here. Out of Brandon's house. She had to get rid of them.. before he got home.

The tallest man lunged forward, she couldn't tell if he wanted to kill her, or simply detain her and take her away. But his bore his teeth, and seemed like he was ready to kill.. Or torture. She jumped back, taking in the scene. This wasn't going to be good. She took a deep breath and sighed. She felt her body begin to transform, soft skin replaced with soft, white and black stripped fur. Her vision adjust slightly, her mouth and teeth readjust to that of a white-bengal tiger. She felt her arms turn to paws, and her stance go from standing, to all-fours.

The two men with spears came running towards her, as she watched the wolf disappear from sight. She would have to deal with him later, or his surprise attack, but for now, she was focused on the armed men. Both were quite close before Aeroa gave a small roar, she jumped, and dodged one spear, jumping onto the man the farthest left. His spear fell beside him, his head hit the floor quite hard. Aeroa turned to see the other man, he hesitated seeing his friend being slammed to the ground. That gave Aeroa the moment she needed, she lunged forward, ready to restrict the second guy. He readied his spear, she readied a dodge.

That was when the leader came back, he jumped, hitting her forward, knocking her into the spear. She felt it pierce her side. She felt the blood begin to ooze from her body. It was warm. She shook her head. He may have knocked her into the spear, but by doing so, his own man slammed into the wall, and slunk to the floor. She whined, and whimpered, the pain flooded her mind. She began to feel woozy, the blood ran down her white and black stripped fur. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to focus. She heard the door open once more. She heard Brandon's voice. She watched as the wolf ran, he ran out the door she had came in from picking fruits. Gone. Her body heaved under her forced breaths. She wanted to turn back into a human before Brandon could see, but she saw him. He saw a tiger. She gave a cough and struggled for control.

'Stay a tiger. Stay. Maybe he wont figure it out.. He'd help me as a tiger. He wouldn't kill me..' Her mind spun. She felt herself slipping. The world around her grew darker, and she felt her body slowly make it's way back to two arms and two legs. 'No..' she demanded from herself, but it was too late. He'd never accept her now.
 
Walking into his home was something he assumed was like walking onto a battlefield, the first thing that he noticed was the out of place splashed of red which were spewed across the floor in varied patterns and intensity. A man lay on the ground a look of shock on his face as he stared up at nothing on the ceiling. Brandon's heart sank for a moment as he realized the man was dead. Though he had seen the dead before it never seemed to desensitize him to the shock that came from the fact that someone had died. A spear was in the man's hands, while blood oozed into a pool of thick crimson liquid surrounding his head and what Brandon assumed was the point of impact.

A scuffling of feet could be heard and all Brandon saw as he looked towards the source of the noise was a black flurried blur. A noise could be heard near him, a groan followed by a last labored breath. Turning to face that noise he was greeted by an image that Brandon would not soon forget. A man lay slumped against the wall, a hand reaching out to Brandon and his face slumped forward, the same blank stare written into it's form. Near him was the huge form of a Bengal tiger, it white and black fur had become matted with crimson blood. Stepping backwards Brandon nearly lost his balance and quickly had to right himself before watching as the beast began to change.

The petite form of Aeroa could now be seen, where the Bengal tiger had been and even as he watched he could not believe what was happening. What Aeroa had kept from him seemed far too outrageous, seemed far too surreal, that he simply could not accept it. And yet there she was bleeding from a wound placed in the same area that it had been on the tiger. It's shape and size looking much like the bloodied spear which the now dead man held clenched in his hand. Aeroa fainted from the loss of blood and Brandon quickly realized that if he didn't act soon he would lose her. Whether she was a strange creature or not his feeling from last night, the affection and love that he developed for her remained. Rushing to her he began to administer first aid.

A stressful hour later, Brandon had bandaged her wound, wrapping the bandages around her body and tying them tightly after washing the wound as clean as he could. Dressing her in one of his old shirts she now lay on Brandon's bed. He tucked her into his bed wanting her to be comfortable upon waking. Her breathing had returned to normal and for a moment Brandon felt a little peace. Still his hands shook and he realized that he needed to rest a moment, so he pulled up one of the nearby chairs and sat down next to her bed so that he could stare into her face.

So many questions ran through his mind about the wonderful girl that he thought he knew. They had shared a kiss, a home, some of their pasts, and now he found out something that he had never thought possible. Except in old horror stories shared in front of a campfire. Those were werewolves but she was unmistakably a tiger. He could see now where her odd physical traits might come from and why she had been so silent on her past and instead choosing to discuss her travels again. While he felt a bit betrayed that she had not trusted him he could in some ways understand her silence. But what were those men doing? Why were they trying to kill her? What was that thing that he saw escaping into the orchard? They must belong to those men that had attacked her in the streets the day they met. But why? What was she to them?

He waited for an hour, not wanting to leave her side and miss her waking up. He wanted a familiar face to be there when she woke but he also understood that he needed something to calm himself down. She would probably want something to eat and some water as well. So he quietly and quickly left the room to get them both a bit of fruit and water.
 
Aeroa was lost in a world of darkness. For a little while she lay on a floor, it too was black. Her eyes were open but they felt closed. She wanted to get up, but there was a pain in her side. She slowly and carefully made herself look, there was her wound, it was open, no longer bleeding, but it looked horrific. It made her heart beat faster, it made her almost panic. She slowly recalled seeing Brandon. She recalled the men that attacked her. Who were they? Oh. Yeah. The men that claimed her. She gave a pained sigh. She knew her eyes were open, but it was easier to tell as the world seemed to form around her.

There she was, now standing in the dark room, and Brandon had appeared in front of her. He wasn't happy. His face obviously pained, his emotions seemed conflicted. He was angry, and upset. Aeroa opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. He asked her all kinds of questions. Ones she couldn't answer. She could only stare. Her mind ran a mile a minute, her heart beat fast. Her body felt warm, too warm, but she felt as if she had been dipped in ice. She felt her heart sink. He was walking away. She looked down at her side. She could see the wound still, she could still feel it. She took a step, and felt the pain of exertion. She couldn't let him walk away. She tried to catch up to him but for each step she took, her had three. She broke into a run. The pain seeped from her side to her whole body. She winced, stifling the cries of pain that threatened to emerge. She tried to call to him, but no words would come. When she finally made it to him, she touched his shoulder. He turned, an angered and disappointed look on his face. She couldn't help but to use his shoulder for support, but he almost kindly brushed her off. Shaking his head. Talking about how he had been betrayed. Lied to.

Aeroa's black world slowly turned to light, she could begin to make out objects in the room. It was an unfamiliar room, she hadn't seen it before. As it slowly came into focus it was well furnished, and had a reminisce of something she knew. The walls, the floors, the way it was decorated. Brandon's house. It had to be a room in Brandon's house, but if it was more decorated it was his room. Of course he couldn't have let her bleed to death there. He was too kind for that.. The thought of Brandon made her swallow her emotions. It was difficult, like a lump in her throat. Betrayal was the only word that crossed her mind. She sighed, and looked down. She was in fact hurt. It wasn't a stupid dream. It was real. He knew now. He would never accept her that way.. She slowly made sure she had adequate control of her body. Strength, was lacking, but control was all she needed. She achingly, carefully, and slowly stood up with the help of a nearby stand. She looked down, looking at her dressed wound. At least she wasn't bleeding all over the floor..

She took one step, moving her crutch from the stand to the wall, and carefully she let herself walk independently. It was difficult and slow at first, but she managed. She had to get out. She had to leave. If they returned.. she told herself to try to cover up the real reasoning. She couldn't face Brandon, not after what she had done to him. It felt like forever before she reached the door, nut upon opening it she found a familiar hallway. She leaned against the wall all the way down the stairs, and she listened closely. She could hear movement in the kitchen. She glanced over, seeing the stains of blood, seeing the men that lay there, dead. She had killed them. It disgusted her, death wasn't her intent...She shook her head then, slowly and carefully made her way towards the door. It was painful, the pain had spread across her body, each step felt like a stab in her side. She could feel her wound pulsing, she could feel her heart still pounding heavily. So heavily she wouldn't have been surprised if Brandon had heard it. With sure determination the walking process had been completed, she had manged to keep her whines of pain to herself, inside her head. Aeroa as silently as she could opened the door. She slowly made her way out. And as quietly as she could, closed the door. Just leaving the house seemed like a feat within itself. She could just fall over now, lay there forever. Her breathing made her chest heave, especially the long exhale she let out upon making it out of the house without being seen. She didn't belong there anymore. She knew that. He wouldn't want her there.

Aeroa couldn't think straight, she couldn't wrap her mind around everything that had happened yet. It still felt like she was dreaming. Her body shook, her strength was gone, her head was merely a weight. It was tough going, but she decided upon a place to go. Somewhere to rest. Somewhere to sort everything out. To start over. She'd have a life as a wanderer again, no longer welcome. A betrayer, a liar. She thought about losing Brandon, about the town she had grown to adore. She again swallowed her thoughts, there would be time enough for that when she got to her destination, which was the lake. She would have ran there as a tiger if she could, but that would have taken far too much strength.

It felt like forever, each step pure will power, and her body begging her to stop. It took stumbling and getting back up a few times to get there. It hurt, everything. Her thoughts, her movements, her emotions. She collapsed onto the ground near the ledge. She lay there for a bit, before carefully pulling herself together. She brought herself to lean against a tree. She painfully pulled her knees towards her chest, and wrapped her arms around them, putting her face down into them. Soft sobs could be heard. She wasn't welcome there anymore. She had no home. She had lost the man she had so quickly grown to love. Just the night before, here by the lake they had kissed. He had been her world, and now those werewolves tore he world apart. It only made anger mix with her sea of emotions. Crying hurt, breathing hurt. She didn't know what to do, laying down and giving up seemed like a good, plausible solution.
 
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Walking out of the kitchen Brandon held a pitcher of cold water as well as a few fruits precariously in his hand, he thought he'd heard the door close at the front of the house. With the recent developments he felt his body tense, not sure if it could have been the men coming back. No matter what Aeroa had hidden from him he couldn't let them find her. Whoever they were, they meant her harm... even as he sorted through his emotions he knew that he could never let them have her. Walking quickly to the front door he opened it slowly, peering into the bright sunlight as he caught a glimpse of the beauty that was Aeroa walking into the streets. She walked slowly, painfully, and carefully taking each step no matter how small.

Pain welled in Brandon's heart at the sight of Aeroa walking away from the home. Confusion wrote itself into his face as he stared at the sight before him, she was not well, obviously in pain, and yet she wanted to get away from him. Why? Did she want to protect him? Perhaps that was best, perhaps that what she really wanted, to just be away from him. And yet he couldn't accept that, he couldn't just stand by and watch her throw their affection to the side because she felt she was somehow protecting him. It didn't feel right. Not like last night, the moment that they'd shared dancing, the warmth of her hand and her head as she lay herself on his chest. The laughs that they'd shared. The look on her face as he produced a pendant for her. The way she looked, the way she smiled, the way that she walked when she was near him. All of that was real.

But it was the way she spoke, each word carefully chosen for meaning and emphasis. She didn't let anything go to waste because like him she knew what it was like to have nothing. To be on the streets, finding food where you can, being accepted or learning to be rejected. She understood that and she understood him, appreciated him like no other girl he'd ever met. Her looks were warm and inviting as if she was always happy to see him. The way she laughed was so genuine and free. Just like the nature that she loved so much... just like the night that they'd shared at the lake.

It was why he'd fallen in love with her.

Absentmindedly he'd followed her, all the way to the lake without ever realizing exact what he'd been doing. Allowing them the time to sort their thoughts, allowing time for his emotions to settle. Yet still his subconscious had thought to follow her, probably to make sure she was ok. There was a weight in his hand, pinched between his fingers there was the small brown bag of delicious chocolate. Looking at that bag and now at the lake before him he knew why he was there. He wanted to be with her, to take her mind off her troubles, even though she'd kept a part of her secret from him... it didn't really matter because to him, she was still Aeroa.

Beautiful silver hair could be seen from a curled up little ball in front of a tree, sobbing permeated the air and drew Brandon forward. Walking to her he found himself sitting down right next to her, with his back against another side of the tree. Listening to her crying he sighed and found himself in pain too. Not because he was upset about her hiding secrets from him, or that she'd killed two people, but simply because she was in pain. "Aeroa?" He said quietly, and waited for her to turn and face him. Then he smiled gently, "You forgot the chocolate that Granny Sophie brought you..." He then held the small bag of chocolate out to her. Brandon still loved her.
 
Aeroa could swear she heard footsteps. She dared not to look up. She didn't want to see who it was. Probably the man that had claimed her as a mate. Here to torture her, take her away. He had followed her, or saw her walking. No. That was unlike him. He wouldn't follow her just to torture her, he would have taken her right them upon seeing her. He would have made his presence known. He would have let her know. She couldn't guess, maybe some random followed that saw someone in distress.

Aeroa tried to make herself stop the tears, but it took a long time. Aeroa's heart was poured out in each tear. Slowly draining. She heard a familiar voice which made her freeze. Brandon's. He had followed her there. Of course... Why? Why would he have followed her there? She didn't look up for a long time. She tried to pull herself together. Tried to make it look like she hadn't been crying. Useless, she knew as he had seen and heard her. She gave herself time, time to sort out her thoughts. Slowly she lifted her head, and looked at him, he gave a small smile, and told her she forgot the chocolate Granny had given to her. Aeroa's eyes welled up with new tears. She couldn't make herself move, she couldn't take the chocolate.

"I...I-m sor-ry. I really.. really am." She said, as she tried to breathe and leave the tears behind. As she tried to force the pain away. She unconsciously let her hand fall over the dressing on her wound. She felt the cloth there that covered it. She felt the warm pounding that it made. She winced. There was no way she could explain herself. There was no way that he was here.. with her.. now. She was dreaming. Hallucinating. "I betrayed you.." Her words were soft, barely audible, her lips quivered as she spoke, her voice was weak. She had already exerted herself too much.

Why was he here? Her? To give her chocolate? To take her back? To protect her? Make sure she was safe? She couldn't rationalize it in her head. All she saw when she looked at him, and his smile was the Brandon she saw when the world was black, turning from her, brushing her off. He wasn't doing that.. "..You followed.. me here?"
 
The pain in her voice flooded his mind, emotional pain he could tell was superior to everything else. She whispered the words that she'd betrayed him and instantly his heart sunk. He'd used those words in his own mind to describe this situation and yet they seemed so harsh when she said them. He could tell that they seemed harsh to her as she said them. Like he would never be able to forget this, never be able to put these events behind him. He never would be able to. But not in the way that Aeroa was thinking. It would just take him time to adjust, however there was no way that he could simply let the days they'd spent together pass away into nothingness. Aeroa still felt for him and he still felt for her.

"Of course I followed you Aeroa," he started off becoming a little more serious then he had been with the chocolate. His voice was still soft, calm, collected, and yet his mind was still reeling as he tried to see that white Bengal tiger. He noticed she was feeling the place where she had been stabbed, he couldn't imagine the physical pain that she was in at the moment. This was all a lot for the both of them to take in. "Aeroa," he tried to begin again but just couldn't for some reason. It didn't seem right not to comfort her in some way. Wasn't that what couples did? Comfort in times of trial and pain? He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder and gently around her waist making sure that he avoided the wound as he pulled her into an embrace.

Closing his eyes he felt the same warmth, confirming to him his own feelings. "Aeroa, I still love you." He said those words slowly but meaning every one, "I can't let you walk away... no matter what's happened, I can't ignore these past few days. The affection that I felt for you and from you. It's too real, too right, for me to just forget it." A tear dropped down his own cheek as he thought about how she might never have been seen again. He was getting a second chance.

"Although I'm a little frustrated that you didn't tell me about you a little sooner," he began before pulling away just a little bit and looking into her beautiful face. Reaching up he began to brush the wetness from her soft cheeks just as he'd brushed them the night before when there were no tears. "I understand why you didn't. Seeing what I've already seen today, I still can't believe it. But whether you are human or... " he thought for a moment, trying to figure out what to call her yet he had nothing, "I'm not even sure what to call it to be honest, it doesn't matter. I fell in love with you, I'd be a fool to watch you walk away."
 
Aeroa's mind was foggy, her body throbbing, her heart forcefully pushed her blood through. Her head hurt. She just looked at Brandon as he spoke, focusing on his words. Trying to keep her mind from thinking horrible things. He was at a loss of words for a little bit. It gave them both time to think, time to reflect. Then he began talking of how he couldn't let her go. He couldn't part from her. He still loved her.. Her heart sank. How? How did he still love her? Have affection for her? How did he still care?

Aeroa saw Brandon move, she watched him. Her mind didn't let her think about it, he brought himself close to her. He wrapped his arm around her, careful of her wound, that was obvious. Her mind, and body felt numb, like it had decided that there was just too much to deal with in such a short period of time. Brandon admitted he was frustrated that she didn't tell him... Rightfully so. If he wasn't, she would have been concerned. But it didn't make her feel any better, his arm around her did. His soft words did to an extent. But she still felt horrible about everything.. He thought he would be foolish for watching her walk away. Was that true? Was she really worth that much? To him? To anyone? She watched a tear fall from his face. She felt bad. As if it had been her fault.

Aeroa didn't know how to deal with the load that had been put on her, but she knew Brandon was trying to help, and he was. He would want to know about her. Who she was. What was going on. He had seen her as a tiger, and he was still here. Aeroa shook her head. Now wasn't the time to talk about it, but he didn't know what to call her. Half the time she didn't know what to call herself, but the common name was a weretiger. Like a werewolf, but for the tiger species. Why there was more than just wolves she never knew, probably the same reason there were different races for humans. It only made sense.

Aeroa rested her head on Brandon's during the embrace. She didn't say anything. She couldn't. She didn't know what to say. There were no words for her feelings, there were no words for her pain. For the relief, for the acceptance. She was grateful, she felt cared for, but she couldn't get over what she had done. What they had done to her. Aeroa wouldn't know where to begin from.. Probably where she had ended last time they had had a conversation about the past. She would begin with her family. That's where it had started. Aeroa tried to swallow her emotions again. There was silence for some time before Aeroa could speak. Before she wanted to speak. She felt like disappearing, like just not existing anymore. But she felt some of her pain and anxiety melt away in their embrace. She tried to smile, but couldn't muster the motivation.

"Thank you...." There was a pause, it felt like forever before she continued, "I... love you too.."
 
There was a pause after Brandon had said his piece, he almost felt like he'd done something wrong but when she placed her head on his shoulder he quickly determined that she just didn't know what to say. He wouldn't have known either if he'd been in her situation. And what sort of situation was that? Having men chase after you because of some half-blooded tiger that resided within you, having fallen in love with someone in a town that she'd only come to probably a few days ago, getting hurt, and ending up back in the arms of the one that you loved. Yeah, it seemed like your run of the mill, every day scenario. He could tell she was tired, she'd walked the entire way there, it must be incredibly painful. She thanked him and then told him that she loved him, a smiled of contentment swept across his face as he bowed his head, saying a quick thank you that he hadn't lost her. He was scared to lose her now, more then he had before when it was just wandering that called her.

Brandon determined in that moment that it was probably best if he just simply took her back to the home, she would need the rest, at least for the night. And once that was done they could leave in the morning. Carefully he adjusted his hands so that the least amount of pressure would be on her wound and then picked her up. While he was no strong fighter he knew his fair share of manual labor and Aeroa's petite form was no problem. It still amazed him that somewhere inside of her was a tiger that was bigger then he was. He began the walk back to the home wanting to make sure she was comfortable the whole way.

Looking out over the city as he passed he realized what leaving with her would mean, he had never traveled outside of Gratanis before. All of the people that he knew and loved were in this town. His home was here, his business, his friends... all of it was here. As wonderful as all of those things were he began to realize that they'd never filled a hole in his heart. A little corner had been hollowed out and it seemed Aeroa had filled that corner with her warmth, her affection, and her smile. If he stayed in this city, watched Aeroa leave, he wasn't sure that hole would ever be filled. He would be incomplete. Besides, he could always return with her, perhaps they could eventually get these people off of her back. Why did the men want her anyway? It was a question for another day it seemed.

Making his way back to his home and back up to his room, the bodies in the lobby were beginning to stink. He would need to take care of them, didn't he? They entered his room, still he did not let Aeroa's feet touch the floor as he simply crawled into his bed with her still in his arms. She would need her rest, and laying down would help to not aggravate the wound any further. "Aeroa, you need to rest for a bit... your wound will heal better this way."
 
Aeroa had closed her eyes when she notice Brandon starting to move. She could tell that he was going to pick her up. She wanted to walk. She wanted to do it herself. But things were different now. He was here for her. He wanted to help. She knew that. She didn't have to. Walking would hurt. She knew that. It would be a pain. She was grateful for not having to walk. For not having to feel the torment of each step. She sighed, but it hurt. It hurt when he picked her up, but he did his best to keep it from being worse.

Brandon was careful to keep her as comfortable as possible the whole way. He cared so much for her. It made her feel special, loved, cared for. So much so it was beyond imaginable. She knew she liked him, and that he liked her, but she was reluctant to drag him into her world. Into her reality. His was far more pleasant. Far more peaceful. But the men knew where they were staying. They couldn't stay at Brandon's house. He would find new people to go with him, to capture her. Torture her. The thought made her shake. Her wound gave her a pang at the memory of them. They'd come for her again. The thought made her anxious, she didn't want to be at his house. She didn't want to be defenseless.

Brandon walked her up the stairs to the room and set her down on his bed. It was odd to think she was there an hour or two ago, just waking up from that weird dream that she had about Brandon. Her dream had been completely wrong, a simple fear. An almost insignificant fear now. Had there been any reason to suspect that he would have abandoned her? Left her? She looked at Brandon, and he told her that she needed rest. "No.. we need to leave. What if he comes back? I can't sleep. I need to be awake.." Her voice was almost scared, she couldn't help the feeling of sickness that rose to her stomach. Her body gave a small shake and she tried to breathe to calm herself. She couldn't let this get to her. The dead bodies came back to mind. She hadn't meant to kill them. But wasn't that what they were going to do to her?

Aeroa's gruesome thoughts carried her off into sleep. She was fatigued and could feel it. Her mind protested sleep, telling her she needed to be awake for survival, but her body demanded it, and won. She found herself back in the similar blackness. She was reliving the attack. She had walked into the kitchen, and she was expecting to see Brandon, and it was but then the next second it wasn't. It was the man that was trying to kill her. Jealousy. Now he would want to hurt Brandon too.. The fight played out but instead of running she saw the werewolf attack Brandon, he hadn't had his cane because he was in his own house. Supposedly safe. She tried to warn him. Dreams of similar calibers plagued her throughout the night. She would feel her side hurting even in the unconscious state. Aeroa begged it all to stop. She just wanted to be woken up.

Aeroa gasped as she sat straight-up in bed, and she instantly clinched her side as she felt the pain from her action. She winced, and gave a small whine of pain. The dressing felt as though it would need to be changed, and she looked around, trying to take in the whole of the room. Accessing for danger, or Brandon.
 
Aeroa dealt with her own protests, her body was begging for rest and it knew that she needed it more than anything else at the moment. She wouldn't want to but her wound needed to heal and it would only do so with sleep. She seemed worried, Brandon stayed by her side until he saw her breathing begin to slow and sleep take over her body. Looking down at her he felt strange, she looked so content and yet anxious. She slept but he knew she did not want to. Yet still she seemed beautiful in her sleep. He'd never watched her sleep before... it was soothing.

There was far too much for him to do however and he knew that they would no longer be able to stay in this home, they knew where it was and they probably knew his face by now. They had expected to catch him while he was at work not expecting him to return home early. Walking down to the front room he picked up his cane, knowing that he would need it desperately if they came back. Walking to his closet he found two bags, then he took them to the kitchen and filled them with as much food as he could. He went around his home and tried to find as much traveling stuff as he could, packing the bags as best he could. Not sure when he'd return.

Once he was done packing the travel sacks he went back up to his room, placing the bags at the foot of the bed on the floor he looked over at Aeroa. A concerned look was on her face but nothing more, her wound was likely paining her. Walking over to the balcony he looked out across the city, it was getting dark now. The city's nightlife would soon begin. Shops would close and people would begin to line the streets as the city became alive. It was strange, he'd never noticed it before but the city also seemed to have a double life. It was quiet, unassuming, almost docile during the day. Then in the night, as the light fell it took on a new form. Parties erupted and it seemed until the morning that the night had a personality all it's own. Not unlike a certain woman upon his bed...

That was when he heard the gasp behind him and he turned quickly to see an exasperated Aeroa sitting up in her bed, looking like she'd had a nightmare. She began looking around the room, searching for something, or someone. Her wound was paining her, it would need to be dressed again. He blushed at the thought but then shook his head. "Aeroa, I'm right here..." He walked over to her, assuming that she was looking for him. "You look like you had a nightmare, is everything alright?" Placing his cane against the bed he knelt down in front of her with a smile.
 
Aeroa noticed Brandon first, and that there was nothing to worry about. It was just a nightmare. She shook her head, taking her hand off of her wound. Then she heard Brandon's question. He asked if everything was alright, and then she saw his smile. It made her smile a little. But nothing seemed right, so then how could everything be? But she had Brandon. Out of everything else, that one thing, she knew, could make everything else better. "Yeah, it was just a nightmare." She said, looking into his eyes. His soul spoke, shined through, as it always had. Showed how much he cared, how much he loved her. She reached up and touched his cheek with the palm of her hand. She was thankful to have him with her.

"Brandon." She began. "I have to leave." She knew he would want to go, she knew he probably planned on going, but she couldn't ruin his life. She couldn't let one person change everything that was good for him. "You can't leave Granny Sophie, Chef, James, and your shop behind.. They'd miss you" The thought of him leaving them would make her feel guilty, the thought of leaving him tore her heart. "I don't want you to. I don't want you to be anywhere else..but with me.. but how could you leave all this..?" She asked. Her eyes searching his, hoping he understood.. Aeroa thought about it for a while. Aeroa didn't know what to say. She knew what she felt, "But. I love you. and I want you to be with me. I'll understand if you stay. It will hurt me, as well as you to leave, and I wouldn't want you to lose them. It may be years before we can return here.. "

Aeroa kept her palm on his cheek as she softly stroked it with her thumb. Talking to him, being with him like that, it made her forget her pain. But what would they do? "If we leave.. you should say goodbye to them.." She couldn't think about it anymore. He would be leaving his family. The ones that had taken care of him, helped him. She felt selfish, she felt guilty. She loved him, but that didn't make it right to take him from all of this.

"They'll come after us again. And.." Her voice trailed off, her mind wandered. Taking her back to the burning and destruction of her village. To the death of her family. To the recent attacks. "They always do. And.." The thought made her swallow hard.. " And.. well... as much as I don't want to take you from your family... I'm think they know who you are.. they'll come back for you. You.. you'll need to leave to be safe anyway." Aeroa felt like she had talked for forever, her emotions and thoughts taking over her mouth. There was so much to tell Brandon, to make sure that he was sure. To make sure he knew what he was getting into.. She didn't want him regretting it.
 
Aeroa had started to talk to him about leaving, telling Brandon that he shouldn't go, that there was so much more going for him here. It was far too late for that in his mind, he'd made up his decision. And as hard as it would be to leave Granny Sophie, Chef Ralph, and James behind he remembered the hole that was in his heart. To which Aeroa just fit so comfortably into. It seemed that before he could protest she was calmly stroking his cheek, just as he'd done to her during their first kiss. And the more that she spoke the more she seemed unable to accept leaving him as well. She probably felt selfish for thinking that way and yet before he could try and quell her fears she was on yet another train of thought, this one about how the ones who had attacked her probably knew him as well. It wasn't like they would just give up the chase because she had left. The damage had already been done... despite all that he'd made his decision long before.

"I know Aeroa," he finally managed to get out his smile only widening, he could tell that this entire situation was eating her up inside. It was visible on her face and yet when she saw him he'd noticed the beginning of a smile. That was proof enough to him that what he was doing was the right thing, she made him smile, laugh, and though he felt anxious and a little scared about leaving Gratanis he couldn't think of a better reason to stay. It was strange but Aeroa had such an effect on him that he found the idea of her being out there alone made him all the more anxious. Besides, as she'd stated he was probably already marked. They would be coming after him whether he stayed or went, so why not go with what made both of them happy.

He enjoyed the feeling of her soft hands on his cheek, the motion of her thumb was soothing to him. "I am coming with you Aeroa, you wouldn't be able to convince me otherwise. I want to be with you too, Aeroa." With that he turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand and rose to his feet. "Besides, I've always wanted to go on a trip. To see the world outside of Gratanis." He knew that he was being overly happy, trying to cheer her up, but it was because he was scared. He'd never known life outside of the town, on top of that he was now being hunted. Chased by being he thought were only in fairy-tales he'd heard as a kid. He loved a person that shared something in common with a tiger. There were so many unknowns that he wasn't sure what to think anymore. As he turned to look at her though, he calmed, everything for at least a moment felt right.

Smiling once more, she had affected him in a way that Brandon couldn't put words to and in a short amount of time. Sitting down next to her, "Do you think that you'll be able to walk Aeroa? We can stay here as long as we need to, but I'm fairly sure those men will be back." He walked to the foot of her bed and grabbed the two travel sacks before placing them on the side of the bed. He thought for a moment to when she'd woken up and how she'd clutched her side, he blushed lightly, "We need to change your bandage again."
 
It was reassuring to know that Brandon was going to leave, and already knew what it would mean to leave. She let her hand fall to her side when he stood up, but when he picked up the travelling sacks she gave a small laugh, "And you plan that we carry those around?" They looked they had been packed with essentials, but essentials when actually travelling became lighter and lighter until on relied fully on the land, and barely even had clothing. Aeroa knew this. She had had nothing when Brandon found her. Now she had a room, a dress, a necklace, and some clothes. She would be leaving them behind, but she hoped that she would be able to see them again in the future.

Brandon mentioned about her walking, and cleaning her bandage. "Yeah, I can walk. I even managed yesterday.." She gave it some thought, remembering how much it had hurt, but he couldn't carry her all the time, and she had rested so things would hopefully feel better. "Yeah, we do need to change it." She gave a small smile, seeing the pink flush into Brandon's cheeks. Aeroa thought about it, how it would hurt, and probably bleed. She could already feel the stinging pain that would come from cleaning it. She knew the wound would need to be treated as well, cleaned. It would scar. It would be the mark of those men. Almost like the necklace at the festival. She would never be able to rid them from herself from then on. She shook her head, she was Brandon's, that was more permanent the mark in her opinion.

Aeroa slowly made her way down to the edge of the bed, with the travel supplies. She lifted the side of her shirt to reveal the dressed wound. She could see the redness that had seeped through. It almost made her sick to look at it. Stirring up the thoughts of the fight. She was almost happy that it would be difficult for her to do it herself. She didn't want to. And thus she was glad Brandon was willing to. He seemed to have been taking care of her often, since day one.
 
Aeroa seemed quite casual about lifting up her shirt to him, she was comfortable with him and he respected that. She didn't show anything to him, it just seemed odd for him to see so much of Aeroa's skin. The wound was deep and would likely trouble her for more than a week, already he saw that the wound had opened up once more. The blood seeping through the bandage a little bit, he was used to this, blood. It had been a regular occurrence on the streets of Gratanis. "I'll be right back." he told her as he moved over to the bathing room, taking a large bowl he filled it with water and got a clean rag.

He returned to where she was, grabbing a knife from his desk he knelt down in front of her. Looking up at her he smiled, "Also what were we supposed to carry around? I filled them full of food and things that we might need, I know it's not a lot, but... you must understand," He almost began to cut the bandages but stopped himself because of the laugh that was coming on. "I've never left the city. You've got a lot to teach me." It was then that he realized just how much she had to teach him. About what her true origins were, where these men came from that were chasing her, what she was exactly, and if she'd been born this way. Cutting into the bandages he began to peel the cloth from her body slowly. The wound was deep and began to bleed more as he removed the bandages, smiling he dipped the rag into the warm water and began to clean the wound. Taking his time and making sure to do a good job he cleaned the wound as best he was able. Pausing when she winced but working effectively. Very soon he had her wrapped back up.

Finishing he walked back to the bathing room to dispose of the bloody water and clean the knife that he'd used. Looking around he thought about when he'd first gotten the house, how the rooms had gleamed. It was interesting to finally have the ability to take a bath whenever he'd wanted. Warm water to clean himself. That had been a dreamed of luxury to the dirty little boy he'd been on the street. He wouldn't be able to return for some time, he would be in Aeroa's world. Walking back into the room he looked around, "Are you ready to go, Aeroa?" He said, surprising himself with how calm he seemed about the situation. With Aeroa around, he didn't feel like the world could be all that bad.
 
Aeroa watched as Brandon was careful, and swift with his bandaging. Her wound began to bleed again, which was of no surprise to her. She watched his hands moving, and how he was very easy with it. His cleaning and bandaging made her wince here and there, it was a major pain, but she was careful only to show it when she couldn't hold it in anymore. She knew she needed to be still as possible as he cleaned. Brandon, taking care of her, what a man she had found. He was great.. And she almost lost him. Almost left. Almost didn't see him again..

"Well, we'll need food, but that can be found out in the wilderness, a caught fish, a hunted deer, fruits, berries, nuts, things of the sort.." She gave a small pause, "I understand, I went from my world to your world.. one which was difficult to get used to, and now you're making the transition to mine.." She thought about it and then continued, "Learning the way of life is easy, natural.. all too natural." She winced again as she watched him finish up. A nice fresh bandage.. "We'll need more of these...wound dressings aren't found in the wild... not ones like these at least." She looked around... it would be the last she would see of this place.. at least for a long while.

"Yes.. I'm ready." She picked up her bag, not all of the supplies would be necessary, and they would be a pain to carry around, but she figured Brandon would need them to help him transition. She walked downstairs carefully and slowly making sure to take her time with her wound to get used to each step. When she got to the door she held it, and looked back at Brandon.. "Is there anything you want to do first? Say goodbye? Visit?" She looked into his eyes. Wandering... she was about to be out wandering the wilderness with Brandon, something she figured would never happen. The city-boy, going to become like her. She was extremely grateful she wasn't returning to the forest alone, though it would be peculiar. Having someone to look out for. Having someone around when the animals weren't enough to quench the lonely feelings.
 
Brandon nodded his head in understanding, it would be a tough transition for him. But he was glad to have an expert on his side, besides. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't thought of doing this at least a few times. There was something in him, something deep down, almost primal that told him he was meant to be in the wild. Catching his own food, making a life for himself, becoming one with nature. Not living in a town of luxury. It was strange to finally have such a thought on the forefront of his mind, though it didn't ease his anxiousness. How was it that Aeroa could be so calm about all of this?

Gathering the things she'd requested which was mostly just all of the bandages that he had in his home. He kept a small supply on hand but had never accounted for two people before. There might be a stand open in the market, someone, a doctor perhaps that had decided to work late. It wasn't entirely uncommon to have need of medical supplies during the evenings. Walking down the stairs he could tell that it was hard for Aeroa, he couldn't imagine what pain she had to be in with that wound. Shouldering his own pack she asked him if there was anything he'd like to do first, to visit before they left. "Let's go to my shop, there is something that I want to see before we go... and I can write notes to everyone before we leave. I don't want to stay much longer and have them figure out about my friends."

This really was strange for him, he'd only ever thought this coldly when he was on the streets. Taking everything logically because he had too. It was almost like this house, now behind them, meant nothing. On the inside he could still be the homeless orphan child that he'd always been. Aeroa had changed slightly too it seemed, she was kind, but this logical side of her. This confidence that she seemed to exude, it all seemed strange from how she'd been when he met her for the first time. He wondered what part he played in that.

Sure enough there had been a doctor open, where he purchased a few more basic medical supplies. They then went to his shop, which seemed eerily quiet. Walking into the shop he smiled, touching the desk, the paintings, all of the hours that he'd spent in this place. He remembered all of his fond memories and how this shop had given him all of his dream. Then he looked over at Aeroa, at least the material dreams, he then smiled. "Sorry, just... reminiscing a bit." Walking to the back room where James had told him to come after the shop had closed the day before. James would be sad that he'd left, but he knew that James would be able to get by without him.

Looking into the back room he lit a lamp and illuminated the room, there in the center was a large painting. When Brandon saw it his mouth just stood agape at it's beauty. There was a beautifully painted piece of time, suspended in all of it's color and emotion. If Brandon could have picture a moment where he looked at Aeroa and his perspective changed upon her it would have been that. It was them, when they were in the shop, the early morning light filtering in. Aeroa looked even more beautiful standing there. The look in their eyes, James had worked hard on that. There was a small note, Brandon picked the piece of paper up.

To Brandon and Aeroa, this is 'A Moment' one that I hope you two will treasure for your lives. Thank you Brandon for all that you've done.
-James
 
Aeroa watched him, there was something new about Brandon, she could barely place it. It was probably the transition starting to get to him. She almost felt sad that she had done this to him, dragged him into her life, but at the same time, she was grateful. She was happy, rejoicing in his companionship, their love. For Aeroa, this was simply going back to the way of life that she had always had. It would be normal, things would be more comfortable at 'home.' The forest was her home, the great wilderness, the outdoors. The animals. She'd have Brandon with her, and that would make everything different. Without the underlying despair caused by the werewolves, things were pretty great for Aeroa.

Aeroa stood quietly as Brandon grabbed the supplies she asked for, and then she heard him speak. He wanted to go to his shop, and that made her smile. She wasn't sure why, but she knew he probably couldn't leave, and completely abandon everyone, without at least leaving a note. For the most part, there was only very little talking. And it made Aeroa feel like things weren't going well. She felt compelled to talk, about something, anything. She couldn't help but to wonder if their travels would be the same way. Feeling compelled to talk.

They went into the town to get a few medical supplies, those would really be necessary.. Aeroa almost laughed, what was he going to do with all of his money? Surely, there would be no use for it out where they were going... He could use it in little villages they ran across, but typically it would just be more weight to carry around. When they finally made it to Brandon's shop Aeroa walked in and stood at the door. She figured he would want some time. She watched as he touched the desks and the paintings. She saw the smile on his face. "No, I'm sorry. For taking you from this place.. We can come back one day. I promise." Aeroa followed him when he walked into the back room.

When a lamp was lit, there was a large painting that could be seen in the room. Aeroa brought up a hand to cover her mouth, James had drew a picture of them together. He captured each color beautifully, masterfully. It was as if she was looking back in time, in third person. Watching herself and Brandon, she could almost see the movements they were about to make. Reliving the memory. Aeroa smiled. It was beautiful. Aeroa peaked over Brandon's shoulder as he picked up the note from James, she silently read it. "Oh.. Brandon..He did that.. for you? It's amazing." She felt the need to thank James, show him her gratitude. She would treasure that moment, and each one she had spent with Brandon, they were all wonderful.

It made Aeroa realize, these people weren't just Brandon's family, they were hers too. She would miss them, not as much as Brandon, that would be impossible, but she would miss them all the same. She was saying goodbye to them too. "Brandon.. when you write the notes, could you say bye for me as well?"
 
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