♥️

After an uneventful but relaxing two days of recovery from the birthday bonfire I'm lying next to Aiden in our bed. The master bedroom is gorgeous, much like the entire cabin.

But this room has a touch to it that I can tell was Aiden's doing. I'm not sure how he pulled off an industrial modern look to mix with the rich woods of the cabin, but he did. A California King sized bed fitted with black silk sheets sits flush against the wall.

From my angle, with my head on his chest looking down; my eyes trace over his defined V. But past his perfectly tanned skin is the large windows that adorn the walls, it doesn't feel like we're trapped in a safe house. It just feels like... home.

By the way Aiden has been recovering his business, getting everything handed back to him. -Luckily, no one knew of his 'death' so things were up and running per usual. - I can tell he's enjoying the relaxation with me but... is the city where he wants to be when things sort back?

How can things ever go back to the way they were when we're being chased by faceless ghost?

To stray from my nightmarish thoughts, I circle the ink on Aiden's chest with the tips of my fingers, landing on my favorite of his. It's a a smaller piece. A bird sits on a branch, similar to the dark raven on his arm but this seems like a happier tattoo even though it's black and white, like all of his tattoos.. Assuming it's a female bird, she sits on a small twig with her baby beside her.

Aiden flinches from my touch, I abruptly move my wandering hand. My eyes shoot to his, they're wide. After a deep breath, he moves my hand back to it and I continue to trace the outline.

A long silence lays between us before he speaks, "It's for my mom." He admits in a quiet tone, I figured as much but I wanted him to tell me whenever he felt the time was right, if ever. I don't want him to ever feel pushed by me to open up. It should come naturally and with patience and time... it will.

"It's my favorite one." I tell him, continuing to trace my fingers around his ink.

"It's my first tattoo. She would always sing to me, so I got a songbird." He shrugs, pulling me flush against him.

"It's beautiful Aiden."

My hands Aimlessly graze his body, passing over the untold stories on his skin. "I want one." I tell him, looking up and into his emerald eyes.

With a cocked brow he says, "A bird?"

A laugh escapes my lips, "No, a tattoo." I reply.

"Fuck no." he says, surprising me.

I lift slightly off of him to get a better view. It's dark outside but the small lamp we have on cast a golden hue, I gesture around his body. "You're covered in them."

"It's different." His fingers trail my blank canvassed skin, his eyes looking over me. "You don't need to cover up your body"

Tilting my head to the side I ask, "Is that what you're doing?"

One nod, "In a way, yes."

I sit beside him, Indian style. Waiting to learn anything he wants to tell me, "Well tell me about them."

He begins to point around his body, smiling at some and frowning at others as he explains them. "This one," He smiles, "I got with Ricky, it was a dare and it's fucking stupid but it's one of my favorites." I follow his finger and can't hold back the giggles that ensue when I look closely.

On his ribs is an intricate design, twisted vines creep up his rib cage, inside of the vines are thorn stems without the roses. It all twist and twirls in a haunting manner. At the end of his finger, near the bottom and hidden beneath the tangled vines sits a little smiley face.

"Don't laugh." He playfully warns me with a cocked brow.

"How have I never noticed that?" It's hidden so well, in the middle of a labyrinth almost.

"The artist hid it well, but I'll never cover it."

My mind can't focus on the smiley face. More so the art around it is where my focus is, it would almost remind me of my mom and her love of flowers, but this work is dark, literally twisted. Why would he get that?

"Why the thorns? Why not add the roses?"

"You see the size of the smiley, maybe a nickel would cover it? The tattoo was just too happy for my liking; that's why he chose it." He looks away, in thought. "I wouldn't remove it, Ricky is my most trusted friend and I don't know." He shrugs, "I wanted something closer to my actual personality than that."

"So you think your personality is that dark and twisted?"

No answer.

Changing the subject, "Do you want anymore?" I ask.

"Yeah, when I drew the design for the vines..." The second the words come from his lips he visibly draws back, like he just told me his darkest secret. I smile, leaning forward slightly.

"Drew?"

He thinks for a moment, rubbing a long hand over his face, "Yes, I draw sometimes." He admits, hesitantly.

I bring my face closer to his skin, admiring the work. "It's so intricate, the detail is perfect."

"It's just the artist, they're really good and..." He's doubting himself; I want to see his drawings.

With a bright and hopeful smile I look to him, "Can I see the drawing of the new one you want?"

"Maybe some other time." His voice is clipped.

Biting my lip, "Well if it's a tattoo you're going to get, won't I see it on you all the time?"

He gives me a dramatic eye roll, "I've never shown anyone this I don't even know why I blurted it out like that."

Scooting closer, I place my hand on his face. "Aiden, it's because you trust me. Let me in baby." My voice cracks, let me in so I can face the nightmares with you, is what I want to say.

His lip twirls between his teeth, finally he says, "It's under the bed. My side."

After grabbing the leather-bound binder, I slowly flip through the pages and he pulls it in his hands, shaking his head and bypassing half of the sketches. I catch a glimpse of a portrait... of me. He's being so open I don't want to pester him, hopefully he shows me later. He's made so much progress tonight, if only I could get him to talk to me about Italy.

"Here." He says, handing the book back to me. I smile at what's on the paper. A solitary yellow rose.

The detail is stunning, even a few droplets of water lay against the delicate petals. My mouth hangs slightly open at this secret I never knew about him. "It's beautiful." And it's for me.

I hold back tears as he continues, "I wanted to get it here." He points to the top of his dark tangled web of rose stems. "And I drew this one for you, so you'd have an exact replica to hang up or whatever."

"That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."

He blushes which makes me smile. I've never seen his cheeks get red. "I wanted to get it because one of my favorite things is brining you a single rose, the way your face lights up." He smiles, a genuine, full dimpled smile. "It's my favorite thing to see, that smile." Leaning in, he cups my chin with his fingers pulling me towards him for a kiss. After he pulls away, I note his change in demeanor, more serious. "Also, out of respect for your father, since he started that tradition and raised such an amazing human. I hope that's okay."

I throw my arms around him, careful to not hurt the paper. "Of course it's okay! It's perfect!" I pull back, a little hesitant. "But if you break up with me-"

Cutting me off a deep laugh escapes his chest; his eyes soften when he drinks me in. "Emilia, all of the times you bring this up it's always if I left you. I don't know what world you're living in but here in reality." He smiles, "The one who should be leaving is you, I carry to much danger and destruction around with me." I'll help you carry it, Aiden.

"And if you did leave me." He looks down, then back up through thick batted lashes. "I wouldn't allow it. There is nowhere else for you, besides with me. End of fucking story." I love it when he goes all caveman style for me. A thoughtful smile rises on his face, "I'm sorry if that sounds fucking crazy, but I just couldn't bear to be apart from you Em." Breaking the tension, I jump in his lap and kiss him all over.

When we take a breath, I look around the room once, then nod my head, "okay let's go!" I exclaim.

With a laugh, "It's midnight Emilia."

"So?" I say.

"We need guards."

"Get Leo." I offer, he growls. "Howard?" I counter, he thinks for a moment and then shakes his head. But he is considering it, I need to work fast.

"No, let's just sneak out. I'm sick of hiding out, it's midnight and we're in the middle of nowhere let's just go!"

Grabbing his chin he thinks, "I could fly my artist out here, or there is a local one I've used for a few of mine when I visited the cabin. I'm sure he would do a house call."

Slightly sitting higher, I shake my head, "No one knows where we are. We've been stuck in this cabin for weeks; I've heard your security detail talking, I know we're safe here." I need to go on a date with him desperately, we've been surrounded by a million people and I just want it to be us. This will have to do... as long as he agrees.

He throws his head back, "Fine."

♥️

See y'all Sunday!

With such crazy circumstances in their lives right now, what are your theories on what they're going to do about staying in the safe house?