I felt my heart breaking in half, being patched together, then splitting apart all over again.
6
Poppy
My heart swelled.Viol followed me. He could’ve stayed in the kitchen, or gone back to his room. But the fact that he followed me proved he cared.
I wiped the residual tears on my sleeves, then smiled at him. He looked like a deer in headlights—except grumpier, and clutching a steaming mug that said #1 NEW DADDY on it. I chuckled at the text.
“W-what?” Viol asked, furrowing his brow.
I pointed at the mug. His eyes dropped to read it. Then his cheeks flushed.
“I just grabbed a random mug, I didn’t know it had words on it,” he grumbled rapidly. “I didn’t even want coffee...”
My smile widened. “For someone who didn’t want coffee, you sure spent a lot of time making it.”
Viol’s cheeks turned deeper pink. He looked like he wanted to toss the entire mug over his shoulder and be rid of it. “I was—I dunno, I was thinking, okay?” he blurted. “Anyway, what’re you doing over here? You should be in the kitchen, sitting with your friends, eating breakfast or whatever.”
He tripped over his words more than usual. Was he nervous?
It was difficult to admit why I’d left. In the moment my emotions had overwhelmed me, but now I felt like I’d overreacted. Maybe Violhadjust been taking a long time. I should’ve given him the benefit of the doubt.
“I thought... you were ignoring me,” I murmured.
Viol winced. He stared into his mug. “I was. I didn’t know how to talk to you.”
I tilted my head. “But you’re doing it right now.”
He huffed, running a hand through the back of his hair. “Yeah, I know. It’s complicated.”
I frowned, guilty that I’d caused trouble for him. I hadn’t meant to.
“Should I go back to the hotel?” I offered.
“No,” Viol said urgently. “Your friends invited you and all, so don’t leave.”
Questions swirled in my mind. If Alaric and Taylor hadn’t invited me, would Viol ask me to go back? Was their request the only reason he let me stay?
I sighed. I wished we could talk without me spiralling into doubt...
Suddenly, I felt a brief, warm touch on my shoulder. Viol gave me a quick pat, then withdrew his hand as quickly as he’d made contact.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “You just surprised me, is all. It’s fine for you to be here, okay?”
His words were choppy and rough around the edges, but his intent was genuine. He wouldn’t go out of his way to reassure me if he didn’t mean it.
“Okay,” I said, a small smile tugging at my mouth.
Viol blinked, then angled his head towards the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s go eat whatever the fuck Crimson’s cooking up.”
I pulled myself off the couch and followed him. The ice-cold tension that had sealed my heart since last night slowly dissolved like spring meltwater. I could finally take a real breath.
In the few seconds it took us to reach the kitchen, I drew my gaze down Viol’s back. His hair was long again, flowing down in dark purple tendrils that brushed his collarbones. The old leather jacket that hugged his broad shoulders continued to age gracefully, worn but well-loved. Even the saunter of his hips was familiar. Like we’d never been apart.
I caught myself before I got too emotional.
Taylor and Alaric brightened when they saw me walk in. I smiled and sat between them again, comforted by their combined presence. Nobody commented on Viol’s return, probably because he’d hate the attention. He wordlessly hopped onto a bar stool across from me and propped his elbows on the counter, fidgeting with his mug. He still hadn’t taken a single sip of coffee.
