<3 Married At First Sight </3

Leonidas squeezed her fingers gently. "Thank you for being understanding," he murmured. "Some things are just a little too difficult to have to talk about."

---

Paige looked up at him quietly, posture and expression close to that of something frightened, something that would bolt at a moment's notice. However, she took in a deep breath, scrubbed her eyes to rub away the tears and then took his hand with her free hand, trembling as she straightened back up to stand. She kept her shoulders hunched and head down, standing almost as far from him as their held hands allowed, as if afraid he wouldn't want her closer.

"I don't expect you to completely open up to me and talk to me about everything right away. If and whenever you want to talk about it we can." She answered smiling softly at him as she headed towards their rooms so they could get their things.


At first he let this happen but as they got to their rooms he softly tugged on her hand as if telling her to get closer.

"Thank you." Leonidas exhaled softly. "I know how curiosity can feel and I am ever so grateful that you don't seem the type to fall back on to it at the slightest notion of the unknown. It's rather refreshing." He tugged her hand to his mouth, kissing the back of it gently before letting their hands swing back down between them.

---

Paige looked up at him nervously and then shuffled a few steps closer, barely stopping herself from flinching when she accidentally bumped his shoulder with hers before putting space between then again, though less distance than before.

She gave him a bright smile. "Sometimes I can overstep the boundry when I get curious but that has always gotten me into some form of trouble. I've learned a lot from my mistakes." Amber let his hand go when they reached her room so she could go inside and gather her things.


"Hey it's alright. Trust yourself." He urged her gently squeezing her hand.

Leonidas stayed out of the room, used to not entering without permission. He examined the bite in his thumb, still bleeding but more sluggishly now, and softly asked, "Do you require my help in carrying anything, Amber?"

---

Paige looked down, pursing her lips and then admitted, "I'm just scared is all. That's all it is."

Amber giggled shaking her head as she laid out a first aid kit. "No that's alright but you may come inside and I'll clean up your hand."


"Being scared is normal. We all get scared and to have the other side of you upset about something that's not exactly in your control probably doesn't help none I'm sure."

"Then, with your permission, please excuse my entry." Leonidas ducked his head formally as he walked in and, after a moment, joined her where she was. Almost automatically, since he knew Hester had sensitive senses, he let the small snake curl around his other wrist, so he wouldn't be affected by any antiseptics used.

---

"I'm not scared of things like that. I'm scared that the people closest to me in my life will suddenly realise I'm dangerous and a liability and leave me just like so many others have." Her hand tightened just a fraction around his and then loosened again.

Amber watched him closely taking notice to how caring he was of Hester. When the snake was settled she took hold of his hand and began gently wiping the blood away before cleaning the bite with some anticeptic.


"Understood. I don't see it like that however being what I am I guess."

Leonidas watched her actions with a calm expression, as his hand didn't even pain him. She may have noticed some faint scars on his hand though, others that looked like bites and the rest just thin lines, sharp neat cuts long healed.

---

"I wish I took after dad and that I was born human," Paige muttered bitterly and then winced, reaching to rub the back of her neck and letting her eyes go downcast.

Her touch was soft and gently one you might take with a child. She had noticed the scar but didn't mention it at all focusing solely on cleaning him up. Since she had it all cleaned she put a bandage over it.


"But you weren't. You were born you and that's how it is. Try to see the good in it no matter how small it may seem to you."

"Hester is still young," Leonidas murmured. "He is easily startled, and animals are more sensitive than we are while human. I'm sorry that you have to do this."

---

"I turn into a six ton thing that scares ninety nine percent of people I come across. It's hard to see the good side sometimes."

"There's always time when a good side doesn't seem possible but if one just looks a bit harder it's there."


"Don't be sorry it wasn't your fault nor Hester's. I'm only glad that you're alright." She smiled softly putting everything away.

"Mm. It's just a little hard to see when you're afraid you'll wake up one day to a body you've put there." Paige shrugged weakly. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I've had to kill in self defence, I'm not about to let someone kill me for the bragging rights, but I'm just worried one day there'll be someone hurt or killed by me who didn't deserve it."

---

"It's hardly the worst injury I've had, and it's hardly the biggest bite I've received from an animal," Leonidas replied, smiling softly. "I would have been content to leave it as it is, but I'm glad you cared to think otherwise."

Amber smiled warmly. "I suppose that's the soft side of her peeking through."


"Sometimes it's not always in your control but I know what you mean."

"Mm, I suppose it is." Leonidas examined the bandage quietly and shivered slightly at the same time Hester's head popped out from under his shirt collar, the snake having coiled it's way up his arm.

---

"You know," Paige began quietly, watching her feet. "It's not too late for you to decide you don't want to risk this. I wouldn't blame you, and despite what Gale says, he wouldn't either. I'd understand completely if this isn't what you were expecting, or what you wanted."

Amber lightly brushed her thumb against the bandage before grabbing her things and looking at him. "Do we need to go to get your things."


"Honestly I don't know what I expected. However I know I'm not backing out already before we even try."

Genvieve just nodded subtly in response to that.

---

(( Tif - The other day I had to watch The Wrestler for my Uni course and it reminded me of Jay xD ))

((Haha awesome! You wanna start new on here?))

(( Sure, want to go from just after Jay's mothers funeral?

If I'm slow it's because I have to read this play. Well, I have to read two plays technically >.< ))

((Yeah that's fine. It's okay I've been slow all day))


Jayson headed back to the car in silence seeming not to even notice that he was soaking wet from the pouring rain in which he stood in during the funeral.

"Hey, hey, we don't have to head back just yet. Come on, lets stand a little bit." Rosalin whispered, catching his hand and bringing him closer. Lifting her hand up to rest on his cheek.

He stared at her blankly for a long moment in silence. Slowly he took hold of her hand and walked back to the gravesite.

She walked so close to his side that they constantly had physical contact. Her grip on his hand as tight as it could be.

When they reached the freshly dug grave plot he dropped her hand to wrap an arm around her shoulders resting his head against hers.

She shook her head, taking his hand and guiding him to the stone. Slowly crouching down beside it and pulling him beside her. Guiding his hand to rest on the stone as she wrapped her arm around him to hold him.