Creatures of the Dark

"A bakery, a random bakery... they do these fruit pies that I adore. They were struggling for money to start up, so I invested to help them."

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"I just don't want to lose you..."

He looked to her, gently resting a hand on her cheek. "My darling, you won't."
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Belle nodded. "Tell me about it?"

"That is all there is too it. I really like their fruit pies, sickeningly sweet." He chuckled. "Berries are like my kryptonite."

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Alessia leant towards his hand, letting her eyes close as she took in a deep breath. "I don't want you to lose anyone else, either. Anymore friends..."

"I'm always yours Alessia, no matter who I have around me, if you want me you just have to call me."
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SHe smiled softly. "I have a friend back home, she runs a bakery too." She told him. "Cupcakes are mine."

"I want to come with you this time... I don't want you doing it without me."

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"Ah, interesting." Arden hummed, resting his cheek against his palm as he watched her. "They're too heavy for me. Never sit right in my stomach."

She nodded. "I'd like to see your favourite bakery." She told him, looking to him.
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"And who will watch the kids?" He asked.

"I - I don't know... your parents, my dad... Stefan. Anyone..."

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"Why?" Arden asked with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't like the thught of you out there." He tol her truthfully. "But I couldn't stop you."
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"I like pie." She told him. "And I'm interested and it imight up their profit."

"I..." Alessia began, though shook her head. "Fine... fine, I'll stay. It just - you better come home."

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"You're very strange, little wolf." He chuckled.

"Please don't call me Little Wolf." She whispered, her mood dropping a little, even her wolf went low, before her wolf tried to lift her mood again. "You could always visit my favourite bakery."
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"Always." He promised.

"Why do you believe that our journey here will continue? We'll all be allowed to leave soon. Go our seperate ways."

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"Good."

She shrugged. "You never know...We could bump into each other again."
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He smiledsoftly kissing her head.

"Is that something you want?"

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"When is this going to be happening? When are you leaving?"

"Nothing has been confirmed yet, but once it is I will let you know."
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SHe thought of it for a minute before she nodded. "Personally, I think you're fun and nice to talk to...So Yeah I guess I would."

Alessia nodded, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around to pull him into a hug. Her chin resting against his shoulder

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"Fun..." He grimaced, shaking his head in disagreement.

She smiled softly. "What makes you think that you're not fun?"
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He wrapped his arm around her pulling her into him.

"I just know."

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Alessia gently stroked the hair on the back of his head as she kept the embrace, making no moves to pull away. Gaze fixed ahead, at the doorway as she thought.

"WHat are you thinking about?" He asked after a while.
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She raised her eyebrow as she looked to him. "Would you like me to tell you why?"

"You.. just you." .

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"I don't know, I am worried what you'll say." He chuckled. "Worried how wrong you have got me."

"Anything in partcular?"
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She smiled softly. "Well, the guy I have met these past few days, is a guy who can keep calm in a crisis and he is able to take alost wolf under his wing and share stories that are fascinating." She told him. "When you helped those children, you were able to make them laugh and smile and forget that we were stranded." She continued. "And you...Well you mae me laugh for the first time in a while."

"I was just doing my job, that was all." He whispered, turning his head into his palm to yawn. "It isn't maintainable, not something I can keep up. None of it comes naturally."

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"Nothing important, nothing you need to know."

“Sometimes it’s not just a job.” She reminded him. “For example you didn’t need to spend all this time with me, you could have told me to go away. I enjoy talking to you and hearing about your home and your favourite bakery.”
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He raised an eyebrow. “I’m curious.” He told her playfully

"Nothing. Really."

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"I did, you're obviously.. struggling today, for whatever reason."

She raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”
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“Alright babe.”

Alessia playfully flicked his nose as she leant back from the embrace. Echoing quietly, "Babe... It has been a while since you called me something so normal."

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"To want my company."