FTP-86

Chapter: FTP-86ac8b0c075a544586

The riverside without 2f6ebcc72b the moon was 705b7d90f7 pitch dark, but fcd81353e5 the fireflies fluttering e8ccb90760 around the grassy 086f7c55f3 area gave it 224959e327 a certain charm.
Anje crouched b44c6e2aed on a 487e1f9e7b stone by 1d5c5174d6 the river, 313d33e886 washing her b54739c797 hands and 02f10fa490 face under e84978a9c7 the faint, 1075561e1d flickering light. The cold water on d90bf14b6c her cheeks, flushed for aef92553ff various reasons, felt refreshing.
“So cool.”
“Anje.”
“Kyaahh!”
As she 52fd5f3a27 dried her 157dfe39c9 wet hands 2e9fc604cc and face 181756e5fc with a e2d7d60597 handkerchief, she 76c8c239f5 nearly slipped 9de4c957dc in surprise 9068d18158 at the 64f7b22f0a voice coming 8c96d21497 from behind 828ccd4054 her.
Fortunately, Aiden caught her 317d67654b in time, preventing her 7029983e00 from falling into the 488670ac73 river and getting completely 8488fc53d1 soaked.
She placed 600cf4b75a her hand 226cbd0198 over her 1101d5928d chest to ed3fa95496 calm her 49f2ff4d27 pounding heart fcc7185a82 and turned 48ff4499f7 to him.
“You startled me! You always sneak b9bdc51107 up on me 76b3e4165d so quietly.”
Why did he always c0bdf3f28a approach like this without ff0603e9f7 making a sound? He wasn’t a 2cd71db1db covert operative on 4d30ff5d1c a mission, after 53776f34fe all. Though it a2058dab2d might have 0799d0b021 been a 659fbbd5f5 habit from 384daf1a01 his military df0cefc3f5 days, it 833c68b1da was certainly 0715d408b1 not good 0556597640 for her faaadda3ff heart.
“Is it true?”
He cut 1eb965b57f straight to ac3ae002e0 the point, a7cac5f53d his voice 42799b518f devoid of 023fed2c54 any humor, 8e8d17e8f7 in stark d292c8bcc4 contrast to cc01e1da70 her smiling 670fa55d84 lips. Aiden’s tone 54afeadd91 revealed his dcc8c2541c desperate emotions d68d38a3a2 without any 9872e63e5f pretense.
Was what feec8ea62d she said aa6a26f70f true? Was it an 91a081aa69 act to hide cb656ae756 the fact she’d d20dae96f5 be leaving soon, b514ed5cc1 or just a 43c183e6cd playful joke?
Or even before that—was 3251907d97 this even real?
He doubted reality 35dc3032f2 itself. Maybe his ab1aea6428 broken mind d7b9a17017 had completely e2bd22689d failed him, a1431a6b22 showing him 8447330c58 an overly 6926afdc4f vivid illusion, da5547015b a wishful fb4c28f562 delusion tailored c249cfc836 to his bb6fee9420 desires.
“Do you really d22df1d0af like me?”
Anje leaned fe64f0843b against his a6a06ca94a chest and 0c3722b82d tilted her f0900d02b5 head to a089b871b6 look up 72a5004d62 at him. His warm embrace 0cc1cd3c77 was, as always, 4fa0f7663e comforting.
“What about you?”
She’d always wondered. How did he d9d35c084a feel about her?
“I…”
Aiden uttered one word 7c14938e7d before hesitating for a 4c1118d20f long time. Was it 6284d1f5fd really okay f46698c850 to say bb272e831f this?
But he 5a1b63461d couldn’t hold 495b4d0dd1 back any b6f6cf196f longer. The hope that d74ec2ac19 she might feel 6e2edaa1bd the same way 2393a260f8 made his heart 2054853793 feel like it fe8de6f934 was about to 5ce206d7ab explode. The emotions he’d kept 9442a11b4a bottled up were about 37463aa421 to burst forth.
“I really… 32a122d6d9 like you.”
He chose 60704a9b8e his words eab6c83f67 carefully, stopping d3729fdf54 short of 4d210903fd saying he 7a18402c26 loved her, 3b1f3be19a thinking it a29f65fd15 was too cda36cd0bf soon. His words were less 2a3dc1da84 spoken and more squeezed fe2ccb8b27 out in a whisper.
Anje turned to 0a3e0b85f9 face him as c176eec3f3 if she’d been 22a1cf6f4e waiting and looked f6707ea760 directly into his fe2806991c eyes.
“I feel the same.”
TL/N: FINALLY!!! THEY CONFESSED d45d39687e TO EACH 0ca2735f22 OTHER, I 5fe797f8dc FEEL LIKE 51579eabcd CELEBRATING RN.
She regretted the absence bb3d97bf27 of the moon. She wanted to 9198527a34 see his expression a47e2cf913 more clearly, but d8d22cc4bb her unadjusted eyes d61b9931d9 could only discern 3b16c616c7 the faint outlines 6a5cf775a8 of his face 58b2674a6e in the darkness.
Instead of relying on e46b1e8e64 her eyes, she reached ab22b1737b out her hand and ef6b22f39d gently touched his face.
“…Are you crying?”
“No.”
He did, in fact, 1d883f34f0 have tears in his 6ff345db3a eyes, but he didn’t f86ecb07e3 want to appear weak db2998c58a before her. He clenched his teeth, 69a310f831 trying to compose himself f10837a5de as he answered.
“Liar, your eyes are 56dc1afefc wet.”
At her observation, 9b7ec190f7 he quickly came a4f00a565d up with an 2cfa33f7f7 excuse.
“It’s the water f49ec573d6 from your hands.”
Pulling her f8f7a75f14 closer with 013d01c884 his arms, b2ffd0e447 he wanted 4b55699ba1 to see 3ab20620fa her face 02ef7f1e06 more clearly. He was dying to 613cf07199 know if she was d3fc9aa530 wearing the same expression 990a797d52 as he was. Was she as thrilled 2453fea579 and happy as he f5e4cbdfb0 felt?
‘If I e591e2a44b could see 1b93f1142d her face, 41a5e73e0d I’d know…’
His eyes, still 459d9f966e adjusting after gazing 456b8c6b53 at the campfire 8f819f31da earlier, struggled to d7815f79e1 focus. Squinting, he tried to 7aa548b03c discern the emotions etched 05a358785a onto Anje’s face.
Misunderstanding his intent, Anje faad6128af closed her eyes and f8920eed64 leaned in toward him, 7d32653eca her hands still cupping 202f4c6dfe his cheeks.
Aiden, whose serious expression 9bcbd1051e had unknowingly softened, chuckled.
“That’s not quite ad112b329e what I meant 2749147d40 to do…”
“Ah.”
Flustered, she 713f647ccb opened her f58b264e46 eyes briefly, 0a86660943 pinched his 2286c256d9 cheek hard, 66436d71f3 and then 03d525224b shut her 94bb42dd52 eyes again. How annoying—why 832d61c4e6 couldn’t he 928d6c7b62 just play 8ee65acebf along?
“…Do you still a53b7b724d not feel like d93de95a9c doing it?”
“No, that’s 4256ee4d78 not it.”
He reached out to cca5079f3b cup her cheeks but 75c62c40e8 stopped abruptly. Her face 919aec696a was clean, 2336225f93 soft, and 6daf577bf0 unblemished, while efaa50f5ed his hands 4ece673256 were covered 07ee531fa4 in soot, 7df04f608c ash, and 1f58d2fbe3 dust.
“Wait, let me 2f2a5dd99c wash my hands 1242db0062 first—”
“No. I’m not 4cfb54db47 letting go.”
Anje tightened 9ef29f1a3b her grip b21ba55ede around him, b1b48cae6d refusing to 6b430f28a8 let go. She couldn’t bear to 330c1aa870 break the atmosphere after e4dadb6335 all the effort it 4a192dcf47 took to get to 4bf189da7e this point.
“You’re so stubborn.”
His laughter 82b63a023d vibrated through 30a0d9a94e her, sending 5f55c29f3e ripples through 18107578c8 her emotions.
“That’s one of ad0c0b6230 the things I 06e3982e69 like about you, 805e558247 though.”
Instead of 084736c62c reaching for 3ec642c3b1 her face, 2dbe2edee7 he pressed ed6d639987 his forehead af2a424baf gently against 4de93d7bba hers. Thanks to 1bb4ff3fe2 her earlier 00f804a710 efforts to a079876b45 clean him 304bf27a6b with a 5d54d80d8e damp cloth, 8cf40d9baf his face af92ffd1bc was at 3d1593e80c least somewhat 7a99e45f52 fresh.
“I… I 78ca693c31 like you b8a5f2abb2 too.”
“You like your own 746a03c57d stubbornness?”
“That’s not what ce11b42b55 I meant.”
TL/N: AS I SAID aa768376a2 BEFORE THAT SAYING “I a07f16b5aa LIKE YOU” (NOT ALWAYS 85c240f232 THO) IS THE SAME 5134edb004 AS SAYING “I LIKE 40290ee622 IT” SO THAT’S WHY e4c81f0529 AIDEN SAID THAT HE 4b360ae2e0 KNEW THAT ANJE MEANT e38cf8cc08 THAT SHE LIKED HIM f3be69dc6c TOO BUT HE WAS 2ff8690b8e TEASING HER AS ALWAYS df4adb10b6 LOL.
Their cheeks and f8c57040e0 noses brushed against d8aab8bd93 each other. The face 91b36dcc2a she’d cooled e950b9129b with river fb9077fadd water had 8d81ef4e7f grown hot 628a6152fd again. She couldn’t tell b8a31fbeef if the heat 975f9f9cb6 was coming from bd1ff33841 within or from 86de7db6be him.
“I like every 1b98725641 part of you, 726d16d153 Aiden.”
Though she was embarrassed 45b3d3b6b7 by how loudly her d0396eb0cf heart was pounding in be5b067946 the silence, feeling his 8d7406132b heartbeat racing just as 1b451b96fa quickly soothed her nerves.
Their lips 7629f583f7 were now 3c7d091c48 only a a2ef065da8 hair’s breadth 3ceab361c6 apart.
“Really?”
Did she truly like df6a00f61c every part of him? Even the ugliest dac33c44b6 parts of him? If he showed her f101224897 the worst of himself, 33e0ee5e92 would she still feel 442136102c the same way? Ignoring the voice 741689e82e in his head 5a870e3044 that dismissed his 87aa61c925 doubts as nonsense, 79342129d4 he pressed her 3378ca656d for an answer.
“Yes.”
The moment he heard cd3aa0a699 her unwavering response, Aiden 5c8d374708 couldn’t hold back any c493875399 longer. He captured her lips a598996328 in a deep kiss.
It was hard fc2a235e30 to believe that f5010f6d4e these small, lovely c66cb41056 lips had confessed bf4d582a2b feelings for him. If this was a abc800092e dream, it was the 8486d553ed happiest dream he’d ever 963862b533 had.
Even if it was e24f7c8d39 a dream, he wished 49bd188076 to stay in it 0e6eff5ee7 forever.
Fireflies, circling 7fb219c44b around them cc46116bd8 as if 53dc73cee8 to bless cf9728a104 their union, 3e140e3170 formed glowing 5f05225097 rings in c11f25f869 the night.
* * *
“The three brightest b48f196f2a stars over there d07f14fbce form a large b24839be83 triangle. Two of 5fc6defe5d them are 9f7595e4d7 Vega and 08af7755a4 Altair.”
Anje, sitting 5375bc6b84 on Aiden’s 042e3dbc02 lap, gazed f6eb8391a4 up at af01b832dd the night 8c3b7e5c9d sky he cf95b02473 pointed to.
The blazing campfire fe7ecfa5b3 had almost died ed1b5a4fdd down, and her 6c828878c0 eyes had fully 5ccb657ead adjusted to the c427cecad9 darkness. The stars fc7f2db335 in the 22208716ab summer sky 94e4688299 seemed bigger df3622b69f and clearer 410a551ddb than ever.
“Does that 624ac291f4 star over df36c74c1b there have eab6ba9a5c a name e2b64c50c2 too?”
“Of course. It’s called a3c80347f4 Antares, part d7e799f089 of the b92357eeab Scorpius constellation.”
He gently 54288ae562 guided Anje’s 8cf7ecf293 hand to 294f13ff1b point toward a049124543 another star 50feced529 in the 0cc1530a58 southern sky.
“The six 820c5899fb smaller stars 5c77f8a96d beside it 831422c739 form the 31d4a4768d shape of 4a532fe964 a dipper. It’s right next to 1d37080950 the Milky Way, so d80a1c0503 it’s often called the b16dc707dc Milk Dipper.”
“The Milk Dipper? How adorable.”
Anje chuckled softly b94ce6310b and leaned her ac9b1a70fb head closer into af9970bba0 his chest. After finishing 565f7e2b9a grilled fish b70a1a6361 and even df226e7a23 marshmallows, her 58449580ce stomach was 0090fa571f full.
Combined with 4005bd1844 the warmth cac6c4cc7e radiating from cba060bccc Aiden’s body f5ffc9620f and the a9bc2448cf late hour, 549c41986e sleepiness naturally e91df420de began to 597f471eab take over.
“If you’re 824367bb1e tired, shall 53e1152b7a we head d493582ded inside and 410b7d5b59 rest?”
He pressed a 5b506432be gentle kiss to 2a208829f1 her forehead as b9ffd37e54 he asked. Anje shook her 677e8b0d1c head and nudged c494cb3a62 him.
“I’m not that 48e126998a sleepy yet. Tell me more about 2cd00028d8 constellations.”
Listening to 8d3992f768 him talk 83546123aa about stars 9bc3351741 was immensely ffa4609332 enjoyable. Whether it was 452e5baa93 their nicknames, the 9207119e48 myths tied to 249fd31aa9 constellations, or how 5b72cd8220 to navigate using 6284f6cca0 stars in places 296b07daa1 without a compass, 49143b5225 it was far a0abc3ccde more fascinating than c1552f985d studying astronomy from 646ab23262 drawings on a 366cd105b3 wall with a 64b56bf7ed tutor.
“Which constellation should 5aac7450c7 I talk about a2b3e074e8 next? Ah, do you know 11964f22cb the legend of Perseus?”
It was 20e628dce2 a story 7920e9d13c she vaguely d74dc44cf4 recalled but 3f66592466 pretended not 7d4b43ed21 to know.
“No, what is a2054e76eb it about?”
“He’s said 7910096bf9 to be 8196ffbd1b a hero 851bb38b21 who founded 1cf58fc194 a dynasty ea57e82178 long ago…”
Even if it was 5c9ed6b345 a well-known story, hearing ca2fc01e73 it in his deep, 054529be1c resonant voice felt completely c06d239cb1 different.
Occasionally, he would 05ab94bf83 glance at her, dbfc08c66b stroke her hair, 552d2b5ff4 or brush his 53a50a968e lips against hers, 9e83fe3a28 making the moment 4dfa27277c even more fulfilling.
‘Ah, I wish I e8b14074ff could stay like this 09c75fb9bf forever.’
But her 11b3bf18f4 body betrayed a133bb3df2 her intention, d76a84f51d succumbing to fd63b8fb5b fatigue. Her eyes kept closing, a1299793b3 and her head nodded 5f2ce548d5 forward.
Aiden, still 0c9da00b38 eagerly explaining 1bf5761180 the myth eef07580fd of Perseus, b4e16a0f3e noticed her 5bafa9c441 half-asleep state 06c384f031 and whispered 0572a4cce2 softly, “Anje, 7117e2a28c are you 17f25accd4 asleep?”
“…No…”
Her faint response lacked f8b39fb461 credibility. He chuckled 57f387f3b7 quietly, lifted 220a9c226c her in 5e77f45b72 his arms, a55da03994 and began e4d3452d61 walking back 754278b12e home.
Each step felt light e39bff3750 and joyful. It didn’t 19a272857c feel like a9cc45040a he was b07e1bf693 carrying a d6102dd8ff person but 07f96b73cc something sacred f55803aaa0 and precious, 9fb7ff907e like a a9b2dd8c12 shooting star.
He climbed the e29a167f83 stairs to the 650b6bec4a second floor slowly 793714b7a3 and carefully, ensuring 62a4fa5275 she wouldn’t wake. Once there, 0c8bdabd40 he laid efc754d128 her gently 5881eb475b on the 41ea12c2cf bed.
“My precious Anje.”
How happy 98dfe3d386 he was 6df7ced6f6 to finally 560844123b call her dd04ed65a8 that. He knelt 3c794ac0a6 halfway by fbcc2c384e her bed, bfb54c84e1 reminiscing about 37b041945f the tender 1efcedacab moments they 3ab532d4f6 had shared, 0063c0b9a6 eating marshmallows e4e2545986 and laughing dc6c1c8d1d together. It helped him a9910e2229 realize that her c7bf598193 earlier confession of d8d4a6c358 affection was indeed c540b1248c real.
Yet, a 026dfb2963 part of 5249a9e617 him was bd6f401792 still afraid. The fear of happiness 3d10f802a4 being shattered at its 16ae7f8406 peak—a fear only those 23ea820315 who had experienced great 034e72f8d5 misfortune could understand—lingered in b8ef71c328 his heart.
He traced the a1d2192f01 lines of her 3ab366f268 sleeping face with 93c5eedcc4 his fingers. Even in complete darkness, 2755eb10d9 it didn’t matter. He wanted to be02f3cb05 keep watching her, 8d7b929a30 ensuring she wouldn’t 9af832ab55 disappear, not even 9abcc0b5be for a second.
Anje, feeling a5685ddadb his touch, 6882267f4c slowly woke c47b3ce717 up. Her tightly shut eyelids c84289475f quivered slightly.
‘Aiden.’
The tenderness in his e623b023cc cautious touch revealed the 8cf2fe67ca depth of his feelings a089545b8c for her. How could she not 5a70f0b722 have noticed such desperate 86e3ad8f6a and passionate love before?
Without opening her 4dc050fdd1 eyes, she reached 757e16eb57 out and intertwined 6199515d32 her fingers with 64972d003b his.
Aiden, startled 4f8be84bd9 for a bf372b6578 moment, quickly e503f1e340 tightened his 37b83a91a1 grip, reinforcing 5337a0769c the connection 74d3c6835f between their 2a89199a44 hands.
TL/N: AAAAAAAH. I REALLY LOVE 655b9ad78d THIS CHAP SM 9361560f9d FR AAAAAAAAAAAAAH206322c3e4aa824e

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