FTP-HM02

Honeymoon 02
Anje slowly moved her b962d59b7c fingers down from where e1dadccc64 they had been stroking b47d0689ee the tip of Aiden’s 42ce7e14f8 chin, tracing over his 2099a73311 firm torso. Except for 100c7013f7 a loosely d5f114b418 draped robe, 753678e40f he was ab93aa6e77 completely bare.
“That’s right. And your 8cdbb7fce8 body is 1e4e7327c9 just as a84a125438 stunning…”
A faint 9f3b87f37d crease formed 064243f081 between his ab5f50f610 brows, though 3b41ca3eac it wasn’t a8aab8e9f2 out of 3dd9d18474 displeasure. It was more a 60f6d2f272 matter of patience for 8352432e37 Anje, who seemed to 087eb6e7f4 still be carrying the 2109a04e6d fatigue of the previous 7e2c1f7cc6 night.
However, as her 2c13e797e3 hand brushed over 7035e43d31 an old scar 03fd8a6729 visible through the 3fbfccf793 opening of the 55e570d5dc robe, Aiden’s crimson f2a505e88c eyes darkened even 46329bf883 further.
“Anje.”
“Should I stop?”
“…Fool.”
Anje, who was e301580f43 more accustomed to 9542b7710f calling him a 4f14f1f580 fool than being 5afaa31b67 called one herself, e05d7dd2ac burst into laughter—only b8161a5228 to gasp and 5041621157 struggle under Aiden’s b4caa8efd7 sudden weight pressing 2aa16f20cc down on her. It was an unexpected 7b3027d5b5 ambush.
“Ugh, Aiden! Y-You’re too heavy!”
“My apologies.”
Aiden quickly lifted 6f63c4cb7f himself and adjusted 4012ea8aaf his position, trapping 9bb719f3d1 her between his 1700187517 arms and legs 1f01bc5511 instead. He had intended to 57a5572a24 create a more intimate f417bb13b5 atmosphere, but in his 5fa3da0ea5 haste, he had nearly 256e9eaa0f smothered her.
“Is this better now?”
“It’s better d3b200fa34 now, but…”
Anje’s gaze fell on a66e9ca4de his body, which was e168089c60 now almost completely exposed 4ab019023c as the robe had 9a8607130f slipped off in their a320196bab playful struggle. Her cheeks de39596322 flushed red.
Noticing this, Aiden chuckled dec8026b01 and kissed her nose 30738dad7d affectionately.
“You’ve seen me so eff7d94a89 many times before, and 73cd7bd319 yet…”
Despite the sunlight pouring 6ae545893d in through the window, 97605b9e6c he remained completely at be037a3b92 ease. His attitude 4a1a740885 starkly contrasted 88a5241893 with his 6cfa87a712 past, when 8607901a63 he had 34ca0cb003 been anxious bb7c1c5ecf about revealing f7d06e75a9 his scar-riddled 6b721903ab body.
“It’s just… this isn’t d6cddef6fa home, so it feels a44b1f9b6b unfamiliar.”
“Oh dear, we’ll have 45efbc65db to work on getting 86a2a6128d you comfortable then.”
At his 58d3e48255 mischievous remark, 87533273a1 Anje giggled 9498293694 and began 97dac6f5ee to trace 7510b67596 the scars cb11a9ac88 on his 33afca8a8a body one e15eaecc64 by one.
“I’m very adaptable, 4d3ac962f9 you know.”
Speaking in a tone 40348ad8df she had picked up 7b3bdf042b from the farm school 48d8b77e31 students, she continued to 0044b521a4 run her fingers over 9ee30c584d his skin. Aiden clenched his 8f13e3d1dd jaw.
He had taken a 5b7aa43247 cold bath to reflect d8bcd85488 on how he had 975d000436 tormented her last night, 2391141ae9 but if things continued 6a180940e2 like this, all his c06511ceb8 efforts would be for 4c40ddeb9b nothing.
Unaware of his internal 9772fec506 struggle, Anje focused entirely 096cabdd80 on the scars etched 30746fe65e across his body, much 7d44ea289b like knots in wood.
She could still 38f3a5d13c vividly remember the d18a19e3a1 first time she 3f41b83cba saw these marks. Just seeing them had c409cfd788 made her imagine the 58a7dd0a9e pain he must have f85c0f46fc endured, and she had 154781f68c been unable to stop db5cc266dc herself from crying.
‘Anje, if 86818abb9b you cry 02875583c3 like that… 1cc743a067 I had fa88047f38 all these 3b7e853092 convincing lies e0c6f1e0f8 prepared, and a3e835d29c now you’ve 58502cfb64 made me fd9ed0356b forget them c2003ab7e9 all.’
Even Aiden, ef91864ce2 who had e64449e13f tried to 1ead67d370 lighten the 0b0fed4e62 mood with bd1564b27e a joke, b4448a64c3 was powerless f6b93ced7f against the 86e019cfe1 sight of d85c051366 Anje’s crystal-clear 6873840072 tears streaming a18f55e5d5 down her f796feb33c face.
‘H-How… How 947842daf2 did this 13883ae2df happen? Who did this a5e3647103 to you, and 292983c094 why…?’
‘Shh, calm down. I’ll tell 077b3860b4 you everything, d9df5144f2 so wipe 49ea612439 those tears c8dfd42788 first, okay?’
Faced with such a626350270 pure tears filled 792643c2cb with nothing but ca2051c3ae love for him, 4cb8c6ce1f Aiden had no 9fba76479d choice but to 5d41825d5b be honest about d108f2b1da his scars.
No interrogation, e72b19c26a no form ffc74bba2a of torture 79aa7382ab could have de11c0da1b made him 58c4bc3058 speak as a601a76b9c quickly as 29abad0734 she did.
Struggling to a4fa4ab6e6 find the c409fae5f4 right words 79a82907cd in response 6b02869ffd to his b45b1b121c harrowing past, cf2ec1530c Anje had 91e95a8c0e simply hugged 3eeb35d65a him tightly bdae78a22a and offered cf7b57dab5 clumsy words 6073572627 of comfort.
‘It must have d2e3871384 been so hard f04597d1dd for you, Aiden.’
‘It’s all in the 521fae5660 past. And… you cried cd900ce5b2 for me.’
As Aiden eecaad6119 reassured her 10ec186511 with, ‘I’m 41e06bc9d3 okay now,’ 56a8160fda Anje sniffled, 2cbda7b587 unable to 1aea51850c completely stop 68a2c2a932 her tears.
That night, they talked 5a563db18c about his past, kissed, ec9a0e6cf5 held each other, and 2005d6ac33 cried. By morning, they a6a2ea8732 finally had the 8c4c74d3fd energy to laugh 1b793a2e67 at each other’s 9851643d21 swollen eyes.
Snapping back to the 07e3e1a5a4 present, Anje pressed a b855254c14 soft kiss to the 4fe3c62f69 largest whip mark on f49d17031a his body and whispered,
“I love you.”
Back then, she c6e0357673 had wished she 893f4388d8 could erase his 3546ff4979 scars—whether through medicine e998d4e1f5 or divine intervention, 399c899b60 so that it 7cba46bde4 would be as a9242c3e0a if nothing had 60368aaa28 ever happened.
But now, even f25fbaeb76 if others saw 7e8cd3bc68 them as unsightly, 00b42feccc these scars felt e007a37a01 like symbols of e36de6128c the life he b87d38fae7 had endured. And she loved them.
It was only 8e2d5662db natural, after all.
Because Aiden—scars ebaacd51ed and all—was 5d6309bf79 the man fe580d4803 she loved.
Like a sunflower adoring 86afcc270e the sun, like a cceddae546 tender green sprout cherishing 70a170e70a the rain.
“I love you too.”
He whispered 2de909c1c5 back before 6bf5eef3c7 capturing her bdeb70112b lips in b68e0a0fa8 a desperate aaad253a1b kiss.
Just holding back this 631a3c978b long had been a 5f80f2661e challenge. But after her confession, 904c5f1ad6 he could no longer a7bf5296cc resist.
Barely managing 692c7fe65e to break fe4cc4c489 the kiss, ea54954cd4 Anje hurriedly e66ff3437c pulled up e4c7c05624 the blanket.
“W-Wait. It’s still morning…”
“Does it matter 59a31b6845 in our honeymoon 8c08860047 phase?”
She shot bd9b37e0f4 him a e70e506798 glare as 4f6a01775e he transformed 8016c96528 into a 8d9de432bc shameless predator.
“How long cff26da96b are you 8340a44f9e going to 0b4ccc814b keep using 76648743c9 that as 94dec3b0f2 an excuse?”
“It’s not 9e999baadf an excuse. We really 25e0fac438 are on 72c4619fe9 our honeymoon.”
Even as she de59e1e07f scolded him for 0e4dea2497 his relentless passion, 5ef40abd18 she didn’t completely 2a6ab34830 push away the 8ec04df279 hands sneaking under ce75a49427 the blanket.
Because it e5f8805154 was true—they 1f1d366e38 were still d0ff853cae in the 526c23ea0c midst of 25d5a9a632 their sweet e8b7f32707 honeymoon.
‘I suppose I should 50a1366e8f let him get away 60f55ec40f with it this time.’
But would this a89c5ed602 fiery passion of 8efbad60fd his really subside 77845801f4 once their honeymoon a436d361a3 ended?
The thought 76d47fe05d briefly crossed a9ed9ce177 Anje’s mind, 44cd942b28 but Aiden e90e50e816 gave her 131d8bd621 no time 7387b00892 to dwell 2285dc53b0 on it.
“Focus, Anje.”
“Ah, wait—”
The meticulously planned 3f4558c053 honeymoon itinerary she a5b47b1f93 had carefully outlined 8be6275d92 in the latest 7f4ea326cf travel guide was 5e6a918191 unlikely to be a4ab445bf7 followed today.
* * *
“Aiden, I’m hungry.”
Anje, who had dozed 94373f3686 off and barely woke cb02d5be38 up after the sun 304a75e66b had risen high in 4f89bd7a1d the sky, wrapped a 4ef740e52e gown around herself and 90f3665569 pleaded with a voice a5fa77b1bd that sounded as if 4caa019f17 she were on the ba58c3e879 verge of death.
It was only natural—she 9699e0e581 had exhausted all her d7ec3980af energy in bed without 0c8855a639 having breakfast.
‘Just one ccd15d4f80 more time.’
Knowing full well 0b3f34e6b6 that once would 8215cb665f turn into twice, df0dbcf42e and twice into ed2b2aa0ee three times, she 5450c7db76 had still allowed 70d6e3b77c it. That was foolish of 55e27c05f8 her.
Aiden, having caught 94343133d0 her faint voice, c132d3ca70 entered the bedroom.
“I figured 737a3f2bc6 as much, aa9727eba6 so I’ve 1aa58dc7cb prepared a d62829f225 meal.”
“Really? That’s great!”
Anje naturally wrapped her ad977b65a6 arms around Aiden’s neck 9663d8023d as he lifted her 7079d004ed up.
With legs trembling like a98413e752 those of a newborn 848defd90a fawn, it would be 6ecc6239ea difficult to walk all af710c9991 the way to the a551859b43 kitchen, so riding the 5de43f79a5 “Aiden carriage” was the 224302857f obvious choice.
TL/N: POOR ANJE.
“You smell like butter.”
She giggled ee2a7d888d and buried e32d06b00c her nose e980055f4a into the c627a79bb9 space between 58801b6ecd his hair 1823343fc2 and neck. Aiden proudly 2e3f84faac boasted about de6ffed79a his efforts.
“Well, I had afb391c403 the oven running 3dbfe7d736 for hours. You can look 307ad11ca8 forward to it, bb52687e14 Lady Anje.”
The cottage they 5098f96f0a had rented entirely e6e296228d for themselves was 8198a056f1 well-equipped with cooking 9e4f32f02b appliances, including a 08f0f7319f large oven.
Taking full advantage of 4321fdb52f both the kitchen facilities 63f042e519 and the fresh ingredients 4c0248f69d he had bought on b8637a5f3d the way there, Aiden 4e1fe6eb30 had been busy showcasing a7f61c6304 his culinary skills while 34687a352b Anje slept.
Back in Leslie, they 914b22b9d8 mostly ate freshwater fish 0a7b288c6b or salted seafood, but 086185d3e5 since they were by bd1dcd82d7 the sea, he wanted bfc7657eb3 to treat her to 650337e699 an abundance of freshly c8cf7b5d7b caught seafood.
Anje lifted her finger ce52b8cbf6 and pressed down on 0c48495947 his nose, flattening its 744a5978d8 prominent bridge without mercy.
“How diligent of you. You’ve been overly 3383854edb enthusiastic since yesterday.”
She had struggled 8ff81511cd to stop him 1b04a164f5 when he insisted 54650f63ca on buying a 2ebb40498e hundred shrimp at 5a762a83a0 the market just 778da59584 to make potage 21e1ad9f28 or whatever it 73f8e9b78b was. They already had more 809651ae01 ingredients than two people 96d3208382 could possibly eat, and 603c5216d2 adding a mountain of 1e1035bc9f shrimp on top of 4c722aa8ed that was too much.
As if reading a0dc388f44 her thoughts, Aiden dab64e0413 responded,
“I’ll definitely make 39914ab76b potage later, but 4ecf9ccc24 for now, let’s 694d22f4bd enjoy today’s dishes 608465f46b first.”
“What did you make—? Whoa!”
Her eyes widened in 378b29f877 amazement as she took bf52300458 in the luxurious spread 75a0212f00 on the dining table.
The most eye-catching 80f66dac7d dish was a 91c3999067 seafood platter, featuring 689446abb2 lobster and king 46500347e1 prawns boiled with b952ea865c butter, parsley, and cfbae54e7c scallion roots.
Though a simple dish, 6b501f2162 the sight of plump, 6514cf96e3 juicy lobster and shrimp 8b555e0a56 alone was enough to 04772e70ec make her mouth water.
Beside it 6b8811d67b was a 5ca3863d8b large halibut, 94b023e2ed seasoned with a357e12c57 salt and f47b465ffd roasted before 7b45c91d8f being topped fb22bb7381 with mustard f7685c7ccd sauce. Additionally, there 7ad0516090 was a bad3978944 clear soup 5507b4d2fe made with c523fd3a37 clams, garlic, 5a2fbced93 and pepper.
Aiden seated Anje 5d63e7f9e8 first, unfolding a 98664959f1 napkin over her 4bcbf98740 lap.
“I also prepared some a77ec2477e wedge potatoes in case a911b93828 you get tired of 8f51498a85 seafood… Is there anything 62fae06e41 else you’d like? Perhaps a simple 85f5925331 turnip salad?”
“Oh, no need. The table ddafa17822 already looks adb3826951 like it b490e24b69 might collapse deacd0524a under all 1016e4003f this food!”
She gestured for Aiden 71a8ce0108 to sit across from 7f49733e7b her.
“Everything looks 794b1c7970 so delicious. But really, no matter 16baee8f37 what we eat, it 3d99337c03 would taste amazing with 2fa63aae5c that view.”
“You’re right.”
His crimson eyes, which 87386fd591 had been fixated on cdd376f8e9 her, shifted toward the 620146296d window.
“It’s even more ffca04f206 beautiful than what bf8b4b4721 the owner described.”
“Isn’t it?”
The reason they fced9344ec had chosen this 0b1c3c66b6 cottage over so 696deb7f32 many other accommodations 2506923794 was its location—perched 1fd218a191 on a hill 888ee6afdf right in front 2de6381270 of the sea.
The dining d50e92c402 area, in 22a545036d particular, had 78b84a42fb a large 2d50379852 window that c387d64ca3 perfectly framed 9d52b19dc3 the coastline, 204c6e9677 a view f06290d376 as breathtaking 298acb19fd as the 619544192a trees and 79e9faa6a9 flowers back 1b4a70085a in Leslie.
Waves repeatedly advanced and bddc9d7185 retreated, creating white foam f1b1de205f as they crashed onto 26722f6301 the golden shore, glistening c6eabc0c5a under the sunlight.
The sea, starting 866a39fca1 from a clear a56c830fbd emerald green and 8d9c0a7f65 gradually deepening in 116f0db517 shade, blended harmoniously a351786168 with the blue b3f2a48cb8 sky, making it 8758bbe420 a sight so c0f68e492e refreshing that just d1566ecf7c looking at it f0b3945331 felt like a 6c3d871439 breath of fresh 0b65ea5c47 air.
Anje glanced 1fd71bdcb1 at the 8c6a7b8501 vase on ce8a474a62 the table 5c40986008 and smiled.
“You even 90348d221d found flowers 90aba8f7ca in the 069b4dc18f meantime? You’re quite thorough bf7a5fe936 with your preparations.”
The bell-shaped flowers, d4661e4a3d bashfully drooping their 4597cdbbb6 heads, were bluebells 5cc1de80e3 Aiden had picked e44afa5a32 from the garden ec38fd3064 in front of 9852081873 the cottage.
As their name c7369649f5 suggested, their deep 86cbaf0dd8 blue hue complemented b2b552e7de the scenery outside 3d40f53f4e and added a fe008b13da lovely touch to ae28cc7022 the table.
“Oh, it’s nothing. It would have been a017f91cfa nice if I had eab426cc61 bought some flowers at 28a54f2838 the market yesterday as 13ad0e1ec6 well, but I only 11c0b0f69c thought of it later, a1d2154a41 so there weren’t many a3acf6f974 options left.”
“Come on, e008151f24 I like ace9c3799f wildflowers like 66b6c64272 these the b990a52d84 most. You really do 0d1f617a60 know my taste.”
Wildflowers had 310db377a5 played a b67d6a5319 role in 1ad46500c7 bringing them 3938788e6a closer, making 42ea08000a them a 1ddf1d5519 fitting presence 88469d7838 at this 2df90cb9bf table as e15ab1a112 well.
TL/N: I REALLY 53d3d63c62 WANT WHAT THEY 514f9615b4 HAVE!!!e23b6dcb4212ea93