Eight months.
He couldn't believe that it'd been eight months already.
Eight months since his entire world had been flipped. Thrown into this uncontrollable chaos. And, strangely enough, he was okay with it.
It had been at one of Dres Van's numerous parties. He'd just exchanged several words with Prince Joshua and his princess. Joshua's princess. Not Leonardo's.
The thought hurt. That she'd never belong to him. Never look at him the way she so easily looked at Joshua.
He excused himself before rushing out of the ballroom.
He needed air. Needed to be able to breath without feeling like his chest was being crushed from the inside out.
It was during his 'escape' that he'd met her. They'd run into each other, literally. Her small body had practically bounced off of his large frame; and, instinctively, he'd reached for her. Held her to keep her from tumbling to the ground.
She'd apologized profusely. Her cheeks were tinged pink and brown eyes unnaturally wide.
Apology after apology fell from her lips, but all he could do was stare. He couldn't move at all.
She was beautiful.
Intimidatingly so.
But, she continued to babble, completely unaware of his gawking.
When she finally did stop talking, her face resembled that of a ripe tomato.
And he might have laughed at how clearly flustered she was or had made a comment at her obvious embarrassment; but before he could utter a single word, she looked up at him.
That one innocent look from her was all it took, and his fate was sealed. Their eyes met, and he knew in that moment that he was done for. Every carefully constructed wall. Every barrier that was meant to protect him. They all came crashing down in a such a way that even til this day, he couldn't wrap his head around how she'd done it. And the fact that it was completely unintentional made him even more confused.
How could he, a prince of a country, become completely enamored all at the hands of this clumsy petite woman?
Looking back at it all, he frowns at how he had first treated her. What he had so desperately craved for: love, attention, adoration. It was all there. What he'd always wanted, she was so eager to give. To him and only him.
And, if he was being honest with himself, he'd been terrified. Absolutely terrified.
What if she'd become just one more thing that he desired but couldn't have? What if she truly got to know him? Unmasked him, with all of his insecurities bare for her prying eyes, and then didn't like what she saw?
So, he'd shoved her away. He couldn't risk it. Couldn't risk the possibility of a negative outcome. Even at the expense of his own happiness. The risk was simply too great.
He did everything he could think of to run her off.
And yet, despite all of his attempts, she was relentless.
In the face of her diligence, all of his tries were futile. She refused to give into his unvoiced demands. He pushed her away, and she pulled back with equal force.
And the more he got to know her, he realized that she was truly beautiful. In every sense of the word. The way she could see the good in people, see the good in him, still shocked him.
Because some way, unbeknownst to him, she'd found a way to love him; and deep down, he knew that he didn't deserve her.
He'd even told her that; and much to his chagrin, she'd chided him on his absurdity.
He chuckles to himself at the not so distant memory, the amused laughter coming out louder than he'd expected. The sound echoes throughout the room causing the sleeping woman in his arms to jump slightly.
His arms tighten around her, and she snuggles against his chest. The action brings a smile to his face. He was grinning like an idiot, but he didn't care.
Because when he was with her, trivial things like appearance didn't matter. When she looked at him, she didn't see Leonardo Prince of Nerwan. She saw just plain Leonardo, with all of his insecurities and defects. But despite all of his numerous faults, she loved him unconditionally.
And this fact only strengthened his resolve. He wanted to be a better person. To let go of all bitter resentment that he'd held inside for so long. And when he caught a glimpse of her adoring face, looking at him with the love that he'd desperately craved for so long; he realized that it wasn't impossible. He could do it.
For her. And only her.
"Leo," she mumbles, completely breaking him from his thoughts.
"Yes?" was his immediate answer. He was so eager to please her; she could ask him for the moon, and he'd do everything in his power to get it for her.
But, it was silly to think like that, he concluded. She wasn't hard to please. She only desired one thing.
All of him.
He chuckled again. Silly girl. He'd given all of himself to her a long time ago. He was hers. Completely.
Save for the initial whisper of his name, she hadn't spoken anything else. He was beginning to believe that she'd just been sleep talking. This thought brought another grin to his face. Because even in her sleep, she still thought of him.
She shifts slightly, "I love you," those three simple words are whispered, sending his heart into overdrive. It plagued him to no end, that this woman could effect him so dramatically.
"I love you, too," and with his response she sighed, absolutely content.
He began to run his fingers through her hair, lulling her back to sleep, while he studied her facial features.
"You're so beautiful," he murmurs, unintentionally. The spoken confession shocked him; he hadn't meant to say it aloud.
She blinks up at him, eyes hooded and smiling slightly; and he could feel the way his face flushed in response to her gaze.
She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, rubbing the pad of her thumb lovingly across it; and he leaned into her caress.
"You are such a dork," were her next words, a giggle interlacing each syllable.
He leaned forward, catching her lips in tender kiss. "But, I'm your dork, though," was his breathy reply, as if it were a secret between the two of them.
"Always."