p class="MsoNormal"It was a cold spring morning as Natalia slowly strolled down a cobblestone path, admiring the rows of shops along the path. She hadn't adventured out over the past week and half after falling into a saddening depression over some news she had heard./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Natalia," A person called, pulling her from her daydream. She looked up and saw Alfred standing five feet from her. She felt her chest tighten, she hadn't wanted to see anyone she knew, knowing they would ask her how she was feeling or ask her about her newly engaged brother. She let out a soft sigh as she formed the words she wanted to speak./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Morning," she hesitantly replied, feeling a mix of emotion well up within her heart. "How are you, Alfred?" She had hoped this interaction would be cut short so that she could carry on with the thoughts inside of her mind./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm alright, but…how are you?" Alfred reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her closer to him. She could smell the sharp cologne he was wearing, it smelled of oak and roses. It reminded her of a masculine figure with a gentle touch. She could only frown as she looked at Alfred's hand on her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I-I am fine. You do not need to ask me how I am. I am always fine." She curtly replied to him, a bitterness in her tone as she spewed her reply to him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Nat-" He felt Natalia yank her wrist away from him grip before turning on her heel, ready to flee from him. "Natalia!" Alfred spoke up, halting Natalia's escape from him. "Ivan is getting married. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I knew about her for a long time, I just…I'm sorry I never told you and that you found out the way you did." He yanked her wrist once more and spun her around, pulling her into his chest. The wind blew gently, slightly freezing Natalia's core, but she didn't seem to mind as Alfred's warmth surrounded her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAlfred picked up her curved chin and stared into her cold, emotionless eyes. His hand moving to caress her soft, ivory face. He leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips. Her eyes were wide as she attempted to make sense of what was happening./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span'He-he's kissing me. A-A-Alfred's kissing me?' Natalia thought to herself as she felt his warm touch and melted into it. She felt her knees begin to buckle when Alfred placed his hand into the small of her back, pulling her closer into him. He parted her smooth lips and slipped in his moist tongue, taking advantage over the fact Natalia wasn't on the verge of murdering him with the blade he felt on her waistband. He pulled back an extended amount of time, but he hated breaking their connection as he pulled back for a breath of air. Natalia stood in front of him, frozen in confusion as what had happened./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Natalia, I know you are hurting. I know what you are going through and how much you need someone to support you in this time of need." Alfred got down on one knee as he grabbed her hand, running his thumb over the palm of her hand./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I know what you need because I know you better than anyone else. You don't have to forget how you loved him, he is after all your first love, but please, be opened to letting me love you." He brought her hand to his lips and gently pecked it before looking up at her face, she had tears in her eyes and a crimson blush racing across her ivory cheeks. He felt a few tears from on to her hand before she slipped it away from his grip and dropped to her knees./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I HATE YOU!" She screamed loudly, punching his chest before gripping it tightly in her fists. "You knew he was seeing someone. You knew where it was heading. AND YOU KEPT IT ALL FROM ME!" She began sobbing loudly, tears freely dripping from her steely blue eyes. Alfred only sighed as he pulled her closer and let her cry into his chest./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I'm a selfish bastard, and I'm sorry I kept it from you, but he would have never loved you in the way you wanted him to." The painful words cut deeper into Natalia's heart as she heard him drone on, unfortunately, she was so emotionally drained she couldn't move and eventually placed her entire weight into him. Alfred took his hand and slowly stroked her blonde hair in a calm, slow manner./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Natalia, please forgive me and allow me to watch over you. You don't have to love me back, but at least try to see me as a friend in this time." Alfred stood up, his combat boots looking intimidating as Natalia stared at them dead on. She looked up to his bright and beaming face and wiped her eyes clean; she had noticed Alfred's extended hand and reached for it. With a quick yank, Alfred pulled her up and onto her feet. He refused to let go of her hand as he pulled her behind him on the path she had been walking./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Why are you doing this Alfred? You hardly know me." She sniffles as she trails behind him. "In fact, it's insulting to say you love me when our relation is comparable to a cat watching a bird he wants to eat." Alfred softly laughs and looks back at her, squeezing her hand tightly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Because…" his voice trailed gently as he shook his head. "let's head back to my place, I'll make you some lunch and we can talk some more." Alfred lead her down a side street, lined with white petaled trees that shed with the gentle breezes. They covered Natalia's hair as she walked next to him, overwhelmed by the beauty before her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Alfred, I never knew your house was so…enchanting and beautiful." She mustered softly, rethinking most of the things she had heard about him from his brother, Arthur. "Yeah, well…sometimes you have to fake your lifestyle, your family has to worry a bit." Alfred laughed as he rubbed the back of his ashy-colored hair, feeling embarrassed that he had admitted he wanted Arthur to worry about him. Natalia softly smirk as she looked away, blushing softly at his cheerful and inviting personality./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Don't worry about Gwen, she doesn't bite, but can be a little hyper." Alfred informed as he opened the gate at the edge of his driveway and saw the front door pop open and out run a golden puppy that rushed towards him and Natalia./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Gwen?" Natalia questioned as the dog tackled her and sent her to the ground as it licked her face./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah…Gwen, my pooch." Alfred laughed as he pulled the dog off her and helped Natalia into the property before calling Gwen back into the gated property and watch her chase after a squirrel that was searching for fallen acorns. "Ah-" Natalia mentioned as they walked towards the front door, into the home./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"*End Of Chapter One*/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Natalia," A person called, pulling her from her daydream. She looked up and saw Alfred standing five feet from her. She felt her chest tighten, she hadn't wanted to see anyone she knew, knowing they would ask her how she was feeling or ask her about her newly engaged brother. She let out a soft sigh as she formed the words she wanted to speak./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Morning," she hesitantly replied, feeling a mix of emotion well up within her heart. "How are you, Alfred?" She had hoped this interaction would be cut short so that she could carry on with the thoughts inside of her mind./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm alright, but…how are you?" Alfred reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her closer to him. She could smell the sharp cologne he was wearing, it smelled of oak and roses. It reminded her of a masculine figure with a gentle touch. She could only frown as she looked at Alfred's hand on her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I-I am fine. You do not need to ask me how I am. I am always fine." She curtly replied to him, a bitterness in her tone as she spewed her reply to him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Nat-" He felt Natalia yank her wrist away from him grip before turning on her heel, ready to flee from him. "Natalia!" Alfred spoke up, halting Natalia's escape from him. "Ivan is getting married. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I knew about her for a long time, I just…I'm sorry I never told you and that you found out the way you did." He yanked her wrist once more and spun her around, pulling her into his chest. The wind blew gently, slightly freezing Natalia's core, but she didn't seem to mind as Alfred's warmth surrounded her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAlfred picked up her curved chin and stared into her cold, emotionless eyes. His hand moving to caress her soft, ivory face. He leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips. Her eyes were wide as she attempted to make sense of what was happening./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span'He-he's kissing me. A-A-Alfred's kissing me?' Natalia thought to herself as she felt his warm touch and melted into it. She felt her knees begin to buckle when Alfred placed his hand into the small of her back, pulling her closer into him. He parted her smooth lips and slipped in his moist tongue, taking advantage over the fact Natalia wasn't on the verge of murdering him with the blade he felt on her waistband. He pulled back an extended amount of time, but he hated breaking their connection as he pulled back for a breath of air. Natalia stood in front of him, frozen in confusion as what had happened./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Natalia, I know you are hurting. I know what you are going through and how much you need someone to support you in this time of need." Alfred got down on one knee as he grabbed her hand, running his thumb over the palm of her hand./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I know what you need because I know you better than anyone else. You don't have to forget how you loved him, he is after all your first love, but please, be opened to letting me love you." He brought her hand to his lips and gently pecked it before looking up at her face, she had tears in her eyes and a crimson blush racing across her ivory cheeks. He felt a few tears from on to her hand before she slipped it away from his grip and dropped to her knees./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I HATE YOU!" She screamed loudly, punching his chest before gripping it tightly in her fists. "You knew he was seeing someone. You knew where it was heading. AND YOU KEPT IT ALL FROM ME!" She began sobbing loudly, tears freely dripping from her steely blue eyes. Alfred only sighed as he pulled her closer and let her cry into his chest./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I'm a selfish bastard, and I'm sorry I kept it from you, but he would have never loved you in the way you wanted him to." The painful words cut deeper into Natalia's heart as she heard him drone on, unfortunately, she was so emotionally drained she couldn't move and eventually placed her entire weight into him. Alfred took his hand and slowly stroked her blonde hair in a calm, slow manner./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Natalia, please forgive me and allow me to watch over you. You don't have to love me back, but at least try to see me as a friend in this time." Alfred stood up, his combat boots looking intimidating as Natalia stared at them dead on. She looked up to his bright and beaming face and wiped her eyes clean; she had noticed Alfred's extended hand and reached for it. With a quick yank, Alfred pulled her up and onto her feet. He refused to let go of her hand as he pulled her behind him on the path she had been walking./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Why are you doing this Alfred? You hardly know me." She sniffles as she trails behind him. "In fact, it's insulting to say you love me when our relation is comparable to a cat watching a bird he wants to eat." Alfred softly laughs and looks back at her, squeezing her hand tightly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Because…" his voice trailed gently as he shook his head. "let's head back to my place, I'll make you some lunch and we can talk some more." Alfred lead her down a side street, lined with white petaled trees that shed with the gentle breezes. They covered Natalia's hair as she walked next to him, overwhelmed by the beauty before her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Alfred, I never knew your house was so…enchanting and beautiful." She mustered softly, rethinking most of the things she had heard about him from his brother, Arthur. "Yeah, well…sometimes you have to fake your lifestyle, your family has to worry a bit." Alfred laughed as he rubbed the back of his ashy-colored hair, feeling embarrassed that he had admitted he wanted Arthur to worry about him. Natalia softly smirk as she looked away, blushing softly at his cheerful and inviting personality./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Don't worry about Gwen, she doesn't bite, but can be a little hyper." Alfred informed as he opened the gate at the edge of his driveway and saw the front door pop open and out run a golden puppy that rushed towards him and Natalia./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Gwen?" Natalia questioned as the dog tackled her and sent her to the ground as it licked her face./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah…Gwen, my pooch." Alfred laughed as he pulled the dog off her and helped Natalia into the property before calling Gwen back into the gated property and watch her chase after a squirrel that was searching for fallen acorns. "Ah-" Natalia mentioned as they walked towards the front door, into the home./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"*End Of Chapter One*/p