So I had a little bit of fun in this chapter and toyed with another pairing, but rest assured this is STILL a Annie/Minori x Klaus story so that will be the final pair.
(PS things are going to start getting a little bit more sexual from here on out. So look forward to that)
Happy reading!
Chapter Seven: Roses are Red…
Maya didn't have the foresight to grow her own flowers for the Flower Fair.
She felt bad, knowing that generally speaking the villagers were supposed to give out flowers they'd sown themselves, but on such short notice there wasn't much she could do. She'd asked Giorgio if there were any flower species that took only a few days to grow, and he'd laughed her off his farm. So much for that.
Instead, Maya had spent the few days leading up to the Flower Fair collecting wild flowers around the mountain and piedmont. She wanted to at least get one for Raeger, Corona, Iris, Marian, Eda, and Fritz, but if she had her way she'd get a flower for every single villager.
All except one, that is.
Her trip into the city had been just as fruitful as she'd hoped it would be, and instead of a flower for the Flower Fair, Maya had another gift prepared for a certain perfumer.
With that in mind, she'd gotten something for just about everyone. Being a bit shy with flowers, she resolved to give the kids in town some candy or chocolate instead of a flower, and hoped they wouldn't mind.
Judging solely by their excited squeals, they didn't.
She had saved Klaus for last, nervous butterflies in her stomach bothering her for most of the day. Procrastination had always been a strong suit of hers, but she'd been able to overcome it for them most part after adopting Sycamore Farm. Still, Maya couldn't bring herself to make her way to the western area of Oak Tree until it was nearly sundown.
She laid her hand against the bag at her side, her skin tingling with nervousness and anticipation. Maya wasn't entirely sure how well her gift would go over, but she had bought the thing, so unless she was going to throw it out, she had to go through with giving it to him.
Maya found herself hesitating on Klaus's doorstep, too afraid to raise her hand and knock. Leave it to her nerves to fail her at the last second. If she could only knock, take away her opportunity to back out, Maya knew she'd be fine. She just couldn't bring herself to do it just yet.
She would have to soon though, or else risk Marian or Iris seeing her and beginning to question.
With a deep breath and a sudden burst of courage, she rapped on the door.
One breathless moment later, Klaus appeared. Maya shoved her nerves down, plastering an excited expression on her face to the best of her ability. As the door opened, she was hit with a subtle cloud of fragrance- she suspected it was Klaus's new project.
"Maya, what a pleasant surprise!" He greeted, suppressing a yawn. His golden eyes looked tired, his shoulders tense and his back slumped. His clothing was, as always, impeccable, but that was the most composed part about him today. Even his ebony hair was tousled and out of place. Maya suspected he'd been busy working all morning, forgetting to stretch or take a break. She doubted he even remembered to eat.
"I hope I'm not bothering you," She smiled, though her words weren't entirely true. If her visit got Klaus to get up and move around for a short while before retuning to work, then she was more than happy to interrupt.
"Not at all," Klaus assured her, returning her smile. "You know I always love seeing you. But what brings you here today?"
"It's the Flower Fair," Maya answered easily, though her nerves were quickly beginning to rise again. Every second she spent talking to Klaus made her idea seem more and more foolish.
Klaus raised his eyebrows in surprise, pursing his lips in thought.
"Is that today?" He mumbled, thinking. He'd been entirely engrossed in his work all morning, as Maya suspected, and didn't take note of the date. If it was the Flower Fair, this also meant it was the last day of Spring. The busy season for him would be beginning shortly. He nearly groaned. "Please don't tell me you've worried yourself over finding a flower for an old man like me, have you?" He chuckled, bringing himself back into the conversation.
"Not exactly," Maya admitted, resisting the urge to shuffle her feet. "I do have something for you, but it's not a flower. Do you mind if I step in for just a second?"
Klaus, curious, stepped aside to let Maya in. She shuffled by him, shrugging so as not to bump into his chest.
Klaus's house was entirely new to her, she suddenly realised. Maya had never been inside of it before, despite all of the time she spent with Klaus. It was small, just big enough for him to live comfortably, with dark coloured décor mostly consisting of greens, greys, browns, and black. Overall it was quite elegant, and perfectly reflected his personality.
"Now don't laugh," Maya threatened, reaching into her bag and removing a package. It was rectangular, flat, and wrapped in a metallic silver paper. She extended it to Klaus with a smile, her cheeks pink with barely repressed embarrassment.
Klaus accepted the package carefully, turning it over in his hands to examine. It felt like a book, but one with significant weight and a strange pattern on the front cover. Maya watched as he slipped his finger beneath the taped edge and pulled.
The paper fell away to reveal that he'd only been partially correct. It was a book, but not the kind to be read. Maya had given him a sketchbook- one with a hard, black cover, bound in leather and engraved with soft golden lines. The book was new, but it was designed with an antiqued look in mind, and if he had to guess it held about 200 pages of crisp, off white drawing paper.
What he'd thought was an oddly patterned cover when feeling it through the paper, actually turned out to be a set of pencils. It was basic, with only 4 or 5 different densities, but they were of high quality. Maya bit her lip as she waited for Klaus to react.
"Maya…" He began, but stopped before saying anything of consequence. The gift startled him with its thoughtfulness and sincerity, and he was having trouble coming up with the proper words to thank her. "This is… this is wonderful."
Maya visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping their rigid position. "Oh I'm so glad you like it. I was really worried when I bought it."
"Why did you give me this?" He asked, running his fingertips across the surface of the paper. It was soft, but not entirely smooth. While he wasn't much for art, he could tell that this too was a high quality product.
"You said the other day that you've always wanted to learn how to draw," Maya explained, running a hand through her flowing hair. "But that you didn't think you'd ever actually do it. Well, I thought I'd give you the tools you needed to get started!"
Klaus listened as she chattered, suggesting things he should try sketching first, briefly explaining the difference between the pencils, some useful tips her father had given her when she called him, and informing him that, if he wanted, her father had some guidebooks he could borrow but she'd have to get them shipped here so it may take some time. All the while Klaus clutched the book in his hands, feeling the leather warm under his skin.
"You'd better use it," Maya winked, teasing him. "I went through the trouble of buying it for you, now you have an obligation to make sure my present doesn't go to waste!"
She was joking, but Klaus felt a gentle pang through his stomach and throat. He laid the book and pencils on his dining room table, letting his hand rest on top of them as he struck Maya with a soft smile.
"I'll treasure it," He assured her, reaching for her hand. She offered it to him, a curious look in her eyes, as Klaus wrapped his fingers under hers.
He gripped her hand gently, noticing the smoothness of her skin, and raised it before him, dipping his head until his mouth hovered over her knuckles.
"Thank you, Maya." Klaus whispered, glancing up at her. His eyes held hers with a sharp intensity, paralysing her for a brief moment, and then they slipped closed as he pressed his lips against the back of her hand.
He lingered for a breath longer than was proper, inhaling the subtle scent at Maya's wrist. After a moment of savouring, he straightened, looking not just a touch flustered.
"As much as I appreciate you coming by, and the lovely gift you've given me, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to come back another time," Klaus stammered quickly, averting Maya's gaze. She nodded quietly, eyeing him in confusion but not making any move to question his sudden shift in tone.
"That's fine, I have to be home soon anyway." Maya shrugged, trying to hide her disappointment at their very short visit. "Raeger is coming over after he shuts down the restaurant."
She felt a slight twinge of satisfaction at the way Klaus stiffened, suddenly gripping the sketchbook tighter than he had been before.
"I'll see you tomorrow, perhaps?" Klaus added, his tone crisp in spite of his attempts to sound nonchalant.
"You know where I'll be," Maya chirped, making her way to the door. Her skin was tingling where he'd kissed it, and she felt a blush rapidly colouring her cheeks. She wasn't sure what she expected, giving Klaus the book instead of a flower, but it certainly wasn't this.
She showed herself out, not giving Klaus a chance to say anything else to her. That was probably for the best.
Klaus heard the door close, releasing his breath in a gust as soon as he was sure Maya was gone. In one swift move, he was on his back on the couch, his hands pressed harshly into his face.
The sketchbook still sat on his table, glaring at him.
Maya had given him an incredibly thoughtful gift, one that he genuinely loved and fully intended to use properly, but the small act of kindness revealed to him a much larger issue.
His attraction to the young farmer was growing. Ebbing into the territory of-
No, he insisted, grinding his palms into his closed eyes. He couldn't let that thought go any farther.
She'd been so adorable, excitedly watching as he opened the gift, her bright, forest coloured eyes flicking between his face and the book in his hands, practically bouncing with joy. She was so filled with childlike anticipation that it was nearly tangible.
Maya had a horribly strong ability to knock Klaus off his feet, unsettling him and making it difficult to maintain his composure. He'd kissed her hand, a polite and appropriate gesture, and at the feeling of her hand in his he'd become unbalanced, taking the time to savour the sensation.
Klaus groaned, his mind swimming with images of the young woman, her smile, her hair, her eyes, everything. The thoughts made his heart beat faster, nearly slamming against his ribcage.
He was falling, and falling fast. Into what, he wasn't exactly sure, but it couldn't be good for his health.
Klaus had implied he would meet Maya at the river the following morning, but perhaps he would have to change that plan. He needed to compose himself again, and distancing himself from the wildly attractive girl seemed like the best way to do just that.
He tried to ignore the sadness that washed over him at the thought, instead resolving to return to his work.
.
After she'd collected herself, Maya returned to her farm to wait for Raeger. They'd made plans to watch a movie the night of the Flower Festival, just to spend some time together outside of the restaurant as they hadn't in the past few weeks, but also to discuss how Klaus's gift went over.
She'd told him her plan the day before, and he'd agreed it was a good idea. He thought it would be a better idea to include some lingerie, but Maya had shut that suggestion down with a glare. Now Raeger wanted to know details as he rummaged through Maya's room, searching for things to make their movie experience a bit more comfortable.
"So it went well?" Raeger prompted, two of Maya's pillows tucked under his arm. He made his way to the second hand couch, placing one pillow on either end, and then moved back towards her bedroom to grab a blanket.
"Sort of," Maya shrugged, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth. She set the bowl down on the table, taking a seat on her side of the couch while she waited for Raeger to return. He did only a moment later, struggling with a patchwork quilt her grandmother had given her. "I definitely surprised him, and he got really uncomfortable, but I couldn't tell if it was because he was taken off guard or if he was disappointed."
"I'm gonna go with off guard," Raeger decided, plopping down on the opposite side of the couch. He'd taken off his vest and tie for comfort, stretching his denim-clad legs out and dropping his feet onto the coffee table. "If he was disappointed he would've hidden it better."
"Maybe," Maya allowed, retrieving the remote control and pressing 'Play'. She didn't want to pursue this topic just yet; if they did, they wouldn't have time to watch the movie Raeger had brought. "What movie did you rent anyway? I didn't even look."
"Silent Hill" Raeger answered excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "I've been meaning to watch this for a while now!"
Maya's eyes widened, turning to Raeger suddenly and slamming the pause button as she did so.
"You got a horror movie?!" She exclaimed, groaning. "Raeger, I won't be able to sleep for a week! I don't even know if I'll be able to watch the whole thing!"
Raeger laughed, draping his arm over the back of the couch. "I'm sorry," he apologised, though it didn't sound overly sincere. "Would it help if you came over here?"
He gestured to the curve made by his torso, indicating in all seriousness that he wouldn't mind if she needed to huddle into him. Maya started to laugh, denying him, but just as suddenly as he'd suggested it Raeger was pulling her into him, securing her comfortably against his side.
"Now this is more like it," Raeger winked, wrapping his arm around Maya's body as she sank into his embrace. She rolled her eyes, smacking him indignantly.
"Don't get too excited," She told him, pulling the blanket tight around her. It was pointless to fight him- Raeger was nothing if not stubborn. Besides, she was much more comfortable this way. "I'll get you back for this some day."
Raeger chuckled, pressing 'Play' once again.
Only fifteen minutes into the film, Maya began to question her choice in company. Being next to Raeger, using him as an anchor and getting reassuringly squeezed during tense scenes certainly helped, but throughout the movie Maya was deadly silent.
She wasn't one to enjoy scary things alone; it didn't bother her as much when she was with friends, but living alone on the mountain was a bit of a deterrent from horror and the paranormal. Raeger seemed to be enjoying himself at least, chuckling at things that would send Maya into a fit of shudders.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Raeger asked, stretching as the credits began to roll. Maya glared at him, sitting up and reaching for the popcorn bowl.
"For you maybe," She sighed, chewing. "You don't have to get up as early as I do. I won't be able to sleep tonight, I just know it."
"Maybe you should call Klaus," Raeger suggested teasingly, reaching for the bowl as well. "He'd come and keep you company, I bet."
"As if," Maya laughed, though the thought intrigued her. "He'd probably just laugh at me. When did liking someone get so complicated?"
"It's always been complicated," Raeger corrected, his voice sympathetic. "It's just a bit more obviously so in this case."
"I wish I could be like you," Maya mused, sinking back against the cushions. "Your outlook on relationships is so simple- stress free is totally the way to go."
"I wouldn't call my love life stress free," Raeger laughed, cracking his knuckles. "You're not the only one with a crush."
"Iris?' Maya guessed, revisiting her initial feeling back when Raeger had come to her house to cook for her. "I wish you'd just talk to her. I'm sure she would be happy to know you liked her as more than a friend."
Raeger gave Maya a look, snorting. "Yeah, right. Iris has no interest in me."
"Why not?"
He paused to take a breath, carefully composing his answer. Maya waited, pulling the blanket back up to her waist and getting comfortable. Raeger did the same, shifting on the couch until he was facing her.
"Iris is… well, she's a free spirit." He began, chewing his lip. "She doesn't like to be tied down, especially not by someone like me. I'm younger than her, for one, and I think that would bother Iris a lot more than it would bother Klaus."
"Hypocrite," Maya shoved him, earning a chuckle. "She was with you before, wasn't she? Why do you think it would matter now?"
"Because if we got back together it would mean a lot more this time around." Raeger sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It would mean commitment, and that's exactly why we broke up in the first place."
Maya shifted closer, her knees touching Raeger's. He laid his hand on her calf, pulling his mouth up in a half smile. "Explain?" She prompted.
"Iris was worried that I wasn't ready for something long term, that if she stayed with me too long she'd get attached and end up heartbroken because I'd get bored or get scared or something. It was a totally legitimate fear, to be fair. I wasn't ready for commitment. I'm still not sure if I am."
"And that's why you don't want to bring it up again," Maya finished, exhaling in a gust. "Although you seem to be worried about conflicting things. She doesn't want to be tied down, but she wants commitment?" She raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you're just scared to me."
Raeger opened his mouth to rebut, but Maya beat him to it.
"I can see where you're coming from though," She sighed, "You don't want to confess to her and then be wrong about your own feelings."
"You've got it, sweetheart." Raeger sighed, rubbing Maya's leg. "Man, aren't we a pair? Lovelorn and the Hopeless. We could fight crime. Or not."
Maya rolled her eyes, but Raeger had a point. While Maya wasn't entirely sure how she felt about Klaus, she knew she liked him. And the chances of him openly returning her interest, despite the subtle signs he'd already given her, were about as strong as the chance that Raeger would take a leap of faith with Iris.
"Hey, you ever think about us?"
Raeger's cheeks flushed as he asked.
"What, you mean like 'us dating', us?" She clarified, chuckling when Raeger nodded shyly. "You wish!"
"Oh come on Maya," Raeger pushed, smirking. "Don't lie to me."
She eyed him, fighting back her own blush. She had indeed thought about dating Raeger, but not since they'd grown closer as friends. Not since she became attracted to Klaus.
"Would you ever think about us?" Raeger continued, drawing little circles on her leg with his index finger. "I mean if Klaus wasn't in the picture. I doubt I'd stand a chance against him."
"Are you hitting on me, Raeger?" Maya laughed, flicking his nose. He scrunched his face, fighting a sneeze. "Very classy, lamenting your feelings for another woman and then hitting me up for the rebound."
"How dare you accuse me of such mischief, Maya!" Raeger exclaimed playfully, though the tips of his ears were turning pink. "You have to admit it'd be pretty great though."
"I can admit that," She allowed, grinning. "To answer your question, I did think about it. When we first met."
"And is the thought worth revisiting?"
"Are you being serious right now?"
Maya's smile shifted into a slight frown as Raeger hesitated, staring firmly at his hands.
"I was just thinking," He started, "We're both in difficult situations right now. I've accepted I'll never be with Iris, and even though I think Klaus would be insane not to like you- you're kind of perfect if you didn't know- it also doesn't seem like he's doing anything about it. Maybe it would be easier on both of us if we just tried being… together."
Maya blinked in surprise. Raeger was being entirely sincere, and she couldn't say the thought didn't intrigue her. She'd considered dating Raeger, as she'd already admitted, but didn't think she had any real feelings for him beyond friendship. Still…
"It wouldn't hurt to try, I guess," Maya answered slowly, feeling suddenly anxious. Raeger glanced up at her, gauging her expression for sincerity, and then hit her with his most flirtatious smirk.
"We'll never know unless we try," He winked, trailing his hand up Maya's leg, over the curve of her hips and waist, coming to rest on the side of her neck. "Tell me if you want me to stop."
Giving her a chance to decline and only pressing forward when she closed her eyes, Raeger pulled her to him and kissed her.
Maya was surprised, but pleasantly so. Raeger tasted like spice- his lips warm and soft against her own. He pulled her closer, his fingers tangling in her hair and securing her in his embrace; he was confident and sure in his movements, handling her with practised touches and just the right amount of force. Maya felt comfortable in his arms- it didn't make her heart race, but it felt easy, natural.
Raeger was following the natural progression of a kiss, prodding Maya's lips with his tongue. She allowed him entrance, feeling like they were challenging each other- pushing limitations and comfort in a competition of sexuality. She one-upped him, shifting until she was in his lap, straddling his hips, to see if he would back off. He didn't.
Their relationship, if it ever evolved, would be similar. Maya and Raeger pushing each other to new heights, new extremes, and being there to support and comfort along the way. They would be the 'best friends' kind of couple, easing into one another with the effortlessness of taking a breath.
Raeger made a low sound in the back of his throat, his hands slipping down Maya's body from her hair to her hips, holding her in place and fighting the urge to grind into her. Raeger was surprised at himself- he expected this to feel stranger than it did. It didn't feel 'exciting' exactly, not in anything more than a physical sense, but it felt comfortable, like his friendship with Maya.
"Maya-" Raeger whispered, his voice husky. He was about to break the kiss, knowing that if he allowed it to go on longer he wouldn't be able to stop his instincts from completely dominating him, when the unmistakeable sound of a door met his ears.
"Hey Maya, I'm sorry I'm late. I have those seeds you wanted-!"
Maya leapt from the couch and Raeger, smoothing her pajamas just as Fritz entered the living room.
The redhead looked from her to Raeger and back again, realisation slowing dawning on his face. He began to stammer, his face turning a dark shade of rouge.
"Raeger!" He yelled suddenly, stamping his foot. Raeger stood and rounded the couch as quickly as he could, knowing where this was about to go. "How could you not tell me?! I'm your best friend for crying out loud! You swore-"
"Fritz, stop," Raeger commanded, his voice firm. "It's not what you think, alright?"
Fritz glared, crossing his arms. "Don't pull that with me! I saw you guys kissing, that's pretty hard to misinterpret!"
Raeger pinched his forehead. "I know, I know, but trust me. It's not what you think it is. Maya and I are just friends, okay? I swear."
Fritz regarded him for a quiet moment, rage simmering just below the surface. Raeger wanted to scream at him, but resisted. Fritz would not respond to anger any better than reason, so when the redheaded farmer scoffed and made a straight line for the door, all Raeger could do was sigh in defeat.
"Well that went well," He groaned, rubbing his temples. He would have to talk to Fritz before he told anyone of substance- or anyone at all for that matter. It wouldn't take long for rumours of Maya and Raeger dating to circulate town.
"You mean the kiss or Fritz?' Maya laughed, though her cheeks were red too. Raeger blushed, awkwardly running his hand up and down his arm.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that." He apologized, his voice trembling with nerves. He wasn't sure what his exact plan for that kiss was, but it certainly wasn't that. He'd fallen into it like an old habit, acting on instinct. "You can hit me if you want. I didn't mean for it to go that far."
"Neither did I," Maya rubbed her arm too, chuckling nervously. "But how did it feel? For you, I mean."
Raeger pursed his lips in thought, smiling as he came to his conclusion. "While that was an incredible kiss, and I can't say I would decline another one, I didn't feel like I was kissing a girlfriend. More like I was kissing someone I was really comfortable with." From the relieved look on Maya's face, Raeger deduced that she felt the same. "And, to be honest, I'm still thinking about Iris." He added with a huff.
Maya laughed, "Should I be offended?"
Raeger laughed too, understanding how that must've sounded. He winked at Maya, stepping towards her and placing himself dangerously close to her. She turned her face up to meet his eyes as they flashed mischievously.
"Do you mean to tell me that Klaus didn't cross your mind at all during this little exchange?" He challenged, grinning in satisfaction as Maya flushed scarlet. "That's what I thought. But if it makes you feel any better…"
Raeger's hands went to Maya's waist, giving her a gentle but suggestive squeeze.
"There was a moment there," He began, letting his words roll off his tongue seductively, "that my mind was entirely focused on you."
Maya returned his playful smirk, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and bring him closer to her.
"Well naturally," She purred, capturing his lips in another kiss. Raeger groaned in surprise, returning the gesture more eagerly than he would've expected. "One for the road," She explained, breaking away from him and fixing him with an innocent blink.
Raeger burst into laughter, kissing her one more time for good measure. He had a feeling that what transpired between them tonight would never happen again, and he felt the need to take advantage while he still could. His lips lingered, tasting her, until she giggled and he knew the moment was over. He pulled away, his mouth set in a flirtatious grin.
"I'll see you tomorrow, kitten," Raeger winked, ruffling Maya's hair. She laughed, ushering him to the door. "Dream of me, would you?"
"Get out," Maya shook her head, watching him leave. "And don't let Fritz go spreading things!"
"I won't!" He assured her, saluting as he jogged down the path away from her farm. "Lovelorn and the Hopeless to the rescue, saving their own reputations at lightning speed!"
Maya shut the door securely behind him, falling back against it and taking a moment to breathe. She wasn't expecting to be on such a roller coaster tonight, but then again who expects their best friend to ask to kiss them?
She had genuinely enjoyed being with Raeger in that way, not in a romantic sense, but in a purely physical one. Thoughts of Raeger and her as a couple had of course occurred to her, and now she knew exactly how she felt. Still, it was nice being with him and a small part of her didn't want him to stop. Maya was sure that, if she asked, Raeger would've continued their kiss and brought it into something else. In fact, she didn't think she had to ask. He seemed prepared to do it himself, and if Fritz hadn't walked in she may have been prepared to let him. If circumstances were different, she could definitely see herself being interested in the copper-haired chef.
But then there was Klaus.
Maya was craving closeness, sure, but it wasn't just any kind of closeness. She wanted to be close to someone in particular. She wanted to be close to Klaus.
If she were to start any sort of physical relationship with Raeger, it wouldn't help anything. Maya wanted a relationship, a relationship with one perfumer who seemed to be denser than she initially gave him credit for. Kissing Raeger was fun, and she didn't regret it, but she also didn't want to repeat it.
What would Klaus think, if he knew she'd done that?
Maya shifted uncomfortably. Klaus didn't seem like the kind of man to be comfortable with his interest fraternizing with another man. It might make Maya less desirable to him if he knew, and that was the opposite of what she wanted.
In case she hadn't before, she resolved to tell no one of what happened between her and Raeger than night. At least not until she was able to tell Klaus herself. She didn't want to keep secrets from him, but as they weren't dating it wasn't entirely his business either.
Maya groaned. She was, admittedly, aroused now, and thoughts of Klaus were flooding her mind. She wondered if he was aware of how attractive and dominating his presence was, deciding that he must. He owned it too perfectly to be accidental.
Maya sank to the floor, tilting her head back against the door. She was in for a long night.
So this ended up being WAY longer than I anticipated… oh well!
Just to reiterate, Raeger and Maya WILL NOT be ending up together. I just thought I'd have some fun with them in this chapter. Favourite, Follow, Review!
