Woohoo! Double digits! Welcome to Chapter ten guys!
This week is going to be a little bit different with the uploading schedule, so just bear with me for a second!
I'm going out of town tomorrow for a convention, and I won't be able to edit and finish writing chapter 11 until after I get back (a week from now). Unfortunately, this means it won't be up for next Thursday, and since I'll then be a bit behind on chapter 12 as well, I've decided not to post a chapter next week at all and give myself a chance to catch up and not disrupt the future posting of chapters.
So, this will be the last chapter until around the 16th. Thankfully it's a relatively short hiatus! (I hate to be taking one at all, but I really don't want to be pushing out subpar chapters just for the sake of getting them out on time).
If I surprise myself and finish them ahead of schedule, I may post them a little bit early. But don't bank on that! On top of the convention, I'm also going dress shopping for my sister's wedding (Maid of Honor in the houseee)
Thanks again to everyone reading, and please be patient with me! Love to you all xoxo
Chapter Ten: Walking a Thin Line
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Maya panted, jogging up to Klaus as he sketched. He looked up from his work as she approached, greeting her with an understanding smile.
"Think nothing of it," He assured her, tucking his book into his bag and standing. The dry weather had made the fields dusty, so he patted down the legs of his trousers while Maya caught her breath. "How's Eda?"
Maya's mouth pulled into a troubled frown, the same she'd been sporting earlier when Eda had fallen into her coughing fit. Klaus's expression mirrored hers, he was sure, as he took in how bothered the young farmer was.
"She's alright," Maya answered mechanically, avoiding his gaze. She was so obviously lying that Klaus nearly laughed aloud, despite the clearly serious subject matter. Instead he cleared his throat, catching Maya's divided attention.
"If you need to talk about something, Maya," He began carefully, keeping his tone soft. "I'm here. If there's one talent I have mastered, it's the ability to lend a sympathetic ear. Followed by the ability to hold my tongue."
Maya regarded him hesitantly for a moment. It was only out of respect for Eda, not mistrust for Klaus, that caused her reluctance. Still, the situation was weighing heavily on Maya's mind. Sharing would ease her discomfort, and perhaps Klaus could offer some advice. After some mild deliberation, Maya sighed.
"Do you want to walk and talk?" She asked sheepishly, shuffling her feet. Klaus smiled, offering his arm as he usually did. Maya took it, holding herself closer to him than she used to. Klaus couldn't stop himself from taking note of it.
"Where shall we go?" He asked, though Maya had already begun to lead him away from the river bank.
"I don't really have a plan," She admitted, observing the trees as they strolled. The pair fell quiet after that, communicating only through gentle pulls in various directions. Klaus didn't want to push her to speak, knowing that trying to force it would only make Maya pull away from the subject. Instead he waited patiently, until she was ready to bring it up on her own.
They only made it a short way when she took a deep breath and broke the silence.
"I'm really worried about her," Maya admitted heavily, chewing her lip. "She's been so… frail lately. Today was the first time she's left her house in weeks."
Klaus nodded gravely, pulling Maya closer to him as they walked.
"I'm glad she did, if only to get some fresh air." Maya's eyes drifted to the sky, tracing shapes in the clouds and relying on Klaus to keep her going in the proper direction. "You haven't seen her farm, but it's an absolute mess. I don't think she can keep up with the work anymore."
"Perhaps it's time to consider retirement?" Klaus offered, although he knew the issue ran far deeper than that.
"She's already technically retired," Maya sighed, kicking the ground with the toe of her boot. "The only things Eda keeps anymore are a few animals, and enough crops to feed herself. But the old woman is too proud to admit that she needs help with even that amount of work. I try to help her when I can, but I have my own farm to take care of too."
"That's a lot of responsibility to shoulder," Klaus frowned, eying her with concern. "You shouldn't have to deal with this entirely on your own. Has Fritz been a help at all?"
Maya barked a laugh. "Fritz has no idea what's going on. He actually believes Eda when she gives excuses." It was true; Fritz was incapable of reading people, and Eda was no exception. If she showed any sign of weakness while he was present, she would simply laugh it off as old age or the weather. Fritz was none the wiser, leaving Maya to worry over the more serious root of the problem by herself.
"She tells everyone she's fine, and that she's just going through a rough patch, but I'm afraid it's more than that." An uncomfortable lump began to form in Maya's throat. "And there's nothing I can do about it except sit back and watch."
She fell silent again, breathing a bit heavier than before. Klaus felt for her; she was clearly in pain, worrying about Eda in addition to her own problems. He hated seeing her troubled, but as Maya seemed to understand there wasn't much he or anyone else could do.
"I wish I could offer some advice," He turned to her with a sympathetic smile. "As it stands, I think you're doing all you can. Eda is a stubborn woman, and I'm afraid she won't readily accept help even if you attempted to force it on her."
Maya nodded, her eyes staring off into the trees. Klaus felt a pull of sadness.
"She'll be alright, Maya," He assured her, gently placing his hand atop hers and squeezing. "I promise. But you need to look out for yourself, as well. Don't let your own happiness suffer in pursuit of someone else's."
"I won't," Maya promised, offering him a grateful smile. "Thank you for worrying about me."
Klaus's eyes seemed to shift colour, bright irises darkening to a rich, deep gold.
"I'm afraid I worry about you far too much," He admitted, his voice hoarse. Maya blinked at him in surprise, her breath catching in her throat.
They were quiet again, caught in each other's gaze, as birds chirped in the nearby trees.
Klaus had let his tongue slip again, although this confession was far safer than his previous one. Friends worried about each other, that was normal. Friends don't, however, worry about devouring their other friend's soft, perfectly pinked lips like a deprived wolf.
"So tell me," Klaus coughed, straightening. He was treading a thin line with himself, and he was becoming painfully aware of it. When his mind began to focus on the more physical aspects of Maya's attractiveness, he knew it was time for a shift in conversation. "What else have you been occupying yourself with as of late?"
Maya immediately began to brighten, seemingly reminded of something. "Actually, I started a little side project yesterday."
"And what's that?" Klaus prompted, thankful that the topic change cheered her.
"Raeger's birthday is in less than a week," She explained, grinning. "I'm planning a party for him on my farm."
"That sounds lovely," Klaus always felt a twist in his stomach whenever Raeger found his way into conversation, particularly so after the implication Eda had made earlier, but he fought it down. He was simply being petty and jealous, and Maya's enthusiasm shouldn't suffer for it. "What are you planning to do?"
"I'm just going to get some people together for food and cake, maybe some music. Typical party stuff," Maya shrugged, having put only minimal thought into the exacts of her plan. "Everyone's invited, that means you too."
"I'm sure Raeger wouldn't want an old man spoiling his party," Klaus dismissed, pausing to take note of their location. They'd just arrived at the bridge leading to Giorgio's and Fritz's farms, their meandering stroll having only taken them a short distance.
"Oh stop it," Maya shushed him, giving his arm a gentle smack. "For one, you're not old. Two, Raeger would love to have you there. I'm not going to invite the entire town and exclude you," She laughed, pulling him to a full stop and turning to face him. Her hands tightened on his arm, her wide eyes blinking up at him pleadingly. Klaus gulped, fighting the beginnings of a blush. "Please come, won't you? I'll miss you if you're not there."
Yes, of course. Anything you ask. Absolutely anything you want, it's yours. Please just don't look at me like that anymore, I can't say no to you when you look at me like that.
Klaus took a moment to steady his breathing before speaking. Maya surely had to know what she was doing- if she affected him this strongly by accident then he was as good as doomed.
"I can't have you missing me, I suppose." Klaus chuckled, resisting the urge to linger on that thought. "I promise, I'll be there."
"Good!" Maya chirped happily, winking. "Then I'll put you down as my date."
Klaus's heart seized. He knew she was teasing him, but just hearing the words leave her mouth was enough to spark some hope in his brain. Any composure he maintained was constantly derailed by Maya's presence alone, and he was quickly becoming aware of how dangerous that was for him.
"I think I'm in need of some coffee," Klaus smirked, shaking his head at Maya's antics. She was charming, he'd give her that. "I need to stop into Otmar's and pick up a few things, but after that I would love to head home for a cup. Would you care to join me?"
Maya grinned, "I just need to grab a few of these flowers while I'm here," She jerked her chin towards the grass where a bundle of brightly coloured petals poked through the vegetation. "I'll catch up to you."
Klaus nodded, making his way towards Otmar's store.
With a sigh, Maya headed into the grass. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically, from the work on her farm and the situation with Eda, but being with Klaus tended to lift her spirits. Left alone, she was able to let her mind drift back to her problems. For her own good, she was planning to grab the flowers and catch up to him as quickly as possible.
"Hey, Maya!"
The voice startled her, coming from across the bridge. Turning, Maya found Fritz loping towards her with the gait of a newborn giraffe. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead smiling in greeting.
"Hi Fritz," She grinned, pausing as she stooped to pick one of the flowers. She wanted to get them made into bouquets for Raeger's party, if they would stay fresh that long. "What's up?"
Fritz pulled to a stop only a few feet in front of her, panting and holding his knees for balance. His knitted scarf hung loosely around his neck, tattered clothes looking dirtier than usual. Maya suspected that he'd started planting his new crops today.
"I was just coming to say hi!" He exclaimed, an unusual tone in his voice. Maya ignored it, continuing to pick flowers so that she wasn't too late meeting up with Klaus for coffee. "So… hi!"
"Hi," Maya responded, raising an eyebrow. Fritz was regarding her with a look of mischief, one that made her insides squirm uncomfortably. While Fritz was typically well-meaning, his gestures often caused trouble for others.
"So…" Fritz began, tucking his hands behind his back and following her with an easy skip. "Raeger came to see me the other night."
Realisation his Maya like a bolt of lightning, shooting through her almost painfully. Of course, that's why Fritz was acting strangely.
Maya had nearly forgotten that he'd seen them kiss, at least functionally speaking. She knew it happened, couldn't forget that it happened, actually, but was almost expecting Fritz to not have any memory of it himself. Like it all happened in some form of dream.
"Right," Maya sighed, straightening with her small collection of flowers draped over her arm. "About that. Did Raeger talk to you?"
Fritz nodded, whistling to himself.
"Alright, well," Maya's mouth turned down in a frown, more than a little suspicious at Fritz's nonchalance. "I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone, ok? Raeger and I are just friends."
"Oh, I won't tell anyone," Fritz sang, a joyous glint in his eye. Maya nearly groaned, knowing that being around him would be insufferable for the next while until he moved on to the next big thing. "But you gotta do something for me in exchange!"
Now Maya did groan, rolling her eyes in addition. "Fritz, come on! I'm serious, it would really bother me if you told people about what you saw."
"I won't tell anyone!" Fritz assured her, giggling. "If you kiss me too!"
Maya sputtered in surprise, nearly dropping her flowers.
"No!" She exclaimed indignantly, shocked that Fritz would even ask. However, her offense quickly faded to annoyance as she remembered who she was talking to.
Fritz, being Fritz, would be exactly the kind of person to think that this was a fun joke. He was enjoying knowing a secret that he shouldn't, and in response was resorting to teasing.
"Fritz, I'm really not in the mood for this right now, ok?" Maya grit her teeth, ignoring Fritz as she continued to pick flowers. He was no doubt attempting to spark some playful banter, but Maya wasn't prepared to reciprocate. The redhead pursued her, laughing all the while.
"Oh come on, Maya!" He joked, poking her in the ribs. "Raeger and you are just friends, and we're friends too aren't we? So why won't you kiss me too?"
"Because I don't want to?" She snapped. After the trouble with Eda, Maya was a little on edge and Fritz was the last person she wanted to see at that moment. It wasn't his fault, but she couldn't stop the twinge of annoyance that sparked in her stomach. "Now can you please drop it?"
"But you wanted to kiss Raeger!" Fritz whined, adjusting his scarf around his neck. "Why don't you want to kiss me?"
"I just don't, Fritz." Maya groaned, stopping in her tracks to fix him with an angry glare. "And I'm really not in a great mood right now, so can you please leave me alone?"
"Maybe you'd feel better if you kissed me," Fritz laughed, grabbing Maya's wrist and pulling her roughly towards him. Maya stood her ground, resisting him, but Fritz just laughed. "Come on, Maya! Kiss me!"
Maya knew Fritz was simply taking a joke too far, as he often did, but she was all out of patience. She wrenched her arm free of Fritz's grasp, whirling abruptly and stomping in the direction of the depot. She only made it a few steps when she collided with a solid wall of flesh.
"Oh!" She exclaimed, stumbling. Klaus caught her, his hand wrapping around her upper arm to steady her. Maya blinked up at him, offering a strained but grateful smile.
"I'm sorry Klaus," She apologized, still fuming at Fritz. "I wasn't paying attention. Did I keep you waiting?"
"Are you alright?" He asked, the tone of his voice surprising her. It was low, hard, and almost threatening. Maya had never heard Klaus speak like this before.
"I'm fine," She replied meekly, suddenly hyper aware of his presence. His tone, while surprising, was incredibly sexy. She could feel the beginnings of a blush on her cheeks. "I was just-"
"She was just going to kiss me!" Fritz sang tauntingly, laughing at the infuriated expression on Maya's face. She shot her gaze to the ground at her feet, too angry to look at Klaus or Fritz for fear of exploding.
"And does she want to kiss you, Fritz?" Klaus asked politely, but the question was posed with the same threatening undertone he'd used moments earlier. Fritz surprisingly caught the shift in demeanor, immediately letting his smile fall from his face.
"No, but I was just joking…" He pouted, sensing that he was about to be reprimanded. Klaus's grip tightened reassuringly on Maya's arm, gently pulling her towards him as he addressed Fritz.
"And are you aware that your joke was making Maya uncomfortable?" Klaus raised an eyebrow disapprovingly, struggling to keep his anger at bay. Fritz was just being his usual, inappropriate self, but the look on Maya's face was making it difficult to keep Klaus's temper in check. "You were pressuring her to do something she didn't want to do, after all."
Fritz's face blanched, embarrassment darkening his ears.
"I'm sorry Maya, I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine," She cut him off, wanting nothing more than to escape the situation altogether. Klaus seemed to pick up on that, as he suddenly cleared his throat and addressed her.
"Maya, if you're free would you mind coming with me? I'd love your input on that work issue I told you about the other day." He gave her a wink, one that Fritz didn't see, and Maya couldn't suppress her smile.
"Of course, I'd love to." She agreed, taking his arm. "I'll uh, talk to you later, Fritz."
The other farmer muttered a goodbye, and then Klaus was leading Maya back towards town.
"I'm so sorry about that," Maya sighed, leaning her head wearily against Klaus's bicep as they walked. "I didn't mean to make you wait. But thanks for cutting in. I was this close to punching him."
Klaus chuckled, but he couldn't deny that the thought had crossed his own mind several times in the span of only the few minutes he'd been present for. Seeing Fritz pressuring Maya to kiss him had ignited a fire in his stomach that had yet to dull. "It was my pleasure. But, if I may, why was Fritz trying to kiss you?"
Maya tensed, stammering, "It's a long story, I don't want to bore you with it."
Klaus could tell that meant she wasn't comfortable sharing just yet, so he didn't pursue the issue. Still, he couldn't deny the curiosity bubbling in his mind.
"Well if it ever happens again, please let me know. I'm happy to help." More than happy, if it means I can settle my anger at Fritz. "In fact, do you have a cell phone?"
Maya nodded, reaching into her dress with her free hand and producing the sleek, black device. Klaus took it with her permission, tapping away at the touch screen.
"What are you doing?" Maya asked, curiosity piqued. Klaus handed the phone back to her.
"Giving you my number," He explained, "It's my personal number, but also the one I give to clients so I nearly always have that phone within earshot. If you're ever uncomfortable or in need of assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to call me."
"Even if it's three in the morning?" Maya joked, though she was touched by the gesture.
Klaus smirked. "Considering the activities you may require me for at three in the morning, I beg you not to hesitate."
Maya shot him a surprised look, supressing laughter. Klaus's eyes widened and he suddenly began to turn a deep shade of red.
"I'm so sorry," He stuttered, "I didn't mean- that just kind of slipped out."
"That's alright," Maya giggled, bumping into him and winking. "You're cute when you flirt."
Klaus worked his mouth a few more times, looking rather like a fish out of water, before falling back into himself. Maya watched on with an amused smirk, enjoying his rare slip up.
"On the note of apologising," He pushed, clearing his throat. Klaus was trying very hard not to fixate on the fact that Maya had just described him as cute, or that she'd accused him of flirting, but he knew that later he would revisit the comment more happily than he was comfortable with. "I was hoping I could speak to you for a moment."
"Of course," Maya answered quickly, shifting from her amused smirk to an encouraging smile. "You can always talk to me."
"Yes, well," Klaus murmured, his cheeks darkening. "It's about that, actually. Specifically, about what happened when you came to see me yesterday."
Maya waited patiently, nodding to show that she knew what he was talking about.
"I just wanted to say again that I'm so sorry for that," Klaus insisted, bowing his head in shame. "The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable in my company, and I'm afraid I may have caused you to feel that way with my inappropriate behaviour. I certainly don't expect you to forgive me, but I make a solemn promise to you that I will do everything in my power to never make you feel that way again."
He sank into a slight bow, holding his breath as he awaited her response. Maya blinked in surprise, taken off guard by the resurfacing of the topic.
"Apology accepted," Maya assured him, reaching up to lay her hand against his cheek. His skin was warm beneath her palm, almost like he was about to blush. "But I wish you'd stop. It wasn't a big deal, really."
They had arrived at Klaus's place and were standing on the doorstep, an unspoken understanding beginning to settle between them. Maya blinked up at Klaus, waiting for him to speak again.
He wasn't sure if she was being sincere or not, but at the very least Maya seemed to accept his apology. Klaus took her hand from his face, holding it in his own for a split second longer than was necessary.
"Coffee?" He chuckled, holding the door for her. Maya grinned, accepting enthusiastically, and followed Klaus into his home.
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