(A/N - and now for the chapter(s) that most of you have been waiting for,
heehee. Enjoy ;))
CHAPTER 21 - True Love's Embrace
Broadway sighed contently and pushed open the door to her room, flicking on the lights. It was just as she had left it, slightly messy and dark with the familiar scent of vanilla floating around in the air. She loved her room more than any other room in the house, save for maybe the garage. She loved the paint and her bed and the slightly musky smell. She loved having her own bathroom. Above all, she loved having a home.
Brushing the last thought aside, she dropped her bags near her bed before checking into her bathroom. She debated taking a nice hot bath and opted to freshen up instead. Stripping down, she turned on the shower as hot as her body could stand before placing her hair in a high ponytail and stepping behind the frosted glass walls of her shower. She let the water run all over her body, savoring the feeling. It was as if invisible hands were massaging away all the stress and pain and confusion from the last week. She knew school was starting in a few days and hoped that all this could be over before then. But then, a thought hit her: what happens after Cyrus is defeated? What happens to him, and what happens to the ghosts? But above everything else, what happens to Royce? In an instant it was as though her whole body tensed up again to the point where no temperature of water could unknot her muscles. Something stung in her chest, not a really physical pain as much as a deep emotional pain. She tried to think again of what it would be like if Royce just vanished and the pain grew stronger, morphing into sorrow. Broadway turned off her shower, frowned strongly, wrapped a towel loosely around her body and slipped back into her clothing.
Steam billowed out of the bathroom and into her bedroom as she opened the door. Broadway was taking her hair down when he room dropped in temperature and she could detect the faint smell of leather. She reached into her bag and produced her pair of glasses and slipped them on, smiling faintly. Royce was lying nonchalantly on her bed, looking up at the ceiling.
"You did an excellent job at hiding your room." He said casually. "Sorry to just kind of appear but I..missed you today."
Broadway caught her breath. Did he just say he missed her? "Snap out of it Broadway." She scolded herself. "He's a ghost, how many times do you have to remind yourself of that?" She shook her head and realized that Royce was looking at her. "It's the only attic in the house." She joked lightly.
He stood up and faced her. There was something about the way he looked at her that sent tiny shivers down her damp back. "Yeah, yeah. I just worry, that's all." He took another step forward and Broadway felt her legs lock into place. There was that voice again. The same low, breathy voice he had used the other night. He had sounded so sincere.
"Prince, I can take care of myself. You should be worrying about yourself." The words just barely made it out of her mouth. Royce smiled a little and stepped closer.
"I'm already dead. I have nothing to really worry about."
"Except being enslaved again." She retorted evenly.
"That's why I have to keep you safe. So that doesn't happen."
Broadway stiffened and felt her heart pang. "Is that all? You worry about me because if something happens to me, it's game over for you?" Royce looked taken aback.
"What? No, that's not it and you know it! Don't say things like that!" He lowered his voice again and spoke more softly. "I want to protect you. I want to keep you safe."
"Prince..?"
"Please, Broadway, don't call me that. It hurts.."
She locked eyes with the figure standing before her. "Royce, why do you care so much?"
"I just do." He paused. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you.."
"What is it?"
Royce chuckled slightly. "Um, I was wondering if you trusted me enough to take you for a drive?"
Broadway brightened. "Of course I trust you, Royce. And I'd be delighted." She felt her heart race as Royce lowered his head slightly. He smiled at her, a genuine no holds barred smile. It filled her with so much emotion she just wanted to throw her arms around him once more, but held back. Royce nodded.
"Alright then, lets get going."
~*~
She wasn't afraid. She walked out of her room, out of the house and down the front walk to where she could see Royce's car. It was a beautiful sight; it was completely restored and back to its original splendor. She wasn't afraid when he started her up and the drove away. To Broadway, this was just another drive with a close friend. A very close friend. They drove and talked for what seemed to be forever until Royce pulled over onto a little outcropping that overlooked the downtown area of Bellville. It was very pretty at night, all the lights sparkling like diamonds and the only noise being the distant hum of traffic from the highway and the incessant chirp of a million crickets. Royce hopped onto the hood of his car and gestured for her to do that same.
They sat there in silence for a while, admiring the beauty of the surroundings when Broadway realized that they had moved together, sitting inches apart. She studied Royce's face intently. With all the wounds closed and the scars fading away to almost nothing, he was so handsome. He had the most unbelievable green eyes, like emeralds or jade. She wished that she could feel his breath on her neck, or feel a heartbeat in his chest. She wished he were alive.
Royce tilted his head to the side and peered at her quizzically. He slid off the hood and stood in front of her so that he could be a few inches taller. He felt that something was wrong and hoped he hadn't just messed up what could very well be the most perfect night of his existence. "Well, not yet." He thought. He turned to her. "Broadway..?"
"Royce..?"
"Why are you trembling?" He looked so concerned, his eyes burning fiercely into hers. He leaned his face close to Broadway's. "Are you afraid?"
She froze and felt her lips blossoming open. She wanted nothing more that to reach up and press her mouth to his. Her every thought told her to run and forget what she had felt. This was insane, had she fallen for a ghost?
"Yes, I am falling in love with him."
Without breaking his gaze, Royce cautiously slid his arm around her waist. He waited for her to say stop or for Broadway to back away from him, but she never did. He looked into those dark, depthless eyes that seemed to suck him in and leave him trapped. He placed a cold palm against her cheek. It felt so warm, the way he remembered flesh feeling like. "What am I doing? Why am I doing this? This is wrong..but if it were so wrong, why does it feel so right? Is it even possible for me to love? After all I've done throughout the years? Am I in love with Broadway?" His thoughts felt blurred and scattered and for the first time in half a century, Royce suddenly forgot that he was a ghost. He forgot about all the pain and the suffering and thought only about one thing: the girl in his arms that he was in love with. He thought about Broadway.
Royce tightened his grip on her waist and brought her closer to him. He felt her heart beating in her chest and her soft breath upon his face. Slowly, Broadway brought her arms up and gingerly touched his face and neck, curling her fingers around his collar.
"Broadway, do you need me to stop?"
"I need you. Just you." She whispered back.
Moments apart, unsure of what they were doing, locked in each other's arms and gaze, Broadway and her Guardian spirit slowly brought their faces together until their lips swept one another's. They met cautiously and sweetly, the way of most first kisses. They tightened their grip on each other and Broadway curled her cool fingers around her love's neck and through his hair. Royce brought his other hand down from her face and to the small of her back, securing her to him tightly as time seemed to stop around him.
His lips were cold, but gentle, as his kiss was, but soon the air of uncertainty began to melt away to something more overbearing. Broadway's heart fluttered as the kiss deepened and she caught the first traces of what her ghost tasted like. It was a cold taste; not a heartless or empty cold, but just devoid of any life. It was a bizarre and almost hypocritical combination of emotions; how could a kiss be so wintry, yet so full of love and passion? Her thoughts were cut off as her eyes fluttered open, breaking the kiss to take a shaky breath. Royce stroked her cheek affectionately and lay her head on his shoulder. Broadway tightened her hold on her love, fearful that he might be taken away at any moment for no reason at all. The stayed like that for innumerable minutes, Royce savoring the taste of Broadway's mouth and the softness of her lips as well as the feel of her hair under his hand and the smoothness of her skin.
"Royce?" Her voice seemed to echo into the night.
"Hmm?"
"What's going to happen when all this is over? What's going to happen to you, to us?"
Royce thought about her question and the best way to answer her. "I can't tell you that Broadway. I don't know myself, really." He held her closer to his body. "But you're not going to lose me if we can help it, alright? I promise that I'll stay with you and protect you for as long as I have to." He dipped his head close to her ear and lowered his voice. "That's what you do for the dolly you love."
Broadway's eyes flew open and she turned her head to face him, their noses brushing softly. "What did you just say?"
"I said I love you."
Her cheeks flushed red and her heart began to race once more. "He said it!" She thought excitedly. "He loves me! Royce really loves me!" Broadway tilted her head up. "Say it again, Royce. Tell me you love me." She whispered.
"I love you, Broadway. Deeply and completely and always.." His last words were cut off as Royce claimed her mouth once more in an adoring embrace, the caution long gone and replaced with searing heat and need. She returned every sensation and every feeling entirely as her heart ached for more. Their bodies called out for attention from years of neglect and loneliness. Royce broke the kiss and sucked in a ragged dead breath.
"Broadway.?"
"God, I know Royce, lets just get back!"
~*~
CHAPTER 21 - True Love's Embrace
Broadway sighed contently and pushed open the door to her room, flicking on the lights. It was just as she had left it, slightly messy and dark with the familiar scent of vanilla floating around in the air. She loved her room more than any other room in the house, save for maybe the garage. She loved the paint and her bed and the slightly musky smell. She loved having her own bathroom. Above all, she loved having a home.
Brushing the last thought aside, she dropped her bags near her bed before checking into her bathroom. She debated taking a nice hot bath and opted to freshen up instead. Stripping down, she turned on the shower as hot as her body could stand before placing her hair in a high ponytail and stepping behind the frosted glass walls of her shower. She let the water run all over her body, savoring the feeling. It was as if invisible hands were massaging away all the stress and pain and confusion from the last week. She knew school was starting in a few days and hoped that all this could be over before then. But then, a thought hit her: what happens after Cyrus is defeated? What happens to him, and what happens to the ghosts? But above everything else, what happens to Royce? In an instant it was as though her whole body tensed up again to the point where no temperature of water could unknot her muscles. Something stung in her chest, not a really physical pain as much as a deep emotional pain. She tried to think again of what it would be like if Royce just vanished and the pain grew stronger, morphing into sorrow. Broadway turned off her shower, frowned strongly, wrapped a towel loosely around her body and slipped back into her clothing.
Steam billowed out of the bathroom and into her bedroom as she opened the door. Broadway was taking her hair down when he room dropped in temperature and she could detect the faint smell of leather. She reached into her bag and produced her pair of glasses and slipped them on, smiling faintly. Royce was lying nonchalantly on her bed, looking up at the ceiling.
"You did an excellent job at hiding your room." He said casually. "Sorry to just kind of appear but I..missed you today."
Broadway caught her breath. Did he just say he missed her? "Snap out of it Broadway." She scolded herself. "He's a ghost, how many times do you have to remind yourself of that?" She shook her head and realized that Royce was looking at her. "It's the only attic in the house." She joked lightly.
He stood up and faced her. There was something about the way he looked at her that sent tiny shivers down her damp back. "Yeah, yeah. I just worry, that's all." He took another step forward and Broadway felt her legs lock into place. There was that voice again. The same low, breathy voice he had used the other night. He had sounded so sincere.
"Prince, I can take care of myself. You should be worrying about yourself." The words just barely made it out of her mouth. Royce smiled a little and stepped closer.
"I'm already dead. I have nothing to really worry about."
"Except being enslaved again." She retorted evenly.
"That's why I have to keep you safe. So that doesn't happen."
Broadway stiffened and felt her heart pang. "Is that all? You worry about me because if something happens to me, it's game over for you?" Royce looked taken aback.
"What? No, that's not it and you know it! Don't say things like that!" He lowered his voice again and spoke more softly. "I want to protect you. I want to keep you safe."
"Prince..?"
"Please, Broadway, don't call me that. It hurts.."
She locked eyes with the figure standing before her. "Royce, why do you care so much?"
"I just do." He paused. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you.."
"What is it?"
Royce chuckled slightly. "Um, I was wondering if you trusted me enough to take you for a drive?"
Broadway brightened. "Of course I trust you, Royce. And I'd be delighted." She felt her heart race as Royce lowered his head slightly. He smiled at her, a genuine no holds barred smile. It filled her with so much emotion she just wanted to throw her arms around him once more, but held back. Royce nodded.
"Alright then, lets get going."
~*~
She wasn't afraid. She walked out of her room, out of the house and down the front walk to where she could see Royce's car. It was a beautiful sight; it was completely restored and back to its original splendor. She wasn't afraid when he started her up and the drove away. To Broadway, this was just another drive with a close friend. A very close friend. They drove and talked for what seemed to be forever until Royce pulled over onto a little outcropping that overlooked the downtown area of Bellville. It was very pretty at night, all the lights sparkling like diamonds and the only noise being the distant hum of traffic from the highway and the incessant chirp of a million crickets. Royce hopped onto the hood of his car and gestured for her to do that same.
They sat there in silence for a while, admiring the beauty of the surroundings when Broadway realized that they had moved together, sitting inches apart. She studied Royce's face intently. With all the wounds closed and the scars fading away to almost nothing, he was so handsome. He had the most unbelievable green eyes, like emeralds or jade. She wished that she could feel his breath on her neck, or feel a heartbeat in his chest. She wished he were alive.
Royce tilted his head to the side and peered at her quizzically. He slid off the hood and stood in front of her so that he could be a few inches taller. He felt that something was wrong and hoped he hadn't just messed up what could very well be the most perfect night of his existence. "Well, not yet." He thought. He turned to her. "Broadway..?"
"Royce..?"
"Why are you trembling?" He looked so concerned, his eyes burning fiercely into hers. He leaned his face close to Broadway's. "Are you afraid?"
She froze and felt her lips blossoming open. She wanted nothing more that to reach up and press her mouth to his. Her every thought told her to run and forget what she had felt. This was insane, had she fallen for a ghost?
"Yes, I am falling in love with him."
Without breaking his gaze, Royce cautiously slid his arm around her waist. He waited for her to say stop or for Broadway to back away from him, but she never did. He looked into those dark, depthless eyes that seemed to suck him in and leave him trapped. He placed a cold palm against her cheek. It felt so warm, the way he remembered flesh feeling like. "What am I doing? Why am I doing this? This is wrong..but if it were so wrong, why does it feel so right? Is it even possible for me to love? After all I've done throughout the years? Am I in love with Broadway?" His thoughts felt blurred and scattered and for the first time in half a century, Royce suddenly forgot that he was a ghost. He forgot about all the pain and the suffering and thought only about one thing: the girl in his arms that he was in love with. He thought about Broadway.
Royce tightened his grip on her waist and brought her closer to him. He felt her heart beating in her chest and her soft breath upon his face. Slowly, Broadway brought her arms up and gingerly touched his face and neck, curling her fingers around his collar.
"Broadway, do you need me to stop?"
"I need you. Just you." She whispered back.
Moments apart, unsure of what they were doing, locked in each other's arms and gaze, Broadway and her Guardian spirit slowly brought their faces together until their lips swept one another's. They met cautiously and sweetly, the way of most first kisses. They tightened their grip on each other and Broadway curled her cool fingers around her love's neck and through his hair. Royce brought his other hand down from her face and to the small of her back, securing her to him tightly as time seemed to stop around him.
His lips were cold, but gentle, as his kiss was, but soon the air of uncertainty began to melt away to something more overbearing. Broadway's heart fluttered as the kiss deepened and she caught the first traces of what her ghost tasted like. It was a cold taste; not a heartless or empty cold, but just devoid of any life. It was a bizarre and almost hypocritical combination of emotions; how could a kiss be so wintry, yet so full of love and passion? Her thoughts were cut off as her eyes fluttered open, breaking the kiss to take a shaky breath. Royce stroked her cheek affectionately and lay her head on his shoulder. Broadway tightened her hold on her love, fearful that he might be taken away at any moment for no reason at all. The stayed like that for innumerable minutes, Royce savoring the taste of Broadway's mouth and the softness of her lips as well as the feel of her hair under his hand and the smoothness of her skin.
"Royce?" Her voice seemed to echo into the night.
"Hmm?"
"What's going to happen when all this is over? What's going to happen to you, to us?"
Royce thought about her question and the best way to answer her. "I can't tell you that Broadway. I don't know myself, really." He held her closer to his body. "But you're not going to lose me if we can help it, alright? I promise that I'll stay with you and protect you for as long as I have to." He dipped his head close to her ear and lowered his voice. "That's what you do for the dolly you love."
Broadway's eyes flew open and she turned her head to face him, their noses brushing softly. "What did you just say?"
"I said I love you."
Her cheeks flushed red and her heart began to race once more. "He said it!" She thought excitedly. "He loves me! Royce really loves me!" Broadway tilted her head up. "Say it again, Royce. Tell me you love me." She whispered.
"I love you, Broadway. Deeply and completely and always.." His last words were cut off as Royce claimed her mouth once more in an adoring embrace, the caution long gone and replaced with searing heat and need. She returned every sensation and every feeling entirely as her heart ached for more. Their bodies called out for attention from years of neglect and loneliness. Royce broke the kiss and sucked in a ragged dead breath.
"Broadway.?"
"God, I know Royce, lets just get back!"
~*~