A/N: Whew! I've updated my other story and now it's time to update this one! I'm sorry from taking so long to update but I've been deep into the world of theatre, and my job blah, but now that I'm taking a break from acting, I have time to actually write! Hazza! Oh, the cover image is from Google image. Thank you! Enjoy this chapter please!
Disclaimer: I do not own the image or the characters in this story.
Chapter 4: Falling for You
Lioness awoke to the sound of laughter, men's laughter. She briefly wondered why she was hearing men until she remembered where she was and why she was there.
She smiled as she also remembered what had happened the night before and she stretched, arching her back.
"That's hot." A voice from the doorway commented.
Lioness looked over at the doorway and saw Axel leaning against it, his large arms crossed over his muscular chest and a smirk graced his lips. He was dressed in a classic tux.
Lioness grabbed a pillow and threw it at Axel, nailing him in the face.
"Hey! Watch it or I may not take you on that date." Axel threatened.
"Well maybe I don't want to go on a date with you anyways." Lioness joked, flopping back on the bed.
Axel laughed. "As much as I want to get back in that bed with you, I planned a pretty extravagant date and if we don't hurry, we'll miss it."
Lioness's smile vanished from her face and she suddenly became very interested in the patterns on the carpet on the floor.
"I-I-I um don't have anything to wear for a fancy date." Lioness confessed, embarrassed.
"That's part of the date too." Axel whispered as he stepped forward and lifted her chin up so that she was looking into his blue eyes.
"I've thought of everything. I know we really just met but I want to get to know you." He whispered and Lioness could have sworn that she felt her heart stop.
"Ok. Let's go." She murmured happily, trying to ignore the lingering feeling of doubt that she felt in her mind and her heart.
The day was beautiful. It was sunny and the air was crisp. As Axel and Lioness walked to the shops, Lioness felt happier than she had in a long time.
"Oh, I wish it was this beautiful in Brazil. It's always so hot, and the sun never shines like it's doing right now, it bbbuuurrrnnnssss." Lioness said in a sing-song voice.
Axel laughed. "Do you ever miss it?" He asked seriously, and he noticed how soft Lioness's golden eyes got.
"Of course." She said, trying to maintain a nonchalant tone but Axel saw right through her.
"I'm really sorry about what I said to you last night. You're not a… um…" Axel started to apologize.
"Low class hooker?" Lioness finished for him and Axel felt his cheeks start to burn.
"Yeah, you're definitely not that." Axel stated and Lioness giggled.
"Axel, I came here because it was my only chance. In Brazil there are a lot of drug lords. My father was one of them, and that's why I learned capoeira, to protect myself and my brothers and my mother if they ever needed me. My mother started having kids when she was 13, so we were all different ages. But somehow, someone always needed me and I always helped. But I never had to do that for my father. My father could handle himself, or so I thought." Lioness explained and Axel found himself engulfed in her story as the couple continued to walk across the deck towards the dress shop.
"My father tried to get out of the drug selling business at the insistence of my mother but he made some very powerful people that once were his partners angry. So, one night these angry men came to our house and killed two of my brothers, my mother, and my father. My two youngest brothers are twins and are only 4 years old…" Lioness took in a shaky deep breath.
"They watched those angry men have their way with me and then they told me that I had to pay off all of my father's debt to them or else they'd kill me and my brothers. They told me they'd give me a little something to get me started and then they threw money at me… It was only change." Lioness whispered, biting her bottom lip to resist the pressure building behind her eyes. She only began speaking again once she was sure that she would not cry.
"So, I gathered all of my money, asked my best friend to take care of the twins, and I came here. I had heard stories about America and I knew it was my best chance. Once I heard about this new ship and the rich people on it, I knew that it was worth the rest of my money and that I could get high paying…um… customers. That's why I'm here." Lioness finished.
Without a word, Axel stopped walking. They were standing in front of the dress shop, finally, but he didn't make a move to go in.
Instead, Axel leaned down and wrapped Lioness's small body into his large one.
"I'll give you the money. However much you need, I'll give it to you." He murmured into her ear.
Lioness pulled away slightly, her petite hands still resting on Axel's built upper arms.
"I didn't tell you that for your charity, I told you because I wanted you to know about me, and who I was. Your money is your money. I'll just-"
Before Lioness could finish her statement, Axel leaned down and placed his lips onto her's.
The kiss was sweet and soft and lingered.
"I'll do what I want with my money. Now, how about that dress?" Axel asked. Lioness nodded and Axel took her hand and led her inside.
Dressed in a black dress that hugged her hourglass frame, and black pumps to match, Lioness walked out of the store with Axel 20 minutes later.
"See, it didn't even take long." Axel reassured and Lioness laughed.
"It's because I hate shopping actually. I'm not really that girly." Lioness confessed.
"No offense, but I noticed." Axel said. In response, Lioness bumped her shoulder into his side.
"So, where are we going?" Lioness asked but Axel simply shook his head.
Despite her continuous questioning Axel still would not answer her.
After a while of walking and Lioness complaining about her heels, the couple finally reached a large ballroom.
A huge golden chandelier hung in the center of the ballroom. Men with classical instruments played on a large stage in the front of the room and tables with golden silky tablecloths with candles on top of them were placed near the back of the room. The larger portion of the room was obviously reserved for dancing and many couples danced the waltz to a sweet melody flowing from the musician's instruments.
"Axel, this is beautiful." Lioness said, her voice full of awe and Axel nodded in agreement.
"Let's eat. I'm starving!" Axel exclaimed.
Lioness laughed and the two were escorted to a table by a waiter.
"So, earlier I told you my sob story. What's yours?" Lioness said, semi-jokingly.
Axel's eyes clouded with something Lioness couldn't recognize, but he started his story anyway.
"Well I was born into a rich family and I grew up privileged. Well privileged isn't the right word. Honestly, I was spoiled. But I was only spoiled because my mother felt guilty about just sitting by and watching my dad come home and beat the shit out of me since I was barely walking. And my dad would spoil me not because he was guilty, but because he didn't want me to tell anyone. I grew up angry at the World and myself for not being able to stand up to my own father. I met the boys, King, Shark, and Hawk, but I was still just angry almost all of the time." Axel said, his eyes never leaving the ornate tablecloth. Lioness slowly reached over and covered his hand with her's. Axel continued his story.
"When I was 14, I started fighting back. That didn't make him stop but it sure as hell made the beatings a little bit more interesting… One day, he came home drunker than I had ever seen him my whole life. I remember I was making a sandwich in the kitchen and he started yelling at me. When I started yelling back, he grabbed a knife from a cabinet in the kitchen and he tried to stab me. Well push came to shove and I ended up… stabbing him until he stopped trying to punch me in the face. Even as he was dying he was trying to hit me. After that, I got counseling for my anger problems and I still get them but they just… make me angry. It's ironic." Axel chuckled to himself.
Just then the food arrived and Lioness removed her hand from Axel's as the waiter placed their food in front of them.
Lioness, not knowing what to say, began to eat her food.
"Did I scare you?" Axel questioned and Lioness shook her head. Her beautiful face somehow made any more radiant by the candlelight.
"I think you protected yourself and you are trying to get your anger under control but you've been angry for a long time. It will take a long time to heal." Lioness stated her opinion.
Axel beamed at her and she laughed at his childish happiness at her response.
Soon, they finished their meal.
"Let's dance." Axel said, excitement laced in his voice.
Lioness agreed, naturally, and together the two twirled throughout the ballroom, outshining every other couple.
They fit into each other's arms perfectly and they both were thinking the same exact thing.
They both were thinking how they wanted to be together, feeling like this, forever.
A/N: Oh how I've missed writing this story. I hope my explanations for their lives are believable and that you enjoyed. If not, I can always rewrite. Thank you for your time and for reading. Love ya! Mwah! *Blows kisses*