Ch. 10: Small Things

"Tristan, it's beauty underneath that counts…"

Things began to slowly return to normal though the Castle will never be the same without Sofia, but they knew could not stop and Sofia wouldn't like it.

Gabriella was slowly walking down the hallway. The day had been nice and peaceful with everyone doing their daily activities. I wonder where Tristan was at, she walked down the hallway until she noticed that a door was open, she peered in to see Tristan with a sword in his hand.

She stood at the doorway as Tristan swiftly moved with it. He moved gracefully across the floor before stabbing the dummy that stood before him. He looked at it before placing the sword down. He wiped the sweat off his forehead before turning his head, seeing Gabriella. "Hello," he smiled at her.

She smiled back immediately as she walked in. "What are you doing," she asked.

Tristan looked at the dummy then at his black shirt and pants, "Working out."

"I see," Gabriella giggled. She looked at it again, "Mind if I join you? I like to learn how to defend myself especially with him around."

Tristan looked at her seeing the seriousness in her face, "Um sure, you can just borrow some of my clothes." Gabriella nodded before walking away, blushing while Tristan swallowed the lump in his throat.

Moments later, Gabriella walked back inside wearing Tristan's shirt and pants. Her sleeves were roll up a bit when she entered and then she looked up to see Tristan with his shirt off. Gabriella abruptly stopped and blushed at the sight of his muscles as he turned around. His jaw slightly dropped before he lifted it up saying, "Wow, you look great in my clothes."

"Thank you," Gabriella thanked as she walked up to him.

Tristan stood in position as he lifted his hand up. "All you going to do is punch my hand."

"For how long?"

"Until I say it's enough."

With that, Tristan and Gabriella began to practice with Tristan teaching her simple tricks to defend herself. He laughed when Gabriella actually got a punch in by punching him in the jaw. She gasped before he started laughing hard from the surprise. She giggled as well before resuming.

A couple punches later, Gabriella looked at the sword and said, "I like to try."

Tristan looked over at it before walking over and picking it up. "Come here," he told her. She walked over as he pulled her body against his, her back against his chest as he handed her the sword. "I'm going to guide you," Tristan whispered in her ear. She nodded and slowly the two began to move as one. Tristan's hand guided hers as they lifted the sword together then twirled to make a slash in the air. They then stepped forward in a stab before Tristan suddenly turned Gabriella around.

Their eyes locked as Gabriella and Tristan chuckled. The sword dropped as Tristan tried to do a punch but Gabriella blocked it like Tristan taught then punched his stomach. He bent over before he tripped her over but in the process, she landed on top of him.

Tristan landed on the floor, holding Gabriella against him. He looked up at her before chuckling, "We need to stop doing this." Gabriella giggled softly before she went silent as she felt her hands tracing down his toned chest. He closed his eyes at her touch as his arms slowly wrapped around her waist. She suddenly felt her stomach doing somersaults while she could hear Tristan's heart began to beat faster. He quickly flipped her over with him on top of her.

"You are a quick learner," Tristan whispered to her.

Gabriella blushed, "I have a good teacher."

Tristan gently cupped her cheek as Gabriella cupped his. Slowly they began to lean in; their lips dangerously close to each other's.

"Gabby, have you seen Tristan…" both pulled away immediately as Gabriella looked up to see Abby standing at the door. Tristan looked up at her before she blushed, "Found you…"

Tristan groaned as he buried his head in Gabriella's shoulder. "Is there something you need," he mumbled.

"Never mind but I feel like I interrupted something so I'll ask you later."

As he heard Abby leave, he mumbled against Gabriella's shoulder, "She gone?" Gabriella nodded before Tristan pulled back, lying next to her on the floor. They looked up at the ceiling before Gabriella turned her head toward him.

He has this smile I never seen on anyone before. He makes me smile and laugh, she thought. How can anyone as amazing as him have a cruel father like his? How someone as pure as him can never found love? "Do you just wish someone was there for you," she blurted out.

Tristan turned his head, looking at her. Their eyes locked again before Tristan looked away, "I've been alone all my life, Gabby. You asked me if I ever been in love…" She nodded, "I told you no and it's true but all I know is that love is when someone smiles at you. Love is when the person stays beside you in hard times. Love is when they are willing to hold you even though they are in pain."

Gabriella continued to watch him as Tristan grew sadder, "Love is sometimes blind. It only sees what it wants to see, passing all flaws. It's a love you and I both want."

"But we can't never have," Gabriella whispered back.

Tristan shook his head, "You can have it, Gabby. I can't."

Gabriella walked into the room when she opened the door, she looked inside to see him. His face was peaceful and happy when he saw her. She quickly walked over to him as he stood up and she jumped into his arms.

"I've missed you," Gabriella whispered to him. The man pulled back kissing her forehead as Gabriella placed her head against his chest. "It's been so hard," she told him, "Sofia passed and Tristan was so distant. I felt so alone and then I finally got him to open up but I needed you."

She pulled back and gently kissed his lips. He kissed her back before whispering, "I'm sorry, love. It's just been hard."

"How so?"

"Things are getting worse. I'm getting tired and weak, I can't keep coming."

"No…" Gabriella hugged him tightly before kissing him again. She felt so much comfort with him that it was hard to imagine him gone so fast. As he kissed her back, they deepen the kiss, pulling each other closer.

Her hands slowly slipped around his neck as he began to kiss down her jaw line with butterfly kisses. "Stay," she whispered to him, as their lips were inches away from his, "Stay with me."

"I can't," he whispered back to her. "I have to go." He stood up walking slowly away from her before he turned, "Gabby, beauty is underneath."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

B&B

Gabriella's eyes snapped open as she sat up; she touched her lips and sighed. She stepped out of her bed in the middle of the night, walking over to Tristan's room. She opened the door slowly to see Tristan sitting at his desk, fast asleep.

She slowly walked over and looked over his shoulder to see a small paper on his desk with neat and slant handwriting saying, "Dear Gabriella…" She looked at the letter then at the man who slept in the chair. Though it would seem nothing to anyone, it meant a lot to Gabriella for no one she knew would write her a letter to her. It was moments with Tristan that she noticed that he would put his own time aside to spend it with her. He never complained or got angry but always smiled and laughed. He did things that no one never did for her, not even the boy she thought loved her. Tristan did so much in the smallest ways.

Those small things made Tristan special. It was why Luka adored him so much, why Abby treated him like a brother, why Aaron was friends with him, why Sofia loved him like a son, and why Gabriella grown fond of.

She touched his cheek and pushed his hair back a bit. She removed his glasses before placing them on the table then taking his letter and placing it in a drawer. She then went into his lap and lied against his shoulder as he automatically wrapped his arms around her. He knew that she was there but he did not care.

These were the moments he relished the most. Every moment he had with her, he relished in it especially when he was with her as his dream self but his dream self was a lie. That was not the man is now, the man he is now is covered with scars and cursed to live like an animal and yet, the family and most of all, Gabriella were his grip to his humanity.

I'm proud to say we made it to Chapter 10! Wooo! Slightly shorter due to barely anytime but I had to get us out of the last chapter. I know I'm awful killing Sofia off but it's a big step to some big pieces to the story. Also I'm tired of seeing Andrew being a pain in the ass. So anyways, as usual, I love the support and keep it up.

You know the drill: Review, PM, etc. HUGS! :)