AN: hiya! i'm honestly rather surprised FF let me post the last chapter with minimal problems, haha surprise surprise. but yaaay! so i don't know, i debated when to post these next few chapters, but with how busy and forgetful i am and kinda how long i've dragged this on i'm just going to post the last ones. i hope that's ok haha, and it probably isn't like great promo ideas but whatev. i hate seeing these people on tumblr who act like writers owe their readers all this stuff, which isnt coming out how i want to say it, but i feel like i owe this to you guys. whoever of you is coming back for these haha. well i hope you enjoy these, please do let me know what you think! they are old chapters and my writing has changed from this and id like to say gotten better haha, but i hope its still good and you like it al lot. but talk to me in the comments, would love to hear from you and what you like in this chappy! :) oh also, anybody interested in me also posting old random blurbs i have for this story? lemme know!
I dab the last bit of butter onto the roll that I cut in half and I place it on the plate along with the other two and I set the knife in the sink as Izzy places the cover back on the kind of crock pot that sits on the counter.
"It's ready, guys!"
"Awesome, I'm starving." Paul comments and I grin as I find one last fork that I set by my yellow plate as we all have the same silverware and all. Izzy sure does like variety of colors though, I've noticed.
"So, Iz, when'd you make it?"
"I started it around noon and had it just cook until I left when I turned it off and then it just had to warm up. Here's the rice and then I'll get the chicken and gravy." she answers as I fill our three glasses with white milk and I see Paul smile at me as he takes off his casual blazer to drape over the back of his chair.
"It sounds and smells fabulous, for the record." he notes as Iz sets the hot bowl of the chicken and gravy that she poured into the white bowl lined with blue stripes. I wonder where she gets all of this cool looking stuff of hers.
"Aw, thanks."
I smile as I take my seat next to Paul at the kind of head of the table and Isabelle sits across from Paul and we all dig in. I scoop a little bit more of the fluffy, white rice onto my plate and then Paul passes me the bowl of light brown gravy where the bits of chicken hide out in it to top onto my rice.
"I didn't know you liked to cook, Iz." I comment as I move the food around on my circular plate to mix it all together.
"I dabble in the culinary arts every once in awhile." she comments and I grin as I blow on the hot food and I look up to see Paul ripping off a bit of his bun to dip into it and he smiles when he pops it in his mouth.
"Wow, this is fantastic." he comments after swallowing and I see Izzy blush as she flicks her curled hair over her shoulder to rest there and I get a spoonful of the rice, gravy and a piece of the chicken that is so tender it falls apart easily. I wish I was good at cooking.
"Agreed, Iz." I add on after I savored the comforting taste that hit my tongue with a pow, a good kind of one and she thanks us both as she stares down at her plate.
We continue to eat with comments about the show, which Paul became flattered by as the mixture of rice and the chicken gravy part on our plates begin to disappear as every minute passes with words spoken to the other.
"She has such a rad place." Paul comments as we stand beside each other looking at the paintings lining her walls right of the couch that now sits polka dotted pillows and I look to his hands that for once aren't in his pockets. I reach my hand over to mix my fingers with his own clean ones and he looks to me when I look up with a smile covering his lips that he kisses me with a second later.
He catches my eyes again as we're connected by our hands and he moves our hands back and forth like people do with a friend of theirs they're about to throw into the pool at a party. I look back to this painting that she said a friend of hers did and gave to her as a gift one day and I look over the evident brush strokes, the bright colors that pop out at me as well as the organic shapes that you wouldn't see on any ordinary painting in some traditional art museum.
"I bet you could paint something like one of these." Paul comments and I shrug my shoulders with a doubting look plastered on my face.
"Oh yes you could. Ya gotta stop underestimating your abilities, Court."
I forget about my eyes being on the painting to look at him and his thoughtful eyes and I think of something he said the other day, "You know how you said the other day when we were glazing those pots at the art center that I have so much faith in you?"
"Yeah, what about it?" he responds and I bite on my lip and he looks to me like 'come on, spit it out already'.
"Thanks for having so much in me." I blurt out to him and his small smile that was beginning to vanish comes back in it's full glory and he looks me up and down, which I hate when people do because it makes me feel exposed but things with Paul are always different.
"It's the least I could do since you're so supportive and all."
"What could I possibly have done to deserve you?" I softly ask aloud and I notice the color rising into his plump cheeks that I've always taken a liking to.
"Being born and putting up with me."
I bite my lip as my small smile spreads and he brings the hand up that no longer holds mine to caress my cheek and he kisses my temple as I blush and I leave him to see if Izzy needs any help with the dishes.
"Hey, girly. How is it going it with the man over there?"
"Fine. He's too good to me I think sometimes." I answer and I take a seat at the table that I helped her clean off after dinner ended and we were left with content stomachs and I peek over to see him walk over to look at the shelf of books Iz has next to a window.
"Yeah, those men are always the best. I reckon they're lifesavers. Ah, I just wish I could find myself one." she comments as she rinses the sink that she was just doing dishes in, ones that she kept telling me she was perfectly fine doing alone.
"You'll find one. Him over is the proof."
She smiles and glances over to Paul who holds a blue novel with a yellow spine and even from over here I can see his parted lips as he's deep in thought.
"That one has got a nice bum, doesn't he?" she comments in a soft whisper and I look to see her grinning and I look over to his back that faces the both of us and I giggle with blushing cheeks. I can't say that I haven't noticed it, or liked seeing it.
"Yeah, he does have a pretty fine ass, doesn't he?" I remark in a louder tone compared to her whisper as he seems to be oblivious to our conversation over here while the radio faintly plays.
"I heard that, you know, you girls talking about me bum." he shoots back and my head snaps to see Izzy with her hand to her mouth and we both burst out into laughter and he turns to look at us and shakes his head before returning to the shelf of books.
"We need to learn to whisper, I think."
"No, Izzy's fine, it's just you, Court." Paul agrees with Isabelle and my jaw drops to hang there.
"Hey!" I scold him and now he's the one laughing as Izzy wipes the counter with a wet rag and I get up to walk over to him.
"I'm bad at whispering, huh?"
"Very." he responds as he closes a book shut to set back on the standing shelf that I see has a Dictionary, Thesaurus and novels upon novels.
"Paul!"
"Gosh, you're funny to joke with and make mad." he notes with the hint of a chuckle ending his words and I shake my head.
"I can tell you like to do both."
"Ya got that right." he remarks and I look to the window where rain droplets race down the pane to hit the end and disappear from my view and I feel his arm go around my waist to pull me over to him.
"Whatever, smart guy."
"You're cute when you're mad, did you know that?" he expresses his notice and I look up at him through my average length eyelashes to see him trying hard to hide his grin that comes out on his lips more and more as time passes on by.
He nuzzles his head against mine affectionately and I can't help to smile at his teasing me that I know doesn't mean anything and I lace my arms around his middle before resting my head on his chest as my eyes dart to the window where drop after drop of rain hits to disrupt the flow. I feel his hand come to my back and then he begins to hum 'She Loves You' and my smile stays because of it, because I do.
"Ah, I'm swamped." he mumbles as he lands onto the bed and I slip my bra off my arms that I toss into the box of clothes as my back faces him in this dark and I turn to navigate my way to the bed. I ram my leg into the post of his bed and I groan.
"Ow." I cry out as I hold up my leg to rub and I hear the springs in the bed squeak from weight and then his laughter.
"It's not funny, it hurt." I comment as I sit on the bed and softly punch his shoulder and he grabs my hand to kiss my finger.
"It wasn't my finger."
"Oh, then what was it?" he asks in his lovely and alluring British accent.
"My leg, but no need to kiss it. Thanks though."
"Mm, okay." he comments sleepily with a yawn and I lay down and pull the covers over me as he yawns, again.
"You don't gotta be so far away, you know. I like having you near me." he sweetly comments and I smile as I feel his hands touch me and drag me over to be close to him as it's pitch black.
"Paul?"
"Can we talk tomorrow, Court? I'm exhausted and I'm afraid I'd fall asleep in the middle of a conversation." he remarks and his arm leaves me and I struggle to move my legs.
"Yeah sure."
"I'm sorry, love, but I'll speak to you in the morn'. Goodnight." he concludes and I hear him oddly flip over and I close my eyes to try and find sleep.
I listen to his calm breathing that soon changes and I roll onto my stomach to look out the uncovered window to see a sliver of the moon that shines bright in the middle of the sky that's a dark blue, among all of the glimmering stars. I rest my chin on my laid out hands as Paul begins to snore softly next to me and my thoughts escape me for a few moments and I realize that I really don't care, because thoughts are annoying sometimes. I sigh and wish that Paul hadn't fallen asleep so quickly or been so tired, but we did do a lot of laughing at Izzy's place with the few games we played and talking we did. The clouds move away from the moon to bring more light into the room and I glance to my left to see Paul sleeping and he flipped over again and I look over his parted lips that are undoubtedly pouty. Then there are those thick eyelashes I've never seen to be so long on a man and then I look to his ruffled hair that is still short and will only grow longer as the years pass, and I suddenly wonder how much I'll get to see him change. I grow sad at the thought of having to leave him forever and I remember how frightened I was earlier, and how I became sad so quickly without him there and then when I saw him again the relief was instant, all because of him. Tears rise to my eyes, but I try to blink them back and then they spill out onto my cheeks and I take in a few ragged breaths as my chest shakes while the moonlight glows on my face and I lay my forehead on my arms. The bed shifts and Paul groans next to me and then yawns and I feel his hand come to my back.
"Darling, come here." his raspy voice that is dipped in sleep speaks and I lift my head and scooch over to him and he brings me in to hold me close.
"Are you crying?" he asks and I nod into his chest and I suddenly feel stupid for acting like this and being so dang emotional, but what can you do when you go through a lot and even more when you're afraid to lose somebody you possibly love? I agree that tears don't show weakness, but instead they portray strength.
"There's no need to, sh." he assures me and I exhale my tense breath into the confines of his bare chest that he decided to go with tonight, and I certainly am not complaining of the warmth and touch.
"Paul-."
"I'm right next to you, sweetheart." he breathes and I nod into his chest and I feel little hairs tickle my forehead and he pulls the covers up a little bit more before I let my eyes flutter closed.