Primrose smiles as she listens to Caleb's story of how Lilian is getting into trouble today because she came to work late and how she got an earful of nagging from the director of her department. The raven head sighs, knowing very well that the nagging will translate into her listening to her friend's complaints when her shift ends.
The young lord decides to pick her up from the publishing company after she finishes her meeting with her edit team to finalize the quota for the first print. It was a heated debate, but they managed to settle down with 45,000 copies, which is between Primrose's desired range. Caleb expresses that he will get the book on its first published day, the comment makes her giggle as he too, enjoys her work a lot.
They walk in the elevator and as the door closes, an awkward silence fills the air. Caleb still wears a calm expression but Primrose is thinking of something else, something he told her a few days ago. Lilian told her to give him a clear answer to his confession and as much as she wants to do so, she finds herself unable to express it. And when they're alone, her anxiety rises, especially when they are in a close environment like this. So close and yet, so far away as well.
She blames herself for not being brave enough to speak up about her feelings, but it is more than that. She doesn't know if it is because it's not the right time or the right place or the right moment, but every time Primrose gathers enough courage to express her feelings, the lump in her throat stops her from saying anything.
The raven head knows that Caleb has patiently waited for her response, she finds it very kind of him to allow her to process his words and navigate through her feelings before giving him her answer, but many days have passed and she still fumbles on her words. It has been a week since his confession and she feels horrible for making him wait this long. Primrose wishes it could be different, that she could just speak her mind like how she did with everyone, but…
"Primrose…"
His warm voice pulls her out of her train of thought as his hand lands on her shoulder, directing her gaze at a slumped figure sitting in front of her apartment door. Raising a brow, she squints her eyes, attempting to make her vision clearer by doing so.
"It's…Nathaniel…?"
She pouts as her brother's name escapes her lips, the memory of their emotional argument feels like a fresh wound to her. But Caleb is more understanding as he watches the young man, noticing how his lively blue eyes no longer shine the same light they used to be. Primrose looks at Caleb, then turns her attention to the blond, observing him carefully.
Why is he here?
What does he want?
Is he here to insult her again?
But none of those questions are relevant the moment she notices how his expression is pale and dulled, as if he has just gone through something terrible. Stepping closer, onyx eyes open widely when she sees his tear-stained face. At that moment, all of her anger disappears as she runs to him, holding onto the blond's arms as she looks at him with worries surging in her heart.
"Nat! Nathaniel, what's wrong?" when he raises his head, staring at her with a lifeless expression, her fear grows bigger "Nathaniel, look at me, what happened?"
She notices the smell of blood and looks at her brother's hand, his palms are littered with little wounds caused by digging his fingernails to the skin. Caleb steps back, covering his nose to block away the smell. Despite him having good control over his thirst, the vampire lord knows that he can not take any risk, especially when this person is Primrose's beloved little brother.
She hovers her hands on top of the blond's injuries, a light blue hue healing his wound instantly. Nathaniel doesn't say anything, he just sits in front of her apartment like a rag doll. His broken state scares Primrose as she begs him to talk, asking him over and over again what happened to him, but silence only proves to grow louder.
"Caleb…"
She turns to him, tears welling up in her eyes as she doesn't know what happened or how to deal with this. The young lord rushes in, checking his outer appearance to see if there is any other wound on his body before looking at his blue eyes. The light in them is dim, almost blackout in a sense.
Nathaniel is going through an emotional turmoil…
"L-let me call Ember, she will be here."
As she pulls out her phone, Primrose notices something falling down, droplets of water. She raises her head and immediately, her heart sinks. Nathaniel's eyes are teary at the mere mention of that name.
"Nat, Nathaniel!"
She frantically calls him again, hoping to bring him back to his senses. It's too much for her to bear, seeing him this vulnerable. Caleb tells her that they should go inside, giving Nathaniel the privacy to let out his emotions instead of just sitting in the hallway like this. Primrose agrees and opens the door to her apartment, walking inside with Caleb supporting her brother.
Once the door closes behind them, Primrose guides the blond to her sofa. Silence grows louder as the air becomes heavy, following Nathaniel's emotional turmoil. She sits next to him, her small stature leaning onto his tall one as she assesses the situation, hoping that the warmth of her body can at least ease the tension in his mind.
Caleb remains on standby, watching the siblings from a comfortable distance. Whatever causes Nathaniel this much distress must be very serious. He knows the blond holds a grudge against him, but seeing Primrose panic over her brother like that, the young lord can't help but want to offer his support as well. He hates seeing her worried and Nathaniel's state only proves to be more difficult to deal with as each minute passes by.
"Nat, please. You have to tell me what's wrong, I can not help you if you don't say anything like this…" holding his hand and pressing it against her cheek, she continues "You know you can tell me everything, right? I'm your sister, you can rely on me."
Her words, gentle as a stream, slowly make their way into his heart. Tears fall down from his eyes even more as he finally grants himself a moment of vulnerability, recalling what happened between him and Ember. His voice thickens when he mentions what she told him, how she left, how angry and lost he was, everything came crashing down on him.
His world, the love of his life, she chooses to leave him…
"Nathaniel…"
Primrose's heart tightens at the sight of her brother's tears and she too, begins to cry. The blond holds onto his sister's small body, burying his head into her shoulders as they cry together. It doesn't matter if Caleb is there, or crying is for a weak heart, or he is crashing her in his intense embrace, Primrose is his only source of comfort right now.
Nathaniel doesn't know what to do or who he can talk to. He only knows to seek Primrose, his beloved sister. Despite their argument and his cruel insults, he knows that she will never abandon him. His sister has a big heart that can handle his emotional turmoil, she is the only one who can help him…
"It's okay, everything will be okay. I'm here for you."
With a trembling voice, she speaks through tears, hugging her brother tightly. Her hand combs his hair, soothing him the way Rosalina used to do when she encountered her first heartbreak. And seeing him this fragile, so vulnerable to everything around him triggers that memory she desperately tries to ignore, the one which Caleb left her…
But Primrose can not be selfish, this is Nathaniel's pain. She can not turn his pain into her pain and cry about it. These tears are for him, for her beloved younger brother who is seeking help, salvation, and peace in his crashing world. She must do everything to grant him all of that.
"I don't want to go back there…"
"Then stay, I'll be here for you."
Holding his sister tighter, he nods painfully, feeling grateful for her kindness.
"Thank you, Prims…"
After hours of heart-pouring conversations and many rivers of tears, Nathaniel finally succumbs to his exhaustion and falls asleep on the couch. Primrose lays him down gently, ensuring his comfort before tugging him in with a blanket. She should bring out a set of futons too, her brother is probably going to crash at her place for a few nights. He needs all the support and she is here to be his emotional pillar and a shoulder to cry on.
Walking to the kitchen and grabbing herself a glass of water, Primrose down the glass with one big gulp, hoping the cool liquid would calm her now wavering mind. His tears, the pain and heartbreak he is carrying, Nathaniel is reacting exactly how she was years ago. Looking at him reminds her of how weak and vulnerable she was right after Caleb's abrupt departure.
Shaking her head, she chases those imageries away. That Primrose and herself right now are two different people, she is stronger, physically and mentally. Her heart is stronger and capable of creating a space for her brother's pain. And yet, why does the echo of the past still come back to haunt her?
"Are you okay?"
She startles, turning to Caleb. That's right, he is still here…
Holding the glass tightly in her hand, she nods, vaguely signaling that she is fine. Caleb steps closer as he is now standing in front of her. She blinks a few times when he snatches a hand under her chin, raising her head to meet his silver eyes. It is in intimate moments like this that Primrose realizes how tall he is compared to her as she can feel her neck straining. His thumb gently presses on the skin just beneath her bottom lips, coaxing her to release the tension that has caused her to bite her lip.
"Uhm…" she averts her gaze, cheeks turning red at the palpable attention.
"You're going to bleed yourself if you keep doing that." caressing her cheek softly, his other hand pries through her balling fist, feeling the redness of her skin "And this too…"
He always knows when and how she is lying, it is almost like he can read her like a book.
"You are a very bad liar, you know that?"
"S-sorry…"
"What is bothering you?" he asks again "I'm here for you, Primrose. You can tell me everything."
"I-I didn't see you when I was w-with Nathaniel, where did you g-go?"
Primrose tries to change the subject, but the pressure on his thumb serves as a gentle warning that she should not hide anything from him. His silver orbs stare at her again, waiting for an honest answer. She avoids his eyes again, searching for something else to occupy her mind. They have come a long way since that faithful day, she can not bother him with her silly fear. Caleb might think that she is too hung on in the past instead of feeling grateful for their present moments. He might think that she keeps pining on his past mistakes, despite knowing the truth behind his action. He might…
"Beloved…"
Her voice hitches at the intimate nickname, the blush adorning her face becomes darker. When he calls her like that, Primrose knows that she can not hide anything from him, it's not fair that Caleb is able to capture her heart with his words like that. Her hands slowly bring up and hold onto his, pulling it away from her chin as she allows her strained neck to relax. Caleb wraps his arms around her delicate frame, pulling her closer as her trembling hands rest on his chest, leaving a small space between them. He stays silent, still waiting for her response.
"I…well…" she bites her lips again, fumbling with her words "It just, seeing Nathaniel reminds me of myself when you…when…"
She doesn't have to end her sentence for the young lord to know what his lovely maiden is implying. Primrose believes that her fear is unjustified, stating that they have been together for this long and yet her mind still wanders back to that day.
"It's okay, I don't blame you for thinking like that." his voice is soothing, hands cradling her face and raising it to meet his eyes "That is a significant chapter in your life, I don't think it's reasonable for you to completely forget about it."
"But we're…I don't want it to hinder what we are sharing at this moment…" she looks defeated, like a child ready to face her punishment "I'm sorry…"
"There is nothing to apologize to, beloved. That part of your life is now your strength, the power to push through all circumstances that are placed on your path, and I admire that. Your heart becomes stronger and it is able to hold space for Nathaniel's pain, you should be proud of yourself." kissing her knuckles, he continues "Besides, I cherish everything we have up to now, the past, the present, and the future. Our future."
She pouts, enchanted and annoyed at his answer. Caleb always knows how to pull her heartstrings with his words, maybe being an almost 300-year-old vampire has perks of its own if he can be this patience towards her.
"Old man…" she mutters under her breath.
"I will gladly take that as a compliment."
They speak more about Nathaniel's matter and why Ember ends the relationship abruptly like that, both have a feeling that there is something deeper than what the present is showing them. Caleb, pulling from his experience, suggests that maybe she is doing the same thing as him, leaving the blond to protect him.
This piques the raven head's interest as she hums in response, pondering her thoughts at what the vampire lord said. It can be true, but she needs to look more into it. Primrose knows that Ember loves the blond dearly and has been by his side since high school, the bond is not that easy to break unless there is a more sinister figure behind this whole ordeal. Maybe she should come to their university and look more into it…
"I need to tell you something, Primrose."
"Yes?" she blinks at him, waiting for his answer.
"I will have to return to the Vatore estate for a few days." Caleb caresses her cheek, almost not willing to go "There are some issues that I must address."
"O-oh…" the water mage stays silent, unsure what to say next "I-I can not come?"
He shakes his head and Primrose's heart drops at his answer. What is it that is so secret, she is not allowed to know?
Although Forgotten Hollow is only an hour's drive away from here, this will be the first time they stay far away from each other for an extended period. She feels uneasy just thinking about it. While Primrose believes in Caleb and his love for her, she can't say for sure that other vampires will respect his feelings, particularly Inna Cents. The raven head is worried that the woman will try to push Caleb into another meeting with a vampire maiden, or even worse, try to hook him up with Seraphina Bloodhaven…
No no Primrose, you must not think ill of him. This is Caleb, he would never betray your love…
She shakes her head, chasing away the negative thoughts.
Maybe this is the perfect time to give him that…
Primrose runs over to her bag and takes out a small velvet pouch, putting it in his hands. Caleb notices the design, this is from Glimmerbrook School of Magic, why is she giving him this?
The look on her onyx orbs is a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and worry. She wonders if he would like the items in the pouch or not. The young lord expresses his gratitude and pulls out an accessory tugging inside the fabric container, eyes widen as he stares at them in awe.
"Primrose, this is…?"
The pair of earrings, bright red, is made out of ruby. She explains that she had made these a few days ago when Marlin gave Lumera some crystals from his expedition. Lumera, ever the kind mentor, told her that she could use the crystals to her liking and Primrose immediately thought of him.
"I notice you have piercing holes in your ears…"
"Ah, these ones?" reaching his hand to feel the holes, he smiles "Some of the accessories we have are earrings that bear the Vatore crest, I sometimes wear them."
"You can wear these too." she points at the accessories "I actually put a protective spell on them, so you can use them as a charm."
Primrose's eyes sparkle as she speaks about the spell, her cheeks are brushed with a faint pink color. She is not embarrassed, the way she talks about it is filled with joy, as if she has done something so wonderful that Primrose is very proud of herself. Caleb stares at the earrings, the ruby gemstone shines brightly in his eyes, and turns to his lovely maiden. The genuine excitement in her voice almost draws a chuckle out of him.
"They are for me?"
"Yes, they can protect you from harm."
She nods eagerly, completely oblivious to the fact that this might be her confession to him. To create such a lovely gift with the intention of keeping him safe, his heart is touched by this. If anything, this is the most beautiful declaration of love he has ever received from her, and Primrose doesn't even realize it herself.
Taking them out of the box, he puts the earrings on. The bright red pigment is a complete contrast to his pale skin tone, adding a touch of color to his overall appearance. The raven head stares at him in awe, hands covering her lips as her onyx orbs shine with admiration. She knows that this ruby gemstone would suit him well and it's even better to see it with her very own eyes.
Caleb can not hold back anymore, he is both appreciated and amused at her palpable attention…
"W-what's wrong?" she blinks a few times, not understanding the situation she is putting herself into "Why are you laughing?"
"No, it's just…" not knowing how to respond to her innocent question, Caleb caresses her face in his hand, resting his forehead against hers "I love you…"
She is flustered, startled at the sudden confession. It takes her a few moments, but she finally understands the double meaning behind his words. The realization strikes her like lightning she becomes flabbergasted, not knowing how to respond. Her lips open and close, trying to get those words out of her chest. The lump in her throat proves too much for her to bear and she grows frustrated at how and why she can not say them to him.
"I-I…" pink lips form a thin line, her hands grab onto his shirt so tightly that her knuckles turn white "I, I…"
"It's okay. I know how you feel…" brushing her soft raven locks in his fingers, Caleb pulls her closer so she can rest on his chest, planting a tender kiss on top of her head "I can wait, no need to rush."