HI GUYS! HAPPY NEW YEAR! ITS'S 2016! How are you guys doing? Hope you're doing amazing! I know I am! Life has been so freaking great lately! I haven't been this happy since my dad passed away two years ago ( D,: ) and it's all because of ONE person! Because I am so happy and inspired by this ONE person in my life you guys get a nice long chapter to read. Yay! I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is my favorite chapter so far I think. Let me know what you think. Vote and comment with suggestions of what you want to come next or what you think comes next! I love seeing your comments! They're very encouraging!
Chapter 8 - First Date
March 1st 2021
~Analia's POV~
She woke the next morning, surprised to find herself in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Raleigh's t-shirt to be exact. He was nowhere to be found, though she vaguely remembered him joining her last night. Sitting up she looked at the clock and saw that it was noon. Chuckling to herself, she threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. She shuffled down the stairs and into the kitchen where she was met with a wonderful smell. Raleigh was at the stove again making breakfast. Eggs and bacon to be exact.
"Coffee is fresh." Having been so focused on what he was doing she jumped at his sudden voice. She was glad that his back was turned so he didn't see her startled. She went to the cupboard to grab a coffee mug but sighed when she realized it was too far up for her to reach. She glared at the top shelf desperately wishing that a mug would magically appear in her hands. But to no such avail. Instead Raleigh had seen her struggle and had taken putty in her. She heard him chuckle before he came into view and grabbed her a cup. She looked up at him and blushed.
"Thanks." She mumbled. He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head making her face turn and even brighter red. "Quit it. You're making me blush." She ducked away from him laughing in embarrassment.
"But it's adorable." He whined grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to him. She smiled as her back pressed up against his chest. He kissed her cheek quickly and let her go so he could continue cooking. Her face was so red she thought it might melt but to her luck it didn't as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She sat at the table and watched him cook.
"What is the plan for today?" She asked him taking a sip of the coffee to test the temperature.
"I'm thinking a picnic under the stars after some sparring this afternoon." He told her over his shoulder. She smiled. Sparring was one of his favorite things to do with her because each time she got better and better and it became more of a challenge for him.
"Sounds like fun." She remarked, shaking her head in amusement. He looked back at her and met her gaze judging if her tone was joking or not. The smile he sent her sent butterflies into her stomach and she blushed again. Now that their feelings were out in the open it was nice to be able to react the way she naturally did rather than having to hide it.
He finished cooking and brought the plates and food to the table. He sat down and they started eating. They exchanged small talk back and forth as they ate breakfast. They it would seem that they were the only ones in the house. It was nearly one thirty by the time they finished and she hadn't heard anything from Billy or George. They must have been out at the beach trying to find precious metals with Georges' metal detector. Either way she was grateful for the peace and quiet.
"You ready?" He asked, standing up from his seat with his hand out for her. She looked up at him and smiled.
"You bet I am." She smirked. "Ready to kick your ass." She laughed before sprinting past him and towards their bedroom. She was still in her pjs and there was no way she was going to spar unless she changed. She didn't waste time in throwing a pair of yoga pants on with a sports bra and a long sleeve shirt to stay warm.
When she bounded down the stairs and out the front door she found Raleigh meditating. Something she had shown him to control his thoughts and emotions. She joined him on the mat he was sitting on and resumed position. Legs crossed, palms facing the sky as they rested on her knees. She focused on her breathing first. In and out. In and out. In. Out. In. Out. Repeat. She thought only of her breathing nothing else. This was how she tuned out the world. Meditation. It soothed her body and quieted her busy mind. Allowed her to focus on the situation at hand. So when Raleigh's first jab at her ribs came she not only heard it coming but she saw it. She smacked it out of the way and lightly slapped his cheek instead. All while keeping her eyes closed and looking forward. Her response took him by surprise and for a moment he did nothing. She smirked.
"How did you do that?" He asked her.
"Calm your mind. Focus only on your breathing. Nothing else. Clear your mind. And then listen to your surroundings." She told him as she continued to breathe deeply. "If you listen close enough you'll hear everything around you. Even your opponents movements." Even as she spoke she could feel him relaxing and taking in what she was saying. As he was preparing himself she attacked him. Her first jab was a smack to the back of the head to irritate him and then a lighter punch to the gut. She didn't want to bruise him just yet. Or make him throw up. No sooner had she landed her blow she was up in her feet and posed to strike. He was staring at her with a gleam in his eyes that said 'so that's how this is gonna be'. It was a challenge. One she gladly accepted.
He stood and rolled their mat up, tieing it to ensure that it didn't come loose. He tossed it in the porch and faced her a devilish smirk on his face. She returned the look and began to focus her mind once again. Her breathing that was all she could think about. All she needed to think about. She couldn't let him distract her.
He made the first move. Swift and deadly had she not moved in time having anticipated his move. She jabbed back at him hitting him in the back of the shoulder as she twisted behind him. Over the last year their duels had become like a conversation. He'd strike she's strike. Sometimes she saw it as more of a dance than anything. Then on occasion they would get aggressive and end up pinning on or the other after wrestling for a bit. It was times like these that she was glad he had taught her how to fight. It was a form of exercise she could do for a couple of hours and not get bored of it. They were still sparring when George and Billy came home. Both covered in sweat despite the cold Alaskan air but she didn't mind. As the truck pulled up to the house she found herself on her back, distracted by the headlights.
"That's not fair." She whined. Relaxing into the cold ground.
"Pay attention to your surroundings." He told her as he had a million times. That was her biggest weakness. She was aware of everything yet she still managed to trip over her own feet and other objects. She had learned quickly to block out any memories in her mind as Raleigh had showed her how to do but she had taken it one step further through her meditation.
"Yea yea. I know." She groaned as he got off her and offered his hand down to her. She accepted the help and brushed herself off. Now that they had stopped sparring she could feel how cold it really was. A violent shiver ran down her spine and she bolted for the front door. Raleigh followed her laughing. "I'm going to get ready. What do I need to wear?" She asked timidly as she stood on the bottom step.
"Dress warm but comfortable." He told her. She gave a him a questioning look before remembering that they were going to be eating dinner outside. She ascended the stairs and entered their room beginning the long process of getting ready.
First thing in order was showering. She had to get all the dirt and grime off of her body before she could even remotely think about hair and makeup. Once she was done and had successfully fogged up the mirror, she wrapped a towel around herself and went to her closet for clothes. The first thing she pulled out was a matching pair of under garments. It bugged her to no end when her underwear and bra didn't match. After that she examined her closet for a shirt to wear. She'd match her bottoms after. Her eyes quickly found a familiar sweater. She had been wearing it the day Raleigh had crashed on the beach near her house. The day after it had been covered in blood but with a lot of stain remover she had managed to restore the sweater to it original color. She smiled and threw it on the bed. Looking back to her closet she quickly found a pair of black legging pants to match. She'd figure out shoes later.
The second thing she needed to do was her hair and minimal makeup. Once she was dressed and the bathroom mirror was clear of steam she got to work drying her hair so it would lay straight instead of all over the place. It took her nearly forty five minutes to get her hair the way she wanted it and by then she was too fed up with it to worry about makeup too much. So she kept it simple. Mascara and a thin line of black eyeliner.
She finished and looked at the time, seeing that Raleigh had just enough time to shower real quick and get dressed. Her feet thunked down the stairs in her heavy snow boots and the boys heard her coming. When she turned the corner into the kitchen area she was surprised to see that Raleigh was already showered and dressed, holding a bouquet of roses. The blush that suddenly rushed to her cheeks rivaled the red of the roses. Raleigh smiled at her as she approached.
"One for each month you kept me alive." He told her when she leaned down to smell them.
"That's too sweet Raleigh. Who knew you were such a softie." She teased, trying to keep herself from crying tears of joy. She had dreamed about this so many times before and now that it was here she didn't know what to do with herself.
"Well I guess the cat's out of the bag now." He remarked, earning a chuckle from her. She shook her head as she gently took the flowers from him too put in a vase. She didn't have anything fancy but the small glass she found was perfect. "Ready to go?" He asked her as she set them down on the table.
"Yes. I just need to grab my coat." She replied, heading towards the door.
"Is that the same sweater you were wearing when you found me?" He inquired.
"You have a good memory. I'm surprised you remember. You were kind of out of it." She told him.
"I remember flashes." He told her. She nodded her head as then walked out the front door.
"Where are we headed?" She asked as he opened the door to the truck for her.
"You'll see." He smirked at her and closed the door. She watched him run around the front of the truck and she smiled to herself. It had been a long time since she had felt butterflies in her stomach. He gave her those foreign butterflies.
He jumped into the cab and took off down the road. The radio was off due to the lack of stations. All they got was static when they turned it on. Out of nowhere she felt his hand reach over and take hers. She looked down at their hands and blushed. She could see him looking at her from the corner of her eye but she refused to meet his gaze as the blush in her cheeks continued to grow darker. A year ago, this was the last thing on her mind. Starting a relationship. There was too much chaos going on around her with all the Kaiju attacks. She was scared to lose another loved one, but what was she supposed to do? Sit around and wait to die or live her life to the fullest instead of living in fear? With Raleigh she found her fears ebbing away, with him she wanted to live in the moment and enjoy everything she could. Neither of them knew what the future held but to her that was finally starting to be okay because she wouldn't be alone. She couldn't face the unknown by herself but with him by her side she wasn't afraid to face the unknown dead on.
She was pulled from her thoughts as the drivers side door slammed shut. As if waking from a dream she looked around at where they were at and realized she had zoned out for the entire car ride. They were on the beach and in front of the truck was a candle lit picnic. The door on her side opened and she almost asked how the candles were staying lit when she realized they were battery operated. So without saying anything she took the hand that Raleigh was offering her and got out of the truck. He closed the door behind her and lead her over to the picnic.
"What do you think?" He asked her, as they sat down.
"I'll let you know when I find the words." She told him softly. He smiled at her and got to work unpacking the basket. There wasn't much but what he brought was enough to satisfy her hunger. They ate in silence. It was a comfortable silence. She found herself staring out at the waves, thinking about her childhood.
"I've always found the beach calming." She said randomly, not taking her eyes off the water.
"That's agreeable. I used to sit on the edge of the shatterdome and just stare off into the distance." He told her.
"I lived in a beach house on the coast of California and every night I would fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing up on the shore." She explained, with a smile on her face. "I think what I miss the most is the surfing. My dad and I would go surfing every weekend."
"I never got to learn how to surf, though I wanted to." Raleigh said.
"Too bad the waters of Alaska aren't warm enough. I would have loved to teach you." She said, finally meeting his gaze and immediately getting lost.
"It's too bad." He repeated. She wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss him, but the moment didn't feel right. It felt pushed. So she leaned away and looked back out at the ocean.
"Do you ever wonder what happened to your Jaeger?" She asked, trying to change the subject.
"Nah...PPCD probably had her picked up and harvested for parts to build another better jaeger." He explained to her. She nodded her head in response and couldn't help but wonder if they really did tear it down. From what she had seen on TV before the incident Gipsy Danger had been a beautiful machine and she couldn't imagine them tearing her apart just for parts.
"Before my family died, I wanted to be a pilot but we moved to Canada thinking it would get us out of the hot zone. Unfortunately I never got the chance because Canada was attacked and I was left on my own to find a way back to the states." She told him, looking down at her hands, as images of her family flashed through her head.
"I joined because my family died and my brother and I had nothing left. My younger sister disappeared and I haven't seen or heard from her since our parents died." He explained. "Joining was probably the best and yet worst thing I could have done but I couldn't imagine not making that decision."
"I can imagine. I don't know where I would be or if I would even have a drift partner if I had actually made it back to the states for pilot training." She thought out loud.
"We would probably be drift compatible." He said and she looked at him with a questioning look on her face.
"Really? You think our bond is that strong?" She inquired.
"Yes i do. I know we are physically compatible because I'm the one who taught you how to fight and over this past year, you have gotten to know me better than anyone I know, besides Yancy." He explained to her.
"Well too bad I'm not a pilot." She laughed.
"On to happier things!" He exclaimed, jumping up from the ground. Startled by his sudden change in mood and energy level she could only sit there and watch him race to the truck and pull the drivers side door open. She had no idea what he was up to but when the lights turned on and blinded her she vaguely heard an apology come from the cab. She laughed at him. She'd never seen him so excited about something before. Then she heard it, the faint sound of music coming from the cab of the was quiet at first but then the music changed and grew louder. She recognized the guitar intro instantly and she had to fight back the tears that suddenly rushed to her eyes. Raleigh came back over to her and put his hand out for her.
"Dance with me?" He asked. She didn't have to be asked twice as she reached up and took his hand. He pulled her close and she couldn't help but smile. He wrapped his one arm around her waist as the other took her hand in his. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and rested her chin next to her hand. Pure bliss washed over her as they swayed back and forth in the sand.
"I haven't been this happy in a long time." She whispered, feeling the tears running down her cheeks. They were happy tears for once.
"Me either Ana." He pulled away just enough to look at her as he spoke and held her gaze. She smiled and leaned in slightly. He met her halfway and they kissed. Before Raleigh she couldn't remember ever being kissed and she was a little scared to admit that he had been her first proper kiss. After the Kaiju attacks she had closed her heart to anyone and everything except George and Billy until now. Raleigh had changed that for her and she wanted nothing more than to drown in the feelings he gave her. She was scared but it was a good kind of scared.
They had stopped dancing and Raleigh's one hand had found her hip while the other had reached up to cup her cheek. Having no experience in this she followed her instincts, wrapping her arms around his neck and playing with the short hairs at the base of his neck. By the time the song ended she could say that she was weak in the knees and she didn't want to move. The moment was too perfect and she didn't want it to end. Raleigh seemed to have the same frame of mind. When the song ended they continued to stand there in each other's embrace, letting the world and time pass by.
"And should this be the last thing I see
I want you to know it's enough for me
'Cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need
I'm so in love, so in love
So in love, love, love, love,
So in love
You look so wonderful in your dress
I loved your hair like that
And in the moment I knew you, Beth" - 'Tenerife Sea ' by Ed Sheeran
TADA! Ok I really hope you guys liked this chapter! Took me forever to figure out how to write this chapter and even end it. I hope this ending wasn't too weird. Let me know what you think. If you guys want something to happen leave me a comment or send me a message! I am all for suggestions! Suggestion = shout outs! Love you guys! HAPPY 2016!
