Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Chance ❯ Chapter Eight: Affections of the Past ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: same as usual, enjoy the chapter!

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Chapter Eight: Affections of the Past

 

“Ugh… I should've known this was going to happen,” Ryleigh whined to herself, sitting slumped over a mug of hot cider, a vaguely warm towel tossed over her head. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes looked slightly unfocussed; in other words, Ryleigh had gotten herself a cold. She hated being sick, and had done everything she could to avoid it, but to no use. She always caught a cold sometime in November, so why should this year be any different then most?

 

`I feel terrible… I wish I could crawl back into bed and sleep it off…' Sighing, Ryleigh let her head drop onto the table, just missing her mug of cider, `but I can't skip class… Zade and I have to finish our painting, and we haven't even started it…' A coughing fit suddenly overcoming her, Ryleigh sat up clutching her stomach, eyes squeezed shut until it had passed. Taking a few deep breaths, she glared at her now-cold cider and grabbed the mug by its handle, walking slowly to the sink and dumping it. Looking down at her outfit- a white tank-top with an orange blazer and black pants- Ryleigh sighed, pushing herself away from the counter and swaying towards the front door.

 

`Better start walking,' she thought, opening the door. She started in surprise when she came face-to-face with an equally startled Zade, his hand held up and ready to knock, a tray with two Tim Hortens coffee cups held in his right.

 

“Uh… hey?” he ventured, cheeks colouring slightly as he evaded his gaze.

 

“Hi…” Ryleigh blinked slowly, mind running a bit slower then usual, “Why are you here?”

 

“Oh…” Zade held the tray up in front of him, “I thought I'd give you a lift to class, and picked coffee up on the way… I know you like Ice Capps but I figured since it's winter a normal coffee would be better-”

 

“How do you know I like Ice Capps?” she asked, her mind suddenly unfogging, “and how did you know where I live?” Zade flushed again.

 

“I asked Nathaniel,” he admitted, frowning when he noticed the unfocussed look in her eyes and stepping inside, “Are you sick?”

 

“Who, me?” Ryleigh faked a laugh, ending in a cough, “I'm fine.”

 

“Yah, right.” Before she could protest Zade had pressed a hand to her forehead, causing Ryleigh to flush for more reasons that just a cold, “Well, you're not warm…” he murmured, frowning when Ryleigh swatted his hand away.

 

“I told you, I'm fine!” Snatching the coffee she assumed was meant for her, Ryleigh downed a big gulp and flashed him a grin, “See? I'm normal.”

 

“If you say so,” Zade looked unconvinced, but shrugged and moved back towards the door, “Come on, we better get going,” Ryleigh slipped her boots on and followed after him, heading down the stairs and hesitantly slipping into the passenger seat of his car. The ride to the university campus was silent, though not as awkward as Ryleigh had thought it would be. Possibly because she was only half conscious, the other half of her mind clouded by her cold.

 

Reaching the campus fairly quickly, the two hurried into the classroom, sitting at their canvas just before the bell sounded and Deveau walked in, smiling at the class from behind her desk.

 

“You have the period to work on your paintings,” she said, eyes pausing on Ryleigh and Zade, “but only this period; I suggest you all finish them today,”

 

While the other partners all got to work, Ryleigh and Zade sat quietly, staring at the canvas. Ryleigh's mind was working as fast as it could in its current state, but Zade was the one to come up with an idea.

 

“We have to be touching,” he said suddenly, startling Ryleigh.

 

“Wha?” she replied smartly, Zade sighing and looking at her seriously.

 

“I said, we have to be touching,” he motioned between them, “We've been going into separate trances until now, but since we need to paint the same thing, in unison, we need to go into the same trance.” Ryleigh nodded, slowly following what he was saying.

 

“Ok…” she stated slowly, waiting for him to continue.

 

“Are you right handed?” she blinked again, confused by the question. Zade frowned, “Just answer me; are you right handed?” When she nodded, Zade continued, “Good, I'm left handed; hold my hand.”

 

“What?!” Ryleigh squeaked in surprise, Zade raising an eyebrow at her.

 

“We need to be touching, right? So if we hold each others hand, we'll be touching and be able to go into the same trance,” nodding slowly, Ryleigh stood with the red haired male, each taking a paint brush in their writing hand before hesitantly joining her left with his right.

 

Both gasped immediately, Ryleigh's eyes turning green and Zade's turning red as they both faded into the trance…

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

The first thing Ryleigh noticed when she opened her eyes again was that she could think straight; in the trance, her cold was gone and she could function properly. Good. The second thing she noticed was that Zade was standing beside her, holding tightly to her left hand. Not good. Cheeks flushing red, Ryleigh went to yank her hand away but was unable to as Zade tightened his hold on her, turning a glare on the blonde female.

 

“What are you doing?!” he whispered, frowning, “Do you want to break the trance before the painting's done?”

 

Ryleigh frowned, realizing he was right and looking away, cheeks turning pink again, “Sorry, I wasn't thinking.”

 

Zade stared at her for a second, muttering a quiet “it's ok,” before looking forwards again, giving her hand a jerk to make her look as well. Turning her head, Ryleigh gasped in surprise, spotting the blonde elf and the ebony haired male laying in the grass nearby, the males face completely clear, crimson eyes gazing at the elf fondly. Both Ryleigh and Zade moved slightly closer to hear what was being said, hands still linked.

 

"Tomorrow's the war... will I follow in my past life's steps?” the elf murmured quietly.

 

"I won't let you," the male replied, only turning to look at her after he had finished his sentence.

"You won't die on the battlefield. I know this because I'm going to be there, right beside you constantly, making sure of it."

Rolling onto his stomach, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at the elven maiden. “I want to share many, many more days with you. I want to kick the autumn leaves on the trail together. Roll in the grass like this in spring, together. Dance in the summer rain, together. Build snowmen in winter, together. Together, with you. So, I won't let you leave me on the battlefield." he smiled slightly at her, looking directly into her green eyes. "I won't let it happen."

 

The elfflushed brightly at his words, staring straight back in his red ones. Her heart beat more quickly at the open sincerity in the crimson depths, something she'd never seen in his eyes before.

Swallowing to try and settle her hearts rapid beating, Preia returned his smile shyly.

"I... I want to do those things to," her voice was almost a whisper, but pushing herself up so that she was sitting and looking down at him instead of up, she smiled again, "and I'll be looking out for you to, you know... on the battlefield, I mean. So I won't be letting you leave me either, Rye, not for a long time. I... it would hurt my heart too much to let you go..." she flushed again at the end of her sentence, breaking their eye contact slightly as her shyness kicked in.

 

Rye snickered quietly, baring his small fangs. He found her nervous stutter and her red cheeks quite amusing.

"I'm glad," he said in response. "Have I made you uncomfortable?" he askedwith a smirk, moving closer to her.

 

Eyes snapping back to Rye's at his comment, Preia just flushed more when she noticed how little distance was between them.

However, her stubborn side chose this moment to kick in, and she huffed slightly, her lower lip sticking out in a slight pout as she stared straight back at him.

"Not uncomfortable, just different. Like butterflies are fluttering around in my stomach, but in a good way. It's a feeling I don't ever want to leave." she finished truthfully.

 

"Correct answer," he said quietly.

Closing the distance between them, Rye pulled Preia's necklace which hung above him slightly, drawing her lips towards his. Closing his eyes, he kissed her lips softly, cupping the side of her face with his hand, Preia responding to his kiss after a moment of shock.

 

Ryleigh stared in awe at the loving scene, cheeks flushing brilliant red at witnessing such an intimate moment. Gaze flicking to Zade, who looked as awed as she felt, only one thing could come to Ryleigh's mind as the vision faded into darkness around she and Zade.

 

“So innocent…”

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

“Ryleigh, Zade, this is marvelous!” Blinking to clear her vision, Ryleigh looked up into the beaming face of her professor, then glanced at Zade to see him doing the same. They looked at each other before looking at their painting, both gasping in awe of their own work.

 

They had painted the kiss between the elf and the ebony haired male, complete with the temple in the background and the soft grass the two had lain in. Their two styles had somehow combined to create something more beautiful then either had ever been able to create on their own, seemingly having fused together.

 

Glancing between them, Ryleigh realized that Zade was still holding her hand and jerked it away with a squeak, blushing and looking away when Zade glanced at her. The bell rang soon after, the other students rushing to get their stuff and head out. Deveau flashed another smile at the two.

 

“Just sign your names on the painting and you can go, ok?” They nodded briefly, Ryleigh digging her sharpie marker out of her bag and popping open the lid, scribbling her name on the corner and holding the pen out to Zade. He took the pen and scribbled his name under hers, then handed it back, Ryleigh dropping it back into her carrier and standing up.

 

“Ryleigh… uh…” Noticing his discomfort, Ryleigh flashed him a small smile, slightly friendlier due to her cold.

 

“Kaelyn and Nathaniel should be waiting outside to go for lunch, do you want to come?” Zade looked surprised at her offer, then smiled back, the first true smile she'd seen from him.

 

“Sure.” Heading out, the two found Nathaniel and Kaelyn standing just outside the building's door, the pair waving when their friends appeared.

 

“Zade, can I talk to you?” Nathaniel asked quietly when Ryleigh walked ahead with Kaelyn, the red head nodding, “How do you feel about Ryleigh?”

 

Zade was quiet for a minute, then looked at the blonde haired male, “When I first met her… I just felt like I was being drawn towards her for some unknown reason, like my soul knew her or something. But now… now, I… really don't know… my feelings for her are deeper, and they're confusing, but I can't say for certain exactly how I feel about her currently,” Nathaniel nodded in understanding.

 

“That's understandabl-”

 

“Ryleigh!” He was cut off by Kaelyn's shout, both men turning in time to see Ryleigh stumble and start to fall forwards. Zade reached her just in time, catching her in his arms just as she was about to hit the ground.

 

“What happened?!” Nathaniel demanded, Kaelyn shaking her head frantically.

 

“I don't know! We were just talking and then she suddenly went quiet and stumbled!” Zade turned Ryleigh over in his arms, the blonde unconscious, her cheeks flushed and her forehead clammy. Setting a hand on her forehead, the red head cursed.

 

“She's got a fever; a bad one.” Nathaniel swore, rushing over and grabbing her carrier, unzipping the front pocket and digging through it. Zade stared at him.

 

“What are you-?” He stopped when Nathaniel held a key up in front of his face, staring at him seriously.

 

“Kaelyn and I have class, so I'm counting on you to get her home and take care of her, you hear me?” he stated, Zade frowning and nodding, taking the key and hooking Ryleigh's carrier over his shoulder before scooping the blonde up in his arms, turning towards his car.

 

“I'll take care of her,” he stated simply before walking quickly towards his car, gently putting Ryleigh in the passenger seat before jumping in and driving off towards her apartment.

 

Kaelyn and Nathaniel stared after them for a bit, the blunette eventually turning to look at her companion.

 

“He's falling for her, isn't he?” Nathaniel nodded, his lips forming a small smirk.

 

“Aye, and she's falling for him, though I doubt either realizes it quite yet.”

 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Managing to get the apartment door open with Ryleigh in his arms, Zade entered the kitchen and kicked the door closed, quickly shedding his shoes before hurrying into her bedroom (he assumed it was hers) and setting her on the bed, taking off her blazer before covering her with only the lightest sheet. Her fever would only get worse if he covered her up to much.

 

Hurrying into the bathroom he soaked a cloth with cold water and moved back into her bedroom, laying it on her forehead and sitting next to her on the bed, watching her worriedly. It was no wonder she'd gotten sick; he'd never seen her wear a heavy coat, only light blazers.

 

“Zade.” Startled, Zade stared down at the blonde when she whimpered his name, still locked in fevered dreams. Smiling softly, he bent down and, moving the cloth aside briefly, kissing her forehead gently before putting it back into place.

 

“I'm here, and I'll stay for as long as I need to,” he whispered quietly.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Weeeeeeeeee another chapter done! Aw poor Ryleigh's sick, but she's got Zade taking care of her! XD *is hyper now*

 

Amariahellcat

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

*gushes* That was sweet.

 

Snowy