Since I saw Vienna {Wilbur Soot} ✔︎

✈︎

Chapter 2

✈︎✈︎✈︎

But they would take me from your hand
Or they would try, they would try
- The Wisp Sings -

They stay on the roof until the sun rose above the distant horizon showering the world in pinks and brightening the sky to blue. The night was filled with conversation and getting to know each other.

As Wilbur is leaving he realizes how enthralling her beauty is. The way their conversation flowed seamlessly for hours causing them never to miss a beat. Their silence was comfortable. He felt comfortable with her. Those hours on the rooftop made the rest of the world feel non-existent.

Vienna watches Wilbur drive away before getting down. She heads inside the house, her head swirling with thoughts. Wilbur was like no one she's ever met, not in all her travels. She has met hundreds, thousands even of people in the last four years but him, he's special. She felt like she could tell him anything which has been difficult for her. Vienna had hardly told anyone about her brother but yet she told him hours after meeting him.

'What am I doing?' She thinks as she collapses onto her bed after climbing the stairs to her room. She knows better than to lead him on and hurt him. Vienna already feels herself getting attached to him. For four years she distanced herself from love. Before her brothers death she was in a very unhealthy and toxic relationship. Since then Vienna has promised herself to no attachment. The occasional hook up with a foreign man, sure fair game. Actual feelings however were off limits. She feels safer that way, shielding herself from anymore heartbreak. Protecting anyone from her inevitably hurting them by leaving.

Across the city, Vienna is on Wilburs mind just as much as he is on hers. He's getting coffee to energize himself after a sleepless night. As he sits in a corner he runs over their conversations from that night and is tempted to call her. He almost does before convincing himself that it's to soon. That she would be annoyed with him.

Vienna is sat guitar in hand humming a melody and trying to come up with new lyrics. Her heart is set in writing a song about the guilt she feels over her brother. Instead words come spilling out about Wilbur. About how she feels, and how she hates feeling that way.

"I've got Philophobia running deep in my veins," she sings quietly. "I'm scared of falling any farther for you. So I'll pack up my things and run far away."

The rest of the lyrics come naturally , soon filling a piece of paper with her hand written scribbles. She quickly titles the song 'Philophobia' and sets the page aside. Setting her guitar in it's case she stands up. Leaving the room she walks two doors down.

When she opens the door the room remains almost exactly as it was when she saw it last. Her brothers room. She takes small steps over to his bed and gently takes a seat. Reaching to the bedside table she grabs a photo frame of her and Leo laughing. Vienna remembers the memory behind this photo. It had been just before his diagnosis, when they still had hope and joy.

They had been on the beach that day. Leo had been feeling a bit sick for the last few days but he was feeling better. The family went for an outing just to get some sign. Vienna had brought her guitar and him his ukulele. The picture showed them just moments after playing together. You can see the joy in both of their smiles, how happy they are together. They had always been close, despite the age gap. If anything it made their bond stronger.

Vienna holds the frame tightly against her chest, her eyes threatening to spill tears. Another person arrives in the room, her mother. The woman sits down next to Vienna and holds her tightly. Vienna lets herself cry then, feeling protected in her mother loving embrace.

Wilbur is now looking through Vienna's Instagram photos. When she said that she's a wanderer she wasn't kidding. From the last six months he counts 5 countries she's been to.

ViennaRenae
14,483 followers

Wilbur smiles at the picture on his phone. His finger double taps the photo, accidentally liking a four month old phone. "Shit," he mutters knowing he must look like a stalker now. He sighs and sets his phone aside. A few minutes later it lights up with a text.

Vienna
Found me

Will from Brighton
I probably seem like a stalker

Vienna
I tried to do the same but you're a loser and don't have an Instagram or anything

Wilbur frowns a bit at that, not yet having told her about his presence online. He didn't want her first impression of him to be that he is a loser who places Minecraft.

Will from Brighton
Yeah I am a loser

Vienna smiles at her phone, the tears from minutes earlier drying on her face. She gets up and changes into a knee length white loose fitting dress. Pulling on a pair of sandals and a dark brown jacket she walks out of the house and to the beach.

Vienna
I'm at the beach if you want to come
Obviously don't have to if you are busy

Wilbur gets up from the table where he has spent the morning at. He walks down the street towards the beach keep his eyes out for the blue haired woman. She's a ways down and when he spots her she's standing, bare foot barely in the water. He walks up behind her and takes off his shoes as well. He stands next to her looking out over the water, waves crashing in the distance.

"Something about the ocean seeming to go on forever is nice," Vienna says looking over at him. Wilbur smiles as she takes a small step to her left, towards him. Wilbur observes her face, noticing the red tint to her eyes and splotchy cheeks.

"Have you been crying?" He asks gently and she turns to meet his eyes. She just nods slightly.

"I'm okay, just dealing with stuff," she says feeling the thump in her throat comeback. Just a few steps away was where the picture she has folded in her pocket was taken. She takes another step closer to Wilbur, craving human touch. Now they're close enough for their hands to brush against each other. Vienna's breath hitches as she slowly moves her hand to place her thumb in palm the rest of her fingers wrapping around his hand. Wilbur sucks in a breath and carefully moves his fingers to hold her thumb placed against his palm.

Their touch feels electric and both stand still for a few moments letting the tense settle into the air. Suddenly Vienna pulls her hand away and turns to walk back up the beach.

"Vienna wait-"

Author's Notes

I am really loving how this story is progressing but I'm loving the way I am writing this even more. Writing romance has always been something I enjoyed but I love writing this.