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Erik sat alone in his silent room. He played chess against himself again, remembering Irina and her beautiful eyes on the plane. He should be staring at them, outside under the blinding moonlight filled with energy from Venus.
Yet, he stayed hauled in his room, bombarded with thoughts of the beautiful woman. He wrote her name all over his walls with invisible honey almost as sweet as she was, it was a glimpse into his brain. So everywhere he stared, he ogled at her. Even outside his confinement. In the hallways, in the yard, or the few times he caught her in the library. When he stared outdoors, the stars took the form of her.
He knew he should be outside, setting his cold, nervous hands on her hips once more so she could protect herself when he couldn't do it for her. If Erik was honest, he was sure he'd protect her until the end of the world.
Yet, the memories of his mother, the camps, the number on his wrist. It hurt, and yet he passed along the pain to her lilac soul. He did not want her pity, his words spoke the truth. But, he wanted to give himself to her. Show her everything about him.
Erik did not know if he regretted it.
A soft knock emitted from his door, and he knew it was her. Her in her long, heart-wrenching dresses. Her heels stomped their way into his mind every second of the day.
"Come in," he said, already preparing himself for her. His veins burned with excitement to see her again and inhale her rich leather and chypre perfume.
The door creaked open, and the sound of small footsteps followed after. She wore the grey clothes Charles had given them the day prior, and yet they looked magnificent on her.
"Erik," she said, his name on her tongue like a sinless life. "Want to come on a walk?" She asked, still cowering behind the door.
Please don't shy away from me, he pleaded. He wanted to see her in all her glory.
Eager to eye her from head to toe, he shook his head. He stayed quiet and attempted to not peek at her enticing eyes. Instead, he started replacing the pieces on the chessboard. "White or black?"
He heard the door click, signaling it closed. "I thought you had to hold them in your fist and let me choose."
I want you to have whatever you want. "I suppose I'm changing the rules tonight. White or black?"
Her answer stunned him. "White." Suddenly, she sat in the chair in front of him. The fire played beside them in its cage, adding color to her pale skin. She set her hands on the round, cherry wood table. He noticed how she eyed his bed that sat on the wall at his left, opposite of the fireplace.
"Are you tired?"
"No, I suppose I am just distracted that's all."
"White gets the first move."
"I am not here to play chess, Erik," she said with a sigh.
He sighed too. "I know." He stared at her through his lashes. He'd seen her act this way when they saw Ms. Karina Smirnov. When Irina begged for forgiveness. Had she been begging for forgiveness now?
"They took us in 1944," he placed a white piece on a square. "The Nazis took my father, mother, and I. They were going to separate us, but I fought. I fight for my family," his tone rising with anger. I'll fight for you. Calming down, he continued, "The only thing separating us was a metal gate. I was able to control it, it was the first time I used my mutation.
"It caught the attention of Klaus Shmidt. You know him as Shaw." He rolled his eyes up, she nodded at his words. Her eyes were more attentive to the game he played. "He wanted to know if I could move a coin. I couldn't, not even with my mother's life at risk. He killed her."
She nodded absentmindedly. "It's not your fault," she whispered before wrapping her fingers around the white piece he grabbed. Erik's heart felt slow, like heartburn. He held on, even if he should've let go. But, he wanted more of her pastel touch and her fiery self. She moved the piece onto a square, their fingers still latching onto the piece.
"Is it not?"
She gulped. "We cannot deal with the actions of others, even if we were the cause," she muttered as if she was reciting a quote.
"Why do you say that?'' he mumbled.
"This is not about me."
"I want to know everything about you."
With all the pressure put on top of it, the chess piece fell. Alongside, their hands. Erik's fell palm down, hers on top of his. No one made a move to retreat their hands.
"My mother," she began. "My mother, her name is- was Galinda. She married into the family. My father told me she was the sun of the universe, nothing could be as enchanting as her. She was the love of his life. My mutation began when I was a baby. My mother took care of me by herself. So, when she told people there'd be two of me one second, and across the room the other, no one believed her. She went insane because of it.
"My father and grandmother faked her death. They put her in an asylum. The same day they held the funeral, we fled to Birmingham. I do not know if she is still alive. I am afraid to know. I think I'll feel guilty if she is."
"We cannot deal with the actions of others, even if we were the cause," he tried to comfort her with her own words. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"I do not want your pity," she said with a light chuckle. "I was wrong."
He smirked, knowing what she talked about. "You were. Play a game with me, Ms. Smirnov."
"I apologize, but due to us missing tonight's training, we have to continue in the early hours of the morning. Perhaps even take that walk I wanted to do."
"We can do whatever you want."
With another famous half-smile, she left.
Erik stayed glued in his chair for a few seconds, astonished. He truly just had given her his entire self, every piece of him, maybe she'd done the same. Perhaps the planets had aligned in a way for their souls to blend in with one another.
It felt like an avalanche had washed him clean. Free of all sins? No. But maybe it had given him something holy: Irina Lada Smirnov. He served his bare heart-filled secrets to her on a metal plate, now it was up to her if she'd puncture it with her sharp heels.
a/n
i literally cannot stop updating, I'm so sorry, its just bc this is the first book I've written beforehand and have all the chapters ready and stuff, so I guess I'm just excited:) but I do have some things in store for you guys, so pls b patient! okok lets talk ab the chapter
ERIK POV!! YES YES YES!! i wanted to write at least one chapter in his pov, so here ya have it. literally this is the most romantic thing ive ever written and it sort of it feels out of characters 4 him but at the same time no, so whatevs its my book.
also energy of venus bc venus is like the planet of love or something likethat<3 paragraph two has my heart<333
