Family First | *Rewrites in Progress*

Be Mine?

Anastasia's POV

I hadn't seen anyone all morning.

It was like I'd walked into the set of Home Alone, but in July.

Hazel and Gabby were still asleep in their shared room, Evelyn and Jacob had locked their door, after leaving a note in the kitchen saying 'we've already eaten'. Nathan was in his room playing video games, and both Rod and Quinn had been locked up in Quinn's office since I had woken up.

It left me the chance to explore this massive place I had been calling home for the past week. Though I had walked through it quite a bit, I had only really explored the library, lounge room, kitchen and backyard.

And in a house like this with so much culture and age, there had to be secrets wishing to be found.

I found myself walking along the ground floor, towards the west side of the house, where Rod had explained lay the old master bedroom, as well as the servants quarters and the first landowner's study.

Many of the original candelabra still lay set on the tables, and attached to the walls, even though electric lighting ran throughout the entire house. Rod had told me that no one really ventured down this part of the house, as it had never undergone serious renovations.

It still looked as beautiful as ever. 

Hugging my arms, I wandered slowly down the hallway, passing painted portraits of weird old guys with wigs way too big for their heads, and lovely canvas' depicting the vast landscapes that once surrounded this old home.

"That painting has always been a favourite of mine."

I jumped, as Quinn came up beside me, his hand reaching out to grasp my shoulder. "Dude, are you like a panther? You scared me!" I said, clutching my heart. His arm slid to my shoulders, and he hugged me to his side, an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry 'bout that," he apologised. "I'd called out your name twice, but I guess you were too busy thinking to hear me."

I smiled, nudging him with my shoulder. "Don't bully my thinking," I whined, and he chuckled, leading me further down the hallway. 

"I'd never bully your mind, Anastasia. It's far too superior for my mere mortal brain," he said, bowing down deeply from his waist beside me. He took my hand in his, placing a kiss on the back of it, before gesturing for me to jump on his back. "This here, is VIP treatment, fit only for a beloved mafia princess who is the most beautiful in all the lands."

I blushed, kissing his cheek as I climbed onto his back, holding on tight to his neck. "I am not the most beautiful, do not lie to me," I chided, leaning my head on his shoulder. His grip tightened on my legs, and he craned his neck down to look at me.

"But you are," he said softly. "If I ever had to show the definition of beauty to someone, I'd grab your hand and show you to the entire world, because you are the most beautiful and fascinating person I will ever come across, Anastasia Rose Heart."

"You're making me blush and look like a ridiculously hideous tomato," I murmured, causing him to laugh quietly.

Those laughs from him were my favourite.

"Then I guess I adore a ridiculously hideous tomato," he said, turning his head back up to walk us both towards the master bedroom. I could not find any words to rebut his sentence, and could not calm the mad fluttering of my heart. 

This boy - oh, he had claimed my heart the second we had locked eyes.

"Now, this room to our left is the art room, full of old canvas' from the 18th and 19th century, untouched due to the lack of artists residing in the house. Rod says there's a ghost in there, but I reckon he only says that because he's hiding a dead body in there. Now, that would definitely leave a ghost behind because-"

"I like you."

"No, no, that's not the - I'm sorry, what?"

I slid down from Quinn's back, looking up to him as I stood mere inches from him. 

"I. Like. You. A lot. Very much a lot. I mean so much so, that I feel like my heart is going to explode, which I know logically isn't possible, although dying from a broken heart shouldn't be possible either, and I mean, look at Padme. That bitch was dead in two seconds, which was king of anti-cli-"

I was cut off by a pair of soft, warm lips meeting mine, gently breaking away as Quinn stared down at me, his hands moving to my forearms. Whether that was to steady myself or him, I could no longer tell, as he leant down for another sweet kiss, his body towering over me as I was forced up onto the tips of my toes.

"I like you too, Ana," he whispered, his voice far more gravelly than before. "I just wanted to make sure you did too, and that you don't think this is too fast."

"The heart wants what the heart wants," I breathed, gripping onto his arms. "Perhaps our pace is just faster than others. Maybe everyone else is in slow motion."

"My hearts wants yours, Anastasia. Nothing else but your heart to keep, protect and cherish," he mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I had no idea how to ask you, but now seems to be the perfect time. Would you do me the absolute honour of becoming mine? Be my girl?"

I nodded before words passed my lips.

"Words, Anastasia. You could be having a stroke for all I know, I need words from."

"Yes, Quinn. I'll be yours if you be mine?"

He gathered me into his arms, hugging my waist and spinning me around as I held on for dear life, my feet lifting from the floor. Quinn peppered my neck with so many kisses, I thought he'd be out of them, but no, he still held onto one last kiss, set only for my lips.

"You're mine?" he confirmed, his voice merely a breathless whisper.

"I'm yours," I confirmed, echoing his voice. 

After seventeen years, I finally had a fucking boyfriend.

And he was the sweetest person I'd ever come across.

Though, I'd never tell him that.