A Tall and Small Collection | S2

Worth the Wait

Aching. Tired. Ears ringing. It took a minute once he was awake for Soren to fully remember what happened yesterday. Images flashed before his eyes of the three Borrowers whose faces were seared into his memory, the terrified expression on Rey's face as he reluctantly ran away with Mayzie, and the warmth of Ashlynn's gentle touch bringing him back from the brink of death.

Ashlynn...

Soren felt himself smile involuntarily as the terrible recollection of the attack were replaced with Ashlynn's confession. Being woken up from the brink of death by the all surrounding warmth of her hand and feeling the beat of her heart as he was pressed against her chest was enthralling. Her words played over and over. There was a small part of him that wondered if it was just a dream. He was in a strange stupor of being awake and asleep when it happened.

No.

It had to be real.

He didn't imagine it. At the very least, he couldn't believe he imagined her kiss.

Thoughtful. Tender. Soft. Scared.

This thought alone made his heart palpitate excitedly.

Still, Ashlynn didn't know he heard her. She had probably felt a momentary swell of courage thinking he was unconscious, letting her feel comfortable enough to confess her true feelings for Soren. Ultimately, this left the ball back in Soren's court.

He needed to find the right time, if there was such a thing, to talk to her and admit he heard her. The topic was also a sensitive one. Soren had to admit he had the same thoughts and feelings as his human counterpart, but he had concerns as well. Again, he needed to admit he heard her.

Would she be frustrated or angry that he heard her when he wasn't meant to?

Would she be embarrassed and take back what she said?

There had to be a reason she kept these things to herself, especially for so long. Soren wondered if she had the same doubts he did about being together and whether these feelings were real or simply endearment for one another. They were different, yes, but could their feelings be strong enough?

Soren believed the answer was yes.

First...

He had some things to take care of.

By the time Soren forced his battered body upright, it was well past midday and approaching two in the afternoon. He tested his strength, muscles screaming in protest, by sliding down the fixed line from the bed to the ground and walking through the bedroom to the main living area where he heard sounds.

Ashlynn had taken Mayzie, Rey, and Dorian into the living room and put on a movie on her television. They apparently hadn't been there long since the movie just started. The three of them were cuddling on the coffee table in a mountain of blankets Ashlynn had set up for them.

The boys' bandages had already been changed and tightened so they could maneuver easily, and a second breakfast for lunch spread was on the table with them.

Everyone, including Ashlynn, was in the living room and they were all beyond relieved to see Soren awake, but also surprised he was up and walking around so soon. No one blamed him though. Soren wasn't the kind to lay in bed all day, even if he was feeling poorly.

Soren, seeing Ashlynn approach, felt his heart jump into his throat and felt a pleasant, tingling shiver as he stepped onto Ashlynn's hand so she could set him on the coffee table with the rest of them.

"Da!" Mayzie cooed as she stumbled over the blankets into Soren's arms. He crouched and pulled her into his chest warmly. He hid a wince as his daughter's arms squeezed as hard as they could, even though it wasn't very strong, as her embrace pressed directly into a deep bruise he received from yesterday's attack.