𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐌. isaac lahey

𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

summer

[ pre-season 3a ]

               TWO WEEKS. Two weeks since the kanima was defeated and Gerard was gone, two weeks since the kiss between her and Isaac, and two weeks since Marley dared to go to the cliff top. The idea of seeing him, seeing the boy she still cared so much for, nearly stunned her.

          But when she woke up with sweat drenching her sheets and panic gripping her throat, she needed her cliff. She needed that view and the fresh air and the stars. It didn't take long for her to make her way from bed to the car, a thin flannel covering her exposed shoulders, hair tied up into a loose bun.

          The sun wasn't even peaking through the mountains as she drove, streets empty and yellow lights illuminating her path. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the lighting, still blinking away final remnants of sleep.

          The cliff wasn't empty like she'd hoped. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew she'd arrived, Marley would've turned around without looking back once. The confrontation made anxiety bubble within her stomach, mind stuck on what he might try to do. Like kiss her again. And she didn't know if she could pull away.

          "You finally came back," he said into the blanket of night, not even looking her way. Unbeknownst to her, he'd made the trek to the cliff every single night, waiting for his buttercup to show. Waiting for her to surrender and seek comfort within the stars as she once did. And for two weeks he waited every single night, until the sun was well into the sky and his stomach was aching for food.

          Swallowing a lump, she moved to sit beside him, hating that she sought comfort in his presence. "I didn't expect you to be here. Another nightmare?" He didn't do anything but shake his head, the implication confusing Marley more than anything else. "This one was bad."

          Isaac finally looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed with concern and blue eyes staring deep into her soul. She hated the way her stomach fluttered at the idea that he was worried about her nightmares. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

          She tried to ignore the tears building in her eyes as she began, the words low. "It was my grandmother. After the police station..." a few tears fell, Isaac turning fully to Marley at that point. "After the police station, she told me my family wasn't slaughtered by regular wolves." She looked up at him, more tears dripping from her chin. "It was werewolves, Isaac. And in the dream... she told me I'd disgraced my family by becoming one. That I shouldn't be able to live with myself. That I shouldn't live with myself."

          He turned fully, those eyes meeting hers and a genuine look of concern written across his face. "Marley..." he began, not exactly knowing what to say. What could he say? This girl, this strong, beautiful girl, was saying things he would never wish to speak of, and he was speechless. The feelings he felt, the way his heart tugged at her words, it was all real, and he simply wanted to kiss her after hearing that. "None of that is true."

          She wiped the blanket of tears off her chin, sniffling as she did, and stared into the sky. "What are you doing here?" Her stomach bubbled with that same anxiety from before, her teeth gnawing on her cheek as a coping mechanism. She didn't know why she was so nervous for his answer, but she was.

          He paused, exhaling deeply from his nose before looking at her. How could he possibly tell her that he'd been waiting for her to show up? "Couldn't sleep."

          A string of silence fell, not awkward but not one of comfort either, just a palpable hush between them both. Isaac looked at her, at the ringlets falling from her bun, the slope of her nose as she looked at the town beneath. He looked at her and saw a masterpiece. An image fit for the Louvre. He looked at her and saw a girl he'd began to love, despite not knowing her for very long.

          She knew he was looking at her. She could feel the way his eyes wandered over every visible inch of her as she sat beside him, but she chose to ignore it. Just like how she ignored the thump thump of her heart as it banged against her rib cage and the feeling of knots in her stomach. And the tingle of her skin as it ached for his touch. She ignored every single cell within that called for him.

          The silence stretched further, making both of their hairs stand on end, until he finally faced her. "I can't stop thinking about you."

          Her lips parted, ever-so-slightly, and she turned to look into those beautiful eyes. "Isaac—"

          "I know, Marlowe," he interrupted, and she noted how she liked the way his voice curled around her name. "You said you weren't ready, you said there's too much happening, I know. But I need you to know that I mean everything I say tonight.

          "I am falling for you, Marley. Deeply and endlessly. I want you. I meant it when I said I'd wait, because you are worth waiting forever, and I'll do that if it's what you need. I'll wait as long as I have to for you. I just need to know if this is a possibility... if you feel for me like I feel for you. I need to know if I'm waiting for something or not," he finished.

          Her heart sped up, and she knew he was listening to it. Her skin tingled, mind racing. Was she worth it? Was she really worth waiting for? And was he right to wait? "Isaac..."

          Swallowing before continuing, she turned her body towards him. "You have no idea how much I want to let go. How badly I want to say yes and kiss you and have you, but I don't know if I can. Hell, I'm only saying all of this because I'm on this damn cliff. I want you, I do. But down there," she motioned towards the lit up town, briefly looking at the lights, "down there, I can't even imagine having you. I was bitten by a psycho alpha and then a giant lizard terrorized us for months. There's too much for me to even contemplate having something right now."

          Much to her surprise, he didn't sulk. Instead, the boy smiled. He smiled wide, like her answer was exactly what he wanted. "Then let's have it up here."

          Marley furrowed her brows, speechless. "What?"

          "Up here, you're just my Buttercup, and I'm just your Mr. Magnificent. We aren't Isaac and Marley. Up here, we can forget and we can have whatever we want. And I think you want this as much as I do."

          She didn't realize how close he was until his hand was on her neck. Until his breath hit her chin. Until their lips were a moment from meeting. Until her heart was louder than his words and she could feel his hand and her skin was hot and his lips and holy shit—

          Buttercup and Mr. Magnificent really could have it all, she decided as she moved her lips with his. There wasn't a fire, no fireworks, but it was nice and slow and intimate. It felt like a warmth in her chest, settling into her stomach comfortably. She could have this up here. Him. And she decided she would.

word count: 1268

authors note.
WOW. HERE IT IS.

this prelude has been in my mind for SO LONG and it's finally done. i really hope you guys enjoyed, and you will be seeing these two again soon, i promise.

with love,
andy