"How is it, that you got top marks in economics last day? You don't even pay attention in class!"
"Maybe I am smarter than Tony Stark."
"Do you always make fandom references to avoid conversations?"
[Season 2, 3a, 3b]
[Book One of the Elyna Benston...
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Elyna Benston had spent a whole lot of her years not being able to let go of Basil. Even when she was the one who erased all of his memories of her, she still found herself going back to check up on him. First time she went back to see Basil was about eight years later. He was grown up then; not a mere fourteen year old teenager anymore. He was a collage student. He was happy and healthy and it warmed Elyna’s heart to see him again, even though it was only from afar. Next time she went back was when Basil was about thirty-one year old. Elyna, known as Aurora at that time, had seen him working as a baker in his family’s bakery, smiling and giving cakes and pastries to his customers. The business was blooming. Even though she had sworn to herself that she would only see Basil from afar, this time her heart yearned to talk to him; just this once. But she constrained herself. She could see that Basil was happy with his new life without her in it, and couldn’t take away his happiness. The last time she went back to France was around 1949, celebrating her 50th birthday. She could have chosen any city of the world but she choose to be at where her true love was- France. Perhaps it was her way to be emotionally closer to Basil by being at the place which held all of their memories of being together. This time she had promised herself that she wouldn’t go and see Basil. She knew that she had to get over him.
Her 50th birthday wasn’t a celebration at all. She was gloomy and drinking away to push away all the thoughts and memories of the human that she loved way too much to let go. “Easy.” A sweet voice broke her out of her thoughts as a man slid onto the stool at the bar counter, just beside her. Aurora was four shots and a more than a couple of beer down and she was more than tipsy. A man with striking blue eyes and high cheekbones, leant on hands, against the table, peering at her. “I pray you pace yourself, ma’am.” “Pardon me?” Through her drunken haze, she could faintly recognise the man beside her. The ginger hair’s plump lips turned into a timid smile. “I don’t mean to intrude, ma’am, but- you’re drinking quite heavily.” There was something in the way the oh-so-familiar man, spoke. It radiated innocence and charm as he kept a fair distance between the two of them. Any other man in his place would have already taken advantage of her drunken state. “Like you’re wishing to forget something?” The man couldn’t be more correct and Aurora found herself smiling, whilst trying to force her brain to remember who the hell this man was. “And I have nothing better to do- so if you’re in need of a friendly counsel, I’m ready to comply.” The man said with a faint blush on his cheeks. This was all Aurora’s drunken mind could take and she let herself be overwhelmed by all the odd and lustful yet somehow right feeling. “I wish to do more than just a friendly counsel with you, sir.” Aurora leaned forward a bit and her hand ghosted over the man’s thighs. He gasped and looked around, slapping her hand away. It was as if Aurora had been wrapped around by a cold wave of sobriety. She immediately jumped back, a gasp leaving her lips as she finally recognised who this man was.
“Pardon me if I portrayed myself as too brazen, but I did not mean anything of those sorts.” Basil stood up too, a kind and understanding smile on his face. “I’m an engaged man,” he showed her a silver band on his ring finger, a proud smile on his face. “Ple-please forgive me, I didn’t know.” Aurora managed to rasp out, forcing herself not to break down then and there. She couldn’t breath. She couldn’t breath. Why couldn’t she breath? She looked at the band around Basil’s finger again.
She had let him go, she had herself erased his memories. Then why the in the seven hells she couldn’t get over him, forget him? Why the hell did it hurt so much to see that band around his finger? “No. It’s perfectly fine, ma’am. Don’t worry yourself.” Basil extended a friendly hand towards her. “I just saw you heavily drunk and unaccompanied by anyone and it’s not a wise decision for a mademoiselle to stay alone in these parts of the town during these hours. So I hoped that I could escort you to your home.” Aurora nodded hastily. She needed to get out of here. Her fingers grasped the long silk shawl and she wrapped it around herself. “You are so considerate, Monsieur. You-you’re a... valuable asset to the society.” He was a true gentleman. How could someone not fall for him? She dug through her purse and pulled out a few coins and dropped them on the table for the bartender.
Basil followed Aurora out of the bar, keeping a respectful distance between the two of them. “Are you sure you can manage to your home just fine?” Basil asked for the umpteenth time, his icy blue eyes filled with genuine worry for the stranger he didn’t even know. “Thank you, Monsieur.” Aurora tightened her shawl over her shoulders as she mentally vowed never to set foot in this country every again. Hazel eyes fell on the silver band again. “Who is she?” Aurora couldn’t refrain from asking. “The lucky woman? O-or the man?” At first, Basil was taken aback by the forwardness of the question but he then relaxed. “She is the best woman I could ever meet. I love her with all my heart and I know that she loves me too. It might feel pretty poetic, but sometimes I feel that she was made for me.” “Li-like she’s your s-soulmate?” Aurora was thankful for the dim lights of the road. She wouldn’t want Basil to see her crying. She knew the answer and whilst she knew that she couldn’t bear to hear it, she still needed to hear it. She needed to know if her Basil was happy with his life partner. Basil didn’t even need to think for long for the answer.
