What's Said in Silence

Vessel-XXXIX

Raindrops pelted against the window in rapid secession. I twirled the pen in my hands. I was still exhausted from yesterday's ritual-where Sera had filled in for Adam once again- but I needed to work on this new song. However, my mind kept wandering back to the girl sleeping in the room next to mine. 

What Jessie had told me kept running through my mind. I couldn't help but wonder what he meant about her getting caught up in the wrong crowd. She didn't seem like the type to turn to drugs or mob life. Part of me figured there had to be some type of manipulation involved, if only due to how skeptical she had become towards anyone she meets. 

An image of her being made to do things she didn't want or bend to someone else's will out of fear flashed through my mind. My blood began to boil and I tossed my pen away. I threw my cloak on and stepped out into the hall. I looked over to her door and was half tempted to go in there unannounced, but with my current mindset, that wouldn't be the wisest move on my part. 

I turned on my heel and made my way downstairs, heading for the kitchen. I could use a cup of tea, regardless if it was nearly midnight. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, cold air nipped at my skin and the sound of rain grew louder.

Looking ahead, I could see the front door was wide open, with Sera leaning against the frame in nothing but pajama shorts and a sweater. The sweater hung loosely off of one shoulder to reveal the sleeve of a tank top.  

I stepped closer to her, but didn't walk all the way up to her. Instead, I mimicked her by leaning against the end of the corridor, just a few feet behind her. I stood there, watching her for a moment, really taking her in. I had seen every inch of her naked body, but only a few glimpses into her mind. 

She uncrossed her ankles and stuck one foot out the door, holding it there as the rain dripped down onto her skin. After a few seconds, she pulled her leg back inside, water dripping onto the tile beneath her. She did the same with the other foot. 

"You'll catch a cold doing that." I stated flatly, startling her in the process. She turned to face me with wide eyes. I pushed myself off the wall and stalked towards her. She turned back to face the rain again as I came to stand beside her. We stood there for a few minutes, just watching the rain pool on the ground. I looked down at her and watched closely at the way she chewed her lips and her pupils dilated. 

"What I wouldn't give to see inside that mind of yours." I whispered. She looked down at her still wet feet, still chewing on her bottom lip. There was turmoil in her head. Unfortunately, I wasn't privy to that information, and there in-lies our disconnect. I shook away the unwanted feeling of doubt and refocused on the rain. 

She grabbed my hand and, without any hesitation, pulled me into the rain. She carefully made her way down the step with me in tow. Once we reached the bottom, we were met with gravel under our feet. She didn't seem to mind and I was too focused on what the hell she was doing to be concerned about it. 

She led me across the gravel drive towards the edge of the grass. She stared out into the large open courtyard for a moment, before looking up at me, water dripping off her lashes. She flashed a mischievous smile at me and my knees grew weak at the sight. That damn smile was too damn gorgeous for her own good. Dropping my hand, she turned and began sprinting across the grass. 

I stood there dumbfounded for a moment before my brain kicked in. I sprinted after her. She hadn't needed the head start that I gave her, even with my longer strides it took a moment for me to catch up to her. The rain stung against my skin as we ran deeper into the storm. 

The urge to reach out and catch her crossed my mind, but then it clicked what she was doing. She was showing me exactly what I had asked for. She was giving me a glimpse into her mind through realistic symbolism. That she had spent her life running, being chased in a storm with someone always just behind her. As if no matter how fast sh ran, she could never outrun what she feared most. She was giving me access into the darkest part of her, disguised as just running in the rain. 

Rather than grab her, I ran alongside her. My chest was beginning to burn from the harsh cold air, but this moment was too crucial in our development to stop. She may have surrendered her body to me, but had yet to do so with the mind. I had to show her that I was worth surrendering to. 

I held my hand out to her, giving her the choice of whether or not to take it. She looked at it, considering it for a moment, as if she were understanding what I was truly asking of her. She wouldn't be Sera if she weren't skeptical over every minuscule move.  

Finally, she placed her hand in mine and I ran faster, pulling her along with me. Looking back, I caught a glimpse of that smile, but also something else. Relief had taken over her features. Either relief in what I had done, or in her choice, I wasn't sure which. 

We ran for a few more minutes until both of our legs finally gave out and we collapsed onto the wet ground, water splashing up around our elbows and knees. Both of our chests heaved as we gasped for air, even as the rain suffocated us. The cold had gone and steam rolled off our bodies. 

I crawled closer to her and placed my hand on hers, squeezing it gently. We sat there on our hands and knees, nose to nose, catching our breaths. Water dripped underneath my mask, creating a suction cup effect with it, but I couldn't care less. The most important thing was sitting in front of me. I gripped her chin, keeping her locked in place. 

"To answer your question, If I hadn't already," I yelled over the rain. Her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion for a moment before realization set upon her face. She hadn't needed to verbalize anything for me to have understood what she needed: Confirmation.

"I will follow you into any storm, any hell, any ocean that you dive into. I will follow you without a second thought and I will make sure you emerge on the other side. What you fail to understand, my love, is that I would hijack heaven and flood hell for you simply because it would clear the path for you to walk." 

I pulled her in and kissed her hard enough that we were nearly infused together. She crawled into my lap, settling herself over my knees and deepening our kiss. Her arms wrapped around my neck and mine around her waist. Our bodies melded together as did our souls and I had never felt more at peace in my entire life. 

Both of us experienced our hells, both had been burned, but we were each other's safety net now. Even if we stood beside one another while we fought our own battles, we were each other's aid. I broke our kiss and rested my forehead against hers.

"I told you that you were designed for me, but I was also designed just for you. You are mine, little fox, just as I am yours." 

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A/N: Who found the hidden lyric? XD

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