The Winter's Servant {Stucky AU} COMPLETED

~Chapter Twenty ~

                  We're at twenty freaking chapters!!

                If there was one thing that Steven despised, it was being pitied. All of his life, people had given him special treatment, giving him the easy way out. He was aware that more often than not, most weren't aware that their coddling bothered him.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate people trying to make things easier, because he did. Well aware that his small size and endless list of illnesses would always hold him back in life, so he learned to accept help when he needed it.

But what really crawled under his skin was when people gave him things, not out of generosity, but pity.

That was what James was doing now.

Yes, he appreciated the rose that had been laying on his bed that first night that he had visited the library. Even wept at the sight of it, to be completely honest. He knew immediately that it was from James, whom he longed for night and day.

He also appreciated the blankets. His cold was growing worse,  causing him to shiver all night long,  making it more difficult to fall asleep than it normally was,  along with coughing and sneezing fits.  Though he would never admit it to anyone,  he would wrap himself up in the blankets and inhale when his face was pressed against the smooth fabric,  and he could catch the slight scent of James on them. 

It eased his ache for him just a little.

Steven wanted to say that he didn't appreciate the drawing utensils.  He felt bad for wanting to use it so badly- his mother had been just as much,  if not more,  stubborn than him,  rarely accepting help,  and never taking anything that they didn't direly need.  So one could imagine how guilty Steven felt when his artistic streak got the best of him and he finally lifted a pencil to the paper to draw. 

His guilt subsided as he shaded, sketched and erased on the paper, his fingers moving nimbly.

He loved it. 

After hours of sketching late into the night, Steven put down his work.

He'd drawn hands playing softly on the keys of a piano.  Without a doubt,  the tune that the mystery pianist had performed played in his mind the whole time while sketching. 

He longed to hear the music again,  it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard. 

The next evening,  after finishing up his chores in the palace,  he crept back into the library after nearly everyone in the palace was fast asleep.

Picking up the book he'd been reading previously,  Steven nestled himself into the comfy carpet,  keeping his feet tucked beneath his body,  as if that would conceal his presence entirely. 

Once more,  he got lost in the book,  paying no attention to the steadily approaching footsteps that could be heard from inside the library.

Steven had no awareness of the intruder before long fingers began to press themselves in the ivory keys,  filling the room with a melody. 

He almost whimpered with love for the sound as his attention shifted from the book and to the music. 

Allowing his eyes to flutter shut,  he let his hands put down the book as he listened intently. 

~

               James froze as he entered the library. 

His eyes wide, his gaze caught the shape of a pale body, curled up on the floor,  almost hidden by the dark shadows that curtained the room and dim lighting.