FINE PRINT [✔]

Fifteen

Timothy kissed me like he meant it. It wasn't that deep but my heart fluttered in my chest. Almost as if trying to tell me that this was it. This was my chance at love. My chance at being with someone. It had all started out badly but this was not so bad.  Except for the part where our short life of crime had been short-lived and now Todd was looking at us with a very angry glare in his eyes.

"So...are you guys going to get out of there or not?" He said stepping back and opening the door further.

Okay. So maybe I was not good at this whole life of crime bit but I at least expected Timothy to not get us caught. I scrambled off the floor and tried to make myself look presentable. It wasn't that I needed to do it but I figured it was the least I could do.

Timothy, on the other hand, was swift and upright within a second. And he towered over Todd at a menacing height. Watching Todd cross his arms across his chest and root his feet to the ground in response was interesting. They both looked like two roosters about to fight for turf.

The stares went on for a while without either one of them uttering a word until Todd finally gave in.

"Should I call the police or are you going to leave on your own."

Timothy's Jaw clenched as his glare turned from slightly menacing to livid in the space of zero point five seconds. 

"Okay...Let's just take a break before we all jump to drastic plan B's. I am sure this can be explained. Right ...Todd?" I said getting in between them.

Todd looked at me like I was insane for insinuating that he was the one misunderstanding. Which okay was a little understandable considering we were in his house.

"I don't understand what you are getting at." Todd said looking directly at me, "Because you two are the ones that broke into my house!"

"This is all on you buddy." Timothy sneered at him from beside me.

"So what? I left a calling card at your place to ask you to break into my house," Todd said pacing up and down as he clenched his fiats by his sides. He was clearly holding back.

"Okay, technically we didn't break anything your window was open..." I said correcting him.

"You might as well have been. Following me all over town and snapping pictures of me." Timothy said as he interrupted me.

"That doesn't give you the right to break into my house."

"Did you know stalking is a crime?" Timothy countered voice rising and resolve wearing thin.

"Okay look. I can explain that."

Timothy and I actually looked at Todd now. Wondering what sort of weird story he was going to whip up.

"Okay, um so...the thing is."

Todd then went on to explain in a lot of unnecessary words that he was doing some art project and he figured Timothy would make an attractive model. Funny. So basically Todd's bad social skills and Timothy's paranoia did not mix well. Something I would not have seen coming.

Timothy and Todd ended up actually just going on and talking about Todd's art coursework. I didn't know anything about art so instead, I took the time to look at Timothy and see why Todd had chosen him.

Besides the obvious face that causes a thousand regency maids to swoon, he did have this certain air around him. This air of arrogance that worked well for him. Even when he was screwing up or doing something he had no clue about. He did it with the confidence of a few dozen vain emperors. So it always made him attractive and appealing to be around. Almost as if he exuded attraction.

"Hey," Eric whispered into my ear as he leaned close to me.

I lifted my head and noticed that Todd wasn't there anymore. And going by the clanging of dishes in what I supposed was the kitchen he was preparing food.

Timothy placed his fingers gently on my left forearm then rubbed it softly in a calming manner. "Are you okay?"

I turned my head towards him and saw the look of actual worry in the depth of his eyes. When had we reached this stage? When had we become those couples that have their emotions etched into their iris? Did this mean I had emotions written all over me too?

"Do you want to leave?" Timothy asked moving even closer as if he could plaster our bodies together, "If you don't want to be here we don't have to be."

I looked at him closely. The words he was saying were sifting through me but all my brain could register was his lips moving and for some reason, that seemed more important than whatever he was saying. It was as if the true implications of our arrangement were hitting me.

"You are my husband," I said out loud.

My eyes searched his face for something I didn't know what yet but I searched none the less. His lips stretched into a wide smile and my heart immediately leapt into a galloping rhythm. Almost as if the smile was the switch.

He replied to me but I still did not hear his words as my mind tried to make sense of the situation. This was really it. He was my one. There was really no going back now.

"Kiss me," I whispered as I looked into his eyes.

"What...here? Todd could be..."

I didn't let him finish. My lips found him and for the first time ever I felt like I was in love. All the past relationships I had never felt like this. This felt different almost as if this was meant to be. My mind, body and soul seemed to agree on one thing. This was love.

"Oh come on you guys!" Todd said interrupting us again.

"I change my mind. I grant you permission to kill him." I said annoyed. 

Timothy laughed, pulled me up then with a bright mischievous grin he turned to Todd and said, "Sorry Todd but we have to go home now. We have matters to attend to."