smoothing things over | winlisle
philip comes over to talk to audrey after the night she had. they talk a lot.
Philip still felt overwhelmingly guilty for everything that happened. He didn't even know how to fix it. He knew Leo had found the woman and had her escorted out but he felt like that should have been his responsibility. He just didn't know what to do except be there for Audrey. He'd stopped by one of her favorite cafes and picked up some of her favorite breakfast items before he went to her flat. He knocked on the door a little nervously, waiting for her to answer. He wanted to hug her so badly.
Audrey had started to feel better once she’d gotten home and cleaned up and changed, but there was still a slight, dull ache. She couldn’t explain it, exactly. She didn’t really believe that woman, but it had still hurt to hear those words. She was feeling better this morning, just a bit melancholy, if that. She was glad Philip was coming over. She felt bad that she’d just ran out on him. She opened the door when he knocked, smiling at him. “Hey. I’m glad you’re here,” she said honestly.
Philip smiled when she opened the door. "Hey, Rae," he greeted her quietly. He stepped inside and set the breakfast he'd brought down and then wrapped her in a tight hug. He held her to his chest, rubbing her back gently. "Are you sure you're alright? I'm so sorry for everything that happened. I know we talked it out last night but I need to say this now. You mean so much to me and the fact that someone attacked you just because of how close we are is horrifying to me."
Audrey couldn’t help but smile when he called her Rae. She was a bit surprised by the hug, but immediately hugged him back, returning the tight hug. She let her head rest on him for a moment, pulling back a bit when he spoke. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she said with a nod. She was already feeling better, just having him here. “I know. It’s horrifying to me, too. But I don’t want people like her to interfere with how close we are,” she insisted.
Philip held her a little tighter. He wished he could do more to protect her from the hate that the world wanted to give. He just wished there was a way to stop it from happening. He wanted to ask if she was sure again but he bit it back. He wanted her to be happy and safe. "I would never let anyone interfere with that. I don't care what people say, you're always going to be important to me. You're the most important," he corrected himself. "I'm just so sorry."
Audrey hugged him back, holding him as tight as he held her. Moments like this reminded her just why she was so in love with him. He was such a good person, he had such a good heart. She nodded in agreement. “Me neither. I’m trying to just not think about her,” she explained. She really couldn’t wrap her mind around how he could say that. Was she really the most important to him? That was crazy to her. “You’re important to me, too. You mean so much to me,” she promised. “You don’t have to apologize, Philip,” she said, giving him a soft smile.
Philip knew he should probably just drop the conversation if Audrey didn't even want to think of the woman. He just couldn't help that it was in the forefront of his mind. She'd been attacked because of him. That knowledge made him ache. He wanted to fix it. That was what he did. He pulled away from the hug with a small smile. "You mean so much to me too. I'm just so sorry someone approached you like that," he sighed. "Let's sit down and eat breakfast, shall we?" he suggested. He was so worried about her. He couldn't help it.
Audrey gave him a small smile, reaching out and rubbing his arm. “It’s okay, Philip. I’m okay. Last night as kind of rough, but I’m feeling a lot better,” she promised. She talked to her mum this morning, too, which also helped. She nodded a bit. “I’m starved, actually,” she said honestly. She hadn’t really eaten much last night, and she only had some fruit this morning, as she knew he was coming over with food. “I have tea ready, if you’d like some.”
Philip sighed a little but he nodded. "Okay. I'm glad you're alright, I truly am." And he meant it. If she said she was okay then he had to believe her. She wouldn't lie. He smiled when she said she was hungry and he picked up the bag of food again. "Well, perfect. I brought an absurd amount of food. Far too much for us to eat it all but I figured Nina would be around later to eat if she's not here this morning," he shrugged. "I'd love some tea, thank you, love."
Audrey smiled at him and nodded. “I know. I know you’d never wish anything bad on me,” she promised. She laughed a bit when he said he brought a lot of food. “That just means I have options,” she teased. “Oh, she should be back later. We’ll definitely save her some good stuff,” she said. She nodded, going to get two cups of tea. She brought the tea out on plates, setting now down in front of him and the other in front of her empty chair. “There you go,” she said with a smile.
Philip smiled right back at her. "Of course I wouldn't," he insisted softly. He delighted in the sound of her laugh. He just wanted her to be happy. It was all that mattered. "A ton of options. Have some of everything, if you'd like," he told her. He readied his tea the way he liked it and took a small sip. "I hope she's doing alright after all of that. Leo told me he'd spoken to her and found out who the woman was. I meant to check in on her but I figured he had it under control." He opened the containers of food, setting them out in a spread on the table.
Audrey already knew that well. “Ooh, maybe I will,” she said with a grin. She loved to eat things family style and have a bit of everything. If that was okay with him, it was okay with her. She got back up, realizing she forgot plates, and came back with them. “She is. She was upset, shaken a bit. The woman, well, just between the two of us, told her that Leo was set to be married soon and was just messing around with her, and everyone thought it was hilarious. If she hadn’t said all the other things she said, I think Nina would’ve believed it more,” she admitted. “I’m sure she’d still be happy if you checked in on her,” she said with a smile. “Oh, this all looks wonderful.”
Philip was perfectly fine with her trying some of everything. He'd gotten a variety just for that reason! And he'd picked things he knew that she would like. "Oh no. That's horrible," he frowned. He hadn't heard about that. "What was this lady's motive? She just wanted to hurt you two because we're close to you? How is that her business? She doesn't even know us! She snuck into the party!" He couldn't believe the entitlement of some people. "He's certainly not engaged. At least you both know that," he sighed. "I'll send her a text later and check in." He wondered if there was anything else the woman had told them that she wasn't saying. "Please, have whatever you want. That's why I bought it," he insisted.
Audrey shrugged a bit. She hesitated, trying to decide what she wanted to tell him. She didn’t really want to mention the bit about him never loving her. It sort of made her nervous to bring up. “I don’t know. I think she thinks we’re somehow going to spoil her precious royal family, and she doesn’t want that. She made it very clear that we were beneath you. I guess she was hoping she’d scare us off,” she shrugged. She nodded. “I know. The dumb twat said he was engaged to your cousin Millie. Clearly she’s not all that bright,” she said, rolling her eyes. She smiled at him and nodded, putting stuff on her plate. “Thank you for bringing all of this. I really appreciate it.”
Philip watched her, knowing somehow that there was something she didn't want to tell him. He wouldn't force it out of her. She'd tell him one day when she was ready to, he thought. "That's ridiculous. Our titles do not make us public property. We're still humans and we can make our own choices on who we associate with," he said. "It's not her business." He let out a laugh when she called the woman a twat. "Well, clearly. Especially if she was betting on you not knowing who Millie was. Or maybe her simple mind didn't know who she was. What an odd declaration to make," he admitted with a chuckle. He reached out to fill his plate too and let his hand brush hers for a moment. "Of course. I'd do anything for you."
Audrey nodded and shrugged. She obviously knew that, but that didn’t change how that woman felt about it. She was so threatened at the idea of either of them marrying one of the princes that she felt the need to talk down on them in public. “Well, you know, most people don’t see it that way. They think they get to like, vote on who you marry or something,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I doubt she knew who Millie is. She just saw a pretty dressed up woman and pointed,” she said, rolling her eyes again. She felt butterflies fill her stomach and chest. She looked at him for a moment as he was getting his food. There was such a heaviness in her. She didn’t even know what to say. “I’d do anything for you, too.”
Philip thought that was so absurd. He didn't think it was fair to anyone to have people feeling entitled to a say in his life. It just wouldn't end well for anyone. What was the reasoning, anyway? He wasn't anything special. He'd been lucky to be born into this role. That was it. He didn't do anything special. "Well, that's absurd. I'll marry who I please. I'm the only person who gets to decide that. Well, and the woman, of course." He hoped it'd be her. "I can't believe that. What an idiot," he laughed a little. He finished adding to his plate and smiled at her again. "I know. I know you would," he said honestly.
Audrey felt a bit weird talking about him being married. She didn’t really like to think about it, but there was a tiny part of her that thought about if they were married. She put it out of her mind. “Yeah, I know. She’s just a bigot, that’s all,” she said with a shrug. She laughed a little and nodded. “I know. She’s really dumb,” she agreed. She smiled over at him, noticing he was smiling at her. She turned to her food and took a bite. “Mm, this is so good.”
Philip shook his head a bit. He hated that people thought they had any right to him. He wished he could step away from the royal life altogether sometimes but he loved his family too much to do it now. "Yeah, she is. I think Leo mentioned something about pressing charges to Nina. Did you want to follow through on that?" he asked curiously. He just wanted to make sure she got the resolution she needed from this. "Is it? I'm so glad!" He took a bite himself and hummed. "Oh yeah, it is."
Audrey let out a sigh. She didn’t really want to deal with it, but she did like the idea of that woman knowing what she did was wrong and she wasn’t going to get away with it. “Yeah, I suppose so. I kind of just want to leave it all behind me, but I don’t really want to set that kind of precedent,” she admitted. She nodded eagerly. “Oh yeah, it’s amazing,” she said, going to take a bite of something else. “Mm, thank you again. This is just what I needed.”
Philip shrugged a little. "You don't have to file charges. If you don't want your name on the paperwork, Nina can just sign it. There's still a precedent set but just without the legal document binding you," he said gently. He didn't want her to do anything that made her more uncomfortable. He watched her eat with a smile, sort of proud of himself for picking out things she liked. "Yeah, of course. You're so very welcome. It's the very least that I could do for you."
Audrey wasn’t really sure that was the best way to go. She definitely thought it made a bigger statement if they both signed it. “No, it’s okay. I’ll fill out whatever I have to fill out. I don’t love it, but who loves when someone is racist and abusive to them and then they have to deal with it?” she said with a bitter laugh. She shook her head. “Let’s not talk about it right now,” she said, giving him a smile. “Everything you got is amazing. It’s like all the best breakfast foods.”
Philip frowned a little, wondering if he maybe shouldn't have brought it up. He reached out to touch her hand gently. "You don't have to deal with it in this way, though. If it's not something you're comfortable with then that's perfectly okay. You were the one harassed, you get to decide if you want to respond," he told her. He nodded, though, agreeing to let it go. "Well, I tried to get the things I remembered you liking back in uni. I'd hoped your favorites hadn't changed too much," he smiled.
Audrey sighed. She really didn’t know what to do. “I’ll think about it more,” she said. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do yet. Maybe she’d talk to her mum more. She’d know what to do. “I’m not a very adventurous eater, so you’re in luck,” she teased. “Did you enjoy your party at all?” she asked curiously. She hadn’t meant to ruin the whole night for him. She knew it was a big deal, after all.
Philip nodded a bit. He'd let it go for now. She could think about it all she wanted. He wouldn't press her. It was her decision to make and he'd support her no matter what. "Honestly, I'm not that adventurous myself. I'll try things when I'm expected to but I like to stick to the basics," he said with a grin. He shrugged a bit. "Yeah, I had an alright time. It was nice to hang out with you the little bit that I did and I had a nice time with Leo. It wasn't as fun as the party you guys threw for me though," he smiled.
Audrey liked that he wasn’t adventurous either. She always felt like she needed to try new things, but she didn’t really want to. “I’m glad to hear that. We can stick to the basics together, then,” she said with a smile. She felt really bad that she’d messed up his party, but she was glad he’d had an okay time. She was glad he’d had fun at the party they threw him, too. She took a sip of her tea and set it down. “Do you, maybe, um, want to have that dance we were supposed to have yesterday?” she asked nervously.
Philip laughed a little bit. "To sticking to the basics together," he said, playfully raising his tea in a salute. "I just think it's better to stick with what you know you like. Plus, I end up trying a lot of awful foods," he admitted with a laugh. He took another bite of food, still smiling to himself. Her sudden question surprised him. "Oh, now? Here?" he asked with a smile. "I'd love to. I should have thought of that," he teased playfully. "It was my second biggest regret last night that we didn't get to dance together."
Audrey raised her tea, too, giggling a little before she took a sip. She nodded. “I don’t always even want to eat much, so going to the comfort foods is much easier than trying something weird that I don’t want to try, anyway,” she said with a shrug. “I’m sure you do,” she added with a laugh. She nodded a bit, but shrugged a shoulder, not looking at him for a moment. “Well, I mean, sure,” she said, smiling a little at him. “What was your first regret?” he asked curiously.
Philip finished off his tea and set the cup down on the saucer. "That makes sense. Life's too short to eat food you don't like," he shrugged. "I have to at state dinners all the time. I usually sneak off to the kitchens and beg for normal food," he added playfully. He watched her for a moment, noticing how she looked away. "First regret was not being there for you when that woman attacked. I shouldn't have left your side," he told her. He pushed his plate away a bit and took out his phone and played a song. He stood and offered a hand. "Audrey Carlisle, may I have this dance?" he asked seriously.
Audrey nodded in agreement, taking another sip from her tea. She wasn’t exactly interested in wasting time on food she didn’t like. She laughed quietly, shaking her head. “What do they give you then?” she asked curiously. She felt this feeling raise from her stomach to her chest as he spoke. It was odd how he’d been away for so long, yet this feeling was so familiar. She looked over at him as he spoke and gave him a smile. “You can’t be next to me all the time. I have to be able to protect myself,” she said, trying to reassure him. She finished her tea, smiling a little as he got music playing. “Yes, I would quite like that,” she said, grinning from ear to ear as she took his hand and stood.
Philip shrugged a little, trying to look innocent. "You know, whatever I feel like. Sometimes soup, usually pancakes. If I'm really looking pathetic I get cookie dough and fresh baked cookies," he said with a teasing smile. He took her hand and pulled her from her seat. He led them a few steps away from the table and spun her. He pulled her close to him again, their bodies touching. "This is probably a little closer than we would have danced last night," he admitted as he led them through the dance. "It would have caused a scandal that we didn't leave room for the queen between us," he said with a joking tone.
Audrey grinned in amusement, letting out a small laugh. “Cookie dough and cookies? Wow, you really are a prince, huh?” she teased. She stood easily, following him and holding his hand. She smiled as he spun her, feeling butterflies as he pulled her close. Her heart was beating so fast. She laughed softly and nodded. “I’m sure it is. Maybe it’s better we’re getting our dance in now,” she said, not really thinking. “What a welcome back that would’ve been for you; a scandal on the front page.”
Philip shrugged innocently. "What can I say? I'm a man of basic tastes," he said playfully. He held her close to him. The dance wasn't super proper by any means. They were more just swaying to the music he'd chosen than actually dancing. He just wanted to hold her for a few minutes. He'd dance with her properly to the next song. He promised. "It's much better. Maybe we should do most of our dancing in private," he suggested. "Though, if Nina came home right now we'd never hear the end of it," he teased. "Ah, could be worse. I wouldn't mind a scandal with you."
Audrey laughed softly at him. “That’s okay,” she said playfully. She danced with him slowly, feeling so comfortable in his arms. She was never comfortable with other people touching her, just her mum and Nina, but she was when he was the one doing it. “I’d be okay with that,” she said honestly. She didn’t like having eyes on her, anyway. She laughed a little. “Yeah, that’s true,” she agreed. She was quiet for a moment, but smiled a little. “Yeah?”
Philip could do a lot better than just swaying with her like this but he wanted this moment. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to know what it was like when it was just the two of them. No one else. "I'd be okay with that too. I'd probably prefer it that way, just so no one has anything to say about how tasteless we are," he joked. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head without thinking about it. "Yeah. If I had to have a scandal with anyone, it'd be you. You're the only one worth it."
Audrey nodded as he spoke. She liked it that way, too. She didn’t want people watching them, wondering. She laughed a bit as he went on. “Maybe you’re tasteless, but I’m not,” she teased. She took a deep breath, feeling so comfortable and relaxed, and let it out slowly. She loved when he kissed her head like that. Could he tell she was both completely at ease, and also losing it at the same time? She didn’t really know what exactly that meant, but it made her heart beast faster. “You’re worth it, too. Clearly. Since I’m still here, even after all the fake headlines.”
Philip laughed a little bit at that. "Oh, so you're saying that I'm tasteless? Really? Hurtful of you to agree with me," he teased her. He moved with her slowly as the song started to fade out. "I'm sorry about the headlines. It's really not fair to you at all. I wish I could just be a normal guy who could do normal things with you," he said quietly. As the next song started, he recognized it as her favorite and he pulled back to twirl her. He spun her back into his arms, her back pressed to his chest. "I think about what that would be like a lot."
Audrey laughed and nodded a little. “More than I am, anyway,” she teased back. She shrugged one of her shoulders. “It’s okay. I’m not really that bothered most of the time,” she admitted. She felt that feeling bubble up inside of her again. She never knew what he meant when he said stuff like that. What did he want to do with her? She noticed the song change and smiled a little. She liked this one a lot. She twirled out, a bit relieved to have her face away from him when they moved back to dance again. She felt butterflies in her stomach. He made her so nervous, but in a good way. “What do you think about?” she asked, her voice soft.
Philip held her close to him, swaying to the music. He dropped a small kiss to her shoulder and wondered if she could feel his heartbeat pounding against her back. He led her through some steps, guiding her easily. He hummed along to the song, his lips by her ear. He felt like this was perfect. He was the happiest he'd ever been in his life just holding her like this. "I think about how I would have asked you on a date in uni and taken you to some crappy party where we could hardly hear each other over the music. Then I'd be embarrassed that I messed that up and I'd make some excuse so we could leave. I would have walked you to a cafe to get tea or a milkshake and taken you to a park. We would have sat on the swings and talked all night. And then I would have walked you back to your room and kissed you. And no one would find anything scandalous about it because I'd just be Lip and you'd be Rae."
Audrey felt like she was going to faint or something. He kept giving her butterflies. Her heart was beating so fast, and she was certain she was sweating. He made her so nervous, but in a good way. She licked her lips and bit them gently as he kissed her shoulder, and then moved his lips to her ear. She felt like she was holding her breath as he started to speak. As he went on, she felt tears well up in her eyes. Had he actually felt something for her since uni? Oh, what if it was all true? She stopped moving in his arms, a few tears on her cheeks now. She turned slowly and put a hand on his cheek, closing her eyes as she leaned in and kissed him softly, but passionately on the lips.
Philip let her turn to face him and frowned at the tears on her cheeks. "Don't cry, butterfly," he whispered. He wiped the tears away as delicately as he could, his touch gentle on he skin. He hadn't meant to upset her. And then. Oh, and then. Her lips met his and fireworks went off inside of him. He'd never believed in that trope. Fireworks? From a kiss? What an odd metaphor. But he felt them now. He felt sparks in every cell in his body as she kissed him. Could this be it? Could they finally be realizing what they were holding out on.
Audrey couldn’t believe she was kissing him. She was finally kissing him. She was kissing him, really kissing him, with everything in her. Not like before, with the little peck. This was it. This was real. She kept her hand on his face, kissing him for a moment longer. She’d never kissed anyone like this. She pulled away, letting out a soft breath. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I just, reacted,” she explained, feeling a little embarrassed.
Philip kissed her softly, like he was afraid she'd fade away if he was too much. He was terrified she'd think that this was a bad idea. He didn't want her to run away from him. He tightened his grip on her body just in case. Maybe it was to remind himself that this was real or maybe it was to show her he wasn't going anywhere. "Don't. Don't ever apologize for kissing me. I should be apologizing for not doing it sooner," he said before he was kissing her again.
Audrey could feel a tenderness in his moves. There was so much, for lack of a better word, love in every touch. Maybe Nina had been right all along. She held him tighter when his hands gripped her tighter. She was so in love with him. It was almost too much to think that he felt the same way. She felt tears sting her eyes again. She was so overcome with emotions. She couldn’t even respond, his lips were on hers before she knew it. She kissed him back, leaning into him more.
Philip pulled her close to him. Kissing her was even better than he'd ever imagined it would be. It had been special when they'd kissed briefly in the elevator but this was different. It was more purposeful. There was intent behind it. They knew what they were doing, they were making the choice. They were taking this step finally. Finally, he thought again. He kissed her easily, his touch tender against her.
Audrey moved an arm around his neck, holding him close as they kissed. She loved him so much. She kissed him softly, her other hand moving to his face. She kept it on his cheek for a moment before sliding her hand back into his hair. He liked her. He’d liked her. Her heart was still beating so fast. She was so surprised, but in a good way. She kissed him until she had to break the kiss to take a breath.
Philip held the kiss. He was just as gentle with her as she was with him. It felt like a big step. It felt like something important. Something had changed, it was obvious. They were admitting their feelings. His grip tightened on her when she broke the kiss and he watched her face carefully to see her reaction. He touched her face gently, stroking his thumb against her cheek. "Is this okay? Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
Audrey was so close to him. She could feel his body everywhere. She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe this was real. The only reason she knew this was real at all was because it simply was even better than she ever could have imagined it would be. Her brain never could’ve made this up. She held him tight, leaning back just enough to see his face. She smiled and nodded. “This is more than okay. I feel better than I think I ever have,” she admitted. All the anticipation and anxiety was completely melted away, leaving her only with the soft and happy feelings of kissing him.
Philip cupped her face gently in his hand. Part of him was worried that this would all crumble away in the blink of an eye. Maybe she'd say it wasn't okay. Maybe she'd get mad at him for kissing her. His heart was hammering in his chest. Seven years of waiting and now he was finally holding her against him. He didn't want her to slip away just like that. Her words were like a tidal wave of relief through him. "Yeah? I was just thinking the exact same thing," he said with a smile. He leaned in and kissed her once more, just a soft brush of his lips on hers. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this." He was almost afraid to tell her it had been the entire length of knowing her.
Audrey felt so relieved when he said he felt the same way, which was especially funny considering he had made it pretty clear he liked her. It wasn’t like he was suddenly going to want her to go away. “I’m really happy to hear that,” she promised. She kissed him back, so soft it was almost hard to feel. It was nice. She liked it. She let out a small laugh. “I think I have a small idea,” she admitted, smiling at him.
Philip leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek gently. He felt like he was in a dream. This couldn't be real. And yet he could feel her warmth in his arms and he just knew that it was. He finally had her and it was everything he'd always hoped that it would be. She was everything. He'd known she would be. He kissed her lightly and then smiled at her laugh. "Yeah, maybe you do. Lucky for us, then, that we finally made the move. Took us long enough," he smiled.
Audrey smiled fondly at the kiss on her cheek. It was so sweet, so innocent. This was so unbelievable, she couldn’t believe it was real. She couldn’t believe this was actually happening, but she was so happy that it was. She was beyond thrilled. She kissed him back, still smiling when she pulled back again. She grinned at the sound of his laugh. “I don’t know how much longer I could’ve stood pining after you,” she teased.
Philip didn't know how much longer he could either. He felt like it would have had to come out soon. He'd been planning on talking to her last night but he was pretty sure he would have chickened out even if she'd stayed. It hadn't been the right time. This felt much more right. It was safer and more secure. "It was getting harder every minute to not kiss you," he told her. "Ever since I came back, since the elevator, I just wanted to tell you but I didn't think you could possibly feel the same."
Audrey laughed a little. It was funny how they could feel so the same and yet not have a clue that the other was feeling remotely the same. “Yeah, it’s been really hard. I can’t tell you how many times I almost told you I felt in a letter. I thought it’d be easier. But then I thought it’d be so much easier for you to turn me down and never talk to me again in a letter, too,” she admitted with an embarrassed laugh. “I knew you’d never turn your back on me, but I couldn’t help but be nervous. I always thought there was no way you could feel the same and I would just ruin our friendship.”
Philip smiled at her, nearly laughing a little as well. "Oh really? Well, I actually wrote that letter and tore it up and tossed it out," he admitted with a laugh. "I was worried you wouldn't write back or that you wouldn't want to hear it and I thought you deserved better than to hear it that way. You deserve to hear it face to face," he told her. "I would never ignore you over any kind of feelings. Everything about you is so important to me. Can't you tell?" he asked her softly. He shook his head with a soft smile. "Nothing could ever ruin us."
Audrey leaned into him, giggling a bit. They were the same in so many ways, and it was so amusing to her. “Who would’ve thought we’d be in different countries, wanting to write the same letters to each other but being too nervous?” she said, smiling at him. This was the most naturally happy and at ease she’d felt in ages. She hadn’t really told him how much she loved him, but maybe some things could stay under her hat for a while longer. She smiled at him. “Sometimes I felt like I was getting that vibe from you. But I always told myself I was seeing what I wanted,” she explained, shrugging a shoulder. “Promise?” she said, holding out her pinky.
Philip wrapped his arm around her a bit tighter, keeping her close. He never would have imagined any of this, honestly. "I mean, I guess it is kind of very us to be too nervous to say anything," he teased gently. "Seeing as we've both been doing that for years now." He smiled softly at her and leaned in for another kiss. "Yeah, that's what I told myself too. It's what I told Leo when he was trying to insist that it was real. You know, I had him checking up on you while I was gone," he admitted. "I wanted to make sure you were okay." He linked his pinky with hers. "Promise."
Audrey closed her eyes for a moment, smiling happily as she took in the moment. She laughed softly. “That does sound an awful lot like us. I’m glad we finally stopped,” she said honestly. She couldn’t believe this was an option all along, and that it was finally hers. She kissed him back, still smiling when she pulled back. They really could’ve been together earlier. Things probably worked out for the best. “I didn’t know that. I mean, I sort of suspected he filled you in one things, but I didn’t know it was intentional,” she said honestly. She smiled, squeezing his pinky for a moment.
Philip smiled at the sound of her laugh. It really was the most beautiful thing. "I'm glad too," he promised. He wouldn't want to go back to wanting her without knowing how she felt. It was such an exhausting thing to long after someone. Now he knew how she felt. Now she was practically his. "Yeah, well, I didn't know if you'd give me the whole story and I didn't know if Nina would. Leo was like an objective third party. He could keep me updated on everything." He squeezed her pinky with his and then leaned in for a kiss. "There. Sealed the promise."
Audrey let out a small, snort of a laugh. “Yeah, that’s fair. I probably wouldn’t have. And I’m sure Nina would’ve held some stuff back, too, though not as much,” she admitted. She hoped she never made him upset or anything when he was away and he heard things from Leo. She giggled a little at the kiss, smiling as he pulled back again. She just wanted to put her hands on his face and kiss him more. “Leo and Nina will be thrilled to know we’ve finally admitted we have feelings for each other.”
Philip had very much thought the same way. "I didn't ever really know if maybe you two wanted to protect me and not tell me everything that was happening. I felt so far away from you. It was the strangest thing. We'd been joined at the hip the past few years and then I was suddenly separate. It was the worst part," he admitted. He'd missed her so much every day. There weren't even words for it. "Yeah, they sure will. But do we tell them right away or do we mess with them a little?" he asked playfully. He stepped back from her a little to twirl her. The music was still playing, after all.
Audrey hadn’t ever wanted to trouble him, and most of what was troubling her was missing him, and there wasn’t much he could do about that anyway. “It was really hard for us being away from you, too. The three of us did everything together, and then it was just me and Nina again. We missed you a lot,” she promised. She raised an eyebrow at that, smirking a bit. “Hm, we could have a lot of fun with this. We’ll have to be really careful if we don’t want them to find out. Especially Nina,” she said, twirling and smiling when she came back to him.
Philip wished he'd been able to stick around but he'd had a duty. Even on his worst days of missing them, he knew he had a responsibility that he couldn't turn his back on. "I missed you guys too. It was comforting to know that you had each other, though. At least I knew you were looking out for each other always," he said with a smile. He laughed a little bit. "I think we can handle it. We just have to be sneaky about kisses and continue to stare longingly at each other. Won't be a hard thing to do," he smiled.
Audrey could imagine that. She felt good knowing they’d had each other when she was away during uni for her degree. It was a short while, much shorter in comparison, but it was a comforting thought. “We took very good care of each other. Don’t worry,” she promised. She smiled at her laugh, gazing at him as they danced again. “I think I can manage that,” she said. She felt like it was just a natural response her body had when around him, honestly.
Philip would have hated leaving her even more if she hadn't had such a good friend to keep her company. "I know you did. You took care of each other before me, of course you'd take care of each other after," he said with a smile. He laughed a little bit and nodded. They could certainly pull this off. It'd be such fun after all of the pushing. "We can probably use it to nudge them together too, since they've been so adamant on playing matchmaker to us," he suggested. "Or we can just let them work it out and focus on us." He twirled her again.
Audrey always knew she could count on Nina, and that was never going to change. She loved Philip, she really did, but Nina was her soulmate. He didn’t need to know that, though. She raised an eyebrow a bit at that. “Hm, we could,” she agreed. They did need to get together, and they had pushed for the two of them to get together. She smiled at him. “I think I like that even better,” she said with a smile.
Philip kind of wanted to push their two friends together but it seemed like a lot of work. Plus they were already well on their way to being a thing. He'd much rather nurture his new relationship with Audrey. "Let's just keep nudging them the way we have been, to keep up appearances. We'll keep our relationship a secret and we'll let it grow naturally without interference. They can do the same," he said with a smile.
Audrey nodded. That was a good idea. If they stopped pushing them together all together, it would get a bit suspicious. Plus, she did want them to get together. Nina obviously liked him. “Sounds like a good plan. We’ll keep nudging them. That way they can be happy and lovey, too,” she said with a smile. She nodded, leaning in and pecking his lips. “I like that we can naturally let this bloom. I’m so happy you came over this morning.”
Philip smiled when she kissed him. He still couldn't believe they could do that now. They could kiss whenever they wanted. Within reason, of course. He wasn't going to subject her to the horrors that would be the press if he kissed her in public. He was more than thrilled to keep it a secret for now and just enjoy her. "Exactly," he agreed. "I like it too. I'm just. I'm so happy, Rae. I'm so, so happy. You mean the world to me, you know?" he smiled. "I'm happy too."
Audrey was so happy. She didn’t realize all of this could happen, really. It was unbelievable that it just was real now. She smiled brightly. “I’m so happy, too. You mean the world to me, too!” she replied. She was so in love with him. He meant everything to her, and he had for a long while. She couldn’t believe how different her life was a month ago. It made her so happy. “We get to just be Rae and Lip,” she said with a soft smile.
Philip had never heard anything he liked more. They were just Rae and Lip. It was all he'd ever wanted. It was the easiest thing and yet, it had always seemed so impossible. "Yeah, we do. Rae and Lip. I really love the way that sounds," he told her with a smile. He pulled her close to him and leaned in for the gentlest of kisses. "This is all I've ever wanted. I can't believe this dream actually came true."
Audrey smiled fondly at him. She couldn’t believe how happy they both were. This was better than she ever could’ve imagined. “I do, too,” she said, smiling at him. She kissed him softly, smiling when she pulled away. “I can’t either. It feels too good to be true. But it’s actually real. I feel so fortunate,” she said, laughing softly. It was silly, but she really did feel so lucky. “Nina will probably be home soon,” she noted.
Philip knew how she felt. He was dealing with the same exact emotions. He was so grateful that this had worked out. He felt like the luckiest man alive. He had the love of his life in his arms. It was magic. "It really does. I feel like I'll wake up from this dream any moment," he agreed with a smile. He sighed the slightest bit and nodded. "Yeah, alright. Should I go?" he asked, pulling away slightly.
Audrey felt the same way. She really couldn’t believe this was real. It would set in more once he left and the next day she woke up and it was still real. “We actually get to hold onto this. How lovely for us both,” she said with a smile. She thought for a moment and let out a sigh, shaking her head. “No, I don’t think you need to leave. But we probably should pretend everything is normal. Or well, the old normal,” she said with a small smile.
Philip wondered if he'd ever get used to the fact that he could call her his. Well, sort of. He'd have to make it official still but she deserved more than to be asked in this moment. He'd make it more special. He had to. "It's so lovely, isn't it?" he asked with a smile. He laughed a little at the way she described it. "The old normal. What a strange thought that this is the new normal," he admitted. "We can at least clean up a little before she gets here. Then we'll sit on the sofa and look less suspicious."
Audrey nodded. She was so happy this was happening. She felt like she’d been so silly to not tell him sooner. If she had, they could’ve been together earlier. But everything worked out, and she was just happy to have him now. “It is sort of strange. But in a good way,” she said with a smile. They could easily convince Nina and Leo they weren’t together, considering they’d been that way for years. She nodded, moving to pick stuff up and take it to the kitchen. “Good idea. We’ll just pretend we’re chatting.”
Philip thought it was strange in the best possible way. He couldn't think of a thing in the world that could be better than this. She was everything he wanted. "It's definitely a good way," he agreed with her. He started helping her pick up, carrying some of their containers to the kitchen. He put some away in the fridge in case she wanted them later or if Nina wanted a bite to eat. "We'll be chatting about... hm..." he paused to think. "We can just be chatting about the wedding!"
Audrey let him put the leftovers in the fridge, putting the dirty dishes in the sink and giving them a rinse. She could take care of them later. She dried her hands and nodded. “That’s a good idea. Wedding talk is totally normal,” she said. She wondered what her mum would say about all of this. “I am really happy she’s getting married. She deserved a happy marriage, and Martin is such a good guy,” she said as they went back to the couch.
Philip was really looking forward to the wedding. He'd always adored Audrey's mum. He really was thrilled that she was getting married and that he'd be able to be there for it. "He seemed really nice when I met him. I can tell he makes her really happy. That's the only thing that matters, isn't it?" he smiled. "I hope she lets me help with the wedding. Anything she wants, I can make it happen," he said as he sat by her.
Audrey nodded. Her mum was so happy. She was so happy for her. After her dad died, she had begun to think her mum was never going to date again. She didn’t even try until she was already in uni. Maybe it was because she was still home and she had been kind of a handful, maybe it was because she was still healing herself. She wasn’t really sure, but she was glad she found Martin. “He does. I’ve never seen her so happy. I’m really happy for her,” she said. She nodded. “I’m sure she will. Especially if you push, which I know you will.”
Philip thought that it was lucky that her mum had found someone so wonderful and was going to marry him. If anyone deserved happiness it was her. She'd always been the kindest soul to him, especially when he'd been away. He wouldn't have made it without all the care packages she'd sent. "She does seem so much lighter and happier these days. I love that for her. It couldn't have happened to a nicer woman." He smiled brightly when she said she would let him help. "Excellent. I'll be so pushy. In a nice way."
Audrey thought so, too. She didn’t really feel like her mum had been super sad before, but she thought she was very obviously happier and lighter now. “I agree. I love it for her, too. I’m just so happy that she’s doing something for herself like finding someone to love,” she said with a laugh. “Just make sure you know when to stop,” she said playfully. She heard the key in the door and looked over. “Hey Nina,” she said with a smile. “There’s food in the fridge, if you want any,” she told her.
Philip was really happy for her too. And he really thought it'd be good for Audrey to see her mother in a happy relationship. It would certainly bring her some peace, he thought. "I'm happy she is too. She really deserves it." He let out a chuckle and held his hands up innocently. "I will, I promise." He looked up when Nina came home and waved at her. "Oh, thanks. Hey Philip. I'm just gonna grab something and head to my room, I have to make a phone call," the girl explained.
Audrey nodded in agreement. She wanted her to have only good things. She laughed when he put his hands up. “Okay, good,” she grinned. “Have fun!” she called after Nina. She turned to Philip and smiled mischievously. “I think we’re doing good,” she said, her voice lowered. “You could stay a bit longer if you want. Maybe we could watch something you missed while you were gone,” she offered.
Philip waved to Nina again as she disappeared. He was a little surprised, honestly. He'd half expected they'd have to really sell the fact that everything was perfectly normal. "I mean, yeah. She totally has no idea we were just kissing a few minutes ago," he whispered to her. He pressed his lips to her cheek quickly and then smiled. "That sounds like fun to me! I must have missed an awful lot while I was gone."