Life is just one fucked up moment after another where you have to grip the better times with both hands and hope in vain that they don’t slip through your fingers like grains of sand.
Amber is pushing to maintain everything that she stands for, which might not be much to some, but it means everything to her. The same applies to the handshake. It was done in humour but it veiled a little more than that and had nothing to do with not trusting him. It was her own belief in herself which curdled away into nothing–never really seeing anyone who would come true on their word–not as important as this anyway. She knows she is asking alot for Nic to come back for her–to make sure she doesn’t turn into another forgotten one who was thought of with the best intentions. He offered though–he said it first without her even stating so–though the young blonde was damn quick to take him up on it.
She’d never travelled to another country so Amber had never experienced these things he spoke of. Yet she can imagine her own patience.
“I would be bored out of my damn tree I reckon, if I was left hours waiting for a freakin’ plane.”
A thought pops into her head and she leans into him and smirks.
“Just refrain from eating any incapable attendants, okay?”
The playful expression which graces her face probably looks out of place considering the conversation subject, but this is Amber–a young incorrigible werewolf and Nic–an ancient incorrigible, deadly vampire, so yeah–it seems quite fitting.
Mentioning Jacob, is a sure fire way to knock the wind out of her. She has kept the facade up for so long to show he clearly didn’t bother her, when in truth, he always did. Time and time again she refused to steer clear of the vampire, knowing full well he loved any fear he could sense within the young wolf.
Maybe if Amber and Nic had been the sharing type, she would have told him of her last couple of times meeting Jacob and how badly it went, but she never wanted Nic to look at her with pity or to think she was only darkening his doorstep because she needed protection. After all, he’d once accused her of it when she needed a place to stay for the night. She chose to think he’d said it because this was his defence mechanism, a way for him to not get close–his mind not believing she would want nothing of him but friendship. She is also aware he conclusions might be completely wrong but it doesn’t really matter because she has no intention of airing it anyway.
“Well he might..I mean..it…”
Her breath hitches and Amber can only stop mid-sentence and continue to look at Nic.
She knows what he said, but somehow it is taking a little time to digest. She doesn’t feel sorry for Jacob at all, he was just like those vampires who attacked her that night when Nic had stepped in–no, no….in fact, Jacob was worse. He continuously kept her on edge, informing her he would end her life, but never saying when. So she knew one day he would just come and that would be it–death–but not before gloating on his part, she was damn sure of that.
It only begins to manifest just what a weight she bore on her young shoulders because of him and Nic has just alleviated that pressure. She breathes loudly for a few seconds as though her body is digesting the news. Amber blinks and swallows thickly. How can you repay someone for doing that? One thing she has learned is to show them, it’s not always about favours and doing something back–it’s about showing you care.
She inhales deeply through her nose and diverts her gaze before hugging him. It’s done with far more gentleness than ever before and she whispers softly into his ear.
A loud exhale leaves her lips and she repeats herself.
She kisses his cheek and makes a noise in her throat as though she is trying to clear it when there’s nothing really there. Amber doesn’t want the details, doesn’t want to revel in every minute leading to Jacob’s demise, she isn’t like that. It brings her no joy–but she is still glad he is dead.
“Righteo…um…we should depart, right?…can’t have anyone thinking we have gone fuckin’ soft…or that I would wanna cry…because it would be lies…it would be wrong…”
She fights the pressure building behind her eyes again.
“I won’t let you down…”–and I am trusting you with everything I am to not let me down either.–and she truly believes he won’t, especially now after what he has just told her. “So until we meet again, right?”
He feigns shock. “What, you? A veritable paragon of patience? Why, if you would be bored out of your mind waiting for a plane, imagine how the rest of us fare.” The Original teases her, knowing well it’s more like the other way around. Their relative impatience and short temper are flaws they clearly have in common, and yet still, somehow they managed to spend the better part of a year training every. Single. Day. It’s a feat for any two people, more so because they are cut from the same cloth. More similar, than they are different.
And yet for all of their success, it is their differences that Nicolas loves the most when it comes to Amber. L o v e s ... The way she opens her heart, no matter how many times it’s been made to bleed. The fierceness with which she refuses to give up on him - even when he’s given her ample reason to do just that. He doesn’t know how she does it, or w h y ... Only that he’s come to respect her for it, in a quiet, unspoken sort of way. Some of the most profound moments in their friendship have been forged in silence. No words necessary; none, that could capture the lessons they have learnt thanks to one another.
“No promises on the incapable attendants, sweetheart.” Because it’ll take an old dog more than a few years in this town to learn some new tricks. A droll, whimsical pause, and then his voice takes on a quieter, more sincere tone that is reserved for very few people in his life. “But I do promise that I will return for you... And,” The vampire adds, witnessing the relief in her eyes upon hearing of Jacob’s demise, “- And, that I will a l w a y s protect you.” Once, every couple of decades - sometimes centuries - someone will come along and touch his heart in such a way as to earn that rare and valuable promise from the Original. But aside from his precious sister, none have received a verbal confirmation of his pledge up until now - up until Amber. Not just a word, but something to hold onto.
So when she leans in to place a kiss on his cheek, he remains unwaveringly still. Memorizing the moment, memorizing t h e g i r l . But when she makes to pull away, he grabs her wrist gently, stopping her from withdrawing fully. "Until we meet again, little Gypsy... And Amber,” He continues, leaning forward just a fraction. “... Thank you.” He leaves the softest kiss on her own cheek in return, imbued with just as much meaning as the handshake from before.
And then, before emotion can overtake either of them, before he can be tempted to balk and reconsider his plans, before any more of her tears can fall for his sake - Nicolas Clark is gone, nothing but a whisper in the wind to tell her it was r e a l ...
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