Hey, so where the fuck is Makoto in Reckless? When is he making an appearance? Is he even showing up?
Why the fuck is there a whole ass book dedicated to his love story and his (in the words of Stephanie Garber) Almost Ending, to NOT APPEAR IN RECKLESS?
I REFUSE TO BELIVE IT.
I absolutely LIVE for his dialogue. He is unintentionally funny and it’s LOVELY. He HAS to show up eventually or I’ll actually stab myself on a blunt tree branch and die like Adena cuz what the fuck.
Series: Back To You(Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8)
For desktop users: masterlist
For mobile users: mobile masterlist
Pairing: Drake x MC(Anna Grey)
Faceclaim: Daniel di Tomasso as Drake Walker, Elizabeth Olsen as Anna Grey and Paul Wesley as King Liam
Book: The Royal Romance
Word Count: ~ 3200
Rating: M for language
Prompt:
Drake’s gone and everybody is very confused about what the hell happened. Except for Anna, who thinks she understood everything from his silence. Little did they all know just how much of a challenge they were about to face.
Disclaimer: The characters don’t belong to me(except for Anna Grey), I just borrow them from Pixelberry!
I always will
You can break my heart in two
But when it heals, it beats for you
I know it's forward, but it's true
Won't lie, I'd go back to you
“He’s gone.”
Hana says, out of breath, the minute she finds Savannah and Bertrand sitting comfortably on a couch. The first person she thought to ask for help was Liam, but then she realized how much it would hurt him to do that and considered Maxwell until she saw who was with him, Anna. So her last resource to bring some sense into Drake’s stubborn head is Savannah, who looks worried but not surprised at her words. After all, he isn’t the first on his family to run from the problems and feelings.
“Who?”
Savannah asks but she already knows the answer even before any words come out of Hana’s mouth. She knew something was wrong a while ago, even though she’s been away from her brother quite a while, there’s nobody she knows better than him.
She’s not gonna walk away again, and neither is Drake if she can do something about it. It took her a long time to realize running is never the answer and usually just brings out even more questions.
“Drake.”
“Well, he has never been an admirer of our marvelous parties. Did not belong here.”
Bertrand continues smiling when Savannah turns to him with an expression that says ‘Shut up’ and he understands this has nothing to deal with him. Hana looks at her expectantly. She turns around, linking her arm with Hana’s and starts walking together.
“Explain it to me Hana. What happened?”
“I don’t… fully know. It was something with Anna and them being together, that’s all I can tell. But maybe…”
Her eyes find Maxwell alone getting more appetizers, Anna’s a good few feet away having a pleasant conversation with Adelaide. Suddenly she turns they’re path into Max’s direction because she knows he might help in someway.
“Maxwell might know something. But we need to be quick.”
When they reach him, he’s putting three different types of appetizers on his mouth but still gives them a little smile with his mouth closed.
“Max, Drake’s gone.”
“What?”
“It was about time huh?”
Olivia, who was getting some more champagne near them overheard Hana and couldn’t pass on the opportunity of teasing them about it. She smirks sarcastically when the three of them turn to look at her, shrugging discreetly while drinking a good amount of her drink.
“Olivia, this doesn’t concern you. So if you’re not gonna help, no need to stick around.”
Savannah has a rispid tone that Olivia’s seen very little times before, usually when she was defending her brother or her baby, for any comment the redhead might make. For some weird reason she doesn’t feel like walking away, maybe she just wants in on the gossip or maybe… maybe she started to care for this dysfunctional group they’re a part of.
“Why is he gone?”
“He had a fight with Anna.”
Hana says, still waiting for Maxwell to give them more details. His eyes carry the same worry that his voice, and he can’t help but shift his gaze momentarily to Anna.
“More like… he kinda told Anna he doesn’t want a future with her or whatever.”
“He what?”
“Why would he do that?”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
The redhead grins when she says the words, though she knows they’re not true. Even she sees how much those two love each other and with time she’s learned to see how great the Duchess is, even though she will never admit that. If anyone shouldn’t want a future with someone, definitely the other way around.
“We don’t have time for that. The longer we stay here discussing, the more distant he can be.”
Hana’s always the calm and reasonable one, which makes everybody listen to her in this moment. Anna approaches the group with a wrinkle on her forehead, meaning she’s worried about this little reunion by the appetizers table.
“Everything alright guys?”
“Yes, of course. Me and Savannah were just going to check on little Bartie. Excuse us.”
Savannah winks at Hana when they turn their backs to the group and start walking toward the palace doors. Then Hana realizes she has no idea what to do next and she bites her lip, around the time they leave the doors behind.
“He’s not here.”
She says after fastly examining the outdoors and thinking about where the hell could he be. Surely not in his room because he left the palace a couple of minutes before and she kept watching the door in case he came back.
“And I have no idea where he could be.”
“But I do. Go inside and keep Anna close, I’m gonna bring my stubborn-ass brother back to her.”
...
Savannah knew where he would go to think, to be away from the crowd but still close enough to come back in case she needed him. Because in the end, all he wants is her, Anna. She’s known this for a while, by the way he looks at her when she’s not looking, by the smile on his face whenever she’s around, by how she can make him chuckle softly even though her brother doesn’t do anything softly, for her, he does. Because he’s in love with Anna Grey. And he’s letting her slip through his fingers over something stupid.
When she entered the barely lit labyrinth, some of her confidence disappeared and she was afraid after all this time apart he wouldn’t go to “their” place. The guilt of abandoning him became stronger and stronger by the second, and she stopped herself before passing the opening on the grass leading to the back of the castle where a wood bench horribly build has Drake sitted on. They built that bench with his dad in a sunny monday morning that for a miracle, their father had free. He wanted them to learn and do things on their own, so he kept their bad quality design and just made sure people could sit there. It was one of her only memories about her father and it sounds like a lifetime ago.
He lifts his head the minute he hears her leave the labyrinth and she quickly sees they’re teary red. They don’t maintain eye contact for long, when she gets closer his gaze drifts to the floor out of shame, or maybe just to let it clear he’s not in a chatty mood.
Savannah sits in silence next to him, interlacing her hands over her lap. She wants to give him time to speak but after ten long minutes of hurtful silence, she realizes he’s not gonna talk at all and takes the first step.
“I’m surprised you don’t have a whiskey bottle to keep you company. They ran out of those?”
“Wasn’t planning on staying too long here.”
“Do you have someplace to be?”
“Far away from Grey.”
Her name is an almost painful groan and he presses his mouth into a thin line after saying it. She can almost feel how much that’s breaking his heart and she’s glad he was the one who brought the subject on.
“Why?”
“If you’re here, you already know.”
“She said no to Liam.”
She said remembering Hana’s words when they parted from the group, not wanting to tell Olivia just yet.
“Yes.”
“And she said yes to you?”
“I-I.. didn’t ask.”
“Do you want to?”
“It’s not that simple Savannah. She should’ve said yes to Liam.”
“And you shouldn’t have fallen for the woman your best friend loves, but you did. Because somethings Drake, somethings… you can’t help it.”
She was talking about him and Anna but also about her and Bertrand, about the choices she made after falling for someone who she wasn’t supposed to. A heat came to her cheeks suddenly, when her mind visited the memory of their last night together and how that changed everything. But as quickly as the heat came, another sensation washed over her, a much darker one that brought tears to her eyes. The love of her life never proposed to her and probably never will, taking away her chance to say yes in spite all of the reasons she has to say no.
Drake’s also lost in his own thoughts after Savannah’s words, a million flashbacks passing by at the same time. When she reflects on her own life, she sees how much her decisions affected him too, in a deeper way than the would expect.
“It wasn’t you.”
“What?”
“It wasn't you who made me leave Drake. You didn’t fail me. You didn’t ruin me. You don’t ruin people by loving them. It’s not your fault what happened to me or to mom, you didn’t push us away, it was quite the other way around so you don’t get to feel guilty. Because this… this is what’s stopping you from asking the woman you love to marry you, to embrace happiness for once in your life after dad died and mom left. And they both would want you to take that chance with Anna, as do I.”
“He can give her so much Sav.”
“Don’t you see what’s obvious Drake? She doesn’t want ‘so much’. She wants you. Just you is enough for her.”
…
She knew her friends little reunion had something to do with the mess between her, Liam and Drake. Though she had no idea why, since then Hana’s been glued to her side, not letting her out of sight even when they went to the bathroom. Other than this odd behavior, everyone else seemed quite worried and cautious around her. Which is expected and actually a good thing for her right now, because she can’t talk about anything that happened. Not even think about it without the tears threatening to fall.
That’s why she has to take a deep breath when Liam starts walking towards her and Hana. She also tensed beside Anna, squeezing her hand through their linked arms and taking a step closer to her, as if that can protect her from the complicated situation. However they’re both surprised at the smile on Liam’s face and the cheerful tone of his voice.
“Hello Lady Hana, Duchess Anna. How are you two enjoying the ball?”
The king emphasizes her new title, trying to show he’s proud and happy for her. Even if that’s taking use of his acting skills, at least all those classes are coming in handy tonight. Anna responds with a big smile but she’s not as good at pretending, especially when it comes to Drake, who seems to never leave her thoughts. It’s easy to notice it, especially by someone who is as close to her as Liam, by the way she’s staring at random places for long moments with an empty look, and the way she holds Hana’s hand in a way too strong grip. But she doesn’t seem bothered by it.
“It’s been… magical. I believe that was the theme, right?”
She jokes and sweetly smiles to him, quickly turning her gaze back to Anna, who simply agrees with a nod. He’s been wondering for a while why isn’t she beaming out there with Drake on her arm, and deep down he knows she’s not alright. She immediately stops avoiding his gaze and stares straight at him, as if she read his mind. Again, it takes a lot of pretending when he sees tears building on Anna’s eyes.
“Yes. And I’m glad you’ve been enjoying it.”
They maintain eye contact for a long time, until she has to blink back the tears. Liam takes a deep breath and reminds himself that she just turned him down. It’s not his place to comfort her, as much as he would like it to be. So after another deep breath he assumes his kingly duties and touches her arm gently to bring her attention back to him. Regretting that instantly, because the grey eyes pierce his again, with a longing expression on her face and he begins aching for more contact, more time, more of her.
“I have to go, it’s time for the speech. Can you come when I call your name? It’ll be your formal introduction as the Duchess of Valtoria.”
“Of course.”
He expected her words to follow a little joke, as always, but they didn’t. That’s when he knows it’s something more serious than expected. Trying to shake it out of his head, he lets go of her arm and finally says:
“Thank you. If you’d like to say something too, I’m sure we would all appreciate your wise words.”
“I-I… don’t think I could. Not tonight.”
“Are you alright? Did something happen?”
Liam’s voice is barely a whisper, not wanting to attract preaching ears to what seems to be a delicate matter for Anna. He moves to catch her hand, already preparing himself to take her somewhere quiet and let herself lean on him. Hana’s eyes widen when she sees what he’s about to do. She can’t let him create hope again, or Anna to feel even more guilty. They would both open a door that should remain closed, because even if Drake doesn’t come around, he’s the one Anna loves. And getting involved with Liam again would cause more pain for everybody. For that and many,many other reasons she speaks fastly:
“I think your father is requesting you Liam.”
He turns around and finds his father’s eyes searching him, the glass of champagne in hand, ready to start the toast. Then, he excuses himself from the girls with a weird feeling in his gut. Part of relief because he knew touching her like that would cause both of them confusion but also hurt, for seeing Anna so vulnerable and not being able to help.
“Thank you.”
Anna speaks in a weakly voice, thinking that after the speech she can excuse herself and go to bed. Her warm and comfy bed, where she can cry or scream and nobody will want answers from her. Because tonight, she just can’t take it anymore. She’s too distracted daydreaming about finally ending the night, that she doesn’t pay attention to Liam approaching his father or Drake entering the ballroom again. She hears Hana saying something about getting champagne for the toast and then she leave her side.
He felt many things tonight, from being happy in a bed with Grey to being miserable outside the palace thinking he ruined everything, but hopeful wasn’t one. At least, until Savannah’s words hit him in the face like a well deserved slap, and suddenly he allowed himself to hope. As he walks purposefully towards her, Drake wonders how could he be so dense about the situation, it was clear all along. What he wanted was her, always. And now she wants him too. So how could the fear of jeopardize her future, the fear of committing to someone and risking to be left all alone once again, get in the way of their love? How could he think she would ever abandon him? That’s what he’s thinking when he hears Liam starting his speech.
Anna pays close attention to Liam’s words, but starts worrying about Hana taking so long to find two champagne glasses. After a few seconds she understands that Liam’s still addressing Cordonia’s challenges and his style of leadership, and turns to go look for her friend, bumping straight into a broad chest. Her breath gets caught in her throat when she sees those chocolate dark eyes staring into her, the surprise keeps her from doing anything but gaze up at his, also surprise expression, that quickly turns into a longing one.
Drake prepared himself for this moment, choose his words carefully and played how it would go in his head, however he didn’t expect her to turn so fastly in his direction that they would bump into each other. And when he looks at her beautiful face, those so sweet and always so sarcastic lips, the delicate nose she loves to brush against his as a caress and he simply knows. By the time he’s reached her eyes, he’s surprised she still hasn’t pushed him away. He knows it’s the time to do his damn proposal, and yet he’s so lost in her that everything else seems to wander very far away.
“I thought you left.”
He doesn’t dare to take her eyes out of his focus, even when she whispers the words with a slightly shaky breath. Anna stands firmly in position, she can’t let him get to her, not again. She was done letting him having so much impact over her. But his next statement shake her to the very core.
“I thought you wanted me to. And maybe you do, but I can’t go before telling you...Grey, I love you. I always will.”
They hear clapping and celebrating, but none of them moves an inch to see what’s it about. Drake almost can’t breathe, scared he’s too late and perhaps more scared that if he moves she’ll tell him exactly that. She can’t breathe either, but for entirely different reasons, she’s too stunned by his declaration of love when she thought there was nothing left for the two of them.
Her mind takes a moment to understand what he said. He feels like it’s been forever since he spoke, when it actually has been only a few seconds, until his eyes dart to her lips and time seems to stop at her smile. Anna’s smiling so happily at him, her eyes twinkling with tears of joy that soon are reflected on his too. He touches her chin gently, running his thumb over her jaw and cheek in a loving move.Then he tries to pick the little box in his pocket while saying:
“It’s a late answer but still, I want everything with you. So.. Grey...will”
“To Duchess Anna… the newest member of Cordonian nobility!”
Liam calls her from the stage and the crowd applauds, interrupting the moment between them, even before Drake could take the velvet box from his suit. She squeezes his hand. Reluctantly saying ‘sorry’ and turning around to walk towards the stage, where the King watches her with a brightness in his eyes and a smile on his face. There’s only time for her to walk until near the stage before the lights go out and someone screams. An explosive popping sound tears through the air, then another. Terrified guests screams and she hears someone yelling about gunshots, they try to flee and the crowd surges around Anna.
“Anna! Get down! Now!”
Drake yells and tries to get closer to her. The guests keep pushing him in different directions, making his work harder and he’s trying to think clearly but with Grey in danger every thought blurs together.
“Anna!”
She hears Liam scream too, from upstage, his voice full of terror that doesn’t help with the mind-stopping fear she’s in right now. Drake’s command doesn’t register in her brain, which seems to be having a breakdown, and all she can do is look for him in the crowd.
The lights come out again and she sees he’s only a few feet away from her, just as she turns to him an assassin points his gun at her. A sharp breath and he pulls the trigger.
“NO!”
Anna hears him scream, and suddenly he’s jumping in front of her, putting his body between her and the bullet… Saving her.
work from 8am to 7pm (stop only for lunch 1h and 30min in the afternoon)
run codes; listen to music and podcasts; surround yourself with beauty and beautiful souls; groom yourself and love yourself. you will survive this.
