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I set-up shop, hunting down all I would need, including a glass of ice. Once I began, I didn’t stop for anything other than another shot.
I started with the basics of the first image, adding a faint hue of red to the wolf, yellow to the rabbit. Mixing them together gave me a brilliant shade of orange, the color of balance and warmth. Strength and security. Optimism and adventure. Of happiness.
It gave the me a different perspective of what I was seeing. The rabbit would always be a rabbit, and the wolf a wolf.
Hunted.
Wanted.
A carnivore and a beast.
This was a us.
“I like this one better.”
The sound of his voice had me jumping out of my skin. I whirled around with paint smudged hand to my chest.
“I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow night.” I crossed my arms, quelling the urge to run and tackle him. I wasn’t sure he was ready for that yet.
“I didn’t want you to be alone.”
I smiled shyly. I could only imagine what I looked like. I’d lost track of time as I usually did when in the zone.
“And I forgot to give you this.”
Belatedly realizing he was holding the same file folder from the other day, I accepted it from him, cognizant of my paint smeared hands. I flipped over the front flap, skimming over an I.D, passport, and a birth certificate. I read over my new name twice just to be sure I wasn’t delirious.
“Oh, hell no! You seriously named me Princess?” I glared up at him. No wonder he claimed I’d get used to it.
“I love your name too much to actually change it.”
How could he say things like that with such a straight face? I hid a smile, pretending to study the contents of the file again. “That’s actually really sweet, but Princess. Princess Barron.” I tested the name out together, feeling it roll off my tongue. “I guess its not the end of the world. I mean, I’m not actually dead.”
“I prefer Nova Barron myself; we can come back to it in a few years. I was tired of waiting.”
“Waiting for…” I trailed off, looking up to see a giant ruby ring pinched between his fingers. “Oh, shit.”
How had I not seen this coming? There were so many hints dropped.
“I couldn’t get you an ordinary ring when you’re anything but.”
Why was he so sure he wanted to marry me? “Rhett—Rhys—are you sure you want to do that?”
“I’ve already changed your name and bought the ring. Does that answer your question?”
“We have so much to learn about each other, and you don’t even know what I’m really like. You’ve never seen--.”
“And all we have is time. I know who you are Nova. In fact, you’re a lot like the butterflies you’re so fond of.”
I glimpsed down at necklace.
“Butterflies can’t see their wings; they don’t know how incredibly rare and beautiful they are. That’s what I’m here for. Even on your darkest days, I’ll remind you.”
I shook my head, blinking away tears as I retreated to the other side of the room, placing the file folder on the desk.
“Stop being poetic to get your way.”
He followed me, ever the patient hunter.
