Morning After
Ariadne woke to the soft light filtering through the heavy curtains of the guest room. The coolness of the morning air brushed against her skin as she stretched, her body still tense from the events of the night before. The room was quiet—too quiet, as though the entire house was holding its breath, waiting.
The weight of her words from last night hung heavily in her mind, but there was no regret. No second-guessing. She had made her decision, and she wasn't backing down now.
I'm not going anywhere.
She repeated the thought to herself like a mantra, as if it could anchor her to the ground, to this place—this moment in time where everything felt... uncertain, but necessary.
Her feet touched the cold stone floor as she slowly stood, the silence of the house around her pressing in. She could feel the weight of Caelen's absence. His presence had been so all-encompassing last night, a storm of emotion and power that had almost overwhelmed her. But now? Now, there was nothing but the quiet.
A soft knock on the door broke the silence, and Ariadne's heart skipped a beat, though she kept her face impassive as she called out, "Come in."
The door creaked open slowly, and Theo stepped inside, his usual easygoing smile replaced by something more serious. His eyes flickered over her as though gauging her mood.
"Morning," he said, his voice low but warm. He held a small tray with a steaming mug of tea and a plate of something that resembled a simple breakfast. He offered it to her with a slight tilt of his head. "Thought you might need this."
Ariadne smiled faintly, taking the tray from him. "Thanks."
He didn't leave, though. He lingered by the door, his arms crossed, watching her with a quiet curiosity. She sipped the tea, the warmth spreading through her as she felt the tension from last night start to ease, just a little.
"You're still here," he said, his words light but carrying a knowing tone.
She nodded her head "I'm not going anywhere," she replied, her voice steady, though there was a flicker of exhaustion in her eyes that she couldn't quite hide. She really felt sorry deep down, because who on earth will just accept a stranger from nowhere to start living with them. But nothing made sense here, she just had to go with the flow.
Growing up, she never really felt she belonged anywhere. Always seem like an outcast . But just the few hours she had spent here, she knows that she belonged here, nowhere else.
Theo studied her for a long moment, and Ariadne could sense that there were more words he wanted to say—words he was holding back. But instead, he just gave her a small, approving nod. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."
She just shrugged.
He chuckled, a soft sound that felt like a brief breath of fresh air. "You have no idea how much I admire stubbornness."
Ariadne smirked, standing up and moving toward the window. She pulled back the curtains slightly, peering out into the morning light. It was a beautiful day, though the crisp chill in the air told her that the warmth of the sun couldn't yet reach the full depth of the house.
Her gaze drifted to the courtyard, the same one where she had seen Caelen the night before. She wondered if he was out there now. If he was even thinking about her—or about what she had said.
"Where is he?" Ariadne asked, turning to face Theo, her voice more casual than she felt. She couldn't quite shake the need to know.
Theo glanced away for a moment, his expression conflicted. Caelen had left in the morning,he had no idea if he would be back anytime soon.
He contemplated telling the truth
"He's... not around. He tends to keep to himself in the mornings." he said after a moment of contemplation.
Ariadne nodded, her mind spinning with questions, but she didn't push him. She had to respect his space, too. She understood that much about Caelen by now.
"So," she said after a moment, her tone shifting to something more serious, "What happens now? Do i just wait around until he decides he's ready to talk to me?"
Theo's eyes softened slightly. "It's not that simple. Caelen's not someone you can just 'wait for.' But he'll come around. In his own time."
Ariadne wasn't sure if she believed that, but for now, she decided to take his words at face value. After all, what else could she do? She wasn't leaving, and she wasn't backing down. So, all that was left was waiting for the inevitable—whatever that would be.
Theo gave her a quiet smile and turned to leave. "I'll let you figure things out," he said, though his tone was gentle. "But, uh... just don't go antagonizing him too much, alright? He's got his own demons to deal with."
Ariadne watched him go, her heart still thumping in her chest. She wasn't sure if she could keep herself from antagonizing Caelen, but she knew one thing for sure: she wasn't going to let him push her away.
She walked back to the window, her thoughts swirling. She wasn't sure what was coming next. But she wasn't afraid of it. Not anymore. She had made her choice, and she was ready to face whatever came next, even if it meant facing Caelen's walls once again.