Mazaròl Lions : Chapter 30 "Giving In"

Seeing Elio’s expression, something that both of them never expected going to happen, Sapphire can only offer her softest and warmest smile as she slowly moves her hand to grab Elio’s side face. His face is still the same, that flat-poker face, yet the water keeps running down from his eyes down to his cheeks with his blank eyes staring at her. “You have been through a lot, huh?” She speaks up after letting half of a minute silence and gently wipes his tears away with both of her hands. Seems like the comfort she gives him right now is not enough, Sapphire slowly pulls him into another hug, slow enough to make Elio refuse if he is alright with her offer. Since Elio doesn’t make a move at all, Sapphire takes it as he is accepting her order so she slowly wraps one of her hands behind his neck and the other one on his back, bringing him into the best comfort embrace. “There is nothing wrong with letting it all out and being emotional at the same time. It’s completely fine.” Sapphire says and strokes his hair while the other hand is placed peacefully at the center of Elio’s back. Hearing those words with her soothing voice, Elio flinches one of his fingers just like she is bringing him back to his life and the warmth starts spreading in his body. The warmth is just so right for him and he starts wanting to hold it closer to him as slowly moving his arms doing the same motion with hers. Sapphire is still aware of anything that could happen in the next seconds but feeling Elio’s return her offer, she feels a lot relieved. This might be the right time to say a word but she knows that Elio prefers to have calm and peaceful silence for the atmosphere around them. At the end she still needs to say a word because they need to go back to their company before the curfew time. “It’s relaxing, right?” Sapphire says, carefully choosing her words for not making Elio uncomfortable or feel bad. No response from Elio which makes her think that Elio doesn’t hear it? or is he just too comfortable with their current condition? She stays silent for a while, arranging the words again and preparing herself to speak at least a bit louder and clearer with her voice. Suddenly Sapphire gets an idea that rather than making him uncomfortable, she wants to make him embarrassed jokingly instead. “How lucky am I to witness such a thing that probably only happens once in a century.” Sapphire says with her playfully tone. Hearing her voice tone that suddenly changes, somehow Elio notices it as he twitches his eyebrow in confusion of what makes this person’s mood turn upside down. His eyes are roaming around, trying to find what did she find amusing or what could probably he missed, but nope, can’t get any of it because what he is looking for is actually his own self. On the other hand, Sapphire also notices that Elio should have already heard her and probably noticed it so she gives it a push once again. “I hope I can get more chances to feel this warmth.” she says, getting more straight forward to the point of where she targeted, and tightened the hug. The reality comes and hits Elio just like a truck as the blood rushes to his face, feeling an incredible his temperature goes up in just a couple of seconds, he slowly pulls his body away. Since Sapphire just tightening their hug, obviously just a slight move from each of them will get noticed, she notices it right away. But she doesn’t want to go easy on him as her playful side is getting in so following his motion right now is not an option for her. “Noo!! I want to stay like this longer!” Sapphire says and tightens the hug once again but Elio’s hands are no longer wrapped around her. Even tighter that both of them can feel their own heartbeat which Sapphire finds this more interesting to continue teasing him. Somehow Elio starts panicking and the only thing that in his mind is freeing himself from this tight, weirdly comfortable, yet suffocating hug. “Sapphire, I had enough.” Elio says with a low voice, there is a slight hesitation on it. “Really?? Are you sure??” Sapphire asks with now her voice turns totally playfully one. “Yes.” Elio replies, a bit calmer voice yet still can hear his slightly panicking. “Are you suree~?” Sapphire once again asks, this time Elio knows that she is just teasing him. Before replying to her in order to stop her silly action, Elio takes a deep breath and calms himself down. “Yes.” Elio firmly says and slowly pulls away his body from the embrace. “Aww… but I feel cold because of the breeze!” Sapphire whines just like a little kid who is asking for a candy but they are still pulling away from the embrace anyway. Elio moves his face to the cross, avoiding an instant eye contact with that close distance. Even though Elio tries to hide it quickly, Sapphire already notices it since she can see the tip of Elio’s ears that are red shaped colored. “Aren’t you cold? Your ears are red.” Sapphire says playfully, the teasing just doesn't stop as she wants to enjoy this moment to the fullest. The teasing still continues though as Sapphire just intensely stares at Elio’s face and it’s so obvious that Elio notices it since the red color becomes brighter. But this is the line of the teasing, she needs to stop joking around and give him another comfort through words before leading themself back home. “It’s comfortable, right? I feel the same about it so it’s totally fine to feel it too. Nothing wrong, okay?” Sapphire speaks up once again with her calming and relaxing voice as she places her hand on Elio’s back again. Hearing her voice back to its usual and normal one, Elio can feel his shoulders slowly loosening the tense and starts to cool down as well. Elio’s eyes move toward the cross again, seeing each of their sentences on it, Elio can’t help it but the tip of his lips move a little bit upward. The other two members might still be frustrated to Elio since all of the experience they have gotten before. The one who is laying down right in front of them right now probably still wants to at least launch a punch on his face but could be just to give him a congrats or pat on his head, thanking him for saving the others. The last one who is next to him, comforted him the way that he never found how it is, and teased him until he felt vulnerable at that moment yet she is really just a different breed from others. Most probably the one that makes a lot of changes in Elio, both mind and heart without him knowing it, but what matters the most is the trust and belief this person gives to him, just like putting everything into without any measurement at all. The sorrow and sadness are no longer there as Elio can finally let go of all of those weights in his chest as the clouds in his head start clearing its way. “But… There is one thing that I need to say to you directly and I wish you to understand it as well.” Sapphire continues and bends her body over to look at Elio’s face that now also has the courage to look at her since she uses her serious voice. “Please say or talk about it.” She starts off and notices right away the way Elio slightly raises his eyebrows and looks away, probably worried and scared to put his trust yet, but it’s just as how she predicted it. “It’s not easy and will never be easy, I know. I just did that through the whole day without telling any of the others about my problem and what I have been holding on to.” She explains, eyes still staring at Elio’s face. “But now that you’re here. You got me without needing me to say a word of what I need the most ever since last night. Maybe all I can say is that you got my back, Tanzanite.” Giving slow pets on his back as she watches his expression slowly loosening, meaning that those must be the right words. “I won’t force you to show me your back, to tell or hear anything from you. I’ll wait for how much time you need. Then the time you are going to tell me everything, will be one of the best times that I have with you.” That’s the end of her comforting speech and Elio’s face looks a lot less intense than before. Still not wanting to make eye contact but Sapphire feels that it should be enough to at least open just a millimeter of his heart. Well, one tip of a millimeter a day. She thinks, encouraging herself, while getting up from her current position then stretches her arms out above her head which makes Elio peek at his side. “Ahh!” Sapphire shouts loudly, letting out all of her relief “Adam! Did you see that?! I’m completely fine! So if you are still worrying about me there, I will come and slap you on the face!” Seeing and hearing her absurd action, Elio stares at her in disbelievement with widened eyes and can’t hold out a chuckle. With that, it pushes Elio to stand up as well and look up where Sapphire is looking, only to find that tonight is a lot brighter because of the moonlight and how the stars are completely filling the sky. “What? What’s so funny?” Sapphire says teasingly right after hearing Elio’s chuckle, knowing that she just successfully lifted up some of his weight as well, a win-win today. Elio stares at the sky for a moment, not saying a word and just enjoying the night view as if Aquamarine is looking at where they are standing right now. “Nothing.” Elio replies without looking at Sapphire “Should we head back?” “Don’t you want to say goodbye to Adam or you know him as Aquamarine?” Sapphire replies and looks at Elio with a smile on her face, a pure smile that always warms his heart. Before answering her, he looks back at the cross once again and that tiny smile slowly comes out again. “No.” He replies then turns around “There won’t be a goodbye since he is a part of this family.” he says before continuing walking away from the cross. At this moment, Sapphire can’t be any more prouder than this, hearing and seeing the back of a person that is so close with anyone around them yet now showing this, a small little peek yet has a deep meaning on it. “Right. He is and always will be.” Sapphire whispers underneath his breath and glances at the cross one last time “I’m heading back now, Adam. Be happy, okay?” That’s it, both of them bid their goodbye to the cross and go back inside the car. The atmosphere is turning upside down with a totally opposite situation which is a lot better and way more comfortable. While Sapphire is still starting the car and setting herself up before driving, Elio takes a glance over the cross once again and his eyes land on their bucket flowers which reminds him of something that he hasn't asked before. “Sapphire?” Elio speaks up and Sapphire turns her head to look at him instantly then responds with a hum. “What’s the name and the meaning of the flower that you mixed with mine?” Elio asks, eyes still looking at the window. Right after the question, he can hear Sapphire’s small chuckle from his side. “It’s white lily, Tanzanite. It represents rebirth and purity as people are very common to bring those into a wedding or funeral. I feel like that is the best one above all since we are letting him go into a better place.” Sapphire briefly explains with a smile on her face, a pure one since half of her burden already got lifted away. Even though this morning it feels like she barely can accept the fact that Aquamarine is no longer in this world, now she finally can put back that smile on her face while looking at his cross. As usual, since Elio doesn’t say anything in reply, Sapphire lets out a sigh. Not a sigh of frustration, it’s a sigh of relief of how grateful she is to survive and get through it in only a single day. “Dinner?” Sapphire says while she is slowly driving them away from the cliff of where their beloved one is resting. “Take out.” Elio simply replies but the intensity is no longer there, just their normal habits come back together. “Alright. Should we buy the others as well? Dessert?” Sapphire asks. “Up to you.” Once again a simple reply and here comes the silence, a comfortable silence that both of them love to spend with the most. The whole way back to the company, none of them talk or say a word probably because they just want to enjoy the moment,accepting and letting go of everything or anything that they have been through together. “Oh!” Sapphire suddenly speaks up when they are arriving at the front door of their shared room and turns around to look at Elio who is behind her holding all of their food in his hands. “Whoops! Sorry, let me take this.” She says after scanning Elio from up and down with her eyes “I think it’s better if you prepare yourself before going in.” she offers while reaching her hands out to take over all of the things. Before she can reach it, Elio takes a step back which makes Sapphire almost stumble on her feet. “It’s fine. I’m okay.” Elio gives a straight refusal firmly, still with his flat expression but it’s convincing enough for Sapphire. “Okay.” She takes her hands away and puts it behind her back, just like her usual gesture of teaching them “Take a deep breath and everything will be just fine.” “And..” a pause between two steps of closing the distance between them as she gives him a squeeze of courage on Elio’s shoulder “I promise, you won’t be alone. I will be there the whole time, waiting patiently and giving the best of anything you want.” Hearing her encouragement, there is no need for Elio to doubt or worry about what’s going to come as he nods his head in agreement and follows her instruction to take a deep breath before following Sapphire right behind her. Elio nods his head once again then Sapphire starts pushing the door slowly and naturally, not wanting to make it sound obvious for the others. Since this is not that late to call it a day, the lights are still on and the others might still be awake or already falling asleep, today is still another hard day for them though. “We are back!” Sapphire greets happily like a little child once she steps inside after taking off her shoes. No one responds to her greeting so she gets further inside and finds them sitting outside on their balcony next to each other. Probably they are both enjoying watching the night view since Sapphire already saw the night sky earlier than them on a wider field as well. Not long after, Elio comes behind her and sees Sapphire giving him a signal that they are outside. “Alright just to make sure.” Sapphire says while packing out their food “Are you sure about this?” asking another consent since she is still worried, a lot, about Elio. Elio pauses on helping Sapphire and closes his eyes to take a deep breath for a second. “I can’t keep running away.” He replies and continues helping her to prepare the food. “Okay..” Sapphire replies awkwardly “Do you prefer to talk about it outside or inside?” one last question from her, prioritizing Elio’s comforts. “Outside. But is it safe if we talk about it there?” Elio replies and somehow gets the thought of being watched again by the Lions. “Well…” done preparing the foods, now both of them holding a plate on their hand “Whispering like an ant it is.” she says jokingly and walks bringing it to their balcony’s door. Her words of trying to loosen the tense on Elio’s shoulder just magically works again which makes him scoff and slightly shake his head. Sapphire slowly slides the door but the sound has already caught their attention right away. Their faces are just like usual when they see Sapphire but instantly change knowing that Elio is standing behind her. “Now you already knew what happened back then and is this how you bribe us?” Howl says, looking at Elio that is holding a plate while Spec is just sitting there and glaring at him like he is going to throw a knife at Elio. As always, Elio doesn’t react much to it, still with that flat face on it as he puts his plate on another table then pulls it to get closer with them. “These are my ideas.” Sapphire says while putting her plate down on a table between where they are sitting and takes a step back while Elio is dragging two chairs for them and positions them facing Howl and Spec. “Let’s talk.” Sapphire says firmly and looks at Elio, giving him a nod of courage. Elio only glances at it as he sits on the chair and none of them say a word toward Elio other than glaring at him with their killer instinct. Just like before, he takes this silence as a moment to prepare himself and arrange the correct words that he is going to use to tell what is happening last night. Once again, the silence feels so suffocating again as all of their eyes are but it’s not only that, exposing himself is still a challenge for him after everything happened. Noticing that Elio’s face starts getting a bit pale, Sapphire reaches her hand to hold his and slowly caresses it, trying to give him the comfort and push that he needs. The other two, who are in front of them, watching this hits them with another feeling of confusion. Of course they are still mad, they are angry toward Elio but seeing the way Sapphire treats him right now is just so different. Seeing someone like Elio, a person that is totally not into physical contact at all, can’t believe he is just letting Sapphire hold and caressing his hand like this. With a small and quick action from Sapphire, Elio can feel the weight lifted away again and slowly gets back into his normal pace of breathing. Thanks, Capt. Elio says inside himself as he takes another deep breath and finally looks up to find the other two faces in front of him, he is completely ready for it. “Last night…” Elio starts off, slowly telling them everything.