Eternal Blossom

Once at her house, he got everything out of the trunk of the cab and made sure his car was locked before letting himself in. He set her food down on her kitchen island and left the rest of his things in the living room.

Brian pad down the hallway to check and see what she was doing. When he saw her half covered in paint, and working steadily on one of the paintings, he smiled to himself. She was gorgeous when she dressed up, but seeing comfortably dressed and doing something that she so obviously loved was breathtaking.

He went back into the living room and grabbed his acoustic guitar out of the case. He tuned it carefully, and then walked into her spare room, a stool in his other hand. He sat the stool out of the way behind her, and sat down to watch her paint for a little while.

After she finished what she was working on, he saw her wipe the brush on her skinny jeans and analyze the painting still on the floor. Once it was on a third tripod, creating a semi circle around her palette, he lifted a knee, and set his guitar on it.

She still hadn’t noticed him, and was analyzing her palette and the painting when he began to play a soft melody. It wasn’t anything extravagant, or even something that he had played before. This was something that just flowed from his fingertips as he watched her work.

Aiyana looked up at the painting after settling on a brown color for the eyes of the man, and heard music starting behind her. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been at it, but she had smears of paint all over her exposed arms, so it must have been a while.

Turning slowly on her stool, she looked towards where the music was coming from, and saw Brian on a stool, his eyes on her as he played, a soft smirk tugging at his lips. She smiled brightly when she saw him playing, and nobody else in the room.

“I got a little carried away, didn’t I,” she asked as she set her palette down to walk over to him.

He just shrugged, and spoke while he played, “Maybe, but I don’t mind. Dinner is in the kitchen. Keep painting, or go eat. It’s up to you.”

Aiyana didn’t take her eyes off him as her smile spread further over her face. Usually people couldn’t wait to get away from her once she was in the zone, but here Brian was, just watching her work and playing something beautiful and slow on his guitar just for her.

Nodding, she turned back around and picked up her brush and palette once again. When she didn’t hear him stop, she began painting again, letting the music wash over her as she turned to the first painting, finishing it up.


Once she was done with it, she looked at the other two, and realized she still had some time left on them. However, she also knew that Brian was still playing, his own eyes now shut as he zoned out in his guitar. She put down her palette and crossed the room to him, watching him play for a moment.

It may have been something completely odd to most people, or even intrusive, but to her, it was one of the most romantic things that anyone had ever done for her.

Leaning over, she placed a soft kiss on his lips. His eyes fluttered open, and he stopped the strings with a hand as he looked into her eyes.

“Thank you,” she said simply. She didn’t know what she could say that would express what she was feeling in that moment, so she kissed him again.

Brian smiled against her lips, and stood up, removing the guitar from between them so he could wrap one arm around her and pull her closer to deepen the kiss.

Leaning back finally, he laced his fingers with hers and led her into the living room where he put away his guitar.

“Go ahead and eat, gorgeous,” he told her before kissing her temple sweetly and letting her hand go.

She nodded, and moved to the kitchen island to heat up her food.

As the microwave whirred to life, she tapped the spoon on the counter, and suddenly felt a set of tattooed arms wrap around her waist as his chin came to rest on her shoulder. Smiling, she rest her arms on top of his, and leaned back in his embrace, just enjoying the moment.

Brian nuzzled her ear, and then whispered into it, “I really think we’re good together, Aiya.”

She closed her eyes as she let his soft spoken words wash over her frayed nerves, soothing them almost instantly.

“You do, do you,” she responded with a playful smile.

He growled playfully at her and tightened his arms for a moment.

“Yes. What do you think, Aiya. Should we give this a shot?”

Aiyana turned in his arms to look up at him, biting her lip as she began to think about a future with Brian. She really wanted to, but she was scared. Aiyana primarily avoided relationships because most people wanted to eventually have kids, and she refused to have any of her own due to her genetic condition.

Brian, seeing her worrying her bottom lip, took her chin in his hand, fingers curled under her chin, and his thumb resting against the front. He didn’t know what the cause of her worry was, and that made him frown slightly, his brows drawing together as he watched her.

“Babe, if you don’t want to be with me, just say it. It’s ok. We can..” he began.

“Nonononono, Bri. You’ve got it all wrong. I do. I just don’t know how you’ll feel about me in a few months, or even a year, and I don’t want you to feel like you’ve wasted time by being with me,” she rushed out, concern laced in her voice.

His eyes grew wide at that, and he tilted his head to the side, trying to understand where this was coming from. He wouldn’t find her a waste of time. He never entered a relationship unless he felt like there was a legitimate connection. He didn’t have girlfriends usually because he just had ladies, but Aiyana made him want to try a relationship again.

“Brian,” she sighed softly, “where do you see yourself in 5 years,” she asked softly, her eyes falling to his chest because she knew she couldn’t look him in the eye and ask.

He kept an eye on her face as he thought about it for a moment, but the answer came easily.

“With you,” he smiled a genuine smile as he answered, “and playing guitar with the guys for sold out stadiums with you cheering me on from side stage.”

She laughed softly, really enjoying the sound of that, but her heart twisted as she realized she’d have to ask the next question, “And what about kids,” she asked, her voice a mere whisper at this point.

He raised an eyebrow comically, and felt her forehead. “You do realize kids are jumping the gun here, right? I don’t even know if I can have any at this point,” he chuckled, “I’m getting old, Aiya. I’m fucking 35. I’m practically ancient.”

She actually laughed at this, and shook her head. How did he always know how to make her smile or laugh? How could he take every dark situation or problem of hers and make her laugh instead?

“I’m asking for a reason, Brian,” she smirked as she made wary eye contact, and then looked away again.

“Aiya, stop that. Look at me,” he said as he moved his head, trying to get into her line of sight. “Why? Why are you asking if I want kids?”

Aiyana saw his face come into view, and her eyes began to fill with tears. She didn’t cry, as a rule, and so she looked up at the ceiling, trying to stop the inevitable.

“Because I can’t give them to you, Brian. If you want kids, we shouldn’t start this,” she said, knowing how many people that very statement had pushed from her before. She didn’t want him to decide to not be with her for her life decisions, but every person wanted kids eventually. She wasn’t going to hide that from him and let him waste years with her he could have spent having kids.

Brian let out a deep breath, and pulled her into his chest. He held her, thinking over and over about what she had said. She couldn’t give him kids. Did he want kids? He’d never really thought about it before. Her tears were upsetting him, so he just held her close, rocking both of them back and forth.

After several minutes of silence, and Aiyana just allowing herself to be held because she was too scared to cling back, it dawned on him. She never said she didn’t want kids. She said she couldn’t have kids. It had to be because of her disorder, he thought. Maybe her hips couldn’t carry or something. His heart hurt for her. Her pain was causing him pain. Finally, Brian spoke up.

“Right now, I’m not worried about kids, Aiyana. I want you. There are other options than you bearing a child to get kids if I want them in the future. We don’t know what’s going to happen between now and then. We may move in together years from now only to find out we can’t stand living together. I can’t promise you much, but I can promise you I won’t think you’re a waste of my time,” he said softly into her hair.

Aiyana’s tears that she’d been holding back finally broke free at his kind words. He wanted her; disorder and all. Relief flew through her veins faster than anything she would have ever thought possible. Aiyana’s arms finally came up to wrap around his torso, and she held him close to her like he was a lifeline as the tears flowed down her face, wetting his shirt.

“Babe, don’t cry,” he coaxed, trying to take a step back so that he could look at her.

“I want you, Bri. I do,” she sighed against his chest as she held tight. She didn’t want him to see her crying after all the sweet things he’d done for her and said to her tonight.

“Oh thank god,” he sighed dramatically as he dropped his arms from around her, “and here I thought you wanted me just for my body.”

She giggled through her tears, and finally let him go, wiping the tears away before she looked up at him.

“Well, I want you for that too,” she said as she continued to giggle.

He smiled at her and rubbed his calloused hands up and down her arms. “Good. Now, let’s turn that frown around and get some food in you. Then I’m sure I can think of something else to get in you,” he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She nodded, and turned back to the microwave to get her food out. Everything would be ok, she thought to herself. Everything would finally be ok.

Just as she was sitting down with her warm food, Brian stepped up beside her and leaned on the counter in an overly casual manner.

“Just so we’re clear, that was you saying we would give this a shot, right,” he asked as he gestured between the two of them.

She just laughed and nodded.

“Great. Thanks,” he said quickly before walking away like they’d just made a successful drug deal.

Aiyana rolled her eyes and laughed some more before she started eating her dinner.

Notes

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