Eternal Blossom

A week later, Brian swallowed his pride and text Aiyana asking her to bring him and the guys lunch. He was hoping to appeal to her basic need to provide adequate sustenance for him, and in essence lure her back home. He had realized over the last few days that he didn’t like coming home to a house without Aiyana in it. He’d grown to love having her at his place, and it didn’t feel so much like home as it did a temporary dwelling without her there filling the walls with her laughter and energy.

Aiyana had taken the bait, not able to help it when he had let her know he was starving to death, and stopped by the studio to bring the guys lunch. He didn’t want things moved, and she understood that. It was his house, but the way he had approached the situation had her so irritated that she’d stayed gone for a few days to give them both plenty of time to calm down.

Today was the first time she’d see him because of that argument. She was nervous about how it was going to go, and she wasn’t sure if he was in much better of a mood. He’d texted her and asked her to bring them lunch so that he could see her, and she knew that. She wasn’t blind of stupid, but what was eluding her at the moment was why he wanted to see her.

She had brought the requested meal, but she sat in her Jeep, gnawing on her bottom lip as she stared down the door to the studio. Did he want to talk and clear the air? Was it really just for sustenance? Did he want to yell some more about the damn furniture rotation?

With a groan, Aiyana forced herself to get out of the car. Trepidation was the word of the day, but she steeled her resolve, and gathered the bags before locking her car and walking into the studio laden with two casserole dishes filled to bursting with homemade enchiladas.
Grabbing the bags that held chips guacamole, hot sauce, and fresh queso as well had ensured that her hands and arms were all full.

Johnny met her at the door, thanking her profusely for bringing them food, and telling her Brian was glad to see her because he’d been feeling bad about the altercation. Apparently, he’d told them that they had an argument and that she hadn’t been staying with him. Great, she thought to herself. Of course the guys knew. They knew everything that happened in one another’s lives.

Zack led her to the break room, and helped her set out the food on the table. Arin grabbed everyone a beer from the fridge, and put them on the table. She looked around, wondering where Matt and Brian were. With a shrug when she didn’t see them, she raised her arms, stretching them over her head, and arching her back in an attempt to relieve some of her pain.

“What was your argument about,” Zack asked once Johnny and Arin went to find Brian and Matt so that everyone could eat.

“I rearranged his living room because that coffee table was out to get me,” she shrugged, making light of the situation.

“And he didn’t take that well,” Zacky chuckled, taking his place at the table, deep lines crossing his cheeks as he smiled. “He’s been having trouble with his perfectionist tendencies in the booth, and I guess he took it out on you.”

Aiyana nodded and wrapped her arms around Zacky’s shoulders before resting her chin on top of his head. It felt good to have an explanation as to why such an odd thing sparked such a big altercation. She had stood by the fact it wasn’t a big deal, and he’d stood by the fact that it was his furniture and his house.

“He felt really bad about it the next day,” Zack told her as he brought his hands up to rest on her forearms that were crossed over his chest.

“But Zee, he was right. It’s his home, and I had no right to move anything around. I guess I just got too comfortable,” she sighed, feeling the need to run again enter her.

“No, Yana, he was being an asshole. You two are practically living together, so you have the right to fucking move a coffee table and couch,” he tried to reassure her, feeling defensive of the raven haired woman.

She sighed in response, and closed her eyes. She felt the same way, but obviously she’d over stepped some kind of invisible bounds. They stood there in silence a moment before Zack cleared his throat and spoke again.

“I think I’m going to ask Rayne to move in with me,” Zacky said quietly, hoping to get Aiyana’s perspective on it.

A real smile tugged at her lips, and she moved around to sit beside him and take his hands into her own.

“I think that’s great, Zee. She would jump at the opportunity to see you more often. Besides, then she could bitch to you about the latest Kristy drama instead of me,” she giggled, squeezing his hands reassuringly.

A big smile came over Zack’s face, and he laughed loudly. He’d already heard about the blonde walking into the shop and demanding a tattoo that said ‘Mrs. Shadows’ across her chest. Rayne had refused to do the tattoo, and Kristy had slapped her. Surprisingly, Rayne had restrained from hitting the blonde back, and instead grabbed her by her collar and threw her out of the shop.

“Just make sure you don’t flip shit if she reorganizes. She moves her own furniture around constantly,” she winked and let go of his hands.

Aiyana stood and ran a hand through her hair, ruffling her dark strands. As the excitement of Zack’s news waned, she felt the need to leave again. She was having a heightened pain day, and she wasn’t in the mood for another argument. Stress and being overly active were two things that triggered bad pain days for her.

“I think I’m going to get out of here,” she sighed, heading to the counter beside the sink to find something to leave Brian a note.

“Leaving before I get to see your beautiful face,” a voice questioned from the doorway.

His voice sent a shiver down her spine. God how she had missed his voice. Biting her bottom lip, she turned around, and her eyes ran over him before locking onto his. He half smiled and crossed the space between them, resting his hands on either side of her neck as he looked into her guarded blue grey depths.

“I’ve missed you, and I’m sorry,” he whispered, his eyes flickering with sincerity.

“I didn’t have a right to move stuff,” she replied, her voice soft. “You were right, it’s your house, and not mine.”

Taking her hand in his, he led her outside so that they could have some privacy as the other guys all filed into the area to eat. Once outside he lit a cigarette, and sat in one of the chairs, pulling her to sit in his lap. He didn’t want to let her go, and he’d had a lot of time to think while she’d been gone. Aiyana bit her lip, not sure if she really wanted to be in his lap at the moment, as she knew they needed to talk.

Brian took a long drag on his cigarette, and ran the fingers of his free hand through her hair, watching the strands flow in the light breeze. Aiyana watched his face, tracing his features with her eyes. They had text sporadically while she was gone, but hadn’t spoken much due to his being in the studio so much.

“Move in with me,” Brian said, his eyes moving to her face to gauge her reaction. “You can move stuff, you can redecorate, whatever you want. I miss you and want you with me.”

Aiyana’s eyes snapped to his at his words, and she took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure what to say to that considering she owned her own home, and loved her little cottage style house. She loved Brian, and she knew he loved her, but she also wasn’t sure where his head was at the moment. She didn’t know how to respond eloquently enough to let him know she was nervous about her fears at the idea of moving in with him completely without it coming out like either a scared child or a vapid idiot.

When she didn’t say anything, Brian’s hand fell to the swell of her hip, and he took a deep breath.

“Please, Aiya, I just want you with me. I’m ready for this, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I took a bad day out on you when you didn’t deserve it. I know we have things to work through, and we aren’t always going to see eye to eye on everything, but it’s harder to talk those things out and communicate when we aren’t able to spend the time together that we were. I…” he began, trying to express to her in earnest just how much he wanted her with him all of the time.

She brought her lips down to his, kissing him sweetly to shut up his rambling. He kissed her back, his hand clutching at her hip, and his cigarette dangling from the other.

“Yes, Brian. Just promise me that if I move something you won’t pitch a bitch fit again,” she laughed softly, millimeters from his face.

Brian laughed and brought their lips together again, kissing her deeply while bringing his hand on her hip up to tangle in her hair. Aiyana tilted her head to the side to give him better access, a sigh escaping her as she tasted his familiar flavor of Marlboros and minty toothpaste. That uniquely Brian taste had been something that she’d missed the most.

When they finally broke apart, he leaned his head back so he could look at her face. Seeing her again had just solidified his resolve. The three days they’d spent apart had felt unnatural and uncomfortable. He had quickly realized that he felt most at ease when she was with him where she should be.

Finishing his smoke, he stubbed the butt out in the ashtray, and settled his now free hand on her thigh.

“I love you, Aiya. We’re going to fight from time to time, but I wouldn’t want to fight with anyone else,” he said, drawing light patterns on her thigh with his long fingers.

“You’re only saying that because you’ve had to eat your own cooking for a few days,” she teased, a shiver running over her body at his light touch.

“That too, gorgeous,” he grinned up at her, enjoying the way she reacted to his touch.

“I love you too, Bri,” she said before standing and holding her hand out to him. “I’m hungry though, and if we don’t get in there, those assholes will eat everything.”

Brian stood and fished in his pocket for his keys. Sliding his door key off the ring, he placed it in her hand before walking back in with his hand on the small of her back.

“Get a copy made today for you so that you don’t have to use the spare all the time,” he said happily as they walked back in.

Aiyana nodded, the reality of the situation hitting her. She was moving in with Brian. Like, actually moving in with him. Feeling a bit reckless at how she’d thrown caution to the wind in favor of moving in with him, she walked with him in a daze back to the table. She wouldn’t spend days at her own house across town, and she’d have to bring all of her stuff over so that she could literally move in. Slipping the key into her pocket, she sat down at the table beside Zack, and looked around at the guys eating.

“I’m enlisting you guys for some help. When can ya’ll take a day off,” she asked, biting her bottom lip. She knew that this was asking a lot, as they were in the studio from sun up until well after sun down, with very few days off.

“We’re taking the whole weekend off, actually. What did you need, Aiya,” Matt asked from across the table, a queso laden chip in his hand.

“We’ve got to move her stuff into my place,” Brian replied casually, putting some chicken enchiladas onto a plate for himself.

“So you’ve asked her to fully move in, and you’re not going to yell if she redecorates,” Zack chuckled, leaning further forward so he could look around Aiyana at Brian.

“No, I’m going to hide her and her shit in the basement, only bringing her out when I need food or sex,” Brian replied sarcastically.

Aiyana laughed loudly and snagged a chip before leaning back in her seat to watch the exchange. Brian and Zacky just stared at one another for a moment before bursting out laughing.

“I’ll come help,” Johnny and Arin volunteered at the same time.

“You know I’ll be there, Aiya,” Matt told her, “but what are you going to do with your house if you’re moving into Gates’ place?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” she said, taking a bite of her chip, and mulling the prospects over while the guys chattered on about what time they’d get there and start moving things.


Aiyana got back to her house and began packing the things that she was going to be taking with her over to Brian’s house the next day. Most of her furniture would stay in her house since it was fully furnished, but she knew that she’d have to get all of her clothes and personal things like photos and knick knacks packed up.

While packing, she realized she had no idea where she would put half of the things, so if she didn’t have a clear idea of where it would go, she left it out. Eventually, she wandered into her art room, and ran a hand through her hair. What in the hell was she going to do about this? Could she just use her house as an art dojo of sorts where she’d come back to the cottage to do her art since all of his rooms were purposed for certain things?

A text pulled her from her thoughts, and she fished her phone out of her back pocket.

From Brian:
Just finished up for the day. OMW to help you pack.

With a smile, she sent him back a text letting him know she’d see him soon before heading into the kitchen to whip up a quick meal. She knew he’d be hungry, and since he loved tacos, that’s what she made.

Just as she was heating up tortillas on the stove, Brian walked in and boosted himself up onto her counter.

“Hey baby, I figured you’d be packing,” he told her, taking in the view of her cooking him a meal in her kitchen for the last time.

“I hit a roadblock and knew you’d be hungry,” she replied, glancing over her shoulder at him as she pulled the last tortilla off the stove top.

“What kind of road block,” he asked as he hopped off the counter and began making his tacos.

“I’m trying to figure out how to rearrange my house so that I can come back here to do my art. All of your rooms are designated for purposes, and there’s no room for my mess,” she laughed, grabbing beers for them and putting them at the island where they always sat to eat.

“Babe, we can clean out one of the spare bedrooms and you can use it for your art. Part of you moving in isn’t just you living in my space. It’s making it ours. I want you to do whatever makes it feel like home for you,” he told her like it was the most common thing on earth.

Brian made her a plate of tacos as well, and carried them over to the island while she thought about everything that he’d said. It hadn’t dawned on her that she was treating this like it was only his space and he was being gracious enough to share it with her. He meant for her to fully move in, not just cohabitate, but to make decisions together, and make it a home for the two of them instead of a bachelor pad.

Her plate being placed in front of her and the squeak of the stool being pulled out snapped her from her thoughts, and she smiled over at him.

“Thank you,” she told him, “I guess I wasn’t really thinking of it as my home just yet.”

Brian laughed, and sat on his stool, leaning over to kiss her temple briefly.

“You’re not just a guest any more, Aiya. You’re a staple in my life, and that means changes will be made to OUR home,” he told her, emphasizing that it was theirs together to her.


After eating, Aiyana and Brian set to work packing up the things that they would incorporate into their home, putting some of the things she’d left out into boxes as they discussed what could go where, and what of his stuff would have to go.

“I vote that your evil coffee table bites the dust, and I go buy us a new one,” she told him, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Whatever you want, baby,” he told her with a wink.

Closing up the full box, he placed it closer to the door and then followed her back to her art room. Luckily, everything was pretty organized in a few craft carts, and there wasn’t much to pack up in that room other than the hundreds of canvas that were littered about the room.

As soon as they were done, he made his way into her room, and noticed that she’d already packed all of her clothes except one outfit that was laid out for the next day. It felt odd to see the warm and inviting room so bare, but it also felt good because he knew that it meant this was actually happening. She was going to be there when he went to bed, and she’d be the first person he’d see in the mornings.

Walking into her bedroom, she saw Brian standing in the middle of her bedroom looking around the now bare room. With a mischievous smile tugging at her lips, she walked over to him, and slid her arms around his waist. Nipping at his the back of his shoulder with her teeth, she pressed her body fully against his back, her hands slipping under his shirt to slide over his chest and stomach.

“What do you say we give this room a proper farewell,” she asked him in a husky tone.

“I like the way you think,” he told her as he turned in her embrace and kissed her roughly, his lips claiming hers while his hands found her ass and squeezed.

Notes

I thought about this for a while before posting it.
Let me know what you think.

Thanks!!