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I try to speak, but only pathetic gusts of air come out
"Before I ask, I want you to know that I know I’m a difficult person I know I’s, and I want this one second to say thank you for putting up withyou as masochistic as me" I roll my eyes at him I’m hardly masochistic "I know you have a lot of people you can rely on that areto be there for you and to support you, but no one can look after you or take care of you like I can, O Not your mom, not your brother, not even you, at least, not like I can and not like I want to"
He inches closer, his eyes glossy and pleading "I want to be the one to look after you and to care for you I want n forms with I want to be the person you call when you need help or advice I want to be the love of your life, your reason for living, and your best friend What I’iveyou’ve ever wanted, and everything you’ve always deserved I want to marry you I want you to have my last naether--to be together"
Whoa That is a lot of wants…mybefore ainstI feel sick…but it’s that excited/nervous kind of sick Tiaze drops to his lips as the question falls fro to ask e and you’re fully clothed?" I choke out, co the point to buyfor this to happen…but now that it has, I’hts
He sined it, but that’s not the response I want froue over my bottom lip to dispel the dryness "Yes" I tell hi smile "Of course it’s a yes"
The smile that splits Seth’s face is like no other and in one fluidfro on Withoutain We kiss We kiss again We kiss over and over, unable to express our happiness in words When I was young and I dreaine I’d be naked in a cage with a fighter I i from the sky, white horses, red roses--the whole unrealistic package But this is so much better This is real and perfect This has Seth’s naet it, ever
As alk back to the function, it’s hard to keepwrapped around er My knees wobble underneath me assex and the excitement of what came afterwards I feel different--like a new person entirely I always kneanted to be with Seth forever, but now the feeling is certain--as solid as stone I rest ainst hi and I glance at Seth As usual, he’s the perfect picture of calm, but I know he’s as excited as I aerly over h the crowd and different pairs of eyes stop and stare at ers don’t possessively squeeze me That says a lot about our ‘new’ relationship already He knows I’m his now He knoant to spend the rest of ives row as a person and that he trusts un at tiressive or territorial and you never know if or when he’s going to go off
Seth is the kind of person who needs to be shown love in order to feel loved We could be sitting alone in a room after ahim We don’t talk much about him or his childhood He prefers to live in the now and avoids dredging up old memories, but I know (from the small conversations we’ve had) that his neediness and his need for validation stelect Because of that, Seth needs constant affection He needs to be praised--he craves it He acts like he’s untouchable and his confidence is a balloon too hard to pop with a sharp needle, but deep down I think he’s just as insecure as the rest of us
Seth is jealous, co, and a little too proud, but that’s okay withhuman means you’re vulnerable, that you have weaknesses and i hu from them…or not, if you don’t want to There’s too uess what? People are i, stupid, and rude at times, but it’s okay It’s okay because ninety percent of the time it doesn’t affect you directly and it’s up to you to let it bother you and poison you or you can brush it off I don’t know,to defend Seth’s behavior--hell-- to defend my own behavior My decisions haven’t always been sound ones, but they are my decisions and I’m the only one that has to live with theh soe round tables fill the rooeous ice sculpture centered in the loves and fists in the ance to their celebration
We’re seated at a table with people we don’t even knoell--people I don’t know Seth seeht and beat at least three of the five fighters at our table The coordinators of this event has split everyone up into their occupations--fighters with fighters, coaches with coaches--and so on At our table, and directly across fro world champion and Seth’s opponent, Junior Moset Their relationship is a hell of a lot tamer than Seth and Don’s, and they even smile and throw jokes at each other when their conversations cross paths No h, it’s clear both fighters think they’re going to win Junior is a lot like Seth, size-wise, and it’s hard to believe soardless of his iround, Seth isn’t intimidated by hi undefeated history It’ll ht, I’ht caraolden honey eyes He has a scruffy hter than mine) that sticks up in an array of styled spikes It suits him and his fun, confident personality
"Seth, you do know Junior has defeated his last two opponents with a standing rear naked choke," a guy I don’t know or recognize says, nudging Junior with his elbow
I glance sideways at Seth, who shrugs and smiles "I’m aware"
"It doesn’t bother you?"
Junior s on a steaet it He’s new, he hasn’t fought for his keep yet, but when they fight in teeks, I know it’s Seth who’ll come out on top Seth knows it too, and that’s why he’s casually playing along with their ga that bothers you," Junior snickers "Spiders bother ainst his plate "Okay, the anxious wait between fights bothersperiods of ti to knock you out in the first round and not give the spectators a good show bothers me"
The table erupts histles and ‘burn’ remarks I roll my eyes I have no idea how I’ve put up with this for the last forty minutes and I don’t think I can take another second The other girls that sit around the table with their fighters are enjoying the banter immensely, but I find it a pointless show of feathers Every single man at this table thinks they are the ultimate ‘alpha male,’ which leads to soes
Seth leans intobothers ? Like the stuff that colass of water to his lips and taking a sip "It freaks ain