Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 42: Apples

Chapter 42: Apples

I woke up slightly confused. I remember laying down for a nap after talking to Lucian for a bit.

What time is it? My arm tried patting the bedside for my phone but to no avail.

Instead, I ended up patting hot skin. Lucian.

His body temperature always seemed higher, a perfectly good warmer for much colder nights.

He typically slept in his sweatpants, so by now, I’ve gotten used to waking up next to a furnace.

I just haven’t gotten accustomed to the proximity.

Sometimes, I’d wake up clutching various body parts or pinned under him.

He says it’s because he had no choice but to pin me to stop me from kicking him off. Maybe that happens when the temperature gets really warm.

So now I’m on top of him, and instead of panicking, I just burrowed comfortably. There’s only Rina on today’s agenda. After my morning routine, I’d have to call her and haul ass to wherever.

But the "bed" shifted before I could return to sleep. Lucian prompted himself up with pillows behind his back.

"You haven’t eaten anything since getting back. Why? What happened?"

I looked up at him, surprised that he was still on the topic of missing lunch and dinner. But I guess I understand. Even now, I’m not hungry, and Rina will probably ask to eat out for lunch.

Should I just tell him?

"I’m not sure if telling you would change anything. The solution may not be tangible. Money won’t exactly solve it."

"If money can’t solve it, then you just didn’t throw enough money at it." Lucian didn’t even blink, seriously thinking that way.

Well, okay, maybe that works too?

"Trauma. Probably a panic attack."

"The trigger?"

"Things going right instead of horribly failing."

"You sure are nuts."

"Yep," I sighed. Because I felt the same way, should I just remain defeated to protect myself from encountering such attacks?

"You just need to get used to winning. That’s what you get for always being a loser."

Easy for this bastard to say.

"And maybe you should avoid opening your mouth so you could at least remain mysterious in my eyes."

"That’s what losers would say."

"And you’re the husband of said loser."

"Which is why you can’t remain a loser." He paused, moving a stray hair off my face before adding,

"Just annihilate them all."

"What, are you going to do that for me?"

"Haven’t I?"

True. Lucian has been helping annihilate them from the very beginning.

"If you’re worried about facing an attack just transfer the situation over to me. You may be a loser, but your husband isn’t. So when you’re scared of things going right for you, just assume they’re just going right for me. Just as always."

Lucian was saying that as a matter of fact. And it sounded extremely obnoxious. But why does it feel like it could actually work? Because my body and soul know how things always work out for Lucian. Not because he’s lucky but because he makes sure to make it that way.

"You’re such a prick, aren’t you?" I joked.

"So am I supposed to be stuck feeling like shit when things go right for me?"

"No. That’s stupid. Just do it until everything goes right for you, and you even become sick of it. Til you become one of those people who like making up their own drama to be sad about."

I laugh at that because we once had a neighbor who made her own drama to "spice" up life. She was old already and said that she needed that to survive longer. May she rest in peace.

"You say that like you’ll allow me to whine about stupid shit."

"Aren’t you still alive right now? I believe I’ve been more lenient than necessary. You’ve become too spoiled." He even scowled.

"Spoiled my ass. I haven’t even begun. This girl has not even utilized the husband card."

"So working on your business and getting you that contract in exchange for a mere gala’s not considered utilizing your ’husband card’?"

"Nope! I still exchanged something! My Luci wouldn’t have asked for anything in return."

"That’s why your Luci didn’t make it. Died of idiocy."

I snorted while laughing. "You just wait. One day you’ll do shit for me."

"Yeah, yeah. You can try. Dreaming is free." He said as he patted my back before encircling me in his arms.

"Remember this when I make you eat shit someday," I tell him as I wrap my arms around his neck.

"The only shit I’ve been eating is you."

"Oh, shut up." I kissed his lower lip, making better use of his mouth.

Lucian tightened his arm around me as he kissed me back. An arm snaking behind me, his hand supporting my head.

I was opening my mouth for him when a loud "Eli!" and a barking Chester interrupted us.

"She needs to be banned at the entrance." Lucian scoffed, annoyed.

"Like you can prevent her from entering the vents if needed." I remind him of Rina’s insanity.

"No wonder you’re friends. Go before I chew her out."

Leaving my comfortable bed proved to be difficult, but Rina’s existence depended on me, so I sacrificed and freshened up before going to see her.

"Good morning, Chester," I told her as I patted Chester, the good boy.

"You’re not ready yet?" She crossed her arms in impatience.

"And good morning to you too, miss. Ready for what? It’s too early for the world to be rotating." I told her.

"Did you not read my message about brunch?" She asked, giving me the stink eye.

"I passed out and just woke up now, sorry." It was true. I didn’t even get to see my phone."

Just then, a dressed Lucian came out of the room. "Stop walking barefoot. Do you need me to glue these onto your feet?" he said as he carried and placed my fluffy slippers in front of me.

"Sorry, Your Highness. I’ll glue them myself."

"Can you two not do this so early in the morning?!" Rina motioned her hands to point at us, only for Lucian to respond.

"Maybe you can stop coming this early so you don’t see things you don’t want to see."

Rina had black lines on her face, and I’m glad it’s not only me.

"Eli, you sleep next to this guy?! Why don’t you cement his mouth shut?"

"She also kisses this mouth," Lucian said as he bit down on an apple.

"Don’t bring me into this. I already got my fair share of nonsense this morning." I actually just did, but that does not give you the right to call me out, okay?

Riri flopped onto the couch, looking all wilted.

While Lucian handed me a plate of sliced apples with a warning. "You’re not leaving without finishing that. I have work and have no plans of picking up a patient from who knows where. So, eat."

"What? Why, what’s wrong with you, Eli?"

"Nothing. I just told you I passed out in exhaustion. So, I slept through dinner even after missing lunch because of yesterday’s incident." I explained as I munched on the freshly cut apples.

I was going to give Chester some, but Lucian glared at me, so I ate it instead.

"Then maybe we shouldn’t go out and just stay here?" Rina looked worried, so I reassured her.

"I’m fine. We should go through with our plans." I still don’t know about this, but Lucian would have a conniption if we stayed here while he had work to do, so we might as well go out.

"Lemme me just finish this before getting ready," I told her as I bulldozed through my snack.