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Instar DivinerPermalink Reply by ✓ Aaliyah Cole on January 15, 2021 at 19:14

Music played loudly in the lower level gym of Aaliyah's home. Double patio doors both sat open onto the back patio that eventually shifted to a stone path that led down to the horse pastures and the barn. The ex-ambassador breathed heavily as she ran the last sprint of her workout on the treadmill. The weather was poor that day, rain pouring down with the occasional boom of thunder. The dogs even remained indoors. After a final few minutes of heavy sprinting, Aaliyah stepped off the treadmill and quickly guzzled water before heading upstairs.

Blue eyes were hard as her mind wandered and filtered through all the thoughts that had been keeping her awake the last several nights. Ever since her run-in with Leona the brunette had been restless. She didn't know why but she was on edge and had called in sick to her bar job several times since before finally quitting. She didn't need the money anyways, her salary as an ambassador mostly went to savings anyways. Removing layers of sweaty clothing, Aal made her way to the ensuite bathroom and quickly climbed into the shower.

Scalding hot water poured over her for a while before she finally emerged and towel dried her hair. Slipping into a pair of black leggings and a large, off the shoulder sweater. Bare feet crossed the hard wood floors into the kitchen were Aaliyah promptly began tidying up to keep herself busy. Thunder boomed and she paused, looking out the large windows that made up the entire west facing side of the house. Gaze flickered over to the large fire place before a fire lit within it. Finishing up in the kitchen, she carried a bag of garbage and headed towards the front door.

Slipping on her boots, she opened the door only to see a hand raised, ready to knock. "Oh," she said, blinking in surprise. Her brow furrowed as she took in the male standing before her and she quickly set down the garbage bag. "Sorry, can I help you?" she asked, eyes sharp as she looked at the stranger.

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InitiaPermalink Reply by ✓ Leonardo d'Fierro on January 16, 2021 at 12:28

Stood on the familiar doorstep, Leonardo became nervous. His heartbeat pounded in his ears and he gulped down bile before trying to steady his breathing. Could he stand here and see hatred fill her face as she realised who he was? He shook out the thought and took a few steps back from the door. He'd left Evermore on such dark terms...A note? Not even a conversation. Just a note begging for forgiveness. He'd found the ring on his last round of the house when he was gathering his things...And he took it. Guilt invaded his head for that move, but he wanted to leave without a trace. Like he'd never even existed.

Thunder rumbled across the skies and Leonardo couldn't help but smile at the thought of rain. His new form relished in the rain, with every passing drop he grew stronger, something that took a lot of getting used too.

Then, the door opened before him and his eyes found the familiar gaze of his Queen. His features softened a little as he drank her in. Her hair was longer, just a little, but something he noticed. Her features were harsh as she took in the new face at her door. As she asked if he could help her, he opened his mouth but nothing came out. He couldn't speak. Shame had began to flood in and a frown tugged down his features.

His hand delved into his pocket and he brought out a fire-red ring box. Pulling the box open he revealed the ring, HER ring and his eyes flicked up to hers once more.

"Hello Love."

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Instar DivinerPermalink Reply by ✓ Aaliyah Cole on January 21, 2021 at 3:35

Aaliyah didn't know what it was but something in the air felt off that evening. It was the middle of winter and yet a rainstorm was blowing through the valley bringing thunder and lightning along with it. There was energy in the air that had Aaliyah buzzing. She felt like she could have run forever but she knew she had to stop eventually so she had climbed off the treadmill and showered up. Her damp hair hung down her back and neck as she tidied up the house and approached the front door, garbage bag in hand.

Even before she opened the door she could feel there was someone on the other side but that didn't stop surprise from crossing her refined features as her eyes met those of the stranger. A small "oh," fell from her lips before her natural instincts took over and she asked how she could help him. Her cool gaze took him in quickly, assessing him to any threat before sapphire hues found his dark ones again. Her eyes narrowed a moment as she saw something she recognized in that gaze before she was distracted as he floundered and didn't answer her question right away. His features twisted for a moment and Aaliyah struggled to read the man before her but as his hand reached into his jacket her stomach dropped and her eyes flashed amber.

But he pulled out, not a weapon, but a little red velvet box and her stomach dropped even further and ice seemed to fill her veins as he opened the box. The amber of her magic faded away from her eyes and her sapphire eyes burned as they found his again. Leonardo. Her lips parted slightly as her spoke and a smile started at the corner of her lips and she stepped towards him, dropping the garbage bag. But the smile quickly faded and her lips pursed closed as she swung at him with everything she had.

Chest rising and falling she looked at him for another moment before turning without a word and heading back into her house again, slamming the door shut behind her. Rage filled her. Rage but even stronger was the hurt and pain. She couldn't breathe as her bare feet slapped against the hardwood floors as she paced the hallway and moved into the living room before heading back to the hallway and pausing to look at the closed front door of her house. He was back. She had hoped it wouldn't happen but it had. She had finally found a way to move on with her life in a way that left her at least mildly happy. Anger filled her suddenly again and her eyes shifted to gold right before she let out a breath and blasted her front door off the hinges. It flew off the front porch and into the driveway but she only had eyes for the man now before her again.

"What the hell are you doing back here?" she managed to hiss through clenched teeth...

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InitiaPermalink Reply by ✓ Leonardo d'Fierro on February 9, 2021 at 16:04

The moment her fist connected back to the side of his face, Leonardo was sent reeling back in time. This had happened before...The first time Leonardo had confessed such feelings...The first time she’d let her walls down for just a blink of a second...The first time he knew she could love him. 

However this action, as he knuckled connected to his jaw, this action was filled with pure hate. White hot and blinding, like a red sheet falling in front of a bull. Leonardo’s head snapped to the side and he felt the blood pool from his lip, trickling along his chin. And then she left, he was still blinking against the new pain and looked up just in time to see the door slam shut.

For a moment he stood, listening to the sound of her feet pacing against the hardwood flooring of her hallway but when the sound stopped, Leon blinked before stepping left, just in time as the door came flying right at the spot in which he’d just vacated. A small “woah” left his lips as the wood brushed his arm and his eyes shot back up to Aaliyah.

“I needed to see you…” He whispered and then shook his head. “I know it's been almost 3 years...And a letter was not my best moment...But…” He sighed a little and finally dropped his gaze from her. “Im sorry.”

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Instar DivinerPermalink Reply by ✓ Aaliyah Cole on February 11, 2021 at 23:12

Aaliyah had no issues with violence. She had defended those she loved and she had killed without blinking an eye and without a second thought. She would always protect those she loved so to be attacking one of those people went against her very nature. Because, no matter how much she wanted to hate him, no matter how much pain she felt and how hurt she was, she still loved him. Through all her confusion, the sleepless nights, and the tears she had allowed to fall, she had never been able to truly stop loving Leonardo. Even the relationships she had attempted since him had never felt the same. Because even as she stepped towards him and her first connected with his jaw, she also wanted to hug him because she was also happy he was alive.

But damned if she would let him know that. Even as she looked at him before storming into the house and her anger grew, the love she felt was also churning. There had been something between the pair of them from the moment they had reconnected after she had been freed. It was powerful and magnetic and overwhelming. At first Aaliyah had not understand what it was about Leonardo and then he had made her realize exactly what it all was and what it meant that night at the party that he had kissed her. Slamming the door behind her, she paced for a moment trying to gather herself but she was too angry and her lungs struggled to bring in air as her chest rose and fell with unsteady breathes.

Blasting her door off the hinges seemed dramatic but as the magic left her and the door flew she was finally able to draw in a breath. She watched with barely a hint of a smug smirk as he dodged the door and then looked at her again. Physically, he wasn’t the same person. This body was older and different from all the other forms he had taken in the past but knowing it was Leonardo, all the feeling and emotions came right back. Sapphire optics didn’t blink or flinch as he started to speak but finally rose at his audacity to say he needed to see her. A cold laugh fell from her lips and she rested a hand on her hips. “You needed to see me? You think you have any right to ask that of me anymore?” she said, ice in her voice as her gaze remained steady with his. “NOW you want to see me?”

She scoffed again as he continued “Not your best moment? A bit of an understatement there,” she muttered, crossing her arms. She continued to glare at him even after his gaze dropped. She knew what was coming but it was truly the last thing she wanted to hear. She did not want his apology, she knew it was only going to anger her and, sure enough as the words left his lips she let out an angry breath and closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to collect herself so she didn’t blow up his vehicle next. She let the silence stretch between them before she finally spoke. “You don’t get to tell me you’re sorry. That only helps to make you feel better,” she said through clenched teeth. Her sapphire eyes flashed as they found his dark ones again. “What makes you think I even want your damn apology?” she growled.

At that moment an excited howl filled the open hallway behind Aaliyah and a moment later Celty, the pup she had gotten Leon years ago, now well over 100lbs, bounded past her and ran towards the man who, through all accounts, should have been a stranger to the wolf hybrid. Tail wagging, she sat politely before Leonardo and looked up a him. A second later, Samson, Aaliyah’s retriever joined her but with less grace. Giving an excited bark, he leapt up at the man.

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InitiaPermalink Reply by ✓ Leonardo d'Fierro on July 14, 2021 at 19:34

Leonardo had almost forgot the feeling. When his eyes met hers and time seemed to stand still. The icy-ness of her grey hued orbs that seemed to pierce straight through Leonardo's heart. The way her hair curled, just slightly, over her shoulder and the one dead-straight strand that he always found to twirl around his finger.

Then a blink. Aaliyah blinked and time began to move in hyper speed.

She slammed the door in his face and he felt his heart squeeze tightly, his chest became so heavy that he stumbled back a step and release the breath he had been holding. Blinking rapidly, he watched the door before taking another step away. Leon' knew he'd hurt her, he knew a letter was not the way he should have left it, but to be completely unforgivable...He couldn't put into words how much faith he'd held onto for just an ounce of joy to show upon her features.

As the defeated sigh left his lips, he felt a tingle on the back of his neck, creep up to his scalp and his gaze flashed back to the door that came barreling towards him, blown off the hinges.

Her words dripped with venom and his dark orbs watched her carefully, cautiously as she stalked towards him. He winced at her words, because it became abhorently clear to him that no, she did not want to see him...At ALL. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately as she carried on, his skin felt as if it was on fire, he could feel her magic brimming against the surface and he habitually planted his feet against the force.

"You think thats for me?" Leon' whimpered, cocking his head to the side. "Do you think it didn't destroy every fibre in my being leaving that day? Do you for one second think I didn't leave and hit the bottle straight away?" He spat back, stumbling over his words slightly. "I came back before I wanted for one moment, for one singular moment, to feel whole again. The apology wasn't for me, but coming here at all? That was for me, and I think I do get to do that."

The break in their spitting match came from an excited howl just behind Aaliyah and suddenly, a large dog came barrelling towards him and skidded to a halt at his feet, large eyes glued to her old master. Leonardo squinted at the wolf-hybrid before a breath caught in the back of his throat "Celty?" He whispered and before he had any chance to answer, a large bundle of fur came hurtling dowards him and collided like a rugby tackle into Leon's chest and took the Niveis down into the gravel with a huff. "Gesù Sansone, dai un minuto a un uomo" Leonardo didn't get to concentrate on the English of it as he stroked the retriever and sat up, both animals licking at his hands.

"She's enormous" He said, Patting Celty on the head before standing and brushing the dust from his jeans. "At least someones happy to see the new me..."

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