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“Should we elope?”
Topaz’s eyes shifted from the glass in her hand to the man beside her. He is slumped on the pub table, his right arm holding up the weight of his body while the other twirled around a glass of whiskey. Despite the gravity of what he had just asked of her, his gaze did not turn to meet hers.
“No. Stop joking around like that,” Topaz rolled her eyes, turning her gaze to the bartender and ordering another drink for herself.
“Ouch… your quick rejection hurts me so.” From the corner of her eyes, she watched as the man beside her gave a light chuckle before swallowing his drink in one swig.
At that moment, she became oddly conscious of him. Only in his turquoise dress shirt did she notice the broadness of his shoulders that are currently hunched up on the bar, the way his gaudy accessories gleam even in the ambient cozy light of the pub they are in, suggesting the frequent polishes did by either him or some jeweler he paid. She also became aware of the warmth coming from his fur-lined coat resting on her back–the coat that he draped on her to shield her from the unwanted chill of the night.
“Stop being ridiculous, since when has our relationship implied that kind of development?” Topaz replied, adjusting his coat, which slipped a little down her shoulder.
Despite the high-stakes environment of their workplace leaving Topaz tired and feeling like she’s due for a long shower, Aventurine still emanates his signature cool scent and is well-groomed in comparison. Sometimes, she wonders if people also compare them whenever they are together—a peacock and a pheasant, a swan and a goose. Whatever the reality is, she decides that it is not important and reminds herself to push away those useless thoughts.
“Besides, I didn’t think you were the type to attach yourself like that.” As soon as those words left her lips, she felt a sudden shame. It somehow feels like she’s comforting herself from the reality that the Aventurine she knew would never consider a serious connection like that. Maybe she feels shame over her shallow understanding of the enigma beside her, assuming that his words are as fake as his smiles. Or… maybe the alcohol is just finally getting to her, and all of this is her own useless speculations.
Aventurine gave her a chuckle, “I just wanted to gamble a little.”
Topaz scoffed at herself for having even the smallest expectation in her heart. The Aventurine she knows keeps a coy smile and hides behind sweet words to ensure the odds are on his side, a man who feigns appearances for his benefit. But deep down, she still believes that Aventurine is not that different from her. She sometimes believes that both of them crave connection and meaning, but ultimately, maybe that’s just what she wants to believe.
+++
Deep in thought, Topaz didn’t seem to notice how Aventurine gazed at her. His eyes radiated a mix of fondness and disappointment. While he expected that response from her, it still didn’t stop him from feeling tightness in his chest over the blatant rejection. He took his time to admire her serious expression and imagine the beautiful curves of her body that he hid underneath his coat. The fur not only kept her warm but also protected her from the lecherous gaze of strangers. He gave a quiet huff at himself, wondering if he even had the right to show possessiveness over his silver-haired business partner.
“You know, Topaz, you’re one of the people I admire the most in this feeble life of mine.”
“Oh?” Topaz raised an eyebrow and turned towards him.
Aventurine took in a sharp breath as their eyes finally met, “What? I’m not lying.”
“Why is that?”
Aventurine hummed, thinking of a response, his lips still curled up in a sly smile. He blinked and fixed his gaze on her, finding a pair of azure eyes staring back at him. His heart skipped a heartbeat under her unwavering stare. She had always been the serious type, after all. But then again, he also loved that part of her.
He sighed and gave a weak laugh, downing another glass of whiskey and earning a raised eyebrow from Topaz. He turned to her, an indescribable emotion bubbling up in his chest.
Maybe for tonight…
Just for tonight…
He can put down his mask and lay his cards on the table.
+++
Still waiting for a response, Topaz suddenly realized how hard she was gripping the glass in her hands. She finds herself nervous under Aventurine’s searching gaze. He was still wearing that coy smile of his, but she felt like there was something different about how his eyes looked at her. Topaz watched as he opened his mouth, only to close it again before opening it once more.
“Just say it,” she said, sounding more frustrated than she intended to.
“Topaz..” his voice was gentle when he called her.
She could only stare at him in silence, urging him to continue.
“Should we elope?”
She scoffed and furrowed her eyebrows, “And here I thought you were gonna say something actually important. Even after you built up this unnecessary tension, I still don’t think that joke is funny–.”
“Jelena, I’m serious.”
Topaz blinked in surprise. First, over the fact that he called her by her real name, which is only known by a few, and second by the tremble in his voice. Topaz looked at the man in front of her, searching for any signs that the expression he wore on his face was just one of the hundreds of masks he wore.
She pursed her lips and gave a weak laugh, “Hey, you should stop joking with me… you’re drunk, you don’t know what you’re asking of me right now.”
He gave a frustrated sigh, a frown forming on his ever-smiling face, “I’m not joking, I’m not drunk, and I certainly know what I’m asking. What should I do to make you believe me, Jelena?”
Topaz was taken aback by his sudden outburst. The Aventurine she knows never cracked under any situation. He would never say unnecessary things, nor would he even show a drop of vulnerability to his opponent. Yet, the Aventurine in front of her had a tremble in his voice when mentioning her name and didn’t spare any effort to hide the hurt on his expression.
It was too much to take in.
“Look, I know I’m not the most trustworthy guy out there, and I don’t blame you for not believing me. So tell me, what can I do to make you believe me this time?”
“I– you… I don’t know.” Topaz pursed her lips again and looked down, hiding her face underneath her bangs. “I just don’t understand why.”
Silence falls between them, the chatter of the pub guests filling the atmosphere. As if suddenly doused by cold water, both of them became conscious of the glances made their way by curious onlookers.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to raise my voice like that,” Aventurine said softly. He can not see what expression Topaz has on her face and part of him wishes it stays that way. So he just waits, as he always does. He waits for opportunities, for a winning card, for a secret that can give him an upper hand, for his luck to run out… for her to look his way the way he wants her to. The frown on his face suddenly felt unnatural, he was not used to this level of honesty. Maybe it's time for me to fold my cards.
“Hey, do you have time after this?” He donned his mask once more. He decides being gloomy doesn’t fit him. It has clearly made his coworker uncomfortable.
Topaz finally looked up, “Huh?”
“Let’s have a ride, I think we both need some fresh air,” he said, sending her the best smile he could muster. “Oh, and you can keep wearing the coat for now, I wouldn't want you to get sick after all.”
+++
Topaz took in a big breath.
Aventurine has driven them to a quiet field, his car parked beside the road a few meters from where they’re sitting. The blades of grass were a little bit cool to the touch and tickled her skin. They danced to the gentle night breeze just like the wisps of her hair. Topaz tucked away some stray hair behind her ear and huddled into herself closer. The warmth of her skin makes her secretly thankful that Aventurine insisted that she wear his coat–despite her multiple protests at the pub.
Topaz laid her head on her knees, silently watching Aventurine who is currently lying down with his arms behind his head. The moonlight of this planet graced his features in a gentle blue hue. Just moments ago, he was asking the most ridiculous question to her and showed an expression she’d seen on him once in a blue moon.
“The moon of this planet is really making fun of the saying ‘once in a blue moon’, huh?” as if reading her thoughts, he gave a small laugh at his own statement.
“I guess so… but their moon is certainly very beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it,” she responded in agreement. Suddenly, he turned his gaze at her, prompting her to quickly turn away. She felt heat blooming on her cheeks.
Topaz noticed that he sat up from the corner of her eyes and tensed, preparing for another teasing remark or playful jabs as he usually does at peaceful moments like this. “Hey, I apologize for what happened earlier. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“Huh? Oh… It’s alright. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a proper answer,” she said, managing to give him a sheepish laugh at the sudden mention of the events that transpired earlier.
He gave her a smile. Ah, it's that smile again, she frowned at her thought.
“You don’t have to give me an answer anymore. You can even forget I ever asked.”
Topaz had never given a serious thought about the topic of dating, let alone marriage. So, Aventurine caught her off-guard when he asked her to elope with him. She had never entertained the idea that she would be able to enjoy domestic companionship as a director at the IPC, especially when she was one of the Stonehearts. Leisure time was a rarity, so how would she cultivate that kind of lifestyle?
Moreover, the person in question was Aventurine, a man who would gamble his life away in a heartbeat when tempted by a good prize. Surely giving her heart to a man like that would only give her more troubles in the future. But then again, she can’t imagine giving her heart to anyone other than him.
Topaz closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze that caressed her face with a tingling cold. She then took a deep breath of the chilly air and leaned back, allowing herself to fall on the grass. For a while, she admired the bright full moon and the twinkling stars. The sky on this planet was the opposite of the smog-covered sky of her home, a desolate place that she both missed and despised at the same time. Yes, she hated the suffocating air and the smell of illness in her childhood, but she missed her friends and family that made living on that desolate planet a tad bit tolerable.
So she fantasizes. A fantasy where her planet didn’t experience catastrophic levels of environmental degradation due to IPC’s exploitation. A world where Topaz didn’t exist and she would only be known as Jelena. She imagines the unlikely chance of meeting Aventurine, not as Aventurine, but as Kakavasha, a free man. In her world, he would be a traveling merchant, yes that would fit him quite well, and he would visit from time to time to tell her tales of worlds he had gone to. She wonders if they would grow close in that world, to be friends and then maybe, fall in love normally.
Topaz felt her heart squeeze in pain over a reality that could never be. As Aventurine would say, the cards have already been dealt. Now, she can only rely on herself to make use of what she has in her hands.
+++
Topaz stood up and walked in front of Aventurine, her figure outlined by the moon and casting a shadow over Aventurine. He watched her every move and expression, analyzing his partner. He had always found her intriguing, even before she joined Marketing Team 166. Aventurine has heard about her stellar performance during the IPC’s Employment Exam. Another eccentric genius who operates on her own terms and principles, proven by her lack of attendance for the business etiquette exam. It doesn’t hurt to get to know such an interesting person, he had thought, she might be useful after all.
So when news circulated about her placement in their Marketing Team, Aventurine did not waste his time to get to know the famed genius. Her way of approaching tasks and problems was the opposite of how he, and even everyone, does things. A ‘flaw’ he thought would be a hurdle for her career. His intrigue would only grow into respect as she proved him wrong by gaining success and promotions at every turn, at a pace that even he could not compete with. Soon enough, they were standing on the same level, each of them directing a team within the IPC.
He doesn’t know if it was his luck or some weird game his superiors had conducted for them, but their similar standing on the corporate ladder allowed the opportunity for them to communicate and work together more often than he expected. Despite working with the devils of the IPC, she somehow maintained a strong sense of justice and kindness for every case she took. She would exercise caution and calculated moves that allowed her to minimize or even eradicate any risk of failure. In the beginning, he was frustrated by her overly complicated way of approaching a problem. But, he soon understood why she became the fastest climbing employee.
Her commitment to her career and her strong beliefs have allowed her to gain huge success with minimal losses–to both the corporation and the debtor. It was certainly something very difficult to accomplish. Conversing with her was refreshing. She doesn’t bother with small talk and deception is not her cup of tea. She is always forward with her intentions and plans, never allowing him enough doubt to speculate about her next actions. He wonders if his trust was due to the lengthy written plan she would brief him on before every joint task they had, or if was it his own blind trust in her. Either way, she had carved herself into his heart and left him feeling warm every time he would receive a message informing him of another joint task with her.
He was pulled away from his trance when the object of his adoration broke the cold silence, “What if my answer was ‘yes’? Would you still want to take it back?”
His breath hitched. As soon as those words left her lips, he felt butterflies overwhelming his senses. Despite everything that he had been through, he felt like a boy in love, anxious, scared, and excited. Unlike him, Topaz does not mess around, so he decides to return the sincerity of her questions with his own, “No, I wouldn’t have taken it back.”
The silence following his confession was that of a stalemate. Neither of them wanted to take the step forward. For Aventurine, it was fear. On lonely nights, he feared his own heart. I’m incapable of love, he thought, an empty shell devoid of affection. So he drinks, gambles, risks his life, and repeats. Filling the void of his bleak heart with adrenaline and pain to feel alive.
Such is the life of Aventurine, filled with the smell of alcohol and tobacco, of the sound of rolling dice and chips falling. Until one day, it wasn’t.
Topaz changed something within him. The void in him is no longer satisfied with the thrill of gambles and bad decisions. And when he realized, it was already too late.
So he questions. He questions whether his feelings are true or another distraction his twisted mind conjured to keep him sane. He wonders if he even deserves to entertain the possibility of being loved by her.
So now he stilled before her. Frozen in fear over the thought of losing her–or this illusion of her that he adored so much more than his own existence.
His eyes followed her as she lowered herself to his eye level, her head once again resting on her knees, the shadow from the moon hiding her growing blush. “You’re serious this time right?”
He blinks, “Yeah… a hundred percent.”
Topaz heaved a sigh and cupped her face in both of her palms. Aventurine let out a small chuckle, leaning forward to touch her shoulder, but she swiftly raised her head before he could.
“You should’ve brought flowers at least. I’ve always wanted to experience that once, y’know… receiving flowers,” Topaz said, a toothy smile grazing her face as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes.
Ahh… he thinks, even her tears looked beautiful on her.
Aventurine smiles, his hand now on her cheek, wiping away her tears, his heart growing warm as she presses her face against his palm. “Don’t worry, my dear, I’ll make it up to you. Be it a hundred or a million, I’ll present you with as many flowers as you’d like.”
“Oh, shut it,” Topaz gave a weak chuckle, still smiling despite the tears running down her face.
“My, my, why are you still crying? Do you hate the idea of eloping with me that much?” Aventurine teased, still wiping her tears.
“Yeah, I’m crying over how stupid I am for agreeing to elope with a man who hasn't even asked me out on a date even once,” Topaz sighed and put her hand on his.
Aventurine gave a hearty laugh, “Okay, okay, I’ll pick you up this weekend, yeah? I have a place in mind for the two of us.”
Topaz hummed in approval, this time it was her turn to reach for his face.
Aventurine looked at her quizzically, her hands felt soft and warm on his cheek. His self-confidence and charisma proved useless as he consciously forced himself to look into her eyes. For some unknown reason, he felt embarrassed under her gaze, those blue eyes that were looking at him so affectionately. He’s not used to this kind of attention.
Topaz gave a light chuckle, “Aventurine, your face is cold. I think we should head back to our hotel soon.”
“Oh dear Aeons, I didn’t know you were the type to invite a man to a hotel during a business trip,” he teased, only to get a pinch on his cheek.
“Getting cheeky already aren’t you? Come on, we still need to secure a deal tomorrow,” Topaz said, standing up to pat away the dirt and blades of grass stuck to her dress. “Come on,” she urged, stretching a hand to him when she realized that he hadn't moved.
Aventurine took her hands and stood up, following her previous motions. “Last one to the car pays for tomorrow’s dinner with the client?”
“Huh?”
Before Topaz could register what he said, Aventurine had already bolted in the direction of the car, laughing freely.
Topaz grumbled and ran after the man, heels be damned.
+++
The deal came and went. Topaz pulled out her card to pay for the dinner, Aventurine disappeared outside to fetch the car he apparently bought for this trip. She didn’t really understand why he opted to buy a car for a simple three-day trip instead of just renting one. Something about ‘money has no use other than to be spent, we won’t bring it to the grave y’know.’
Topaz sighed at the bill in her hand, too many zeros to be spent on a single dinner, she thought. But then again, she can easily file for reimbursement to the IPC as a business expense, the dread of additional paperwork giving her a premature headache.
She made her way outside of the fine establishment, clutching her purse in one hand while the other fiddled with the fur resting on her shoulders. I didn’t think we parked that far.
Just as she contemplated going back inside to escape the cold outside air, a honk called for her attention. Aventurine rolled down the car window and gave his usual charming smile. Topaz quickly made her way to him, ready to lecture him for letting her wait for a moment too long only to be left puzzled seeing him in a different outfit than what he had earlier this evening.
Aventurine has changed his pompous suit that he had this evening into a simple white suit, his usual gaudy accessories nowhere in sight with his earring being the only exception. She glanced down to the passenger seat to see a bouquet of roses and a shopping bag of some luxurious-looking brand that she could not identify.
“What’s this?”
“Hm? This?” Aventurine leaned to the passenger side door and opened it from the inside. “It wouldn’t be right for me to pick up a lady for a date without any gifts prepared, wouldn’t it?”
Aventurine picked up both of the items, giving her time to make herself comfortable on the seat before putting it back onto her lap. “For you, my lady.”
Topaz smiled and reached into the paper bag, pulling out a simple white dress. “Do I also have to change my clothes?”
Aventurine hummed in approval as he began to drive his car through the city, silence looming over them as they watched the bright artificial lights and bustling scene of the city fading into tranquility. Neither of them spoke, only communicating through quiet taps on the driving wheel and quiet hums of a melody Aventurine does not recognize.
Soon enough, they reached their destination. A beach. Quiet, serene, and once again illuminated by this world’s blue moon. Aventurine made his way to the shoreline first, urging her to follow suit later after she changed out from her floor-length gown in the car.
+++
Cold.
Leaving her heels in the car, Topaz felt the cold sand underneath her feet, the cold sea breeze hitting her face, and the cold water that reached her ankle.
She chased after Aventurine’s silhouette, standing a few paces behind him. Perhaps not hearing her footsteps over the rumble of the waves, Topaz only stared at the expanse of his back. Somehow, he looked… sad? Pitiful? She’s not quite sure.
As she continued her approach, he acknowledged her presence by giving her a short glance before turning back to watch the ocean.
+++
Warm.
He felt her arms that is wrapped around him, the warmth of her breath, and her steady heartbeat against his back. He looked back at her once again over his shoulder. He watched how her hair danced in the wind, the flutter of her eyelashes. He shifted in her embrace, turning to return her touch.
She felt so small in his arms, like a fragile bead of glass, ready to burst at the slightest touch. But he knows. He knows how his Topaz was a strong woman, a strong soul, capable of always finding and showing kindness in this bleak reality called life.
So he closed her eyes, smelling the sweet scent of her shampoo, the softness of her skin, remembering her every lines and curves. He kissed the crown of her head before stepping back, still holding her hands in his, taking in the image of Topaz, his love, his bride, dressed in a simple white dress that billowed just below her knees.
Aventurine raised her hands to his lips and gave them a kiss, a quiet vow of a love that he did not dare to voice.
“Jelena…” he whispered, his right hand reaching into his pocket.
Jelena. He kneeled in front of her, keeping his eyes on hers.
He paid no mind to the seawater that seeped into the fabric of his trousers, his attention fully absorbed by the blue of her eyes.
For a moment he felt undeserving.
He carefully slid a ring on her finger, a simple ring adorned with a small green stone, the Aventurine.
“Will you do me the honours of making me the happiest man alive and marry me?”
She laughed. “Aren’t you supposed to ask the question first before you put the ring on me?”
“You’ll say yes anyways,” Aventurine shrugged his shoulders, giving her a playful smile. “So what do you say? The water is cold and my legs might go numb waiting for you to answer.”
“Hm? I’m sure you can wait a little bit longer. It’s not every day that I see the almighty Aventurine kneeling in front of me,” she teased, earning a huff from him.
Slowly, her hand trailed up his arms, pulling him up.
“Kakavasha,” she began, her hands entwined in his, “promise me.”
Aventurine stayed silent, focusing on the warmth of her hands, waiting for her to continue.
“Promise me that you’ll avoid getting into trouble, okay?”
“Topaz, dealing with trouble is part of the job,” he laughed.
“I know…” her voice trailed off.
For a moment, Aventurine thought about her, about him, and about them. He understood how different they were from one another. Doubt started to seep in. So, he wonders if this was the right decision. He wonders if binding her to him is nothing more than a selfish whim.
“-I know that I should probably get used to your working methods, but I never did… or maybe I just can’t. Especially after what happened in Penacony.”
“Topaz…”
“So please… Please just atleast try to avoid situations like that. I never want to feel that again,” she pleaded, her hands slightly gripping his harder.
Aventurine nodded, pulling her into another embrace, “You have my word, love.”
“Thank you, Aventurine,” she said, her voice almost swallowed by the sound of the waves.
Aventurine slowly peeled away from her arms, “Then, I will ask again, yeah?”
Topaz just nodded, watching as the man in front of her brought up one of her hands to his chest. She felt his heartbeat, warm and real, a feeling she thought she could never feel after the incident that went down at the land of dreams. Topaz would’ve been fully immersed in the feeling of his heartbeat if not only for a pair of mesmerizing eyes intently staring at hers.
“With the moon, earth, and ocean as our witness” he started, “I, Kakavasha, Aventurine of the Stonehearts, shall bare my entire being to you.”
“I vow to love you the way hunger loves war…” He kisses the back of her hand,
“Follow you like how death follows life…” Kisses her palm,
“and to be yours for as long as you wish for me to be,” and kisses the veins on her wrist.
“So, darling, tell me. Is there a place in your heart for this fool?”
Aventurine watched a smile tugged on Topaz’s lips, the way her eyelashes fluttered as she tried to blink away the tears that were forming in her eyes.
Despite the sudden nature of their marriage, Topaz could not deny the mirth that was threatening to spill out. Whatever words of endearment that she had scripted in the car disappeared, forgotten, the moment Aventurine delivered his vows. There was something beautifully sad about his choice of words that she decided to think about at another time. For now, she just wanted to focus on him, on them, and this moment.
“Of course, a million worlds over and back,” she said, reaching up to hold his face, slowly pulling him into a kiss.
His lips felt cold, tense even, but nevertheless still capable of burning the feeling into her memory. Chills traveled up her spine as one of his hands trailed up her back while the other found its way to rest on the curve of her hips, holding her close.
Their first kiss was a short and chaste gesture. Topaz pulled away and stared at the man who was now her… husband
“Oh Aeons… now what?” she asked, laughing through her nose as a smile formed upon her lips.
“Hm?” He hummed, a playful smile on his lips. “I’m not sure what newlyweds do at night,” his arms snaked around her waist.
Topaz gave his arm a gentle pinch, “Shut it, casanova.”
Aventurine gave an exaggerated yelp before breaking into a laugh, his hands creeping his way back to her waist.
“!!!”
“H-Hey what are you doing, put me down!” Topaz exclaimed in surprise as her feet left the ground.
“Don’t wanna~” Aventurine teased, slowly picking up momentum to twirl around.
“Do not drop me, I swear if you do, I’ll–”
“Relax, sweetheart,” Aventurine laughed, gently twirling around. “Even if we do fall, I will make sure you won’t get hurt.”
Topaz rolled her eyes, resigning to her fate as her hair blew in all kinds of directions. This short moment in time is forever engraved in her mind.
The cold air,
the sound of laughter,
and the moonlight.
If happiness was a moment, this would be it. This is what she would choose over and over and over again. A fleeting love for their fleeting existence.
My love, my universe.