Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Obsession Blooms

Chapter 19:

Obsession Blooms

Chicken Kiev, Cheese Souffle, and for dessert some Crème Brûlée. Jace stared in awe at the food before him. Yet, he couldn't help but sense something was missing. The portions weren't bad, but it felt...incomplete. Even as the first bite entered his mouth, and his eyes widened at the taste, he felt his stomach empty.

"...Do you want more?" Selene spoke up, surprising him as he had been too engrossed in his food, and for a moment forgot she was there.

"I...No, it's alright," Jace smiled bashfully as he scrapped the last bit of food into his mouth, "It's expensive, isn't it? So-"

"And?" Selene raised an eyebrow, completely unbothered.

Looking nearby, a waiter stood at the ready. Jace thought that for a moment when Selene's eyes passed over them, they flinched. Yet, he wasn't sure. It was so subtle that it could have been his eyes playing tricks on him. They were still recovering from the other day when he saw Selene's glamour.

"Another chicken kiev," She ordered coolly.

"W-Wait!" Jace exclaimed, looking between the two of them sheepishly, "You don't have to-"

"Unless you want something else?" Selene asked him, tilting her head.

Her eyes stared into his, unwavering and without a single care in the world. He felt completely out of his depth right now. Against such a look, there was no way he could win.

"N-No...Another would be fine," Jace smiled awkwardly, feeling quite embarrassed as he spoke softly, "...Thank you."

"Anything you want tonight," Selene leaned forward with her chin resting on the back of locked together hands, "And in the future, you need only ask."

"I...Well, that's..." Jace furrowed his brow as he took a breath to calm himself, "I appreciate it, but I don't want to burden you."

"You are not," Selene leaned back, eyeing him, "But very well. The offer is there."

Jace nodded in appreciation, unsure how to feel about it. Just how far could he lean on her? He still was learning to lean on the Vesela's...and now he knew he loved Liana. Which would make it even harder to lean on them. Taking a deep breath, he focused the best he could on the date before him.

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Jace was absolutely adorable. Selene watched him eat as if it was the last meal he'd ever have. From the first bite to the last, he savored and enjoyed every bite. She watched him as she ate her own meal. A grilled fish fillet, a chef's salad, and the same Crème Brûlée as Jace.

Yet, her appetite was sated just based on his own interaction and reactions to the food. "What is this?" She wondered to herself as she watched him. He wore his emotions so openly, even as he tried to hide them. It was adorable.

She knew he was hungry. The portions weren't small, yet they weren't large either. He ate his food and was scraping the edges of his plate. She felt a warmth inside of her heart as he seemed to enjoy the food. She made a note to ensure he eats well going forward.

"He's so cute...trying to hide that he wants more." She had no qualms about spending the money. After all, even if her father cut her from the family's fortune, she still had her own money, of which was plenty. Ordering more for him was no issue, and seeing him get all flustered only enticed her more.

"I really threw out all logic..." Selene could only shake her head at this change inside of herself. Never in all her life has she ever been moved like this. She saw people as tools. Pawns. A product of the upbringing by her father. She never liked it though.

It was the first time she ever made a decision for herself. When she chose to leave her parents side, they couldn't really stop her. After all, it was them who made her who she was. They could only let her sort through everything in her own head.

Becoming a nurse was the first step. She stepped on people all her life. What would it be like to help them? She was warned that it would be difficult, but...it wasn't. For someone raised with a cold, calculating outlook on life, she approached like anything else. A means to an end. A job.

She did what was expected of her, and under the guise of Marian, she acted the part of nurse. Of course, she didn't just pretend to be one. She is one. Learned everything there was to learn and got certified as Marian. Even made friends and enemies as Marian.

Her standoffish demeanor kept most people at bay, and often caused others to dislike her. She found it curious, but understood it. She began to realize that people were normally like she was. So, as Marian she began to attempt to learn otherwise. Acknowledging her lack of expression.

She had told Doctor Gerard that she doesn't mean to come across as if she doesn't care. That was the truth. She did care to do her job, and to make sure people got better. As a nurse, that's what she was meant to do. Of course, at the time she was speaking about Jace's mother. Something inside of her was stirring, and to say she actually cares wouldn't be a lie.

Ever since she met Jace, she was taken aback by how genuine he was and how hard he was working to save his mother. She had seen many, many people lose family members. Fighting to save them, but none like him. At least, none who touched her heart like him.

He quickly adapted to the situation, but she saw it. The pain. The torture he put himself through. She was curious about this person. Now, she was at the whim of her feelings. A rush that soon overwhelmed her. It was a curious thing.

Why, of all the people, did she find herself obsessed with him? Even now she assessed things clinically, but shortly after dismissed it with her own reasonings. "Because...I like him." It was as simple as that for her. "He makes me feel things I never felt..." It was curious to her because why him? Yet, it was.

Because of that, Jace would never escape her. She would ensure he was hers. He didn't know it yet, but he would. She smiled fondly for the first time in the evening as the second helping of his food arrived. Watching him heartily partake. When he noticed, his blush was mesmerizing.

"...Adorable," Selene found herself whispering out loud, much to Jace's and her own surprise.

"W-What?" Jace flustered, swallowing a bite of his food as his blush grew deeper, "I...Uhm...S-Sorry?"

"For what?" Selene questioned, her eyes soft upon him, "I simply stated that you are adorable. I like seeing you enjoy your food."

Selene didn't even try to hide the way she felt. It was exhilarating as his eyes darted around trying to figure out how to respond. With a blush in his face, and nowhere to go, he could only hunch his shoulders as he smiled quite bashfully. His eyes shone with both happiness and awkwardness.

"How cute..." She wondered if he never got complimented before. She would have thought Liana would have at some point, right? Then again, from her understanding Jace knew nothing about her feelings. When she met them tonight, it was quite obvious to Selene that that was the case. She was quite interesting.

"Say..." Selene took a drink of her own drink, a simple plum juice, "You talk about Liana quite fondly."

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Jace suddenly froze at the mention of her name before returning to his food. However, he seemed cautious as he picked slowly at the chicken kiev. Almost uncertain how to respond.

"Y-Yeah," He took a bite, slowly chewing it before swallowing, "She's been there for me for as long as I can remember. I...only now realized it. I've taken a lot for granted."

"There's more than that which you realized..." Selene may not understand feelings when it came to normalcy, but she still knew what they were. She quickly deduced she liked Jace, rather than agonizing over it. It was simple, he made her feel good. He made her heart skip several beats. It was love. Or at least some semblance of it.

It's that she always analyzed things. There was always a disconnect from what she thought to how she felt, and could often dismiss the feeling. This was the first time she ever felt a connection to her feelings. That's why she knew. She loved Jace and wanted him. So, she would have him.

With all of that, she could see it. Watching his movements from before. He used to talk about her so easily. Without a single thought because she was his family. Now he fidgeted, avoided eye contact, and over all seemed to be quite anxious about the subject. So, she knew he realized something about himself.

It was something Selene realized before whenever he talked about her. He loved her. It was easy to see. For the untrained, they see it as he said it. She was family and meant a lot to him, but even his mother he didn't talk about like he did Liana. It was why Selene's heart always ached when he brought up Liana.

She wanted him to talk that way about her. It wasn't exactly jealousy. Logically, Jace would come across many people who may or may not like him. While she coveted him, she wouldn't restrict him. She knew just how easily one can slip away from you when you suffocate them. Her parents were to thank for that.

There was one thing, however, that she'd never allow. "No one will take you from me..." Her thoughts began to turn dark as she thought of anyone trying to take him from her. She wanted to see more of him. More smiles, more laughs, more everything.

It's why she didn't mind Liana, nor even Kiera. As long as they would not take him from her. They seemed to be of a mind to take him within their fold, so what was one more? Jace was staring at her, making her realize she hadn't said anything in quite some time.

"Sorry..." Selene apologized as she took a bit of her own food, "I was lost in thought for a moment."

"I-It's alright," Jace reassured her, taking a breath to calm himself, "Why...do you ask about Liana?"

"Just wanting to get to know more about you," Selene answered honestly, "That includes those you're close with. I would like this date to go well...and for us to continue seeing each other. Which means I will eventually see and meet with them, right?"

"...I guess so," Jace seemed a bit apprehensive, but the slight curl of his lips told Selene he wouldn't mind that, "Liana is important to me. I only realized recently how much."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Selene questioned him, to which he nodded.

"It is, but I'm unsure of how to handle it," Jace was skirting telling him just what the issue was.

"I'm sure you will figure it out," Selene told him, wondering for why he was skirting the issue, "If you need help, I am willing to listen."

"Thank you," Jace smiled a warm smile, "I...I'll keep that in mind. I wouldn't want to upset you with my own problems."

"Upset me?" Selene was confused by this, as she was quite certain he could never upset her, "I am not an easy person to upset...well, that may be untrue."

Selene thought to her anger at the agents, and every time she thought of her father. Along with the thought of anyone trying to take Jace from him, or him getting hurt. Those things definitely upset her.

"Let me rephrase," Selene spoke up before he could say anything else, "I am not easily upset when it comes to you needing help."

"I-I see..." Jace adjusted himself as he finished the last bite of his food, "I will let you know then if-"

"Jace," Selene leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm, "I haven't known you long, but I know enough to know that you will shoulder this no matter what."

Jace balked at that, mouthing words that wouldn't come out because he knew she was right. He was flustering about, and it was rather cute. Reaching across the table to his hand with her free one, she took it in a firm hold. She felt a shiver run through her body as she savored the feeling.

His hand was smooth, soft even. Yet, there was a bit of firmness to it. Slightly cool to the touch, she felt the urge to warm his hands up. He already knew she was an Ascended, and she long since took her ward off him after she came back. So, he shouldn't mind a little bit of magic.

Channeling the power within herself, she used the warmth she felt in her chest as a base. Slowly, she poured magic into her hand. It began to glow softly as Jace widened his eyes. He knew this magic wasn't dangerous, and could feel his hands warming up, she was sure.

In fact, a gentle smile painted his face, causing that warm feeling in her chest to increase. Thankfully, she knew better than to show him the full force of heat she felt inside of her heart. The only logic left to her when it came to him, was logic that only reinforced her feelings.

"With that being said," Selene told him as she continued to hold his hand, "My offer stands regardless. Now...How about we shelve that for now."

"...Okay," Jace responded softly, looking away shyly, "I...thank you."

"Any time," Selene reluctantly released his hand as she stood, if only for the moment.

Jace took his hand back slowly, holding it to himself with his other hand. His expression soft as Selene made her way around the table to him. There, she offered her hand once more.

"Shall we head out?" She suggested, impatiently waiting for his hand.

Glancing at her outstretched hand, he seemed a bit hesitant. Yet, slowly he nodded as his hand returned rightfully where it belonged. In hers. Together, they left as she paid the bill. The agents left alive living for now. She was in a good mood after all.

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