Eliezer’s Ange by Eden Auclair

XXIX

cassiopeia is twenty-three

she is a first-year doctorate in university

The shrill toneof her cell ringing on her nightstand jolted her from her sleep.

“Jesus Christ.” She hissed once she tried covering her ears using her pillow and her attempt went in vain. She groaned in desperation for sleep as she reached across her nightstand blindly for her cell whilst her other hand rubbed the deep sleep from her eyes.

“Hello?” She murmured sleepily.

“Cassiopeia.” A rough voice said through gritted teeth. Her eyes widened as she lurched forward in her bed. The blanket pooled at her waist covering her bare pussy with only Eliezer’s t-shirt covering her bare chest. “You wrecked my fucking car.”

“Ansel.” She stated indifferently. “I did.”

“This is another fucking game I’ve lost because of you because you aren’t here. Where are you? What happened to our pact? You just decided you’d break it just like you broke my heart when we were teenagers?”

“Teenagers? Ansel, you stupid asshole, you wanted us to break up too, in fact, it was your idea! Not to mention you lied to me!”

“You’re such-” His words slurred until all she could hear was him muttering incoherently.

“Are you drunk?” Immediately tears pooled in her eyes, her free hand hurriedly sloshing them away. This was the last thing she expected to wake up to at four twenty-six in the morning on a chilly November morning.

“I’m... sorry?” She said more as a question than a sincere apology as she wasn’t sure what she was apologizing for, let alone if she even was supposed to give him an apology.

“Like hell you are,” Ansel sneered. The effects of three-quarters of a bottle of Bacardi were pulsing through his veins tremulously. He was behaving recklessly and she would’ve been a fool to believe he gave a damn.

“That apology isn’t enough, bullshit, Cassiopeia,” he said maliciously, her name sounding bitter rolling off his tongue and she flinched inwardly.

“Ansel.” She began slowly and quietly.

“No Cassiopeia!” He yelled. “You broke our fucking pact, you cunt-

Cassiopeia laughed humorlessly. She refusedto let himbreak her ever again. “You missed both of my graduation ceremonies, both Ansel! Those were the only times I have ever asked you to come home, see me, Slater, my parents, your parents, but no! You forgot about my graduations, didn’t you? But I know you wouldn’t forget your parents, you just don’t give a fuck!” She spat her words with malice.

“Let’s not forget the few I came,” she said sarcastically, “and you had, oh I don’t know hmm, seven? eight? girls in your bachelor pad, half-naked,” she growled. “You just, pushed me aside, left me in your living room whilst your women just pranced around, you didn’t even bother to check up on me when I left for yourguest room, you prick.” Cassiopeia screamed, channeling every fiber in her body holding anger for her once best friend.

“Christ Ansel, you didn’t even know when I left! You didn’t even drive me to the airport like you used to. Hell.” The fresh angry tears welling in her eyes were slashed with the back of her hand. “You didn’t even call to see if I made it home safely. You’ve never, of all the times I did, called to tell me a simple thank you for the breakfast I’d always leave for you before I left and found my way to the airport myself. What the hell was that? What was I supposed to do?” Her screams were ear-piercingly loud, only fuelled by her bitter feelings for the boy.

Blatantly disregarding everything she just said, as if he truly wasn’t listening, as if she didn’t even say anything at all, he chuckled tauntingly. “What’s got you so busy in Florida, Cassiopeia?” He asked in an equally taunting tone. “Whose bed do you keep warm at night? Or is it a different man every night? Just remember, your cunt is mine.”

Cassiopeia was seething. How dare he?

“My cunt is mine.” She growled, suddenly feeling the temptation to break his face and send him to a hospital, for a very long time, maybe forever. But the lingering thought that she knew full well that she belonged wholly and utterly to Eliezer Badeaux didn’t fail to make her cheeks bloom warmly.

“Tell me, amada, what have you really been up to since our time apart? I imagine you’re merely just a bed warmer lately, amor.”

“Excuse me?” She asked blankly, every thought of Eliezer flying from her mind, replaced with a burning hatred and anger.

“You heard me.” His malice-filled voice failed to make her shiver, only making her tremble in disgust. “You’ve been so busy, so fucking busy for me Cassiopeia, you broke our pact, you-”

“Jesus Christ.” She inhaled and exhaled, not wanting to use his name in vain.

“Are you hearing me right now, Ansel? Hear my voice? Does it sound like a give a flying fuck?” She spat. “Call me again tomorrow, two days from now, next month, next year for all I care, and guess what?”

“I still won’t give a single fuck.

“For a boy who is known as arrogant and self-conceited and self-centered, you certainly fit the title. But I’m simply finishedwith you and your shit. You keep bringing up the same argument, that I broke the pact. But what about you-”

“You shattered us Cassiopeia.” He laughed darkly.

“I may have shattered us, but you were the one... you were the one who steered the car off the end. I only stayed in the passenger seat,” she uttered calmly, “you crashed us, you turned us into a wreck of burning ashes.”

“You fucking bitch. Fuck you,” he retorted angrily, only making her roll her eyes from his lack of words.

“You’re not my best friend.

“And you haven’t been for a long time.”

“Fuck you, Cassiopeia Leilani. I never want to see you again. Keep spreading your legs for a different man every night,” he said, his words still somehow finding a way to splinter her heavily aching heart. “You were still supposed to be mine.” He yelled and she rolled her eyes. “I hope you burn in hell.” He sneered and Cassiopeia merely gasped as he ended the call.

“Oh my God.” She breathed, feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and weak, her heart pumping meteorically, she felt as if she just ran a Sunday marathon.

The end of the call with Ansel left Cassiopeia to face the reality of herself and her torturous thoughts.Her mind was spiraling and so was her body.

Despite every ounce of selfishness seeping through her veins, consuming her, calling her an attention-needing bitch, she dialed Eliezer with shaky hands. She needed Eliezer, he was her only lifeline, her tether to home.

“Eliezer, Eliezer, Eliezer.” She chanted his name like a broken record as she held her cell to her ear, hoping and wishing desperately he’d pick up. She was running out of time, she felt her body too, too close to succumbing to a deep and abysmal darkness.

“Ange, hello.” Eliezer’s sleep-filled husky voice filled her ears, soothing her messy mind just an ounce. Why didn’t we spend the night together? She wondered upon hearing his voice. The reason why seemed lost on her, this being merely the second night she could remember them not sleeping in each other’s arms since last year. Cassiopeia stayed quiet, her other hand covering her lips, hiding the body-wracking sobs threatening to rip through her. Her conversation with Ansel just replayed in her mind on repeat and the more she mulled over his words, the more they seeped in, and the more they seemed to ring true to her. But her hand covering her mouth wasn’t the slightest bit enough to hide her heavy, erratic breathing which Eliezer heard in clear-cut clarity.

“Cassiopeia!” His voice called to her though he sounded distant in her mind. His voice was far more alert, nervous, and worried even and Cassiopeia felt herself drowning, gasping for air—literally.

“Elie, please come.” She was shivering in her bed, her once strong resolve crumbling together as she struggled to even speak.

“Cassiopeia, fuck, you need to talk to me-

“CASSIOPEIA!” His voice roared through her cell hearing her mumble incoherently as she slipped deeper, momentarily bringing her back to Eliezer’s Cassiopeia, the version of herself she loved just as much as he. Still struggling to hear clearly and speak properly, she managed to make out keys jingling and an engine roaring to life. Eliezer didn’t careabout what time it was, he needed to hold her. Her hand left her mouth, wrapping around her knees which she hugged to her chest, rocking herself back and forth and leaving her heart-wrenching sobs to be heard.

“I need you.” She cried, whimpered, begged, irrespective of the repercussions, finally breaking from her daze.

“Cassiopeia, my love, hold on for me, I will be right there, I’m on my way, don’t you dare think about ending this call.” The words tumbled hurriedly past his lips as he spoke to her through Bluetooth as he floored the gas to her little loft. Why the fuck is she in her loft and not next to me in our bed? He grunted at his thoughts, his hurting girl should never be by herself, he knew he should have been there beside her all night to hold her.

“Cassiopeia!” His voice resonated throughout her loft once he let himself in and closed the door, calling her name. The loft was dark, only the stars painting the sky and the moonlight glinting through the windows. Eliezer stormed through her apartment to her bedroom hearing her soft sobbing, his heavy steps echoing through the otherwise silent loft.

“Darling.” He breathed raggedly upon thrusting through her door and finding her curled in her bed. Her swollen, bloodshot eyes met him for a flicker of a second before she focused her blank gaze on her bedroom’s window. Drinking in her disheartened and gloomy expression, Eliezer knew, felt it in his bones, why she was hurting.

Ansel fucking Belizaire has some nerve, Eliezer seethed in his mind.

Eliezer—tip-toeing on eggshells, realizing the fragility and delicacy of his Cassiopeia—called her name gently, slowly stepping to her. She slowly shook her head, still refusing to meet his eyes, and hugged herself tighter.

“I’m such a mess.” Cassiopeia gasped and choked, and sobbed fresh tears, once his strong arms came around her body, holding her in his lap, cradling her to his chest.

“My mess, always.” Eliezer felt himself tearing up as she trembled in his arms.

“Tell me, Cassiopeia.” He quietly cried, the words falling past his lips in almost inaudible murmurs.

“I’m so sorry you have to see me like this.” She cried open-mouthed, feeling pain consume her entirety.

“You’re still my beautiful ange.” His voice was arduous as he kissed her temple. “You look sexy in my shirt.” He brushed his nose against hers as she mewled softly before pulling away; meanwhile, she whined, missing the exhilarating feeling of his skin against hers. Her breathing was still capricious. Mon amour, just how badly did he bruise you?

“I’ll help you fix your broken pieces and let go.” Eliezer murmured absentmindedly.

A cozy silence fell upon them.

“Cassiopeia,” he murmured, knowing she loved hearing him call her name, glancing down at her trembling body and brushing away her fresh tears gently. Please tell me, princess, tell me your every thought, let me take your pain and make it mine, I only want to see your adorable smile, Eliezer wanted to beg. Christ, you deserve the world, the voice in her head said in pain. Her breathing was shallow as she bit her bottom lip with wide, distant, and anxious eyes—until she suddenly rasped her thoughts.

“My mama and papa called.” She whispered once her breathing slowed and felt herself. His brows crinkled, half-expecting her to bring up Ansel’s name. But he only traced light circles on her flesh with his thumb, patiently waiting for her to continue.

“They wanted to see me, wanted me to come home. I haven’t gone home since last year-”

“What? Why the hell didn’t I know this, Cassiopeia?” Eliezer couldn’t help but question angrily. “Christ, how did I see past this myself?” He whispered to himself. “I’ve always given you time when it comes to your family. I give it to you in a heartbeat and I’ve always said family over everything.” He breathed, his nostrils flaring. Eliezer had only ever heard slivers of stories of her family, but he was in love with her, and damnit, he adored her family too.

“Can I finish?” Cassiopeia attempted to sound bitter and bold, but her voice only came out as small and weak.

“Be careful,” he whispered in her ear threateningly, “with your attitude or else I’ll have to fuck you and remind you of who you belong to,” he finished sensually, caressing her thighs whilst she blushed and shuddered.

“I’m such a horrible daughter.” She choked out, feeling fresh tears cloud her eyes.

“Never, you are no such thing.” Eliezer stated ever so compassionately. “How could you say such a thing? You’re the perfect daughter,” and wife, almost slipped past his lips. “You’re so full of love and kindness, you’re sweet and caring, you’re diligent, devoted. Cassiopeia, you are everything.” He said as his two fingers resting under her chin tilted her head up for her eyes to meet his piercing gaze.

“I lied, Eliezer,” she cried, “and said ‘mama, papa, I’m sorry I’m just so busy with work and catching up with school,’ even though I’m more than caught up.”

“Why did you lie?” He asked softly, his tone holding only curiosity and no ounce of accusing, making the pain ebb away more painfully inside of her.

“This sounds ridiculous, I know, but I want to... surprise them.” The last two words left in a hushed whisper. “Slater knows my plans. From the moment I was born and Slater too, I felt like we were handed everything on a golden platter, in a good way. My parents embodied this kind of worshipping love, giving us everything and I can’t remember a time we weren’t happy, weren’t smiling. Florida State University was always my dream since I was a little girl and mama and papa did everything to make that dream come alive. Up until the late years, things sort of... fell apart...” She said delicately and Eliezer frowned.

“So since then, I’ve just had this idea to surprise them, once I get my Ph.D., I’d just surprise them. I suppose I just want to give back everything they ever gave me if that makes sense. I just want to make them proud, show them how far I’ve come myself. Even though I’ll forever be their little girl, I’ve grown and it’s my mama and papa who helped shape me and-” she stopped suddenly.

“Growing up, I always felt like such a burden.” The words fell from her lips as she cried and Eliezer’s heart physically hurt, hearing how much she was drowning. “To my mama, to my papa, to Slater, I always felt so undeserving, that I could always be better for them, even though I woke up every morning giving my everything into making them happy and proud and going to bed exhausted and entirely drained from giving my everything. I made, and still make, them happy, I know. But I couldn’t, and still can’t, help how I feel inside,” she said quietly. Cassiopeia, darling, we are one soul in two bodies.

“My time at university became dedicated to making them proud, from afar.” Her words held a second meaning but her tone was hellishly cryptic for him to know. “I just want my parents to know they brought up Slater and I so beautifully. They’re precious and they deserve every ounce of love in this world,” she sniffled. “Thus my lack of visiting, if I go, I’ll fall apart in front of them and tell them everything and I-I, I dunno,” she frowned as tears rolled down her cheeks. Eliezer hurriedly brushed away the salty tears, whispering reassuring sweet nothings in her ear.

“Cassiopeia, please don’t cry. Je vous aime. I understand the way you feel.” Eliezer stated. Cassiopeia felt her heart wanting to burst in warmth and love. “Mon amour, I’ve always felt the way you do in my family.”

“You sound like you were lonely as a child,” Cassiopeia whispered sadly. “Você merece todo o amor do mundo.”

You deserve all the love in the world.

Her sweet voice warmed his insides though her mother tongue still sounded foreign to him just as the first time.

“I was,” he chuckled, “but I welcomed it. As a child, I grew up isolated, I was usually away from my family, reading and always just memorizing everything there is to know.”

“Cheeky genius.” She muttered as he smirked cockily.

“I love my family, I do, they’re the most important thing in my life, which is why I always tell you family over everything.” He smiled tenderly. “But as a child, they were just so overbearing, or maybe I was far more mature and wise beyond my years, that’s what everyone said to me. My mother and father were always giving my sisters, brother, and I everything. I always felt like I had no space to breathe, they held our hands too tight. My siblings might’ve loved it, but I didn’t. My father always said I was born to be a king, from a young age, I’ve always wanted to be something, I’ve always wanted to give people a reason to remember my name.” I’ve always had so much love and nowhere to put it. I’ve always wanted to feel love the same way I give it and have my own family…

...and I’ve found that with you, were the words he knew no strength would ever be enough to simply say them to her.

“So I relished in the time I was left by myself. I suppose isolating myself, I missed much from my family, but I never went a day and I still don’t go a day without two mushy ‘I love you,’ and ‘I miss you,’ from my parents,” Eliezer mumbled, blushing.

“Aww.” Cassiopeia cooed, poking his cheek.

“My fathercalls me his doughnutand my mothercalls me her baby boy since I’m their youngest boy.” He murmured, rolling his eyes, though he couldn’t help his small smile.

“Your parents sound adorable!” Cassiopeia gushed, smiling brilliantly.

“Of course you’d think that.” Eliezer snorted, shaking his head and laughing silently.

“I love them already.” she nodded enthusiastically.

“Until they prick their way into your heart and hold onto you forever! There’s no escaping ma famille, mon amour!” He exasperated, laughing.

“Does this mean endless embarrassing baby stories and photos of you?” Her eyes gleamed wickedly.

“Fuck yes.” Eliezer muttered, already dreading when his mère, père, and soeurs have brunch whilst spilling his entire life story to Cassiopeia. And Jesus Christ the countless photo albums of him his family would more than happily share with his ange. His father was always fond of carrying his camera around, despite his shyness in front of the lens. Eliezer could picture Cassiopeia clutching her sides in laughter and her eyes twinkling as she listened to everything his parents would tell her. Fucking brilliant. She’d just love that, wouldn’t she?

“You’ll meet them soon,” he found himself telling her. “They’ll love you.” He grinned.

“Really?” She queried in awe, her eyes alight.

“Yes, sadly.” He exhaled dramatically.

“Hey!” She exclaimed, hitting his chest.

“I’m teasing…” he chortled.

“...maybe.”

“Eliezer,” Cassiopeia whined, burying her face in his chest.

“Tant mieux! Tant mieux!” He laughed his deep, chest-rumbling laugh Cassiopeia loved so much.

“Just means they’ll take you from me and keep you forever.” He huffed.

“Are you jealous, Eliezer.” She teased in a sing-song voice.

“Yes!” He whined childishly.

“You’re adorable Eliezer, but they’re merely your family.” She giggled.

“Still, they’ll steal you from me and you’ll forget me.” He frowned.

“Eliezer Badeaux, it would be my utmost greatest sin to ever forget you.” Eliezer felt his mind rush with hazy emotions. Mon doux amour, if only you knew.

“Vous êtes tout pour moi,” he whispered, smiling tenderly.

You are my everything.

She returned the smile, her eyes crinkling in the corners.

“Tell me,” Eliezer said after a moment, “when do I get to meet mama and papaLeilani?”

Cassiopeia giggled, her cheeks blooming crimson. “Once I get my Ph.D.”

...and once I propose to you.

“The four of us could drive to my childhood home!” Cassiopeia exclaimed as the thought occurred to her.

“If by the four of us, you mean us and Starlie and Niccolò, absolutely not.” Cassiopeia stared at him, pouting and her doe eyes widened. Eliezer groaned after a second, hopelessly falling for her charm.

“If I find them fucking in the backseat as I drive, I will light their asses up like the fourth of July.” He stated calmly.

“I’m more than certain we would be the ones to be caught first.” Cassiopeia grinned.

“No we wouldn’t.” Eliezer scoffed.

“Yes, we would!” She exclaimed. “You’re always finding ways to touch me and tease me as you drive.”

“But I don’t see you ever complaining.” He smirked cockily whilst she rolled her eyes.

A cozy and tranquil quiet draped the atmosphere of her bedroom.

Or so Eliezer thought. Because while he absentmindedly drew circles on her bare stomach and his gaze was fixated on the moonlight glinting through her window, she was still settled in his lap, her breaths shallow and erratic as she quivered slightly.

“Elie?” Her small voice sliced through the air in a raw, painful tone.

“Cass- Cassiopeia!” His head snapped to meet her eyes as he called her name abruptly, but the faraway glimmer icing over her steely irises frightened him.

“There’s something else that happened tonight.” She closed her eyes.

“Tell me everything, Cassiopeia.” She hated that Ansel Belizaire stormed into her life and wrecked her museum full of art, making her believe she was merely an empty art gallery.

“He called me and he was drunk, and he blamed me, wholeheartedly blamed me for every loss he took. He said.” Her voice faltered as did her breathing. “He said I broke his heart,” she cried. “But he was the one who wanted to end things,” she rasped, swallowing harshly.

“I know,” he nodded.

Cassiopeia smiled bitterly, her small chuckle just as bitter, remembering the truth he dropped on her the last time she went and decided to gloss over it. “Tonight, he just pretended like everything was my fault and I just took everything he saidand fought back, and it still didn’t feel like enough. Because even though I didn’t break up with him all those years ago, I was still the one who did the breaking, of myself.”

“I know,” Eliezer said quietly, “goddamnit, I know.” His jaw clenched and unclenched. His hold on her tightened painfully as if he were afraid he’d lose her.

“He said I broke the pact and he just kept using and reusing those words as validation for his anger. So I brought up my graduation ceremonies, called him on missing both, I brought up the few times I stayed in his apartment and how he pushed me aside for his other girls.” Her voice was a light, hoarse scream, for his presence calmed her beneath the armor she wore around Ansel.

“Once I said everything I wanted, he just... he just glossed over every word, he called me a,” her breath hitched, “he called me a fucking bitch, and a bedwarmer.” Eliezer could see with every word falling from her quivering lips, they only went on like a broken record in her mind, tearing her apart, adding insult to injury.

“What?” His low voice bellowed through the bedroom, through the tense, silent atmosphere.

Eliezer saw red as the words just said replayed in his mind in a painful chant. Ansel Belizaire, who do you think you are? Eliezer was seething.

Belizaire will fucking pay.

Eliezer’s grandmother once told him his quality to love so deeply would one day end him. The blood running through his veins making him fall in love only once and fall very hard, yet slowly would one day end him. The blood running through his veins only letting him trust one other soul in his entire existence, giving his life in one of their palms and a gun in their other, giving one other being utter power over him would one day end him. His inability to give half measures, either giving his every fiber in his body or nothing at all would one day end him. His reckless way of acting so impulsively in love and for love would one day end him. Eliezer’s very quality of never being afraid to fight purely for love, irrespective of him being the only one fighting would one day ruin him.

But when it came to Cassiopeia goddamn Leilani, Eliezer was ready to throw all caution to the wind. Because fuck if he didn’t love this woman with every fiber and every ounce of his being, fuck if Cassiopeia didn’t already own his heart. Because every beat of his heart, beat for her. Seeing her falling apart in his arms, he knew his heart was made up, he was goddamned ready to fight till the ends of the earth for his ange.

Eliezer snatched her cell, unknowingly to her, from her pillow where she had carelessly tossed it once he arrived at her loft.

“T-There’s something else,” she absentmindedly murmured.

“Jesus Christ.” Eliezer grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose, making a small, teary giggle erupt from Cassiopeia. “Tell me Cassiopeia, just tell me.”

“He called me a...” she gasped for air, struggling to hold onto herself, “a cunt.”

“What the fuck?” Eliezer sneered, glancing up at the ceiling for a moment, chanting in his mind, ‘Father forgive me for I have sinned,’ because God so help him, he was going to destroy Ansel Belizaire. Burn him to fucking ashes.

“He said ‘just remember, your cunt is mine,’” she whispered and shuddered, her voice breaking over and over again. Eliezer felt pure rage, spiraling on ballistic as he heard her words. And though he knew she was his, his hold on her became deadly, as if he were afraid to let her go. She couldn’t slip through his fingers, not now, she was far too fragile.

“And what did you say?” He questioned darkly as she broke down in gut-wrenching sobs.

“What did you say, Cassiopeia,” he demanded rudely. His fingers were too tempted to navigate through her cell and call the bastard.

“I said, ‘my cunt is mine,’” she spat the words in a rush as if they were poison on her tongue.

“My girl is pretty bad-ass, isn’t she?” Eliezer couldn’t help but smirk. Her face bloomed bright with color for what seemed like the first time in forever that night as she hid her face in his chest.

“What are you doing?” She questioned softly, her voice laced with worry as she lifted her head once quiet settled between them and found her cell in his palm.

“Calling that motherfucker,” he hissed, finding his way through her phone to his contact. Despite her weak begging as she wallowed in his arms, crying and sobbing wholeheartedly for the mess she was, he still called the ass, he needed to exchange a few words with Ansel Belizaire.

“Running back to me already, boneca.” Ansel’s deep accented voice answered the call. Cassiopeia trembled in Eliezer’s arms whilst his knuckles paled. “I told you your cunt is mine,” he said arrogantly. This prick, Eliezer became blinded by his anger.

“Ansel Belizaire.” Eliezer greeted calmly despite his voice radiating a copious amount of rage. A small sound came from the back of Ansel’s throat as if he were about to speak but Eliezer laughed sardonically. “If you know what’s good for you, you will shut the fuck up right now. Or God so help me, I will destroy you.”

Ansel, the self-righteous bastard he was, only laughed tauntingly, throwing hiscaution to the wind as he took Eliezer’s threat lightly.

“Little Cassiopeia, so this is who you’re fucking? I didn’t know you were such a whore.”

Cassiopeia stilled wholly and utterly.

Whore. Whore. Whore.

Everything in her universe crashed and burned, as she heard his words replaying in her mind like a broken vinyl. Staring at her phone in his hand, her face paled, and her jaw hung ajar, and her eyes widened horrifically, feeling too shocked to even cry. But Eliezer was far too focused on the cell in his hand to see her desolate eyes and crestfallen expression.

“Eliezer,” Cassiopeia whispered shakily, almost inaudibly. Missing her soft call, Eliezer fell into a tangent of yelling expletives and striking words that could pierce even the stone coldest of hearts. Ansel faltered.

Christ, a voice murmured in her mind as she missed every word falling from his lips, her hearing becoming muffled. Her sight deserted her, her eyes becoming blurry and I’m having an episode aren’t I, the words drowned her mind alarmingly as she blinked rapidly, feeling herself becoming more and more dizzier by the second.

“Elie- Eliezer.” She uttered his name as a chant as she collapsed deeper and deeper, though her airy voice couldn’t come close to his thunderous tone.

“Eliezer!” Cassiopeia cried as her heart beat tremulously and only then did Eliezer realize she was falling apart in his arms.

“Cassiopeia!” Eliezer yelled, dropping her cell onto the bed and focusing his gaze on her, his eyes wide and worried.

Too close.

Cassiopeia was too close to slipping into her episode and words in both English and French were failing Eliezer.

“Cassiopeia, come back to me,” he rasped, feeling tears cloud his eyes.

“Cassiopeia.” He cried for her, seeing her eyes flutter and body tremble.

“Kiss me, mon ange.” He murmured, lowering his head and forcefully claiming her lips in his. The merest moment of feeling his lips tender against hers, she melted into the mind-baring kiss.

“Thank you.” Cassiopeia said quietly once she pulled away fractionally, their lips brushing against each other whilst their foreheads touched.

“For what?” His tortured voice cinched her heart.

“Catching me from falling,” she whispered sweetly, brushing the tip of her nose against his. Her voice was still hoarse but the sweet essence that is Cassiopeia Leilani laced her words and Eliezer thanked his lucky stars.

“Always,” his voice was a mere whisper, still breaking. The last hour was stuck between the rewind and play button in his mind. “Christ, you have no ideahow scared I was, Cassiopeia, how fucking terrified I was, seeing you so far away from yourself, I felt as if you were slipping through my fingers.” His bloodshot eyes met her glossy irises and she smiled tiredly.

“But you brought me back, Eliezer, you’re my light.”

A delicate and intimate quiet so profound, so soul-baring found its way back to Cassiopeia and Eliezer as he nestled her body in his lap and she nestled her face in his chest. The minuscule doings expressed volumes—I love you.

“This is the end.” She nodded slowly and he nodded with her. “I’ve known for a while now, how conniving he was, how I fell for his white lies blindly because of my trust for him. Damned were the feelings of weak and pathetic slowly and unknowingly bleeding through my veins because I just couldn’twalk away from him, until this year, until I finally opened my eyes and realized how much he was hurting me, realized how reckless I was becoming with my feelings. Slater always said that I hold on too tight and I have a hard time letting go. I trust so wholly and utterly, letting myself fall deep into a bottomless ocean, it’s both my most endearing yet dangerous quality.” Cassiopeia said quietly, the words ringing in her mind in Slater’s voice.

“I think it’s quite beautiful,” he whispered. “But tell me, what made you finally see him for who he was, what made you finally break apart from the toxicity, not that it’s a bad thing, my profound happiness for you cannot be fathomed into words,” he rambled nervously. Even nervous, words fell from the cheeky sod’s lips poetically. Cassiopeia tilted her head up in his lap, her glossy gray eyes meeting his glossy sapphires and she smiled weakly.

“You.”