Lucien set the basket down on a flat stone shaded by the trees, the scattered sunlight dancing just out of reach. He crouched, undoing the lid with a dramatic flourish, and glanced up at Amara with a grin that could have sold him as the star of some old romance film.
"Prepare yourself, darling," he said, pulling the lid open as though revealing hidden treasure. "I've brought luxuries you can only dream of."
Amara crossed her arms, suspicious but smiling despite herself. "If this is another lecture about wild berries, I swear....."
He smirked. "Wild berries, I'd save for the second date. This…" He pulled out two caramel lattes, steam curling into the cool air, and placed them down like priceless artifacts. Then came neat parchment bundles of flaky pastries and golden sandwiches. "…is civilization at its finest."
Her eyes widened. "you ..did you actually bought the whole cafe or what?"
Lucien shrugged as if it were nothing, though his eyes glittered with mischief. "Wouldn't want you fainting from hunger on our outing. And coffee, of course… the true language of the soul."
She laughed, bright and genuine, the kind of laugh that spilled out before she could stop it. Lucien stilled, watching her for a heartbeat too long before he bent his head, busying himself with unwrapping the pastries.
"You're ridiculous," she said, shaking her head.
"Ridiculously charming, you mean," he replied smoothly, handing her a cup.
Her lips twitched. "Ridiculously something, that's for sure."
He stood then, as if struck with sudden inspiration, and bowed with exaggerated elegance. "My lady, will you grant me the honor of joining me on this… date?"
Amara snorted, nearly spilling her latte. "Date? Didn't you just say it's only coffee?"
Lucien's smirk faltered just slightly, replaced by something more serious around the edges. His hand closed firmly around hers when she reached out, like he feared she might slip away. "Yes. Coffee. But I'd be an idiot not to turn this into something more. I don't get second chances often, darling. I'm not wasting this one."
For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Her chest felt warm, too full. She sat down beside him on the stone, their shoulders brushing lightly. The view stretched before them—trees rolling out to the horizon, mountains cutting the sky, clouds drifting lazily above.
They sipped their coffee, and conversation picked up easily again. Amara teased him about his over-the-top flair, Lucien teased her about her habit of babbling when she was nervous. They spoke of Forks—the endless rain, the strange quiet, Charlie's dry humor.
But slowly, the tone shifted. Their words softened, meandering into things less trivial.
Amara swirled her cup idly, staring at the distant clouds. "Sometimes I feel like Forks is too small. Like… if you're not careful, you'll blink and suddenly the whole world passed you by."
Lucien tilted his head, considering her. "Is that such a terrible thing? To have one place that belongs only to you?"
She glanced at him. "Maybe. But don't you think life should be bigger than this?"
He smiled faintly. "Life will always feel small until you find the person who makes it vast."
She blinked, caught off guard. "That's… unexpectedly poetic."
"I've been accused of worse."
She rolled her eyes, but her lips curved despite herself. "Okay, then, mister philosopher—what do you think about love?"
He leaned back on his hands, gaze fixed on the valley below as though it held the answer. "Love?" His tone turned softer, quieter. "Love is the rarest thing in this world. People spend their whole lives searching for it—some never find it, some only fool themselves into thinking they have. But when it's real…" He paused, the weight of his voice making her chest tighten. "…you know."
Amara stilled, watching him.
His eyes shifted back to hers, steady and unflinching. "And if you're fortunate enough to find the one meant for you, you should hold on to them with everything you have. Even your life, if it comes to it. Because loving someone—truly loving them—is the only kind of immortality that matters."
Her breath caught. For a moment, it felt like the world narrowed down to just him, his voice, the way he looked at her as though she was the only thing that existed.
She managed to murmur, "That's… a little intense, don't you think?"
Lucien's lips curved faintly, almost tender. "Perhaps. But love should be intense. Anything less isn't worth it."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was heavy, warm, like a blanket wrapped around them both. Amara turned her face back to the mountains, trying to calm the fluttering in her chest, but her heart still raced.
Lucien took a sip of his coffee, watching her from the corner of his eye. "Darling, you're blushing."
She whipped her head toward him, scandalized. "I am not!"
His grin spread, wicked and teasing. "Oh, you are. And it's lovely."
Amara groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You're impossible."
He laughed, rich and low, the sound curling around her like velvet. And somehow, even with her cheeks burning and her pulse fluttering, Amara found herself laughing too—because here, in this moment, she felt something she hadn't in a long time.
Content.
The last of the pastries disappeared far too quickly, chased down with the caramel coffee until nothing remained but crumpled wrappers in the basket. Amara leaned back on her hands, the stone cool beneath her palms, and let out a content sigh.
She hadn't expected to enjoy herself this much. Not with him. But Lucien had been… distracting. Too distracting. He'd teased her, laughed with her, eaten pastries like they weren't tasteless to him at all, even taken slow sips of coffee as if he genuinely savored it.
For the first time since learning what he was, Amara forgot. Forgot the fangs, the immortality, the danger. Forgot everything except the easy way he made her feel.
The sky shifted to shades of molten orange and soft rose, the sun sinking lazily toward the horizon. Amara found herself watching the light stretch over the trees, golden and fleeting. Mesmerized, she didn't notice the weight of Lucien's gaze until she turned and caught him staring.
Her brows lifted. "What?"
Lucien didn't flinch, didn't look away. A slow smile curved his lips as he gave a tiny shake of his head. "Nothing, darling."
She narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious, but the heat rising in her cheeks betrayed her. He chuckled, low and warm, and turned his attention back to the horizon.
The drive back was quiet, but not the kind of silence that pressed down heavy. It was peaceful. Nice. The kind that felt like sitting in a blanket-wrapped cocoon, safe and steady.
When the Swan house finally came into view, Amara felt a small pang of disappointment.
Lucien pulled smoothly into the driveway, cutting the engine. She unbuckled, reaching for the handle, when his voice stopped her.
"So…" He leaned casually against the steering wheel, eyes glinting with that same playful charm he'd carried all day. "When shall I steal you away again?"
Amara laughed, shaking her head. "You don't steal coffee dates, Lucien."
He tilted his head, grin widening. "Then I'll call it what it is—a date. Surely you'll let me have another?"
She smirked, slipping one foot out of the car. "I'll… think about it."
Lucien placed a dramatic hand over his heart, groaning like she'd wounded him. "Think about it, she says. Darling, you wound me. But no matter." His grin softened into something more earnest, more vulnerable. "I have all the time in the world to wait for you."
Amara froze for a heartbeat at the weight of those words. He said it so lightly, almost joking, and yet there was something in his tone that pressed warm against her chest.
She rolled her eyes, trying to cover the flutter inside her. "You're ridiculous."
"Ridiculously devoted," he corrected smoothly, eyes dancing.
She shook her head, biting back a smile as she slipped out of the car and shut the door behind her. He watched her the whole way up the steps, that lovesick, almost foolish grin lingering on his lips.
And Amara? She couldn't quite keep herself from smiling too.
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