The days seemed to fly by as Tristan and Loraura settled into a comfortable routine, turning the once quiet temple into a warm, welcoming home. Tristan brought Loraura along to school and work, sharing responsibilities that, with her around, always felt easier and more enjoyable. But as the days turned into weeks, a strange unease started to creep into his mind. That feeling lingered, even today, as they worked under the hot sun in the backyard, pulling weeds from the garden.
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"Oh man, it's way too hot," Tristan groaned, wiping sweat from his forehead.
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Loraura, still focused on her task, smiled calmly. She seemed completely unaffected by the heat. "Just think of the beauty you're helping to create," she said, holding up a handful of weeds. "The joy you'll feel after working so hard to make something beautiful." Her blue eyes met his. "Won't it all be worth it?"
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Tristan chuckled, looking down at the garden still full of weeds. "Maybe..." he said with a laugh.
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They continued working in peaceful silence, with only the sound of Loraura's soft humming filling the air. Tristan couldn't help but steal glances at her, lost in thought. "It's been weeks," he thought to himself. "Three weeks, and yet... we haven't gotten any closer. What should I do?"
***
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Tristan while walking down the street caught Janice sitting by a tree near one of the many stores. She seemed to be dozing in and out of consciousness, but he figured it was as good a time as any to check in on her.
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"Hey, Janice," Tristan called out, walking over, waking Janice up from her daze. "How've you been? Everything going alright?"
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Janice looked up with a grin. "Ah, Tristan! Yeah, I'm doing fine. Thanks for checking in. What about you? How's it going living with a hottie like Loraura?"
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Tristan blushed, immediately caught off guard by the playful jab. "Everything's going... fine," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head and glancing away.
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"Fine? *That's* all?" Janice raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
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Tristan said nothing, shifting his gaze to the side as if the nearest blade of grass suddenly became very interesting.
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Janice laughed, shaking her head. "Why am I not surprised that you know nothing about women?"
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Before Tristan could react, she stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck in a teasing embrace. Leaning in with a sly smile, she whispered, "Shall I teach you?"
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Tristan's face flushed bright red. Without missing a beat, he reached up and lightly grabbed her head, squeezing it just enough to make her wince.
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"Ow, ow, ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Janice yelped, her teasing tone quickly replaced by genuine discomfort.
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Tristan tightened his grip just a little more for effect, his voice dripping with mock annoyance. "Instead of teaching me about women, you should maybe worry a little more about yourself, don't ya think?"
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Janice tapped his arm, laughing through her discomfort. "Okay, okay, point taken! You win, you brute!" she joked, rubbing her head as he finally let go.
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Tristan smirked, crossing his arms. "Next time, try not to mess with someone who knows your weak spots."
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"Yeah, yeah," Janice grumbled, still rubbing her head, though her grin was impossible to hide. "You're lucky I'm nice."
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"But seriously, you haven't made a move?" Janice asked, settling back under the shade of her tree.
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"It hasn't been easy, I mean, Loraura... she's..." Tristan trailed off, searching for the right words.
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"I get it," Janice said, flashing a knowing smile. "Love is special like that—special and difficult."
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"You speaking from experience?" Tristan asked, arms crossed.
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"Hey, I've had a few exploits in the past," Janice said with pride. "Don't ask for details."
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Tristan chuckled. "Alright, alright..."
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Janice leaned forward with a smirk, gesturing for Tristan to come closer. "You know what? I'm gonna tell you what you need to do. Listen carefully."
***
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Tristan stood in his bedroom, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He adjusted the tie that felt a little too tight around his neck and sighed. His black suit clung to him in all the wrong ways, or at least it felt that way. His hair, slicked back for the occasion, only added to the unfamiliar feeling.
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"This is stupid," he muttered to himself, tugging at his collar. Why had he listened to Janice's advice? She had made it sound so simple, but now, standing there, he felt more ridiculous than ever.
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Taking a deep breath, Tristan stepped out of his room, still fiddling with the tie, trying to loosen it just enough to breathe. His nerves were getting the best of him. As he entered the kitchen, the scent of food filled the air—comforting, homey.
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Loraura was standing by the stove, her back to him as she carefully plated dinner. "Tristan..." she said in her usual calm voice, not turning around. "Dinner is ready." She placed the plate down, and when she finally turned to face him, her eyes widened slightly, taking in the sight of him in his suit.
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"Oh my..." she said softly, her surprise evident as her gaze lingered on him. She held a plate of pasta, frozen in place.
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"I've come to dinner," Tristan said, trying to sound casual, but his voice cracked slightly. His face was already flushed, and the sweat starting to form on his forehead wasn't helping his situation.
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"Indeed," Loraura replied, still staring at him, the plate in her hand. She didn't seem to know whether to set it down or keep holding it. Her eyes flickered between the plate of pasta and Tristan, as if trying to make sense of the scene.
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For a moment, the kitchen felt still, quiet, except for the sound of Tristan's nervous breathing.
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Tristan couldn't remember a time he'd felt more nervous. His heart pounded in his chest, and the knot in his stomach tightened with every passing second. He had a feeling this night was going to be much longer than he'd expected.
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"God help me."
***
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Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse137Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNumtvy1wlF
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