𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲

𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲:
Home

❅𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲❅

Everything around me felt blurred and frantic. 

My heartbeat. 

The quick steps I took into the empty hotel lobby. 

How I rushed to grab the next available elevator. 

I knew Mazin was by my side, but I didn't feel her there. 

I didn't feel anything. 

I just needed to see my dad and ensure he was okay. 

That the move made against him didn't hurt him. 

Or... kill him. 

The guards lining the hallway leading to the familiar penthouse immediately alarmed me, quickly walking past them without any regard as Mazin followed close behind me. 

My heart ticked even quicker in my chest as I walked past the open front doors, noticing more guards dressed down in black—only they were all surrounding something. 

Or someone. 

"Dad," I frantically called out, impatiently running over to them. 

And as the guards all parted for me, I swear I let out the deepest breath of relief. 

He's okay. 

Aside from the bullet wound pierced through his shoulder that our family doctor was currently stitching up for him. 

Suddenly, the man I had always seen as my protector—now needed protecting. 

"I'm okay, Vee," he quickly said when he noticed me approaching him with tears burning in my eyes. 

I nodded wordlessly, fiddling with my hands as I stood in front of him—unsure if I could hug him or touch him with the current state he was in. 

"Let's clear the room," my dad suddenly said, motioning the doctor away just as she finished the last stitch. 

And as the guards quickly backed away from him, the doctor placed a large white bandage over his shoulder. 

Then it was just me and him. 

And Mazin who respectfully stood off to the side, giving us a moment without leaving the room. 

I let out a long deep breath when he lifted his arm out for a hug, keeping his other one down by his side given the fresh stitches in his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him as I sat on his leg and wrapped my arms around his neck, "I'm so sorry." 

I felt his arm wrap protectively around my body, "You don't have anything to apologize for," he said, even if every thought in my head contradicted his words. 

"I should've been here—this wouldn't have happened if I didn't get mad at you," I forced out brokenly, burying my face in his chest that smelled of the usual cologne he always wore even when I was growing up. 

"Vee," I heard him say, letting out a deep sigh, "You couldn't have prevented this—yes, you possibly could've been here, but that would've been worse right?" 

I quickly shook my head, "No because what if you would've been shot dead and then I wasn't here and my last words to you—" 

"Hey-hey," he whispered, pulling me in closer to him, "These are all theoretical—it's all in your head."

Tears burned even worse in my eyes, "But it didn't feel theoretical," I forced out, breaking down entirely as I tightened my grip around him.

"But now it is," he assured me, now resting his hand at the back of my head that he held, "I'm right here—and you're here with me in this current moment." 

I nodded, even if I cried harder—regretting the last conversation I had with him. 

It made my body tremble anxiously, praying that whoever this is doesn't try to hurt him again. 

"Let's focus on now," I heard him say, his voice echoing around me as I physically shook even worse, "I want you to breathe with me and focus on the present—how we are in this current moment." 

I shook my head, my breathing growing even more shallow, unable to get words out as I tried to desperately focus on him and his voice. 

A voice that I could've lost if this had all gone south. 

And the thought of that suddenly made me grow more anxious, shaking even worse as I desperately tried to cling to my sanity. 

But it was so hard, even with my dad trying to comfort me back down. 

I've never felt this on edge before and I hate it. 

"Virelai," I heard her familiar voice, which naturally pulled me away from my thoughts. 

I completely forgot she was still here. 

"Mazin," I forced out in an inaudible whisper, pulling away from my dad with trembling hands. 

That's when I felt her gently grab one of my hands, slowly guiding me up from my dad's lap. 

I let out a shakey deep breath when she slid her familiar arms around my waist, pressing her hands to my lower back as my dad mentioned something about making tea. 

"Everything is okay—we have two different teams on this," Mazin's soft voice assured me, gently tapping my lower back, "Now we can prevent instances like this." 

I sniffled, trying to control the trembles running through my body as I tried my best to whisper—

"I'm scared." 

The two words were stuck together and barely audible, but I knew Mazin heard them. 

Especially when she let out a heavy sigh. 

"I know baby," she whispered softly in my ear, nuzzling closer to me as she continued to tap my lower back, "But we're going to handle whoever this is." 

"Security will also be high," My dad assured me, his voice slightly farther away. 

"Everyone will be protected," Mazin added to his words, gently rocking us both in the hug as I slowly began to relax. 

I just could not stop shaking. 

But the more Mazin rocked us and tapped my back that she occasionally rubbed—I slowly grew calmer, trying to push my heavy thoughts away. 

Especially when I smelled the familiar tea in the air. 

It was one my dad would always make me if I was really anxious at night. 

I swear I never needed to drink it more than I do right now. 

"Are we good?" Mazin whispered when I slowly pulled back. 

I nodded, rubbing under my damp eyes, "Yes," I whispered, drawing in a deep breath before letting it out. 

"Tap your feet," Mazin told me, glancing down at my shoes. 

And I immediately lifted my feet one by one, tapping them down against the floor. 

"Now rub your hands together," Mazin whispered, glancing back up to my hands when I lifted them and began rubbing my palms together, "Do you feel the warmth?" 

I nodded with a deep sigh, rubbing them even quicker together as I focused on the heat growing between my palms. 

"Your hands are very soft aren't they?" Mazin murmured, smiling when my lips unconsciously twitched up at her words. 

"They are very soft," I whispered, smiling wider at her compliment. 

Which seemed to earn a hum of approval from her, glancing past me when my dad approached us with two cups of tea. 

"I'm supposed to be taking care of you," I said, hating that my anxiety got in the way of the real issue here. 

"I'm your dad—I'll always take care of you," he said as I carefully took the cup of tea from him, Mazin did the same, telling him a brief thank you. 

"Yes, well you were shot so I don't think you should be making tea right now," I determined, lifting the cup to my lips for a brief sip as Mazin did the same. 

My dad rolled his eyes, "It was a graze—I've handled much worse, trust me," he assured me as I swallowed the warm liquid. 

"It's still a big deal to me," I said as I lowered my cup, leaning closer to Mazin, "I want to stay the night and keep an eye on you," I determined, not wanting to leave him alone right now. 

"Your bed is always made up for you," he told me, and I could tell from his features that he was happy about my presence. 

I hate imagining how lonely he felt before this, especially with the holidays. 

His past actions were wrong, but all of this was a real eye-opener. 

"But you don't have to stay," my dad suddenly said, pursing his lips slightly, "I know you're still upset with me—" 

"All of that happened in the past, and I think it should stay there," I quickly cut him short, deciding to just let it all go. 

He apologized, but what else can he really do at this point? 

The Moretti's have forgiven him and I think I will as well. 

"I don't want you to forgive me because of all of this," my dad determined with a sigh, "I've missed you around here a lot, but I also want your true forgiveness, Vee." 

I frowned, "But this is my true forgiveness—all of this opened my eyes and showed me what truly matters here," I tried to explain, hoping he would understand. 

My dad remained silent for a moment, clearly conflicted by my words. 

Until finally, he let out a deep sigh, nodding a few times, "I just didn't want to force it on you," he said as I took another brief sip of my tea. 

"It's not," I assured him yet again, lowering my cup with a small smile, "Now, have you eaten dinner?" 

He nodded, "Yes, I had our favorite pho," he told me, which naturally made my heart clench in my chest. 

I feel really bad for leaving him alone like that. 

"Good so you've eaten—I'm going to get dressed for bed," I determined, glancing over to Mazin almost in anticipation. 

Would she be staying with me, or would she leave? 

"I mean," Mazin went to speak, clearly out of her element as she spoke to my dad as my girlfriend rather than my friend, "If you're okay with me staying—" 

"I'm definitely okay with it," my dad quickly cut her short with his usual smile, "Vee needs you here anyway." 

I pursed my lips into a shy smile at his words, "Well, it's uh settled then," I whispered awkwardly, glancing between my dad and Mazin as I processed this moment between us all. 

"You guys go get changed for bed and I'll make another pot of tea for you," my dad determined, waving us away as he walked back over to the kitchen. 

Which naturally made my smile grow, nodding a few times as I walked off with Mazin toward my old bedroom. 

And as we entered the familiar bedroom, we sat our cups of tea down on the white dresser and closed the door, walking over to my attached closet together. 

"Okay, so I've sort of grown out of a lot of these clothes," I said, walking over to one of the white drawers and opening it, "We might look a little crazy in our pajamas tonight," I warned her, looking through my familiar pajama drawer before grabbing one of the matching sets. 

It was a long-sleeve shirt and a pair of loose pajama pants that I prayed still fit me. 

"You still have this?" I heard Mazin suddenly ask, causing me to turn around. 

And that's when I noticed the grey zip-up jacket she held. 

One that belonged to her actually. 

She had left it here years ago when she stayed the night, and I purposely didn't tell her. 

"Of course," I said, suddenly feeling awkward as I watched her analyze the familiar jacket, "I liked wearing it sometimes to sleep," I decided to add, being entirely honest. 

Even if it made my face burn up. 

Especially when her dark eyes suddenly darted over to meet my stare. 

"Virelai," she whispered, lowering the jacket in her hands as she took a step closer to me.

And that's when the air grew weirdly tense between us, noticing Mazin's brows furrow together. 

Which made me grow anxious, wondering if what I said was too much. 

I shook my head, "I probably shouldn't have said anything—"

"No-no, I just..." Mazin trailed off, drawing in a deep breath as her dark eyes analyzed my face for another moment until she suddenly said—

"I really love you, Virelai." 

I felt a warmth tickle down my spine, my lips unconsciously spreading into a smile as I processed what she just said to me. 

"I don't even just love you," she suddenly determined with furrowed brows, dropping the jacket on the floor as she closed the space between us entirely and gently grabbed my waist, "I'm in love with you—I've been in love with you for years." 

My smile grew wider, feeling so overwhelmed by the warmth she caused in my chest. 

It just all felt so surreal. 

I think my younger self would pass out right now. 

I think I might pass out right now. 

"I'm in love with you too, Mazin," I whispered before she had a chance to say anything else, "All of these years it's always been you," I said, dropping the pajamas I held and wrapping my arms around her waist. 

"I've never felt anything as intense as what I feel for you," she said, leaning down closer to me, "I wake up next to you and it just feels like I'm home after a long night... I don't think I even have dreams anymore—you are the embodiment of my dreams, Virelai." 

I felt my smile grow into a grin at her genuine words, "I love you so much, Mazin," I whispered, holding her dark eyes that never once glanced away from me. 

It was three words I had wanted to subconsciously say for so long. 

For years even. 

But I never knew if it would be too soon. 

If it would throw her off maybe. 

"Tonight did make me realize a lot of things," Mazin suddenly admitted as she leaned down and closed the gap between our faces, "And I'm just so thankful for your existence—for this second chance that we have together," she said, making a warmth bubble in my chest. 

I tilted my head back further, grazing my lips against hers, "I'm thankful for your existence too—it feels like this is all I've ever wanted for years, Mazin," I whispered, holding her stare as she gently caressed her nose against mine. 

"For so many fucking years," she whispered, finally pressing her lips to mine as I gently pulled her closer to me. 

And for once, the kiss between us felt different. 

It felt slower, deeper even. 

Our motions were less rushed, basking in the way our lips moved against one another. 

Her body was so warm against mine, holding me like I was the only thing meant to be in her arms. 

And as her tongue slid past my lips, she held me closer—squeezing my waist so presently as I ran my hands underneath her sweater. 

I pressed my fingertips against the soft skin of her lower back, kissing her deeper and so much slower with each kiss.

Luckily my bedroom door was closed along with the closet door given I could hear each kiss we exchanged. 

Every time our lips disconnected for barely a second and then pressed back together. 

It lit everything up inside of me, feeling so warm that I thought I might explode. 

Especially as our kisses grew slower, pausing between each one as our lips molded even deeper together. 

Until we pulled away, naturally wrapping each other in a hug.

A very long and deep hug as we remained silent and present with each other. 

I caressed the soft skin of her bare back while she gently played with my hair, our breathing slowly growing in sync.

Eventually, we slowly pulled away, picking up the clothes we dropped so we could get changed. 

Mostly, because we had forgotten that my dad had made us tea. 

So we quickly hurried to get dressed, Mazin pulling on the grey jacket and a pair of my old sweatpants while I got dressed in the pajama set I previously grabbed. 

Then we met my dad out in the kitchen, sitting with him as he poured the steaming water from the kettle into the mugs. 

And as we sipped on the tea we began catching up with him, discussing various topics, and even circling back to tonight's incident now that the moment was calmer. 

Apparently, someone had snuck in pretending to be a maid and then attempted to shoot him. 

But luckily, my dad ducked the shot and only got grazed. 

Then security was on it right after. 

I swear I made him tell me every detail of the story, even small factors like what this maid looked like. 

It was something we discussed for a while before deciding to call it a night. 

Or at least my dad decided to hit the bed. 

Mazin and I grabbed our favorite barbeque chips and got settled in my bed like old times with my Macbook that my dad had still left on my desk after all these years. 

It was probably filled with so many old memories, but I was more or so focused on heading over to Netflix so we could watch a movie and eat chips. 

Which was far from how I expected my night to end. 

I also didn't expect us to share those three words either. 

I'm just thankful that it all went so much better than I envisioned. 

Tonight managed to reunite me with my dad and bring me and Mazin even closer. 

Now we just need to figure out this new gang situation and everything will be okay.