8. YOURS, ELIZA

Do you know how there's always one movie you are up for any time of the day and no matter how many times have you watched it, you will still play it again just because it's your favorite.

That's the exact feeling I am experiencing right now. Eliza is opening all the small buckets of paints lined on the the racks with a goofy grin on her face. I can practically feel her giddiness rolling off of her in waves.

"Slow down, tigress." I chuckle as she pops all the lids not caring wherever they are flying.

"Nick, you got almost all the colors. That is so awesome." she gushes still not slowing down.

I walk closer to her and stand by her side feeling my heart swell with all the joy in this world knowing that I am the reason behind that breathtaking smile.

Her grey orbs connects with mine and my breathing hitches at the back of my throat.

"What are you staring at? Come help me carry them all near the canvas." she orders.

I raise my eyebrows in amusement at her sudden boldness but help her nonetheless. After all, her wish is my command.

"What are you going to paint?" I ask placing the small buckets on the floor.

"I have an idea." she replies distractedly.

"Care to share?" I probe and she shakes her head.

"It's a surprise." she says looking at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Really?" I ask dipping my fingers in a bucket of blue paint.

"Yeah." she mumbles eyeing the canvas while her back was turned to me.

"Liza, baby, there's some blue paint on your cheeks." I whisper in her ear and wrap my arms around her waist from behind.

"What?" she questions in confusion and I swipe my first two fingers on both sides of her cheeks.

"There." I whisper and she gasps loudly.

"NICK!" she exclaims turning around in my hold.

Swiping my thumb on the tip of her nose, I chuckle looking at her now painted in red nose.

"You tricked me." she pouts.

I laugh but stop as soon as I see her bottom lip quivering.

"Oh no, baby." I immediately engulf her in a tight hug, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." I say rubbing her back.

She moves a little before standing still and wrapping her around my torso. I rub her back when all of a sudden I feel a liquid substance dripping down my head. Eliza pulls away, in a flash, and I look down to see my shirt drenched in green paint.

Her giggle resonates through the place and my eyes snap up narrowing at her. She bites her lip to stop herself from laughing anymore.

"Did you just pour that bucket over my head?" I ask quietly, pointing at the now empty bucket in her hand.

She nods and looks at me with fear in her eyes as I stalk closer to her.

"N-Nick, no. I didn't mean to. It just... slipped?" her statement coming out more as a question.

I smile evilly in return and she squeals as soon as I grab her wrist. I pull her closer to my chest and rub my now paint covered hair on her neck. She laughs throwing her head back and I know that she's feeling ticklish.

Her palms lay flat on my chest as they try to push me away but I tighten my hold and finally pull back. She looks back at me as her breathing comes out in small pants. I couldn't help but chuckle at her flushed state.

"You're evil." she states.

"You're one to talk." I roll my eyes playfully at her.

She shakes her head with a small smile and turns around unwrapping my arms from her waist, leaving me cold.

She picks a bucket of black paint and splashes it on the wall sized canvas and does the same with another same colored bucket before spreading it with hands until the whole background is black.

She then dips her hand in the white paint and brings them in front of the canvas before flinging them on it, creating small white dots all over.

I stand back watching her in awe. She never used brushes even when we were younger, she used to get her hands dirty hands. Eliza loves painting, a trait she picked from her mother but unlike her, Eliza paints with her hands.

She turns around and swipes that hand on my arm casually before getting busy again. I shake my head at her with a small smile.

We spend almost another three hours painting, laughing and playing with colors until she is eventually done and I am left astonished. We both were drenched in all sorts of paint colors from head to toe.

"Do you like it?" she asks turning around with hope twinkling in her eyes.

I stay quiet examining the painting. It truly is a masterpiece with the right blend of colors swirling inside it.

What makes it more stunning is the fact that Liza painted it, my bambi is the real artwork. There is a small phrase written at the end of it that catches my attention and so I step closer to have a better look.

Your arms is where I find my ultimate solace.

Yours, Eliza.

My heart literally freezes upon reading those and even though there's no name mentioned, I just know it's me.

I turn around to face a nervous Eliza chewing her bottom lip. She looks up at me with her innocent, doe eyes and I gaze back tenderly as if my mere stare can break her in two.

I know she feels exposed and vulnerable at the moment so I step forward and kiss her forehead before snaking my arm around her neck and cradling her head with the other. Just the way she  painted in the picture. Burying her face in my chest, she embraces back as tightly as she  can.

As if she's afraid that I'll disappear in thin air. But I won't and if I have to spend the rest of my life reassuring her about that, I will do so.

The thought suddenly make me snap my eyes open and I internally curse at myself knowing fully well that I am a goner. That what I feel for her is more than a little crush or temporary infatuation.

"I love... the painting. It's beautiful." I whisper in her hair as she fists the back of shirt.

"You're not leaving again, right?" she asks placing her chin on my chest and looking up at me.

"Never." I whisper tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Her bun was still intact, though.

"I have missed you like crazy." she admits.

"I know. Me too, bambi." I tell her.

We stare at one another for what felt like centuries but in actual were only a few minutes. She was searching my eyes for any lies or doubts and when she didn't find any, her own grey marbles twinkled with happiness and contentment.

I lean down and kiss the tip of her nose and despite all the small blotches of paints here and there, I could see her cheeks flame up with a small grin.

"I'm hungry." she states with a pout.

"McDonald's?" I suggest.

She grins and says something in Russian, "Ты мой любимый человек."

(You're my favorite human.)

"What?" I ask with a small smile.

She shakes her head and grabs my hand intertwining our fingers before tugging and dragging us both out.

Needless to say, it was one of the best days of my life and I couldn't wait to create our own world with my little world. She has always been and will always be my everything, my more than enough and my salvation.

Hey y'all, hope you guys are doing  awesome. Happy New Year to all of you in advance. Here's a too sweet chapter for your equally sweet new year's eve. ❤

Suggest a ship name for Nicholas and Eliza? :)