Eli's fingers wrapped around Lily's wrist, his touch gentle but firm, as he led her to a secluded room. Eli creaked the door shut behind them, enveloping them in a silence that felt almost palpable. Lily didn't resist, her eyes fixed on his back as she waited for him to turn toward her and speak. As the lock clicked into place, Eli turned to face her, his eyes locking onto hers. Lily's face was impassive, her emotions hidden beneath a calm surface. Eli's voice was low, barely above a whisper, as he spoke "You cried." The words hung in the air, a statement rather than a question.
Lily's gaze drifted away, her eyes refusing to meet Eli's as she sulked a little. He felt a pang of helplessness at her reaction, his voice softening as he asked, "Look at me." When she didn't respond, he tried again, his tone gentle. "Don't want to listen to me?" This time, he added a soft plea, saying her name directly. "Lily."
Something in his voice that called her name seemed to melt her resolve, and her gaze slowly returned to his. She hummed a soft response, a small "Hmm" that seemed to convey a mix of emotions.
Eli's gaze held Lily's, his eyes searching for something deep within hers. The silence between them stretched out, the air thick with unspoken emotions. Then, without warning, Eli took a step closer, his face inches from hers. Lily's heart racing, she felt her breath catch in her throat. Then he spoke in a low and husky voice, "How about we get married today?"
The question hung in the air, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Lily's eyes widened, her mind reeling in shock. All her anger and sulking was forgotten, she stared at Eli, her mind racing with thoughts and emotions. Eli's face was inches from hers, his eyes locked onto hers, his expression intense.
As the silence stretched out, Eli's voice barely went above a whisper as he asked again, "What do you say?" Lily's eyes remained locked on his, her gaze searching for answers. "You're going on a mission in a few minutes" she replied, her voice a gentle reminder of how he was leaving. Eli's gaze flicked to the clock on the wall, his eyes calculating the time. "There's still over 11 hours left to complete tonight" he said, his voice serious and determined. "It's enough time for me to complete the mission and get married." His words hung in the air, waiting for approval from Lily.
Lily's intense gaze locked onto Eli's, her voice barely above a whisper as she replied, "I will." Eli's eyes held hers, and for a moment, his expression was steady. Then, joy surged through him, and his heart felt filled. As the words hung in the air, memories of their past life flashed through his mind. They had died on the day they were supposed to get married, and now, he wanted to rewrite their fate. He didn't know why Lily accepted his proposal, but something about her response felt right.
However before Eli could process his emotions, Lily's next sentence snapped him back to reality. "But, I have a condition. Will you agree with my condition?" Her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, and her voice was laced with a subtle challenge. Eli's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "What is it?" His voice was low, his tone even, but his eyes betrayed a glimmer of anticipation.
Lily looked pensive for a moment and said, "Hmm, if you take me with you on the mission, then I will agree to your proposal. Otherwise, just forget about..." She trailed off what she was saying as Eli suddenly pulled her into his arms, his eyes flashing with worry. "Don't you dare finish that sentence" he growled, his voice low and gravelly. "It's a dangerous mission, I won't allow you to join and don't tell me to forget about you so easily." For a moment, he held her tightly, as if trying to merge her into himself. Eli's grip was almost suffocating, but Lily didn't struggle, instead she felt her body relax into his warmth. As she was enveloped in his arms, she felt the emotions swirling within him. The fear, the worry, the palpable weight of his concern, her own heart began to race in sync with his, and in that moment, nothing else mattered. She didn't know how he knew her or why she felt his feelings towards her so deeply, but the connection between them was all that existed & she couldn't deny it.
Lily wrapped her arms around him gently, her fingers tracing soothing patterns on his back as she tried to calm him down. "Shhh, I'm just joking" she whispered, her breath a soft caress against his ear. "Don't worry." Her voice was a low, reassuring hum. She paused for a second before adding firmly, "I promise, I won't joke about it anymore." After listening to her words, Eli's tension began to ease, his worry fading slowly as he felt her calm energy wash over him.
Pulling back slightly, Lily met his gaze, her eyes shining with sincerity as she told him, her voice steady and clear. "I actually want to come with you on the mission because I just want to be near you." After saying this, she dropped her gaze, a hint of embarrassment flickering across her face. Her tone softened as she said "But if you really don't want me to be part of the mission and if that makes you be at ease, that's fine." Lily continued, her voice matter-of-fact. "I'll wait here for you. Is that okay to you now?"
After listening to her genuine reason behind why she wanted to participate in the mission, Eli's gaze lingered on her embarrassed expression. Eli nodded his head as he replied "Okay" and a rare smile played on his face as he thought, how adorable his girl was!! She had decided to join the mission for him, but he had excluded her, hurting her feelings. Yet, now she was willing to compromise and not join in it for him again. With a tender gesture, he loosened his arm around her waist and gently pinched her left cheek. The softness of her skin was irresistible and before she could react, he leaned in and kissed the spot he'd pinched, his lips brushing softly against her skin.
The moment Eli's lips touched her cheek, Lily felt a rush of sensations. She looked up at him with wide surprised eyes. Goosebumps spread across her skin, and a warm flush crept into her cheeks and ears. She felt the fluttering in her chest and butterflies in her tummy. She'd never felt this way before, not even when her father or cousins kissed her on the forehead. This was different. This was a gentle, intimate gesture that made her heart skip a beat.
Eli observed her flustered reaction, a smile still playing on his lips. He couldn't resist the urge to kiss her again, his lips grazing her cheek in a soft caress. However, this time Lily pushed him away, her hands on his chest, her face burning with embarrassment. She felt her skin was on fire. "Stop it," she whispered, trying to sound stern but failing miserably.
As Eli pulled back, he chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He knew he'd gotten to her, and the realization made him feel even more affectionate towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist again, pulling her close. His warm breath caressed her ear as he teased her in a low, husky voice, "Why are you pushing me away now? Didn't you just say you want to be near me?"
Lily glared at him, one hand futilely tugging at his arms around her waist while the other pressed against his chest, trying to push him away. "Not anymore" she muttered, her voice barely audible. Eli, knowing exactly what she was doing, tightened his grip around her, holding her in place "Don't pull away, my time is running out," he said, his voice gentle but firm, making her relax into him instead of resisting. "I need to leave for the mission." At that, Lily stopped pushing him away, but her lips still pouted, and her gaze remained fixed away from him.
Eli's eyes roamed over her face while she was not looking at him, taking in her expression. He couldn't resist her adorableness and teased her again, his voice laced with amusement. "How about you tell me what you want before I go on this mission? Do you want to be with me, or just be near me?"
Lily's gaze snapped to his, her face still flushed, unsure if it was due to embarrassment or frustration, but she glared at him like he was an annoying bug who was teasing her. "Didn't you just say your time was running out?" she said, her voice laced with a hint of annoyance. "Let's talk after you come back." Eli got the hint behind her words that she was indirectly told him to go away and didn't tease her again, knowing he needed to leave. His expression turned serious as he told her, "Fine, now hear me out." He stared into her eyes for a moment, his gaze locking onto hers, before pressing his forehead against hers. Their breaths mingled, warm against each other's skin. "I'll try to complete this mission as soon as possible and come back early," he said, his voice sincere, his words laced with true intention. "Be prepared to get married."
Lily's eyes locked onto his, her gaze unwavering as she listened to his words and for a moment, she forgot to breathe, her chest rising and falling with anticipation. Eli removed his hand from her waist and caressed her face with his thumb, Lily's eyelids fluttered closed, his gaze still locked onto her face. "Bear with this cold and wait for me" he whispered, his voice firm but softened with emotion. "I'll give you the warmth you need for our forever." As he spoke, he pulled back, and his lips brushed against her forehead, leaving a gentle kiss that seemed to sear itself into her skin.
Lily opened her eyes and gazed at him, a mist forming in her eyes. A soft, determined smile spread across her face as she said, "Then go and come back soon. I'll bear with this cold and wait for you."
With that, Eli took her hand as they left the room. He wanted to take her to the aircraft that was leaving for the mission, but Lily stopped him, saying, "Let's separate here. My work is done, and I need to leave the base." Eli's stoic demeanor had already returned, but a gentle expression softened his features as he glanced at Lily. He nodded and said, "Then let me send you off." But Lily shook her head, her voice firm. "No, if you send me off and come back again, it'll take time. Your team is already prepared and waiting for you. Don't waste any more time. Go now."
Eli's expression turned serious, and he pulled her into a tight hug, the sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway fading into the background. Lily smiled and hugged him back, her voice soft as she said, "Good luck." The warmth of his body lingered on her skin as he released her, and he nodded before turning to leave. Lily stood there, watching as his figure disappeared into the hallway, the sound of his footsteps growing fainter with each passing moment. With a final glance, she turned and made her way outside.
Eli headed straight to the area where his team was preparing to depart for the mission. As he arrived, he took a moment to finalize the last-minute preparations and briefed them on the crucial information he had uncovered. His voice was stern, devoid of any gentleness, except for a hint of detachment. "There are not only traps in the forest," he said, "but there are also pin-sized camera holes in the trees surrounding the mansion." The team's eyes widened as they absorbed the detail, their faces illuminated by the dim lighting of the hangar.
The sound of rustling gear and the team's reactions were laced with quiet curses, their whispers barely audible as they absorbed the news. "So, even if we manage to evade their traps, the minute we enter the mansion's territory, they'll be monitoring our every move," Eli continued. "Let's be cautious and avoid standing or hiding near trees once we're inside. We'll use crawling as our primary mode of movement." The team nodded in unison, their faces set with determination.
This was the reason Eli hadn't wanted Lily to be part of this mission. The risks were too high. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her. That's why he'd tactically agreed when she'd said she'd wait for him, without giving her the reason why he'd refused to let her join.
Ten minutes later, the special forces unit boarded two aircraft, splitting into two groups as the aircraft doors closed with a resounding thud. Moments later, the engines surged to life, and the planes thundered down the runway, lifting off into the sky. The special forces unit vanished over the horizon, bound for their high-stakes mission.