![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
katleept.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
tamingthemuseTitle: Secret
Fandom: Charmed
Prompt: #393: Overwhelmed
Warnings: Het, Unconventional Pairing
Rating: PG/K+
Summary:
Her hands shook; she struggled just to keep from dropping the important papers she held. She didn't look up and hated that her voice shook as badly as her body. "I'll be there when I can, okay? Believe it or not, Leo, there are real world responsibilities that I have to see to sometimes."
"I know, Piper. That's why I'm trying to tell you." He was trying to understand, but his brain was far too twisted by his decades of living underneath the Council's thumb for him to be able to understand what she was trying to tell him, let alone all the feelings she hadn't voiced. "We need you."
"I know I'm needed, Leo, but for once, I'm needed more by my family than by the world!"
"If the world dies, so does Phoebe."
"You think I don't know that?" She turned, flashing angry eyes up at him, and snapped furiously, "I'm not stupid, Leo! I already lost one sister because of your stupid Council and your stupid choice of me over Prue and -- and -- "
"Piper -- " He reached for her; she stepped back and turned away once more.
"Just go away," she murmured softly, tears filling her brown eyes. "Please, just leave me alone. I will come, Leo. I will save the stupid world yet again. But I've got to take care of this first."
"Make it quick." He looked up at something she couldn't hear but he could. "They're not happy."
"Do you think I care if they're happy?" Her husband didn't appear to hear her, however, even as she looked back at him for he was already orbing out. She screamed and threw the papers she'd been holding so fervently across the room. Holding her own head in her hands, she began to weep openly once more but stopped when she heard the door to her office open.
"Leo," she started but realized, as soon as she spoke his name, that it couldn't be him. Leo never bothered with doors.
"Piper, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I heard you scream." Cole's hand was soft and gentle as he touched her shoulder; his gaze was every bit as much as so when she hesitantly raised her eyes to look at him through her tears. "I know you're overwhelmed," he spoke quietly, "and I don't blame you. Any one would be in your position. Is there anything at all I can do to help?"
She was quiet. Her gaze lowered from his, but he noticed the papers scattered across her office. His movements were as quiet as she was as he picked each one of them up. The loose floorboard that always made a racket when she stepped on it somehow didn't even squeak underneath his feet. She watched him curiously from underneath her lowered brows.
He collected the papers in silence, but as he did so, he couldn't help but to notice that they were almost all bills. The only things that weren't was a checkbook ledger and an eviction notice for her business. He turned slowly back to her. "I can help with this," he offered, "if you'll let me?"
"Cole," she spoke his name. She tried to speak more. She tried to thank him for his consideration. She tried not to cry again, not to break down yet once more. Really, she did, but no sooner had she gotten his name out of her mouth than she began to weep once more. Phoebe hadn't offered to help. Leo hadn't understood. But yet here he was, a man she'd tried to kill more than once calmly and quietly doing his best to help her while being afraid she wouldn't let him.
He laid the bills and ledger down on her desk and quickly crossed back across the room to her side. He opened his arms to her, and without a word but only a sob, she fell into them. He held her tightly, felt her trembles, and ached for her in more than one way.
It wasn't right, he told himself. This certainly wasn't the time, and besides that fact, she was married to her soul mate. He was also engaged to her sister. There had to be at least a million times he'd regretted choosing Phoebe, but she'd been the only sister with an open heart to infiltrate when he'd first started scheming against the Charmed Ones. Now he would do nothing to hurt the sisters any longer, but yet, he was ashamed to admit even to himself, he still had a scheme.
He loved Piper. She'd never love him. She barely tolerated him at the best of times. His only hope of being around her was to keep using poor Phoebe, so he would. Still, he could never come truly close to the real love of his life. He was almost shocked she was letting him hold her now. But she was, and in that moment, he knew what he had to do.
Using Phoebe was a given. He had no other way through which to stay in Piper's life. But he could never tell her how he felt. He could never confess his love to her or any one. He had to keep his true feelings for her silent, and besides, if he didn't, if evil ever suspected that it was her he loved and not Phoebe, all the Demons and former girlfriends who kept coming after his fiance would change to chasing Piper.
That was one of the last things she needed, especially right now. What she did need was what he was giving her right now: a friend who understood, a caring shoulder, a helping hand. He swore, as he held her, that he would always do just that. He held her quietly while she cried, both hoping that her pain would cease and that she would never stop crying because he knew she'd leave his arms when she did.
Finally, however, her tears did quell again. Her trembles ceased, and she stood still in his arms. He could feel her breathing against his chest and stood just as still. He didn't speak. He didn't move, even when she did at first.
Her head lifted. She gazed up at him, and he was reminded yet again of just how utterly beautiful she was. "Cole . . . " She shook her head in disbelief, but then she lowered her head again and wrapped her arms more tightly around him. The hug she gave him filled him with a glowing warmth unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He lowered his head and found the top of her raven tresses right beneath his mouth.
She looked back up, her eyes shining through her tears. He could have kissed her so easily then. It took his centuries of training to control his every action, thought, and very breath to keep from closing the distance between their lips as she spoke simply, "Thank you." She squeezed him again, and he dared to squeeze her back.
"It's my pleasure," he admitted, though she'd never know how deeply truthful his words were. "Now how can I help you with these bills? I've been staying with you guys for a while. It's about time I paid rent or . . . or something." Anything, he thought. Anything to make her happy again.
"We'll see about that when we get back, but Leo's right. We need to go save the world again first."
"As the lady wishes." He wrapped his arms more closely around her and held her tenderly as he shimmered them to the Manor. Phoebe was throwing herself back into his arms almost immediately upon their reappearance, but he did catch the look Leo shot him. He saw the White Lighter's look. He remembered how wonderful his woman had felt in his arms as she moved to be with her husband, and the Demon smiled secretly to himself. He might never have Piper's love, but nothing -- not the world, not an army of Demons, not Leo or a whole legion of White Lighters -- would keep him from doing everything in his power to make, and keep, her happy.
The End
All above characters belong to Spelling Entertainment, not the author, and are used without permission.
Fandom: Charmed
Prompt: #393: Overwhelmed
Warnings: Het, Unconventional Pairing
Rating: PG/K+
Summary:
Her hands shook; she struggled just to keep from dropping the important papers she held. She didn't look up and hated that her voice shook as badly as her body. "I'll be there when I can, okay? Believe it or not, Leo, there are real world responsibilities that I have to see to sometimes."
"I know, Piper. That's why I'm trying to tell you." He was trying to understand, but his brain was far too twisted by his decades of living underneath the Council's thumb for him to be able to understand what she was trying to tell him, let alone all the feelings she hadn't voiced. "We need you."
"I know I'm needed, Leo, but for once, I'm needed more by my family than by the world!"
"If the world dies, so does Phoebe."
"You think I don't know that?" She turned, flashing angry eyes up at him, and snapped furiously, "I'm not stupid, Leo! I already lost one sister because of your stupid Council and your stupid choice of me over Prue and -- and -- "
"Piper -- " He reached for her; she stepped back and turned away once more.
"Just go away," she murmured softly, tears filling her brown eyes. "Please, just leave me alone. I will come, Leo. I will save the stupid world yet again. But I've got to take care of this first."
"Make it quick." He looked up at something she couldn't hear but he could. "They're not happy."
"Do you think I care if they're happy?" Her husband didn't appear to hear her, however, even as she looked back at him for he was already orbing out. She screamed and threw the papers she'd been holding so fervently across the room. Holding her own head in her hands, she began to weep openly once more but stopped when she heard the door to her office open.
"Leo," she started but realized, as soon as she spoke his name, that it couldn't be him. Leo never bothered with doors.
"Piper, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I heard you scream." Cole's hand was soft and gentle as he touched her shoulder; his gaze was every bit as much as so when she hesitantly raised her eyes to look at him through her tears. "I know you're overwhelmed," he spoke quietly, "and I don't blame you. Any one would be in your position. Is there anything at all I can do to help?"
She was quiet. Her gaze lowered from his, but he noticed the papers scattered across her office. His movements were as quiet as she was as he picked each one of them up. The loose floorboard that always made a racket when she stepped on it somehow didn't even squeak underneath his feet. She watched him curiously from underneath her lowered brows.
He collected the papers in silence, but as he did so, he couldn't help but to notice that they were almost all bills. The only things that weren't was a checkbook ledger and an eviction notice for her business. He turned slowly back to her. "I can help with this," he offered, "if you'll let me?"
"Cole," she spoke his name. She tried to speak more. She tried to thank him for his consideration. She tried not to cry again, not to break down yet once more. Really, she did, but no sooner had she gotten his name out of her mouth than she began to weep once more. Phoebe hadn't offered to help. Leo hadn't understood. But yet here he was, a man she'd tried to kill more than once calmly and quietly doing his best to help her while being afraid she wouldn't let him.
He laid the bills and ledger down on her desk and quickly crossed back across the room to her side. He opened his arms to her, and without a word but only a sob, she fell into them. He held her tightly, felt her trembles, and ached for her in more than one way.
It wasn't right, he told himself. This certainly wasn't the time, and besides that fact, she was married to her soul mate. He was also engaged to her sister. There had to be at least a million times he'd regretted choosing Phoebe, but she'd been the only sister with an open heart to infiltrate when he'd first started scheming against the Charmed Ones. Now he would do nothing to hurt the sisters any longer, but yet, he was ashamed to admit even to himself, he still had a scheme.
He loved Piper. She'd never love him. She barely tolerated him at the best of times. His only hope of being around her was to keep using poor Phoebe, so he would. Still, he could never come truly close to the real love of his life. He was almost shocked she was letting him hold her now. But she was, and in that moment, he knew what he had to do.
Using Phoebe was a given. He had no other way through which to stay in Piper's life. But he could never tell her how he felt. He could never confess his love to her or any one. He had to keep his true feelings for her silent, and besides, if he didn't, if evil ever suspected that it was her he loved and not Phoebe, all the Demons and former girlfriends who kept coming after his fiance would change to chasing Piper.
That was one of the last things she needed, especially right now. What she did need was what he was giving her right now: a friend who understood, a caring shoulder, a helping hand. He swore, as he held her, that he would always do just that. He held her quietly while she cried, both hoping that her pain would cease and that she would never stop crying because he knew she'd leave his arms when she did.
Finally, however, her tears did quell again. Her trembles ceased, and she stood still in his arms. He could feel her breathing against his chest and stood just as still. He didn't speak. He didn't move, even when she did at first.
Her head lifted. She gazed up at him, and he was reminded yet again of just how utterly beautiful she was. "Cole . . . " She shook her head in disbelief, but then she lowered her head again and wrapped her arms more tightly around him. The hug she gave him filled him with a glowing warmth unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He lowered his head and found the top of her raven tresses right beneath his mouth.
She looked back up, her eyes shining through her tears. He could have kissed her so easily then. It took his centuries of training to control his every action, thought, and very breath to keep from closing the distance between their lips as she spoke simply, "Thank you." She squeezed him again, and he dared to squeeze her back.
"It's my pleasure," he admitted, though she'd never know how deeply truthful his words were. "Now how can I help you with these bills? I've been staying with you guys for a while. It's about time I paid rent or . . . or something." Anything, he thought. Anything to make her happy again.
"We'll see about that when we get back, but Leo's right. We need to go save the world again first."
"As the lady wishes." He wrapped his arms more closely around her and held her tenderly as he shimmered them to the Manor. Phoebe was throwing herself back into his arms almost immediately upon their reappearance, but he did catch the look Leo shot him. He saw the White Lighter's look. He remembered how wonderful his woman had felt in his arms as she moved to be with her husband, and the Demon smiled secretly to himself. He might never have Piper's love, but nothing -- not the world, not an army of Demons, not Leo or a whole legion of White Lighters -- would keep him from doing everything in his power to make, and keep, her happy.
The End
All above characters belong to Spelling Entertainment, not the author, and are used without permission.
