She snuggled on his lap.

However, with just a few steps, he changed his mind and hesitated if he should go or not. Despite living in the Royal Palace for hundreds of years he only stepped foot on the garden for only four times. And one of those would include today. 

He strengthened his resolve and resumed his pace. His heart couldn't help but turn cold at the sight of the garden. Though it looked beautiful and majestic, for him it only looked poisonous as he remembered a bitter memory.

He started to wander around the whole garden only looking at the benches and avoiding his gaze from the roses. He can't bear to even sneak a peek. These things, he hated them beyond reason. Despite his extreme loathing towards the whole scenery, he started looking around for Ashley. 

When he couldn't find her around the area, he realized that she must've been in the gazebo.

Ramier slowly walked to the gazebo with a heavy heart. He smiled bitterly when he recalled a certain person. A person who held a strong grudge against him and he did feel it likewise. This place used to be her favorite. She would often sit here and observe him with eyes of spite and coldness. It thoroughly matched her. The prickliness of roses, she was a shrewd person. 

Ramier shook his head stopping himself from recounting those memories that only engraved a deep scar on his heart. He distracted himself by turning his gaze towards Ashley sitting on one of cushioned seats in the gazebo. Her back was facing him and seemed to be busy looking up. She seemed to be enjoying the view of the cerulean sky. 

He slowly approached her and stood beside her. He didn't look at her since he didn't want to disturb her peace.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

"..."

She only responded with her heavy breathing. He suddenly wondered why she was sighing. Did she detest his presence? His eyes shifted towards Ashley with concern in his face. He didn't know why he was distressed thinking that she might not like seeing him. However, it looks like he was over analysing things.

 A chuckle escaped from his  smirking lips when he saw her state. So she was asleep the whole time? That explains why she didn't notice his presence. He carefully observed her sleeping face. 

A small smile was apparent on her face.Contentment and peace filled the ambience around her . Her cheeks were slightly red and there was some sweat on her forehead. The blazing heat from the sun was the evident cause of it. 

He couldn't help but frown when he noticed her position. Her body looked so stiff as she sat. It was an amazing feat how she could manage to sleep like that. She didn't even fall and even slept comfortably.

He decided to sit in the space beside her. He was careful with his actions, afraid to wake her up. When he settled himself beside her, her head fell to her right and so her body swayed. The gravity was pulling her in and her body was also on the verge of falling. Seeing this, he immediately held her shoulders afraid that she might fall to the ground as he was sitting on her left.

He was suddenly puzzled with what to do. He wasn't sure if he should wake her up or not. He looked at her tranquil expression and she was even lightly snoring. Guilt would consume him if he chose to interrupt her deep sleep so he didn't wake her up.

He gently rested her head on his shoulders but that didn't seem to work because he was very tall compared to her. He realized that she would probably get uncomfortable if she slept like that.

Not having any other option, he gently placed her head on his lap and supported her shoulders so she could lie down a bit. He parted the hair that stuck to her cheeks. The smile on her face grew wider and her muscles relaxed. She seemed to be more comfortable sleeping on his lap.

Minutes passed, his lids grew heavy as he stared at her sleeping figure. He leaned down comfortably at the back rest of the bench and yawned. The drowsiness seemed contagious and soon he drifted to sleep.

The two were peacefully sleeping in each other's company, unaware that there was a person who witnessed the entire scene and mistaken that there was something going on between the two of them. The shadow of the person casted on the bushes as she left. However it happened swiftly, making it seem like she wasn't present the whole time. 

The chirping of birds and the sound of water moving on the pond as the fishes swam could only be heard. An hour later Ashley snuggled on his lap she had mistaken as a soft pillow.  She felt that her back was turning stiff. She frowned when she didn't feel the soft cushion on the bed. The bed... That wasn't possible for she was... Oh... She was outdoors. 

Her eyes instantly shot open when she remembered that she visited the Rose Garden today and fell asleep in one of the seats inside the gazebo. Her eyes widened when she saw that she was resting her head in someone else's lap. It looked like it was from a man's for it was quite long and lean.

'Oh my God!'

She immediately sat up and glanced at the man beside her. She was surprised to find Ramier sitting beside her, dozing off..

She covered her mouth in embarrassment and instantly touched the sides of it, afraid that she might have drooled on his lap. She sighed in relief. It was a good thing, that she didn't.

She roamed her eyes at the surroundings, it was already late in the afternoon. She suddenly thought that she should wake him up but she didn't know if it was appropriate. She was afraid that Ramier might get angry at her for disturbing him.

She looked at his face. He was slightly frowning and his brows were furrowed. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable with his position. His silver hair which was swept back hair was now slightly disheveled. There was hair that loosened off the hairdo and it was dangling in front of his face.

Ashley was suddenly distracted by the loose hair on his face. Her OCD involving messy hair, started kicking in and she couldn't bear to look at the stray hair. Though it made him look sexy, she couldn't help but feel envious since the hair was constantly touching his flawless face. Now that she saw his face on closer inspection, she can't help but be jealous at how he didn't have any pores showing. Was it possible to be born so perfect?! Was there even skin care in this world. She was tempted to have a feel of his skin. It looked so smooth and soft. But the hair... was such an eyesore! 

'D*mn this lucky hair..'

When she couldn't take it anymore, she inched closer and reached out to move the hair back to its place . She was startled when Ramier suddenly grabbed her hand and slowly opened his eyes.

The red orbs looked at her sharply and it showed the coldness she has never seen from him. She felt fear course through her body and her heart couldn't help but beat rapidly against her chest.