Picnic and Kisses

"You're going somewhere?"

Aurnia flinched in surprise when she heard Thalassa's voice. Her head turned around, and she saw her sister leaning casually against her door. She ignored her and went back to checking out her reflection in her large vanity mirror.

She heard her sister's footsteps coming closer. She saw her sister crossing her arms behind her through the mirror.

"You didn't answer my question, little sister." She groaned in annoyance.

Aurnia rose from her seat and looked at her sharply, crossing her arms as well. "That's because you have no business knowing my goddamn whereabouts. You just became my sister recently so you have no right to demand that I answer all of your damn questions. Bye!" She waved her a swift goodbye and rushed toward the door, while Thalassa was frozen to her spot—surprised by her sudden cursing.

"You think I wouldn't notice it, would you?"

Aurnia stopped in her tracks and twirled around to meet her sister's taunting eyes. She held her chin up, "I don't really care what you were trying to say, Thalassa. I have no time for your nonsense blabbering." She told her and exited the door.

"Nevermind. Just so you know, Aurnia, I have my ways. I will come looking for Aramis and snatch him away from you!"

'She's such a bitch!' She thought while walking away from her door.

***

A boyish smile appeared on Aramis' face as soon as she saw Aurnia approaching in his direction. His face lightened up in admiration seeing the princess donned up in a powder-blue midi dress with cute ruffles on her neck.

"Why did you suddenly change the location?" He asked her when she finally got closer.

A charming smile instantly flashed on her face, revealing her two tiny dimples. "Oh, your polo shirt matches the color of my dress!" She exclaimed and eagerly sat down on a plain white fabric that Aramis had set up for them. "Did you prepare everything I told you?" She asked him while checking out the picnic basket at the center of the fabric.

Aramis leaned down and helped her remove her heels from her feet. He then carefully stacked them on the far side and gestured for her to move to the central part of the picnic cloth.

"I did, your Highness, everything you asked me to bring and prepare, I got it all there." He answered her and pointed the huge picnic basket in front of her with his mouth. "Anyway, why did you suddenly think of having a picnic? And you even changed the location last minute."

Aurnia slowly opened the basket and saw four compartments inside. "Well, I read somewhere that activities like going on a picnic would help people relax, so I thought I'd test if it was really true." She reasoned as she fished out the contents of the basket. She first took the fruits and laid them out on the fabric. "I thought of changing the location... because... "

'Because I'm afraid some crazy bitch would really find us and find out about my special hideout place in the palace.' That was what she wanted to say but chose to keep it to herself. She simply doesn't want Aramis to find out that her sister is interested in him.

She began peeling off the orange skin and took out a piece and put it on his mouth, giggling like a kid. "We should stop talking about things that don't matter, Aramis. Don't you think we should enjoy this moment right now?"

He slowly chewed the orange and stared intently at her. "Aurnia... " He whispered inaudibly.

She hummed in response as she took out the drinks this time, then the sandwiches, and laid them on the picnic cloth beautifully. She was enjoying arranging their food when suddenly Aramis grabbed her hand.

Aurnia looked at him, dumbfounded at his sudden action. The texture of his hand brushed a bit roughly against hers, which made her heart pound erratically. "Aramis... is something wrong?" She asked him in the most gentle tone she could muster.

He averted her gaze away from her face and sighed exasperatedly multiple times. He let out a final sigh before he faced her again. "I was thinking... uhm... well... I... I... " Aramis stammered, trying to find words.

She noticed the confusion and exhaustion in his face, and her instincts told her that she wouldn't like whatever he was trying to say. She spotted the mango smoothie he prepared for her, so she quickly grabbed it and excitedly took a sip. "Wow, are you the one who made this? Whooh, this is so good!" She exclaimed while flashing a forced smile on her face—deliberately diverting their topic.

"Aurnia, listen to me—"

She immediately put down the drink and moved closer to him in one big, swift movement. Aurnia did not waste more time—cupping his chin, his ash-gray orbs smoldering in anticipation as she let her gaze linger onto his full lips.

Aurnia slowly closed her eyes... her face moving an inch closer to his. Her heart was pounding so loudly against her ribcage that she could hear the erratic flow of her blood in her ears. She carefully tilted her head slightly... and when the gap between their faces was only an inch wide, she reluctantly paused. Her hands were sweating profusely, and her mind was clouded with doubts and tension.

'Am I doing this right? I know I kissed him before, but that was only a peck! Ugh, how did I even think that I could kiss him properly?' She thought nervously.

However, just as she was about to close the gap between their lips, she felt Aramis' arms wrap around her tiny waist and pull him closer to him.

Her blood rushed to her head, and her cheeks turned redder and hotter. And when her chests were brushed against his chest, she felt her stomach lurch in tingling sensation. She could hardly breathe, and the pounding in her chest had turned louder.

"You're making me wait, Aurnia." He moaned in a raspy voice that sent shivers down her spine.

His hand cupped the back of her head and pulled her. Aramis' lips perfectly landed on her gaping mouth, tasting the sweet taste of mango.

Their lips remained in that same position for five seconds, and neither of them moved as they savored the taste of their first proper kiss.

Honestly, that was just their excuse. Aramis and Aurnia had no experience beforehand and were completely naive about how they were going to move their lips.

Aurnia thought she was going to be deaf with how loud her heart was beating, and her whole body felt like she was being possessed with the sparks traveling around her body. And the non-stop tingling sensation above her abdomen had completely clouded her best judgment of what to do.

Out of desperation, she unconsciously stroked Aramis' hair, and her other hand was squeezing his back tightly.

Aramis' had completely lost his control with Aurnia's touches all over his body. He wanted more; he wanted to explore her sweet mouth and taste it to his heart's content.

His lips finally moved, teasing Aurnia's lips to follow his lead. He continued making small movements until he felt her lips moving at the same rate as his. A small smile appeared on his lips before he deepened the kiss.

Aramis' tongue began to move, and he tried to open her mouth fully. But as soon as she realized that it was his tongue, she was beyond mortified and unconsciously pushed Aramis away from her.

"Please don't tell me you're going to let that little disgusting thing in my mouth?" She exclaimed horrifyingly while covering her mouth.

Realizing how funny this was, Aramis burst out laughing, and her shoulders were vigorously shaking. Tears began forming in the corners of his eyes as he still couldn't stop laughing.

"My sweet, innocent, Aurnia." He told her, still chuckling.

At the far end of the Queen's public garden, a shadow lurked behind the castle walls with clenched fists before it moved away on its spot when Aramis and Aurnia began laughing together.

'I am going to make sure you're not going to end up with him, Aurnia.'