Taking Care Of Sophie

As Nicholas and Sophie went out the door, the two of them looked at each other awkwardly. Neither of them actually managed to bring up the kiss and Nicholas didn't know how long it would take for him to find more wolfsbane.

"I'll… do my best to see you again, Sophie," Nicholas confirmed to her. "I will get enough wolfsbane as soon as possible."

"And I'll wait for you," Sophie smiled brightly at him despite herself. Was it just her but wasn't the wind incredibly cold right now?

"Well, it'd be hard to leave the forest without seeing you," Nicholas chuckled.

"That's true—" Sophie sneezed a little and brushed her nose. "Uff… excuse me. I think I'm getting a cold."

Nicholas' gaze softened at her. "Then please take care of yourself better, Sophie."

"I will," she reassured him.

Nicholas finally turned to leave and parted ways with Sophie, but just as he was about to enter the forests and head down deeper, a sudden sound caught him looking back at Sophie's house.

Sophie was slumped and fainted on the porch steps of her hut.

She had passed out.

Nicholas quickly turned back around and rushed back to Sophie's side and picked her up. When the young man prince placed a hand on her forehead, he found the young woman was burning hot with a fever.

He wasn't sure if it was because of their days traveling in the forest or the fact that Sophie and he got soaked in the storm that she became incredibly sick. But because of it, Nicholas decided he needed to take care of her.

"I'll make sure that you have a full recovery," he whispered.

***

When Sophie finally opened her eyes and found herself conscious, she'd turn to see Nicholas right by her bed and holding her hand. She didn't even have any idea as to how long she was actually asleep either.

All around her house, she could see the items that Nicholas used to take care of her.

Despite his deadline, Nicholas still found the time and prioritized taking care of her. Sophie didn't know what to say to him at all and instead, she found her heart beating a bit faster as she looked at him.

Why was he like this to her?

Nicholas finally woke up from his nap and realized that Sophie was awake. He had held her hand when he noticed that she was missing and crying for her parents while she was delirious and that was how he got stuck with her.

He was relieved to see her awake.

"Sophie, I'm glad that you're finally up now." Nicholas smiled at her warmly.

"Nick, how long was I actually asleep?"

"Oh… not for long."

"Nick?"

"For about a day," Nicholas admitted as he carefully placed a hand on her forehead. He found her temperature normal now and the man sighed in relief. "It's not really that long. I'm just glad that you're awake and no longer burning."

Even though Sophie knew that Nicholas had all sorts of problems and issues with himself that needed to be taken care of, the young man still chose to stay by her side and be with her all throughout.

How could someone be this kind to her? Sophie felt loved and cared for.

Nicholas stood up for a moment and walked over to the dinner table. He returned with a tray of chicken porridge and a glass of water.

The young man cleared his throat. "I'm not great at cooking, unlike you, Sophie. But you need to eat a little since you've woken up. I've cooked something for you."

"Wait, did you try to cook?" Sophie raised a brow at him in surprise. It was always her who cooked between the two of them in the forest. So, she was really touched to see Nicholas who must have never worked a day in his life prepare food for her.

Nicholas blushed. "If you don't like it, I can make a quick run to Hauntingen to buy you a better-cooked meal. I just couldn't easily leave your side to do it before, but now you're awake so I can do that."

Sophie quickly shook her head. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes and she softly uttered, "No... I like it very much. Thank you…"

After she lost the only family she had ever had at the tender age of ten, she didn't really have anyone. Being with Aunt Helga's family for almost eight years proved her mother's words that blood relation was not a guarantee that you would be loved.

She was treated like an outsider, and sometimes even, a maid by her aunt and her cousins. Sophie never felt loved and cared for by anyone, except Katherine, the governess. Sophie had learned to care for herself and never expect kindness and love from anyone.

Now… seeing how much Nicholas was worried when she fell sick, taking care of her meticulously, and even trying his best to cook for her, Sophie slowly remembered how it was like to be loved.

It felt foreign in the beginning, but then the memory returned and she remembered the love her father and mother showered her when she was little.

The look of worry on her mother's face when she was sick or injured, the smile on her father's face when he was proud that Sophie could catch fish as he taught her… They were coming back to her now.

"W-why… are you crying?" Nicholas was stunned. He quickly sat beside her and rubbed her back worriedly. "Are you in pain? Is it bad?"

Sophie shook her head and lowered her face. She wanted to hide her tears because it was embarrassing to cry like this in front of Nicholas. She was feeling so touched and didn't know how to express it.

She didn't want to sound pitiful or invite his pity if she told him how lonely she was these past eight years. It was like she was against the world and she had to fend for herself. Now that she met him again, suddenly, she had someone. The days that they spent here together were some of the best days of her life.

"Oh, Sophie…" Nicholas pulled Sophie to his embrace. As long as Sophie confirmed that she was not in pain, he was relieved. Perhaps, Sophie was crying because she was missing her parents. He decided not to ask her questions to probe her feelings.

He thought Sophie would share with him if she wanted to. Nicholas wouldn't be invasive of her privacy. If she wanted to keep her feelings and thoughts private, he would respect it.

He waited patiently until she finished crying. Somehow, even though Sophie didn't say it aloud but seeing her cry after he said he was very worried about her condition and he cooked for her, Nicholas could guess that Sophie felt touched.

He felt the same way when Sophie showed him acceptance and kissed him. Suddenly, Nicholas felt the burden on his back was lifted. He had lived for eight years, feeling like a freak, a horrible monster that anyone would hate if they found out who he really was.

But Sophie was different. Even though she knew what he was, she didn't treat him differently. She took his deepest, darkest secret and kept it in her heart, without a shred of judgment.

Nicholas could be himself around her. And that was... the best feeling in the world.

.

.

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From Missrealitybites:

Huhuhuhu... I think this is why Nicholas and Sophie are so good for each other.

She accepted him for who he is, even when he considered himself a monster, and he loved her and cared for her when she felt alone and unloved.

What do you think?