(it just makes more sense for it to be a guy ngl)

He's so beautiful

pRed petals brush against Maven's lips as he smells the rose. Smells sweet. He closes his eyes, looking through the slightest slit at you. Your face isn't visible under your big, yellow hat. Your fingernails have dirt under them and your pants have smears of mud. When you noticed Maven looking at you, you lifted your head and smiled. You put down the watering can and wave. 

He gives a small smile and waves back.

Makes me wanna believe 

He's got a heart of gold 

That nobody can see

You glance up at Maven as he lingers around, walking past the shrubs and running his hands across the trees. His face is stern. You get scared around him. But whenever he glances up at you and catches you staring his eyes soften and a blush forms on his cheeks. He never approaches. Just stalks from a distance. 

You can never decide if it scares you or makes you feel appreciated. Or if he's the predator in this situation, waiting for his prey to be caught off guard. What will he do then?

It's time for you to leave

You take your gloves off, the velcro peeling off with ease as you slide it from your dirty fingers. You wash your hands before untying the apron from behind your neck. And your sun hat is last, the weight releasing from your neck. You love the feeling of the breeze on your neck. The door closes with a loud bang as you leave the garden, passing through the trees that are grown so carefully close to each other. You slip through easily. 

And you look through the dark with your arms in front of you, your fear of tripping had never truly disappeared. But then your hands grabbed onto something familiar. A ladder. And you climb up before taking out the lighter in your pocket and lighting the lantern right outside of the door. Your house. A friendly little treehouse you made for yourself. Branches lean in from the cracks and dead leaves crowd the floor. They crunch as you make your way to your bed.

Something crinkles as you sit down. Something you didn't notice. It's a note. Curious, you unfold it only to be greeted by cursive writing.

Found you
-Maven Calore

I want to want you, baby

But you're making it so hard

The next morning the prince took to his regular spot, awkwardly loitering near the shrubs. You eyed him and he eyed you. There was no more looking away. Your heartbeat was loud in your ears. Stalker. Creep. Somewhat endearing? You find yourself to be the one blushing. 

When the day retired and you had to, too, you snuck back into the shed and began to undress from your uniform. The door closed with a loud smack, but this time, you weren't the one to close it. You turn around, your hair free and the sun hat in your hand. You freeze when you see him. His face glistens from a light layer of sweat from being outside all day. And his hands are veiny as they tighten their grip on the wooden table next to him.

I tried to bite the bullet

And just take you as you are

And he grabs your face, kissing you roughly. You gasp a bit. You felt like melting into his grasp. The night air travels against your heated skin, trying to cool you down. Passion. You grip onto his hair and he lifts you onto a table. Your fingers work on the buttons of his shirt until he pulls away. You can barely look him in the eyes. You try to focus your gaze on something else. His collar bones, the shears on the wall, the moon, your shaking fingers. 

"I'll see you tomorrow," he begs. 

You get too close

Maven runs his hands up your leg, your sensitive flesh shaking from under him. His warm fingers draw goosebumps into your bare thigh. Your hands grasp at his back while his lips linger against your collar bone. Rhythmic breathes against your skin, his hands grasping and pulling. 

And that's how you found yourself buttoning his shirt back up afterward, placing loving kisses on his jawline. He rubs your forearms, a motion almost like he was trying to soothe you.

"I'm going to get engaged tomorrow," he warns. You nod your head, intertwining your fingers with the curls on his hair. Your heart belongs to him. You couldn't stand to think about some girl looking into his eyes the same way you do. But it has to be done. It has to be done. So you'll just stroke his air and kiss his cheek every second you can until that moment.

Take the one I love the most

The garden was lonely without Maven. You still did your work, making sure the flowers were blooming the way they should and that the trees weren't fighting each other with their branches. He was busy. He was getting engaged. And it's fine. It wasn't at your mind at all.

Except it was.

It was the only thing you could think about. Words in your head swarming around. It shouldn't bother you. You wish you could just press a button that would make you stop caring. And he wasn't even officially yours. 

You sigh, stabbing the shovel into the dirt and resting your hands on it. Sweat rolls down your back. You pause, releasing your grip from the wooden shaft and watching it as it falls. You call in early for the day.

So predictable just like what they told me

Maven had shown to you his pleasant life inside of the castle by never coming out to see you. Weeks had passed since your little touching party in the shed. And every day you tend the flowers, waiting for the awkward boy to start lingering around your garden. Your disapointment grew in size every day, piling and piling until it shattered you completely. You had given up expecting things from him. You had thought too highly.

He had taken your heart and then shattered it himself.

He seemed to have waited for you to realize that before he showed up again. He waited until you had snuck past the trees, reaching out for the ladder like you always do. 

He grabbed your waist, pushing you up against a tree.

He's staring at the floor tail between your knees

"I'm sorry," his voice is rough and senseless. Your fingers dig into the wet wood. You wish you had your shovel on you know so you could bonk him on the head. He doesn't even want to look into your eyes and say it.

"No, you're not."

"You can't work in the garden anymore."

Your mouth opens quickly before shutting. Of course. Why would he want you there?

He releases you, letting you turn around to face him.

He continues to talk, "I want you to work in the castle. I want to see you more often."

"No."

"No?"

"If you wanted to see me more often you'd come outside."

His head jolts back in shock. He squints his eyes at you. You can see the ghost of a monster inside of him. He opens his mouth but you interrupt him.

"Who'd you end up marrying?"

"I'm engaged. Mareena Titanos. She controls lightning."

"Would she mind me up there with you?"

He blinks, taking a very long second to consider your words. His eyebrows turn up in sorrow and he gulps.

You cross your arms, "Can I stay in the garden?"

"Fine."

You walk past him, your heels digging into the mud. He reaches out to your shoulder but you ignore him.

Don't tell me to listen when you got nothing to say

"I never want to see you again, Maven."

"Wait!"

Eventually, you do turn around.

He doesn't say anything. His mouth is just open, searching for the words he doesn't know how to say. So you say them for him.

"Do you even know my name?"

He can't even respond. There's nothing to respond with that would have made you feel better.

You climb up your ladder and he doesn't follow you.

You're so unsure

You're so afraid

The next morning when you walked outta the shed to start your work, the sun shining down onto your hat, you can see his tall figure standing near the trees again. Whatever. You just ignore him, not even sending glances his way. And he accepts it.

But then he squats down next to you, putting an arm around your shoulder. You almost fall over from the weight of it. You have to fight everything in you to not look into those blue eyes of his.

"I love you, (Y/N)."

"I love you too, Maven."