Ruby and Julian were enjoying a quiet, peaceful day in Dreadmire village.
The sun was warm, the sky painted in soft blue, and a gentle breeze danced through the trees. They had decided to take a walk, exploring the parts of the village they hadn’t seen yet. Birds chirped in the distance, and the air smelled fresh like herbs and wildflowers.
As they strolled along a narrow path, they came across a small stream flowing gently between smooth stones. The red water sparkled under the sunlight, clear and clean, with tiny fish darting through it. The area looked like a perfect postcard.
Ruby stopped, eyes wide with wonder. "It’s so beautiful here..."
She took a deep breath, enjoying the calmness that wrapped around them like a warm hug. Then suddenly, she grinned and reached for her bag.
"Let’s click some photos!" she said cheerfully.
She pulled out her phone and unlocked it quickly. "Come on, stand here," she pointed to a spot beside the stream, "Right under this tree."
Julian raised his brows a little but nodded and walked over. He stood still, straight like a soldier, arms to his sides, and gave a very serious face to the camera.
Ruby looked through her phone screen and burst out laughing.
"No! Not ," she giggled, lowering the phone. "You look like you’re about to take a passport photo!"
Julian blinked. "Isn’t that how you’re supposed to pose?"
She walked over to him, still smiling, and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Stand relaxed. A little to the left—no, no—not that stiff." She adjusted his position with soft movements, turning his body slightly toward the stream and fixing his robe.
"Look here, not too serious, just a little smile... Yes, like that," she said, brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead without realizing.
Julian stood still, letting her adjust him. His eyes quietly followed her as she stepped back to take the photo.
She raised the phone again, and this time—click.
"There," Ruby said, looking at the screen. "You actually look handsome now."
Julian gave her a deep smile. "So, I looked terrible before?"
She laughed again. "You looked like a statue. A serious, awkward statue."
He rolled his eyes but smiled.
Then she turned the camera to selfie mode and leaned in beside him. "Come on, let’s take one together."
Julian leaned toward her, and she lifted the phone. Behind them, the stream sparkled and the tall grass swayed gently in the wind. Their faces close, their expressions soft.
She looked at the photo and nodded. "Perfect."
As they stood by the stream, the light breeze playing with the ends of Ruby’s hair, Julian’s eyes slowly drifted to her face.
The sunlight touched her gently, making her skin glow with a golden warmth. A soft sheen of sweat glimmered on her forehead from their walk, but it only made her look more real—more alive. Her cheeks were slightly pink, and her eyes sparkled from laughing just moments ago.
But something new caught his attention.
His eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on her chin.
There was a tiny mole—small, almost like a beauty mark resting just under the curve of her chin. And Julian was sure... he had never seen it before.
"You have a mole, wife?" he asked softly, leaning in closer, eyes fixed on her face.
Ruby blinked, then quickly looked down at her phone, switching the camera back to selfie mode. She zoomed in on her face and tilted her head slightly.
"Yeah... it seems," she said, surprised. "Maybe it was always there... just faint."
Julian didn’t answer right away. He stepped in, even closer now, eyes darker—calmer, but intense.
"Wife..." he whispered, his hand gently touching her jaw, his fingers warm against her skin. "Let me see."
He tilted her face carefully toward him, studying the tiny mole like it was a secret meant only for him to discover. His thumb hovered near it but didn’t touch. His eyes weren’t just focused on her chin now—they lingered on her lips.
Soft, pink, slightly parted from the warm breeze.
His heart gave a slow, deep thump in his chest.
"Jules...?" Ruby’s voice was soft as she tilted her head slightly, looking at him with curious eyes.
Julian blinked, almost like waking up from a dream. He had been staring without realizing, his heart beating slower but heavier.
He gave a small, nervous smile and backed up just a little. "Yeah," he said, clearing his throat. "It’s... a new mole, I guess."
Ruby watched him quietly, her gaze steady. She wasn’t stupid. She had seen where his eyes had gone.
He hadn’t just been looking at her mole.
His eyes had dropped lower... to her lips.
Her expression didn’t change much, but her eyes deepened. She gave him a knowing look, just a little meaningful glance, not teasing or shy. Just... honest.
He looked down for a second, rubbing the back of his neck. His ears were turning red now, even though he tried to act normal.
"I wasn’t staring," he said quickly.
Ruby raised one brow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You weren’t?"
"I mean... maybe a little," he admitted, his voice low. "You were just... glowing, and the sun, and... I didn’t mean to."
She didn’t reply, but she stepped closer. Close enough that he could smell the faint scent of her shampoo like wildflowers and warm wind.
Her eyes met his again, and this time she wasn’t just smiling.
Julian opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but the words got stuck. He just stared at her lips again, and this time... he didn’t try to hide it.
He felt it again that same feeling he’d had so many times lately. That strange, quiet ache that whispered in his chest.
He wanted to kiss her.
He took a slow breath and said in a low voice, "Wife... kiss me."
For a second, she didn’t move. She never expected him to say that aloud. Not him. Not Julian—soft-spoken, Gentle Julian who always looked at her like she was a painting he couldn’t touch.
But this time... he said it.
—To be continued...🪄