Ruby reached home in the late afternoon, her steps slightly tired but her mind filled with thoughts. She rang the doorbell, and it was Julian who opened it. His mossy green eyes lit up as he saw her.
"Welcome back, Wife," he said softly, stepping aside to let her in.
Ruby walked inside, setting her bag down near the sofa. The living room was unusually quiet. She glanced around, her red eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. "Where are the others?" she asked, her voice calm but questioning.
"Umm... Milo and Karl were sleeping," Julian said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Ruby sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "He didn’t recite all the alphabets, did he?" she asked knowingly.
Julian looked even more embarrassed as he fidgeted. "Umm... I mean, he tried..." he trailed off, his voice growing softer. "But... but he got bored after five seconds of looking at the alphabets."
Ruby raised an eyebrow, her red eyes narrowing slightly. "Five seconds? Really, Julian?"
Julian chuckled nervously, avoiding her gaze. "You know how brother Karl is... He said the letters were... uh, too boring to look at and ran off to sleep."
Ruby shook her head, leaning back on the sofa. "Teaching Karl is going to take more patience than I thought," she muttered under her breath.
Julian glanced at her cautiously, then added, "But... don’t be too hard on him. Brother Karl said he’d try again tomorrow. He just... gets distracted easily."
Ruby gave a small nod.
"I brought some chocolates for everyone," she said, placing a bag on the table. "Have it together after they wake up," she added before heading toward washroom to freshen up.
Ruby splashed her face with cold water, letting out a long sigh as she leaned against the sink. The day had been exhausting, and her mind was already filed with plans for tomorrow. She dried her face with a towel and headed back to the living room, her stomach faintly grumbling.
When she walked out, she was surprised to see Julian had already reheated some food and was carefully setting it on the table.
"Come, eat," he said gently, gesturing toward the food. His mossy green eyes met hers with a quiet warmth, and Ruby couldn’t help but feel a little touched.
"You didn’t have to," she said, sitting down.
"I wanted to," Julian replied with a soft smile. "You’ve been out all day. You should eat while it’s warm."
Ruby nodded and started eating quietly, while Julian took a seat nearby, watching her eat gently.
Ruby took a bite of her food, feeling the warmth of the meal spreading through her. As she glanced at Julian, quietly sitting nearby, a strange feeling settled in her chest. He was gentle, caring, and always looking out for her in small, thoughtful ways.
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, noticing how his mossy green eyes seemed to hold a certain depth, almost glassy under the soft light. They weren’t just kind; they were calm and understanding.
Noticing her eyes on him, Julian looked up and gave her a small smile, his lips curving softly. The gesture was shy yet genuine, catching Ruby off guard.
Ruby found herself stealing glances at Julian as she ate. The thought slipped into her mind again, persistent and hard to ignore.
’Can I let go of someone like him? Someone who cares so deeply and quietly? Someone who’s always there, even when I don’t ask?’
She paused, resting her fork on the plate. Julian wasn’t perfect, but he had a warmth about him, a kind of quiet devotion she hadn’t felt from anyone before. His care was in the little things like heating food for her without being asked, waiting to make sure she ate, and never expecting anything in return.
Julian, sensing her gaze, fidgeted slightly in his seat. His cheeks tinged faintly with pink, and he lowered his eyelashes, looking away shyly. His long blue strands of hair fell forward, framing his face in a way that made Ruby’s chest tighten.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper, though his lips curled into a small, bashful smile.
Ruby blinked, realizing she’d been staring. "No reason," she said quickly, turning back to her plate. But the warmth spreading in her chest betrayed her calm tone.
Julian glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his own heart beating a little faster. Neither said anything, but the silence between them felt... softer. Almost comforting.
The next day, Ruby was getting ready to leave, and Karl couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy. No wife at home means no reciting alphabets. His baby blue eyes sparkled as he hummed a happy tune under his breath, feeling relieved.
Ruby, on the other hand, knew exactly what was running through his little brain. Oh, baby boy, you’re not getting off that easily, she thought, smirking to herself.
As Ruby was about to head out, Karl decided to put on his best performance, feigning sadness. "Wife... I’m so sad you’re leaving. Who will teach us today?" he said, his voice dripping with fake concern.
Milo, sitting nearby, rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn’t fall out. He knew his brother’s antics too well. "Brother Karl, you’re so fake," Milo muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
Ruby turned to face Karl, her red eyes narrowing playfully. "Of course, Karl," she said, her voice sweet but filed with mischief. "I know you’ve been practicing, right? You’ve already recited all the alphabets, haven’t you?"
Karl’s heart skipped a beat. He nodded rapidly, grabbing her hand in an attempt to convince her. "Yes, yes, wife! I’ve been practicing every single day! I’m practically a master now."
Ruby raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a sly smile. From ’stupid wife’ to just ’wife’? she thought, amused.
"Well," she said, tightening her grip on his hand slightly, "I won’t leave until you recite the alphabets for me."
—To be continued...🪄