“1965”—-Zella Day
Anastasia x Naftrel AU | 1st person POV | Characters are kemonomimis
Naftrel’s POV INTRO
Today was the big day.
No, not a wedding, not a funeral, not the reunion of long lost sisters.
Today was Valentines Day.
Anastasia and I have been together for a good while now, and I do my absolute best to spoil her.
But I want to do something that’s more than just material, more than something to cherish—-but something to remember and hold in your soul.
I want that, and I want that with her.
Anastasia’s POV
So what if it was Valentine’s Day? People really celebrate that?
Hjslops has been nagging on about it to me, telling me it was the most romantic holiday next to Christmas and whatnot.
She nudged her elbow against my side, wiggling her eyebrows at me as if I was supposed to understand what she was trying to, poorly, convey.
I was currently in Eldmerthoden since Naftrel needed to be alone for a bit, something about a commission.
At first I didn’t question it, but I don’t recall him being too into commissions lately.
But, I suppose with it being Valentines Day and all, people are commissioning things for their loved ones.
I do have to admit, he’s the perfect artist for something like that; his realism is insane.
What I don’t understand is how he couldn’t possibly think so, himself.
”What?” I question the aumturner, my eyebrows downturned and a frown stretched onto my lips. My arms are crossed against my chest, my back against a nearby tree to Hjslops house.
”Come on,” she groans, rolling her eyes at me, slumping against the tree. “Naftrel has got to be doing something for you, it’s Valentine’s Day!”
I scoff. “Yeah, it’s Valentine’s Day. So what? Hey—-You know, I didn’t even know you guys did these sort of holidays the same as we do at Earth?”
Hjslops shrugs nonchalantly, her gaze on her nails now, picking at nothing. “Our worlds are very similar, you forget that.”
Her hair was glowing a bright shade of purple, the purple grass beneath nearly the same shade of glow.
A soft hum emits from the back of my throat, and I stare ahead at the rest of her world: the pink sky, the purple grass, the white sun, the yellow clouds.
It was still so weird despite having been here for a year already.
”I still don’t understand this whole Valentine’s, lovey dovey thing,” I say, glancing over at Hjslops, an eyebrow raising as one of my rabbit ears flick.
Hjslops gives me this look like she’s both disappointed and understanding.
Weird combo, but sure.
“What, you’ve never wanted to celebrate a cute holiday before?”
I shrug, now a little intrigued by the idea. But I wouldn’t tell her that.
Though, I’m sure she knows anyway without me having to.
”I mean…” I start, trailing off, my eyes squinting a little. “Not really,” I conclude. “I didn’t grow up privileged enough to be able to celebrate irrelevant things like Valentine’s Day or Christmas, or Halloween. Plus, when I was Thomas and all, he wasn’t really that type to do things for me, especially for something like Valentine’s Day.”
Hjslops groans and rolls her eyes, a glare in her eyes as she directs it at a random tree, probably feeling the same resentment I did towards Thomas. “That’s because he’s a huge douchebag. Any guy who actually loved his girlfriend would be thrilled to do something for her.”
Then her cheeky smirk comes back. “Like Naftrel. He absolutely adores you and there’s no way he isn’t attempting to do something for you.”
He adores me?
I suppose he does. I mean… He treats me really good that sometimes I think he’s faking it.
”You know, you’re able to find this out yourself,” I point out, shifting in my spot to give the woman a narrowed look.
Hjslops shrugs, swiping her long hair off her shoulders. “I want to be surprised, too.”
My eyebrows furrow. “Right…” How is she supposed to be surprised if she already suspects him?
I don’t understand her.
”You really want me to help you deliver this commission with you?” My voice cracks a little as I look down at the canvas in a white bag in Naftrel’s hands.
He nods, a hopeful look on his puppy-like face. “Yes. And I know it’s a little late,” I give him a look, “Okay… A lot late, but maybe it’d be fun to deliver this with me.”
My arms cross as I lean back against his grey couch. “You can’t deliver it tomorrow?”
Naftrel shakes his head, taking a step closer to me, holding the covered canvas close to his chest. “I can’t; it’s for Valentine’s.”
For Valentine’s day? It was really late, though, at that point it’d be better to actually wait for the next day.
The look on his face tells me he knows my thought process, but his begging eyes were a little too hard to resist.
With a sigh, I get up from the couch and Naftrel instantly perks up, his tail wagging excitedly behind him, his ears straight.
”Let’s go.”
I have a feeling Naftrel hasn’t been entirely truthful with me.
I’ve never seen him personally deliver a commission, and this path we’re taking isn’t in the direction of any houses.
In fact, it leads to a small lake, one Naftrel and I have gone to.
”Naftrel,” I start to voice my concern, but he cuts me off with a sort of playfully stern look. My eyes narrow.
The trees around us give out an eerie feel with the late sky, but it was oddly comforting, so I wasn’t entirely bothered by the creepy look.
Cicadas chirped in the background, as well, and it was oddly warm.
Or maybe that was just me because Naftrel had me cover myself in a bunch of layers of clothing.
It is February after all.
”We’re here,” I hear that familiar deep voice and turn my attention to him.
He gives me a warm and hopeful smile, but I just raise an eyebrow in confusion.
When he sees my confusion, he takes a step to the side to reveal a blanket lied gently on top of the grass.
My eyes widen a little. But why? It’s just a blanket…
Naftrel comes closer to me and I can’t help the red that comes to my cheeks as he does. He hands the canvas to me. “And this is for you,” he says, his ears against his head a little, but his tail wags gently.
”For me?” I question quietly, taking the covered canvas and looking down at it, almost afraid it’ll jump at me.
”For you,” he repeats.
I spare a single glance up at Naftrel before I uncover the canvas and a beautiful painting of me showered in various flowers is what meets my eyes.
”Wow,” I mutter without realizing I said it aloud.
This must’ve taken ages to paint.
How did he even get this done in one day? Wait, did he get it done in one day?
My gaze looks back up to the wolf. “How long did this take?”
He shrugs. “A month, at least.”
”A month?!” I exclaim, my eyes bulging from my head. “How did you hide this from me for that long?”
He tries to hold back his grin by pursing his lips, but his amusement is obvious on his face anyway.
”You just don’t… pay a whole lot of attention is all.”
My own lips purse and I squint my eyes at him, releasing a huff in annoyance.
He only chuckles, shaking his head. “Do you at least like it? I know you don’t necessarily have any favorite flowers, so I tried to add some that I thought fit you.”
I trail my eyes back to the painting and take it over once again.
I could see each stroke of the brush, each color layered upon another.
It was truly beautiful…
”Yeah,” I say with a slow nod. “I like it.” I look back up at him, a warmth coming back to my cheeks. “Thank you.”
This was the first time anyone has ever done this for me. I mean… He spent a month on this. That’s a month of his time just for me.
For me…
”You’re welcome. But that’s not it,” his voice catches my attention again, my eyes widening.
”There’s more?”
He nods. “A little.” He points to the blanket before taking my hand gently in his, leading me closer to it.
”You ever star gazed before?”
I shake my head before shrugging. “Not really, no.”
Naftrel gives me a cheeky look, his tail swiping against my waist teasingly. “Well, today you will. With me.”
My eyes roll. “Oh, how tragic, it just had to be with you.”
He only smirks. “You love me.” He guides me down to the blanket, and I watch as he lays back against it, adjusting a little in his spot for comfortability.
I place the canvas gently beside the blanket on top of the white bag that was over it before I lie beside Naftrel, only for him to tug me in closer until my head is against his shoulder.
A rather nervous laugh leaves me. “Unfortunately,” I reply.
Finally, I look up at the sky and it’s littered in bright stars that only appear tiny from here. They’re pretty.
I really don’t remember a time I ever took the time to observe the stars; watch as they twinkle, connect them into random things.
With Naftrel beside me, it was cosy, it was easy to get lost in the stars.
I guess Hjslops was right… He was doing something for me.
It was all a little embarrassing to be honest. I’ve never had this happen to me before, and Naftrel just does it all without hesitancy, with… love.
Ugh, I hate saying that; A shiver runs down my back.
Naftrel’s hand softly runs up and down my arms, then moves to my waist and does it there.
His touch has always been so calculated and homely.
I’ve never technically had a home before. Not one like Naftrel.
With him he feels… safe. Like I could go to him for anything and everything and he’d welcome it, he’d hear me before he did anything else.
I never had that. Not with Thomas.
But I’m happy I have it now, that Naftrel can be the rock in my life.
Had we not met, I would probably be dead, no joke.
”What’re you thinking about?” Naftrel questions in a whisper, his touch still on my waist.
I breathe out a long content sigh without really meaning to and adjust in my spot, snuggling closer to him.
”Nothing, just… life.”
He’s quiet for a moment and I feel him nodding faintly. “Life,” he repeats. “That’s truly something to think about.”
I chuckle softly. “It is…,” my words trail off.
I reach out at the sky with my hand, feeling the wind swift through my fingers as I try to touch the stars. “Why did you do this for me?”
”Because it’s Valentine’s Day,” Naftrel replied like it was the most obvious thing on Laemek.
A scoff leaves me, my hand still up feeling the light breeze.
”Just because it’s Valentine’s Day? I never understood the holiday.”
Silence stretches out between us before Naftrel follows with, “No. It’s because I love you.”
His own hand reaches out, bumping against mine before he sinks his fingers in between mine.
”I did this because I love you. I like having you in my life and doing this for you is my way of showing you that you matter to me, that you’re my top priority in life.”
Naftrel turns his attention to me and offers a gentle smile, his eyes twinkling like the stars above.
My cheeks burn with his confession and I can’t help but awkwardly clear my throat. “I… Don’t really know what to say to that,” I admit, looking at our hands.
”You don’t have to say anything, I’m just letting you know.”
He really just expects me to not say anything? After that life changing confession, he’s okay with me not responding?
Oh my god.
”Naftrel,” I whisper after a moment. “I want you to know that I can’t give you back the same amount of love that you give me. Even when you overfill my cup, I may only be able to fill yours half-way up.”
Depressing after his love confession, but I can’t help it.
He deserves to know.
”I know, bunny,” he whispers back, bringing the back of my hand to his mouth before placing a gentle kiss. “And I’m okay with that; I love you.”
Agh! He makes me want to rip out all of my hair from my scalp!
”…I love you, too.”
