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There were many things Aglaea regretted in her life. Running off her unofficially adoptive daughter, Ciphera, was her biggest regret. She was extremely lucky that the girl hadn't gone complete no contact. And her second biggest?
Breaking up with her boyfriend, Anaxa.
Some people would have looked at her sideways if she ever even admitted she had ever dated him. Anaxa was a bright man, recognized as a genuine scholar for a reason. He asked questions whether they were deemed appropriate or not. He didn't care if he stepped on someone's feelings with one of his questions or challenged their beliefs.
Ironically, it was their difference in beliefs that had caused them to even clash in the first place. Aglaea would consider herself a devout follower of the Titan of Romance, Mnestia. Even though Titans were a belief that was held thousands of years ago, Aglaea and her family had kept the temples clean and still practiced their faith to this day. They were about as devout as one could be in this day and age.
Anaxa didn't quite completely disavow the gods - or even really deny their existence - but he was certainly not fond of them. Any time someone said something positive about the gods or praised them in any way, Anaxa would scoff condescendingly. He’d debate you for hours about how the gods weren't that big of a deal, that science was more reliable and with more concrete results.
That particular attitude had caused quite a bit of fighting between the two before they had started dating. Even then, it just became a reoccurring debate they would have, just not as heated. Merely a routine that they had fallen into.
The hatred that the other scholars felt for Anaxa, however, never went away. In the year of what was believed to be the peak technology and reaching for even higher heights, Aglaea had thought humanity would move past assassinating coworkers over a difference in beliefs. Instead, she found herself secretly housing Anaxa in her house to prevent any of those attempts from succeeding. Since no one knew they were dating, though she was almost certain that Hyacine and Castorice had some idea, no one would think to look for Anaxa at her mansion. Most would even consider it the last place to look for him or never even consider it in the first place.
Then that fateful day had happened.
Aglaea had been the one to cut things off without explaining anything to Anaxa. How could she? How could she explain what was expected of her as the Lady Goldweaver? How was she supposed to tell him how she truly felt and what she really wanted without bursting into tears as he comforted her. Instead, she had marched into his apartment at the college and had spoken as if he was the worst thing to have ever happened to her.
She had watched as something in his eyes shattered, even as he tried to act as though this wasn't tearing him apart inside. She had watched as the months passed as her family tried to set her up with someone they viewed as worthy of their status and Anaxa’s condition continued to deteriorate. And the worst part was. . .
She was almost certain it was entirely her fault.
As she had watched Anaxa waste away, she made up her mind about a few things in her life. She didn't care what happened between her and her family anymore. Mnestia surely wouldn't have granted her this love if They hadn't meant for her to have it, for it to have flourished as it had despite her and Anaxa's differences in beliefs. If her family continued to disagree and only care about her partner being “eligible” or “compatible” with their lifestyle, then they had never been true followers of Mnestia in the first place. And if they disowned her for it? She had a job and a sustainable lifestyle outside of their money. She could take care of herself without the emotional and monetary blackmail.
She had something in her life that she wanted more than her controlling family or money. And that something had a habit of drinking too much coffee, working far too late, had blasphemous ideas about the Titans (despite rumors about being favored by one), and was the most roundabout nicest and honest person she had ever met. And if it took letting herself be disowned by her elitist family to have him, then so be it.
Anything to have him by her side again.
And of course, that monologue led her to her current predicament: how was she going to approach Anaxa? Before, she had been avoiding Anaxa like the plague because of her guilt over their break-up and had hardly seen him. But it had been ultimately inevitable that she would see him around campus. If anything, she felt her guilt threaten to swallow her alive every time she caught a glimpse of Anaxa and saw how badly his condition has deteriorated since the last time she had seen him.
There were several places they used to go together, both around campus and out in the city. But she knew Anaxa didn't like going into the city unless absolutely necessary or if Aglaea dragged him there. So, he was likely to be somewhere on campus. His beat up car was still in the shop in town anyway, he could have gone even if he wanted to.
Before their relationship had started, there were three places you were almost guaranteed to find Anaxa: his dorm, his lab, and the campus library. Aglaea had already went to his dorm and had found the lights out and his neighbor, a student and teaching aid named Hyacine, had told her he had already left for the day. Aglaea did her best to ignore the stare she received when she had left but she could help but wonder if the young woman blamed her as much as she blamed herself. Or maybe she was just projecting her guilt.
When she had went by his lab, the door had been locked and the window from outside had shown open curtains and a scholar-less lab. She wouldn't lie if she had said that she wasn't feeling slightly annoyed at the revelation because that meant there was only one last place to look for Anaxa: the library. If there was one thing the two of them had in common, it was that they were private people. If she were to confront him in the library, who knew how many people would be there to witness what she had to say.
But then she had to ask herself a question. Were people being around to see enough of a deterrent to keep her from professing her feelings to Anaxa? Telling him everything she wanted to tell him before the end of their relationship? Was people knowing enough to keep her from wanting to tell him exactly what she had in her heart?
She didn't let herself be disowned just so some nosy college students would be what would hold her back next.
Making her way towards her last destination, Aglaea didn't even bother to pretend to keep herself together. She didn't bother with the posh title of Goldweaver, with her reputation, with how her family or students would feel if they saw her now.
She ran.
By the time she had finally reached the library, she was heaving, her hair was a mess, she was sweaty, and she was certain her face was flush with exertion. She wasn't used to running, had never had a reason to. Aglaea really hadn't realized quite how pampered she was until now.
But something about her newfound freedom was. . .
. . .thrilling.
Without even bothering to fix her appearance, Aglaea slammed the double doors open. She didn't even blink when she saw several students turn to look at the disturbance. Even as she felt their eyes bore into her and take in her unkept appearance, she didn't turn and run out of the room. Instead, she scanned the library with a very keen gaze. It was already two strikes and she wasn't fixing to strike out on the third option. Then she saw it.
Mint green hair attached to a body that was huddled at a table in the corner. He hadn't looked up, so he hadn't noticed her arrival yet, clearly focused on his research material.
And Aglaea couldn't have that, now could she?
Not bothering to walk slowly or even cover her presence, she practically marched right over to where Anaxa silently sat. At first, she thought that he wouldn't notice her until she was right next to him, but with her practically stomping and her heels still making plenty of noise on the carpet, she soon found herself looking into pink-blue eyes.
At first he seemed confused, his eyebrows furrowing as if he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. Then he seemed to get angry, a look that almost made her pause. But then, when he registered how she looked and how her wide stride was taking her directly in his direction, his expression changed into alarmed confusion. She could only guess what was going through his head. He was probably wondering why his ex, who broke up with him, was marching towards him right now. Aglaea almost felt her lips twitch into an amused smile when he suddenly jumped to his feet.
As if she would give him the chance to get away.
With what little strength she had left from her earlier sprint, she lurched forward. Anaxa raised his arms, as if to keep her at bay, but she grabbed his wrists and slammed them against the bookshelf behind him, boxing him in. She didn't know what she was planning to do. She was exhausted from all of that running, mentally spent from all the stress from the past few months, and emotionally charged now that Anaxa was right in front of her.
Anaxa with his gorgeous two-toned eyes that she wanted to look at her, slim waist that she wanted to hold, those shoulders she wanted to rest her head against, and those lips that she wanted to. . .
A gasp brought her back to her senses.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring into those eyes she had missed so much. They were wide, staring at her in complete bafflement. It took a lot to rattle Anaxagoras the Foolish. But then she felt lips move against hers and she realized what happened.
She had kissed Anaxa.
And he wasn't pushing her away.
Suddenly, Anaxa ripped his hands out of her weak grasp and Aglaea almost closed her eyes. He was going to shove her off of him, she knew he would. She even found herself morbidly wondering how hard he would push her. After everything that had happened, she didn't know why her subconscious thought it was a bright idea to kiss him without talking to him first.
She let out a muffled yelp when two hands buried themselves in her hair and held her in place as a tongue dove into her mouth. He was kissing her back.
Anaxa was kissing her back!
Aglaea gripped the front of his tacky dromas jacket that he was so fond of because his sister had gotten it for him as a gift. It was a jacket she had teased him endlessly about but had repaired any rip or tear almost seamlessly whenever it was damaged. She had even seen some new tears before she lost her mind and kissed her ex. Who was also currently kissing her back.
And it felt wonderful.
Aglaea didn't care if she suffocated, didn't care if people were staring. All she cared about was that Anaxa's lips were on hers and she was drowning in the beautiful familiarity that she had missed. They used to kiss every day. A peck on the cheek, a kiss to a lock of hair, a reverent kiss to the back of the hand, a hickey on the neck, and loving kisses on the mouth. But with this kiss. . .
It felt like Anaxa was trying to devour her.
And she was gonna let him. He could suffocate her with this kiss and she wouldn't fight it. He could force her to kiss him every second of every day after this and she would let him. She would let him do anything. She would let him get away with anything. Just as long as he stayed right here in her arms and continued to steal what little breath she had left in her lungs.
And - just as suddenly as the kiss had started - it ended.
The two ex-lovers stared at each other. Not a single word left their lips for a long moment before Anaxa sighed.
“What is all of this about, Lady Goldweaver,” he asked, something almost bitter in his tone. “Don't you know how much this could damage your reputation or relationship with your fiancé?”
Oh. Oh, this wouldn't do. Not at all.
“I've been disowned,” she said simply. At Anaxa's eyebrow rising sharply, she quickly clarified, “I told them that I refuse to marry outside of love. That I wasn't going to marry that man just because he was rich or because they were threatening to hold my inheritance ransom or threaten to tear my life apart.” She shook her head in frustration.
Something in Anaxa's gaze darkened. He knew her relationship with her parents used to be good before she started dating him. But the second they found out that he came from a poor background and even now still chose to live humbly, they had made their disapproval known.
Quite loudly.
It had driven them both mad. The threats had seemed unending and had crossed the lines of harassment long ago. But the campus had done little to actually protect her, the previous headmaster of the college had basically turned his nose up and ignored them.
All the way up until that fateful day at the apartment. With the special home cooked meal, the wine they both favored on the table, their favorite song playing over the speakers, and the softest smile on Anaxa's face. It had been their anniversary, a happy time that should have been filled with joy, but Aglaea. . .
She could still vividly remember Anaxa's face shattering. She remembered how she had run away. She remembered how threatening her with money hasn't worked, not with her high paying job and how much she and Anaxa could have made together. So they had threatened her with something else.
Something she absolutely couldn't lose.
But that hadn't made what she felt she had to do any easier. The tears she did her best to hide, Anaxa's pleading, her faux cold response, that damned look.
She had nearly killed herself that night. Instead, here and now, she knew what she couldn't live without. She cared nothing for the ideal life her family wanted of her, the things they demanded of her. She knew the life she wanted to live, she knew what she had to give up in order to have it. And in her eyes?
It would be totally worth it.
“Ask me again.”
“What?”
She scoffed.
“Don't live up to the title of Foolish. You know what I mean.”
A short splutter.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“I'm not stupid, Anaxa.”
His body tensed against hers.
“All of our favorite things, the smell of my favorite roses, you actually cooked without blowing the kitchen up-”
“Hey!”
A chuckle.
“Ask me again.”
“I haven't even asked you once.”
“Then do it now.”
A shaky sigh and unsure eyes.
“Aglaea,” another shaky intake of breath, “will you marry me?”
She almost didn't even give him time to finish his sentence before she was on him again with renewed energy. She hardly even was able to whisper her answer to him before they were kissing and hugging fiercely again.
Her family could disavow her, her family could abandon her, her family could attempt to blackmail her, but she. . .would never let them come between her and Anaxa again. She loved him in such a pure and unadulterated way that she knew Mnestia would approve their union. She didn't want to be with anyone else and Anaxa, with his now loose arms circling around her waist while hers were around his shoulders, obviously felt the same if the way her squeezed her close meant anything.
If that idiot her parents tried to set her up with tried to come back, she would kill him. She knew Anaxa would visit her in prison. Or would be the one to kill him before her. She’d bail him out if it came to that.
Aglaea loved Anaxa.
And Anaxa loved her back.
That's all she cared about.