A hug

Beatrice pulled the keys of Lucas's house and unlocked the door. As she went inside, she noticed that the lights were still on.

"Where were you, Beatrice?" She heard a voice from behind and turned to the direction where it came instantly. Lucas came into her sight with an indescribable expression. He looked mad, worried, and relieved at the same time.

"I told you I went back to my parents to get my car back" she grabbed her phone and looked at the time.

It was already past midnight? Was he waiting for her to come home?

"Why were you so late? I thought you'd only be out for a couple of hours." Lucas was frustrated as he brushed his hand through his hair.

He appeared to be tired as his grey eyes were weary and his face was pale out of exhaustion.

Beatrice felt sorry for Lucas's state right now but it's not her fault she found herself in a dilemma earlier.

She felt a throb in her heart and found it weird but she shrugged it all off.

"What do you care if I stay late outside?" She asked in a guarded tone and put on a tough exterior.

"What do I care about?! Don't you know how worried I was thinking about what had happened to you? I called your parents and your residence but they told me you left hours ago. I had no way to contact you, I have no way to contact my wife so I was left here imagining worst scenarios that could occur to you!

What if you were in a terrible accident?! What if you were abducted?! It makes me crazy just thinking about those things and not knowing what might have happened to you!" Lucas exploded like a huge bomb and Beatrice was too surprised to even speak.

She doesn't know how to respond back to his outburst and she kept silent. Thinking deeply she thought to herself.

'Was he worried? But why?'

They are not in a real relationship for Lucas to worry about her and he's not her guardian or anything.

But the thought of Lucas worrying about her sparked a feeling that was slumbering deep inside of her. She couldn't explain but she felt happiness and warmth flooding her chest and overwhelming her enough not to speak. She was surprised by the unknown feeling but it felt nice and she wanted it to linger for a bit of time.

This was the first time she was told off for staying out too long and she thought it was not that bad. She didn't expect hearing his sermon could make her feel happy, instead of anger and sadness. Weird right?

"I got into trouble earlier and that's why I was out late," she said honestly.

Lucas eyed her suspiciously as if he was not buying what she just said, "I'm telling the truth!"

He heaved a long sigh and looked so distraught as if he was bringing all the world's burden behind his back.

Lucas made three long strides and before she knew it they were inches apart. Confusion was etched all over her face but before Beatrice could glance up and look at him straight in the eye, warm arms wrapped around her body.

Beatrice inhaled and she could clearly distinguish a mint and lemon scent that wafted all over her. His breath on her neck sent shivers down to her spine and his well-built and strong arms coiled around her in a tight hug.

Lucas was inches taller than her so it was easy for him to drape his arms around her. She looked like a small girl clutched by him with her small frame and petite body.

Her body turned stiff all of a sudden and she could hear the sound of crickets in her head as all her thoughts and reasoning were washed away and only emptiness was left on her brain. Beatrice's eyes were as wide as a flying saucer and her mouth was gaping open from shock.

'Wtf!'

"Lucas, what are you doing?!" She asked in a panicky, confused, and questioning voice. She could feel his entire body on her and her face turned crimson red.

"Clearly hugging you," he nonchalantly said.

'How could he be calm in this situation?'

'I know that Fucker! I'm not playing games with you. Get away from me!"

Beatrice punched and jabbed his back with her fists but he remained still as if he felt nothing. She pushed him with all her might but Lucas did not budge an inch. He remained calm while Beatrice was about to burst from embarrassment and thousands of thoughts were running in her mind with every second that passed.

'Oh my God! Why is he hugging her? Why is he doing this?'

All her blood seemed to travel up to her face and she felt warmth brewing up inside her.

"Hey, Lucas!-"

"Let's just stay like this for a while, wife"

Lucas couldn't help but pull Beatrice in his arms.

'I thought she was in some kind of accident. I thought she ran away and left me behind again. I thought I had lost her all over again.'

'I couldn't afford to lose you, Beatrice. Not now, not ever.'

His heart clenched with the thought of losing Beatrice, he already had the chance to be with her yet it all turned to dust. Now he will do everything to make Beatrice his and this moment can't slip away from his hands.

Lucas was worried sick as he waited for Beatrice to come home. He waited for hours and did his best to track her location. But it was futile since he doesn't know anything about his wife. That made him realize how powerless he was and how ignorant he was towards his wife.

He pulled her closer to him, tightening his arms around her as if he was trying not to let her go. As if this hug would bind her to him and keep her close forever.

"Ugh Lucas, I'm choking and It's so hot. I'm dying here!" He loosened the hug and Beatrice tried her chance again of pushing him away. But her efforts were all in vain as Lucas had his arms around her like a chain.

"Don't overreact, wife. It's midnight and it's chilly out here"

Beatrice groaned with dissatisfaction with the situation she's in. It was uncomfortable and awkward but it was kinda pleasant.

'Pleasant?! Are you fucking going crazy, Beatrice?! Did marrying this crazy creep turn you into one too? Was he able to magically brainwash and hypnotize you?'

Beatrice totally hated being harassed but why is she not feeling any animosity at him. She could not feel any anger nor hatred towards him.

'Maybe it's because it's a normal hug right? Right?... Fuck that, what's a normal hug?'

"I'm letting you go now but promise me you won't do anything weird"

Beatrice scoffed since he's the one who was acting weird and now he's going to make her promise not to do anything weird?

"I promise" she answered with great submission.

"Ok, I'm letting you go now" he slowly withdrew his arms that were coiled around her.

And without warning, her first flew right on his face and she had another bullseye that night.

"My fingers were crossed" she brought her crossed fingers up to show it to him and grinned widely.

She did not slap him, she punched him right on the face. 'Take that'

"Aw fuck that hurts! …... You're so barbaric, wife!" he blurted out as he caressed his bruised cheek.

"Thank you for the compliment, and that's not new" Beatrice gave him a sweet smile.

'I guess she's the type of woman who gets violent from cheesy and corny actions. Well, I guess I'll be a battered husband then.' Lucas thought to himself as his cheek was still burning from her punch.

Beatrice may be small and petite but she does pack some huge and heavy punches. But Lucas could take all of that as long as in the end, he could make Beatrice his.

"I'm going to go upstairs and sleep now. Don't you ever do something weird again Lucas or I'll really punch you harder next time.

Get an ice pack so that it wouldn't bruise tomorrow" she spoke the last sentence in a soft voice and Lucas was only able to get a gist of it.

Lucas grinned, "You can punch me all you want, but I can't promise I won't do anything weird to you again"

Beatrice squinted her eyes and felt annoyed by what he said. "Ugh, you're so stubborn!"

'I don't care what he does, but just he tries and I'll make sure I'll return a smack at him that he'll regret doing it.' Beatrice thought to herself.

"Hey, wife!"

"Ugh, I'm not your wife!" Beatrice was so annoyed with how stubborn he is.

"But I can clearly see the woman I married standing on the stairs" He was pertaining to Beatrice who was currently on the stairs and Beatrice couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Don't you know how yuck and disgusting you sounded" she made a disgusted face and acted as if she was really disgusted.

"Just wait, wife!"

"I told you! Stop calling-" she couldn't finish what she's about to say as Lucas dashed his way to the kitchen.

She couldn't bring herself to take another step upstairs and waited for Lucas to come back out of curiosity. He came back after a few minutes with an ice pack in his hand.

"What now?" She eyed him strangely,

'Why did he let her wait just to bring an ice pack for his cheek?'

"Use it" Lucas handed the ice pack to her and Beatrice couldn't be more confused than a lost squirrel.

"Uh, what?" She had a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"Your hand looks swollen. You should use the ice pack on it"

Beatrice didn't notice that her knuckles were stinging and red from the punch until Lucas brought it up. Her hand looked like it was going to bruise and was swollen.

"How about you?" She accepted the ice pack and the feeling of guilt surrounded her. She punched him on the face but he was more worried about her hand.

"There's another ice pack in the kitchen and this is nothing. Your punch was as soft as a kitten's" he smugly smiled.

She takes that back. She was not feeling guilty at all but she felt super irritated. Her punch was like that of a kitten? She badly wanted to wipe that smug smile of him out his face.

"Oh, so that's why you look like a puffing fish in one side of your cheek and you were in pain earlier. You're so weak if a kitten's punch did that to you " She scoffed at him.

"I think you were seeing wrong. I'm completely fine and my handsome face is still…..well, handsome" Lucas grinned as he was teasing her.

"Ugh, whatever. You narcissistic jerk!" She stomped her way upstairs and into her room. She closed the door with a bang and locked it.

She jumped on her bed and punched the pillows. "He's so annoying!" She imagined Lucas was the pillow and she was punching him countless times.

"Aw fuck!" She exclaimed as her hand was starting to hurt again. She placed the ice pack on it and continued to jab the pillow with her other non-injured hand.

All her life she never met a person as annoying and irritating as Lucas Landcaster.

"Ugh, just you wait Lucas!"