Page 105 of Inked Desires
Our everyday life was built on unstable but strong foundations. We learned to live together, to navigate our wounds. We learned to trust, to tame each other without suffocating.
And against all odds, it works.
We no longer speak of William. Ares hasn’t heard from him, and he doesn’t try to. Maybe that’s for the best.
Robert hasn’t contacted us in months either. From what I understood the last time we saw him, he met someone and finally decided to give me space. It surprised me then, and maybe hurt a little too. Part of me had grown used to his presence, to how he was always there—even when I didn’t want him to be. But I suppose it’s a good thing. He needed to move on too.
I brush Ares’s hand with my fingertips and close my eyes. My thoughts drift to our trip to Greece.
It was his idea. One night, after a long day at the salon, he appeared in the kitchen, tossed his phone on the table, and simply said:“Pack your bags, we leave in a week.”
I think I laughed, thinking he was joking. But no. Ares never jokes about things like that. And a week later, we were on a plane headed to Athens.
The idea of leaving had never crossed my mind. Running, yes. Always running. But traveling, discovering a world that didn’t know me—that’s different. It’s scary. I’d forgotten what it felt like to be free.
We did everything. The narrow streets of Athens, the Parthenon under the blazing sun, the little tavernas where Ares always ordered too much food, claiming I needed to“gain some weight.”
We took a boat to Santorini, saw the white houses clinging to cliffs, sunsets setting the sea ablaze. He laughed when I nearly fell trying to pet a stray cat. I loved that laugh.
And then there was that night.
We were on the island of Milos, far from the crowds, just the two of us and the vast sea. The sky was clear, a sea of stars above us. A light breeze made me shiver.
Ares stood up, silent as usual, and pulled something from his pocket.
I think my heart stopped.
“You’ll think it’s cliché, but…”
He paused, searching for words, and I was struck by how nervous he looked.
One breath later, he locked eyes with mine.
“I love you, Andrew. I love you like crazy. And I know I’m not the easiest man to live with, but I want us to keep moving forward together.”
His fingers squeezed the little black box.
“So, marry me.”
It took me a few seconds to process. My brain refused to grasp what he’d just said. Then I looked at the ring. Simple, yet elegant—just like him. My heart pounded in my chest, and at that precise moment, I knew I’d never been so sure of anything.
So, I said yes.
And Ares smiled—that rare smile, the one that takes my breath away every time.
When we got back, he told me he’d handle all the planning. That he’d keep me informed when the time came.
I know what you’re thinking, that it’s a strange concept, and I agree. But I trust him completely, and I know he’ll organize something wonderful.
Ares isn’t the type to do things halfway. He’s meticulous, a perfectionist, and even if he pretends not to care, he has this attention to detail that pushes him to always do things right.
So, I let him.
At first, I tried to ask questions. Just to see.
“Do you think it’ll be a small gathering or with a crowd?”
He raised an eyebrow and replied flatly,“You’ll see.”
