Fear the Night
Chapter 8-The Confession

Chapter 8: The Confession

“Andyou think she’s trustworthy?” Maverick asked as the three sat in a small circlein the ‘bedroom’ and Yukio stared wide eyes at the other man.

“Whywouldn’t she be?” he questioned back, defensively.

“Itjust seems odd that she was so generousto you,” Maverick replied.

“Doesthat mean we’re untrustworthy becausewe were generous and helped you?!” Yukio shot back.

“That’sdifferent,” Maverick argued. “I’m goodat reading people. I knew you twoweren’t a threat to me.”

“Whatmakes you think I’m not good atreading people?!” Yukio snapped.

“Lookat you!” Maverick snickered. “You’re angry because of one reasonable questionabout her! You can’t read a person verywell when you’re attracted to them!”

ThoughIsabella hadn’t said a word, and didn’t say anything then either, but she’dbeen listening, and hearing Maverick say that made her cringe inwardly. Yukio stared at Maverick with wide eyes thenlooked to Isabella for a reaction. Maverick frowned then looked at her as well, but in confusion.

“What?”he finally asked, glancing between them but stopping on Isabella when she bowedher head slightly, then silently stood and walked out into the main room asboth men watched her, one confused the other in awe that she said nothing. Maverick turned back to Yukio and askedagain, “What the hell just happened?”

Yukiosighed and leaned toward Maverick to bop him on the forehead with the heel ofhis hand. Maverick was too shocked bythe action to even be angry and instead stared at Yukio with wide, surprisedeyes.

“You’rean idiot,” Yukio said, then sat back against the wall behind him. Thatbrought Maverick back to reality and made him angry.

“What’sthat?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“You.Are. An. Idiot,” Yukio repeated, slowly and Maverick glared at him. “You’re blind, too. Then again, with what you just said, maybethat’s a good thing.”

“What’s a good thing?” Maverick asked,still glaring at the other man.

“Shelikes you, dumbass,” Yukio snickeredand Maverick’s glare turned to wide-eyed wonder. “And that little comment probably made herthink you’re not even attracted toher since you’ve seen fit to trust us and let us live with you.”

Actually, you guys forced yourway in, practically,Maverick thought but said nothing.

Hehad to admit, he had been attractedto her, but he had set it aside so he could ‘read’ her. He guessed he was and idiot. But, he had kissed her. Impulsively and without warning, even on hispart, but he had. Surely that would havetold her he was attracted to her?

“IfI were you, I’d go apologize,” Yukio said, breaking through Maverick’sthoughts. He looked up at Yukio withwide eyes again.

“Forwhat?!” he hissed. “I didn’t even knowwhat was going on!”

“Youkissed her, then you said you weren’t attracted to her,” Yukio explained.

“That’snot what I said!” Maverick argued, still.

“That’swhat she heard, though,” Yukioreplied and Maverick sighed, rubbing his eyes to ward off the headachethreatening to attack. “I can tell youhaven’t been around many girls. Justtake my advice.”

“Yeah,”Maverick groaned.

“Ineed a walk,” Yukio lied through a smirk, standing and heading out and aroundthe corner to the stairs.

“Whereare you going?” Maverick heard Isabella ask Yukio as he thought of how he wouldapproach her.

“Stretchme legs, Izzy,” Yukio replied.

“Becareful,” Isabella requested.

“Surething,” Yukio answered and Maverick heard him head up the stairs then the openand shut of the door.

Witha sigh he stood and headed toward the corner. He rounded into the main room to replace Isabella bustling around, puttingthings in different places, what few places there were, then heading to her boxto unpack it. He leaned on the stone andwatched her for a moment before clearing his throat to get her attention. Only when Isabella looked back at him did hesmile slightly then stand tall. She onlyturned back to what she was doing but Maverick started walking toward heranyway.

“So…”he hummed, “about what I said about…reading people you’re attracted to, thatwas…stupid.”

“Howis it stupid?” Isabella wondered, her tone emotionless and she didn’t look athim.

“Yukiotold me,” replied and hid his smirk of amusement when she froze in her tracks.

“T-Toldyou what?” she sputtered and Maverick came up directly behind her.

“Thatyou like me, Bell,”he whispered and she jumped, whirling around to face him.

“W-What?!”she gasped. “H-He said that?!”

“You’reblushing, Bell,” Maverick smirked and she place her hands over her cheeks asshe still stared at him. “I’m sorryabout what I said. Truth is…” He trailed off, trying to word it just rightin his head before it came out of his mouth. He couldn’t let himself put his foot in his mouth again. “Truth is…I thoughtyou were drop dead gorgeous the first time I saw you,” he finally blurted witha smirk. “I just had to put that asideso I could…”

“‘Read’me?” she finished for him when he trailed off, her hands sliding from her face.

“But,if you still don’t believe I was attracted to you before, maybe this’llconvince you…”

Hecupped her face in his hands and gently pulled her toward him, their lipsmeeting and Isabella gave a startled squeak, her eyes wide in surprise. For whatever reason, he had to kiss her. He didn’tknow why, and he didn’t really care. Hestarted panicking when she didn’t move, but when he thought to pull away hefelt her hands on his chest and slid his arms around her to hug her close.

Amoment later they both moved away and Maverick watched her carefully as shestared back at him. She suddenly threwher arms around his neck and hugged him close as he stared ahead in wonder buthe also felt that unknown feeling he’d felt the first time he’d heard herlaugh. He hadn’t tried to figure it outthen, and he wouldn’t now. Now, he wouldjust enjoy her being in his arms as he slid them around her.

“Ibelieve you,” she smiled in a whisper.

“Youdidn’t believe me earlier with the more…awkward kiss before?” he chuckled backand she pulled away to see his face as she smiled.

“Thatone left me a bit confused,” she admitted, “and Yukio ruined the moment ratherabruptly.”

“Ishould have just let you move ininstead of him.”

“We’rerather inseparable, I’m afraid,” Isabella smiled then giggled and closed inslowly toward him, making him smile and close in as well. They were close to kissing again when a lowgrowl erupted from the cell against the wall. They both froze and looked to see Faye, awake and baring her teeththrough the bars, her yellow eyes glaring at the couple.

“Mine,”she growled and Maverick frowned at the Drone as Isabella trembled in fear atthe creature. He slowly moved her behindhim, both still staring at the creature in the cage and Maverick slowlyapproached the bars.

“What’syours, babe?” he asked, stepping to the bars, Isabella unmoving, seeminglynailed to the floor.

“You,”Faye growled again and Isabella gripped his hand before he was out of herreach. He stopped and glanced back ather giving her a reassuring wink. Fayesnarled behind the bars, thrusting her arm from the cell to reach for him andIsabella and Maverick both looked at her again.

“Ok,sweetheart, ok,” Maverick crooned to her, soothingly. He moved a bit closer to the cell andIsabella reluctantly let him go as Faye pulled hand back into her cell as hegot close enough to kneel right in front of her.

“Isabella,”he called, not looking away from Faye. “Go look for Yukio. I need sometime alone with Faye.”

“Maverick,I don’t think that’s---”

“I’llbe fine,” he interrupted, knowing why she was worried. Isabella swallowed but headed to the stairs.

“H-Howlong should I look for him?” she shuddered, heading up the stairs.

“Giveus an hour, Bell,”he replied and she said nothing more as she headed up the stairs.

Maverickheard the door open and shut from above, never taking his eyes off of Faye. He sighed and stood then stepped toward thesafe he kept his notebook in. He openedit and pulled out a key then headed toward the other side closer to thefreezer. Faye stayed in the corner whereshe had put the lamp she had torn from the ceiling as Maverick opened the doorto the cell, slipped in then closed the door behind him and slid the key intohis pocket.

“Alright,honey,” he said, leaning back on the far wall and crossing his arms over hischest. “It’s just you and me. No bars, no notebook. Just us.”

Hewatched carefully as Faye slowly grinned and supported herself against the wallto stand then growled, “Good.”