Sequel to Wishing Only Wounds the Heart
Notes: I own nothing. The title came from the song "Can't Take It In" from the movie soundtrack because I listened to it while writing this, the lyrics and music seemed Tumnus/Lucy to me.
Acknowledgements: This could not have been done without the great help from insidemyskin and mulberryblue on livejournal that were my betas for this chapter.
Dedication: To all my readers of the first story, you have all been so kind. I hope this meets both our expectations.
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A warm summer day greeted Tumnus and Lucy as they stood in a hallway, a pleasant silence creeping into their conversation. She felt the back of his hand cautiously touch hers before moving away slightly. Nothing happened for a moment and then his fingers were alongside her own before moving away again. She waited and then after another minute and his hand was taking hers, delicately intertwining their fingers together. She knew that now it was safe to look at him. He always did this ritual with a nervous stance, never saying anything. After he finally gathered the courage to finally take her hand, he would blush as if it was an extremely intimate act of romance. She smiled at him, watching as he shrugged and shuffled his hooves about.
"I think that was a personal record," she chided him, "only took you three minutes."
The blush only grew deeper as he shrugged, and muttered that Fauns were known for being cautious.
"It's been two years, my Tumnus," she leaned against him, "and you still can't even take my hand?" Jokingly, she nudged him.
His ears fell in the slightest movement as he quickly ducked his head down to lay a kiss on her cheek, whispering into her ear, "I am sorry, Lucy, but I am trying to-"
Footsteps could be heard coming and he quickly moved away. Edmund was soon at her side, a warm greeting to Tumnus and asking Lucy what dinner was supposed to be. After having a firm agreement that if it was beef again they would revolt, Edmund left the pair alone again.
Lucy leaned against a pillar, hands behind her back and a smile as wide as the ocean across her face. "My dear Tumnus, sometimes I wonder…"
He tilted his head, "You wonder?"
"Yes," sliding off her shoes, she moved them to the side, "why you act as if this is a terrible secret." Looking back up, she caught his eyes, "There is nothing to hide, everyone knows and it's perfectly fine for us to be together. So why have you been so nervous?"
He tried to act casual, "N-no reason."
Raising her eyebrows, she laughed, "No? Then you have been lying to me when you don't act as nervous as you have been?"
He was in front of her so close that she had to lean back against the pillar. "I do not lie to you, Lucy, I promise you that."
She frowned at the serious tone in his voice. Although the years had passed, he was still extremely sensitive to the fact of lying to her when he had planned to kidnap her. "I was joking; I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Placing a hand on his shoulder, she looked to his eyes, "I am sorry."
Tumnus took her hand and kissed it, "I will try to be better for you."
Lucy stared at him as if he had said a ludicrous thing, "You are perfect the way you are, and you can take as long as you need to get comfortable."
He smiled softly and laid a kiss to her cheek again, and instead of returning to his former posture, he stayed where he was. The Faun closed his eyes as she ran her hand softly along the back of his forearm, through the fur that lined his arms, feeling quite content with just staying with her like this the rest of the night.
These serene moments, when they were openly affectionate to one another were few and far between usually in private and consisted of whispered conversations and kisses to the wrist. A gentleman called out into the corridor that they were in that dinner was ready and Lucy made to move but Tumnus stayed her, his hand catching hers as it fell from his arm.
"I have been meaning to ask you," he said, leaning back ever so slightly so that their eyes were inches from one another, "is it so necessary for us to speak in such whispered conversations if our love is not a 'great secret'?"
Turning her hand in his she smiled, "No, do you wish for us to shout at one another?"
"Never," he said, looking down to their hands, "I hold these moments very close to my heart."
Lucy smiled, laying a kiss to his knuckles, "We can always talk louder if you like."
Chuckling, he stepped back and offered her his arm, "Shall we?"
Dinner was a jovial affair as it always was much talking and family bonding. Afterwards, Tumnus and Lucy went for a walk along the shore, the moon shining above them. They stood in the water, the waves coming against their legs, Lucy's gown getting its hem soaked but neither caring.
Casting a sideways glance to him, she knew she shouldn't say anything, but her worry was too great. "You have been rather nervous lately," she stated softly, continuing a conversation as though no time had passed, "are you certain nothing is wrong?"
Putting a hand to his head he sighed, a serious tone seeping into his voice, "You are quite the stubborn Human, Lucy."
She frowned, hating that the conversation was going from such a happy one to this, but she had to know. "Tumnus-"
"Nothing is the matter." He stared ahead, trying his best to brush off the topic as soon as possible.
"I just-"
"Believe me, Dear One."
"Why won't-"
Turning to face her, he fixed her with a most serious look, "Please," Running a hand through the curls of her hair, "Lucy, please, I do not want you cross with me."
She thought that if he would tell her, she wouldn't be cross but not wanting to fight, she nodded. A tense moment passed before she said that she should go in, her dress being soaked enough and Tumnus obliged by taking her back to her quarters. Both of them were quiet on the way back, neither wanting to say anything that would only make the other upset.
At her door, she looked back to him, tears filling her eyes and he fell under the spell of them as he always did, pulling her close. Pulling herself together so as to not bother him, he kissed her wrist and bid her sweet dreams. He noticed that although she nodded and smiled at his affections, she still didn't seem convinced that things were normal between them so he did something that he had just begun to do to show her his utmost love for her. Moving closer he kept steady eye contact before kissing her lips softly, his hand moving to her waist, drawing her in towards him.
It was something that he reserved for extreme cases and it held something stronger since he knew what it meant to her: he was learning of her ways as much as she was learning of his. Lucy understood this and treasured these as much as the wrist, and could be seen touching her lips with a deep blush upon her face whenever he had left, her mind in a whirl, trying to comprehend his love for her.
Pulling away, he whispered another goodnight before departing for his own room in the castle.
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