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Chapter Text

Sam and Eden took a few laps around the garden, exploring what wasn't visible in the portrait. They found a stone gazebo held up by multiple pillars, overgrown with pink roses and other plants. A female sculpture presented itself in the center, posing with confidence. The gazebo was surrounded by a moat, with lily pads and flowers floating at the top of the sun reflective water.

'Who's this lady over here?' Sam questioned, pointing at the statue in the gazebo.

'It's Venus, Goddess of Love, did you seriously not know that?' She laughed, getting her revenge from earlier.

'Yeah, obviously, I was just testing your knowledge.' He blurted out an answer.

'Right.' She was unconvinced, 'But yeah, she's very famous in Roman mythology. She's said to be the embodiment of fertility, sex, and beauty.'

'Huh, I knew that.' He said cockily, not wanting to admit he was wrong.

'Sure you did, but yeah, she's quite a woman.' Venus stood with an arm posed at the side of her face, her elbow bent, and her hand reaching into the air. A robe was draped onto the lower half of her body, as she stood boldly in her naked chest.

'She's beautiful, isn't she?' Eden said, in awe over her.

'Eh, I've seen better women.'

'Wow.' She laughed at his comment, 'You've seen better women than a Roman Goddess?

'Yeah.' He said with certainty, shining an awkward smile that became suspicious.

'Right, I'm sure you've been with a list of women who outshine Venus here.' She held out her hand as a remembrance to the Goddess' appearance.

'Well, y'know, I've had a couple of flings here and there.'

'Ugh, don't get me started, you totally had a thing for that girl from Jakarta.'

'I mean, we definitely had fun together.' He tried to conceal the grin from his face, but it clearly wasn't working.

'Define fun.' Her eyebrows pulled upwards, shooting him a not so friendly expression.

'I think you know what I mean.' He smirked.

'God Sam, I didn't realise you were getting that personal with her. I thought she was just a friend.' She laughed.

'Well, we were, we just allowed ourselves to get to know each other, if you know what I mean.' Eden tutted out a response, not amused.

'What, you jealous or something?' He grinned, knowing he'd provoke a reaction.

'No! Definitely not, I'd rather be caught dead than sleep with you.' The sentence came out without much thought, she just wanted Sam to back off.

'Ouch, talk about a low blow.' He rubbed the back of his neck, his ego slightly wounded.

'Oh don't be dramatic, you've got at least five girls at home waiting for you.' She grinned. 'So is she the girl you're talking about?'

'Oh no, I mean she's a good looking girl, but no, she's not who I'm referring to.'

'Hm okay, then who is it? Who is the woman you think is more beautiful?'

Sam dug himself a hole he couldn't get out of. He's told many lies in his time, some more dangerous than others, but he couldn't make himself lie in front of her. He exhaled, 'Well, she's um...standing right in front of me...' He scratched his head awkwardly, turning away in embarrassment from what he had just said.

'She's what?' Eden moved her head frantically, before quickly coming to the realisation that his answer was directed at her. Her cheeks blushed awfully red, the heat prickling at her face like fire. Her eyes focused on him as she laughed at his confession, 'You think I'm beautiful?'

There was a moment of silence. The question scared him so badly he didn't know whether he was capable of telling her the truth. So he did what he always did,

'Nah, I'm just messing with you.' He played off confidently, trying to cover up whatever his clumsy mouth let slip.

'Sam, you're such an arsehole.' Her face was smiling, but her arms folded in slight agitation.

'What?' He laughed flirtatiously.

'Ugh, nothing.' She huffed.

'Jeez, didn't realise it affected you so much.'

She laughed it off, 'It's not, it's just-' until she couldn't find her words. Although she was smiling through it all, it weirdly made her jealous. She secretly knew why she felt this way, but she didn't want to think about it. Sam picked up on this quite quickly, tempted to bring out her jealous side for his own amusement.

'Just for your information, I was talking about Danielle.'

'Oh, is that right?' She rested her hands on her hips, gazing at him with cold eyes.

'Yeah, I think I still have a bit of a crush on her. I mean hey, maybe after this jobs over I'll give her a call, pick up where we left off.' The annoying smirk on his face was striking her with envy. Eden quietly grumbled in reaction to his comment.

'I swear to God, you're just doing this to wind me up.'

'Nope, I'm telling the truth. Actually you know what, I'm gonna call her right now-' He pretended to get out his phone.

'Ugh, I'm gonna kill you!'

'Hm, I would like to see you try.' Eden wanted to rub the smugness off his face. She stared at him, calculating her next move. She attacked him with her hands, tickling him aggressively. He scrunched his body in discomfort, however the continuous sound of laughing was heard right after. He tried to defend himself,

'Ah, Eden! You know I'm ticklish!' His eyes spotted the perfect opportunity for revenge. Without much thought, he ran a hand up the back of her top, hitting every ticklish nerve in her body. She burst out into laughter, trying to pull him away, but she simply couldn't do it. The sensation made her body weaken, causing her to lose her balance. She took him with her, falling to the ground as he toppled onto her. From the short impact of the fall, the two groaned, almost forgetting that they landed on each other. Their eyes lingered on another, staring deeply and for quite a moment. Despite the fear infiltrating her body, she couldn't quite help taking in his features. She found the creases of his wrinkles sitting on his forehead, then his dark thick eyebrows that brought depth to his brown eyes. In midst of her analysing, she saw an awkward smile blossom from his face. Just one flash of a simple smile brought Eden back to when they were younger, to the first time she developed an attraction to him. The same heat that rushed to her cheeks did the very same in this moment, but she didn't like this reminder one bit. She threw him off of her, slowing rising to a stance whilst Sam endured the consequence of being dumped to the floor. The swans quacked loudly all of a sudden, and Eden found it the perfect opportunity to fabricate.

'The swans, um, I'm just gonna go over there.'

'Yep- You go do that-' He groaned, still lying on the floor and recovering from the abrupt fall. He gradually recovered himself, but by the time he got up she was already gone, leaving Sam to reflect on their conversation. He may have saved himself in the end, but he hated how he let his words fall out so carelessly. Oddly, there was something nice about it. It felt nice to stop putting up a front and stop pretending that his feelings for her were non existent, because they weren't. They lived inside of him and frequently found a way to make themselves known, and that's what he was scared of. He knew that there'd be a time where he'd slip up again, and as good of a liar he was, he was afraid he wouldn't get away with it. And plus, he still didn't know if the time was right, or if there was even a right time for it. If he couldn't confess how he felt, the least he could do was give her something on behalf of his love for her. He saw Eden in his sight, talking to the swans in a cute voice whilst taking pictures of them.

'Look how many of you guys are! You're like one big happy family, aren't you?'

He felt a smile of joy wash over him, curling the sides of his mouth. He braced himself with a deep exhale, walking over to her and digging in his back pocket. After checking himself again and again, he realised it wasn't there. He went into panic.

'Ah shit, where the hell is it?' He patted himself in a rush, trying to find what he was looking for, but it was no where to be found. Eden's focus shifted from the swans to his random panicking.

'Sam, are you alright?' She asked concernedly.

'Yeah, uh, just trying to find something, give me a minute.'

'What are you looking for?' He got nervous by her response.

'Uh, it's nothing, don't worry about it.'

'Okay...' She said, unsure by what he was doing. After checking himself all over without much thought, he recalled where the item was.

'Oh, it's in my bag.' He said aloud, going to his rucksack and zipping it open in search for the mysterious object. He immediately found it at the bottom of the bag, taking it out and zipping his bag back up. He approached her cautiously with it in hand, whilst the tension made his heart thump strongly in his chest,

'Eden.' Hearing her name sent a rush of adrenaline down her body. She rotated herself, finding her partner holding a wooden box that he clutched tightly by his chest. Her eyes sprung into curiosity, wondering what was inside.

'What are you holding?' She smiled in slight confusion, then she remembered, 'Wait...no...you haven't...Sam, don't tell me you-'

'I thought, because you liked it so much, that I'd give it to you...' He opened the box, revealing the golden ruby necklace she was obsessed with. It's jewels glistened in the sun, and Eden's face dropped in shock,

'Sam...Oh my God. You didn't have to-'

'No, no, I want you to keep it.'

'Are you serious?' He gave her a reassuring nod, and her face grew excited. 'I- don't know what to say...'

'You don't need to say anything, don't worry.'

'Can I?' She said hesitantly, her hands gesturing towards the box.

'Of course, it's your necklace now.' He gave her a smile, watching her face go through several stages of joy. She took the necklace from the box, handling it with care before holding it up against the beaming sun, allowing it to shine in all of it's glory.

'Would you like to put it on?' He suggested, his mouth hurting from how intensely he was smiling.

'Yes, I'd love to.' She answered happily, grabbing a handful of her hair and draping it to one side. She slowly put the necklace against her skin, wrapping the chain around her neck whilst trying to clip it into place. But knowing her luck, she couldn't quite get the hang of it. She fiddled about with the clasp, trying to get it in between the hole, but it was no use. Sam could gather that she was struggling.

'Do you need a bit of help?'

'No, no, it's alright, I'm almost there-' She didn't want his help, not only because it made her feel bad, but that it would be another moment where they'd have to share the same space. And she didn't want that, not with all of her confused emotions running wild. So she attempted to connect the necklace by herself, but every time she thought she was nearly there, the clasp would slip, causing her to mutter to herself in annoyance. In the end, he had to intervene,

'Hey, it's okay, I've got it. Turn around for me, please.' Eden sulked, but she did what he asked. When she could feel how close they were, it brought her the same worry she felt in the forest, holding her breath and praying for what was to come to be over. But once he began tugging the necklace gently at the back of her neck, feeling his hands brush softly against her skin, she couldn't pretend to be annoyed. The two stood in silence as he played around with the clasp, attempting to hold it together. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew it was better than watching her struggle. Eden noticed a warm exhale of air hit the back of her head in a noticeable rhythm. Her stomach grew with nerves as he continued to connect the clasp, and overtime his touch made her feelings overflow. They were rising above the surface, and she wanted it to stop, but as much as she disliked her feelings, she couldn't deny how great it felt for him to be so close to her. She was in a moment she had always wanted to be in, but never wanted to express it. And the more she thought about it, the more she stood near the man she quietly loved, she was finally coming to terms with her unresolved feelings. It was clear that her heart skipped a beat whenever their eyes met, when they'd share the same space, when he would make her laugh. Her realisation caused her to tense up, so much that she couldn't think straight. A gust of panicking thoughts swept through her. No, Eden, you can't be in love with him. This is going to affect the job. What if he doesn't feel the same? You're going to make yourself look like an idiot. You can't become distracted, you need to focus on the treasure. He's just going to laugh at you. He is your business partner, you cannot have feelings for him. Stop, God just stop! Everything was becoming too much, until she heard the clasp click at the back of her neck. Sam slowly moved away as he let her adjust the piece of jewelry to her liking. Her hands were sweating and trembling from the moment, but she shifted her attention to the necklace, lifting it from below and dropping it comfortably to her neck. She whipped her hair back, sectioning it into two and letting it sit on her shoulders. She exhaled deeply before looking down at the piece of jewelry. Despite the emotional chaos that was going on inside of her, a huge smile eventually bloomed on her face. 'Look's like someone's happy.' Sam commented, catching her infectious grin.

'It's so beautiful, thank you- for giving me the necklace.'

'Ah, it's no big deal.' He shrugged his shoulders, but he knew his feelings said otherwise.

'No, really, thank you.' She gazed at him hesitantly, fighting her doubts before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him. She rested her head against his chest, making him freeze from the sudden action. He began to feel hot, and the same knot in his stomach came back from all their other awkward moments. But he forced himself out of the paralysing mold, curving his arms around her and finishing their embrace. The two of their bodies joined together as their grip on each other became tighter, grasping so tensely that you'd think they were going to lose each other. Eden embraced him, but she couldn't quite embrace her love for him. Eden, what are you doing? Let go of the poor bastard. Her internal thoughts were judging her sudden decision, but her fluttering heart didn't seem to care. From every rush of loving emotion that entered her body, she started caressing his back with her thumb, moving it around in a motion that brought Sam to a place even more peaceful than where they were standing. Sam knew that this could just be an ordinary hug, a hug that friends have once in a while, but he wanted to make the most of their closeness. He buried his head into her neck as he initiated a slow swaying movement, moving their bodies from left to right as if they were slow dancing. He was dared to run a hand through her hair, but his overthinking put him off, so he kept with how things were going. After a while, their prolonged hug was going on for more than they intended. It should've been over ages ago. But everything felt more intimate, and so romantic. Before it could go on for any longer, Sam's phone rang in his pocket, creating a loud buzzing noise that disrupted their moment entirely.

'Sorry.' He exhaled, feeling a wave of guilt from the interruption. His phone continued to ring, so he unwrapped himself from her and took out his phone, answering the call.

'Hello?' Eden could hear Sully coming from the speaker.

'Hey Victor, what's up?'

'I was just wondering when you guys were coming back. It's been ages, I'm sitting at this bar by myself with no clue in the world to where you two are. Have you found the egg yet?'

'Yep, we found it. I don't know how we did given the chances, but we did it nonetheless.'

'That's great news Sam, shall I pick up the both of you?'

'Actually, we'll get closer to you to make your life easier. Where about's are you?'

'I'm in Castellena, I'll send you my location. Bye Sam.'

'Okay, bye Victor.' He ended the call, lowering his phone to look at Eden. 'I guess we should get moving then.' He told her, feeling slightly awkward after their encounter.

'Yeah, good idea.' She watched Sam walk off and followed him from behind, reliving the moment of holding the man she couldn't admit to love so tightly.

Elodie had a spring in her step, taking in the nature of the forest around her. She wore a simple white cotton dress that came to her ankles, giving her enough room for walking. She had swapped the life of royalty for comfort, but that didn't mean she ignored her appearance. Both her lips and cheeks were tinted a reddish pink, and her hair was curled naturally, growing down to her back. Stephano didn't care how she presented herself, but she enjoyed making herself feel good, even if she didn't need to. From the square neckline of her dress, a golden ruby necklace hung around her, one that they had just recently found. Her lover was walking next to her, holding a sturdy rectangular bag that carried his essential art supplies. Elodie began to speak,

'I can't believe we found this necklace, doesn't it look stunning, darling?'

'Indeed it does, my love. It rather suits you, a little too much actually.' He grinned.

'Well I'm glad that you think that. Oh Stephano, I think I've fallen in love with it. I shall wear it when I bathe, when I sleep, I shall wear it everyday until it simply does not want me to wear it anymore.' She grinned happily.

'I hope your love for your necklace hasn't surpassed your love for me, my angel.' He smiled, knowing he'd get a reaction.

'Of course not! I might wear this necklace close to me, but you're the only thing in the world that is as close to my heart.'

'You know how to make me smile.' He smirked, gazing at his love with tender eyes.

'I know.' She smiled back.

The two carried on walking before the sound of crashing water could be heard hitting the rocks.

'Oh wow, would you look at that, there's a waterfall. This spot looks perfect for a portrait. Elodie, come here for a moment.' She walked over to the waterfall, taking a look at it.

'Hm, I think we could find a better place. It's beautiful, I'm not denying that, but something's telling me that we're going to find someplace better.'

'Okay my love, let's carry on walking.' They moved away from the waterfall and continued their walking. After a couple of minutes, they found themselves at a dead end, but there seemed to be a way up from above.

'Stephano, I think there's a way up here. We might need to get our hands dirty.' She looked down at her white dress. 'Agh, I shouldn't have worn such a bright colour. Darling, take my dress.' She bent her knees, holding the sides of her skirt and pulling the dress over her. Underneath, she wore drawers that covered the lower half of her body, and a beige coloured corset that fitted her not too tightly. Elodie threw her dress to Stephano, which caught him by surprise, but he caught it nonetheless. She started to climb the wall of dirt, making her way up with ease.

'I suppose you don't need any help then?' He laughed.

'Not at all, I'm doing just fine.' She shot a self assured smile back at him as she carried on moving up. She got to the top of the wall and moved herself over to the ground, getting up slowly. Stephano called out,

'Would you like your dress back?'

'Yes, if you wouldn't mind.' She leaned over the edge and caught Stephano's throw, moving away from the ledge to put her dress back on. Stephano now found himself by Elodie. They noticed the dirt on themselves,

'Oh dear, we couldn't have done it any other way, could we?' She laughed.

'I suppose not, but it didn't kill us, did it?'

'Not at all, if anything I feel more alive, especially around all of this nature.' She continued to walk with Stephano, taking in the sound of singing birds that were calling from the trees. When they had walked far enough, they began to see an opening within the bushes.

'Stephano, look at this. There's an opening, we should go through it.' She walked faster in excitement, getting closer towards the gap and letting herself through. Stephano hurried after her, and once they were out in the open, a garden stood before them, a place in which they had never seen. It looked as if it had been abandoned since the 17th century, but it still maintained its beauty through wildflowers and nature. Elodie laughed in shock,

'This is incredible...Look at this place. I feel like I'm standing in the Garden of Eden. Just, wow...' She twirled herself around, taking in every angle of the garden. With a smile on her face, she took a stroll with her partner. A small set of stairs sat in the distance on their left, so Elodie led him up them, holding her lovers hand. She suddenly heard swans quacking in the area, causing her to look around eagerly. She discovered a large pond at the corner of the garden, as a dozen of swans rested in the water.

'Darling, look! Look how many swans there are! Wow, so beautiful...This place is perfect.'

'I couldn't agree more, would you like me to take your portrait here?'

'Yes!'

'Alright, I think I know the perfect place for you to stand, follow me.' She followed him to her left, discovering a large stone archway that was overgrown with rose plants.

'Okay, stand here.' He stood from a distance as she got into position. 'Right, let me get my supplies.' He dropped his bag to the floor, kneeling down to open it up. He had a a decently sized canvas, a folded easel, as well as paints, brushes and a pan. He laid everything out on the grass, setting up the easel and putting the canvas into place. He was now set up.

'Okay, I think I'm ready. Now, I'm going to give you a set of instructions. Lean on the wall of the archway, darling. Okay, now move your arms up, and cross your wrists together. Okay good, yes, this is perfect. Now I want you to look at me. Don't let your eyes wander, please.' He grinned.

'Painter, I have a request.' She called out in a humorous voice.

'What is it, darling?'

'Well, since we are capturing the essence of the garden, it wouldn't be right if I too were limiting the potential of my beauty.'

'What are you trying to suggest?'

'What I'm suggesting, is that I undress.'

'Oh, I see.' He answered, feeling himself heating up. 'How much are you going to undress, if you don't mind me asking?'

'Until I am at one with nature. You wouldn't mind that now, would you?' She grinned.

'Most definitely not. I think it's a rather good idea.' He shone a smile back.

'Well good, I'm glad we have come to an agreement.' She maintained eye contact, taking the bottom of her dress and lifting it over her head. She then bunched it in her hands, throwing it to the floor. Her hands fiddled with the lacing of her corset, undoing the bow she had tied this morning. Once it loosened, she pushed it back, dropping down the straps and revealing her chest. Once she laid the garment aside, she pinched the sides of her drawers, lowering them down to her ankles and stepping out of them slowly. Then she removed her slippers, flicking them off her feet as they landed on the ground. She waited by the archway with only the necklace dangling around her neck, positioning herself at the wall and holding her arms above her head, just like he requested. Her lover became nervous at the sight of her body, but he told himself to be professional. She smiled with such confidence, posing by the archway. 'Is this good enough for you?' She asked flirtatiously.

'Yes, this is perfect. You really are something, Elodie.' He grinned, taken away by her beauty.

'I am? Why thank you. Now come on, start painting.' She said cheekily.

Stephano reached for his sketching lead, drawing a rough draft of everything in the frame. The archway, the flowers, her, and the pond of swans. When the outline was complete, he went in with his oil paint, painting the setting sky and the sun shining through the clouds. Then he painted the greenery, the grass and the nature. Portraits were a lengthy process, so they came back to the garden every evening for around 3 months. Although the autumn leaves covered the floor and the weather was getting colder, it didn't put the two off from finishing the painting. On a Friday evening, Stephano gave the painting it's final touches before saying,

'Elodie, the painting, it's complete.' Elodie jumped in joy, running over from the archway to his canvas. She faced the final piece, painted to perfection by the man she loved. She gasped, telling him in excitement,

'Stephano, this is incredible, I've never seen anything like it. You've captured everything, it's perfect, absolutely perfect!' She let out a laugh as her face was stuck to the portrait.

'I'm glad you like it, darling.'

'I love it, Stephano. Your eye for detail is just...outstanding! I'm going to pin this up in our home, away from any guests of course.' She giggled.

'That would be a good idea.' He agreed.

'Thank you for doing this. Being surrounded by such beauty is enough, but to capture the garden so vividly, as if it's a memory, it makes me a very happy woman.' She grazed a kiss onto his cheek as his mouth curved upwards. He took a hold of her hands whilst looking deep into her eyes of sapphire.

'Everything that I have painted is beautiful, but without you, it would have been nothing. You are the true beauty of this garden.'

'Oh Stephano, you're just saying that to make me feel flattered.' She grinned.

'No, no, I mean it. How you posed bare with such confidence, I couldn't take my eyes off of you, you were truly remarkable. And I think through all of your hard efforts, you deserve something in return.'

'Oh, and what may that be?'

He guided her through the wilderness, taking her to the centre of the garden. As they stood among the blooming flowers and towering trees, Stephano confessed,

'I want to show you how much you mean to me.'

'Then show me.' She gazed at him lustfully, her eyes stuck to him from anticipation. They gave each other a prolonged stare, as Stephano's hands went to his waistcoat, unbuttoning the garment before it became fully undone. She helped him in the process, rolling the straps of the waistcoat down his arms and off his body. She disposed the garment to the floor and aided his undressing, pushing the buttons out the holes of his shirt, all while removing the piece of clothing. She became impatient and pressed her lips onto his, tasting the sweet mouth of her lover. As they kissed passionately, she tugged at the sleeves and pushed them down, taking the shirt with her. After leaving the shirt to float to the ground, she placed her hands on his now exposed chest, gliding her fingers against his unclothed skin whilst catching some of his chest hair. Stephano kept his lips on hers and took a hand to his trousers, undoing and stepping out of them. Elodie helped with his undergarments, pulling them down so he could remove them. The couple were now bare in each others arms, and he embraced her tightly, colliding his body onto her as they shared each others body heat. His head rushed to her neck, catching his nose on her skin as he moved. Then he pressed his lips against her, giving her long warm kisses. She could feel the hot air from his mouth between each kiss, and the slight wetness of his lips gave her immediate bliss, causing her to orgasm quietly,

'Stephano...'

He grinned, surprising her with warm hands on her waist to turn around her body. He rested his hand on her stomach, as the other brushed her hair aside, draping it over her back. Then at once, his hands traveled slowly to her breasts, cupping them in a soft grasp and massaging them very slowly. She moaned from the stimulation, brushing harshly against his body as she held onto the back of his neck.

'I love you, my darling, I love you beyond words.' He told her in a raspy tone, continuing to massage her bosom before leaning back, taking his hands down to her waist to position himself. His pelvis went slowly into her, as Elodie felt something ease inside, causing her to gasp from arousal. His movements were slow and meaningful, gently moving in and out whilst giving her passionate wet kisses on the sides of her neck, leaving marks of where his tongue licked. Their bodies rocked back and forth as they moaned in unison, and Stephano's hands continued to massage her skin. He dug his hands into her stomach and let them go to her naked breasts once more, finding her hard nipples and swirling them with his fingers. She orgasmed loudly, unable to contain the pleasure he was giving her. His speed remained slow, but his passion increased, fondling her erect nipples whilst he went inside, going deeper as he took her to all the right places. From below she was dripping from the breath taking stimulation, and she quickly found herself on the verge of an intense climax. Her moans became frequent and longer as her partner met her after, letting out a deep orgasm as he finished. All of their tension now faded, and they were brought back into the surrounding nature, listening to the singing birds and feeling the cold breeze hit their naked bodies. He took Elodie into his arms once more, hugging her tightly.

'I love you, Stephano.' She exhaled, gazing deep into his soulful eyes.

'I love you more, don't you ever forget that. Now, let's get dressed.' He placed a soft kiss onto her cheek until they unraveled out of each other.