FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

Hera giggled at the pretty boy who wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Aqua blue eyes sparkled with familiarity as she looked into them. "What are you staring at, Pixie? You've seen this countless times, yet you keep gawking at it every time like it's your first time," Eric stated. "And why do you know it that I stare at it every time, you stalker?" Hera asked, bumping her shoulder into his chest playfully. 

Eric's chest and his arm around her shoulder shook with his joyous laughter as he pulled her closer and pretended to choke her. "You never know what mischief you're up to or what trouble you're going to invite for yourself. Stalking is necessary, Pixie," Eric said. It was supposed to be a joke, but somehow Hera felt the deeper meaning behind it. 

Hera remembered their old days, how she used to hate Eric and Michael for bullying her. She got punished countless times for not doing her homework because of Eric's mischiefs. It felt like yesterday when she would trip and fall flat on her face because Michael felt, it was hilarious to see her cry. Her brother Danny would roll his eyes, calling her a cry baby. 

Things have changed for the better now, and Hera was grateful to have them all in her life. Eric had become her best friend she could share every secret with and Danny her protective brother while Michael reached one step closer to that prankster, annoying brother one could have. 

"She's beautiful," Hera stated while admiring the woman in the picture. "How do you know? You can't see her face," Eric said. Hera smiled, inclining her head. "I just know," she said. She could only see her side profile, nothing more than a mere glimpse, yet Hera could detect the hint of a lovely smile on her lips. "She is," Eric agreed. "The wonderful woman, my godmother. She's the perfect definition of the word felicity," he said, so much admiration filled in his voice. 

Hera's eyebrows slanted downward as she frowned in confusion. "What?" she questioned as soon as Eric mentioned that name. "Nothing, Pixie. You'll love her when you meet her," he shared his opinion. Hera's heart skipped a beat at that. She knew she would meet Hunter parents someday, but the very concept made her nervous. 

'What if they don't approve? Would Hunter let me go for his parents' sake?' 

It was a frightening feeling because never once in her life had Hera imagined her future without Hunter, not even during their breakup phase. She smiled subconsciously looking at the toddler form of Hunter.

"Is it a photograph or a painting?" She wondered aloud. "It's an oil portrait of a photograph," Eric supplied helpfully, clearing her query. "Wow! They posed so wonderfully for the photo," Hera said in awe. Eric chuckled at her ignorance. "They weren't posing, Pixie. It's a candid picture and the talent of the photographer. He'd revealed the unsaid emotions perfectly," Eric explained.

Hera was amazed to hear that. Her gaze slid down, and her hand reached up, fingers caressing the name written on the right end corner of the picture. "Alastair Cas tell anos, did I pronounce it correctly?" Hera asked. Eric hummed, repeating the name "Alastair Castellanos." 

Even though Hera had seen this picture almost all her life, she'd somehow missed that name scribbled in a tiny font. "Is he the photographer or the painter?" She asked, and to her amazement, Eric revealed he was both. The name stirred something inside her chest as if she'd known that person. But Hera knew it was a ridiculous thought. She never heard that name in her life.

"Alastair Castellanos," Hera repeated as if testing the sound of it. "I love that name and Castellanos sounds so hot. What if I change my last name to it?" Hera asked conversationally. "Hera Castellanos," she tried experimentally. Before Eric could reply to her, someone pulled her hand, keeping her away from Eric's reach. Startled, she squealed before slapping her boyfriend's chest. 

Scowling, Hunter locked her in his arms as they stood facing each other. "I like your name, Hera Hunter. Why do you need a new one? Your last name is perfect, and I would fancy you to keep it," he said, kissing her cheek, no lips actually touching, just cheeks and no smacking noises. "Sure, you do," Hera stated, rolling her eyes. "Don't you dare forget, Mrs Hunter, you're married to me and no way I'm allowing you to change your last name," he said, his tone of voice pressing all of a sudden. 

"God, you're impossible. What's there to get so riled up? I was casually speaking," Hera said, annoyed at his mood shift. "But I'm serious," Hunter said, staring into her eyes. Sighing, Hera reached up, leaving a kiss at the corner of his mouth. "I wouldn't trade it for the world," she promised, whispering against his lips. 

"Oh, God! Here we go again?" Eric said, pulling a disgusted look on his face. Hera blushed and pulled away while Hunter chuckled. Eric left them alone, walking into the kitchen where Danny and Evelyn were trying to cook something. The kitchen was a mess, and he immediately regretted placing his foot inside. 

"Eric Costa, come back here," Hera and Hunter heard Evelyn yell while Eric ran out of the kitchen through the back door. She needed help with the cleaning and Eric bailed on them. It's Friday evening, and they all had decided to give the household staff a break for the evening. 

"What was your task? How come she let you out of her sight?" Hera asked, and Hunter smirked cunningly. "Washing utensils, but Samantha offered to take over, and I being the gentleman I'm gladly obliged," he said, earning a scoff in return. "You never fail to live up to your name, Lucifer. You're so evil," Hera said, scowling before shifting her attention back to the portrait. 

"Who's this?" She asked, her pointer finger brushed over the edges before underlining Alastair's name on it. "He was best friends with mine and Eric's parents," he answered. "Was? You used past tense," she stated, and he nodded. "I never saw him around. I don't know what went wrong or what happened to him, but they don't speak about him," Hunter said shrugging nonchalantly. 

He took her wrist in his and pulled her along to his bedroom. Hera hid her smile, pulling her lip between her teeth as she eyed his fingers possessively wrapped around her wrist. Once he shut the door, his hands framed her form against it, palms flat on the hard surface on either side of her head. Smiling, Hera stared as his purple orbs pierced into her green ones. 

Hera could spend eternity staring into her Mr Hunter's anime-like large eyes. But she was anticipating a kiss, and it annoyed her when he didn't make a move yet. 

"And it's been ages, ladies and gentlemen since he started staring into my eyes.' 

Huffing, Hera blew raspberries into his cheek, right on the dent caused by his dimpled cheeks. Her poor toes protested, feeling too tired to stand on their tips anymore, so Hera placed her hands on his shoulders, supporting her weight on them. She leaned forward while her hooded eyes stayed fixed on his lips. To her annoyance, Hunter leaned back before their lips could touch. Hera glared at him after noticing how smug he appeared while a teasing smirk played on his lips. 

"What? You were taking forever to kiss me!" Hera said in her defence, irked at his amused face, his eyes dancing and bright. When his upper body shook with quiet laughter, Hera shoved him off and walked away from him. The extension of the room leading to his balcony made the bedroom feel open and airy. The round surface of his contemporary bedroom had grey and brown dramatic curtains. Hera walked past the cushioned chairs and the four-legged rectangular glass teapoy and reached the railings. 

Hunter followed her to where she now stood, her fingers clutching the grey coloured wooden railings. The cold breeze felt nice against her hot, flustered skin and the flyaway hair around her face smacked her in the eyes. Hunter's broad form caged her from behind, his arms outstretched, palms covering hers on the railings. 

Hera let her shoulders slump, causing her form to appear smaller against his large one. She was embarrassed because she initiated the kiss and he didn't reciprocate. "I love you, Goddess," he whispered in her ears, his hot breath drawing a shiver from her. 

His Goddess removed her hands from his hold and walked back into the room. Hunter followed her inside again, amused at her tantrums. Hera jumped on his bed, unladylike before kicking her footwear off. Her flip-flops went flying, hitting him right on his chest. Hunter scowled in disapproval at her not so good manners. 

After neatly placing her footwear in its allocated place, he returned to find her perched on his bed. 

'What the fuck!'

She was eagle spread on the bed, forming the perfect X shape with her legs and arms. 

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