I Was Hoping She Would Notice but again Now When She Did... Im Tired

Lucian's heart trembled the moment he felt Olivia's lips press gently against his forehead. His breath hitched, his chest tightening as though the warmth of that single touch had unlocked something buried deep inside him. His eyelashes quivered, betraying the storm of emotions building behind his closed eyes.

How long has it been…? he wondered. How long since he had felt something like this? Something so soft, so tender, so… loving?

Her words echoed in his ears, carrying a weight that seemed to reach his very soul.

"Just… just know I love you. Always. I really love you, my Lucy… and I always will."

Slowly, as if afraid the moment would shatter, Lucian opened his eyes. The sight before him froze his breath.

Olivia was smiling the brightest smile she could muster but her tears told a different story. They streamed down her face, unchecked and unrelenting, shining in the soft light like tiny rivers of sorrow and love. Her smile was beautiful yet unbearably sad, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. It was a smile full of love but also pain, the weight of her regret clear in every trembling line of her lips.

Lucian felt his throat tighten, his chest constricting with emotions he didn't know how to express. He met her eyes those anxious, tear-filled eyes and, for the first time, he let himself break the silence.

"I like these… all of them," he said softly, his voice cracking slightly as he forced the words out. A faint smile formed on his face, trembling like a flickering flame. He reached down and touched the shoes resting in his lap, his fingers brushing over the smooth surface as if trying to ground himself in the moment.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Olivia's breath caught. Her eyes widened slightly as she searched his face, almost disbelieving.

"I… I love these," Lucian said again, his voice steadier this time. He looked up, his gaze locking with hers, tears welling up in his eyes before spilling over, streaking his cheeks. His lips trembled as he tried to smile tried to hide how broken and overwhelmed he felt but his emotions betrayed him. The tears came harder, unstoppable.

"I love you too," he whispered, his voice so quiet it was almost lost, but it was enough for Olivia. She froze, her hands trembling as his words sank in.

"I always did," he continued, his voice barely audible. "Always."

Olivia's trembling hands flew to her mouth, a soft gasp escaping her lips as the tears she had tried so hard to control began to fall freely again.

"Thank you," Lucian said, his smile widening even as his tears poured down. His shoulders shook slightly as he struggled to keep himself together. "Thank you for these… It… it means so much to me. More than I can say."

His fingers curled around the scarf draped around his neck, gripping it as if it were the only thing keeping him steady. His tears fell harder now, his voice breaking as he added, "You have no idea how much I've waited for this… for you to see me, to show me I mattered."

His voice wavered, and he choked back a sob. "I just… I just wanted to be loved. That's all I ever wanted."

His words hung heavy in the air, each one a dagger to Olivia's heart. Her chest tightened painfully as she listened, guilt and sorrow surging through her in waves. She took a step forward, her hands trembling as she reached out.

Lucian looked down, his tears falling onto the gifts in his lap. His mind swirled with memories he had tried so hard to bury the birthdays he spent waiting, hoping someone would remember. The quiet moments when he had tried to drop hints, only to be ignored. The ache of watching the day pass by as if it didn't matter. As if he didn't matter.

But now, sitting here, he felt something he hadn't felt in so long. Even if it was too late, even if it wasn't perfect… it still mattered.

This moment, he thought, even if it's fleeting, even if it's a dream… let me have it. Please. Just this once.

He closed his eyes again, his hands clutching the scarf tighter. Let me be selfish, just for now.

Olivia, watching her son crumble before her, couldn't hold back any longer. "No… no, no, no," she whispered, her voice trembling as she knelt in front of him. She reached forward, her fingers brushing his cheeks as she gently wiped away his tears. "Please, Lucy, don't cry. Don't cry, please."

Her hands cupped his face, her touch soft and trembling. "I don't deserve your tears," she whispered, her voice breaking as she tried to force a smile through her own sobs. "Please… I don't deserve them."

But her tears didn't stop either. They fell harder now, dripping onto her hands as she tried in vain to stop his.

Lucian opened his eyes, looking at her through his tears. Her face was a mix of love and agony, her smile trembling as she tried to hold herself together. His heart ached at the sight.

Her hands trembled as her thumbs brushed against Lucian's damp cheeks, gently wiping away the tears that wouldn't stop falling. Olivia's voice was low and raw, every word weighed down by her emotions.

"I just… I just want you to know that," she whispered, her breath hitching. "No matter how much I've failed you, no matter how much I've hurt you… I love you. And I'll keep trying, no matter what." Her hands pressed more firmly against his face, as if trying to ensure he truly felt her sincerity. "I'll keep trying to show you that I mean it."

Lucian stared at her, his own tears slipping silently down his face as her words wrapped around his heart like a fragile thread of hope. Slowly, hesitantly, he lifted his trembling hand and placed it over hers, squeezing gently.

Olivia's breath caught at the simple gesture. Her chest swelled with a mix of emotions relief, love, guilt, and determination all swirling together.

"Don't worry," she said, her voice shaking but resolute. "I will try to be the mother you need. No… the mother you deserve."

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