I'd Give Up The World For You

Leo's eyes snapped open. "What did you just say?"

"Oh, please don't make me repeat it!" Daisy cried in embarrassment. "I know you heard me!"

"…I heard you but I can't believe it. What happened to 'I'll never love you because you're a kid'? You changed your mind completely out of the blue!"

"Not completely…I've been thinking about this for a while but didn't think I could do it. I want you to be happy, Leo, and I don't want things to be awkward so I feel like I have to try even if it's super weird for me. But I won't do it if you think that would make things worse."

"How could that possibly make things worse?!" Leo asked incredulously.

"I don't know! If I do something wrong then our relationship might completely fall apart!" Daisy fretted, throwing her hands into the air as best she could while still trapped in his embrace.

"I can't let that happen because you're the only long-term relationship of any sort I've ever had. You're too important to lose so I'd do anything not to let that happen. Even if it's more uncomfortable for me in the long run."

He frowned and finally let go of her. "Daisy, I don't want you to be uncomfortable. I already told you—"

"I know what you already told me. But I want to know what you actually want."

Leo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Shouldn't that be obvious? What do you think a man in love actually wants? Don't tease me like this. Holding myself back is hard enough already."

Daisy raised an eyebrow. That was the most adultlike she had ever heard him talk.

"Holding yourself back from what?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is not to kiss you? Everything you do is adorable and sometimes I think I'm going to go crazy before it actually happens. If you must know what I want, I want you. Specifically, I want your heart so the rest will mean something."

Her face was beet red. Was this really Leo? The same Leo who kept insisting everything was fine? It seemed she may have pushed him past his endurance point with her questions. Oops.

"Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because I didn't want to scare you off! You better not act like I have some sort of infectious disease now after weaseling the truth out of me," he said with a scowl.

Daisy sighed. "I would never do something like that. But are you really okay with me trying since it isn't real?"

"Daisy, I already know it isn't real."

Leo made a valid point. She couldn't exactly make thing worse than they already were in that regard. Making an effort was the only way things were going to get better…weren't they? She would never know if she didn't try.

Terrifying as uncharted territory could be, at least she wouldn't be going into it alone. They could figure this out together. They were a team. She didn't have to worry about things on her own anymore since someone reliable had her back the way she had his.

He was very reliable and responsible for someone his age. A lot more so than most guys five years older.

Hopefully that would help her deal with this shift in thinking. They were two consenting adults so this would be fine. Right?

"Just kiss me before I change my mind," Daisy said with her eyes squeezed shut, regretting it already. One stupid kiss with the man she was legally married to shouldn't cause this much indecision!

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.

"Leo!"

"Alright, alright."

Daisy didn't see the kiss coming since her eyes were already shut but it was even sweeter and more affectionate than the very brief one on their wedding day. Leo's thumb caressed her cheek and her heart raced from the contact.

This was weird. This was so weird! And yet it was also the best kiss she had ever experienced because it wasn't sloppy or desperate the way her ex-boyfriends' had been.

If she had to guess, it was because Leo actually loved her. He was treating her very carefully, almost as if she was a soap bubble he was afraid of popping. Yes, his kisses were hesitant, but they were so full of love she was strangely tempted to cry.

When he reluctantly pulled away he held her tightly against his chest and she could feel his heart beating erratically. He sighed her name before pressing another several kisses to her hair.

"I love you so much," he murmured fervently.

And suddenly the tears Daisy had been holding back came flooding out. What was wrong with her today? This wasn't anything worth crying about!

Once they started they wouldn't stop and she ended up sobbing into Leo's shirt. That was when he finally noticed something was up. "Daisy…are you crying? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!"

"You didn't upset me," she tried to insist through her tears. "I just…nobody has ever loved me this much and I guess it's a little overwhelming. You didn't do anything wrong."

Leo sighed and held her closer, stroking her hair. "You truly were surrounded by idiots for daring to not appreciate how wonderful you are. You never have to deal with that again. Someday I'll convince you how lovable you are, just you wait!"

That made Daisy cry harder. None of this was fair.

Why did she have to come to a fantasy world and meet a kid in order to find someone who loved her? Not one person where she came from cared about her even a sliver as much as he did.

Of course the best person she had ever met had to fall for her when she couldn't reciprocate his feelings. She was going to try though. He was amazing so once she got past the mental block about their age difference she had no reason not to love him back.

Daisy hadn't expected much out of life and certainly didn't expect much out of men after some of the experiences she had but who didn't at least idly dream of love? She was a sucker for a good chick flick as much as the next girl.

This was so much more than she ever thought she would have and she didn't know how to handle it, hence the tears. Leo patiently held her and comforted her as she cried herself out and that honestly made her want to cry more. It was a long time before she finally dehydrated herself and needed to go get a drink.

He got it for her and stayed by her side with a protective arm around her shoulders as she sipped and hiccupped alternately until the water was gone. Then he fetched her a refill and resumed what he was doing with a look of deep concern on his face.

"Are you alright now?" he asked worriedly.

Daisy gave him a wan smile. "I think so. Thanks. Sorry for soaking your shirt."

"That's the last thing I'm worried about right now. You should take it easy for the rest of the night. Maybe you should go to bed."

She probably should. She was going to have a terrible headache once she woke up though. Unfortunately, the concept of calling in sick didn't exist here since there weren't any phones.

Even if she felt terrible, she would at least have to walk all the way to the flower shop to let them know she couldn't work before turning around and trekking back home. She wasn't looking forward to that.

"I think I will. I need to take a bath first though," Daisy said as she stood and stretched.

"I'll run it for you. Drink some more water, that should help." Leo went upstairs to do that and she would have cried again at the gesture if she wasn't all out of tears.

He was always so thoughtful. Caring. Patient. There wasn't anyone else in either of the worlds she had lived in who tolerated her nonsense like this. Her life would have been so different if she had even one person like him growing up.

That didn't matter though. She had him now and was incredibly grateful for that even if it did leave her heart and head in a state of constant confusion lately. She would much rather have that than the long-distance friendship they had where all they could do was exchange letters, confusion and all.

As Daisy let the hot water seep into her bones she closed her eyes and tried to empty her head of thoughts. Overthinking wasn't going to help and she needed to sleep this one off.

She had made her decision and she was going to stick with it come what may. They would have to take things slow but she knew Leo would be willing to work with her.. Anything was better than nothing to him and she was not allowed to feel guilty about that anymore.