After dinner, Stellan suggested they take a walk around the grounds. Ziva agreed, and they stepped out into the cool evening air. They continue to walk in silence.
The silence between them was only broken when they heard Stellan's father's voice calling out to them from the estate's porch. "Ziva! Stellan! Come join us for a nightcap!"
Stellan and Ziva exchanged a glance, and then continued towards the porch. The evening dragged on, with Stellan's father and Ziva's parents discussing their plans for the future, while Stellan and Ziva listened politely.
As the night wore on, Ziva excused herself to go to bed, citing fatigue. Stellan's father suggested he join her, "to keep her company".
Stellan's jaw clicked, but he nodded and followed Ziva to their rooms. As they stood outside their door, Ziva turned to him. "Goodnight, Stellan". Stellan's eyes locked onto hers. "Goodnight, Ziva."
The door closed behind her, leaving Stellan standing in the hallway, feeling restless.
Stellan stood there for a moment, then turned to head downstairs to the living room. He needed a drink to clear his head. As he poured himself a glass of whiskey, he heard a faint noise coming from the garden outside.
Curious, he stepped out onto the patio to investigate. The moon was full, casting a silver glow over the garden. Stellan saw Ziva standing by the fountain, her eyes fixed on the water.
He approached her quietly, not wanting to startle her. "Can't sleep?" he asked, his voice low.
Ziva turned to him, her eyes shining with tears.
"No," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Stellan's instincts kicked in, and he watched the way he move closer to her to avoid body contact. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft.
Ziva looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. "I don't want to do this, Stellan. I don't want to marry you just because our parents want us to."
Stellan's heart skipped a beat as he looked at her, her words hanging in the air. The tension between them was palpable, and for a moment, they just stood there, the only sound was the gentle flow of the fountain.
Ziva's words hung in the air, and Stellan looked at her with a mix of surprise and understanding.
"I have to do it," he said finally, his voice low. "My father expect it of me."
Ziva nodded, her eyes searching his face. "I know. Mine too. But... I can't do it, Stellan. I can't marry someone who doesn't care about me."
Stellan expression didn't change, but he felt a pang of guilt. He knew he wasn't in love with her, but he hadn't realized she had feelings for him.
"Ziva, I—" he started, but she cut him off.
"Don't, Stellan. Just don't. I know you don't feel the same way. Let's just forget this conversation ever happened, okay?"
Stellan nodded, feeling a sense of relief mixed with guilt. "Okay."
They stood there in awkward silence for a moment, then Ziva turned to go back inside. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Stellan."
"Good night Ziva," Stellan replied, watching her go.
Stellan stood there for a while, lost in thought. The sound of crickets and the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze filled the air. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was making a mistake, that he was trapped in a situation he didn't want to be in.
As he turned to go back inside, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a text from an unknown number: "Hey, it's Ziva. I left my bag in your room. Can you let me in?"
Stellan's heart skipped a beat as he quickly made his way to the door. He opened it just to find Ziva standing there, looking up at him with a hint of vulnerability in her eyes.
"Hey," she said softly. "Thanks for letting me in."
Stellan nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. "No problem."
Stellan was afraid to touch her,he reached out and took Ziva's hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. The touch sent a shiver down his spine, and he felt a sense of surprise at the intensity of the sensation.
Ziva's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stellan?"
"Yeah?" he replied, his voice husky.
"I think I'm starting to feel a little better about this," she said, her breath ghosting against his lips.
Stellan's heart skipped a beat as he realized how close they were. And then, his allergies kicked in, hard. He sneezed, loudly, breaking the moment.
Stellan pulled away, trying to compose himself, his face burning with embarrassment. "Ah, excuse me," he muttered, trying to play it cool. Ziva looked at him with concern, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Are you okay?"
Stellan nodded, feeling like an idiot. "Yeah, just... allergies. Must be the flowers or something."
Ziva expression changed to one of understanding. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you need some medication or something?"
Stellan shook his head, still trying to regain his composure. "No, it's fine. I'll just... yeah."
The moment was lost, and they both knew it.
He quickly took out his injection from the drawer and injected himself before it begins to take serious effect, As he lay back in bed, he fell into a deep sleep and Ziva slipped back into his room.
The next morning, Stellan woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside and the warmth of Ziva's body next to him. He opened his eyes to find her sleeping peacefully beside him, her hair tangled and her face relaxed.
As he looked at her, he felt a pang of guilt and confusion. What had happened last night? Had they...?
He shook his head, trying to clear the fogginess. He didn't remember much, just that they'd talked and gotten closer.
Just as he was trying to process everything, he heard a faint noise coming from the foot of the bed. He looked up to see his father standing there, a sly grin spreading across his face.
Stellan's heart sank as he realized the situation. His father was watching them, and he was going to jump to conclusions.