Ned / Reader (3) - Part 5
Now you had a passport, a very shady passport but a maybe it was better than nothing… just barely. You and Ned took a ride to the harbor and after leaving the bags into a luggage daycare you headed to the beach to spend the last day on the island together. Your sunburns had healed quite nicely and it meant that you were now free to enjoy the day in the sunshine, although you had to be careful of course. For your luck Ned was more than happy as well as eager to make sure that your sun-protection was alright; he offered to help you with the sun lotion constantly. You naturally didn’t mind because you loved to feel Ned’s hands massaging and caressing your skin so lovingly. He was always extra careful not to miss a spot and now that he had gotten a boost of self confidence to touch you, considering that he had been very cautious and almost afraid during the first days... shy at least...now he wasn't constantly asking anymore whether something was alright or not, this you enjoyed very much.
You and Ned found a nice, not too crowded spot on the beach, spread your towels on the sand and after sunbathing for a moment you went to swim. You had rented snorkels and swimming goggles for few hours and tried to find seashells from the bottom of the shallow sea, but even if you didn't find any you didn't really mind; the point was to have fun as long as you could... because it was possible that the fun would end very soon. Yes, that. You and Ned had not talked about it and even though you tried to ignore the shadow of doubt and fear that was growing in your mind every time you glanced at the huge cruiser that had been anchored to the harbor, it was there... waiting... your fate in the form of a cruiser ship. However neither you nor Ned talked about the subject, the possibility that you would get into deep trouble for traveling with a fake passport, and to be honest both of you just wanted to distract yourselves as long as it was possible.
Diving and swimming was perfect distraction; you didn't have to talk about anything and the white sand combined with the clear water was the perfect way to spend the last day on the beach. You found yourself wishing every once in a while that you could stay and live in the alternative reality for a moment more but you knew that Ned had a life that he had to get back to... and you couldn't stay on the island without him. In a way Ned was your savior... the man you had fallen in love with... but he was also a some sort of guardian... which you found a bit irritating sometimes. No, it was not Ned that you found irritating per se, but the way you were so dependent on him and as long as you didn't have any money... or a home... you would be relying on his hospitality and goodwill. What if Ned got tired of you? What if he started to see you as a burden? Or... what if you got tired of being the damsel in distress? What if you weren't appreciative enough? Ned after all had done so much for you already and you were well aware that there really was no way great enough to thank him properly.
Ned sensed that there was something bothering you but he reasoned that you were just nervous. To be honest, he was nervous too and therefore he enjoyed the privacy that diving offered him; he didn't have to talk with you... and he didn't constantly have to worry if you wanted him near or not. Somehow he had a feeling that you needed some space as well. Ned was fully aware that your passport was as shady as fuck. Well, obviously he was not an idiot... but couldn't really voice his concerns aloud because it would have made you even more nervous.
- The waves and the sunshine are making me a bit dizzy. you said, swam to Ned and wrapped your arms around him from behind. You pressed your cheek against his upper back and closed your eyes for a moment before stating "I think I'll go and rest for a moment."
- Yeah? Are you okay? Ned asked with a worried voice.
- I am, I just need to get away from the sun... you mumbled against his skin that tasted salty and felt so soft... just perfect. "...And on the dry land" you explained and pressed a kiss on Ned's neck, just below the hairline, this gesture sent shivers down Ned's spine and a soft sigh escaped his lips.
- Would you like me to join you? Ned asked and smiled at the horizon as he enjoyed feeling you so tightly against him, pressing soft kisses on his neck and upper back.
- I'll be alright. you mumbled and slid your hand from his chest lower to his stomach. "I will probably just take a nap anyway" you added and just as your hand was about to reach the waistband of Ned's swimming shorts you let him go and let the waves carry you away from him. Ned turned to look at you with a confused expression on his face and you responded with a smirk which made Ned laugh, although his laughter was more like a burst of nervousness.
You swam to the shore and walked to your camp, lay down on the towel on your stomach and closed your eyes after finding and setting up a parasol to provide you a little bit of shade from the intense sunlight. Ned continued swimming and diving and eventually he managed to find one very pretty seashell that had been partially buried into the white sand. The seashell was white and it had pink patterns, it was smooth and the other side was pearly, nacre white. Ned swam to the shore as well and while you were sunbathing, he sneaked away to buy a leather string for it from a local jewelry seller. The local goldsmith cleaned the seashell, attached the seashell to the leather string delicately with some silver thread and gave Ned a small ocean-colored gift box for the necklace.
Ned returned to the beach just to find you sleeping on the towel on your stomach, under the parasol. He sat down next to you and began luring you back from sleep by drawing random shapes on your back. Then he lay down, pressed soft kisses on your shoulders as well as your upper back and whispered into your ear “Wake up… I got something for you” with a deep, yet almost overly enthusiastic voice.
- What now, Ned? you mumbled and turned to lay on your back. You smirked at Ned without opening your eyes.
- Open your eyes. Ned whispered, now hovering over you and staring at your face from a rather close distance.
- Do I must? you groaned playfully, still keeping your eyes firmly closed.
- Yes. Ned replied and placed his hand on your stomach. He moved it higher and traced the neckline of your bikinis, while cautiously following your expressions... to know whether he was crossing any lines or not. He slipped the tip of his index finger under the fabric after making sure that no one was watching and traced the shape of your breast very carefully.
- You are like a work of art. Ned whispered with a shy, yet admiration-filled voice. "Every curve..." he spoke with a trembling voice against your lips and then sighed "...Your soft skin... perfection" as he reached to touch your nipple. This however was the farthest he dared to go and after feeling as well as caressing your chest for a moment, he slid his hand on your neck and pressed a kiss on your lips.
His lips moved with yours almost like he had been able to read your thoughts; the kiss grew hungrier, deeper... more passionate and demanding... and subsided into something sweet and modest until it grew again and finally changed into soft brushes and playful nibbles. When Ned drew a bit away from you, you finally opened your eyes, moved your hand from his shoulder into his wet, slightly curly hair and brushed them with a smile on your face. Ned looked very handsome and cute at the same time... and you felt completely happy. It was scary and exciting at the same time... but at least you did not feel nervous about the passport.
After taking a short nap together you and Ned gathered your few belongings, found a cozy restaurant by the beach and ate some salad as a snack because Ned had made a reservation for a dinner aboard the cruise ship but all that swimming had made you and Ned both very hungry and therefore you just had to eat something before the late dinner. You ate while sharing a light conversation and then got into the harbor, rescued your bags from the luggage-daycare and then got aboard the huge cruise ship. You got two key cards for the cabin and after quickly changing your beach clothes into proper yet casual evening wear you and Ned headed to the sundeck to watch the ship leaving from the harbor.
Ned stood behind you as you leaned to the railing and stared at the island that got smaller and smaller by every passing minute. He buried his face into your hair, breathing you in as he held you tightly against him with his arms wrapped around you. He spoke softly into your ear, describing all the things he liked about you, all the things that he loved and all those things that drove him insane. He told you what he had imagined your lives to be like when you reached Ned's hometown and how happy he was that you had decided to follow him despite the fact that you did not really know Ned. "I got you something" he murmured into your ear like he had before on the beach but then he had not gotten so far that he would have actually given you the small gift. You turned around to face Ned and smiled at him curiously. He took something from his pocket and showed you a gorgeous seashell that had been attached to a delicate leather string.
- I found this earlier today. Ned said with a shy voice, nervous if you liked it or not.
- It's stunning! you exclaimed and after a short pause you continued with a slightly puzzled tone "Wait... you found this?"
- Yes. I dived it from the sea. he responded, added shyly "...For you" and asked "May I?" with an enthusiastic voice. You kept staring at the seashell necklace with a suprised yet delighted look on your face, unable to find words so you just nodded and gathered your hair so Ned would be able to connect the two ends of the leather string with a small knot.
- Of course I got help with the necklace-part. Ned admitted because you reached to feel the silver thread wrapped around the seashell with your fingertips. "It's lovely... the whole thing" you commented and then Ned placed his hands behind your neck and tied a small knot to attach the two ends of the leather string. You let your hair fall on your shoulders and placed your hands on Ned's upper arms, massaging them gently, as he kept his hands on your neck, cupping your face lovingly. He leaned to kiss you and then hugged you until the island disappeared from the horizon entirely. It was getting a bit chilly in the wind and therefore you and Ned walked to the corner of the sundeck that was sheltered from the wind, found two sunbeds next to each other and lay down to enjoy the last golden rays of the sun. You felt the necklace with your fingertips as it rested on your chest, the smooth surface feeling warm against your tanned skin.
- Look, it is Kryztal! a girl, approximately twelve years old, said to her friend and pointed at you when you and Ned were laying on sunbeds on the sundeck, enjoying the warm evening and watching the sunset. You sat up because you heard the two girls talking, debating whether they dare or not to ask for your autograph while pointing at you rather overtly. Ned sat up as well and stared at the girls with a confused expression on his face. You smiled at the girls as they walked towards you nervously, however your smile was filled with confusion.
- Hi! the girl said and cleared her throat nervously. “You are Kryztal, aren’t you?” the girl asked shyly after shaking off her nervousness and collecting the bits and pieces of her courage.
- I’m… who? you asked with a confused tone.
- Kryztal! the girl exclaimed and then added “With the K, with the Z!” She stared at you with a puzzled expression since you stared at her like you didn't know what was going on.
- Sorry… I have no idea what you’re talking about. you said politely and shifted your gaze to Ned for a very brief moment to find a bit backup from him. Ned however looked even more puzzled than before and it was quite apparent that you wouldn’t get support or answers from him.
- Oh. the girl said with a disappointed tone and then continued by apologizing for intrusion. Her friend said “Come on, let’s go” and pulled the fan-girl away while mumbling “So embarrassing” and rolling her eyes. You heard the girl stating “I swear she looks just like her!” as they walked away from the sunbeds. “That can’t be her, because that guy is not Axl K!” the friend replied. “Definitely not Axl K!” the girl exclaimed and glanced at Ned, who still stared at the girls with a deeply baffled look on his face.
- What was that about? Ned asked right after the girls had disappeared behind a corner. "And who is Axl K?" he added with a puzzled tone. His voice carried an undertone of jealousy but he didn’t realize it himself.
- You tell me. you chuckled and then added “I have no idea!”
After the sun had set you dined with Ned in a fancy restaurant where Ned had booked a table from. The food was excellent and the wine that had been recommended by the waitress complimented the appetizers as well as the entrée perfectly. For dessert you had some rich, creamy chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream and cookie crumble and a glass of dry sparkling wine that balanced the sweetness of the mousse very nicely. The dinner was followed by drinks at the nightclub and after that you decided to walk on the sundeck a little bit more because the moon had just risen above the horizon and the stars had filled the sky. You and Ned danced a little in the moonlight, enjoying the warm, calm night together.
It was getting late and therefore Ned suggested that you would retire to the cabin to get some sleep; it after all was going to be a long day of traveling tomorrow and you both had to be sharp for the customs. Ned was quite tired, yawning almost constantly but you were not… or you had been but then you had returned to the cabin and seen the fake-passport on the table and it had reminded you instantly about the fact that this time tomorrow, you might be in prison. You however did not want to worry Ned and therefore you did not talk about your worries with him.
Ned went through your fake-passport many times and he didn’t seem worried at all. You however were wrong; Ned was worried. He, just like you, had been distracted the entire evening… completely forgotten the approaching passport-control but now that he went through your so-called passport, he realized that there was no way you would get through the customs with that piece of shit. Your name was all wrong, the picture did not look official at all and the whole feel of the passport was just… plainly put… fake.
- I will get some sleep. Ned said and handed you the passport. You put the document into your bag and smiled at Ned as casually as you could.
- I think I will explore a bit. you replied as you watched Ned washing his teeth and getting ready for bed.
- Alright, don’t get lost. he said with his mouth filled with toothpaste. He sounded so funny that you burst into laughter.
- Yeah, good luck with that. It is a huge ship. you commented with an amused tone after you had stopped laughing. Ned spat the toothpaste-foam into the sink and rinsed his mouth.
- Leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Ned suggested and winked his eye at you, staring at your reflection in the mirror since you were standing in the doorway of the small bathroom, behind him.
- I will. you said and left the room after tucking Ned in and wishing him goodnight. You turned off the lights from the cabin and took a glance at the handsome man in the awkwardly small bed, inhaled deep and then closed the door behind you.
You explored the ship, the endless corridors and stairways, halls and lounge-areas. You kept having strange déjà vu –moments, like you had been there before… wandering around like you did now. You had left the cabin to clear out your head a little but now that your mind was constantly getting filled with these weird “I have been here before, I know this place” -moments and you found yourself even more stressed out as well as confused than before. Maybe it would have been better to stay in the cabin with Ned and to stare at the ceiling! You passed through the reception of the ship and suddenly a woman who was working there shouted at you
- Miss! Miss! Excuse me!
- Yes? you said and walked to the reception counter.
- Welcome back! We got a bit worried already. the woman said with a cheerful tone.
- Sorry? you asked, sounding very confused.
- Yes, we found your purse a week ago in the breakfast lounge. the woman explained, gestured you to wait for a moment while she got the purse from the backroom, from the lost-and-found. “Your phone, wallet, keycard to your cabin… passport, all there. All safe” she listed and then continued by stating with a friendly tone “I have no idea how you have survived the week without them but I’m glad to see you’re…” she said and paused. The woman noticed the bruise on your forehead but decided not to comment, it wasn’t any of her business anyway and therefore she just added “…Alright” with a polite, yet neutral tone.
- Thank… you. you said hesitantly and took the purse from the woman as she handed it to you. “In what direction is my cabin?” you asked and then chuckled “I’m a bit confused” as casually as you could.
- Stairs up to the tenth floor, turn right into a long corridor and walk all the way to the back. the woman answered.
- Ah, of course! exclaimed with a chuckle, pretending that you suddenly remembered where it was and then added “Thank you”, wished the woman goodnight and left the reception.
You climbed the stairs to the tenth floor, took a right turn and walked through the corridor all the way to the back just like the member of the personnel in the reception had instructed. You glanced at the numbers on the cabin doors until you were standing in front of the number that was in your keycard. You took a deep breath and then pushed the keycard into the slot and pushed the handle down when the lock flashed a green light. Then you stepped into the cabin that was much larger than the cabin than the cabin that Ned and you shared.
- Who the hell am I? you mumbled after turning on the lights and closing the door.
You walked to the large king-sized bed, sat on the edge and emptied the content of your purse on it. You checked out your phone but when you pressed the on-off –button, it was immediately apparent that the battery had died during the week. You noticed your luggage on a chair and searched it through for a charger. You found one in the side pocket of the bag and plugged it to the electric outlet in the wall right next to the bed. You connected the cable to your phone and placed the phone on the nightstand to get charged.
The next you glanced through your passport. You stared at the picture which was maybe four years old and then checked the last pages that were filled with stamps from various travels. You checked out your wallet and found a big amount of cash and some receipts as well as a train ticket and a boarding pass for a long-distance flight from (your home country). You stood up, walked to your luggage and lifted it on the bed. You went through the things and tried to recall something by breathing in the scent of your clothes; the luxurious expensive perfume, the fruit-scented laundry detergent and something else as well… your favorite candies. You found an opened bag of the candies in the bag and lay down on the bed to enjoy a couple of them.
Then suddenly you remembered your phone. It should have enough juice to boot now but when you turned the phone on, waited it to start, you soon faced a problem; you couldn’t access your phone without a password and unfortunately you didn’t remember what the password could have been. You stared at the picture decorating your lock screen; a very generic picture of a beach with white sand and turquoise sea which gave you a feeling that you had changed the picture in a hurry because although it was a picture of a lovely view, it still felt very impersonal.
You opened your eyes. It was dark outside but the horizon had a small hint of pale green and orange as a sign that the sun was about to rise in an hour. “Ned! Fuck!” you exclaimed, packed your bag and left the room after checking that you had taken all of your belongings with you. Then you sneaked three floors down, walked into the front of the ship and found the cabin where Ned was sleeping. You hoped that Ned had not woken up during the night and gotten worried because you had accidentally fallen asleep to the cabin-suite that was apparently yours. However Ned was sound asleep so you changed into your pajama and got in bed. The only cabin Ned had managed to book had only single beds but you were now actually pretty pleased about it since you were able to sneak in without being noticed.
- Where were you? Ned mumbled, only barely awake. “I was a bit worried” he added.
- Clearing my head. you responded hoping that the answer would be enough for Ned.
- Are you nervous about the passport? he asked, assuming that you had needed some time alone because of that. Ned was right, the reason why you had gone out for your explorations had been exactly that but the real reason why you had been away the entire night was that you had fallen asleep elsewhere. You battled with yourself about whether you should or not tell Ned about the encounter with the receptionist.
- Not anymore. you responded and wished Ned goodnight. Ned fell asleep almost immediately but you were unable to get any sleep because you were now undecided whether you should pursue your real identity and find out who you were or should you wait until you remembered something more before telling Ned that you now had your belongings. Ned however did not even notice the extra bag because he was so nervous about the fake-passport and therefore he was unable to concentrate on anything or stay still for longer than a moment. You tried to calm him down by telling him that it was going to be alright but since you had not decided whether you should tell him about the events of last night or not… you couldn’t say anything that would make sense enough to put Ned’s nerves to rest.
You knew that you should have told Ned about your things immediately in the morning after waking up but because Ned had overslept, you had decided to postpone the revelation a bit. After getting dressed you and Ned went to get some breakfast. However the longer you delayed the harder it became to tell Ned that you knew your name, nationality and birthday… although those were not even the things that you stressed out the most. The thing that made you nervous was the huge amount of cash you had in your wallet and on top of that you had found more hiding in the inside-pockets of your luggage; were you running away from something?
The ship arrived to the harbor and after most of the travelers had exited the vessel, you and Ned left the cabin with your things and walked to the passport control. Ned was shaking a little because he was so nervous for you even though you tried to put his mind at ease by assuring him that it was going to be alright. You had your fake-passport at hand while you and Ned queued to the passport-control but when it was your time to proceed, you switched the passports when Ned was not looking and gave your real passport to the lady in the booth.
She scanned the document, asked you what the purpose of your visit was and then she gave your passport back to you and asked you to move along. Ned, who was next in line, was unfortunately so nervous for you that he got called to a random bag-search because he his behavior had made him look suspicious. However the border guards didn’t find anything from Ned’s bag, which of course was no surprise for you or him, although it was a surprise for the guards. They really had expected to find drugs or other illegal things in his bag and when they had not found anything, they had been actually pretty disappointed.
- Everything alright? you asked when Ned came out from the customs.
- Yes, you? he asked. You smiled and nodded, knowing that Ned had no idea that you had gotten through the customs and the passport control with your own passport.
You left the harbor, took a taxi to the train station and after a two-hour-wait you got on a train that would take you to Ned’s hometown. The travel by the train took about seven hours during which you shared many casual conversations with Ned, walked in the train a bit and ate a late lunch in the restaurant-car. You were happy to see Ned so relaxed after seeing him scared shitless in the customs… and it was also heartwarming to hear him laugh as well. You took a long nap after the lunch and then you arrived to the destination; Ned’s hometown. You got out from the train and took a long fascinated look around as you filled your lungs with the fresh, cool air.
- So, here we are. Welcome to my hometown. Ned said after escorting you away from the train platforms.
- Thank you. It looks… wonderful. you replied as you stared at the city lights in front of you.
- Now we’ll just take a taxi to my bakery… Ned stated and gestured a taxi to stop. “I live right above it” he added, helped the driver with the bags and then opened the door for you.
- Alright. you commented with a barely audible tone when you sat to the backseat. You felt excited and nervous at the same time; on the other hand, you were relieved because now you had an opportunity to build a life for yourself… this was real… this was not just a holiday destination where nothing was quite real… But… yes, “but”… But then again this was Ned’s life and you were somewhat nervous about it; would you fit his life? Would there be expectations that Ned assumed you to fill? What if he had painted a rosy picture about your life together and then you would just somehow screw it up?
You arrived to the bakery that had already closed but you could see that there were people inside anyway. Ned told you that he had asked Chuck to prepare a dinner for the returning travelers and she had insisted on throwing a welcoming-party for you. Ned had told you during the taxi-ride that his friends were more than eager to get to know you and they were happy that Ned had met someone special during his holiday.
- A name! Ned said suddenly, just as he was about to open the door for you. “I would love to introduce you to Chuck and Olive…” he explained and turned to look at you. “…And therefore I need a name” he added and smiled shyly.
- (Y/N). you said almost immediately and then corrected yourself by stating a bit hesitantly “I suppose (Y/N) would be fine.”
- Is that your name? Ned asked curiously and before you managed to comment anything he stated “I know, you do not remember.”
- Well, it is now. you stated, took a deep breath and followed Ned in.