[bilbao] rust to gold. [tag; piper]

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for your time."

A polite ripple of applause filled the hall as Will gave a quick smile, closed his book and stepped down from the lectern. It had gone fairly smoothly - people seemed attentive, they laughed at the right times and he hadn't choked on his water, but then there was her. It wasn't so much of a siren's song but more of a lightning bolt. She looked exactly the same as she had since the last time he'd seen her. It must have been the better part of ten years he realised in alarm.

She'd been kind enough to give him an undeserved standing ovation, the only person who did, and it made the shock of seeing her melt into something much more comfortable. He'd prepared for everything but he'd never been able to prepare for her.  Will knew Spain well so a trip to the funky and beautiful town of Bilbao was always a good idea. He'd been asked to take part in a seminar for new and upcoming authors. There was him, a few well known authors and a couple of other people from all over Europe, ten or so.

Will was flattered to be asked. He considered himself the operator of an independent publishing house, not really on anyone's radar but Arkadiy's poetry anthology had been a smash hit. The poet was busy promoting it with his wife and last he heard, they were in Ibiza and he dreaded to think of the trouble they'd cause there.

"Oh thanks, it's really nice to see you," the tall man replied with smiles as he shook hands and clapped people's shoulders warmly, all the while trying to edge to the back towards her, without looking ungrateful and before she disappeared. Almost like water between cupped hands. The speakers were all making plans to go out for tapas and wine and while that would have been nice, he had other plans.

So that was what had led him to that evening, standing outside a door that he knew well. It looked the same as it did years ago. The door was the same shade of blue and it smelled the same, the fat pink bougainvilleas that spread across the front of the house catching in the warm evening breeze, soft and sweet. He exhaled quickly, the bottle of red wine tucked under his arm for safety. The pocket square might have been overkill but he knocked on the door anyway.

A beat of silence passed and he wondered if this was a bad idea. He knew Piper's family well, he'd practically lived with her here for an entire summer, so he wasn't sure why things would be as awful as he thought it might be. It was amicable, not terrible. And she'd been gracious enough to invite him over. Will knocked again before he pushed the door, mildly surprised to see it open as he stepped inside, the cool air settling around him as nostalgia punched him in the gut. He stopped, his dark eyes looking around the familiar space and he smiled quickly, instantly relaxing. It had been an odd day. It had been an odd couple of weeks, to be honest. This might be the shred of normality he so desperately needed to feel.

"Hello?" He called out as he stepped further in, wondering if her auntie and uncle might be in the garden. Will wandered a little more, the soft and slow ticking of a clock was all he could hear as he reached out and touched the soft material of the curtains as he passed absently. Things had been moved around but there was a photo of her that caught her eye. He made a beeline for it, picking it up carefully. She must have been no older than eight, hair in pigtails and missing one of her front teeth. He smiled fondly as he placed it back down. He had photos of them somewhere, too. Before he had his beard and before the end of the summer that changed everything.

He hadn't been able to embrace Piper earlier on, it was more a quick wave and a short conversation. Checking his watch, he realised he was a little early but he didn't really want to sit around like a lemon. "¿Hay alguien en casa?" He ventured, not even sure if his Spanish made any sense because he hadn't spoken it in years.



@Piper Morel

When Piper had a moment to herself, a minute or two where she was not busy making decisions for others or fixing their mistakes, she thought about how she might want to see him again. It was not something that she was particularly prepared for, the thought of reliving some of the bittersweet moments between them and that summer in Bilbao only seemed like torture to the casual onlooker. After all, Piper had spent a considerable amount of time trying to forgive and forget that she had chosen her career over love once again and might have actually lost the opportunity to be with someone that would make her happy.

William had made her happy for an entire summer, two months of romantic bliss that was incomparable to whatever nonsense relationship she had attempted in the past. Things had fallen right into place and for a long time, her career and all of the responsibilities that came along with her position were not the first thing on her mind upon waking nor the last thing she thought about before going to bed.
But all good things came to an end, especially where Piper’s life was concerned, and what had once felt like something that could go on forever ended towards the end of summer when she practically dragged her feet back to the office, evidently unhappy with her choice. However there were thoughts of advancement and financial security and fulfilling her dreams, things that eventually made her feel content with her everyday life at the office, as long as she kept her mind from wandering down memory lane.

However lately, as the witch grew more wise and much more understanding of her own needs, her perspective on life had changed. There was little join gained from her own accomplishments and though she was much due for a promotion and always busy, the drive that she had brought along with her when she had initially joined Label Magazine had all but disappeared. Things needed to change, Piper needed to remove herself from her current reality to reconnect with her reason for continuing work in the first place.

And therefore when Catherine, her assistant, casually mentioned that a most dashing William Dasher would be speaking at a writer’s conference in Bilbao and that she had made arrangements for Piper to go, she had simply smiled and nodded in an appreciative gesture. It had been enough to encourage a shocked expression on her assistant’s face, one that remained there for the remainder of their lunch together, at least until Catherine decided to ask questions that Piper didn’t want to answer. If you’ll be interrogating me, then I will not be going, she said firmly, looking away as she attempted to hide the way in which the corners of her mouth curled upward at the thought of seeing Will again.

Nevertheless, Piper had not considered how difficult it might be to see him again, the memories of their summer together making it difficult for her concentrate on what he was saying, but she had heard enough to know he was still as brilliant as she had remembered him, standing as soon as he had finished to show her appreciation. But possibly also for him to notice her. Piper was curious about what he had been doing, how his life had changed since they had last seen each other, if her missed her at times as well.

Piper had planned to invite him over to her aunt’s house long before she had asked him when she had finally approached him after the conference. It had been her intention to pretend that it was a last-minute, all of a sudden sort of thought, that way she figured that if he had other plans, someone else to go home to, she wouldn’t feel entirely rejected.

And when he had agreed, Piper had to contain the excitement and prevent it from appearing all over her face, not wanting to call undue attention to herself. Her aunt and uncle had been excited as well, rushing around in hopes of turning the simple meal they had prepared for Piper into a big to do. It was this aunt that had been the most disappointed when they had broken up, his daily presence had turned him into a sort of member of the family, one that everyone, especially Piper, had been sad to let go.

“And don’t ask him if he’s married, auntie, because that’s terribly rude,” she noted un Euskara. It wasn’t a language she was entirely comfortable with but this had been something she needed to know how to say, her aunt simply smiled and corrected her grammar, “And definitely don’t ask him why we broke up, it ended well,” she continued, ignoring the mumbling her aunt made about how if it had ended well they would have married already.

As Piper was rolling her eyes, she was distracted by the sound of accented Spanish, a voice she would recognize anywhere. Coming out to the entrance of the house she smiled politely and opened the door, “We weren’t expecting you for a bit, figured you’d go out for a drink or two with your colleagues,” she noted, “the Spanish are always late to everything,” she added with a smile. “But anyway, welcome, welcome, do come in,” she added, leading him in inside. “Can I take your coat? Get you something to drink?” she offered, her voice almost inaudible over the excited greeting her aunt and uncle gave him as he entered the house, asking how he had been and why he had taken so long to visit.

“Why don’t you sit down? Dinner’s almost ready,” she offered, frowning in the direction of her aunt, “And you don’t get to be alone with him,” she hissed in Euskara, pulling the woman away with her to the kitchen as she went.

And there she was. Will grinned, wide and genuine as he saw her. "Ah, I'm sorry," he replied and he meant it with a faint frown. "I was asked to go," he agreed with Piper with a sheepish smile. "But then I got a better offer," he hinted at the dinner invitation.

It was a shock to see her again earlier that day, so much so that he didn't really remember much of the afternoon after it - had he knocked over his index cards? While he wasn't shocked now, there was that familiar zing! that shot down his spine whenever he met her gaze. Like being held at the rollercoaster on the edge of a drop. He wasn't scared, he was excited. He smiled again. "And I'm very English," he joked, making light of the fact he was too early.

"Oh, thanks," he said as he shrugged off his suit jacket and held it out for her to take before handing her the bottle of wine (Spanish red, he wasn't stupid) when asked if he'd like a drink. "Yes, please," he nodded, still distracted by how warm and familiar it felt. It had been his home for eight weeks so it was difficult not to be reminded of all the nooks and crannies of the place. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask whether Amante, the local farm cat, was around. It seemed unlikely because it had been so long but he remembered the ginger tomcat who seemed to dislike everyone but him.

"Anything would be great," he insisted to Piper with a smile as he began to roll up his shirt sleeves, all ready to help with dinner before he caught sight of her auntie and uncle. "Hi!" Will called out as he was cornered, bending down to place a kiss on each of Piper's auntie's cheeks. The Spanish was fast but he picked up on a few phrases; he looked well, she liked his beard, he smelt nice. "You look beautiful," he told her honestly as he spun her in a circle with a laugh. He wasn't lying. Her hair was still thick and dark but now streaked with grey. Her eyes were bright and her tanned skin was still soft. The nostalgia was overwhelming.

Will extended a large hand to her uncle who shook it and clapped him warmly on the back. "It's great to see you," he told the other man with a smile before catching a comment. Why had it taken so long for him to visit? He shot Piper a glance, unsure of what the official story was. "Work has been really busy," he admitted as he cleared his throat. He wasn't aware he was even allowed to visit because break ups normally meant a clean break. It earned him a disapproving cluck.

It was a flimsy excuse but that was all he had as he smiled at Piper, following them all through the hallway. Her and her auntie used a dialect he was unfamiliar with  but her uncle rolled his eyes and replied women, which caused him to laugh.

Her uncle headed towards the dining room and Will stood still for a second before he quickly hurried towards the kitchen. "Let me," he insisted as he placed a hand on Piper's auntie's back gently to stop her as he insisted that she be the one to put her feet up. He was the guest and he knew. He smiled. "No really," he went on, not taking no for an answer until she giggled and gave in, leaving him and Piper alone.

Will went to the sink to wash his hands and dry them. "She's funny," he told Piper with a knowing smile as he folded the cloth back up and moved to stand close to her at the stove. Everything smelled wonderful as he curiously lifted the lids off pots and pans before he dipped his head to place a kiss on one of Piper's cheeks.

"Hi," he smiled, making himself useful as he began to stir a sauce, giving her space. It was hard not to fall back into the comfort of the house because it was a home, not just bricks and mortar. Will reached up to grab four wine glasses because he knew where they lived and he was relieved they hadn't moved. He clapped his hands together briskly. "Right! What can I do?" He asked Piper eagerly as he began to uncork the wine. 

There was something about the familiar way in which he communicated with her family that made her nostalgic for their shared past, the sort of familiarity that revealed a closeness she had only experienced with William. Piper had never made it a habit of bringing her men home, especially not to her father’s side of the family, and for a good reason. She wanted to portray an image of seriousness and responsibility, one that her father had never possessed. In doing this, Piper needed the man she eventually brought home to introduce to them to represent many of the qualities she often sought in herself. Years ago, William had been that person. And considering that she had only managed to bring him again and no one else drove that point home. Just because they had ended things amicably did not mean that she had dismissed the fact that he had meant something to her—still did.

She took one glance at the excitement on her aunt’s face and knew that the woman would be trying to convince her to marry him all weekend. Therefore, instead of waiting for the telltale looks that would soon be aimed in her direction, Piper took his coat and bottle of red wine and made her way into the kitchen, her aunt close to her as she had requested it. However, it was obvious in the way she muttered unhappily that it wasn’t the arrangement she had expected. Naturally, the woman started by asking her questions to gauge her interest He’s still quite handsome, he hasn’t aged a year! she exclaimed, to which Piper only nodded in agreement, hanging the coat in the hallway closet. I didn’t notice a ring, did you? she continued as the young witch made her way through the dining room. Piper made a noncommittal noise in response but could not help but to smile a little to herself. That was information she’d have to verify a little later. Piper could only hope then that Will had not taken it upon himself to learn Euskara and had understood the entire exchange; if so, they’d be in trouble.

Piper was curious about what conversation her uncle had decided to engage him in but was finding it difficult to hear with her aunt whispering all sorts of encouragement at her side; it wasn’t as easy to concentrate as she simultaneously heard and deciphered two languages. “I’ve only invited him for dinner, not to stay forever,” she hissed at her aunt though there was no malice in her words, mostly just embarrassment. Though she supposed she deserved it, several years ago, Piper had been very insistent that she would marry Will, and her aunt was eventually convinced that that would be so. It wasn’t as easy to explain to her why they had broken up. Piper was not entirely sure why she had insisted on it either, but it wasn’t unusual for her to shy away from commitment when things became too serious no matter how much she longed for it. Finally catching on to the conversation, she smiled in Will’s directly, thankful that he wasn’t making a big deal out of it either, at least not to her family.

When her aunt was finally convinced to have a seat, and Will followed her into the kitchen, Piper felt a sense of relief wash over her. The last thing she wanted was for the woman to insist on how good they looked together. “She’s nosy,” Piper corrected with a smile, looking into one of the pots and stirring. Piper only paused for a moment when he kissed her cheek but didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. She wasn’t sure why she was acting like such a schoolgirl. But she had smiled.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m surprised we crossed paths again, but I suppose our careers aren’t that different after all,” she suggested, looking over at him as he took out four glasses. “Do you remember where the corkscrew is? Your memory is obviously much better than mine,” she added, stirring the sauce once more before taking a small spoonful out. “Try this, auntie grew everything in here out in her back yard, save the salt and pepper of course,” she offered the spoon in his direction. “But you can help with the paella if you remember how to make it,” she suggested, “The ingredients are all in the fridge ready to go.”

Hanging back, he couldn't help but smile - he didn't need to be fluent in that language to understand that he was the subject of discussion. Will wasn't offended but he was keen to know what was being said. Though Piper had invited him, it was difficult not to feel displaced. He'd been a part of this family once before but that seemed like eons ago. He looked around again as a warm nostalgia washed over him. He liked it here.

He offered Piper a dimpled grin as her auntie left, clearly excited to discuss them a bit more. "Maybe a little bit," he conceded but not unkindly. "How has she been?" Will asked, genuinely interested to know. The Morels should have been on his Christmas card list, the thought seemed suddenly very important. He would have liked to know how life was around here.

Will placed the glasses down on the kitchen counter softly, his smile still in place, though less sparkling as Piper spoke. "It has," he agreed. He didn't care to count how many. He tilted his head as her big dark eyes met his and he nodded, turning away in the guise of searching for the mysterious corkscrew because looking at her for too long actually hurt. "Too long," he tacked on.

"I suppose they're not," he agreed. "I'm sure yours is vastly more glamorous," Will joked gently. Piper was a high flyer and he was so proud of her, living her best life in London, adored by the fashion elite. "It beats sitting in an office full of books," he smiled, despite that being his ideal.

He grinned at her. "I just drank a lot of wine while I was here," he answered Piper as she mentioned his memory. "The drawer by your left hip. Excuse me." With that, he stepped around her to open it, standing close as he rummaged through the utensils, holding it aloft like a trophy as his fingers closed over it. Picking up the bottle of wine he'd brought, he opened the wax paper and began to screw it into the cork and twist, his long fingers making short work of it as he closed the lever and loosened the cork, swiftly pouring them both a glass.

"Ooh," Will was quick to reply as he jettisoned the wine and stepped closer to Piper, dipping his head to taste the sauce and giving her a big thumbs up as he swallowed. "That's amazing," he told her, sounding impressed, despite him knowing that Piper was already a great cook. It was bright and vibrant and full of flavour. "You can tell, it tastes really fresh," he went on to say as he sipped at his wine. This felt a million miles away from their heady shared summer. Going back to London without her had been a mistake.

"Paella, how could I forget," he echoed with a laugh as sheer panic gripped his heart. He didn't have the guts to tell Piper he hadn't cooked it in over five years, not since they'd last cooked together. "It's like riding a bike," he joked as he followed her instructions and gathered up the ingredients to stand close to her at the stove. With a little maneuvering, he found his favourite pan (large, copper, heavy and dimpled with spoon marks) as he added a liberal glug of olive oil and turned on the heat, neatly scraping the onions and then the vegetables into it.

He added in the paella rice and poked the vegetables around the pan, picking up the bottle of wine and hesitating. "Red wine isn't sacreligious, is it?" He asked Piper as a melodramatic look of fear creased his handsome face. He hadn't cooked like this in a very long time. He felt relaxed, happy in this spacious kitchen, full of trinkets and well worn appliances. Will fell silent for a moment as the onions sizzled, pausing to sprinkle in some fresh thyme and paprika, his eyes wandering over to her as she stirred the sauce. He'd always been comfortable in silence with Piper but now, he felt as though he needed to fill it. "I meant to say thanks," he said suddenly as he delicately stirred the rice. "For coming to my seminar. It was really nice to see your face. Here," with that, he scooped a small amount of the paella up onto a spoon and held it out for her to taste, returning the gesture. "Might have gone a bit overboard with the paprika," he warned her with a smile that creased the corners of his eyes.

“Are you only teasing me?” she looked over at him, not being able to help the smile that graced her features as soon as he had given her a thumbs up. The woman rarely cooked at home but there were a couple of dishes she could easily make, this being one of them. But, Piper knew her expertise was in no way related to the thing in front of her so while his reaction was a great boost of self-confidence, she had every right to be suspicious of it. “Or are you being terribly polite as you are in the custom of being?” she teased in return.

Summers ago, the two of them had spent the time in this way, leisurely about within the kitchens or the library or any of the multitudinous rooms within the very home they were in now. It was not in Piper’s nature to get caught up in the past, but she had a difficult time not falling prisoner to her thoughts in his company, especially in this very house. It made her wonder all sorts of things like how much he might have changed since the last time they had encountered one another and if that change meant that the feelings they once had for one another had all but disappeared. He had not mentioned a girlfriend but it was almost certain that he’d have one, at least she had convinced herself as much. The witch was many things but never naïve, and as it was apparent years ago, as apparent as it was now, he was quite a catch.

“Is it?” she wondered curiously, a smile on her face as he produced the right pan, that had been easy, and started to cook. Naturally, Piper observed his performance, wondering how well he would remember how to make it. In a way, it was connected to a memory they shared together, and being able to accomplish the task felt a little like remembering a part of their time together. More realistically, however, it meant nothing and her nostalgia was simply a symptom of being in this house. “But I suppose you’re right, it is a staple for good reason, quite simple,” she offered, venturing to take a sip of the wine she had been offered earlier. Piper had always preferred to drink with her food anyway.

Piper continued to stir at the pot, wondering if it could use a little more something so she tried it again, the woman had found it difficult to ever be completely satisfied with her work. However, with Will here she felt a little more pressure to do even better. When he started to speak she turned to him and smiled, wondering where that had come from. “You know I’ve always been a big fan of your work, no thanks needed,” she explained, leaning in for the spoon he had held out for her, “Not bad,” she said after a short pause, “though I’d add a little more salt if I were you, it’ll balance out everything else we’re having,” she offered. “Though I would’ve liked it better had you invited me,” she returned to the previous subject at hand, “even if we’re not dating I figure we’re still friends, can still admire each other’s work, right?” she asked.

It wasn’t fair for her to say it considering that she had all but lost contact with everyone that had no direct tie to her current work but she had said it anyway.

"No!" Will exclaimed with a laugh as he shook his head, still chortling. He didn't think he'd ever lied to her and he wasn't about to start with her paella. He offered her a quick smile - she was right, he was terribly polite - but not now. "It's lovely," he told her honestly. "Really." Will hadn't even touched as much as a plate of tapas since they'd broken up. It was almost taboo. Besides, he doubted he could get decent Iberian ham in London.

"Maybe it was a bad analogy," he admitted to Piper with an embarrassed smile, mentally kicking himself like a football. "It just feels nice to cook again," he admitted. "Or, at least help," he tacked on because she'd done all the hard work. If he chose to think about it, it might be unsettling how easy they fell back into this rhythm. He liked it. Will thought he should be talking to Piper more - about her family, her job, her life but had too much time passed for that?

At her comment, he blushed fiercely, feeling warm, all the way down to his toes. "That's kind," Will offered, feeling foolish. "If you've read everything, you need a medal. You must be bored out of your mind," she joked. Even his own parents didn't follow his career like Piper apparently did.

Not bad, she'd said, and he'd take it. "Salt," he echoed as he stepped away to find it, adding a pinch...and then another one before Piper surprised him again.

He fell silent, the only noise was the sizzling of the pan and a laugh from the living room, which made him jump. He didn't say anything for a short while as he diligently stirred the pan, dread creeping in at the edges. Handling things delicately was something he was good at but not when things concerned him.  He looked over at her, his face wearing a funny expression with his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth set in a thin line. The cogs inside his head were definitely turning.

There were a number of logistical problems. "I thought it might have been weird," he told Piper honestly as he cleared his throat. The paella basically cooked itself but he needed to keep his hands busy. "And I've not seen you in a while," he added truthfully, his eyes glancing over at her, suddenly sheepish. "I didn't know how to reach you." That was half a lie; he could have written to her magazine. "I also didn't know if you would want to come."

The last statement hung in the air. A lot of time had passed. They'd ended things amicably but there were things he meant to say to her that he'd just chickened out.  There was a very real possibility his invitation may be rebuffed or ignored or worse than that, she'd turn up with a date. It was driven by uncharacteristic selfishness but the point was clear - Will didn't want to meet Piper's boyfriend.

"Sorry," he said quickly as he blinked. Friends, she'd said, as casually as she was ordering a cup of tea instead of stabbing him in the chest. His heart lurched. "Even if we're not dating," he repeated softly, an odd feeling settling over his shoulders. Will looked over at Piper for a moment as he swallowed, opening his mouth to say something before he closed it again. He appreciated being let down easily and it sounded like she'd made a decision. There was always a will-they-won't-they situation and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't hoping for a reconciliation but it caught him off guard.

"Right," Will said as he collected himself and smiled. "Absolutely. I'm always cheering for you." He did read her magazine. He didn't understand a lot of it (fashion bypassed him) but he appreciated the hard work that went into organising articles and photographs and deadlines and everything else. "And I'm sorry if me not mentioning it upset you." Will reached out a hand and squeezed Piper's shoulder affectionately, like he used to do. The motion was so natural, he hadn't realised he'd done it.