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He didn’t die. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. But what if he did? What if his breaths had continued to shorten until they stopped? Right there, in your arms, on the floor.
The image of Sylus severely injured hadn’t left your mind all week. It was a mission that had gone wrong with misinformation suggesting a much weaker Wanderer than what was actually there. If he hadn’t taken the hit, he would have been carrying your dead body back to the base. Instead, he was the one bleeding heavily and struggling to take in air while you took the final shot at the Wanderer. He was the one clinging to you as you dragged him back to the car and laid him in the backseat. He was the one unconscious for a whole day while you wept at his side, holding his hand, and praying to whatever god existed in the cosmos.
It had taken a week for Sylus to properly recover after awakening and you had been there at every step. You changed his bandages, helped him eat, took care of minor tasks, and ensured he stayed in bed until fully recovered. While he often teased your attempts at playing nurse and disobeyed your commands on multiple occasions, he found your actions incredibly endearing and held you close when you accidentally fell asleep beside him on the bed. On more than one occasion you swore you felt his lips on your forehead during your slumber, though he would likely never admit it.
It was how you found yourself here, in a beautiful field filled with beautiful red flowers and a sunset starting to form on the horizon. Sylus had promised you a reward for your dedicated efforts at his recovery, and a picnic date was what he had settled on. No chaos or danger. Just the two of you in a world of your own. Luke and Keiran had ensured there would be no distractions, and the chef had packed a meal fit for royalty as you picked at delicate sandwiches and tarts, with wine matched perfectly to the flavors. It was perfect. There were no flaws to nitpick, no concerns to fuss over. Sylus had made sure this would be an opportunity for you to unwind after a stressful week of looking after him.
And yet the image of his face contorted in pain still flashed in your mind as you looked over at him. He was oblivious to your observance, his eyes were entirely focused on the small, delicate flowers in his hands as he tried to tie them into a crown as you had just taught him. He had taken the task incredibly seriously as he looked over the one you had made as reference. No one would believe you if you told them that those crimson eyes, the ones that usually reflected back coldness and bloodshed, are only filled with endless love and devotion when aimed at you.
You had to stifle a laugh as his brow furrowed over the flowers in his hand, but it also overwhelmed you with this feeling of complete and total love. You loved this man. Entirely. It had taken a while to get there, starting as enemies and slowly becoming something ambiguous but exclusive. Something that had you hiding your affection and yet ensuring he knew how much you liked him. Loved him. You had never had a proper conversation, he seemed to be taking it slow but you knew he was the one. He was your everything. The shoulder you cried on and the one to make you laugh. He was your heart. Your soul. Not just in this life either. You knew deep down that your love was something beyond this realm, something tied together in lives past, present, and future.
He startled when you softly called his name, eyes immediately finding yours. His hands faltered slightly and the flower he had been adding to the crown slipped back to the ground. Those eyes. So beautiful, so warm, so caring. He looked at you as if you were the only person in the world.
“Will you marry me?”
The words that left your mouth surprised you as much as they surprised him but you knew in your heart that you meant it. You wanted to be tied to him in every way possible. You wanted to be with him forever and always.
His face turned red and a shock took over his features. He said nothing until he saw the look of panic and embarrassment cloud your own face.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t ha-”
“No! No. I just.. well, I never expected you to be the one to ask first, Sweetie. You’ve thrown off my plan to slowly seduce you until I knew you would say yes when I asked.” Sylus chuckled as he cut you off, preventing your mind from wandering to darker thoughts. He was clearly flustered and while a soft smirk formed on his lips, there was something about his expression that gave way to the emotions simmering just beneath the surface. A mixture of giddiness and nervousness that he just couldn’t hide. “But are you sure you want me? You are the one who always reminds me that we should be natural enemies, and I don’t want you to feel like you are giving up the life you have just to be with me. I don’t want to tie you down if you don’t want to.”
It was your turn to quell his fears. “Yes I want you. Entirely. The Hunter’s Association will just have to accept that one of their own is with the leader of Onychinus.” You joked back before turning more serious. “I just know that I can’t imagine my world without you anymore. I know I’m not quite the image of what the head of Onychinus’ partner might be but I just know that I want to be beside you for the rest of my life.”
“Sweetie there is no woman I can imagine more perfect to be beside me, but I promise you if you are sure then I promise that I will make you happier than anyone else ever could. I will make sure you never regret your choice. Ever.” His typical facade was now long gone and the feelings of hope tinged with nervousness lay plain on his face.
“I’m sure. I promise.” You whisper, moving closer towards him.
“Then I suppose I have no other option but to say yes.” The cocky grin found its way back to his lips though the blush never left his cheeks. “I must warn you though, I promise there is no going back. I will hold on to you until you cannot stand the sight of me.”
His hands had long abandoned his attempt at a flower crown and found their way to you, one clasped your hand tightly while the other cupped your cheek.
“I love you, Sweetie.” He whispered, tucking a hair behind your ear.
“I love you too,” you murmured back.
He slowly moved closer, as if giving you one last chance to take it back but you closed the distance finding his lips with yours. It was slow and passionate, as if time had frozen and nothing else mattered but you two in that moment.
When you finally parted, you realized his eyes were red as though fighting off tears and it caused your own tears to begin to fall. Joy, happiness, excitement. None of those terms could begin to explain the way the two of you felt. You held each other closely and said nothing while enjoying the warmth of each other as the air began to chill around you. The sun had begun to properly sink below the horizon and soon darkness would claim the field in which you sat.
You suddenly gasped as you realized you had forgotten an important part of all proposals.
“Sylus, close your eyes for a moment.” You peeled yourself away from his side, though his hands seemed slow to let go of you.
“What now? Another surprise, Kitten? You’ve already given me the greatest gift I could ever receive.” He laughed while finally releasing you and closing his eyes. He sat in anticipation with a smirk plastered on his face. You don’t think there is much you could do to wipe the joy off his face in this moment.
You plucked a flower from beside you and softly grasped his hand. Much like how you assembled the flower crown previously, you tied the small and delicate stem around his finger to make a ring. “There. Can’t really propose to someone without a ring, can I?”
He opened his eyes and a blush once again adorned his features.
“My love, I… I hope you know that I will cherish you for as long as I live. There is no purer love than mine, and this ring will become the second greatest treasure in my collection.” His eyes were filled with adoration and love. He once again closed the gap between you to capture your lips in a kiss.
As you parted, you considered his words. “Second? What is the first?”
“But of course, it would be my beloved wife.”