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He snatches one from them, burying his face in it. The wet patches of Yiosha’s blood become smears as he reveals his face. He then gestures to the final bloodstain at his feet and the splattered droplets from his clothes, prompting others to approach him closer than they’d initially dared to clean up the mess.
The tension in the air still lingers, perhaps only growing as everyone keeps their distance from the chivdouyu, everyone but me.
Valkus looks at me, but in his expression of bloodlust is a glint of fear. He may think that he has scared me away from him, after letting out this unholy beast that ravaged Yiosha for all to behold.
He had shown his dark side to the world, but it’s easy to see that I’m all that matters to him right now. All he needs is the truth of whether or not I will still accept him. Little does he know that for him, it was never a choice, only a feeling.
I’ll always remember how his eyes light up as I open my arms to him, embracing him tighter than I ever have before. I care nothing for the blood that transfers onto my garments.
When we pull apart, I take the towel from his hands and throw it around him. Together, we walk away from the murder scene.
“I should be the one helping you.” He groans.
“Hush, Valkus. Let’s get away from everyone first.”
I take one final look over my shoulder, watching as his mother stands there peering after the two of us with a strange look on her face. Everything is deadly silent.
Tonight will be one that no one in this manor will dare forget. Even if it has cemented itself as Valkus’ legacy, I doubt he cares very much. He did it for me, and that’s all it takes for me to accept what he did with no hesitation.
We begin our ascent up the stairs just as a familiar trilling rings through the air. We turn to see Nexus galloping over to us, greeting Valkus with a nudge and me with a lick.
Valkus opens the door to his quarters and gestures for me to enter first. Once inside, Valkus immediately strips himself of his blood-soaked clothes, tossing them out into the hallway before crossing the room and going into the bathroom.
I follow him like a wraith, not wanting to be away from him for even a moment. He steps under a steady stream of water, allowing the blood to flow off of him for a few moments, before stepping out again and dressing quickly. We don’t exchange words, simply sharing space as he finishes cleaning himself.
I want to do it for him, to tend to him and care for him in a way that’s so similar and yet so different from the expression of care he just showed me. I want him to be able to feel my love for him in each and every one of my movements.
But right now, I know the thing I can do the best for him is simply to hold space for him. To let this hang between us. To help him shoulder this weight, and all of the emotions that come with it.
When he’s done, I take his hand, guiding him back to the bedroom. Together, we take a seat on the edge of the bed. I shoot a sidelong glance at Valkus, spotting his reflective gaze as he looks down at his hands.
They still shake as he clenches them once more. His body vibrates not with tension but with the aftershock of his attack on Yiosha. The adrenaline in his body seems to die down.
When he looks up at me, his hands unfold. He exhales a long sigh, perhaps from relief as I lay a reassuring hand on his face. We stay that way for a few moments, sharing nothing but company for one another.
His hand comes to rest on my face. In his eyes, I see love and exhaustion.
“It’s over,” I say finally. “There’s nothing more for you or me to worry about, and it’s all because of you, Valkus. I owe you my life.”
A tear that had been begging to be let loose finally cascades down his cheek.
“I… I can’t help but carry this guilt inside me,” he mutters, his voice riddled with pain. “I’m so sorry any of this ever happened to you. If only I had been more vigilant, more wary, then maybe I could have prevented–”
I throw a finger to his lips.
“You have nothing to be forgiven for,” I whisper. “If I’m angry at anyone, it’s only myself.”
His brows cross in confusion. “But you did nothing.”
“I just thought about when I was going to die… The only regret I had was because…”
My own tears fall, but I find the strength to continue. “It was because I thought I was never going to get to tell you something.”
“I’m here now,” he whispers.
“Then hear my words, Valkus, and know that they are true. I love you. I love you more than I thought was possible. You saved my life, and I’m never going to take it for granted again.”
His hands find their way to my face, cupping me in his palms.
