Concerning Marriage

I don't own the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series. Kerri Maniscalco, on the other hand, certain does.

The cover comes from Pic Collage.

The only warning is that they live in a pretty homophobic society. However, there aren't any slurs used nor are an homophobic figures included. The worst character mentioned in here is the Cresswells' father, who hates both of his children.

~

"Ileana, I want you to know how much I love you." Daciana smiled at her.

It was quiet here, no Thomas running all over screaming about murder while Audrey told him to hurry along so they could dissect the body. There was no Thomas rambling about how much he loved his wife while she smiled at him and told him she loved him. She was to Thomas as Ileana was to Daciana.

No Cresswell would truly fall in love without it being the most dramatic affair possible. Thomas has questioned his sexuality for a long couple of hours, and he'd come to the conclusion that he might have been in love with a cloaked guy that was his instructor's relative- it turned out the figure was a lovely girl who wanted to study science, which wasn't smiled upon in current times.

And perhaps maybe Daciana hadn't fallen in love with someone who liked dissecting bodies, but she had still fallen in love. Cupid had been meddling about, and she had fallen in love with someone that her father would never approve of. She had fallen for someone that society would never approve of, for same-sex relationships where shamed by the church.

Her father would have likely done well without being bothered with children. He found children more of a hinder than anything. He chose to ignore Thomas most of the time, unless he felt the need to shame or control his son. The only times he intervened was when Thomas was happy, and he did the same thing with Daciana. He'd threatened both of them with marriage to people they'd never met.

Daciana had been terrifying of losing Ileana. They could never openly be together in public, much less joined together for all the world to see. Daciana would never be allowed to say the words "my wife" when talking about Ileana. And the idea that her father had planned to marry her off to a gentleman that she had never known and would never be interested in terrified her. It was the idea that she had less agency than she believed she did that sent chills down her spine.

"Daciana, I love you too. But go back to sleep because it's too early for this." Ileana smiled at Daciana.

~

There was just something so peaceful about seeing Daciana sleep. It was just that, for a few moments, she didn't look stressed or worried. She wasn't worried about Thomas or Audrey Rose's injury. She wasn't worried about the dissections that Thomas and Audrey were performing, nor the next serial killer that the two of them would be chasing. Right now, the most pressing thing was her dream, whether it be about Ileana or the future that the two them would likely never have.

Ileana wished that they could get married like Audrey and Thomas had. She wished that she could kiss Daciana in public- not a deep kiss but just a simple peck. Just something enough to let Daciana know that she loved her. Even hand holding would be better than nothing. The public recognizing them as something true and real and equal would have been great. It wasn't that either of them needed public approval, but the idea that society wouldn't treat them like they were abnormal would be excellent.

It was just in this moment- all the quiet moments- that Ileana thought about marriage. The idea of marriage made Ileana more sad than anything else. It would never be achievable for either of them. But Ileana supposed that there was more than just marriage that a relationship valid.

There was the tender, soft kissing that occurred in privacy. There was the feeling of their lips brushing, the feeling on teeth gently biting into the other's lip. It was the gentle reminder of the fact that they trusted each other despite all the reasons that they had to trust no one at all.

It was the gentle touches that occurred in their bedroom, between the sheets. It was the way that their bodies moved together, like waves crashing together at a beach. It was the unconditional trust in those moments, the way that they both trusted each other. It was the passionate act that they shared together, completely alone. It was they two of them alone together. It was both of them knowing that their would be no better love than that of which came from a woman.

They trusted that the girl they loved was worth the scorn of all of society, should anyone that was Thomas, Audrey or her family find out. They loved each other so that they would risk death rather than be separated. And to them, there was nothing that could stop them from loving each other to the end of their lives.

And when they died, they were to be buried together. In the end, their bodies would still be together, rotting in the ground. They would decompose slowly, filling the ground with nutrients as they did such. And honestly, none of it mattered because they would still be together. Neither of them believed in Heaven or Hell or anything else, so as long as they remained in the cold ground, they would be together. And if there was a life of some sort after the one they were living now, they would still be together every single step.

So perhaps marriage would never concern them. In this lifetime, Daciana and Ileana would not be allowed to marry. But what was true love to marriage? Perhaps they wouldn't be allowed the same rights, but as long as Daciana and Ileana were together with Daciana'a accepting family (along with Audrey's family as well), they had everything they needed to do as best as they could in a world that wasn't ready for them yet. And right now, all that mattered was that they had each other and their family. They couldn't change society, but they did have a family that really didn't care much about the thoughts of society.

Thomas had married Audrey, a truly beautiful woman with darker skin. His sister loved a beautiful woman. And as long as the misfit family stayed together, everything would be fine.

Daciana and Ileana's love would go on, despite everything concerning marriage.