Eldarya: Imagine

Ezarel | Can't [2]: And the day comes

The news didn't make him happy at all. He doesn't want to marry anyone, the prospect of having to deal with some woman he does not know at all only because his father told him to do so, is not appealing either, especially when he's deeply in love with someone else. If he at least could have a possibility to pick his bride...

As he sighs to himself, the lab is entered by one person whom he wants to see the most and least as of now.

The woman spots him immediately and walks up to him, small smile already gracing her lips.

He really isn't ready. He should tell her but he's just not ready. To accept this, or to just let her know...

"Ykhar told me the lab needs refill on some ingredients..?" The fingers of his right hand twitch, before curling in loose fist, as he just stares at her, not really registering what she's saying.

But how can he even think of telling her when she's looking at him in such gentle way..?

"Ezarel..?" Her hand lifts to his face and with a jolt, the elf takes a quick step back, something akin to panic flashing in his expression.

"Hey, what's wrong?" her voice is filled with worry as she takes a step in his direction, resulting in another step back from his side.

Something aches in his chest. He's afraid it will hurt her. He doesn't want to hurt her.

"I'm getting married." It just slips. The information he wanted to keep for himself just slips and they both freeze in the spot "I'm getting married... in a week."

She blinks, opens her mouth, then closes it before smiling lightly at him.

"Congratulations." It's weird how she doesn't sound much affected. He'd like to feel relieved, but her tone sparks another pang of hurt in his heart.

"Can I have the list?"

On further consideration, she looks like she wants to run.

It's not an often thing for him to stutter. He hands her the leaf and she's gone in no time, only waving her hand to bid her farewells.

Three hours later he walks in the lab and sees the ingredients he wrote down put in the basket standing on the table. There's no sight of the woman who brought them though. He doesn't meet her the whole day in fact or the day after it and when he asks whether someone saw her anywhere, he's told Miiko sent her on some longer mission.

He doesn't really know what to think of it and as he waits for her to come back, he doesn't notice the date coming.

There's a knock on his room's door early on Friday morning.

As he stands up from his desk, he hopes that maybe it'll be her or someone telling him she's back safe and sound. But when he opens the door, he meets Nevra who's standing with the elf's father's bird companion calmly resting on his forearm.

"I believe it's for you."

_____________________________________

The suit's sewn just the way he likes it and fits him perfectly, but he doesn't really enjoy having it on him. Nor does he want to stand in the place he's standing and wait for the woman that in few minutes will be his wife.

He waits nevertheless, wishing for the ceremony to end already, but it's taking forever for two figures to arrive in periphery of his sight. He doesn't notice he's fidgeting until a hand lands on his shoulder. Nevra is a great friend, really. They both bicker a lot and play pranks on each other but the support he's been shoving ever since it all started and lack of nasty comments concerning the elf's heart problems is a show of how serious they both can get.

Ezarel takes few deep breaths and loosens his fists before nodding lightly to show he's now better. The pressure on his shoulder stays for just a second longer before disappearing as two people walk in the elf's periphery of sight.

When he sees his bride, he does a double take. He must be either dreaming or hallucinating, because this woman simply can't be the one he's grown to love through the past few years.

And yet, the smug expression of his father as he walks her up to her groom tells it all, as does the snort from the vampire standing by his side.

A tap to his shoulder makes him look away from the woman he thought he'd never have the chance to be with formally and to Nevra who's grinning cheekily.

"He was right, your expression's priceless"