Forbidden

Chapter 36

-NINFA'S P.O.V-
 
   We sit side by side with him in front of us. Her hand shakes in mine. I've never seen her like this and it worries me.
"I've been watching your fights. You've done a good job, Valerie."
"Thank you. I've tried my best. Though Ninfa has been a great help."
"She's told me you've been teaching her skills."
"Yes. Uh. Energy usage. Her blinking would make her tired because she had a fear she didn't have enough energy. But now she can go from here to around the world and be slightly winded."
"Hm. And her combat?"
"I've been making sure she doesn't get hurt and she's learned more on her own."
"When fighting a group, how do you get all without getting caught or hurt?"
"I've set a magical tie between us. I can see when she's invisible, her I. And she can now speak with animals. Along with sharing my speed when I slow time."
    A link in my head feels funny and his voice comes through.
"She's amazing. Why haven't I met her sooner?"
    All I can think of is her hand shaking in mine and her leg twitching... I fear she might have an anxiety attack.
   I lightly run my thumb over her hand as I squeeze lightly. Her leg stops but hand remains shaky. At least I comforted her in some way.
"May I see your hand?"
    Valerie holds her breath for a moment. Her other hand reaches for him to take. He does.
    He holds her hand for a moment. His eyes close.. it's deadly silent for a moment.
    His voice comes through my head again. "Her pass is very dark. Very sad. I now have seen it all and it's ... She's so strong."
"You are more light than you are dark, Valerie." He removes his hands from hers.
   I feel her hand tremble more. I lean over and lightly kiss her cheek. It worked because she stopped shaking. I'm glad I've comforted her.
"Now, do expect visits from me every now and again. I most definitely will visit my Ninfa."
"Yes, of course."
   She nods to him, I do too and he bows back before vanishing. Valerie falls off the couch and curls up on the floor.
"He didn't like me, did he? Did I ruin it all? I can't live without you. Are you disappointed in me?"
   I pick her up from the floor and walk back into the bedroom. She shakes in my arms. I feel my heart shattering because I now feel tears... She's crying.
   I lay her on the bed and hold her tightly. "Why do you cry, my love?"
"I'm crying?"
   I lightly squeeze her. "He loves you. He sees you as strong for who you are and where you have come from. He even asked why I didn't introduce sooner...."
   Her ruby eyes are deep and I see a part of her that she hides. Her soul. It's beautiful and glows with a bright light.
    I smile to it. I wipe her tears.
"So I didn't do bad?"
"Nope. You did great."
"Just um. Just.. um." She grabs a pillow and idea her face before she screams into the pillow.
   I. Am. Dying. Of. Laughter.
"It's not funny." She keeps the pillow giving her face and mumbles.
"It is to me."
    She pushes me and I fall off the bed with a thud. She starts laughing at me.
"I'm just going to lay here."
    She leans her head over the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry. You laughed at me, I returned the laugh."
   I play dead. The deafening silence makes her sigh after a minute.
"I've never loved someone. I've never had such strong feelings. But when I am near you, my heart is constantly racing. I fear I might do something wrong and I'd lose you. You leaving or being disappointed in me is my only fear. I do not fear death. I do not fear pain. I only hold fear for that."
"Cheesy." Misty flops down next to me.
"Listen, kitty, I'm trying here. I'm trying. It's not easy to go from no heart beat to a damn heart beat. I went over a thousand years without my heart physically beating and then she came in my life and turned me upside down. So. I'm trying to talk about my feelings because I fucking love this girl with all my being. You try doing that."
"Okay. Ninfa, you're like my mother but not. You're my hero whom protects me. You're squishy and warm when we cuddle. You're a good master and I love you for all you do."
   Valerie groans and gets up. She walks out and slams the door.
"She's so sensitive."
"But she has reasons, Misty. Her past is filled with horror and torture. She was locked in Lucifer's dungeon and beaten each and every day because her mother died in childbirth. She's been through a lot. Her loving me is a miracle."
"I'm sorry."
"It'll be okay."
"Go comfort her. Forgive me?"
     I scratch behind Misty's ear and she purrs loudly. "I will always have a place for you in my heart even if you're a stubborn beast."
   I get up and leave the room. Valerie sits on the couch and is talking to Cheese. I understand that jealousy is the root of all evil, but I do not like the way she looks at Valerie.
"Cheese just bought foods. I'm going to cook dinner."
"You can cook?"
"Taught myself after getting out of hell."
"Do you want help?" Cheese asks.
"I think maybe I can try and teach Nin. She's got no experience."
"Because she's fucking epic and summons food." Joel looks up from his computer to speak.
"I do know some things."
"Prove it."
   Valerie takes my hand and drags me towards the kitchen. Once behind walls and door slightly closed... She pins me against the wall.
   Her lips meet mine for a second. "I'm sorry for pushing you off the bed."
"I should apologize. Misty is an asshole sometimes."
   Valerie's eyes slightly widen to my curse. I find it funny how they do because I do not curse often. She does but it doesn't bother me.
"Let's start dinner. Cheese will not be joining. Luke will though."
   She seems sad to knowing he will be attending. I know why. She didn't deserve what they did to her. But I know she wouldn't have died from it. She's too strong.
"Val.."
    She turns away from the stove. Her eyes lock on mine and I almost get lost.
"I love you. You know that, don't you?"
"I do. And I work with all my might to prove I deserve the honor."
"You do not have to try to prove anything."
   I stand on my tippy toes to kiss her. She closes the space between us and her lips are brought to mine. I feel lucky to even have her soft lips kiss mine...
"Alright, love. Gotta get cooking."
   We start with dinner and it shows that even without a fight that she's good with a blade. Any blade.
"I have something to show you later."
"Okay."
   She smiles to me before returning attention to the cooking food. It smells lovely. But the smell of chocolate fills the air too.
"I smell.."
"I made brownies."
"When the hell did you do that?"
"While you were cutting potatos."
"Oh."
"BROWNIES. I SMELL BROWNIES. FUCKING BROWNIES. VALERIE WHERE'S THE BROWNIES? WHERE'S YOUR BROWNIES?" Joel runs in screaming.
   I can't help. I can't. I'm.. on the floor laughing.
"What's her problem?" Joel asks.
"I think it would be you."
"Joel. You're awesome." He helps me from the ground.
   We finish dinner but Valerie had to make more brownies and hide them from Joel because he ate the whole last batch. As we sit and eat, things are a tad bit silent because of Luke... But he begins to speak.
"I want to apologize from my brethren. It was very wrong for what they had done. They now understand the help you've had in this world. You must know I never intended it and I never would act against you. You're family to me if you're family to Joel."
"We actually have something to tell you guys."
"Hm? And there is no hard feelings, Luke. It's okay."
   Valerie's hand shakes again. She's not scared this time, I think it's to do with if she's going to have to hurt someone she doesn't want to.
"Luke is wondering if he could move in.. And I would like him to because it's a little odd to not sleep in the same bed as your fiance."
"Fiance?"
"I asked Joel. I don't care that he is a demon. I do not care our backgrounds. I have loved this man since you saved him from hell."
"You guys can take the office on the other side of the penthouse. It's much bigger than the one Joel has now."
"Are you serious?"
   She nods to Joel.
"Oh my goodness, Valerie. I love you."
    Valerie laughs at him. "Yeah, yeah."
   As the meal ended, Valerie and I retire to our room for a short while before we're sent to fight. It seems as if this is all our lives might be but it doesn't matter if I have her with me.
   I climb on top of Valerie. She smiles to me. "What is my love doing?"
"Being in love."
"You're ridiculous."
    I shrug. "I can't chose who my heart loves. And if I could, I would still love you."
"Would you like a small rest before we head out into the madness?"
   I lay on her and nuzzle myself between her neck and the pillows. I quickly start my fall into sleep. She does too.
"I love you, Nin."
    My ability to speak is taken from me as I cross into purgatory. I so badly wish I could have said it back.
"Definitely forever." She whispers.
    I find the strength to physically smile to her because I know now that she had heard what I said so long ago..
   I fall fully asleep to this. Her arms wrapped around me. So warm so home. So perfect. So... perfect. Just her.