Chapter Fourteen: A Proposal and Chaos

Syphron:

Watching her fight my brother, she really had improved. My old man fumed next to me, his silence alarming. The thing was that my old man was never quiet unless something was wrong, my fangs biting my lips. Were his eyes wet with tears, his eyes not even watching the screen. Dusting off my black silk suit, my brother was at a ten second disadvantage. Curious at what he had done, guilt gnawed at him. Had he done something, or perhaps he had seen something. Her past could have been tragic but he had seen it all? Surely, her past didn't break him.

"What did you do?" I queried cautiously, his lips pressing into a thin line. "She seems better, like a lot better." Turning towards me, tears flooded from his eyes. The broken expression on his face frightened me, his pale face making a ghost look tanner. My eyes flitted between the screen and him, a bout of worry dimming my face.

"I saw many horrible things." He whispered numbly, rocking back and forth. "She witnessed a murder, and then you showed up. She wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. Thank you for keeping her alive. I never want to see a gun pressed to her head again. The odd part was that she just sat there and didn't do anything. It was almost as if she was accepting her fate." His words hit me where it hurt, the memory of her numb face that day hitting me harder. Renkin rolled to my feet, Pumpkin standing over him confidently. More bruises and cuts covered his skin, her real smile lighting up the room. How could someone be so happy after that?

"You guys are thinking about it all wrong." She explained calmly, helping Renkin to his feet. "My life was pretty dark, so seeing you defend me woke something up in me. People deceived me my whole life, but you kept coming to my rescue no matter what. You are my real family. You know what, my tragedy shaped who I am today. I don't feel like a broken doll anymore. Seeing your smile repeatedly in my past gave me something to hope for. I dream that our baby will have a wonderful life without tragedy. Take my hands." The two of us took her hands, childlike wonder brightening our eyes. All of the good times together played out on the screen, the many memories of us laughing and smiling. Perhaps she was right, the most important people in our lives were the only ones who kept coming to our aide. Our friendship had been important to her, the only beacon of hope for her. Her serene face caused my breath to hitch, a tender blush rising to my father's cheeks. Ruffling the top of his head, his childlike expression only made her smile brighter.

"Don't take on my nightmares. They are mine to carry." She continued sweetly, letting go of our hands. "I am going to get some fresh air. I have to think about many things. Thank you guys for caring for me. This is the first real family I have ever had, and it feels nice. I could get used to this. I am off to get a bite to eat and a spot of tea." Sammy skipped up to her, the two of them running off. Stunned looks rested on our faces, all of our good memories still playing on the screen.

"Did she just call us her family?" Renkin mused playfully, leaning against the wall. "I have never been called that before. She certainly has a heart of gold. I need your help. Tonight is my proposal to Miss Ivory. I want it to be perfect." My old man turned towards him, a crooked grin lighting up his face. Shaking off the stress from his last lesson, her words had the desired effect on him. Almost as if he hadn't seen anything, the word family buzzing around his skull.

"I am so happy for you. Best of luck." He chirped cheerfully, hopping to his feet. "I am going to try and forget what I saw. I don't care what she says, I fucking need a minute to work through that. That has been the first time I have been officially scarred by a client's memories. Have a nice day, boys." Walking away, we both glanced over at each other. Folding my arms across my chest, her words still coursed through my mind. Scarlet burned my cheeks, her calling us family sounded so surreal. Trapped in my trance, Renkin punched my shoulder. A thunderous growl rumbled in my throat, the corner of his lips curling into a wicked half-grin. What the fuck was he up to? Narrowing my eyes in his direction, he stood his ground.

"Do you wish to die?" I threatened darkly, my psychotic grin causing him to step back. "Let's go make her favorite food before I lose my temper fully." Walking next to him into the kitchen, Pumpkin glanced up from her snack of Saltines and cheese. Sammy hung off of her shoulder, his school uniform making him look younger than her. Waving his report card around, she smiled warmly up at him. The two of them seemed in good spirits, her expression hiding anything that she had just seen.

"I am so glad you got high honors. I am so proud of you. How is your girlfriend?" She teased blithely, passing him a cracker. "I hear you are going to propose to Ivory tonight. Do you want me to tell her that I want to go to the castle's spa to get her out of your hair? Sammy, can help you out. I am off to find Miss Ivory." Bouncing down the hall, her hair was the last thing I saw. The three of us stood there numbly, Sammy sitting on the kitchen island. Pulling out a bunch of flour and sugar, the thought of Pumpkin getting a spa treatment bemused me. Stifling a fit of laughter, Renkin danced around the kitchen to the song in his head. Seeing him so in love, his smile never leaving his face. Buzzing with nerves and excitement, the kitchen really was out of my element.

"I am going to set up the dining room for you two." I squeaked out, Renkin shooting me a thumbs up. "Sammy, do you want to come?" Running after me, his black dress shoes echoed behind me as we walked to the castle's garden. Pausing at the spa, Pumpkin rested underneath a fluffy black towel. Fighting another fit of laughter, Sammy watched me with a curious look in his eyes. Glaring at me with narrowed eyes, she flipped me off. Ivory shot her an odd look, her polite smile calming her down. Noticing the danger the plan was in, her next words made me almost spit out the cup of water that I had conjured up.

"Would you like to give me a makeover, Ivory?" She choked out with disgust dripping in her voice. "I want to look like a demon princess." The tortured look in her eyes told me that she was really trying to gag at the words coming out of her mouth. Sammy shoved me past the room, Ivory's girly squeals ringing throughout the halls. The door burst open, white hair was the last thing I saw. Continuing to the garden, a sea of black and white lilies danced in the gentle breeze. Picking a bunch of flowers, a steady stream of curse words bounced off the empty halls. Chuckling lightly to myself, a bemused smile danced across my lips. The makeover must not be going well, another gentle chuckle escaping my lips. Rolling our eyes, Renkin crashed down the hall towards me. His hair was a bit in a disarray, panic glistening in his inky black eyes. Damn he was a mess, my brotherly instincts kicking in. Tossing the flowers to Sammy, my hands grabbing him by the collar. Dragging him in his room, the blank expression on his face caused my eyebrow to twitch. Wicked thoughts bounced around my head, the pissed off expression of my wife shutting that down. Unfortunately revenge would have to wait. Sitting him down on the bed, my eyebrows raised in suspicion at the garish suits in his closet. Selecting the only black suit he owned, my fingers settled on a black dress shirt. Tossing him the outfit, no words escaped his lips. The silence threw me off, his confidence at an all time low. Did Ivory really put him in such a mess? I suppose Pumpkin did the same thing, the thought of her touching my stiffening cock sending my nerves into a frenzy. Embarrassment burned my cheeks, nothing around to hide my fucking boner.

"You need to brush your hair, and throw this on." I explained firmly, hovering in the door frame. "Then you are going to the garden where I will have a picnic set up for you two. Sounds good?" Waiting impatiently with an answer, a deep sigh escaped his lips. Throw yourself together, I growled to myself. Tapping my chin, he needed to know the truth.

"I guess." He uttered simply, his hands trembling. "What if I screw up!" Hiding my smile behind my hand, he still must have thought I had asked her in a romantic manner. Burying his face into his palms, a low growl rumbled in my throat. Patting the top of his head awkwardly, his eyes narrowed in my direction. Retracting my hand, he shoved me out of the room. What the hell was his fucking problem? Way to pay me back for helping you, you fucking idiot. The door squeaked open, his head popping out. An apologetic smile dimmed his face, my face softening.

"You can do this. We got married by signing a contract." I admitted sheepishly, my eyes refusing to meet him. "I am sorry to not be an expert." His lips parted to speak, Pumpkin running behind me in a frilly pink Lolita dress. The color looked terrible on her, the annoyance in her face rather evident. Ivory skipped down the hall with a bunch of makeup in her hands, her long hair flowing behind her. Maniacal laughter burst from her lips, my eyebrow twitching with shock. The corner of my lips quivered, Pumpkin brushing past my shoulders.

"I didn't say anything about pink." She protested wildly, Ivory hunting her down. "Please put me in black. Black is my favorite color, not this garbage." Grabbing her by the collar, her heel pinned Pumpkin down. The crazed look in her eyes paralyzed me in my spot, Renkin bursting from his room in the outfit I picked out. Skidding to his knees, he popped open the black box. Pausing from torturing Pumpkin, tears welled up in her eyes. A sigh of relief poured from her lips, her body relaxing.

"Ivory, I have loved you from the moment I saw you from across the room. You have always stood by my side while I was in the throws of my wicked ways. Your smile is like sunshine, your attitude certainly keeps my life interesting. Will you marry me and become my wife?" He proposed shakily, Pumpkin struggling to her feet. Scarlet burned my cheeks, her wild hair looking adorable. Smiling warmly to herself, she waited with bated breath for the answer. Ivory cupped his face, tears of joy flooding from her eyes. The love between the two of them glittered in their eyes, jealousy flashing in my eyes. Wishing that I could have that special situation, life had robbed us of that opportunity. Rubbing the side of my arm, my wife rested on the nearby wall.

"Yes, I do!" She sang happily, wiping away her tears. "Slide her on." The band glistened in the light, the sapphire glittering beautifully. Renkin's real smile brightened the room the moment he slid the ring onto her ring finger, his strong arms spinning her around. Sammy ran in with the destroyed bouquet of flowers. Kissing each other feverishly, my brother swept her off of my feet. Getting up close to my ear, his next words created a mixture of emotions. His astuteness always picked up what I couldn't, Sammy slouching forward. The poor boy had thought he was too late, his shoulders shrugging.

"Alice seemed to be in a spot of trouble, so I thought I would help her out. It is your turn now." He whispered in a taunting tone, winking in my direction. "I am off to ravage my fiance." Snapping his fingers, only a single piece of his hair remained on the floor. Peeling off the pink dress, a soft thud caught my attention. My cock hardened, a black lace corset hugged her breasts. Her pale skin peeked through the spiderwebs, her black lace underwear cupped her round cheeks. Fixing her hair, her kind eyes met mine. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ears, her black lips curled into a crooked grin.

"I will have to thank Lord Renkin later for coming to my rescue." She uttered simply, pulling a giant black sweatshirt over her head. "I am so tired. Who knew beauty took so much out of you?" Rubbing the back of her neck, my breath hitched at the raw beauty of her face right now. The orange flames brightened her delicate features, her face falling into a depression. The depression soon decayed to a fresh level of serenity. Scooping up the dress, her serene energy calming the energy of the whole castle. Unable to contain my thoughts, bliss illuminated her eyes. Flickering emotions hid underneath her expression, her fingers playing with the hem of her underwear.

"You are so beautiful right now." I said randomly, a tender blush rising to her cheeks. "You have always been beautiful to me. I saved you all of those times because I could hear your cry for help. I am sorry I brought into this world in the shitty way I did. I am a m-" Dancing up to me, her lips locked with mine sweetly. Wrapping my arms around her, teardrops soaked my face. My heart fluttered, my fingers tangling into her hair. Sinking further into her kiss, time stopped. It was just the two of us, her lips releasing me from their spell. Angry tears flooded from her eyes, the corner of her lips quivering.

"You don't get it do you!" She shouted desperately, her voice cracking. "You were the one who always found me when I needed you the most! My father was about to kill me with a gun, and you saved me. You became my friend when I needed one the most. You stood by my side when everyone would bully me in school, but I knew at the end of the day I could talk to you. All I ever had to do was pick up the phone. You always picked up and would take me to a quiet place if the abuse became too much. Your embrace was the only thing that I looked forward to. How many hours did I cry into your shoulders? How many times did you treat my wounds? It doesn't matter how it happened, you know that I hate change. That just has to have stability lacking in my life besides you. I am sorry for being a burden for you for all those years. You could have found someone so much better. You could have found someone much prettier than me, not a fucking monster with bruises." Her words stole my breath away, her fingers gripping my shirt. Was this how she felt her whole life? No, she was never a burden to me. Lifting up her chin with my finger, her wet eyes refused to look at me.

"You aren't a burden, but the light in my life. My whole life I constantly gave up on people because I couldn't trust anyone but you. You always listened to me. When they kicked me out, I found you. I didn't know where else to go." I blubbered pathetically, my own teardrops crashing onto her face. "Sure, I had Halloween Street. Halloween Street wasn't you, so when I got to spend everyday with you it was magical. No matter what hell you went through, you still cared about me. You would just pack that pain away and hold me tighter than I could ever hold you. Do you remember that day in the woods after a particularly bad bout of abuse? I wanted to kill your parents and steal you away. I wanted to make your life better, but I knew you wouldn't abandon them. You would always stand by someone no matter how much they hurt you. So many times I wanted to tell you to come with me and fuck them! They didn't deserve you, hell no one does. You are too good for the world. Just stop. I want you to love yourself as much as I love you. I won't stop until you do. So hold on, I am going to do it! Just you wait. Please love me for the rest of your life, and don't you ever forget that I love you. No one else has ever loved my fox form, they always ran away. It hurt to watch them lock me up, and throw away the key. Fuck the world, and fuck the people who hurt us. We have each other, and I will never leave your side. Ever!" Sinking to the floor, her sad eyes met mine. The truth was that we needed each other, two puzzle pieces always fitting together.

"I love you, Sy." She whispered sweetly, her head rested against my shoulders. "I always did. Seeing you smile made my day. Thank you for always being there for me. You are my soulmate." My breath hitched, her head sliding onto my lap. The intensity of her emotions had paralyzed her muscles, my fingers playing with her hair. Gazing lovingly up at me, her gentle smile brightened her face.

"I love you too, Pumpkin." I returned warmly, laying down on my back. "I will keep smiling for you but you have to smile next to me." Leaping to her feet, she placed her hands on her hips. Her mood swings were getting to me a bit, her hand hovering over my face. An odd look flashed on her face, confusion twisting my face.

"I want to have sex right now." She stammered nervously, praying that I wouldn't reject her. "I want you to hold me tenderly. I want you to kiss me all over. I need your body pressed against mine to keep my sanity. Take me to our bed." Not needing to be told twice, my fingers wrapped around hers. Sprinting through the halls, scarlet burned my cheeks. The way she had asked seemed so adorable, my cock stiffening. Pinning her to the wall, our lips locked together hungrily.

"You really shouldn't use sex to stifle your pain." I groaned huskily, her strength flipping me onto the wall. "That can't really be that healthy." Her hand slid down to my cock, the rubbing with her hand causing gruff moans to escape my lips. Was it the hormones or the unchecked emotions? Complicated thoughts battled each other, her hands cupping my face. My heart skipped a beat, her come get me eyes taking down my final wall.

"Can't a girl just want her man? We talked it out right." She whispered lustfully, dragging me into our room. Pinning me to our bed, her hair hung like a curtain around her ethereal face. Her fangs hung over her lips adorably, my hand cupping her face. Tracing her cheek, her head snuggled into my palm as her hands cupped mine. The serenity on her face returned, a tender blush rose to my cheeks. How the hell did I land my soulmate? Her golden heart knew no bounds, the many memories of her smiling and laughing all throughout our school years flooded my mind. Smiling warmly to myself, a curious look twinkled in her eyes.

"Where did you go for a second, Sy?" She queried musically, kissing the top of my hand. "Hopefully nowhere horrid." Shaking my head, a light chuckle escaping my lips. Clutching her close to my chest, her fingers traced my cheek.

"I was remembering all of the fun times we had in school. Most importantly your smile and laughter when I needed to see and hear it." I admitted sheepishly, her laughter twinkling in my ear. "I just want to see it everyday for the rest of my life. Forgive a man for a man wanting to see his wife smile." A naughty grin curled on her lips, my evening was about to be exhilarating.