Max's now freed hand slips to the ring he wears always on a chain around his neck, squeezing it at the same time that she brushes his cheek, full of warmth and pride. He hopes there really is a heaven that Malachi might be watching from. He hopes it's a comfort to his predecessor to see Valdis isn't alone. If he's anything like Max, then surely he must be relieved to see her happy again.
Max says a quiet prayer of thanks, that he's been trusted to protect the flame of Valdis's heart. One day, he knows, he'll have to leave this life behind but he'll never be gone so long as Valdis carries his memory with her.
"It feels like a dream but it's real, I promise. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere for a long, long time."
She knows how deeply Max loves her, it's never been a question, and even if he must leave her some day, she will have the ring they both wore, a symbol of love that will last until the end of time.
With that...a thought crosses her mind, a selfish, dangerous thought, and a question she's not sure she should ever ask.
His head tilts a little in confusion. "Forever? Do you mean if I could become immortal like you?"
The thought has crossed his mind. More than once. How could it not? Erik might live forever. Valdis will. Even Ylva will outlive him by so much. He's the one on borrowed time. He's not prepared to be a vampire to do it, but if there was another way for him to stay, not to have to leave them to mourn... he might take it.
The lack of immediate denial makes her heart flutter, maybe, just maybe, if she can find a way then he can be with her forever. And yet, part of her doesn't want that for him. How selfish would it be to give him that gift only for it to become like a curse.
Maybe she could find a way, but it seems so impossible. Mortanne may have an answer, but Mortanne's realm, like her own, is also that of Death. It's entirely possible that the goddess would not help, and she wouldn't be wrong to refuse. Immortality goes against life itself.
"But Immortality is not to be taken lightly. You will stop aging, you will be unable to create life, you will experience love and loss for the rest of eternity. Is that something you are willing to take on?"
"I know that, I just don't know any other ways for it to happen." She'd never ask those things of him. Not even Erik would ask it of him, so of course she wouldn't. But, how, then?
"It is, Valdis. I've thought about it before. I lived with an immortal, after all. I know, in general, what I'd be signing up for. It's not the same as living it. I know that, too. But I'd be surrounded by people I love so I wouldn't be alone. Neither would you."
His words are convincing, and also what she wants to hear, as selfish as it still might be. Valdis picks up Neil's ring and takes Max's hand again, sliding it onto his finger.
"This will keep you safe until I can find an answer for us."
His heart flutters in his chest as she slips the ring onto his finger. The shades of things that could be tug at his subconscious. Would marriage be that big of a step compared to what they're contemplating right now?
Brimming with love, he looks up into her eyes and says, "You don't have to look for the answer alone. I'll help too."
She could wear any dress in the world and never look as beautiful as she does when she looks at him like that. Every time she does, he can see forever in her. But she can't wear "forever" to a party, can she?
She winks at him, stepping away to pull the dress from the hanger, it's perhaps a little heavier than she would have preferred, but she's still happy with it. Untying her robe she slips it off to step into the dress before pulling it up. Valdis holds it to her chest, pulling her loose hair over her shoulder so Max can do up the corset.
Once she pulls her hair away Max steps in to take up the laces. He notices a few stray strands of her hair still on her back and gently brushes them aside for her, tucking them over her shoulder and patting them sweetly. That done, he laces her up, tight but not too tight.
"I think I'm getting better at this. How does it feel? Can you breathe okay?"
She can't stop smiling as he laces up the dress, almost giddy with how much she loves him. The gentle way he tightens the corset, his fingers slowly lacing it up and pulling it tight. She knows he's worried about doing it right.
She takes a deep breath.
"It's not going to go anywhere," she says, turning to face him, that smile still on her face. "I love you."
Seeing that smile on her face could make his chest burst with joy. She's more radiant wearing that than any dress.
Oh, but that dress... he's fighting the urge to rip it off again in a fit of passion. No, he mustn't. They can't be late. She'd have to fix her hair again.
"I love you, too. And I love you in that dress so much I kinda wish it was going somewhere." He laughs at himself, but the love in his voice is stronger than any amount of lust. "I'm so lucky to have your love."
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(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-27 03:37 pm (UTC)Max says a quiet prayer of thanks, that he's been trusted to protect the flame of Valdis's heart. One day, he knows, he'll have to leave this life behind but he'll never be gone so long as Valdis carries his memory with her.
"It feels like a dream but it's real, I promise. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere for a long, long time."
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-28 03:08 am (UTC)With that...a thought crosses her mind, a selfish, dangerous thought, and a question she's not sure she should ever ask.
"If I could give you forever, would you take it?"
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-29 08:49 pm (UTC)The thought has crossed his mind. More than once. How could it not? Erik might live forever. Valdis will. Even Ylva will outlive him by so much. He's the one on borrowed time. He's not prepared to be a vampire to do it, but if there was another way for him to stay, not to have to leave them to mourn... he might take it.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-29 08:56 pm (UTC)The lack of immediate denial makes her heart flutter, maybe, just maybe, if she can find a way then he can be with her forever. And yet, part of her doesn't want that for him. How selfish would it be to give him that gift only for it to become like a curse.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-29 09:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-29 09:14 pm (UTC)Maybe she could find a way, but it seems so impossible. Mortanne may have an answer, but Mortanne's realm, like her own, is also that of Death. It's entirely possible that the goddess would not help, and she wouldn't be wrong to refuse. Immortality goes against life itself.
"But Immortality is not to be taken lightly. You will stop aging, you will be unable to create life, you will experience love and loss for the rest of eternity. Is that something you are willing to take on?"
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-29 10:03 pm (UTC)"It is, Valdis. I've thought about it before. I lived with an immortal, after all. I know, in general, what I'd be signing up for. It's not the same as living it. I know that, too. But I'd be surrounded by people I love so I wouldn't be alone. Neither would you."
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-30 12:02 am (UTC)Valdis picks up Neil's ring and takes Max's hand again, sliding it onto his finger.
"This will keep you safe until I can find an answer for us."
(no subject)
Date: 2024-09-30 03:07 pm (UTC)Brimming with love, he looks up into her eyes and says, "You don't have to look for the answer alone. I'll help too."
(no subject)
Date: 2024-10-01 03:09 am (UTC)She looks up into his eyes again, her own brimming with unrestrained love. She can express that more tonight, but for now...
"Care to help me into my dress?"
(no subject)
Date: 2024-10-06 01:55 pm (UTC)"Yes, I'd love to."
(no subject)
Date: 2024-10-12 03:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-10-14 07:09 pm (UTC)"I think I'm getting better at this. How does it feel? Can you breathe okay?"
(no subject)
Date: 2024-10-16 03:49 am (UTC)She takes a deep breath.
"It's not going to go anywhere," she says, turning to face him, that smile still on her face. "I love you."
(no subject)
Date: 2024-10-18 01:52 am (UTC)Oh, but that dress... he's fighting the urge to rip it off again in a fit of passion. No, he mustn't. They can't be late. She'd have to fix her hair again.
"I love you, too. And I love you in that dress so much I kinda wish it was going somewhere." He laughs at himself, but the love in his voice is stronger than any amount of lust. "I'm so lucky to have your love."
end?
Date: 2024-10-20 01:34 am (UTC)"And I yours."
yes <3
Date: 2024-10-21 02:51 pm (UTC)