thirty-one

Alexei

"Of course it was those infernal cats," Alexei said as soon as he could catch his breath. Being breathless out of happiness. There was a new experience. "I should have known."

"They made me see that underneath all your black locks and your sullen looks, you were nothing more than a soft-hearted boy, rescuing strays from the streets," Poppy was saying.

She looked like an angel, sitting there on the bed in her nightgown, with her hair falling down her shoulders, her sparkling eyes, her little hands in his.

Why is she always in my bed but never in a way I can enjoy it?

Have to rectify that as soon as possible.

His whole body shook, suddenly on fire, and he fought for control. She needs time. Do not press her, for God's sake. Conquer yourself. Tame it. For her. It's up to her: from now on, everything is. You will just obey.

"Did you just call me soft-hearted?" he smiled.

"I did."

"And I let you live?"

"I am breathing still."

He threw his head back and laughed.

"Marry me," he murmured. When had the laughter turned to tears? He leaned closer. God, he couldn't get enough of those eyes, those lips, those hands. He couldn't breathe, just looking at her. "God, marry me, I'm begging you. I'll go down on my knees, you'll like it. I am entirely at your mercy."

"No, stop that, get up." He was already on his knees. He hadn't realized. "You can't marry me, Alexei. I told you, I'm too broken. Beyond repair."

Sudden anger gripped him, and he looked into her face, hating the sad look that had come over her. God help me.

"Do not ever talk to me about broken, Wyatt," he said, trying to stay calm. The need to comfort her overwhelmed him, but now was not the time to be overwhelmed. It was the time to fight. For her. "Who is more broken than me, eh? No one, that's who. Now come on, you seduced me, you know you did. You have been at it for weeks. The least you can do is accept my marriage proposal without trying to gloat first over your conquest."

"I am not about to do anything of the kind. What's more, there is nothing to gloat over; it's not the entire truth. You seduced me."

"How? No man has ever contained himself more than I had to, ever since the first day I laid eyes on you, even in your boy's getup, damn it."

"And yet, here I am, completely seduced."

For some reason, this did not make him laugh as her previous words had. To seduce a girl like her…That was a serious offense, and one he did not take lightly.

"I'm sorry, I…" he closed his eyes, guilt-ridden. "I know that you were innocent and pure, and I kissed you like a brute…"

"As I said, it was the cats."

He opens his eyes. Thank God, she had been joking again.

"You'll kill me, Wyatt," he murmured. His lips trembled.

Her little, beautiful face was deadly serious. "The cats saved us in more ways than one," she said. "I am serious, Alexei. It was the cats that made me see that every rumor about you was a lie. Then I knew you for who you really were."

"A pathetic fool?" Alexei smirked.

"Naturally," Poppy agreed, and he roared with laughter. "But also, the most caring, kind-hearted, amazing man I could ever hope to meet."

"Please," Alexei groaned, still laughing, "no more. How shall I ever live down such slander?"

"You cannot," Poppy informed him gleefully. "I suggest you embrace it."

"If you mean embrace you, then gladly, Your Highness." Alexei grabbed her by the waist, and swung her onto his lap. He felt her stiffen in his arms at the title. "You will be my princess," he told her gently, bending down to peer into her head, which she had suddenly hung low. "Hey, look at me." He tipped her chin up with a finger. "I am still a prince, little seed. And, if you agree, I intend to fight to stay one."

"I…" She had trouble speaking.

What have I done now? Alexei thought in a panic. I have ruined everything, haven't it?

"I need some air," she said. "Real air, outside."

He put her back down, preparing to call for a servant. Then he changed his mind. I will help her dress, he thought. Who better to serve and help her than me?

"Does being in the Underworld oppress you?" he asked her, as he walked into the next room to bring her a dress.

I will burn it to the ground.

"Not at all," she replied from the other room. "I love the Underground. It's like our own, secret world. And it's filled with all the things that I love: Cats, nightly talks, dancing, hot baths, Rania…You."

Heat flushed across his cheeks. His hands stilled on her dress, shaking too much to grip it properly.

You, he thought, fighting tears again. Things I love: you.

"I've stopped all the gaming in the club," he informed her. He strode back into his bedroom and started untying the back of her nightgown. "As of tonight, I've stopped everything."

"Good," she said softly. "I knew you would do it, sooner or later."

"You had more faith in me than I ever did," Alexei winced. "Don't know what I'll do now. What my purpose shall be on this earth."

"You'll find it," Poppy said.

Her voice calmed him, grounded him. Kept him breathing.

…

They walked outside together.

It was a mild night, for February, the air clear and stinging with cold, but there was no sign of snow or rain. Their breaths clouded in front of them, and Hades pulled her close to keep her warm.

They reached the same place where he had lain down to die in the snow, that night he was being particularly stupid, and a small shiver travelled down his skin at the thought that, if it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't be here right now.

To look at her, to feel her breathe against his skin, to smile.

To be happy. To be happy to be alive.

He was rubbing his hands up and down her arms, when he realized it. What a fool, not to have seen it all this time! But he finally did, and it was clearer than the sun that would come up in a few hours.

"Maybe I was put on this earth with a purpose," he said. "Do you mind very much, my dear, if that purpose was to be saved by you?" She lifted her eyes to his. "To be alive for you?" She opened her lips. "To be loved by you?"

"I don't mind at all," she whispered.

Alexei's head leaned towards hers again, but before he could kiss her, an annoying voice behind him said:

"I don't either."

"Get lost, Wilder." Where did that scoundrel come from? I didn't notice him following.

"I'm not leaving you two alone in the cold ever again," Wilder said. He was a few paces behind, trying to pretend he was being respectful, but he wasn't fooling anyone. He had been eavesdropping this whole time, hadn't he? "I've learned my lesson."

"Make yourself scarce, Isaac," Alexei told him, his tone serious and a little harsh, like it used to be, and Wilder turned around to obey.

Alexei reached him in two strides. He grabbed his neck and pulled him to his chest in a heart-stopping hug. He slapped his back with such force as would have sent a lesser man to his knees, and told him to give them some privacy.

"Oh," Poppy said, when he reached her side again. "You two are in love, aren't you?"

"Shut up," Alexei said, but he was smiling.

"Are you taking a stroll through the streets with him too, later?"

"I promise you, I am taking a stroll with the only person in the universe I want to be by my side. The one person I seem to have been put on this earth for."

"I feel the same," she murmured, but her head was down.

"Will you answer my question?" he said. Still her head was down. "Look at me, my love."

Her eyes snapped to his, and, as always, from the first moment he had encountered their green depths, his breath caught.

"I swear," he gasped, "you'll kill me with those eyes one day."

"What did you say?" she asked, eyes still huge.

"That…you'll kill me one day?"

"Oh, I have no doubt I shall," she said. "You are endlessly irritating. But before that."

Suddenly, he understood. He understood what an utter, utter fool he had been. That was what had been missing. That was what she was waiting for.

What a complete and utter idiot I've been!

His hands came around her more tightly, and he pressed her waist between them, steadying her against his body.

"My love," he murmured, and then again, "my love. Forgive me for not telling you sooner that I love you. I have loved you for ages, you know that, right? I am insanely in love with you."

A fat teardrop landed on his chest. Dammit, she was crying. He cupped her cheek and brought her face up to his.

"I love you." His voice broke with emotion. He would say it until he was hoarse. He could say it until it was enough—which it would never be.

"Well," she said, brushing his lips with hers, "took you long enough to say it."

He grinned against her mouth. "I am, as we all know, an imbecile. But it did not take me long at all to feel it, I assure you."

He didn't ask her for an answer again. He knew what her answer was; there would be time enough to hear it later. There would be a later. A forever, maybe, as well.

Definitely, actually.

"My love," he said again, because it bore repeating.

And then neither of them could speak for a while, which was just as well. Above their heads, the night was beginning to drape the town in deep blue velvet.

Alexei lifted his face up to the stars.

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