Five months..Deity had been out of the coma for five months. Sure, it took her some time to build her muscle mass up again..and relearn to walk-Cole grimaced as the guilt bubbled up in his chest again. It..burned. He knew he couldn't control what happened. But his Songbird was tough..being an elemental master had something to do with that, sure. He knew she promised to always forgive him, but..worry lay in his heart. He'd never hurt her that badly before. Staring at himself in the mirror, Cole began practicing pick up lines. Nah, Deity didn't really like cheesy. She liked genuine..he'd been with her for four years, he should know that by now! He grumbled and rubbed his face in frustration-only to hear a small laugh. Whipping his head around to see Jay watching him through the open door, the earth elemental growled. "Why are you laughing?!" Jay chuckled and caught his breath from laughing. "Because you're nervous, dude-" He shakes his head, leaning against the door frame. "Look Cole, you know Deity. Four years, two kisses and not even one date?" Jay looked at the floor in thought, then back at Cole. "But you consider her your girlfriend, and you love her. She feels the same way. Trust me. Just..be you. I know you're all corrupted and destroying the weapon didn't save you." Cole grimaces and looks at himself in the mirror at that statement. It was true. When they destroyed the weapon-and even after Lloyd saved his father, Cole still looked the same the next mornings. He'd cried. Because he knew that he was like this forever. He was incurable. Cole flinched when he felt Jay's hand on his arm. "Cole. Look at yourself. I want you to stare at yourself until you remember why she stayed the first time it hurt her. Then think about the man underneath the corruption. The one she fell in love with." Jay cracked a smile. "Look at me, being a sap. Can't help it dude. You guys are ah...real good for each other, y'know?"
Cole watched Jay pat his arm and then leave..so Cole turned his attention to the mirror..and stared at himself. Her voice echoing a statement in his mind from a brief memory made his chest hurt and a lump stick in his throat. It burned-he was tearing up. 'Do I know what would happen if you killed me? Of course I know..you'd hold me tight to your chest and cry your heart out, because you caused mine to stop. You'd hold me and refuse to let go, because you love me, Cole. ...You know what though? I'd forgive you. Even as my eyes were slowly closing and I was leaving you, dying in your arms..even though you caused it..I'd forgive you. Because I love you.' Cole has to take a shaky breath to steady his emotions. That..that had been after he'd broken down and admitted that he was in love with her the first time. After a hug turned into a corruption attack had cracked three of her ribs and broken both of her arms. She'd been blind then..she couldn't even see him then and she'd loved him. She had a taste of the danger..but maybe she wasn't scared. Not of him. Of what the corruption had done. He watched his red eyed reflection, slowly smiling. Yeah. He knew why he'd fallen for her, too. He'd been so scared to let her in..and she was patient..She waited for his walls to slowly crumble..truth was though, her small visits had started that. The way she'd walked without fear-so confident and sure of herself. She hadn't been able to see the world around her but..he had seen the way her eyes slowly lit up the first time he spoke to her. It was the first time in a while someone had smiled at him instead of an unsure gaze. Instead of..fear. He'd still been unsure and a bit closed off, but he had slowly started falling. Slowly but surely.
He quickly showered and dressed, wiping the steam off the mirror after he was finally dried and clothed. He could do this, right? Sure, it was the first date he'd ever had..and they'd be alone..in public-He shut his eyes and took a breath, trying to relax. She trusted him..so much. He opened his eyes and ran a hand through his shaggy black hair. "Yeah, yeah you can do this-" Searching his room for his grey hoodie, he chuckled. "Right right..she's got that." Well, it wouldn't be too cold tonight. Coming out of his room and locking the door, Cole carefully made his way down the hallway of the ship. Now..where was she? She hadn't been in their room, obviously. Making his way into the kitchen, Cole paused. There she was..silently baking. He chuckled a little when she turned around to look at him, flour caught across her face. "Heard me coming down the hall, huh?" Deity dusted the flour off her face-she'd been prepping dough for tomorrow. "Course I did, Cole. I mean, it's not like I don't pay attention...I learned to listen out for you a long time ago-" She pauses, watching Cole. "I didn't mean it like that, and you-" Cole slowly comes closer and takes her hand. "I know, I know how you meant it. You meant when we first met, right? Y'know, today is four years right?" She looks up at Cole and tilts her head. "Since..Since we got together?" Cole slowly strokes her cheek, smiling. He knows she's a little slow at trying to piece things together still after being out for so long. "Yeah. I'm surprised you didn't forget about me-" Deity's gaze seemed to shift to worry. "I..I almost did. I..I couldn't remember your name when I was out, I-" Cole keeps stroking her cheek. "What matters to me is that you came back."
"Course I came back. I can't leave you all alone, Cole. I love you-" Cole chuckled a little and pulled back from her. "I..I love you too, Deity. Which is why I was wondering if you want to-" His voice cracked as he watched her. "Go..out tonight?" She felt a smile creeping into her face. God, this dork-. Deity carefully reached up and tugged on his cheek. "Of course I want to. Where to though? I mean, we've never been on a date.." Cole pulls away and rubs the back of his neck. "Well, I can't really cook.." He watches her put the dough in the fridge after wrapping it up. "So I was wondering if we could go for a walk? I mean, it's not expensive or-" Deity shushes him and shakes her head as she closes the fridge, taking his hand. "You know I don't care about that. You are enough for me. Just you." Cole can feel his heart throb in his chest. She was too sweet-. Just him? He was enough? Carefully interlocking his fingers with hers, Cole walks with her out of the Bounty. They had the ship hovering near the street, so it didn't take much to hop off onto the ground. As they walk through Ninjago City at night, Cole can't help but watch the master of song. Why did she put up with him? He'd done so much to her..yet she stayed. He was so glad she'd stayed. Flinching and slowly turning pink when Deity wrapped her metal arm around his arm, he looked down at the girl who came into his life four years ago. "Hey..Deity.." That caught her attention. He watched deep sapphire eyes slowly drift their gaze up to him with a tilt of her head. "Are..you happy with me? I mean, aside from the things it made me do-" She can't help it. A small smile creeps into her face. "Why wouldn't I be happy? Cole..I don't think you understand.." She shakes her head as they approach a hill outside the city. "I...don't think I've ever been happier in my entire life."
This causes Cole to pause as they sit down on the grassy hill. "Really? Your whole life? Surely you-" Deity stares down at the grass as Cole talks, toying with a few blades of it. "No, no not really happy till I met you-and gained a family. Mistake was great, but..I never really had anyone besides her. I mean, I did lose my parents pretty early in life-" Deity stops when she feels Cole gently lifting her chin so she looks at him. "Even though it made me do all that?" There's that smile again. Slowly spreading across her face. "Cole..You were the first person to ever make me feel anything. I don't really think I felt that way about anyone before you." She looks to the side, a light blush spreading on her face. "The corruption isn't you, and we both know that. The corruption isn't the one who loves me." Cole can feel a slight heat rising in his cheeks. Unconditional. That's..what his dad had said. They'd been talking about Deity back and forth in letters for a while now, and Lou had sent a story about the first time he'd met Cole's mother. 'You just know, Cole. No matter if it's across a crowded room, or the person can't see you at all because she's blind. People just..know. When I first saw your mother, it was at one of my gigs. She caught my attention immediately. It's hard to describe. Your heart feels weak, and it feels like it's just you two, no matter who else is around or where you are. The way you talk about this girl makes me think you may have found your other half, too. Take care of her. Someone like that is rare.' Cole shakes his head from his thoughts and looks down at Deity.
"Course I love you, Deity. It's just.." Yeah. He'll probably stay with her forever, if they feel this way now. Deity turns her gaze back to Cole. "It's just that you're scared of hurting me again, right?" His red eyes watch her face for some hint of fear at her statement-there isn't one. "Yeah. But.." Cole cups her face in his hands. "You know I'd never do that if I wasn't corrupted, right? Deity, I really think..you're great. But I don't want you to have those nightmares anymore. It's my body and face, but I would nev-" He's cut off by Deity carefully pressing her lips to his. She knows how to make him lose a negative train of thought, at least. Cole shuts his eyes and just holds the small kiss. Maybe he shouldn't worry so much. Feeling Deity carefully put her arms around him, Cole breaks the kiss and lays his forehead against hers, watching her. "Do you wanna stay with me? Today is four years together..how about a few more in the future?" Deity is just keeping her eyes on his. "I mean, if you can stand to look at-" Cole pulls away and carefully strokes her cheek. "Deity, I've seen all your scars. They don't really matter to me-you do though, as a person." He shakes his head. "Everyone has scars-even Zane. We don't treat each other any different because of them." Deity looks like she might cry. She's getting misty eyed, watching Cole. "You don't have to say-" Cole sighed and kissed her forehead. "Deity I-" She watches Cole, waiting for him to speak. "Deity, I really do think you're beautiful. I don't lie. Ever." He gently tugs on her cheek. "If you can love me unconditionally, I can love you as-" Deity stops him.
"As much as the wolf loves the moon, right?"