"Talia?" A voice as smooth as a roses' petals floats through the corridors, summoning me to the cloud garden.
"Yes Auntie?" I call stepping into a vast landscape of bright, twinkling, and glowing foliage. The 'Auntie' has a strange sound to it coming from me, but she insists.
"Over here dear," She responds. It sounds like she's over by the auroris lilies, the flowers that mimic the ever-changing Olympian sky. The swirling shades of reds, yellows, and oranges, inlaid with stars shining more brightly than the purest cut diamond; all replicated in its petals.
I walk past the Dhampir's roses and snapping calliss', finally coming to my favorite place in the gardens.
The woman kneeling before me plucking a Lilly carefully from its bed makes all the flowers in the garden look like weeds.
Her long golden hair is a brighter gold than Olympus' sky, pulled up in intricate braids forming small hearts and cherubs. Blue eyes sparkle more than its stars, framed by lashes darker than a mortal's night and fuller than a Pegasi mane. Her skin, paler than snow with lips more red than mortal's blood.
Of course her beauty should be breathtaking, putting the most beautiful gardens to shame. For after all, she is the goddess of love, my aunt, Aphrodite. And today was her day.
"What a marvelous Valentines my Talia," She singsongs, standing in one graceful fluid movement, and capturing me in a hug in the next.
"The day has barely begun auntie," I say with a small smile, It was funny seeing how excited the goddess got over the holiday.
"And that's exactly why I need your help my blooming flower," She says, placing the lily behind my ear.
"With what?" I ask, adjusting the flower to better secure it in my hair.
"The clouds, they're not all finished yet, we have an hour till daybreak and a lot of shapeless clouds. I was hoping you and Nyx could help me with that," She says, the trace of a grin on her rosy lips.
"Oh must we?" I ask, jokingly.
She pulls me into another hug. "I'm sure you'll make the best hearts," She then leans closer to whisper in my ear, "I've relieved you of your remaining tasks today as well, so you can spend your night with your immortal love,"
I gasp and pull away from the higher goddess, my face changing to a shade of red like the petals of the marionis' I passed on the way here. "A-Aphrodite! We're not- How do you even know about him?" I ask stuttering, a rare occurrence for me.
"You forget dear, I am the Goddess of Love," She says with a warm smile. "But don't worry, I will not let on to Erebus,"
"Thank you Auntie," I say, feeling a swell of relief as well as nerves with someone knowing of my visits to the mortal realm. It's not that I'm not allowed there, because I am and I visit often; It's who I visit there, in particular, who I spend most of my time with there.
I know for certain my father wouldn't be pleased with who that someone was. And no matter how much I may fight him, this is one thing I was unsure of the outcome on. After all, it's dangerous to fight with a greater god.
"Now, hurry and get to work, I don't want you spending your whole day on clouds my Talia," She gives me a final squeeze before releasing me to my Pegasus.
I step through Olympus's shining gates, whispering the name of my mischievous mare, "Nyx,"
No sooner has her name left my lips before a midnight Pegasi lands gracefully before me, nudging her muzzle against my shoulder.
"Hey, easy," I laugh.
She whinnies, stamping a hoof into the ground and unfurling her wings to their full span. I cup my hands under her muzzle, running my thumbs over the white tear tracks that lead from her eyes to her cheeks."We have a job to do today," I say. "Auntie Aphrodite's orders."
She whinnies again, shaking out her mane before she lowers herself, allowing me to get on her back. "Reddy?" I ask.
In response the Pegasus throws herself downward into the clouds, diving toward the mortal realms below. Everything is a blur, the colors change from the white and golden clouds of Olympus, to the deep purples and pinks of Lumpy Space.
When I finally see the navy blue of the mortal realm we have slowed considerably. We fly side by side with the fading stars and the shrinking moon, and I am awed yet again at the beauty of their nights, even though I am arriving at the end of it.
"Nyx, Aphrodite wants us to shape the clouds into hearts before the mortals wake up to Valentines morning. It looks like this area hasn't been done yet so let's get started here," I say.
She flies to the nearest cloud bank, herding them together one by one before letting me shape them with my divinity. We go about this for almost an hour before we're finished, just before the first mortal awakens; we even tend to the clouds of the Ice kingdom, steering clear of the ones near to the castle of course.
And as expected our adventuress friend is the aforementioned mortal who was first to rise.
"Good morning Fionna," I say from the kitchen window of their treehome. Nyx has her face halfway inside which almost makes me laugh but I restrain it as to not startle Fionna any further.
"Grippagrap!" She gasps, reaching over her shoulder for a sword that isn't there. Realization shows in her eyes as her posture relaxes. "Glob you guys! You scarred the strizz outta me," She says, walking over to the window.
"Sorry about that," I say leaning forward and resting my chin between Nyx's ears, my arms wrapping loosely around her neck. "We were in the area so we decided to stop by, I hope that's ok," I say sheepishly.
"It's all good dude," She smiles, reaching out for a fist bump which I return. "What has you out here so early anyway?"
"Aunt Aphrodite, we were helping shape the clouds till dawn,"
"Really?" She looks out the window next to us, her lips forming a small 'o' before she looks back to us again, and then at the clouds one more time. "Mathematical," She whispers in awe.
"Thanks," I say. "So Fi, got any plans for today?"
"Huh? Like what?"
"Well, today is Valentine's day, I was wondering if you were finally gonna tell a certain someone how you feel," I ask innocently.
"W-what? I don't know what you're talking about dude," Her face is a dead giveaway though. It seems we both have the same problem there.
"Are you gonna confess to PG or not?" I singsong.
"W-well.. Are you gonna confess to-"
"Shhhh! I don't know," I admit. "I've been thinking about it, but the timing has to be right. I can't just blurt it out like, 'Hey, did you hear the new SteamStich album yet? By the way I love you.'" I sigh in frustration.
"Well, if you're not sure I don't see why I have to," She says, trying to get out of if while I'm distracted.
"Oh no, if you get the opportunity it's happening. Besides, I know it's going to work for you,"
"How could you know?"
"I know he likes you, like, likes you likes you. Besides, how could he not," Her face regains it's previously red shade and I go on. "But in my case, it's more complicated,"
"Talia, you're a lumping Goddess, literally,"
"Lesser goddess, but yeah. But that has nothing to do with love. I don't even know what to get him," It was true, I had been fretting over what to get for weeks but nothing ever seems right.
"Oh my glob! I didn't get anything for PG either!" Fionna gasps.
"Why don't you give him something sentimental, or go somewhere that the two of you love? Something simple. It doesn't have to be a material thing,"
After a second what I've said sinks in and we both gasp. "I know exactly what to do!" Fionna says, "I think you just solved both our problems; I gotta go, see you guys later," She pets Nyx's muzzle and waves goodbye to me before running to the upper level of the treehouse.
She was right; I think I did just solve both our problems. I know exactly what to do now.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-
I end up pacing back and forth at the entrance into the meadow area that ends in a cliff overlooking Aaa. It's our spot, the place we always come to chill and goof around and make music.
I'm nervous about what might happen there if I choose to follow the short wooded path that leads to our spot.
Nyx finally whinnies and stamps her hoof in impatience, jutting her neck out and pushing me onto the path with her nose. I stumble forward a few steps before looking back at her, she stamps her hoof again and I turn back to the path. It isn't until I start walking again that I hear her quietly trot away.
I take another deep breath before continuing on; I pause at the break in the tree line, seeing no one there I walk into the moonlight, stopping at the edge of the cliff to stare down at the brightly kit kingdoms of Aaa. The brightest of all being the candy kingdom with its annual Valentines ball. I just hope Cake was able to make sure Fionna gets there without deciding against whatever plan she'd come up with this morning.
I start untying the bundle I've brought with me and I'd just laid out the blanket it'd been tied in when someone grabs my wrists. I am twirled around not once, not twice, but three times before I can finally face my captor.
"Marshall Lee, you never told me you had a twin, or that he was so handsome," I joke.
"I didn't spin you that much Tal," He says with a grin that shows off his fangs. "But it's about time you realized how attractive I am," He laughs.
Oh, I have. I think with halfhearted humor.
"I would've thought you'd be spending today with one of the Gods on Olympus," The Vampire King jokes, though the humor doesn't reach his eyes.
"Nope, Gods are overrated, besides, we're practically all related," I say, sticking out my tongue. "Now come on, we're wasting moonlight," I say, pulling him to the blanket.
I take a seat and set the small box I'd been carrying down in front of me. When I look up he's still standing next to me looking perplexed.
"Oh come on, sit," I say, playfully tugging his shirtsleeve. "It's not like it'll kill you not to float for once," I joke.
He grins back, setting his axe down before taking the spot next to me. I hadn't noticed he'd brought his base, it wasn't an unusual occurrence though, we came up with songs together here sometimes. Usually silly meaningless melodies that made us laugh, or sometimes we would create something meaningful and wonderful, only to forget it later.
"Here," I say sliding the box over to him. It was nothing special, just a brown cardboard box held shut with twine. "Happy V day,"
He looks surprised for a second before it's replaced with a grin. "I wasn't expecting to get anything for V day, now my gifts gonna look lame in comparison," He says.
My skips several beats before its pace doubles it's normal rhythm. He... He got me something.
I look out over the land below us before he sees the change in my face. "You don't even know what it is yet," I say.
"It's from you, I already know it's better than mine,"
"Just open it already," I say, playfully shoving his shoulder.
"Alright alright," He says, flashing his fangs again. He removes the twine and the box opens up, showing a carton of the reddest strawberries I could find.
There is silence for a moment as he takes in the gift before he responds, "See, what did I tell you, better than mine," He brings one to his lips and the color slowly drains out of it before he throws the husk of fruit over the cliffs' edge.
"You don't have to keep saying that, I'd love anything you gave me," I say.
"Then you'll be disappointed because you can't keep it," He says.
Before I can say more he pops a strawberry into my mouth and picks up his base.
"This is my present," He says, positioning the guitar on his lap.
"Gold that streaks the sky Eyes like the stars Until the sun leaves the sky So I spend every moment Cuz you're the reason for this song
Piercing the night
Makes the sun cry
Sets the moon alight
Just you and I
As the darkness cocoons
And an old cat croons
Ever bright and only ours
Erasing my sorrows
The reason I play
Wanna chill with you everyday
But I just can't stay
I don't get to see your eyes
It's like a rainy day
Cuz I'm trapped inside
Just trying to pass the time
Till I can see you again
Every note is yours to hold on to
If I still had a heart
it'd be yours to have too,
The last few chords hang in the air before he relaxes his grip on the base. "That's all I've gotten so far," He says, glancing over at me. His face changes to surprise as his eyes meet mine. "Talia,"
"What?" I ask, my voice sounding shaky for some reason.
He reaches over and I feel his finger run carefully under my eye, it comes back wet. "W-what?" I repeat. "I'm crying... Why am I crying?" I ask, wiping away more tears with a shaky laugh. I almost never cry, I've never cried in front of Marshall.
"Are you alright? Sorry if it was so terrible," He says coolly, moving to get up.
"No, wait." I say, taking ahold of his sleeve before he can stand. "It was wonderful," I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "It was the best gift anyone's ever given me," I murmur.
He doesn't say anything, I'm not even sure if he heard me, or if he did, weather he believed me. But I have something else that needs to be said now. Whatever happens I'll deal with it.
"Marshall, I've had something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now," I say. "Until now I've been afraid to say it, but I'm not scarred anymore,"
I could swear he stopped breathing, something not necessary for him but that's become routine. I pull away so I can see his face but quickly avert my gaze to the blanket. I give myself a second before I lock gazes with him again. "I love you,"
Before my heart can begin its next beat I feel his arms around me, his chin resting on my head. "I love you too Talia,"
My heart sputters again and I can feel the warm tears falling from my eyes this time. Before I can voice my surprise or elation or anything I feel his cool lips on mine as he pulls me closer.
Our lips mold together perfectly, moving in synchronization as we try to put all the love we're feeling into that one kiss. But we should have known, one kiss was nowhere near enough, and there are many more that night, still not coming close to showing that love; not yet, maybe we never will, but we had plenty of time to try.