All I remembered was a very large winged creature protecting me. And when I woke up I was in bed. I had not been trying to get hurt. Apparently Vincent thought I was. He would not even look at me and I felt a little bad. I would not be able to leave the bed for a few days and for the first two, Vincent did not even come to see me. The last day of bed rest I was in tears. The moon was clouded and my room was left in darkness. I was crying so hard I did not even hear the door open. It was when I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder that I stopped crying. I turned and looked into the crimson eyes I loved so much. They were full of regret. The only time I saw emotion was when I looked into his eyes. I sat up and he looked down.
"Forgive me…." he looked up suddenly. "I was reckless. I should have thought more about how you would be affected if I had….."
"Don't even say it." he said roughly.
I was a little surprised by how rough he sounded.
"Say what?"
He looked into my eyes again.
"You know what."
He stood up to walk away and I jumped up.
"Vincent wait…..ah!"
I fell to the ground in pain. Vincent lifted me up and put me back into the bed.
"Why would you be so stupid Silivrenniel!?"
I looked up at his angry eyes.
"Vincent?"
He turned away.
"I won't lose you the way I lost her."
I looked down.
"You speak of Lucrecia." I said.
"I lost her to Hojo many years ago. She made me what I am to save me. I don't care what I have to do…..I won't lose you!"
I looked up and his face was only a few inches from mine.
"It was you? That…winged….it was you? But how?" I asked.
He looked away but I took his hand.
"Lucrecia put chaos cells into my body to save me, after Hojo shot me. I went to him, demanding to know why Lucrecia was so sick. He…..had been using her and her unborn child as an experiment."
I gasped.
"His own wife and child?" I asked.
He nodded.
"I should've tried to stop her that day….but I didn't. I let her go…and this is my punishment." he said.
Tears welled in my eyes and I gently turned his face towards mine.
"You confronted Hojo for her. I think…she would be happy to know you were concerned for her." I said.
He closed his eyes.
"In the end it didn't matter. I couldn't save her."
I moved forward and wrapped my arms around him.
"But you tried! All anyone can do is try! Do not blame yourself Vincent, please! I cannot bear to see you so tortured. And I know Lucrecia would not want to see you like this either." I said.
He inhaled sharply but I would not let him go. I held him tighter and shut my eyes.
"We cannot change the past, we can only shape the future." I looked up at him. "Let us shape our future together." I said.
He opened his eyes and stared into mine.
"I know I could never take Lucrecia's place, and I would not want to. All I want…..is for you to be happy. I want you to live your life with happiness and love."
I pulled away so I could hide my tears.
"I know I never say it, but I love you! I do not expect you to say it back because I already know you love me too. Which is why seeing you in so much pain over her death and what happened to me…."
I was cut off when he suddenly pulled me to his chest. My eyes widened and I gasped. He held me there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. I was not complaining though. It was rare for Vincent to show so much emotion, other then when we made love. I slowly closed my eyes and relaxed in his arms.
"I'm sorry Silver. I know at times I can be…..cold hearted. And I don't know what would become of me if I lost you. I never meant to hurt you by staying away." he said.
Vincent had never spoken so much before. At least not in the same day or hour. Then he said something I never dreamed he would.
"I love you."
I gasped and looked back into his eyes.
"You said…."
He smashed his lips to mine and I wound my arms around him. I pulled him onto the bed and then pushed him down. He wrapped an arm around me and then rested his hand between my shoulder blades. I pulled back slightly so I could see the desire in his eyes. I sat up and removed his cloak and tunic. I ran my fingers down that strong chest of his and kissed every inch. My fingers danced over his abdomen and he suddenly sat up. He stroked my cheek and then slid my dress down my shoulder. He kissed my neck and then my shoulder.
"I want…" he stopped.
I lifted his face and looked into his eyes.
"Tell me." I whispered.
"I want to show you." he said.
I stroked his cheek.
"Show me what?"
He took my hand.
"How much you mean to me." he said.
"Hm?"
He laid me back and removed the white dress I wore. He ran his fingers down the side of my body and then followed that trail with his lips. He left open mouthed kisses down my body and in those spots I felt as though I was burning. The last time we had done this, he was gentle but this time…..something was different. He was taking his time. I smiled to myself knowing that this was Vincent's way of telling me how much he loved me.
"Vincent you…"
He put his finger to my lips to silence me. He looked into my eyes.
"Yes I do. I have to show you." he said.
I had never heard his voice so soft before. I kissed his finger and then nodded. He went back to kissing every part of my body he could. When his lips reached my breast I slowly closed my eyes. I lifted my hand to his shoulder and he stopped. I opened my eyes with a smile.
"Why did you stop?" I asked.
His eyes seemed to smile at me and he kissed back up my body. When he reached my lips again he kissed me softly and yet passionately. He traced my lips with his tongue and then slid through them. He pulled back a bit and rested his forehead against mine. His hand came to a rest on my face and I covered it with my own. He removed his trousers and lowered his hips to mine. He was pressing against my stomach and I sighed.
"I never thought of you as a replacement for anyone. Since that first time…..the only thing I thought you were…..was my happiness. My freedom, my life…..and my love." he said.
I had never heard him say such things before.
Vincent's POV
I never told anyone things like that. But Silivrenniel needed to know how much she meant to me. I couldn't make the same mistakes I made with Lucrecia. If I lost Silivrenniel….that would be the last straw. My nose rubbed against hers before her lips were on mine again. She moaned and I pushed myself inside her. She was the first woman I'd ever done this with, and she would be the only one. She was…..everything I wasn't. Selfless, warm and trusting. She loved everything and everyone around her. Although I knew her love for me was special. That I had a place in her heart no one else did. She never pushed me to talk about things, she just seemed to know. I didn't need to hide anything from her, I could trust her. I moved slowly and continued to kiss her soft lips. Feeling her soft body beneath mine was a pleasure I'd always enjoy. Whatever power she held over me, was one I would never fight. She shivered lightly and I looked at her in concern.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
She smiled and shook her head. She ran her thin fingers down my arm and then looked at me again.
"I just never thought you could be so patient and gentle." she whispered.
"I'm usually not. But for you….."
I would gladly be anything.
"I know."
She would never cease to amaze me. I kissed her lips again and moved a bit faster. She started to moan again and I wanted to hear more. I slowly started to kiss her throat and then across her chest. She gently ran her hands down my back and then up my chest, then wound them around my neck. When she shivered again I threw my cloak around us. She kissed my shoulder and then my lips found hers once more. I wrapped one arm around her and lifted her to me.
"Oh…"
I kissed her neck softly and she lifted my face to hers. I laid her down, but kept moving. She touched my face with her fingertips and stared into my eyes. I reached down and began to rub her. She threw her head back and I moaned as she tightened around me. She pulled my lips to hers and kissed me hard before she came around me. I came with her and we came down from our high together. She had me lie across her body and I took a deep breath. The scent of roses, her scent, filled me and I smiled a bit.
"Vincent?"
I looked up at her.
"I love you."
I couldn't find a way to say it. I wanted to, but I couldn't. She just smiled.
"I know you do too. I can feel it when you look at me. And I know how much you love me. You never needed to show me that for me to know, but I am happy you did all the same." she whispered.
I kissed her lips one last time.
