Tears of Jade

I awoke a few hours later, to the sea dweller, Feferi standing over me. Her purple goggles gave me a start, she hadn't been wearing them the last two nights, for some reason, but now they seemed glued onto her. I shrugged internally and began to go over the various parts of my body. Nothing seemed to hurt anymore, and even my hand was healed. There was a nasty bruise there though. I wondered what my neck looked like suddenly, and began to get up.

"Feeling better?" Feferi asked, and in response I nodded and shook my head. I felt a little light headed though.

"Do you have any water? Kanaya drank quite a bit before I could get her off." I was sure I didn't sound angry, although my voice was a bit shaky. Attacked by a vampire, even in that kind of setting, it was scary.

Feferi nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. I looked into a mirror that was on the bedside table and checked out my neck. The punctures were healed, but they weren't green, like the second bite. Just gone, like the first. My nose twitched. Why weren't the other two bites green… Perhaps a better question would by why that one was. No one else seemed to have green marks on their neck and it worried me. I reached up to touch them when I heard the door open again.

The sea dweller was back with a glass of water, and she handed it to me. "Here you go!" She said happily and I smiled up at her.

"Thank you very much Feferi." I replied and drank down the entire glass quickly. Feeling better already I began to stretch and realized I was in a pair of black pants and a black turtleneck with the cancer symbol. I glanced down curiously and frowned.

"Karkat gave you some of his clothes, since we couldn't find any of yours, and he matches your size," she filled in when I turned my questioning look to her. I nodded again.

"Once again, thank you. Its day light, you must be exhausted," I prompted and she nodded and began to head to the door.

"If you need anything Elliot, don't be afraid to call." She said, and headed into the bedroom next door. I glanced around and realized that I was in an infirmary of sorts, with curtains around the beds, although none were drawn. I shook my head and stood, then began to search for Kanaya.

She was in her sewing room, patching up the one piece I had worn in the fights. I knocked on the door and waited, not able to look at her face to meet her eyes. I was worried that she would condemn me for some reason. Like last night was all my fault. She stood, a bit of fear in her eyes. "Kanaya…" I said softly, gazing up at her, worried.

She stood stock still, staring at me. Her green eyes were piercing. She waited there, not saying anything.

"I wanted to check on you. That last hit was really hard." I said, worried. "You acted so strangely after you drank from me, I didn't know what to say." I rubbed at my neck subconsciously, my mind on the green marks under my hand.

She came closer. "I'm sorry about last night, I nearly killed you." She said, eyes downcast. I immediately shook my head, about to speak before she interrupted me. "Rainbow drinkers aren't supposed to make their prey feel good when they bite, it doesn't normally happen. I am scared of what that means."

I pulled down the collar of my shirt to reveal the two green marks. "Could this have something to do with it?" I asked, more curious than worried now.

Her eyes went wide, and she slowly nodded before heading over to the bookcase in the corner and pulling out a rather thick book. The Compendium of Rainbow Drinkers. Huh. She slid it open to a passage that was bookmarked and swallowed before reading aloud. "Sometimes, the rainbow drinker comes across a person who is different than the rest. Their blood and heart are open, and the drinker will leave upon them a mark of ownership. This mark designates the beginning of a bond that will strengthen both." She took a deep breath and looked up at me.

"That…." I swallowed and motioned for her to keep reading. I wasn't sure what I thought of it so far.

She continued. "The two will be bound for so long as both live, extending both their life spans. The partner to the drinker may give blood to no other but the drinker, and the more the drinker takes, the stronger both shall get. If the bond is not maintained, it may eventually fade. Be warned, the bond relies both on blood and emotion, should one partner break the bond with the other, it could be disastrous." She swallowed. "That's it."

I nodded and sat down. "So… What do you think it meant by open heart?" I asked softly, and she actually chuckled just a bit. "What!"

"It means you're willing to accept every part of the other, obviously." She smiled nervously. "It typically means you love the other person." She sat next to me on the couch, on the other end, an empty cushion between us.

"In other words… The mark means we are…." I tried to search my memory banks for the trollian word "in a flushed relationship?" I asked honestly, face turning red.

"I think we could become matesprites" she answered, blushing green. Then, she began to cry. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen, I didn't even know it could!" She was sitting there sobbing in front of me. I figured it was because such a nice woman would hate forcing others into situations.

With my heart decided, I moved over next to her, and slowly, carefully tilted her head up to look at me. Jade tears streaked her face, and I smiled just a bit. I wiped at her eyes, then bent down and our lips met, black on red. Just right. When I pulled back, she was still crying, but she was smiling as well.

"Elliot, I am sorry, can you forgive me?" She asked, leaning into my chest. I laughed again, a little louder.

"Kanaya, from the first moment I spotted you, I was hoping to do that. Of course I can forgive you." I looked down at her and smiled just a bit more. "I think we are going to make a great couple…" I said softly, and wrapped my arms around her. Both of us exhausted from the night before, we fell asleep right there, her in my arms.

I hope that was good. Kanaya isn't quite coming across the way I want her to. She is in my mind a very sensitive, heartfelt badass. Capable of dishing out massive damage and hurt when its needed, but also very emotional. Hopefully the badass will come out a little later, when she gets more chances for action.

Anyways, reviews please! I hope you guys like this. Its over 10k words now!