Chapter 21: The Countdown Begins
The next day dawned with a timeless beauty.
The Hawaiian skyline was serene and natural.
Eric and his other half were snuggled up intimately.
They were in Eric's room.
The two were completely content in their spooning.
Until a knock on the door woke them.
Their father's voice echoed throughout the room, through the door.
"Eric, I'm coming in."
Violet's eyes were open and glowing instantly.
The fear on her face was pure and unadulterated.
She needed to get out.
Everything important to her was at stake.
There was no way out.
The Origin knew what was going on.
He gave Violet a little gift, with a gesture of his hand.
They would know his will was good only by his actions, after all.
An aura formed around her body, still laying down.
Her father was twisting the doorknob.
Violet imagined her room.
Her eyes flashed. The door started to open.
As suddenly as the door started to open, she was gone.
She was out, the blankets that once held her body filling with empty air.
The world around her for a split second was filled with lights of every hue as she traveled through space with her new ability.
And she was in her room, and on her bed.
She promptly fainted, her body tapped out.
Kaori was just waking up, too.
The sun was right in her eyes.
"Why is that so bright?" She wondered aloud.
"Maybe because it's 9:00 AM and some of us are trying to keep our lives in order." Kousei was being an early bird again.
"None of the secks for him."
He flinched across the room.
He turned towards her as she sat up.
"That's uncalled for. We have things to do today."
He was pale.
"Totally necessary, my love. Have to keep you in line. Get back in bed or you aren't getting any the entire time we're here."
"She's always so aggressive."
"I heard that."
"I know."
Much like a dog with its tail between its legs, Kousei got back in bed, fully dressed but not daring to annoy his partner.
And so their relationship was.
When Kousei finally struck up the nerve to get out of bed again, Kaori was fast asleep.
There was little coming through the bond, which meant she was in deep sleep.
He got out of bed, still fully dressed, and exited the room, all without alerting Kaori.
He went around the corner and found himself face-to-face with Violet Davidson.
She was dressed a little more like an adult.
Kousei couldn't help but notice the short shorts she was wearing.
"My god. Those legs."
He was trying to not perv on her, but that clearly wasn't working.
She clearly shaved very far up on her legs.
Kousei was a little red as they finally made eye contact.
"Um? Is there something wrong with my legs?"
Violet looked for what Kousei was staring at.
There was nothing out of the ordinary.
Then she looked back up at him and noticed his blush.
She realized very quickly why he was blushing so brightly.
"Oh. Well then."
It was her turn to blush, now.
And blush she did.
Her expression was a little flattered, and a little bit embarrassed.
"You like my shorts, huh?"
Kousei was flustered, and looked away.
"I can neither confirm nor deny that."
He was torn. Kaori was just in the other room, and here he was, admiring Violet!
She was encouraging.
"It's okay to look. I… had a little bit of a crush on you. That's part of the reason why I asked you to come here."
He looked up at her, and their eyes met.
"Really? All of this, for a little crush?"
She brushed her hair out of her face.
"You wouldn't understand. I was a little thunderstruck when it came to you."
She averted her gaze onto the floor.
"Was?" Kousei questioned.
"Yeah. Was. I'm in a relationship now. We're very happy, but I can't tell you who he is."
Kousei stepped closer.
And then he made a decision that would set into motion the greatest cataclysm that the Earth would ever witness.
"If you want me, you get one chance. One."
He said this quietly and quickly.
Violet flinched, her heartstrings being pulled on. She didn't want a one night stand.
She was worth more than that.
"Is that all I'm worth in your eyes?" Her expression was brittle.
It was Kousei's turn to flinch, at the sound of her dejected voice.
"No. You're worth more than that. But I'm engaged. I can't be with you, and was just trying to give you a chance to live out a fantasy."
She knew this was said solemnly.
She turned away, and glanced back.
"I'm sorry. I just can't do that to him."
Around the corner, Eric had been listening.
His eyes were blaring so brightly that they were producing a physical glare.
The darkness in his heart leeched further onto his soul.
"Yes. Let your anger grow, Eric, and give me control."
Eric flinched at the words in his head.
He then forgot what he'd flinched at.
He was still angry, but the emotion felt off.
Eric just turned around and went back to his room.
It was too early for this shit.
Kousei followed Violet downstairs awkwardly.
He knew that he was probably making her feel awkward. But he needed food.
They parted ways at the base of the stairs.
Violet went out back, to the beach.
Eric went to the kitchen.
Violet had gone over what they were allowed to eat the night before.
He got some cereal, and ate.
It was a simple day so far.
It was 9:30 AM.
54 hours remained.
The darkness was encroaching.
But Violet didn't know about any darkness as she bathed in the light of a beautiful morning.
This was her stress relief.
Just being able to smell the sea breeze, and being able to feel it caress her body,
She was alive.
She hadn't betrayed Eric.
Everything was just fine.
She gazed toward the rising sun, and closed her eyes.
But with Eric, everything was not fine. His emotional state was slowly breaking down.
He felt drained. Like he hadn't slept in days.
But he couldn't sleep.
He couldn't even bring himself to be mad at Kousei.
His eyes shut, and he finally slipped into a fitful sleep.
11:30 AM. 52 hours remain.
Eric's eyes barely peel open. His head was pounding.
His saving grace, Violet, was nearby.
He stretched his hand to the left, and felt her there.
She held his hand, and the pain in his head abated.
"Are you feeling alright? Do you need me to draw you a bath? You're so pale."
Violet's eyes were filled with grey-tinged concern.
He barely rasped out; "A bath would be nice."
She smirked. "Okay. And something to drink too. Stay here, love. I'll be back."
He felt her shift off of the bed, and leave the room.
The water in the bathroom started running.
And then the sink turned on briefly.
Shortly thereafter, Violet returned with a cup of water.
"Drink, or you get no more cuddles today."
Eric rolled his eyes.
"Okay, mom."
She turned around, as she had been walking away.
"Don't you sass me. Your cuddles are in jeopardy. Think about that. You don't get to press yourself up against..." she gestured down her back and butt; "all of this. Behave, and you might." Her eyes were grey and sultry. What an odd expression that was, on her.
He blushed somehow, and started to drink immediately.
She was out of the room, and he tried to force his body to relax.
But certain parts wouldn't calm down.
By the time she returned to collect him for his bath, he was writhing in pain.
His legs were cramping up, and badly.
She immediately got to work massaging his legs.
"You know, I didn't sign up to be your physical therapist. So when we finally do end up doing the dirty, you better make sure I need a physical therapist afterwards."
He chuckled through the pain.
"Oh trust me. You will."
Her hands eased the pain, and the tendons started to relax.
He gasped in relief.
The nerves tingled as the pain faded away with the soft movements of Violet's hands.
She looked into his eyes.
"Better?"
"Much. Ready for my bath now, too."
He was blissful compared to the pain of just moments before.
"Then come on. Get yourself up. I even used your favorite bubble bath."
She smirked as she brought up the childhood memories.
There was a pause in their conversation as Eric barely managed to get himself up.
"...you're terrible sometimes. I love you anyway, but that doesn't make you any less terrible."
One of her eyebrows went up; "You didn't seem to think I was terrible at kissing, with how attached you get to my face."
"That's not a fair topic to bring up. The entire sexual side of you cannot be terrible in my eyes, and you know it. You are literally the only person on this planet" he leaned in closer; "that I want to bed. The only person."
She smiled at that. "Yes I am. And I'm proud of that, too."
She sauntered out of the room, and he followed.
The bathroom was perfumed with scents that were nostalgic to Eric.
His childhood.
His early teens.
They were all speaking to him through these scents.
Violet started to help him undress, and he let her take off his shorts and shirt, moving his arms and legs as needed.
He took off his boxer briefs himself, and lowered himself down into the smoothly-cut marble of the bathtub.
It smelled like Violet's hair, which typically smelled like artificial strawberry from her own shampoo.
His old bubble bath was very similar smelling to the shampoo that Violet now used.
Violet undressed as well, revealing all of her feminine beauty to him.
As he stared up at her in sheer awe, Violet cocked an eyebrow:
"I figured you'd like something to keep you awake, and didn't know what else you'd be able to focus intensely on aside from my body."
Her body was amazing.
Her legs were long and svelte.
Her stomach was flat and her oblongs on the sides of her abs were well defined.
Her abs were not overly defined. Their femininity was obvious to even the untrained eye.
Her breasts were small, yes, but pert and firm.
Her arms were birdlike, with thinness and strength.
Her butt was well-toned, with multiple muscle groups defined for the eye to see.
She was the perfect woman, in Eric's eyes.
She leant on the edge of the tub, arms crossed under her chin, knees on the ground.
Her back was arched seductively.
"Kiss me, love."
The thread pulsed intensely.
The sea breeze was back as they kissed.
Her lips were so soft.
Her tongue was pliant.
Her mouth was slippery and perfectly kissable, for frenching or otherwise.
Eric would never get used to kissing Violet. There was just so much to enjoy.
He was running out of breath, and pulled back.
Violet grabbed the body wash and lathered up her hands, leaning over him.
She put his towel underneath her knees, to cushion them.
She started with his legs once again.
After she was done with his legs, he lowered them back into the water.
He lifted his torso out of the water.
She glanced down lower, but he shook his head.
"I don't think my heart could handle it right now."
She smiled warmly.
"Okay. I'll never complain about touching you, though. Just say the word, Eric."
He smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Vi. You're so understanding." He stuck his chest out of the water even further.
She re-lathered her hands before going back in.
She soaped up his chest and belly, before moving to his back as he turned away from her.
His back was clean very quickly.
He laid back down at her urging.
"I'm going to wash your hair for you."
He couldn't complain about anything right now.
He let her do as she pleased.
Her hands stroked through his hair, getting it ready for the shampoo.
She opened up her shampoo, lathering her hands into a soapy mess.
He pushed himself back until he was slightly out of the water.
She looked down at him as he laid there.
He was so peaceful.
So calm. The intimacy between them was intense, as she washed his hair.
She had the heart of a servant, yes.
But only for the man that was Eric Davidson.
She was his. And he was hers.
This little show of caring wasn't small at all.
It was their love, in the way they decided to show it.
Which made it the biggest, most important thing they'd do that day.
By the time they were done and cuddling again, it was 12:30 PM.
51 hours remained.
Time was ticking and ticking away.
Even through the soft intimacy of life
The darkness grows ever more controlling
As we march toward the strife
That can be found at the edge of the end.
Even as they look for things in life to mend,
They fall more deeply in love.
Such heat from two so young
Is like a message from above.
Like a tell of what's to come.
What's to come is vicious and cruel.
Separation.
Hatred.
Possession.
Who will survive?
Who will ascend?
Who will face their end?
Find out next time, on Scars in the Mirror.