[Hi everyone! Thank you so much for 5k reads!!! <3 This will be the last bonus chapter uploaded for a while, but I hope you enjoy it! It's basically chapter twenty eight, but all from Steve's perspective ;D]
Steven (Set on the day of Lily's Head Guardian Ceremony)
"Wait!" With a jolt I sit up, sweat dripping down my face as I throw my hands out in front of me. It takes me a bit to realize, but there's nothing there. There's nothing there. I shut my eyes, running a hand through my hair and flopping back on my bed. I wince at the pain that shoots through my chest, but I ignore it. I probably deserve it anyway.
Why did I dream of her? Of Celeste?
Clenching my teeth I sit back up, studying my room. I'm still in the Health Center. I'm okay. I'm okay, but... she's gone.
Celeste is gone.
Why is she gone? She was there in my dream, and we were talking. We were talking about the simple things, about her family and about the next tasks we had to carry out as Guardians. But then she stopped talking. We stopped talking. And then she was fading, screaming. I chased after her but she was gone, and then there was blood, and, and...
This time I sit up in my bed a bit more carefully, moving my hand over the wound in my chest. It's healed, thanks to the Caregivers' magic and medicine, but it's still painful. The scars are still there. Brittany and Celeste are still in my head.
I wish I could have talked to her one more time, that I could have sorted out what happened between us. But it's too late for wishes. There's nothing I can do about her death. She was taken from us, and we've been left behind. Now Luna is on her own... but apparently she's a Guardian now. So is Vashti. And... Lily is here. Lily.
"Ay, dream boy, I heard you yelling. You good?" My eyes roam over the drawers, desks, and bookshelves spread throughout the room until they land on the sliding door to the side where Amaryllis is standing. And... wow. She's wearing a deep blue dress that trails down to her feet and her curly black hair is hanging free around her face, the blue and purple tips resting on her shoulders. She looks stunning and fierce, but her gaze only makes me want to hide under the blankets as she stares. What's she doing here?
"Yeah... yeah. I'm fine. But why are you all dressed up?" I mutter, glancing down at the blue robes I'm wearing and then looking back to her.
"You're joking. Don't tell me you forgot," she pauses, and when I don't respond she rolls her eyes. She strides over to the side of my bed, tossing me the medicine the Caregivers left me on my table. "Steve. Your little flower is going to be crowned in a few hours..." Amaryllis keeps on talking but I've already thrown the blankets on my bed away from me, chugging the medicine from the glass bottles I've been assigned and scrambling to make my way to the bathroom.
Lily's ceremony! It's today. That's today. It's today?
"She's not my little flower," I exclaim, fumbling around the washroom and shutting the thin door behind me. There's a suit on the counter by the sink, and although I don't know who left it there for me, I'm glad they did. A Head Guardian Ceremony is always a big deal in the Realm of Ni'ilxus, no matter who it's for. And this time it's for someone who wasn't even heard of until last week, so I'm sure it will have a large turnout. Either way, people everywhere will be watching. They'll all be there to see Lily.
Washing my face I do my best to style my hair, stripping off my robes and putting on the gray suit as carefully as I can. The scar on my chest where Brittany stabbed me is still pretty visible, and so are the large bruises from when the Golem hit me. At least they'll be covered up.
"Hey, I know you're trying to look good for a certain someone, but you might want to speed things up a bit." I glare at the door between Amaryllis and I, peering at the mirror one last time and splashing myself with water when I see that my cheeks are red. I've been thinking about Lily a lot lately and, wait, no, I just... I just hope she's doing okay.
"I'm not trying to look good for someone specifically," I explain, pulling open the door and squinting at her when I spot her smirk. "Relationships are forbidden-"
"Yeah, no. That's what you said last time, and look how that turned out." I pause, clenching my teeth. Amaryllis freezes too, looking away from me. She's talking about Celeste. Of course she is, they were best friends, but...
"Do you still blame me?" I whisper. Amaryllis and I haven't been able to talk very much, and usually we don't. But Celeste's death is something we can never forget.
"Not entirely. But I keep replaying everything in my head over, and over, and over, and I feel like things could have been different," she sighs, motioning for me to follow her and opening the sliding door in my room with a card in her hand. "If Brittany wasn't so controlling, if Celeste communicated better, if you were honest, what would have happened? What could have happened if you had chosen to work things out? And look, I really don't want to hold a grudge against you, so I need to be sure you won't make the same mistake twice."
We walk down the hallways of the Health Center together and I silently ponder her words until she stares directly at me, her brown eyes boring into mine. "Talk to Lily. I don't care if you don't want to admit your feelings yet, just make sure you talk things out. Please, Steve." I nod at her as we stride into the empty stone room of the entrance hall, glancing out of the blue tinted windows.
"I promise." She seems satisfied with my answer because she strides away, venturing down a hallway to find a Caregiver. We're finally checking out of the Health Center. I knew that today would be a big day, but my dream disoriented me. I have to admit, I'm not prepared to face Lily yet. How is she doing? Is she mad at me? No, I already know she is. Will she forgive me, if I asked her to? I can only hope she will.
"We're good to go." Amaryllis pats my shoulder, walking past me and pushing the doors to the Health Center open. I stare after her, raising my eyebrows when I remember what we're doing. Right. I can't get sidetracked. Glancing at my hands I follow her, manipulating the wind around me as soon as we're outside. Clouds End is one of my favorite places, considering it's in Zephyr territory. There's plenty of open sky, and plenty of wind.
Amaryllis starts down the path leading back to town, to the Transfer Point we need, but I launch myself into the air. I can't help but smile when the wind surrounds me, blowing through my hair and clothes. The early morning sky is beautiful, and so are the clouds beneath me that surround the Health Center.
"Steve! You can't just leave me!" I laugh when I hear Amaryllis, and I glance down at her. One of the things I love about being up so high is the view. Most of the areas owned by the Zephyr are floating in the sky, and beneath the bridge Amaryllis is on there's a thin layer of clouds and flower fields far, far below.
"Sorry!" I drop back down, my feet colliding with the stone bridge when I land. Smoothing down my clothes and hair again I fall in step beside her, the two of us silently slipping through the vine covered alleyway to make it back to town. Having to squeeze between the stone and wood is a bit tiresome, but I understand why they made it like this. There are enchantments protecting every Health Center, and if you have hostile intentions towards one, you won't find it very easily unless you already know the right path.
"Come on." As soon as we emerge from the thin path Amaryllis dashes over to the Transfer Point, yelling at the sky and making the people around us stare, right as I reach her. "Avalon!" Once she yells we're both surrounded by a bright light, and I manage to grab on to her elbow right before I feel myself drifting away. I'm gone. I'm floating, traveling in a way that takes all my thoughts from me. We're on our way to Avalon. To the Head Guardian Ceremony. To see Lily. Soon I can register warmth wrapping around me, piecing me back together as a bright light presses against my eyelids once again.
"We're here." I let go of Amaryllis, scanning her before examining the area around us. It's still early morning but there are a bunch of people around us, bustling between the large and colorful buildings lining every road. I wonder if they're here for the ceremony. People from everywhere can gather to watch in the streets, as everything will be projected from within the castle itself.
Stepping off the Transfer Point with Amaryllis I stare at the Palace of Valon, craning my head back to observe the towers. We'll be in one of those towers soon, and just the thought is making my hands sweat. Why am I starting to feel nervous? It's not as if anything could go wrong, I just, I'm just worried about Lily. What should I say to her?
"Dream boy, I'm gonna need you to stop zoning out." When Amaryllis taps me on the back of my head I let out a laugh, forcing myself to walk faster as we dodge between the crowd on the path to the palace. Dream boy, as she calls me, is a name Richard would use for me as well. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in my thoughts, and everything that's happened recently isn't helping me to become more in tune with the real world. Richard would assist me a lot, but now he's gone. On the run. I really hope he's doing okay. I only wish he had talked to me, or told me what he was planning. I wanted to be someone he could rely on, but it seems... it seems like I've failed at that too.
"You're doing it again!" I shake my head, and this time I force myself to reply to her.
"Sorry, sorry. I'm just distracted." When I peer at her she's smirking, and I step away from her moments before she attempts to elbow me. "Nope. I know what you're thinking."
"And I can guess what you've been thinking about." She glances at the people around us who have been staring, making sure to lower her voice. "It's quite obvious who you've been thinking about." I slap my hand to my forehead, dragging it over my face.
"Do you think she knows?"
"Well." She shrugs as we approach the palace, the wide gates already open and ready to receive those allowed to enter. "I wouldn't be surprised if she did. You've known her for years, and even if she didn't know you were Chris until recently, she knows you." I clear my throat, turning away from Amaryllis to avoid her smug gaze. We enter with no problems, and the moment we've moved through the gates, the chatter from the crowds behind us seems to fade away. There are guards striding across the grass surrounding the palace, but they don't stop us or usher us away, so we're good.
"Am I really that obvious about it?" Amaryllis' loud laugh is answer enough to my question, and I can feel heat rising to my cheeks as the doors to the palace open on their own, a clanging noise echoing around us as they do so.
"Don't worry buddy, from what I've seen, she feels the same way."
"Really?" I perk up at her words, a large smile finding its way to my face as we stride inside the palace. The entrance hall of this palace is similar to the one back at the Keep of the Elementals, with crystals in the walls and fancy decorations everywhere. The only difference is that at the base of these walls there are more hallways than I can count, each of them leading to different parts of the castle. There are also spiral staircases descending from overhead, and it's the staircase closest to us that Amaryllis and I take, ignoring the people around us.
"I think so. You want my advice? I say kiss her." I somehow manage to choke on air at her words, stumbling and tripping on the steps we're taking. Amaryllis seizes my elbow, holding onto me and practically dragging me until we make it to the hallway we need to reach. Thankfully we're done with the stairs, but my heart is pounding anyway at the thought of what Amaryllis said.
"You really enjoy making fun of me, don't you?"
"I really do. But I wasn't joking." She raises her eyebrows at me, but I shake my head vigorously. I'm becoming more aware of the fact that we've reached the right tower. This hallway is full of people, and the doors at the end of the hallway are wide open, providing a great view of the room where Lily will be crowned. We're almost there.
"I wouldn't say that's the best idea..."
"Well, you can ask her for yourself. Talk to her, sort things out. Maybe even confess while you're at it." With one last laugh she pushes me into the huge room that awaits me, and as soon as her hands leave me I'm already lost in the crowd. There are so many people here. They're all wearing fancy clothing, wandering around and talking with others. There are tables and chairs scattered everywhere, and at the other end of the room is a gigantic balcony, one that looks over everyone.
I want to do what Amaryllis suggested. I want to be honest with Lily, and I don't care if I have to beg on my knees, I want to ask for her forgiveness. My intention has been and always will be to protect her, not to harm her. I hope she'll understand that, no matter my past, or the people in it, I'm here. And I'm here for her.
Pushing my way through people I do my best to gaze over their heads, scanning the room for Lily. I don't know where Amaryllis went, but the other Guardians should be here already. I keep walking and scanning for a few moments, and I freeze when I finally see her. She's... she's beautiful.
She stands out from all the people around her, wearing a long green dress that sparkles and creates waves down her body. The way that her brown hair falls around her face accentuates all her features, and I can't seem to take my eyes off her. Why... Why do I feel this way? How has she gotten such a strong hold on me? I have to take a deep breath, willing myself to walk towards her, to reach out to her. There's so many things I want to say, so many emotions I want to explain. All because of her.
"Lily." At first I wonder if she's heard me over the crowd but she trips, whirling around to face in my direction. Her eyes are wide, moving up and down as she analyzes me. It nearly makes me blush, but then she moves closer to me and speaks.
"I didn't know you people wore suits in this Realm."
"Well, we share a lot of things with Earth. And it's a special occasion." I'm about to say more but someone squeezes behind me so I step closer to her, my eyes focused on hers. They shine beautifully in the bright light that fills the room, but they only glare at me skeptically. "Lily, I apologize-"
"Steven, please. Just don't." The use of my name shocks me a bit but I shake my head desperately, resisting the urge to move even closer to her.
"I... all I ask is that you hear me out." Peering at the people around us I hold out my arm, looking down at her. I want to be able to talk to her in private, without eyes on us. When she hooks her arm through mine my heart flutters, and I can't get it to stop as I lead her to the edge of the room. What do I do? What should I do? I didn't plan this far in my mind. What should I say? I eventually settle on moving toward the stone pillars at the edge of the room, and once we've slipped behind one she lets go of me, crossing her arms.
My back is against the pillar, and I'm grateful for the cold, smooth stone as I stand next to Lily. What am I doing, really? It's been a few days since I last saw Lily, and the last thing I want to do is make her more upset. I should just be honest, right? Amaryllis' words fly through my mind, and after a moment I turn to her, and she does the same.
"So. What do you have to say?" She seems to glare at me, and it gives me the courage to speak.
"Lily, I'm so sorry. I took on the identity of Chris a few years ago because I needed to protect you. There was no other way to keep you from the Gloaming at the time, so I did what I had to do. I apologize for that, and I mean it with all my heart. All I wanted to do was to keep you safe." I tilt my head at her, my heart pounding as she stares at me.
"Look, Steve, I know you had to protect me and all, but, why didn't you just tell me when I first got here? Or, even before that?" The confused look on her face hurts to see, and it takes me a bit to think of my answer.
"Honestly, I didn't know how," I sigh, "And I didn't want to hurt you. Please, forgive me," I whisper. Glancing around nervously I try to distract myself, preparing for her response, good or bad. "I wanted you to see me for who I am, who I really am, before you saw me as a freak who watched over you for some weird reason. I wanted you to see that there's more to the story than that. I want you to see it, even now. I really do care about you, and I want you to be safe, I-" With a laugh I run a hand through my hair, attempting to calm myself. "I'm rambling and making this awkward, aren't I? I only mean to say, Lily, I'm so, so, sorry."
"Wow. I... I wasn't expecting this." A small sigh of relief escapes me when she laughs. "But I understand, Steve. I want to trust you, just as much as you want to keep me safe. So can I just ask for no more secrets between us? Please?" The comfort that flows through me at hearing Lily speak makes me smile again, and I find that all the tension and nerves I had are gone.
"Why, of course, Head Guardian." The playful shove she gives me only makes me smile wider, and I can't look away from her when she responds.
"Don't call me that," she laughs, and the happiness I see in her eyes gives me hope.
"What? Would you rather me call you a Disney?" I take a step closer to her with a grin, observing the amused look on her face.
"I'm sorry, a... what?"
"A Disney. You know, I saw some on Earth. Those pretty girls that wear fancy dresses on those screens of yours. You talked about them earlier, didn't you?" I stare down at her, trying to decipher the cute expression on her face.
"You mean a princess, right? A Disney princess?" I tilt my head at her, preparing myself for what I'm going to do.
"Well, I don't really know what a princess is..." I glance away from her, biting my tongue. "But I know that you're even more flattering than they are." I somehow manage to meet her gaze again but she looks away from me, and I notice that her cheeks are red. Is it really possible that she might feel the same way I do...? I brush my hand against her cheek, running my fingers over her skin and tilting her head so that I can meet her gaze again. Her mesmerizing blue eyes seem to see right through me, and I can't stop myself.
"You're beautiful, you know that? But even more than that, you're one of the most amazing people I've met," I whisper. I struggle to speak, and I'm trying to gather the courage to ask to kiss her when she moves her hands to my shoulders. The action surprises me but when I see that she's leaning closer I let my eyes close, and I can just feel my lips brushing against hers when a thumping noise fills the air around us, and Brayden's voice floats into my ears.
"He-llo, Ste-ven, do you like my bon-gos?" You've gotta be kidding me. I reluctantly open my eyes, glaring at Brayden as soon as I see him. But I'm a bit flustered as well, and when Lily groans and turns around I glance down at her. Were we really about to...? Does she...? My cheeks manage to get a lot hotter than they already were, and I'm barely listening to Brayden when he speaks again.
"I just ruined another Sily moment, didn't I?" I continue to glare at Brayden, and a feeling of disappointment fills me when Lily drops her hands from my shoulders, turning around fully to face him. He says something else but I'm not listening, my eyes glued on Lily. It's only when Brayden begins to walk away that I draw myself back to reality, hooking my arm through Lily's again and following Brayden's trail through the large crowd. Am I dreaming? This has to be a dream. Right? I glance at Lily repeatedly, at least, until she speaks and reminds me that this is real.
"Hey, I never asked, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Lily." I pull her closer to me as we move around another group of people and I lift my eyes to the balcony across the room, trying to keep a good grip on Brayden's location at the same time.
"So, where are we going?"
"The balcony," Brayden exclaims. Of course, I already know this. I've been here plenty of times before, and I've seen at least three different Head Guardians being crowned in this room. But this time, it's different. This time when I enter the short hallway that extends past the crowd, I'm standing arm in arm with the future Head Guardian. The person to determine the fate of this Realm. Brayden strides ahead of us, sliding between the glass doors and triggering the chime above the platform.
"Going up." He motions for us to join him, but when Lily takes a step forward I reach out and grab her. I'm shocked at myself for doing so but when she looks back at me I instinctively look at Brayden, smiling and waving when I see that the glass doors are closing on him.
"Going up," I hum teasingly, watching as he disappears and then forcing myself to look at Lily. This might just work out in my favor.
"Won't he be mad?" I scoot closer to Lily, a smirk finding its way onto my face after I see hers.
"Maybe. But he won't be when he realizes what it means." She raises her eyebrows, and by her reaction I can tell that she doesn't understand my intentions. It only makes my grin larger.
"Oh, really? And what does it mean?" I motion her forward, lowering my head until my lips are by her ear. I glance down at her, our close proximity making my heart thump.
"That you and I were alone together." The blush on her cheeks when she turns away from me makes me feel satisfied, and I almost find it strange. It's been so long since I've had these types of emotions for anyone, but after everything, ever since Lily has come to this Realm, despite all the terrible things that have happened, she's made it all worth it. She's changed everything for the better. "Listen, Lily. No matter what happens today, you're one of us now. We're here for you. I'm here for you."
I lift a hand but then drop it, leaning away from her. What am I doing? She's about to be crowned Head Guardian, and this room is filled with elect Elemental Beings that will be watching her every move. This isn't the time... my eyes flicker back to her when I noticed that her hand has moved. She's holding her hand out, staring ahead at the doors. Well, maybe, I can...
I take her hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. Her skin is warm and the pressure of her hand squeezing mine sends my heart into a craze. My thoughts are nowhere, everywhere, and I have to subtly use my free hand to keep the wind around us from going haywire. I'm not dreaming? The sound of the chime for the platform in front of us rings and together Lily and I step inside, her hand still cradled in mine. I'm not dreaming. I really... This is happening... I'm holding Lily's hand...
So much has changed. With Lily here, I doubt that things will remain the same. They'll keep changing, but I'm here for it. I'm here for her, and whatever comes next, we'll fight it together. With the rest of the Guardians we'll keep going, we'll keep fighting, and we'll keep moving forward until we can finally live in peace.