"Ready?" Eli whispered into my ears, sending shivers down my spine. He was sitting on our bed, his back laying against the headboard as I straddled him, our gaze locked dead on each other.
I leaned forward and wrapped my hands around his neck, hugging him tightly as he unclipped my bra, exposing my naked back.
"Yes," I mumbled nervously. My arms around him stiffened, preparing to embrace for the discomfort.
"It'll hurt for a bit, but after a few seconds it'll feel good. Trust me," he muttered into my ear again, his arms now on my waist.
I nodded softly. He planted a small kiss on my forehead, before I felt it.
A moan escaped my lips when I felt his fingers rubbing the medication on the three huge claw marks on my back. The pain was stinging when the substance made contact with my wounds, but after a few gentle rubs, my back felt icy. It was indeed a nice feeling.
"These look nasty," he whispered into my ear. "You may have even worse wounds than I do from the war."
"Is this a competition?" I breathed and let out a chuckle.
"No," he smiled. "But if it is, I would rather win it."
I smiled, feeling butterflies in my stomach.
"You feeling alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said, smiling as I buried my face in the crook of his neck, taking in his scent, feeling so safe in his arms as he treated my back. "Thank you."
He just nodded in response. After he was done, he clipped back my bra and lowered my shirt. He placed the bottle of medicine on the bedside table, before his arms around me tightened while making sure his arms were not on my wounds.
It felt like heaven came down to Slugterra.
"Doc should be well-rested by tomorrow. He'll be able to treat you. You just have to deal with the pain for another day," he whispered into my ear as he pulled back a little to plant another gentle kiss on my forehead.
"I'm sure the people need him more than I do," I smiled weakly at him as he cupped my cheeks. He smiled down at me, making my heart skipped a beat.
"But you're my girl and Doc's my slug. You should be the first person he heals, and yet you insist that he treat others first," he said. "You have so much love for the people. I understand and respect that, but you have to prioritise your body too."
He caressed my cheek with one hand before giving me a small peck on the lips.
"Seeing you like this pains me."
Butterflies.
"Don't worry, Eli. I will be fine," I mumbled. "I love you."
He laid his forehead against mine softly, looking deep into my eyes.
"I love you more, Ales."
We stayed in this position. He closed his eyes, relaxed them as he softly rocked us back and forward. He looked so calm and peaceful.
I didn't want to interrupt him, but my curiosity got the better of me and I asked him the question I've wanted answers for so badly.
"How did you survive?"
His smile immediately faded. He stopped rocking and remained completely still like a statue. His eyelids ascended halfway, his eyes showing off the mesmerising ocean blue colour.
He looked at me, speechless at first, but soon he started to spill.
"I still remember how the eel's tentacles were wrapped around me. My skin stung as it made contact, my body crumbled as it suffocated me. By the time the tentacle had completely wrapped around my torso, I felt this sudden burst of heat. I set off the bomb. It felt like I was being roasted alive, maybe I was. It was a miracle that I survived that explosion; the shell of the eel must've blocked some of the radiation for me," he started, and I could feel his arms around me tightened.
"But the shell still wasn't enough to protect me. I was burn severely and I thought I was for sure going to die. After the explosion, I felt myself plummeting down the portal, and before I knew it, I fell into a pool of water. Dark Water," he said as his breath hitched. "Believe it or not, Dark Water saved me. It healed my body, but at the same time affected me. When I got back my strength, I pulled myself out of the liquid and managed to swim to shore, and through my reflection on the water I could see the horns, the red eyes, the pale skin and all the new features I acquired. I knew I was turned, but somehow, my mind wasn't. I was still thinking like myself. I do have evil thoughts, like the urge to kill every single Darkbanes and the Blakks for what they've done, but they were merely just thoughts. I wasn't brainwashed. At least, not until I was captured."
At this point I could hear his heartbeat loud and fast. Sweats were forming at the sides of his forehead and he was at the verge of tears.
"Eli, you don't have to-"
"I want to tell you. You have to know," he said, cutting me off.
"Under the Darkbanes' rule, they attempted hundreds of methods to try and make me their pawn. From trying to drown me in Dark Water, to the Goon trying to get into my mind," Eli said, his voice cracked. "My body was physically and mentally stronger after Dark Water had miraculously healed me, but it still wasn't enough to withstand their torture. I was about to give up and surrender myself to them, but when I overheard their conversation saying that they could not proceed because I wasn't ready, whatever the heck that means, I made it a must to never submit to them."
"Eli..." I mumbled. Tears were swelling up in my eyes. The suffering he'd to go through just to give everyone more time to live...
He himself saved Slugterra, and nobody knew about it.
He smiled weakly at me as he wiped away my tears with his thumb.
"Until one point, I had no strength left to resist the Goon. He got into my head and the next thing I know was that you were standing in front of me. I couldn't believe it at first, but before I can collect my thoughts, the Goon wanted you dead. I wanted to kill you, Ales. That was the worst feeling I have ever felt, and through that experience it made me cherish you more than ever because I know we ain't gonna have each other forever," he said, smiling genuinely.
"But then," I stammered. "How did you turn back to normal after being affected by Dark Water? Mia ran a few experiments on this matter before and she concluded that the reaction is non-reversible."
He paused, giving it a thought.
"I don't know. All I remember is that when I saw you, I was so overwhelmed and was forcing every cell in me to turn. When you held me in your arms, I just felt myself hyperventilating uncontrollably. My heart rate was over the roof, and somehow I became human again," he said. "In other words, maybe it was true love that saved me. I know I sound like a Disney princess, but honestly what else could it have been?"
The ends of my lips raised to an affectionate smile.
"I can never understand why the Air Elemental went up to the Surface, but I couldn't be anymore grateful for you to be down here. Without you, I couldn't imagine what I'll do to the land I once swore to protect. I love you so much, Ales," he confessed with his eyes showering me with love and care.
"I love you too, Eli," I mumbled. "If you've submitted to the Goon even a day earlier, Slugterra stand no chance in defending itself. It is because of you that everyone is alive. You saved us, Eli."
He couldn't hold in his tears anymore and they streamed down his cheeks. I sighed in content as I tightened the hug, but instead of hugging me back, he winced and pulled away.
I let go of him immediately. He grimaced, with a hand around his waist.
"You're hurt," I confirmed.
"It's nothing. It's just a few scratches from the broken glass in the citadel," he said and I could tell that he was forcing out a smile.
"Let me treat your wounds," I said as I grabbed the medicine from the bedside table.
"No no no it's fine. You don't have to," he said, trying to snatch the medicine from my hand.
"But I want to," I protested with a pout, not handing him the medicine. "Do you not trust me?"
"Of course I trust you! It's just... maybe it's best for the nurses to treat my wound. They're the professionals after all, right?" he said as he cupped my cheeks.
You're allowing other females to touch you?
No. Hell no.
"Fine. Since you're not a professional too, next time I'll let one of the male nurses treat me. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to do it-"
"Fine. You do it," he sighed in defeat and I smiled victoriously. I get off of him as he turned around so that his back was facing me. He pulled up the tank top that he was wearing over his shoulders, revealing his muscular, mouthwatering back.
But what laid in front of my eyes broke me into pieces.
Deep, gory red whip marks covered his entire back.
This was what he was referring to when he said 'hundreds of methods'?
If this is only one of them, what else has he endured?
"Alessia?" he mumbled in a soft voice as his head turned sideways to look at me. I was frozen, as if my brain malfunctioned.
He quickly put on his tank top and rushed to me.
"Ales! I'm fine, alright? Look at me. I'm fine," he ensured me, and I didn't realise I was crying until he wiped away the tears on my cheeks.
"Eli..." I wept as I cupped his cheeks. He held onto my hand that was on his cheek and leaned into it.
"I'm fine, Ales. I really am. I promise you. Please don't cry," he mumbled and I could see newly formed tears at the corners of his eyes. I furrowed my brows and forced myself to hold back my tears.
"Come on. Let me help you," I said. He looked hesitant at first, but he eventually gave in. He turned around again and took off his top. The second time looking at it wasn't as heartbreaking as the first time, but I was still very close to breaking down.
I helped him put on the medication on his wounds. His back visibly tensed up when I first made contact with it, but after a few rubs, he relaxed.
"Turn around," I ordered after I was done with his back.
"You just want to look at me," he said and I can imagine a soft smirk pasted on his face.
"Yes. Now turn around," I said, chuckling softly. He let out a soft giggle, before reluctantly, he turned around as slow as a snail, or even slower.
But it still wasn't enough time for me to process what I was seeing.
Terrible knife works, messy tears, deep puncture wounds, whip marks, bruises, burns, claw marks... They were everywhere on his body.
I felt my world around me collapsed. Various emotions built up inside of me at that very instant. The need to demolish every single soul that was even slightly responsible for the inhumane suffering he went through, and the need to bawl out my eyes because the emotional pain I was feeling was nothing like what I have ever felt before.
It felt worst than death.
I dropped the medicine and hugged him tightly, burying my head at the crook of his head and broke down in his arms. Tears were streaming down my face like there was no tomorrow.
I couldn't believe they would do such things to him.
He deserved none of this.
"What have they done to you?" I mumbled, weeping in his arms. "This is so unfair."
My body was trembling uncontrollably as I cried. I couldn't stop crying.
His body was stiffed for a few seconds, before he loosened up and wrapped his arms around me.
"Ales, I'm fine," he said, gently caressing my hair as he held me. I slowly pulled back to look up at him. His ocean blue eyes still has not failed to mesmerize me. He caressed my cheek and smiled with tears in his eyes.
The way his palm warms my cheek, the way his arm firmly grab my waist, the way he look down on me...
I sometimes still can't believe that he is back after all these years of waiting, and this time, he ain't leaving.
"What I've endured for the past three weeks is nothing compared to what I have now," he whispered to me, slowly leaning in closer.
"What do you have?" I questioned him.
"My dream. It came true," he said and put on a heart melting smile.
"What was your dream?" I asked.
"How could you not know?" he whispered, rubbing his nose against mine. "You. You are my dream. To be able to live with you for the rest of my life, peacefully, without anyone threatening to take you away from me."
His grip on my face firmed before he smashed his lips against mine.
I gasped when he gently pushed me down by my waist, laying me on his bed as he hovered on top of me, his lips never left mine. I ran a hand through his soft, raven blue hair and kissed him back.
A hand sneaked under my shirt and ran through my back, giving me shivers all over my body. He nibbled on my lower lip, asking for permission, and I granted him access. He moaned softly as he deepened the kiss, unintentionally lowering his body. I can feel his strong body pressing against mine, pinning me down on the bed. The scars and wounds on his body just made him so much hotter.
Multitudes of fireworks were going off inside of me. The passionate kiss we shared, the warmth, the love we have for each other, everything is just perfect.
I love this man so flopping much.
He suddenly broke the kiss and rubbed his nose against mine, breathing heavily.
"If I don't stop now I don't know if I can control myself," he whispered right next to my ear and I can only imagine how red my ear went.
I smiled at him as I tried to steady my heartbeat. His arms snaked around my waist as I wrapped my arms around his neck for a hug.
"What did I do to deserve you?" I asked and planted a small kiss on his cheek.
He smiled from ear to ear and let out a cute chuckle. He kissed me on my neck one last time, before he got up, sitting on the bed. He pulled me up to him.
"Come on. The others are probably waiting for us downstairs," Eli said. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of them is already at our door listening to what we've been doing."
Our gazes turned sharply to the door when we heard a high-pitched yelp, that was very obviously from Pronto, from the other side of the door, followed by a few shushes and hurried footsteps down the stairs. Eli put on his top before we got up from bed and opened the door.
No one was there.
We walked out of the room and looked down at the living room. Everyone was pretending to be doing their respective things.
Kord and Pronto were at the garage examining a plain wall, Trixie and Mia were playing cards with a group of slugs that were uninterested, Tad and Twist were admiring each other's blasters, Junjie was napping on the couch with a group of slugs looking at him weird, Dana was reading a book upside down, and Will was in the kitchen just starting to boil a pot of water. The rest of the slugs in the hideout were laughing their heads off.
All of their faces were red and their expressions were off.
"Everyone heard us," Eli said and I felt my face burn. We walked down the stairs and everyone greeted us like nothing happened. My slugs came up to me for hugs and kisses as usual, with weird glances here and there.
Aurora hopped onto my shoulder and chirped. She's already a full grown slug, and she looks exactly like her mother.
Eli saw Aurora and wanted to say something when suddenly, a hand was linked with mine and I was being pulled towards the stairs.
"I hope you don't mind us stealing her for awhile!" Mia yelled as she dragged me up the stairs with Trixie following us closely behind. Eli just laughed at us before he nodded.
Mia pushed me into her room and Trixie close the door shut behind us.
"What?" I asked them with a raised brow. They eyed me suspiciously and didn't say a word. They sat me down on their bed before they plopped down beside me.
"Ales," Mia started, nudging on my arm. "I want to know everything."
"What do you want to know?"
"What happened just now when you're with Eli. Every single detail."
"Nothing important?"
"What? Ales, losing your v-card is not something to be taken lightly! Didn't you know that?"
"A v-card? What is that? I lost nothing when I was with him-"
"Didn't you guys have sex?"
"WHAT?"
...
Can't believe I wrote this. It's gonna be on the internet forever ==
Anyway, vote and comment if you enjoyed reading this chapter before I decide to unpublished it :D