-Nick's perspective-
Jack slowly moved his foot off of my chest and turned back toward Lumime. Who was hastily running toward me.
"Please! Don't hurt him! He's harmless I swear!" She pleaded.
Jack looked from her, to me, then back to her. "You're telling me the guy who sprouted four heads and shot fire at me, is harmless?"
She came close and skidded to a stop.
"He's just misunderstood, that's all…"
"Yes, that excuses this little twerp breaking my things." He grumbled.
He seemed to relax, and as soon as I noticed that I flung myself up and tried to snatch his throat. However, something yanked me back and I felt deep within my stomach. Like an icy chain was wrapped around my organs. The breath in my legs felt constricted and I had to desperately gasp just to keep breathing.
Jack sighed. "Would you just sit down? I really don't wanna kill you right now. Osiris is already not in a good mood."
"Nick! Please! I can't keep losing you!" Lumime cried.
Her voice cracked and it genuinely made my body shutter. Tears broke from her eyes and she looked at me with genuine fear and worry. Which, made me relax more. For some reason I felt so guilty. I didn't want her to be sad.
Jack rolled his eyes and sighed, then faced her again.
"Look, I'm out." Jack said and turned back toward me. "If you come near another bar of mine I'll kill you. Regardless of pissing off daddy."
"Wait! Jack please listen, we need your help. I'm willing to pay." Lumime said.
Jack smirked. "Now you're speaking my language."
"As the child of the guardian of light. I have access to all sun stones, and healing objects! I can get you anything you want."
"Hhhmm, tempting. Especially since you're one of Freyrs favorites."
"Please, it's just a few questions. I promise you won't even be involved."
"Okay, here's what I'll propose. Since clearly I've heard about you Beast eater, and I sympathize with your situation with the war guardian. And ya know, since I'm getting something out of this. I'll share a little."
"Thank you so-"
"One!” Jack interrupted Lumime. “You pay for all my drinks for the foreseeable future! Two, I want a second home, a new home near the shining mountains springs in your dad's domain."
"Deal." She said quickly. "Now can you free him?"
He nodded and snapped his fingers. My body suddenly had warmth again, and I was freed. I dropped to my knees and tried to catch my breath. Dammit! I couldn't even do my part right.
"Lumime, I didn't want you to do everything." I panted out.
"It's fine, technically this is all I've managed to accomplish today." She said with a nervous laugh.
Which I knew she did when she felt useless. I walked over to her and without thinking grabbed her hand.
"It's fine, don't worry about it." I said.
She looked up at me and her cheeks started to turn red. While her fingers wrapped around mine.
"Ummm, hello? If you two wanna have a moment I can step away." Jack interrupted.
I quickly dropped Lumimes hand and looked away from her. Crap, what was I doing just now? Why did I do that? I don't like people.
"Right!" Lumime squeaked. "Well! We'd like to know if you had a way of finding the Crystal garden? And I want to ask what you know about the fountain of youth."
"Oh, that legend? Isn't that just the healing river in your father's domain?" Jack asked.
"The fountain of youth is said to hold secrets of Mages and to cure curses." Lumime said. "It's supposed to be so much more."
"I remember a little about it. To be honest I don't have a clue where It be but-"
"Did you see people who came back uncursed?" I interrupted. "Can you confirm it's real?"
Jack hummed a bit and scratched the stubble on his chin. "Well, I guess?" He said. "I was fighting with the Mage's and we definitely noticed curses becoming less and less effective. Then there was Heracles or Hercules if you're a Disney kid."
"What happened to him?" I asked.
"Don't know, he kinda just vanished. Then Achilles turned on us, and he was practically immortal." Jack replied.
"Why did he turn on you?" Lumime asked.
"He's a war child." Jack said flatly. "They don't have loyalty, they have combat. They joined whatever side was losing. That is, until Bellona got her pride hurt."
"So, in short, you don't know anything about the fountain?" Lumime asked in defeat.
"Not technically, but I know a guy. I'll talk to him and see what I can gather for you." Jack said. "As for the Crystal garden, are you sure you want to do that?" He asked.
Lumime bit her lip and looked away.
"If he wants to try again, we can try again." She then pushed on a smile. "Besides, maybe this will be the last time."
I walked over and snatched Lumimes hand. "What're you talking about?" I demanded.
"I'll leave you kids be." Jack said. "I'll just be in touch Lumime."
With that, Jack vanished. After a bit of silence I decided to speak. "What's going on, you've been acting weirder than usual since I mentioned all of this."
Her body trembled in my hold and tears started to brim from her eyes. She squeezed my hand and stepped forward, then just buried her face into my chest. "You told me not to tell you why…"
"That doesn't make any sense… nothing about you has ever made sense." I mumbled and moved my arms around her.
"I'm sorry…"
"Lumime, I know I love you. You're always on my mind, I worry about you, I long to be close to you. I can't keep my eyes off you. Yet you're just a stranger."
As those words left my lips, her body shook even more. She leaned all of her wait into me and she grabbed my sides and just kept crying. My phone started to ring, but I just ignored it and held onto her. Eventually taking her to the ground and letting her lay on me and cry.
The only thought that circled my brain was how to make her better, how to make her smile. Yet I was helpless. My mother came into my mind and I started to become angry. Why is it always like this? Why am I so helpess?
…
After a bit of Lumimes tears we seperated and she sat across from me. Her eyes not once landing back on mine, she just nervously played with the grass beneath us. I opened my soul to her and felt her anguish, her odd joy and her longing. She missed me, she wanted me. Like I wasn't right in front of her. Which only made me more confused.
"So, you said, I told you not to tell me?" I asked. "Because I'd do something stupid?"
"Yeah, that's about right."
"Why don't I remember that?"
"Your memories at the garden will answer that." She mumbled.
"And why don't you know the location?"
"You lose memory of its location once you leave it." She said and faced me.
Her eyes were puffy and red, yet they still shined with their rainbow glow. It made me feel okay, it was safe. Like her eyes were home.
"We're, we lovers?" I asked.
She bit her lip and looked away.
"I-I don't know if I should answer that."
That's definitely a yes then…
"Did I lose my memories because of someone I tried to fight?"
"Not exactly." She said, "We should focus on something more important, your mom. I'm sorry again. I know I said I'd get you information and not to ask Jack. But apparently only Rex is allowed that information, and he won't tell a soul anything."
I growled. "I see, so it's not someone I can just beat it out of…"
She then pushed on another smile. "Well! On the bright side, Jack's checking his associates for us. He knows a lot of people, especially from back then. Will definitely get some progress."
"If not, I'll just have to find another immortal to fight." I said with a sigh.
She chuckled and shook her head. "Maybe we can try and not fight for once?"
"Sounds boring, besides, you're only saying that because you're weak." I teased.
"Excuse me! I'm related to THE Rex." She then flexed her nonexistent muscle. "I can take you."
She playfully punched the air wrong. "Oh yeah? Show me what you've got candlestick."
She crawled over and went to playfully karate chop my head. Which I blocked.
"I bet you can't even touch me." I snickered.
"Oh yeah?" She said and went to poke my stomach, which I blocked.
She then got more serious. Moving her arms all around to get me.
"It's actually kinda pitiful." I teased.
"Oh shut up! Beaster eater." She giggled.
Then I took a chance and laid her down on her back. My arms firmly held hers above her head as I held her down. She struggled a bit and kicked her legs up like a child.
"Hey no fair!" She laughed.
"What was that about being strong?"
She just smiled and stared up at me. Her giggling look slowly turned to one of amazement. Her eyes peered deeply into mine and mine back into hers. We were both silent and I started to lean in. Her smile, her smell, her laugh, her eyes. My lips pressed against hers and hers back against mine. A soft moment grew deeper and deeper as I fell into her. Our bodies pressed together as we tried to become closer, freeing her hands and letting her entangle them in my hair. My heart raced and my thoughts went blank.
"Nick, please don't let me go." She mumbled against my lips.
"Even if I can't remember, I know in my heart you're mine. And I'll never let you go." I whispered.