Syn

I watched as she stared at me wide-eyed, her heartbeat quickening as I looked down at her. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she looked between me and the box in my hand. Her lips parted, nothing but a small breath coming out before she shook her head once again.

I nodded my head dramatically in response to her and she let out a small laugh, sniffling and wiping her eyes as she looked away from me. "I'm fine doing all the talking, but I'm going to need you to at least keep your eyes on me." I held the box in my hand, using my index finger to guide her face back to mine.

When she locked eyes with me again, my usual confidence cracked- only for a short moment. It was the effect she had on me. Where I usually got what I wanted out of people, she was different- unpredictable. It was one of the things that maddened me when we first met, but I fell in love with it just like I did with everything else about her.

"I lied to you back there," I admitted. "Sort of." I tilted my head in thought. "See...when I asked you to marry me, I wasn't asking for some appearance thing. That was bullshit. I wanted to see your reaction because your eyes always tell me what I need to know, even if your lips don't." I rubbed my thumb across her soft lips.

I dropped my hand, taking a step back before slowly dropping to one knee and Queen covered her mouth, the tears she was holding back falling down her cheeks.

I looked up at her, an image of the past flashing through my mind when we were in this exact position. She was crying just like she was before. The only difference was that she wasn't pregnant with my child but I planned to rectify that soon enough.

My chest ached for a moment, the memory of the missing part of this equation no longer here, but I knew my daughter.  And if she were here she'd be screaming her head off and bouncing around, begging me to ask her mother the question. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my mind fill that hole for me.

When my eyes opened, they landed on Xavia, sitting legs crossed on the floor beside me. She grinned at me, nodding approvingly with watery eyes before glancing up at her mother. I wanted to reach out and touch her, grasp onto her before she slipped away...but I knew she wasn't truly there.

I let that pain spread through my body before letting the image of her go and looking up at Queen. I still felt my daughter there as I held up the velvet box. So long as I never let my mind erase the image of her, she'd be with me always. That provided me with the strength to finally stop trying to be so strong and hold on to Queen with everything I had in me.

"Marry me," I asked her once again. I knew those words would come out of my mouth one more time in my eternal life. I didn't expect them so soon of course, but I didn't see the point in waiting anymore. There was nothing to wait for.

"Syn." She shook her head, sniffling. "You can't want to do this right now. We argue all the time. I literally just came here to apologize for an argument."

"What's your point?" I looked at her as she tried to convince herself out of giving me the answer she wanted. "We do argue all the time and we always will. That'll never change."

"So...why?" She asked weakly.

"Because there is no one else I'd rather spend forever being mad at," I admitted. "You piss me the fuck off— you're a pain in the ass most of the time. And I drive you bat shit crazy, but I am in love with you and I'd rather lose my mind with you than without you."

She wiped her tears away. "You were so much nicer the first time you did this."

"Well I've changed, and so have you. Which is why I'm doing this again, my way. Last time I had Xavier and everyone behind me and helping me with everything- but it's just me now. And I'm here just hoping with everything in me that that's enough for you." I clenched my jaw letting out a deep breath. "I know I'm not perfect. And I'm sure there is someone out there for you who would be a million times less difficult for you to love. But I am selfish enough again, to ask you to deal with me forever."

"You're not difficult to love."

"Yes, I am." I smiled. "I don't make it easy. I am stubborn, I have one too many secrets, I can be arrogant, and I have a shit ton of issues that I haven't even begun to address...but I'm all yours. Forever, if you'll take me as I am."

The nerves started in my legs, working up my entire body until they reached my head and I started to second guess what her answer would be. Impatience gnawed at my chest.  "Okay, let's be honest here. You have more reason to say yes to me now than you did before."

She giggled, a hand over her mouth, and my doubts rolled off in waves. She had her reservations, I could see that...but I was close. "Listen, Princess...it's not going to be easy at all. It's going to be really fucking hard actually. There will be mornings you may wake up and want to strangle me and I'd want to do the same. We're going to have to work at it and we'll fail more times than we're going to succeed, but I want you. All of you. Every day. For the rest of my life, simple as that. I'll never give up on having that with you...even if you say no today."

"I—" she started and stopped. I could see the wheels in her head still spinning as she thought and I sighed.

"Stop thinking so damn hard. Just trust your heart- or your gut."

She put her hand over her stomach, blowing out a long breath. "Please, my gut leads me into more trouble. It usually tells me to do the opposite of what I should."

"Well fuck, Princess...that's what I'm counting on."

She laughed, shaking her head before licking her lips. She bit her lip, looking down at me for a few long moments before lacing her fingers together nervously."Okay, ask me again."

"Marry me?"

"Again," she said.

"Yes, again," I whispered.

She squealed, launching herself at me and I caught her in my arms, falling back against the hard floor. I winced as pain shot down my back but it quickly subsided when her lips landed on mine. I relaxed under her, my hand finding her waist as she cupped my cheek with her hand.

Her soft body laying against mine stirred something in me. I wanted- no needed to have her now. But I needed an answer. I broke away from the kiss, my bruised lips instantly aching from the loss of hers. "You still haven't answered me," I said, breathing heavily as I looked into her eyes.

"Yes, Syn. Yes," she replied.

With that, I flipped her onto her back on the floor and it was her turn to wince in pain. I parted her legs, positioning myself on my knees between her before reaching for the velvet box that had fallen a few feet away from us.

I opened it, pulling the ring out and when her eyes fell onto the ruby stone, she gasped. Her hand moved to the one on her neck I had given to her what felt like lifetimes ago. "Where did you find that?"

"I searched for it when I remembered it even existed. And I found out you had it archived."

"I didn't want to lose it," she admitted, a longing look on her face.

"Well, I stole it back a while ago. I figured I'd need it again one day." I held out a hand for hers. She smiled up at me, placing her hand in mine and I slipped the ring onto her finger.

A wave of possessiveness passed over me as I looked at her hand and I let out a sigh. If there was any question before as to whether or not she was mine, it was gone. This was me claiming the last little bit of her that she had been able to maintain all this time.

I tossed the box aside and she held her hand out in front of her, eyeing the ring with a smile on her face. "How are you feeling?" I asked, grabbing her calves and pulling her closer to me before moving my lips to her neck.

"I feel amazing." She laughed.

My lips captured the soft skin below her ear and I bit her gently. When she froze beneath me I smiled, my hand moving along her bare thigh to under her dress. She moaned as I trailed a kiss down to her breasts, her nipples hardening through the thin material of her dress.

"Fuck," I whispered, my pants suddenly feeling snug as she pressed up against me. My body always acted like some virgin schoolboy when I was with Queen. Every single time she touched me or let out those sweet fucking moans my body went haywire. "I know I just asked you to marry me and I should be a gentleman for the next few days so you can celebrate...but I can't think of doing anything else except being inside you right now."

"I—"

I kissed her, letting her premeditated rant most likely about getting fucked on the floor leave her mind. Slowly, she relaxed under me and her tongue moved against mine...gently and teasing as I savored her sweet taste.

I moved my hand further up her dress, hooking my fingers into the thin material of her panties when she immediately froze. She placed her hand over mine, pulling away from the kiss and shaking her head. "No, we can't."

"What's wrong?" I lifted myself off of her and helped her sit up. Usually, I would've kissed her one more time to get her to think twice but she seemed frazzled and I had no idea why. I looked at her with worry as she stood up and adjusted her dress, a look of shame wearing down her previously joyous face.

"Nothing." She adjusted her sleeves nervously as I stood up. "I just..."

"You just what?" She covered her face in embarrassment and I took a step toward her, pulling her hand down. "What is it?"

"I'm on my period!" She blurted out with a wince. "I started yesterday and you just kissed me and I kind of...forgot."

"Okay..." I nodded slowly, trying to proceed with caution as she looked around uncomfortably and wrapped her arms around herself. "Are you having cramps?"

She shrugged. "Earlier maybe, but I'm okay now."

I looked at her for a long moment, studying her body language before everything became evident to me. "You don't have sex on your period...is that what the sudden change in your mood is?"

"It's not that I don't," she said. "Does anyone not? It's just not something that happens."

Hmm. "Do you want to?"

"What?" She asked. "Have sex right now?" I nodded, glancing at her clenched thighs. She smiled nodding slowly. "I always want to, with you. Don't get me wrong."

"Then I don't see the issue."

Her eyes widened. "You don't see the issue? It's so bloody and gooey. I feel gross...definitely not sexy, Syn."

"There's nothing gross about you," I told her, forcing her face to me. "And you are always sexy. I don't want to hear you say these things about yourself again."

"Okay." She leaned into my hand, her hand kissing my palm. "But still, I don't feel that way about myself right now. You wouldn't understand."

"Tsk tsk tsk." I clicked my tongue, taking a step away from her. "I'm not okay with that. Take your clothes off."

She gave me a shocked look and I waited patiently. I just asked her to marry me and she was already trying to hide from me. I told her how in love I was with her and it angered me that she thought something as minuscule as blood would disgust me of all people.

It pissed me off even further that she didn't feel as beautiful as I thought she was at this moment.

I planned to fix all of that. Even if it took me fucking her religiously for the next three days.

"Yeah, no." She shook her head, placing a hand over her stomach and blowing out a breath. "I don't want you to see. And I sure as hell don't want you to feel obligated, Syn. Besides, this is a really nice office and it's...messy. Let's just—"

"Let's get messy then." I grinned, unbuttoning my shirt. "Take your clothes off and pick a spot."

"A spot?" She asked.

"Yes. The spot where you'd like me to fuck this nonsense out of you."

"Oh..." she said lowly, looking around as her hands moved to the string holding her dress together.

"Princess," I called out. Her eyes moved back to me in question. "You can take your clothes off in the bathroom...if that'll make you more comfortable."

She broke out into a smile, kissing me on my jaw. "Thank you." I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my annoyed expression on my face but her eyes softened me. She turned around, scurrying to the restroom and I shook my head.

"Don't thank me just yet."

꧁꧂

This highway outside looking mad comfy right now.