80 He Wasn't Asking For Forever

A slightly hard little object was pressing into her side. The hair tie. He was still wearing her stupid little braid.

She had put that in his hair weeks ago! Why hadn't he taken it out already? He had said it made him look like a wannabe elf but he kept it in for laughs. Had he forgotten it was there or kept it purposely?

After everything that happened tonight Ruby may be forced to admit that Ash's feelings for her were deeper than she originally suspected. That didn't change anything though.

He was clinging to her out of desperation and loneliness because she was all he had left in the world. She knew this but what was she supposed to do about it? Continuing on as they had before wasn't realistic.

When she was at her absolute lowest she had desperately wished he would come but that didn't mean anything either. Mutual dependence between two different fae races wasn't normal or acceptable. Now that their deal was done, it was time for her to go.

Making money would be a bit more difficult now that she had to take Flora along but eventually she should be able to afford that land she wanted in Alaska. They could live up there in peace away from the bad memories in their hometown.

Ruby might even be able to be herself around the little fairy. There was a solid chance she wouldn't be able to get her glamour back up before morning so she would get caught anyway.

"Hey Ash?" she broached the subject delicately. "About going home…"

The vampire looked up at her blankly. "What about it?"

"I…I think I should get out of your hair as soon as possible. I mean, my end of the deal is fulfilled and there isn't anyone after me anymore so I really shouldn't impose on you anymore. Especially now that I have Flora to be concerned abou—"

"What if I want you in my hair?" Ash interrupted. "You could never impose on me. Ever. And there is no guarantee that someone else won't come after you someday. I, um…I would prefer if I could stay with you."

Ruby gaped at him and he was quick to elaborate on his stance. "I know you want to be free. I get that, I really do, but could I still come with you? We could still travel like we did in Las Vegas and when the time comes that you do find a place to settle I would simply go too.

"I could help with Flora and everything! There were a quite a few babies in my coven over the past few centuries so I know how to handle them. I wouldn't want to burden you in any way but Ruby…I truly cannot bear to lose you.

Ash finished with a downcast expression. He wouldn't meet her eyes and she couldn't tell whether it was from embarrassment or something else. He sounded so sad by the end of his little speech but also a bit sheepish somehow.

Ruby truly didn't have anywhere else to go and now that he had seen her true form she had nothing left to hide. Plus it would be nice having help with Flora…

When she still had the heart to daydream she had wondered what it would be like if she could stay with him forever but she figured it would never happen and didn't think too deeply on it. Now he was saying he wanted to stay with her?

For how long? Was there an expiration date on this offer or was he so desperate not to be alone that he intended to stay by her side for the rest of their long lives?

The two of them were both outcasts. Perhaps that was why they got along so well from the beginning. Sticking together would make sense from that perspective since neither of them were likely to find anyone else willing to be their friends.

And once Ruby made enough money to buy a ton of land they wouldn't have to deal with other fae looking at them weirdly like before. The three of them could live in peace on their own.

Was she seriously considering this as a valid option? Their alliance was always supposed to be temporary! And she wasn't sure her poor heart would be able to take the ongoing confusion of dealing with a vampire who was getting progressively more touchy-feely because he was worried about her and needed the reassurance that she was safe.

"What exactly are you proposing here?" she asked nervously.

"Nothing different than how we were after coming back to California," Ash murmured before locking eyes with her in a desperate plea. "All I want is to stay with you. Can I?"

How could Ruby possibly say no to that? If she ignored the external factors such as how this would look to other fae, how she would explain it to Flora, and how flustered he could make he feel at times the answer was simple.

Someone she cared about deeply wanted to stay with her even after knowing every nasty truth she ever tried to hide about herself. Regardless of what they both were, that much was undeniable.

She had always thought she would spend her life alone but now she wouldn't have to. At least for the time being. Eternity was a very, very long time and there was a good chance Ash would get sick of her eventually or vice versa.

He wasn't asking for forever. He was asking for the time being and she could accept that. Maybe once he had time to recover from his grief he would be interested in trying to rebuild his lost coven or join another one.

Ruby would take what she could get. She gave him a small smile. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Ash's face brightened and he did that cute wide smile where his fangs were especially prominent. Her traitorous heart flip-flopped at the sight and she convinced herself it was only because she hadn't seen it in a while and had thought she never would again.