Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 649: He Had Her

Act 4: Fallen Heaven - Chapter 649: He Had Her

She was there the entire time. Memories of the past years flooded Oscar's mind as he saw each and every day spent in this home, his heart warmed by the ceaseless hours of one-sided conversations and caring love. Every tender word, the cadence of her sonorous voice as she spent her time talking to him, thumped his heart, and tears trickled down his face. He gripped the armrests and tried to stand; oddly, only his hands pulled him up, the legs refusing to move even an iota of a muscle. The strength from his arms lifted him from the wheelchair, but his legs still failed him, and he fell forward.

'I can't fly?' Oscar continued to fall and watched the clean, white floor draw closer to his sight, struggling to will his body to float as the tiny slits between the wooden panels became wide as roads. Yet, the natural flight all Exalts in Knight and above should have was no longer in him. Why? The fall seemed slow in his perception, his body moving down at a snail's pace, but he was even slower, unable to bring his hands down fast enough to stop himself. His nose almost slammed into the floor, but a soft pair of arms swooped in and caught him.

"I'm here. I'm here. Don't worry. I'm here." Avril embraced him.

'I'm here.' The words echoed in his ears. Deep in her embrace, choked by the familiar, intoxicating scent that swelled in his lungs, causing his chest to heave, Oscar relaxed, his guard lowered, and he cried, an indecipherable, primal cry akin to a baby's first leaving his mouth, muffled in her chest as his tears drenched her robe. He had lost everything, or so he thought at the time. But now, Oscar remembered. He had her. He had Avril. No strength remained in his legs, but his arms held tight, wrapping around her back like steel bands, unwilling to let go.

"I'm not going anywhere, my dear. She reassures Oscar that she's not a dream or a phantom, stroking his head. Today, her husband has returned, and she would never leave. I'm here." Avril returned his tightness twice-fold. A spell of dizziness overwhelmed him; the relief from her words, the softness of her embrace, and the warm beating of her heart in his ears drained his power and lulled his eyes to weaken. She started to hum softly, and he couldn't resist anymore, overtaken by deep sleep. Still, his arms clung on, shaking in fear that she might be gone the moment they let go.

When Oscar woke up, he couldn't see anything, only a sheet of white stretching in his gaze. Upon closer inspection, as his senses regained their acuity like rust scraped off fine metal, he realized he was still in Avril's hold, his head buried in her tender embrace, the white being part of her robes. Her hand ran over his head in a smooth, slow caress, repeating in a steady motion back and forth. Parched, he coughed, and her body shuffled downward. A pair of golden eyes, the most dazzling in the world, stared into him.

Avril didn't say anything, smiling and bringing her face closer. Before he could say a word, he felt her soft lips on his. He pulled her closer since his arms had already grabbed her the entire time, pressing his mouth more into a deep kiss. Avril jolted slightly, a slightly muffled yelp sounding between them, but soon relaxed and melted into him. The taste of her–the alluring scent carried by her–the warmth of her softness pressing into him was addictingly sweet. He kissed her for a long, wondrous time. At times, Avril would try to pry away from his hold, but he was relentless, escape futile before his desire. The muffled moans and the hot breaths from her flaring nostrils spurred him on.

After a long, drawn-out kiss, Oscar finally separated, both desperately seeking air in deep gasps. Across from him, his wife let out a sweet moan, her eyes glistening with tears drawn by delight and the ecstasy from the kiss, noted by her faint grin and her ripe-red cheeks. She reached out and stroked his face, the palm hot on his skin.

"I've been waiting for you for so long." Avril lifted his head. "It's been ten years since we started living here. Every day and night, she waits for her husband, the kindhearted man, to remember he has a promise to keep. Finally, he returns and starts with a long kiss, you idiot."

"Ten years?" Oscar frowned. "How long...how long has it been since–" He coughed, uncomfortable as his stomach squeezed into itself. Something was wrong. His blood chilled from his veins, his skin paled, and he shivered, choking as if he were naked in the snow. He didn't want to finish the sentence.

Avril took his hands in her grasp, the warmth tickling his fingertips. "You're cold..." She bit her lip and touched his back, drenched by cold sweat, which he didn't know had happened until the wet cloth shocked his sensitive skin, inducing a rare yelp. "It's been forty years since the war."

After a few minutes, Oscar sighed, relaxed, and freed his head from his grasp, faint blood clotting on his fingertips. Avril wiped them clean with a bright smile and brought a piece of roast pork to his mouth. Seeing her cover her nose made him laugh. Oddly, it felt better when she fed him, making the pain bearable. After the meal, she carried him to the bath, a hot, steaming pool of near-boiling waters. He tried his best to calm down, fidgeting as the waters splashed lowly. Avril dipped into the bath, her alluring figure hidden by steam and water, and leaned on him.

Had the years apart weakened him? He wasn't this embarrassed when they first got married, and he had ten years' worth of memories, every day spent in the bath with her. Yet, his mind went blank when she dipped her head in the pool and rose, the water trickling down her indigo hair and the heat flushing her shoulders red, looking appetizing to bite like an apple.

Once they finished with the bath, Avril had to dry him off and dress him, which was quite embarrassing for him. Oscar entered the room and was helped by Avril onto the bed. Suddenly, she toppled over him, his heart racing as she sat on his stomach. Avril pecked him on the lips slightly, pulling away before he could entrap her in another long session. Tucking back her hair, she glanced down at him, her golden eyes gleaming with desire.

"I can't move...." Oscar reminded her of his legs.

"I know." Avril traced her finger on his chin. "But I can. Relax and let me." She drew closer and deepened her kiss as if she had been waiting for this moment for many years. The next few hours were of indescribable pleasure, his beloved wife taking the initiative in ways he could never have dreamed. She never averted her golden gaze, sometimes misty from delight, sometimes shuddering in exertion, and often unfocused from pleasure.

"I love you," Avril said in his embrace, her face charmed and red. Her breathing was rushed and ragged, still tired.

"I do as well." Oscar smiled. "How have you spent your forty years?"

"Huh? Don't you know from Demon's memories?" Avril cuddled closer.

"He's quite silent and ignoring me right now. And I don't want to see what he's been up to so far." Oscar yawned, feeling sleepy.

Avril giggled. "I'll tell you tomorrow. Sleep for now. It's a long story, and she wants to share everything she wrote down."

"Alright." Oscar chuckled and yawned again, sleep darkening his gaze, and the last thing he saw was her smile, matched by the dimples and golden glee. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."