You got caught in the rain, yesterday. You don't look too good, but at least you made it back. How long has it been? How many years? I almost don't want to think about it. I've missed you, and I have been waitin'. Now, let's get you cleaned up and warmed up at the same time. Then you can crash for a while. I'll heat you up some food and tay while you're in the shower. Come on in. It's warmer inside.
*****
You only have what you're wearin'. I'm not much taller than you. I have more than enough for you to wear, though you'll have to pardon the skivvies. You raise your hand, and lower your head. I touch my fingertips to yours, and we intertwine our fingers.
Later. Finally. Go get cleaned up, and I'll bring you a bottle of orange juice. Then I'll get you something for bed. I'll leave the clothes on the chair, and you can leave the bottle on the counter when you finish the juice. You can just throw the wet clothes you have on in the hamper. I can separate 'em after they're washed, and I'll do the laundry tomorrow.
*****
Long. So damn long. But you had things to do not only for yourself, but for me. Now that you've done them, you came back a bit worse for the wear, but still ahead of the game. You've got quite a few battle scars, most of them mental, but you're still in one piece. Look better than most, for what you've been through. What I can't heal, time will.
When I go to get the empty orange juice bottle, I find you sittin' on the floor under the pourin' water. You passed out. I turn the water off, heave you out, and carry you to the bed. I figured you won't be eatin' tonight, as I dried you off. It's OK. I can have what I made for you. We can have a feast, when you wake up. I'd turned the heatin' pad on for you already, moved the blanket aside, and covered you up. Gettin' you dressed wasn't worth the bother. Yes, I'm still usin' satin for the sheets, so maybe it's better this way. The hedonism you took to spoiled me to no ends. In a way it's a paradox, what you just came back from; but I have to thank you.
I went to the kitchen and finished off what I made for you, along with the whole kettle of tay. Four cups. I've done worse, but not at one sittin'. I took my own shower, and joined you. It was nice to have you at my side again.
*****
I woke first, of course. I dressed, and went off to the kitchen. Spinach, garlic, and mushroom crepes with crumpets topped with hazelnut butter and blueberry preserves. Pineapple juice, and tay. A fruit salad with fresh lychees, jackfruit, passionfruit, young coconut pieces, strawberries, bananas, and tangerines topped with a coconut and fresh cream from our neighbour to the north, was included. When I was done, you were sitting at the table in my robe, socks, and a smile on your face. You'd poured tay for both of us, and creamed the cups as well.
I brought the food to the table, and stroked your hair. "Naw nade ter tell me waaat 'appened. Oi nu it al', an' yer won yisser wars."
"Dat, Oi did. an' Oi broot yer back from de dead in de process."
I laughed. "Oi never got away, love. Yer dragged me name oyt from de 'istory books, an' spread it internationally. Roi before Oi leave dem al' de way. 'oy ironic, but de tale 'ill live. De cost ter yer wus 'igh. De cost ter both av us, really; an' Oi owe yer wan." I served us both, and sat down.
"Oi did waaat Oi did for me, as well as yer. Yer owe me nathin', for you've already given me al' yer can gie, Oi appreciate it, an' 'opefully Oi measure up ter yer."
"Yer alwus 'av measured up ter me. Jist differently. After al', we're not de seem individual, an' in our current separateness, we al' 'av different skills." Complimentary skills that did not compete, and were used to arrive at common goals; though we overlapped in more ways than we differed.
She raised her cup to me, and winked. We finished our breakfast.
*****
Long, so long. We brought our dishes to the sink, and I ran hot water over them. They'd be washed later by whoever got to them first. After I turned the water off, she put her right arm around me, and we engaged in an all-out embrace, holding each other as close as possible. I stood on my toes, and kissed her on the forehead. She closed her eyes, then first traced my chest with her left fingers, before runnin' her hand over my rear. "You're as bonny as ever."
I closed my eyes, and nodded. "As yer nu, we never change unless we want ter. As yer 'ill mind after the-day."
"Aye."
I got my shirt half-way unbuttoned, and we walked back to the bedroom, hand in hand. After we shed our clothes, I opened the drawer of on of the nightstands, and pulled out a vial of Dragon's Blood that hadn't been touched yet. She sat down, and I poured half of it onto her shoulders, and worked it in. She took the vial, and did the same to me with the rest of the heavenly oil. I sat against the pillows I'd raised against the headboard, and she connected herself. I said, "Don't move. Not in any way or form. Yer don't 'av ter, an' yer nu it."
"Indeed."
In our frozen lotus embrace, I opened my mind, and took hers in. We'd never part ways again, as we became one in ways no mortal could dream of. . .as she became like me. . .again.
Welcome home, and you could have picked another way; rather than leaving the pool of blood when you crashed your guts out, as you left behind the world's reality.
(It really would help to understand the gist of this if you'd read my short stories first, though it would be nice if the main series were read before the short stories (Volumes 11-14, or rather XI-XIV), not that this is happening; judging from my snowballing hit counts.)
*********************************************************************************************
Now is this the past, the future, an analogy, or a crock of shoite?!
You'll never nu. Muahahahahahaha!
(Yes, I can be silly sometimes, as you may have noted. I quite often am, for I have to be with the two I reside with of my own species. Though I must admit, those not of my species can get quite playful and astoundingly humourous at times. After all, we have more in common that most would care to admit.)
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