Who: Triton and Melanie When: Thursday, July 4, 2012 What: Having A Talk Where: Triton's home Warnings: TBD
While not looking forward to this, Triton knew that he had to talk to Melanie. He'd always assumed she knew his stance on marriage, and figured she'd known he wasn't about to leave her regardless of that ring and vow. But maybe he had figured it all wrong.
He'd left it alone during his sister's wedding before deciding to tackle this. The longer it lingered, the more damage it would do. He'd invited her over and once she was settled in the couch gave her a glass of wine.
"We should talk. First of all, you know I love you, right?" He watched her and smiled at her, "unless you say otherwise you're stuck with me until you die. That'll never change." He took a deep breath, "but, I don't marry. I've never married any of my partners, and I never will. Seeing how marriage can screw things up I just don't get into it."
He took her hand, knowing this may upset her. "Rhode said something about me asking you. Mel, love I thought you knew that I don't need a vow or a ring to let you know I'm in this til the end?"
Rhode's wedding had been gorgeous. She'd been so wrapped up with helping her and getting into the wedding spirit that she'd forgotten Triton's little vow. She'd kind of planted it in the back of her mind these days wondering if thousands and thousands of years maybe would change his mind. Maybe even seeing his sister so happy it would change her mind.
She'd been ecstatic when he asked her over, that thought still in the back of her mind. When he laid out the 'we should talk first' her smile dropped a little and she sat down with some hesitation.
She listened to every word he said but she felt a little shiver race against her skin in the alarmed sort of way. "I know you do, I just..." she tried to supress that it hurt, but it never worked with him. "I guess I just got wrapped up in helping Rhode," there was that slight tear to her eye but she held it back, shaking her head. "I don't know what I was thinking."
He hated hurting her, but in some ways he was like his father. On some things, he'd never change. Gently he set his hand on her cheek. "I love you, know that alright? I didn't want this to fester."
He sighed, "when I was young, I saw how my sisters were sold like chattel. I swore I'd never make any woman be with me out of force. It irritated the crap out of my father but I never married." He shrugged, "it doesn't change anything Mel."
He knew a way to hopefully soothe some of her worries and he took a necklace from under his shirt. On it was a small conch shell. "This is mine. It holds a bit of power. It's like my father's trident." He put the necklace over her head, "you keep it until you decide to no longer be with me. I usually wait for this, because I'm offering you a lot of trust. But I need you to know I'm not going anywhere."
"Part of every little girl longs to get married," it was different in his time, but for modern times it was the natural progression. "I'd never even thought of it before. I remember how freaked out I was when you asked me to just move in with you." The tears came anyway. "I knew better," she brushed away a tear with her finger, "but I got ahead of myself.
She calmed herself for a minute. "I love you I do." Her voice quieted while he spoke, looking for a long time at the necklace he placed around her neck. It was almost as if for the first time since his father attacked her this became real. What happened after she left him behind? He'd have other loves. It seemed so big now and it frightened her a little.
He wasn't sure on how to go about that. There were very few things he could do. He hoped by giving her the physical mark of his power it would help soothe some of her worries.
"Hey now," gently he wiped her tears away. "I am yours Mel. For however long you like." He watched her study the necklace and settled close to her. "It's not a ring, it's not a service but it's my promise I'm not going to leave you."
She lifted the shell into her fingers, toying with it for some time. Her tears had ceased at his touch. It was calming, soothing like his voice. She only nodded, her head kept down, letting her hair fall over her face.
"I know." Triton kept his promises. "It just seems all a little too real right now." She looked up hoping he understood what she meant. She wasn't like Rhode. She wasn't like any of them.
He smiled at her and pushed some of her hair from her eyes. "I know that. It's why I wanted to wait with giving you this. I didn't think you fully understood it all yet."
Gently he kissed her, "one day at a time. Let's not think too far ahead of ourselves. "We'll manage."
It was the first time she'd even thought to bring it up, because she thought herself a pretty good person. "You have your pick of immortals, why me?" She started to cry again but this time from happiness. "When I'm gone what is there for you to remember?"
She kissed him back softly, still wrapped up in the reality of all this, but she wasn't a wreck. He had that natural way of keeping her from flipping out.
"Hey now," gently he settled her on his lap so he could put his arms around her. "Bit of a give away, most immortals are a bit horrid. Too much ego. And most of my pantheon see me as an extension of my father. But, honestly? Because you're you. Sweet and kind and pretty." He ran his fingers through her hair as he looked at her. "Immortals are almost always the same. You bring change to me."
He sighed, "the memories. I remember everyone I ever loved Mel. The downside to loving a mortal is the fact that it's not permanent. I don't like thinking of that, but I won't forget you."
The closeness helped. For a moment she felt like such a baby for dragging this all up. It had just never come up before since he told her who he really was. For years he was just Lane. Just some guy she'd given up the opportunity to be with before because of her own selfish, scared reasons. It was the first time she'd ever wanted to be this close and he knew that.
She pouted moving back to face him. "What about when I'm old and not so pretty?" That was going to be weird. This was like one of the Twilight movies come to life, except Triton wasn't going to grow fangs and suck her blood.
She sniffled a little cuddling up next to his shoulder and resting her head just under his chin.
He kept his arms around her, knowing she needed it right now. She was still young and needed to get time to get used to all this. He'd worried she'd leave again, this was bigger then asking her to move in with him, but she seemed to have overcome that.
He looked at her and smiled, "you're always going to be pretty. One day at a time love." He kissed her head and let her cuddle up with him. "We'll figure it out."
She'd grown up a little in the three years before this. When she'd moved to Japan to do something on her own for once instead of being the youngest child that had no one to look after. She'd never really had the chance to grow up until then. In some ways she was glad she'd broken up with him before or she wouldn't have been able to be here right now.
"If you'd told me this three or four years ago," she paused listening to his heartbeat. It was real. "I would have ran out." She was still nervous now. "I've never wanted to be with someone so close before." She moved slowly, sitting upright, hands on leveled on his thighs as she looked into his eyes. "You know that." She was scared, it was obvious but she'd never wanted someone to be in her life so badly before. It was almost painful. She'd been through a lot, failed relationships and situations that could have made her swear off men completely. Especially after what his father attempted to do. Yet, she was still here.