Walking inside of their home, it still hit me just how much damage had been done. They had cleaned a good bit of it, but it was still far from done, and needed a lot of work to make it truly livable again. I was lead to their living space, and there were a couple of chairs, much to small for me, and a few large cushions on the ground.
"The fire took a lot, but we borrowed these from people a bit more fortunate than us." Anya said, and I nodded.
Deciding, I took the largest cushion in the ground, and made my self comfortable. I was both expecting, and also not at all expecting Cici to sit in my lap. It felt like something she would do, so I had expected it, but then I thought about it, and figured she wouldn't do that in front of her family. I figured wrong, apparently. She leaned back into me, resting the back of her head against my chest, and stretched out her legs, sighing happily.
"Comfy..." She murmered, and I just chuckled softly, wrapping my arms around her waist, and holding her close.
Her tail batted against my leg happily, as a small rumbling purr came from her throat. Warren coughed.
"I... see you two are close." He said, although whether or not he liked me was overshadowed my his unfortunate fear of me.
Her mother did not have this fear, and she looked at me sharply.
"First off, I want you to tell me about this. How did you meet my daughter? And tell me your honest thoughts about her." She said, and to be honest, that was probably the easiest question I'd ever been asked.
"Mom..." Cici groaned, but I just gave her a gentle squeeze, causing her to melt back into me, her ears tickling my face, and I laughed. I almost missed the slight upwards twitch of her mother's lips, but my perception caught everything.
"So, the day I met her was..." I said, and then went into detail about how I met her.
My life until that point, my friends, my friends betraying me, then the dogs, her being afraid, her warming up to me, me warming up to her, her saving me from the crippling loneliness... of my depressed state. I left nothing out, and then we both explained when she shifted back, and the how the relationship we had evolved into something more, something unexpected, something wonderful.
"You... truly do seem like the man you say you are." Anya said, her voice soft, and I smiled, and nodded.
"Since that day, I realized something." I said, looking down at the woman in my arms, and hugging her closer to me, making her purr again, "I've never felt this way about anyone before. The girl I told you about... the feelings I had for her don't even compare to this..."
My voice was now thick with emotion, and I felt Cici trembling against me I explained just how wonderful I thought she was.
"I love your daughter... more than words can describe... more than I've ever loved anyone." I said, and Cici turned to look at me, her eyes wet, tears streaming down that gorgeous face, and I put my hand on her cheek, "It might not seem like it, but you are the one who saved me. The whole world was just... dark, and I don't know... you brightened everything in my life."
Despite the obvious corniness of my words, it's what came to me, and I found that I rather enjoyed speaking from the heart. Cici seemed to appreciate my words all right, as she basically almost split my lips open with how much force she applied to the kiss she gave me, and I returned it. It was one of those gentle, loving kisses, making me forget everything negative in the world for a moment, allowing me to bask in the perfection that was Cecilia Romina.
Once she let me fill my lungs with oxygen once more, she gave me a precious teary eyed smile.
"Eli... I never thought I'd find someone like you... someone who cares about what I want and what I think... you make me so happy..." She said, and I rubbed her back gently.
"I've never been happier in my life than right now. And I'll always be by your side, if you'll let me?" I said, and she threw her arms around me, and crushed herself to me.
"Always! I never want to be apart again!" She said into my chest, making me smile, and my eyes sting.
"Neither do I." I said, holding her close.
I heard sniffling coming from the side, and I both blinked and felt a little embarrassed. We were with her family, and I had forgotten there for a second as I was talking to Cici. When I looked over though, I saw that Anya was using a small cloth to dab at her eyes, and Warren actually just nodded at me, and I saw an easy acceptance in his eyes. Hiago was covering his eyes with his hands.
"I shouldn't see this." The boy muttered, making Warren chuckle.
"You'll have someone like that one day, I promise you." Warren said, then turned to me, "I didn't know what to think of you. I mean, I liked what you did for all of us, but I didn't know anything about you. Now, I feel like I have a better idea, and well..." He looked at his daughter and smiled, "If my girl is happy, then I'm happy."
Did I actually just get her father's approval, just like that? Usually that was the hardest barrier to break down, but this man just accepted me without reservations. It really went to show how much he cared about his daughter, and how much he valued her.
"Thank you, sir." I replied, and smirked.
"Can't be calling me that after you just saved my family and my life. Warren is fine." He said, and I nodded. This was going really well.
Her mother also regarded me, and the look she gave me made my heart twinge with sadness. It was a kind, and gentle look that reminded me of my own mother, when she also looked at me like that. Her eyes were puffy and red, but she looked anything but upset.
"All I've wanted for you is to be happy." Anya said, her eyes bright, "And seeing you like this... and seeing how he treats you... the look in both of your eyes when they meet. That's true love, plain and simple."
Anya walked stood, and walked over to us, and placed a hand on top of Cici's head, rubbing it affectionately. Then, she looked at me, and gave me one nod of her head. Am I just in an anime now?
"My daughter has chosen you to be her mate, and the keeper of her heart. After getting to know you a bit more, I can see why. That doesn't explain how you have become so strong, but we can get to that in a bit." Anya said, and then what she said next floored me, "Elias Crosse, it would be my honor to give my daughter to a man of your integrity, of your strength, and one who would safeguard her at all times. Would you accept her as your wife?"
I just stared with my mouth open, and my eyes wide. Marriage? Already? Just how did this shit work in this world? I mean, yes I loved Cici, but did I want to marry her already?
I looked at the reddened and blushing face of the woman I loved. She stole my heart, and opened it more than I ever thought possible. I was with Rachel for 10+ years, and yet that felt like it happened to someone else at this point, as the feelings I had for Cici had far surpassed anything I've ever felt for Rachel, or anyone else.
Too soon? Maybe, maybe not, but there was one thing I was sure of, and I even felt it inside of my body, in my soul. This woman was one I don't think I could live without, and something told me that this was right... that this woman was perfect. That she was everything I'd ever wanted in my life. I guess the term soul mate works here perfectly, because my answer was more sure than it had ever been about anything before.
"I...would be honored to have a woman as wonderful as Cici as my wife." I said, and Cici's head whipped towards me, surprise and happiness in her watering eyes.
"Eli..." She said, reaching out to me.
I took her hand, and the questions of "if I was ready," or "if this was too fast" were thrown out this window. Fuck it, I guess. Moment of truth.
"Cecila Romina..." I said, breathing in and out deeply, "Will you marry me?"
Tears streamed down her face.
"YES! OF COURSE I WILL!" She cried, and barreled into me, nuzzling my chest affectionately.
I hugged her to me, kissing the top of her head, a new happiness filling me, one that I never thought I would feel. Her father just nodded at me, and gave me a smile that conveyed his agreement. Her brother still looked anywhere but at us, and her mother... she just gave us a teary eyed smile as she looked fondly upon her daughter, and... at me. I blinked, my eyes beginning to water as I felt something else I haven't felt in a long time. A sense of belonging, and...
"A family." I said as I held Cici to me.
Anya smiled at us, tears falling from her eyes.
"How wonderful. We will have to preform the marriage ceremony soon, but for today... we rest, and thank the Framework that we still have each other." Anya said as she wiped at her eyes.
As I looked at the smiling faces of the Rominas, and then down at the happy cat girl in my arms, I made a vow. Nothing, and no one, would take this away from me. And if try, I'll kill them. I'll kill all of them.