Page 205 of A Soul to Steal

“Please? It’s important and I’m really fucking nervous.” His cheeks heated to the point that even his ears and neck went red. “I don’t think I’ve been this nervous in my whole life, if I’m being honest. I made this decision really quick and there is a bunch of stuff I want to say, and I’m worried I’m going to mess it up.”

As he spoke, Aleron stepped back when he noticed how... fidgety Gideon had become. With his side to Aleron, he could see how much his hands were shaking, and that sweat dotted his neck and forehead.

His anger cooled when he took in how fast his little human’s heart was beating. It was too fast, like it was moments from either bursting out of his chest or just... giving out. Aleron’s own began to sprint, mirroring it, when tangy fear began to cascade into his flowery forest scent.

“What is wrong?” Aleron asked, his tone decibels lighter than moments before.

He went to reach out but hesitated halfway.He is afraid...Did that mean he did not wish for Aleron’s comfort right then?

Gideon palmed his face and then dug his fingers into his closed eyes. “I’m worried I’m going to look like an idiot? I don’t know. I’m just feeling really sensitive.”

With every second that passed as he watched this male tremble, the more nervous Aleron became. Cupping his hands to his stomach, he was growing unsure of what Gideon was about to do. Aleron would follow this human to the ends of the Earth if need be, but he was starting to grow... tired of being hurt. He was so sore inside from the constantly changing waves of their relationship.

Gideon was afraid of what he was about to do, and now Aleron was as well.

“If you are this worried, then do not do it?” Aleron asked, offering a clear solution.

He let out a terrible laugh. It didn’t sound sincere whatsoever. “Not an option. It’s happening either way.” His eyes flicked to Aleron’s skull, then to his hands cupped at his stomach, and he winced. “Shit. Sorry, I’m freaking you out. Okay.Okay.”

Gideon took in a deep, long breath, held it, and turned to Aleron fully. Then he suddenly ducked down, and Aleron tilted his head at him for it. He hadn’t expected Gideon to drop, nor kneel on a single knee and thrust a tiny wooden case at him.

“I feel like asking you to marry me is literally pointless, all things considered, but I would still like to present this to you like this because it’s what I would have done with a human.”

He opened the case, and two rings sat within some form of cushion. Both were silver, one much larger than the other.

Utterly baffled by what was happening, Aleron stared at Gideon silently for a long while. That seemed to distress him further, since his fretting heart sped up even more and his breaths turned shallower.

It appears to be some sort of important human custom.So Aleron got down on one knee and presented his hand out, mirroring him.

He just looked so frightfully nervous that Aleron didn’t wish for him to do whatever he was doing alone. Aleron also didn’t like how he towered over and dominated his small bride, when he had presented himself in some kind of submissive position with fear in his scent. Gideon looked so feeble, since his hands trembled while holding the case.

Aleron did wince when his expression widened in horror. Then he burst into a fit of laughter as he snapped the case closed with one hand, covered his red face, and shook his head.

“I didn’t even think about the fact you likely wouldn’t understand!” The foot that had been placed firmly upon the ground slipped back, and he knelt on both knees. Gideon peeked at Aleron from behind his fingers, a broken grin shining before he lowered his hand to fully reveal it. “But thanks, Aleron. I kind of feel a little better since you did it back to me.”

Aleron’s wings drooped, feeling as though he’d done the wrong thing. “Gideon, I do not understand,” he whined.

“It’s okay.”

Wrestling to his feet, Gideon offered his hand out to Aleron to pretend he could help him to his own. He took it and played this game because it made his human feel better.

“Here, I’ll explain it to you while I put them on.”

He held onto Aleron’s left hand as he opened the case again and placed the large ring on the finger next to Aleron’s pinkie.

“Marriage is the human equivalent to me giving you my soul, although far less permanent if we wish it,” Gideon explained, as he placed the smaller ring on his own hand. “There are many things I wanted to do in my life. One of those things was to get down on one knee for the person I loved, and wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and ask them to marry me. It wasn’t a decision I would have made lightly, and I had planned to put my all into it.”

He cupped the bottom of Aleron’s hand and placed the other on top while he stared down at them. Their rings clinked together.

“I probably haven’t proven it to you yet, but I’m actually a really loyal person. Once someone steals my heart, it’s pretty hard for me to let them go. You have stolen mine, Aleron.”

“I have?” he asked as a thrill tore down his spine, ruffling his tail feathers.

“Yes, you have,” Gideon stated warmly, brushing his thumb back and forth over the smooth metal circling the base of Aleron’s finger.

Aleron’s sight shifted to dark yellow as he brought his sight down to the silver rings.This is the way humans bond?He didn’t truly understand the significance of a piece of metal, but he did like the heartfelt words that came with them.

Aleron liked they were being said to him.

---