MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Forty-Eight: The Teasing
---
The hospital room was bright when Lyra opened her eyes.
The sun was streaming through the window, gold and warm, painting the walls in light. The machines were beeping, steady and slow. Alex was asleep in the chair beside her, his head on the bed, his hand in hers. His face was pale. His hair was a mess. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
She watched him for a long moment. His breathing was slow. His fingers were warm. She squeezed his hand.
His eyes opened. He looked at her. His face broke into a smile.
"You're awake," he said.
"I'm awake."
He kissed her hand. "You're awake."
She almost smiled. "I'm awake."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "You scared me."
She held him. Her arms were weak. Her hands were steady. "I scared myself."
He pulled back. His face was wet. His eyes were bright. "Don't do that again."
She looked at him. His face was close. His eyes were steady. "I won't."
He kissed her. Soft. Slow. A kiss that promised everything. She kissed him back.
---
The news spread fast.
Ci N was the first to know. He was in the waiting room, his phone in his hand, his face pale. Felix was beside him. His phone buzzed. He looked at the screen. His face broke into a grin.
"She's awake," he said. "She's awake."
He ran to the room. Felix ran after him. Percy was in the hallway. He saw Ci N running. He saw his face.
"What?" Percy said.
"She's awake. Lyra's awake."
Percy ran. Aries ran after him. Yuri was behind them. His face was cold. His eyes were not.
Freya was at the door. She saw them running. She saw their faces. She smiled. She opened the door.
---
The room was full.
Ci N was at the foot of the bed, his phone in his hand, his face bright. Felix was beside him, his hand on Ci N's arm. Percy was at the window, his arms crossed, his face soft. Aries was beside him, their hand in his. Yuri was in the corner, his arms crossed, his face cold. But his eyes were on Lyra. They were soft.
Freya stood by the door. Erdix was beside her. Rakki was on the chair, her feet up, her face bright. Mica was at the table, her laptop open, her fingers still. Calix was beside her, his hand on her shoulder. Ella was in the chair by the window, her hands folded, her face soft. Care was at the bed, checking the machines, her hands steady. Cole was beside her. Grace was at the back, her arms crossed, her face calm. Denzel was beside her. Kit was with Mayo, their voices low.
Jay stood at the window. Keifer was beside her. Her hand was in his. Her face was soft.
Lyra looked at them. At her family. At the people who had been waiting for her. At the people who had saved her.
"You're all here," she said.
Percy grinned. "We're always here."
She almost smiled. "You're annoying."
He laughed. "I know."
---
The teasing started the next day.
Lyra was sitting up now, her face still pale, her eyes bright. Alex was beside her, his hand in hers, his face tired. He hadn't left her side. He wouldn't.
Percy walked into the room with Aries and Yuri. His face was bright. His voice was loud.
"Lyra," he said. "I have a question."
She looked at him. Her face was blank. "What?"
He sat on the edge of her bed. Aries was beside him. Yuri was in the corner.
"You took a bullet for Jay," Percy said. "You almost died. You were in a coma for ten days."
She waited.
"And Alex," Percy said. "He didn't leave. He sat in that chair for ten days. He held your hand. He talked to you. He told you he loved you. He told you about the garden. About the flowers. About the corner."
Alex's face was red. "Percy."
Percy grinned. "He cried, Lyra. He cried a lot. I have witnesses. Ci N recorded it. It's on video."
Alex stood up. His face was red. His hands were fists. "Percy."
Percy stood up. He walked to the door. He was still grinning. "I'm just saying. You should marry him. He's clearly in love with you."
Lyra looked at Alex. His face was red. His hands were shaking. She almost smiled.
"I'll think about it," she said.
Alex's face broke into a grin. Percy was laughing. Aries was laughing. Yuri was almost smiling.
---
The next day, Percy found Jay in the garden.
She was sitting on the steps, her hands in her lap, her face turned toward the sun. Keifer was beside her, his hand in hers, his eyes closed.
Percy sat beside her. "Jay."
She looked at him. "What?"
He put his arm around her shoulder. "You took a bullet for Keifer. In Singapore. You sat beside his bed for three days. You held his hand. You told him you loved him."
She waited.
"And now," Percy said, "he follows you everywhere. He watches you sleep. He makes you coffee every morning. He—"
Keifer opened his eyes. "Percy."
Percy grinned. "I'm just saying. You should keep him. He's clearly in love with you."
Jay looked at Keifer. His face was calm. His eyes were bright. "I'll think about it," she said.
Percy stood up. He walked back to the house. He was still grinning. Aries was at the door. Yuri was behind them.
"You're going to get yourself killed," Aries said.
Percy put his arm around Aries' shoulder. "Worth it."
---
The next day, Percy found Mica in the study.
She was at her laptop, her fingers moving, her face focused. Calix was beside her, his hand on her chair, his face close.
Percy walked in. "Mica."
She didn't look up. "What?"
He sat on the edge of the desk. "You threatened to shoot Calix. Multiple times. You said you would pull the trigger. You said you would count to three."
Calix's face was red. "Percy."
Percy grinned. "And now he sits beside you every day. He touches your chair. He touches your laptop. He touches your—"
Mica picked up a book. She threw it at his face. He caught it.
"I'm just saying," Percy said. "You should keep him. He's clearly in love with you."
Mica looked at Calix. His face was red. His hands were shaking.
"I'll think about it," she said.
Percy walked out. He was laughing. Aries was in the hallway. Yuri was behind them.
"You're going to die," Aries said.
Percy put his arm around Aries' shoulder. "Worth it."
---
The next day, Lyra was released from the hospital.
She walked out of the doors, her hand in Alex's, her face pale, her eyes bright. The sun was warm. The sky was blue. The car was waiting.
Percy was at the door. Aries was beside him. Yuri was behind them.
"Lyra," Percy said.
She looked at him. "What?"
He walked to her. He put his arm around her shoulder. "You almost died. You were in a coma for ten days. Alex didn't leave. He held your hand. He talked to you. He cried."
Alex's face was red. "Percy."
Percy grinned. "I'm just saying. You should marry him. Soon. Before he cries again."
Lyra looked at Alex. His face was red. His hands were shaking. She kissed him. Quick. Soft.
"I'll marry you," she said.
Alex's face broke into a grin. Percy was cheering. Aries was cheering. Yuri was almost smiling.
Jay was at the car. Keifer was beside her. Her hand was in his.
"They're all idiots," she said.
He kissed her hair. "They're our idiots."
---
The night came.
The house was full. Percy was in the kitchen, making food, his voice loud. Aries was beside him, their hand in his. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his face cold. But his eyes were on Percy. They were always on Percy.
Ci N was on the sofa, his phone in his hand, his face bright. Felix was beside him, his head on Ci N's shoulder. "I got it all," Ci N said. "The proposal. The kiss. The crying. It's all on video."
Percy looked at him. "You recorded it?"
"I record everything." He held up his phone. "You're going to want to watch this when you're old."
Lyra was in her corner. Her corner. The one she had claimed the first day she walked into this house. The one where she had held a knife to Alex's throat and told him she would kill him. The one where he had asked her to marry him.
Alex was beside her. His arm was around her. His hand was in hers.
"You're standing in your corner," he said.
She leaned against him. "I'm standing in my corner."
He kissed her hair. "I love you."
She looked at him. His face was close. His eyes were bright. "I love you too."
---
Jay stood at the window of her room.
The garden was dark. The flowers were blooming. The steps where she had sat with Keifer were empty. He came in behind her. His arms went around her waist. His face was in her hair.
"You're thinking," he said.
"I'm always thinking."
He turned her to face him. His hands were on her face. His eyes were steady.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
She looked at him. The enemy. The stranger. The man she had married. The man she loved.
"I'm thinking about the war," she said. "About the people we lost. About the people we saved."
He pulled her close. His arms were tight. His heart was steady.
"We saved them," he said. "We saved each other."
She held him. His chest was warm. His breath was steady.
"We saved each other," she said.
He kissed her. Soft. Slow. A kiss that promised everything.
She kissed him back.
---
END OF CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT