"like it's the end of forever."

Alex pulled Marium into his arms, and she curled into his embrace. Alex might not be a large man, but right now Marium looked very small in his arms. She was a strong girl, but even strong people can be fragile sometimes.

Marium was a statue of sadness hidden behind a mask of resolve. She would probably leave with him if he asked, but she knew he wouldn't do that. On the open field she'd be useless, just a camp maiden relying on the mercy of a mercenary to keep her safe. Her life here was both safer and more comfortable, and gave her a sort of purpose that she wouldn't have at his side. And while they both knew that, and both accepted it as best for her, parting ways was turning out to be something dreadful for both of them.

Just one month can change quite a bit, while Alex himself was much the same it wasn't the same for Marium. She was almost a completely different woman now. The other girls in the guild teasingly called her "housewife", but she knew she was only playing that role. Alex had given her a kind of affection that she'd felt unworthy of, and from that her resolve at living had grown substantially. She was now Vickary's protege, following her mistress at the heels and learning everything that she could about the guild, it's management, and how to effectively negotiate contracts for trade and services in every cutthroat market the street took a fancy too. In contrast to her mistress though Marium was spending every scrap of free time during the day learning reading and bookkeeping from Spike.

It had come to the point where Alex only saw Marium at night, which was fair since he'd spent so much time in the magic labs trying to learn everything he could about his condition, and as little knowledge as he had gleaned it was still not wasted efforts.

This routine was almost homey, it was comfortable and repetitive, but it was always going to be temporary.

Alex was numb to the notion of leaving, choosing to focus on the tasks ahead rather than fall into regret or delusions that he and Marium could be more than they were. But for Marium it was something else. She was saying goodbye to the first experience of love as a woman. The first time that she had a partner in bed who would be there in the morning for breakfast. A partner who took an interest in the small aspects of her life, a partner who encouraged her to dream and think about having a future.

And now she was confronting the conclusion of the best time of her life, how young and helpless she suddenly felt in the face of loss. It had been so long since she was afraid of losing anything she was unprepared for it.

And as the emotional maelstrom surged in her Alex just held her, held her and said nothing, like a rock she could cling too in the swirling undertow. It didn't stop her from feeling torn apart, but at least she didn't feel like she was drowning too. And it was in this moment that she realized what it was like to love someone, to honestly be afraid to lose another human being. It had only been one month, she knew, but that was enough time.

As she wrestled with her feelings Alex just stood there, warm, and caring. He had never pressed his will onto her, he had never asked her to give up anything for him. And he never made her a promise he didn't know he could keep. Stoic but compassionate, strong but gentle, kind but stern. Somewhere beneath this worn out old mercenary she found the lingering traces of the young hero, and she knew why people loved him. There was still a part of him that he'd buried where the fires of Vickary's white knight burned, and as long as that fire was there Marium knew that he'd live on. And in this moment she was going to place her faith on that deep unquenchable fire.

Her chin lifted and their eyes met, her cheeks were wet with the sobless tears she'd been crying, and his were bright as ever, like globes of blue and purple fire dancing in crystal flasks. Such humanity veiled behind the inhuman, beauty within the corrupted, and a magic of darkness making it's own light. The combination that had enchanted her on that first night she met Alex had no less magical affect on her tonight.

Marium began to feel calmness returning, honestly she felt a little silly too knowing that she'd been crying. One shy sniff and she looked down, not wanting to show her embarrassment at feeling childish.

"Oh lord," she breathed as her embarrassment grew, "I've comply soaked your shirt."

Alex suppressed a knowing smirk, "Well, I suppose I'll just have to sleep without one tonight."

Marium began undressing Alex in her mind, and sighed wistfully, "I suppose you'll jump at any chance to get undressed won't you."

Alex did smirk at that one, "That might be the first time you've complained about it thus far."

Marium laughed softly and began lifting his shirt off over his head, pausing only long enough to dry her eyes on the hem.

"Oy," he laughed, "That's rude."

"Well it's your fault I was crying."

"How was it my fault?"

"Because I said so."

"Hey now, you're staring to sound like Vic...and that's scaring me."

They both shared a chuckle and she kissed him quickly. Then she undressed herself and climbed into the bed.

Alex crawled into the bed behind her and snuggled into her body, as she always did she let out a relaxed sigh as she felt his chest against her back.

She grabbed his arm and pulled it tightly across her chest, tucking his hand beneath her cheek. Tomorrow night she would be back in her own bed, it would feel very empty compared to this. She felt her eyes beginning to well up again and decided to say something.

Rolling over she placed herself on top of Alex so she could look him directly in the eyes, she drew a deep breath but then hesitated. Leaning down she took a long kiss from Alex's lips, he offered no resistance and returned her kiss with only matching intensity, but more than ample tenderness. Finding her courage she broke the kiss and made her declaration, "Alexander," she said, choosing to use his full name, "I want you to know that I love you."

She placed a finger on his lips as they opened to reply, shushing him so she could finish.

"I love you," she repeated, "And I know that you cannot promise to come back to me. So I also wanted to say that I'm going to be praying every night until you come back that Shershi will show you favor."

The realization of what she just said hit Alex like a collapsing house, even speaking the name of the god of chaos risked him showing up, but willingly praying to him was absolute madness. As his mind reeled he moved reflexively, in a swift motion he exchanged their positions holding her down on the bed, "He's going to want something from you in return."

Now looking up at him Marium replied, "And after you return to me I'll pay it."

"Do you have any idea what his terms are?"

"A life for a life."

"How can you say that so easily?"

"Because," her hands snaked into his hair, "I love you. And this is the most I can do for you while you're away."

Alex was dumbfounded, slowly he sank down on top of her buying his face into her neck, "I love you too, Marium. And I promise that no matter what happens I won't let him hurt you to spare me."

"Then we'll have to bargain with him carefully won't we."

Alex rose onto his elbows, "Do you have any idea how crazy you are?"

She wiggled her legs free and wrapped them around his waist, "I've decided that somehow I'm going to be useful to my hero. It doesn't feel like much, but at least its something Alex. You cannot change my mind on this. So if that makes me crazy then I don't care."

Alex shook his head, "This is far more dangerous than playing with alchemist fire."

"You can't gamble with your life if someone else is risking theirs. It's not in your nature and I'm betting my life along with you. So you be sure to come back in one piece. Understood?"

Alex sighed, she won this round and he knew it. "Very well, I cannot promise to come back, but I will not choose an easy exit from my problems either."

"Good," She kissed him, "Now if you think you can muster the stamina I'd like to finish having a night to remember."

Sex might have been the furthest think from Alex's mind, but he could say with honesty that the young lady in his bed was quite ravishing at the moment, so a few loving kisses and he was ready to fulfill her wishes.

He kissed his way down her body to her thighs, dragging his teeth along her skin as he descended her frame. She sighed, moaned and bucked in response to his attention. Her scent filled his nostrils as his own arousal grew.

When his face became buried between her legs her hands grabbed him behind the ears taking two fistfuls of hair as she squealed in pleasure. Alex lapped up the flavor of her womanhood with enough intensity to make her convulse in her first orgasm, then he stayed there until she had another.

As her body began went limp he withdrew and dabbed his face off on the blankets before returning to her face for a long passionate kiss.

"I'd return the favor," Marium panted, "But my body can't move properly right now."

"That's fine," Alex said, "I'm ready for the main course anyhow."

"Give me."

He laughed softly, "As you wish."

One smooth motion and he was balls deep in his tender lover, she moaned deeply, but even her neither regions offered no resistance. Alex paced himself, keeping his thrusts long, slow and deep while Marium caught her breath.

When her breathing steadied she locked her fingers behind his neck and hooked her feet behind his hips, with his hands already positioned to hold her knees apart he took the message and increased his tempo. Pressed forehead to forehead they locked eyes, no words passed between them but their thoughts were clear.

Marium was ready to orgasm again but clamped her eyes shut to resist the urge until she felt Alex beginning to tremble inside of her. "Give me, give it all to me." She breathed huskily.

Alex complied, "Here you go." And buried himself into her as deeply as he could go and released.

The orgasms were intense, and both of them were truly done for the night when the sensations passed. Marium curled back into Alex and promptly fell asleep. Alex pulled her in tightly and joined her in slumber.

On the other side of the room a small black animal watched, listened, and frowned.