She didn't get it. She felt her eyes tear up as she ran from the cave, ignoring her mother's cries. Why was it now that she was actually having a relationship with her? She had hated her mother for so long, but with the caress of her grandmother, and the true regret her mother displayed, Tahari just didn't get it. Why was her life falling apart? Everything she thought she knew was dissolving into nothing. Was it all lies, or the truth she had refused to see for so long?
Feeling the tears fall, she wasn't looking at where she was going and ran head-first into Valerius. Him. Feeling shaken by the jolt, she looked up at him, his concerned look only tearing her heart apart.
"Why?" she gasped, feeling herself short of breath. These visions, they haunted her, like all of it did. Possible futures, the past, reliving her lust for Ishida. It tortured her, and the rage she felt would overcome her. At this point, she was only full of sorrow. What was real, and what was fake? Did she want what she saw, even if it wasn't real? She couldn't determine it.
"What's wrong?" Valerius asked, feeling concern for her. He had never seen her like this; she was normally angry, or snarky towards him. He had never figured out why she loathed him so much. Enough so that he hoped he could help her enough and move on, since she didn't want him there. He wasn't one to stay where he wasn't welcomed. This, though, this was different. "What did you See?" It must have been something to trigger her like this.
"Why do I always See you?" she demanded, as if he knew the answer. She felt herself push at him, but it didn't do anything but keep him closer. The b*****d, why was he always there when she closed her eyes? It wasn't fair. She looked up at the lion, odd enough since she wasn't small herself. He looked confused. "The visions?" he asked, wondering what had made them change. Everything had been about anger, was that channeling towards him now?
"I don't know!" she cried, slamming her head against his soft chest. Were they the visions, or was she seeing what she really wanted? She felt like she should hate him, but she didn't. He had control over her, even if he was trying to teach her how to control herself. She hated it, someone going out of their way to help her. No one had ever been that kind. Bara had, but then she...she!
Valerius was startled about how...close she was being. He wasn't going to lie, being mildly attracted to Tahari was easy. She was very pretty, even if that temper must rival the worst of the Gods. No one had figured out which God might be her father, but he guessed it wasn't one as kind as his own mother. He lowered his head against the top of her skull, hoping it would calm her down. He had never seen her cry in something other than anger, it was taking him a bit to adjust.
"Well, if you don't know, then it might not be a vision," he said carefully, hoping not to trigger anything. He didn't want to push the subject, as anything dealing with relationships set her off. Zuri'ramla hadn't been much of an example to her daughter, and Valerius suspected that might be part of the problem with her.
"I don't know, I don't know," she mumbled over and over as she felt herself slipping down to her belly. She felt the tears continuing to come, not caring that they were out in the open where anyone could see. She was so apathetic to everything around her, except... "I don't know, Val, I'm scared," she whispered to him.
Valerius followed her to the ground, hoping to keep her comfortable. For once in his life, he felt his own stomach twist. What was she going on? He wondered if she had completely lost her mind, and would slowly crawl into the depths of solitude and apathy. Would the reason be because of him? He hadn't a clue, but he hoped to find one.
"Val," she whispered, feeling herself move closer to him without...no, she realized it. She knew what she was going to say, and it terrified her. She felt herself shiver, and in turn felt him instinctively try to still her shakes. He was too kind. "I think...I think I'm in love with you, Val."
He was a little worried. And a little excited. And well, he didn't know how he felt. This wasn't quite what he thought, though. He paused, only keeping her close as he tried to form his words together. "Tahari, are you sure?" he had to ask. "You're not confusing it with anything, are you?"
Once, Tahari would have yelled and screamed about being questioned. Now, she understood why he asked. With how strong her visions could be, it was easy to mix reality with their limitless possibilities. "I'm sure," she said quietly, her voice muffled as she kept her face buried in his mane. She reluctantly pulled it out, her dark green eyes looking up at him. "I saw too many possibilities of the future, but there were a lot with you. A lot where I seemed so happy." She paused. "And...not the mess that I am today. I want to be better, I want to get through this. I want to be what I saw, Val, and I think it's possible."
Valerius paused again, so stunned by how she looked. Even with puffy eyes and wet cheeks she was pretty. "Okay," he replied, smiling. "If you're sure, I'll trust you." He had seen bits of that future, but he had more control over his visions than she might ever have, and he kept them as close to the present as possible. They went rogue at times, and he would see the far past and some of the future, but it wasn't enough to determine anything.
Tahari smiled, and buried her face back in his handsome dark mane. She was terrified of how it would go, knowing how she had acted towards him. She had also been much too mean to her mother as well, and somehow they had reconciled. She thought it would be easier with Valerius, though.
"What do you say we go tell your family?" he asked, and as she popped her head back out he tapped her, nose to nose. She flushed slightly, her blue cheeks changing colour for just a moment. "Okay," she replied. "Can we wait a bit? I don't want to move yet."
Val chuckled. "Of course," he replied, and as she laid her head down on his strong forelimbs, he rested his head on the back of her neck. This was going to be a trial for them both, but he was confident that love would rule out in favor at the end.
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