By My Side - Sam/Aomaris Fanfiction

39) Grandfather's Blessing

There was a strange air between me and Sam as we departed for the cemetery the next day, though I was sure I was the only one who felt it. I wasn't exactly sure why Sam wanted to visit my grandfather's grave, but my working theory was that he felt guilty. He hadn't brought up the topic of the demon marriage to me, and it wasn't hard to tell that after being berated about it the night before by all four of his brothers, he wasn't planning to either. As far as I could tell, he felt guilty for not having considered my feelings about the ritual. I wanted to console him, but if he didn't want to talk about it, then it wasn't my place to bring it up. I just had to pretend I hadn't heard or been told anything that night.

The sky was clear aside from the occasional small cloud that hung motionless in the air. The sun shone down on us, pleasantly warm against my skin and the air was still, with no breeze to be noticed. Birdsong bounced between the many trees surrounding the cemetery, uncaring of any disturbance Sam and I had caused. I hadn't been to my grandfather's grave since a few days after Diana had returned to the demon world. It had been with a completely different mindset, because within the span of only five days, I'd not only discovered the existence of beings like demons and devils, but I'd found out my very own grandfather had magical powers of his own. I didn't know why my sister and I had never been told, but after my encounter with a certain devil a few years back, I assumed it was to protect us. It did leave me wondering if my father knew about Granddad's affiliation with magic, but I sure as hell wasn't going to ask him.

The simple stone slab that was my grandfather's grave lay fairly deep in the cemetery, causing the pair of us to wade through patches of long, uncut grass and wildflowers. Mika often visited, but she'd not mentioned the decay. Then again, Mika rarely wanted to talk whenever she'd returned from the graveyard. Sam settled himself on a stretch of soft grass beside the grave and I followed suit, perching myself cross-legged beside him. The incubus placed the bouquet of purple lilies on top of the grave gently. I knew it was some form of customary to bring flowers whenever you visited a grave, but I'd dithered so much over what to get that Sam had to choose for me. Supposedly, there was once a type of flower unique to the Abyssal Plains that was very similar to the flowers laying still on the stone grave. It had died out years ago, but it was known as the Flower of Lilith.
"I can't believe I met you guys the day after my grandfather died," I uttered softly. Sam let out a breathy chuckle in response.
"I know. I remember when we met almost like it was yesterday."
"And it's been... What? Four and a half years?"
"Yeah, something like that." A small smile spread across Sam's lips. "Doesn't feel like it, though."

We let the silence hang in the air for a minute or two before Sam sat up a little straighter and crossed his legs, making his demeanour more serious than I'd ever seen it.
"So, uh... Mr Anderson, I hope that you're around to hear us and stuff... Your spirit, I mean..." he sighed. "I'm fucking this up already." I opened my mouth to question him before I realised he was talking more to himself than me. "I must sound like a complete jackass." The incubus breathed. "You've given my brothers a chance to start new lives and I can't ever thank you enough... Now, I'm asking for your grandchild's hand. I must seem like a brat, huh?" Sam ruffled his already messy hair and let out yet another breath. It was almost like he'd forgotten I was there. "You've given us so much already. I want to be able to pay you back for giving my brothers better lives, and now I want to be with your grandchild for the rest of my life, as a demon and as their husband. I promise to take care of them and love them for the rest of my life. I want to be with them and provide them with the life they deserve. I may be a demon, but I love them and will do anything to protect them and keep them happy. Please, if you're here, I humbly ask for your blessing to marry your grandchild."

I knew my face was burning like the surface of the sun, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the man beside me. He'd made little speeches like this to me before, but hearing him say it so emphatically to the only family member aside from Mika who I ever felt actually cared about me brought tears to my eyes that threatened to spill so suddenly that I barely had a chance to wipe them away. I welcomed the breeze that came as I did, so if Sam noticed I could pretend that was why. The breeze was strange, though. It was very out of place; it had nothing but warm, still air for the entire day. Sam had tensed slightly at the feeling, and his reaction to the unnatural breeze left only one explanation for where it had come from.
"Granddad?" We received another gentle breeze as an answer. I was in awe. My world had been filled with magic and demons for years now, but it was still a shock to me that he was able to respond to Sam's plea. The incubus in question relaxed as the second breeze washed over us and laid his left hand on the grave, his other hand gripping mine gently as a relieved smile graced his face.
"I won't let you down."