Vessel X OC/reader

Chapter 20

Vessel nods at a table near the cake.
"Your in laws." He says, quietly.

Mother, father, and brother. Very normal. Still weirded out that he has a family, but that's definitely a me problem.

Just as he mentions them, they get up to greet me.

His mom hugs me tightly, and pulls away, giving me an almost sympathetic smile. Huh?

"Hi, sweetheart. I'm sorry we haven't met before today. I'm Rhea."

His dad kisses my hand, and offers the same sympathetic smile. Am I crazy?
"I'm Odin. And what Rhea said. We should have met you earlier."

"It's OK. We've met now, right? No biggie."

His brother nods at me once. He's similar looking to Vessel, sort of. Similar facial structure. Handsome, too. Not as handsome as Vessel, in my opinion. Obviously a little older than Vessel, too, and a couple inches shorter.

"This is Deus." Vessel says, annoyed he's got to introduce him.

I smile at him, and he avoids eye contact with me. OK, cool. Love that.

"Excuse me." I say, and go and sit with my family. My mom grins at me.

"He's different."

"He is. Isn't he?" I agree, and smile to myself. "I'm proud of him."

"Well. He's family now. So, for better or worse, best of luck to both of you." My dad says. "But if you still decide to cut his throat, I'll support that too."

I wince, as Vessel, standing behind my dad clears his throat.
"Do you mind if I sit down, Mr. Lockhart?" He asks.

"Son, it's André." He says, and nods for Vessel to sit down.

"Son." Vessel repeats, quietly, and sits beside me.

"Sorry about Deus. More stubborn than I am." He says, and I shrug slightly. A maid offers me a glass of wine, and I refuse it.

My mom raises her eyebrow.
"Do you two have... something to tell us? It's not like you to refuse wine."

"Nothing to tell you." I say, with a sigh.

"She hasn't drunk alcohol, or indeed anything offered to her by anyone other than me, since she was poisoned. No babies yet." Vessel says with a smile.

"Smart." Eric says.

Vessel mumbles against my ear for a moment.
"I can't believe I haven't told you how beautiful you look. I must be crazy."

I turn to look at him, and smile at him, before giving him an apologetic look.
"Gonna leave you with them a minute. Hang on. " I say, and go to the kitchen. I get a bottle of champagne from the fridge, check the seal hasn't been messed with, and then pour myself a glass. I put it back in the fridge, and as I turn around, my heart stops.

"Someone's paranoid."

I gasp, but sigh with relief when I see who it is.

"Deus. You scared me, Jesus christ." I say, and get my breath. "Can I get you anything?"

"This is my brother's house. I've been around longer than you. I know where everything is, and I'll get what I need."

"I'm just being polite."

"You're my sister in law. I'm sure we can skip the formalities, can we not?"

He's obviously hostile. But what's scary is he's not angry or worked up. He hates me calmly.

"You're as beautiful as everyone said." He suddenly says, and I smile back at him.

"How sweet of you to say. Thank you, Deus."

"It all adds up. What was it you were after when you manipulated my brother into marrying you? Was it love? Or... money, status and power?"

I tilt my head, and smile at him.
"All of the above."

"Interesting."

"I'm sorry you're so hostile towards me, Deus. We're family now, like it or not. Maybe you should take that chip off of your shoulder, it'll be best for everyone."

"They say you can't pick your family. In a way, I understand. But I am challenging that now. I am picking my family. And you are nothing to me, and never will be. You gold digging, manipulative and vindictive little-"

I punch him in the face, and knock him back. He clutches his face, groans in pain, but begins to laugh.

"Stronger than I thought."

I walk off, but freeze up, and turn around to look at him. He looks back at me, and I feel myself shaking.

"You poisoned me." I say, suddenly, and he folds his arms.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I saw someone in my room. Masked. But was similar to Vessel,  only a little shorter. Right before I collapsed from poisoning."

He steps closer to me, with a horrifying grin on his face.
"Gaia. If it was me that poisoned you, you would be six feet under. Understand?" He says, and returns to his table.

I take a deep breath, and try not to cry.

Vessel pokes his head around the door frame.
"Gaia?"

I look at him and give him the best smile I can right now, but he doesn't buy it.

"Are you OK?" He asks me, and lifts my chin with his finger.

I nod, but again, he's not convinced.

"You're not... regretting this, are you?"

"Vessel. No, no..." I say, but he bites his lip,  presumably anxious.

I kiss him passionately, cupping his face tightly. I pull away, and grin at his shocked face.
"No, I don't regret anything. But we need to talk later, okay?" I say, and turn around. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"No. If we need to talk, we talk now."

I get butterflies, briefly, at the reappearance of the scary man I originally agreed to marry.

"Your brother just spoke to me pretty appalingly. I don't want to cause a rift with you and your family, or with me and your family, but it was... really bad."

Vessel sighs.
"I can believe that. I'm sorry about him. He's an overgrown asshat trying to be an angsty teenager still. I'll have a word with him."

"Vessel... I think..."

He raises his eyebrow.
"Go on."

"I think maybe... he's the one that ordered my poisoning."

Vessel grins, and kisses my forehead.
"Don't worry so much. He's an ass, but he wouldn't hurt you."

I watch as Vessel leaves, and decide to sit with my brother while Vessel talks to Deus.

Eric is a little drunk, but nothing major.

He pulls me in for a hug, and sighs heavily.
"I can't believe you actually married him."

"I love him."

"I know. I know." He says, and groans, quietly.

"Gaia?" I hear vessel's voice behind me.

I turn and look at him with a faint smile.

"Come on. We haven't danced yet." He says, and helps me to my feet.

We slow dance, for what feels like forever, and, eventually we sit at our table.
I feel Vessel watching me, and sense some anxiety, but I brush it off. I pick up the drink I left at the table while we were dancing, and bring it to my lips. Vessel quickly stops me tipping the glass, and puts it down.

"Remember. Once you leave a drink, you're done with it." He says, with a faint smile.

I nod, a little sad I can't be normal, and put it down. I think he picks up on my sadness, so he pulls me closer, and mumbles against my ear.

"Hey. It's 2am. People are starting to leave. Let's disappear."