The Bladed Rose

Chapter fourteen: Memories Are Fleeting

   It was maybe a year or two after the last chapter, we were calm under some tree and I managed to avoid going to the realities slated for death. Marzia asked me a question, I forget what about... but I know it was supposed to be something I could answer easily, like "Do you remember when we first met?" Or something like that... I was honest and replied with, "No... I don't recall"

   She looked at me confused, and then slightly worried as she placed her hand to my head and withdrew it after a minute. "What?"

   Knowing I've been exposed I reply with, "I-I don't remember..."

   She looked really concerned now, and definitely very confused. "How? I mean, I know you usually forget some small things but something like that?! How the hell can you forget that?!" Her tone wasn't angry really.... Just very surprised and confused.

   "I-I'm sorry! I-I forget many... many.... Things..." I might as well be honest.

   She gave me a slight hug, saying, "It's, alright... Just as long as you don't forget everything, or me, I can always remind you, right?" She took that in stride... of course, she has had to get used to being very shocked...

   I began to cry. "I'm trying, believe me I am trying... but it's so hard when things shift and delete and change... I don't even know if my memories are what happened!"

   She embraced me in a full hug, rubbing circles on my back to comfort me. "I understand... and I'll always remind you when needed alright? I've done so so far haven't I? I'm patient, and willing to help you remember or whatever I can do to help." Marzia sounded so calm now...

   "I-I can't ask that of you... I already have you saddled with the knowledge that you do have... and that in itself is torturous..."

   "Hey, it comes with the territory of being your girlfriend! Haha, I'll gladly deal with anything for you, you know that." She seemed so cheerful, but I could hear her enduring undertone.

   "That's not the issue! It's that you shouldn't HAVE to! I don't want you to have to deal with my consistent and unending hell!" I argue.

   "Well I deal with it, so you deal with it. No one ever said Love wasn't stubborn or smart." She smirked, seeming happy with her remark as she pecked my cheek. "Although, I believe we are both those things."

   I returned the kiss smirking as well, "Thank you..."

   "Your welcome, feeling any better?" She said, smiling and cheerful as ever. How do I deserve this wonderful woman?

   "Yeah yeah I am!..... What was I unhappy about again??" I joked, in retrospect it was a shit joke.

   She frowned slightly, raising her eyebrows at me. "If that was a joke, please don't do it again?" Ya, that was a shitty one. Pat on the back to me for being an idiot.

   "It was a joke, sorry" I apologized.

   Marzia smiled again, patting me on the back. "It's alright, just lay off the memory jokes for now while I get used to what could be a joke and what couldn't?" Makes sense.

   "Alright, I'll lay off em. Thank you for being here for me... possibly the most I've ever been around a single person to..."

   "Haha, I know. I'll always be there for you, or at least for as long as I can. Alright?" She said that way to cheerfully knowing what she meant.

   "Alright, then lay off the apocalypse jokes then?"

   She smirked again, rolling her eyes playfully. "Alright alright, no more depressing memory and apocalypse jokes, got it." I kissed her on the lips when she said this, there is a reason I love her, many actually. But it's her loyalty and seemingly infinite patience that strikes me the most.

   She kissed back, hugging me again as she smiled. We stayed as such for a while before sleeping under the tree, it was a nice night.