Bound to Earth

13: Hands Of A Wood Carpenter

My heart ached after a week. While Valentino would show up late in the night, he was gone before the ass crack of dawn. Though he'd snuck into my room every morning and evening, giving me a small kiss goodbye or hello while he thought I slept. Some nights he'd come in and push me to the edge of the bed, making room for him to curl up next to me. I never had the heart to let him know I was awake the entire time.

But in the time he'd disappeared, the walls were painted and new wood floors were installed. Malachi and Brynjar did most of the heavy work while me and Alistar were in charge of the smaller tasks. I was certain Alistar's true job was to keep me out of trouble. 

I had to go shopping with Alistar and pick out lights, which was much more difficult than I thought. Typically I'd hire people to do it for me, but they all insisted they were enough.

My living room had been cleared of all the boxes and dust. Shiny tiaras and a few stacks of photo albums were scattered on the surfaces of my house. The tiara room was only missing the furniture Valentino promised to help me with. Maybe I'd throttle him instead, for not being here to help.

I'd been busy picking at my food during lunch when Alistar's phone chimed. He ignored it at first until it chimed again, then rang. He took one glance at the screen and disappeared, his half-eaten food still on the table.

Soon after, there was shuffling in the crown room and Valentino poked his head out. Sawdust sprinkled his clothes in patches, a shadow of golden hair dusted his jaw, and gold locks of hair flopped into his eyes. It was the most tattered I'd ever seen him, tattered and beautiful.

"Token, come here." The dazzling smile on his face and pride in his voice was irresistible. His hands shook as he stopped me before I could step inside, as he lifted them to cover my eyes. He blindly led me into the room, stopping towards the center and removing his hands. "Ta da!"

The room was no longer bare, but filled with matching wooden furniture. Each shelf and display case had hand carved flowers woven up the sides. The lighter wood went perfectly with my darker floors, my walls.

I opened one of the glass doors and ran my hand over the shelf. Dark gray velvet shifted under my fingers, a perfect pillow for each tiara.

A long mirror rested against one of my walls, waiting to be nailed up. Through the mirror, I could see my bottom lip trembling, the tears pool in my eyes.

And through the glassiness of my vision, in the center of my room, there was a single wooden stand with room for one crown. Alistar teleported next to it, my titanium crown in hand, and carefully lowered it on the pillow before stepping back. It fit perfectly.

I turned back to Valentino. My vision, so blurry I had to continuously blink the water back. My throat, so tight I could barely breathe. 

He ran a hand through his hair, a soft smile curled his lips. "I told you I'd help furnish your room."

Malachi patted Valentino's shoulder, a matching smile on his face. "I think this is some of your best wood carving yet."

Valentino sighed. His shoulders sagged as the tension left his body. "I hope so. My hands hurt and I'm tried as fuck."

I tugged Valentino to me hard enough to draw a grunt from him. My arms snaked around his waist as I buried my head into his chest. "Thank you," I mumbled into his clothes.

He wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss into my hair. His heart beat thundered against his ribs, at a rapid pace. "Of course, Beautiful."

I swallowed the thickness in my throat down. "You can take second place today, and tomorrow, for the rest of the week if you wanted."