The Wanderer - 245 (Patreon)

Chapter 245 –Two Rings

[2009 – October]

With a towel around my waist, I went back to the bedroom to grab some clothes when I heard a question coming from behind.

"So, who did you go to piss off by taking a dive in the Atlantic, big guy?", Laura asked with a conspiratorial smile while letting herself fall onto the large double bed, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she eyed me.

“Nobody you would get away with pissing off, little wolf.”, I replied while dropping the towel to put on a pair of black sweatpants.

I heard her heart pounding in her chest as a momentarily speechless silence spread between us, as well as a comically audible gulp before she cleared her voice and continued quietly: "Y-You don't know that. I get away with a lot."

Turning around to face her, my upper body still bare, slightly wet hair clinging to my cheeks, I saw her reddened cheeks and couldn't help but tease her: "With being a voyeur? Maybe. With falling into the ocean from outer space? I doubt it."

"Show-off.", Laura snorted, not hiding her glances as she looked at me with foxy yet endearing eyes.

She was wearing an olive-coloured hoodie with a zipper on the front that barely reached two fingers width under her bust, a black sports bra beneath, and a pair of loose grey sweatpants sitting low on her hips, her chin resting in her palms.

Her slim waist, toned abdomen, and graceful lower back were left bare and to be admired while her legs playfully seesawed up and down on the bedding.

Pulling the pale yellow shirt over my head that I took from the closet, I fiddled with the blood coral bracelet that Emma had gifted me for a moment before seating myself beside Laura on the bed.

“I have something for you.“, I told her as I opened my palm, a ring with a large blood-red stone laying on it.

The stone had a rich colour without the smallest flaw, it had an almost perfect oval shape though its edges didn't round up perfectly and faintly reminded of a more squarish geometry. Without a doubt that was the centerpiece of the coral bracelet that Emma had gifted me.

Now though, instead of sitting on two strings next to the other more irregular pieces of blood coral, it was set into a delicate black metal ring.

The ring itself was basically four fine mate-black metal wires next to each other that twisted together right beneath the piece of coral before splitting into four wires again that seemingly connected in pairs inside of the two holes, which had formerly held the blood coral piece in place while it was integrated into the bracelet.

The whole design was delicate yet beautiful, the large piece of blood coral sitting attached to the ring almost untouched.

The playful smirk on Laura's lips faded as she saw the piece of jewelry, her eyes widening a bit as her gaze turned to the bracelet around my wrist and she saw the polished black stone that had replaced the original centerpiece, its shape identical to the blood coral.

In truth, this was simply one of my barriers that I had materialized, which was also the case for the black metal of the ring.

“You gave me a ring and I thought that it would only be right to give you one in return.”, I said as I presented it to her, my palm open while I waited for her to take it.

But Laura hesitated, despite her intense joy and desire for the ring, which I could both sense clearly. She held herself back as she sat up on her knees and looked at me, her voice quiet as she remarked: "Emma gave you this bracelet, I know how precious it is to you. Do you really want me to have this piece of it?"

“I do.”, I replied honestly, a faint smile on my lips, “I wouldn't have chosen it if it wasn't precious to me.”

Her eyes lit up at my words for a moment but again the she-wolf hesitated, proving once more why it was almost impossible for me to not have any affection for her as she asked: “But what about Jean?”

Opening my other hand, a hammered silver ring appeared with a warm stone inlaid on its surface that had the colour of the afternoon sun. To both sides of the stone a simple phoenix was carved into the precious metal, its figure made prominent through the oxidization of the deeper lines, which had left them black.

It was another incredibly beautiful piece, the stone in particular seemed almost with light and fire, which was not far from the truth since I had made it with actual plasma from the sun that was contained and sustained by a transparent barrier of mine.

It was different from the more delicate and unadorned style of the blood coral ring and comparing them seemed almost impossible.

One made from blood and darkness, the other made from light and silver, which shone brightly on a dark background. Two rings for two people.

Finally taking the ring from my palm, Laura smiled one of her quiet smiles as she put it on her right middle finger next to the black stone ring that she was already wearing, stretching out her hand for a bit and spreading her palm as she inspected how it looked.

Eventually, she turned to face me again, leaning over slowly as she placed the faintest kiss on my cheek before jumping to her feet and dragging me back into the living room by my hand.

“You have to give Jean hers now.”, she insisted, not that I had any objections to that.

Pushing me towards the kitchen, Laura went back to watching the animal documentary with Arya, though the way she peeked over the backrest of the couch was impossible to miss, especially with a tiny black owl sitting on her head with narrowed amber eyes.

“Finished your shower?”, Jean smiled as she saw me approach and I couldn't help but send her the telepathic equivalent of a kiss for the homely way she did that.

The lovely redhead looked stunned for a moment, though the next instant my very real lips fell on hers before I nibbled on her lower lip and drew back slightly.

Caressing my cheek like she usually did, brushing back a few wet locks, she giggled quietly before whispering lovingly: "You're not tasting like a lick stone anymore. Now, you just taste like yourself."

“Good, I was almost worried.”, I replied while I laid my hand on top of hers for a moment before grabbing it and placing the ring in her palm, “This is for you, Firefly.”

Surprised, Jean looked down into her palm, her vibrant green eyes widening for a few moments before she looked back up, her face like a blooming flower, her smile radiant.

[A/N: I have some links for pictures of Jean's ring and the blood coral piece for Laura's.

https://i.etsystatic.com/29774917/r/il/e61ffc/5104490028/il_794xN.5104490028_faon.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJ5EHpsn4fjXBx1MQLo8H9QL1jgwZ6KwNtYjLFQolaaWLQhzcM6UMpEXi_mmt7c3whDvM&usqp=CAU

Sadly, the picture for the blood coral piece is not as good but what can you do? :D Enjoy!]