Chapter 48 - Birthday Gift – Part 9

In Nazar's apartment, Nazar, Laura and Aarin were talking.

"Wait," Laura said in a surprised tone. "You are telling me that you are hundreds of years old?!?!"

"Well…" Nazar averted his gaze and scratched the back of his head.

"You could be my great, great, great GRANDFATHER!"

"Err…"

Nazar scratched his cheek as he averted his gaze.

"And that you were acting like an edgy God?"

Aarin laughed at that comment.

"Edgy God… There is no better way to explain what he did then."

"Oh, come on, now!"

Nazar sounded exasperated.

"Let me tell you the whole story now."

Aarin sat beside Laura excitedly.

"So, one day, this demon known as Bur'goth slipped through the shield and was about to attack Emma."

"Oh?"

"And so Nazar just went berserk and killed the demon with one hit. Just so you know, that demon had enough power to destroy a whole universe."

Laura looked a little surprised.

"Then he went into his… Edgy God mode and removed the concept of angels and demons. And the Gods too. So, Michael tried to stop him but Nazar just stripped him of his powers."

"Oh, shit!"

"Then he became the edgy God and said stuff like "I could destroy all of you with just a thought! Don't you dare look down on me!!" and then he would do some stupid stuff."

Nazar was not sure why she found it funny.

"I can't help but laugh at the way he was acting…"

Aarin suddenly trailed off and thought to herself.

"Wait, this isn't exactly funny at all."

"You noticed that now?!"

Nazar sighed.

"Haha. Don't worry, I got more embarrassing stuff to tell her."

"Please don't!"

"Haha too late."

Nazar sighed deeply.

"Okay, so this is the story of when he was young."

Laura listened to Laura with great interest.

"There was this girl who asked him on a date."

"Oh?"

"So, he just stares at her. He keeps staring. And then BOOM! Just vanishes into thin air."

"Why?"

"He was scared. Of course, I covered it up for him but for the next few years, he would avoid even making eye contact with that poor girl."

"That's… not exactly embarrassing."

"Hm. You are right, Laura. It's not embarrassing if I tell you. But if you were to see it then, you would have seen how embarrassing it was."

Aarin signed.

"Not having a normal childhood at all… It's impossible to have embarrassing stories."

"So, why did he not go on a date with that girl?"

Hearing Laura's question, Nazar smiled a little.

"Because I am hundreds of years old?"

Laura was still not sure how to feel about that.

"Nazar?"

Hearing Aarin's voice, he looked at her.

"Can you give us a minute?"

"Hm?"

"Girls talk."

Nazar looked at her blankly.

Sighing, he vanished into thin air.

"Why did you send him away?"

Aarin smiled.

"I just want to talk to you. That is okay, right?"

Laura nodded with her eyes.

"So, what do you think?"

"Think?" Laura said as she tilted her head in a confused manner.

"About him. I mean, you just found out that he is hundreds of years old."

"Ah…"

Laura lowered her gaze as she thought.

"I honestly don't know what to think. It's just… I mean, first I find out that there used to be another timeline. And that I was dating him. Then I find out that he is practically a God. And then…"

She but her lip in a frustrated manner.

"The whole cheating thing. And now that he is this old - which doesn't bother me in the slightest. It sounds stupid but I wish he had told me earlier. I am also annoyed that he didn’t tell me about his true self until I told him I remember."

"Woah, woah, woah."

Aarin was looking at Laura in disbelief.

"Cheating? Him? That sounds impossible."

“Yeah, he told me himself.”

"That… That doesn't sound like him at all. He would never do that."

Aarin continued to speak as she thought back to the beginning. She had practically raised Nazar so she was thinking back if something similar had happened in the past.

"You know, in the original timeline, you were the first one he fell in love with. Though his emotions were manipulated but even then, it developed into proper emotions. I remember when he asked me if it was really real back then."

Aarin recalled many occasions where Nazar asked similar questions.

"Even in the new timeline, he only ever loved. To him, you were special. Very special. And he couldn't forget that. Even living for hundreds of years."

Laura looked at her.

"Though he did have a lot of sexual thoughts about other people - well, mostly this one teacher of his who had a figure similar to yours - and he probably slept with a few people but that's pretty much it. He never entered a relationship either."

"Where are you going with this?"

"So, I don't get why he would cheat on you. It just doesn't make sense."

"He said something about blacking out and then finding himself in the middle of space the next day. And this morning he remembered that he had slept with the princess."

Aarin's eyes widened.

"He said something about forgetting me and then remembering me today."

"He asked me today if I knew about him and you."

"Then…?"

"Lucifer told me that one personality of his messing around with him. So, I think that might be the case here too."

"I see…"

"So, did you come here to talk to him? To end things?"

"I…"

Laura lowered her gaze.

"I don't know."

"If you are here to end things, I would suggest talking it out with him properly. If you end it just like this, I don't know… there will be a lot of loose ends. And there will be an uneasy feelings. For both of you."

Laura sighed.

"I don't know what to do. I know he isn't as invincible as everyone makes him out to be. I know that. And I know that he is not lying about not remembering and not remembering what happened with the princess...But even then, I can't help… I can't help but have this anger and jealousy within me."

"That's normal feelings to have."

"I get that. But if I act like a bitch towards him now, in his dire time of need… I don't want that. But even then… I don't know what to do."

Laura held her head in her hands.

"I don't want to add more to his plate right now… He has always been emotionally unstable and weak. I can't even imagine what he is like right now emotionally… What am I supposed to do?"

Laura felt tears coming down from her eyes.

"Aarin, what am I supposed to do?"

Aarin placed her hand on Laura's head.

"I… I don't know, honestly."

Aarin gritted her teeth for not knowing what she should do.

Nazar always looked up to her for answers whenever he needed advice in life, and this is not so different. To her, it looks like Nazar asking her this question.

But she hates not being able to answer her.

"What do you truly want to do? Don't take his feelings into account. What do you want to do?"

Laura thought about her answer.

"Take your time."

Aarin ran her fingers through her hair in a comforting manner.

"I want to be with him. Not because for his sake but because for my own. When I am with him, I feel happy. A form of happiness that I don't feel when I am with others."

"And?"

"We will only be together for a short while, then we will be going in different directions. So, I don't want to waste that time sulking. I want to spend my time being happy."

"I see. So, that's what you truly wanted when you came here?"

Laura raised her head and nodded.

Aarin removed her hand from Laura's head.

In her other hand, a tissue appeared. She gave it to Laura who used to wipe her face with it.

“I wish it could go for longer but I would be happy with just being together for even a short time. Nothing lasts forever.”

"Then you should tell him that. Tell him what you REALLY want from him. It's okay to be selfish. We all are."

Aarin smiled.

"So, tell him what you really want and he will do his best to give it to you."

"Okay," Laura said very slowly.

Aarin stretched.

"You know, he might not show it but he cares deeply for the people he loves. It sometimes leads to his downfall. But it's admirable."

Laura took a deep breath.

"Do you know what the last thing I remember before dying is?"

Aarin looked at her in a confused manner.

"He asked me to be his queen."

Aarin's eyes widened.

"I didn't know what he meant then. But after thinking about it today, I think I understood what he wanted."

"You are telling me…"

"I guess so."

Aarin sighed.

"Well, you have been spoiling him a lot in the other timeline so I am not surprised."

"What do you mean by spoiling?"

"Uh, I don't know, you tell me."

She shook her hand in front of her chest.

"Nope. Don't tell me. I don't want to know what you two horny kids were doing."

Laura's averted her gaze in an embarrassed manner.

"You see, before meeting you, I am sure he was fantasising about fictional characters. But now he fantasises about them and living people."

"Wah?!?! How is it my fault?!" She said out loud with her face flushed red.

"I don't know but just look at yourself and you will probably know."

"Sh-shut up!"

"Anyway, what do you like about him?"

"Uh… His looks, his eyes, his hair, his smile, his personality - he acts all hard but when the time comes, you can count on him. And his…"

Laura trailed off and looked away.

"That's it? Not his powers?"

For some reasons, Laura blushed.

"Most people I have met like him for his power. Interesting."

"A-anyway, why did you ask?" Laura asked frantically.

"I just wanted to know what you found so interesting in that boring and not-so-attractive guy."

"He is hot!" Laura blurted out.

"Huh, interesting."

Aarin thought to herself.

"You see, because of his anxiety and what happened to him when he was a child in the original timeline, he subconsciously manipulate people's mind when it comes to how people see him. So, most people don't find him attractive at all since he manipulated their minds. Of course, he never found out and he still does it. But!"

Aarin looked at Laura.

"It's interesting that he hasn't manipulated yours."

Laura was not sure how to feel about that.

“But what about that girl? You mentioned earlier?”

“Ah. I manipulated that part of his mind for a short time but after a while, I restored it.”

"I see… So, you don't find him attractive?"

Aarin shook her head.

Laura seemed a little surprised.

"Not even his maniac-like laugh?"

Aarin smiled stiffly.

"Um, what?"

"You know the laugh he does?"

Aarin was not sure what Laura was talking about.

"You know the one where he looks down and his eyes glow up and then he laughs very slowly? That laugh is so fucking hot!"

"Errr…" Aarin said as she made a disgusted expression. "He is like a little brother to me. I never found anything about him 'hot'."

Laura's eyes widened a little.

She felt a little embarrassed because she had jumped to conclusions earlier on.

"Sorry."

"Hm?"

Aarin was not sure what Laura meant.

Not expanding on what she meant, Aarin sighed and stood up.

"I will get going now."

Her finger slightly twitched.

"Nazar you can come back now."

As Aarin said that, Nazar appeared out of thin air.

"So… Why did you kick me out of my own home?"

Aarin shrugged.

"Anyway, I am going now. I will leave you two be."

Aarin then vanished into thin air.

"Weird…"

Nazar looked at Laura and then averted his gaze. He wasn't sure what to do.

“Can we talk?”

Luckily, Laura had something to say.

“Yeah, sure.”

“I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I came here and don't know why. But after talking to Aarin… I think I know what I want to say.”

"Oh?"

"What you told me this morning, were you telling the truth?"

Nazar nodded.

"Is someone messing around with you?"

"Yes. One of them is one of my personalities."

Laura stood up.

"I love you."

Nazar's heart skipped a beat.

He was not expecting that after what she found out today.

“You know, all my life, no matter who I was with, I always had this emptiness within me. That vanished once I met you. My life felt so empty. But for the first time in a very long time, I felt like my life was full when I was with you. For the first time in a long time, I was actually happy.”

Her eyes welled up.

"So, I want that last a little longer."

"Laura…"

"I love you. And when I am with you, I am actually happy."

Nazar was not sure what to say.

"In my life, I have been with many people but there is always this emptiness. An emptiness that doesn't exist when I am with you. So…"

Nazar was never aware of this. He had always thought she was a happy person who had a fulfilling life.

He felt a little guilty for ruining the last few days for her

"So… Can we stay together?"

Streams of tears poured down her face.

"Even if it's for a little longer?"

Laura lowered her head.

“I know what I am saying is very selfish… but can you do that for me?”

She raised her hands and wiped the tears off her face.

"Yes."

Hearing that, Laura raised her head in a surprised manner.

"I didn't know about that. But if me being around means you are happy, then why not?"

Nazar walked closer to her.

"I love you, too. I am happy whenever I am around you, too. And if we are both happy..."

He placed his hand on her cheek.

"So, yes," he said as he smiled.

She leaned forward and placed her head on his shoulder as she cried.

Once more, Nazar was not sure why she was crying or what he should do in this situation.

So, he did the best thing he could and wrapped his left arm around her.

"Do you know… why I am crying?"

He felt her hot breath on his nanite-based clothes. He felt her heart beating faster. And he felt the heat that was coming out of her body.

Being this close, he could sense the beautiful smells coming out of her body. It was a nice and nostalgic smell.

And for some reasons, he felt a little relieved on the inside.

“It wasn’t your fault from what you told me… But even then! But even then it’s hard not to…”

She bit her lip in anger.

“it's hard not to feel sad, angry, regretful… and jealous.”

“…”

Nazar was not sure what to say to her.

“I promise…”

He thought about what he wanted to promise her.

“I… I promise it won't happen again. I won't let it happen again. I won't let you be forgotten again. I won't let anything like that happen again. And I will make sure you are happy.”

Hearing the strong resolve in his sound, Laura shut her eyes closed in a relaxed manner.

For some reasons, she knew that it will not happen again.

She was relieved. She was starting to feel a little happy within.

However.

Nazar felt uneasy. He wasn't sure. He promised her but he wasn't sure if he could keep that promise.

After a few minutes of just standing there in silence, both of them had started to feel a little relaxed from the tense mood a few minutes ago.

Nazar finally spoke, breaking the silence.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” she said slowly.

“Go and take a shower. I will whip something up.”

“Thanks.”

Laura went to the bathroom and Nazar went to the kitchen.

He looked in the fridge but there was nothing there.

So, he teleported to a fast-food chain somewhere in the USA and bought a few burgers and chips. And of course, some drinks with it.

He was back in the apartment before Laura had even finished taking a shower. So, he had enough time to clean up the kitchen since the last time he left it dirty. Even though he came back a few times, but he never entered the kitchen, so he didn’t notice how dirty it was.

After everything was ready, he placed the burgers on the table.

Laura entered the kitchen, wearing black shorts and a black sports bra while drying her hair with a towel.

Nazar also noticed that her energetic self was back.

“Where did you bring that from?”

“New York City.”

“Woah, seriously?”

“Yep!”

Nazar sounded a little excited.

“I heard from someone about it and they praised it very highly.”

Nazar pointed at the table.

“So, let’s try it out. Let’s see if it’s actually as good as he says.”

They sat down opposite one another on this small dining table.

Nazar took a bite from it.

However, he didn’t like it.

“Ugh. I didn’t notice it has cheese in it.”

“Well, I am not sure about you but I love it a lot.”

Nazar sighed.

“I should have bought the chicken wings instead…”

“I don’t understand your obsession with chicken wings.”

Even though Nazar said he hated cheese, he continued to eat it.

“It’s the greatest human invention.”

“Oookay then…”

They continued to eat the rest of their dinner while discussing which food is better.