Silas and Lily - Part 2
Hello everyone! Remember these two? Well, here is the continuation of their story. This second part was commissioned by @dracodenticulus. It was so fun to write this piece. Thank you so much for commissioning me.
Warnings: medical talk, gore mention, sexual fantasies
It takes about three months for Silas’ legs to fully heal.
His tibias healed within the first month, thanks to a combination of Lily’s magic and her applying bone meal ointment to the bones twice a day. Lily told him it would have taken about six months for a living human’s bone to heal naturally.
“Would mine have healed naturally? Without the magic?” Silas asks one night.
Lily is sitting in front of him. An anatomy book opened to a page with a diagram of a human leg sits on her lap. The page is scribbled with notes.
Spread out around her are several necromancy books. Some are old, with fraying pages and ink text. While the rest of the books are new, with a modern design layout. One of the books even has a skeleton guide that moves through the book with the reader.
She looks up from the book. “No. You need to be living with a beating heart and pumping blood for natural healing. And you, Silas, are not living.”
Silas grimaces. “So, I require an unnatural healing.”
Everything about me is unnatural, Silas thinks. A dead man from the late 1800s roaming the streets of this modern world is an abomination.
“I wouldn’t say unnatural because all magic is natural.” Lily pauses for a moment. “Supernatural healing and magical healing are better ways to describe this method.”
He scoffs. “And how often is this method used?”
Lily’s voice is gentle. “A lot, Silas. A kid gets hit by a car, a mother dying from cancer, or a construction worker has an accident at work; they all receive this treatment. Sometimes people need a little help, a nudge in the right direction, to get better.”
“Even with the undead?”
“Yes. How do you think Narron keeps his body from falling apart? Certainly, aren’t any skinny teas or those crystals he loves.”
Silas snorts.
When the bones set, their texture and colors begin to change.
When Silas was pulled out of the coffin, his bones were porous and brittle. Decades of rotting in a box with no necromancer to keep him in shape left his body nearly ruined. Lily’s great-great-grandfather didn’t have her knowledge or resources. The runes and markings he etched into Silas’ skin did not stop time from damaging his body.
However, when Lily began pouring her magic into his healed bones, they began to shine. Then that glossy shine changed into a wet, gooey texture.
Silas thought something went wrong, but Lily assured him it was normal.
“Looks nasty,” Silas mutters.
Lily is kneeling in front of him, examining the bone. Todd is sitting beside her, an intelligent gleam in his eyes.
“Yes, it does.”
“Why?”
“It will ensure that the muscles, tendons, and skin will stick and form around the bone.” She reaches behind her for a box of plastic wrap. “This will keep the bones from drying out and stop any hair or dust from sticking to you.”
“I did not know so much scientific stuff went into magic.”
“For many, magic and science are two sides of the same coin.”
Silas nods. “I remember hearing that when I was alive.”
Healing the bones was easy. But the reforming of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and skin proved to be a challenge.
Every morning and night, Lily would tend to his legs. She was determined to reform the damaged tissue. But the magic usage left her drained and exhausted. She would sleep most of the day and go to bed early each night. Todd was constantly around her, sitting on her lap or chest while she napped.
Seeing her so exhausted hurts Silas. As much as he wants to walk again, Silas considers stopping this entire endeavor. He has caused Lily nothing but problems since he was dug up. She left her family because of him, had to spend money on him, deal with registering him, and now she is so exhausted that she can barely stay awake.
He’s always caused problems when he was alive, and nothing has changed since he died.
One morning, during the second month of his healing, Lily woke up looking terrible. Her eyes were heavy and dark. The normal shine in her hair was gone. Her skin looked dull and ashen. Even her aura looked dimmer.
Todd followed close behind her. The cat’s tail twitters anxiously.
“Lily,” Silas says.
“Hm?” She looks confused as if she doesn’t recognize Silas for a moment. “Oh, morning Silas. Let me drink my coffee, and we’ll start, ok?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about.”
She yawns. “What about it?”
“Take a seat.”
Lily flops onto the couch. Todd jumps onto her lap. He’s purring so loud Silas can hear him.
“What’s up, Silas?” She yawns again. “You, ok?”
Silas’ heart twists. Even when she is feeling terrible, she is still putting Silas first.
“I am fine, darlin. But you should take a break today.”
“Why?”
“Because, and I don’t mean to sound like an ass, but you look like shit.”
Lily scoffs. “I’m just a little tired, Silas. I’ll be fine after my coffee.”
“Darlin, I’m ain't making a suggestion. I’m telling you to take a break.”
She scowls at him. Amber red spiderwebs through the black and muted greens in her aura. He can feel the prickle of irritation in the air. Todd sits up and meows at Lily, but she ignores the cat.
Silas is quick to raise his hands. “Look, I don’t want to tell you what to do. And I am eternally grateful that you are helping me, Lily. You are the strongest magic user I’ve met, and I know you can keep going. But I’m worried about you. I don’t want you pushing yourself too far and hurting yourself.”
The amber-red fractures cool as her face softens.
“Silas—” Another yawn interrupts her. She rubs her eyes and leans against the back of the couch.
Todd stands on his back legs and paws at Lily’s face. She waves him away.
“Silas,” she looks back at him, “I think you’re correct that I should take a break today.”
“Good. Why don’t you lay down here, Lil? And I’ll get you some coffee.”
Lily lays on the couch. “I need food.”
“I can try to make you something.”
Lily shakes her head. “I can order something off my phone. Todd, go get it for me, please.”
Todd chirps and dashes out of the room. He returns a moment later, dragging the phone and yowling the whole time.
Lily orders a small feast. A stack of pancakes for herself. A plate of eggs, bacon, and toast for Silas.
The food arrives an hour later. When Silas opens the door, the deliverer looks like they were going to pass out. The blood drains from the elf’s face, and his eyes grow comically wide. If Silas wasn’t so worried about Lily, he would have made a scary face at the elf and laughed.
Silas slams the door and rolls his wheelchair back towards Lily. Todd is still on her chest.
“Everything ok?” she asks.
“Poor delivery guy looked like he was about to pass out.”
Lily snorts. “Undead humans are rare nowadays. Remember the lady in the market?”
Silas grimaces at the memory. An older woman nearly fainted when she saw Lily pushing Silas down the chip aisle in the market.
“Come on, let’s eat,” Silas says.
Lily devours all her pancakes and most of the bacon. The changes in her appearance are instantaneous. Her skin looks better, her eyes are brighter, and her aura is clear. She still looks tired, but resting for a day or two should fix that.
Silas takes his time eating. He does not need to eat, but it tastes good. And after not eating for decades, food is a delicacy he never wants to give up.
As he eats, a memory of a woman handing him a plate of eggs and bacon dances at the edge of his mind. Her face is a blurry mess, but he can remember her dark red dress with blue stitching. And her bare forearms and hands were weathered from age and the sun. Whoever she was, the memory of her makes his chest warm.
Silas replays the memory in his mind hoping that something else will come back, but there’s nothing.
“Silas?”
He jumps in surprise. Lily’s brow is furrowed, and her mouth is drawn down in worry.
“Are you ok?” she asks.
“Yes, sorry. Just a memory.”
“A memory? Of what?”
“A woman, handing me a plate of breakfast. I don’t know who she was, though.”
Lily sits her plate on the floor for Todd to lick clean. “It is normal for reanimated humans to have their memories come back. Smells, sounds, and tastes can trigger these memories.”
“Think I’ll remember why I was killed?”
Her face hardens. “I hope not, Silas. Those memories can be difficult to work through. And some things are not worth remembering.”
Silas looks down at his plate.
“I’m gonna lay down for a bit,” Lily says, “ok?”
“Of course. I’ll clean this up.”
“Thank you, Silas.”
It takes Lily two days to fully recover. Two days of eating and resting is what Lily required. Her skin is full of life, her hair shines, and her eyes are bright. But more important is her aura. The swirling black and greens are back to normal.
On the morning of the third day, Lily decides to continue working on Silas’ legs.
There is an increase in healing after this. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments take to Silas' bones faster than before. And by the end of the second month, his legs are almost entirely healed. All that Lily has to do was weave the skin over the fresh tissue.
“Look at that; your legs are almost done,” Lily says with a grin.
Silas, however, grimaces at the sight of his skinless legs. “Almost.”
“That break was definitely needed.” Lily stands and claps Silas on the shoulder.
As she moves behind him, searching for more plastic wrap, he studies his legs. The pink and red flesh is off-putting. Woven into the pink flesh and tissue are softly glowing runes and sigils.
“Lily, why is it all pink and red?”
“Because of my magic. The color will fade, but the muscles and tendons will work.” She kneels back in front of him, box in hand. “Eventually, the runes will need to be recharged, but you won’t have to worry about that for a couple decades.”
She wraps the legs, taking care to be gentle.
“Hey, why don’t I feel anything when you do that?”
“I didn’t give you any nerve endings.”
“I don’t need those?”
Lily glances up at him. “No. That’s what the runes beneath your skin are for. When your skin is applied and connects to the tissue, then you’ll be able to feel sensations.”
“Is it possible to form nerve endings with magic?”
“Yes, but it is not usually a doctor's first choice.” Lily finishes wrapping his legs, a satisfied look on her face.
“Why not?”
She drapes a light blanket over his lap. “Because it is a very painful process. Magic and medicine can knock someone out, but the person needs to be awake to tell the doctors if the process is working. Knocking someone out over and over again is not ideal. So, doctors often use runes like what I placed on your legs to ensure their patients can feel again.”
“Even if it’s a small area? Like from a burn? Or a badly broken bone?”
Lily pushes the wheelchair out to the kitchen. “If it’s a small area of nerves that need repairing, then the doctors will call in magic users. However, if it’s a massive area of damage, doctors strongly advise against nerve regrowth. They rely on magic.”
“The power of magic.”
“It is an amazing thing.”
Reforming his skin is a quicker process. Lily explained it is similar to a full-thickness skin graft. The difference is the skin she uses does not belong to Silas. And she will be using her magic to ensure the skin graft spreads along his legs.
By the end of the third month, Silas has functioning legs.
What bothers Silas the most, though, is his lower legs looked like they belong to a living person. The skin has a healthy flesh tone and is soft to the touch. Beneath the skin, Silas could feel the warmth of living flesh. The lack of leg hair is strange. He remembers being a hairy man.
“Lily?”
Lily glances up from the books she is closing and stacking in the corner of the living room. “Yes?”
“The color will fade, right?”
She looks sad for a moment. “Unfortunately, yes. You need a beating heart to pump blood through your body. And a healthy blood flow is what will give you a healthy skin tone.”
“I thought you said that.”
“If it bothers you, I can use my magic to change your skin tone.”
Silas waves his hand. “No, no need for that, darlin. You’ve done so much for me already.”
She continues gathering her supplies from the floor. Todd lounges on an opened book, unbothered and lazy. When she reaches for the book, but Todd playfully swats at her. She decides to leave him and the book alone.
“Darlin?”
“Hm?”
“Why isn’t there any hair on the skin?”
“It takes a while for hair to regrow on a living person. But since you are not living, you will have no hair growth.”
Silas pats the top of his head. “Why haven’t I lost my head hair, then?”
“My great-great-grandfather set a sigil on your head to ensure you do not lose your hair.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“Why?”
Lily shrugs. “Who knows. I assume he didn’t want you to lose all your humanity. Or maybe he thought you would look better with hair.”
“I’m glad he kept my hair.”
Lily stands up. She winces at the sound of her back popping. Silas is both jealous and slightly terrified at the sound her body made. He misses cracking and popping his bones without worrying about his body literally falling apart.
She walks towards Silas. Her free arm is outstretched so her fingers can graze along his right cheek. Her fingers are so warm he thinks his undead skin will burn away. Hell, for a moment, Silas thinks his entire body will burn up, and all that will remain of him will be a smoldering pile of ash.
“I am glad he kept your hair, too,” she whispers.
Her fingers slide away, and then she’s gone, leaving Silas alone in the living room.
He touches his cheek, amazed that the cold skin still carries a hint of her warmth. When the warmth of her touch fades, Silas can still feel her fingers on his cheek. And the tingles have yet to leave his body.
A meow gets his attention.
Todd is sitting on the opened book, an amused and knowing look in the cat’s eyes. His tail flicks. Silas can imagine a shit-eating grin on the cat’s face.
“Shut up.”
Todd chirps in amusement before settling back on his opened book.
--
The first time Silas tries to walk, it does not go well. Similar to before, he ends up face down on the floor.
“Son of a bitch!” Silas shouts.
“Dammit, Silas, I told you not to try yet.”
Silas can feel Lily’s footsteps vibrating through the floor.
He pushes himself up onto his forearms. He glances up at Lily, who is both worried and annoyed. He immediately regrets trying to stand and walk on his own.
Lily crouches beside him. “Are you ok?”
Yeah,” he glances away. “Just my ego is hurt.”
She helps him back into the wheelchair. While he silently nurses his hurt pride, Lily examines his legs.
“Nothing is broken.” She sounds relieved.
“Then why did I fall? Felt like my legs were jelly.”
“Because you haven’t walked in almost a century, Silas. Your mind remembers walking, but the muscles in your legs are new. And they do not remember.”
He rubs the side of his head. “So, will I ever walk again?”
“Yes, you just need to learn again. We’re going to visit Narron tomorrow.”
Silas grimaces. He knows he shouldn’t dislike Narron; after all, he is the reason Silas has working legs. But the fact that Narron knows how Silas feels about Lily makes Silas uncomfortable. The damn lich knows too much.
“Why?” Silas grumbles.
“He will help us with the physical therapy aspect of your healing. Plus, he wanted to see how your legs turned out.”
Silas frowns. “Does he doubt you?”
“Narron? Doubt me?” Lily laughs. “No. But having a thousand-something-year-old lich examine you, and my work, can’t hurt. If I messed up anywhere on your legs, Narron can find that mistake and fix it.”
Silas glances at his legs nervously. “Do you think you messed up?”
“No, but if I did, then Narron will find the mistake before it starts causing problems.”
The next day, they are back at Narron’s shop.
The shop is the same as before. Massive, with shelves full of books, potions, and jars of ingredients. The caged creatures, however, are now lined up on one wall. The garden section looks thicker and darker. And the glowing little fairies are still hovering throughout the store.
Unlike before, Narron isn’t there to greet them at the front counter. Instead, a goblin is behind the counter, cutting trimmings from plants. The glowing fairies take the clippings from the goblin and fly to different areas of the store.
The goblin turns around when he hears Lily and Silas enter the shop. Silas recognizes him from the last time they were here.
Silas remembers meeting very few goblins during his time alive. At that time, they mostly stayed close to orcs and trolls. If they were in a town or city, the goblins always had an orc or troll escort. Rarely did goblins venture through human cities alone.
The goblin beams and steps around the counter. “Lily!”
“Vot!”
Vot is similar to the goblins Silas remembers seeing. Just over four feet, with deep green skin, and long pointy ears, adorned in silver jewelry. His hair is pulled back in a waist-length braid.
His apron is covered in dirt and soil. A bundle of flowers sticks out of one of the apron pockets. A belt of gardening tools hangs around his waist.
“I would hug you, but,” Vot holds up his dirt-stained hands. “I’m a bit dirty.”
“When are you not, Vot?”
“Good point. How are you?” Vot glances at Silas. “The both of you?”
“We’re good, Vot,” Lily says. Silas nods in agreement.
“Wonderful!” Vot looks happy. “Can I help you with something? Or you here to see the big lich himself?”
“We have an appointment with Narron.”
“Of course, of course.” Vot glances towards the back room.
Silas follows his gaze. A curtain is drawn over the doorway towards the back room. Sparkling pink and blue light peeks out from beyond the curtain. The hum of voices and conversation is barely heard over the buzzing of magic.
“He’s taking a bit longer with his current customer, but he should be done soon,” Vot says.
“Of course,” Lily says. “We’ll look around.”
“Please do. And if you need anything, yell for me.”
Vot returns behind the counter.
Lily barely pushes Silas forward when the curtain to the backroom is thrown open. A woman walks out holding an undead cat in her arms. The cat is rubbing against the woman’s face, purring and chirping loudly. Narron is beside her, an arm draped over her shoulders, as he stoops down to talk to her. She’s nodding and wiping her tear-stained face with her free hand.
Based on her aura, Silas can tell she is also a magic-user. Beneath the sorrow and relief, Silas can see a variety of splattered colors. Maybe an alchemist or potion maker.
“If you have questions or concerns with Butter here,” Narron hands the woman a card, “Call me anytime. No matter the time of day, call me.”
The woman takes the card. “Thank you so much, Narron. Thank you.”
“You are very welcome, my dearest potion maker.” Narron’s hand settles on her cheek for a brief moment. He pulls his hand away when he sees Lily and Silas. “Vot, will you check her out?”
“Of course, Narron,” Vot says.
The woman and her undead cat turn to Vot while Narron motions Lily and Silas to follow him into the backroom.
The backroom is neater this time, but the air is thick with magic.
“Oh, Narron.” Lily’s lip is curled up in disgust. “What happened in here?”
He sighs. He sounds tired, but irritation and anger flicker beneath. “I was fixing a mistake for that woman out there. Her familiar passed, and she went to a necromancer to bring him back. However, whoever did it was a fucking fool, Lily.”
“Oh gods, what happened?”
“The cat’s soul was barely even there. More corpse than living cat.” He sighs and rubs his boney temples. “Poor woman.”
“You managed to help her?” Silas asks.
“Yes, but she was carrying around her half-dead cat for a whole day. The mental pain that caused her is indescribable,” Narron says.
The anger around Narron darkens before cooling.
“Did you find out who did the reanimating?” Lily asks.
“Yes. And I’m going to call the DON tomorrow.” He pauses. “Might even pay that idiot a visit myself.”
“They deserve a visit.”
Narron is lost in thought for a moment before he claps his hands. “How may I help you today, my gorgeous belladonna?”
“Silas’ legs are healed,” Lily gestures to Silas, “But he is unable to walk. Can you help with that?”
Narron’s boney face looks smug. “Of course, he cannot walk. The man hasn’t walked in decades; he can’t just start strutting his stuff like before. But to answer your questions, my darling death bringer, yes, I can help you with that.”
Lily bumps Silas’ shoulder. “Told you he can help.”
Silas grunts in response.
“Before you can start walking, cowboy, I need to examine your legs. A single miscalculation or improperly placed sigil and your legs may fall apart. May I examine your legs?”
Silas nods.
Narron moves the blankets and begins examining Silas’ new legs. Lily hovers over Narron’s shoulder, watching what he’s doing the entire time.
The feeling of Narron’s boney fingers ghosting over his skin makes Silas squirm. But worst is the magic. Narron’s magic is bright and invasive compared to Lily’s. It weaves through his flesh and bones, examining the foundations and structure Lily built.
It feels like forever before Narron pulls away. Silas sighs in relief.
“You did well, my darling student,” Narron says.
Lily smiles. “His legs are, ok? No mistakes?”
“No mistakes.
“Told you, you didn't make any mistakes, Lil,” Silas says.
Lily smiles and looks away. Narron glances at him, a smirk on his boney face.
“So,” Silas clears his throat, embarrassed about being caught, “What do we do about me not being able to walk?”
“You begin physical therapy,” Narron says.
“Do we go to someone?” Lily asks.
“If he was a living man, I would suggest a doctor. However, Silas is undead, and most doctors do not concern themselves with undead patients.”
Lily scoffs. “Are you serious? I know vets who assist necromancers with reanimated animals.”
“Why won’t doctors help reanimated humans?” Silas asks.
“A doctor's sworn oath only applies to living patients,” Narron explains. “Veterinarians, on the other hand, changed their oath decades ago to help necromancers who have a limited understanding of animal anatomy.”
“What do we do then?” Lily asks. “Go talk to a vet?”
Silas has never met a veterinarian before, but he’s seen vet shows on the tv. He can imagine Lily wheeling him into an office full of dogs, cats, and birds. Talking to a doctor with a pocket full of treats, who looks perplexed that an undead man is in their office.
“Oh, no, no, no. You will have to do most of this work yourself.” Narron leans back and grabs a tablet from a nearby desk. “But the internet is full of helpful videos and informative articles.”
Narron taps the screen, which somehow responds to his skeleton fingers. A moment later, he turns the tablet around to show Silas and Lily a list of youtube videos. All the videos are physical therapists and doctors showing viewers learning to walk exercises. Beginner levels that involve stretching and contracting muscles, to advanced exercises that involve stepping onto a stool.
“These videos will help you learn to walk again, Silas,” Narron says.
Silas is unsure. As is Lily.
“Are you sure, Narron?” Lily asks.
“Yes.” Narron turns to Silas. “The magic runes in your legs will assist with your relearning, Silas.”
“How long do you think it will take him to relearn?” Lily asks.
Narron glances towards her. “It depends on him, but I assume he will relearn faster than a living person.”
“Alright, Narron. Thank you.”
“You are very welcome, my lovely death blossom.” Narron stands. “Before I forget, I have something for the both of you.”
Narron searches through several nearby bags. He lets out a triumphant noise when he finds the bag he was looking for.
“Narron, what did you get us?” Lily asks as she takes the bag.
“Oh, just some gifts for my favorite student and her dashing cowboy.”
Inside the bag are several whiskey bottles, a couple boxes of cigars, several metal tins, and a thin wooden box.
“I assume that tongue of yours has been working, right, Silas?” Narron asks.
“Yes, sir. Been working like a charm.”
“His mood has improved greatly with being able to taste,” Lily says, looking in the bag.
“Oh? Wonderful to hear. So, what are your favorite things to taste so far?” Narron asks.
Silas thinks for a moment. “Probably this white spaghetti stuff Lil bought a few days ago.”
“It’s called chicken alfredo, Silas.” Lily glances between him and Narron. “I’m gonna go leave this bag at the front counter. Be right back.”
Silas nods.
“Go ahead, my lovely death blossom. We’ll be right behind you.”
Lily leaves the room.
“So, anything else you miss tasting?” Narron asks.
Silas thinks for a moment. “I remember trying hot chocolate once. I would love to try that again.”
“That is easy to get nowadays. Anything else you miss? Or maybe,” Narron leans towards Silas, “It’s someone that you miss feasting on.”
Silas grunts and pushes the lich away. “Shut it, you.”
Narron laughs. “I am only playing, my sweet cowboy.”
He pushes Silas to the front of the store.
Lily is conversing with Vot while a couple fairies play in her hair. She’s laughing and smiling. If Lily notices the fairies, she does not react to them. But she’s beautiful.
“You know,” Narron whispers in Silas’ ear, “have you thought about what we talked about last time?”
“No.”
“Liar. You think about it often, don’t you?”
Silas gives him a dirty look. “Shut it.”
Narron snickers. “I am only trying to help you. The both of you.”
Silas looks at Narron, confused, but he’s ignoring him now as he pushes Silas towards the counter where Lily stands.
When Lily looks at Silas, her eyes are sparkle. The glowing fairies playing in her hair look like stars shimmering in the night sky. She smiles and says his name in greeting before turning to Narron.
“Thank you for everything, Narron.”
“You are most welcome, my deathly beauty.” Narron grasps Silas’s shoulder. “And you take care, cowboy, remember what we were talking about.”
If Silas could blush, he would have been.
--
Learning to walk again is harder than Silas expected.
He was skeptical that the youtube videos would help; he even called a few of them dumb. But they turned out to be truly helpful and informative. Silas did not expect it to be so exhausting.
The most irritating part about relearning to walk is the aches and pains in his legs after his daily exercises. The pain is dull but still uncomfortable.
“Lily, my legs are sore,” he mumbles one evening from the couch.
“From the exercises,” she says. “I called Narron, and he said they are normal.”
“It’s annoying.”
“I know.” Lily sits on the couch with him. “But it’s a good thing, Silas. It means the magic and your muscles are working.”
He grunts.
“Here, let me rub them.”
The couch shifts, then she’s pushing up the legs of his sweatpants. He thought the fuzz inside the pants were soft and warm, but they do not compare to Lily’s hands. Soft, warm, and thrumming with magic.
She rubs his lower legs, finding every sore spot and knot he didn’t know he had. The warmth and throbbing of her magic send chills through his body. When her fingers ghost beneath the bunched-up fabric at his knees, he gasps.
“Are you ok?”
Silas nods and refuses to meet her eyes. “Yes, yes, I’m ok.”
“Want me to stop?”
He knows he should say yes. Her touch is consuming his entire being, making his mind fuzzy and difficult to think. He may be an undead man, but he is still a man. And her touch is reminding him of blurry-faced women he spent nights with when he was alive. He is ashamed that Lily is taking the place of these blurry women.
“No, don’t stop,” he whispers.
“Are your thighs hurting?”
Lie, he thinks.
“Yes,” he says.
Fuck, he thinks.
“Want me to rub them?” Lily asks.
“Please.”
“Ok. Why don’t you slip off your pants? You have something on under, right?”
He nods. “Yes.”
“Pull the sweatpants off then.”
Her words make his stomach flip. He doesn’t dare look at her as he pulls off the sweatpants. The boxers beneath are loose and brand new. Lily bought them a couple days ago to help Silas feel more human. Apparently, men wear boxers or briefs beneath their pants. Silas isn’t sure why he agreed with her initially; it’s not like he has a cock to protect or hide.
Lily continues rubbing his legs, but this time she focuses her attention on his thighs. When her fingers graze his inner thighs, Silas nearly loses it.
He’s going insane. Her touch, smell, beating heart, and the thrumming of magic have him thinking such terrible thoughts. If he still had a cock, it would be hard and dripping.
He imagines touching her. Her gorgeous feet, shapely legs, and that waist. Kissing and running his new tongue along her soft skin. He knows what her lotion smells like, but how does it taste?
Speaking of taste… He remembers what Narron was hinting at.
Would his touch and tongue turn her into a pile of goo? He can imagine her whimpering beneath his hands. Only when she is begging him for more, to touch her between her legs, would he pull off her pants. Her panties would be drenched with her own slick.
Lily’s thumb digs into a particularly painful spot on his inner thigh. He grunts.
Lily stops moving her hands. “Are you ok?”
“Yes.”
She continues.
The pain didn’t stop his mind from conjuring sinful imagines. It fuels his disgusting thoughts.
Silas remembers women from his time being hairy, but he knows times are different now. Does she shave like those women on commercials? Or is she hairy? He imagines her with some hair. Pussy hair wet and begging for him to touch and taste.
He nearly moans at the thought of tasting her. The thick, heavy taste of pussy that lingers on his tongue and fingers. Gods above that is a taste he truly does miss.
Lily’s hands move away, and reality comes back.
Silas is disgusted with himself for thinking of Lily that way. The angelic necromancer who saved him from a second death. The woman who is giving him a second life he does not deserve.
Lily pats his leg. “Feeling better?”
He opens his eyes. Lily is smiling at him. Despite how embarrassed he is, warmth blooms deep within his chest at her sweet smile.
“Thank you.” His voice shakes.
“Anytime, Silas.”
--
It takes about a month for Silas to relearn how to walk.
His daily exercises turn into daily walking practice around the house. Lily walks with him. Her arm wrapped around his. If he began to wobble, Lily was there for physical support.
When he can walk through the house without worrying about falling, Lily and Silas began walking outside. They went from her front porch to the street curb every day. Then they were taking walks up and down the street. Then around the block.
By the end of the month, Silas could walk without any assistance. He did not wobble or struggle or rely on Lily for support. But during their walks, Lily kept her arm wrapped around his.
The next time they visited Narron, Silas walked into the store behind Lily.
Narron was at the front counter when he saw them.
“My word! The cowboy walks!” Narron nearly leaps over the counter in excitement.
“Yes, sir,” Silas laughs.
Lily stands beside him, her hand resting on his lower back. “He's been walking without assistance for about a week.”
“Truly? Oh, wonderful news!” Narron gushes.
“We thought you could do one last check-up on his legs. Just to make sure everything is ok,” Lily says.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Narron turns and gestures over his shoulder. “Come, come, come.”
The check-up is quick. Narron detects no problems with the bones or muscles. Or any issues with Lily’s magic.
“Lily, I am so proud of you. Your magic has exceeded anything I could have imagined.” Narron turns to Silas. “And you, my deathly cowboy, are most lucky to have a necromancer like Lily looking after you.”
“Ay, Narron, you and your praises,” Lily laughs as she looks down at the ground.
Silas takes her hand in his. “He’s right, Lil. You are amazing. And I am so lucky to have been found by you. Thank you for everything, darlin.”
Lily looks like she’s about to pass out, but then she smiles and swats at Silas.
“Flirt. You’ve been around Narron too much.”
Narron laughs. “That is not my influence, my dear.”
They leave Narron’s shop together. The way Lily’s arm is wrapped around his bicep leaves Silas feeling like the man he used to be before his death. And like before, Narron’s words bounce around in his head.
It’s three days later when a package arrives on their doorstep.
A package wrapped in brown paper with a tag that reads: For my sweet death blossom and her darling cowboy.
“It’s from Narron!” Lily laughs.
“Obviously.”
Lily rips the brown wrapping. “How do you know it’s obvious?”
“Narron is the only one I’ve heard that calls you ‘sweet death blossom,’” Silas says.
She laughs again. “You are correct, my darling cowboy.”
“Shut it,” Silas says, but he can’t keep the smile from his face.
Inside the box are two bottles of wine, a container of chocolate, a bundle of tobacco, and a pipe.
The wine is European. Elven writing on the bottle says its name, the region it was made, the amount of alcohol, and the magic used. Dark and sweet, with a lingering scent of elven magic. The smell makes Silas’ nose twitch. Even Lily shivers at the magic in the bottle.
The chocolates are made by a local goblin candy shop. Sweet and savory, the smell of them makes Silas’ mouth water. Sprinkles on the top of the chocolate glitter in the light.
The tobacco and pipe, though, interest Silas the most.
The tobacco is strong, with a hint of earthy sweetness to it. The smell of it brings a fuzzy memory to his mind.
Silas and a man are sitting together on the edge of a lake. The man is looking at Silas. His voice and face, however, are impossible to recognize. When the man turns away, Silas sees pointed ears with golden cuffs and piercings. The piercings glint in the sunlight.
The memory fades, and Silas is left with a heavy feeling in his chest.
“Silas?” Lily’s voice is soft and worried.
Silas clears his throat. “Yes, darlin?”
“You, ok?”
“Yeah, yeah. Just… just a memory.”
Lily's brows rise. “Was it good or bad?”
“Good, I think. The elf and I were sitting at the edge of a lake smoking.” Silas glances down at the bundle in his hand. “The tobacco smelled like this.”
“Want to go sit down?”
“No, no. I’m good. What else is in there?”
Lily hesitates to answer. “A pipe.”
The pipe is short and old. The faint smell of tobacco clings to the wood. Despite the age, the wood is smooth and has been well taken care of. On the bottom of the pipe is an inscription that reads 1850.
“It’s old,” Silas says.
“Any memories from this?”
The elf comes to his mind again. Him lounging in the shade, a pipe in his mouth, and a book opened on his chest.
Silas shakes his head. “Just that elf again.”
“Did you smoke a pipe?”
“I preferred cigars and cigarettes.” Silas twists the pipe in his hand. “But I will use this pipe.”
Lily’s hand rests on his lower back. “I think Narron will appreciate that.”
“Why did he send these?”
Lily holds up a note. “He wanted to give us a gift to celebrate fixing your legs. He felt bad he didn’t have anything to give us the other day.”
“How nice of him.” Silas grabs the bottle of wine. “Shall we open up the wine, darlin?”
An hour later and the first bottle is almost gone.
The wine is stronger than Silas expected. Regular alcohol does not affect him anymore, but this magic-infused wine has him feeling warm and tingly all over. It’s been decades since he was able to feel close to drunk.
Lily, however, is pushing the drunk line. She alternates between giggling fits and trying to have a serious conversation. She’s rambling on about a principle of magic that Silas is struggling to comprehend.
Laying back on the couch, with Lily pressed against his chest, Silas is far too comfortable. She’s warm, so very warm against his undead skin. Her bare shoulders are so soft.
Their empty glasses are on the floor near the nearly empty wine bottle.
When she stops talking, Silas looks down at her.
Lily’s eyes are heavy. Her lips are stained red. Through her usual sweet smell is the overpowering scent of sugar and magic. The magic in the wine strengthens her own. Magic hums beneath her skin, and every time they touch, shivers run through Silas.
There’s a change in her eyes. That blissful drunken look is swallowed up by lovesickness that Silas recognizes. He freezes.
Her hand reaches up and cups his face. Her fingers tingle with built-up magic. Silas wants to pull away from her hand, but he also wants her to keep touching him. Touch every part of him.
She’s pulling his face down. His mind screams for him to pull away. He’s undead, and his face is partially gone. Don’t kiss her, his mind screams.
But he wants to. He wants to taste her wine-stained lips. Feel her warm hands traveling up and down his body. Touch every part of her body until she’s crying out for him. Give in to this sweet sin, he thinks, just give in.
When their mouths are less than an inch apart, Silas sobers up. He pulls away from her hand, ignoring the way his entire body screams out for Lily.
Silas grasps her by the shoulders and pushes her to sit up. He takes a few deep breaths before he finally looks at her.
Her brows are furrowed, yet her eyes are glassy. He can see her confusion, embarrassment, and rejection in her aura. The usual black and green swirls are disrupted by lightning strikes of blue and white.
Her mouth opens, attempting to form a coherent apology, but the alcohol and emotions make it difficult.
Silas holds up a hand, and she stops.
“You’re drunk, sweetheart,”
“I’m not,” she slurs.
“Yes, you are. Why else would you kiss me?” Silas laughs. “A lovely lady like you don’t want to be kissing an undead thing like me.”
She looks serious. “But what if I do?”
The intensity in her eyes makes him swallow. He believes her, but he can’t bring himself to let this happen.
“Don’t say that,” he whispers.
She reaches for him. “Silas, I want to ki—"
“You don’t.”
“I do.” She licks her lips. “I want to kiss you. And touch you. And lov—”
“Lily, that is enough.”
Lily jumps. She instinctively pulls away from him; surprise and fear flash through her aura. Silas winces. He didn’t mean for his voice to be so loud. He didn’t mean to scare her.
“Shit, I’m sorry Lily, I didn’t mean to yell.”
She nods, but the hurt and confusion are still there.
“Let’s go to sleep,” he begins in a softer tone. “That wine has addled our brains.”
“Right,” Lily whispers.
Silas helps her up off the couch. She wobbles, but Silas keeps her standing. An arm around her waist, Lily leans heavily against Silas.
She is silent as Silas helps her to bed.
“Goodnight, Lil,” Silas whispers.
“Night.” She rolls away from him.
He ignores the ache in his chest and leaves her room.
The house is quiet as Silas walks back to the living room.
He picks up the empty glasses and wine bottle from the floor. The syrupy sweetness that once sent chills through his body now turns his stomach.
When the glasses are cleaned, chocolates and the wine bottle has been put away, Silas stands alone in the living room. There is no evidence of what happened in the living room. No lingering smell of sugary wine or magic. Even the soured scent of Lily’s embarrassment is gone.
The house is still quiet. From the dark hallway that leads to the bedroom, a dark shape emerges from the darkness. Familiar orange materializes as eyes glint in the darkness.
Todd gives Silas a long look before sitting and meowing.
“I know, I know,” Silas mutters as he slumps onto the couch.
Todd chirps again before approaching Silas. He sits at Silas’ feet, looking up at him. Silas can’t read the look in Todd’s eyes, but Silas knows he isn’t happy.
“I’m such a fool,” Silas whispers.
Todd blinks.
“She was drunk! What was I supposed to do, then? Let her kiss me?”
Todd tilts his head. His face remains unreadable.
“Have you seen me?” Silas scoffs. “She shouldn’t be kissing me. She deserves someone living with a beating heart and life in them. All I have are hazy memories of a past that barely feels like mine. And those memories, Todd, aren’t all good.”
Todd heaves a loud sigh, then jumps onto Silas’ lap.
Silas scratches Todd’s cheek. His purrs fill the room as his eyes shut.
“She deserves someone better than me, big guy.”
Todd’s eyes open then he pulls away from Silas’ hand.
Their eyes lock. Todd’s pupils narrow, then his eyes shimmer. As much as Silas tries, he can’t look away. A warmth washes through his body as something presses into his mind. Then a voice hums through Silas’ mind.
“Shouldn’t she be able to decide who she deserves?”
Silas jumps and tries to pull away, but he can’t. Todd is firmly implanted in Silas’ mind.
“Shit! You can talk?”
“Yes, all familiars talk.” Todd blinks again. “Mostly to our magic users.”
“I’ve never heard you talk!”
“We rarely communicate with others.”
“Why are you talking to me, then?”
“Because it is necessary.” Todd’s tail flicks.
“Necessary?”
“Yes, it is necessary because you are a fool.” Todd sounds annoyed.
“I know. I shouldn’t have been drinking with Lily.” Silas runs a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have been holding her. I was so close to kissing her.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, you idiot. Lily likes you. And you like her.”
Silas looks away. “I respect her. That’s it.”
“Liar. You might be dead, but I can smell that you like her."
"I don't smell any different."
"And I see how you look at her. She looks at you the same.”
“Todd, she deserves—”
Silas is cut off by Todd digging his nails into his thigh. He winces and fights the urge to push Todd off his lap.
“Lily can decide for herself who she deserves. And she has chosen you. She cares for you. She adores you. I do not understand why you push her away. Why do you deny your feelings? Why are you denying her?”
Silas is quiet.
“Why, Silas?”
“Because… because what can I give her?”
“Why do you think she wants you to give her something? She simply wants you. Do you want her?”
“Yes. Gods above and below, I want her. I want her so bad it hurts, Todd. I burn for her. My skin, my entire being, screams for her.”
“So, what is the issue? All she wants from you is companionship and a chance for love.”
“Isn’t that what you and Narron are for?”
“To an extent, yes. Our roles in her life are to help and support her down her magic path. But we cannot give her the type of companionship and love she desires.”
“I can be her friend,” Silas scowls, “but I’m undead, Todd. Anything more than that will not work.”
Todd’s head tilts to the left. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. How can she want to kiss me? I’m undead! I don’t even have a dick.”
Todd’s head tilts to the right. “Are you forgetting that Lily is a necromancer? Connections and relationships with the undead and spirits are not new to her.”
“You mean she’s been with other non-living entities?”
“You won’t be the first undead she’s adored and desired." Todd blinks. "But if you want to know more about those past relationships, you will need to ask Lily.”
Silas doesn’t know what to think. This talk hasn’t helped him very much. And talking to Lily about past relations with the undead and spirits is not something he wants to do. It sounds very personal, and the thought of others having connections with Lily makes Silas’ skin prickle. He has no right to be jealous, but he can’t help it. Was he always a jealous man?
“Is she mad at me?”
“No, she can’t be mad at you. But she is confused and hurt.”
“With me?”
“With herself.”
“She shouldn’t be.”
Todd yawns. “She is. You make it obvious how much you care about her. I think you might even love her. But she is doubting herself. She thinks she misread the signs.”
Silas sighs and leans against the back of the couch. He knows he can’t deny these feelings, and pushing Lily away is hurting her. He doesn’t want to hurt her. He adores her. He thinks he might even be in love with her. So, how can he continue hurting the person he loves? He can’t.
“What if… what if my memories come back and she learns I’m a terrible man?”
“You worry about who you were, but that does not matter anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because that man died years ago.” Todd stands and stretches, then jumps off Silas’ lap.
When Todd is at the hallway entrance, Silas says, “Todd, wait.”
Todd looks back. “Yes?”
“I will talk to Lily tomorrow.”
“Good.”
“Hopefully, I can fix this mess.”
“I am confident that you will.”
And with a wave of his tail, Todd vanishes down the dark hallway. Leaving Silas alone in the living room with his thoughts and regrets.