What a great romantic update! *throws rice*
Thanks ^^ I hoped everyone would enjoy it, the proposal in particular. Eros and Clotho are adorable. They each throw up wishes for the other one, though Eros holds the record I think XD
Awww . . . I just love an overprotective dad. It's adorable 
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What a beautiful proposal! Clotho and Eros are just way too cute.
Yes, Chronos is just adorable! hehe, and I amused myself with having Hope threaten him on a regular basis to leave the two alone XD
Yay! I'm so glad you like the proposal. I was gushing as I was writing it; kept going, "D'awwwww!"
Chapter 33: The Time Lord Bears an Hourglass
My boy went to prom on his own. He’s the first of the family to not have a date, though he didn’t seem to mind it. Hypnos is a bit more cerebral than the rest of us, I think, so that doesn’t seem to faze him. And indeed, he had quite the good time, even being voted Prom King. The only sour note to the whole evening was the fight he got into over someone spilling punch on a friend’s dress. Though even that didn’t seem to bother him over-much... probably because he won. Don’t tell his mother I said this, but I’m awfully proud of him!
Speaking of my wife, her elder birthday was today. She was sleeping, trying to prolong it, I think. But time waits for no one… I should know. Still, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world, as far as I’m concerned… Sorry mom.
I prove it to her by sweeping her into my arms and kissing her soundly, then just holding her for a bit, looking deep into her eyes. I know her face better than I know my own, know her heart as well as I know my own. She is my wife, my heart, my life… my Hope.
My daughter is having quite the time using the new food processor she got for the kitchen. Makes mixing things easier, particularly for baking and dough making.
Just have a string of birthdays all over the place, and no one wanted to be bothered to have a party or even a cake. Hypnos became a young adult today. He’s glad he’s got more facial hair options now. He didn’t want a full beard, but his goatee looks quite good on him, I think.
He was coming home from applying at the hospital and his eyes locked with one of the paparazzi, a Misti Cummins. Their romance has been rather whirlwind, but… There’s something not quite right with her and it has nothing to do with her being a vampire. It’s true she can’t join our house unless she’s cured of that, but, it’s something different. I don’t trust her, and what’s worse, neither does Hope. Hope’s a very good judge of character. I hope she doesn’t hurt my boy…
It’s now my turn to age into an elder. I don’t care about growing old. No, this day marks one that I’ve been both looking forward to… and dreading. The day I can eat Ambrosia for the first time. There are so many emotions roiling through me. It just doesn’t seem possible that it’s here and yet it feels like it’s taken forever…
Hope wastes no time in painting my portrait first, then having me pose for a sculpture. She takes my picture and… then it’s time. She kisses me and holds me tightly for a long moment, before releasing me without a word. But we don’t need words. Not us. Now, I can see everything in her eyes. The pride, the love… and yes, the fear. But there’s strength running through all of that. I use that strength, use it to put one foot in front of the other as I made my way to the door.
The door had been locked to me every time before. But I barely reached my hand out and touched the knob before it seemed to open of its own accord. I took a deep breath, remembering the look in my wife’s eyes and used that courage to descend the stairs.
As my mother had before me, I didn’t go right into the room, instead staring intently at the wall that had been dedicated to my wife and to my son, both of whom would pass beyond the veil one day while I remained… The thought was enough to have tears swim in my eyes. But again, remembering the look in my wife’s eyes, I moved on, but not before drawing my hand gently over the picture I took of Hope when she was in labor with Clotho… At the time, I thought she was going to kill me. And while she’s beautiful no matter what, I can’t think of a moment in which she could have been more beautiful, giving birth to our children.
I entered my museum room, each step echoing around me with more and more finality. I looked at my life, thinking back on everything. These memories… I didn’t want them to fade. I gathered them all to me like a miser gathers gold. Memories would be all I had one day… Rather than the thought depressing me, it spurred me on. I realized that my “accomplishments” weren’t the things that were important. What was important was the people who helped make them possible.
With this thought ringing in my head, I went to the replicator, programmed the Ambrosia and gently picked up the plate. I took it to the table and sat down. I stared at it for a few moments, trying to ignore the smell. It was both mouthwatering and revolting at the same time. Finally, I picked up my fork and the first bite hit my tongue. The taste… even now, I can’t describe it. Perhaps it’s because the taste in lost in sensation almost as soon as your brain can register that you’ve eaten it.
Those same memories I had seen in that room through pictures and sculptures suddenly became real. I could hear the laughter in the house as Hope and I grew up together, could taste and smell the food as my dad stood at the stove, cooking. Tears of joy, cries of grief… It all replayed in my head as if it were happening then and now. I didn’t even notice the shifting rainbow of light as I became Immortal.
Then his voice was in my head, “Well done Chronos. Well done. I know you despair of those you love. But it will be worth it in the end, Incarnation of Time. Until we meet again.” His voice faded into nothingness. But I was not alone. No, the voices of those I loved were with me.
I am Chronos, Incarnation of Time.
*****
