When A Ghoul Falls In Love

It’s not the first time she got angry with him, but it’s certainly the first time she pulled his hair harshly.

At least, he didn’t get slapped.

“So, tell me.” He traces her curves downward, resting his hands on her waist. “If you want to continue what we stopped yesterday I don’t mind.”

“I mind.” She scowls at him. “I don’t want to sleep with you ever again.”

Eli freezes on his spot. Has she changed her mind about marrying him? He looks into her eyes, searching for lies. However, what he finds is pure rage in those lovely hazel eyes.

“Wife, please don’t joke with me. I can barely hold back till the wedding.”

“Why should we get married if you don’t trust me?” She places her hand on his chest to push him away. “I want to go back.”

Did she change her mind after hearing what Eoin said? Eli knits his brows together. He can’t change his past. It’s natural that she would be afraid or disgusted by him. He lowers his head as he releases her waist.

When he’s about to step backwards, she grips the edge of his shirt and pulls him closer. Nell wraps her arms around him and presses her face on his chest.

He doesn’t understand what’s going on, but he embraces her back. “Nell, I will never hurt you.”

“I know,” She murmurs.

Eli lets out a breath of relief. He can’t smell fear on her. But he still has no idea why she refused to marry him again. Are they not progressing in their relationship? He doesn’t want to give her any reason to complain. But there are a few things that he can’t change. For example, he can’t do much about his family.

“You need to trust me a little,” She tells him with a grudging voice. “Why do you always think that I will judge you based on your family background or your past? I know that you are a ghoul and it’s fine. You can be yourself around me. I am not the person who I used to be a decade ago and you aren’t the man who you used to be. I like the man who is in front of me. Your past self is a different person, but I will accept him.”

His heart skips a beat. Did she just say that she likes him?

“You don’t need to feel guilty.” She frowns hard at him. “If you feel that I will judge you for your past and leave you, then we shouldn’t be together. A marriage without trust will turn poisonous. I promised you that I won’t leave you. My promise is”

She trails off as her eyes lose focus. Her hand on his elbow trembles weakly. Nell closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I mean, I am not afraid of you, Eli. Honestly, I am fine if you decide to eat me for real someday. I would prefer you than any other ghoul. I am sure that you won’t let me feel pain.”

“If you trust me,” he holds her trembling hand and probes her, “then, why do you think that I will ever eat your flesh?”

“I like you,” She imparts, “so I don’t mind being your food if you can’t control your urges.”

Nell gives him a melancholic smile that leads him to wonder if she thought about Baek Joon-Woo again.

“If I ever do that, I don’t think that I would want to live anymore.” He tells her honestly, “I want to live the rest of my life with you.”

She lowers her eyelashes. “That’s a crazy dream.”

“Why?” He questions her.

“We are different.” She looks at him calmly. “You are ghoul and I am human. My life span is shorter than yours. I will give the rest of my life to you, but you should never ever give the rest of your life to me. You should live a long life. A long happy life.”

What does she think of him? Can he ever accept a life without her? He doesn’t even want to imagine it. Yes, he had lived more than six-hundred years without her. It’s also a fact that he can’t live a single day without her.

“I know what you are thinking,” Nell continues. “I used to think the same, but I am still alive without Baek Joon-Woo. I lived for nine years without him. That’s why I can guarantee that you will also learn to live without me. Maybe you will meet someone, just like we met. Someone who will love you more and I hope that you can also love that person back.”

“That’s a harsh thing to say,” Eli laments. The thing about her short life That’s not exactly a big problem. He can find a way to increase her life span. But he can’t tell her until he finds the right method. A lot depends on her magic that is not completely awakened yet.

“I am just” She closes her mouth suddenly. Sighing, she rests her head on his chest. “If you want to do it, we can do it now. If you want to leave this house and get hitched, we can do it your way. I am fine with anything.”

“I am not fine with it,” Eli announces. Though he told her to live for him, he didn’t mean it like this. She only cares about his happiness. What about hers? Although he wants to do everything to her on the bed, he doesn’t want it like this. “What about your happiness?”

She blinks her eyes, surprised. “Aren’t you always worried about my wellbeing? I have become a little careless after you appeared in my life. I was always a lazy one. Since I don’t have to worry about myself anymore, I will start thinking about you.”

Is this a dream?

“You know, I don’t have clothes.” She points at the dresses. “I don’t think they will fit me. I think that I gained weight.”

“You are still too skinny.” He grasps her waist and sighs, “Bones only.”

“If I am bones, what are you?” She scowls at him. “Does it make sense that your dress is smaller than my size? You can’t imagine what I am feeling right now.”

“Wife, I am sorry for being a ghoul. My body has always been like this,” Eli apologizes. “But I will do my best to become fat.”

Exasperated, Nell sighs. “Get me some clothes, please.”

“I would rather” Eli pulls the belt of the robe. However, Nell pushes him out of the wardrobe.

“Wife.” Eli’s eyes become big and round, filled with the feeling of being betrayed. “You told me that we can do it now.”

“It was only valid for that moment.” Nell steps out. “You said that you were not fine with it.”

“I take my words back.” Eli shouts, “I am totally fine. We should run away and elope. We should make babies like you.”

“What?” Devil interjects. “You can’t have babies. I am already here.”

Eli stares at Devil. “You are a cat. I want daughters like Nell.”

Devil lets out a heartbroken cry, “Little Marshmallow, I hate you.”

“I don’t care.” Eli waves his hand. “I only want Nell to love me back.”

“Little Marshmallow” Devil sniffles. He hasn’t imagined this. How could Little Marshmallow say this to him? “You have broken my heart.”

Eli laughs. Then, he peers at Nell who is shaking her head with a light smile on her lips. Maybe the day she loves him back isn’t far away. He walks to the cat who gives him a glare.

“The milk is getting cold.” Eli asks with a kind voice, “Do you want me to heat it for you?”

“I also want cookies,” Devil demands, “and chocolates.”

“You are a cat, ” Eli states. “Chocolates are bad for you.”

“I am not a cat.” Devil bursts into tears. “Little Marshmallow, you are a cruel ghoul.”

“Don’t cry.” Eli rubs the cat’s head. “I was joking. How could I not love this cute cat? You are the second most adorable person in the room.”

“Only second,” Devil whimpers. “Nell is the first one. I can accept that. But if you ever have kids”

“They will be your siblings.” Eli pacifies the cat. “Your little brothers and sisters.”

Devil wonders if Eli knows that ghouls and humans can’t have kids. But he doesn’t say it. Nell doesn’t utter any word either. “How many do you plan on having?”

“As many as Nell wants,” Eli replies in a beat.

“Clothes,” Nell reminds him. “I can’t wear this robe all day. Today is the second day of the challenge. Help me look good in front of everyone, especially your admirers.”

“But wife”

“Your father promised that we will get married as soon as the third day of the challenge ends.” She tells him sternly, “I want to marry you proudly, not as runaways. I am too old to run away and elope.”

She’s just twenty-seven. If she’s too old, then what about him? He has to become responsible. She also seems fine about kids. Though it’s difficult to have kids with humans, it’s not impossible.

And he is a doctor, a potion master, and also an alchemist. Did she think that she can escape him through death? She is in for a few surprises.

Death isn’t allowed to touch her ever again. Two brushes with death are enough.

Eli runs his fingers through his hair. His scalp still hurts. There is no doubt that his wife is one of a kind.