But Alice didn't seem all that jumpy for the idea...she was feeling something she hadn't gotten to in a long time; fear. She couldn't shake this horrifying feeling that something astronomically horrible was ahead and at full power? Sieg would've dusted every reaper put in front of him to nothing with just a snap of his fingers.
He would've exploded their shadows into the wall if it meant her safety, but he wasn't at full power and listening to her talk about all the ways that it could all go wrong, about how she feared that someone wouldn't return—he didn't have the heart to tell her that she was probably right.
"But it won't be you. Believe me, it won't be you."
"Sieg, you're scaring me."
"You know I'm supposed to be scary, right?"
And like so he managed to turn the subject to something lighter, something that made them laugh until she got sleepy and bid him Goodnight. Her departure allowed him the privacy he needed to be honest with himself though, he was worried too and he couldn't stop thinking about it. So done with the bullets late at night 'round midnight, he pulled out some papers and started making a list. It took him 'til two in the morning but when he finally went to bed at three, it was with his heart about a ton or two lighter than ever.
He woke at seven that same day and after taking care of business, he went straight to her. She was in the kitchen; Esme had made her breakfast, something the woman seemed to enjoy more than anything.
Noticing him come, Esme started making another plate and by the time he'd taken a seat, She was sliding a plate of sugar, spice, and everything nice in front of him with a smile. One like you'd get from your meemaw, you see? One of appreciation.
Sieg didn't know how to react, he flushed a fuchsia red before managing a strangled word of thanks and that made Esme smile. She left them at the counter then and only when she disappeared out of sight did The Westen man pull out his list.
"What's this?" She asked, leaning over for a look.
And Sieg smiled all proud. "All the things we're going to do before they come, you and me. As a last hurrah, you know? That way if one of us goes to hell-"
"Okay!" And so they went. For three days, they would wake, eat, and go! Aye, they went horseback riding, apple picking, bird watching in one day and camped a night with marshmallows the next. There was a carnival in town for Halloween and Sieg took her on the highest rides to date. They'd get on a ride, be tossed left, right, and up like baby formula and then get down to ride another one worst than the last.
Sieg had to carry her back that day. Carry her back all woozy and singing like a child. It was as if she was drunk!
They drove into town for their last day; they went to her favorite clothing store and there for hours, she tried on clothing. The way she got excited, trying to hurry just to show him how a dress looked, or how snug some pants fit gave him all the serotonin he needed, it lulled him into a sense of security so dangerous...he said this when she next came out.
"You know, I could marry you in that."
She was wearing a white dress and standing there all pretty, she smirked at him. "You should man up then."
She poked her leg out of the slit side of the dress and something bestial awoke in Sieg like a blowing volcano. He stood slow and started stalking towards her like a hunting lioness. His eyes and lips conveyed two different emotions as he went. "You mean you would?
"You use to say we would."
He didn't know when their lips met, or when they ended up nearly naked in the changing rooms. But next thing he knew, the store attendant was banging on the doors—pleading with them to not do something. Sieg didn't give a fuck, so he heard nothing she had to say but Alice decided it was time to leave so they dressed, bought, and left. They crossed the street like teenagers.
Hand-in-hand and giggling fit to infect. Sieg was leading and noticing that he was going towards a ring store, Alice pulled at him to a stop. His face fell when she asked him what he was doing and he stuttered so much he started looking like a puppy.
"I-I was going to get you a ring. Ma-make you Alice Westen? Don't you want that?"
She shook her head at him and he looked so hurt, she had to take his face in her hands. "I mean I do, but not like this."
"What, do you want our vows written in the sky?"
She pointed instead towards a shop just across the way, a shop full of neon signs and bikers 'round the lot, a tattoo parlor. "I want to do it the reaper way."
The reaper way? Ooh. See, reapers didn't often marry—horny as they were, they weren't built for such commitment. But every once in a trillion years, some poor sod decided to hang themselves with the rope of love and the way it went was this; worst than worthless in front of thousand-year old beings, jewelry was never used. Tattoos were instead.
Matching tattoos on the ring finger with a symbol for each party...something that signified their family.
"You use to tell me about it, remember? Tell me about your dad's symbol...the West Errow."
Sieg nodded. "Course I remember, but are you sure about this? You have to be sure, love. The reaper way ain't some measly paper contract, you know? It'll bind you to me for eternity. All of it. Dead, alive, no matter what. You'll never be able to be with anybody else, not like that and I don't want to be your regret, Alice."
"Then let's go."
Two hours later, two Westens left the shop freshly married. Both proudly rocking two bands of olive leaves and in between? A tiny arrow pointing west and a bird even tinier than the word standing atop of that arrow.
A chickadee.
