Chereads / An Unordinary Extra / Chapter 483 - Future Worth Fighting For

Chapter 483 - Future Worth Fighting For

The past few days had been... eventful, to say the least. It felt as though the two years I'd been away hadn't eroded our bonds but forged them into something unshakable. That was evident in how both Cecilia and Seraphina had stormed the Creighton estate with the singular goal of monopolizing my time. Rachel, naturally, was more than happy to encourage this, provided it was on her turf.

And so, I'd been subjected to their relentless attention, not that I minded. There was a sort of peace in the chaos, a comfort I didn't realize I'd missed until now.

Currently, we were sprawled across the sun-drenched lounge. Cecilia lounged against my right shoulder, her golden hair catching the light as her ruby eyes sparkled with amusement. Rachel claimed the other side, her fingers lazily tracing patterns along my arm. And Seraphina—ever the picture of quiet strength—had settled herself on my lap, her silver hair cascading over my chest like moonlight.

"You three really know how to wear a guy out," I remarked, leaning back with a dramatic sigh.

"Oh, please," Cecilia shot back, her tone dripping with mock disdain. "You're loving every second of this, Nightingale. Admit it."

I smirked. "Guilty as charged."

Rachel, ever the opportunist, saw her opening. "Good," she said, sitting up slightly to fix me with her sapphire gaze. "Because there's something we need to discuss."

There was a shift in the air. The playful banter was replaced by something more serious, more deliberate. I raised an eyebrow, already sensing danger. "What is it?"

"Marriage," Rachel said, her voice unwavering.

I blinked, caught off guard. "M-marriage?"

"Yes, marriage," she replied, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Why, are these rings just decoration? Or do they actually mean something?"

Before I could stammer out a reply, Seraphina joined the fray. She nodded once, her light blue eyes steady. "Marry," she said simply.

Cecilia, of course, wasn't about to be left out. She leaned in, her lips curling into a wicked grin. "You've had two years to think about this. Surely you've made up your mind by now."

"I... well, that is to say..." I stumbled, my thoughts scrambling for purchase. Marriage wasn't something I hadn't considered—far from it. But the timing...

Ideally, I would have waited until the world wasn't teetering on the brink of collapse. Until the shadows of enemies stronger than us had been dealt with. Until the dust had settled. But as I looked at them—their unwavering gazes filled with love, trust, and just a hint of impatience—I realized waiting might be the real mistake.

"Alright," I said finally, exhaling. "How about in a year?"

Rachel tilted her head, her sapphire eyes narrowing in mock suspicion. "A year?"

"A year," I repeated. "Enough time to prepare, to make sure everything is perfect. And to deal with... well, the impending world-ending threats and all that."

Cecilia raised an eyebrow, her grin shifting into something more thoughtful. "A year's acceptable, I suppose. For now. But if you try to delay it..."

"I won't," I assured her, raising my hands in mock surrender. "No excuses, no delays."

Seraphina nodded again, her quiet approval speaking volumes. Meanwhile, Rachel leaned in closer, her voice soft but firm. "No excuses, no delays," she echoed, sealing the promise.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to imagine it. Not just the battles and the victories, but the peace that would follow. A life shared with these three incredible women. A home filled with laughter, love, and maybe even a little chaos.

A future worth fighting for.

"But I don't want kids. Not yet," I said, breaking the comfortable silence.

The weight of my words hung in the air for a moment, surprising even me. Cecilia arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her golden tresses shimmering as she tilted her head. "Why not?" she asked, her tone light but her curiosity genuine.

I hesitated, searching for the right words. "Because I don't want to worry about my kids while fighting demons," I said finally, my voice firm. "It's enough that I worry about the three of you. At least I know you can handle yourselves, that you'll watch my back. But children?" I shook my head. "They're different. Fragile. Helpless. I can't put them at risk like that."

Rachel's sapphire eyes softened as she studied me, her expression caught between understanding and resolve. "You don't think we could protect them?" she asked gently.

"It's not about that," I replied, my hand instinctively reaching to stroke Seraphina's cheek. Her skin was soft under my fingertips, her pale eyes reflecting quiet strength even as she leaned into my touch. "It's about not having to make that choice in the first place. In the hyperfragment, I barely held myself together knowing you were in danger. If it were children..." My voice trailed off, leaving the unspoken thought to linger.

Rachel's lips pressed into a thin line, her hands folding neatly in her lap. "In the hyperfragment, we were little more than damsels," she said, a flicker of bitterness seeping into her voice. "You had to save us. We were weak, Arthur. Useless."

"That wasn't your fault," I said firmly, my gaze locking with hers. I turned slightly, ensuring my words reached all three of them. "It was the design. It was his design. He crafted the entire thing to push me to the edge, to force my awakening. That was never about your strength or worth. It was a game—a cruel one at that."

Seraphina's fingers brushed mine, her silver hair spilling over her shoulder as she looked up at me. "Still," she said quietly, "it feels like failure. Like we couldn't be what you needed."

"You've always been what I needed," I said, my voice softening. "You've been my strength, my sanity, my hope. Don't ever let anyone—even me—make you think otherwise."

Cecilia's ruby-red eyes gleamed as she leaned back, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "That was almost poetic, Nightingale," she teased. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"I surprise even myself sometimes," I quipped, a faint smile tugging at my lips. But the humor faded quickly as I glanced between them, the weight of the world seeping back in. "I don't want to risk more than I have to. That's all this is. For now, let's focus on surviving. On building the kind of future where kids—our kids—can actually live without fear."

For a moment, none of them spoke. Then, Rachel reached out, her fingers intertwining with mine. "A future worth fighting for," she said, her voice steady.

"And a future worth waiting for," Seraphina added.

Cecilia chuckled, her usual bravado softening as she leaned forward, her hand resting over mine and Rachel's. "Alright, Nightingale. We'll wait. But don't think for a second you're off the hook."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I said with a small laugh, the heaviness in my chest lifting ever so slightly. For now, this was enough.

Related Books

Popular novel hashtag