Author's Notes:
Blade and his friends have turned into humans using an ancient magic! What's even better is that Blade now has human hands again. You should definitely hold them.
The sound of the front door shutting echoed in the empty hotel lobby where you and Blade both stood together.
The other puppets-turned-human had all collectively decided that they all wanted to enjoy their first day as humans by going out to the nearest town and bask in the very normal and rather mundane human activities like eating out at a restaurant, shopping, going for a walk in the park, arcades, clubbing, reading a book in the library etc. Each puppet had an idea in mind of what they wanted to do so off they went, each of them practically skipping out of the door with happiness.
Leech Woman had been keen to spend time with her husband Decapitron and her son Torch. You saw the happy twinkle in her eye when she spoke to you about spending time with her family and you couldn't help but smile and feel delighted for her when you watched her talk to Torch about all of the things they could possibly do together as mother and son. Despite his wild and jagged appearance, you could tell that Torch was also feeling cheerful at the opportunity to do something reasonably normal with his parents. You watched all three of them leave together, almost like a normal family. Of course, you knew better than that; the Toulons and their friends were anything but normal.
Blade had remained loyally at your side, unsure as to what to do with himself. Just as he had done as a puppet, he keenly awaited your command and instruction on what he should do. Although he and the others were completely free to do whatever they wished, Blade stayed by your side not because he felt like he must do, but because he simply desired no other company than yours. His strong sense of duty towards you had remained as did his sincere love and adoration for you.
"Well, they all seemed really happy," you observed, content with your dearest friend's transformation. "I hope that they all enjoy themselves out there."
"Yes, I am sure that they will," Blade responded, his piercing eyes staring at you with a deep longing.
In his mind, Blade did not entirely know what he wanted to do with you. On one hand, he wanted to grab you and kiss the life out of you until you ran out of breath before taking you back up to the bedroom to ravish you in your bed. On the other hand, he also wanted to go out and explore the outside world with you. Either way, he only desired to be near you as much as possible; it didn’t really matter to him what you did together.
He drew closer to you, his pale and frosty eyes examining your face. He paid particular attention to your lips and began to recall how often those wonderful lips of yours had once peppered his little wooden face with kisses. Blade felt blessed knowing that one of his very first experiences as a human was to kiss those lips and to hold you in his arms, something that he had deeply longed for since you first met him. He hungrily eyed them now, eager for more of you.
You felt your face burn hot from his attentive stare; though you had known Blade a while as a puppet, he had only been human for little more than a few hours and you were overcome with a sudden shyness around him. The puppet that you had adored and loved so much and who you had always kept close to you was now a man of flesh and blood and in truth, you did not entirely know how to conduct yourself around him.
Despite everything however, you couldn't help but feel a real sense of excitement and hope. Whilst Blade was a puppet, your relationship was regrettably limited, no matter what you both did together. Although you kissed the little puppet, held him in your arms as you slept, took him practically everywhere with you and did your duty as the Puppet Master to protect the puppets and the ancient magic, your relationship could never truly go beyond the dynamics of a Master and her Puppet. Though your feelings for each other were always genuine, the both of you desired so much more and the only solution was an obvious one: either you had to become a puppet or he and his friends had to become a human, something that they all wished for immensely.
Through much toil and adventure, the puppets were human once again and you felt as though your relationship with Blade had only truly just begun. There was so much for the two of you to do together and so much of the world to explore together that you didn't wish to waste another moment.
You offered your hand towards Blade.
"Would you like to go and get some coffee together?" you asked shyly. "We can go to that really nice coffee shop in town that I like. Do you remember the one?"
"Yes, I do," Blade replied with a smile. “I remember.”
He took your outstretched hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. To hold your hand was a great joy to Blade; although you had often wrapped your finger around his little hook when he was as a puppet, nothing could beat the sensation of his long, slender pale fingers lovingly entwined with yours. Your warm hand fit so perfectly in his, as though it was always meant there. His own hand was considerably cooler than yours which made you hold onto him tighter to help warm him up.
The two of you walked side by side, your hands never leaving the other. It was a wonderful sensation for you also; for so long you had daydreamed of all of the things you would do with Blade once he and his friends were human again. You had always held his little knife and hook hands in yours and wondered what it would be like when the day came when he would have human hands for you to hold.
Blade's heart thumped in his chest like a drum; he felt awash with joy from simply being able to hold your hand and walk side by side with you, something that had once only remained a dream to him. As you quietly walked together enjoying each other's company, Blade took a moment to reflect on the deep sense of gratitude he felt bubbling within him.
For decades, he had the hands of a killer; one blood-stained knife and one sharp hook that he had used to murder and kill both the innocent and the evil, depending on his Master's wishes and will. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Blade knew that even though he had transformed into a human body, he still carried those foul deeds with him. His newfound hands were still covered in the blood of those he had killed and he was not without guilt.
When Blade walked beside you hand in hand, he felt a vague sense of redemption stir within him. Though he knew that he had the hands of a killer, you did not see it like that; to you he had hands that were capable of doing so much good in the world. To you, he had the hands of a lover, a man destined for redemption and a new life filled with love. You had learned of all of the dark things he and his friends had done as puppets and you loved them all regardless. You saw the hero in every single one of them and you always reminded them of that good nature within them all.
Whenever you held Blade's hand, he felt like he was more than just a puppet or a man. By this simple sign of affection, he was reminded that he too was a person worthy and deserving of love, despite his dark and bloody past as a murderous little puppet.
For this, Blade would be forever grateful.
You had finally reached your car which was parked at the front of the hotel. Though you could technically walk into town like the rest of your friends, you decided that a drive with Blade into town would be equally as pleasant. Besides, there were just so many places that you wanted to take him!
Before you separated to climb into the car, Blade drew your hand up towards his lips and planted a soft kiss against your knuckles. It would be the first of many romantic gestures that your devoted Blade would do for you.
"Drive safely, my darling."
