Haunted (Alastor x OC)

Ch 21

Aria's POV

I held his hand tightly, my heart still thumping in my chest. My mouth was formed into a very soft frown, my eyes observing the dark stairway.

The further down we went, the harder my heart was beating.

I wasn't so much scared of Alastor in this situation as I am of the dark.

"Dear..." Alastor's voice broke the silence, echoing slightly. I jumped and then hummed in response.

"I don't know why that fear is radiating off of you, but it's drowning out my senses..." he continued, and I glanced over at him. He had a calm look on his smiling face.

I pursed my lips and sighed, "I'm scared of the dark a little bit..." I mumbled, turning my head away.

He paused abruptly, nearly making me stumble down the concrete stairs. He grabbed the back of my shirt, however, just humming casually like I wasn't nearly falling into an abyss of concrete.

I straightened myself and glared at him, pulling away from his hold on my shirt. I opened my mouth to snap at him, but my face fell into shocked awe when I saw what he was doing.

He lifted his hand, fire erupting in his palm. The green hue it held was odd, but it fascinated me.

I reached forward, trying to touch it.

He held his hand away from me, quirking a brow at my action.

"Dear, fire...hot, it'll burn you," he stated, and I pouted. I blew a raspberry from my lips and absentmindedly returned to his arm.

"Well excuse me for thinking fire you can hold means I can touch it," I said sarcastically, and he scoffed.

"I am a demon, peu d'amour," he quipped, and my ears perked up hearing him speak French again. He does that occasionally, and I wish he'd do it more.

I dropped the topic, trying to make the most of these endless fucking stairs by not arguing.

"What did you say?" I asked him curiously, and he glanced down at me, the green fire giving his face a glow.

"What do you- oh, peu d'amour? Little love," he responded, and my cheeks heated up.

I hoped he couldn't see in this lighting.

"Oh...uhm...say something else...please?" I asked in a small voice, glancing up at him.

His lips parted slightly and he gave me another quick glance. He seemed taken aback by my request, but cleared his throat and chuckled softly.

"tu es plus belle que toutes les étoiles que contient le ciel..." (you're more beautiful than every star the sky holds...)

His voice was soft, and I couldn't help but find it beautiful the way he spoke so smoothly. It made a funny feeling rise in my chest and I smiled up at him, "what did you say?" I asked innocently.

His eyes widened and a blush rose to his cheeks suddenly, "uh...I said you're the most dim-witted person I've ever met," he said quickly, not meeting my eyes.

I pouted, bumping him slightly, "that's not very nice," I chuckled and he laughed as well.

"Sorry, I only speak the truth," he shrugged and I shot him a quick look.

"That is false," I snorted and he cheekily smiled, shrugging again.

Just then he put out the fire, shrouding us in darkness once again. My fingers pressed hard into his arm, my other hand flying up to meet his bicep.