Her Balance | Nikolai x Reader x Darkling

~ Chapter 10 ~

Last update of the night so enjoy!

Let's get into it.

First Person - Y/n

The King and Queen were hustled from the room by the guards. Genya held her chin high until they were gone. Then her shoulders sagged.

David put his arm around her, but she shook him off.

"Don't," she snarled, brushing away the tears that threatened.

Tamar started forward at the same moment that I said, "Genya—"

She held up her hands, warding us off.

"I don't want your pity," she said ferociously. "You don't understand. None of you do."

"Genya—" David tried.

"Don't you dare," she said roughly, tears welling up again. "You never looked at me twice before I was like this, before I was broken. Now I'm just something for you to fix."

I was desperate for words to soothe her, but before I could find any, David bunched up his shoulders and said, "I know metal."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Genya cried.

"I...I don't understand half of what goes on around me," said David, "I don't get jokes or sunsets or poetry, but I know metal."

His fingers flexed unconsciously as if he were physically grasping for words.

"Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing."

He drew in a deep breath then awkwardly stepped forward. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Genya went rigid. I thought she'd push him away. But then she threw her arms around him and kissed him back. Emphatically.

"Well, damn," I mumbled as Mal cleared his throat, and Tamar gave a low whistle.

They broke apart. David was blushing furiously. Genya's grin was so dazzling it made my heart twist in my chest.

"We should get you out of the workshop more often," she said.

This time I did laugh.

I stopped short when Nikolai said, "Do not think to rest easy, Genya Safin."

His voice was cold and deeply weary.

"When this war is over, you will face charges, and I will decide whether or not you are to be pardoned," said Nikolai but he smiled, "Although, I think that my Queen will probably try me for treason if I don't let you go."

Everyone in the room looked at me and they all had smiles on their faces. I looked down from the sudden attention but I couldn't stop my own smile.

"Go," he said, waving everyone away. "Y/n...please stay."

I nodded and as the doors closed, he collapsed into my arms. His head was on my chest and I just held him close.

"I'm sorry about how I acted," I whispered, "It honestly wasn't my pla-"

"Of course it was," mumbled Nikolai into my neck. "I was actually quite turned on at that moment."

I snorted and he just looked up and smiled at me.

"I am being serious," said Nikolai, "I have a type. My type is you."

I kissed him and he kissed back. I was afraid that I had broken something between us but I was relieved to find out that I hadn't. That the two of us were ok.