Supernova

Chapter Thirty Two - I'll Take a Reign Check

As much as I tried to tell myself that Elias and I were each other's favourites, it didn't feel that way when I saw how he fought off his smile when he told me he was going to the library or when Demon would watch me, almost mockingly, cackling without a word. Not only was I letting Needles down in this secret arrangement, but the closer they got, the greedier I became for them both as well. Neither of them minded much, but the difference was, at least Elias was greedy for me back.

Or, at least, we were still playing King and Queen with the diadem. I was giving up a lot less easily, and sometimes it would bleed into our showers, our meals, or it would slowly fade into our sleep. There was also some unsaid pressure building up during this month, because before we went back on tour, Elias and I would be flying home to our respective home countries for Christmas feasts and holiday celebrations. I spent every single one of my lonesome moments rehearsing how I'd admit to him that I didn't care anymore, I wanted to end the game, I'd bow to him and admit defeat if he would just tell me I was special enough to marry for real. But every time he came back into the room, losing suddenly became an untouchable option, and we would play once more. The game had turned into something that felt both vicious and sad.

Until a few days before the helicopters would be taking us down to the airport to meet our private planes. We were playing King and Queen, diadem set on my head, and I was watching the blurry lights in the mirror rather than him or myself. I was crying and overcome with sensation, but it was different, and he felt distant. I suddenly heard him take a sharp inhale and immediately exhale, harsh and violent, and the next thing I knew, my cheek had hit the bathroom counter. I could see myself in the faucet, eyes wide and unsure, and the diadem had fallen off my head and rolled into the sink with a clang. I could feel his hands pressing into my shoulder blades, and although I could have physically moved, I was too taken off guard to think to try.

"I've had enough of this!" He said, his voice raising. It wasn't quite a yell, but it frightened me nonetheless, enough to make my interest in the game return. Elias dropped his face, and his eyes were closed. He looked troubled. I watch him shake a thought out of his head and his eyes opened again, the blueness of his eyes trying to regain some composure. "I've tired of this game, Cassie. When I go home for the holidays, I wish to tell my family of you, and to come back with a bracelet."

Wait, was this really happening?

"Be my Queen."

Queen. His. I saw my distorted reflection's eyes widen before my vision was overcome with tears. I could feel the paralytic intensify under his palms from where he was holding me, especially on the left. My only response came in whimpers and sharp inhales. I could hear his breath too, heavy and anticipatory. Once I could see clear enough, I nodded my head, and he let out a dramatic sigh of relief as he pulled me off the counter and into himself. I closed my eyes and felt his arms around me. I was going to be a Queen. I was going to keep my promise to Needles. I was going to have him all to myself. I'd won. And he had bowed to me.

Every bird, one stone.

We got into the shower, and it felt playful and fun and victorious and light the way it had been when it was just the two of us that very first month. After I was done crying, nearly unable to stand, we started washing for real. When I turned away from him, I heard him gasp. That was such a shocking noise to have escaped his mouth, I looked over my shoulder, only to find his eyes matched the sentiment entirely as they locked with my left shoulder blade. It scared me a lot, and this time, I wasn't sure if I liked it.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked, his hands approaching me cautiously for the very first time. My first thought was to laugh, that he was fucking with me, but his eyes found mine and they were serious. "Did I?"