Nyx | Carpe Noctem ✓

Chapter 30: One or Two Kisses

∙ Madis POV ∙

Nyx lay on his stomach, large wings lifelessly hanging over the edges of the bed. He was only dressed in his underwear, clothes discarded everywhere in the room. His head was buried in the pillow. He hadn't noticed that I had entered his room.
I took a big step over his boots which he had apparently just tossed away. Slowly and carefully, I walked over to the bed, gritting my teeth when I took in his shaking shoulders.

"Nyx?" I mumbled, but got no answer. "Nyx," I said a bit louder and his head made a small movement.

"Go away!" His shaky voice reached me. Was he crying?

"If I am the reason for your sadness...I am sorry," I quickly said.

"Just go. Leave me alone. I don't want you to see this!" Nyx snapped, but I did not leave.
I walked around the bed, lifted his wing and sat down on the mattress. I laid the wing over my lap and brushed my fingertips over it.

"Again, if it is my fault I am truly sorry for whatever I have done. Please, let us talk."

Nyx sighed, wiggling slightly, but not looking at me.
"It is not your fault. I still don't want you to see this. See me like this," he murmured, annoyance ringing in his voice.

"I don't care. You saved my life and were always there for me, now it is my time to be there for you. You are sad, let me be there for you," I quickly protested.
The Night Court heir slowly turned his head to the side and looked at me, pouting. His eyes were red and puffy. So he had really been crying.

"What is going on?" I whispered, brushing my fingertips over his wings again. The membrane was soft and velvety, somehow inviting to place my head on top of it and sleep.

Nyx gave me a weak smile. "That feels good..." he mumbled. I returned his smile, drawing small circles onto the thin membrane.

"I...I think..." he started, rubbing his face with his hand while still lying on his stomach. "I think Lord Kator was right. I am a naiv, spoiled baby who has no idea of life or politics and ruling," Nyx breathed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"That is bullshit and we both know it. You are young and you maybe lack experience, but that does not mean you know nothing," I quickly said and he opened his eyes, blinking at me. "And in addition, I think you already know a lot about politics. I have been listening to what you said in those two meetings at Kjardan's and what I heard there sounded a lot like knowing a lot about politics and life already."

I leaned forward and brushed my fingers over his forehead to move some strands of hair out of his face. Nyx blinked once and colour bloomed high on his cheeks. He looked hopeful and relieved for a split moment, but soon his expression turned grim again. "But I will never be like my father. He endured and won two wars. He conquered death, he is brilliant in every way and—"

"And so are you. You don't have to be like him. Of course he is an amazing man from what I heard and a phenomenal High Lord, but so will you be. I know it. You don't have to be like him in order to be great."

Again a small smile appeared on Nyx's handsome face and he moved his hand to me, fingers brushing my bare thigh.

"There is not only one way to be great, you can go into so many different directions and still be great. For example, you saved my life. You saved my life without even knowing me. For me this sounds very much like a great man—male, I mean." I grinned at him, scrunching my nose and his smile now grew too. Finally. Finally he smile back at me with that typical smile of his.

I quickly changed my sitting position and lay down next to him, my fingers brushing over Nyx's face again. I lay flat on my back, head turned slightly to look at him and he wrapped his arm around my middle, also looking at me. I let him do it.