Embers of Sun and Flame (Fuegoleon Vermillion x OC)

Chapter 13 "You should come home"

I probably should've prevented this, Solara thought to herself as she looked at Valereon's hunched form, sitting on the ground, leaning to the wall against which he had crashed. He was blinking rapidly, as if he was trying to grasp what had just happened; his head swaying slightly.

A low growl escaped Mereo as she shook her head violently for a brief moment, as if trying to shake of the backlash; seemingly succeeding as her gaze locked back onto Valereon in no time. "Interesting. It really does kick back," Mereo laughed; tilting her head like the apex predator that she was, evaluating if the prey was even worth the effort. "But it looks like if I rely more on my physical strength; you're helpless," she scoffed with a grin while cracking her knuckles.

Valereon was gasping for air as his hand sluggishly found its way onto his gauntlet; his eyes hidden behind loose stands of hair that now had fallen over his face.

Oh no, Solara thought to herself. This has escalated enough already. "Valereon. That's enough," she commanded, making her way away from Fuegoleon and towards Valereon across the floor. Her urgency was laced with the sense of duty and determination, and her mana concentrated around her, ready to bind him in his place. I wish he hasn't found a way to make his mana suit overlook area effects.

He shook his head, but Solara was unable to tell if it was out of disorientation or out of disobedience; a chance she wasn't about to take. Thus, she continued making her way to him, kneeling next to him, but positioning herself in a way that allowed Mereo to see him, and him to see her. Not placing herself between the two, but instead looking to stop him fiddling with his gauntlet, and letting those around to see it.

So, she placed her hand onto his armed forearm, and stared him in the eye. "If you know what's good for you, you won't do whatever it is you're intending to do."

His eyes shifted to Mereo for a moment before he looked back to Solara; his eyes pleading while his lips parted, ready to ask a question.

"No," she stated while letting go of him. "You're in no position to come looking for help from me. You brought this onto yourself, and now you need to deal with the consequences." Her tone was cold and distant; the words freezing his skin as they glided over him.

"You always say that," he remarked, his gaze shifting to the side.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked while standing up and taking a few steps behind.

His gaze shifted back to her, mouth opening slightly, but nothing came out. "Nothing," he whispered, shaking his head while he looked away. "I just don't see why you put up with that," he stated lifting himself up from the ground.

"The only thing I had to 'put up with' was you, invading my personal space. And look, I know you have an eye for detail, to the point where you can distinguish a 2 millimetre screw from a 5 millimetre one, but... that was a little creepy-"

"A little?" Selena, who had taken a few steps closer to them, asked with disbelief seeping through her tone.

They both glanced at Selena for a brief moment, the clarification halting the conversation for a moment. Solara's train of thought got lost in the process, but her disappointment and irritation still swirled in her chest; leaving her to try and make sense of it.

"But in that case, it's your place to notify me of my behaviour, and punish me accordingly," his voice began as calm and collected, but he paused, biting down his molars. His next words were pushed out of his mouth, laced with frustration: "And not leave it to a-"

Solara slapped him; his head turning to the side, and leaving a reddish tint over his skin. "Alright then," she concluded.

His head stayed still; only his hand rising to his cheek and his fingers carefully traced over the tint. And so, he stayed; in disbelief and shock, his eyes glazed forward. A heavy silence settled into the air, one that reminded of a calm before a storm. But what was about to unfold, none knew and it made the quiet that stood still, feel all the more unsettling.