Embers of Sun and Flame (Fuegoleon Vermillion x OC)

Chapter 41 The one who isn't from Thea

A pair of green eyes blinked, and the smile that had been under them, fell. The lips that had been decorated with the soft expression, became pursed, as if asking a question. The movements of her hands stopped, one stopping at his side, and the other onto his chest with her fingertips nearly brushing against the chain of the pendant. And her hold of him was soft, yet determined, it was with an intention, while his hold of her had grown tense, holding her at an arm's length away.

But. The moment, the pursing of her lips, and looking at him with wide eyes, ceased as her mouth turned into a smirk.

"I'm impressed..." she purred. "But... I'll be whoever you want me to be..." she spoke with sweet syllables, as if honey that was coated with a sprinkling of sugar and dipped in syrup, while her hold of him grew more firm.

"No thank you," he spoke, pushing the words past his lips, the syllables as if frozen solid.

"Hmm..." she hummed. "And why is that? There'd be no strings attached. I could be what you need for an hour, a day, a week, a year... as long as you want. And I could be that only once, or twice, or upon agreement..." She clicked her tongue, as if salivating from something she was about to taste.

"Because I want there to be strings attached," he replied while pushing her away, making her grip tighter.

"Oh...?" She hummed while tilting her head. "How curious..." she stroked his chest, letting her fingertips glide over his clothes with just enough pressure for him to feel it, as her eyes followed the movement. "And yet... you can't take your eyes off of me..." she lifted her eyes back to his while giving him a smirk, biting her lip as she did so. "Among other things..."

He gazed down to see his hands holding onto her, despite his arms being outstretched to push her further, he held onto her. He. Held on. To her.

His eyes were wide open at the sight. His lips were parted and his body was tense.

"See?" She chuckled.

No. No. Nonononono. It-, she isn't her! What am I doing?! But I want to. By the gods how I want to hold her in my arms. I want to. I want to. I want her to be here. I-, I need her to be here. I... need... But. But this isn't her. This woman isn't her! It isn't! So why, why do I want to hold her?! Or I don't. I don't. But I do. I-, I just-, it isn't her! It isn't. It isn't, it isn't it isn't.

His grip of her tightened, as he grit his teeth, trying to battle his wish, his desire to hold her, to hold Solara in his arms, with the knowledge that he couldn't. Not at that moment. He couldn't. And he didn't want an image of her. He didn't want the second best. Not that this, what was laid before him, would have qualified even as second best. Oh no. He wanted that which was real, not a twisted image of it.

"You do want it..." she took a step closer, and his arms, they gave in with her movements, as if bending away with her will, as if his arms would have been nothing but reeds swaying with the tides. "You want to be held, and loved, and caressed... And.... I can be all that, for as long as you need... No strings attached, unless you want to..." she spoke, almost as if out of breath.

"I don't." He insisted.

"Ah, then it'll give us so much freedom..."

"No, no, I-, I don't want-, I want the ties-, the strings to be there."

"Ooo you want my strings, while I tie you up? What a naughty boy you are," she smirked.

"No, I don't want this!" He yelled through the burning sensation behind his eyes. "I don't know who you are, but give her body back to her!"

Her smirk fell from her lips, as her brows turned into a frown. Seconds ticked away as she tried to understand his demand. "You... think that I'm possessing her body...?"