The Sweet Escape |Part 1| The Carja

Chapter 3 - Tension

Erend was cursing at himself internally.

What the fuck was he hoping for? That she came to Hidden Ember just for him? Of course not. She didn't even let him know she was coming. Aloy has always been a busy bee, always on a mission, a world-saving one, and he was just part of her team to achieve that mission. Nothing more.

He knew that all along, but when he saw her jumping off that Sunwing earlier today, he had hoped for something else. They were talking more and more often on their Focuses these days, their conversations had taken a more intimate turn. Nothing sexual, of course, but he felt that Aloy was interested in spending time talking to him, or just asking his opinion on a lot of little - and big - things... She sounded happy to take his calls. She was rarely the one to hang up first.

So all those feelings he had so much difficulty putting in a locked box, key thrown away in a Thunderjaw's mouth, had slowly started to resurface.

He was so lonely in the evenings, he had too much time to think. To think about her. To think of what he would crave to do once the NEMESIS threat would be eradicated. He would lie awake imagining being brave enough to let her know, to tell her everything about his feelings for her.

How he had been lovestruck with her since the day they met in the Embrace. A case of love at first fucking sight, ever since he laid eyes on her, like a spring-green boy.

A young Nora warmaid with fire-ember hair, squaring up to Olin like he owed her shards; sharp and curious green eyes and a smatter of rust-colored freckles, shooting a thousand questions per minute and staring at him with candid eyes like he was the first man she'd met on earth. So strong but... she showed a strange naivety in the way she had absolutely missed him making passes. And at the same time, she had this natural and cocky self-assurance, sassing guards and Sun-Priests alike.

The most beautiful thing he had ever beheld.

How he hoped with all his heart that she would take him up on his boyish flirting attempts and accept his invitation to Meridian.

How despair washed over him when he learnt that the Proving had been attacked and all the young aspirants killed, and he had been relieved and overjoyed, even clouded by the vapors of alcohol, when he saw her showing up on the bridge in Meridian, just after he thought he'd lost Ersa.

How she saved him from a downward spiral when she helped chasing and putting down his sister's murderers.

How she helped him grow as a man and a Captain, after saving the city from Dervahl's malicious schemes, and even turned him into a hero, letting him fight at her side against HADES at the Battle of the Alight.

How she then snapped him in half like an arrow shaft when she slipped away without a goodbye after their victory like a shadow in the night... but made him whole again when she let him join her small team to reassemble GAIA.

How proud he had been to partner with her to take down Asera at First Forge. Her spear, his hammer, the best team ever...

How he almost told her, at the top of that mountain, before diving headfirst into this deadly fight at the Zenith headquarters...

How she was haunting his dreams during all his lonely nights, her image still vivid in his mind when he wakes up. The memory of her grunts mid-spar, turning into a shadowy silhouette riding him with hair cascading down her back... The warm feeling of holding her in his arms... The painful severance when the dream ended.

How she just turned his whole life upside down.

How he would do anything for her. Kill, burn, sink, die. Anything.