TBATE: A Hero's Return

Seduction (18+)

TESSIA ERALITH

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to this," I muttered, walking into Art's room. My room? Our room? It made me so giddy to even think about it.

"Hm?" Art asked, and I could have groaned, not entirely intending for him to hear.

"I said," I began, my playful irritation slipping in so easily. Almost as easily as Art can slip in my - not right now Tess. "You never seem to pay attention to me!"

Art played along, making an offended noise that sounded halfway between a gasp and a snort. "I do too listen to you!"

"Oh yeah?" I asked, my face erupting in a sly grin. "Then what did I say?"

I then get an idea to tease Art further. "Hm, Art?" I say in a timber that I knew would get a reaction. Only he could get flustered by hearing his name said like that, but I found it strangely endearing all the same.

Bingo.

I saw the way Art's flush broke out soft and diffused on his face. I knew that even under his shirt, his shoulders would be blushing to the same degree. When we were little, I would always tease him about it. When the sky was illuminated by a hot sweltering sun that left us both in a puddle of sweat, Art always seemed to burn a bright shade of pink, especially on his cheeks and nose.

I always found it cute, and secretly enjoyed it when we had to go out into the sweltering daylight. Even just a few months ago when he got sunburnt I would lie to myself. I would convince myself that the warm, flushed shade across the highest parts of Art's cheeks and nose was because of me, and not the sunburn.

Only now, it was evening, and the weakening rays of sunlight only came through in slats beaming through the curtains.

My grin deepened as I thumbed a dimple into his left cheek. I could feel his blush. More importantly, I could see the way Art's amazing blue eyes dropped to my lips and then to the side. It still didn't feel real that I was finally with him. My Art.

"I-well, now I can't remember!" Art said, but he didn't think of backing away. Not even for a second.

Instead, Art fingers kept smoothing my hair away and out of my face until he was just stroking his thumb over my cheek and playing with the wisping, uncontrollable baby hairs at the edges.

"What?" I asked, feeling suddenly vulnerable by his action. "Do I have something on my face?"

"You're just-" Art began, and I almost couldn't take it as I stared up at him.

Art wasn't sunlight or any other poetic phrase that I had heard people throw around in loving whispers before. He wasn't heat. He wasn't a star. He wasn't the moon.

He was so much more than that. I would never have the words, or the thoughts to explain. I could never have enough to describe how Art was capable of just sucking me into his world, and out of my head, out of my body, even. I would never be able to condense what and who I thought Art was because there was no comparison.

How could anything in the universe possibly even hope to compare?

I came back to center just in time to see Art's expression change to include a mischievous edge. I raised a brow and then Art said, "Actually, yeah, you have something right here. Can I get it for you?"

"What? Where?" My insecurities flared once again, and I found myself bringing my hand up to my face. I completely forgot that Art's own palm was still warming my cheek, and I bumped my fingers into his. I realized that his face was getting closer and closer and -