Halo | 18+

chapter fifty

- AURELIA JONES -

I was woken that night to Shoju shaking me awake, a concerned look on his face.

At first, I thought we were under attack again and shot out of bed, scrambling to pull on my shoes, until Shoju calmed me down and lay me in his bed.

He explained that I was having a nightmare, mumbling in my sleep before I started screaming.

So here I was, wrapped in Shoju's arms as I felt safer then ever.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about?" He asked softly, brushing hair from my face behind my hair, the light of the moon casting a gorgeous shadow on his gorgeous face.

"Just that- my blood didn't work and everyone got sick. Then I was alone, because you all died."

Shoju chuckled, "Morbid."

I shrugged, "You asked."

He sighed, a heavy weight on my stomach as his arm rested there, "I was alone for so long, and after everything that happened with Jace and the bunker I just-"

"You don't need to explain the reasoning behind why you're scared. I get it, I'm scared to be alone too. And I'm sorry he did that to you- I want to kill the son of a bitch but Ollie beat me to it." He grit his teeth, "When I found you in the woods again after hearing yelling- and you had a mark on your cheek. I saw red."

A wave of something unfamiliar washed through me, but I didn't hate it. In fact, I welcomed it brightly.

"Nobody should ever go through something like that from someone they love, and I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner." He whispered.

I lay completely still, heart pumping a million miles a minute as my head swirled with emotion. All I want is to kiss him, jump his bones and tell him that I love him, because no one has ever cared about me like that before.

But I don't know where we stand.

"It was a breach of privacy and a betrayal of my trust. I don't know if I'll ever feel the way I felt before I found out. It's hard to look at Rez and Ollie too, even though they were barely a part of it."

Shoju shifted his body so I was laying on top of him, head on his shoulder with my leg across his. He stroked my back, goosebumps rising in the path where his fingers were.

I felt drowsy, sleep welcomed me and I let it. I'm so exhausted and I feel comfortable enough to fall asleep right where am I.

"I'm afraid." I admitted, "Of what." He responded, almost immediately.

"That I'll wake up and you're gone."

He didn't say anything, just kissed the top of my head and pulled up the covers, "Go to sleep, Aurelia. I'll see you in the morning."

+ + +

Thankfully, I did see him in the morning.

And in the kitchen.

And the bathroom.

And when I walked outside. He was shirtless, stripping some wire with Rez.

I was so flustered I had to walk back inside and sit down on the couch to compose myself. "Are you okay?" Lyza asked me, her feet padding against the hardwood floors.