The Shadows of Diplomacy

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The ride back to their hotel was quiet. Alexei did not speak due to the lack of privacy arising from the presence of a driver, and Arya did not speak because she was upset. Alexei followed after her to the hotel room. Arya was taking quick steps as if she could not wait to reach solitude so she could release her tears, and Alexei sauntered after with guilt. Only ever a few steps behind her, he caught up to her at the hotel door, as she waited for him to open it — he carried the key, and everything else.

He followed after her inside, his head hung, but his eyes trained on her slim figure all the while. Arya went directly to the bathroom, first removing her dangling diamond earrings, then her necklace, then she took her hair down, then she peeled off her gown, all in complete silence. Alexei watched her through the doorway, from the darkness of the bedroom, sitting on the far side of the bed, with his pants still on, but his long-sleeved white shirt untucked, and unbuttoned. Arya put on her pyjamas, removed her makeup, washed her face, brushed her teeth, then finally approached the bed.

"You're on the bed with your outside clothes on?" she scowled and she hissed, but got into bed nonetheless. She lay furthest from Alexei with her back turned to him, he reached over placing a gentle hand on her arm as she lay on her side. "Don't touch me!" She snapped, prompting Alexei to remove his hand.

"Arya, I'm sorry."

"Yeah? Well, let's go back to the gala, and you can say it again in front of all those people who heard you swear at me."

She heard him take a deep sigh. Alexei ran his hands over his face. "I didn't mean to swear at you, I don't know what came over me, I just- panicked."

"Why?" Arya rolled over to face him. "It's like you said, we're supposed to trust each other."

"I trust you."

"Then why did you react like that? Is there something you're not telling me?" Arya questioned.

Alexei felt like there was a lump forming in his throat, and it hurt a little.

Arya continued. "I feel like—"

"Goddamit Arya! I said, 'I'm sorry', why do you always have to be so difficult?" Alexei snapped.

Arya's eyes welled up, she stared up at him with furrowed brows and her full lips curved into a frown. "What is wrong with you?" To her, he seemed strange.

"I just can't deal with you and your fucking feelings right now, it's exhausting!" Alexei slapped the bedside table — hard. "блядь!"

His words were like a dagger through Arya's chest, but she could also tell something else was at play. She drew closer to him and sat up on her knees. She gently cupped his face and turned his head to look at her. "This isn't like you."

His eyes and the corners of his lips drooped. Arya placed her forehead to his momentarily, before pulling away to look at him again. Alexei looked at Arya's eyes; filled with concern, then his gaze dropped to her lips, then to her chest, where her nipples were poking at her thin satin-like night blouse, he lifted his eyes back back to hers. "Arya..." he said in a low voice. "I need you to ride me."

Alexei's sudden desire for sex was a cocktail of wanting to distract Arya, and his need for a release; mentally, and emotionally, he was truly feeling frustrated, but barely at the expense of Arya. However, lying to her was beginning to chew away at him.

Arya brushed her thumb over his lips, her gaze changing from one of concern to one of understanding, before she lowered her lips to his, and softly sucked his lower lip into her mouth. "I love you." He mumbled. Alexei's main love languages were acts of service and physical touch, Arya knew that. She removed his shirt, dropping it off to the side of the bed, then his dress pants, followed by her own baby blue pyjama set. She put a leg over him, and Alexei closed his eyes, wanting to absorb the sensations of what would come next.