Solar Reign

X X

THE THRONE room was icy by the time Andorra arrived.

Nohx wasn't facing her, but rather staring at the throne itself, his back to the door. He didn't turn around when she entered, so she walked to him, taking in his rigid form. He was upset; that much was easy to see. What Andorra wasn't sure was whether or not he was mad at her, or at whatever he and Puck found.

"Hey," she broached tentatively, her voice soft but hesitant. "How did it go with Puck today?"

"He wanted to know about you defeating the Flayre." A statement, not a question. By the time Andorra stood next to him, she could see the tense lines in his face, the way his dark eyes swallowed up the light, the way frost skimmed his pale skin.

"So?" It had been harmless. In her mind, anyway. Ero could ask whatever he wanted, and Andorra would probably just tell him. It wasn't a secret, not really.

"I should have asked. When it comes to you, I want to know everything there is to know, and sometimes I hold back. I don't ask the right things, don't inquire to know more, don't want to push you-"

"Hey, hey," Andorra interrupted, placing her hand on his shoulder to try and spin him. He wouldn't move, though; his rigid body was frozen in place. Instead, Andorra turned to face him, looking up at the way he avoided eye contact. "Noah, this isn't a competition for who knows me best. Obviously that award goes to you like, a million times over. And you don't have to hold back. Really." She slid her hand from his shoulder up to his face, cupping his cheek.

The moment her thumb brushed softly against his skin, his eyes met hers. "It's okay to ask me things. To push me for answers. That's part of getting to know each other, and I want to know you, too. Everything, actually. So much that sometimes I also have to hold back." Her mouth turned up into a smile. "What do you want to know? I'll tell you, right here."

But he shook his head. Swallowed a lump in his throat. "We have too much to discuss first. I'm being jealous, which you shouldn't have to deal with in the first place." His face began to close off, his mask sliding into place like it used to do. A defense mechanism, she knew, but it still pained her.

"No, we will discuss this first. You matter to me. This, us, it matters to me. Puck can wait." Andorra stretched on her toes to press a chase kiss against his lips. When she leaned back, Nohx followed her, his mouth catching hers again in a deeper kiss. She felt the chill of his hands against her hips, guiding her closer to him, holding on a touch too tightly.

Andorra followed his lead. Her tongue brushed against his bottom lip, her heart pounding in her chest as he let her in, his hands sneaking up and under her shirt to press to her bare skin. The frost against her back had Andorra gasping in shock, pushing closer to Nohx in reaction.

"Too much?" Nohx asked, his voice husky. His hands coasted against her soft skin, not willing to give it up just yet. She burned in his arms, but he would go up in flames if it meant she would stay there forever.

"I love you," Andorra admitted, her breathing suddenly a little too heavy for the rather innocent kiss. "What I didn't tell Ero is that being there, with the Rabium Bellua, was terrifying. I was so scared that I wouldn't make it out alive. And she wore this horrific face. She said it was the face of her next victim, and I'll be honest, it's been keeping me up at night. Because what if I didn't really defeat her? What if, centuries down the line, she reincarnates into another girl not strong enough to take her on?"

There was a tightness in Nohx's chest that had his breath catching. "Andy, you did what needed to be done. The Rabium Bellua is gone."

Andorra nodded, tucking her head under his chin. She wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged tightly. Something about being with Nohx was comforting and relaxing in ways she couldn't wrap her head around. Simply being in his arms made Andorra feel like she could take on the entire world and succeed.