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Chapter Eighteen
♱
The second morning in a row, Ariana had awoken entangled in Nika's arms. They caged her against the older's warm front securely, as if molded to fit her body in them. This time, she didn't try pulling away, she didn't want to. Both of them needed a moment of peace desperately—if they were deserving of it with a secret like theirs was a worry of another time.
Feeling the Croatian stir behind her, Ariana carefully turned in her grasp. She caught herself just then, almost laughing aloud at the way Nika's face was scrunched into a frown even in her sleep. Her eyebrows furrowed, lips jutting out the slightest in a tiny pout and her luscious lashes curled under her lids. Ethereal, is how Ariana probably would've described her right then. The way she looked.
As Nika groaned softly, her face dug into the pillow more. A rogue bunch of hair fell to drape over her eyes. Ariana grabbed it between two fingers, tugging it away behind Nika's ear.
The Croatian unconsciously pulled her closer, nose grazing the younger's cheek. Ariana didn't wish to wake her, she really didn't, but they had a flight home to catch.
She grabbed Nika's face gently, placing a soft kiss against her lips. She felt the slight buzz of Nika moaning into the kiss, feeling fingertips creep under the back of her bra. Pressed flush against each other, the Croatian leant forward as Ariana slowly pulled away. She grunted, "Tease."
"Come on, it's almost eight. We're supposed to meet everybody downstairs in thirty."
"They can wait," Nika grumbled.
"Croatia—!"
"No, don't call me that."
"Then what do I call you, your name?" Ariana scoffed, "I'm not gonna lie, that's a little boring. For both you and me, Croatia."
"Call me yours."
The both paused. Ariana felt Nika's hands run up and down her back. "What?"
"Come on," she murmured raspily, "I wanna hear it from your lips. Call me yours."
"Nika..."
"Just do this one thing for me, baby. Please."
Ariana swallowed. It felt hard to say aloud. Impossible, almost. It didn't sound right in her head, because it wouldn't be true.
Nika's head fell forward, burying herself into Ariana's neck. The younger hesitated, frozen. Nika's words were echoing, bouncing around the walls of her brain. She stared down at the top of the Croatian's head, fingers weaving themselves into her hair. She kissed her deep brown locks, murmuring, "You're mine."
