Nightmares | Sethos x Fem!Reader

Chapter 19

☽⋰⋆⚡️⋆⋱☾

The next thing I remember is how I lie in Sethos' arms, my face buried in the crook of his neck as he recounts the events of his week. His voice, soft and soothing like velvet, wraps around me like a blanket, calming the lingering nerves from earlier. My heart stings whenever he mentions Isabella, but thank the Archons, it isn't as often as I feared.

His fingers absentmindedly run through my hair as he talks, and I can't help but focus on the rhythm of his voice. It's addicting, a sound I could listen to forever. He knows it too; we both do. He loves rambling, and I love listening.

"...and then, we almost missed the bus because I lost track of time. Isabella thought it was hilarious, of course." He chuckles, his chest vibrating gently under me.

I force a smile at his words, willing myself not to dwell on the details. The sting is still there, but being in his arms again makes it bearable. I shift slightly, tightening my grip around his waist as if holding on to him would push away all the insecurities creeping into my mind.

"Sounds like an eventful trip," I murmur, my voice softer than usual. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece."

He tilts his head down to look at me, his brow furrowing slightly. "Hey, are you okay? You've been kind of quiet."

I hesitate for a moment, not sure how to voice what I'm feeling without sounding ridiculous. The last thing I want is to ruin this friendship by bringing up my jealousy and my true feelings, but it's hard to hide how off-kilter I've been since Isabella showed up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie, though the tension in my voice betrays me. I can feel Sethos' gaze lingering on me, his hand pausing in my hair as he waits for me to continue. I shift uncomfortably, but he doesn't let me squirm away.

"[Name]," he says softly, his tone coaxing. "What's really going on? You can tell me."

I take a deep breath, my fingers fiddling with the edge of his shirt as I finally decide to speak. "It's just... I don't know. I guess I'm just a little... jealous." Oh archons, I spoke up. No, no, no, no, no, no.

Sethos blinks, his expression softening. "Jealous? Of what?"

I bite my lip, feeling embarrassed even as the words leave my mouth. "Isabella. The way you talked about her and how close you guys seemed... It's silly, I know. But I couldn't help feeling... left out."

He stares at me for a moment, then gently shifts so that he can cup my face in his hands, his touch gentle and reassuring. "Hey, it's not silly. I get it. But you don't need to feel left out, [Name]. You're my best friend. The most important person to me. Always have been, always will be."

His words make my heart , and the tension I've been carrying around finally begins to loosen. I look into his eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity and warmth. "Really?" I ask, my voice a little shaky.

Sethos smiles, playfully flicking my forehead. "Really. Isabella's just another friend I made during our trip. I promise you, there's no need to worry. You're the one I came back to. You're the one I couldn't wait to see."

His words wash over me, and I feel a sense of relief I hadn't realized I was waiting for. I nod slowly, my heart steadying. "Okay," I whisper, feeling a little foolish for letting my insecurities get the better of me. "I believe you."

"Good." Sethos smiles at me, his arms pulling me closer as if to reassure me even further. "You never have to doubt that."

I snuggle into his embrace, letting the warmth of his body and the sound of his heartbeat lull me into a state of calm. "I'm sorry for being all weird about it," I mumble against his chest.