Twilight's Embrace

Chapter 13

As the sun began to set, Amara stirred from her slumber. For a moment, she forgot where she was, disoriented by the unfamiliar sensation of waking up in a coffin. But as her senses sharpened, the events of the early morning before came flooding back to her, along with the nagging fear that the peace they'd found in the darkness of Subaru's coffin wouldn't last long.

Subaru stirred awake as well upon feeling Amara getting restless. He sighed softly, stifling a yawn, but kept his eyes closed for the time being.

Amara heard the sigh, and looked down at Subaru, her eyes already wide open. "Subaru-kun?" she asked, "are you awake?" Subaru hummed in response, his eyes fluttering open, too. "Could you lift the lid, please?" Amara asked, her voice soft and polite.

Subaru obliged, pushing the lid open further, so Amara had more space above her. As the light seeped in more, their gazes met. Silence filled the room, punctuated by Amara's heartbeat, pounding in her ears, while her cheeks flushed upon the realization of how close she was to Subaru.

His gaze lingered on Amara's face, his expression unreadable in the dim light. For a moment, it seemed as though time stood still, the silence between them filled with unspoken words. Then, Subaru spoke, his voice deep and low. "You're so close," he murmured, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "I can feel your heartbeat."

Amara felt her cheeks flush even deeper at his words, but she couldn't bring herself to look away. "I...I'm sorry," she stammered, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I didn't mean to intrude on your space."

Subaru's lips quirked into a small, almost reluctant smile, as he tried to maintain his tough exterior. "It's alright," he said, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek, surprising her with the unexpected tender gesture. "I don't mind." His thumb brushed gently across her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. "In fact," he continued, his voice dropping even lower, "I'd rather you stay. "

Amara's breath caught in her throat at his words, her heart beating even faster. She wasn't sure what to say, what to do. All she knew was that she didn't want to leave.

A dim ray of light from the setting sun caught Amara's eyes, lighting them up beautifully, and showcasing their true color. "Your eyes," Subaru said, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "What?" she asked him, but he just shook his head, his tsundere side not allowing him to be too sentimental. "Nothing," he said, "It's probably just because I've never seen them in the sunlight before."

Amara raised an eyebrow at him, intrigued by his reaction. "You can tell me, Subaru-kun," she said softly.

He let out a small sigh, relenting. "They're just...a really vibrant kind of green," he admitted, trying not to sound too interested.

Amara smiled, touched by the fact that he noticed. "Thank you, Subaru-kun," she said. "I find your eyes very beautiful, too. They're like rubies, always shining vibrantly, no matter what kind of light shines on them."

Subaru's cheeks flushed at Amara's compliment, and he shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. He wasn't used to people saying nice things about him, especially not about his appearance. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time someone had called him beautiful. It made him feel vulnerable, exposed, and he instinctively tried to deflect the attention.

"T-they're just eyes," he stuttered, looking away from her, his shyness taking over. "N-nothing special about them."

Amara watched him closely, her smile softening as she realized how uncomfortable he was with her compliment. It was a reminder of the deep-rooted self-loathing that plagued Suabru, and she felt a surge of protectiveness towards him. She wanted to help him see himself the way she did: a complex, gentle individual, full of hidden kindness.

"They're not just eyes, Subaru-kun," she said gently, her voice filled with sincerity. "They're a part of you, and I think they're beautiful. Just like the rest of you."

Subaru's blush deepened, and he couldn't meet her gaze. "Y-you don't have to say that," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

"I'm not saying it because I have to," Amara replied, reaching out to take his hand in hers. "I'm saying it because I want to. Because I see you, Subaru-kun, and I think you're beautiful, inside and out."

Subaru felt the weight of Amara's words, the sincerity behind them threatening to break through the walls he had built around his heart. He couldn't deny the warmth that spread through him at her touch, the way her words made him feel seen and appreciated in a way he had never experienced before. But it was too much, too overwhelming, and his self-preservation instincts kicked in.

"We should get up," he said abruptly, pulling his hand away from hers and breaking the intimate moment between them. "We've been in here long enough, and we have school."

Amara blinked, surprised by the sudden change in his demeanor. She could see the conflict in his eyes, the vulnerability hidden behind his gruff exterior, and she knew he was trying to protect himself. She decided to give him space, nodding in agreement.

"Alright," she said, her voice gentle and understanding. "Let's get up then."

Subaru felt a mixture of relief and regret as they untangled themselves from their embrace and sat up, the cool air of the room hitting them as they left the warmth of the coffin. He knew he had been rude, cutting the conversation short like that, but it was the only way he knew how to deal with the intensity of the moment.

Subaru sat in class, staring blankly at the chalkboard as his teacher droned on about the day's lesson. His mind was elsewhere, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that had been stirred up by his encounter with Amara earlier that morning. He couldn't shake the memory of her words, the sincerity in her voice as she told him that he was beautiful, inside and out.

It was a foreign concept to him, being seen and appreciated in that way. He was used to being treated like a nuisance, someone to be tolerated at best. But Amara had looked at him with kindness and understanding, and it was more than he knew how to handle.

As he tried to focus on the lesson, he found himself torn between two competing impulses. Part of him wanted to believe her words, to allow himself to feel worthy of love and acceptance. But another part of him, the part that had been hardened by years of rejection and self-loathing, refused to accept it. That part of him whispered that it was all a lie, that Amara was just trying to be nice, that he wasn't worthy of such kindness.

He clenched his fists under the desk, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to block out the warring voices in his head. He knew he should be paying attention to the lesson, but he couldn't seem to make himself focus. All he could think about was Amara, her kind eyes and gentle touch, and the way she had seen past his defenses to the vulnerable person underneath.

As the class dragged on, Subaru found himself sneaking glances at the clock, counting down the minutes until the bell rang. He couldn't wait to escape the confines of the classroom, to find some peace and quiet where he could sort out his thoughts. But even as he longed for solitude, he couldn't help but wonder if he would run into Amara, and what he would say to her if he did.