A Hugfia Miracle

Ch. 20: Is A Kiss Satisfying, Or Do You Want More?

"Hello, James," Isa said.

James just gulped and said, "Hello, princess."

Isa sighed and looked at her shoes, stepping further inside the room so she was closer to him. "I would just like to apologize for...pushing you away yesterday. And the past week...maybe a month, has it been?"

James shrugged and said, "It's no big deal." His mind protested, But it is a big deal! Isa pushed us away! Is she still interested in me?

"No, it is a big deal. I've just been trying to help so many people that the work has been catching up on me and I can't...I can't decide what I'm meant to do."

"You're here to help, but that doesn't mean you should overwork yourself," James offered. He hated to see her this down.

Isa scoffed and looked up at him. Her eyes were glazed over. "Elena has been stressing out and taking her anger out on me. I feel like I've been the one putting all this guilt on her and now the dose of her attitude was given to me so I pushed you away..."

James shook his head but didn't interfere with her spiral.

"The first time Hugo comes to Avalor and both him and his fiance get captured the second they get here. That just shows how unsafe Avalor is! It's killing me," she said, her voice cracking. "It's like nobody even notices that I'm here trying to glue all the shattered pieces of this government."

"No," James said, stepping forward and placing a gentle hand on Isa's cheek. "There have been people caring for you."

"Like who?!" Isa cried. "No," she said, slowly falling to the floor, sobs shaking her shoulders.

"Oh, Isa," James whispered. Wanting to comfort her, he sat down on the floor next to her. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her, warming her. The sun shone through the balcony doors and it made Isa's skin glow into a beautiful golden.

Isa dug her face into James's tunic, holding onto his shoulders as if they were the only thing keeping her up in reality.

They hugged until Isa eventually ran out of tears.

Isa wiped her tears with the back of her hand, but the sobs still came, quieter now. "I'm just... I'm so tired of feeling like everything's falling apart, and there's nothing I can do to fix it."

James tightened his hold on her, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder. "You don't have to carry this burden alone, Isa. You've been holding everything together for so long... let me help."

Isa shook her head.

James wouldn't take that for an answer. "Usually you always help everyone but you need to know you limits. Let me help you so that we could get you ahead once more."

"Why do you care so much?" she whispered, her eyes large in the golden sunlight over the big trees in the distance. Isa turned her head, her face inches away from his. Her eyes glistened, and she looked so lost, so vulnerable, that it tugged at something deep inside him.

James's breath caught. He wanted to tell her everything—that he always noticed her, that he'd always been there, waiting. But he settled for the truth that was easiest to say. "Because I care about you. More than you know."

He reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Isa's breath hitched, and for a moment, the tension between them felt like it was the only thing holding the room together.

"You don't have to say that," she whispered, her voice wavering. "I've been nothing but a mess lately. I mean, look at me. I've been crying for so long that it's sunset."

James looked at the balcony again and saw the sun just peeking over the horizon. Everything was still bright but it slightly surprised him. 

He reached up and scratched his head. "Sunset? What do you mean? I barely noticed that you were crying for almost two hours." His other hand was set on his chest in mock surprise.

Isa slapped his shoulder and James bit his lip roughly so he wouldn't laugh. She set herself inside James's lap and the prince's eyes widened, but he didn't interfere. Isa leaned back against his chest and sighed, reaching up behind herself to run her fingers through his hair.

James bit his lip even harder and resisted from groaning in pleasure. She dragged her nails through his scalp and he breathed through his teeth, loving every second of it. "Isa," he whispered softly. He turned his head just in time to kiss her palm when it slid down his cheek.

Isa let out a breathy laugh and looked up at him once more. She paused, and then said, "I'm still a mess no matter what. You are so perfect compared to me right now."

James leaned closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "Even if you were a mess, I'd still be here."

Isa's lips parted, and James felt the pull between them, as if it were magnetic. He leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek, and then her neck, just below her ear. Her skin was warm, soft, and he could feel the quick flutter of her pulse. "Oh, princess," he murmured against her skin, his breath warm. Her skin was so smooth and Isa couldn't help but clench his fingers when she felt him kiss the base of her neck.

Isa shivered, her eyes closing for a moment. "James..." she breathed.

He pulled back slightly, his gaze locking onto hers, and the room felt like it was holding its breath. Isa didn't pull away this time. Instead, she tilted her head up, closing the small distance between them until their lips finally met.

It was soft at first, tentative, like a question. But as Isa's hands found their way to his shoulders, the kiss deepened, and James felt all the pent-up emotions, the longing, and the relief, pour into that moment. He could feel the weight of everything she'd been holding back, and he kissed her as if he could take some of it away, just for a little while.

When they finally pulled back, Isa's eyes fluttered open, and for the first time in weeks, she smiled—a real, genuine smile. "Thank you, James."

"For what?" James asked, pressing his lips against hers once more.

"For being my beloved," she whispered against his lips. "I love you, James."

Sorry guys, this was a really short chapter but I ran out of time and couldn't think of anything to add. I'll update asap!