Surrender

It was infuriating how he wouldn't even break a sweat. They had been at it for hours. Her hair was a mess, red strands glued to her skin in the most annoying possible way. Her breath was strained, and her body hurt in places she didn't even know existed. And yet there he was; one black eyebrow slightly raised as he looked at her laying on the floor.

"What was that?"

That was you kicking my ass.

Reina tried to get up, but a sharp bolt of pain struck her left leg. She bit her tongue and tasted blood. She refused to let him know she was injured.

"Planning on getting up anytime soon?"

"I'm going to put you down."

Laceaga smirked at the retort.

"Are you now?"

He closed the distance between them before she could find the strength to force her legs to work. The elf pushed her effortlessly back to the ground, her back hitting the harsh sand of the arena. Reina grunted and prepared a vicious glare, but suddenly it wasn't her injury the only thing restraining her movements. He was straddling her, mercilessly putting all of his weight on her.

"By all means, put me down."

It hurt. He didn't seem to mind; or at least to notice. And she really, really didn't want him finding out. She tried to move and get him off her, but he only scoffed and repositioned himself, grasping her wrists.

Her leg stung when he moved. Reina moaned in spite of herself.

"What the..."

She looked at him, her eyes ablaze, and warned him in a husky voice:

"Don't do that."

The pain subsided. When her eyes recovered focus, she was taken aback momentarily.

Laceaga was staring at her, appraising her. His mouth slightly open, his smirk vanished and his face much closer than she expected it to be.

Suddenly, the whole room was awfully quiet. Reina felt painfully aware of her erratic heartbeat. The drops of sweat rolling down her forehead; her shoulders. Her wrists burned where his hands held them, yet it was a heat she was more than willing to endure.

"Reina...", he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Hearing him saying her name stirred something inside her. Reina wanted to grab him by the collar and close the practically inexistent distance between them. Her legs, waist and arms remained trapped, though, so all she could do was groan in frustration.

Laceaga smiled cruelly, clearly amused by her reaction. His left hand freed one of her wrists and slid towards her leg. The scout intended to guide her, so she would wrap her legs around his back.

The moment was broken when Reina grimaced. Laceaga stopped immediately. He searched her face for answers for a few seconds. Then, his gaze dropped to her leg.

"You're injured."

Reina didn't know if she was angrier at him or at herself. At him, for stopping; and at herself, for not defending herself properly in the first place.

She felt Laceaga disentangle himself from her, and she snapped.

"I'm not!"

The elf pressed his thumb against the exact sore area of her leg. Hard.

"You asshole-!"

Laceaga sighed in annoyance and put an arm around her, beneath her breasts, and moved her until her back rested against his chest. She felt caged and tense being surrounded by him, but only for a moment. His hands were demanding, examining her leg. Yet he behaved like he would treat her gently if he had ever learned how to do it.

Reina relaxed into his embrace.

"You still don't know your own limits, human."

Back to 'human', I see.

"I'll have to go fetch some help with that. You do realize I could have crippled you."

Reina scoffed. His chest was surprisingly comfortable. The moment the thought crossed her mind, Laceaga was already moving away and taking his warmth with him. Once again, he was up, looking down at her.

She hated it.

One day, they would both be either bleeding and beaten on the ground, or standing up together against whatever foe the damned island threw at them.

But she had to become stronger first.

"I have a hard time restraining myself with you. You're disturbingly Gha'alian for a human from nowhere."

Reina smiled when he turned her back to her.

Good.