In Which Everything Goes awfully right

Again

Aelin's POV

"Hit me with your best shot," Theon shouts at me.

I follow the given order.

"I ain't going easy on you", His voice is steady and unemotional.

I hit him again.

"I've been wanting to kick your ass for awhile now," I say while I punch him in his side.

"Not so soon, princess" He laughs.

I punch him harder, he smiles and I grin.

"Not bad, love," he sounds amused, "A beginner."

I punch him harder. He grabs my hand and twists it and I almost scream.

"Work your way out."

"Please let go of me?" I look at him while attempting to convince him with my puppy eyes.

He hardens his hold on my hand. I clench my teeth at the rising pain.

I turn around and fail to push him away.

Not expecting it, I'm pulled with such force, and I'm yanked into his personal space, with just an inch separating our faces.

His nose his mouth his eyes are so close his breath his hands are so warm and I feel my breath as it becomes unsteady my skull's heat rising and my body is sweating.

I'm about to pull away when I hear him whisper, "that was worth it."

Trying to keep my breath even, I murmur back, "I've only seen your face so far, So I would have to disagree."

"Did we have to end it like that, Aelin?" he goes on while I'm still held against him, "Rule number one: Never lose track of your strengths and weaknesses", 3 inhales, "We're done for today."

I've lost count of the minutes passing by as he's still on top of me.

I fight the words out of my trembling lips, "You-- you're-- so-- close---"

I lose my voice.

Theon smiles. He brings a hand up to trace the features of my face. My breathing shifts to an uneven pace. His hand moves to my cheeks.

I am so terrified, so afraid to move, so confused, and so stressed by his closeness.

Forcing myself to breathe normally again, I shift my eyes to look at those eyes, only to see him staring at my lips.

He leans forward. I close my eyes.

But his lips touch my ear, "Well done, princess."

I pry open my eyes.

"Can we uh, try again?"

Cool, Aelin, "can we try again?" is that's all you could come up with?

----------------------

"Do you always have to end up on top of each other?" Asterin says while she giggles from behind.

I glance up to see her holding Zander by the neck.

"Theon," Zander finally speaks up and defends me, "Don't go hard on her, she looks exhausted."

Theon glances between Zander and me, he doesn't move for a second then gets off me anyway.

He extends his hand for me to hold so he could help me stand on my feet again.

I grab his warm hand.
It's not as sweaty as me.

He lets go.

I fall hard on my back. I feel the pain creeping on my body.

"Theon." Zander mouths with a tone.

His brother sighs and grabs my frustrated body by the waist.

"Let's get you to your room," Theon breathes his words out.

Unamused, he murmurs, "Rule number two: never become friends with an enemy. You never know the source of the final strike."

And my world shifts black.

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