~ N ~
She gasped as he pressed hot kisses to her throat, and moaned softly as he looked at her, with an unreadable expression in his eyes, cupping her face with his hand, serious for once. She shook her head out of his grasp, she wasn't there to play nice. Her eyes narrowed, as she realised how still he had become. She watched him take a deep breath...
'I love you'.
She froze, eyes widening, as she realised what he had just said.
Suddenly regaining control over herself, she pushed him away and sprang out of his bed.
'Don't say things you don't mean', she growled, pulling her shirt on. She didn't let herself think of what that could mean, she didn't know what it could mean, but she did know that it wasn't for her. To have someone to love, to have someone that loved her, the idea was foreign in her mind. And plus, who could love her, she was cold and distant and just miserable.
'Bu-'
She cut him off before he could say anything else.
'Don't say things you can't mean.'
~ C ~
He looked at her in despair, why was it so difficult for her to comprehend?
He climbed off the bed, attempting to prevent her from leaving, but she snarled and pushed his arms away. Glaring at him, as if he'd done something wrong, she stormed towards his door, only for him to stop her.
'Get out of my way', she growled.
'I love you', he repeated.
He had nothing to lose now, he'd already confessed his deepest secret.
His hand traced the contours of her face and he felt her breath hitch.
'I love you', he said again.
He needed a reaction, something to tell him that it wasn't just him feeling this.
Nothing.
She did nothing.
Not knowing what else to do, he pressed a kiss to her mouth, small, light, just to see what she'd do.
She blinked, twice, and her eyes grew soft.
~ N ~
The realisation of her feelings hit her like a brick and she blinked, twice.
She thought she might love him too. She had been through so much lately, so much, she didn't even know if she could love. But for Cassian, she was damn well going to try.
He loved her. That was all she had been scared of, that he couldn't love her, and even after he'd said it the first time, she hadn't believed him.
But she could tell it now, by looking into his eyes, his brown eyes that turned golden in the light. She could get lost in them, she had gotten lost in them.
Still looking at him, she reached a tentative hand out and brushed his cheek.
Bringing his face towards her, she closed her eyes and kissed him, slowly at first and then harder and deeper. She intertwined her hands in his dark brown hair and melted into him.
Seconds later, she broke it off, panting. She rested her forehead against his collarbone.
He whispered, his voice shaking slightly, 'what was that for?'.
She raised her eyes in line with his and inhaled deeply.
'I don't know if I can love anymore', she said softly. 'But if I can, I want to love you'.
She knew she make no sense, but he looked at her as if it was the wisest thing he'd ever heard.
'When you do', he said tenderly.
'I'll be here'.
