Amina awoke with a groan, her body feeling heavy and sore as the previous day caught up with her. Sunlight streamed into the room through a small crack in the window, warming her body. She sighed as she rolled over, snuggling deeper into the hard bed she laid on, willing the day to wait for her.
"Mia? Ya awake?" she heard a husky voice whisper near her ear, slicing through the remaining sleepiness.
"Mmmm," she replied, still not ready to greet the sun and what was waiting for her in the forest.
"Sweetheart, we should get up before Oro comes bursting through the door, I can hear him stirring next door," Nero murmured, squeezing her waist. Amina became suddenly aware of the warm body up against hers. She could feel his skin beneath her fingertips. She stroked the broad chest under her palm unconsciously, receiving a groan and another squeeze to her waist.
"Mia, stop, before I really lose my mind," Nero pleaded. His voice finally reached her consciousness causing her to fling her eyes open and bolt upright. She swung her heard towards the rustling covers to be met with the sight of Nero half naked next to her in bed. Her whole body blushed as she recalled last night, staring at his broad shoulders and muscled chest. She murmured under her breath, captured by his beauty. Her heart sank immediately once her eyes focused, losing the blurriness from sleep, only to be met with numerous scars across his body. Scars larger than the length and thickness of her arm marred his tanned skin. She reached her hand out and stroked the scar running from his collarbone to his navel, pausing when her hand rested over his heart. She blinked her eyes, thinking she was hallucinating when she saw a small, faint, red light of a soul emanating from him. Her hands started to shake as she processed what she was seeing.
How was this possible? Nero had no soul. He had been empty ever since she first saw him. How…? Her thoughts were interrupted when a hand grasped hers, holding it against his chest.
"Amina. What's wrong?" He asked, squeezing her hand in his and tilting her face up to look at his with his other. Mia looked at his eyes before releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Nothing, I just… I was just surprised by how many scars you have. They must have been painful. Do they still hurt?" She questioned, determining she would keep her new discovery to herself. She didn't want to get his hopes up if this small light disappeared. Nero sighed, his body sagging with relief. "Only sometimes but not usually, and never too badly," he explained, absentmindedly caressing her hand beneath his.
"Oh, I'm—" Amina started.
"NERO!" Oro bellowed, his voice traveling down the hallway and making the two of them freeze. Nero jumped from the bed, running swiftly but noisleslly to the door connecting their rooms, pausing when he turned the handle, he quickly jumped back to Amina and kissed her forehead, whispering he'd be back and making her blush before he closed the door as quietly as possible before yelling at Oro to shut his trap and flinging their door open to meet the prince out in the hallway.
"Why aren't you dressed? You're usually done with training and dressed by now. I didn't even hear you come back last night or get up," Oro questioned, his eyes raking over Nero full of suspicion.
"I just got back in from morning training, I was about to bathe before you so rudely decided to wake up the entire town, your highness," he replied annoyed, leaning against the doorpost casually with a smirk. Amina listened at her door, holding her breath and praying Prince Oro didn't question Nero any further.
"Did you check on Amina yet? She must be sore from last night," the prince remarked. Amina flushed from head to toe, screaming internally and cursing both men.
"I just did, she's still sleeping, she's fine. And watch how you phrase things, people could take that the wrong way and think I did more than just train her," Nero frowned down at Oro, who was smiling at his friend's reaction.
"Oh I'm sure everyone knows what a gentleman you are, my friend," Oro replied, chuckling as he reminded him they would eat before talking about how they would approach today. Nero shut the door a little too loudly before returning to Amina. He smiled as he watched her stretch before sliding out of bed wearing nothing but his shirt that went down to her knees and hid all of her luscious curves beneath it. He bit his lip as he remembered gingerly wiping down her body after their entanglement the night before. She had passed out covered in her own juices and sweat. He had lain her down on the bed before wetting a rag, closing his eyes, and washing her down before taking off his own shirt to cover her body while her clothes were washed. After he threatened the servant to keep his mouth shut and run to clean her clothes before dawn broke.
"Mia," he called, watching her turn toward him with a smile. His heart stopped at the sight of her. Hair disheveled, cheeks slightly tinged with pink, eyes bright as she walked toward him.
"Ro?" She questioned. His heart squeezed again as she called him so sweetly with the nickname she had given him. Gods, he wanted to rip his shirt off her and lock her in this room for a week while they had their fill of each other. He's had so many women try to throw themselves at him to get close to the prince and never once given in but as soon as she asked him to touch her, he lost all reason and thought and acted like a beast. He flushed slightly and shifted his weight to hide his arousal.
"Could I have my shirt back, love?" He asked with a grin, watching her grow confused at his question before realizing she was wearing it. She stuttered out an "o-of course, one m-moment!" before beginning to bend over to grasp the hem of the shirt that skimmed her knees and pulling it up. He saw a glimpse of her smooth skin beneath before cursing and looking upward before he truly lost his damn mind. Amina realized what she had just done and furiously apologized for being so brazen, hiding her naked figure behind his shirt she was desperately clinging to.
"U-um, could you close your eyes and lean down please?" She pleaded. He obliged, wondering why he had to lean down.
"A-a little further, please," she requested. He obeyed and squatted down instead, hoping that would be low enough for what she was trying to accomplish. His interest was piqued as he waited quietly with his eyes tightly shut knowing she was bare before him. He clasped his hands before they could get him in trouble. Amina gathered her courage before reaching around his neck to put his shirt around him. She felt Nero tense beneath her fingers so she hastened her pace, tugging at his hands so she could finish putting his shirt on him.
"Fuck", he thought. He could feel her hands on his shoulders and her slight figure brush up against him as she leaned over to tug his shirt over him. Every part of him immediately hardened. He wanted to touch her. Kiss her. Possess her. Ravage her. He could smell her, she smelled faintly of soap and slightly like him, which sent him spiraling.
"Ro? Can you put your arms through?" He followed her directions and pushed his arms through, reaching down to button it up and run before he got himself in trouble with Mia. Nero froze as he felt a soft peak brush against the back of his hand and heard a faint groan. Mia slapped a hand over her mouth as she let an embarrassing noise out when Nero accidentally brushed his hands against her breasts. Her nipples immediately stiffened against his hand that froze in place. She heard his ragged breathing as she struggled to remain calm. She bit her lip and whispered she was going to button his shirt now as his eyes remained shut. He curtly nodded and she fumbled her way through the buttons. As soon as he felt her secure the last button, he stood up and told her he would see her downstairs for breakfast. He was gone before she could reply and she sank to the floor with her hands over her face.
Nero strode downstairs, bumping past the servants on the stairs, strapping his weapons back onto his body.
"Nero? Where are you going? What about your bath?" Oro called after him. He grunted out a reply, saying he needed to train more before slinking out the back door. Nero took a deep breath once the wind hit his face and sank to his knees, scrubbing a hand down his face. He stared at his hand, remembering the soft feeling of her chest against his hand and then feeling her peaks stiffen against his skin. The feel of her body beneath the rag he used to clean her. The way she moaned. The night before when they kissed and the way her little tongue tried to keep up with his as he devoured her kisses. The way she so greedily sucked in his fingers and came on them, how it tasted when he licked them afterward.
"Fuck," he cursed before dropping his hand and looking down to notice his shirt wasn't buttoned properly.