Without a word, Chronos rose to his feet, moving even closer with the deliberate steps of a predator.
She could feel the heat from his body, his closeness unsettling yet inviting.
Slowly, he leaned in, his voice barely a whisper as it brushed against the delicate curve of her ear.
"This isn't the place to talk about it."
A sudden squeak escaped her lips.
"Eeeek!~"
Tsukuyomi hadn't anticipated the next move: Chronos's strong arms encircled her, lifting her effortlessly off the ground in a gentle embrace.
Her feet danced in mid-air, a dainty ballet of surprise.
But as her gaze found his – that same gaze she'd gotten lost in countless times – warmth flooded her cheeks.
Before she knew it, she'd pressed her face to his chest, fingers entwining around the corded muscles of his neck.
Each heartbeat, each breath he took, vibrated through her, a lullaby of proximity.
'He's really doing this,'
