Orryn's POV:
I stir from my slumber, my senses slowly awakening to the reality around me. The air in my tent is cool and still carries the faint aroma of last night's smoky fire, but there is another scent that instantly draws my attention, a floral hint, an intoxicating sweetness that I associate with one person alone, Nadya.
My eyes flutter open to a sight I'd only dreamt of in the past months. Nadya is curled up in my embrace, her long black hair splayed across the pillow, a peaceful expression on her face that I hadn't seen in what felt like ages. An unexpected rush of relief floods through me and I can't help but tighten my hold around her.
Her presence, so close and so real, rekindles a warmth in my heart, a joy I feared I'd lost forever. As I take a moment to simply appreciate her nearness, I bury my nose in her hair, breathing in her unique scent. A soft sigh of longing escapes my lips, 'Oh how I've missed this,' echoes through my mind, my heart aching at the thought of all the time I've wasted yearning for her.
Suddenly, her eyes flutter open, and she freezes as they meet mine. There is an initial shock, and then a different kind of fear flashes in her gaze. In a blink, she springs out of the bed, putting distance between us.
"What's wrong?" I question her, concern painting my voice. Rising from the bed, I reach for her in an attempt to comfort, but she only retreats further, her back hitting the canvas of the tent.
Her cheeks flame a brilliant shade of rose as she nervously averts her gaze, evidently taken aback by our intimate proximity. The sight, though unexpected, is endearing and I can't help but suppress a smile at her sudden bashfulness.
"It's nothing we have not done before," I offer her a comforting smile, "Come back to bed, you must be tired from last night."
Her eyes flicker between me and the bed, uncertainty visibly wrestling with what I could only hope was desire. But then she shakes her head, a small but clear no. It's as if a bucket of ice water has been dumped on me, my heart pounding violently against my ribcage. Panic surges through me, the realisation setting in. She was not coming back to me to be with me. it was fear alone that had driven her into my arms last night. My heart sinks at the thought.
"Wait!" I exclaim, before I even have time to think. Instinctively, my hand reaches out and latches onto her arm, pulling her back towards me. "Please don't go."
Her body stiffens under my touch at first, the sudden contact clearly taking her aback. But as seconds pass and I don't let go, her body gradually relaxes into mine, a small victory that offers me a glimmer of hope.
"I lied," I confess in a sorrowful whisper, gazing down at her with a mixture of regret and resolve. Her black eyes widened in puzzlement, her lips parting slightly as if to form a silent question. The faint scent of lavender wafted from her, soothing my nerves as I prepared to utter the next words. "I do have feelings for you and I want to be yours, if you would have me."
She jerked back as though struck, her eyes mirroring her internal turmoil. I could see tears brimming in her eyes, glistening under the muted glow of the lantern in the corner of my tent. Just as I reached out to pull her back into my arms, she turned and bolted. My heart sank as I watched her retreat, the pieces of it shattering with each step she took away from me. I was too late.
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Nadya's POV
Why did I run? Those words...they were everything I had longed to hear from him. But now that they had been spoken, they made everything feel so overwhelming. All this time, I'd convinced myself it was a one-sided infatuation, an unwanted shadow lingering in my heart. Now the shadows have taken form, giving life to emotions I had tried so hard to bury.
For over six months, I had diligently worked to rid myself of the feelings I had for him. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months of torment, grappling with the heartbreaking reality of what could never be. Yet, he waited until now to reveal his own feelings.
The fear and confusion that had previously consumed me slowly began to give way to a seething anger. My heart felt heavy with the realisation that the pain I had endured all this time had been futile. My efforts to heal were rendered pointless. His confession, rather than comforting me, only served to reopen the wounds I'd tried so hard to mend.
I won't simply surrender to his whims, throwing myself into his arms with joy at his sudden confession. He took far too long, left my heart shattered into a myriad of pieces that I painstakingly had to gather and mend on my own. Now that I've finally begun to heal, he believes he can just swoop in and claim me. I'm not an object to be easily acquired or discarded. I don't need him. I don't need a man so inconsiderate of the pain he inflicts on me.
Going to him last night was an error in judgment. I should have never crossed the threshold of his tent. If that nightmarish dream recurs, I am resolved to confront it alone. I'll bear my own burdens, as I have been doing. His role in my story is over. He will not be my savior, and most certainly, not my destroyer.