"I don't like this," Aeliana finally said, her voice quiet but firm, breaking the heavy silence that had settled between us. Her words hung in the air, full of worry and something deeper, something that tugged at a part of me I wasn't used to feeling.
I looked at her, the candlelight casting soft shadows across her face, highlighting the concern in her eyes. It was a concern I wasn't sure how to deal with, not when it was directed at me.
"Nothing's going to happen to me," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though I could feel the tension in my chest. I wasn't used to people worrying about me like this, and I didn't know how to handle it.
Aeliana shook her head, her expression softening but still serious. "You don't know that, Ciara. You can't promise me something like that."
"I can handle myself," I insisted, feeling a mix of frustration and something else something that made me want to reassure her, even though I knew she was right. "I've been on a hundred missions before. This one's no different."
"But it is different," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked down at the table, her fingers tracing the edge of her plate. "It's different because... because I care about what happens to you."
Her words hit me harder than I expected. I wasn't used to this, wasn't used to someone caring about me in a way that wasn't just superficial or fleeting. I was used to being the one in control, the one who didn't let anyone get too close.
But Aeliana… she was different. She'd managed to get under my skin, to make me care in a way that scared the hell out of me.
I reached across the table, my hand covering hers. "I care about you too," I admitted, the words feeling strange but right on my tongue. "And that's why I'm telling you that nothing's going to happen to me. I'm coming back, Aeliana. I promise."
She looked up at me then, her eyes searching mine for something—truth, maybe, or reassurance. I didn't know if I could give her what she was looking for, but I knew I'd do everything I could to make sure I kept my promise.
"Okay," she finally said, her voice softening. "But you have to be careful, Ciara. Don't do anything reckless."
I couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at my lips. "When have you ever known me to be reckless?"
She gave me a pointed look, one that said she wasn't buying my attempt at humor. "I'm serious, Ciara. I mean it."
"I know," I said, squeezing her hand. "I'll be careful. I promise."
She nodded, though the worry didn't completely leave her eyes. But she didn't push it any further, and for that, I was grateful.
We finished our meal in comfortable silence, the tension between us easing a little as we focused on the food. It was a simple meal, but it felt like more, like a moment we were sharing that meant something something I wasn't ready to fully acknowledge yet.
When we were done, I stood up and held out my hand to Aeliana. "Come on," I said, my voice softening. "Let's get out of here."
She looked up at me, a small smile playing on her lips as she took my hand. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere a little more comfortable," I replied, leading her out of the dining hall and down the corridor toward her room.
As we walked, I could feel the weight of the upcoming mission pressing down on me, but I pushed it aside. I didn't want to think about it, not right now.
Right now, I just wanted to focus on Aeliana, on the way her hand felt in mine, on the way her presence calmed something inside me that I didn't even realize needed calming.
When we reached her room, Aeliana pushed open the door and stepped inside, her hand still holding mine as she led me in after her.
The room was warm, cozy, with the soft glow of a single lantern casting a gentle light across the space. It felt safe, like a refuge from everything outside, and I realized that I didn't want to leave. Not tonight.
Aeliana turned to face me, her expression unreadable as she looked up at me. For a moment, we just stood there, the silence between us heavy with everything we weren't saying. Then, slowly, she reached up, her fingers brushing against my cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"For what?" I asked, my voice rougher than I intended.
"For being here," she said simply, her hand resting against my face. "For caring."
I didn't know how to respond to that, so I did the only thing I could think of—I leaned down and kissed her.
The kiss was slow, gentle, different from the hungry desperation we'd shared earlier. This was something else, something deeper, something that made my chest ache in a way I wasn't used to. Aeliana responded with a soft sigh, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pulled me closer.
I let myself get lost in the kiss, in the feel of her lips against mine, in the way her body fit perfectly against me.
For a moment, I let myself forget about the mission, about everything that was waiting for me outside this room. All that mattered was her, the way she made me feel, the way she made everything else fade away.
When we finally pulled back, we were both breathing heavily, our foreheads resting against each other as we tried to catch our breath.
I could feel the warmth of her breath against my lips, the soft rise and fall of her chest as she held onto me like I was her anchor in a storm.
"Stay with me tonight," Aeliana whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
I nodded, unable to find the words to respond. Instead, I kissed her again, softer this time, before gently guiding her toward the bed.
We lay down together, our bodies fitting together like two puzzle pieces that had finally found their match. Aeliana curled up against me, her head resting on my shoulder, her hand splayed across my chest as if she was afraid to let go.
I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close as I stared up at the ceiling. I could feel her breath against my neck, the steady rise and fall of her chest as she started to drift off to sleep. But I couldn't relax, not completely.
My mind kept drifting to the mission, to what lay ahead, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.
But then Aeliana stirred beside me, her hand tightening slightly on my chest, and I forced myself to push those thoughts away.
I couldn't afford to think like that, not now. I had to focus on the present, on the warmth of her body against mine, on the way she made me feel grounded in a way I hadn't felt in a long time.
I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "I'll be careful," I whispered, even though I knew she was already asleep. "I promise."
I lay there in the dark, holding her close as the minutes ticked by, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn't quite grasp. The mission, Aeliana, the future—it was all a blur, a jumble of emotions and thoughts that I couldn't sort out.
But as I listened to the sound of her breathing, slow and steady, I felt something shift inside me. Maybe it was the realization that I had something worth fighting for, something worth coming back to. Or maybe it was just the simple fact that, for the first time in a long time, I wasn't alone.
Eventually, the exhaustion caught up with me, and I felt my eyes growing heavy. I tightened my grip on Aeliana, as if holding onto her could keep the darkness at bay for just a little while longer.
As I drifted off to sleep, I made a silent vow to myself. No matter what happened, no matter what the mission threw at me, I would come back. I would come back to her.
And maybe, just maybe, I could figure out what the hell was happening between us. But that was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, I just wanted to hold her and pretend that everything was going to be okay.
With that thought, I finally let sleep take me, Aeliana's warmth anchoring me in a way that nothing else ever had.
As sleep slowly took over, I pulled Aeliana even closer, burying my face in her hair, breathing in her comforting scent.
She shifted slightly, her leg tangling with mine, her arm draped over my waist. With a contented sigh, she nestled into me, and I felt a deep sense of peace.