The moment Ciara said, "Let's go," something shifted inside me. There was a certain calm confidence in her voice, one that sent a ripple of excitement down my spine.
I glanced over at her, my heart suddenly beating faster than it should have. She looked... different tonight. More than just different. She looked amazing.
Her black shirt clung to her frame in all the right ways, the sleeves rolled up just enough to show off her strong forearms. And those black pants?
They made her seem effortlessly cool, the kind of cool that I never really imagined being attracted to until now. My eyes lingered on her for longer than I meant them to, and I had to stop myself from staring.
This was Ciara, for god's sake. My partner on more than one crazy adventure. So why was I suddenly feeling like a nervous schoolgirl around her?
"Ready?" she asked, and I nodded, maybe a little too quickly.
I could smell the faint scent of her perfume something subtle but warm, and it caught me off guard. I wasn't used to this... this version of her.
She'd taken the time to actually get dressed up, and the effort showed in a way that was almost too much for my already racing heart.
She stepped closer to me, her hand outstretched, and I felt the electric pull between us. I took her hand, trying to keep my breathing steady.
The warmth of her skin against mine was a stark reminder that this wasn't just some casual get-together. There was something more here, something unspoken, but it hovered in the air between us like a tangible force.
Before I could dwell on the thought too much, the familiar sensation of teleportation washed over me.
The world blurred for a moment, my senses adjusting to the sudden shift. When we landed, the ground beneath us solid once more, I opened my eyes and felt my breath catch in my throat.
We were on a hill, just like any ordinary hill, but it wasn't ordinary. Not the way Ciara had set it up. A picnic blanket was laid out neatly on the grass, soft and inviting. Candles, flickering with gentle light, surrounded us, casting a warm glow over the scene.
There was a basket in the center, filled to the brim with food that looked like it came from a fancy restaurant. Everything was perfect almost too perfect.
"Ciara," I whispered, trying to find my voice. "This is... incredible."
She glanced at me, a small, self-satisfied smirk on her lips. "Thought you'd like it."
Like it? I loved it. I was honestly floored by the effort she'd put into this. For someone like Ciara, who usually rolled her eyes at romantic gestures, this was... special. It felt personal, like she'd thought about what would make me happy and then went out of her way to create that exact moment.
I was still trying to process it all as we settled down on the blanket. The night sky stretched above us, dotted with stars, and a gentle breeze whispered through the grass. It felt unreal.
Here I was, with Ciara, on a hill under the stars, having what looked suspiciously like a romantic picnic.
My heart was still racing, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen.
"Alright, what's on the menu?" I asked, trying to lighten the tension I felt creeping up on me.
Ciara reached for the basket, pulling out various dishes with that same cool, collected ease she always had. "Well, I went a little overboard," she admitted, her tone playful but soft. "But I think you'll appreciate it."
I laughed, though it came out more nervous than I'd intended. "Overboard is kind of your thing, isn't it?"
Her smirk widened, and she handed me a plate. "Maybe. But only when it's worth it."
Her words hung in the air between us, and I tried not to read too much into them. But it was hard not to. Especially when she looked at me like that, her eyes glinting with something that made my stomach flip.
We started eating, the conversation flowing naturally at first. We talked about random things old memories from missions, funny moments that made us both laugh, and even the latest gossip from Leora's castle.
But even as we chatted, there was this undercurrent of something more, something neither of us wanted to fully address just yet.
I couldn't help but steal glances at her between bites of food. Every time I looked at her, it hit me again just how beautiful she was tonight.
The way her hair fell around her face, how her eyes seemed softer in the candlelight, and the relaxed smile that tugged at her lips. I'd never really seen her like this, and it made me feel... something I couldn't quite put into words.
I tried to focus on the food, but it was impossible to ignore the way my heart raced whenever her arm brushed against mine, or the way her voice seemed to make everything else fade into the background.
She looked at me again, her gaze lingering a bit longer than usual, and I suddenly realized that she had been quiet for the last few minutes. Too quiet. There was a shift in her expression, a hesitation I hadn't seen before.
"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light, but the concern was there. I could feel it.
She blinked, like she hadn't expected me to notice. Then she gave me a small, almost sheepish smile. "Yeah. Just... thinking."
"About what?" I pressed gently, setting my plate aside.
For a moment, she didn't answer. She just looked at me, her eyes searching mine like she was trying to decide whether or not to say something. My heart picked up speed again, the tension between us thickening by the second.
It was in that moment that I realized something.
This night, this picnic, this feeling that had been growing inside me all evening it wasn't just about friendship anymore. It wasn't just about two people hanging out and enjoying each other's company.
There was something more between us, something I hadn't acknowledged until now. And from the way Ciara was looking at me, I could tell she was feeling it too.
I waited, my breath catching in my throat as I watched her struggle with whatever she wanted to say.
The air between us thickened as Ciara sat quietly, her eyes still locked on mine. My heart raced as I tried to make sense of what she was thinking.
The stars twinkled overhead, casting a soft glow over her face, and in the flickering candlelight, she looked more breathtaking than I'd ever seen her.
There was a vulnerability in her expression that made me feel like something important was coming, something that could change everything between us.
She cleared her throat softly, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the edge of the picnic blanket. "Aeliana, I've been thinking..." she began, her voice unusually hesitant.
I swallowed hard, my nerves twisting. "About what?"
Ciara let out a small, almost nervous laugh, running a hand through her hair. "About us. About... you and me."
My stomach did a little flip at the words, and I suddenly felt like I was standing at the edge of something, something huge. The easy, playful banter we usually had was nowhere to be found now, replaced with a tension that made my heart pound in my chest.
"You and me?" I echoed softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, her gaze dropping to her hands for a moment before she looked back up at me. "I don't want to sound ridiculous, but this " she gestured between us, her eyes wide, searching mine, "this feels... different. I've been trying to figure it out, trying to make sense of what it means, but I keep coming back to the same thing."
I felt my breath catch in my throat. "And what's that?"
Ciara smiled, but it was soft, tentative. "That maybe I don't just want or relation to be like that anymore. I mean, I've always cared about you obviously but lately, it's... more."
My heart skipped a beat, my pulse racing in my ears. The words hung between us, heavy and charged with possibility. I'd felt it too, the shift, the way our time together had become something more than just fun, lighthearted moments.
There was something deeper, something that made every glance, every touch, feel more significant.
"You don't?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
Ciara shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "No. I want more than that." She paused, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my stomach flutter. "Aeliana, do you... do you want to be my girlfriend?"
The words sent a jolt of electricity through me, and I could hardly believe I was hearing them. All the teasing, the tension, the shared looks it had all been leading up to this. My mind raced, but deep down, I already knew my answer.
Every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire as I stared at Ciara, seeing not just the strong, fearless woman I'd always known, but someone who had opened up her heart to me in a way I hadn't expected.
I bit my lip, fighting the grin that was threatening to spread across my face as I whispered, "Yes."