The room was dimly lit, the soft glow from the crystal lamps casting a warm, amber light across the chambers. Hiller's gaze met Malakai's, a mix of anticipation and gentle vulnerability in his eyes. In this moment, every title, every expectation fell away. They weren't Supreme Leader and Guardian; they were simply two souls, bound by destiny and love, about to seal their union in a way that would echo through every layer of the realms.
Malakai's hand reached out, steady but tender as he touched Hiller's cheek. His fingers traced the line of Hiller's jaw, moving down to the pulse at his neck, feeling its steady beat.
"You're beautiful," he murmured, voice low but filled with a reverence that made Hiller's heart swell. It wasn't the kind of compliment he heard often, people tended to regard him with awe, with distance, but never with the simple, raw admiration that Malakai did.
