Daemond stood outside Mahnoor's dorm, his heart racing for what felt like the hundredth time that night. He had left the strip club with more clarity than he'd ever expected, but now, standing here, that clarity seemed to waver. How was he supposed to tell her? How could he explain that she was the only woman who had ever made him feel anything—made him feel like himself?
His hand hovered over the door for a moment, his breath coming out in short, nervous bursts. Then, with a quick shake of his head, he knocked, deciding he had to do this. There was no turning back now.
Mahnoor opened the door, her face lighting up at the sight of him, though her smile quickly turned into curiosity when she saw his tense expression.
"Daemond?" she asked softly, stepping aside to let him in. "What's going on? You look... different."
He stepped inside, the door closing softly behind him, and for a moment, the only sound was the soft hum of the heater in the room. Mahnoor stood in front of him, her brow furrowed in concern, but she didn't press him to speak.
Daemond ran a hand through his messy dark blonde hair, pacing slightly before finally stopping to face her. "I went to a strip club," he blurted out, immediately feeling awkward at how bluntly he'd said it. Mahnoor's eyes widened in surprise, and he saw the confusion and concern flicker across her face.
"A strip club?" she echoed, folding her arms, trying to make sense of his words. "Why...?"
"I needed to know," he interrupted, his voice quiet but firm. "I needed to know if what I feel for you is real or if it's just... confusion. I wanted to see if I could feel anything for other women. If maybe... I was wrong about myself."
Mahnoor's expression softened slightly as she listened, her arms dropping to her sides as she took a step closer to him. "And?" she prompted gently, her voice barely above a whisper.
Daemond looked at her, his grey eyes filled with a mixture of vulnerability and frustration. "It's just you," he admitted, his voice low and almost desperate. "I went there thinking maybe I could... maybe I'd feel something for them, for any woman. But I didn't. I felt disgusted, uncomfortable—like it wasn't me. I've never been attracted to women, Mahnoor. And tonight proved it again."
He took a deep breath, stepping closer to her. "Except you," he continued, his voice breaking slightly as he said it. "You're the only woman who's ever made me feel... like a man. You make me feel something real, something I can't explain. And it's not just about the physical stuff. It's... everything. You're the exception. The only one."
Mahnoor's eyes searched his face, her heart pounding as she absorbed his words. The intensity in his voice, the way his body seemed to tremble with the weight of the confession—it was overwhelming. She had always known she was different to him, but hearing it out loud made her chest tighten with emotion.
"I don't know why it's you," Daemond continued, his hands coming up to cup her face gently, his touch tender, almost reverent. "I don't know why I can't feel this way about anyone else. I'm not attracted to women... but you—you break all those rules. You're my exception, Mahnoor. My lifeline."
Mahnoor felt a wave of warmth spread through her chest as she gazed up at him, her breath catching in her throat. She placed her hands over his, holding them in place as she leaned into his touch. "Daemond," she whispered, her voice filled with both wonder and affection, "you don't need to explain it. I've always known we had something... different."
Daemond nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "But it's more than just different. You make me feel like I'm not broken. Like maybe there's something in me that can still connect to someone else. You make me feel like I'm not just stuck in my past."
Mahnoor's heart swelled at his words, tears threatening to spill over as she smiled softly at him. "You're not broken, Daemond," she whispered, pulling him closer. "And I'm here with you—wherever this goes."
He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against hers, his body finally relaxing in her embrace. "You're the only one, Mahnoor. I don't know why, but you're the only one who makes me feel like I'm enough."
Mahnoor tilted her head up, brushing her lips softly against his in a tender kiss, her hands sliding around his waist to hold him tightly. "You are enough," she whispered against his lips. "And I'm not going anywhere."
They stayed there in each other's arms for a long moment, the weight of Daemond's confession lingering between them, but no longer feeling heavy. Instead, it felt like a step forward—a step into the unknown, but one they would take together.