As Elyonari went to the living room the following morning, she caught sight of Vastarael sitting on the couch, the dim glow of his mystic circle illuminating the room. His eyes were focused, his hands moved gracefully as he adjusted the runes, deep in concentration.
For a moment, Elyonari just stood there, admiring how at ease he seemed, how confident in his task. Her luck stirred within her, as if encouraging her to approach him, to make the most of this moment. And she obeyed, walking over without hesitation.
"Good morning," she said cheerfully, sitting beside him on the couch.
Vastarael smiled, a soft, tired curve of his lips. "Morning. Just trying to perfect this circle."
Vastarael, still working on his circle, didn't notice how her gaze had lingered on him longer than usual, or how her hand was so close to his. He was focused, too immersed in adjusting the delicate runes that kept flickering in front of him.
"You've been quiet," he finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was soft, almost as if he'd noticed something but didn't quite understand it. "Something on your mind?"
Elyonari blinked, startled out of her thoughts. Her breath caught. She wasn't expecting him to speak directly to her. Her luck, however, was far from subtle, pushing her into a reaction she hadn't planned.
'You know what to do,' the voice inside her whispered again, like a soft breath in her ear. 'Just do it. He's waiting. He won't pull away. Don't let this chance slip.'
Her heart pounded and she quickly looked down at her hands. The voice persisted, gently coaxing her, urging her closer to him.
"I—" Elyonari hesitated.
She could feel the warmth of his presence beside her, the subtle pressure of his body against hers where their arms brushed. But it felt too much.
'This isn't me,' she thought, as if trying to talk herself out of it. 'This is my luck. I've let it take control.'
"I'm fine," Elyonari said, her voice a little breathier than she intended. She quickly flashed a smile, hoping it would hide the unsettling tension creeping up on her.
"I was just thinking about... how perfect your circle looks. It's coming together really well."
She didn't know why she was speaking so awkwardly, but she hoped it would keep things normal.
Vastarael smiled, his attention still on the circle.
"Thanks. It's been a lot of trial and error, but I think it's finally stabilized. A few more tweaks and it should be perfect."
He shifted slightly, his leg slightly brushing against hers, and for a split second, the contact felt like an electric jolt. She felt herself flinch inwardly, but the voice of her Boon was already there, urging her to stay close.
'See? He doesn't mind. You should stay here, right by his side. It's natural. It feels... good.'
Elyonari's chest tightened. She felt her luck so strongly now, as if it were guiding her every move. Her hand moved slightly, brushing against his, and before she could stop herself, her fingers lingered there. The voice in her mind cheered her on, whispering words of encouragement.
'It's perfect. Just let it happen. Trust your luck. He's waiting. Don't hold back.'
Her breath hitched. Vastarael glanced at her then, his expression softening.
"Elyonari?"
His voice was quiet, concerned, though he didn't seem to understand what was going on.
Her heart was racing and she swallowed hard. The words she wanted to say were caught in her throat, trapped by the internal conflict she was feeling. She wanted to explain herself, to pull back, but her luck was making it hard to do so.
'Just kiss him. It's right. You both want it. You're here. It's your moment.'
Elyonari felt the pressure rise in her chest and without even realizing it, her body leaned toward him, ever so slightly, drawn by an invisible force. She barely noticed how close she was now, the faint scent of him filling her senses.
She froze, eyes wide. The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning.
'Wait—what am I doing?'
But before she could pull back, she felt Vastarael's gaze on her, and that was when her luck spoke loudest of all. It was almost as if her own thoughts were overwhelmed by the voice inside her, coaxing her once more.
Her body moved on instinct as though a part of her had surrendered. She leaned closer, her hand tightening on his, and just as she began to pull away in hesitation, her luck made its final, insistent push.
An 'accidental imbalance' suddenly occured.
They both lost their footing on the couch.
Elyonari's hand slipped against Vastarael's shoulder and he instinctively reached out to steady her. But gravity had other plans, pulling them both toward the plush carpet below.
The world seemed to tilt, her luck working its magic. Elyonari's breath escaped her in a startled gasp as they tumbled together. In the chaos, their faces aligned perfectly. Her lips brushed his for a fleeting moment of accidental intimacy.
Except her luck wasn't done yet.
The accidental kiss lasted far longer than it should have. Vastarael froze beneath her, his wide, startled eyes mirroring the shock she felt. The warmth of his lips pressed against hers was undeniable, the moment prolonged as though time itself had paused.
Elyonari's mind raced. She wanted to move, to pull away, to fix the situation, but her luck held her there, refusing to let go. Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest and she could feel his heartbeat matching hers, as if their rhythms had synchronized.
When the Bane finally broke, she jerked back as if burned, her wide, panicked eyes searching Vastarael's face. He stared at her, stunned into silence, his hand unconsciously touching his lips.
"I... I..."
Elyonari stammered, her voice cracking as she scrambled to her feet. Her luck whispered 'perfect timing', but for once, she didn't listen. The enormity of what had just happened crashed down on her and she could feel her embarrassment and guilt rising.
"I'm sorry!" She blurted out, her voice high-pitched and trembling.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and bolted for the balcony. The cool morning air hit her like a slap, but it wasn't enough to calm the storm inside her.
Summoning her staff with trembling hands, she glanced back for a fleeting moment. Vastarael hadn't moved from the carpet, still dazed, his fingers lightly brushing his lips. His expression was unreadable, but it was clear he was processing the moment.
"I'm sorry," she whispered again, this time softer, before taking off into the sky. Her staff glowed faintly as she soared out of sight, leaving Vastarael sitting alone, touching his lips as if the ghost of her presence lingered there.
The room fell silent, save for the faint hum of his mystic circle. Vastarael's gaze drifted toward the balcony, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and something else he couldn't quite name.
The warmth of her lips still lingered and he found himself frozen, his fingers pressed to his mouth as if seeking answers.
"What... just happened?" He murmured to no one, his voice filled with wonder and disbelief.
He just lost his first kiss to Elyonari.
°°°°°°°
[You know, you two are perfect and imperfect for each other.]
Vastarael couldn't concentrate and so, he was focusing on doing push-ups. The way he did them was so fast that he was barely visible. After sometime, he stopped and stood up, his body glistening with sweat. His perfect eight abs, his lean muscular skin, his sweaty bronze skin brown skin, the sweat...
[Damn. Have I ever told you how hot you look?]
'Yeah. Tons of times.'
[Well, I'm telling you now. So, you're going to ignore that she kissed you?]
Vastarael sighed as he summoned water on his palm and levitated it above him. The water washed his face and made his white curly hair wet. If anyone came to the living room, they would see a perfect majestic man standing half naked right in front of them.
"Of course I'm going to ignore it. My Boon acted out of control. Why is it getting stronger by the day?"
[Because of the Echoes Of The Divine?]
"Maybe. I should apologize. Maybe I should start wearing masks again."
According to Vastarael, it was as if his Boon made Elyonari kiss him and her luck made it happen the second she was about to resist it.
Which was actually true.
[So, six days left until the first Epoch Cycle. Are you ready?]
"Nope. I only need to talk to Narisva Starisnova first."
[Why? I thought you wanted to stay away from her.]
"I do. But there's something I need to know about her. Once I do, I can think of what I can do next. I already texted her to meet me."
[What?! When?!]
"Yesterday night. Thankfully, thanks to Natas asking us to share our contact information in case we need each other's help, I got a chance to talk to her. And this time, I'm going to need my full charm today. I have to know something before I fully decide."
[...fine. Be careful, alright? The Starisnovas are... a strange Dynasty.]
"I'll be fine. See you soon then."
Silence filled his mind as he felt the telepathic connection shatter. Phaenora was gone.
"Well then, time to meet the Scourge of Nemesis."