He took her hand in his, guiding it to press against his chest, the warmth and steady beat of his heart grounding the moment. "It's you. Always you."
Noelle's cheeks flushed, her fingers tightening slightly around his. She lowered her gaze, her voice soft but steady. "I know, Ren. I know you mean it. But… when I hear them say things like that, I can't help it. It still hurts. It makes me feel… small." She drew in a shaky breath, her fingers curling slightly against his chest. "It's only human, right?"
Ren's jaw tightened, his eyes burning with something fierce yet tender. "Then let me remind you," he whispered. Without waiting, he tipped her chin up and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss wasn't tentative. It was deep, urgent, filled with all the words neither of them could speak. Noelle clung to him, the heat of his body wrapping around her, his arms pulling her close as if to shield her from the world. Her heart raced but in that moment, everything else faded away... the whispers, the doubts, the stares. There was only Ren, only the fire of his kiss and the undeniable certainty that she was his.
When they finally broke apart, breathless, Ren rested his forehead against hers, his thumb brushing across her cheek. "Only human," he murmured, "but only mine, too."
Ren's lips moved against hers with an intensity that stole the air from her lungs. The world blurred as they fumbled with the door, his hand still firmly pressed to hers against his chest, unwilling to let go. When the lock finally clicked, they stumbled inside, the kiss never breaking, breaths mingling, hearts hammering.
Noelle backed up until her shoulder met the wall and Ren's body followed, crowding her space without ever feeling suffocating. His hands slid to her waist, drawing her closer, as if he couldn't bear even the smallest distance. She gasped against his mouth, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, tugging him down to her with surprising boldness.
He groaned softly, the sound low and rough and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. The gentleness from outside her apartment door had burned into something more urgent, more consuming. Every brush of his lips, every pass of his thumb along her jaw was a claim, a reassurance, a wordless vow.
"Noelle…" he breathed against her skin as his lips trailed along her cheek, grazing just beneath her ear. Her knees weakened, her body trembling from the sheer heat of it but Ren's arms held her steady, anchoring her.
She pressed closer, hands roaming up to his shoulders, marvelling at the solid strength beneath her palms. When she whispered his name, it was half plea, half confession and Ren responded by pulling her flush against him, kissing her again with a passion that made her heart race beyond control.
The kiss stretched, lingered, grew hungrier. It was only when the need for air finally forced them apart that they stopped, foreheads pressed together, both of them panting, flushed, and unwilling to let the moment go.
Ren's thumb brushed across her swollen bottom lip, his eyes dark and burning with a tenderness that made her chest ache. "I don't care what anyone says," he murmured, voice low and rough. "You're the only one I want. And I want you now."
Ren's lips captured hers again and this time there was no hesitation. His hands slid lower, curving around her thighs and before Noelle could even gasp in surprise, he lifted her effortlessly. Her legs wrapped instinctively around his waist, holding on as though he were the only steady thing in the world.
She clutched at his shoulders, the movement drawing a breathless laugh from her throat that melted quickly into another kiss. Ren's grip was sure and strong, carrying her as if she weighed nothing, every step echoing in her apartment as he walked them deeper inside.
The trail of heat he left with his lips along her jaw made her shiver, her fingers twisting in his hair as the door to her bedroom loomed closer. Her heart hammered so loud it nearly drowned out everything else, including the faint creak of the floorboards, the rush of blood in her ears, the muffled sound of his breath against her skin.
Ren pressed her back briefly against the doorframe, kissing her harder and she gasped, the sound swallowed by his mouth. Then, without breaking the kiss, he carried her the last few steps and laid her gently down on the edge of her bed. His body followed, hovering above hers, his gaze searching hers with a fierce tenderness that made her chest ache.
"Noelle," he whispered, voice raw. "Is it ok if we.. if I.. have all of you now?"
Noelle shyly nodded as Ren's weight pressed her softly into the mattress, the heat of his body searing through the thin barrier of clothes that still separated them. His mouth trailed fire down her throat, over the line of her collarbone, each kiss pulling a shiver from her lips. She arched beneath him, fingers sliding under the edge of his shirt, desperate to feel more of his skin.
He groaned against her, the sound vibrating through her chest, as he pulled back just enough to tug his shirt over his head. Noelle's breath caught. She had seen him before but it's magnificent to see him up close.
Her hands roamed freely now, tracing the planes of his chest, the taut muscles flexing beneath her fingertips. He lowered himself again, capturing her lips in another consuming kiss, his tongue teasing hers until she whimpered against him.
Ren's hands skimmed down her sides, sliding beneath her top, urging it upward until he could peel it off her with deliberate slowness. He paused, just for a heartbeat, his gaze drinking her in with such reverence that her face burned.
"You're beautiful," he murmured, voice thick, before bending to kiss her again, this time longer, deeper, more desperate.
She clung to him, her legs tightening around his waist, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them. Every brush of his hips against hers sent sparks racing through her, the tension building, sharp and sweet, until she thought she might unravel right there.
Ren caressed her legs using his fingers to trace the length as they are tightly wrapped around his waist. Noelle released her hold as she savour the tingling sensation all the way down her spine. She reached for him in turn, her hands mapping all the contours of his body, the steady thrum of his heartbeat under her palm. He caught her wrist, pressed her hand flat against him. "Only you," he said, firm, unshakable, as if willing her to feel every ounce of truth in it.
His kisses grew wilder, moving from her mouth to her jaw, down the curve of her neck, teeth grazing lightly at her pulse point. She gasped, nails digging into his back as heat coiled low in her belly. He pressed his hard centre against her to confirm his desire.
Fabric gave way in slow succession, hesitant at first, then with growing urgency. Every new inch of skin revealed was met with a kiss, a touch, a sigh. It wasn't just hunger; it was discovery, a rhythm of giving and receiving that left them both breathless.