Her tender inner thigh felt warm against Ryker's cheek. Her fingers grazed his cheek with a delicate coolness at the tips, gently moving up to run through his hair.
He sighed, finally closing his eyes as she perfected her ministrations.
"Nightmares again?" Yuri said in a quiet, steady tone.
She doesn't need this right now... He thought, refraining from responding
She hummed, never turning her warm gaze from his face. "You probably don't want to tell me what it is." She leaned down and gently rested her lips on his forehead. "It's okay. I already know."
I really don't want to bother her. She's got enough on her mind already...
"Ryker, Eiría mou." She pulled back slightly, opening her eyes. "Tell me. Please."
He caught her hand as it slid down to his cheek, holding it gently against his skin.
"You have enough to worry about, Yuri." He sighed again. "You should just sleep. I'm okay."
She shook her head steadily, a small smile on her lips. "I'm not gonna sleep until I know you're okay."
"I'm fine," he said flatly.
She didn't say another word. Her hands carefully ran through his dense hair, ending with circular motions just above the forehead. The same spot her people, The Cinerai, had their horns hidden.
"That spot doesn't work for Helios." he said, tilting his head to the side.
She didn't bother with a reply, simply humming a gentle rhythm and continuing her work.
.
.
.
The drawn-out silence started to pry at his resistance. Her hands certainly didn't help him defy her.
"Fine," he whispered.
"Thank you." She tapped his chin twice. "Massage time. Turn over."
"Yuritna—"
"Ah ah, no. Massage. Now." She said in a soft yet firm voice.
He grumbled, but complied. She crawled on his back, straddling him and gently massaging his knotted shoulders.
"Do I have to ask again?" Her thumbs dismantled the tension in his back.
"I don't know how to face them...and I don't even know what all this King's candidate stuff is about." He opened his eyes, looking out of Yuri's window at the full moon. "This whole city is gunning for me..."
Her hands moved to his nape, gently thumbing the taut muscle fibers.
"Face who?" She asked.
"Cassian. Hera. Amelia too...all of them. They all left so fast after dad died—" He paused— "—after I killed him..."
A long silence came between them.
.
.
.
"Well. Have you changed since it happened?" Her ministrations stopped. "Has their friend become somebody they wouldn't like anymore?"
"They don't even like me now. Cassian straight up hates me, Yuri." He admitted, his voice tightening.
"And why do you think he hates you?" She asked, quiet and genuine.
"Because—" He looked back, confused. "—were you not the one that slapped him?"
"I did. And he deserved it." She carefully pressed herself against his back with a relaxing sigh. "But why. Why would you think he hates you?"
...
"Because I killed his idol. He looked up to my Dad so much. Everybody did." he said, the words heavy on his tongue.
"I don't think he hates you, Eiría mou." Her lips pecked his nape. "I think V is just scared of the idea of you."
"And what about Amelia? How about Theo?" He asked, a tinge of longing in his voice. "They didn't even come to the funeral. After he died they just never spoke to me again."
"They miss you, Ryker. All of them do, I promise. You're just a scary memory to them." Her tone held a heavy sadness, though it remained steady. "The whole world was traumatized by Yuuta's death. You had the best Dad ever, Ryker. They probably can't face the truth in his death."
"But—" He tried to retort, his emotions nearly besting him. Her finger shushed him as she continued.
"Can I admit something?"
"Yeah," he said with a hint of caution.
"I was scared at first. After it happened. I watched it happen and I saw V watch it too and it scared us both. I've never seen him—or anybody else cry like that since. But you came to me after it happened—and when you did I could tell you were still Ryker. That thing hadn't made its way in, so I decided to trust you."
"And then what?" He asked with more apprehension.
"Eight years later and I still love you. We fight sometimes, but I love you."
"Besides that..." He whispered, trailing off.
"That's all that matters. And I sorta think I'm not the only one that, with a little time, could've come to the same conclusion." Her warm breath brushed over his ear.
He turned his head face down into the pillow, unwilling to face her.
"Thank you, Eiría mou.," he said, exhaling his stresses into the pillow.
"Chára mou, Eiría mou." She shuffled a little higher up his back to kiss his cheek. "Can I have a kiss now?"
He chuckled, all of the tension leaving him at once. Yuri pushed herself up to let him turn over and, the second he wrapped his arms around her, she melted onto his chest.
She met him with a soft, intimate kiss. Both of them cupped each other's cheeks, refusing to break first.
After ten seconds or so they broke for air, keeping their foreheads connected.
"I wish you'd let me do this for you." He said, catching his breath.
"I don't need it yet. I've got my anchor in you just being with me. That's more than enough..." She pecked him after her words trailed off.
He didn't waver, staring deep into her loving eyes.
"You always get me to tell you these things and—" He hesitated, "—I know there's something bothering you...but you never tell me..." His thumbs rubbed circles on her soft cheeks. "This can't go one way. I want to help you too. I have to."
She leaned into his caress, then subtly shook her head. "I'm happy. I'm the happiest I've ever been."
"Chára mou, Eiría mou," he said before leaning in to rest his lips just above her forehead.
She shivered, surprised by the kiss to her concealed horn. She let his lips stay for a second before tilting her head to let him kiss the other retracted horn.
"You...you're asking for it with that~" She nuzzled her head against his lips, her voice husky.
He pulled back and gripped her chin, making her look up at him.
"Not tonight, Eiría mou. You need to be able to walk tomorrow." He said with a hint of tease and a cocky grin. Her whimpering frustration wasn't lost on him, but he remained firm.
"'No' makes me want it even more. Meanie." She blushed, then grumbled.
"That's...kinda messed up..."
"I can't help it! I'm a demon—two kinds of it too—you're lucky I have some self restraint." She dug her face into his chest, her cheeks burning hot.
He hugged her tighter against him. "After the preliminaries."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
...
"Okay. I'll wait then." Her body seemed to rise in temperature while her limbs turned limp like noodles. "I'm keeping on my promise though. No sleep until you sleep."
He smiled, then kissed her scalp. She cooed against his chest while he finally came to rest.
After a while she lifted her head.
"Out cold. Thank Sydra." She kissed his chin, barely reaching it but not daring to move for fear of waking him. "Good night, Eiría mou."