Evaline:
When I opened the door to my room, all I wanted was to collapse face-first into bed, pull the blanket over my head, and shut out the world.
So when I stepped in and saw Draven standing next to balcony door, I stopped cold and blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Still there.
Tall, sharp-edged, wearing a red silk shirt paired with black pants, and looking just as handso as always. His dark green eyes were watching like I was a storm he wasn’t afraid to stand in.
I opened my mouth, but he beat to it.
"You weren’t answering my ssages."
I dropped my bag on the floor with a little more force than necessary. "That wasn’t an accident."
He took a small, slow step toward . "So you are ignoring now?"
"Yes," I snapped. "And I would like to keep doing that, so if you don’t mind-"
"I do mind," he cut in while stepping between and the bedroom door. "That’s why I’m here."
I narrowed my eyes. "Well, I’m not in the mood to talk, Draven. Not to you. Not after everything that happened last night. Not after the hellish day I have just had."
He didn’t flinch. Just looked at quietly,patient. "I’m not River," he said at last in a low voice. "I didn’t drag you into that gathering. I didn’t put you on display."
"No," I admitted and crossed my arms. "But you didn’t stop him either."
A heavy and thick silence settled between us. But then he said sothing I wasn’t expecting,
"I’m not here to explain or defend anything." He stepped closer. "I’m here because you looked like the world had played you yesterday, and I couldn’t just sit back and pretend I didn’t see that."
I felt my throat tighten but stayed silent.
He glanced toward the bed before asking, "Will you let stay? Just for a little while?"
I should have said no.
I wanted to say no.
But I was so tired. My feet was hurt. My head was throbbing. And beneath all that exhaustion, I didn’t have the strength to fight soone who, for once, wasn’t trying to argue or make excuses.
So I gave a shallow nod and toed off my shoes.
To my surprise, Draven crouched in front of and started carefully undoing the laces to help take them off.
I asked with a frown. "What are you doing?"
"Helping," he said, gently setting the shoes aside before rising and pointing to the bed. "Sit. Please."
Still frowning, I obeyed and dropped onto the edge of the mattress only to hear him asking - "Can I sit too?"
I was surprised to see him seeking permission, especially when he had the tendency to enter my room despite telling him not to. Still, I nodded my head and watched as he settled down beside .
"Now," he said while pulling out his phone with an almost mischievous glint in his eye. "You are going to play a ga with ."
"What?"
"Yup," he said as he reached for my phone. "Give this. Trust , it’s therapeutic."
Too tired to argue, I handed it over and watched as he downloaded a ga - so colorful little town-building thing with bouncing music and adorable graphics.
He handed it back and scooted closer. "Welco to your new obsession."
I scoffed, but my curiosity was winning. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Build your town. Feed your villagers. Play mini-gas. Hoard coins. Rule the world."
I gave him a skeptical glance, but the corner of his mouth lifted in a lopsided grin, and sohow... I smiled back.
As the minutes passed, I got lost in the ga - collecting fruit, decorating little cottages, unlocking farm animals and bakery recipes. Draven kept leaning over occasionally to give tips. His arm would brush mine, his voice low and warm in my ear.
And I was laughing...actually laughing... when my villagers all danced after I finished a successful harvest.
He chuckled too. "Told you it was good."
"It’s stupid," I said, smiling anyway. "But kind of... addictive."
"Welco to the dark side," he whispered dramatically, and I shook my head.
Right at that mont, my phone buzzed with a ssage from Mallory.
Where are you? It’s almost dinner ti. Are you still at headquarters?
I quickly closed the ga and typed back a response, letting her know that I would be joining them in the dining hall within ten minutes. Then, I set the phone aside.
The room beca silent as we sat side by side on the bed. The gap between us now so small that I was feeling the heat of him.
Then Draven asked, softly, "Are you still mad at ?"
My heart thudded.
I didn’t look at him as I answered truthfully. "Yes."
He nodded while whispering, "I figured."
"But I don’t hate you," I added, surprising even myself.
When I turned to look at him, his eyes were on -unusually open and vulnerable beneath the usual green.
"Eva," he whispered. "Can I... kiss you?"
I sucked in a breath atthe request that ca out of nowhere. My first instinct was to say no. Not because I didn’t want to. But because I didn’t know if I should.
Still, when I looked at him and saw the softness behind his sharp features, the question in his gaze and the care behind it...
I couldn’t say no.
So... I gave the faintest nod. And he moved.
Slowly.
Gently.
His hand ca up to cup my cheek. The touch was warm and steady, and I leaned into it without aning to. Then he was leaning in, brushing his lips against mine with such tenderness it almost unraveled .
It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t hungry or desperate. It was sweet, like a promise whispered into the night.
His lips lingered and I kissed him back, fluttering my eyes closed as I gave into the mont. His thumb stroked my cheek, and his other hand ca to rest lightly on my knee. Everything about the kiss said, I’m here, and I’m trying.
And for now, that was enough.
When we finally pulled apart, neither of us spoke. There was no need. Then, he finally stood up a mont later.
"I’ll go now," he said quietly. "Before you regret letting stay."
I stood with him, walking him to the balcony door.
He paused before opening it and turned back to . "I’ll do better. I promise. You deserve that. You deserve more."
I didn’t respond, just stared at him as I watched him take one last look at , like he was morizing the mont, before he finally left, closing the door softly behind him.
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