Warning: Steamy Scene Ahead. If you are uncomfortable reading this part, feel free to skip to the next chapter. If not, enjoy the ride ;)
Riven and I walked side by side, the forest wrapping around us in hushed quiet. Glowing plants lined the edges of the trail, casting soft light beneath our feet, while clusters of faintly luminescent mushrooms pulsed gently at the base of trees, guiding the way like nature's lanterns. For a while, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched, not uncomfortable, but weighted, like both of us were waiting for the right words to come.
I finally broke it. "Why did you want to meet here?" I asked quietly, then added, "At this hour?" I watched him out of the corner of my eye, the soft forest glow catching in the angles of his face, waiting for the words he seemed to be weighing in silence.
Riven turned his head, eyes locking onto mine beneath the soft, pulsing light. "I wanted to see you," he said, voice low, almost careful. Then he paused, shaking his head, a breath slipping from him like the truth had been pressing on his chest all along. "No... I needed to." He looked away, the space between us stretching as we walked. "It's been a rough couple of days," he said quietly. "And today was… hard."
The last word hung in the air, heavier than it should've been. "I don't know," he continued, his voice low, almost detached. "It just feels like every ounce of control I had over my life has been ripped right out of my hands."
His hands were in his pockets, shoulders tense, like saying it aloud cost him more than he wanted to admit. He let out a slow breath, gaze drifting toward the trees. "I feel like I'm at a crossroads," he said, voice low and unsteady. "And it's all fucked up, Athens. Everything's shifting, like I'm standing in the middle of something I can't control, and no matter which way I turn, it all feels hopeless."
After a beat, I stopped and turned toward him, the distant sound of rushing water filling the quiet. The forest pulsed gently around us, faint bioluminescence clinging to the undergrowth, casting a soft shimmer across his features. But it was his eyes, weighted with something unspoken, that held my focus.
I stepped closer, closing the space between us until I could feel the warmth radiating off him. My hand rose instinctively, resting against his chest, just above the steady rhythm of his heart. "You're not alone in this," I said quietly. "Whatever you're carrying, you don't have to hold it on your own." His gaze dropped to mine, searching for something I wasn't sure he believed in anymore.
"Tell me, Riven," I said softly. "What is it you need from me right now?" For a moment, he didn't answer. His throat worked around words he hadn't yet found, jaw tense, eyes flickering with something fractured. Then, with a quiet breath, he closed the last of the space between us. "You. Just you," he whispered softly.
Something in my chest gave way at those words. Simple but raw, and painfully honest. I met his gaze, holding it for a heartbeat longer before reaching out and taking his hand. His fingers curled around mine without hesitation. "Come with me," I said.
Without another word, I turned and led him off the main path, quickening my pace. The trees thickened around us, the light dimming to a soft pulse as I guided him toward the one place I always went when the world felt like too much. My sanctuary. Hidden in the quiet, and for tonight, just for us.
The dense canopy above began to thin, and the sound of rushing water grew louder with every step. Light shimmered faintly ahead, diffused through the mist curling low over the forest floor. As we stepped past the last line of trees, the view opened before us, unreal in its beauty. My sanctuary.
Tucked deep within the heart of the woods, the waterfall cascaded down a dark stone cliff, its waters glowing softly with threads of pale blue and silver. Bioluminescent plants clung to the rocks, their soft light painting the surrounding trees in shades of violet and emerald. The pool below was still and glasslike, reflecting the twin moons in perfect clarity.
I released a slow breath, the air cooler here, tinged with magic and something older, something sacred. "This is the one place that's ever made sense to me," I said, my voice barely louder than the fall of water. Riven stood beside me, silent for a moment as he looked around, taking in the soft glow of the falls and the quiet magic that hung in the air.
"It's peaceful," he said, voice low and genuine. "I get why you come here."
I walked toward the water's edge, the cool mist brushing against my skin as I settled at the border where the glowing pool met the moss-covered stone. I slipped off my shoes, letting them fall beside me, and dipped my feet into the water. The hum of the waterfall filled the air, steady and calming.
Riven joined me a heartbeat later. He sat beside me, close enough that our shoulders brushed. Then, without a word, he reached for my hand, his touch warm and certain. He brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against my knuckles.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely above the whisper of water. "You have no idea how much it means… you being here with me. Right now." His words settled between us, honest and unguarded, rippling through the stillness like a quiet vow.
We sat for a while, the sound of the waterfall a steady rhythm around us. Riven's hand was still wrapped around mine, his thumb drawing absent-minded circles against my skin. My lips tugged into a smile as a memory surfaced.
"So…" I said slowly, tilting my head just enough to catch his gaze, "about those texts you sent yesterday." He glanced at me, brow arching slightly, his mouth twitching into a knowing smirk. "What about them?" I raised an eyebrow. "Are you always this full of yourself?" His grin deepened. "Only when I know I'm right."
"You think you're right about everything."
"I told you sweets, I don't think," he said, leaning in just enough that I could feel his breath against my cheek. "I know."
A thrill skittered down my spine, and I hated how easily he could flip the air between us from playful to charged in a single breath. I should've pulled away. Should've said something snarky. But instead, I tilted my chin up, meeting his eyes head-on. "You talk a big game," I murmured. His lips quirked. "I play one too."
Before I could fire back, he moved. In one swift motion, he pushed me back, and I landed against the moss-covered ground, cool and springy beneath me. His body hovered above mine, eyes locked with mine, the heat in his gaze stealing the breath from my lungs.
Neither of us said anything at first. The silence between us was loud, crackling with tension, like the moment before lightning splits the sky. Then, softer than I expected, his voice cut through the hush. "If this isn't what you want, tell me to stop." He said it with a quiet intensity, like he was offering me the final word, even if it killed him to do it.
But I didn't speak. I didn't move. I only looked up at him, my breath coming shallow, heart pounding against my ribs like it wanted to leap into his hands. And that was all the answer he needed.
His lips crashed onto mine, fierce and hungry, and the world blurred around us. I kissed him back with everything I had. His hand slid up my side, finding the curve of my waist, then higher, drawing me closer like he couldn't get enough. I melted into him, fingers threading into his hair, tugging just enough to make him groan against my lips. That sound undid something inside me. Before I knew what I was doing, I shifted, rolling us over until I was straddling him. His hands immediately found my hips, holding me there, like even now he couldn't quite believe I was real.
The boldness surged before doubt could creep in. I reached for the hem of my shirt, pulled it over my head, and tossed it aside. His eyes darkened. I unclasped my bra, slow, deliberate, watching his expression shift from hunger to something deeper as it slipped down my arms.
Riven sat up, his hands sliding to my waist. He flipped us with ease, settling above me once more. He pulled his shirt off in one fluid motion, his lips meeting mine with a slow, consuming heat. His mouth traveled down my neck, lingering where my pulse throbbed. He kissed along my shoulder, trailing lower, moving with slow, deliberate care. I arched beneath him, a quiet gasp slipping free as the warmth of his breath ghosted over the curve of my chest, anticipation coiling deep and tight.
He paused at my right breast, his mouth hovering, eyes locked on mine. Slowly, deliberately, he lowered his head, his tongue circling my nipple, already stiff with desire. A soft moan escaped me as his lips closed over the sensitive peak, the heat of his mouth sending sparks through every inch of my skin. He sucked gently at first, then deeper, more insistent, each pull drawing a sharper breath from my lips. His hand slid up to cup the other breast, thumb brushing over the tip in slow, languid strokes. When his mouth moved to replace his fingers, lavishing the other side with the same focused hunger, my hips shifted beneath him, the pressure of his body grounding me, anchoring me in a moment that felt impossibly intimate. I held him close, my fingers tangled in his hair as his lips wandered lower, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake. As he reached the waistband of my shorts, he paused, eyes meeting mine, silent and intense, waiting for permission. I nodded, heart racing.
His fingers slipped beneath the fabric, easing it down past my hips, leaving me exposed to him, save for the thin barrier of my panties. His eyes roamed over me, slow and deliberate, in the dim stillness of the forest. The shadows danced across his face, but his eyes burned through them. A breath hitched in his throat before he murmured, voice low and reverent, "You are a fucking sight, Athens."
His hands found my hips, thumbs brushing just beneath the edge of my panties as he pulled me closer. The heat between us thickened, turning the air heavy with something unspoken and magnetic. His eyes never left mine, as he gently pulled my legs apart, leaning in, and pressing a kiss to the inside of my thigh. "I don't think you realize," he murmured, his voice gravel and smoke, "what you do to me."
I parted my lips to respond, but before I could speak, his mouth was on me, grazing the tender ache between my thighs through the thin lace of my panties. My hips bucked instinctively, a gasp escaping as my core throbbed with need. Riven's eyes flicked up to mine, heat smoldering behind them. "Easy babe," he murmured, voice low and rough. "Or you'll make me lose what little control I have left."
He pressed a palm firmly to my hip, pinning me down with gentle strength, his thumb stroking slow circles against my skin. The contrast between restraint and desire crackled in the air, each breath heavier than the last. "You're so responsive," he said, his mouth brushing against the lace again, barely touching, just enough to make me writhe. "And I've barely even touched you." Desire burned through me, hot and wild, unraveling any restraint I thought I had. "Fuck, Riven…" I ground out, my voice thick with frustration. "Stop teasing and just…" My voice faltered, breath hitching as his fingers slipped beneath the edge of my panties, pushing the fabric aside. His mouth was on me in an instant, tongue sliding between my folds with a slow, devastating stroke that stole every thought from my head. My hips jerked, breath caught, the world narrowing to nothing but the heat of his mouth and the slick, sinful way he moved.
He looked up through dark lashes, lips glistening, mischief burning in his eyes. "You were saying?" I clenched the moss beneath me, breath ragged. "Fucking hell, Riven. If you don't put that mouth to better use right now, I swear I'll grind on your face until you forget how to breathe." He stilled for a beat, then smiled, slow and wicked.
His grip on my thighs tightened, eyes flashing with something feral. "Oh, babe… you want it that bad?" he growled, low and dark. "Then you better hold on, because I'm not stopping till your legs are shaking and my name's the only thing you can remember." With a single, savage tug, he tore off my panties, dragging my legs over his shoulders. His lips was on me again, hot, ravenous, and unrelenting. He sucked my cl*t into his mouth, teeth grazing gently, sending a sharp pulse of pleasure through me. My fingers threaded through his hair as a moan tore from my lips. "Fuck yeah, don't stop," I gasped.
His fingers teased my entrance, slow and deliberate, gathering the slickness there. "Damn, Athens…" he murmured, voice rough with desire. "You're so wet for me." He dragged his fingers upward, circling my swollen bud with slow, deliberate precision. I propped myself up on my elbows, the sight of him between my legs only intensifying the ache building inside me. His tongue lapped up my clit, hot and relentless, just as his finger slid inside. My head fell back, a moan tearing from my throat, loud and uninhibited. He slipped a second finger in, moving with maddening precision, circling, teasing, driving me closer to the edge.
Riven looked up, his voice low and wicked. "You like that, babe?" My breath hitched. "Yes..." I moaned, my voice cracking under the pressure building inside me. "Yes, feels so good. Don't stop." He didn't. He dipped his head again, his mouth and fingers working in perfect rhythm, taking me apart, piece by piece. My thighs trembled around him, the pressure winding tighter with every stroke of his fingers and sweep of his tongue.
"Riven…" His name left me on a shaky breath, almost a plea. "I've got you, sweets," he murmured, voice thick with promise. His fingers pressed deeper, curling inside of me. And just like that, I let go, shattering beneath his touch. My body arched, a cry tearing from me as wave after wave overtook me, every nerve alight. His voice followed, low and hungry. "That's it beautiful. Come for me." He didn't stop though. His touch remained relentless, coaxing me through the aftershocks as I clung to him, a trembling, breathless mess.
I lost count of how many times he pushed me over the edge. My body was spent, drenched in sweat and the aftermath of pleasure. I could feel the slick evidence of my release, still warm between my thighs. Riven's fingers slid through it, slow and deliberate, before he brought them to his mouth, his eyes locked on mine as he tasted me. The sound that left me wasn't even a word. Just a gasp, raw and wrecked.
He leaned in, his body settling over mine, and kissed me like he wanted to brand the moment into my soul. His hand came up to cradle my cheek, thumb brushing over my skin. "You okay?" he whispered. I nodded, breathless. "Better than okay."
We lay there for a while, wrapped in each other as the waterfall whispered nearby and the forest hummed softly around us. "I could stay here forever," I murmured, my fingers tracing gentle shapes against his shoulder. "Just like this." Riven's chest rose and fell beneath my hand. "You make forever feel possible," he said, voice low, threaded with something raw.
I smiled, cheeks flushed from more than just the chill in the air. I hesitated, then said softly, "I didn't… get to return the favor." The words came out tentative, almost shy.
He lifted his head, just enough to meet my eyes, his gaze fierce and tender all at once. "Athena," he said, like my name was the answer to something he'd been searching for. "You don't have to worry about me. Bringing you pleasure…watching you come undone like that, hearing you scream my name like I was your lifeline…" He trailed off, the rough edge in his voice doing more than words ever could. "That was more than enough."
He reached up, fingers brushing my cheek with reverent softness. I leaned into his touch, drawn to the warmth in his eyes, the way he looked at me. His thumb traced the curve of my jaw, and he smiled, quiet and full of something I didn't have words for. "That was everything." he murmured, his voice barely above a breath. "You are everything, Athens." He leaned in, his breath warm against my lips as he whispered, "And you're mine."
I froze for a moment, my breath catching as the words settled deep, curling through my chest like a thread pulling everything into place. I searched his eyes for anything that might make me doubt. But there was nothing. Just Riven, steady and unwavering, and completely mine.
I lifted my hand to his face, cupping his jaw, fingers brushing the edge of his cheek. His skin was warm beneath my touch. "Then it's only fair," I whispered, voice low, "to call you mine." My lips grazed his as I breathed the words against his mouth. "You are mine, Riven. And I'm yours." His lips curved into a smile that held a thousand unspoken promises before he pulled me into a kiss, deep, consuming, and filled with everything we hadn't said yet, but already knew.
I didn't care what came next, what trials waited just beyond the trees or in the secrets still unspoken between us. Nothing else mattered right now. This moment was ours, and I wanted to live inside it, if only for a little while.
His arms wrapped around me, strong and sure, and I curled into the warmth of him, resting my cheek against his bare chest. The sound of his heartbeat, steady and real, lulled me into stillness. The stars blinked high above, scattered across the night sky like a promise, and the hush of the waterfall became a lullaby. Bathed in the faint glow of the enchanted forest, I let my eyes close. And there, in the safety of his embrace, I let sleep take me.