The Next Day...
Pyrrha Nikos slips out of her dorm room quietly, the door clicking shut behind her with barely a sound. The halls of Beacon Academy feel unusually empty tonight, the usual chatter of students muted by the late hour. She needs air-cool, fresh air to clear her thoughts.
But her mind refuses to settle.
Ever since her walk through Vale, Erik lingers in her thoughts like a melody she can't stop humming. His easy smile. The way he brushed her hair aside without thinking. The promise of more tomorrows. Everything feels too real, too sudden-yet somehow, still not fast enough.
She wanders without direction at first, her boots echoing softly against the polished floors, until she pushes open the door to the outdoor courtyard.
The night air greets her immediately, crisp and refreshing, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers from Beacon's gardens. Above her, stars scatter across the sky, unobscured by Vale's distant lights. Pyrrha moves toward a secluded bench beneath a large tree, its leaves whispering gently in the breeze.
She sits, pulling her knees in slightly, eyes fixed on the ground.
Alone at last, she wonders if she is ready to let someone in-really in-after years of being the untouchable champion. Pyrrha Nikos. The Invincible Girl. Always admired. Always distant.
Then, faint music drifts through the courtyard.
At first, she thinks it's the wind. But the sound grows clearer-coming from an open dorm window nearby, or perhaps a student relaxing somewhere on the grass. The melody is familiar. Popular. One she has heard around Beacon before.
"Shine."
By Jeff Williams, featuring Casey Lee Williams.
The lyrics reach her before she realizes it, wrapping around her heart like a quiet confession.
---
I was cold in the dark
It was empty in my life
From the outside, it looked so bright
But nothing felt right to me
---
Her breath stills.
The words echo too closely to her own past-before Erik. Before anyone ever looked past the title, the victories, the pedestal. When people only saw Pyrrha Nikos the Invincible girl, never just Pyrrha.
---
Like a sky with no sun
Like a night that has no day
My heart was eclipsed by the dark
Then something changed
---
Something did change.
She remembers the first time Erik spoke to her-not with awe, not with hesitation, but casually. Naturally. Like she was just another person standing in front of him.
---
I saw a little ray of light come through
The tiniest of sparks came into view
And then
You made me hope again
---
A small smile touches her lips.
---
I've been watching you, helping you
Wishing that you'd see
That the girl you've been waiting so long for could be me
---
Her chest tightens.
She thinks back to everything they've shared-the training, the laughter, the quiet moments. At first, she doesn't recognize the warmth she feels when she's with him.
Not until Forever Fall.
Not until fear claws through her chest when she sees him hurt.
Not until Vale.
---
Now, I've never been in love
But I think this is it
It might seem just a schoolgirl crush
But I have to admit
---
Her heart beats faster.
---
I wanna take a chance and make you see
I think that you're the one who'll rescue me
This time
You're finally gonna see you should be mine
---
Her doubt dissolves.
The song doesn't just mirror her feelings-it confirms them.
---
Because baby, it's time to make up your mind
I think that tonight is when our stars align
Honey, it's time to leave the doubt behind
Take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna shine
---
Her feelings harden, settling into certainty. There is no more hesitation now-no doubt left in her heart about what she feels for Erik.
Suddenly, Erik approaches and stops in front of her.
"This song sounds really nice, don't you think, Pyrrha?"
He doesn't realize that Pyrrha's emotions are in turmoil beneath her calm exterior. Her confidence is at its peak, and her ears are tuned only to the lyrics filling the air.
---
I won't need any dreams
It's all there if you′re by my side
Every moment′s enough
And you take me to paradise
When I needed a hero, you knew it
And you were there
And I'm scared, but I′ll open my heart up
I'm ready to dare
---
She rises from the bench in one smooth motion and steps closer, close enough that Erik can feel the warmth of her presence. Her green eyes lock onto his, unwavering-no doubt, no hesitation.
"Erik," she says, her voice steady despite the storm in her chest, "I've realized how I feel about you."
His breath catches.
"I like you," she continues, each word deliberate. "So... be my boyfriend."
The world seems to stop.
Erik stands frozen, mind blank, heart pounding far louder than the quiet night of Beacon's courtyard. Of all the things he expects tonight, this is not one of them.
Pyrrha closes the distance in a single step.
Her hands grip the front of his jacket, fingers tightening as if afraid he might disappear, and she pulls him down into a kiss-firm, sudden, and charged with every feeling she has been holding back.
For a heartbeat, Erik is too shocked to move.
Then the kiss sinks in.
The world narrows to the warmth of her lips, the faint scent of the night air mixed with her presence, the undeniable truth of her choice. Her confidence leaves no room for doubt-no retreat:
---
I know I′ve never felt like this before
I never really knew what love was for
I dreamed
But never did believe
Because baby, it's time to make up your mind
I think that tonight is when our stars align
Honey, right now we leave the doubt behind
Take my hand ′cause you and I are gonna
Light the sky until it's dawn and
Baby, you and I are gonna shine
---
The song finally finished.
When she finally pulls back, her forehead rests lightly against his, her breath unsteady, her composure cracked but unbroken.
She doesn't ask again.
She waits.
For a moment, Erik can only breathe.
His forehead still rests against hers, his pulse loud in his ears, his thoughts racing to catch up with what just happened. The warmth of her kiss lingers-undeniable, real.
Slowly, he lifts one hand, hesitating for half a second before resting it at her waist, grounding himself.
"Pyrrha..." His voice is low, unsteady-not from fear, but from honesty.
He pulls back just enough to look at her properly. Really look at her. Not the champion. Not the symbol. Just her.
His thumb tightens slightly where it rests, as if afraid she might pull away.
"But every time you smile at me, every time you look at me like I matter... it makes it harder to lie to myself."
He exhales, a soft, breathless laugh escaping him.
"So if you're asking whether I want this-" His gaze locks onto hers, intense and certain. "The answer is yes."
He leans in, resting his forehead against hers again.
"I like you too, Pyrrha. Not as the Invincible Girl. Not as a legend." His voice softens. "Only as you."
This time, when he kisses her, it's slower-deliberate, sure-his answer spoken without a single word.
They part slowly, just enough to breathe.
The world returns in quiet pieces-the distant murmur of students somewhere across the courtyard, the rustle of leaves above them, the cool night air brushing against warm skin. None of it feels intrusive. None of it matters.
Pyrrha rests her forehead against Erik's shoulder, her grip light but certain, as if anchoring herself to the moment.
For the first time in a long while, her heart is calm.
Erik stays still, one arm around her, not protective-just present. No expectations. No pressure. Only understanding.
Above them, the stars burn softly against the dark sky, steady and patient.
"Looks like Vale isn't the only place with lights tonight," Erik murmurs.
Pyrrha smiles, closing her eyes.
"No," she says quietly. "I think this one shines brighter."
They remain there beneath the tree, two silhouettes framed by starlight and silence, letting the night hold their secret.
And for once, Pyrrha Nikos is not thinking about destiny, or victories yet to come.
She is thinking only of now.
Of warmth. Of choice. Of someone standing beside her.
Together, they shine.
To Be Continued...