-Alexia-
I wake before the sun spills over Whisperwind's towers, gray light pressing against the curtains, whispering that another day has come whether I'm ready or not. For a moment, I stay still under the blankets, listening to the quiet. Kaia's soft breathing drifts from the other side of the room, steady and calm, reminding me I'm not alone. Zeus curls at my feet, tail twitching in a dream. It's the first tranquil moment I've had since… everything.
Asher's howl still echoes in the back of my mind, low and raw, tangled with the memory of the boys leaving last night, faces tight with things they won't say. I press a hand to my chest, feeling the faint pulse of the bond, and swallow against the tightness in my throat.
Kaia mumbles something about "too early," tugging her blanket over her head. I almost smile. A soft knock breaks the hush, and before I can untangle myself, the door creaks open just enough for Finn to slip inside, hoodie too oversized, hair sticking up, carrying two steaming mugs. Zeus lifts his head, sniffs, and sighs before settling again.
"Hey," Finn whispers.
"Hey." My voice is soft, but it doesn't matter.
He glances at Kaia, still a burrito of blankets. "She said I could come in if I brought coffee."
A shaky laugh slips out, and I sit up, hugging my knees as he crosses the room. He sets a mug on my nightstand before sitting on the edge of my bed, close but not too close—the vanilla-cinnamon steam curls around me like a memory of safer mornings.
"You didn't have to," I murmur.
"I wanted to." His blue eyes are soft, but there's a shadow there, too.
I take the mug, letting the warmth seep into my cold fingers, and take a careful sip. Sweet, comforting, familiar.
"How are you feeling?" he asks quietly.
I stare into the coffee. "I don't know."
He lets out a breath, looking down at his own mug, fingers tapping once against the ceramic before going still.
"I shouldn't have kept it from them," he says suddenly, voice low.
I look up sharply. "What?"
His jaw works, and he doesn't meet my eyes. "That we… that we completed the bond." He drags a hand through his hair, making it stick up even more. "They knew about the bond, but not that we finished it. That you're fully mine now. That I'm yours."
The words settle between us, heavy. I clutch the mug tighter, heart pounding.
"Why did you?" I whisper because I need to know, even if it hurts.
He looks up then, blue eyes bright and raw, like he's holding back a storm. "Because for once, it's just us. Just you and me, and it feels right. And I'm scared that if I tell them, it will ruin it, or they'll look at you differently, or… or that I'd have to share what we had before I'm ready to share it."
His voice cracks, and he looks away, swallowing hard.
"I was selfish," he says quietly. "I know that now."
I blink against the sting in my eyes, the bond between us pulsing, warm and aching. I set my mug down, reaching out to brush his hair back from his forehead.
"It wasn't selfish," I whisper. "It was ours."
His breath catches, and he leans into my touch, eyes closing, his hand coming up to cover mine where it rests against his cheek.
"But I should have told them," he says, voice rough.
"Yeah," I admit softly. "You should have."
We sit there for a moment, the dawn light creeping into the room, Kaia's quiet breathing grounding us, the bond humming softly, alive, reminding us that despite everything, we're still here.
His eyes open, meeting mine, and there's so much in them I can't name.
"I'm sorry," he whispers.
"I know," I say, and I let my forehead rest against his, letting the quiet, the warmth, and him hold me up. And for now, in this small, fragile moment, it's enough.
Finn's forehead rests against mine, his breath warm, steadying me in a way nothing else can. The bond hums softly, wrapping around us like a blanket, and for a moment the world is just him and me.
His hand slides to the back of my neck, fingers brushing the small hairs there, sending a shiver down my spine. My breath catches, and I feel him tense, feel the way his pulse quickens through the bond.
"Lex…" he whispers, like he's asking permission, like he's afraid to break the moment. I swallow, leaning in until our noses brush, the mug of coffee long forgotten on the nightstand.
"Yeah?" I breathe, my voice shaking.
His thumb strokes along my jaw, tilting my face up just enough that our eyes meet, blue on green, something unspoken passing between us. His gaze drops to my lips, and for a heartbeat, I think he might pull back. He doesn't.
His lips brush mine, soft, testing, like he's giving me the chance to stop him. I don't. I press closer, and the kiss deepens, slow and warm, heat blooming under my skin, curling in my stomach.
His hands move to my waist, pulling me closer until I'm nearly in his lap, the blanket tangling around us. My fingers twist in the front of his hoodie, holding on as the kiss turns hungrier, breathless, like we've both been waiting for this.
The bond sparks, heat rushing between us, and I gasp against his mouth as his tongue brushes mine, his other hand sliding up to cradle my cheek.
"Finn," I whisper, pulling back just enough to breathe, but his lips find the corner of my mouth, my jaw, pressing soft, desperate kisses there, like he can't stop.
"Tell me to stop," he murmurs against my skin, his breath hot, sending a shiver down my spine. I don't. I tilt my head, letting him press kisses down my neck, my eyes fluttering closed, my fingers tightening in his hoodie.
The bond is a live wire, warmth and heat and want, and it's like everything else falls away. The council, the fear, the uncertainty — it's all gone, and it's just us. His teeth graze my neck, and a soft sound escapes me, making him groan, low and rough, pulling me closer until there's no space between us.
"Gods, Lex…" he breathes, pressing his forehead to my shoulder, his fingers gripping my waist like he's afraid I'll slip away. I bury my hands in his hair, tugging gently, and he looks up, eyes bright, lips swollen, and I can't help but smile, even as my heart races. Then—
"Oh my gods, can you two not do this while I'm literally in the same room?" Kaia's voice cuts through the haze, sharp and mortified, and I freeze.
Finn's head snaps toward her, and I turn, cheeks flaming, to see Kaia sitting up in bed, her blanket around her shoulders, her hair sticking out in every direction, eyes wide with sleepy horror.
"Kaia!" I squeak, scrambling off Finn's lap, nearly knocking the coffee off the nightstand as I tug the blanket around me.
Finn clears his throat, rubbing the back of his neck, his face bright red. "Uh… morning?"
Kaia groans, flopping back onto her pillow and dragging the blanket over her head. "I hate you both. You're lucky I like you, Lex, because if I have to hear your bonded make-out noises at dawn again, I'm hexing you."
My face is on fire, and I bury it in my hands, mortified. Finn lets out a breathless, embarrassed laugh, and despite everything, I can't help but laugh too, muffled behind my hands.
Kaia peeks out, eyes narrowed. "At least let me get coffee first next time."
"Deal," Finn says, grinning, his eyes flicking to mine, warmth and mischief there even as we both try to calm our racing hearts.
Kaia groans again, shoving the blanket back over her head. "I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up when the awkward is gone."
Finn chuckles, and I hide my face in his shoulder, shaking with silent laughter, the bond pulsing softly, warm and alive even in the embarrassment. And for now, with the quiet morning turned chaotic, with Kaia's complaints and Finn's arms around me, it's enough.