I hold out my arms to either side, expression flat. I stare directly at the blue fish who looks a bit like he's been caught in headlights, uncertain of what I'm suddenly blocking his path for. "I wish. To be kissed."
Llywelyn's eyes go wide. His ears flick. His lips part slightly. His veins start glowing. I can see him through my own lashes and I don't look away.
He gulps. "You—here?—No, I'm n—"
"I'm not walking another step until you kiss me." I say, matter-of-factly, because this is... something of a point of pride. And I'm just being a stubborn ass, honestly. But it's earned. He's a difficult man himself.
We're docked at the beautiful night planet, the one with the glowing mushrooms and the strange waxy leaves. The place we'll be staying for the next few days. I've barely gotten to explore it, though I was excited to. But I want to do this first.
I tilt my head. "Kiss me."
He lets out a shaky breath. His eyes dart around us briefly, checking if anyone's looking, and then he looks back at me with a frustrated expression. "You insufferable little—"
"Fine." I drop my arms. "I'll have Mira kiss m—"
He cuts me off by grabbing my face and crushing his mouth against mine.
I'm... not expecting it to be so rough. Or so good. His lips are demanding and possessive. I don't mind. I kiss him back, my hands sliding up his arms to his shoulders. I feel his pulse under my fingers, his heat against my body.
He pulls back just as suddenly, his eyes blazing. His veins glow a bright pink-blue, pulsing rapidly. He looks at me with a mix of anger and lust. "You are infuriating." He says, his voice low and hoarse.
I smile and lick my lips. "You like it."
He narrows his eyes and grabs my hand. "Let's go. Before I decide to drag you back to the ship and make you regret provoking me."
I laugh and let him pull me along. "You say that like it's a threat."
He glances back at me with a smirk. "It is. For both of us."
My stomach flutters and I blush. I feel...
Much. Younger with him. Than I do without. I don't know why.
But I like it.
We walk through the docks, heading towards the city. The air is cool and moist, the sky dark and dotted with stars. The buildings are made of glowing crystals and metals, creating a surreal and beautiful landscape. There are beings of all kinds walking around, some familiar, some strange. It's... an amazing place.
I knew that last time, but... this time I can appreciate it better. Not with an escape weighing heavily on my mind, and... with Llywelyn by my side.
I risk a glance toward him.
His glow is already syncing up with some of the bioluminescence of the fungi that are on the path ahead of us, creating a sort of lightshow. He doesn't even notice.
Instead, his eyes are locked on me.
I look away, blushing.
He hums. "Are you sure you want to go out?" He asks, his tone still teasing. "Or would you rather stay in our room and—"
"I want to go out!" I say, a bit too loudly. I clear my throat. "We can't just spend all our time in bed."
"I don't see why." He says, his voice smug. "It's a perfectly good place to be."
"Hm. And here I'd spent so long thinking you'd rather spend all your time in the bath."
"That is a solo affair."
I glance up at him with a little smile. "Must it be?"
He stiffens, and that beautiful glow of his flares up. "That's—hetchki, do you have any idea how intimate—"
I purse my lips. "Aren't we.... intimate?"
He swallows. His hand squeezes mine. He doesn't answer right away, just... looks at me with an expression I can't read.
And then he's dragging me forward through the night market. "Don't you have some fool plan to buy things with your illicit money?"
"I do not have illicit money. I have fairly won gambling money." I say, indignant. I've won plenty of money at the casino while I was... avoiding the man now holding my hand.
The money I'd started with was Xilukulkas', of course.
And the money I won was technically Xilukulkas' as well.
But he's told me that I'm allowed to keep what I win.
So I don't see the issue.
Except that Llywelyn makes the most amusing faces whenever I mention gambling. Or money.
It's just too fun to pass up.
"You're a nuisance." He grumbles, his eyes scanning the stalls and shops we pass by. "What do you even need? You have everything on the moon."
"I want things that I own, not what I've been given." I point out, and let my gaze follow the glowing displays. "Besides, I've never been to a market like this before. I want to see what they have."
"You were here only a few months ago."
I glance over at him, lips pressed together. He's right. But he should know perfectly well why... that wouldn't have counted. But I can't just say that out loud. He knows, but I don't want to risk Xilukulkas somehow finding out.
It was enough just explaining why we'd been where we were when the building collapsed.
"Perhaps it's different with you here."
He glows. But he doesn't look at me. "Why would it be?" He asks, voice soft.
I reach up with my free hand to touch his chest. He nearly leaps off of his feet onto the ground. It's quite cute. As is the way he flares up more brightly under my hand.
"You look beautiful. I wanted to see more of you here, with these other glowing lights."
His ears flick and he makes a small, irritated sound. "Don't just say that cur'oih. You're—you're..." He shakes his head. "I'll back to the bath—"
"Don't." I insist, squeezing his hand. "Stay. We're here to see the market, aren't we? I want to do it with you."
His eyes meet mine briefly, and he clicks his tongue. "I never said I wouldn't. Don't put words in my mouth, woman."
I smile and keep walking. His glow brightens in time with the fungi and... it's...
It's hard to look away from. He's always beautiful to look at, but here it's as if he's just... glowing with the world.
He really does look like some kind of ethereal being.
I don't know how he can make a face so beautiful and then have the personality of a disgruntled cat.
I like it, though.
I think.
Maybe I just like him.
A lot.