Eloise**
The night was calm, the gentle lull of the waves the only sound filling the air. Caius and I had spent another day in the ocean village, eating freshly grilled seafood and talking with the locals. It felt *peaceful*—something I never thought I'd have in this world.
After dinner, we wandered back to the beach, the same spot where we had walked the night before. The moon hung high in the sky, casting silver light over the waves. The air smelled of salt and warmth, and for the first time in a long time, I felt... *content.*
Caius walked beside me, his steps slow, almost hesitant. I noticed the way his hands clenched and unclenched, like he was holding back something he wanted to say.
"Are you alright?" I asked, tilting my head to look up at him.
He exhaled through his nose. "You keep asking me that."
"Because you always *look* like you're thinking too much."
He huffed. "I think *just* enough."
I grinned. "Sure, fearless knight. Whatever you say."
His lips quirked, but he didn't argue.
We continued walking, neither of us in a rush to return to our rooms. The village lights were distant now, flickering like stars, and the only thing keeping me warm was the cloak Caius had once again draped over my shoulders without a word.
For a while, we said nothing, simply enjoying the presence of the other.
But then—
"Why did you bring me here?" I asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Caius stopped walking.
I turned to face him, watching as his expression shifted. He seemed... uncertain. Like he was weighing his words carefully.
Finally, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because you kept talking about seafood in your sleep."
I blinked. "What?"
"I heard you," he continued, his voice quieter now. "You were mumbling about food. *This* food." He gestured to the ocean, to the village behind us. "So I brought you here."
My heart skipped.
I hadn't expected that answer.
I thought he'd say something practical—something about safety, or needing supplies, or wanting to build connections. But no. He brought me here for *me*.
Because he listened.
Because he *cared.*
My throat tightened. I clutched the cloak around me, staring at him with something dangerously close to awe.
"...That's really sweet," I whispered.
Caius shifted, clearly uncomfortable with my reaction. "It's not—"
Before he could finish, I stepped closer.
He tensed. Not in fear, not in anger—just in *awareness.* His eyes locked onto mine, something dark and unreadable swirling behind them. I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin, could hear the slow, steady sound of his breathing.
I swallowed. "Caius..."
His jaw tightened. "Eloise, don't."
But I didn't stop.
Because *he* didn't stop me either.
My fingers brushed against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart. "I—"
And then—*he moved.*
Swift as lightning, he closed the space between us, his hand cradling the back of my head as his lips *claimed* mine.
It wasn't like our first kiss—hesitant, surprising, a moment stolen in the haze of sleep.
This was *intentional.*
This was *undeniable.*
His lips pressed against mine with a hunger that left me breathless. One of his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer, holding me against him like he was afraid I'd slip away.
I melted into him, my hands gripping the front of his shirt, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
I didn't know what this meant. I didn't know where we stood, what would happen next, or what *he* was thinking.
But for this moment, I didn't care.
All I knew was that Caius—the man I had written, the man I thought I understood—was kissing me like I was the most *precious* thing in his world.
And maybe... maybe I was.
——
Caius**
I shouldn't have kissed her.
But I did.
And now I was doomed.
Eloise's lips were soft against mine, hesitant yet warm. She didn't push me away. She didn't recoil. Instead, she *melted* into me, her small hands clutching at my shirt, her body pressing closer like she *belonged* there.
I was a fool.
I knew the second I touched her that I had crossed a line I could never return from.
This wasn't about duty. It wasn't about keeping her safe or ensuring her survival. This was *selfish*.
Because deep down, I had always known.
She was my weakness.
She had *always* been my weakness.
My grip on her tightened, my fingers tangling in her hair as I deepened the kiss. I was reckless, desperate, hungry for something I shouldn't allow myself to have.
Because I remembered.
I remembered another time, another life—one where I held a woman just like this. A woman with the same eyes, the same voice, the same gentle touch.
And she had been *ripped* from me.
I couldn't lose her again.
Not *again.*
But what if I was *wrong?*
What if Eloise wasn't the same?
What if she wasn't *her?*
I broke away, my breath ragged, my heart slamming against my ribs.
Eloise stared at me, her eyes wide and dazed, her lips slightly parted.
She looked *beautiful.*
She looked like *mine.*
And that terrified me more than anything.
I stepped back. Just a little. Just enough to clear my head.
"...Caius?" she whispered.
I shut my eyes, inhaling sharply. *What have I done?*
I wanted to say something—to explain, to *fix* whatever had just happened.
But there was nothing to fix.
This was real.
And I *wanted* her.
I had always wanted her.
But she wasn't ready for the truth.
So instead, I forced a smirk. A mask. A shield between us. "You're reckless," I muttered, brushing a thumb over her swollen lips. "You shouldn't get so close to a man like me."
Eloise blinked, her face turning red. "*You* kissed *me.*"
"Hmm." My fingers trailed down her jaw, slow and deliberate. "Did I?"
She sputtered. "*Yes!*"
I chuckled, stepping back fully this time. The cool ocean air did little to settle the fire raging inside me.
If I stayed here any longer, I'd do something even more foolish.
Like *kiss her again.*
Or worse—*tell her the truth.*
"I'll see you in the morning," I said, my voice rougher than I intended.
Eloise frowned. "Caius—"
But I turned before she could finish, walking away before I *really* lost control.
Because if I stayed—if I let myself fall—then nothing would stop me from keeping her by my side forever.
And if I did that...
Then I would never let her go.