“Or… Maybe I do—“ He groaned and pushed his hands over his face in frustration. “Why is this so hard for me?” he wondered aloud. “I love having the company of two people. Why is this different?”
Nyssa smiled at him. “Because you actually feel something for them,” she said simply. "Dorian, there's nothing wrong with exploring all of this. What’s the problem? It sounds like they like each other too.”
"Because I want what you and Nadir have," he sighed. "And don't try to tell me that's not going on because you're glowing despite the bruises I can see all over you." He eyed her, and Nyssa didn't argue.
Heat rose on her cheeks, and he envied her.
"See—I want that. I want that begging and promising not to leave one another love. To keep them safe no matter what. The kind of love that shatters the world in its wake."
“I have never seen you blush this much in my life,” she argued. “How do you know you don't have that?"
"I don't... I don't know how it should feel."
"You think our sister felt that for Draven immediately after she was injured in his realm?" she asked. "Most of the time, love doesn't just fall in your lap. You have to put in the time with someone you enjoy company with."
"It did for you.”
"That's because together, Nadir and I are the most hopeless romantics you'll ever meet," she said, smiling at the ground. "Fuck, you should hear some of the things we say to one another. It's... It's so cheesy."
"You love it,” he teased.
"I really do," she surrendered, eyes glazing over. "But, this isn't about me. This is about you. Why don't you explore all this? Let it happen. Just because the earth isn't shattering right now doesn't mean it won't later. And can I be honest with you?"
"Please," he begged.
"I don't think you would be this confused if he meant nothing to you."
Dorian swallowed the lump in his throat. Nyssa squeezed his hand.
“Thank you,” he whispered, and his sister tensed.
As though hearing the words come from his lips had suddenly made her forget how to articulate thoughts.
“Wow,” she said, brows elevating in disbelief. “Wow, you… you do really like both of them,” she seemed to realize.
Dorian looked at the ground again, letting that realization settle within him as well, his heart knotting and fleeing all at once. Until his lashes lifted to hers, and he gave her a small smile.
“Yeah,” he whispered.
Nyssa sat up and wrapped her arms around him. Dorian gave in to the hug, feeling emotion in his chest as he held his sister. His best friend. After a moment, Nyssa pulled back, and Dorian didn’t know a tear had fallen until she wiped it from his cheek. A silver glisten rested in her eyes too, and she sniffed back her emotion with an audible gasp.
“Oh, fuck,” she managed, pushing her own tears off her cheeks. “Leave it to you to make me cry for the ten-thousandth time this cycle,” she grunted. She sat back on the couch and smiled at him. “I cannot wait to meet this girl," she said eagerly. "And to have a long talk with dear Corbin. Confusing my brother with such taunts. So rude."
Dorian almost laughed at the banter coming from her lips. He sighed himself back over the couch, lying down opposite her and throwing his feet in her lap.
"You seem okay," he noted. "Despite whatever it is that obviously happened.”
"You didn't finish telling me what happened to you.”
"I'm tired of talking. It's your turn."
He could see the nervousness on her features, and his eyes squinted. "Nys?" he said. "What happened? People told me you were kidnapped.”
She met his eyes, and his heart stilled at the confirmation of her gaze.
Dorian sat up.
“I need you to promise me something before I tell you a word of it," she said.
