And when he pulls away, Ziros is smiling at you.
“You really won’t regret it? Sacrificing yourself to save me.”
“My amazing human, I could never regret it. You’ve given me the one thing I could never have, the one thing my kind can never dream of. You’ve taken away my loneliness.”
And he doesn’t stop there.
“Immortality is a curse. No matter how long you live, no one but your kind will remain alongside you. When you live long enough to see civilizations rise and fall, time loses all meaning. Centuries start to feel like seconds. You can’t afford to makefriends or get attached, because your heart will only end up breaking. The immortal are few and far between, meanwhile humans walk every street. It’s impossible not to get hurt. No matter how hard to try to turn away, every face that smiles at you will be dead in the blink of an eye. So,no, human. I will not regret it. I’ve lived long enough.” Wiping away your remaining tears, he says, “I’m not the one that’s saved you. No. You’re the one who saved me.”
You sniffle. “Have you always been this sentimental?”
“Not until you, human.” He tilts your jaw up, forcing you to look him in the eye. “You know why?”
You gulp, heart racing. Butterflies dance in your stomach as you squeak out, “Why?”
Ziros smirks, like taking your breath away amuses him. “Because…I love you.”
“And I love you,” you say without even having to think.
There’s noneedto think, because you already know it in your heart.
You’ve felt it all along.
Ziros leans in, one arm braced on the wall behind your head as he kisses you softly, then harder.
When he pulls away, you stare breathlessly into the steel of his eyes.
“Ziros,” you whisper, gazing up at him, the bond between you glowing brightly as you lift your hand to look at it. You still can’t believe he really gave up his immortality to save you. “Has anyone ever told you you’re the wild and crazy one?”
He smirks, leaning closer again. “I hope you know I only ever meant that as a compliment.”
“So do I,” you say, stretching to kiss him before settling against the comforting heat of his chest.
You’re still exhausted from the void, even with his magic flowing through the link. You can barely keep your eyes open.
Ziros wraps his arms around you, strong and warm and comforting. “So, what do you say, human? Should we get some sleep?”
“If I don’t get some sleep soon, the sleep will get me.”
He swings you into his arms before you can protest, carrying you to bed.
“Wait! I’m not even in my pajamas!”
“Pajamas?” Ziros asks with a smirk as he reaches down and shucks off his shirt by the hem. “Who needs those?”
“Ziros! How am I going to sleep with you like that?” you protest as he flops onto the bed.
He just stretches out with his hands clasped behind his head. “Well, if you’re not tired…”
If only you weren’t already exhausted.
You laugh, hitting the light as you crawl into bed beside him, snuggling against his side. “Goodnight, Ziros.”
He slings one arm around you, then stops. “Human. What happened to your clothes?”
You just shrug. “I thought you said I didn’t need them.”
With a low growl, he turns over, kissing you hard. “Better be careful if you want to sleep tonight.”
