Seconds soon stretched to minutes, we must have stood in the middle of the horizon for some time, molded in each other's embrace, our breathing matched, our bodies emanating a heat. A gruff noise rumbles from his chest, and I fling my eyes open.

"Oh-" I gasp, realizing the circumstance of the moment. I look around to the ambience of the glowing night and croaking toads. I dart my attention back to the castle, all while I was still clasped in his strong hands. "I think we better head back."

I'm suddenly timid, incapable of keeping his glare.

"Just a few more minutes." he says, stepping in closer until his chest brushed against mine, an urgency in his tone.

Liquid heat burns my cheeks, moving through my nerves like molten lava. "Someone might see us."

At that statement he peers up behind me, I bite my bottom lip surveying the strong stubbly jaw and thick Adams apple in his throat.

"Then let's go in the bushes."

I blushed furiously at the statement, from the velvet of his voice to the echo moving down his body before reverberating his fingers, which still grips me, and lowness vibrates me in the process. My brows lift, "The bushes?"

He slid his hand down my arm, interlocking our fingers together. "Hold your gown."

I scrunch the fabric with my free hand, and was guided with the other by his, we dip from the glowing lights, slipping into the darkness where light didn't touch, heading for the bushes. Gentle blowing winds waving through our curls, my breast bouncing painfully as I try and keep up with his strides, the ends of my heels sink into the sandy earth. I am already out of breath -- but despite it all, a giggle erupts from me. Taken back to those days many years ago.

"Come here." He tells me, and for some reason I blindly follow, feeling his arm coil around my waist, another underneath my knees and I was lifted until our lips were mere inches from each other. "I got you, hold onto me."

For moments on end, he carries me deep into the forest, far enough where I could no longer see the castle. I steady my racing heart, underneath my palms were a build of thick and solid muscle. My fingers itch to feel more than just around his neck, I wanted to feel his arms, his chest and just feel all of him without clothes.

Was that what was happening? Panic shoots through me like a dart. Was he taking me far so we can do the deed? my brain tells me I am not ready, but the rest of my body welcomes the idea, even to the point thick liquid bubbles in between me.

"Close your eyes." He finally says. I slightly jolted, ridding the thoughts.

With my eyes closed all I can do next is trust him, and his words. Concentrating on the still night until I can suddenly hear a weak tune. Like a streaming pond rhythmically trickling down a bed of rocks.

"Open your eyes."

I peel them open gently, face to face him first with a smirk, his eyes reflecting a light behind me, and I turn my head. Multicolored sleeping flowers scattered amongst the mini bushes, a thin trail of a pond with a herd of firefly's following along. I am breathless.

"Wh-what is this?"

"Your own paradise."

With ease he guides me back down to the floor, stepping away from view to let me soak in the beauty of the night scenery. Flickering firefly's soaring away as the breeze rustles gently through the leaves.

"It's beautiful."

"Very."

I turn to him; he leans against a tree with his arms crossed, a sinfully beautiful smirk plastered on his face. Gazing at me of all things. I clear my throat just as heat flushed through me.

"Why are you just standing there?"

"I love it here."

A firefly soars by me, and I use my palm to have it land on me. "You're missing the fun."

He shrugs, "Everything I need is right in front of me, the best view in the world"

The burn soars through me. A nervous feeling travels down my body like melting ice, I attempt not to swoon for the words, but the silence restores between us as I turn away to play with the glowing insects, and when I turned my attention back to him, the smirk dispels, and he was looking far away with a mournful gleam.

"What's wrong?"

He looks back up to me, his distant pupils regaining light as he leans away from the tree and starts undoing his cuffs. Stepping close to me.

"Uh, what are you doing?" I mumble, the streaming heat solidifying in my body. "Not here." I blurt.

He paused and cocked his head sideways, I wanted to sink into the earth.

"What are you talking about?" he says as he rounds me, his dress shoes land on a rock across the mini stream. "Take my hand."

Blindly trusting him again, my hand slithers onto his. With no effort he pulls me upwards, and we are side by side. I watch as he removes his dress suite and lays it over the prickly grass, plopping himself against the tree. "Watch the stars with me."

My heart flapped, along with the butterflies caved in my stomach. Our hands interlocked until I am at his side, my shoulder leaning against his strong biceps, his scent heavenly. "Closer." he said, and he gripped the flesh of my bottom to pull me in closer until I am practically sitting on top of him. "Right here."

"Just like old times." I giggle, concentrating on the rapid pulse.

"Look." He points. Above us we watch the display of fireflies flying and the burning gasses of stars painted in the sky.

My body unwinds aside him, in the center of this forest, reunited with my childhood best friend. But just as the mellow begin to set course it's chased away with burdening questions. His breathing aside me steadies but I angle my body to him to look at his eyes.

"Where were you?"

His eyes go flat, and he sits up.

"Where have you been all those years. Why did you disappear?"

"I was away." He put simply.

"For seventeen years? was it something I did?"

"Never," he roars startling me as he faced me. "This was out of my control, but never because of you."

"Then where were you Nasir." His name felt so foreign to say. "All these years I thought you were dead, why?"

"I was sent to an orphanage."

My beating heart stills, "Oh. Nasir ... I"

"I was far and could never leave, it was impossible to escape."

"Escape?" My brows crease with question, adjusting myself so I was shoulder to shoulder.

He sighs, "Yes. In the orphanage I was taken to my life was constantly on the line, my guardians were sinister and played with my life for fun."

"The camp." I muttered, reminiscing the yesterday's scene with Charlotte.

"What?"

"The camp. You were taken to a camp that made you fight for survival, to see the strongest in the end."

"How did you -"

"I spoke with Charlotte. I'm sorry."

"I see."

"What did they make you do?"

His Adams apple bobs as he swallows, the lining of his pupils quivering. "Things Tiana." he mutters, "I go to sleep with death sitting aside my bed. I wake up and I see his obsidian hood, and my reflection on his scythe."

Fear coils around me, but I force my face to keep stoic.

"I and many other children were taken, many died before they even got to the field, the smell of their corpse is embedded in my lungs. I was the weakest and most frail, but they kept me alive," he huffed. "They said they wanted me alive of all people, there were things they needed only I could do."

"Oh my gosh."

"For seventeen years I was dragged through hell by a noose. For seventeen years I questioned if I would ever see tomorrow or how I would die on the task. Life hung on my shoulders while hell was dragging me down."

"And you kept fighting." I whispered.

"Because for seventeen years, I dreamed of the day where I would be strong enough to come back at your side. For seventeen years I kept seeing you at the end of the tunnel, waiting for me to come back."

Crystals fall sharply from my eyes.

"I could never give up hope, not when you were waiting on me."

"I have Nasir." I sobbed. "I waited for so long, looking out my window for when I will see you again. Just standing there with your hand stretched out to me."

🐸

"Just standing there with your hand stretched out to me." she sobbed. "I waited everyday by the tree until the last leaf fell."

The knife twists in my gut, dug so deep inside I could taste the iron on my tongue. She waited, weeks and weeks for me to return. I watch the flower before me shrivel, digging her hands into her palms as she sobbed out the years' worth of pain of not seeing me. Years of me fading like a distant memory. But she kept my face alive.

"Nasir." She weeps my name. Reaching out to me. My larger hand steadily reaching out to her, and before I knew it my other hand follows, until it slithers around her frame.

"Tiana." My voice croaks, her curls brush against my jaw as I pull her in closer to me. Her body trembling as she falls apart on my shoulders. "Forgive me. I am so sorry I left you alone for all those years. I wanted so bad to come back to you, and hold you like this."

Her fingers curl around my collar, our bodies embracing once again in the silent night. I am granted time, this moment, my last few hours to hold her this way.

Her sob finally settles, and she sniffs one last time, her curled fingers around my collar loosen, and creates a slight distance between us as she gently pulls away. Her satin skin running against the stubbles of my jaw, until all I could see now was her shimmering orbs, remaining tears sparkles like diamonds.

Years ago, there were those faint beats that drum away in the distance of my deepest parts and now today they could be heard again, the same sight of her eyes that left me breathless still have that effect on me even until now. Only this time, this feeling burns. I have no control, only driven by what screams in my chest. Unconsciously my thumb brushed her cheek just as my fingers curl around her nape, crickets chirp in the midst with glowing fireflies.

"Nasir." She whispered, her breathy voice says my name like a lullaby.

"Tiana." My hands tremble on her skin, burning with need to taste her lips on mine again.

Her eyes drifting between my eyes and lips. "Kiss me already."

I chuckled, and our lips crash, molding with sensuality. Her hands slither around my arm, and mine around her waist, pulling her in until she was right on my lap. Through our clothes, our skin burned, her thumping beats matched mine. In this moment, it was only us and her moans. Self restraint was beginning to fade from my touch, and I hover above on top laying her down on the ground, repeating what happened in the library room.

She vocalizes her pleasure, and her moans sync with the chirps of crickets. My hands move with my lips, printing my palms on her body. My pulse racing at the taste, her pheromones driving me wild, and her pleasures push me to a darker side. A debate spirals within me, changing my eyes to an abysmal darkness, activating my primal urges.

"Na-nasir." My name is called like a tendril smoke. I could feel her body melting under me.

But by now I'm driven by need. A long hunger finally beginning to satiate.

"Nasir." She still pools under me, but my name on her tongue is restrained.

My tongue slips under her neck, moaning deeply at the bliss. This feels good, I feel good on top of her, feeling her body come to life for me. But when my hand slips into the slit of her dress, her legs tighten strain together with hesitation.

The light in my eyes finally return, and I look down to a starry eyed queen. My palms aside her face, caging her under me. Panting, and delirious, her curls ruffled on the grass, and the moist trail of my tongue glistening around her chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I breathed lifting myself from her body. The guilt unwinds in my nerves and I adjust the strain. What just came over me.

As she lifts herself she adjusted the strap back on her shoulders. "It's ok." she assures.

I feel her eyes on my backside as I stare out into the forest. The moment I'm given any control and I lose myself. Fuck.

"Really, it's fine I'm just - not ready yet." she chuckles to my backside. "And besides, there is some much catching up we need to do, so much I want to say." Once again she speak to me in the distance, but my mind drifts in a blurred fog.

Her chuckling came to a steady pause, and her body heat creeps up the side of my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

I squeeze my eyes. Collecting my thoughts before I turned back.

"Talk to me. Is something the matter?"

I pursed my lips. But my mind screamed with words i wanted to say, starting with how much I'll miss this moment, seeing her worried eyes soften for me, or her soft hand on top of mine.

Flipping my hand over until our palms touched and our fingers entangle together, I smiled. "Nothing, my queen." I leaned back, resting my back against the tree and extended an arm for her to join.

Out of reluctance she crawls to me, and laid her head against my thumping chest. Silence immense between us, but we listen to the night life, chirping and croaking.

"I missed this." she says on my chest. "I missed this moment, they were my favorite."

"Mine too."

"We need to do this more often."

I inhale a breath, and her head roses with my chest.

"I mean it Nasir, let's do this again. Tomorrow is Saturday and I will clear my schedule." she lifts her head from me, twirling around until we look eye to eye. "Let's come back, and look at the stars again."

"The brightest star has always been you." I didn't even recollect the moment that I even spoke. I just said what was spiraling in my chest.

In the corner of her eyes, a silver flake sparked. And she gushes away from my eyes, resting her head back on my chest.

And in that ticking time, the night stretched to a late hour. The croaks of the toads paused, just as the sound on my phone alerts me.

'Now.'