May 3, 2023

Syn

"You, Queen. I'm fucking talking about you." I thought it was clear, but maybe she wanted me to say it out loud. Regardless, it was the complete truth. It may have been unfair to Queen, but I wanted to be selfish with this. The secrecy may have hurt her, but I needed her to remain separated from everything going on in my mind.

They're my past, and she's my future. There was no need for further discussion.

"I didn't know you saw it like that," she said in a small voice, looking down at the floor between us.

I shrugged and ran a hand through my hair. "You didn't ask." She nodded slowly, her eyes still anywhere but in me, and took a deep breath. On her exhale, I could feel her previous attitude begin to slowly dissipate. Either that or she was tired of me, I didn't know.

"I'm sorry for pushing." She sighed. "It's just that...I seriously feel like I don't know you, Syn. I just thought that if I knew...maybe I could understand you a little bit."

"Queen, when I tell you that you know me better than anyone else in this fucking universe...I'm not saying it to calm you down or make you stop asking questions. I say it because it's the truth. It's been a long time, but you still are the one."

She nodded slowly, and I could feel her slightly giving in. "If knowing me truly is what you wish, then my past isn't where you'll find answers." That was a half-truth, but I couldn't exactly elaborate without disproving everything else I said. Indeed, she would most likely be left with more questions after she knew everything, but my past with Julius and my time in the palace as a child made me more of who I am than my father's stupid spell.

"Then where will I find answers?"

"In the man standing right in front of you." She finally looked up at me and I took a step towards her. "I'm here, Queen. If you want answers about who I truly am, then ask this version of me."

She searched my eyes for a long moment and I waited patiently, expecting a thought-provoking question that would give me a migraine.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Hmm?"

"Your favorite color," she explained slowly. "You know, the color that is your favorite."

"Okay, I got it, smartass." She giggled at my response and I smiled at the sound. "Red."

"Hmm, that's something that hasn't changed."

"I'm still the same man, Queen." I sighed. "For the most part."

"What does that mean?"

"Ask me another question."

"Favorite movie genre."

"Don't tell anyone," I said seriously as I took another step closer to her. She laughed before looking up at the serious expression on my face and frowning. "Promise."

"I won't tell anyone."

"Romance," I whispered. "Call it a guilty pleasure, but I like seeing the couples end up together..."

"Aww."

"...Or at least die together, you know?"

"And we're done here." I smiled as she walked past me into the kitchen and I followed behind her.

"Like Romeo and Juliet. That was adorable."

"Syn!" She yelled as she burst into laughter. "What the hell! That was far from adorable. Did you at least cry?"

"No, I didn't. Should I have?"

"Umm...yes!" She answered in a 'duh' tone. "That shit had me bawling for days, Syn. These movies on Earth hurt like hell."

"Maybe you're just sensitive."

She froze at the refrigerator and slowly turned around to face me. Her eyes squinted, shooting lasers at me and I leaned my forearms against the counter, challenging her to say something in response.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I got something for you, Syn."

"Hmm?" I placed my chin into my hands, clearly aggravating her, and she scoffed. She opened a cabinet behind her and pulled out a small box of popcorn, setting it on the counter and opening it. I watched her curiously as she opened a couple of packages, place them into the microwave, and set her palms on the edge of the marble counter.

Her fingers tapped against the counter, and she studied me intently. "Have you ever watched 'Titanic'?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Cool." She nodded and tapped the popcorn box. She did a small maniacal laugh, turning back to the microwave, and I furrowed my brows.

What are you up to?

꧁꧂

Queen

I poured the finished popcorn into a bowl and contemplated adding sugar to it. If I remembered correctly, Syn hated it, but I didn't understand how he ate popcorn without it. "Ehh," I said, pouring a ridiculously large amount of sugar on top of the popcorn.

He was waiting upstairs in my room for me, and my excitement made it feel like it had been bourse since I'd seen him when in actuality it'd been five minutes.

I took the bowl and scurried up the stairs and into my room. "I know you don't like—" my words were stopped when I saw him sitting at the edge of my bed, shirtless and wearing his glasses as he flipped through a magazine.

"You're not wearing a shirt."

"You told me to make myself comfortable," he said flatly, still focusing his attention on the magazine. I ignored my body's repose and swallowed a lump in my throat before entering the room, kicking the door closed with my foot.

I set the bowl down on the bed, and climbed on top of it, careful not to have his shirt I was wearing expose anything that I didn't want it to. When I plopped down on the bed finally and turned towards him, I saw his eyes trailing over my body and my heart raced.

I followed his eyes to my lower body where my panties were peeking out and I immediately lowered the shirt. "Sorry."
His Adam's apple bobbed as he tore his eyes away from me and quickly shook his head.

"Umm, you're a model now?" He looked over his shoulder at me, lifting the magazine and I nodded.

"I guess you could say that," I said lowly.

"You look beautiful, by the way," he said, still engrossed in the images. The compliment made me smile, but I had bigger plans for us than staring at pictures of me. I crawled to his side and swiftly grabbed the paper from his hands, tossing it to the side.

"You can take the magazine home with you, Syn. We're going to watch a movie." I pulled his arm to move him back to where I was sitting and he groaned, sitting where I wanted him to. When he was leaning against the headboard, I placed the popcorn between us and grabbed the remote.

He picked up popcorn from the bowl and dropped it into his mouth. I waited for his reaction or disgusted outburst, but nothing came. Instead, he grabbed more. "You know that popcorn has sugar on it, right?"

"I have tastebuds." He nodded as he laid back against my pillows and moved an arm under his head. I looked at him in shock and his green eyes flickered up to mine when I remained quiet. "What?"

"You're just kind of cute, Syn."

"Kind of?" He questioned. "If you think I'm a sexy beast just say that."

"I-...you stole my line."

"In my defense, you haven't used it in years. It's mine now."

"Oh? Hmm, well okay. If I start rolling my eyes twenty-four-seven, I don't want you coming to me and being hurt."

He laughed at my joke and I smiled before turning to the movie. "If you cry, you owe me something."

"And when I don't?" I was keenly aware of the use of the word when instead of if, and I scoffed. "Then will you be owing me something, Princess?"

What am I getting myself into?

"I guess so," I said lowly.

"Sounds good." He turned his attention back to the television while my eyes lingered on his. His physique had somehow sculpted more since the last time we saw one another. He was already so physically fit before and I wondered what lengths he had to go through to get like...this. His muscles flexed at practically every single movement and the veins in his hands were evident when he reached for the popcorn, the rings on his fingers only adding to the intrigue.

I watched as he lifted the popcorn to his lips and my throat became dry. Stop, Queen. I blinked to snap myself out of it and played the movie on the television.

Syn sat back relaxed as it played and my heart was racing. I hadn't been this close to him doing something so mundane in so long. "Focus on the movie, Queen." He chuckled deeply. A sound that vibrated straight through me, making me clench my thighs together.

Syn caught the movement and he licked his lips before looking up at me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm perfect."

"Mhmm." He lifted himself on the bed and looked down at me, our lips not far apart. He leaned into me and gave me a devilish smile before grabbing my ankle and spreading my legs. My breath hitched at the movement, and my mind was telling me to stop this from progressing any further. Too bad my mind wasn't as strong as other parts when Syn was in the equation.

I gripped the bedsheets on either side of me, my back completely pressed up against the headboard. Syn's fingers burned a trail from my ankle, up to my knee, and finally to the edge of my underwear. My heart thundered as I realized that with one swoop of his fingers, the only thing keeping us separated would be gone.

Instead of doing what I thought, he gave my thigh a quick squeeze before planting himself between my legs and turning towards the movie. He made his head comfortable between my legs and grabbed my legs to wrap them around him.

What the hell just happened?

I looked down at my lap to see him watching the movie with extreme focus and I leaned my head against the headboard. He's messing with you. Anger flared up inside me but was contained with his gentle caresses on my legs. He was sweet, but clearly still a tease. I wanted nothing more than to squeeze my thighs together and suffocate him for what he did, but he'd probably like it.

"I like the ship," he said casually as he looked at the TV.

"Mhmm, it's a nice ship I guess," I mumbled, unsure of what to say after what just happened.

We spent the next couple of hours focused on the movie. While Syn remained unfazed, my mind and heart were going through a whirlwind of emotions. Not only from the movie, but from Syn being here. He would look up at me when I was crying, and shake his head as if my crying wasn't justified. I'd send him dirty looks in return that he would laugh at and our dance played on during the duration of the movie.

When the credits rolled in, I was sobbing. I had only recently discovered the classic, but it had a hold on my heart that made me cry whenever I thought about it. "Ugh, I guess I lost," I sniffled, glancing down at Syn.

To my shock and surprise, he was fast asleep. His eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell with his slight breathing. If he didn't look so cute I would've been pissed at him for copping out the way that he did, but I couldn't. With each breath he took, I was drawn in more and more by him.

I wondered if he knew that he didn't look the least bit intimidating when he was sleeping. I doubted that he did considering he'd kill anyone that told him, but it was true. His hair fell into his face and his long lashes decorated his closed lids. His lips seemed to be fixed into a pout most likely due to whatever bad dream he was having, and there was a crease in his forehead that appeared whenever he stirred in his sleep.

Despite all of his looks, there was something else that mattered to me more than anything else. It was how peaceful he looked. If someone had told me that this man right here laying on my lap was prone to having nightmares every time he slept, I wouldn't have believed it.

Maybe it was because he was back in his "safe place", or because the movie bored him into a coma...no matter the reason for his ability to sleep so well, I was glad it was happening.

It meant more to me than he'd ever know.

It showed me that even if he hadn't opened up to me consciously, there was a part deep down inside of him that was vulnerable and trusted me to take care of him when he wasn't able to do it himself.

I got you, Syn.

꧁꧂

Author's Note

Uhhh not me making my breath quiver and giving myself heart palpitations 😭
Lmk your thoughts ✨