I hate you, I love you - Morro x Female reader

Chapter Nine

I could tell from the gloomy look crossing his eyes. I swallowed, but didn't let my worry show. I kept up my poker face and let him believe he was wrong. 

"What's so special about this?" I deadpanned. Doing my best to come across nonchalantly, I sat straight as a pin, hands clasped in my lap. Morro was smart. I was smarter. Any person trying to come across nonchalant would slouch and fidget mindlessly, especially someone as naive as me. But I came from a kingdom, and sitting without twitching a single part of me was my norm. I wasn't going to let him outwit me. I crossed my legs.

Morro gave me look that made him seem confused, but he shook it off quickly. "You should know." There was something different in his voice. It wasn't his reassuring cocky attitude, that was for sure. 

I curled my fingers around each other. "I don't, actually." I made a point to make my voice sound lower. More relaxed, despite my tight posture. Morro looked angry. Like he was going to shrink back and throw a tantrum. Instead, he sucked in a deep breath, not that he needed it.

"Of course you do. You're the princess of the Cloud Kingdom. You should know exactly where we are." He was still leaning over the edge, wind pouring out from his palm, the water still swirling relentlessly.  He shifted for a moment, snatching the collar of my robe and tugging me towards him. "I called you here to be useful to me. That's exactly what you're going to do, understand?" 

Despite my pounding chest, I pried his hand off, calming myself. "Why can't you go down yourself? Does the water make you feel that vulnerable?" 

Morro backed off, his upper lip curling with disgust towards me. 

"If water is your weakness, you do realize that I have the upper hand, and the only way to change that is to bring me back to land, where I could easily run away. Or, I could just flip this boat right now-" I scooted to the edge, my hands latching on to the side and rocking it. 

Morro's hand clamped over mine, squeezing hard. "Don't," he ordered. 

"Why do you really need me?" My voice was reduced to a husky whisper, and I allowed myself to be the one in power. I was. I always had been. Although the words came out in a way that sounded rhetorical, I really did want to know. I was only playing the game as if I knew how to follow the rules. But playing isn't fun without a little cheating, right?  

When Morro only squinted without an answer, I tugged my arms back, and the boat tipped to the side. Panic shot through his eyes. "Don't!" 

"Can't you just fly away with your wind?" I taunted. "Next time you choose to try and pin me under your thumb, make sure you're not in such a vulnerable position." 

"Elementals have their limits, too." He snapped. I glanced to his shuddering hand as he kept the airflow steady. He'd been overusing his power. I was definitely the one in power.  

I pressed my lips together, looking down my nose at him as I sat straighter. I was scared, sure. I didn't know how to swim, either, so tipping the boat was a bad idea. But he didn't know that, and he never had to know it. Right now, Morro just knew I was a princess, and apparently, one that was knowledgeable of everything. 

"Do they?" 

"You're really, really getting on my nerves." 

"I know." I tapped his nose, and he flinched back. "That's the whole point." Gosh, if my parents knew how I was acting, they would riot. 

In a fit of rage, the pressure of the wind increased. The swirl grew bigger, spiraling and spiraling until I could see the ocean floor as it expanded. His other wrist flicked out, and another shattering amount of wind tossed itself out of his hand, angling the boat and-

"What are you doing." My eyes grew wide. 

Morro's side smile returned as the boat tipped and soared down. Water splashed everywhere, not a single droplet hitting him. I looked back, panicking. There was a field of wind surround him, guarding his body. I turned back, my robe flapping in the wind. 

The impact came crashing into us, and we hit the ground with a smash, pieces of wood and splinters flying into the air, the boat crushed. Morro collapsed on top of me, the wood pieces striking his back. He didn't wince, so I didn't think he felt pain or registered it the same way humans did. 

When the tunnel closed up, everything went silent. I could practically hear my erratic heartbeats. 

After a moment, me and Morro's eyes connected as he hovered above me. I was ready to shove him off, but he gripped my chin. "Next time you try and pin me under your thumb, make sure you're not in such a vulnerable position." 

He let go roughly before standing up, his footsteps echoing as he paced away, slow enough for me to catch up. 

I huffed out a frustrated breath, dusted off my robe and sat up, glaring at his back. 

UNEDITED

okay this came off a lot friskier than intended but here yall go sorry for typos