What Is Love? | My Inner Demons x Reader

Chapter 32: Stronger Together! {Noi's Route}

~(Y/n)'s PoV~

I try to savor my time in the spell pool for as long as I can, feeling my nerves about any given problem just melting away. It's not unlike mediating which is nice, but at the same time I'd rather do it in a place where my fingers won't get pruny. "I think I'm gonna turn in for the night." I mumble.

"Would you like for me to escort you to your room?" Pierce offers, his eyes meeting mine as I rise from the water.

I shake my head. "Oh, no thanks." I say. "I can find my way back alright." I step out of the pool and gather my discarded clothes at the side. "Take care of Ava, okay?"

Ava's too deep into relaxing to even hear me at this point, which is probably a good thing after all that's happened recently with the boys. Pierce nods. "Of course."

"Thank you..." I hum, turning back towards the entrance. "Have a good night." I start walking off.

"Good night, Prime (Y/n)." I barely catch Pierce's quiet voice and I smile as I walk through the doorway and back to their palace's foyer.

I feel more rested than before, and it's a relief considering that I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in way too long. Maybe this will help me actually sleep... I tell myself. I'm stress free. There's nothing to keep me up anym-

"P-Prime (Y/n)?" I hear a voice ring out above me and I look up to find Noi leaning over the railing that would lead to the upstairs area of the palace. "You're still awake?"

I nod. "Yeah..." I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "I thought you went to sleep."

Noi shook his head. "I-I still have too much energy..." He giggled, looking down at his hands. "S-So I was gonna go spar... but!" Something seemed to break him from his thoughts and his sudden excitement startled me just a little. "Wh-Why don't I walk you back to you chambers instead?"

I don't have the heart to deny him walking me back, so I nod again and smile up at him. "Sure, Noi." I hum.

The ginger-haired Daemos' eyes light up and rushes back to go down the stairs. He runs up to me with same energy as an excited puppy. He's just too adorable...

"L-Let's go!" He hums as he approaches me and reach over to take his hand in mine. His pale, freckly cheeks immediately flush red at the contact, but it just makes him all the more endearing. He intertwines our fingers causing me to blush a little as well and I start walking as to stop myself from staying up all night and staring at his cute face.

He sighs happily as I lead him along and his shoulder bumps against mine. "Y-You're so kind, (Y/n)!" He says, dreamily. I glance over to find him just staring and my cheeks heat up.

"Th-Thanks, Noi..." I hum in response, trying not to get too flustered by his words.

"A-And... you're so kind to me!" Noi mumbled, emphasizing the word 'me' as if it surprised him. "The other Daemos, n-not just the other knights, they're nothing like you."

I can't help but feel my heart sink at his words. It's all in the way he can say such saddening things in a cheerful tone, as if he doesn't even realize that it's sad... or maybe he just pretends that it's not... "Wh-What do you mean?" I question him, nervously.

Noi's hand slowly slips away from mine and he fiddles with his own fingers. "W-Well... o-on Daemos strength is highly valued, but I can n-never seem to be strong enough." He begins. "All of the o-other Daemos treat me as weak... a-and I'm the lowest ranking of all of A-Asch's knights."