The Trials of Ruin and Longing

Revel

Revel was pissed as he woke up during the night. Lys shouldn't have to deal with this shit.

As he shifted, he felt a surprisingly heavy weight snuggling against him. Revel looked down into the cocoon he made with his arms and was met with a face full of ruby strands. Vanilla and cool night breezes drifted into his nose.

Lys was snuggling him. Full on cuddling with him. Revel couldn't help the ridiculously huge smile that grew as he looked at her. As he took in the peaceful way she slept. Revel pulled her closer, Lys making a small noise of reproach as she was moved. She settled quickly again, her face smushed against his chest. He kissed her forehead lightly and drifted off again, Lys's sweet scent singing to some part of him that he didn't quite understand.

Ξ

Revel was alone when he woke up that morning. He shot up, panic flaring. A panic quickly eased by the sounds of the bathroom sink. He swung his legs off the couch and made his way into the kitchen. He demolished another box of donuts, finishing the last few as Lys walked in. She was already in her suit. Black fabric that ate the light was fashioned into a full body suit with dozens of pockets. A hood and face mask is what would usually cover her face. Her long red hair was in a braid with a few pieces escaping around her face. She looked like someone out of a legend, readying for battle. Knives adorned most of her body, ornamental and deadly. On her feet were classic boots, enchanted to be silent.

"Well, I don't want to die today, so I'm going to listen to you." Revel gestured to her outfit with a doughnut. "So whats game plan?" Lys raised an eyebrow.

"So all I need to get you to listen to me is my suit? Thank you for the information." Lys snagged one of the last two donuts, dodging Revel's playful swat. She took a bite before sighing and looking at the doughnut.

"What did the doughnut do to have you sighing at it?" Revel asked. He would said more but Lys's face was... hollow. Defeated.

"I just don't have a plan. I can't use my shadows, for fuck's sake. How does he expect me to do this? By pulling a magical teleporter out of my ass?" Lys says, still staring at the doughnut.

"I can help you, you know that right?" Revel slides his palm over the side of her face and gently makes her look at him. "You don't have to this alone."

"I kinda do. My dad will kill me if I don't." Lys's voice shook as she looked at him. "And trust me, the last thing-"

"Fuck Bakkar, Lys! When was the last time that man did anything other than manipulate you?" Lys's face was grim.

"That's not the fucking point, like at all-"

"I have stood by and watched that fucking monster beat you." Revel snarled. He still held her face softly, running his thumb over her cheekbone. "I'm sorry that I'm fucking done with watching. The next time he touches you, he will regret it. Especially if I'm helping you."

"I'm not letting you get between me and my dad, dumbass! It's that simple!" Lys snapped. "So stay the fuck out of it."

Something snapped deep in Revel's heart as she said that. He heard it tearing as he leaned his palms on the wall and brought himself closer to Lys. He fought to keep the onslaught of rage steady as he looked at her. He studied her face. Looked over the soft lines of her face and sparking in her brown eyes. Revel flicked his eyes down to her mouth, her lips round and soft. He dragged his hand off the wall to use his thumb to pull down her bottom lip. As he traced it, Revel spoke again.

"I'm not going to stay the fuck out of it, fireball." The rage was ebbing away, but maybe that had something to do with the look on Lys's face. She looked awed and a little something else he couldn't quite a finger on. "So, please stop asking me to."

"But why?" Lys barely breathed the words. Revel noticed the way she couldn't look at him as he pulled his face closer.

"Why not?" Revel whispered. Lys shuddered, tilting her face away from his, leaving the upper side of her neck revealed. Bringing his face closer to her neck, he dragged his nose up her jawbone before pressing a light kiss to the end of it. He moved a little further down that, kissing it lightly again. He flattened his tongue against her neck and dragged it up. Lys sighed as he bit the lobe of her ear, her hands traveling up his back.

When he pulled away, blush stained Lys face. Her eyes were wide as she met his gaze, the chocolate brown of them full of shock and longing. Her hands glided over the sides of his face, and Revel didn't have a chance to speak before her mouth crashed into his.