Duality

part twenty-two

"It's not good," Ashton admitted.

"What does this mean?" Mila asked. She twisted her leg around to better inspect her calf, feeling nausea writhe in her stomach at her contracting muscles and shiny bone. Before she made herself sick, Mila focused on Ashton again.

His hand went back to his chin, rubbing over the hair there. "Something is still off, obviously."

Sizing him up, Mila asked, "Do you have your powers?"

In response he let the grass around him wilt, creating a circle of barren dirt around him. Mila felt like the bit of showing off hadn't been necessary, but at least he'd answered her question. Dreading the answer, Mila asked, "Do you have my powers?"

"No."

Mila didn't know whether to feel relief or disappointment. "What were you planning on trying next?" she asked, pressing a hand to her forehead. If they kept trying, something had to work.

"I hadn't gotten that far yet," he admitted.

She could do this. "Picture balance," Mila demanded.

For a moment he just blinked at her, and then he understood. "Symmetry, couples, the sun and the moon, squares..." he trailed off, looking to his surroundings for inspiration. Mila had started nodding as soon as he said couples.

"Think of something shocking, that could put something into motion," Mila tried next. She wished she could pace, but she didn't trust her legs, now that she knew nothing had changed.

"Lightning?" Ashton faltered. "I'm not sure what you're asking."

Lightning could work, but for the plan she'd devised in her head, she had a specific shock in mind. The kind that would have Anna keeling over, if she were alive. Mila had no idea if it would be enough, but they had to start somewhere.

"I think we need to focus on us," Mila stated, hoping he'd get it. Ashton's arched brow said he did not. "You know, two halves becoming whole," she said, fighting to ignore the blush staining her cheeks. When Ashton had talked about it before Mila always found the expression metaphorical, but there could be something behind it.

Eyes widening, Ashton asked, "Are you seducing me?" He took in her blushing face and shook his head. "You're hurt. Badly. We can't even think—"

Mila's skeletal fingertips seemed like too much of a reminder of her injuries, so Mila used her mouth to shut him up. Placing a kiss directly onto his chest, she ran her tongue along his skin and smiled up at him. "I can't use my hands."

He'd gone ramrod straight, like they'd decided to use the aforementioned lightning after all and he'd been struck.

Working her way up his chest, she paused briefly at his nipple. His warm skin jumped away from her tongue and she continued up until she could press kisses against his jaw, waiting for him to lower his mouth to hers.

His resistance was apparently iron. "I don't want to hurt you." His hands lifted only to hover inches from her shoulders, unsure.

She wished she could take his hand in hers and make him do something, but she stuck to her kisses, attempting to crumble his resolve. "Why don't you let me decide?" she asked, echoing his earlier words. She nipped at his jaw.

Too slowly for her liking, he tilted his head down so he could fully kiss her.

The kiss started slow, his lips firmly closed against hers. Feeling like she really might have to seduce him, she licked at the seam of his lips until he caved. She whimpered into his mouth when she couldn't bury her hands into his hair and hold him where she wanted him.