ECLIPSE, grishaverse

v. a study in black

KIRIGAN SAT AT THE OTHER end of the window, then he stared at her for a minute before speaking.

"Are you okay, Miss Starkov?" he asked, referring to the fight in combat training.

"Physically or mentally?" Yelena spoke with a sarcastic edge on her voice, her eyes returning to the book on her hands, trying to seem unbothered. Truth be told, she was tired. Besides her not-so-good night of sleep, her mind wouldn't stop since that day on the Generals tent.

"Both."

I'm exhausted. "Oh, I'm fine sir, no need to worry." She pressed her lips together in a tight smile.

A silence set between them, she wasn't sure if he had bought her lie or he was mad because she lied. The man was unreadable. Then she remembered her kefta.

"Why didn't you tell me that black is your color?" Yelena asked him bluntly while she put the book in a table, her arms crossed and brows slightly furrowed.

"I beg your pardon?" The General mirrored her actions.

She sighed. "You know I'm pretty much new to all of this, and yet you didn't mention you are the only one who wears black when we were talking about my kefta. I thought it was a Summoner color and Alina was to use it too."

"So you didn't know this?" she saw his jaw clenching.

"That's what I'm saying."

Again the silence, but this one was very different from the one minutes ago, or when they were outside the Palace walls. This one was thick and tense, like a bucket of ice water being splashed in your head.

"I'm deeply sorry, Miss Starkov." he started apologizing, but she could tell he was mad, not really sure at whom. "I must say I didn't think of that. If you want I can tell the Fabrikators to make you a blue one like your sister." Kirigan looked away now, expecting her answer.

"I didn't say that. I just.." Yelena started playing with the silver cuffs of her black kefta. "we were always outsiders, Alina and I, because of our features people treated us differently and not in a good way. We had to work harder than anyone else to gain others respect and get where we are— were." she corrected herself, her jaw clenched after realizing all she did was pointless now, goodbye perfect job. "Now our lives are upside down, we are surrounded by strangers and our kind of powers are different from everyone else's. We are back to square one, I am. Alina is settling well enough with her blue kefta and Etherealki friends, me in the other hand.. it's like they are scared of me, I don't know. I feel out of place here."

He stayed quiet for a minute, probably taking her rambling in. His obsidian looked out the window, Yelena stared at the handsome man in front of her. "Why are you so eager to be like everyone else? You are unique and special, Miss Starkov, that's why I wanted your kefta to be black. If the others can't see beyond the color of your clothes that's on them. Being different is good."

"Being different means being alone." Oh and I would know. Her gray eyes fell to the floor.

"You're not alone." Kirigan said, his voice steady and clear.

When she looked up she found his black eyes looking right at her soul. A chill ran through her spine. The eye contact was intense and long, but she didn't dare to break it, not even when she spoke again, now with a little smile creeping on her lips.

"Black does suit me better anyway..." she murmured.

"Can't deny that." he smirked.

Yelena's heart was hammering in her chest, wanting to come out and run to his hands. The door of the library was opened and it made their little bubble pop. She looked behind to find the Darkling's oprichniki waiting for him. Kirigan got up and was about to leave when he stopped to say: