Anybody But You

69

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Vibe: In Vain by Sigrid

"I didn't think I would see you again." Narcisse, not even lifting his head, spoke out in a hum as Alice rudely stormed into his study without knocking.

Alice fell into the chair in front of his desk, her soul already exhausted. "A very tempting thought, crowned prince."

He glanced up, one of his dark eyebrows quirking up as his black eyes searched hers, "What made you come back?"

Shrugging, she picked at her nails, mumbling, "A sense of justice; revenge; guilt; foreboding; boredom.. pick your poison, I guess."

"I get to choose?" He hummed amusedly. Letting out a laugh under his breath, he spoke again, "Alice, you don't let anyone choose anything." His voice held a bitter note to it, making Alice's eyes flicker up to his.

She frowned, "...are you trying to pick a fight with me, your highness?"

Narcisse closed his eyes, his exhaustion showing. "I don't know." He admitted, "—thought it might feel better."

Alice quietly leaned forward, resting her chin on her arms on top of the desk as she listened to him mumble indistinguishably and tiredly through his hands over his mouth. Her curious blue eyes carefully took in the prince's paled tawny face—picking up the differences in her absence. He looked pretty scruffy, in a not-bad sort of way—his unshaven face matching the aesthetic of his chin-length lazily layered hair. As a few strands fell into his closed eyes that were adorned with dark circles, Alice carelessly reached up to move it out of her way.

His dark lashes fluttered, his dark eyes blinking open. Inches away from her face, Alice finished pushing the strand out of his eyes before feeling her lips tilt up as he stared down at her.

"It's been awhile." She whispered, not wanting to break the comfortable silence yet. It was like her brain was currently asleep—no nasty thoughts as she freely admired him.

He exhaled into her face, dropping his hands from his lips. "Welcome back." He whispered back, his voice much lower and deeper than Alice's.

Laying her cheek on her arm, she continued to stare at him shamelessly, "I ran away." She admitted in a whisper.

Rolling his bottom lip into his mouth, he nodded, "I noticed..."

"You're mad at me for leaving." She pointed out; their whispers the only sound in the room.

He hesitantly nodded again.

She tried to read his eyes—the swirling emotions all seemingly intertwined together. Her own eyes closed for a moment as she gave up, "I'm scared." She admitted in a tiny squeak, her heart coming alive in her chest. "I'm really scared, Narcisse."

She was terrified to go through betrayal again. And she felt strangled by that fear. The idea that Lucy was her enemy and not her friend was like a noose around her neck—Lucy's hands the ones to be clenched around her throat this time.

With a soft, warm touch on the side of her face, Narcisse's superficial anger seemed to fall away, "...I know." He softly hummed knowingly as his thumb lightly smoothed away a fallen teardrop escaping from her eyelash. Looking down at her with her eyes closed, Narcisse gently pushed the tiny flyaway hairs off her porcelain skin—the pale colour turning mesmerizingly rosy under his touch.

Her heart felt like it was in her throat as Narcisse's innocent touch made her skin tingle and sparkle. Finding herself fighting to hold herself back from leaning into his hand... she just wanted to fall into the warm sensation on her skin. She didn't want to think at all anymore—she was so tired of being angry. Of hurting.

"Please stay..." His voice, weakened by vulnerability, suddenly broke—leaving behind the safe whispers as Alice inhaled painfully.

"Please stay where I can see you."

~*~*~

A.N.

My heart isn't okay. Like.. idk, you can just feel how helpless Narcisse is when it comes to Alice. You can just tell that he would do anything for her if she let him. What a problem on Alice's hands lol

Thank you for reading! How do you think Alice will respond?