Viravos~✨Talking to the Stars~✨

The Morning After

(Viren's POV)
I woke up to his eyes on me. I felt my face flush immediately. "Don't you sleep?" I asked him.
He grinned. "Sometimes. It's not a requirement and besides, I prefer to sleep in the daytime."
I threw a pillow at his handsome face. "I'll be sure to watch you sleep too then."
He chuckled. "I shall look forward to it."
Then I heard whispering and instinctively covered his mouth, earning an eyebrow raise. I rolled my eyes before whispering "Don't you hear that?" He closed his eyes and then nodded. "Stay here, I'm going to listen." I rose from his lap and quietly walked over to the door.
"Do you think they're still sleeping?" I heard Claudia asked excitedly.
"I don't know. Why don't you knock on the door and find out?" Soren responded in a dull way.
She sighed before knocking on the door I stood behind. "Who is it?" I asked anyway.
"It's me, Dad." I heard her smile awkwardly. I opened the door. "Is there anything you want to... I dunno, talk about?"
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Not that I can't think of but I did just wake up." I crossed my arms. "Judging from your expression, there's something you'd like to discuss." She nodded fervently. "Which is...?"
"Could we meet your boyfriend?" I felt like my heart had stopped beating. How could she know? What did she know? Could I get out of this somehow?
"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied, forcing a straight face.
Claudia raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean? Of course you do! I didn't see him leave so he must still be on your room!" She stood on her tiptoes and tried to look around me to where Aaravos was laying. I felt my ears flush. What should I do? What could I do?
Soren came up behind her and crossed his arms. "Don't lie to us, Dad. We heard you two last night." Now my whole face flushed and I thought I might feint. I fell back into a strong chest. Aaravos.
"Apologies, such actions are rarely quiet." His low voice brushed the hair behind my ear.
"So... who are you?" Soren asked. "What are you?"
"Soren! That's so rude!" Claudia growled before smiling at the elf. "Sorry about my brother, he doesn't think before he talks."
"Hey!" Soren pouted.
"Both are very valid questions. I am not offended. I am Aaravos, a Startouch Elf. It is nice to finally meet you both." I was reduced to a fly on the wall, I could hardly move let alone speak.
"Wow! That's so cool!" Claudia clapped her hands. "You're beautiful." Aaravos smiled and blinked his eyes like a cat.
"Did you and our dad meet cuz he's a mage or...?" Soren asked, causing me to pinch the bridge of my nose as my cheeks flushed. Great, these two would definitely embarrass me. As if I wasn't out of my league enough... Just then, as if reading my mind, Aaravos met my eyes and furrowed his brows. I forced a smile, he held my hand. There were butterflies in my stomach. Pathetic, what was I, a teenager?
"An ancient artifact, actually. So... essentially due to his being a mage, yes." His voice reminded me of smooth hot chocolate. The thought caused chills down my spine.
"Amazing! I'm so jealous!" Claudia beamed before her eyes clouded with sadness. I knew exactly what she was thinking of: the guy she had lost due to her father's schemes. Calum. There was nothing I could say. She was one whose loyalty I could never doubt since she had already sacrificed so much for a father who didn't deserve her as a daughter.
"So are you gonna live with us now?" Soren asked, causing my face to flush.
"Easy now, Soren. We don't want to push things too fast here." I said.
Aaravos turned his head to the side and looked at me. "That would be lovely, if you wouldn't mind." My head was reeling. What if seeing me everyday showed him just how insignificant and boring I was? "Of course, we could sleep in separate quarters if you prefer. As you said, the pacing is rather quick." My mouth was moving but I couldn't seem to say anything. I could hardly breathe. He knitted his brows together tightly before placing himself in front of me, his face inches from mine with his eyes biting into mine. "Are you alright? If you prefer, I could find somewhere else to stay nearby." I was surprised to hear sadness in his voice. It couldn't possibly be that important to him, could it?
"N-no." I grabbed his wrist tighter than necessary. As if letting go of his wrist would mean his vanishing. "I would like that. You staying here, I mean." I managed to finally blurt out. He smiled and warmth reached his eyes and cheeks. I cleared my throat. "Could the two of you wait downstairs? We'll be down for breakfast in a while, okay?" They nodded before running down the stairs like children on Christmas. I heard Claudia giggling and whispering excitedly to her brother. I hadn't imagined them finding out and if they did I expected a negative reaction. But this... it made me smile.
"Care for a shower?" His deep voice brought me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah, that's a good idea." I followed him into my attaching bathroom and felt like I was floating. When was the last time I felt this happy over something aside from a military victory? I couldn't remember.