Timeless Ties || Volturi Kings

27. Change Pt. 2

Time of our lives, it's easy to see
We were just gettin' by, but we were complete
It hasn't been long that I've been away
I don't know why everything's changed

— Louis Tomlinson

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Alessia couldn't shake the sense of smugness emanating from Aro as he exited the room, leaving them behind. However, her attention barely grasped this detail, consumed instead by the explosion of her heart in her chest. It raced, her hand instinctively finding its place on the back of his hand still cradling her cheek, leaning into the moment.

Marcus.

Helios' name was Marcus.

Alessia hadn't forgotten the conversation she'd had with him, where he revealed that Markellos wasn't his real name and expressed a preference for Helios until he was ready to use his true name. It was evident he wasn't comfortable with the name he had been using. Alessia would have gladly called him any name he chose, but he requested to stick with Helios, and she respected his wish.

But now... now he finally was comfortable enough — perhaps with her, perhaps with their surroundings, perhaps with the situation — that he asked her to address him by the name he had chosen for himself. And Alessia...

"Hi, Marcus," she whispered, her voice barely audible, afraid that any louder sound might betray the emotions bubbling within her. She watched with affection as his grin broadened, a sight she hadn't imagined possible. "I love your name. It suits you perfectly."

"I also think it does," Marcus agreed, gently moving the hand she wasn't holding to tuck a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. With an expression full of wonder, he continued to cradle her face, his gaze focusing solely on her, as if nothing else mattered in that moment.

Alessia didn't mind at all. From her point of view, she had only been separated from him for three days, but she understood that for him, it must have felt like much longer. Clearly, he needed some reassurance, and if simply looking at her brought him comfort, then it was more than enough for her too. After all, she quite enjoyed studying his face herself.

Helios' eyes retained their striking beauty, a captivating dark crimson that persisted even after his return from hunting. The evidence lay not only in Aro's words but also in the faint stains of blood on his garments. Alessia observed that his hair had been trimmed shorter, a change that evoked a sense of melancholy but was understandable given the considerable time he must have spent traveling from Egypt to Greece. In 1300 BC, transportation methods were far from what Alessia would consider fast, implying that ̶H̶e̶l̶i̶o̶s̶ Marcus likely had less time to tend to his hair and thus opted for the practicality of a shorter style.

Alessia hoped that Marcus would allow his hair to grow out again. His curls had been so enchanting, almost forming a halo around his head.

After spending some more time simply admiring her friend's countenance, Alessia started to grow restless in her current position. While Marcus appeared content to continue gazing at her, unmoving in the same spot for who knew how long, Alessia, being very human, found herself needing to move.

Therefore, Alessia delicately redirected his hands from her face. Unperturbed by the faint traces of half-dried blood on his garments, she wrapped her arms around him, nestling herself under his chin. Marcus, true to her expectations, responded without hesitation, enveloping her in a tight embrace, his arms securely holding her close.

Alessia relished the tranquil moment, just basking in the comforting silence, but her concern for Marcus nagged at her — she needed to hear confirmation that he had been fine after the meeting. She paused, contemplating whether to broach the topic. The thought of disrupting the serene atmosphere weighed on her, especially considering Aro and Caius were within earshot, and they were fluent in her language as well. Perhaps Marcus wouldn't want to discuss such matters in their presence.