𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 // Akaza x reader (+18)

Chapter 52 | Awe and lips 🍋

The snow settles into a gentle silence, broken only by the occasional drip of melting flakes from the eaves of the dojo; the scorched lotus a reminder of the storm you'd just unleashed together.

Akaza's shoulders sag slightly, the rigid control he always carried loosening, just for a moment. You notice the subtle tremor of his hands again, the way his chest rises and falls more heavily than usual, and something in you tightens with both concern and... something else.

Without thinking, you step closer, closing the distance the battle had demanded between you. His eyes lift to yours, sharp, assessing — but not with the usual intensity of challenge. There's something softer there now, something fragile hiding beneath the layers of pride and power.

He reaches out, fingers brushing against your arm, testing, grounding. You don't pull away. Instead, you let your hand find his, the warmth of him spreading through you despite the cold night air.

For a long moment, neither of you speaks. The world outside — the snow, the remnants of fire, the night air — seems to shrink, leaving only the quiet rhythm of shared breath.

Then he leans in, not with hesitation, but with an intensity born from awe, fascination — from the power you both just wielded together. His lips meet yours in a brief, sharp kiss at first, testing, curious. The world seems to tilt, the snow falling slower, the wind holding its breath.

You respond instinctively, the kiss deepening, urgent but gentle, filled with the unspoken understanding between warriors who recognize something extraordinary in each other. His hands cup your face, thumbs brushing along your cheekbones, while your arms wind around his shoulders, holding on.

The kiss pulls you into a rhythm of its own, a shared heat and focus that mirrors the connection you felt during battle — the alignment, the explosive synergy. Time seems to stretch, the snow melting around you, the scorched lotus glowing faintly beneath your feet as if bearing witness.

When you finally part, it's with a shared, shaky breath. His forehead rests against yours, the heat of his skin grounding you both. His eyes, dark and intense, linger on yours with a look that's equal parts fascination and something softer, something like reverence.

"You've evolved so much" he murmurs, voice low, husky, filled with awe. "Power... and control... and fire..."

You can only nod, words failing you, heart racing from both the fight and the closeness, the understanding that the connection you share is something rare — something dangerous and beautiful all at once.

The snow drifts harder now, settling over the two of you, over the scorched lotus, over the fragile, fleeting heat of the moment.

The cold air seeps through your bones, and without a word, Akaza gestures toward the dojo. The warmth of the dojo wraps around you both like a second skin.

You step inside, shivering slightly, and Akaza closes the door behind you. The world outside disappears — the snow, the scorched lotus, the remnants of battle — leaving only the heat between you two.

Akaza steps closer, hands brushing your shoulders, lingering. His chest nearly touches yours, the weight of him grounding you in a way that makes your pulse race. There's an unspoken understanding in his gaze, a curiosity and fascination that mirrors your own.

The flickering light from the lanterns casts dancing shadows on the walls, highlighting the lines of his muscles, the way his chest rises and falls, the faint tremor in his hands.

Akaza moves closer again, slowly, deliberately. Your shoulders brush, then your arms, and the subtle contact sends a jolt of awareness through you — a mix of heat, curiosity, and something heavier, almost dangerous. His gaze lingers on your lips, then your eyes, and back again, as if he's memorizing the way you react to him.

Your fingers brush his chest, tracing the faint scar lines of years spent in battle. He inhales sharply, low and quiet, then closes the distance, pressing a hand to your waist. The gesture is light, almost tentative, but the electricity between you snaps immediately, tightening in your chest, in your stomach, in every nerve ending that's suddenly alert.

The kiss comes next — slower this time, a languid, consuming brush of lips that lingers longer, demanding attention without needing words. You respond instinctively, tilting your head, letting him guide the rhythm. His hand moves to your neck, gentle but firm, grounding you, drawing you closer.

You feel him inhale against your mouth, taste the faint warmth of his skin, the remnants of exertion and the fire you two unleashed earlier. The world outside the dojo ceases to exist, leaving only this shared heat, this delicate, dangerous closeness.

When you part, even slightly, it's with foreheads pressed together, breaths mingling, hearts racing. His eyes are dark, fascinated, vulnerable in a way he rarely allows anyone to see. He studies you with an intensity that makes the air between you feel heavier, taut with possibilities.

You offer him a quiet, breathless smile as your fingers move to the ties of your clothing. The fabric loosens under your touch, slipping down your shoulders and gliding along your skin before pooling softly at your feet. Lanternlight curves across you, casting long, warm shadows beneath your boobs.

Akaza looks as if the sight of you, bathed in that golden light, has stolen the breath straight from his lungs.