Chapter Text
Hers. Boq was hers.
Nessa watched every muscle in his face move as he spoke those words. Boq seemed small before her, trembling, insecure. But hers, only hers.
Totally, completely, entirely hers.
Nessarose had known this since the day they grew close. Since Boq approached her in the Shiz library, with his strange, welcoming, and kind smile. Since he sat beside her and invited her to Ozdust.
Since...
Nessa smiled. Her smile grew, slow, controlled, almost tender, yet with something deeper, something shining behind her eyes. A calm, firm intensity. She moved closer, as if his words were an invitation to lessen any remaining distance between them.
"Remember when we danced that night in Ozdust?" she asked, her voice still tender. She still caressed Munchkin's face, but stopped when her nails reached close to his lips. "Remember what you said to me?"
Boq blinked, slightly confused, but the warmth that ran through his cheeks indicated that he remembered. Nessa smiled again, pleased with his reaction, and let her fingers slowly descend from his cheek until they rested on his lips.
"You said… that I was beautiful." Her voice was low, almost a whisper, as if only he could hear those words. "Remember? Our dance? How happy we were?"
She watched the way he swallowed hard, as if each memory left him vulnerable in a way he didn't know how to handle. Nessa felt a small, silent triumph. He couldn't deny what he felt; he never could. Every gesture, every look, every hesitation was unconsciously given to her.
Always to her.
"Nessa…" Boq sighed, letting the woman continue her touches. "I remember."
Once again, that victorious smile Nessarose had returned. She loved how she made him feel.
She loved the way he trembled at her touch, how subtle and gentle he was with her. The way only he was allowed to get so close, the growing and unstoppable urge to want him even closer.
Boq could try to pull away as much as he wanted, but Nessa would always be the force that pulled him back.
"I knew you'd remember," Nessa said, her voice almost hoarse, a whisper just for him, as her fingers slid from his cheek to the nape of his neck, lightly tracing his hair. "Please, tell me that again. Make me feel like that again."
"You... are beautiful, Nessa. So beautiful."
She leaned in a little closer, slowly, like someone delicately marking their territory. Every touch, every gesture, was calculated, intimate, irresistible. And he allowed it. He always allowed it. The warmth of his body, the slight tremor when she brought her lips close, every shared breath… everything confirmed that he was there, that he belonged to her, even if he couldn't admit it in words.
The woman felt the tremor of Boq's body, the involuntary sighs escaping his lips, but still he didn't pull away. He desired her as much as she desired him.
"Do you remember how I smiled that night?" Nessa gently held his chin, keeping her eyes fixed on his. "I remember every word, every laugh… You tried to make me laugh even when the punch was awful, when I felt insecure about being there."
Boq opened his mouth to say something, but the Governor quickly put her index finger in front of it, silencing him.
"I was so scared... so scared, Boq."
It was true. Nessa finally removed her hands from Munchkin's face, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Nessa... you don't need to be scared," he said, trying to catch his breath. "You don't need to be scared of anything."
She gave a bitter laugh, her tone becoming completely bitter, angry, her voice full of jealousy and resentment.
"Not even of how you looked at Glinda that day at the station? Not even of how you seem to want to leave at any opportunity? Of how you distance yourself from me?"
Nessa saw Boq's hands tremble. His breathing quicken. She was still in control of the situation. She had a reason to feel this way.
Nessa watched his every move attentively, feeling her heart clench slightly as she saw him hesitate. The slight trembling in his hands, his rapid breathing, the way he averted his eyes... all of this worried her. She didn't want to scare him; She just wanted him to understand how much she cared, how much she had always cared.
"But..." Nessa said, rolling her wheelchair a little closer to Boq. "I forgave you. I forgave you for all of this, a long time ago. You are here now."
She moved a little closer, slowly, placing her hands on his shoulders, feeling the warmth of his presence and wanting him to feel safe there, close to her.
"I just want you to stay. Don't go away."
"I'm not going anywhere, Nessa." Boq promised, even if his eyes couldn't dare to look at her.
Nessa saw him practically force those words out. It didn't matter. It was a promise.
Nessa leaned slightly, resting her forehead against his, just for a few seconds, allowing him to feel her affection.
"I can't imagine myself without you. So, don't leave me. Don't go away. Stay here. With me. I need you."
She hugged him tightly and possessively. Nessa could feel Boq returning the gesture, even though his hands were weak and trembling.
He didn't need to be afraid of being weak. She would be strong for both of them and would never let him go.
"It's okay, my love. It's okay."
After all, he belonged to her. And she would take very good care of what was hers.