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“And you’re completely sure you want to visit these ruins?”
“Absolutely! As I have already told you, I conducted a thorough experiment and I believe something of great interest lies within them. I know those of average intelligence such as yourself might not get the appeal of…”
Ariadne tuned Nenio out, fighting the urge to stick her tongue out at her. It was probably unbecoming of the Knight-Commander to act in such a way. It was becoming an uphill battle, however, especially when one Daeran Arendae was on her war council and often elicited such urges from her. As well as others she wasn’t ready to think too deeply on.
The scientist had continued prattling, unaware that Ariadne had become distracted by thoughts of how punchable the Count’s face was. Especially his lips. When Nenio turned back to her, eyes bright with expectation, Ariadne stumbled for a response. “I, uh…yes!”
Thankfully, that seemed to be the correct answer to whatever question Nenio had just asked. She nodded in satisfaction, taking the lead and heading further afield. They were about an hour out from the war camp, heading towards these ruins she had been so keen to visit. While Ariadne was usually glad to help out her companions, she couldn’t shake the feeling they were getting themselves into more trouble than bargained for. Still, any excuse to get out of camp and away from Paralictor Derenge for a while was one she was willing to take.
The previous day had been an eventful one, culminating in the daring rescue of a chapter of Hellknights and Sunrise Sword crusaders. Perhaps her mind should have at least been on the logistics behind the merging of the two orders, as well as navigating their continued partnership with the former, but instead her mind was on a certain vexing nobleman and something he had said to her the previous evening.
Unconsciously, she glanced over to where he stood. As if sensing her gaze on him, Daeran straightened from where he leaned against a tree, far too casually to be anything but an attempt to get her attention. Ariadne knew what he was going to ask even before the words left his mouth.
“My dear Commander, surely there’s no need for me to join you on this…quaint excursion.” Daeran’s smile was strained, as if for once he was trying his hardest not to say whatever nasty little thought that was undoubtedly going through his head. If only he had had such restraint the previous night!
The memory of his assessing gaze before he declared that no, he was certainly not in love with her was irritatingly burned into her memory. It frustrated her to no end - even if his personality wasn’t considered, she had known him all of two weeks, at most. Why should she care so much that he wasn’t in love with her?
But that didn’t change the fact that it did bother her. And try as she might, she was having a hard time being around him right now. That might explain the change in his demeanor - she had been more than happy to trade quips with him before now, no matter how barbed his has been - but that would also require a level of self-awareness and compassion from him that Ariadne wasn’t so sure he possessed.
“Count, we’re about to go diving into some unknown ruins where anything could be waiting for us. I’m sorry that this is interrupting your usual routine of loafing around the camp and being functionally useless, but for once, your services are actually required.” The words left her mouth before she had really thought them through, and for a moment she regretted the viciousness of them. That wasn’t truly what she thought of him - if anything, he had proven to be an invaluable member of her inner circle.
But then a familiar gleam shone in his eyes, one she knew all too well, and her misplaced sympathy fled. “Oh, but if I’m so useless, what ever could you possibly need me for? I’ll just get in the way. Unless…” Somehow, that maddening smirk of his became even more so as he stepped forward, closing the space between them as he said, “There’s a more…base reason you want to keep me around.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Ariadne snapped, cursing the way she felt her cheeks heating up. Now that the image was in her head…no, no, she was not doing this. Not here, in the middle of nowhere, where anything could sneak up on them at a moment’s notice.
“Flattering myself is one of the many talents. But you’re right, it’s not one we can make much use of out here. Though, I do have other uses along those lines…” Daeran’s smirk never faltered, and the way his eyes lit up at her reaction made her stomach flutter in a way she really didn’t want to think about. That she wouldn’t think about. There was no way, in all the planes of existence, that she was thinking about this here.
Damn it, she was thinking about it here. How his infuriating, beautiful lips would taste pressed against her own. How his skin would feel under fingertips, how his body would press into hers as she parted her lips and his tongue…
The Count’s grin was unbearably smug now. She knew he couldn’t read minds but her entire body burned anyways, as if he had just been witness to her intrusive daydream. When had he gotten so close?
“So, are you certain you still need me?” he whispered, leaning closer still, voice far too sweet for her liking. He was but a hair’s breadth away, his warm breath ghosting over the tip of her ear. All it would take was some careful maneuvering from her and…
“Yes,” she managed to rasp out. Closing her eyes to fight down the embarrassment, she added, “If you’re going to brag so much about your talents, I am going to have to see proof of their existence. Besides, Count, at least out here in the field with me you’re getting some much needed enrichment, and not bothering any of the important people back at camp. Or would you like to see firsthand what sort of training the Hellknights go through every day? I’m sure the Paralictor could be convinced to take you on.”
Without waiting for an answer, she brushed past him, pretending not to hear Daeran’s chuckle - low, soft, and somehow simultaneously obnoxious and endearing. She spent the remaining journey plotting a way to get back at him. Perhaps it was high time for there to be an accident involving some glitter and his person, or maybe the Next Door Theater Company would find themselves in possession of some wonderful new costumes in their wardrobe. Then she glanced back to find his eyes on her, expression giving nothing away save for the fact he clearly found her threat amusing. All thoughts of revenge dissipated, replaced by that damned pull she felt toward him, not quite unlike gravity.
It was then she realized that her attraction to him went deeper than a mere appreciation for his aesthetic appeal. With that epiphany came another - if she was seriously attracted to this man, then she was in deeper trouble than she thought.
And, as she felt a grin of her own begin to pull on her lips, she realized she wouldn’t want it any other way.