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“You don’t have to wear it around me, you know.” Ava commented from where she sat perched on the bed.
Royce had been reaching for his glove, the one he wore pretty much 99% of the time. Today was one of their cosmically rare days off, Empire Day, which commemorated the formation of the Galactic Empire exactly one year ago today. He raised an eyebrow.
Ava nodded, patting the bed next to her. “Mhm.”
Royce hesitated. They’d planned to spend the holiday alone together, so she was the only one who would be seeing him. He knew she was one of the only people not frightened or appalled by his injury, but the idea of going without the glove for an entire day was still daunting.
“It’s your call, love.” said Ava, upon noticing his hesitation. “I won’t force you.”
He nodded appreciatively, before pausing at the wardrobe, debating internally. Slowly, tentatively, he returned the glove to its respective drawer, closing it with a small thump.
Ava smiled a sweet, accepting smile, one that never failed to inject the slightest bit of warmth into his heart. She patted the bed a second time, and he sat down gingerly next to her. She took his injured left hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, careful not to hurt him.
Royce smiled. She was aware of his reputation, of his past, of his present work, but she still treated him as delicately as she would a little lost tooka kitten. It was almost jarring, how lovingly she held his hand. To him, that hand represented failure, the uneven scar tissue left by third-degree burns a constant reminder of his own hubris in his youth. But to her, it was just another part of him, one that didn’t make him any less deserving of her affection.
He grunted in surprise when she reached out to put her other hand on top of his, enveloping his injured hand in both of hers.
“Your hands are freezing.”
They often were. In addition to his naturally lower skin temperature, the facilities on Tantiss often had a slight chill to them, making his injured skin stiff and difficult to move. He chuckled, placing his free hand on top of hers.
“And yours are like an inferno.”
She chuckled back, giving his hand another small squeeze.
“Well, opposites attract.”
She brought his injured hand to her lips, pressing a small kiss into the scarred flesh. All the while, she was slowly inching closer and closer to him, leaning her head against his shoulder, warming his body with her own. Her fingers found his hair, which was still a bit disheveled as he hadn’t yet combed or styled it. Her other hand, which was still clasped in his, began gently massaging his scarred skin. He smiled, enjoying the feeling of her thumb rubbing back and forth over his knuckles.
“Indeed they do.”
Slowly, gently, he wrapped his unoccupied arm around her waist, pulling her down with him onto the bed. She laughed, letting him do so.
For once, Royce wasn’t worried about his next experiment, or what tasks still needed to be done. All that mattered was the woman in his arms, the way her hand felt in his, the warmth of her body above him.
How long they stayed like that, neither of them could be sure. Eventually, Ava’s breathing slowed above him, and he could tell she was just as exhausted as he was.
“I love you.” She murmured sleepily, her stroking of his hand and hair slowing as she began to drift off. He smiled, pulling her into a gentle kiss.
“I love you too, my little inferno.”