Chapter Text
Adrik was on the prow of a ship headed for Ravka, laid down, Leoni beside him. The stars in the sky seemed almost as magical and beautiful as the girl beside him. They would reach Ravkan shores by dawn. He was glad to be back. He missed his sister and Fjerda was horrible. Their time there even worse, full of trials. He was tired and wanted to return to his country, the little palace and everything familiar. Still, when Leoni asked him: "Excited to be back home?", his answer was of a different kind.
"I'm already home." he whispered and scooted closer. Leoni let out a giggle and it was a sound made from pure sunlight, or so Adrik could swear. A saint indeed.
"Well, you're in a good mood. Gonna change from 'Mr.Grumpy' to helpless romantic, now?" Leoni joked and rested her head on Adrik's chest
"I can be both, believe me. I swear you'll hear me flirt sweetly right before prophesying our inevitable demise." He said with a grin and Leoni let out that bright laugh that made Adrik's head foggy, much like alcohol would.
"Fine by me." she whispered "I like your constant pessimism and persistent whining. It's charming."
"The perfect balance to your neverending optimism and overwhelming yet endearing sweetness." he added.
"Nothing's excessive or 'too much' for a saint, remember?" she responded with a little smile. Their sainthood was a subject Leoni could not stop making fun of for the life of her. And Adrik found it equally ridiculous. But although Leoni thought it insane to be appointed a saint for the 'simple' act of saving lives, Adrik couldn't imagine a person better fitted for worship than Leoni.
"It's a shame there's already a Sun Saint cause you, my love, could convince the sun to do your bidding with nothing but your sweet words." he said and not even the darkness could hide Leoni's blush. He was well aware of his own blush as well and he knew Leoni was too.
"What a pair we make. Sankta Leoni Of The Waters and Sankt Adrik The Uneven." she continued joking and Adrik grimaced. He still couldn't decide wether the title "uneven" was ridiculous in a humiliating way or a hilarious way. He didn't particularly care for sainthood anyway. "Would you want to live forever?" Leoni asked out of a sudden.
"Saints, no. One lifetime is more than enough, a Grisha one too. I can't imagine living in this miserable mess of a world forever." He answered without any hesitation.
"But there are many so experiences waiting out there! Don't you wanna travel the entire globe, dance in the rain, learn all kinds of songs and taste all kinds of food-"
"Already too many experiences with this world. Wars, massacres, amputation, poisoning and sainthood, apparently. What's waiting out there if not more than that? But I'm sure you'll get to do all those nice things you said Leoni. Even if you have only one life, you live it to its fullest. And you make other people's life- my life-"
"If you dare say 'just bearable' I'm punching you." she interrupted in warning.
"Brighter. Happier. Leoni, you are like the first ray of sunshine getting through dark and grey clouds. You are the rainbow after the rain. The sunlight after the storm. And I love you." he confessed and realised he had never said it before. "And I would gladly live forever if I was with you."
"I love you, too. I love your grumpiness and and I love your joy. I love how you look at me with adoration when you think I'm not looking and I love how you blush when you get caught. I love how you'll whisper the sweetest words to me in the night under stars or covers, much like now. I love you. Everything that makes you you, Adrik. From your grimaces and dark humour to your surprising romanticism to how you like your tea sweet and your kvas neat."
"Leoni." he said.
"Yes?"
"I'm glad we've survived" he whispered in her hair and landed a soft kiss. "And I'm really glad we'll have our own rooms and beds again right now." he added and she giggled.
Leoni Hili was always a lively person. It was probably the fact that she would have died young if not for another's sacrifice, that led her to live vividly. To make her mark. She firmly believed that there was no better way to honour Aditi Hilli's sacrifice than to make the life she saved worth living. So, she took her last name as a tribute to her and, under her last name, she lived. Not just survived but truly lived. And she didn't stop at that. She made something great of herself. Grew into a brilliant woman that helped others live too. A saviour. A saint, weird as that still seemed.
And somehow, she had found her way to here. Here being in her room in the Little Palace, in Os Alta, Adrik's arms wrapped around her. Here being home. Finally, home.
Her hands were buried in his blonde hair while he was playing with the ends of her braids.
"This has certainly been a long couple of weeks- or rather months." she said.
"Careful, Leoni. That almost sounded like a negative spin." Adrik teased, the corner of his lip turned upward. Smiling. There was a softness on Adrik's face in moments like this. Lying together in privacy, limps tangled. It differed a lot from his usual grampiness and scowls. It was like he was living all the misery and darkness of the world outside to enjoy the break of sunshine. Her sunshine, he would call it. Their happiness in union. Their love.
"Leoni?" He said and she hummed in response. "Let's get married."
"What?" she asked with a laugh. It wasn't a bitter laugh, it was a surprised one, but she regretted the moment it slipped out, seeing the wounded look on Adrik's face. But the grimace was quickly replaced by determination.
"I mean it. I love you, you love me, why not?"
"Adrik, I do love you but what's the sudden rush? It's just... soon. I mean, it's been barely a week since we confessed love to eachother and no matter how long we've felt it, it seems soon. I don't think it should be an on-the-spot decision, that's all."
"I've been thinking, Leoni, since you asked me if I'd want to live forever. Remember what I answered 'I would gladly live forever if I was with you'. I meant that. But we don't have forever, Leoni. Saints, we live in a skydamned war. We could die tomorrow or in a hundred years, but who knows? You said you want to really live, not just survive- and I want that too- but for me living to it's fullest isn't dancing in the rain or learning fifteen languages or travelling all around the world. It's you. It's us." he paused doubt coming into his mind. "I'm sorry, I don't want to pressure you. I just thought- it's nothing- forget about it, I said nothing."
"Adrik, let me make this clear. I do want this. I do want us. As much as you do. I just think we shouldn't rush into anything- ironic as it is for me to tell you that. I don't want to let the war impact this. And I'm not against us marrying, I just think we should see the war through first. Cause saints damn you if you make me a widow, Adrik. I mean it. I'm a saint now and I will damn you, I swear." she was teasing, but she also meant it.
"I- okay." he shaked his head as if it clear it. "Okay. We can do that. I'd be happy to do that."
"Careful, Andrik. You almost called yourself happy." she joked, mimicking his own words and beamed at him.
"Proud of yourself for that one, aren't you?" he grinned- a rare sight indeed, one that only Leoni and Nadia ever managed (Leoni had to talk to him about that one, his emotional support couldn't be only two people, it was not healthy)- but then his features softened. "I am happy, though. I'm happy right now." he then leaned and kissed her- once in the forehead and once in the lips.
"Well, mr. romantic, I'd be happy to marry you. Just wait for the war to end. I think we'll survive it. I have hope." she said.
"Of course you do." he answered adoringly. Yes, Leoni agreed. I'd want to live like this forever too.